Question

Researchers randomly divide participants into groups. Each group takes a different amount of omega-3 fatty acid supplements daily for a month. One group receives a placebo. The researchers measure the impact on cholesterol levels in the blood. What is the purpose of random assignment in this experiment

Answer 1

Answer:

To increase the accuracy of the research results and prevent skewness in the data

Step-by-step explanation:

Random assignment is a measure taken in experiments to ensure that there is no pattern in the qualities of individuals chosen for the study. This would ensure that any results obtained from the experiment can be rightly attributed to the research treatments and not to any other factor. It helps to eliminate bias in choosing the participants of the study. The researcher randomly assigns subjects to the treatment and control groups.

In the experiment described above, random assignment is necessary as it would ensure that participants do not have shared characteristics which could be a possible cause of the results obtained from the study and not the omega-3 fatty acid supplements administered.