Definition:Hypothesis Test

Definition
A hypothesis test is a rule that specifies, for a null hypothesis $H_0$ and alternative hypothesis $H_1$:


 * For which sample values the decision is made to accept $H_0$
 * For which sample values $H_0$ is rejected and $H_1$ is accepted.

Consideration of a suitable test statistic $T$ enables the null hypothesis to be rejected at a given significance level $L$ only if the $T$ lies in its critical region for $L$.

Also known as
Some sources refer to the process of hypothesis testing rather than hypothesis test as a noun.