When deciding the null and alternative hypotheses, the rule of thumb is that if the claim contains the equality (e.g., at least, at most, no different from, etc.), the claim becomes the null hypothesis. If the claim does not contain the equality (e.g., less than, more than, different from), the claim is the alternative hypothesis.

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The null hypothesis typically represents a theory that has been put forward, either because it is believed to be true or because it is to be used as a basis for argument, but has not been proved. It usually reflects the theory that one wishes to test and is formulated as a statement of no effect or no difference (i.e., equality). The alternative hypothesis, on the other hand, is the hypothesis that reflects the substantiation of the null hypothesis to be false or incorrect, often representing a new theory or an effect (i.e., it usually contains the inequality).

When Deciding the Null and Alternative Hypotheses, the Rule of Thumb