Glossary

A design in which researchers randomly assign study participants to a group that receives the program services or a group that does not. RCTs are considered to produce the strongest possible evidence of effectiveness because random assignment ensures that no systematic differences existed between the study groups before the program.

Pathways to Work describes studies as having been conducted in rural only settings if the study authors reported that the study was conducted in a rural location or in multiple locations, all of which were rural. This typically means that they were conducted in communities with low population density, such as small towns, that typically include large tracts of undeveloped land. Programs are listed as having been tested in rural only settings if at least one study of the program was in a rural only setting.