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NESCent Summer Course 2009

An Introduction to Meta-analysis in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

An Introduction to Meta-analysis in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology is a 5-day summer course sponsored by and held at the U.S. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) in Durham, North Carolina.

The course will cover with what meta-analysis is, where it comes from, some examples of how it has been used in ecology and evolution, and its major strengths and weaknesses as a tool for the quantitative summary of research results. Students will be introduced to issues and methods for gathering data from the scientific literature and how to organize those data for analysis. Students will be encouraged to produce a preliminary meta-analysis on their own data, and will learn how to interpret, evaluate and critique the results.

Students will learn how to:

• conceptualize a meta-analysis
• frame research questions in a format that can be implemented with meta-analysis
• choose appropriate statistical models
• search for relevant papers and decide on unbiased criteria for inclusion
• carry out sensitivity analyses
• evaluate sources of bias
• troubleshoot common problems with data extraction and analysis
• integrate phylogenetic information into meta-analysis

Instructors

• Jessica Gurevitch, Course Organizer, Professor and Chair, Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University
• Marc Lajeunesse, Instructor, NESCent postdoctoral fellow
• Kerrie Mengersen, Instructor, Professor of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia

Format

The course will consist of lectures, demonstrations, hands-on computer labs, group discussions and student presentations. There will be ample opportunity for questions and feedback. The course will also include a number of social events and opportunities to interact with the NESCent scientific community.

When: July 6-10, 2009

Where: The National Evolutionary Synthesis Center

Prerequisites

• Biology: Upper division university ecology or evolution, or equivalent coursework or experience.
• Statistics: Basic introductory statistics is essential, and a more advanced course in experimental design and analysis would be helpful. Experience in analyzing ecological and evolutionary data; familiarity with ANOVA and regression is essential, some familiarity with Bayesian statistics is a plus.

Software

The course will be taught using MetaWin 2.0, WinBUGS 1.4, R, and custom software for phylogenetic meta-analysis. Note that MetaWin is only available for Windows; it is strongly recommended (but not required) and can be purchased with registration.

Fees

Participants will be responsible for travel and food expenses. Travel awards of up to $450 are available to participants from underrepresented groups.

How to Apply

Apply online at /courses/apply by providing a CV and brief descriptions of (1) your statistical and biological background and experience, and (2) your reasons for taking the course. Applications are due by March 31, 2009. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt and applicants will be notified no later than May 1, 2009. Registration is limited to 24.

Background References

• Gurevitch, J. and L.V. Hedges. 1999. Statistical issues in conducting ecological meta-analyses (and other papers in that special feature). Ecology 80, 1142-1149.
• Hedges, L.V. and I. Olkin. 1985. Statistical Methods for Meta-Analysis.
• Lajeunesse, M.J. and Forbes, M.R. (2003) Variable reporting and quantitative reviews: a comparison of three meta-analytical techniques. Ecology Letters 6, 448-454.

For more information

Inquiries may be address to Jory Weintraub, NESCent Education and Outreach Program Manager, at jory@nescent.org, or 919-668-4578.