Hypothesis Testing Basics

Question 1

Step 1

Answer 1

State the null hypothesis

Question 2

Step 2

Answer 2

State the alternative (experimental) hypothesis

Question 3

Step 3

Answer 3

Set the alpha (significance) level (α = .05 (or α = .01)

Question 4

Step 4

Answer 4

Set the rejection rule

Question 5

Step 5

Answer 5

Compute your statistic

Question 6

Step 6

Answer 6

Decision

Question 7

Alpha Level

Answer 7

Your alpha level is your willingness to make a type I error/results due to chance (traditionally 1% or 5%).

Question 8

Ho

Answer 8

The results from our study are solely to chance.

Question 9

Ha (H1)

Answer 9

The results from our study are due to something else (relationship/effect of I.V.)

Question 10

Decision Rule

Answer 10

Whatever we set alpha level to (.05/.01), there is a cutoff to decide whether or not there is a relationship.

Question 11

Directional (one-sided

Answer 11

When you specify a particular direction that you expect your results to fall in.

Question 12

Nondirectional (two-sided)

Answer 12

Not predicting a certain direction, just indicating that there will be a difference.

Question 13

Type I Error

Answer 13

Accepting the alternative hypothesis when there is no relationship (innocent found guilty → false alarm)

Question 14

Type II Error

Answer 14

Accepting Ho when there is a relationship (guilty person found innocent → miss)