The article provides an introduction to interpreting meta-analysis in the context of synthesizing results of studies that examine the role of culture on drug use behaviors. Topics reviewed include using effect size to indicate the strength of a relationship in a primary study, combining effects in weighted models to yield a summary effect, and understanding how study-level moderators help to explain the heterogeneity in effect dispersion across investigations. The advantages of meta-analytic procedures for consolidating preexisting knowledge are highlighted.