Would this correctly result in random assignment?
A researcher assigns students to one of three conditions based on the month of their birth. If they were born in January, April, July, or October, they are assigned to condition A. February, May, August, and November births are assigned to B. March, June, September and December births are assigned to C
Do a little research then take a shot. what do you think?
Hint: no.
Stats for the US and Canada show that in North America, the most births occur in September.
Wonder if there is correlation based on the fact that Sept is 9 months after all those Christmas and New Year holidays??
No, this method does not result in random assignment. Random assignment is a process where participants are assigned to different conditions or groups in a way that each person has an equal chance of being assigned to any of the conditions.
In the method described, the assignment of students to conditions is based on the month of their birth, which is not a random process and can introduce systematic biases. For example, if there are any differences in the characteristics or outcomes of students born in certain months, those differences may confound the study results.
To achieve random assignment, a researcher could use a randomized control trial (RCT) design. In an RCT, participants are randomly assigned to different groups or conditions. This can be done using various methods, such as using a computer-generated randomization sequence, flipping a coin, or drawing lots. Random assignment helps to minimize the influence of potential confounding variables and increases the likelihood that any observed differences between the groups are due to the treatment or intervention being studied.