Which of the following best describes the formulation of a hypothesis?

The formulation of a hypothesis involves using gathered data and prior knowledge to make an educated guess about a specific phenomenon or relationship. This means that before proposing a hypothesis, researchers often review existing information, observations, and previous studies related to the topic of interest. This background allows them to create a more informed and specific hypothesis that can be tested through experimental or observational methods.

While guessing without prior information might lead to a statement, it does not constitute a robust scientific hypothesis since it lacks the foundation necessary for it to be valid or testable. Testing an idea through observation is typically an action taken after a hypothesis is made and does not describe the process of formulating the hypothesis itself. Thus, using gathered data to inform and refine the hypothesis is essential for scientific inquiry and leads to more reliable outcomes.