What is a hypothesis?

• A. A prediction or statement that you make before your data collection
• B. A device used to collect data
• C. A summary of results
• D. An examination of data after collection

Answer: (A)

A hypothesis is an educated guess about what you expect to find, stated in a way that can be tested through data collection. It is made before you start gathering data and describes a relationship between variables or a difference you think will be observed, so you can test it with your methods and measurements. This is why the best choice is the one that says it is a prediction or statement you make before data collection. In contrast, a device used to collect data is a data-collection tool, a summary of results is a conclusion, and an examination of data after collection is data analysis.