Publication bias is present in the flipped classroom meta-analysis evidence base¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesis r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Visual inspection of funnel plots indicated the presence of publication bias for both theoretical knowledge and skill scores. → Sun Xinrui 2025

Evidence¶

Sun Xinrui 2025¶

Sun Xinrui, Yuan Xin, Zhang Linyu, Zhang Yi, Xiao Xue, Liu Hanmin, Ma Fang. (2025). Effectiveness of flipped classrooms in Chinese students of clinical medicine major undergoing clinical practice: a meta-analysis. BMC Medical Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-06737-3

q2 · i? · quant-synthesis · r2

Visual inspection of funnel plots for both outcomes suggested publication bias. The article notes "the asymmetries of funnel plots may also be caused by low-quality research and a high level of heterogeneity among included studies".

"As for the risk of publication bias, visual inspection of funnel plots of both theoretical knowledge scores and skill scores indicated the presence of publication bias (Figs. 5 and 6)."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Included RCTs of flipped classrooms in Chinese clinical practice show high risk of methodological bias — related
• Smaller, underpowered studies report larger flipped classroom effect sizes, indicating small-study and publication bias — related
• Funnel-plot asymmetry ran contrary to small-study effects because larger-sample studies reported larger effect sizes, likely reflecting longer training programs — related
• Publication bias tests indicate the pooled flipped classroom effect is unlikely to be inflated by publication bias — reports the opposite