Hypothesis                               

Belief / Assumption which is not yet proven scientifically.

Hypothesis is a tentative statement, which will be checked through data analysis. According to Bailey, 'A hypothesis is a proposition in testable from and predicts a particular relationship between two or more variables. If a researcher thinks that a relationship exists, he should first state it as a hypothesis and them test the hypothesis in the field'. It should be stated before conducting the research as stating the hypothesis gives a direction to research. As said above, hypothesis predicts the association or relationship between two on more variables, so it will provide some idea about the variables and the kind of data needed to prove whether the predicted relationship exists or not. This will save time and resources which can otherwise be wasted in collecting irrelevant data.

Tentative statement (Hypothesis)

Collect Data

Analyse Data

Test Hypothesis

It is an assumption or proposition whose tenability (capability of being justified) is to be tested on the basis of its implications with empirical evidence and with the previous Knowledge. It is the presumptive statement of a proposition or a reasonable guess, based upon the available evidences, which the researcher seeks to prove through his/her study.

As a researcher, we do not know the exact truth but have a hunch about the outcome and thus, we make some prediction about the outcome. This hunch or prediction about the outcome is called hypothesis. It can also be turned as an educated guess or assumption about some phenomenon. This assumption is tested by collecting information that will enable us to conclude if our hunch was right. Thus, defining hypothesis has the following features.

According to Van Dalen "A hypothesis serves as a powerful beacon that lights the way, for the research worker." Hence, setting a hypothesis when we start our research is extremely necessary as it provides the direction and objective of our research project.

One simply means a mere assumption or some supposition to be proved or disproved.

But for research hypothesis is a formal question that he intends to resolve.

Quite often a research hypothesis is a predictive statement, capable of being tested by scientific methods that relates an independent variable to some dependent variable.

Thus a hypothesis may be defined as a proposition or a set of proposition set forth as an explanation for the occurrence of some specified

group of phenomena either asserted merely as a provisional conjecture to guide some investigation or accepted as highly probable in the light of established facts.

For example, students who receive counselling will show a greater increase in creativity than student not receiving counselling.

or

the automobile A its performing as well as automobile B.

 Possible research with out creating hypothesis                                  

Is it possible to conduct research with out creating hypothesis?

Hypothesis are not essential for a study.

You can conduct a valid constructing a single formal hypothesis.

On the other hand, within the context of a research study, you can construct as many hypothesis as you consider to be appropriate.

Hypothesis primarily arise from a set of 'hunches' that are tested through a study and one can conduct a perfectly valid study without having these hunches or speculations.

The importance of hypothesis lies in their ability to bring direction, specificity and focus to a research study. They tell a researcher what specific information to collect and there by provide greater focus.

A hypothesis is a conjectural statement of the relationship between two or more variables.

A proposition, condition or principle which is assumed, perhaps without belief in order to draw out its logical consequence and by this method to test its accord with facts which are known or may be determined.

 Sources of Hypothesis                                                                         

The formulation of a good hypothesis is a difficult task. It requires a researcher to be speculative, imaginative having good knowledge, deep insight and an analytical mind. The sources that are available with a researcher for deriving a tenable

Creativity and experience of the researcher helps in deriving an adequate hypothesis.

Background information about the topic is necessary. a rich background of knowledge enables the researcher to locate the key association among the variable. Hence, literature review is a major step of research.

A researcher must process a versatile intellect to spot the contributing variables very quickly in a study, to creatively imagine the output or solution to the problem. Thus, an alert mind is capable of deriving a meaningful hypothesis and rejecting a faulty hypothesis.

Analogies are a strong source for the formulation of hypothesis and finding out solutions to the problem. Reasoning by analogy is based on similarities and differences between two situations in which a similar on the same phenomenon or event takes place.

A systematic review and analysis of theories develop in the field of psychology, sociology, political science and even in biological sciences may help the researcher.

 Functions of Hypothesis                                                                      

The main functions of hypothesis are given below.

i. It brings clarity, precision and focus in research process.

ii. It facilitates formulation of theory.

iii. It provides a direction to the research by defining the variables.

iv. It enhances objectivity.

v. It prevents blind research.

vi. It provides a temporary theory or generalization which after verification becomes a well accepted theory.

 Characteristics of Hypothesis                                                              

1. Hypothesis should be clear and precise. If the hypothesis is not clear and precise the inference drawn on its basis cannot be taken as reliable.

2. Hypotheses should be capable of being tested.

3. Hypothese's should state relationship between variables, if it happens to be a relational hypothesis.

4. Hypothesis should be limited in scope and must be specific.

5. Hypothesis should be consistent with most Known facts.

6. Hypothesis should be amenable to testing within a reasonable time.

7. It should have empirical reference.

Characteristics of good hypothesis                                                      

1. It should act as a stimulus to research.

2.It should be expressed simply, specifically and should be conceptually clear.

