Skip to Main Content

Which review is that? A guide to review types.

A typology of literature reviews

Meta-interpretation


This is an interpretive form of synthesis that is suited to research areas employing primarily qualitative methods:


 "A method that follows an ideographic rather than pre-determined approach to the development of the following components: exclusion criteria, a focus on meaning in context, interpretations as raw data for synthesis, an iterative approach to the theoretical sampling of studies for synthesis, and a transparent audit trail demonstrating the trustworthiness of the synthesis"  (Weed, 2005)

 

Further Reading/Resources

Weed, M. (2005, January). " Meta Interpretation": A Method for the Interpretive Synthesis of Qualitative Research. In Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research (Vol. 6, No. 1). Full Text

 

Examples

Svärdemo Åberg, E., & Insulander, E. (2019). Challenges in working with pedagogical quality in preschools–a meta-interpretation synthesis of empirical studies. Early Child Development and Care, 189(2), 328-338. Full Text

Garcia, P. G., Cadoc-Reyes, J., & Veluz, E. R. B. A Meta-Interpretation of Collaborative Learning Activities in an R&D Management Online Degree Program. Full text

 

References
Weed, M. (2005, January). " Meta Interpretation": A Method for the Interpretive Synthesis of Qualitative Research. In Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research (Vol. 6, No. 1). Full Text