Reporting guideline for synthesis without meta-analysis (SWiM)


These videos, originally part of the Cochrane Learning Live webinar series, are aimed at review authors and editors, and are about improving transparent reporting of synthesis without meta-analysis of effect sizes.

In these videos, the presenters introduce the Synthesis Without Meta-analysis (SWiM) reporting guideline and go over the nine items of the guideline. The webinar aims to promote the implementation of best practice in synthesis without meta-analysis. The work presented is from the ICONS-Quant (Improving the Conduct and reporting of Narrative Synthesis of Quantitative data) project which is funded by the Cochrane Strategic Methods Fund (May 2017-May 2019).

The webinar was delivered in September 2020. Below you will find the videos from the webinar, together with accompanying slides to download [PDF]. The preceding webinar, “Narrative synthesis” of quantitative effect data in Cochrane reviews: current issues and ways forward, was delivered in February 2020 and can be accessed here.

You can join the SWiM Network email discussion group here.

Part 1: Introduction & recap of Webinar 1
Part 2: Organising groupings, standardised metrics, synthesis methods & limitations
Part 3: Prioritising results, investigating heterogeneity & assessing certainty
Part 4: Data presentation & reporting results
Part 5: Questions & answers


Presenter Bios

Dr Hilary Thomson, co-ordinating editor of Cochrane Public Health, Senior Research Fellow, University of Glasgow. Hilary Thomson has extensive experience in conducting large complex reviews of questions about the health impacts of social policy interventions such as housing, transport, and welfare. Her work focusses on ways to improve the reliability and utility of systematic reviews that address public health policy relevant questions.

Mhairi Campbell, Systematic Reviewer, University of Glasgow. Mhairi Campbell has broad experience of conducting complex systematic reviews, including: qualitative evidence of policy interventions, review of theories linking income and health, and research investigating the reporting of narrative synthesis methods of quantitative data in public health systematic reviews.


Part 1: Introduction & recap of Webinar 1">Part 1: Introduction & recap of Webinar 1


Part 2: Organising groupings, standardised metrics, synthesis methods & limitations


Part 3: Prioritising results, investigating heterogeneity & assessing certainty


Part 4: Data presentation & reporting results


Part 5: Questions & answers


Additional materials

Download the slides from the webinar [PDF]

SWiM website