what is hypothesis in research methodology in hindi

समाज कार्य शिक्षा

• मुख्यपृष्ठ
• Social Case Work
• Social Group Work
• Community Organisation
• Social Work Research
• Social Welfare Administration
• Social Action
• Mass Communication
• Books Store

शोध परिकल्पना - परिभाषा, प्रकृति और प्रकार - Research Hypothesis – Definition, Nature and Types

 शोध परिकल्पना - परिभाषा, प्रकृति और प्रकार - research hypothesis – definition, nature and types,   शोध परिकल्पना.

 परिकल्पना अनुसन्धान का एक प्रमुख एवं लाभदायक एवं उपयोगी हिस्सा है एक परिकल्पना के पीछे एक अच्छा अनुसन्धान छिपा होता है। बिना परिकल्पना के अनुसन्धा उद्देश्यहीन तथा बिन्दुहीन होता जाता है। बिना किसी अच्छे अर्थ के परिणाम अच्छे नहीं मिलते हैं इसलिये परिकल्पना का आकार मिश्रित तथा कठिन तथा लाभ से परिपूर्ण होता है। परिकल्पना का स्वरूप बड़ा एवं करीब होने पर इसके आकार को रद्दो बदल कर अनुसन्धान के अनुसार घटाया बढ़ाया जाता है। ऐसा नहीं किया जायेगा तो अनुसन्धानकर्ता अनावश्यक एवं तथ्यहीन आंकड़ों का प्रयोग किया जाता है।

शोध परिकल्पना :

परिकल्पना शब्द परि + कल्पना दो शब्दों से मिलकर बना है। परि का अर्थ चारो ओर तथा कल्पना का अर्थ चिन्तन है। इस प्रकार परिकल्पना से तात्पर्य किसी समस्या से सम्बन्धित समस्त सम्भावित समाधान पर विचार करना है।

परिकल्पना किसी भी अनुसन्धान प्रक्रिया का दूसरा महत्वपूर्ण स्तम्भ है। इसका तात्पर्य यह है कि किसी समस्या के विश्लेषण और परिभाषीकरण के पश्चात् उसमें कारणों तथा कार्य कारण सम्बन्ध में पूर्व चिन्तन कर लिया गया है, अर्थात् अमुक समस्या का यह कारण हो सकता है, यह निश्चित करने के पश्चात उसका परीक्षण प्रारम्भ हो जाता है। अनुसंधान कार्य परिकल्पना के निर्माण और उसके परीक्षण के बीच की प्रक्रिया है। परिकल्पना के निर्माण के बिना न तो कोई प्रयोग हो सकता है और न कोई वैज्ञानिक विधि के अनुसन्धान ही सम्भव है। वास्तव में परिकल्पना के अभाव में अनुसंधान कार्य एक उद्देश्यहीन क्रिया है।

  परिकल्पना की परिभाषा :

परिकल्पना की परिभाषा से समझने के लिए कुछ विद्वानों की परिभाषाओं को समझना आवश्यक है। जो निम्न है। 

करलिंगर ( Kerlinger) - "परिकल्पना को दो या दो से अधिक चरों के मध्य सम्बन्धों का कथन मानते हैं।"

मोले (George G. Mouley ) - "परिकल्पना एक धारणा अथवा तर्कवाक्य है जिसकी स्थिरता की परीक्षा उसकी अनुरूपता, उपयोग, अनुभव-जन्य प्रमाण तथा पूर्व ज्ञान के आधार पर करना है।"

गुड तथा हैट (Good & Hatt ) - "परिकल्पना इस बात का वर्णन करती है कि हम क्या देखना चाहते है। परिकल्पना भविष्य की ओर देखती है। यह एक तर्कपूर्ण कथन है जिसकी वैद्यता की परीक्षा की जा सकती है। यह सही भी सिद्ध हो सकती है, और गलत भी।"

लुण्डबर्ग (Lundberg ) - "परिकल्पना एक प्रयोग सम्बन्धी सामान्यीकरण है जिसकी वैधता की जाँच होती है। अपने मूलरूप में परिकल्पना एक अनुमान अथवा काल्पनिक विचार हो सकता है जो आगे के अनुसंधान के लिये आधार बनता है।"

मैकगुइन (Mc Guigan ) - "परिकल्पना दो या अधिक चरों के कार्यक्षम सम्बन्धों का परीक्षण योग्य कथन है।

अतः उपरोक्त परिभाषाओं के आधार पर यह कहा जा सकता है कि परिकल्पना किसी भी समस्या के लिये सुझाया गया वह उत्तर है जिसकी तर्कपूर्ण वैधता की जाँच की जा सकती है। यह दो या अधिक चरों के बीच किस प्रकार का सम्बन्ध है ये इंगित करता है तथा ये अनुसन्धान के विकास का उद्देश्यपूर्ण आधार भी है।

परिकल्पना की प्रकृति :

किसी भी परिकल्पना की प्रकर्षत निम्न रूप में हो सकती है। -

1. यह परीक्षण के योग्य होनी चाहिये ।

2. इसह शोध को सामान्य से विशिष्ट एवं विस्तृत से सीमित की ओर केन्द्रित करना चाहिए।

3. इससे शोध प्रश्नों का स्पष्ट उत्तर मिलना चाहिए।

4. यह सत्याभासी एवं तर्कयुक्त होनी चाहिए।

5. यह प्रकर्षत के ज्ञात नियमों के प्रतिकूल नहीं होनी चाहिए।

परिकल्पना के स्रोत :

परिकल्पनाओं के मुख्य स्रोत निम्नवत है।

समस्या से सम्बन्धित साहित्य का अध्ययन

समस्या सम्बन्धित साहित्य का अध्ययन करके उपयुक्त परिकल्पना का निर्माण किया जा सकता है।

विज्ञान -

विज्ञान से प्रतिपादित सिद्धान्त परिकल्पनाओं को जन्म देते हैं।

संस्कृति -

संस्कृति परिकल्पना की जननी हो सकती है। प्रत्येक समाज में विभिन्न प्रकार की संस्कृति होती है। प्रत्येक संस्कृति सामाजिक एवं सांस्कर्षतिक मूल्यों में एक दूसरे से भिन्न होती है ये भिन्नता का आधार अनेक समस्याओं को जन्म देता है और जब इन समस्याओं से सम्बन्धित चिंतन किया जाता है तो परिकल्पनाओं का जन्म होता है।

व्यक्तिगत अनुभव

व्यक्तिगत अनुभव भी परिकल्पना का आधार होता है, किन्तु नये अनुसंध नकर्ता के लिये इसमें कठिनाई है। किसी भी क्षेत्र में जिनका अनुभव जितना ही सम्पन्न होता है, उन्हें समस्या के ढूँढ़ने तथा परिकल्पना बनाने में उतनी ही सरलता होती है।

  रचनात्मक चिंतन -

यह परिकल्पना के निर्माण का बहुत बड़ा आधार है। मुनरो ने इस पर विशेष बल दिया है। उन्होने इसके चार पद बताये हैं (i) तैयारी

 (ii) विकास

 (iii) प्रेरणा और

 (iv) परीक्षण | अर्थात किसी विचार के आने पर उसका विकास

किया, उस पर कार्य करने की प्रेरणा मिली, परिकल्पना निर्माण और परीक्षण किया।

अनुभवी व्यक्तियों से परिचर्चा -

अनुभवी एवं विषय विशेषज्ञों से परिचर्चा एवं मार्गदर्शन प्राप्त कर उपयुक्त परिकल्पना का निर्माण किया जा सकता है।

  पूर्व में हुए अनुसंधान

सम्बन्धित क्षेत्र के पूर्व अनुसंधानों के अवलोकन से ज्ञात होता है कि किस प्रकार की परिकल्पना पर कार्य किया गया है। उसी आधार पर नयी परिकल्पना का सब्जन किया जा सकता है।

उत्तम परिकल्पना की विशेषताएं या कसौटी :

एक उत्तम परिकल्पना की निम्न विशेषतायें होती हैं -

परिकल्पना जाँचनीय हो 

एक अच्छी परिकल्पना की पहचान यह है कि उसका प्रतिपादन इस ढंग से किया जाये कि उसकी जाँच करने के बाद यह निश्चित रूप से कहा जा सके कि परिकल्पना सही है या गलत । इसके लिये यह आवश्यक है कि परिकल्पना की अभिव्यक्ति विस्तष्त ढ़ंग से न करके विशिष्ट ढंग से की जाये। अतः जाँचनीय परिकल्पना वह परिकल्पना है जिसे विश्वास के साथ कहा जाय कि वह सही है या गलत ।

परिकल्पना मितव्ययी हो

परिकल्पना की मितव्ययिता से तात्पर्य उसके ऐसे स्वरूप से है जिसकी जाँच करने में समय, श्रम एवं धन कम से कम खर्च हो और सुविधा अधिक प्राप्त हो।

परिकल्पना को क्षेत्र के मौजूदा सिद्धान्तों तथा तथ्यों से सम्बन्धित होना चाहिए

कुछ परिकल्पना ऐसी होती है जिनमें शोध समस्या का उत्तर तभी मिल पाता है जब अन्य कई उप कल्पनायें (Sub-hypothesis) तैयार कर ली जाये। ऐसा इसलिये होता है क्योंकि उनमें तार्किक पूर्णता तथा व्यापकता के आधार के अभाव होते हैं जिसके कारण वे स्वयं कुछ नयी समस्याओं को जन्म दे देते हैं और उनके लिये उपकल्पनायें तथा तदर्थ पूर्वकल्पनायें (adhoc assumptions) तैयार कर लिया जाना आवश्यक हो जाता है। ऐसी स्थिति में हम ऐसी अपूर्ण परिकल्पना की जगह तार्किक रूप से पूर्ण एवं व्यापक परिकल्पना का चयन करते हैं।

परिकल्पना को किसी न किसी सिद्धान्त अथवा तथ्य अथवा अनुभव पर आधारित होना चाहिये

• परिकल्पना कपोल कल्पित अथवा केवल रोचक न हो। अर्थात् परिकल्पना ऐसी बातों पर आधारित न हो जिनका कोई सैद्धान्तिक आधार न हो। जैसे - काले रंग के लोग गोरे रंग के लोगों की अपेक्षा अधिक विनम्र होते हैं। इस प्रकार की परिकल्पना आधारहीन परिकल्पना है क्योंकि यह किसी सिद्धान्त या मॉडल पर आधारित नहीं है।

परिकल्पना द्वारा अधिक से अधिक सामान्यीकरण किया जा सके

परिकल्पना का अधिक से अधिक सामान्यीकरण तभी सम्भव है जब परिकल्पना न तो बहुत व्यापक हो और न ही बहुत विशिष्ट हो किसी भी अच्छी परिकल्पना को संकीर्ण ( narrow) होना चाहिये ताकि उसके द्वारा किया गया सामान्यीकरण उचित एवं उपयोगी हो ।

परिकल्पना को संप्रत्यात्मक रूप से स्पष्ट होना चाहिए

संप्रत्यात्मक रूप से स्पष्ट होने का अर्थ है परिकल्पना व्यवहारिक एवं वस्तुनिष्ठ ढंग से परिभाषित हो तथा उसके अर्थ से अधिकतर लोग सहमत हों । ऐसा न हो कि परिभाषा सिर्फ व्यक्ति की व्यक्गित सोच की उपज हो तथा जिसका अर्थ सिर्फ वही समझता हो।

इस प्रकार हम पाते हैं कि शोध मनोवैज्ञानिक ने शोध परिकल्पना की कुछ ऐसी कसौटियों या विशेषताओं का वर्णन किया है जिसके आधार पर एक अच्छी शोध परिकल्पना की पहचान की जा सकती है।

