> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs-evisyn.grabmywork.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Meta-Analysis > Forest plots, effect sizes, and risk of bias visualization For quantitative synthesis, EviSyn provides built-in meta-analysis with forest plot generation, data extraction from papers, and risk of bias integration. ## Creating a Meta-Analysis Navigate to **Meta-Analysis** from your project dashboard and click **New Analysis**. ### Step 1: Topics & Groups Meta-analysis setup wizard Configure your analysis: | Field | Description | | ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Analysis Topic** | What you're comparing (e.g., "ICU Stay after lung cancer surgery") | | **Description** | Optional details about the analysis | | **Group 1** | Intervention group label (e.g., "Favours Prehabilitation") | | **Group 2** | Control group label (e.g., "Favours Standard of Care") | | **Outcome Type** | Continuous or Binary | | **Effect Measure** | SMD, MD, OR, RR, etc. | | **Model** | Fixed Effect or Random Effects | Click **Next** to proceed. ### Step 2: Columns Column configuration Columns are auto-populated based on your outcome type and effect measure: * **Study** — Study identifier * **Group 1 Mean/SD/Total** — Intervention group statistics * **Group 2 Mean/SD/Total** — Control group statistics * **Weight** — Study weight in the analysis * **Std. Mean Difference** — Calculated effect size You can rename, add, or remove columns as needed. ### Step 3: Risk of Bias Risk of bias template selection Select a risk of bias template to integrate with your analysis: | Template | Description | | ----------------------------- | --------------------------------- | | **RoB 2.0 (Cochrane)** | Standard 5-domain RoB2 assessment | | **ROBINS-I (Non-randomized)** | For non-randomized studies | | **Newcastle-Ottawa Scale** | For observational studies | | **Custom (start empty)** | Build your own domains | Domains are displayed as columns in your analysis table. ## The Analysis Table Meta-analysis data table The analysis table shows: * **Study data** — Click cells to edit values directly * **Effect sizes** — Auto-calculated based on your input * **Risk of bias** — Color-coded traffic light indicators per domain ### Adding Studies | Method | How | | ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | | **Add Papers** | Select from your finalized papers | | **Extract from Papers** | AI reads papers and populates data automatically | | **Import Template** | Import from a pre-filled spreadsheet | | **Manual Entry** | Click cells to enter data directly | ### AI Data Extraction Click **Extract from Papers** to have the AI read each paper and populate the meta-analysis columns: AI extracting data into meta-analysis The extraction progress bar shows which paper is being processed. ## Forest Plot Click **Rebuild Forest Plot** to generate a publication-ready visualization. Forest plot with risk of bias The forest plot shows: * **Effect sizes** with confidence intervals for each study * **Diamond** for the pooled effect * **Heterogeneity statistics** (I², Q, p-value) * **Risk of bias traffic lights** — colored circles showing RoB2 domain ratings per study * **Overall risk of bias** column ### Export Options | Format | Description | | ------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | | **Pull RoB** | Sync risk of bias data from quality assessment | | **Import Template** | Import study data from spreadsheet | | **Export CSV** | Download the full analysis table | ## What's Next? After meta-analysis, proceed to [Manuscript Writer](/user-guide/manuscript-writer) to draft your Results and Discussion sections.