RESEARCH

REPORT
HYPOTHESI
S
 WHAT IS A HYPOTHESIS?
Is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon
A speculation or theory that lends itself to
further testing and experimentation
Is the initial building block in thescientific method
Often called an "educated guess"
Is the statement created by researchers when
they speculate upon the outcome of a research
or experiment
WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF A
HYPOTHESIS?
Any useful hypothesis will enablepredictionsby
reasoning(includingdeductive reasoning).
It might predict the outcome of anexperimentin a
laboratorysetting or the observation of a phenomenon
innature.
The prediction may also invoke statistics and only talk
about probabilities.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD
HYPOTHESIS
A. Hypothesis should be simple
.A simple hypothesis contains one predictor and one
outcome variable;
Ex.
1. A positive family history of schizophrenia increases the
risk of developing the condition in first-degree relatives.
Here the single predictor variable is positive family history of
schizophrenia and the outcome variable is schizophrenia.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD
HYPOTHESIS
B. Hypothesis should be specific

.A specific hypothesis leaves no ambiguity about the

subjects and variables, or about how the test of
statistical significance will be applied.

.It uses concise operational definitions that summarize

the nature and source of the subjects and the approach
to measuring variables
 CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD
HYPOTHESIS
C. Hypothesis should be stated in advance

.The hypothesis must be stated in writing during the

proposal state.

.This will help to keep the research effort focused on the

primary objective and create a stronger basis for
interpreting the studys results as compared to a
hypothesis that emerges as a result of inspecting the
data.
 TYPES OF HYPOTHESIS
A. Alternative Hypothesis
- States that there is statistical significance between two variables
or there is some kind of relation.
-.May take several forms:
.It can be two-sided (for example: there issomeeffect, in a yet
unknown direction)
.or one-sided (the direction of the hypothesized relation, positive or
negative, is fixed in advance).
.Example: Raising the temperature of a cup of coffee will increase
the solubility of sugar.
 TYPES OF HYPOTHESIS
B. Null Hypothesis
.States there is no statistical significance between the
two variables in the hypothesis. It is the hypothesis that
the researcher is trying to disprove.
.States that there is no relation between the phenomena
whose relation is under investigation, or at least not of
the form given by the alternative hypothesis.
 TYPES OF HYPOTHESIS
B. Null Hypothesis
.The null hypothesis is the formal basis for testing
statistical significance. By starting with the proposition
that there is no association, statistical tests can
estimate the probability that an observed association
could be due to chance.
.Example: If I put half a pack of Mentos into a 2-Liter
Diet Coke bottle, there will be no reaction or explosion.
 HOW TO WRITE A HYPOTHESIS
Preparing to write a Hypothesis:
1. Selecting a topic
2. Gather and Analyze the literature
3. Generate questions
4. Look for clues as to what the answer might be
5. Determining variables
6. Generate a general hypothesis
 HOW TO WRITE A HYPOTHESIS
7. Decide on direction

8. Get specific

9. Make sure it is testable

10.Create your null hypothesis

11. Test your hypothesis

 Sample: Make your
Hypothesis
A worker on a fish-farm notices that his trout seem to

have more fish lice in the summer, when the water levels

are low, and wants to find out why. His research leads

him to believe that the amount of oxygen is the reason -

fish that are oxygen stressed tend to be more susceptible

to disease and parasites.

 Sample: Make your
Hypothesis
Water levels affect the amount of lice

suffered by rainbow trout.

This is a good general hypothesis, but it gives no guide to how

to design theresearchorexperiment. The hypothesis must be

refined to give a little direction.

 Sample: Make your
Hypothesis
Rainbow trout suffer more lice when
water levels are low.

Now there is some directionality, but the hypothesis is not

reallytestable, so the final stage is todesign an experiment
around which research can be designed, a testable hypothesis.
 Sample: Make your
Hypothesis
Rainbow trout suffer more lice in low
water conditions because there is less
oxygen in the water.
This is a testable hypothesis - he has establishedvariables, and
by measuring the amount of oxygen in the water, eliminating
othercontrolled variables, such as temperature, he can see if
there is acorrelationagainst the number of lice on the fish.
 TIPS!
1. When examining the literature, look for research
that is similar to what you want to do, and try to
build on the findings of other researchers.

2. Be specific in your hypotheses

3. Keep your feelings and opinions out of your

research.
 TIPS!
1. When examining the literature, look for research
that is similar to what you want to do, and try to
build on the findings of other researchers.

2. Be specific in your hypotheses

3. Keep your feelings and opinions out of your

research.