Meta-analysis

Starting an analysis

Analysis tab → New meta-analysis. Choose the outcome and the effect measure (odds ratio, risk ratio, mean difference, standardised mean difference, hazard ratio). Studies come from verified evidence units or from a table you type.

Models and heterogeneity

Fixed and random effects (DerSimonian–Laird, REML), with I², τ² and Q reported. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses re-run instantly when you toggle studies.

Plots

Forest and funnel plots render as SVG; insert them into the manuscript as figures whose numbers stay bound to the analysis. Re-running the analysis updates the figure and the bound numbers together.

Reporting

A results paragraph written by an AI agent cites each study and takes the pooled estimate and its interval from the analysis result row as a bound number — never from memory.

The workbench

• Project → Analysis → Meta-analysis: create an analysis with its effect measure — risk ratio, odds ratio, risk difference, mean difference, standardised mean difference (Hedges' g), hazard ratio or a generic estimate with its CI — then type the studies or paste rows from a spreadsheet (study, year, then the data columns in the table's order).
• Settings: fixed or random effects (DerSimonian–Laird, Paule–Mandel or REML for τ²), the Hartung–Knapp adjustment, the confidence level, the continuity correction for zero cells, outcome and group labels.
• Everything recomputes as you type: per-study effects and weights, the pooled estimate with CI, p, I², τ², Q and the prediction interval, a results sentence to copy, and validation warnings (incomplete rows, zero cells, tiny arms, duplicate labels).
• Views: forest plot (with both fixed and random diamonds), funnel plot with Egger's and Begg's tests and Duval–Tweedie trim-and-fill, leave-one-out, cumulative by year, subgroups with the test for differences, mixed-effects meta-regression with a bubble plot, a metafor R script that reproduces the analysis, and snapshots that freeze a result on record.
• Export the forest or funnel plot as SVG or 300 DPI PNG. Recorded sandbox runs (code and figures kept as evidence) remain available below the workbench.