Okuzeka
Data Science & Analytics vocabulary · A/B Testing and Experimentation

Hypothesis

Meaning in data science & analytics, with examples

/haɪˈpɑːθəsɪs/nounCore term

In data science & analytics, hypothesis means: A specific, testable statement about what you expect to happen and why, written down before an experiment or analysis starts.

In Turkish: hipotez, varsayım

How it is used

You form, state, test, support or reject a hypothesis. Product teams often use the pattern 'If we…, then…, because…'. The plural is hypotheses /haɪˈpɑːθəsiːz/.

Example sentences

  1. Our hypothesis is that a shorter form will increase completed sign-ups.

  2. The data didn't support the hypothesis, which is still a useful result.

Common collocations

  • form a hypothesis
  • test a hypothesis
  • support the hypothesis
  • reject the hypothesis
  • null hypothesisThe default assumption in a statistical test that there is no effect or no difference, for example that a new design does not change the conversion rate.
  • A/B testAn experiment in which users are randomly split into two groups that see different versions of something, so you can measure which version performs better.
  • p-valueThe probability of seeing a result at least as extreme as the one observed if there were really no effect, that is, if the null hypothesis were true.
  • statistical significanceA sign that a result is unlikely to be explained by random chance alone, usually judged by whether the p-value falls below a threshold chosen in advance, such as 0.05.

This word in other fields

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

More terms: A/B Testing and Experimentation

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: