Glossary Term
Null Hypothesis
Performance MetricsEN
Definition
A statistical method to test if observations are significant or due to chance. It proposes that no statistical significance exists in a set of given observations and attempts to show that no variation exists between variables or that a single variable is no different than its mean. It is presumed to be true until statistical evidence nullifies it for an alternative hypothesis.
Extended Notes
Source: National Cancer Institute, NCI Thesaurus 26.09d, C142616. NCI definition, reproduced without modification under CC BY 4.0. Source identity and definition checked automatically on 2026-10-18. No individual clinical interpretation or human reviewer is asserted.
Also Known As
Null Hypothesis
References
- NCI Thesaurus 26.09d — Null Hypothesis (C142616)
- Source: National Cancer Institute, NCI Thesaurus 26.09d, C142616. NCI definition, reproduced without modification under CC BY 4.0.
- Neutrality as the null hypothesis of biological evolution. — Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol, 2026-10-02 (PMID 42827206; literature)
- Traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer's disease: The null hypothesis wins. — J Alzheimers Dis, 2026-09-17 (PMID 42754830; literature)