Writing a Good Hypothesis: Examples and Tips for Biology

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 🤔 A hypothesis is a testable prediction or explanation of a phenomenon.
• 🧪 It's often written as an "If...then...because..." statement.
• 🔬 Independent Variable: The factor you manipulate.
• 📈 Dependent Variable: The factor you measure.
• 📊 Control Group: The group used for comparison, where the independent variable is not manipulated.
• 📝 A good hypothesis must be falsifiable – capable of being proven wrong.
• 💡 Always consider potential confounding variables that could influence your results.

Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following is the BEST definition of a hypothesis?
   1. A proven fact.
   2. A wild guess.
   3. A testable explanation.
   4. An observation.
2. Which part of the hypothesis is the factor that is changed or manipulated?
   1. Dependent Variable
   2. Independent Variable
   3. Control Variable
   4. Constant
3. Consider the following hypothesis: "If plants receive more sunlight, then they will grow taller." What is the independent variable?
   1. Plant Height
   2. Amount of Sunlight
   3. Type of Plant
   4. Soil Quality
4. Using the same hypothesis: "If plants receive more sunlight, then they will grow taller." What is the dependent variable?
   1. Plant Height
   2. Amount of Sunlight
   3. Type of Plant
   4. Soil Quality
5. Which of the following is a WELL-FORMED hypothesis?
   1. Plants grow.
   2. I think plants need water.
   3. If plants are given fertilizer, then they will grow taller because fertilizer contains nutrients essential for growth.
   4. Fertilizer is good for plants.
6. What is the purpose of a control group in an experiment?
   1. To receive the independent variable.
   2. To provide a baseline for comparison.
   3. To complicate the experiment.
   4. To be ignored.
7. A student hypothesizes that "If the temperature is increased, then the rate of enzyme activity will increase." What would be a suitable control for this experiment?
   1. An enzyme at a very high temperature.
   2. An enzyme at a very low temperature.
   3. An enzyme at room temperature.
   4. An enzyme with no substrate.