3. It should be a verbal statement of the relationship between two or more variables.

4. If should be future oriented, that is, should have the ability to predict future events.

5. It should be able to prevent blind research, that is, the variables for which data is to collected should be clearly defined so that the resources are not wasted in the collection of irrelevant data.

6. It should have the ability to enhance objectivity.

7. It should be operationalizable, or in other words, it should be workable.

8. It should be varifiable. It cannot be varified, then conclusion cannot be drawn from it without checking its validity.

 Types of hypothesis                                                                              

                                              Hypothesis

1. Null hypothesis

2. Alternative hypothesis

3. Directional hypothesis

4. Non- Directional hypothesis

5. Simple hypothesis

6. Complex hypothesis

7. Logical hypothesis

8. Empirical hypothesis

9. Statistical hypothesis

1. Null - Hypothesis (Ho)

If we are to compare method A with method B about its superiority and if we proceed on the assumption that both methods are equal good, them this assumption is termed as the null hypothesis.

No difference/equal/Same

Null hypothesis should always be specific hypothesis i.e. it should not state about or approximately a certain value.

Generally, in hypotheses testing we proceed on the basis of null hypothesis, keeping the alternative hypothesis in view.

Null hypothesis is contrary to the positive statement of a working hypothesis. According to null hypothesis there is no relationship betwee dependent and independent variable. It is denoted by 'HO'.

For testing a hypothesis, we have to formulate an assumption. At null hypothesis (Ho) is such an assumption statement with 'no effect' or 'no difference' or 'no change'. The output of the test is "reject" or "faid to reject". We are not accepting the null hypothesis, Ho. We can either 'reject' or 'fail to reject' our assumptions made after the text. Due to insufficient evidence in data, the test may reject to justify Ho. If we reject Ho, the data is statistically significant and a significant evidence in the data for a test to justify its rejection.

Why so? (Why Null hypotheses are researcher basis)

The answer is that on the assumption that null hypothesis is true, one can assign the probabilities to different possible sample results, but this cannot be done if we proceed with the alternative hypothesis. Hence the use of Null hypothesis (at times also known as statistical hypothesis) is quite frequent.

 2. Alternative Hypothesis / Researcher Hypothesis

As against this, we may think that the method A is superior on the method B is inferior, we are then stating what is termed as alternative hypothesis.

Alternative hypothesis is usually the one which one wishes to prove and the null hypothesis is the one which one wishes to disprove.

Thus, a null hypothesis represents the hypothesis we are trying to reject and alternative hypothesis represents all other possibilities.

Firstly many hypothesis are selected them among them select one which is more workable and mast efficient. That hypothesis is introduced later on due to changes in the old formulated hypothesis. It is denote by "H1".

It is opposite of the null hypothesis. Strong evidence can be adopted against the null hypothesis, which is considered as altermate hypothesis (H1). A designed statistical test is required to conduct against the mull hypothesis to assess its strength.

The alternative hypothesis is "there are some different effects in the two compare to two drugs on average". It is denoted as H1 : "the two drugs have different effect to, on average.

Other hypothesis                                                                                   

3. Directional Hypothesis

Directional Hypothesis predicts the direction of the relationship between the independent and dependent variable.

Example - High quality of nursing education will lead to high quality of nursing practice skill.

Hypothesis stating the specific nature of interaction or relationship between two or more variables.

4. Non-Directional Hypothesis

Non-directional hypothesis predicts the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable but does not specific the directional of the relationship.

Example - teacher student relationship influence student's learning.

Non-directional hypothesis - relationship exist but does not predict the exact nature of the relationship.

5. Simple Hypothesis

Simple hypothesis is that one in which there exists relationship between two variables one is called independent variable or cause and other is dependent variable or effect. For example Smoking leads to cancer.

A simple hypothesis is a prediction of the relationship between two variables, the independent variable and the dependent variable.

6. Complex hypothesis

Complex hypothesis is that one in which as relationship among variables exist. I recommend you should read characteristics of a good research hypothesis. In this type dependent as well as independent variables are more than two. For example - Smoking and other drugs leads to Cancer.

A complex hypothesis examines the relationship between two or more independent variables and two or more dependent variables.

7. Logical hypothesis

It is that type in which hypothesis is verified logically.

A logical hypothesis is a proposed explanation possessing limited evidence. Generally, you want to trun a logical hypothesis into an empirical hypothesis putting your theories or postulations to the test.

8. Empirical Hypothesis

Working hypothesis is that one which is applied to a field. During the formulation it is an assumption only but when it is pat to a test become an empirical or working hypothesis.

An empirical hypothesis or working hypothesis, comes to life when a theory is being put to the test, using observation and experiment. It's no longer just an idea or notion. It's actually going through some trial and error, and perhaps changing around those independent variables.

9. Statistical Hypothesis

A hypothesis which can be verified statistically called statistical hypothesis. The statement would be logical or illogical but if statistic verifies it, it will be statistical hypothesis.

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