Glossary
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Random sample | A sample in which every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected, helping make the sample representative. Science General |
| Randomization | Assigning participants or samples to groups by chance, which helps ensure the groups are comparable and reduces bias. Science General |
| Randomized controlled trial | A study in which participants are randomly assigned to receive a vaccine or a placebo or comparison, the strongest way to show whether a vaccine works. Vaccines |
| Randomized Trial | A study where participants are randomly assigned into either the intervention group or the control group. This is done to prevent bias among researchers, who may be subconsciously wishing for the study to show a particular result. Science General |
| Range | The difference between the highest and lowest values in a data set. Science General |
| Re-interpreting randomness | Seeing coincidences or random events as evidence of a hidden plan. Science Literacy |
| Reactogenicity | The expected short-term reactions to a vaccine, such as a sore arm, fever, headache, or fatigue, which usually pass within a day or two. Vaccines |
| Recall bias | Systematic error caused by differences in how accurately people remember past events, common in studies that rely on self-reporting. Science Literacy |
| Recombinant | Of or resulting from new combinations of genetic material or cells; the genetic material produced when segments of DNA from different sources are joined to produce recombinant DNA. Vaccines |
| Recombinant vaccine | A vaccine made using genetic engineering to produce an antigen in yeast, bacteria, or cells. The hepatitis B, HPV, and shingles vaccines are recombinant. Vaccines |