Testing a Hypothesis

Abstract

This chapter introduces the reader to statistical inference, and in particular, the test of hypothesis. Inference refers to the idea that we will employ the sample data to make inferences about the population. A major means of making inferences is to pose a hypothesis about the population and then examine whether it is supported by one’s sample data. There is an intricate set of cognitive steps involved in this process. Because reasoning is involved that may seem unfamiliar at first, we will proceed with caution. We begin with a simple and intuitive example of hypothesis testing to show the reader that he or she already employs such reasoning on a regular basis.