Synthesising Evidence on the Impacts of Programmes and Policies in Education, Crime and Justice, and Social Welfare: Practical Recommendations Based on 14 Test-bed Reviews

Abstract

Review teams tested the systematic review procedures and principles developed under the Campbell Collaboration Fourteen review teams selected topics for intervention reviews in social policy, education, and criminal justice. Review protocols gave criteria for the extensive research literature search. Randomised Controlled Trials were selected. Systematic reviewers should give careful attention to defining the review topic, Setting study inclusion and exclusion criteria, handling variability in outcome measurement and study reporting, appropriate uses of statistical meta-analysis, and reporting review results. Significant differences in review results were observed based on review criteria and procedures.

Keywords:

• systematic review
• Campbell Collaboration
• Cochrane Collaboration
• test-bed
• social policy
• education