What is a hypothesis?

O

A. A small group of people who gather to answer questions

O

B. A starting assumption to test with research

O

C. The part of a total population that a study measures

O

D. Data collected specifically for the researcher's own study

The answer is B.

"A hypothesis (plural hypotheses) is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. For a hypothesis to be a scientific hypothesis, the scientific method requires that one can test it. Scientists generally base scientific hypotheses on previous observations that cannot satisfactorily be explained with the available scientific theories. Even though the words "hypothesis" and "theory" are often used synonymously, a scientific hypothesis is not the same as a scientific theory. A working hypothesis is a provisionally accepted hypothesis proposed for further research, in a process beginning with an educated guess or thought."

"A hypothesis is an assumption, an idea that is proposed for the sake of argument so that it can be tested to see if it might be true."