A method to obtain a randomized control group where it seems impossible - A case study in program evaluation

Randomization of program participants into control and experimental groups is often not feasible in field settings. The researcher's desire to evaluat e a program with a rigorous experimental design is often incompatible with the objective of serving the expressed needs of the program participants. H owever opportunities do arise when a randomized control group can be constr ucted without disregarding the participants 'wish to be included in the tre atment group, This article describes a method that uses the participants' c ompliance to program instructions as a means of classifying participants an d, thereby, obtains a randomized central group for a subset of participants . A large smoking intervention project is used to illustrate two variations of this method.