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Research hypothesis: What it is, how to write it, types, and examples

What is a Research Hypothesis: How to Write it, Types, and Examples

Any research begins with a research question and a research hypothesis . A research question alone may not suffice to design the experiment(s) needed to answer it. A hypothesis is central to the scientific method. But what is a hypothesis ? A hypothesis is a testable statement that proposes a possible explanation to a phenomenon, and it may include a prediction. Next, you may ask what is a research hypothesis ? Simply put, a research hypothesis is a prediction or educated guess about the relationship between the variables that you want to investigate.

It is important to be thorough when developing your research hypothesis. Shortcomings in the framing of a hypothesis can affect the study design and the results. A better understanding of the research hypothesis definition and characteristics of a good hypothesis will make it easier for you to develop your own hypothesis for your research. Let’s dive in to know more about the types of research hypothesis , how to write a research hypothesis , and some research hypothesis examples .

Table of Contents

What is a hypothesis ?

A hypothesis is based on the existing body of knowledge in a study area. Framed before the data are collected, a hypothesis states the tentative relationship between independent and dependent variables, along with a prediction of the outcome.

What is a research hypothesis ?

Young researchers starting out their journey are usually brimming with questions like “ What is a hypothesis ?” “ What is a research hypothesis ?” “How can I write a good research hypothesis ?”

A research hypothesis is a statement that proposes a possible explanation for an observable phenomenon or pattern. It guides the direction of a study and predicts the outcome of the investigation. A research hypothesis is testable, i.e., it can be supported or disproven through experimentation or observation.

Characteristics of a good hypothesis

Here are the characteristics of a good hypothesis :

Clearly formulated and free of language errors and ambiguity
Concise and not unnecessarily verbose
Has clearly defined variables
Testable and stated in a way that allows for it to be disproven
Can be tested using a research design that is feasible, ethical, and practical
Specific and relevant to the research problem
Rooted in a thorough literature search
Can generate new knowledge or understanding.

How to create an effective research hypothesis

A study begins with the formulation of a research question. A researcher then performs background research. This background information forms the basis for building a good research hypothesis . The researcher then performs experiments, collects, and analyzes the data, interprets the findings, and ultimately, determines if the findings support or negate the original hypothesis.

Let’s look at each step for creating an effective, testable, and good research hypothesis :

Identify a research problem or question: Start by identifying a specific research problem.
Review the literature: Conduct an in-depth review of the existing literature related to the research problem to grasp the current knowledge and gaps in the field.
Formulate a clear and testable hypothesis : Based on the research question, use existing knowledge to form a clear and testable hypothesis . The hypothesis should state a predicted relationship between two or more variables that can be measured and manipulated. Improve the original draft till it is clear and meaningful.
State the null hypothesis: The null hypothesis is a statement that there is no relationship between the variables you are studying.
Define the population and sample: Clearly define the population you are studying and the sample you will be using for your research.
Select appropriate methods for testing the hypothesis: Select appropriate research methods, such as experiments, surveys, or observational studies, which will allow you to test your research hypothesis .

Remember that creating a research hypothesis is an iterative process, i.e., you might have to revise it based on the data you collect. You may need to test and reject several hypotheses before answering the research problem.

How to write a research hypothesis

When you start writing a research hypothesis , you use an “if–then” statement format, which states the predicted relationship between two or more variables. Clearly identify the independent variables (the variables being changed) and the dependent variables (the variables being measured), as well as the population you are studying. Review and revise your hypothesis as needed.

An example of a research hypothesis in this format is as follows:

“ If [athletes] follow [cold water showers daily], then their [endurance] increases.”

Population: athletes

Independent variable: daily cold water showers

Dependent variable: endurance

You may have understood the characteristics of a good hypothesis . But note that a research hypothesis is not always confirmed; a researcher should be prepared to accept or reject the hypothesis based on the study findings.

Research hypothesis checklist

Following from above, here is a 10-point checklist for a good research hypothesis :

Testable: A research hypothesis should be able to be tested via experimentation or observation.
Specific: A research hypothesis should clearly state the relationship between the variables being studied.
Based on prior research: A research hypothesis should be based on existing knowledge and previous research in the field.
Falsifiable: A research hypothesis should be able to be disproven through testing.
Clear and concise: A research hypothesis should be stated in a clear and concise manner.
Logical: A research hypothesis should be logical and consistent with current understanding of the subject.
Relevant: A research hypothesis should be relevant to the research question and objectives.
Feasible: A research hypothesis should be feasible to test within the scope of the study.
Reflects the population: A research hypothesis should consider the population or sample being studied.
Uncomplicated: A good research hypothesis is written in a way that is easy for the target audience to understand.

By following this research hypothesis checklist , you will be able to create a research hypothesis that is strong, well-constructed, and more likely to yield meaningful results.

Types of research hypothesis

Different types of research hypothesis are used in scientific research:

1. Null hypothesis:

A null hypothesis states that there is no change in the dependent variable due to changes to the independent variable. This means that the results are due to chance and are not significant. A null hypothesis is denoted as H0 and is stated as the opposite of what the alternative hypothesis states.

Example: “ The newly identified virus is not zoonotic .”

2. Alternative hypothesis:

This states that there is a significant difference or relationship between the variables being studied. It is denoted as H1 or Ha and is usually accepted or rejected in favor of the null hypothesis.

Example: “ The newly identified virus is zoonotic .”

3. Directional hypothesis :

This specifies the direction of the relationship or difference between variables; therefore, it tends to use terms like increase, decrease, positive, negative, more, or less.

Example: “ The inclusion of intervention X decreases infant mortality compared to the original treatment .”

4. Non-directional hypothesis:

While it does not predict the exact direction or nature of the relationship between the two variables, a non-directional hypothesis states the existence of a relationship or difference between variables but not the direction, nature, or magnitude of the relationship. A non-directional hypothesis may be used when there is no underlying theory or when findings contradict previous research.

Example, “ Cats and dogs differ in the amount of affection they express .”

5. Simple hypothesis :

A simple hypothesis only predicts the relationship between one independent and another independent variable.

Example: “ Applying sunscreen every day slows skin aging .”

6 . Complex hypothesis :

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

Example: “ Applying sunscreen every day slows skin aging, reduces sun burn, and reduces the chances of skin cancer .” (Here, the three dependent variables are slowing skin aging, reducing sun burn, and reducing the chances of skin cancer.)

7. Associative hypothesis:

An associative hypothesis states that a change in one variable results in the change of the other variable. The associative hypothesis defines interdependency between variables.

Example: “ There is a positive association between physical activity levels and overall health .”

8 . Causal hypothesis:

A causal hypothesis proposes a cause-and-effect interaction between variables.

Example: “ Long-term alcohol use causes liver damage .”

Note that some of the types of research hypothesis mentioned above might overlap. The types of hypothesis chosen will depend on the research question and the objective of the study.

Research hypothesis examples

Here are some good research hypothesis examples :

“The use of a specific type of therapy will lead to a reduction in symptoms of depression in individuals with a history of major depressive disorder.”

“Providing educational interventions on healthy eating habits will result in weight loss in overweight individuals.”

“Plants that are exposed to certain types of music will grow taller than those that are not exposed to music.”

“The use of the plant growth regulator X will lead to an increase in the number of flowers produced by plants.”

Characteristics that make a research hypothesis weak are unclear variables, unoriginality, being too general or too vague, and being untestable. A weak hypothesis leads to weak research and improper methods.

Some bad research hypothesis examples (and the reasons why they are “bad”) are as follows:

“This study will show that treatment X is better than any other treatment . ” (This statement is not testable, too broad, and does not consider other treatments that may be effective.)

“This study will prove that this type of therapy is effective for all mental disorders . ” (This statement is too broad and not testable as mental disorders are complex and different disorders may respond differently to different types of therapy.)

“Plants can communicate with each other through telepathy . ” (This statement is not testable and lacks a scientific basis.)

Importance of testable hypothesis

If a research hypothesis is not testable, the results will not prove or disprove anything meaningful. The conclusions will be vague at best. A testable hypothesis helps a researcher focus on the study outcome and understand the implication of the question and the different variables involved. A testable hypothesis helps a researcher make precise predictions based on prior research.

To be considered testable, there must be a way to prove that the hypothesis is true or false; further, the results of the hypothesis must be reproducible.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on research hypothesis

1. What is the difference between research question and research hypothesis ?

A research question defines the problem and helps outline the study objective(s). It is an open-ended statement that is exploratory or probing in nature. Therefore, it does not make predictions or assumptions. It helps a researcher identify what information to collect. A research hypothesis , however, is a specific, testable prediction about the relationship between variables. Accordingly, it guides the study design and data analysis approach.

2. When to reject null hypothesis ?

A null hypothesis should be rejected when the evidence from a statistical test shows that it is unlikely to be true. This happens when the test statistic (e.g., p -value) is less than the defined significance level (e.g., 0.05). Rejecting the null hypothesis does not necessarily mean that the alternative hypothesis is true; it simply means that the evidence found is not compatible with the null hypothesis.

3. How can I be sure my hypothesis is testable?

A testable hypothesis should be specific and measurable, and it should state a clear relationship between variables that can be tested with data. To ensure that your hypothesis is testable, consider the following:

Clearly define the key variables in your hypothesis. You should be able to measure and manipulate these variables in a way that allows you to test the hypothesis.
The hypothesis should predict a specific outcome or relationship between variables that can be measured or quantified.
You should be able to collect the necessary data within the constraints of your study.
It should be possible for other researchers to replicate your study, using the same methods and variables.
Your hypothesis should be testable by using appropriate statistical analysis techniques, so you can draw conclusions, and make inferences about the population from the sample data.
The hypothesis should be able to be disproven or rejected through the collection of data.

4. How do I revise my research hypothesis if my data does not support it?

If your data does not support your research hypothesis , you will need to revise it or develop a new one. You should examine your data carefully and identify any patterns or anomalies, re-examine your research question, and/or revisit your theory to look for any alternative explanations for your results. Based on your review of the data, literature, and theories, modify your research hypothesis to better align it with the results you obtained. Use your revised hypothesis to guide your research design and data collection. It is important to remain objective throughout the process.

5. I am performing exploratory research. Do I need to formulate a research hypothesis?

As opposed to “confirmatory” research, where a researcher has some idea about the relationship between the variables under investigation, exploratory research (or hypothesis-generating research) looks into a completely new topic about which limited information is available. Therefore, the researcher will not have any prior hypotheses. In such cases, a researcher will need to develop a post-hoc hypothesis. A post-hoc research hypothesis is generated after these results are known.

6. How is a research hypothesis different from a research question?

A research question is an inquiry about a specific topic or phenomenon, typically expressed as a question. It seeks to explore and understand a particular aspect of the research subject. In contrast, a research hypothesis is a specific statement or prediction that suggests an expected relationship between variables. It is formulated based on existing knowledge or theories and guides the research design and data analysis.

7. Can a research hypothesis change during the research process?

Yes, research hypotheses can change during the research process. As researchers collect and analyze data, new insights and information may emerge that require modification or refinement of the initial hypotheses. This can be due to unexpected findings, limitations in the original hypotheses, or the need to explore additional dimensions of the research topic. Flexibility is crucial in research, allowing for adaptation and adjustment of hypotheses to align with the evolving understanding of the subject matter.

8. How many hypotheses should be included in a research study?

The number of research hypotheses in a research study varies depending on the nature and scope of the research. It is not necessary to have multiple hypotheses in every study. Some studies may have only one primary hypothesis, while others may have several related hypotheses. The number of hypotheses should be determined based on the research objectives, research questions, and the complexity of the research topic. It is important to ensure that the hypotheses are focused, testable, and directly related to the research aims.

9. Can research hypotheses be used in qualitative research?

Yes, research hypotheses can be used in qualitative research, although they are more commonly associated with quantitative research. In qualitative research, hypotheses may be formulated as tentative or exploratory statements that guide the investigation. Instead of testing hypotheses through statistical analysis, qualitative researchers may use the hypotheses to guide data collection and analysis, seeking to uncover patterns, themes, or relationships within the qualitative data. The emphasis in qualitative research is often on generating insights and understanding rather than confirming or rejecting specific research hypotheses through statistical testing.

