Outcomes of meta-analyses are increasingly used to inform evidence-based decision making in various research fields. However, a number of recent studies have reported rapid temporal changes in magnitude and significance of the reported effects which could make policy-relevant recommendations from meta-analyses to quickly go out of date. We…

In evidence-based practice, new topics generally only have a few studies available for synthesis. As a result, the evidence of such meta-analyses raised substantial concerns. We investigated the robustness of the evidence from these earliest studies. Real-world data from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) were collected. We…

We conducted a descriptive analysis and meta-analysis of single-case research design (SCRD) studies investigating the effectiveness of the graduated guidance procedure. Once we identified studies through electronic databases and reference lists, we used What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Standards to evaluate each study. Then, we described studies in…

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are important techniques because they synthesize results from multiple primary studies on a similar topic. To influence policy, practice, and research, however, synthesis researchers must translate the results for various audiences. Ideally, the translation drives future research agendas, informs policymaking,…

Evidence-based decision-making is predicated on the ability of users to find and comprehend results from systematic review. Evidence producers have an obligation to support evidence users in this process. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) program--a producer of rigorous and comprehensive…

As the body of scientific evidence about effective policies and practices grows, so does the need to effectively communicate that evidence to policy-makers and practitioners. Clearinghouses have emerged to facilitate the evidence-based decision-making process for education practitioners. While the results and methods for developing and analyzing…

As the body of scientific evidence about effective policies and practices grows, so does the need to effectively communicate that evidence to policy-makers and practitioners. Clearinghouses have emerged to facilitate the evidence-based decision-making process for education practitioners. While the results and methods for developing and analyzing…

Much of the evidential basis for recent policy decisions is grounded in effect size: the standardised mean difference in outcome scores between a study's intervention and comparison groups. This is interpreted as measuring educational influence, importance or effectiveness of the intervention. This article shows this is a category error at two…

Background: Over the years, the quantity and quality of educational research has been rapidly improving. This can be attributed to the growing call to use evidence of effectiveness in decision-making by policymakers and practitioners. In fact, evidence sufficient to establish programs as "small", "moderate", or…

Rapid reviews of research are a key way in which policy makers use research. This paper examines 74 rapid reviews commissioned by health policy agencies through the Sax Institute's Evidence Check programme. We examine what prompted policy makers to commission rapid reviews, their purpose, how and when they intended to use them, and how this varied…