TEACHING BASIC STATISTICS ….

Alternative Hypothesis

■ denoted by Ha
■ Is the statement that must be true if the
null hypothesis is false
■ the operational statement of the theory
that the experimenter believes to be true
and wishes to prove
■ Is sometimes referred to as the research
hypothesis

Session 7.1
 TEACHING BASIC STATISTICS ….

For the mean, the alternative hypothesis will be

stated in only one of three possible forms:

■ Ha: some value

■ Ha: > some value
■ Ha: < some value

Note: Ha is the opposite of Ho. For example,

if Ho is given as = 37.0, then it follows
that the alternative hypothesis is given
by Ha: 37.0.

Session 7.2
 TEACHING BASIC STATISTICS ….

Note About Using or in Ho:

■ Even though we sometimes express Ho with

the symbol or as in Ho: 37.0
or Ho: 37.0, we conduct the test by
assuming that = 37.0 is true.

■ We must have a single fixed value for so

that we can work with a single distribution
having a specific mean.

Session 7.3
 TEACHING BASIC STATISTICS ….

Note About Stating Your Own

Hypotheses:

■ If you are conducting a research study

and you want to use a hypothesis test
to support your claim, the claim must
be stated in such a way that it
becomes the alternative hypothesis, so
it cannot contain the condition of
equality.

Session 7.4
 TEACHING BASIC STATISTICS ….

Example in Stating your Hypothesis

If you believe that your brand of

refrigerator lasts longer than the mean
of 14 years for other brands, state the
claim that > 14, where is the
mean life of your refrigerators.

Ho: = 14 vs. Ha: > 14

Session 7.5
 TEACHING BASIC STATISTICS ….

Some Notes:
■ In this context of trying to support the
goal of the research, the alternative
hypothesis is sometimes referred to as
the research hypothesis.

■ Also in this context, the null hypothesis

is assumed true for the purpose of
conducting the hypothesis test, but it is
hoped that the conclusion will be
rejection of the null hypothesis so that
the research hypothesis is supported.

Session 7.6
 TEACHING BASIC STATISTICS ….

The Test Statistic - a statistic computed from the

sample data that is especially sensitive to the differences
between Ho and Ha
• The test statistic should tend to take on certain
values when Ho is true and different values when
Ha is true.
• The decision to reject Ho depends on the value of
the test statistic
• A decision rule based on the value of the test
statistic:
Reject Ho if the computed value of the
test statistic falls in the region of rejection.
Session 7.7
 TEACHING BASIC STATISTICS ….

Region of Rejection or Critical Region- the set

of all values of the test statistic which will lead to the
rejection of Ho
Factors that Determine the Region of
Rejection
▪ the behavior of the test statistic if the null hypotheses
were true
▪ the alternative hypothesis: the location of the region
of rejection depends on the form of Ha
▪ level of significance (α): the smaller α is,
the smaller the region of rejection
Session 7.8
 TEACHING BASIC STATISTICS ….

Critical Value/s
■ the value or values that separate the
critical region from the values of the test
statistic that would not lead to rejection
of the null hypothesis.

■ It depends on the nature of the null

hypothesis, the relevant sampling
distribution, and the level of
significance.

Session 7.9
 TEACHING BASIC STATISTICS ….

Types of Tests
■ Two-tailed Test. If we are primarily concerned with
deciding whether the true value of a population
parameter is different from a specified value, then
the test should be two-tailed. For the case of the
mean, we say Ha: μ ≠ μ0.
■ Left-tailed Test. If we are primarily concerned with
deciding whether the true value of a parameter is
less than a specified value, then the test should be
left-tailed. For the case of the proportion, we say
Ha: P < P0.
■ Right-tailed Test. If we are primarily concerned
with deciding whether the true value of a parameter
is greater than a specified value, then we should use
the right-tailed test. For the case of the standard
deviation, we say Ha: σ > σ0.
Session 7.10
 TEACHING BASIC STATISTICS ….

Level of Significance
and the Rejection Region
Ho: μ = 30 α Critical
Value(s)
Ha: μ < 30
Rejection 0
Region/s α
Ho: μ = 30
Ha: μ > 30
0
α/2
Ho: μ = 30
Ha: μ ≠ 30
0
Session 7.11
 TEACHING BASIC STATISTICS ….

Conclusions in Hypothesis Testing

1. Fail to reject the null hypothesis Ho.
2. Reject the null hypothesis Ho.
Notes:
■ Some texts say “accept the null hypothesis”
instead of “fail to reject the null hypothesis.”
■ Whether we use the term accept or fail to
reject, we should recognize that we are not
proving the null hypothesis; we are merely
saying that the sample evidence is not strong
enough to warrant rejection of the null
hypothesis.

Session 7.12
 TEACHING BASIC STATISTICS ….

Wording of Final Conclusion

Start
Yes
Does (Reject (This is the
the Ho) “The sample data only case in
original
Do you which the
support the claim
claim contain reject original claim
the condition that….(original
Ho? is
of claim).” supported.)
equality
No
No (Original claim (Fail to
“The sample does not
does not contain Reject provide sufficient
equality and Ho) evidence to support the
becomes Ha)
claim that….(original
claim).”

Session 7.13
 TEACHING BASIC STATISTICS ….

Wording of Final Conclusion

Start
“The sample (This is the
Yes only case in
provides sufficient which the
Does (Reject evidence to original claim
the Ho)
original
Do you warrant rejection of is rejected.)
claim contain reject the claim
the condition Ho? that….(original
of
equality claim).”
No
Yes (Original claim (Fail to
“The sample does not
contains equality Reject provide sufficient
and becomes Ho) Ho) sample evidence to
warrant rejection of the
claim that….(original
claim).”

Session 7.14
 TEACHING BASIC STATISTICS ….

Example: Two-Tail Test

Q. Does an average box of cereal

contain 368 grams of cereal? A
random sample of 25 boxes
showed = 372.5 grams. The
company has specified σ to be
368 gm.
15 grams. Test at the α = 0.05
level. Ho: μ = 368 grams
Ha: μ ≠ 368 grams

Session 7.15
 TEACHING BASIC STATISTICS ….

Example Solution: Two-Tail Test

Ho: μ = 368 g. Ha: μ ≠ 368 g.Test Statistic:
α = 0.05; n = 25
Critical Values: ±1.96

Reject Ho Reject Ho Decision: Since Zc = 1.5 < 1.96

.025 .025 We fail to Reject Ho at α = .05

Conclusion:

-1.96 0 1.96 Z The sample does not

1.50 provide sufficient evidence
to support the claim that the
mean is not equal toSession
368 7.16
 TEACHING BASIC STATISTICS ….

Example: One-Tail t Test

Does an average box of
cereal contain more than
368 grams of cereal? A
random sample of 36 boxes
showed X = 372.5 grams 368 gm.
and s = 15 g. Test at the α
= 0.01 level. H0: μ = 368 grams
σ is not given Ha: μ > 368 grams

Session 7.17
 TEACHING BASIC STATISTICS ….

Example Solution: One-Tail

Test Statistic:
H0: μ = 368; Ha: μ > 368
α = 0.01; n = 36, df = 35
Critical Value: 2.33
Decision: Since Zc =1.8 < 2.33,
Reject Ho
.01 We fail to reject Ho at α = .01
Conclusion:

The sample does not provide

0 2.33
sufficient evidence to
1.80
support the claim that the
true mean is more than 368.
Session 7.18