परिकल्पना के प्रकार 

मनोवैज्ञानिक, समाजशास्त्र तथा शिक्षा के क्षेत्र में शोधकर्ताओं द्वारा बनायी गयी परिकल्पनाओं के स्वरूप पर यदि ध्यान दिया जाय तो यह स्पष्ट हो जायेगा कि उसे कई प्रकारों में बाँटा जा सकता है। शोध विशेषज्ञों ने परिकल्पना का वर्गीकरण निम्नांकित तीन आधारों पर किया है -

चरों की संख्या के आधार पर -

साधारण परिकल्पना साधारण परिकल्पना से तात्पर्य उस परिकल्पना - से है जिसमें चरों की संख्या मात्र दो होती है और इन्ही दो चरों के बीच के सम्बन्ध का अध्ययन किया जाता है। उदाहरण स्वरूप बच्चों के सीखने में पुरस्कार का सकारात्मक प्रभाव पड़ता है। यहाँ सीखना तथा पुरस्कार दो चर है जिनके बीच एक विशेष सम्बन्ध की चर्चा की है। इस प्रकार परिकल्पना साधारण परिकल्पना कहलाती है।

जटिल परिकल्पना - जटिल परिकल्पना से तात्पर्य उस परिकल्पना से है जिसमें दो से अधिक चरों के बीच आपसी सम्बन्ध का अध्ययन किया जाता है। जैसे- अंग्रेजी माध्यम के निम्न उपलब्धि के विद्यार्थियों का व्यक्तित्व हिन्दी माध्यम के उच्च उपलब्धि के विद्यार्थियों की अपेक्षा अधिक परिपक्व होता है । इस परिकल्पना में हिन्दी अंग्रेजी माध्यम निम्न उच्च उपलब्धि स्तर एवं व्यक्तित्व तीन प्रकार के चर सम्मिलित हैं अतः यह एक जटिल परिकल्पना का उदाहरण है।

  चरों की विशेष सम्बन्ध के आधार पर

मैक्ग्यूगन ने (Mc. Guigan, 1990) ने इस कसौटी के आधार पर परिकल्पना के मुख्य दो प्रकार बताये हैं।

Ii) सार्वत्रिक या सार्वभौमिक परिकल्पना -

 सार्वत्रिक परिकल्पना से स्वयम् स्पष्ट होता है कि ऐसी परिकल्पना जो हर क्षेत्र और समय में समान रूप से व्याप्त हो अर्थात् परिकल्पना का स्वरूप ऐसा हो जो निहित चरों के सभी तरह के मानों के बीच के सम्बन्ध को हर परिस्थित में हर समय बनाये रखे। उदाहरण स्वरूप- पुरस्कार देने से सीखने की प्रक्रिया में तेजी आती है। यह एक ऐसी परिकल्पना है जिसमें बताया गया सम्बन्ध अधिकांश परिस्थितियों में लागू होता है।

(ii) अस्तित्वात्मक परिकल्पना

 इस प्रकार की परिकल्पना यदि सभी - व्यक्तियों या परिस्थितियों के लिये नही तो कम से कम एक व्यक्ति या परिस्थिति के लिये निश्चित रूप से सही होती है। जैसे सीखने की प्रक्रिया में कक्षा में कम से कम एक बालक ऐसा है पुरस्कार की बजाय दण्ड से सीखता है इस प्रकार की परिकल्पना अस्तित्वात्मक परिकल्पना है।

विशिष्ट उद्देश्य के आधार पर

विशिष्ट उद्देश्य के आधार पर परिकल्पना के निम्न तीन प्रकार है।

(i) शोध परिकल्पना - इसे कार्यरूप परिकल्पना या कार्यात्मक परिकल्पना भी कहते हैं। ये परिकल्पना किसी न किसी सिद्धान्त पर आधारित या प्रेरित होती है। शोधकर्ता इस परिकल्पना की उदघोषणा बहुत ही विश्वास के साथ करता है तथा उसकी यह अभिलाषा होती है कि उसकी यह परिकल्पना सत्य सिद्ध हो उदाहरण के लिये 'करके सीखने' से प्राप्त अधिगम अधिक सुदृढ़ होता है और अधिक समय तक टिकता है।' चूँकि इस परिकल्पना में कथन 'करके सीखने के सिद्वान्त पर आधारित है अतः ये एक शोध परिकल्पना है।

शोध परिकल्पना दो प्रकार की होती है- 

दिशात्मक एवं अदिशात्मक | 

दिशात्मक परिकल्पना में परिकल्पना किसी एक दिशा अथवा दशा की ओर इंगित करती है जब कि अदिशात्मक परिकल्पना में ऐसा नही होता है।

उदाहरण- "विज्ञान वर्ग के छात्रों की बुद्धि एवं कला वर्ग के छात्रों की बुद्धि में अन्तर है।"

उपरोक्त परिकल्पना अदिशात्मक परिकल्पना का उदाहरण हैं।

क्योंकि बुद्धि में अन्तर किसका कम या ज्यादा है इस ओर संकेत नहीं किया गया। इसी परिकल्पना को यदि इस प्रकार लिखा जाय कि विज्ञान वर्ग के छात्रों की बुद्धि कला वर्ग के छात्रों की अपेक्षा कम होती है अथवा कला वर्ग के छात्रों की बुद्धि विज्ञान वर्ग के छात्रों की बुद्धि से कम है तो यह एक दिशात्मक शोध परिकल्पना होगी क्योंकि इसमें कम या अ क एक दिशा की ओर संकेत किया गया है।

(ii) शून्य परिकल्पना 

शून्य परिकल्पना शोध परिकल्पना के ठीक विपरीत होती है। इस परिकल्पना के माध्यम से हम चरों के बीच कोई अन्तर नहीं होने के संबंध का उल्लेख करते हैं। उदाहरण स्वरूप उपरोक्त परिकल्पना को नल परिकल्पना के रूप में निम्न रूप से लिखा जा सकता है विज्ञान वर्ग के छात्रों की बुद्धि लब्धि एंव कला वर्ग के छात्रों की बुद्धि लब्धि में कोई अंतर नहीं है। एक अन्य उदाहरण में यदि शोध परिकल्पना यह है कि, "व्यक्ति सूझ द्वारा प्रयत्न और भूल की अपेक्षा जल्दी सीखता है तो इस परिकल्पना की शून्य परिकल्पना यह होगी कि 'व्यक्ति सूझ द्वारा प्रयत्न और भूल की अपेक्षा जल्दी नहीं सीखता है। अतः उपरोक्त उदाहरणों के माध्यम से शून्य अथवा नल परिकल्पना को स्पष्ट रूप से समझा जा सकता है।

(iii) सांख्यिकीय परिकल्पना

 जब शोध परिकल्पना या शून्य परिकल्पना - का सांख्यिकीय पदों में अभिव्यक्त किया जाता है तो इस प्रकार की परिकल्पना सांख्यिकीय परिकल्पना कहलाती है। शोध परिकल्पना अथवा सांख्यिकीय परिकल्पना को सांख्यिकीय पदों में व्यक्त करने के लिये विशेष संकेतों का प्रयोग किया जाता है। शोध परिकल्पना के लिये H, तथा शून्य परिकल्पना के लिये H का प्रयोग होता है तथा माध्य के लिये X का प्रयोग किया जाता है।

उदाहरण- यदि शोध परिकल्पना यह है कि समूह 'क' बुद्धिलब्धि में समूह 'ख' से श्रेष्ठ है तो इसकी सांख्यिकीय परिकल्पना H तथा H के पदों में निम्नानुसार होगी -

H1 :  Xa > Xb

H0 : Xa = Xb

यहाँ पर माध्य X का प्रयोग इसलिये किया गया है क्योंकि एक दूसरे से बुद्धि लब्धि की श्रेष्ठता जानने के लिये दोनो समूहों की बुद्धि लब्धि का मध्यमान जानना होगा जिसके आधार पर श्रेष्ठता की माप की जा सकेगी।

इस प्रकार एक अन्य उदाहरण में यदि शोध परिकल्पना यह है कि समूह क की बुद्धि लब्धि एवं समूह 'ख' की बुद्धि लब्धि में अन्तर है तो इसकी H एवं H, इस प्रकार होगी।

H1 : Xa "" X b

H0 : Xa = X b

इस प्रकार विभिन्न प्रकार से शोध परिकल्पना का वर्गीकरण किया जा सकता है।

परिकल्पना के कार्य

अनुसन्धान कार्य में परिकल्पना के निम्नांकित कार्य है :

दिशा निर्देश देना

परिकल्पना अनुसंधानकता को निर्देशित करती है। इससे यह ज्ञात होता है कि अनुसन्धान कार्य में कौन कौन सी क्रियायें करती हैं एवं कैसे करनी है। अतः परिकल्पना के उचित निर्माण से कार्य की स्पष्ट दिशा निश्चित हो जाती है।

प्रमुख तथ्यों का चुनाव करना

परिकल्पना समस्या को सीमित करती है तथा महत्वपूर्ण तथ्यों के चुनाव में सहायता करती है। किसी भी क्षेत्र में कई प्रकार की समस्यायें हो सकती है लेकिन हमें अपने अध्ययन में उन समस्याओं में से किन पर अध्ययन करना है उनका चुनाव और सीमांकन परिकल्पना के माध्यम से ही होता है।

पुनरावृत्ति को सम्भव बनाना

पुनरावृत्ति अथवा पुनः परीक्षण द्वारा अनुसन्धान के निष्कर्ष की सत्यता का मूल्यांकन किया जाता है। परिकल्पना के अभाव में यह पुनः परीक्षण असम्भव होगा क्यों कि यह ज्ञात ही नहीं किया जा सकेगा किस विशेष पक्ष पर कार्य किया गया है तथा किसका नियंत्रण करके किसका अवलोकन किया गया है।

निष्कर्ष निकालने एवं नये सिद्धान्तों के प्रतिपादन करना -

परिकल्पना अनुसंधानकर्ता को एक निश्चित निष्कर्ष तक पहुंचने में सहायता करती है तथा जब कभी कभी मनोवैज्ञानिकों को यह विश्वास के साथ पता होता है कि अमुक घटना के पीछे क्या कारा है तो वह किसी सिद्धान्त की पष्ठभूमि की प्रतीक्षा किये बिना परिकल्पना बनाकर जाँच लेते हैं। परिकल्पना सत्य होने पर फिर वे अपनी पूर्वकल्पनाओं परिभाषाओं और सम्प्रत्ययों को तार्किक तंत्र में बांधकर एक नये सिद्धान्त का प्रतिपादन कर देते है।

अतः उपरोक्त वर्णन के आधार पर हम परिकल्पनाओं के क्या मुख्य कार्य है आदि की जानकारी स्पष्ट रूप से प्राप्त कर सकते हैं. किसी भी शोध परिकल्पना से तात्पर्य समस्या समाधान के लिये सुझाया गया वो उत्तर हैं जो दो या दो से अधिक चरों के बीच क्या और कैसा सम्बन्ध T है बताता है। शोध परिकल्पना को प्राप्त करने के कई स्रोत है व्यक्ति अपने आस-पास के वातावरण के प्रति सजग रहकर अपनी सूझ द्वारा इसे आसानी से प्राप्त कर सकता है। उत्तम परिकल्पनाओं की विशेषताओं पर विस्तृत प्रकाश डाला गया है। साथ ही परिकल्पनाओं के प्रकार को भी समझाया गया है।

वार्तालाप में शामिल हों

• Who is Who in India
• करेंट अफेयर्स
• Privacy Policy

परिकल्पना अथवा हाइपोथिसिस क्या होती है । परिकल्पना का अर्थ एवं स्वरूप प्रकार | Hypothesis Definition Types in Hindi

  परिकल्पना   अथवा हाइपोथिसिस क्या होती है    what is hypothesis details  in hindi, परिकल्पना अथवा हाइपोथिसिस क्या है , परिकल्पना   अथवा हाइपोथिसिस-  प्रस्तावना ( introduction).

