The Revised Methodological Quality Scale (RMQS): A Framework for Transparent Assessment of Methodological Quality in Educational Research

The assessment of methodological quality is a central component of systematic reviews and meta-analyses in edu-cational research. However, existing instruments often combine heterogeneous criteria, rely on implicit decision rules, or produce aggregated scores that are difficult to interpret. These limitations can introduce ambiguity into the evaluation process and reduce the transparency of methodological judgments. This article introduces the Revised Methodological Quality Scale (RMQS), a structured framework designed to support transparent and reproducible assessment of methodological features in primary studies. The RMQS organizes commonly recognized methodo-logical criteria within an explicit decision structure and operationalizes them through a versioned codebook that specifies coding rules, definitions, and illustrative examples. The framework distinguishes between conceptual principles, operational documentation, and software tools that support the application of the instrument. The RMQS is accompanied by an open computational infrastructure, including an interactive Shiny application de-signed to facilitate the organization, visualization, and reporting of methodological evaluations. By separating methodological criteria, formalizing decision rules, and providing openly accessible documentation and tools, the RMQS supports a more transparent integration of methodological considerations in evidence synthesis. The framework allows reviewers to conduct diagnostic assessments of primary studies, explore sensitivity analyses based on specific methodological features, and document evaluation decisions in a reproducible manner. Overall, the RMQS contributes to a more explicit and structured approach to methodological quality assessment and may promote greater transparency in the synthesis of educational research