What term refers to the arrangement of experimental run combinations to minimize the influence of uncontrollable variables?

The term that refers to the arrangement of experimental run combinations to minimize the influence of uncontrollable variables is randomization. In experimental design, randomization is a critical technique used to assign subjects or experimental units to different treatments or conditions in such a way that each combination is equally likely. This process helps to ensure that any uncontrolled variables are evenly distributed across the experimental groups, which increases the validity of the results by reducing the potential for bias.

Randomization helps in mitigating the effects of confounding variables—those external influences that could skew the results of the experiment. By randomly assigning treatments, the researcher aims to guarantee that the groups being compared are as similar as possible, aside from the treatment itself. This leads to more reliable conclusions about the cause-and-effect relationship being studied.

While standardization, replication, and control are important concepts in experimental design as well, they serve different purposes. Standardization ensures that procedures are consistently applied across all experimental runs, replication involves conducting multiple trials to confirm results, and control refers to maintaining conditions consistent to isolate the effects of the treatment. However, none of these directly address the arrangement of run combinations in the same way that randomization does.