Randomization in Excel

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This article talks about some of the advantages and disadvantages of randomizing using Excel and also gives a step by step guide on randomizing using Excel.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Randomizing using Excel

Advantages

Here are some of the advantages of randomizing using Excel :

  • Balance/stratification can be achieved during a randomization using Excel.
  • Randomization using Excel is simple to implement and produces a record.
  • Since Excel is widely used, it is commonly understood and used by project staff.

Disadvantages

Some of the disadvantages of using Excel to randomize are as follows:

  • Excel is more mysterious to beneficiaries than public randomization(For example - drawing names from a hat, etc)
  • Randomization in Excel is less replicable than Randomization in Stata.
  • Since the randomization involves copying and pasting, it can be subject to human errors.
  • It is also less flexible to changes in randomization plan.

Steps to Randomization in Excel

Here are the steps of doing a successful randomization using Excel:

  • The first thing that needs to be done is to define a randomization rule. For example = the lowest 50% will be treatment, the rest will be assigned to control, etc.
  • Assign random numbers to each observation. While doing this, use "paste values" to stop recalculating the randomization.
    =rand()
  • Sort the random numbers from the lowest to the highest.
  • Created an ordered serial number.
  • Assign groups using either the mod or the if formulas.
  • Save the record.

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This article is part of the topic Randomized Control Trials