We have an epidemic of deeply flawed meta-analyses, says John Ioannidis

Re:We have an epidemic of deeply flawed meta-analyses, says ... by tremon on Tuesday September 20, 2016 @05:50AM (#12538261)

One should note that meta-analysis is a form of rigorous independent verification.

It most definitely is not. Meta-analysis performs aggregation of existing research data in an attempt to validate specific research results for a larger group than initially tested. As such, it is primarily an inductive proof. That it can also validate or invalidate prior research is more of an artifact than a goal.

A rigorous independent verification can be performed deductively. No inference required.

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Re:We have an epidemic of deeply flawed meta-analyses, says ... by Fomite on Tuesday September 20, 2016 @08:24AM (#12538927)

There are steps in properly performed meta-analysis that are very much about verification of a field of research as a whole, rather than a single study. For example, methods to detect likely publication bias, or heterogenity statistics that will indicate whether or not a given literature is in a state to be pooled at all.

Both are methods to reveal "Something is wrong here..."

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