Knowra Hypothesis Hypothesis A hypothesis is a proposed explanation or prediction that can be assessed against evidence. It guides inquiry by making claims that observations or experiments can support or challenge.
Scientific method : A systematic approach to investigating questions through observation, hypothesis formation, testing, and revision. Hypotheses are one stage in this broader cycle of inquiry.
Hypothesis testing : A procedure for assessing a claim using observations and, in statistics, a specified decision rule. It formalizes how evidence can count for or against a hypothesis.
Null hypothesis : A statistical claim, often of no effect or no association, evaluated against sample data. It gives statistical tests a defined claim to assess against an alternative.
Research question : A focused question that a study is designed to investigate. A question identifies what to investigate; a hypothesis proposes an answer or expectation.
Observation : The act of recording information about events or conditions using senses or instruments. Observations can prompt hypotheses and supply evidence for evaluating them.
Deductive reasoning : Reasoning in which a conclusion follows necessarily from premises if the argument is valid. Deducing consequences makes a hypothesis yield checkable predictions.
Alternative hypothesis : A statistical claim that differs from the null hypothesis and represents an effect or association of interest. It states the possibility a statistical test seeks evidence for.
Conjecture : A claim believed plausible but not yet proved or fully established. The word often marks an unverified claim, while hypothesis emphasizes assessment through evidence.
Evidence : Information that supports or challenges a claim, explanation, or conclusion. Evidence determines how well a hypothesis withstands scrutiny.
Inductive reasoning : Reasoning that generalizes from observed cases to broader patterns or claims. Repeated evidence can motivate a hypothesis without logically proving it.
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