Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
A hypothesis is a testable prediction or explanation about the relationship between variables in a study. It serves as an educated guess that guides research and helps to answer specific research questions.
Related terms
Independent variable: The independent variable is the factor that researchers manipulate or change in an experiment.
Dependent variable: The dependent variable is the outcome or result that researchers measure or observe in an experiment.
Null hypothesis: The null hypothesis states that there is no significant relationship between variables being studied.