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Thesis Defense: How to Ace this Crucial Step

Constitution

Hypothesis या परिकल्पना क्या है? प्रकृति, स्रोत, विशेषताएं, प्रकार व कार्य

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 (Hypothesis) किसी भी अनुसन्धान प्रक्रिया का दूसरा महत्वपूर्ण स्तम्भ है।

परिकल्पना क्या है? (What is Hypothesis)

इसका तात्पर्य यह है कि किसी समस्या के विश्लेषण और परिभाशीकरण के पश्चात 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 पष्चात 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 (Definition of Hypothesis)

परिकल्पना की परिभाषा से समझने के लिए कुछ विद्वानों की परिभाषाओं केा समझना आवश्यक है। जो है –

करलिंगर (Kerlinger) – ‘‘परिकल्पना केा 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 भविश्य 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 जॉच हेाती 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।

परिकल्पना की प्रकृति (Nature of Hypothesis)

किसी भी परिकल्पना की प्रकृति रूप में हो सकती है –

यह परीक्षण के योग्य होनी चाहिये।
इसह शोध को सामान्य से विशिष्ट एवं विस्तृत से सीमित की ओर केन्द्रित करना चाहिए।
इससे शोध प्रश्नों का स्पष्ट उत्तर मिलना चाहिए।
यह सत्याभासी एवं तर्कयुक्त होनी चाहिए।
यह प्रकृति के ज्ञात नियमों के प्रतिकूल नहीं होनी चाहिए।

परिकल्पना के स्रोत (Source of Hypothesis)

1. समस्या से सम्बन्धित साहित्य का अध्ययन

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

2. विज्ञान

विज्ञान से प्रतिपादित सिद्धान्त परिकल्पनाओं को जन्म देते हैं।

3. संस्कृति

संस्कृति परिकल्पना की जननी हो सकती है। प्रत्येक समाज में विभिन्न प्रकार की संस्कृति होती है। प्रत्येक संस्कृति सामाजिक एवं सांस्कृतिक 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।

4. व्यक्तिगत अनुभव

व्यक्तिगत अनुभव भी परिकल्पना का आधार हेाता है, किन्तु नये अनुसंध् ाा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।

5. 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।

6. अनुभवी व्यक्तियों से परिचर्चा

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

7. 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 सर्जन किया जा सकता है।

उत्तम परिकल्पना की विशेषताएं या कसौटी (Characteristics of a good Hypothesis)

1. परिकल्पना जाँचनीय हो

एक अच्छी परिकल्पना की पहचान यह है कि उसका प्रतिपादन इस ढ़ंग 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 विस्तश्त ढ़ंग से न करके विषिश्ट ढ़ंग से की जाये। अत: जॉँचनीय परिकल्पना वह परिकल्पना है जिसे विष्वास के साथ कहा जाय कि वह सही है या गलत।

2. 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।

3. 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 केा जन्म दे देते हैं और उनके लिये उपकल्पनायें तथा तदर्थ पूर्वकल्पनायें (adhoc assumptions) तैयार कर लिया जाना आवश्यक हो जाता है।

4. 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 केाई 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।

5. परिकल्पना द्वारा अधिक से अधिक सामान्यीकरण किया जा सके

परिकल्पना का अधिक से अधिक सामान्यीकरण तभी सम्भव है जब परिकल्पना न तेा बहुत व्यापक हो और न ही बहुत विषिश्ट हो किसी भी अच्छी परिकल्पना को संकीर्ण ;दंततवूद्ध होना चाहिये ताकि उसके द्वारा किया गया सामान्यीकरण उचित एवं उपयोगी हो।

6. परिकल्पना को संप्रत्यात्मक रूप से स्पष्ट होना चाहिए

संप्रत्यात्मक रूप से स्पष्ट होने का अर्थ है परिकल्पना व्यवहारिक एवं वस्तुनिश्ठ ढ़ंग से परिभाशित 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 हैे जिसके आधार पर एक अच्छी शोध परिकल्पना की पहचान की जा सकती है।

परिकल्पना के प्रकार (Types of Hypothesis)

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 तीन आधारों पर किया है –

चरों की सख्या के आधार पर

1. 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।

2. जटिल परिकल्पना

जटिल परिकल्पना से तात्पर्य उस परिकल्पना से हेै 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 अत: 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-

1. 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 हेा 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 हे जिसमें बताया गया सम्बन्ध अधिकांष परिस्थितियों में लागू होता है।

2. अस्तित्वात्मक परिकल्पना

इस प्रकार की परिकल्पना यदि सभी व्यक्तियों या परिस्थितियों के लिये नही तो कम से कम एक व्यक्ति या परिस्थिति के लिये नििष्च्त 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 तीन प्रकार है-

1. शोध परिकल्पना

इसे कायर्रूप परिकल्पना या कायार्त्मक परिकल्पना भी कहते हैं। ये परिकल्पना किसी न किसी सिद्धान्त पर आधारित या प्रेरित होती है। शोधकर्ता इस परिकल्पना की उद्घोशणा बहुत ही विष्वास के साथ करता है तथा उसकी यह अभिलाशा होती है कि उसकी यह परिकल्पना सत्य सिद्ध हो।

2. 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।

3. 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 H1 तथा शून्य परिकल्पना के लिये H0 का प्रयोग हेाता है तथा माध्य के लिये X का प्रयोग किया जाता है।

परिकल्पना के कार्य (Works of Hypothesis)

1. दिशा निर्देश देना

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

2. प्र्रमुख तथ्यों का चुुनाव 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।

3. पुनरावृत्ति को सम्भव बनाना

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

4. निष्कर्ष निकालने एवं नये सिद्धान्तों के प्रतिपादन करना

परिकल्पना अनुसंधानकर्ता केा 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 पश्श्ठभूमि की प्रतीक्षा किये बिना परिकल्पना बनाकर जॉच 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।

निष्कर्ष

अत: उपरेाक्त वर्णन के आधार पर यह कहा जा सकता है कि परिकल्पना किसी भी समस्या के लिये सुझाया गया वह उत्तर है जिसकी तर्कपूर्ण वैधता की जॉच 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।

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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 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 -

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 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

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।

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The Craft of Writing a Strong Hypothesis

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.

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Research Hypothesis: What It Is, Types + How to Develop?

A research hypothesis proposes a link between variables. Uncover its types and the secrets to creating hypotheses for scientific inquiry.

A research study starts with a question. Researchers worldwide ask questions and create research hypotheses. The effectiveness of research relies on developing a good research hypothesis. Examples of research hypotheses can guide researchers in writing effective ones.

In this blog, we’ll learn what a research hypothesis is, why it’s important in research, and the different types used in science. We’ll also guide you through creating your research hypothesis and discussing ways to test and evaluate it.

What is a Research Hypothesis?

A hypothesis is like a guess or idea that you suggest to check if it’s true. A research hypothesis is a statement that brings up a question and predicts what might happen.

It’s really important in the scientific method and is used in experiments to figure things out. Essentially, it’s an educated guess about how things are connected in the research.

A research hypothesis usually includes pointing out the independent variable (the thing they’re changing or studying) and the dependent variable (the result they’re measuring or watching). It helps plan how to gather and analyze data to see if there’s evidence to support or deny the expected connection between these variables.

Importance of Hypothesis in Research

Hypotheses are really important in research. They help design studies, allow for practical testing, and add to our scientific knowledge. Their main role is to organize research projects, making them purposeful, focused, and valuable to the scientific community. Let’s look at some key reasons why they matter:

A research hypothesis helps test theories.

A hypothesis plays a pivotal role in the scientific method by providing a basis for testing existing theories. For example, a hypothesis might test the predictive power of a psychological theory on human behavior.

It serves as a great platform for investigation activities.

It serves as a launching pad for investigation activities, which offers researchers a clear starting point. A research hypothesis can explore the relationship between exercise and stress reduction.

Hypothesis guides the research work or study.

A well-formulated hypothesis guides the entire research process. It ensures that the study remains focused and purposeful. For instance, a hypothesis about the impact of social media on interpersonal relationships provides clear guidance for a study.

Hypothesis sometimes suggests theories.

In some cases, a hypothesis can suggest new theories or modifications to existing ones. For example, a hypothesis testing the effectiveness of a new drug might prompt a reconsideration of current medical theories.

It helps in knowing the data needs.

A hypothesis clarifies the data requirements for a study, ensuring that researchers collect the necessary information—a hypothesis guiding the collection of demographic data to analyze the influence of age on a particular phenomenon.

The hypothesis explains social phenomena.

Hypotheses are instrumental in explaining complex social phenomena. For instance, a hypothesis might explore the relationship between economic factors and crime rates in a given community.

Hypothesis provides a relationship between phenomena for empirical Testing.

Hypotheses establish clear relationships between phenomena, paving the way for empirical testing. An example could be a hypothesis exploring the correlation between sleep patterns and academic performance.

It helps in knowing the most suitable analysis technique.

A hypothesis guides researchers in selecting the most appropriate analysis techniques for their data. For example, a hypothesis focusing on the effectiveness of a teaching method may lead to the choice of statistical analyses best suited for educational research.

Characteristics of a Good Research Hypothesis

A hypothesis is a specific idea that you can test in a study. It often comes from looking at past research and theories. A good hypothesis usually starts with a research question that you can explore through background research. For it to be effective, consider these key characteristics:

Clear and Focused Language: A good hypothesis uses clear and focused language to avoid confusion and ensure everyone understands it.
Related to the Research Topic: The hypothesis should directly relate to the research topic, acting as a bridge between the specific question and the broader study.
Testable: An effective hypothesis can be tested, meaning its prediction can be checked with real data to support or challenge the proposed relationship.
Potential for Exploration: A good hypothesis often comes from a research question that invites further exploration. Doing background research helps find gaps and potential areas to investigate.
Includes Variables: The hypothesis should clearly state both the independent and dependent variables, specifying the factors being studied and the expected outcomes.
Ethical Considerations: Check if variables can be manipulated without breaking ethical standards. It’s crucial to maintain ethical research practices.
Predicts Outcomes: The hypothesis should predict the expected relationship and outcome, acting as a roadmap for the study and guiding data collection and analysis.
Simple and Concise: A good hypothesis avoids unnecessary complexity and is simple and concise, expressing the essence of the proposed relationship clearly.
Clear and Assumption-Free: The hypothesis should be clear and free from assumptions about the reader’s prior knowledge, ensuring universal understanding.
Observable and Testable Results: A strong hypothesis implies research that produces observable and testable results, making sure the study’s outcomes can be effectively measured and analyzed.

When you use these characteristics as a checklist, it can help you create a good research hypothesis. It’ll guide improving and strengthening the hypothesis, identifying any weaknesses, and making necessary changes. Crafting a hypothesis with these features helps you conduct a thorough and insightful research study.

Types of Research Hypotheses

The research hypothesis comes in various types, each serving a specific purpose in guiding the scientific investigation. Knowing the differences will make it easier for you to create your own hypothesis. Here’s an overview of the common types:

01. Null Hypothesis

The null hypothesis states that there is no connection between two considered variables or that two groups are unrelated. As discussed earlier, a hypothesis is an unproven assumption lacking sufficient supporting data. It serves as the statement researchers aim to disprove. It is testable, verifiable, and can be rejected.

For example, if you’re studying the relationship between Project A and Project B, assuming both projects are of equal standard is your null hypothesis. It needs to be specific for your study.

02. Alternative Hypothesis

The alternative hypothesis is basically another option to the null hypothesis. It involves looking for a significant change or alternative that could lead you to reject the null hypothesis. It’s a different idea compared to the null hypothesis.

When you create a null hypothesis, you’re making an educated guess about whether something is true or if there’s a connection between that thing and another variable. If the null view suggests something is correct, the alternative hypothesis says it’s incorrect.

For instance, if your null hypothesis is “I’m going to be $1000 richer,” the alternative hypothesis would be “I’m not going to get $1000 or be richer.”

03. Directional Hypothesis

The directional hypothesis predicts the direction of the relationship between independent and dependent variables. They specify whether the effect will be positive or negative.

If you increase your study hours, you will experience a positive association with your exam scores. This hypothesis suggests that as you increase the independent variable (study hours), there will also be an increase in the dependent variable (exam scores).

04. Non-directional Hypothesis

The non-directional hypothesis predicts the existence of a relationship between variables but does not specify the direction of the effect. It suggests that there will be a significant difference or relationship, but it does not predict the nature of that difference.

For example, you will find no notable difference in test scores between students who receive the educational intervention and those who do not. However, once you compare the test scores of the two groups, you will notice an important difference.

05. Simple Hypothesis

A simple hypothesis predicts a relationship between one dependent variable and one independent variable without specifying the nature of that relationship. It’s simple and usually used when we don’t know much about how the two things are connected.

For example, if you adopt effective study habits, you will achieve higher exam scores than those with poor study habits.

06. Complex Hypothesis

A complex hypothesis is an idea that specifies a relationship between multiple independent and dependent variables. It is a more detailed idea than a simple hypothesis.

While a simple view suggests a straightforward cause-and-effect relationship between two things, a complex hypothesis involves many factors and how they’re connected to each other.

For example, when you increase your study time, you tend to achieve higher exam scores. The connection between your study time and exam performance is affected by various factors, including the quality of your sleep, your motivation levels, and the effectiveness of your study techniques.

If you sleep well, stay highly motivated, and use effective study strategies, you may observe a more robust positive correlation between the time you spend studying and your exam scores, unlike those who may lack these factors.

07. Associative Hypothesis

An associative hypothesis proposes a connection between two things without saying that one causes the other. Basically, it suggests that when one thing changes, the other changes too, but it doesn’t claim that one thing is causing the change in the other.

For example, you will likely notice higher exam scores when you increase your study time. You can recognize an association between your study time and exam scores in this scenario.

Your hypothesis acknowledges a relationship between the two variables—your study time and exam scores—without asserting that increased study time directly causes higher exam scores. You need to consider that other factors, like motivation or learning style, could affect the observed association.

08. Causal Hypothesis

A causal hypothesis proposes a cause-and-effect relationship between two variables. It suggests that changes in one variable directly cause changes in another variable.

For example, when you increase your study time, you experience higher exam scores. This hypothesis suggests a direct cause-and-effect relationship, indicating that the more time you spend studying, the higher your exam scores. It assumes that changes in your study time directly influence changes in your exam performance.

09. Empirical Hypothesis

An empirical hypothesis is a statement based on things we can see and measure. It comes from direct observation or experiments and can be tested with real-world evidence. If an experiment proves a theory, it supports the idea and shows it’s not just a guess. This makes the statement more reliable than a wild guess.

For example, if you increase the dosage of a certain medication, you might observe a quicker recovery time for patients. Imagine you’re in charge of a clinical trial. In this trial, patients are given varying dosages of the medication, and you measure and compare their recovery times. This allows you to directly see the effects of different dosages on how fast patients recover.

This way, you can create a research hypothesis: “Increasing the dosage of a certain medication will lead to a faster recovery time for patients.”

10. Statistical Hypothesis

A statistical hypothesis is a statement or assumption about a population parameter that is the subject of an investigation. It serves as the basis for statistical analysis and testing. It is often tested using statistical methods to draw inferences about the larger population.

In a hypothesis test, statistical evidence is collected to either reject the null hypothesis in favor of the alternative hypothesis or fail to reject the null hypothesis due to insufficient evidence.

