Short Course: Meta-Analysis in R, 24-25 March 2026

Excellent news! Stats Central is delighted to offer a free ticket exclusively to UNSW student and staff.

*Enrolment requirements: Please refer to "Important Notes - please read" and "Course fees" below.

Course Overview

This course offers a practical introduction to meta-analysis: statistical methods used in order to pool and synthesize results across multiple studies. It is designed for researchers and students who want to learn how to fit, check, interpret, and communicate results from meta-analyses. Through lectures and exercises, participants will gain hands-on experience with common meta-analytic models and tools, equipping them to apply these methods in their own research.

Course Outline
This course will cover topics including:

• Effect sizes and sampling variances
• Data extraction guidelines for meta-analysis
• The meta-analytical model
• Diagnosing a meta-analytical model
• Straightforward extensions to the meta-analytical model
• Introduction to network meta-analysis

Please note this is not a course on systematic reviews - while we briefly cover how studies might be selected or assessed, the primary emphasis is on the quantitative techniques in meta analysis.

This is an in person course. Slides are in PDF format, exercises are in R markdown, and both will be downloadable in advance. If HTML slides and alt text are needed we will make every effort to provide these, please let us know well in advance. Lectures will be recorded and available for a week following the course.

Important Notes - please read

1. Participants must have basic R skills prior to workshop

This is NOT an introductory workshop in using the statistical software package, R. Basic R coding will not be taught. To do this course successfully, you must have basic proficiency in using the R package. All examples and exercises used in this workshop are done using R. We want to ensure everyone is able to follow the material, and no participant is disappointed.

• If you have basic R skills, that's excellent, please complete this quick TASK. Once you have completed this and emailed your results to stats.central@unsw.edu.au, then you will be given a code to allow you to register.

You will be expected to watch this SEMINAR on study design and statistical principles (samples and populations, confounding, statistical inference) ahead of the workshop.

Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of R and RStudio (completion of a quick TASK)
Course requirements: You will need to bring and use your own computer during the workshop.
Presenters and Expertise: David Chan, Statistical Consultants, UNSW Stats Central

Date: 24-25 March 2026
Time: 9.30am - 4.00pm, each day
Delivery Mode: In-Person ONLY
Location: AGSM LG07

NOTE: Course materials will be sent out closer to the course date so ensure you provide a correct email address.

You will receive a certificate of completion for the course.

Course fees:

External Student - $660

External - $880

*UNSW Student - $100 (full fee) - Free ticket with $50 deposit fee

*UNSW Staff - $440 (full fee) - Free ticket with $50 deposit fee

*Excellent news! Stats Central is delighted to offer a free ticket exclusively to UNSW student and staff.

*To receive a free ticket, students and staff must register using their UNSW email address. A $50 deposit is required to secure a spot; this amount will be refunded (minus the booking fee) upon attendance at the course. Please note that no refunds will be issued for non-attendance or no-shows. All registrations will be verified, and tickets will be cancelled if a non-UNSW email address is used.

Tickets are limited. If you are unable to attend, please contact us at stats.central@unsw.edu.au at least 5 days prior to the course. Your deposit will be refunded (minus the booking fee), and your spot will be offered to another UNSW member. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us. Thank you!

Note: If you have a funding support and would like to pay by "Internal Funding Payment", please contact us stats.central@unsw.edu.au.** Thank you!

FAQs

How can I contact the organiser with any questions?

Please send us an email at: stats.central@unsw.edu.au