I am new into the meta-analysis concept. Having done a little reading and watched videos on YouTube, I understand there are different kinds of meta-analysis. And the type of summary statistics or estimate also depends on the data, the field and the relationships that exists in theory. From an engineering field. I am working on Lifecycle assessment (LCA) of wastewater treatment plants(WWTPs). I want to understand the variations in WWT LCA studies. This looks like a problem that could be tackled with meta-analysis.
My little thesis question is ''Among WWTPs, compared using LCA, what are the effects of technical factors on the outcome (energy use, GWP, ATP etc.)''.
There have been published articles on the topic since 1995 till date to serve for data extraction. The independent variables (technical factors) are wastewater type, plant lifespan, treatment technology. The dependent variables (outcomes) are energy use, global warming potential, acidification potential.
Kindly suggest the type of Meta-analysis, estimates/ratios, random/fixed effect model, and reference material that could be of help. thank you
Your research question, as is, in my opinion, is not ideal for a systematic review and meta-analysis. For a novice doing a systematic review and meta-analysis, you should start by comparing the effect of one thing versus another (e.g., new treatment technology vs. old treatment technology). Your "technical factors" are too broad for a novice (or even someone more experienced). Similarly, for your outcomes, it is better for a novice to keep that number to one, maybe two. Pick the most important one or the most commonly reported one.
Thank you a lot for that insight. I will certainly consider it going forward. @Gordon L Warren
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