How to Formulate Effective Hypotheses in Biological Experiments | 生物实验探究：如何作出有效假设

📚 How to Formulate Effective Hypotheses in Biological Experiments | 生物实验探究：如何作出有效假设

In A-level biology, experimental design questions often begin with one simple demand: formulate a hypothesis. Strong hypotheses turn vague curiosity into measurable science. This guide breaks down what a hypothesis is, how to construct one, and how to score full marks in exams when you are asked to make or refine a hypothesis.

在A-level生物考试中，实验设计题往往从一个简单的要求开始：提出假设。一个有力的假设能将模糊的好奇转化为可测量的科学。本文将详细解析什么是假设、如何构建假设，以及在考试中如何因”提出假设”或”完善假设”而获得满分。

1. What Is a Hypothesis in Biology? | 什么是生物学中的假设？

A hypothesis is a precise, testable statement that proposes a relationship between two or more variables. It is not a random guess; it is an informed explanation grounded in biological knowledge, prior observation, or theory. In experimental work, the hypothesis predicts how an independent variable will affect a dependent variable and explains why.

假设是关于两个或多个变量之间关系的精确且可检验的陈述。它不是随意猜测，而是基于生物学知识、先前观察或理论的合理解释。在实验工作中，假设预测自变量如何影响因变量，并解释其原因。

For example, a student might hypothesise: “If the concentration of sucrose is increased, the percentage change in mass of potato strips will increase, because a steeper water potential gradient drives more water out of the cells.” This statement is specific, directional, and linked to a cellular mechanism.

例如，学生可假设：”如果蔗糖浓度升高，马铃薯条的质量变化百分比将增大，因为更陡的水势梯度会促使更多水分从细胞中流出。”这一陈述具体、有方向性，并与细胞机制相关联。

• It must be testable through observation or experiment. | 假设必须能通过观察或实验加以检验。
• It must be falsifiable; there must be a possible outcome that would disprove it. | 假设必须可证伪；需要存在能推翻它的可能结果。
• It must be specific enough to guide experimental design. | 假设必须足够具体，以指导实验设计。

2. Hypothesis vs Prediction vs Theory | 假设、预测与理论的区分

Students often use these terms interchangeably, but examiners reward precise vocabulary. A hypothesis is a tentative explanation or proposed relationship. A prediction is a specific “if… then…” consequence derived from a hypothesis. A theory is a broad, well-supported explanatory framework that integrates many hypotheses and observations.

学生常常混用这些术语，但考官赞赏精确的词汇。假设是暂定的解释或

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