what are the basic ingredients in the formulation of hypothesis in scientific research

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• How to Write a Strong Hypothesis | Guide & Examples

How to Write a Strong Hypothesis | Guide & Examples

Published on 6 May 2022 by Shona McCombes .

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

Table of contents

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

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

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

Variables in hypotheses

Hypotheses propose a relationship between two or more variables . An independent variable is something the researcher changes or controls. A dependent variable is something the researcher observes and measures.

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

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Step 1: ask a question.

Writing a hypothesis begins with a research question that you want to answer. The question should be focused, specific, and researchable within the constraints of your project.

Step 2: Do some preliminary research

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

At this stage, you might construct a conceptual framework to identify which variables you will study and what you think the relationships are between them. Sometimes, you’ll have to operationalise more complex constructs.

Step 3: Formulate your hypothesis

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

Step 4: Refine your hypothesis

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

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

Step 5: Phrase your hypothesis in three ways

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

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

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

Step 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 .

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

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

A research hypothesis is your proposed answer to your research question. The research hypothesis usually includes an explanation (‘ x affects y because …’).

A statistical hypothesis, on the other hand, is a mathematical statement about a population parameter. Statistical hypotheses always come in pairs: the null and alternative hypotheses. In a well-designed study , the statistical hypotheses correspond logically to the research hypothesis.

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McCombes, S. (2022, May 06). How to Write a Strong Hypothesis | Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 1 November 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/research-methods/hypothesis-writing/

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Since its inception, its focus has been on teaching and research in leather technology, footwear, and leather goods making, providing assistance to industries, and also providing training and organizing seminars and workshops to disseminate the knowledge to the stakeholder. There has been a gradual change in the morphology of this college since 2000 when a B. Tech. course in information technology was offered by this institute. In 2001, another B. Tech. course in computer science and engineering was offered. Keeping pace with horizontal expansion, in 2005 we looked into vertical expansion by introducing the M. Tech. program in Leather Technology.

11th March 1919

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In the year 1926, ‘Calcutta Research Tannery’ was renamed ‘Bengal Tanning Institute’ in the ambit of the Department of commerce and Industry.

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In August 1955 this college was affiliated with the University of Calcutta for imparting training in B. Sc. (Tech) course in Leather Technology and it has been recognized as a professional college under the University of Calcutta.

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A change in the department from the Commerce and Industry so far to the Department of Higher Education took place in the year 1968.

The college undergoes a paradigm shift with the change in location from Pagladanga to the prime location of Salt Lake on E. M. By-Pass

Information Technology was introduced as B-Tech Course.

Computer Science Engineering was introduced as B-Tech Course.

M. Tech program in Leather Technology as a feather on the cap of vertical expansion and affiliating umbrella also changed to ‘The West Bengal University of Technology’ from ‘The University of Calcutta’.

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