For example, let’s say you’re testing a new medicine. Your hypothesis could be that the medicine doesn’t really help patients get better. So, you collect data and use statistics to see if your guess is right or if the medicine actually makes a difference.

If the data strongly shows that the medicine does help, you say your guess was wrong, and the medicine does make a difference. But if the proof isn’t strong enough, you can stick with your original guess because you didn’t get enough evidence to change your mind.

How to Develop a Research Hypotheses?

Step 1: identify your research problem or topic..

Define the area of interest or the problem you want to investigate. Make sure it’s clear and well-defined.

Start by asking a question about your chosen topic. Consider the limitations of your research and create a straightforward problem related to your topic. Once you’ve done that, you can develop and test a hypothesis with evidence.

Step 2: Conduct a literature review

Review existing literature related to your research problem. This will help you understand the current state of knowledge in the field, identify gaps, and build a foundation for your hypothesis. Consider the following questions:

What existing research has been conducted on your chosen topic?
Are there any gaps or unanswered questions in the current literature?
How will the existing literature contribute to the foundation of your research?

Step 3: Formulate your research question

Based on your literature review, create a specific and concise research question that addresses your identified problem. Your research question should be clear, focused, and relevant to your field of study.

Step 4: Identify variables

Determine the key variables involved in your research question. Variables are the factors or phenomena that you will study and manipulate to test your hypothesis.

Independent Variable: The variable you manipulate or control.
Dependent Variable: The variable you measure to observe the effect of the independent variable.

Step 5: State the Null hypothesis

The null hypothesis is a statement that there is no significant difference or effect. It serves as a baseline for comparison with the alternative hypothesis.

Step 6: Select appropriate methods for testing the hypothesis

Choose research methods that align with your study objectives, such as experiments, surveys, or observational studies. The selected methods enable you to test your research hypothesis effectively.

Creating a research hypothesis usually takes more than one try. Expect to make changes as you collect data. It’s normal to test and say no to a few hypotheses before you find the right answer to your research question.

Testing and Evaluating Hypotheses

Testing hypotheses is a really important part of research. It’s like the practical side of things. Here, real-world evidence will help you determine how different things are connected. Let’s explore the main steps in hypothesis testing:

State your research hypothesis.

Before testing, clearly articulate your research hypothesis. This involves framing both a null hypothesis, suggesting no significant effect or relationship, and an alternative hypothesis, proposing the expected outcome.

Collect data strategically.

Plan how you will gather information in a way that fits your study. Make sure your data collection method matches the things you’re studying.

Whether through surveys, observations, or experiments, this step demands precision and adherence to the established methodology. The quality of data collected directly influences the credibility of study outcomes.

Perform an appropriate statistical test.

Choose a statistical test that aligns with the nature of your data and the hypotheses being tested. Whether it’s a t-test, chi-square test, ANOVA, or regression analysis, selecting the right statistical tool is paramount for accurate and reliable results.

Decide if your idea was right or wrong.

Following the statistical analysis, evaluate the results in the context of your null hypothesis. You need to decide if you should reject your null hypothesis or not.

Share what you found.

When discussing what you found in your research, be clear and organized. Say whether your idea was supported or not, and talk about what your results mean. Also, mention any limits to your study and suggest ideas for future research.

The Role of QuestionPro to Develop a Good Research Hypothesis

QuestionPro is a survey and research platform that provides tools for creating, distributing, and analyzing surveys. It plays a crucial role in the research process, especially when you’re in the initial stages of hypothesis development. Here’s how QuestionPro can help you to develop a good research hypothesis:

Survey design and data collection: You can use the platform to create targeted questions that help you gather relevant data.
Exploratory research: Through surveys and feedback mechanisms on QuestionPro, you can conduct exploratory research to understand the landscape of a particular subject.
Literature review and background research: QuestionPro surveys can collect sample population opinions, experiences, and preferences. This data and a thorough literature evaluation can help you generate a well-grounded hypothesis by improving your research knowledge.
Identifying variables: Using targeted survey questions, you can identify relevant variables related to their research topic.
Testing assumptions: You can use surveys to informally test certain assumptions or hypotheses before formalizing a research hypothesis.
Data analysis tools: QuestionPro provides tools for analyzing survey data. You can use these tools to identify the collected data’s patterns, correlations, or trends.
Refining your hypotheses: As you collect data through QuestionPro, you can adjust your hypotheses based on the real-world responses you receive.

A research hypothesis is like a guide for researchers in science. It’s a well-thought-out idea that has been thoroughly tested. This idea is crucial as researchers can explore different fields, such as medicine, social sciences, and natural sciences. The research hypothesis links theories to real-world evidence and gives researchers a clear path to explore and make discoveries.

QuestionPro Research Suite is a helpful tool for researchers. It makes creating surveys, collecting data, and analyzing information easily. It supports all kinds of research, from exploring new ideas to forming hypotheses. With a focus on using data, it helps researchers do their best work.

Are you interested in learning more about QuestionPro Research Suite? Take advantage of QuestionPro’s free trial to get an initial look at its capabilities and realize the full potential of your research efforts.

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What Is A Research (Scientific) Hypothesis? A plain-language explainer + examples

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewed By: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | June 2020

If you’re new to the world of research, or it’s your first time writing a dissertation or thesis, you’re probably noticing that the words “research hypothesis” and “scientific hypothesis” are used quite a bit, and you’re wondering what they mean in a research context .

“Hypothesis” is one of those words that people use loosely, thinking they understand what it means. However, it has a very specific meaning within academic research. So, it’s important to understand the exact meaning before you start hypothesizing.

Research Hypothesis 101

What is a hypothesis ?
What is a research hypothesis (scientific hypothesis)?
Requirements for a research hypothesis
Definition of a research hypothesis
The null hypothesis

What is a hypothesis?

Let’s start with the general definition of a hypothesis (not a research hypothesis or scientific hypothesis), according to the Cambridge Dictionary:

Hypothesis: an idea or explanation for something that is based on known facts but has not yet been proved.

In other words, it’s a statement that provides an explanation for why or how something works, based on facts (or some reasonable assumptions), but that has not yet been specifically tested . For example, a hypothesis might look something like this:

Hypothesis: sleep impacts academic performance.

This statement predicts that academic performance will be influenced by the amount and/or quality of sleep a student engages in – sounds reasonable, right? It’s based on reasonable assumptions , underpinned by what we currently know about sleep and health (from the existing literature). So, loosely speaking, we could call it a hypothesis, at least by the dictionary definition.

But that’s not good enough…

Unfortunately, that’s not quite sophisticated enough to describe a research hypothesis (also sometimes called a scientific hypothesis), and it wouldn’t be acceptable in a dissertation, thesis or research paper . In the world of academic research, a statement needs a few more criteria to constitute a true research hypothesis .

What is a research hypothesis?

A research hypothesis (also called a scientific hypothesis) is a statement about the expected outcome of a study (for example, a dissertation or thesis). To constitute a quality hypothesis, the statement needs to have three attributes – specificity , clarity and testability .

Let’s take a look at these more closely.

Need a helping hand?

Hypothesis Essential #1: Specificity & Clarity

A good research hypothesis needs to be extremely clear and articulate about both what’ s being assessed (who or what variables are involved ) and the expected outcome (for example, a difference between groups, a relationship between variables, etc.).

Let’s stick with our sleepy students example and look at how this statement could be more specific and clear.

Hypothesis: Students who sleep at least 8 hours per night will, on average, achieve higher grades in standardised tests than students who sleep less than 8 hours a night.

As you can see, the statement is very specific as it identifies the variables involved (sleep hours and test grades), the parties involved (two groups of students), as well as the predicted relationship type (a positive relationship). There’s no ambiguity or uncertainty about who or what is involved in the statement, and the expected outcome is clear.

Contrast that to the original hypothesis we looked at – “Sleep impacts academic performance” – and you can see the difference. “Sleep” and “academic performance” are both comparatively vague , and there’s no indication of what the expected relationship direction is (more sleep or less sleep). As you can see, specificity and clarity are key.

A good research hypothesis needs to be very clear about what’s being assessed and very specific about the expected outcome.

Hypothesis Essential #2: Testability (Provability)

A statement must be testable to qualify as a research hypothesis. In other words, there needs to be a way to prove (or disprove) the statement. If it’s not testable, it’s not a hypothesis – simple as that.

For example, consider the hypothesis we mentioned earlier:

Hypothesis: Students who sleep at least 8 hours per night will, on average, achieve higher grades in standardised tests than students who sleep less than 8 hours a night.

We could test this statement by undertaking a quantitative study involving two groups of students, one that gets 8 or more hours of sleep per night for a fixed period, and one that gets less. We could then compare the standardised test results for both groups to see if there’s a statistically significant difference.

Again, if you compare this to the original hypothesis we looked at – “Sleep impacts academic performance” – you can see that it would be quite difficult to test that statement, primarily because it isn’t specific enough. How much sleep? By who? What type of academic performance?

So, remember the mantra – if you can’t test it, it’s not a hypothesis 🙂

A good research hypothesis must be testable. In other words, you must able to collect observable data in a scientifically rigorous fashion to test it.

Defining A Research Hypothesis

You’re still with us? Great! Let’s recap and pin down a clear definition of a hypothesis.

A research hypothesis (or scientific hypothesis) is a statement about an expected relationship between variables, or explanation of an occurrence, that is clear, specific and testable.

So, when you write up hypotheses for your dissertation or thesis, make sure that they meet all these criteria. If you do, you’ll not only have rock-solid hypotheses but you’ll also ensure a clear focus for your entire research project.

What about the null hypothesis?

You may have also heard the terms null hypothesis , alternative hypothesis, or H-zero thrown around. At a simple level, the null hypothesis is the counter-proposal to the original hypothesis.

For example, if the hypothesis predicts that there is a relationship between two variables (for example, sleep and academic performance), the null hypothesis would predict that there is no relationship between those variables.

At a more technical level, the null hypothesis proposes that no statistical significance exists in a set of given observations and that any differences are due to chance alone.

And there you have it – hypotheses in a nutshell.

If you have any questions, be sure to leave a comment below and we’ll do our best to help you. If you need hands-on help developing and testing your hypotheses, consider our private coaching service , where we hold your hand through the research journey.

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This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

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16 Comments

Very useful information. I benefit more from getting more information in this regard.

Very great insight,educative and informative. Please give meet deep critics on many research data of public international Law like human rights, environment, natural resources, law of the sea etc

In a book I read a distinction is made between null, research, and alternative hypothesis. As far as I understand, alternative and research hypotheses are the same. Can you please elaborate? Best Afshin

This is a self explanatory, easy going site. I will recommend this to my friends and colleagues.

Very good definition. How can I cite your definition in my thesis? Thank you. Is nul hypothesis compulsory in a research?

It’s a counter-proposal to be proven as a rejection

Please what is the difference between alternate hypothesis and research hypothesis?

It is a very good explanation. However, it limits hypotheses to statistically tasteable ideas. What about for qualitative researches or other researches that involve quantitative data that don’t need statistical tests?

In qualitative research, one typically uses propositions, not hypotheses.

could you please elaborate it more

I’ve benefited greatly from these notes, thank you.

This is very helpful

well articulated ideas are presented here, thank you for being reliable sources of information

Excellent. Thanks for being clear and sound about the research methodology and hypothesis (quantitative research)

I have only a simple question regarding the null hypothesis. – Is the null hypothesis (Ho) known as the reversible hypothesis of the alternative hypothesis (H1? – How to test it in academic research?

this is very important note help me much more

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26 Hypothesis and Variables – Meaning, Classification and Uses

C. Parvathi

INTRODUCTION

Today, we are going to see the meaning of the hypothesis, steps involved to write a hypothesis, its characteristics, types and errors in formulating hypothesis. It involves different errors of hypothesis for which we have to identify the variables which will enable the research scholars to justify the area of research and design of the research work under taken by the investigator.

Hypothesis is usually considered as the principal instrument in research. Its main function is to suggest new experiments and observations. In fact, many experiments are carried out with the deliberate objective of testing hypotheses. Decision-makers often face situations wherein they are interested in testing hypotheses on the basis of available information and then take decisions on the basis of such testing. In social science, where direct knowledge of population parameter(s) is rare, hypothesis testing is often used strategy for deciding whether a sample data offers such support for a hypothesis from which generalization can be made. Thus hypothesis testing enables us to make probability statements about population parameter(s). The hypothesis may not be proved absolutely, but in practice it is accepted if it has withstood a critical testing. Before we explain how hypotheses are tested through different tests meant for this purpose, it will be appropriate to explain clearly the meaning of a hypothesis and the related concepts for better understanding of the hypothesis testing techniques.

WHAT IS HYPOTHESIS?

Generally, when one talks about hypothesis, one simply means mere assumption or some supposition to be proved or disproved. Thus a hypothesis may be defined as a proposition or a set of proposition set forth as an explanation for the occurrence of some specified group of phenomena either asserted merely as a provisional conjecture to guide some investigation or accepted a highly probable in the light of established facts. Research hypothesis is a predictive statement, capable of being tested by scientific methods that relate an independent variable to some dependant variable. For example, consider statement like the following ones:

“Students who receive counseling will show better performance increase in creativity than students not receiving counseling” or “the automobile A is performing better than automobile B .”

The above hypothesis is capable of being objectively verified and tested. It is a proposition which can be put to a test to determine its validity.

