Hypothesis

How it is used

Common in experimental and quantitative research. Researchers formulate, test, support or reject a hypothesis; statistics distinguishes the null hypothesis from the alternative hypothesis. Careful writers say the data support a hypothesis rather than prove it.

Example sentences

1. We hypothesized that sleep quality would predict exam performance, and the results supported this hypothesis.

2. The null hypothesis was rejected at the .05 level.

Common collocations

• test a hypothesis
• formulate a hypothesis
• support a hypothesis
• null hypothesis
• reject the hypothesis

Related terms

• research questionA clear, focused question that a study is designed to answer; it guides the choice of methods, data and analysis.
• quantitativeDescribing research that collects numerical data and uses statistics to measure, compare or test relationships, often with larger samples.
• significantIn statistics, describing a result unlikely to be due to chance alone at a chosen level such as p < .05; in general use, large or important enough to matter.
• evidenceFacts, data or findings that show whether a claim or idea is true or likely to be true.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

• hypothesis · Software Engineering
• hypothesis · Data Science & Analytics
• hypothesis · Product Management
• hypothesis · Psychology
• hypothesis · Biology
• hypothesis · Statistics
• hypothesis · Sociology

More terms: Research Design

• research
• methodology
• qualitative
• sample
• participant
• questionnaire
• case study
• carry out
• validity
• reliability
• mixed methods
• variable