chapter three

3 Testing and Evaluating Hypotheses

This chapter covers

Conducting appropriate research to inform your hypothesis
Choosing and implementing methods for gathering information
Choosing and implementing a research design for your analysis
Using testing and evaluation methods in different research programs

Now that you know what to expect at each step of an end-to-end analytics project, let’s zoom in on the process of operationalizing questions, developing hypotheses, and choosing an appropriate method for evaluating your hypothesis.

This may seem like a lot of focus for what’s ultimately a few sentences in your final deliverable, but the skills you learn here will support you in synthesizing results and presenting the right analytic approach for your final deliverable.

Figure 3.1 Many frustrating situations can be avoided by aligning on the question, hypothesis, and expected deliverable, as has happened many times to myself and most analysts I’ve worked with.

3.1 Informing a Hypothesis

3.1.1 Collecting Background Information

3.1.2 Constructing Your Hypothesis

3.1.3 Exercises

3 Testing and Evaluating Hypotheses

This chapter covers

Figure 3.1 Many frustrating situations can be avoided by aligning on the question, hypothesis, and expected deliverable, as has happened many times to myself and most analysts I’ve worked with.

3.1 Informing a Hypothesis

3.1.1 Collecting Background Information

3.1.2 Constructing Your Hypothesis

3.1.3 Exercises

3.2 Methods of Gathering Evidence

3.2.1 Descriptions

3.2.2 Correlations

3.2.3 Experiments

3.2.4 Types of Study Design

3.2.5 Exercises

3.3 Types of Research Programs

3.3.1 Basic and Applied Research

3.3.2 A/B Testing

3.3.3 Program Evaluation

3.4 Summary