Here, we are examining the truth or otherwise of the hypothesis (guess, claim or assumptions, etc.) about some feature about one or more populations on the basis of samples drawn from these populations. Testing plays a major role in statistical investigation. Generally, a statistical hypothesis is a statement or a conclusion or an assumption about certain characteristic populations which is drawn on a logical basis and it can be tested based on the sample evidences. Test of hypothesis means either accept or reject the hypothesis under a valid reason. The test of significance enables a researcher to decide either to accept or reject the statistical hypothesis. For example, a manufacturing company producing bolts of different sizes and claims that not more than 2 per cent bolts are defective. In order to verify the claim as true or not, we have to check it on the basis of sample of bolts. A company wants to verify the effectiveness of advertisement given through print media is less effective than audio-visual media or not. There are wide ranges of areas in business where we have to come across situations of arriving at a decision of accepting or rejecting hypothesis. So, it is very much important to have knowledge about the logical basis of such decisions and it is provided by hypothesis testing, which is the objective of this chapter.

It is a usual procedure that sample is drawn from the population an estimate of population parameter which is in other words, called sample statistic. Estimate of population parameters thus obtained may or may not exactly match with true values. To take the sample statistic as the estimate of population parameter is involved with risk. So, it is worthwhile to find whether the difference between the estimated value of the parameter or the true value is significantly different or it could have arisen due to fluctuation of sampling. For this reason only, a hypothesis is formulated and then tested for validity.

Meaning of Hypothesis:

Hypothesis simply means a mere assumption to be proved or disproved. But for a researcher hypothesis is a formal question that he intends to resolve. It is a testable statement; hypotheses are generally either derived theory of from direct observation of data

Types of Hypothesis

Null hypothesis

Null hypothesis is the statement about the parameters, which is usually a hypothesis of no difference and is denoted by Ho.

Alternative Hypothesis

Any hypothesis, which is complementary to the null hypothesis, is called an alternative hypothesis, usually denoted by H1.

BASIC CONCEPTS ON TESTING OF HYPOTHESES

a) NULL HYPOTHESIS

In the context of statistical analysis, we often talk about null hypothesis and alternative hypothesis. If we are to compare method A with method B about its superiority and if we proceed on the assumption that both methods are equally good, then this assumption is termed as the null hypothesis. The null hypothesis is generally symbolized as Ho and the alternative hypothesis as Ha.

In the choice of null hypothesis, the following considerations are usually kept in view:

Alternative hypothesis is usually the one which one wishes to prove and the null hypothesis is the one which one wishes to disprove. Thus, a null hypothesis represents the hypothesis we are trying to reject, and the alternative hypothesis represents all other possibilities.

If the rejection of a certain hypothesis when it actually true involves great risk, it is taken as null hypothesis.

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

b) THE LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE

This is a very important concept in the context of hypothesis testing. It is always some percentage (usually 5%) which should be chosen with great care. In case we take the significance level at 5 percent, then this implies that Ho will be rejected when the sampling result (i.e., observed evidence) has a less than 0.05 probability of occurring if Ho is true. In other words, the 5 percent level of significance means that researcher is willing to take as much as 5 percent risk of rejecting the null hypothesis when it (Ho) happens to be true.

c) DECISION RULE OF TEST OF HYPOTHESIS

Given a hypothesis Ho and an alternative hypothesis Ha, we make a rule which is known as decision rule according to which we accept Ho (i.e., reject Ha) or reject Ho (i.e., accept Ha).

d) TYPE I ERROR AND TYPE II ERRORS

In the context of testing of hypotheses, there are basically two types of errors. We may reject Ho when Ho is true and we may accept Ho when Ho is not true. The former is known as Type I error and the latter as Type II error. In other words, Type I error means rejection of hypothesis which should have been accepted and Type II error means accepting the hypothesis which should have been rejected. Type I error is denoted by α (alpha) known as α error, also called as the level of significance of test; and Type II error is denoted by β (beta) known as β error.

e) TWO-TAILED AND ONE-TAILED TESTS

In the content of hypothesis testing, these two terms are quite important and must be clearly understood. A two-tailed test rejects the null hypothesis if, say, the sample mean is significantly higher or lower than the hypothesized value of the mean of the population. Such a test is appropriate when the null hypothesis is some specified value and the alternative hypothesis is a value not equal to the specified value of the null hypothesis.

ERRORS IN TESTING OF HYPOTHESIS

In the procedure of testing of hypothesis, a decision is taken about the acceptance or rejection of null hypothesis. The possible decisions can be written in a tabular form.

There is always some possibility of committing the following two types of errors in taking such as decision as

Type I Error: Reject the null hypothesis Ho when it is true.

Type II Error: Accept the null hypothesis Ho when it is false.

Now, we write α = Probability of committing Type I error

And β = Probability of committing Type II error

The compliment of Type II error is called as the power of the test and is given by (1- β) and the size of Type I error (α) is also called as level of significance . The level of significance is the quantity of risk, which can be readily tolerated in making a decision Ho. Usually the value of α, is chosen depending upon the desired degree of precession and it and its value varies between 0.05 (for moderate precision) to 0.01 (for high precision).

PROCEDURE FOR HYPOTHESIS TESTING

In hypothesis testing the main question is: whether to accept the null hypothesis or not. Procedure for hypothesis testing refers to all those steps that we undertake for making a choice between the two actions i.e., rejection and acceptance of a null hypothesis.

The various steps involved in hypothesis testing are stated below:

(i) Selection of Variables

DEPENDENT VARIABLE

The variable that depends on other factors is called dependent variable. These variables are expected to change a result of an experimental manipulation of the independent variable or variables. The outcome variable measured in each subject, who may be influenced by manipulation of the independent variable, is termed the dependent variable.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE

The variable that is stable and unaffected by other variables is called independent variable. It refers to the condition of an experiment that is systematically manipulated by the investigator. In experimental research, an investigator manipulates one variable and measures the effect of that manipulation on another variable. For example, let’s take a study in which the investigators want to determine how often an exercise must be done to increase strength.

Check your progress

Fill in the blanks

F Hypothesis is usually considered as the principal instrument of _________________

F The null hypothesis is generally symbolized as_________

F The variable that depends on other factor is called _____________ Variable.

IDENTIFYING THE KEY VARIABLES FOR ANALYSIS

The key variables provide focus when writing the Introduction section
The key variables are the major terms to be used in methodology.
The key variables are the terms to be operationally defined if an Operational Definition of Terms section is necessary.
The key variables must be directly measured or manipulated for the research study to be valid

(ii) Making a formal statement

(iii) Selecting a significance level

(iv) Deciding the distribution to use

(v) Selecting a random sample and computing an appropriate value

(vi) Calculation of the probability; and

(vii) Comparing the probability

FLOW DIAGRAM FOR HYPOTHESIS TESTING

TEST OF HYPOTHESIS

Statisticians have developed several tests of hypotheses (also known as the tests of significance) for the purpose of testing of hypotheses which can be classified as: (a) Parametric tests or standard test of hypothesis and (b) Non-parametric tests or distribution-free test of hypotheses.

Parametric tests are usually assuming certain properties of the parent population from which we draw samples. Assumptions like observations come from a normal population, sample size is large, assumptions about the population parameters like mean, variance, etc., must hold good before parametric tests can be used.

Non-parametric tests assume only nominal or ordinal data, whereas parameters tests require measurement equivalent to at least an interval scale.

IMPORTANT PARAMETRIC TESTS

The important parametric tests are:

(i) Z-test

Z-test is based on the normal probability distribution and is used for judging the significance of several statistical measures, particularly the mean.

(ii) t-test

t-test is based on t-distribution and is considered an appropriate test for judging the significance of an sample mean or for judging the significance of difference between the means of two samples in case of small sample(s) when population variance is not known (in which we use variance of the samples as an estimate of the population variance).

(iii) X 2 -test

X2-test is also used as a test of goodness of fit and also as a test of independence in which case it is a non-parametric test. X2-test is based on chi-square distribution and as a parametric test is used for comparing a sample variance to a theoretical population variance.

(iv) F-test

F-test is based on F-distribution and is used to compare the variance of the two-independent samples.

LIMITATIONS OF THE TESTS OF HYPOTHESES

Limitations of test of hypothesis are as follows:

i) The tests should not be used in a mechanical fashion. It should be kept in view that testing is not decision- making itself; the tests are only useful aids for decision-making.

ii) Tests do not explain the reasons as to why does the difference exist, like between the means of the two samples. They simply indicate whether the difference is due to fluctuations of sampling or because of other reasons.

iii) Results of test of significance are based on probabilities which cannot be expressed with full certainty. When a test shows that a difference is statistically significant, then it simply suggests that the difference is probably not due to chance.

iv) Statistical inferences based on the significance tests cannot be said to be entirely correct evidences concerning the truth of the hypotheses. This is specially so in case of small samples where the probability of drawing inferences happens to be generally higher. For greater reliability, the size of samples is sufficiently enlarged.

To conclude, we have seen the meaning, steps, and characteristics of hypothesis in a detailed manner. Framing and testing of the hypothesis is the major part of the research work with which investigator will be able to test by scientific method(s), to apply econometric models to establish a strong relationship between the theory and the analysis of the research work which will strengthen the findings of the study. Therefore, in social science, framing the hypothesis occupies a significant place to proceed with the research work. Hence, the present E-module will be very useful for the project investigators and thereby conclusions drawn will enable the government to take decision at policy level.

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Bhattacharyya G.K., and Johnson, R.A, Concepts and Methods of Statistics (Chs 6-8). John Wiley, 1977.
Dixon, W.J and Massey, F.J. Introduction to Statistical Analysis (Chs 6-8, 10-11) Mc Graw-Hill,1969 and Kogakusha.
Freund, J.E. Mathemetical Statistics (Chs. 10-13). Prentic Hall of India, New Delhi, 1992.
Hald, A. Statistical theory with engineering applications (Chs.9-11,18).John Wiley,1962.
Hogg, R.V. and Craig, A.T. Introduction to Mathemetical Statistics(chs 5,9-11). Macmillan, 1965, and Amerind.
Johnson,N.L. and Leone,F.C.Statistics and exprimental degin,vol.I (Chs.8,12).john wiley,1964.
Keeping, E.S. Introduction to Statistical Inference (Chs.8,11). Van Nostrand, 1962 and Affiliated East-West PressModd, A.M.,
Graybill, F.a. and Boes, D.GIntroduction to the Theory of Statistics (Chs. 7, 8, 11,12). McGraw-Hill, 1963,and Kogakusha Rao, C.R. Advanced Statistical Methods in Biometric Research (Chs. 4, 8a). John Wiley, 1952.
Wald, a. Principles of Statistical Inference. Notre Dame, 1942.
Walker, H.M and Lev, J. Statistical Inference (Chs. 3,4,7-10) Holt, Rinchart and Winston, 1953 and Oxford and IBH, 1965.

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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.

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What is and How to Write a Good Hypothesis in Research?

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One of the most important aspects of conducting research is constructing a strong hypothesis. But what makes a hypothesis in research effective? In this article, we’ll look at the difference between a hypothesis and a research question, as well as the elements of a good hypothesis in research. We’ll also include some examples of effective hypotheses, and what pitfalls to avoid.

What is a Hypothesis in Research?

Simply put, a hypothesis is a research question that also includes the predicted or expected result of the research. Without a hypothesis, there can be no basis for a scientific or research experiment. As such, it is critical that you carefully construct your hypothesis by being deliberate and thorough, even before you set pen to paper. Unless your hypothesis is clearly and carefully constructed, any flaw can have an adverse, and even grave, effect on the quality of your experiment and its subsequent results.

Research Question vs Hypothesis

It’s easy to confuse research questions with hypotheses, and vice versa. While they’re both critical to the Scientific Method, they have very specific differences. Primarily, a research question, just like a hypothesis, is focused and concise. But a hypothesis includes a prediction based on the proposed research, and is designed to forecast the relationship of and between two (or more) variables. Research questions are open-ended, and invite debate and discussion, while hypotheses are closed, e.g. “The relationship between A and B will be C.”

A hypothesis is generally used if your research topic is fairly well established, and you are relatively certain about the relationship between the variables that will be presented in your research. Since a hypothesis is ideally suited for experimental studies, it will, by its very existence, affect the design of your experiment. The research question is typically used for new topics that have not yet been researched extensively. Here, the relationship between different variables is less known. There is no prediction made, but there may be variables explored. The research question can be casual in nature, simply trying to understand if a relationship even exists, descriptive or comparative.

How to Write Hypothesis in Research

Writing an effective hypothesis starts before you even begin to type. Like any task, preparation is key, so you start first by conducting research yourself, and reading all you can about the topic that you plan to research. From there, you’ll gain the knowledge you need to understand where your focus within the topic will lie.

Remember that a hypothesis is a prediction of the relationship that exists between two or more variables. Your job is to write a hypothesis, and design the research, to “prove” whether or not your prediction is correct. A common pitfall is to use judgments that are subjective and inappropriate for the construction of a hypothesis. It’s important to keep the focus and language of your hypothesis objective.

An effective hypothesis in research is clearly and concisely written, and any terms or definitions clarified and defined. Specific language must also be used to avoid any generalities or assumptions.

Use the following points as a checklist to evaluate the effectiveness of your research hypothesis:

Predicts the relationship and outcome
Simple and concise – avoid wordiness
Clear with no ambiguity or assumptions about the readers’ knowledge
Observable and testable results
Relevant and specific to the research question or problem

Research Hypothesis Example

Perhaps the best way to evaluate whether or not your hypothesis is effective is to compare it to those of your colleagues in the field. There is no need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to writing a powerful research hypothesis. As you’re reading and preparing your hypothesis, you’ll also read other hypotheses. These can help guide you on what works, and what doesn’t, when it comes to writing a strong research hypothesis.

Here are a few generic examples to get you started.

Eating an apple each day, after the age of 60, will result in a reduction of frequency of physician visits.

Budget airlines are more likely to receive more customer complaints. A budget airline is defined as an airline that offers lower fares and fewer amenities than a traditional full-service airline. (Note that the term “budget airline” is included in the hypothesis.