शोध-समस्या का अन्तिम रूप से निर्णय हो जाने के पश्चात् उसके समाधान की प्रक्रिया का आरंभ अर्थात् शोध-सामग्री का संग्रह किया जाना आरंभ होता है ,  परन्तु शोध-सामग्री का संग्रह आरंभ करने से पूर्व यह निश्चित कर लेना आवश्यक होता है कि इसके लिए किन दिशाओं में जाना होगा। इन दिशाओं की ओर संकेत करने वाले सूत्र उन परिकल्पनाओं में निहित रहते हैं ,  जिनका निर्माण अनुसंधानकर्ता अपने अध्ययनजनित ज्ञान ,  कल्पना एवं सृजनशीलता के आधार पर करता है। परिकल्पनाओं के अभाव में उसे शोध-सामग्री के संग्रह हेतु इधर-उधर भटकना पड़ेगा ,  जिससे उसके समय एवं शक्ति का अपव्यय होगा। अतः प्रायः सभी शोधकर्ता यह स्वीकार करते हैं कि जहाँ तक सम्भव हो ,  अनुसंधान का आरम्भ परिकल्पना से ही किया जाना चाहिए ,  क्योंकि वान डालेन के शब्दों में ,

  "  परिकल्पनाएँ अनुसंधान पथ में प्रकाश-स्तम्भ का कार्य करती हैं " ।

परिकल्पना का अर्थ एवं स्वरूप  (Meaning and Structure of Hypothesis)

जब किसी व्यक्ति के समक्ष कोई कठिनाई उत्पन्न हो जाती है ,  तो वह उसके निवारण के उपाय भी सोचने लगता है। फलस्वरूप ,  जो उपाय उसके मस्तिष्क में आते हैं ,  वे ही समस्या के सम्भावित समाधान होते हैं। यह दूसरी बात है कि वे बाद में सत्य सिद्ध न हों अथवा सत्य सिद्ध हों।

उदाहरण के लिए ,  एक छात्र परीक्षा में बार-बार असफल घोषित होता है। इसका क्या कारण है ,  यह जानने के लिए अनुसंधान हेतु उसे मनोवैज्ञानिक को सौंप दिया जाता है। समस्या के समाधान हेतु मनोवैज्ञानिक उसके असफल होने के कारणों की कल्पना करता है।  

• हो सकता है उसमें बुद्धि का अभाव हो।
• हो सकता है वह पढ़ने-लिखने में पहले से ही कमजोर हो।
• हो सकता है वह परीक्षा के समय अस्वस्थ हो गया हो ,  हो सकता है उसकी पढ़ने-लिखने में रुचि न हो। आदि  

कितनी ही परिकल्पनाएँ सम्भव हो सकती हैं। इनमें से कौन सत्य तथा कौन असत्य है ,  यह तो बाद में परीक्षण द्वारा ही पता लगेगा। इस प्रकार परिकल्पनाएँ एक प्रकार से समस्या के सम्भावित समाधान होती हैं।

यदि समस्या को प्रश्न के रूप में प्रस्तुत किया जाता है। (जैसे ,  छात्र बार-बार असफल क्यों होता है ?)  तो ये परिकल्पनाएँ इस प्रश्न के सम्भावित उत्तर समझे जा सकते हैं ,  परन्तु वैज्ञानिक अनुसंधान का आरंभ इसी बिन्दु से होता है।

परिकल्पना अंग्रेजी भाषा के शब्द   ' हाइपोथिसिस ' (hypothesis)  का हिन्दी रूपांतर है ,  जिसका अर्थ है ऐसी मान्यता ( T hesis )  जो अभी अपुष्ट ( H ypo)  है।

हौडनेट के शब्दों में परिकल्पना अथवा हाइपोथिसिस

परिकल्पनाएँ शोधकर्ता की आँखें होती हैं जिनके द्वारा वह समस्यागत अव्यवस्था (अव्यवस्थित तथ्यों) में झाँककर देखता है तथा उनमें समस्या का समाधान खोजता है।

वान डालेन के अनुसार परिकल्पना अथवा हाइपोथिसिस

परिकल्पना शोधकर्ता का समस्या के समाधान अथवा समस्यात्मक प्रश्न के उत्तर के विषय में एक बुद्धिमत्तापूर्ण अनुमान ( intelligent guess)  होती है। वह परिकल्पना को समस्या का ऐसा समाधान मानते हैं ,  जो केवल एक सुझाव के रूप में होता है।  

परिकल्पना दो या दो से अधिक चरों के बीच संबंध के विषय में एक प्रकार का कल्पनाजन्य कथन होती है।  

जैसे बुद्धि बालकों की शैक्षिक उपलब्धि को प्रभावित करती है। यह एक परिकल्पना है। इसमें बुद्धि एवं शैक्षिक उपलब्धि के बीच एक विशिष्ट प्रकार के संबंध की कल्पना की गई है। जब कोई समस्या व्यक्ति के समक्ष उत्पन्न होती है और उसका समाधान खोजने का वह प्रयास करता है ,  तो पहले अपने ज्ञान ,  अनुभव ,  अध्ययन आदि के आधार पर कल्पना करता है कि उसका संभव समाधान क्या हो सकता है। इसी प्रकार जब किसी प्रश्न का उत्तर खोजने का प्रयास करता है ,  तो पहले कल्पना करता है कि उसका सम्भावित उत्तर क्या हो सकता है। इन सम्भावित समाधानों ,  सम्भावित उत्तरों को वह सामान्यानुमानों ( generalizations)  के रूप में प्रस्तुत करता है तथा बाद में यह परीक्षण करता है कि वे कहाँ तक सत्य हैं। ये सामान्यानुमान ही परिकल्पनाएँ कहलाती हैं।  

इस प्रकार बेस्ट ( 1977)  के शब्दों में  

परिकल्पना एक ऐसा पूर्वानुमान ( inference)  होती है ,  जिसका निर्माण वस्तुस्थिति ,  घटनाओं एवं परिस्थितियों की व्याख्या करने हेतु अस्थायी रूप से किया जाता है और जो अनुसंधान कार्य को आगे बढ़ाने में सहायता करती है अर्थात् बाद में परीक्षण के द्वारा यदि वह सत्यापित हो जाती है तो समस्या का समाधान हो जाता है तथा वस्तुस्थिति स्पष्ट हो जाती है।

प्रतिदिन ही हम अपने दैनिक जीवन में उत्पन्न होने वाली समस्याओं का समाधान इसी प्रकार (अर्थात् परिकल्पना का निर्माण और फिर उसका परीक्षण) करते हैं।  

कमरे में जल रहा बल्ब अचानक बुझ जाता है ,

तुरंत व्यक्ति स्वयं से पूछता है  " क्या हुआ ?

एक समस्या उत्पन्न हुई है। इस समस्या का समाधान ,  उस प्रश्न का उत्तर पाने हेतु वह एक-एक परिकल्पना का निर्माण करता है और उसका परीक्षण करता है। अन्त में उसे वस्तुस्थिति स्पष्ट हो जाती है।  

पहले अनुमान लगाता है अर्थात् परिकल्पना का निर्माण करता है  "  सम्भवतः स्रोत से ही विद्युत गई है। "  वह बाहर निकल कर और घरों की ओर देखता है तथा पाता है कि और सबके घरों में तो बिजली आ रही है। अतः यह परिकल्पना असत्य सिद्ध हो जाती है  

तब दूसरी परिकल्पना करता है  "  अपने घर का ही फ्यूज तो नहीं उड़ गया " । वह कट आउट निकालकर फ्यूज का परीक्षण करता है तथा पाता है कि उसमें कोई खराबी नहीं है। यह परिकल्पना भी असत्य सिद्ध होती है।  

तब वह तीसरी परिकल्पना का निर्माण करता है  " बल्ब तो फ्यूज नहीं हो गया  " बल्ब    का परीक्षण करने पर पाता है कि वह फ्यूज हो गया है। यह परिकल्पना सत्य सिद्ध होती है।  

इससे बिन्दु पर पहुँचकर समस्या का समाधान भी हो सकता है तथा सम्पूर्ण स्थिति स्पष्ट हो जाती है। सभी समस्याओं के समाधान खोजने के पीछे यही प्रक्रिया रहती है तथा उसमें परिकल्पनाओं (पूर्वानुमानों ,  सम्भावित उत्तरों एवं समाधानों) की महत्त्वपूर्ण भूमिका होती है। अनुसंधान भी समस्या समाधान की ही एक विशिष्ट एवं वैज्ञानिक प्रक्रिया होती है। अत: अनुसंधान में भी परिकल्पनाओं की महत्त्वपूर्ण भूमिका होती है।जो ज्ञातव्य है ,  उसके विषय में   ' क्या है ', ' क्यों है '.  इस विषय में पूर्वानुमान लगाना ही परिकल्पना होती है।

परिकल्पना के प्रकार ( Types of Hypothesis)

सामान्यतः   परिकल्पना के छह रूप हैं और वे हैं-

1.     सरल परिकल्पना

2.     जटिल परिकल्पना

3.     दिशात्मक परिकल्पना

4.     गैर-दिशात्मक परिकल्पना

5.     शून्य परिकल्पना

6.     साहचर्य और आकस्मिक परिकल्पना

परिकल्पना का अर्थ एवं स्वरूप  प्रकार  

परिकल्पना का महत्व अथवा उद्देश्य अनुसंधान में परिकल्पना भूमिका  

परिकल्पना या उपकल्पना के प्रकार

उच्च शिक्षा प्रणाली-आधुनिक भारतीय विश्वविद्यालयों को संगठन और प्रशासन

Related Posts

Post a comment, no comments:, knowledge hub.

• Index and Report
• National Park & Tiger Reserve
• Quick Revision
• विविध सामान्य ज्ञान
• Child Development
• Current affairs
• General Administration in Hindi
• Hindi Grammar
• MP Current Affair
• MP One Liner Gk
• Panchayat Raj (पंचायती राज)
• Rural Development
• Rural Sociology
• Science Facts
• ऐसा क्यों होता है
• कौन क्या है
• रोग (Disease)
• शिक्षाशास्त्र (Pedagogy)

MP-PSC Study Materials

• MP PSC Pre Study
• Madhya Pradesh
• MP-Psc Mains Paper -01
• MP-Psc Mains Paper -02
• MP-Psc Mains Paper -03
• MP-Psc Mains Paper -04
• 3 Marker Question Answer
• Ancient Indian history
• Historical Places
• History Fact
• History One Liner
• Indian Freedom Struggle
• Medieval Indian History
• Modern Indian History
• World History
• Famous Personalities
• Famous Women
• Freedom Fighters
• Historical personality
• MP Famous Personality
• Person in News
• Biodiversity
• Environmental science
• Food and Nutrition
• Indian Space Programme
• Science and Technology

Madhya Pradesh GK

• District of MP
• MP GK Q&A
• MP Art & Culture
• MP Biodiversity
• MP Formation
• MP Geography
• MP Health & Education
• MP Industry & Trade
• MP Institutions
• MP Introduction
• MP Journalism
• MP Language & Lit.
• MP Minerals & Energy
• MP Organisation
• MP PSC Answer Writing
• MP Rivers & Dam
• MP Rules and Adhiniyam
• MP Transport and Communication
• Baudh Darshan
• Books And Author
• Constitution of India
• Constitution One Liner
• Day Year Month
• Education Management
• Educational Thinker
• Financial administration
• Functional Hindi
• Global Index
• Govt schemes
• Indian Art and Culture
• Indian Geography
• Organization/Insitution Indian
• Organization/Insitution Inernational

Study Materials

• Election GK
• Ethics Notes
• Tiger Reserve of India

Contact Form

Featured post, ccms क्या है |आपराधिक मामला प्रबंधन प्रणाली.

