Hypothesis Testing in Context

This lesson covers hypothesis testing as applied to real-world data — specifically in the contexts of correlation, proportion, and the mean. The emphasis is on setting up tests correctly, carrying them out using data from the AQA large data set, and interpreting the results in context.

---

Recap: The Hypothesis Testing Framework

A hypothesis test follows a structured procedure:

1. State the null hypothesis ($H_0$H0​) — the default assumption (no effect, no change, no correlation).
2. State the alternative hypothesis ($H_1$H1​) — the claim being tested.
3. Choose the significance level ($\alpha$α) — typically 5% (0.05) or 1% (0.01).
4. Calculate the test statistic or find the probability of the observed result (or more extreme) under $H_0$H0​.
5. Compare with the critical value or compare the p-value with $\alpha$α.
6. State the conclusion in context — either reject $H_0$H0​ or state there is insufficient evidence to reject $H_0$H0​.

Important Terminology