Table : TABLE 7-3. The Six Steps of Hypothesis Testing We use the same six basic steps with each type of hypothesis test.

1. Identify the populations, distribution, and assumptions, and then choose the appropriate hypothesis test.

2. State the null and research hypotheses, in both words and symbolic notation.

3. Determine the characteristics of the comparison distribution.

4. Determine the critical values, or cutoffs, that indicate the points beyond which we will reject the null hypothesis.

5. Calculate the test statistic.

6. Decide whether to reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis.