randomization

American  

[ran-duh-mahy-zey-shuhn] / ˌræn də maɪˈzeɪ ʃən /

especially British, randomisation

noun

1. the act or process of ordering or selecting people, things, or places in a random way, as in a sample or experiment, especially in order to reduce bias and interference by irrelevant variables.

   Randomization was achieved by using a computer-generated number to assign each participant to a group.

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Etymology

Origin of randomization

randomiz(e) ( def. ) + -ation ( def. )

Explanation

When you deliberately cause something not to be orderly or follow an expected pattern, that's randomization. Thoroughly shuffling a deck of cards is one example of randomization. When you deal the cards for your crazy eights game, you don't want them to be in order — that would be no fun at all! What you're going for when you shuffle is randomization, forcing the cards into a random order, entirely governed by chance. Randomization in scientific trials and studies means that a random group of people is surveyed or tested: people of different ages, races, and socioeconomic statuses.

Example Sentences

The authors didn’t correct for this problem, and even the Mendelian randomization doesn’t fully solve the issue.

From Slate • May 19, 2025

“The waiting room and randomization process will be handled by the provider and ensures that our servers will not be affected by the high volume of traffic,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2025

The randomization algorithms enables future patients joining the trial to have increased odds of getting the best drug for them personally.

From Science Daily • Sep. 18, 2023

There’s a method in genetics called Mendelian randomization that mimics a randomized controlled trial, so we can test for causal and not correlative associations between different foods and different diseases.

From Scientific American • Aug. 1, 2023

More evidence comes from Mendelian randomization studies, which compare the health of people who carry different gene variants to tease out cause and effect.

From Science Magazine • Jun. 8, 2023