Hypothesis

 

Hypothesis

Introduction:

Hypothesis is usually considered as an important mechanism in Research. Hypothesis is a tentative assumption made in order to test its logical or empirical consequences. It is a presumptive statement of a proposition or a reasonable guess, based upon the available evidence, which the researcher seeks to prove through his study. It may prove to be correct or incorrect.

Definition: “A hypothesis can be defined as a tentative explanation of the research problem, a possible outcome of the research, or an educated guess about the research outcome.”

Nature of Hypothesis: The hypothesis is a clear statement of what is intended to be investigated. It should be specified before research is conducted and openly stated in reporting the results.

Identify the research objectives.

Identify the key abstract concepts involved in the research.

Identify its relationship to both the problem statement and the literature review.

A problem cannot be scientifically solved unless it is reduced to hypothesis form.  It is a powerful tool of advancement of knowledge, consistent with existing knowledge and conducive to further enquiry.

 It can be tested – verifiable or falsifiable.

 Hypotheses are not moral or ethical questions.

  It is neither too specific nor to general.

  It is a prediction of consequences.

  It is considered valuable even if proven false.

Importance of Hypothesis:

 Hypothesis though an important part of research may not be required in all types of research. The research which are based on fact finding (historical or descriptive research) do not need hypothesis. A hypothesis is recommended for all major studies to explain observed facts, conditions or behavior and to serve as a guide in the research process.

The hypothesis enables the researcher to relate logically known facts to intelligent guesses about unknown conditions. It is a guide to the thinking process and the process of discovery.

 

(i)                 Hypothesis provides direction to the research. It defines what is relevant and what is irrelevant. The hypothesis tells the researcher what he needs to do and find out in his study. Thus it prevents the review of irrelevant literature and provides a basis for selecting the sample and the research procedure to be used in the study.

(ii)               Hypothesis implies the statistical techniques needed in the analysis of data, and the relationship between the variables to be tested.

(iii)             Hypothesis provides the basis for reporting the conclusion of the study. It serves as a framework for drawing conclusions.

Sources of Hypothesis:

 A good hypothesis can only be derived from experience in research. Though hypothesis should precede the collection of data, but some degree of data collection, literature review or a pilot study will help in the development and gradual refinement of the hypothesis. A researcher should have quality of an alert mind to derive a hypothesis and quality of critical mind of rejecting faulty hypothesis. The following sources can help the researcher in coming up with a good hypothesis: -

 Review of literature.

 Discussion  with the experts in the given field to understand the problem, its origin and objectives in seeking a solution.

 perception of the researcher also sometimes helps in forming a good hypothesis.

 Previous empirical studies done on the given area.

 Variable:

The variables are empirical properties that take two or more values or in other words a variable is any entity that can take on different values. In simple terms, anything that can vary or that is not constant can be considered a variable.

Independent Variables:

In research, we try to determine whether there is a cause and effect relationship. It is called independent because variable is isolated from any other factor.  It is something that depends on other factors. For example, a test score could be a dependent variable because it could change depending on several factors such as how much you studied, how much sleep you got the night before you took the test, or even how hungry you were when you took it.

The Types of Hypothesis

Directional Hypotheses - These are usually derived from theory .They may imply that the researcher is intellectually committed to a particular outcome.

Non-directional Hypotheses - Used when there is little or no theory, or when findings of previous studies are contradictory. They may imply impartiality. Do not stipulate the direction of the relationship

Null Hypothesis: These are used when the researcher believes there is no relationship between two variables or when there is inadequate theoretical or empirical information to state a research hypothesis.