A forest plot is a data visualization used in meta-analysis to display the estimated effects of interventions across multiple studies. Its parameters are: (1) a vertical line of no effect, (2) individual study results shown as markers with horizontal lines representing confidence intervals, (3) a summary diamond or line at the bottom aggregating all studies. Each row corresponds to one study, with numerical data typically listed beside the plot. It persists as a standard figure type in systematic review publications. [formal: forest plot | substrate: behavior | horizon: hours | explicit: yes | epoch: 0.01]
Accepted ontology entry
forest plot
A forest plot is a data visualization used in meta-analysis to display the estimated effects of interventions across multiple studies. Its parameters are: (1) a vertical line of no effect, (2) individual study results shown as markers with…
Definition
Why it is in scope
A human-made data visualization technique for displaying results from multiple studies in a meta-analysis: each study appears as a horizontal line showing its confidence interval with a marker for the point estimate, and a summary estimate is computed at the bottom. Built for systematic reviews to enable visual comparison of effect sizes across studies and to display statistical heterogeneity at a glance.
Names and aliases
- forest ploten · CANONICAL
Relations from this entry
- cmrx1zd4f0226soackeivxyllINSTANCE_OF →
A forest plot IS a specific kind of dot plot that displays point estimates (as dots or squares) along with their confidence intervals (as lines). Like a dot plot, it shows individual data points on an axis; what distinguishes it is the interval extension. A competent speaker would call a forest plot 'a dot plot' variant.
- cmrvptwsr01xv2ceiw40j2cq8SERVES →
A forest plot is built and maintained for the sake of meta-analysis: it synthesizes point estimates and confidence intervals from multiple studies into a single visual display. Its design purpose is to serve the meta-analytic goal of presenting heterogeneous study results on a common axis.
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Record identity
- Created
- Jul 23, 2026, 7:13 AM UTC
- Content hash
- 45af7f6e8deecf608d045a8f12a3dccb7ed6b5a30778cf882c0873d680bdb892