Alternative hypothesis

The alternative hypothesis is a concept used in statistical hypothesis testing. It is the hypothesis put forward in opposition to the null hypothesis. Whereas the null hypothesis states that there is "no effect" or "no difference," the alternative hypothesis asserts that there is "an effect" or "a difference." If the test leads to rejection of the null hypothesis, the alternative hypothesis is supported. This process is an important step in reaching conclusions in scientific data analysis, experiments, and similar work.