hypotézu

Hypotéza is a tentative explanation or educated guess that addresses a specific question or phenomenon. It is a statement that can be tested through observation or experimentation and that yields predictions which may be confirmed or refuted by data. In Czech, hypotézu is the accusative singular form of hypotéza, used when the hypothesis is the object of a verb.

A hypothesis should be testable and falsifiable, meaning that it is possible to design an experiment or collect observations that could show it is false. It often arises from prior knowledge, a review of evidence, and a logical reasoning about relationships between variables. In scientific practice, hypotheses are deliberately specific and operationalizable, allowing researchers to measure relevant variables and compare results with expectations.

Hypotheses are central to the scientific method but are also used in everyday reasoning. They differ from theories: a hypothesis is a tentative, testable proposition, whereas a theory is a well-supported, broader explanation that has withstood extensive testing.

In statistics, the term is linked to the concept of null and alternative hypotheses. The null hypothesis (H0) states that there is no effect or no difference, while the alternative hypothesis (H1) asserts the presence of an effect or difference. Data are analyzed to determine whether to reject H0 in favor of H1, based on predefined significance criteria.

Examples include: hypothesis that a new drug lowers blood pressure more than a placebo, or that sunlight exposure increases plant growth. Constructing a good hypothesis involves clarity, focus, and determineability, ensuring that it can be tested with the available methods and data.