Workplaces that offer flexible working hours report higher levels of employee job satisfaction than workplaces with fixed hours.

Each of the above examples are specific, observable and measurable, and the statement of prediction can be verified or shown to be false by utilizing standard experimental practices. It should be noted, however, that often your hypothesis will change as your research progresses.

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परिकल्पना: कार्य, महत्त्व, विशेषता( Hypothesis: Functions, Importance, Characteristics)

परिकल्पना के कार्य( Functions of hypothesis) –

शोधकर्त्ता के हाथ में परिकल्पना एक ऐसा साधन है जो शोध का दिशा निर्धारक व प्रणेता है। वास्तव में परिकल्पना निम्न कार्यों को स्वयं में समाहित कराती है –

(1 )-औचित्य पूर्ण मार्गदर्शन (Proper Guidance )-

परिकल्पना का महत्वपूर्ण कार्य शोधकर्त्ता को उचित दिशा निर्देश उपलब्ध कराना है इससे संदिग्धता व भ्रम की स्तिथि समाप्त हो जाती है एवं सम्यक तथ्यों व आंकड़ों के संकलन को सही दिशा मिल जाती है जिसकी तत्सम्बन्धी शोध हेतु आवश्यकता होती है।

(2)-प्रक्रिया निर्धारक( Determiner of procedure)-

परिकल्पना द्वारा यह स्पष्ट हो जाता है कि कार्य हेतु उपयुक्त तरीका व उत्तम क्रियाविधि क्या होनी चाहिए इससे अनावश्यक भटकाव नहीं होता।

(3)-तथ्यात्मक चयन में महत्वपूर्ण भूमिकाI (Important role in selection of facts)-

इससे समस्या सम्बन्धी तथ्यों का चयन सरल हो जाता है क्योंकि समस्या का दायरा तय हो जाने से तत्सम्बन्धी आंकड़ों का संग्रहण निश्चित हो जाता है चरों का निर्धारण हो जाने से शोध को सम्यक दिशा प्राप्त हो जाती है।

(4)-पुनरावृत्ति सम्भव (Replication possible)-

शोध निष्कर्षों का मूल्यांकन विश्वसनीयता व वैद्यता की कसौटी पर कसा जाता है यह विश्वसनीयता व वैद्यता बार बार मुल्यांकनोपरांत सुनिश्चित होता है अतः शोध कार्य में पुनरावृत्ति सम्भव है जोकि परिकल्पना के अभाव में सम्भव नहीं है।

(5)- सार निकालने में सहायक (Helps in recapitulation )-

परिकल्पनाओं की स्थिति के विश्लेषणोपरान्त उसकी स्वीकृति या अस्वीकृति तय होती है जो समस्या के चयन,परिकल्पना उद्देश्य निर्धारण ,उपकरण चयन समंक संग्रहण व विश्लेषण की वैज्ञानिक प्रक्रिया से गुजरती है इस प्रकार प्राप्त तथ्यात्मक परिणाम के विवेचन से शोध सार प्राप्त करते हैं जो परिकल्पना अभाव में संभव नहीं।

परिकल्पना का महत्त्व ( Importance of Hypothesis)

(1)ज्ञान को अद्यतन करने का महत्वपूर्ण उपकरण (powerful tool for the advancement of knowledge)-.

चूंकि इससे ज्ञान को दिशा मिलाती है इसलिए नवीन ज्ञान तक पहुँचना व उससे जुड़ना सरल हो जाता है जिसे स्वीकारते हुए फ्रेड एन करलिंगर कहते हैं –

परिकल्पनाएँ ज्ञान की समृद्धि हेतु शक्तिशाली उपकरण हैं क्योंकि वे मनुष्य को अपने से बाहर आने के योग्य बनाती हैं।

“hypothesis are powerful tools for the advancement of knowledge because they enable men to get out side himself.” – fred n karlingar, (2)- अन्तरिम स्पष्टीकरण में सहायक (helps in tentative explanation)-.

अनुसंधान कार्यों की संरचना समझना और समझाने योग्य बनाना व सम्यक व्याख्या में परिकल्पना महत्वपूर्ण योग है जैसा कि चैपलिन महोदय ने कहा –

“परिकल्पना एक अवधारणा है जो अन्तरिम स्पष्टीकरण करती है। “

“hypothesis is an assumption which serves as a tentative explanation.” -chaplin, (3)-नवीन शोध कार्यों का निर्देशक (guide for further investigation)-.

परिकल्पना जहां पूर्व कल्पित एवं विचारपूर्ण कथ्य होता है वहीं भविष्य के शोध हेतु निर्देशन कार्य भी करता है सी0 वी 0 गुड तथा डी 0 ई 0 स्केट्स के शब्दों से स्पष्ट है।

” परिकल्पना एक सुनिश्चित अनुमान या निष्कर्ष होता है जिसे अवलोकित तथ्यों तथा दिशाओं को स्पष्ट करने के लिए एवं अन्वेषण को निर्देशित करने के लिए बनाया जाता है। “

“a hypothesis is a shrewd guess or interference that is formulated and provisionally adopted to explain observed facts a condition and to guide further investigation.” c.v. good, d. e. scates, (4)-प्रायोगिक परिकल्पनाओं के सत्यापन में सहायक ( helpful for experimental verification )-.

परिकल्पना एक महत्वपूर्ण कारक इसलिए भी है क्योंकि इससे आनुभविक या प्रायोगिक परिकल्पना के सत्यापन में मदद मिलती है जैसा कि एम वर्मा के शब्दों से स्पष्ट है :-

“सिद्धान्त जब औपचारिक व स्पष्टता में किसी परीक्षणीय प्रतिज्ञप्ति के रूप में अभिकथित करके आनुभविक या प्रायोगिक रूप से सत्यापित किया जाता है ,परिकल्पना कहा जाता है। “

“theory when stated as a testable proposition formally,clearly and subjected to empirical or experimental verification is known as hypothesis)” -m.varma, अच्छी परिकल्पना की विशेषताएं (characteristics of good hypothesis):-.

अनुसन्धान परिमाणोन्मुख होता है परिणामों को उचित दिशा व विश्वसनीय बनाने में परिकल्पना के स्तर का विशिष्ट योगदान होता है अनुसन्धानकर्त्ता अपनी समझ विवेक आवश्यकता व उद्देश्य के आधार पर परिकल्पना बनाता है लेकिन अच्छी परिकल्पना निर्माण शोध को निश्चित ही सम्यक दिशाबोध कराता है एक अच्छी परिकल्पना में निम्न गुणों का समावेशन देखने को मिलता है :-

(1)- उपयुक्त हल (Adequate Solution )-

एक अच्छी परिकल्पना शोध समस्या को उपयुक्त हल सुझाती है एक समस्या के निदान हेतु विभिन्न उपकल्पनाएँ हो सकती हैंपर समस्या की विभिन्न विमाओं के अध्ययनोपरान्त उपयुक्त हल सुझाने वाली परिकल्पना का चयन करना ही उत्तम होगा।

(2)-स्पष्टता ( Clarity)-

समस्या में प्रयुक्त चरों के बीच सम्बन्धों को स्पष्ट करने में परिकल्पना को सक्षम होना चाहिए, बोधगम्य परिकल्पना के होने पर शोध को उपयुक्त गरिमा स्तर प्राप्त होगा।

(3)-सरलता (Simplicity )-

परिकल्पना की सरलता प्रयोग को सरल बना देती है इससे उसकी वैधता सरल मापनीय बन जाती है। भ्रम का अन्देशा नहीं रहता इसलिए सुगम बोधगम्य ,स्पष्ट परिकल्पना अपने आप में विशिष्ट होती है।

(4 )-सत्यापनीय (Verifiable )-

परीक्षणीय होना परिकल्पना की महत्वपूर्ण विशेषता है परिकल्पना के रूप में मापनीय कथन का प्रयोग होने से आनुभविक परीक्षण भी सम्भव हो जाता है।

(5 )-विनिर्दिष्टता (Specificity)-

यह परिकल्पना की महत्वपूर्ण विशिष्टता है एक अच्छी परिकल्पना विशिष्ट क्षेत्र स्पष्ट निर्देशन व वर्णन में सक्षम होती है अत्याधिक विस्तृत परिक्षेत्र वाली परिकल्पना का परीक्षण दुष्कर हो जाता है।

(6 )-मितव्ययता(Frugality )-

एक अच्छी परिकल्पना को अधिक व्यय साध्य न होकर मितव्ययी होना चाहिए यह अभाव में प्रभाव दिखाने वाली लघुस्पष्ट व बोधगम्य हो।

(7 )-तार्किक बोध गम्यता (Logical Comprehensibility )-

एक अच्छी परिकल्पना तार्किक रूप से बोध गम्यताव व्यापकता का गुण स्वयं में सन्निहित रखती है इसके द्वारा सभी महत्वपूर्ण पक्षों के समावेशन का प्रतिनिधित्व तार्किक रूप से दीख पड़ता है।

(8 )-संगतता (Consistency )-

एक अच्छी परिकल्पना समय के साथ भी अच्छा सामञ्जस्य रखती है यह उस समय तक ज्ञात तथ्यों सिद्धान्तों नियमों से संगतता रखती है और निगमनात्मक चिन्तन पर आधारित होती है।

अच्छी परिकल्पना को बनाना श्रम साध्य है उक्त विशेषता युक्त परिकल्पनाएं अच्छी परिकल्पना की श्रेणी में रखी जा सकती हैं।

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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.

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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)

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बहुत सुन्दर प्रस्तुति। सम्पूर्ण जानकारी देने में सक्षम है।

कैसे एक शोधपत्र (Research Paper) लिखें

इस आर्टिकल के सहायक लेखक (co-author) हमारी बहुत ही अनुभवी एडिटर और रिसर्चर्स (researchers) टीम से हैं जो इस आर्टिकल में शामिल प्रत्येक जानकारी की सटीकता और व्यापकता की अच्छी तरह से जाँच करते हैं। wikiHow's Content Management Team बहुत ही सावधानी से हमारे एडिटोरियल स्टाफ (editorial staff) द्वारा किये गए कार्य को मॉनिटर करती है ये सुनिश्चित करने के लिए कि सभी आर्टिकल्स में दी गई जानकारी उच्च गुणवत्ता की है कि नहीं। यहाँ पर 8 रेफरेन्स दिए गए हैं जिन्हे आप आर्टिकल में नीचे देख सकते हैं। यह आर्टिकल १,४०,७०६ बार देखा गया है।

स्कूल की ऊंची कक्षाओं में पढ़ने के दौरान और कॉलेज पीरियड में हमेशा ही, आपको शोध-पत्र तैयार करने के लिए कहा जाएगा। एक शोध-पत्र का इस्तेमाल वैज्ञानिक, तकनीकी और सामाजिक मुद्दों की ख़ोज-बीन और पहचान में किया जा सकता है। यदि शोध-पत्र लेखन का आपका यह पहला अवसर है, तो बेशक कुछ डरावना भी लग सकता है, पर मस्तिष्क को अच्छी तरह से संयोजित और एकाग्र करें, तो आप खुद के लिए इस प्रक्रिया को आसान बना सकते हैं। शोध-पत्र तो स्वयं नहीं लिख जाएगा, पर आप इस प्रकार से योजना बना सकते हैं, और ऐसी तैयारी कर सकते हैं कि लेखन व्यावहारिक रूप में खुद-ब-खुद जेहन में उतरता चला जाए।

अपने विषयवस्तु का चयन

आम तौर पर, वेबसाइट जिनके नाम के अंत में .edu, .gov, या .org होता है, ऎसी सूचनाएं रखती हैं जिन्हें इस्तेमाल किया जा सकता है। ऐसा इसलिए है कि ये वेबसाइट स्कूलों, सरकार या उन संगठनों की होती हैं जो आपके विषय से सम्बंधित हैं।
अपनी खोज का प्रश्न बार-बार बदलें ताकि आपके विषय पर अलग-अलग तरह के खोज परिणाम मिलें। अगर कुछ भी मिलता नज़र न आये तो ऐसा हो सकता है कि आपकी खोज का प्रश्न अधिकाँश लेखों के शीर्षक से मेल नहीं खा रहा है जो आपके विषय पर हैं।

ऐसे डेटाबेस ढूंढ़िए जो आपके विषय को ही सम्मिलित करते हों। उदहारण के लिए PsycINFO एक ऐसा डेटाबेस है जो कि केवल मनोविज्ञान और समाजशास्त्र के क्षेत्र में ही विद्वानों द्वारा किये काम को सम्मिलित करता है। एक सामान्य खोज के मुकाबले यह आपको अपने अनुरूप शोध सामग्री पाने में मदद करेगा। [२] X रिसर्च सोर्स
पूछताछ के एकाधिक खोज-बॉक्स या केवल केवल एक ही प्रकार के स्रोत वाले आर्काइव के साथ अधिकाँश अकादमिक डेटाबेस आपको ये सुविधा देते हैं कि आप बेहद विशिष्ट सूचना मांग सकें (जैसे केवल जर्नल आलेख या केवल समाचार पत्र)। इस सुविधा का लाभ उठाकर जितने अधिक खोज बॉक्स आप इस्तेमाल कर सकते हैं उतना करें।
अपने विभाग के पुस्तकालय जाएँ और लाइब्रेरियन से अकादमिक डेटाबेस, जिनकी सदस्यता ली गयी है, की पूरी सूची और उनके पासवर्ड ले लें।

