The meta-plot: A graphical tool for interpreting the results of a meta-analysis

The meta-plot is a descriptive visual tool for meta-analysis that provides information on the primary studies in the meta-analysis and the results of the meta-analysis. More precisely, the meta-plot portrays (i) the precision and statistical power of the primary studies in the meta-analysis, (ii) the estimate and confidence interval of a random-effects meta-analysis, (iii) the results of a cumulative random-effects meta-analysis yielding a robustness check of the meta-analytic effect size with respect to primary studies’ precision, and (iv) evidence of publication bias. After explaining the underlying logic and theory, the meta-plot is applied to two cherry-picked meta-analyses that appear to be biased and to ten meta-analyses randomly selected from the psychological literature. We recommend using the meta-plot in addition to any meta-analysis of common effect size measures, rather than variants of the funnel plot.