Since the mid-1980s, researchers have employed meta-analysis with the aim of synthesizing results on the effects of interventions, supporting policy and practice, and confirming results from primary studies. With increasingly scarce resources and greater accountability requirements, meta-analysis could become a powerful tool for evaluators to produce objective, defensible, and largely value-neutral evidence, which policy- and decision-makers could reference when forming and revising policies and programs. The purpose of this session is to present a simple road map for conducting a meta-analysis, including lessons learned from our own early meta-analyses. The session will walk participants through formalizing a research question, defining keywords, searching databases, reviewing literature, creating a database, calculating effect sizes, and interpreting results. Gaining an understanding of the lessons learned will help evaluators to avoid committing similar mistakes and anticipate future potential constraints. #GraduateStudentandNewEvaluators #metaanalysis #2011Conference