What Is A Research (Scientific) Hypothesis? A plain-language explainer + examples
By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewed By: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | June 2020
If you’re new to the world of research, or it’s your first time writing a dissertation or thesis, you’re probably noticing that the words “research hypothesis” and “scientific hypothesis” are used quite a bit, and you’re wondering what they mean in a research context .
“Hypothesis” is one of those words that people use loosely, thinking they understand what it means. However, it has a very specific meaning within academic research. So, it’s important to understand the exact meaning before you start hypothesizing.
Research Hypothesis 101
- What is a hypothesis ?
- What is a research hypothesis (scientific hypothesis)?
- Requirements for a research hypothesis
- Definition of a research hypothesis
- The null hypothesis
What is a hypothesis?
Let’s start with the general definition of a hypothesis (not a research hypothesis or scientific hypothesis), according to the Cambridge Dictionary:
Hypothesis: an idea or explanation for something that is based on known facts but has not yet been proved.
In other words, it’s a statement that provides an explanation for why or how something works, based on facts (or some reasonable assumptions), but that has not yet been specifically tested . For example, a hypothesis might look something like this:
Hypothesis: sleep impacts academic performance.
This statement predicts that academic performance will be influenced by the amount and/or quality of sleep a student engages in – sounds reasonable, right? It’s based on reasonable assumptions , underpinned by what we currently know about sleep and health (from the existing literature). So, loosely speaking, we could call it a hypothesis, at least by the dictionary definition.
But that’s not good enough…
Unfortunately, that’s not quite sophisticated enough to describe a research hypothesis (also sometimes called a scientific hypothesis), and it wouldn’t be acceptable in a dissertation, thesis or research paper . In the world of academic research, a statement needs a few more criteria to constitute a true research hypothesis .
What is a research hypothesis?
A research hypothesis (also called a scientific hypothesis) is a statement about the expected outcome of a study (for example, a dissertation or thesis). To constitute a quality hypothesis, the statement needs to have three attributes – specificity , clarity and testability .
Let’s take a look at these more closely.
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Hypothesis Essential #1: Specificity & Clarity
A good research hypothesis needs to be extremely clear and articulate about both what’ s being assessed (who or what variables are involved ) and the expected outcome (for example, a difference between groups, a relationship between variables, etc.).
Let’s stick with our sleepy students example and look at how this statement could be more specific and clear.
Hypothesis: Students who sleep at least 8 hours per night will, on average, achieve higher grades in standardised tests than students who sleep less than 8 hours a night.
As you can see, the statement is very specific as it identifies the variables involved (sleep hours and test grades), the parties involved (two groups of students), as well as the predicted relationship type (a positive relationship). There’s no ambiguity or uncertainty about who or what is involved in the statement, and the expected outcome is clear.
Contrast that to the original hypothesis we looked at – “Sleep impacts academic performance” – and you can see the difference. “Sleep” and “academic performance” are both comparatively vague , and there’s no indication of what the expected relationship direction is (more sleep or less sleep). As you can see, specificity and clarity are key.
Hypothesis Essential #2: Testability (Provability)
A statement must be testable to qualify as a research hypothesis. In other words, there needs to be a way to prove (or disprove) the statement. If it’s not testable, it’s not a hypothesis – simple as that.
For example, consider the hypothesis we mentioned earlier:
Hypothesis: Students who sleep at least 8 hours per night will, on average, achieve higher grades in standardised tests than students who sleep less than 8 hours a night.
We could test this statement by undertaking a quantitative study involving two groups of students, one that gets 8 or more hours of sleep per night for a fixed period, and one that gets less. We could then compare the standardised test results for both groups to see if there’s a statistically significant difference.
Again, if you compare this to the original hypothesis we looked at – “Sleep impacts academic performance” – you can see that it would be quite difficult to test that statement, primarily because it isn’t specific enough. How much sleep? By who? What type of academic performance?
So, remember the mantra – if you can’t test it, it’s not a hypothesis 🙂
Defining A Research Hypothesis
You’re still with us? Great! Let’s recap and pin down a clear definition of a hypothesis.
A research hypothesis (or scientific hypothesis) is a statement about an expected relationship between variables, or explanation of an occurrence, that is clear, specific and testable.
So, when you write up hypotheses for your dissertation or thesis, make sure that they meet all these criteria. If you do, you’ll not only have rock-solid hypotheses but you’ll also ensure a clear focus for your entire research project.
What about the null hypothesis?
You may have also heard the terms null hypothesis , alternative hypothesis, or H-zero thrown around. At a simple level, the null hypothesis is the counter-proposal to the original hypothesis.