 CCMS  क्या है? आपराधिक मामला प्रबंधन प्रणाली CCMS  क्या है? (आपराधिक मामला प्रबंधन प्रणाली) CCMS एक अभिनव डिजिटल प्लेटफॉर्म है जो आपराधिक...

• Resources Home 🏠
• Try SciSpace Copilot
• Search research papers
• Add Copilot Extension
• Try AI Detector
• Try Paraphraser
• Try Citation Generator
• April Papers
• June Papers
• July Papers

The Craft of Writing a Strong Hypothesis

Table of Contents

Writing a hypothesis is one of the essential elements of a scientific research paper. It needs to be to the point, clearly communicating what your research is trying to accomplish. A blurry, drawn-out, or complexly-structured hypothesis can confuse your readers. Or worse, the editor and peer reviewers.

A captivating hypothesis is not too intricate. This blog will take you through the process so that, by the end of it, you have a better idea of how to convey your research paper's intent in just one sentence.

What is a Hypothesis?

The first step in your scientific endeavor, a hypothesis, is a strong, concise statement that forms the basis of your research. It is not the same as a thesis statement , which is a brief summary of your research paper .

The sole purpose of a hypothesis is to predict your paper's findings, data, and conclusion. It comes from a place of curiosity and intuition . When you write a hypothesis, you're essentially making an educated guess based on scientific prejudices and evidence, which is further proven or disproven through the scientific method.

The reason for undertaking research is to observe a specific phenomenon. A hypothesis, therefore, lays out what the said phenomenon is. And it does so through two variables, an independent and dependent variable.

The independent variable is the cause behind the observation, while the dependent variable is the effect of the cause. A good example of this is “mixing red and blue forms purple.” In this hypothesis, mixing red and blue is the independent variable as you're combining the two colors at your own will. The formation of purple is the dependent variable as, in this case, it is conditional to the independent variable.

Different Types of Hypotheses‌

Types of hypotheses

Some would stand by the notion that there are only two types of hypotheses: a Null hypothesis and an Alternative hypothesis. While that may have some truth to it, it would be better to fully distinguish the most common forms as these terms come up so often, which might leave you out of context.

Apart from Null and Alternative, there are Complex, Simple, Directional, Non-Directional, Statistical, and Associative and casual hypotheses. They don't necessarily have to be exclusive, as one hypothesis can tick many boxes, but knowing the distinctions between them will make it easier for you to construct your own.

1. Null hypothesis

A null hypothesis proposes no relationship between two variables. Denoted by H 0 , it is a negative statement like “Attending physiotherapy sessions does not affect athletes' on-field performance.” Here, the author claims physiotherapy sessions have no effect on on-field performances. Even if there is, it's only a coincidence.

2. Alternative hypothesis

Considered to be the opposite of a null hypothesis, an alternative hypothesis is donated as H1 or Ha. It explicitly states that the dependent variable affects the independent variable. A good  alternative hypothesis example is “Attending physiotherapy sessions improves athletes' on-field performance.” or “Water evaporates at 100 °C. ” The alternative hypothesis further branches into directional and non-directional.

• Directional hypothesis: A hypothesis that states the result would be either positive or negative is called directional hypothesis. It accompanies H1 with either the ‘<' or ‘>' sign.
• Non-directional hypothesis: A non-directional hypothesis only claims an effect on the dependent variable. It does not clarify whether the result would be positive or negative. The sign for a non-directional hypothesis is ‘≠.'

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. Complex hypothesis

In contrast to a simple hypothesis, a complex hypothesis implies the relationship between multiple independent and dependent variables. For instance, “Individuals who eat more fruits tend to have higher immunity, lesser cholesterol, and high metabolism.” The independent variable is eating more fruits, while the dependent variables are higher immunity, lesser cholesterol, and high metabolism.

5. Associative and casual hypothesis

Associative and casual hypotheses don't exhibit how many variables there will be. They define the relationship between the variables. In an associative hypothesis, changing any one variable, dependent or independent, affects others. In a casual hypothesis, the independent variable directly affects the dependent.

6. Empirical hypothesis

Also referred to as the working hypothesis, an empirical hypothesis claims a theory's validation via experiments and observation. This way, the statement appears justifiable and different from a wild guess.

Say, the hypothesis is “Women who take iron tablets face a lesser risk of anemia than those who take vitamin B12.” This is an example of an empirical hypothesis where the researcher  the statement after assessing a group of women who take iron tablets and charting the findings.

7. Statistical hypothesis

The point of a statistical hypothesis is to test an already existing hypothesis by studying a population sample. Hypothesis like “44% of the Indian population belong in the age group of 22-27.” leverage evidence to prove or disprove a particular statement.

Characteristics of a Good Hypothesis

Writing a hypothesis is essential as it can make or break your research for you. That includes your chances of getting published in a journal. So when you're designing one, keep an eye out for these pointers:

• A research hypothesis has to be simple yet clear to look justifiable enough.
• It has to be testable — your research would be rendered pointless if too far-fetched into reality or limited by technology.
• It has to be precise about the results —what you are trying to do and achieve through it should come out in your hypothesis.
• A research hypothesis should be self-explanatory, leaving no doubt in the reader's mind.
• If you are developing a relational hypothesis, you need to include the variables and establish an appropriate relationship among them.
• A hypothesis must keep and reflect the scope for further investigations and experiments.

Separating a Hypothesis from a Prediction

Outside of academia, hypothesis and prediction are often used interchangeably. In research writing, this is not only confusing but also incorrect. And although a hypothesis and prediction are guesses at their core, there are many differences between them.

A hypothesis is an educated guess or even a testable prediction validated through research. It aims to analyze the gathered evidence and facts to define a relationship between variables and put forth a logical explanation behind the nature of events.

Predictions are assumptions or expected outcomes made without any backing evidence. They are more fictionally inclined regardless of where they originate from.

For this reason, a hypothesis holds much more weight than a prediction. It sticks to the scientific method rather than pure guesswork. "Planets revolve around the Sun." is an example of a hypothesis as it is previous knowledge and observed trends. Additionally, we can test it through the scientific method.

Whereas "COVID-19 will be eradicated by 2030." is a prediction. Even though it results from past trends, we can't prove or disprove it. So, the only way this gets validated is to wait and watch if COVID-19 cases end by 2030.

Finally, How to Write a Hypothesis

Quick tips on writing a hypothesis

1.  Be clear about your research question

A hypothesis should instantly address the research question or the problem statement. To do so, you need to ask a question. Understand the constraints of your undertaken research topic and then formulate a simple and topic-centric problem. Only after that can you develop a hypothesis and further test for evidence.

2. Carry out a recce

Once you have your research's foundation laid out, it would be best to conduct preliminary research. Go through previous theories, academic papers, data, and experiments before you start curating your research hypothesis. It will give you an idea of your hypothesis's viability or originality.

Making use of references from relevant research papers helps draft a good research hypothesis. SciSpace Discover offers a repository of over 270 million research papers to browse through and gain a deeper understanding of related studies on a particular topic. Additionally, you can use SciSpace Copilot , your AI research assistant, for reading any lengthy research paper and getting a more summarized context of it. A hypothesis can be formed after evaluating many such summarized research papers. Copilot also offers explanations for theories and equations, explains paper in simplified version, allows you to highlight any text in the paper or clip math equations and tables and provides a deeper, clear understanding of what is being said. This can improve the hypothesis by helping you identify potential research gaps.

3. Create a 3-dimensional hypothesis

Variables are an essential part of any reasonable hypothesis. So, identify your independent and dependent variable(s) and form a correlation between them. The ideal way to do this is to write the hypothetical assumption in the ‘if-then' form. If you use this form, make sure that you state the predefined relationship between the variables.

In another way, you can choose to present your hypothesis as a comparison between two variables. Here, you must specify the difference you expect to observe in the results.

4. Write the first draft

Now that everything is in place, it's time to write your hypothesis. For starters, create the first draft. In this version, write what you expect to find from your research.

Clearly separate your independent and dependent variables and the link between them. Don't fixate on syntax at this stage. The goal is to ensure your hypothesis addresses the issue.

5. Proof your hypothesis

After preparing the first draft of your hypothesis, you need to inspect it thoroughly. It should tick all the boxes, like being concise, straightforward, relevant, and accurate. Your final hypothesis has to be well-structured as well.

Research projects are an exciting and crucial part of being a scholar. And once you have your research question, you need a great hypothesis to begin conducting research. Thus, knowing how to write a hypothesis is very important.

Now that you have a firmer grasp on what a good hypothesis constitutes, the different kinds there are, and what process to follow, you will find it much easier to write your hypothesis, which ultimately helps your research.

Now it's easier than ever to streamline your research workflow with SciSpace Discover . Its integrated, comprehensive end-to-end platform for research allows scholars to easily discover, write and publish their research and fosters collaboration.

It includes everything you need, including a repository of over 270 million research papers across disciplines, SEO-optimized summaries and public profiles to show your expertise and experience.

If you found these tips on writing a research hypothesis useful, head over to our blog on Statistical Hypothesis Testing to learn about the top researchers, papers, and institutions in this domain.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. what is the definition of hypothesis.

According to the Oxford dictionary, a hypothesis is defined as “An idea or explanation of something that is based on a few known facts, but that has not yet been proved to be true or correct”.

2. What is an example of hypothesis?

The hypothesis is a statement that proposes a relationship between two or more variables. An example: "If we increase the number of new users who join our platform by 25%, then we will see an increase in revenue."

3. What is an example of null hypothesis?

A null hypothesis is a statement that there is no relationship between two variables. The null hypothesis is written as H0. The null hypothesis states that there is no effect. For example, if you're studying whether or not a particular type of exercise increases strength, your null hypothesis will be "there is no difference in strength between people who exercise and people who don't."

4. What are the types of research?

• Fundamental research

• Applied research

• Qualitative research

• Quantitative research

• Mixed research

• Exploratory research

• Longitudinal research

• Cross-sectional research

• Field research

• Laboratory research

• Fixed research

• Flexible research

• Action research

• Policy research

• Classification research

• Comparative research

• Causal research

• Inductive research

• Deductive research

5. How to write a hypothesis?

• Your hypothesis should be able to predict the relationship and outcome.

• Avoid wordiness by keeping it simple and brief.

• Your hypothesis should contain observable and testable outcomes.

• Your hypothesis should be relevant to the research question.

6. What are the 2 types of hypothesis?

• Null hypotheses are used to test the claim that "there is no difference between two groups of data".

• Alternative hypotheses test the claim that "there is a difference between two data groups".

7. Difference between research question and research hypothesis?

A research question is a broad, open-ended question you will try to answer through your research. A hypothesis is a statement based on prior research or theory that you expect to be true due to your study. Example - Research question: What are the factors that influence the adoption of the new technology? Research hypothesis: There is a positive relationship between age, education and income level with the adoption of the new technology.

8. What is plural for hypothesis?

The plural of hypothesis is hypotheses. Here's an example of how it would be used in a statement, "Numerous well-considered hypotheses are presented in this part, and they are supported by tables and figures that are well-illustrated."

9. What is the red queen hypothesis?

The red queen hypothesis in evolutionary biology states that species must constantly evolve to avoid extinction because if they don't, they will be outcompeted by other species that are evolving. Leigh Van Valen first proposed it in 1973; since then, it has been tested and substantiated many times.

