Glossary Definition
In science, a potential outcome of a scientific test that is arrived at by logically reasoning about a particular scientific idea (i.e., what we would logically expect to observe if a given hypothesis or theory were true or false). The expectations generated by an idea are sometimes called its predictions. Observations that match the expectations generated by an idea are generally interpreted as supporting evidence. Mismatches are generally interpreted as contradictory evidence. To learn more about the relationship between expectations and observations, visit The core of science. To learn more about why this website uses the term expectation instead of prediction, visit our page on Misconceptions about science.

Close this window