Table 5

Meta-analysis software – usability ratings (best scoring software from left to right)

Items and subgroups

MIX

CMA

MetaWin

RevMan

WEasyMA

All researchers (26)

Overall rating (min-max)

8.6 (6.7 to 10)

6.9 (3.7 to 9.7)

6.2 (4.3 to 8.7)

6.1 (4.3 to 8.3)

4.2 (1 to 7.3)

Getting started

8.6

7.4

6.8

7.6

4.5

Data preparation

8.3

6.3

6.3

4.5

2.6

Usability in analysis

8.8

7.1

5.6

6.3

5.9

Experienced (7)

Overall rating (min-max)

8.1 (7.0 to 9.7)

6.8 (6.0 to 7.3)

5.9 (4.3 to 7.7)

5.4 (4.3 to 6.3)

3.3 (1 to 5.7)

Getting started

8.0

7.6

6.2

7.5

2.8

Data preparation

8.3

6.3

6.3

3.0

2.0

Usability in analysis

8.0

6.6

5.4

6.3

5.3

Inexperienced (19)

Overall rating (min-max)

8.7 (6.7 to 10)

7 (3.7 to 9.7)

6.3 (4.3 to 8.7)

6.3 (4.7 to 8.3)

4.6 (1.3 to 7.3)

Getting started

8.8

7.3

6.9

7.7

5.0

Data preparation

8.3

6.3

6.3

5.0

2.8

Usability in analysis

9.1

7.3

5.6

6.3

6.1

All scores are summary scores, based on the scores of items in the 'Installation', 'Data preparation', and 'Usability in analysis' categories. Each item was scored from bad to excellent on a scale from 0 to 10.

Bax et al. BMC Medical Research Methodology 2007 7:40   doi:10.1186/1471-2288-7-40