एक रूपरेखा का निर्माण

रूपरेखा बनाने और शोधपत्र लिखने का काम आखिरकार आसान करने के लिए टीका-टिप्पणी का काम गहनता से कीजिये। जिस चीज़ के महत्वपूर्ण होने का आपको ज़रा भी अंदेशा हो या जो आपके शोधपत्र में इस्तेमाल हो सकता है, उसकी निशानदेही कर लीजिए।
जैसे-जैसे आप अपने शोध में महत्वपूर्ण हिस्सों को चिन्हित करते जाएँ, अपनी टिप्पणी और नोट जोड़ते जाएँ कि इन्हें आप अपने शोध-पत्र में कहाँ इस्तेमाल करेंगे। अपने विचारों को लिखना जैसे-जैसे वे आते जाएँ, आपके शोधपत्र लेखन को कहीं आसान बना देगा और ऎसी सामग्री के रूप में रहेगा जिसे आप सन्दर्भ के लिए फिर-फिर इस्तेमाल कर सकें।

हर उद्धरण या विषय जिसे आपने चिन्हित किया है उसे अलग-अलग नोट कार्ड पर लिखने की कोशिश कीजिए। इस तरह से आप अपने कार्डों को मनचाहे ढंग से पुनर्व्यवस्थित कर सकेंगे।
अपने नोट का रंगों में कोड बना लें, ताकि वे आसान हो जाएँ। अलग-अलग स्रोतों से जो भी नोट आप ले रहे हैं, उन्हें सूची बद्ध कर लें, और फिर सूचना के अलग-अलग वर्गों को अलग-अलग रंगों में चिन्हित कर लें। उदाहरण के लिए, जो कुछ भी आप किसी विशेष किताब या जर्नल से ले रहे हैं उन्हें एक कागज़ पर लिख लें ताकि नोट्स को सुगठित किया जा सके, और फिर जो कुछ भी चरित्रों से सम्बंधित है उसे हरे से चिन्हित करें, कथानक से जुड़े सबकुछ को नारंगी रंग में चिन्हित करें, आदि-आदि।

एक तार्किक शोधपत्र विवादित विषयों पर एक पक्ष लेता है और एक दृष्टिकोण के लिए तर्क प्रस्तुत करता है। मुद्दे पर एक तर्कसंगत प्रतिपक्ष के साथ बहस की जानी चाहिए।
एक विश्लेषणात्मक शोधपत्र किसी महत्त्वपूर्ण विषय पर नए सिरे से दृष्टिपात करता है। विषय आवश्यक नहीं है कि विवादित हो, पर आपको अपने पाठकों को सहमत करना पड़ेगा कि आपके विचारों में गुणवत्ता है। यह महज आपके शोध से विचारों की उबकाई भर नहीं, बल्कि अपने उन विशिष्ट अद्वितीय विचारों की प्रस्तुति है जिन्हें आपने गहन शोध से सीखा है।

थीसिस विकसित करने का आसान तरीका है कि उसे एक प्रश्न के रूप में ढालिए जिसका आपका निबंध उत्तर देगा। वह मुख्य प्रश्न या हाइपोथीसिस क्या है जिसको आप अपने शोधपत्र में प्रमाणित करना चाहते हैं? उदाहरण के लिए आपकी थीसिस का प्रश्न हो सकता है, “मानसिक बीमारियों के इलाज की सफलता को सांस्कृतिक स्वीकृति कैसे प्रभावित करती है?” यह प्रश्न आपकी थीसिस क्या होगी उसे निर्धारित कर सकता है – इस प्रश्न के लिए आपका जो भी उत्तर होगा, वही आपका थीसिस-कथन होगा।
शोधपत्र के सभी तर्कों को दिए बिना या उसकी रूपरेखा बताये बिना ही आपकी थीसिस को आपके शोध के मुख्य विचार को व्यक्त करना होगा। यह एक सरल कथन होना चाहिए, न कि कई सहायक वाक्यों का एक समूह, आपका बाक़ी शोधपत्र तो इस काम के लिए है ही!

जब आप अपने मुख्य विचारों की रूप-रेखा बनाएं, उनको एक विशिष्ट क्रम में रखना अहम है। अपने सबसे मज़बूत तर्कों को निबंध के सबसे पहले और सबसे अंत में रखिये। जबकि ज्यादा औसत बिन्दुओं को निबंध के बीचोंबीच या अंत की तरफ रखिये।
सबसे मुख्य बिन्दुओं को एक ही पैराग्राफ में समेटना ज़रूरी नहीं है, विशेष करके अगर आप एक अपेक्षाकृत लंबा शोधपत्र लिख रहे हैं। प्रमुख विचारों को जितने पैराग्राफ में आप ज़रूरी समझें फैलाकर लिख सकते हैं।

अपनी हर बात को साक्ष्यों से पुष्ट करें। क्योंकि यह एक शोधपत्र है इसलिए ऐसी टिप्पणी न करें जिसकी पुष्टि सीधे आपके शोध के तथ्यों से न हो।
अपने शोध में पर्याप्त व्याख्याएं दीजिये। बिना तथ्यों के अपने मत के बखान का विलोम बगैर किसी व्याख्या के बिना तथ्यों को देना होगा। यद्यपि आप निश्चित ही पर्याप्त प्रमाण देना चाहते हैं, तो भी जहां भी संभव हो अपनी टिप्पणी जोड़ते हुए यह सुनिश्चित कीजिए कि शोधपत्र पर आपकी मौलिक और विशिष्ट छाप हो।
बहुत सारे सीधे लम्बे उद्धरण देने से बचें। यद्यपि आपका निबंध शोध पर आधारित है, फिर भी महत्वपूर्ण बात यह है कि आपको अपने विचार प्रस्तुत करने हैं। जिस उद्धरण का आप इस्तेमाल करना चाहते हैं, जब तक वह बेहद अनिवार्य न हो, उसे अपने ही शब्दों में व्यक्त और विश्लेषित करने की कोशिश कीजिए।
अपने पेपर में साफ़-सुथरे और संतुलित गति से एक बिंदु से दूसरे तक जाने का प्रयास करें। निबंध में स्वछन्द तारतम्य और प्रवाह होना चाहिए, इसके बजाय कि अनाड़ी की तरह रुक-रुक कर क्रम टूटे और फिर अचानक शुरू हो जाए। यह ध्यान रखें कि लेख के मुख्य भाग वाला हर पैरा अपने बाद वाले से जाकर मिलता हो।

आपके निष्कर्ष का लक्ष्य, साधारण शब्दों में, इस प्रश्न का उत्तर देना है, “तो क्या?” ध्यान रखें कि पाठक आख़िरकार महसूस करे कि उसे कुछ प्राप्त हुआ है।
कई कारणों से अच्छा नुस्खा तो यह है कि, निष्कर्ष को भूमिका के पहले लिख लिया जाये। पहली बात तो यह है कि जब प्रमाण आपके दिमाग में ताज़ा हों तो निष्कर्ष लिखना ज्यादा आसान होता है। उससे भी बड़ी बात यह है, सलाह दी जाती है कि आप निष्कर्ष में अपने सबसे चुनिन्दा शब्द और भाषा का मजबूती से इस्तेमाल करें और फिर उन्हीं विचारों को भिन्न शब्दों में अपेक्षाकृत कम वेग के साथ भूमिका में रख दें, न कि इसका उल्टा करें; यह पाठकों पर ज्यादा स्थायी प्रभाव छोड़ेगा।

MLA फॉर्मेट को विशेष रूप से साहित्यिक शोध-पत्रों के लिए इस्तेमाल किया जाता है और इसमें ‘उद्धृत सामग्री’ की एक सूची अंत में जोड़नी होती है, इस विधि में अंतरपाठीय उद्धरण प्रयोग किये जाते हैं।
APA फॉर्मेट का इस्तेमाल सामाजिक विज्ञान के क्षेत्र में शोधपत्रों के लिए शोधकर्त्ताओं द्वारा किया जाता है, और इसमें भी अंतरपाठीय उद्धरण देने होते हैं। इसमें निबंध का अंत “सन्दर्भ” पृष्ठ के साथ होता है, और इसमें मुख्य भाग के पैराग्राफों के बीच में अनुच्छेद शीर्षक का प्रयोग भी किया जा सकता है।
शिकागो फोर्मटिंग को प्रमुखतः ऐतिहासिक शोधपत्रों के लिए इस्तेमाल किया जाता है और इसमें अंतरपाठीय उद्धरण के स्थान पर पृष्ठ के नीचे फुटनोट का प्रयोग होता है और साथ में एक ‘उद्धृत सामग्री’ और सन्दर्भों का पृष्ठ जुड़ता है। [७] X रिसर्च सोर्स

अपने पेपर का सम्पादन यदि खुद आपने किया है, तो उस पर वापस आने से पहले कम से कम तीन दिन प्रतीक्षा कीजिए। अध्ययन दिखाते हैं कि, लेख समाप्त करने के बाद भी दो-तीन दिन तक यह आपके जेहन में ताज़ा बना रहता है, और इसलिए ज्यादा संभावना यह रहेगी कि आम तौर पर आप जिन बुनियादी त्रुटियों को पकड़ पाते, उन्हें भी अपनी सरसरी नज़र में नजरअंदाज कर जाएँगे।
दूसरों के द्वारा संपादन को महज इसलिए नजरअंदाज न करें कि उनसे आपका काम बढ़ जाएगा। अगर वे आपके पेपर के किसी अंश को दोबारा लिखे जाने की सलाह दे रहे हों तो उनके इस आग्रह का संभवतया उचित कारण है। अपने पेपर के सघन सम्पादन पर समय दीजिए। [८] X रिसर्च सोर्स

रिसर्च के दौरान महत्वपूर्ण थीम, प्रश्नों और केन्द्रीय मुद्दों को ढूँढ़ें।
यह समझने की कोशिश करें कि, आप वास्तव में निर्दिष्ट रूप में किस चीज़ का अन्वेषण करना चाहते हैं, इसके बजाय कि पेपर में ढेर सारे व्यापक विचारों को ठूस दिया जाए।
ऐसा करने के लिये अंतिम क्षण तक प्रतीक्षा मत कीजिए।
अपने असाइंमेंट को समयानुसार पूरा करना सुनिश्चित कीजिए।

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Explanatory Research | Definition, Guide, & Examples

Explanatory Research | Definition, Guide, & Examples

Published on December 3, 2021 by Tegan George and Julia Merkus. Revised on November 20, 2023.

Explanatory research is a research method that explores why something occurs when limited information is available. It can help you increase your understanding of a given topic, ascertain how or why a particular phenomenon is occurring, and predict future occurrences.

Explanatory research can also be explained as a “cause and effect” model, investigating patterns and trends in existing data that haven’t been previously investigated. For this reason, it is often considered a type of causal research .

When to use explanatory research, explanatory research questions, explanatory research data collection, explanatory research data analysis, step-by-step example of explanatory research, explanatory vs. exploratory research, advantages and disadvantages of explanatory research, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about explanatory research.

Explanatory research is used to investigate how or why a phenomenon takes place. Therefore, this type of research is often one of the first stages in the research process, serving as a jumping-off point for future research. While there is often data available about your topic, it’s possible the particular causal relationship you are interested in has not been robustly studied.

Explanatory research helps you analyze these patterns, formulating hypotheses that can guide future endeavors. If you are seeking a more complete understanding of a relationship between variables, explanatory research is a great place to start. However, keep in mind that it will likely not yield conclusive results.

You analyzed their final grades and noticed that the students who take your course in the first semester always obtain higher grades than students who take the same course in the second semester.

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Explanatory research answers “why” and “how” questions, leading to an improved understanding of a previously unresolved problem or providing clarity for related future research initiatives.

Here are a few examples:

Why do undergraduate students obtain higher average grades in the first semester than in the second semester?
How does marital status affect labor market participation?
Why do multilingual individuals show more risky behavior during business negotiations than monolingual individuals?
How does a child’s ability to delay immediate gratification predict success later in life?
Why are teens more likely to litter in a highly littered area than in a clean area?

After choosing your research question, there is a variety of options for research and data collection methods to choose from.

A few of the most common research methods include:

Literature reviews
Interviews and focus groups
Pilot studies
Observations
Experiments

The method you choose depends on several factors, including your timeline, budget, and the structure of your question. If there is already a body of research on your topic, a literature review is a great place to start. If you are interested in opinions and behavior, consider an interview or focus group format. If you have more time or funding available, an experiment or pilot study may be a good fit for you.

In order to ensure you are conducting your explanatory research correctly, be sure your analysis is definitively causal in nature, and not just correlated.

Always remember the phrase “correlation doesn’t mean causation.” Correlated variables are merely associated with one another: when one variable changes, so does the other. However, this isn’t necessarily due to a direct or indirect causal link.

Causation means that changes in the independent variable bring about changes in the dependent variable. In other words, there is a direct cause-and-effect relationship between variables.

Causal evidence must meet three criteria:

Temporal : What you define as the “cause” must precede what you define as the “effect.”
Variation : Intervention must be systematic between your independent variable and dependent variable.
Non-spurious : Be careful that there are no mitigating factors or hidden third variables that confound your results.

Correlation doesn’t imply causation, but causation always implies correlation. In order to get conclusive causal results, you’ll need to conduct a full experimental design .

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Your explanatory research design depends on the research method you choose to collect your data . In most cases, you’ll use an experiment to investigate potential causal relationships. We’ll walk you through the steps using an example.

Step 1: Develop the research question

The first step in conducting explanatory research is getting familiar with the topic you’re interested in, so that you can develop a research question .

Let’s say you’re interested in language retention rates in adults.

You are interested in finding out how the duration of exposure to language influences language retention ability later in life.

Step 2: Formulate a hypothesis

The next step is to address your expectations. In some cases, there is literature available on your subject or on a closely related topic that you can use as a foundation for your hypothesis . In other cases, the topic isn’t well studied, and you’ll have to develop your hypothesis based on your instincts or on existing literature on more distant topics.

