Step 1: Understanding the research context.
Researchers often need to synthesize findings from multiple independent studies to draw stronger and more reliable conclusions. Step 2: Defining meta-analysis.
Meta-analysis is a statistical technique that combines results from several studies on the same topic to estimate an overall effect size. Step 3: Eliminating incorrect options.
(B) Correlational analysis examines relationships within a single dataset.
(C) Regression analysis predicts relationships among variables within one study.
(D) Bootstrapping is a resampling technique, not a method for combining multiple studies. Step 4: Conclusion.
Only meta-analysis allows systematic and integrative analysis across multiple independent studies. Final Answer: (A) Meta-analysis