1. What is the aim of hypothesis testing? What does hypothesis testing achieve that could not be otherwise achieved?

2. What is the distinction between the z and t statistics? Identify the particular quantity that distinguishes these two statistics. Is there a particular class of research questions that lend themselves to testing via the z statistic? If so, what are the characteristics of these questions and data?

3. Discuss the difference between a Type I error and a Type II error. Is it easier to commit one type of error than it is to commit another? Is one type of error more detrimental than another? Why or why not?

4. What is the purpose of writing down and testing the null hypothesis?

5. What are the five steps of the process of statistical hypothesis testing?

6. What is the point of doing a hypothesis test if one is given data that show there is a difference between two groups or that there has been an increase or decrease over time?

7. How does hypothesis testing help support the fields of sociology or political science as sciences that employ the scientific method? Besides hypothesis testing, are there alternative ways to validate the research findings of social scientists?