THE HUNT FOR RANDOMIZED EXPERIMENTAL REPORTS: DOCUMENT SEARCH AND EFFORTS FOR A ‘WHAT WORKS?’ META-ANALYSIS

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Abstract
One of the most important phases of a meta-analysis is the search and retrieval of primary research documents. In essence, this represents the data collection stage of any research review. The author presents a detailed discussion of the process involved in searching, locating and retrieving documents for a meta-analysis of crime reduction field experiments. The inclusion criteria, the rationale for the searches used, the problems encountered, and a detailed presentation of major techniques, including electronic technology, are discussed The article concludes with recommendations for future meta-analyses.