empirical research methods
Developing research methods is central to the EPPI-Centre’s work. The EPPI-Centre's Methods for Synthesis (MRS) programme is one of five nodes of the ESCR’s National Centre for Research methods (NCRM). The MRS programme develops methodology in research synthesis and builds capacity by offering training and support. This topic is included in the EPPI-Centre knowledge library. The Knowledge Pages facility enables users to search for the key messages within specific subject areas to which EPPI-Centre reviews have contributed.
This report provides a number of examples of research that are deliberately or inadvertently developing methods for synthesising evidence from diverse sources. It is a part of a larger SCIE programme of work focused on using knowledge in social care. It provides a partial picture of methodological work synthesising evidence from research using diverse research designs. It looks at work both on the synthesis of qualitative evidence and on the synthesis of qualitative and quantitative evidence.

