In the context of testing of hypothesis, which of the following hypothesis is being tested ?

The correct answer is - Null hypothesis

Key Points

• Null hypothesis refers to the assumption being tested during hypothesis testing.
• It is typically denoted as H₀ and represents the default or baseline assumption that there is no significant effect or relationship.
• In hypothesis testing, the goal is to determine whether the data provides sufficient evidence to reject the null hypothesis in favor of the alternative hypothesis.
• The null hypothesis is important for statistical analysis because:
  • It provides a benchmark for evaluating the evidence.
  • It ensures that findings are not due to random chance.
• Examples of null hypotheses include statements such as:
  • "There is no difference in the average scores of two groups."
  • "A new drug has no effect compared to a placebo."

Additional Information

• Alternative hypothesis
  • Denoted as H₁, it represents the assumption being tested against the null hypothesis.
  • This hypothesis states that there is a significant effect or relationship in the data.
  • For example:
    • "The new teaching method improves student performance."
    • "A new drug is more effective than the existing treatment."
• Descriptive hypothesis
  • Descriptive hypotheses are statements that describe the characteristics or behaviors of a population.
  • They are not typically used in hypothesis testing, but rather in exploratory research.
• Steps in hypothesis testing
  • Formulate the null and alternative hypotheses.
  • Select an appropriate test statistic.
  • Determine the significance level (α), usually set at 0.05.
  • Compute the test statistic using the sample data.
  • Compare the test statistic to the critical value or p-value.
  • Make a decision:
    • If the test statistic exceeds the critical value or if the p-value is less than α, reject the null hypothesis.
    • Otherwise, fail to reject the null hypothesis.