This book serves as an introductory methods text on how to conduct a research synthesis of literature in the social, behavioural, or the medical sciences.  Harris Cooper applies the basic tenets of sound data-gathering to the task of producing a comprehensive assessment of past research.

In this book, the process of research synthesis is conceptualized as five stages: (1) problem formulation; (2) data collection or the literature search; (3) data evaluation; (4) analysis and interpretation; and (5) presentation of results.  Cooper leads the reader through the comprehensive synthesis via a five- stage, step-by-step process. 

In the fifth edition, chapter 4 on conducting a literature search has been extensively revised to include recent developments brought about by the increasing use of the internet for scientific communication.  Other new developments in the techniques for meta-analysis are covered in chapter 6, including new statistics for describing meta-analytic results and combining complex data structure. These new statistics are introduced but briefly because more in-depth treatment  they would require more advanced knowledge that is not appropriate for this book. This new edition reflects careful revisions throughout along with a thorough updating of the references.

Readers who are engaged in writing a research report, dissertation, or book will find Cooper's tips a welcome aid for doing more effective and more efficient literature review.