Meta-analysis is a statistical method used to synthesize the cumulative effect of an interventional treatment or a certain relationship that has been subjected to empirical investigation.Notwithstanding the increasing popularity of meta-analysis in second language acquisition(SLA)research,there is considerable methodological inconsistency in the 22SLA meta-analyses published to date.Also,given the highly technical nature of some aspects of this statistical procedure and the specialized knowledge associated with it,it is a daunting task to conduct a meta-analysis and understand or interpret meta-analytic results.This paper seeks to solve the conundrum surrounding metaanalysis by explicating its basic procedure and technical aspects in an accessible manner.Utilizing SLA meta-analyses as examples,it discusses the methodological options of each stage of a meta-analysis,makes recommendations about how to handle some key issues,and points out the pitfalls that might undermine the robustness and credibility of meta-analytic findings.