Writing research hypothesis is an integral part of scientific methods. It is the formal way of turning research questions into predictable statements. Thus, we must pay special attention to writing research hypothesis steps while conducting research. Even a minor flaw in the hypothesis may have a drastic effect on the outcomes of a designed study. Thus, this article will discuss the process of writing research hypothesis from multiple perspectives (concept, ways, steps, and examples).
What Is Research Hypothesis?
A research hypothesis is a concise, clear, focused, and testable statement that is predictive in nature. In other words, it is a formal statement about the expected outcomes of a study. It is not necessary that an experiment or a study proves a hypothesis. In fact, a good hypothesis is one that has an equal chance to be rejected as well. Thus, the most suitable statement to define a hypothesis is ‘a tentative statement that predicts the expected outcomes of a study’.
For a hypothesis to work well, a statement must have three essential attributes namely, testability, specificity and falsifiability. Other than this, it must have some dependent as well as independent variables to show the possible relationships between them.
How Do You Write A Research Hypothesis?
A hypothesis is important for the development of knowledge. It is an assumption that aims to clarify the properties (cause and effect) of the process under study. In general, the hypothesis is formed after searching for some backup information. If a sufficient number of evidence proves a hypothesis, it becomes a fact, and when refuted, we consider it as a falsified statement. Therefore, it becomes necessary to buy dissertation online to make it authentic. Hypothesis formulation is not only a part of an academic paper, thesis and dissertation, rather, all scientific tasks that involve variables also need plausible hypothesis formation. Irrespective of the type of task for hypothesis formation, effective research hypothesis must include the following techniques:
- While writing hypotheses, always try to keep them simple. Simplicity in writing does not mean using informal language and inaccurate information. A hypothesis must look accurate and reliable.
- The hypothesis must also be focused or specific. It means it must include specific and practical aspects for further investigation.
- The scope of the investigation and experimentation must be clear from a hypothesis. In simple words, the real-world existence of the relationships mentioned in the hypothesis matters a lot.
- If the hypothesis is of relational type, then the inclusion of two or even more elements in a statement is compulsory. Plus, the relationship between the variables should be clear enough. A good hypothesis is one that does not raise additional questions in a reader’s mind.
- There are many authentic sources that you can consider in writing research hypothesis. The main sources include scientific theories, relatedness with other phenomena, general thinking patterns and facts, and observations or experiences from previous studies.
What Are The Steps In Writing A Hypothesis?
Writing seems daunting and exhausting to those who do not have a passion to write. Whatever the type of writing task you want to do, step by step guide can make your writing journey easier. In the same context, by knowing the steps in writing research hypothesis, you can systematically organise the writing process more effectively.
Step 1: Ask Questions
According to Eugene Jonesco, ‘It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question’. Thus, a good practice for writing research hypothesis must start by asking questions. The questions like why things are as they appear? What are the possible factors governing a phenomenon? What phenomenon seems most interesting to you? These questions cannot only help you in selecting a topic of interest for research, but also suggest a hypothesis for a study.
Step 2: Research
Once done with the initial steps of asking a question or questions, the next step is to gather all background information. If you are writing a thesis, then you can first your draft from chapter one or introduction as well as background section to study a problem in detail. Research for writing an introduction can further help you in the upcoming step selection of variables.
Step 3: Select And Define Variables
Finding the background of your research in the form of pointers helps identify the causal relationship between different affecting factors. Remember, the relationship between variables may be positive as well as negative. Among the list of variables, identify which factor is independent or whether it affects any other factor (dependent).
Step 4: Use ‘If’ And ‘Then’ To Turn Your Questions Into A Tentative Statement
After the selection of dependent and independent variables involved in a study, you may feel closer to completing the hypothesis formulation goal. Just arranging the variables by using ‘if’ and ‘then’ can turn your research questions into tentative statements. The ‘if’ and ‘then’ statements’ formulation is tricky when it comes to dealing with multiple factors. In general, these statements are the simplest to explain the cause and effect relationships of variables in research.
Step 5: Collect And Interpret Data To Explain The Hypothesis
In this step, you just need to collect and analyse the information to either support or oppose the hypothesis. The interesting thing about a hypothesis is that even its rejection does not affect the quality of a research. The acceptance and rejection both support the findings of research in one or another way.
Step 6: Confidently Report Findings Even In Case Of Negative Results
Step 6 specifically explains that the researcher must feel confident even while reporting the disproved hypothesis.
What Is A Research Hypothesis Example?
The hypothesis is an educated guess that acts as the pillar in scientific research. Depending upon its time of formulation, research may be inductive as well as deductive. To further understand ways of writing research hypothesis, the following are some examples:
Example # 1: If an organisation provides immediate feedback on the performance of employees and creates incentive policies, then the workplace environment will stay motivated.
Example # 2: Adding 500 ml of water to short length plants grows them rapidly. Thus, adding 1000 ml may result in an exponential rate of growth in plants.
In the big picture, writing research hypothesis is a simple process containing a few very simple steps like the selection of a topic, background search and identification of variables. It also includes the collection of data, use of ‘if’ and ‘then’ to show cause and effect relationships and well-organised reporting. Finally, the hypothesis, whether approved or disapproved, explains something valuable in research.