What is the purpose of the Alternate Hypothesis?

The Alternate Hypothesis serves as the hypothesis that a researcher aims to provide evidence for. In statistical hypothesis testing, it represents a statement that indicates the presence of an effect, relationship, or difference, in contrast to the Null Hypothesis, which asserts that there is no effect or difference. The goal of conducting experiments or analyses is often to gather sufficient evidence to reject the Null Hypothesis in favor of the Alternate Hypothesis. This makes it the focal point of the hypothesis testing process and the basis for statistical conclusions.

In the context of hypothesis testing, accurately identifying the Alternate Hypothesis is crucial, as it guides the direction of the research and sets the framework for interpreting data and results.