10. Who is known as the father of null hypothesis?

The father of the null hypothesis is Sir Ronald Fisher. He published a paper in 1925 that introduced the concept of null hypothesis testing, and he was also the first to use the term itself.

11. When to reject null hypothesis?

You need to find a significant difference between your two populations to reject the null hypothesis. You can determine that by running statistical tests such as an independent sample t-test or a dependent sample t-test. You should reject the null hypothesis if the p-value is less than 0.05.

You might also like

Consensus GPT vs. SciSpace GPT: Choose the Best GPT for Research

Literature Review and Theoretical Framework: Understanding the Differences

Types of Essays in Academic Writing - Quick Guide (2024)

Contents in the Article

अनुसंधान का अर्थ ( Meaning of Research)

अनुसंधान के द्वारा उन मौलिक प्रश्नों के उत्तर देने के प्रयास किया जाता है जिनका उत्तर अभी तक उपलब्ध नहीं हो सका है। यह उत्तर मानवीय प्रयासों पर आधारित होता है इस प्रत्यय को चन्द्रमा के एक उदाहरण से स्पष्ट किया जा सकता है। कुछ वर्ष पहले जब तक मनुष्य चन्द्रमा पर नहीं पहुँचा था, चन्द्रमा वास्तव में क्या हैं ? इस सम्बन्ध में सही जानकारी नहीं थी। यह एक समस्या भी थी जिसका कोई समाधान भी नहीं था। मनुष्य को चन्द्रमा के सम्बन्ध में मात्र आवधारणाएं ही थी, शुद्ध ज्ञान नहीं था। परन्तु मनुष्य अपने प्रयास से चन्द्रमा पर पहुंच गया है। इस प्रकार शोध कार्यों द्वारा उन प्रश्नों का उत्तर खोजने का प्रयास किया जाता है जिनका उत्तर साहित्य में उपलब्ध नहीं है अथवा मनुष्य की जानकारी में नहीं है। उन समस्याओं का समाधान खोजने का प्रयत्न किया जाता है जिसका समाधान उपलब्ध नहीं है और न ही मनुष्य की जानकारी में है।

अनुसंधान की परिभाषा ( Definition of Research)

अनेक परिभाषाएं अनुसन्धान की गई है प्रमुख परिभाषा इस प्रकार हैं-

रेडमेन एवं मोरी के अनुसार- “नवीन ज्ञान की प्राप्ति के लिए व्यावस्थित प्रयास ही अनुसंधान हैं।”

पी० एम० कुक के अनुसार- ‘अनुसंधान किसी समस्या के प्रति ईमानदारी, एवं व्यापक रूप में समझदारी के साथ की गई खोज है। जिसमें तथ्यों, सिद्धान्तों तथा अर्थों की जानकारी की जाती है। अनुसंधान की उपलिब्ध तथा निष्कर्ष प्रामाणिक तथा पुष्टि करने योग्य होते हैं। जिससे ज्ञान में वृद्धि होती है।

उद्देश्य ( Objectives of Research)

शोध समस्याओं की विविधता अधिक है इसके चार प्रमुख उद्देश्य होते हैं- सैद्धान्तिक उद्देश्य, तथ्यात्मक उद्देश्य, सत्यात्मक उद्देश्य तथा व्यावहारिक उद्देश्य इनका संक्षिप्त विवरण इस प्रकार है-

• सैद्धान्तिक उद्देश्य ( Theoretical Objectives)- अनुसंधान में वैज्ञानिक शोध कार्य द्वारा नये सिद्धान्तों तथा नये नियमों का प्रतिपादन किया जाता है। इस प्रकार के शोध कार्य में अर्थापन होता है। इसमें चरों के सम्बन्धों को प्रगट किया जाता है और उनके सम्बन्ध में सामान्यीकरण किया जाता है। इससे नवीन ज्ञान की वृद्धि होती है, जिनका उपयोग शिक्षण तथा निर्देशन की प्रक्रिया को प्रभावशाली बनाता है।
• तथ्यात्मक उद्देश्य ( Factual Objectives)- शिक्षा के अन्तर्गत ऐतिहासिक शोध-कार्यो। द्वारा नये तथ्यों की खोज की जाती है। इनके आधार पर वर्तमान को समझने में सहायता मिलती है। इन उद्देश्यों की प्रकृति वर्णनात्मक होती है। क्योंकि तथ्यों की खोज करके, उनका अथवा घटनाओं का वर्णन किया जाता है। नवीन तथ्यों की खोज शिक्षा-प्रक्रिया के विकास तथा सुधार में सहायक होती है, निर्देशन प्रक्रिया का विकास तथा सुधार किया जाता है।
• सत्यात्मक उद्देश्य ( Establishment of Truth Objective)- दार्शनिक शोध कार्यों द्वारा नवीन सत्यों का प्रतिपादन किया जाता है। इनकी प्राप्ति अन्तिम प्रश्नों के उत्तरों से की जाती है। दार्शनिक शोध-कार्यों द्वारा शिक्षा के उद्देश्यों, सिद्धान्तों तथा शिक्षण विधियों तथा पाठ्यक्रम की रचना की जाती है। शिक्षा की प्रक्रिया के अनुभवों का चिन्तन बौद्धिक स्तर पर किया जाता है। जिससे नवीन सत्यों तथा मूल्यों को प्रतिपादन किया जा सकता है।
• व्यावहारिक उद्देश्य ( Application Objectives)- शैक्षिक अनुसंधा निष्कर्षों का व्यावहारिक प्रयोग होना चाहिए। परन्तु कुछ शोध-कार्यों में केवल इन्हें विकासात्मक अनुसन्धान भी कहते है। क्रियात्मक अनुसन्धान से शिक्षा की प्रक्रिया में सुधार तथा विकास किया जाता है अर्थात् इनका उद्देश्य व्यावहारिक होता है। स्थानीय समस्या के समाधान से इसका उपयोग अधिक होता है। स्थानीय समस्या के समाधान से भी इस उद्देश्य की प्राप्ति की जाती है। निर्देशन में इसकी उपयोगिता अधिक होती है।

अनुसन्धान का वर्गीकरण (Classification of Research)

अनुसन्धान के उद्देश्यों से यह स्पष्ट है कि अनुसन्धानों का वर्गीकरण कई प्रकार से किया जा सकता है। प्रमुख वर्गीकरण मानदण्ड पर आधारित है-

योगदान की दृष्टि से (Contribution Point of View)

शोध कार्यों के योगदान की दृष्टि से शैक्षिक अनुसन्धानों को दो भागों में विभाजित कर सकते हैं-

मौलिक अनुसंधान ( Basic or Fundamental Research)- इन शोध कार्यों द्वारा नवीन ज्ञान की वृद्धि की जाती है-नवीन सिद्धान्तों का प्रतिपादन नवीन तथ्यों की खोज, नवीन तथ्यों का प्रतिपादन होता है। मौलिक-अनुसन्धानों से ज्ञान के क्षेत्र में वृद्धि की जाती है। इन्हें उद्देश्यों की दृष्टि से तीन भागों में बाँटा जा सकता है-

• प्रयोगात्मक शोध-कार्यों से नवीन सिद्धान्तों तथा नियमों का प्रतिपादन किया जाता है। सर्पक्षण शोध से इसी प्रकार का योगदान होता है।
• ऐतिहासिक शोध कार्यो से नवीन तथ्यों की खोज की जाती है। जिनमें अतीत का अध्ययन किया जाता है और उनके आधार पर वर्तमान को समझने का प्रयास किया जाता है।
• दार्शनिक शोध कार्यों से नवीन सत्यों एवं मूल्यों का प्रतिपादन किया जाता है। शिक्षा का सैद्धान्तिक दार्शनिक अनुसन्धानों से विकसित किया जा सकता है।

महत्वपूर्ण लिंक

• निर्देशन (Guidance)- अर्थ, परिभाषा एवं विशेषतायें, शिक्षा तथा निर्देशन में सम्बन्ध
• सूक्ष्म-शिक्षण- प्रकृति, प्रमुख सिद्धान्त, महत्त्व, परिसीमाएँ
• निर्देशन के उद्देश्य (Aims of Guidance in Hindi)
• शैक्षिक निर्देशन (Educational Guidance)-परिभाषा, विशेषताएँ, सिद्धान्त
• शैक्षिक निर्देशन-उद्देश्य एवं आवश्यकता (Objectives & Need)
• व्यावसायिक निर्देशन (Vocational guidance)- अर्थ, उद्देश्य, शिक्षा का व्यावसायीकरण
• परामर्श (Counselling)- परिभाषा, प्रकार, उद्देश्य, विशेषताएँ
• विशेष शिक्षा की आवश्यकता | Need for Special Education
• New Education Policy- Characteristics & Objectives in Hindi
• राष्ट्रीय शिक्षा नीति-1992 की संकल्पनाएँ या विशेषताएँ- NPE 1992
• सूक्ष्म शिक्षण- परिभाषा, सूक्ष्म शिक्षण प्रक्रिया, प्रतिमान, पद
• व्यावसायिक निर्देशन- आवश्यकता एवं उद्देश्य (Need & Objectives)

Disclaimer: wandofknowledge.com केवल शिक्षा और ज्ञान के उद्देश्य से बनाया गया है। किसी भी प्रश्न के लिए, अस्वीकरण से अनुरोध है कि कृपया हमसे संपर्क करें। हम आपको विश्वास दिलाते हैं कि हम अपनी तरफ से पूरी कोशिश करेंगे। हम नकल को प्रोत्साहन नहीं देते हैं। अगर किसी भी तरह से यह कानून का उल्लंघन करता है या कोई समस्या है, तो कृपया हमें [email protected] पर मेल करें।

About the author

Wand of Knowledge Team

बहुत सुन्दर प्रस्तुति। सम्पूर्ण जानकारी देने में सक्षम है।

Leave a Comment X

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Principles of Research Methodology pp 31–53 Cite as

The Research Hypothesis: Role and Construction

• Phyllis G. Supino EdD 3  
• First Online: 01 January 2012

5972 Accesses

A hypothesis is a logical construct, interposed between a problem and its solution, which represents a proposed answer to a research question. It gives direction to the investigator’s thinking about the problem and, therefore, facilitates a solution. There are three primary modes of inference by which hypotheses are developed: deduction (reasoning from a general propositions to specific instances), induction (reasoning from specific instances to a general proposition), and abduction (formulation/acceptance on probation of a hypothesis to explain a surprising observation).

A research hypothesis should reflect an inference about variables; be stated as a grammatically complete, declarative sentence; be expressed simply and unambiguously; provide an adequate answer to the research problem; and be testable. Hypotheses can be classified as conceptual versus operational, single versus bi- or multivariable, causal or not causal, mechanistic versus nonmechanistic, and null or alternative. Hypotheses most commonly entail statements about “variables” which, in turn, can be classified according to their level of measurement (scaling characteristics) or according to their role in the hypothesis (independent, dependent, moderator, control, or intervening).

A hypothesis is rendered operational when its broadly (conceptually) stated variables are replaced by operational definitions of those variables. Hypotheses stated in this manner are called operational hypotheses, specific hypotheses, or predictions and facilitate testing.

Wrong hypotheses, rightly worked from, have produced more results than unguided observation

—Augustus De Morgan, 1872[ 1 ]—

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution .

Buying options

• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Compact, lightweight edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info
• Durable hardcover edition

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

De Morgan A, De Morgan S. A budget of paradoxes. London: Longmans Green; 1872.

Google Scholar  

Leedy Paul D. Practical research. Planning and design. 2nd ed. New York: Macmillan; 1960.

Bernard C. Introduction to the study of experimental medicine. New York: Dover; 1957.

