Random assignment is not necessary for researchers to be able to infer cause and effect in experimental studies.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Random assignment is necessary in experimental studies to ensure that participants are assigned to groups in a way that minimizes the chance of preexisting differences between groups. Without random assignment, it is difficult to rule out alternative explanations for the observed results, and therefore, difficult to infer cause and effect.

Random Assignment Is Not Necessary for Researchers to Be Able