Hüpoteetilist

Hüpoteetilist is a term used to describe a structured collection of hypotheses assembled for a research, design, or policy analysis task. It functions as a catalog of plausible explanations that could account for observed phenomena and as a guide to data collection, experimentation, and decision making. The word blends Estonian roots for hypothetical with the English suffix -list to denote a list.

A hüpoteetilist typically includes each hypothesis stated clearly, the rationale behind it, the predicted outcomes if the hypothesis is true, and the criteria and methods that would test it. It also records potential confounders, alternative explanations, and any assumptions. Items are prioritized by testability, impact, and plausibility, and the document is kept open for revisions as new evidence emerges. In practice, it supports hypothesis-driven inquiry by ensuring that multiple explanations are considered and that tests can falsify at least some hypotheses.

Examples: in clinical research, a hüpoteetilist might enumerate hypotheses about a treatment’s efficacy, subgroup effects, and non-specific placebo responses, with plans for randomization, blinding, and outcome measures. In policy analysis, it could list different causal channels by which a program affects outcomes, along with strategies to isolate each channel.

Relation to other concepts: it is related to the hypothesis space, assumption log, and test plan, and serves as a bridge between literature review and experimental design. Limitations include subjective selection and bias in judging plausibility. See also hypothesis-driven research, assumption log, test plan.