Erren TC. The quest for questions—on the logical force of science. Med Hypotheses. 2004;62:635–40.

Article   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Peirce CS. Collected papers of Charles Sanders Peirce, vol. 7. In: Hartshorne C, Weiss P, editors. Boston: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press; 1966.

Aristotle. The complete works of Aristotle: the revised Oxford Translation. In: Barnes J, editor. vol. 2. Princeton/New Jersey: Princeton University Press; 1984.

Polit D, Beck CT. Conceptualizing a study to generate evidence for nursing. In: Polit D, Beck CT, editors. Nursing research: generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2008. Chapter 4.

Jenicek M, Hitchcock DL. Evidence-based practice. Logic and critical thinking in medicine. Chicago: AMA Press; 2005.

Bacon F. The novum organon or a true guide to the interpretation of nature. A new translation by the Rev G.W. Kitchin. Oxford: The University Press; 1855.

Popper KR. Objective knowledge: an evolutionary approach (revised edition). New York: Oxford University Press; 1979.

Morgan AJ, Parker S. Translational mini-review series on vaccines: the Edward Jenner Museum and the history of vaccination. Clin Exp Immunol. 2007;147:389–94.

Article   PubMed   CAS   Google Scholar  

Pead PJ. Benjamin Jesty: new light in the dawn of vaccination. Lancet. 2003;362:2104–9.

Lee JA. The scientific endeavor: a primer on scientific principles and practice. San Francisco: Addison-Wesley Longman; 2000.

Allchin D. Lawson’s shoehorn, or should the philosophy of science be rated, ‘X’? Science and Education. 2003;12:315–29.

Article   Google Scholar  

Lawson AE. What is the role of induction and deduction in reasoning and scientific inquiry? J Res Sci Teach. 2005;42:716–40.

Peirce CS. Collected papers of Charles Sanders Peirce, vol. 2. In: Hartshorne C, Weiss P, editors. Boston: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press; 1965.

Bonfantini MA, Proni G. To guess or not to guess? In: Eco U, Sebeok T, editors. The sign of three: Dupin, Holmes, Peirce. Bloomington: Indiana University Press; 1983. Chapter 5.

Peirce CS. Collected papers of Charles Sanders Peirce, vol. 5. In: Hartshorne C, Weiss P, editors. Boston: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press; 1965.

Flach PA, Kakas AC. Abductive and inductive reasoning: background issues. In: Flach PA, Kakas AC, ­editors. Abduction and induction. Essays on their relation and integration. The Netherlands: Klewer; 2000. Chapter 1.

Murray JF. Voltaire, Walpole and Pasteur: variations on the theme of discovery. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2005;172:423–6.

Danemark B, Ekstrom M, Jakobsen L, Karlsson JC. Methodological implications, generalization, scientific inference, models (Part II) In: explaining society. Critical realism in the social sciences. New York: Routledge; 2002.

Pasteur L. Inaugural lecture as professor and dean of the faculty of sciences. In: Peterson H, editor. A treasury of the world’s greatest speeches. Douai, France: University of Lille 7 Dec 1954.

Swineburne R. Simplicity as evidence for truth. Milwaukee: Marquette University Press; 1997.

Sakar S, editor. Logical empiricism at its peak: Schlick, Carnap and Neurath. New York: Garland; 1996.

Popper K. The logic of scientific discovery. New York: Basic Books; 1959. 1934, trans. 1959.

Caws P. The philosophy of science. Princeton: D. Van Nostrand Company; 1965.

Popper K. Conjectures and refutations. The growth of scientific knowledge. 4th ed. London: Routledge and Keegan Paul; 1972.

Feyerabend PK. Against method, outline of an anarchistic theory of knowledge. London, UK: Verso; 1978.

Smith PG. Popper: conjectures and refutations (Chapter IV). In: Theory and reality: an introduction to the philosophy of science. Chicago: University of Chicago Press; 2003.

Blystone RV, Blodgett K. WWW: the scientific method. CBE Life Sci Educ. 2006;5:7–11.

Kleinbaum DG, Kupper LL, Morgenstern H. Epidemiological research. Principles and quantitative methods. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold; 1982.

Fortune AE, Reid WJ. Research in social work. 3rd ed. New York: Columbia University Press; 1999.

Kerlinger FN. Foundations of behavioral research. 1st ed. New York: Hold, Reinhart and Winston; 1970.

Hoskins CN, Mariano C. Research in nursing and health. Understanding and using quantitative and qualitative methods. New York: Springer; 2004.

Tuckman BW. Conducting educational research. New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich; 1972.

Wang C, Chiari PC, Weihrauch D, Krolikowski JG, Warltier DC, Kersten JR, Pratt Jr PF, Pagel PS. Gender-specificity of delayed preconditioning by isoflurane in rabbits: potential role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase. Anesth Analg. 2006;103:274–80.

Beyer ME, Slesak G, Nerz S, Kazmaier S, Hoffmeister HM. Effects of endothelin-1 and IRL 1620 on myocardial contractility and myocardial energy metabolism. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 1995;26(Suppl 3):S150–2.

PubMed   CAS   Google Scholar  

Stone J, Sharpe M. Amnesia for childhood in patients with unexplained neurological symptoms. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2002;72:416–7.

Naughton BJ, Moran M, Ghaly Y, Michalakes C. Computer tomography scanning and delirium in elder patients. Acad Emerg Med. 1997;4:1107–10.

Easterbrook PJ, Berlin JA, Gopalan R, Matthews DR. Publication bias in clinical research. Lancet. 1991;337:867–72.

Stern JM, Simes RJ. Publication bias: evidence of delayed publication in a cohort study of clinical research projects. BMJ. 1997;315:640–5.

Stevens SS. On the theory of scales and measurement. Science. 1946;103:677–80.

Knapp TR. Treating ordinal scales as interval scales: an attempt to resolve the controversy. Nurs Res. 1990;39:121–3.

The Cochrane Collaboration. Open Learning Material. www.cochrane-net.org/openlearning/html/mod14-3.htm . Accessed 12 Oct 2009.

MacCorquodale K, Meehl PE. On a distinction between hypothetical constructs and intervening ­variables. Psychol Rev. 1948;55:95–107.

Baron RM, Kenny DA. The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: ­conceptual, strategic and statistical considerations. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1986;51:1173–82.

Williamson GM, Schultz R. Activity restriction mediates the association between pain and depressed affect: a study of younger and older adult cancer patients. Psychol Aging. 1995;10:369–78.

Song M, Lee EO. Development of a functional capacity model for the elderly. Res Nurs Health. 1998;21:189–98.

MacKinnon DP. Introduction to statistical mediation analysis. New York: Routledge; 2008.

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, 450 Clarkson Avenue, 1199, Brooklyn, NY, 11203, USA

Phyllis G. Supino EdD

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Phyllis G. Supino EdD .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

, Cardiovascular Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Clarkson Avenue, box 1199 450, Brooklyn, 11203, USA

Phyllis G. Supino

, Cardiovascualr Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Clarkson Avenue 450, Brooklyn, 11203, USA

Jeffrey S. Borer

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter.

Supino, P.G. (2012). The Research Hypothesis: Role and Construction. In: Supino, P., Borer, J. (eds) Principles of Research Methodology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3360-6_3

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3360-6_3

Published : 18 April 2012

Publisher Name : Springer, New York, NY

Print ISBN : 978-1-4614-3359-0

Online ISBN : 978-1-4614-3360-6

eBook Packages : Medicine Medicine (R0)

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base

Methodology

• How to Write a Strong Hypothesis | Steps & Examples

How to Write a Strong Hypothesis | Steps & Examples

Published on May 6, 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on November 20, 2023.

A hypothesis is a statement that can be tested by scientific research. If you want to test a relationship between two or more variables, you need to write hypotheses before you start your experiment or data collection .

Example: Hypothesis

Daily apple consumption leads to fewer doctor’s visits.

Table of contents

What is a hypothesis, developing a hypothesis (with example), hypothesis examples, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about writing hypotheses.

A hypothesis states your predictions about what your research will find. It is a tentative answer to your research question that has not yet been tested. For some research projects, you might have to write several hypotheses that address different aspects of your research question.

A hypothesis is not just a guess – it should be based on existing theories and knowledge. It also has to be testable, which means you can support or refute it through scientific research methods (such as experiments, observations and statistical analysis of data).

Variables in hypotheses

Hypotheses propose a relationship between two or more types of variables .

• An independent variable is something the researcher changes or controls.
• A dependent variable is something the researcher observes and measures.

If there are any control variables , extraneous variables , or confounding variables , be sure to jot those down as you go to minimize the chances that research bias  will affect your results.

In this example, the independent variable is exposure to the sun – the assumed cause . The dependent variable is the level of happiness – the assumed effect .

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

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.

Step 2. Do some preliminary research

Your initial answer to the question should be based on what is already known about the topic. Look for theories and previous studies to help you form educated assumptions about what your research will find.

At this stage, you might construct a conceptual framework to ensure that you’re embarking on a relevant topic . This can also help you identify which variables you will study and what you think the relationships are between them. Sometimes, you’ll have to operationalize more complex constructs.

Step 3. Formulate your hypothesis

Now you should have some idea of what you expect to find. Write your initial answer to the question in a clear, concise sentence.

4. Refine your hypothesis

You need to make sure your hypothesis is specific and testable. There are various ways of phrasing a hypothesis, but all the terms you use should have clear definitions, and the hypothesis should contain:

• The relevant variables
• The specific group being studied
• The predicted outcome of the experiment or analysis

5. Phrase your hypothesis in three ways

To identify the variables, you can write a simple prediction in  if…then form. The first part of the sentence states the independent variable and the second part states the dependent variable.

In academic research, hypotheses are more commonly phrased in terms of correlations or effects, where you directly state the predicted relationship between variables.

If you are comparing two groups, the hypothesis can state what difference you expect to find between them.

6. Write a null hypothesis

If your research involves statistical hypothesis testing , you will also have to write a null hypothesis . The null hypothesis is the default position that there is no association between the variables. The null hypothesis is written as H 0 , while the alternative hypothesis is H 1 or H a .

• H 0 : The number of lectures attended by first-year students has no effect on their final exam scores.
• H 1 : The number of lectures attended by first-year students has a positive effect on their final exam scores.

If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

A hypothesis is not just a guess — it should be based on existing theories and knowledge. It also has to be testable, which means you can support or refute it through scientific research methods (such as experiments, observations and statistical analysis of data).

Null and alternative hypotheses are used in statistical hypothesis testing . The null hypothesis of a test always predicts no effect or no relationship between variables, while the alternative hypothesis states your research prediction of an effect or relationship.

Hypothesis testing is a formal procedure for investigating our ideas about the world using statistics. It is used by scientists to test specific predictions, called hypotheses , by calculating how likely it is that a pattern or relationship between variables could have arisen by chance.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, November 20). How to Write a Strong Hypothesis | Steps & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 15, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/hypothesis/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, construct validity | definition, types, & examples, what is a conceptual framework | tips & examples, operationalization | a guide with examples, pros & cons, what is your plagiarism score.

• Scientific Methods

What is Hypothesis?

We have heard of many hypotheses which have led to great inventions in science. Assumptions that are made on the basis of some evidence are known as hypotheses. In this article, let us learn in detail about the hypothesis and the type of hypothesis with examples.

A hypothesis is an assumption that is made based on some evidence. This is the initial point of any investigation that translates the research questions into predictions. It includes components like variables, population and the relation between the variables. A research hypothesis is a hypothesis that is used to test the relationship between two or more variables.

