It is a specific, testable prediction about what you expect to happen in a study.
It is a preliminary answer to your question that helps guide the research process.
Consider a study designed to examine the relationship between sleep deprivation and test performance.
Verywell / Alex Dos Diaz
This allows them to design experiments to test their predictions and add to our scientific knowledge about the world.
Most of the time, the hypothesis begins with a question which is then explored through background research.
At this point, researchers then begin to develop a testable hypothesis.
Unless you are creating an exploratory study, your hypothesis should always explain what youexpectto happen.
In many cases, researchers may find that the results of an experimentdo notsupport the original hypothesis.
When writing up these results, the researchers might suggest other options that should be explored in future studies.
For example, prior research has shown that stress can impact the immune system.
In other instances, researchers might look at commonly held beliefs or folk wisdom.
Elements of a Good Hypothesis
So how do you write a good hypothesis?
once you nail completed a literature review, start thinking about potential questions you still have.
Pay attention to the discussion section in thejournal articles you read.
Many authors will suggest questions that still need to be explored.
What falsifiability means is thatifsomething was false, then it is possible todemonstratethat it is false.
One of the hallmarks of pseudoscience is that it makes claims that cannot be refuted or proven false.
However, the researcher must also define how the variable will be manipulated and measured in the study.
Operational definitions are specific definitions for all relevant factors in a study.
This process helps make vague or ambiguous concepts detailed and measurable.
These precise descriptions are important because many things can be measured in various ways.
Clearly defining these variables and how they are measured helps ensure that other researchers can replicate your results.
Replication means repeating an experiment in the same way to produce the same results.
Some variables are more difficult than others to define.
For example, how would you operationally define a variable such asaggression?
For obvious ethical reasons, researchers cannot create a situation in which a person behaves aggressively toward others.
To measure this variable, the researcher must devise a measurement that assesses aggressive behavior without harming others.
The researcher might utilize a simulated task to measure aggressiveness in this situation.
One way to structure your hypothesis is to describe what will happen to thedependent variableif you change theindependent variable.
The research method depends largely on exactly what they are studying.
There are two basic types of research methods: descriptive research and experimental research.
Once a researcher has collected data using descriptive methods, acorrelational studycan examine how the variables are related.
This research method might be used to investigate a hypothesis that is difficult to test experimentally.
Experimental Research Methods
Experimental methodsare used to demonstrate causal relationships between variables.
Takeaways
The hypothesis is a critical part of any scientific exploration.
It represents what researchers expect to find in a study or experiment.
In situations where the hypothesis is unsupported by the research, the research still has value.
Such research helps us better understand how different aspects of the natural world relate to one another.
It also helps us develop new hypotheses that can then be tested in the future.
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