A researcher compared the temperature of several courtyards at noon. Those with mature trees were cooler than those without them. The result seemed to support planting trees, but the researcher noticed that the shaded courtyards also had lighter paving and less traffic. Because these features occurred together, the comparison could not determine how much of the temperature difference came from each one. The researcher did not conclude that shade was irrelevant. She proposed measuring the same courtyards at several times of day and recording the paving and traffic conditions separately. A practical decision may still be justified before every contribution is isolated, but the explanation offered for that decision must not claim more than the comparison establishes. Evidence can support exploring an intervention while leaving the size and independence of its effects unresolved. A careful report keeps these two levels of judgment apart.