Characteristics of Hypothesis

Following are the characteristics of the hypothesis:

• The hypothesis should be clear and precise to consider it to be reliable.
• If the hypothesis is a relational hypothesis, then it should be stating the relationship between variables.
• The hypothesis must be specific and should have scope for conducting more tests.
• The way of explanation of the hypothesis must be very simple and it should also be understood that the simplicity of the hypothesis is not related to its significance.

Sources of Hypothesis

Following are the sources of hypothesis:

• The resemblance between the phenomenon.
• Observations from past studies, present-day experiences and from the competitors.
• Scientific theories.
• General patterns that influence the thinking process of people.

Types of Hypothesis

There are six forms of hypothesis and they are:

• Simple hypothesis
• Complex hypothesis
• Directional hypothesis
• Non-directional hypothesis
• Null hypothesis
• Associative and casual hypothesis

Simple Hypothesis

It shows a relationship between one dependent variable and a single independent variable. For example – If you eat more vegetables, you will lose weight faster. Here, eating more vegetables is an independent variable, while losing weight is the dependent variable.

Complex Hypothesis

It shows the relationship between two or more dependent variables and two or more independent variables. Eating more vegetables and fruits leads to weight loss, glowing skin, and reduces the risk of many diseases such as heart disease.

Directional Hypothesis

It shows how a researcher is intellectual and committed to a particular outcome. The relationship between the variables can also predict its nature. For example- children aged four years eating proper food over a five-year period are having higher IQ levels than children not having a proper meal. This shows the effect and direction of the effect.

Non-directional Hypothesis

It is used when there is no theory involved. It is a statement that a relationship exists between two variables, without predicting the exact nature (direction) of the relationship.

Null Hypothesis

It provides a statement which is contrary to the hypothesis. It’s a negative statement, and there is no relationship between independent and dependent variables. The symbol is denoted by “H O ”.

Associative and Causal Hypothesis

Associative hypothesis occurs when there is a change in one variable resulting in a change in the other variable. Whereas, the causal hypothesis proposes a cause and effect interaction between two or more variables.

Examples of Hypothesis

Following are the examples of hypotheses based on their types:

• Consumption of sugary drinks every day leads to obesity is an example of a simple hypothesis.
• All lilies have the same number of petals is an example of a null hypothesis.
• If a person gets 7 hours of sleep, then he will feel less fatigue than if he sleeps less. It is an example of a directional hypothesis.

Functions of Hypothesis

Following are the functions performed by the hypothesis:

• Hypothesis helps in making an observation and experiments possible.
• It becomes the start point for the investigation.
• Hypothesis helps in verifying the observations.
• It helps in directing the inquiries in the right direction.

How will Hypothesis help in the Scientific Method?

Researchers use hypotheses to put down their thoughts directing how the experiment would take place. Following are the steps that are involved in the scientific method:

• Formation of question
• Doing background research
• Creation of hypothesis
• Designing an experiment
• Collection of data
• Result analysis
• Summarizing the experiment
• Communicating the results

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

What is hypothesis.

A hypothesis is an assumption made based on some evidence.

Give an example of simple hypothesis?

What are the types of hypothesis.

Types of hypothesis are:

• Associative and Casual hypothesis

State true or false: Hypothesis is the initial point of any investigation that translates the research questions into a prediction.

Define complex hypothesis..

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

Put your understanding of this concept to test by answering a few MCQs. Click ‘Start Quiz’ to begin!

Select the correct answer and click on the “Finish” button Check your score and answers at the end of the quiz

Visit BYJU’S for all Physics related queries and study materials

Your result is as below

Request OTP on Voice Call

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your Mobile number and Email id will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Post My Comment

• Share Share

Register with BYJU'S & Download Free PDFs

Register with byju's & watch live videos.

Get science-backed answers as you write with Paperpal's Research feature

What is Research Methodology? Definition, Types, and Examples

Research methodology 1,2 is a structured and scientific approach used to collect, analyze, and interpret quantitative or qualitative data to answer research questions or test hypotheses. A research methodology is like a plan for carrying out research and helps keep researchers on track by limiting the scope of the research. Several aspects must be considered before selecting an appropriate research methodology, such as research limitations and ethical concerns that may affect your research.

The research methodology section in a scientific paper describes the different methodological choices made, such as the data collection and analysis methods, and why these choices were selected. The reasons should explain why the methods chosen are the most appropriate to answer the research question. A good research methodology also helps ensure the reliability and validity of the research findings. There are three types of research methodology—quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method, which can be chosen based on the research objectives.

What is research methodology ?

A research methodology describes the techniques and procedures used to identify and analyze information regarding a specific research topic. It is a process by which researchers design their study so that they can achieve their objectives using the selected research instruments. It includes all the important aspects of research, including research design, data collection methods, data analysis methods, and the overall framework within which the research is conducted. While these points can help you understand what is research methodology, you also need to know why it is important to pick the right methodology.

Why is research methodology important?

Having a good research methodology in place has the following advantages: 3

• Helps other researchers who may want to replicate your research; the explanations will be of benefit to them.
• You can easily answer any questions about your research if they arise at a later stage.
• A research methodology provides a framework and guidelines for researchers to clearly define research questions, hypotheses, and objectives.
• It helps researchers identify the most appropriate research design, sampling technique, and data collection and analysis methods.
• A sound research methodology helps researchers ensure that their findings are valid and reliable and free from biases and errors.
• It also helps ensure that ethical guidelines are followed while conducting research.
• A good research methodology helps researchers in planning their research efficiently, by ensuring optimum usage of their time and resources.

Writing the methods section of a research paper? Let Paperpal help you achieve perfection

Types of research methodology.

There are three types of research methodology based on the type of research and the data required. 1

• Quantitative research methodology focuses on measuring and testing numerical data. This approach is good for reaching a large number of people in a short amount of time. This type of research helps in testing the causal relationships between variables, making predictions, and generalizing results to wider populations.
• Qualitative research methodology examines the opinions, behaviors, and experiences of people. It collects and analyzes words and textual data. This research methodology requires fewer participants but is still more time consuming because the time spent per participant is quite large. This method is used in exploratory research where the research problem being investigated is not clearly defined.
• Mixed-method research methodology uses the characteristics of both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies in the same study. This method allows researchers to validate their findings, verify if the results observed using both methods are complementary, and explain any unexpected results obtained from one method by using the other method.

What are the types of sampling designs in research methodology?

Sampling 4 is an important part of a research methodology and involves selecting a representative sample of the population to conduct the study, making statistical inferences about them, and estimating the characteristics of the whole population based on these inferences. There are two types of sampling designs in research methodology—probability and nonprobability.

• Probability sampling

In this type of sampling design, a sample is chosen from a larger population using some form of random selection, that is, every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected. The different types of probability sampling are:

• Systematic —sample members are chosen at regular intervals. It requires selecting a starting point for the sample and sample size determination that can be repeated at regular intervals. This type of sampling method has a predefined range; hence, it is the least time consuming.
• Stratified —researchers divide the population into smaller groups that don’t overlap but represent the entire population. While sampling, these groups can be organized, and then a sample can be drawn from each group separately.
• Cluster —the population is divided into clusters based on demographic parameters like age, sex, location, etc.
• Convenience —selects participants who are most easily accessible to researchers due to geographical proximity, availability at a particular time, etc.
• Purposive —participants are selected at the researcher’s discretion. Researchers consider the purpose of the study and the understanding of the target audience.
• Snowball —already selected participants use their social networks to refer the researcher to other potential participants.
• Quota —while designing the study, the researchers decide how many people with which characteristics to include as participants. The characteristics help in choosing people most likely to provide insights into the subject.

What are data collection methods?

During research, data are collected using various methods depending on the research methodology being followed and the research methods being undertaken. Both qualitative and quantitative research have different data collection methods, as listed below.

Qualitative research 5

• One-on-one interviews: Helps the interviewers understand a respondent’s subjective opinion and experience pertaining to a specific topic or event
• Document study/literature review/record keeping: Researchers’ review of already existing written materials such as archives, annual reports, research articles, guidelines, policy documents, etc.
• Focus groups: Constructive discussions that usually include a small sample of about 6-10 people and a moderator, to understand the participants’ opinion on a given topic.
• Qualitative observation : Researchers collect data using their five senses (sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing).

Quantitative research 6

• Sampling: The most common type is probability sampling.
• Interviews: Commonly telephonic or done in-person.
• Observations: Structured observations are most commonly used in quantitative research. In this method, researchers make observations about specific behaviors of individuals in a structured setting.
• Document review: Reviewing existing research or documents to collect evidence for supporting the research.
• Surveys and questionnaires. Surveys can be administered both online and offline depending on the requirement and sample size.

Let Paperpal help you write the perfect research methods section. Start now!

What are data analysis methods.

The data collected using the various methods for qualitative and quantitative research need to be analyzed to generate meaningful conclusions. These data analysis methods 7 also differ between quantitative and qualitative research.

Quantitative research involves a deductive method for data analysis where hypotheses are developed at the beginning of the research and precise measurement is required. The methods include statistical analysis applications to analyze numerical data and are grouped into two categories—descriptive and inferential.

Descriptive analysis is used to describe the basic features of different types of data to present it in a way that ensures the patterns become meaningful. The different types of descriptive analysis methods are:

• Measures of frequency (count, percent, frequency)
• Measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode)
• Measures of dispersion or variation (range, variance, standard deviation)
• Measure of position (percentile ranks, quartile ranks)

Inferential analysis is used to make predictions about a larger population based on the analysis of the data collected from a smaller population. This analysis is used to study the relationships between different variables. Some commonly used inferential data analysis methods are:

• Correlation: To understand the relationship between two or more variables.
• Cross-tabulation: Analyze the relationship between multiple variables.
• Regression analysis: Study the impact of independent variables on the dependent variable.
• Frequency tables: To understand the frequency of data.
• Analysis of variance: To test the degree to which two or more variables differ in an experiment.

Qualitative research involves an inductive method for data analysis where hypotheses are developed after data collection. The methods include:

• Content analysis: For analyzing documented information from text and images by determining the presence of certain words or concepts in texts.
• Narrative analysis: For analyzing content obtained from sources such as interviews, field observations, and surveys. The stories and opinions shared by people are used to answer research questions.
• Discourse analysis: For analyzing interactions with people considering the social context, that is, the lifestyle and environment, under which the interaction occurs.
• Grounded theory: Involves hypothesis creation by data collection and analysis to explain why a phenomenon occurred.
• Thematic analysis: To identify important themes or patterns in data and use these to address an issue.

How to choose a research methodology?

Here are some important factors to consider when choosing a research methodology: 8

• Research objectives, aims, and questions —these would help structure the research design.
• Review existing literature to identify any gaps in knowledge.
• Check the statistical requirements —if data-driven or statistical results are needed then quantitative research is the best. If the research questions can be answered based on people’s opinions and perceptions, then qualitative research is most suitable.
• Sample size —sample size can often determine the feasibility of a research methodology. For a large sample, less effort- and time-intensive methods are appropriate.
• Constraints —constraints of time, geography, and resources can help define the appropriate methodology.

Got writer’s block? Kickstart your research paper writing with Paperpal now!

How to write a research methodology .

A research methodology should include the following components: 3,9

• Research design —should be selected based on the research question and the data required. Common research designs include experimental, quasi-experimental, correlational, descriptive, and exploratory.
• Research method —this can be quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method.
• Reason for selecting a specific methodology —explain why this methodology is the most suitable to answer your research problem.
• Research instruments —explain the research instruments you plan to use, mainly referring to the data collection methods such as interviews, surveys, etc. Here as well, a reason should be mentioned for selecting the particular instrument.
• Sampling —this involves selecting a representative subset of the population being studied.
• Data collection —involves gathering data using several data collection methods, such as surveys, interviews, etc.
• Data analysis —describe the data analysis methods you will use once you’ve collected the data.
• Research limitations —mention any limitations you foresee while conducting your research.
• Validity and reliability —validity helps identify the accuracy and truthfulness of the findings; reliability refers to the consistency and stability of the results over time and across different conditions.
• Ethical considerations —research should be conducted ethically. The considerations include obtaining consent from participants, maintaining confidentiality, and addressing conflicts of interest.