You phrase your expectations in terms of a null (H 0 ) and alternative hypothesis (H 1 ):

H 0 : The duration of exposure to a language in infancy does not influence language retention in adults who were adopted from abroad as children.
H 1 : The duration of exposure to a language in infancy has a positive effect on language retention in adults who were adopted from abroad as children.

Step 3: Design your methodology and collect your data

Next, decide what data collection and data analysis methods you will use and write them up. After carefully designing your research, you can begin to collect your data.

You compare:

Adults who were adopted from Colombia between 0 and 6 months of age.
Adults who were adopted from Colombia between 6 and 12 months of age.
Adults who were adopted from Colombia between 12 and 18 months of age.
Monolingual adults who have not been exposed to a different language.

During the study, you test their Spanish language proficiency twice in a research design that has three stages:

Pre-test : You conduct several language proficiency tests to establish any differences between groups pre-intervention.
Intervention : You provide all groups with 8 hours of Spanish class.
Post-test : You again conduct several language proficiency tests to establish any differences between groups post-intervention.

You made sure to control for any confounding variables , such as age, gender, proficiency in other languages, etc.

Step 4: Analyze your data and report results

After data collection is complete, proceed to analyze your data and report the results.

You notice that:

The pre-exposed adults showed higher language proficiency in Spanish than those who had not been pre-exposed. The difference is even greater for the post-test.
The adults who were adopted between 12 and 18 months of age had a higher Spanish language proficiency level than those who were adopted between 0 and 6 months or 6 and 12 months of age, but there was no difference found between the latter two groups.

To determine whether these differences are significant, you conduct a mixed ANOVA. The ANOVA shows that all differences are not significant for the pre-test, but they are significant for the post-test.

Step 5: Interpret your results and provide suggestions for future research

As you interpret the results, try to come up with explanations for the results that you did not expect. In most cases, you want to provide suggestions for future research.

However, this difference is only significant after the intervention (the Spanish class.)

You decide it’s worth it to further research the matter, and propose a few additional research ideas:

Replicate the study with a larger sample
Replicate the study for other maternal languages (e.g. Korean, Lingala, Arabic)
Replicate the study for other language aspects, such as nativeness of the accent

It can be easy to confuse explanatory research with exploratory research. If you’re in doubt about the relationship between exploratory and explanatory research, just remember that exploratory research lays the groundwork for later explanatory research.

Exploratory research questions often begin with “what”. They are designed to guide future research and do not usually have conclusive results. Exploratory research is often utilized as a first step in your research process, to help you focus your research question and fine-tune your hypotheses.

Explanatory research questions often start with “why” or “how”. They help you study why and how a previously studied phenomenon takes place.

Like any other research design , explanatory research has its trade-offs: while it provides a unique set of benefits, it also has significant downsides:

It gives more meaning to previous research. It helps fill in the gaps in existing analyses and provides information on the reasons behind phenomena.
It is very flexible and often replicable , since the internal validity tends to be high when done correctly.
As you can often use secondary research, explanatory research is often very cost- and time-effective, allowing you to utilize pre-existing resources to guide your research prior to committing to heavier analyses.

Disadvantages

While explanatory research does help you solidify your theories and hypotheses, it usually lacks conclusive results.
Results can be biased or inadmissible to a larger body of work and are not generally externally valid . You will likely have to conduct more robust (often quantitative ) research later to bolster any possible findings gleaned from explanatory research.
Coincidences can be mistaken for causal relationships , and it can sometimes be challenging to ascertain which is the causal variable and which is the effect.

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

Normal distribution
Degrees of freedom
Null hypothesis
Discourse analysis
Control groups
Mixed methods research
Non-probability sampling
Quantitative research
Ecological validity

Research bias

Rosenthal effect
Implicit bias
Cognitive bias
Selection bias
Negativity bias
Status quo bias

Explanatory research is a research method used to investigate how or why something occurs when only a small amount of information is available pertaining to that topic. It can help you increase your understanding of a given topic.

Exploratory research aims to explore the main aspects of an under-researched problem, while explanatory research aims to explain the causes and consequences of a well-defined problem.

Explanatory research is used to investigate how or why a phenomenon occurs. Therefore, this type of research is often one of the first stages in the research process , serving as a jumping-off point for future research.

Quantitative research deals with numbers and statistics, while qualitative research deals with words and meanings.

Quantitative methods allow you to systematically measure variables and test hypotheses . Qualitative methods allow you to explore concepts and experiences in more detail.

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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

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Home » Variables in Research – Definition, Types and Examples

Variables in Research – Definition, Types and Examples

Table of Contents

Variables in Research

Definition:

In Research, Variables refer to characteristics or attributes that can be measured, manipulated, or controlled. They are the factors that researchers observe or manipulate to understand the relationship between them and the outcomes of interest.

Types of Variables in Research

Types of Variables in Research are as follows:

Independent Variable

This is the variable that is manipulated by the researcher. It is also known as the predictor variable, as it is used to predict changes in the dependent variable. Examples of independent variables include age, gender, dosage, and treatment type.

Dependent Variable

This is the variable that is measured or observed to determine the effects of the independent variable. It is also known as the outcome variable, as it is the variable that is affected by the independent variable. Examples of dependent variables include blood pressure, test scores, and reaction time.

Confounding Variable

This is a variable that can affect the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable. It is a variable that is not being studied but could impact the results of the study. For example, in a study on the effects of a new drug on a disease, a confounding variable could be the patient’s age, as older patients may have more severe symptoms.

Mediating Variable

This is a variable that explains the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable. It is a variable that comes in between the independent and dependent variables and is affected by the independent variable, which then affects the dependent variable. For example, in a study on the relationship between exercise and weight loss, the mediating variable could be metabolism, as exercise can increase metabolism, which can then lead to weight loss.

Moderator Variable

This is a variable that affects the strength or direction of the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable. It is a variable that influences the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable. For example, in a study on the effects of caffeine on cognitive performance, the moderator variable could be age, as older adults may be more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than younger adults.

Control Variable

This is a variable that is held constant or controlled by the researcher to ensure that it does not affect the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable. Control variables are important to ensure that any observed effects are due to the independent variable and not to other factors. For example, in a study on the effects of a new teaching method on student performance, the control variables could include class size, teacher experience, and student demographics.

Continuous Variable

This is a variable that can take on any value within a certain range. Continuous variables can be measured on a scale and are often used in statistical analyses. Examples of continuous variables include height, weight, and temperature.

Categorical Variable

This is a variable that can take on a limited number of values or categories. Categorical variables can be nominal or ordinal. Nominal variables have no inherent order, while ordinal variables have a natural order. Examples of categorical variables include gender, race, and educational level.

Discrete Variable

This is a variable that can only take on specific values. Discrete variables are often used in counting or frequency analyses. Examples of discrete variables include the number of siblings a person has, the number of times a person exercises in a week, and the number of students in a classroom.

Dummy Variable

This is a variable that takes on only two values, typically 0 and 1, and is used to represent categorical variables in statistical analyses. Dummy variables are often used when a categorical variable cannot be used directly in an analysis. For example, in a study on the effects of gender on income, a dummy variable could be created, with 0 representing female and 1 representing male.

Extraneous Variable

This is a variable that has no relationship with the independent or dependent variable but can affect the outcome of the study. Extraneous variables can lead to erroneous conclusions and can be controlled through random assignment or statistical techniques.

Latent Variable

This is a variable that cannot be directly observed or measured, but is inferred from other variables. Latent variables are often used in psychological or social research to represent constructs such as personality traits, attitudes, or beliefs.

Moderator-mediator Variable

This is a variable that acts both as a moderator and a mediator. It can moderate the relationship between the independent and dependent variables and also mediate the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. Moderator-mediator variables are often used in complex statistical analyses.

Variables Analysis Methods

There are different methods to analyze variables in research, including:

Descriptive statistics: This involves analyzing and summarizing data using measures such as mean, median, mode, range, standard deviation, and frequency distribution. Descriptive statistics are useful for understanding the basic characteristics of a data set.
Inferential statistics : This involves making inferences about a population based on sample data. Inferential statistics use techniques such as hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, and regression analysis to draw conclusions from data.
Correlation analysis: This involves examining the relationship between two or more variables. Correlation analysis can determine the strength and direction of the relationship between variables, and can be used to make predictions about future outcomes.
Regression analysis: This involves examining the relationship between an independent variable and a dependent variable. Regression analysis can be used to predict the value of the dependent variable based on the value of the independent variable, and can also determine the significance of the relationship between the two variables.
Factor analysis: This involves identifying patterns and relationships among a large number of variables. Factor analysis can be used to reduce the complexity of a data set and identify underlying factors or dimensions.
Cluster analysis: This involves grouping data into clusters based on similarities between variables. Cluster analysis can be used to identify patterns or segments within a data set, and can be useful for market segmentation or customer profiling.
Multivariate analysis : This involves analyzing multiple variables simultaneously. Multivariate analysis can be used to understand complex relationships between variables, and can be useful in fields such as social science, finance, and marketing.

Examples of Variables

Age : This is a continuous variable that represents the age of an individual in years.
Gender : This is a categorical variable that represents the biological sex of an individual and can take on values such as male and female.
Education level: This is a categorical variable that represents the level of education completed by an individual and can take on values such as high school, college, and graduate school.
Income : This is a continuous variable that represents the amount of money earned by an individual in a year.
Weight : This is a continuous variable that represents the weight of an individual in kilograms or pounds.
Ethnicity : This is a categorical variable that represents the ethnic background of an individual and can take on values such as Hispanic, African American, and Asian.
Time spent on social media : This is a continuous variable that represents the amount of time an individual spends on social media in minutes or hours per day.
Marital status: This is a categorical variable that represents the marital status of an individual and can take on values such as married, divorced, and single.
Blood pressure : This is a continuous variable that represents the force of blood against the walls of arteries in millimeters of mercury.
Job satisfaction : This is a continuous variable that represents an individual’s level of satisfaction with their job and can be measured using a Likert scale.

Applications of Variables

Variables are used in many different applications across various fields. Here are some examples:

Scientific research: Variables are used in scientific research to understand the relationships between different factors and to make predictions about future outcomes. For example, scientists may study the effects of different variables on plant growth or the impact of environmental factors on animal behavior.
Business and marketing: Variables are used in business and marketing to understand customer behavior and to make decisions about product development and marketing strategies. For example, businesses may study variables such as consumer preferences, spending habits, and market trends to identify opportunities for growth.
Healthcare : Variables are used in healthcare to monitor patient health and to make treatment decisions. For example, doctors may use variables such as blood pressure, heart rate, and cholesterol levels to diagnose and treat cardiovascular disease.
Education : Variables are used in education to measure student performance and to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching strategies. For example, teachers may use variables such as test scores, attendance, and class participation to assess student learning.
Social sciences : Variables are used in social sciences to study human behavior and to understand the factors that influence social interactions. For example, sociologists may study variables such as income, education level, and family structure to examine patterns of social inequality.

Purpose of Variables

Variables serve several purposes in research, including:

To provide a way of measuring and quantifying concepts: Variables help researchers measure and quantify abstract concepts such as attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions. By assigning numerical values to these concepts, researchers can analyze and compare data to draw meaningful conclusions.
To help explain relationships between different factors: Variables help researchers identify and explain relationships between different factors. By analyzing how changes in one variable affect another variable, researchers can gain insight into the complex interplay between different factors.
To make predictions about future outcomes : Variables help researchers make predictions about future outcomes based on past observations. By analyzing patterns and relationships between different variables, researchers can make informed predictions about how different factors may affect future outcomes.
To test hypotheses: Variables help researchers test hypotheses and theories. By collecting and analyzing data on different variables, researchers can test whether their predictions are accurate and whether their hypotheses are supported by the evidence.

Characteristics of Variables

Characteristics of Variables are as follows:

Measurement : Variables can be measured using different scales, such as nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio scales. The scale used to measure a variable can affect the type of statistical analysis that can be applied.
Range : Variables have a range of values that they can take on. The range can be finite, such as the number of students in a class, or infinite, such as the range of possible values for a continuous variable like temperature.
Variability : Variables can have different levels of variability, which refers to the degree to which the values of the variable differ from each other. Highly variable variables have a wide range of values, while low variability variables have values that are more similar to each other.
Validity and reliability : Variables should be both valid and reliable to ensure accurate and consistent measurement. Validity refers to the extent to which a variable measures what it is intended to measure, while reliability refers to the consistency of the measurement over time.
Directionality: Some variables have directionality, meaning that the relationship between the variables is not symmetrical. For example, in a study of the relationship between smoking and lung cancer, smoking is the independent variable and lung cancer is the dependent variable.

Advantages of Variables

Here are some of the advantages of using variables in research:

Control : Variables allow researchers to control the effects of external factors that could influence the outcome of the study. By manipulating and controlling variables, researchers can isolate the effects of specific factors and measure their impact on the outcome.
Replicability : Variables make it possible for other researchers to replicate the study and test its findings. By defining and measuring variables consistently, other researchers can conduct similar studies to validate the original findings.
Accuracy : Variables make it possible to measure phenomena accurately and objectively. By defining and measuring variables precisely, researchers can reduce bias and increase the accuracy of their findings.
Generalizability : Variables allow researchers to generalize their findings to larger populations. By selecting variables that are representative of the population, researchers can draw conclusions that are applicable to a broader range of individuals.
Clarity : Variables help researchers to communicate their findings more clearly and effectively. By defining and categorizing variables, researchers can organize and present their findings in a way that is easily understandable to others.

