Random assignment

Random assignment is a key methodological technique used in experimental research to ensure that participants are evenly and randomly allocated to different groups or conditions within a study. The primary purpose of random assignment is to control for confounding variables and minimize selection bias, allowing researchers to make more valid inferences about cause-and-effect relationships. In a randomized controlled trial (RCT), for example, participants might be assigned to either an experimental group that receives the treatment being tested or a control group that does not receive the treatment.