What is hypothesis testing?

Hypothesis testing is how you formally test research predictions (hypotheses) using statistics.

Hypothesis testing involves creating a null hypothesis and an alternative hypothesis.

  • The alternative hypothesis outlines the effect you expect to find (e.g., “Getting 30 minutes of sunshine within an hour of waking up improves mood”)
  • The null hypothesis states that there is no effect (e.g., “Getting 30 minutes of sunshine within an hour of waking up has no impact on mood).

Generally, you use statistical tests to obtain a p value, which lets you decide whether to reject or accept the null hypothesis (i.e., decide whether there is or isn’t an effect). You never “prove” a hypothesis; you simply determine whether you have enough evidence to accept or reject the null hypothesis.

Terminology related to hypothesis testing is very precise and can be confusing. QuillBot’s free AI writer is a great tool to help you perfect your wording.