ABSTRACT
In earlier times, researchers planning to conduct a meta-analysis systematically leafed through printed volumes of abstracts (e.g., Psychological Abstracts and/or Sociological Abstracts) to find citations and abstracts for journal articles and dissertations. They collected references from published and unpublished papers, and read relevant conference proceedings. They sought out studies by making personal contact with colleagues (either friends, acquaintances, or strangers) who were doing relevant research or knew other people who were doing relevant research. They contacted those colleagues and requested copies of their “file drawer” articles-those written but not submitted for publication, or submitted but rejected for publication.
