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Lesson 9 of 22 · 13 min
The six steps and stating the hypotheses
A hypothesis test asks whether a sample result lies so far from a claimed population value that chance alone is a poor explanation.
In short
- A hypothesis is a claim about a population parameter (a mean, a variance). We judge it with a sample statistic.
- The null hypothesis is presumed true until the data argue strongly against it. It always holds the equality: =, ≤ or ≥.
- The alternative hypothesis holds the suspected or hoped-for condition. Together the two cover every possible value of the parameter.
- Six steps: state the hypotheses → identify the test statistic and its distribution → specify the significance level → state the decision rule → collect data and calculate → decide.
- The only outcomes are reject or fail to reject . A test never proves the null.
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