When a $p$ value is greater than the alpha criterion ($>.05$), researchers retain the null hypothesis, concluding there is not enough evidence to reject it. Importantly, retaining the null hypothesis is not the same as proving it is true; it simply means the data does not provide sufficient evidence to support the alternative hypothesis. Consequently, researchers use terminology like 'fail to reject the null hypothesis' or 'retain the null hypothesis,' but they never state that they 'accept' the null hypothesis.