For example, if the hypothesis predicts that there is a relationship between two variables (for example, sleep and academic performance), the null hypothesis would predict that there is no relationship between those variables.
At a more technical level, the null hypothesis proposes that no statistical significance exists in a set of given observations and that any differences are due to chance alone.
And there you have it – hypotheses in a nutshell.
If you have any questions, be sure to leave a comment below and we’ll do our best to help you. If you need hands-on help developing and testing your hypotheses, consider our private coaching service , where we hold your hand through the research journey.
Psst... there’s more!
This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...
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16 Comments
Very useful information. I benefit more from getting more information in this regard.
Very great insight,educative and informative. Please give meet deep critics on many research data of public international Law like human rights, environment, natural resources, law of the sea etc
In a book I read a distinction is made between null, research, and alternative hypothesis. As far as I understand, alternative and research hypotheses are the same. Can you please elaborate? Best Afshin
This is a self explanatory, easy going site. I will recommend this to my friends and colleagues.
Very good definition. How can I cite your definition in my thesis? Thank you. Is nul hypothesis compulsory in a research?
It’s a counter-proposal to be proven as a rejection
Please what is the difference between alternate hypothesis and research hypothesis?
It is a very good explanation. However, it limits hypotheses to statistically tasteable ideas. What about for qualitative researches or other researches that involve quantitative data that don’t need statistical tests?
In qualitative research, one typically uses propositions, not hypotheses.
could you please elaborate it more
I’ve benefited greatly from these notes, thank you.
This is very helpful
well articulated ideas are presented here, thank you for being reliable sources of information
Excellent. Thanks for being clear and sound about the research methodology and hypothesis (quantitative research)
I have only a simple question regarding the null hypothesis. – Is the null hypothesis (Ho) known as the reversible hypothesis of the alternative hypothesis (H1? – How to test it in academic research?
this is very important note help me much more
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Background of the Study in Research Example
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Introduction The impact of remote work on employee productivity has garnered significant attention, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigates how remote work influences productivity levels among employees in various industries.
Contextual Framework Remote work, though not a new concept, has seen exponential growth due to the pandemic. Historically, telecommuting was limited to certain sectors, but advancements in technology have made it more feasible across diverse fields. Theories of work-life balance, organizational behavior, and productivity provide a framework for understanding the dynamics of remote work.
Literature Review Existing research presents mixed findings on remote work’s impact on productivity. Some studies highlight increased productivity due to flexible working hours and reduced commute times. Others point to challenges such as distractions at home and lack of face-to-face supervision, which can hinder productivity. However, comprehensive studies examining long-term productivity trends in remote work settings remain scarce.
Rationale Assessing the productivity effects of remote work is crucial for organizations as they adapt to changing work environments. This study aims to fill existing knowledge gaps by providing detailed insights into how remote work influences employee productivity across different industries and job functions.
Objectives and Research Questions
- To analyze the overall impact of remote work on employee productivity.
- What factors contribute to increased or decreased productivity in remote work settings?
- How do industry-specific variables affect remote work productivity?
- What strategies can organizations implement to enhance productivity in remote work environments?
Conclusion The background sets the stage for a thorough investigation of remote work’s impact on productivity. By identifying key factors and providing actionable recommendations, this study aims to inform organizational policies and practices to optimize productivity in remote work settings.
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formal research project, such as a dissertation or thesis, as a means of stat-ing the direction a study will take. Objectives, on the other hand, indicate ... illustrates a null hypothesis. Designing Research Example 7.3 A Null Hypothesis An investigator might examine three types of reinforcement for children with autism: verbal cues, a reward ...
Your hypothesis is what you propose to "prove" by your research. As a result of your research, you will arrive at a conclusion, a theory, or understanding that will be useful or applicable beyond the research itself. 3. Avoid judgmental words in your hypothesis. Value judgments are subjective and are not appropriate for a hypothesis.
system research problem in a dynamic environment with the implementation of a real world application. This subproblem is discussed in Chapter 4. 1.5 Hypothesis Hypothesis 1: The theory of productive efficiency can be extended into the dynamical realm by incorporating certain concepts within a SD framework.
"A hypothesis is a conjectural statement of the relation between two or more variables". (Kerlinger, 1956) "Hypothesis is a formal statement that presents the expected relationship between an independent and dependent variable."(Creswell, 1994) "A research question is essentially a hypothesis asked in the form of a question."
A hypothesis is a statement of the researcher's expectation or prediction about relationship among study variables. The research process begins and ends with the hypothesis. It is core to the ...
