One of the broad categories of interest to meta-analysis is what?

Meta-analysis is a statistical technique used to synthesize research findings from multiple studies. One of the broad categories of interest in meta-analysis is indeed the data needed to compute effect sizes. Effect sizes are critical because they provide a quantitative measure of the magnitude of the treatment effect or the strength of the relationship between variables across studies. By calculating effect sizes from diverse studies, researchers can combine the results to arrive at a more comprehensive understanding of a particular research question.

Effect sizes allow for comparison across studies that may employ different measures, enabling researchers to summarize the overall trend of the findings and assess variability. This aspect is fundamental to the meta-analytical process, as the ability to quantify and summarize data across studies forms the backbone of synthesizing existing research evidence. In turn, this helps inform practice, policy, or further research by providing clearer insights into potential effects or relationships within the area studied.