A comparative analysis of results based on using the vote count method and meta-analysis as two alternative strategies for integrating the findings of individual research studies that investigate gender differences in identity formation of college student

Purpose. The intent of this inquiry was to compare the results of two types of research syntheses, the vote count method and meta-analysis, conducted on a sample of studies using college students which were taken from Kroger's (1997) narrative review on gender differences in the identity formation process.; Research Design. This inquiry was conducted in four stages. Stage One provided comparative analysis findings for each of the four identity structure categories in Marcia's (1966) identity formation model. Stage Two specified the comparative analysis findings for each of the four religious ideology categories in Marcia's (1966) model. Stage Three indicated the comparative analysis findings for each of the four political ideology categories in Marcia's (1966) model. Stage Four was used to specify recommendations for future research.; Findings. Overall, twelve comparative analyses (three identity formation constructs each having four categories) were conducted in this inquiry. In eleven of these comparisons, there were consistent results between the vote count and meta-analyses findings. These consistent findings indicated that male and female college students were equally likely to be placed in the same category.; One comparison yielded an inconsistent result between the vote count and meta-analysis results. Specifically, this inconsistency was uncovered in Stage One. In this case, the meta-analysis results indicated that male college students were more likely than female college students to be placed in the diffusion category of identity structure. This finding differed from the vote count results which found that male and female college students were equally likely to be placed in this same category.; Recommendations. A set of seven recommendations was proposed based on the findings of this inquiry. Four recommendations were directed toward individual researchers for the purpose of improving future studies investigating gender differences in the identity formation process. Three recommendations were extended to journal editors in order to facilitate the movement of future research syntheses away from narrative reviews and toward the statistical precision of meta-analysis.