Meta-Analyses of Reading Intervention Studies Including Students With Learning Disabilities: A Methodological Review.

Learning disabilities (LD) may affect a range of academic skills but are most often observed in reading. Researchers and policymakers increasingly recommend addressing reading difficulties encountered by students with LD using evidence-based practices, or interventions validated through multiple, high-quality research studies. A valuable tool in identifying evidence-based practices is the meta-analysis, which entails statistically aggregating the results obtained through primary studies. Specific methods used in meta-analyses have the potential to influence their findings, with ramifications for research and practice. This review assessed the methodological features of the systematic reviews and analytic procedures featured in meta-analyses of reading intervention studies that included students with LD written between 2000 and 2020. Identified articles (N = 23) suggest that meta-analyses have become more prevalent and transparent over time, notwithstanding issues related to publication bias and the opacity of coding procedures. A discussion of implications follows a description of results.

An initial survey of fractional graph and table area in behavioral journals.

This study examined the fractional graph area (FGA), the proportion of page space used to display statistical graphics, in 11 behavioral journals and places behavior analysis on a continuum with other natural, mathematical, and social science disciplines. The composite FGA of all 11 journals puts behavior analysis within the range of the social sciences, whereas the composite FGA of the most established and preeminent behavioral journals positions behavior analysis within the range of the natural sciences. In addition, fractional table area (FTA), the proportion of page space used to display tables, generally is higher in behavioral journals with lower degrees of FGA, a result that replicates previous research.