Streamline Your Research Paper Writing Process with Paperpal

The methods section is a critical part of the research papers, allowing researchers to use this to understand your findings and replicate your work when pursuing their own research. However, it is usually also the most difficult section to write. This is where Paperpal can help you overcome the writer’s block and create the first draft in minutes with Paperpal Copilot, its secure generative AI feature suite.  

With Paperpal you can get research advice, write and refine your work, rephrase and verify the writing, and ensure submission readiness, all in one place. Here’s how you can use Paperpal to develop the first draft of your methods section.  

• Generate an outline: Input some details about your research to instantly generate an outline for your methods section 
• Develop the section: Use the outline and suggested sentence templates to expand your ideas and develop the first draft.  
• P araph ras e and trim : Get clear, concise academic text with paraphrasing that conveys your work effectively and word reduction to fix redundancies. 
• Choose the right words: Enhance text by choosing contextual synonyms based on how the words have been used in previously published work.  
• Check and verify text : Make sure the generated text showcases your methods correctly, has all the right citations, and is original and authentic. .   

You can repeat this process to develop each section of your research manuscript, including the title, abstract and keywords. Ready to write your research papers faster, better, and without the stress? Sign up for Paperpal and start writing today!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What are the key components of research methodology?

A1. A good research methodology has the following key components:

• Research design
• Data collection procedures
• Data analysis methods
• Ethical considerations

Q2. Why is ethical consideration important in research methodology?

A2. Ethical consideration is important in research methodology to ensure the readers of the reliability and validity of the study. Researchers must clearly mention the ethical norms and standards followed during the conduct of the research and also mention if the research has been cleared by any institutional board. The following 10 points are the important principles related to ethical considerations: 10

• Participants should not be subjected to harm.
• Respect for the dignity of participants should be prioritized.
• Full consent should be obtained from participants before the study.
• Participants’ privacy should be ensured.
• Confidentiality of the research data should be ensured.
• Anonymity of individuals and organizations participating in the research should be maintained.
• The aims and objectives of the research should not be exaggerated.
• Affiliations, sources of funding, and any possible conflicts of interest should be declared.
• Communication in relation to the research should be honest and transparent.
• Misleading information and biased representation of primary data findings should be avoided.

Q3. What is the difference between methodology and method?

A3. Research methodology is different from a research method, although both terms are often confused. Research methods are the tools used to gather data, while the research methodology provides a framework for how research is planned, conducted, and analyzed. The latter guides researchers in making decisions about the most appropriate methods for their research. Research methods refer to the specific techniques, procedures, and tools used by researchers to collect, analyze, and interpret data, for instance surveys, questionnaires, interviews, etc.

Research methodology is, thus, an integral part of a research study. It helps ensure that you stay on track to meet your research objectives and answer your research questions using the most appropriate data collection and analysis tools based on your research design.

Accelerate your research paper writing with Paperpal. Try for free now!

• Research methodologies. Pfeiffer Library website. Accessed August 15, 2023. https://library.tiffin.edu/researchmethodologies/whatareresearchmethodologies
• Types of research methodology. Eduvoice website. Accessed August 16, 2023. https://eduvoice.in/types-research-methodology/
• The basics of research methodology: A key to quality research. Voxco. Accessed August 16, 2023. https://www.voxco.com/blog/what-is-research-methodology/
• Sampling methods: Types with examples. QuestionPro website. Accessed August 16, 2023. https://www.questionpro.com/blog/types-of-sampling-for-social-research/
• What is qualitative research? Methods, types, approaches, examples. Researcher.Life blog. Accessed August 15, 2023. https://researcher.life/blog/article/what-is-qualitative-research-methods-types-examples/
• What is quantitative research? Definition, methods, types, and examples. Researcher.Life blog. Accessed August 15, 2023. https://researcher.life/blog/article/what-is-quantitative-research-types-and-examples/
• Data analysis in research: Types & methods. QuestionPro website. Accessed August 16, 2023. https://www.questionpro.com/blog/data-analysis-in-research/#Data_analysis_in_qualitative_research
• Factors to consider while choosing the right research methodology. PhD Monster website. Accessed August 17, 2023. https://www.phdmonster.com/factors-to-consider-while-choosing-the-right-research-methodology/
• What is research methodology? Research and writing guides. Accessed August 14, 2023. https://paperpile.com/g/what-is-research-methodology/
• Ethical considerations. Business research methodology website. Accessed August 17, 2023. https://research-methodology.net/research-methodology/ethical-considerations/

Paperpal is a comprehensive AI writing toolkit that helps students and researchers achieve 2x the writing in half the time. It leverages 21+ years of STM experience and insights from millions of research articles to provide in-depth academic writing, language editing, and submission readiness support to help you write better, faster.  

Get accurate academic translations, rewriting support, grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, and generative AI assistance that delivers human precision at machine speed. Try for free or upgrade to Paperpal Prime starting at US$19 a month to access premium features, including consistency, plagiarism, and 30+ submission readiness checks to help you succeed.  

Experience the future of academic writing – Sign up to Paperpal and start writing for free!  

Related Reads:

• Dangling Modifiers and How to Avoid Them in Your Writing 
• Webinar: How to Use Generative AI Tools Ethically in Your Academic Writing
• Research Outlines: How to Write An Introduction Section in Minutes with Paperpal Copilot
• How to Paraphrase Research Papers Effectively

Language and Grammar Rules for Academic Writing

Climatic vs. climactic: difference and examples, you may also like, what is hedging in academic writing  , how to use ai to enhance your college..., how to use paperpal to generate emails &..., ai in education: it’s time to change the..., is it ethical to use ai-generated abstracts without..., do plagiarism checkers detect ai content, word choice problems: how to use the right..., how to avoid plagiarism when using generative ai..., what are journal guidelines on using generative ai..., types of plagiarism and 6 tips to avoid....

Talk to our experts

1800-120-456-456

Hypothesis: An Introduction

You must have heard about hypotheses that led to several achievements in scientific inventions. A hypothesis is a milestone in any research; it is the point of the research where we propose an analysis. The hypothesis of any research corresponds to the assumptions we conclude from the evidence gathered. The hypothesis consists of the points or the concepts that are proven successful. Now, let us learn about what exactly a hypothesis means and the type of hypothesis along with examples.

What is Hypothesis?

An assumption that is made based on some limited evidence collected is known as a hypothesis. It is the beginning point of study that translates research questions into predictions that might or might not be true. It depends on the variables and population used, also the relation between the variables. The hypothesis used to test the relationship between two or multiple variables is known as the research hypothesis.

Hypothesis Properties

The properties of the hypothesis are as follows:

It should be empirically tested irrespective of being right or wrong.

It should establish the relationship between the variables that are considered.

It must be specific, clear, and precise.

It should possess the scope for future studies and be capable of conducting more tests.

It should be capable of testing it in a reasonable time and it must be reliable.

Types of Hypothesis

Hypothesis can be classified as follows:

Null Hypothesis

Simple hypothesis

Directional hypothesis

Complex hypothesis

Non-directional hypothesis

Causal and associative hypothesis

It states that one variable doesn't affect the other variables being studied. A null hypothesis asserts that two factors or groups are independent of each other and that some traits of a population or process are identical. To contradict or invalidate the null hypothesis, we must assess the likelihood of the alternative hypothesis in addition to the null hypothesis.

Simple Hypothesis

There are two types of variables i.e, dependent and independent variables. A simple hypothesis shows the relationship between the dependent and independent variables. For example, if you pump petrol into your bike, you can go for long rides. Here bike is the dependent variable and petrol is the independent one.

Directional Hypothesis

A directional hypothesis is a researcher's prediction of a positive or negative change, relationship, or difference between two variables in a population. This statement is often supported by prior research, a widely established theory, considerable experience, or relevant literature.

For example, students who do proper revision and assignments could score more marks than the students who skipped. Here, we already know the process and its impact on the outcome. This is what we call a directional hypothesis.

Complex Hypothesis

The complex hypothesis shows the relationship that comes between two or more dependent and independent variables. For example, if you pump petrol in your bike, you can go for long rides, also you become an expert in riding a bike, you explore more places and come across new things.

Non-directional Hypothesis

There is no theory for this kind. Unlike the directional hypothesis, there are no predictions. We can say there is a relation between the variables but prediction and nature are unknown.

Causal and Associative Hypothesis

If there is a change in one variable and as a result, it affects the other variable, then we say it is associative. Meanwhile, the causal hypothesis comes into play when the cause and effect interaction occurs between two or more variables.

Sources of Hypothesis

The major sources of hypothesis are:

Scientific theories

Personal experience and conclusion arrived

Studies that underwent in the past

The resemblances between the phenomena, that is the pattern observed in common

Common thoughts and thinking

Functions of Hypothesis

The functions of hypothesis are as follows:

It tells us the specific aspects of studies we investigate. It provides study with focus.

The cnstruction of the hypothesis led to objectivity in the investigation

It helps to formulate the theory for the research work and sort out what is wrong and right.

It filters out the data that have to be collected for the work.

Hypothesis Examples

Some examples of hypotheses are as follows

Consumption of tobacco led to cancer, which is an example of a simple hypothesis.

If a person does work out daily, his/her skin, body, and mind remain healthy and fresh, which is an example of a directional hypothesis.

If you consume tobacco it not only causes cancer, but also affects your brain, turns your lips black, etc.

Role of Hypothesis in the Scientific Method

Experimental designing

Predicting results

Background research

Question formation

Data collection

Verification of results

Concluding the experiment

Being a future reference for the further studies

Role of hypothesis in the scientific method

In conclusion, it can be understood that a hypothesis is an assumption that researchers make on the basis of the limited evidence collected. It is the starting point of study that translates research questions into predictions. The various types of hypotheses include Null Hypothesis, Simple hypothesis, Directional hypothesis, Complex hypothesis, Non-directional hypothesis, and Causal and associative hypothesis. We proceed with our research or experiments according to the hypothesis we design.

FAQs on Hypothesis

1. Why is a hypothesis important?

Hypothesis plays an important role in any research project; it's a stepping stone to proving a theory. Hypothesis serves in establishing a connection to the underlying theory and particular research subject. It helps in data processing and evaluates the reliability and validity of the study. It offers a foundation or supporting evidence to demonstrate the accuracy of the study. A hypothesis allows researchers not only to get a relationship between variables, but also to predict a relationship based on theoretical guidelines and/or empirical proof.

2. How do I write a hypothesis?

Writing a good hypothesis starts before you even begin to type. Like several tasks, preparation is vital, thus you begin first by conducting analysis yourself, and reading all you can regarding the subject that you decide to do research on. From there, you’ll gain the information you need to know , where your focus within the subject will lie. Keep in mind that a hypothesis may be a prediction of the relationship that exists between 2 or more variables. The hypothesis should be straightforward and concise , the result should be predictable , clear and with no assumptions about the reader's knowledge.

3. What are a few examples of hypotheses?

Consumption of drugs leads to depression is an example of a simple hypothesis. If a person has a proper diet plan, his/her skin, body, and mind remain healthy and fresh. This is an example of a directional hypothesis. If you consume drugs it not only causes depression, but also affects your brain, leads to addiction, etc. If you pump petrol in your bike, you can go for long rides, also you become an expert in riding a bike, you explore more places and come across new things.