Even when a comparison was preregistered, ask how people received each method. Allocation names this step. Chance allocation uses a blind draw or computer-generated random choice to assign a method to a unit: one person or a whole group. In a hypothetical classroom lottery, the classroom receives the assignment together. The aim is to reduce consistent group differences caused by how methods are assigned, including from unknown influences. Chance does not guarantee identical groups. Inspect how chance entered the reported procedure and what constraints applied; observing balanced groups does not by itself identify that procedure. NIST and Penn State teaching guidance explain these ideas without verifying any particular study’s allocation.