Specifying Inclusion Criteria for a Meta-Analysis

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Abstract
One of the most important stages of a meta-analysis is specifying the inclusion criteria. In other words, what studies will be included in or excluded from the quantitative review? How are these decisions made? The author presents problems and illustrations from this first phase in an ongoing meta-analysis of crime reduction programs. The eight criteria for including studies in the crime reduction meta-analysis are specified, problematic studies confronted using the criteria are listed, and rules for handling those studies to retain consistency throughout the meta-analysis are discussed. The article concludes with three recommendations for future meta-analyses of this type.