Formulating Hypotheses

Formulating Hypotheses Worksheet

Read each question carefully and provide your answer in the space provided. This worksheet will test your understanding of what a scientific hypothesis is and how to formulate one.

What is a Hypothesis?

In science, a hypothesis is a testable explanation for a phenomenon. It is an educated guess based on observations and prior knowledge. A good hypothesis is usually written in an 'If...then...because' format, proposing a relationship between variables and offering a reason for that relationship. It must be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

1. Which of the following best describes a scientific hypothesis?

2. What is a key characteristic of a good hypothesis?

3. A scientific hypothesis is an   guess based on   and prior knowledge.

4. A good hypothesis often follows the 'If  , then  , because  ' format.

5. A hypothesis must be proven true for it to be considered a good scientific hypothesis.

6. A hypothesis can be a simple statement of fact.

7. Observe the illustration below. Imagine you want to investigate how plants grow. Formulate a testable hypothesis based on an observation you could make about plant growth.

8. A student observes that a plant watered with sugar water grows taller than a plant watered with plain water. Write a hypothesis for this observation in the 'If...then...because' format.