Developing a hypothesis (with example) Step 1. Ask a question. Writing a hypothesis begins with a research question that you want to answer. The question should be focused, specific, and researchable within the constraints of your project. Example: Research question.
thesis students are expected to study more widely than dissertation students and are also expected to see wider implications of their field of research and to be able to make recommendations that have wider implications than dissertation students. In some theses, two original empirical studies may be necessary to propose and test a hypothesis.
3. Simple hypothesis. A simple hypothesis is a statement made to reflect the relation between exactly two variables. One independent and one dependent. Consider the example, "Smoking is a prominent cause of lung cancer." The dependent variable, lung cancer, is dependent on the independent variable, smoking. 4.
It seeks to explore and understand a particular aspect of the research subject. In contrast, a research hypothesis is a specific statement or prediction that suggests an expected relationship between variables. It is formulated based on existing knowledge or theories and guides the research design and data analysis. 7.
Dissertation proposal is a blueprint of the proposed dissertation study, which. provides the background information for the study topic, states the study aim and. research questions, and discusses the methodological procedures. Distance education is a formal instruction in which a majority of the teaching.
The researcher states a hypothesis to be tested, formulates an analysis plan, analyzes sample data. according to the plan, and accepts or rejects the null hypothesis, based on r esults of the ...
3.6 utility hypothesis A research hypothesis is a statement of expectation or prediction that will be tested by research. Before formulating your research hypothesis, read about the topic of interest to you. From your reading, which may include articles, books and/or cases, you should gain sufficient
A research hypothesis (also called a scientific hypothesis) is a statement about the expected outcome of a study (for example, a dissertation or thesis). To constitute a quality hypothesis, the statement needs to have three attributes - specificity, clarity and testability. Let's take a look at these more closely.
NOTE: This proposal is included in the ancillary materials of Research Design with permission of the author. Hayes, M. M. (2007). Design and analysis of the student strengths index (SSI) for nontraditional graduate students. Unpublished master's thesis. University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE. with the task of deciding who to admit into graduate ...
For example, you may find that some research creates more questions than answers and these questions can fuel your focus. Or finding gaps or inconsistencies can help you mold your research question in a way to help resolve the conflict. In a nutshell, your current research should build on the knowledge that already exists and you learn about ...
Theorem 1.2.1. A homogenous system of linear equations with more unknowns than equations always has infinitely many solutions. The definition of matrix multiplication requires that the number of columns of the first factor A be the same as the number of rows of the second factor B in order to form the product AB.
The hypothesis statement predicts a specific outcome, stating that there will be a positive impact on mental well-being for those who exercise regularly. The hypothesis guides the research process and provides a clear expectation for the study's results. 100 Research Question and Hypothesis Statement Examples
If the essay question asks "how," then your thesis will probably answer it using the word "by.". If the question is "why," the answer is "because.". Other types of problem statements include key task words such as "analyze," "compare/contrast," "define," and "explain.". In each case, the thesis must imply the ...
It shows that on the pre-test majority of the. respondents had a low range score in Endurance Dimension of AQ® (49 or. 27.07%) and the rest got a below average score (61 or 33.70%), 47 or 25.97%. got an average score, 19 or 10.48% got an above average score and 5 or 2.76%. got a high score.
Thesis Your thesis is the central claim in your essay—your main insight or idea about your source or topic. Your thesis should appear early in an academic essay, followed by a logically constructed argument that supports this central claim. A strong thesis is arguable, which means a thoughtful reader could disagree with it and therefore needs
The etymology of the word "hypothesis" is traced back to Latin and Greek roots, emphasizing its foundation and groundwork. A hypothesis is an educated guess or prediction about the relationship ...
Sample Hypothesis for Research Paper - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. Developing a compelling hypothesis for a thesis paper is one of the most challenging aspects of the writing process. A hypothesis must capture the essence of the research in a clear and concise statement that establishes a testable relationship between variables.
Problem, Hypothesis, and Research Questions. September 2022. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-08238-2_2. In book: A Metamodel for Heritage-based Urban Development (pp.5-14) Authors: Matthias Ripp ...
Background of the Study in Research Example. Introduction The impact of remote work on employee productivity has garnered significant attention, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigates how remote work influences productivity levels among employees in various industries. Contextual Framework Remote work, though ...
Conclusions This study, which utilized a large sample size and gold-standard daily rating methods for assessing emotional symptom cyclicity, does not support the hypothesis that rumination is a key mechanism in the exacerbation of premenstrual symptoms, and suggests the need to identify other mechanisms.