Disadvantages of Variables

Here are some of the main disadvantages of using variables in research:

Simplification : Variables may oversimplify the complexity of real-world phenomena. By breaking down a phenomenon into variables, researchers may lose important information and context, which can affect the accuracy and generalizability of their findings.
Measurement error : Variables rely on accurate and precise measurement, and measurement error can affect the reliability and validity of research findings. The use of subjective or poorly defined variables can also introduce measurement error into the study.
Confounding variables : Confounding variables are factors that are not measured but that affect the relationship between the variables of interest. If confounding variables are not accounted for, they can distort or obscure the relationship between the variables of interest.
Limited scope: Variables are defined by the researcher, and the scope of the study is therefore limited by the researcher’s choice of variables. This can lead to a narrow focus that overlooks important aspects of the phenomenon being studied.
Ethical concerns: The selection and measurement of variables may raise ethical concerns, especially in studies involving human subjects. For example, using variables that are related to sensitive topics, such as race or sexuality, may raise concerns about privacy and discrimination.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

Nominal Variable – Definition, Purpose and...

Categorical Variable – Definition, Types and...

Independent Variable – Definition, Types and...

Quantitative Variable – Definition, Types and...

Confounding Variable – Definition, Method and...

Composite Variable – Definition, Types and...

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शोध [Research] का अर्थ, परिभाषा, प्रकृति और उद्देश्य क्या है?

शोध (Research) का अर्थ, परिभाषा, प्रकृति और उद्देश्य क्या है?: को समर्पित इस लेख में शोध से संबंधित जानकारी दी गई है। जिसे पढ़कर शोध से नवीन तथा गहन खोज कैसे हो सकता है को जानेंगे। यहां शोध (Research) का अर्थ, परिभाषा, प्रकृति और उद्देश्य क्या है? Shodh kise kahte hai को विस्तार से बताया गया है।

शोध(Research) क्या है?

शोध का अर्थ क्या है? RESEARCH

व्यापक अर्थ में शोध या अनुसंधान किसी भी क्षेत्र में 'ज्ञान की खोज करना'
या विधिवत गवेषणा करना होता है। शोध को अनुसंधान भी कहा जाता है।
वैज्ञानिक और मनोवैज्ञानिक विधि का सहारा लेते हुए
जिज्ञासा का समाधान करने की कोशिश की जाती है
शोध उस प्रक्रिया अथवा कार्य का नाम है
जिसके अंतर्गत बोधपूर्वक तत्वों का संकलन कर सूक्ष्मग्राही एवं विवेचक बुद्धि से
उसका अवलोकन, विश्लेषण करके नए तथ्यों या सिद्धांतों का उद्घाटन किया जाता है।

शोध(Research) की परिभाषाएं

शोध की प्रकृति क्या है .

यह एक अनोखी प्रक्रिया है जो ज्ञान के प्रकाश और प्रसार में सहायक होती है।
यह समाज उद्देश्य के लिए भी किया जाता है
सामाजिक शोध की प्रकृति वैज्ञानिक असामाजिक तत्वों घटनाओं एवं समाजिक जीवन पर किया जाता है
इस प्रक्रिया से नवीन ज्ञान की वृद्धि एवं विकास किया जाता है
इस कार्य में गुणात्मक तथा परिणात्कम तथ्यों की व्यवस्था की जाती है
और उनका विश्लेषण करके निष्कर्ष निकाले जाते हैं
वैज्ञानिक प्राकृति से तात्पर्य है कि इसमें समस्या विशेष का अध्ययन
एक व्यवस्थित पद्धति के अनुसार किया जाता है
शोध की संपूर्ण प्रक्रिया विविध तूफानों से गुजरती है
एक शोध पद्धति में कुछ विशेषताएं और गुण होने चाहिए
यह नियमित संपूर्ण व्यवस्थित सटीक और सत्यापन योग्य होना चाहिए।

शोध या अनुसंधान का उद्देश्य क्या है ?

उद्देश्य निम्न है-.

सत्य की खोज करना तथा छिपे हुए सत्य का पता लगाना।
नवीन तथ्यों की खोज करना या नवीन ज्ञान की प्राप्ति करना।
किसी घटना के बारे में नई जानकारी प्राप्त करना।
किसी विशेष स्थिति का सही वर्णन प्रस्तुत करना।
समस्याओं का निदान या समाधान करना।
वैज्ञानिक कार्य विधि का उपयोग द्वारा प्रश्नों के उत्तर प्राप्त करना।
विज्ञान पर आधारित वस्तुपरक ज्ञान प्राप्त करना।
किसी चरों के बीच कार्य-कारण संबंध को समझना और परीक्षण करना।
किसी घटना के साथ सह- संबंध की जानकारी प्राप्त करना।
व्यवस्थित प्रयत्न द्वारा सिद्धांतों का निर्माण करना।

सामान्यत: शोध के उद्देश्यों को चार भागों में बांटा गया है

सैद्धांतिक उद्देश्य इसके अंतर्गत वैज्ञानिक विधि के माध्यम से नवीन सिद्धांतों एवं नियमों का प्रतिपादन किया जाता है तथा यह कार्य व्याख्यात्मक प्रकृति के होते हैं।
सत्यात्माक उद्देश्य वस्तुतः यह दार्शनिक प्रकृति के होते हैं जिसमें दर्शन के आधार पर अंतिम परिणाम की प्राप्ति की जाती है।
तथ्यात्मक उद्देश्य वस्तुतः यह वर्णनात्मक प्रकृति के होते हैं। इसका कारण यह है कि इस उद्देश्य की प्राप्ति हेतु तथ्यों की खोज कर उनका विश्लेषण किया जाता है। इसमें ऐतिहासिक अनुसंधान ओके प्रकार का सहारा लिया जाता है।
व्यावहारिक उद्देश्य इन उद्देश्यों को विकासात्मक अनुसंधान की श्रेणी में रखते हैं तथा इनकी प्राप्ति हेतु विभिन्न क्षेत्रों में क्रियात्मक अनुसंधान का सहारा लिया जाता है। इसमें केवल उपयोगिता को ही महत्व प्रदान किया जाता है।
बुद्ध की खोज
चंद्रयान-3 की जानकारी in Hindi
Heat Wave क्या है? कैसे खतरनाक है हीटवेव

COMMENTS

What is a Research Hypothesis: How to Write it, Types, and Examples
It seeks to explore and understand a particular aspect of the research subject. In contrast, a research hypothesis is a specific statement or prediction that suggests an expected relationship between variables. It is formulated based on existing knowledge or theories and guides the research design and data analysis. 7.
Hypothesis या परिकल्पना क्या है? प्रकृति, स्रोत, विशेषताएं, प्रकार व कार्य
परिकल्पना के स्रोत (Source of Hypothesis) 1. समस्या से सम्बन्धित साहित्य का अध्ययन. समस्या से सम्बन्धित साहित्य का अध्ययन करके उपयुक्त परिकल्पना ...
शोध परिकल्पना
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 ...
Research Hypothesis: Definition, Types, Examples and Quick Tips
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.
How to Write a Strong Hypothesis
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.
Research Hypothesis: What It Is, Types + How to Develop?
A research hypothesis helps test theories. A hypothesis plays a pivotal role in the scientific method by providing a basis for testing existing theories. For example, a hypothesis might test the predictive power of a psychological theory on human behavior. It serves as a great platform for investigation activities.
What Is A Research Hypothesis? A Simple Definition
A research hypothesis (also called a scientific hypothesis) is a statement about the expected outcome of a study (for example, a dissertation or thesis). To constitute a quality hypothesis, the statement needs to have three attributes - specificity, clarity and testability. Let's take a look at these more closely.
Hypothesis and Variables
Framing and testing of the hypothesis is the major part of the research work with which investigator will be able to test by scientific method(s), to apply econometric models to establish a strong relationship between the theory and the analysis of the research work which will strengthen the findings of the study. Therefore, in social science ...
How to Write a Hypothesis: Types and Tips to Remember
2. Complex Hypothesis. A complex hypothesis entails the existence of a relationship between two or more variables. It can be two dependent variables and one independent variable or vice versa. 3. Null Hypothesis. A null hypothesis is a statement that states that the variables have no relationship. 4.
Hypothesis
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.
What is and How to Write a Good Hypothesis in Research?
An effective hypothesis in research is clearly and concisely written, and any terms or definitions clarified and defined. Specific language must also be used to avoid any generalities or assumptions. Use the following points as a checklist to evaluate the effectiveness of your research hypothesis: Predicts the relationship and outcome.
परिकल्पना: कार्य, महत्त्व, विशेषता( Hypothesis: Functions, Importance
परिकल्पना के कार्य( Functions of hypothesis) - शोधकर्त्ता के हाथ में परिकल्पना एक ऐसा साधन है जो शोध का दिशा निर्धारक व प्रणेता है। वास्तव में परिकल्पना निम्न कार्यों ...
What is 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.
अनुसंधान (Research)- अर्थ, परिभाषा, उद्देश्य और वर्गीकरण
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एक शोधपत्र (Research Paper) लिखें
कैसे एक शोधपत्र (Research Paper) लिखें. स्कूल की ऊंची कक्षाओं में पढ़ने के दौरान और कॉलेज पीरियड में हमेशा ही, आपको शोध-पत्र तैयार करने के लिए कहा जाएगा। एक शोध ...
What is Hypothesis
Hypothesis is a tentative explanation that accounts for a set of facts and can be tested by further investigation. (Kerlinger, 1956)A hypothesis is a logical...
Explanatory Research
Published on December 3, 2021 by Tegan George and Julia Merkus. Revised on November 20, 2023. Explanatory research is a research method that explores why something occurs when limited information is available. It can help you increase your understanding of a given topic, ascertain how or why a particular phenomenon is occurring, and predict ...
परिकल्पना अथवा हाइपोथिसिस क्या होती है । परिकल्पना का अर्थ एवं स्वरूप
परिकल्पना अंग्रेजी भाषा के शब्द ' हाइपोथिसिस ' (hypothesis) का हिन्दी रूपांतर है, जिसका अर्थ है ऐसी मान्यता (T hesis ) जो अभी अपुष्ट (H ypo) है।
What is a Research Design? Definition, Types, Methods and Examples
Research design methods refer to the systematic approaches and techniques used to plan, structure, and conduct a research study. The choice of research design method depends on the research questions, objectives, and the nature of the study. Here are some key research design methods commonly used in various fields: 1.
Variables in Research
Categorical Variable. This is a variable that can take on a limited number of values or categories. Categorical variables can be nominal or ordinal. Nominal variables have no inherent order, while ordinal variables have a natural order. Examples of categorical variables include gender, race, and educational level.
Hypothesis Kya hai
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शोध [Research] का अर्थ, परिभाषा, प्रकृति और उद्देश्य क्या है?
RESEARCH. RESEARCH MEANING IN HINDI - शोध अथवा अनुसंधान का सामान्य अर्थ 'गहन खोज' करने से है अर्थात् अनुसंधान किसी लक्ष्य उद्देश्य अनुगामी होता है, तथा उस ...
Research: Definition, Characteristics, Types of Research
Characteristics of Research. A research gather new knowledge or information from first-hand source. it should focused on priority problem. It is logical and objective. It is an systematic and ...

What is a Research Hypothesis: How to Write it, Types, and Examples

What is a hypothesis ?

What is a research hypothesis ?

Characteristics of a good hypothesis

How to create an effective research hypothesis

How to write a research hypothesis

Research hypothesis checklist

Types of research hypothesis

1. Null hypothesis:

2. Alternative hypothesis:

3. Directional hypothesis :

4. Non-directional hypothesis:

5. Simple hypothesis :

6 . Complex hypothesis :

7. Associative hypothesis:

8 . Causal hypothesis:

Research hypothesis examples

Importance of testable hypothesis

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on research hypothesis

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Hypothesis या परिकल्पना क्या है? प्रकृति, स्रोत, विशेषताएं, प्रकार व कार्य

परिकल्पना क्या है? (What is Hypothesis)

परिकल्पना की परिभाषा (Definition of Hypothesis)

परिकल्पना की प्रकृति (Nature of Hypothesis)

परिकल्पना के स्रोत (Source of Hypothesis)

उत्तम परिकल्पना की विशेषताएं या कसौटी (Characteristics of a good Hypothesis)

परिकल्पना के प्रकार (Types of Hypothesis)

चरों की सख्या के आधार पर

चरों की विशेष सम्बन्ध के आधार पर

विशिष्ट उद्देश्य के आधार पर

परिकल्पना के कार्य (Works of Hypothesis)

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टोक्सोप्लाज्मा गोंडी जीवन चक्र तथा उससे सम्बंधित पूछें जाने वाले 3 प्रश्न

Population क्या होता है? इसके संबंधित विषयों की चर्चा

समाज कार्य शिक्षा

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

शोध परिकल्पना :

परिकल्पना की परिभाषा :

परिकल्पना की प्रकृति :

परिकल्पना के स्रोत :

परिकल्पना के प्रकार

चरों की विशेष सम्बन्ध के आधार पर

विशिष्ट उद्देश्य के आधार पर

परिकल्पना के कार्य

वार्तालाप में शामिल हों

The Craft of Writing a Strong Hypothesis

Table of Contents

What is a Hypothesis?

Different Types of Hypotheses‌

1. Null hypothesis

2. Alternative hypothesis

3. Simple hypothesis

4. Complex hypothesis

5. Associative and casual hypothesis

6. Empirical hypothesis

7. Statistical hypothesis

Characteristics of a Good Hypothesis

Separating a Hypothesis from a Prediction

Finally, How to Write a Hypothesis

1. Be clear about your research question

2. Carry out a recce

3. Create a 3-dimensional hypothesis

4. Write the first draft

5. Proof your hypothesis

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

2. What is an example of hypothesis?

3. What is an example of null hypothesis?

4. What are the types of research?

5. How to write a hypothesis?

6. What are the 2 types of hypothesis?

7. Difference between research question and research hypothesis?

8. What is plural for hypothesis?

9. What is the red queen hypothesis?

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

11. When to reject null hypothesis?