The effect direction plot: visual display of non-standardised effects across multiple outcome domains

Visual display of reported impacts is a valuable aid to both reviewers and readers of systematic reviews. Forest plots are routinely prepared to report standardised effect sizes, but where standardised effect sizes are not available for all included studies a forest plot may misrepresent the available evidence. Tabulated data summaries to accompany the narrative synthesis can be lengthy and inaccessible. Moreover, the link between the data and the synthesis conclusions may be opaque. This paper details the preparation of visual summaries of effect direction for multiple outcomes across 29 quantitative studies of the health impacts of housing improvement. A one page summary of reported health outcomes was prepared to accompany a 10 000-word narrative synthesis. The one page summary included details of study design, internal validity, sample size, time of follow-up, as well as changes in intermediate outcomes, for example, housing condition. This approach to visually summarising complex data can aid the reviewer in cross-study analysis and improve accessibility and transparency of the narrative synthesis where standardised effect sizes are not available

The Sourcerer's Apprentice

This assignment considers the use of the apprenticeship model of teaching in academic subject areas. This has been investigated by various authors since 1989. I will consider the various flavors of the techniques presented and some of the practical implications of these. I will draw from our experience running several courses where students undertake business like projects within a protective environment

Letter from Kashmir

Colonel S.W. “Syd” Thomson, D.S.O., M.C., CD. Joined the Rocky Mountain Rangers in the 1930s transferring to the Seqforth Highlanders at the outbreak of war. Wounded in Sicily, he returned to serve as Company Commander, Second-in-Command and Commanding Officer of the Battalion. In October 1944 he was promoted to Acting Colonel and sent to England to command an infantry training unit at Aldershot. In April 1945 he reverted to Lieut.-Colonel to take command of the Black Watch. Colonel Thomson volunteered for the Pacific Force and remained in the Army until 1946. He rejoined the forces to serve with the United Nations Military Observers Group in Pakistan. This letter to “Big” Jim Stone (Lieut.-Colonel Jim Stone D.S.O., M.C., CD.) is one of several colourful accounts of his service in Kashmir. Colonel Thomson’s letters will be a regular feature in CMH