A findings archive is a tool for supporting research synthesis. It involves standardized descriptions of research findings, both distributional findings and correlational findings. These descriptions serve as a preliminary step in research synthesis, for narrative reviews as well as for quantitative meta-analyses.
A findings-archive facilitates research synthesis in the following ways:
- Continuous gathering research findings on a subject.
- Comparable description of these findings on electronic ‘finding pages’ using a standard format and terminology.
- Ordering of these findings by subject, research methods and populations.
- Presentation of the findings in review papers using links to findings pages on which readers find full detail.
The technique of a findings archive was developed for the synthesis of research on happiness. The method can also be used for other subjects.
Options
Findings are entered in an SQL database using an MS-Access database, which is standard in MS-Office. For small subjects, you can also use that MS-Access database as a stand-alone. In that case you need the 2017 version. In that option you do without a website and its attendant search options.
More detail
These options are discussed in more detail in the document FindingsArchive-StartNew2024
Download files
In all cases you will need copies of the files that constitute World Database of Happiness version 1.0. Copies will be provided on request by the Library of Erasmus University Rotterdam. An application can be made using this link https://eur-nl.libwizard.com/f/WDH