Meaning of Randomization

After dealing with these various contexts—there are many more—of randomization, we may ask, What is really meant by randomization? The closest we can get to the meaning of “ran­dom” is “done without previous calculation” or “left to chance.” Any attempt to define randomization is known to be philosophi­cally hopeless for it begs the idea of probability. Is zero probability equivalent to 100 percent randomness’? Is absolute randomness practical, even possible? Is randomization quantifiable? This is a subject area rife with questions and opinions. In the meanwhile, an experimenter can only impose randomness deliberately in all conceivably required contexts, to an extent possible, knowing that there may not be anything like 100 percent randomization.

Source: Srinagesh K (2005), The Principles of Experimental Research, Butterworth-Heinemann; 1st edition.