Document Type
Article
Abstract
Textbook authors admonish students to check on the comparability of two randomly assigned groups by conducting statistical tests on pretest means to determine if randomization worked. A Monte Carlo study was conducted on a sample of n = 2 per group, where each participant’s personality profile was represented by 7,500 randomly selected and assigned scores. Independent samples t tests were conducted and the results demonstrated that random assignment was successful in equating the two groups on 7,467 variables. The students’ focus is redirected from the ability of random assignment to create comparable groups to the testing of the claims of randomization schemes.
Disciplines
Mathematics
Recommended Citation
Sawilowsky, S. S. (2004). Teaching Random Assignment: Do You Believe It Works? Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods, 3(1), 221-226.
Comments
The author gratefully acknowledges discussions with Drs. Lori Rothenberg and Randy Lattimore on earlier versions of this article.