Neither fixed nor random: weighted least squares meta‐regression

Our study revisits and challenges two core conventional meta‐regression estimators: the prevalent use of ‘mixed‐effects’ or random‐effects meta‐regression analysis and the correction of standard errors that defines fixed‐effects meta‐regression analysis (FE‐MRA). We show how and explain why an unrestricted weighted least squares MRA (WLS‐MRA) estimator is superior to conventional random‐effects (or mixed‐effects) meta‐regression when there is...