Defined term · Statistics and inference
Heterogeneity
Variation in effect estimates across studies beyond that expected from chance. Quantified imperfectly by the I-squared statistic and assessed by inspection of the estimates and their intervals.
§1Heterogeneity
§1.2Category
Statistics and inference — Terms describing how effects are estimated and how uncertainty is expressed.
§1.3Related terms
- I-squared — The proportion of observed variation across studies attributable to heterogeneity rather than to chance. Does not indicate whether the heterogeneity matters, and takes…
- Inconsistency — Unexplained variation in effect estimates across contributing studies, beyond what chance would produce. Consistency of direction with variation in magnitude is treated…
Compound Evidence Institute · CEI-GT-073 · https://compoundevidence.com/glossary/heterogeneity/ · retrieved 30 July 2026