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Analyzing an Example of Speciation | ||
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Career Multimedia Presentation | ||
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Neutralization Reactions in an Acidic Lake | ||
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Research Paper | ||
Researching Genetically Modified Foods | ||
Researching Stimuli and Responses | ||
Roads in a Rainforest | ||
Scale Model of the Solar System | ||
Solar Cooker | ||
Simple Machines and Forces | ||
Technological Design Process | ||
The Water Cycle | ||
Thermal Energy and Chemical Reactions | ||
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Using a Simple Machine to Remove a Boulder | ||
Using Technology to Solve a Problem | ||
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Methodology
- How to Write a Strong Hypothesis | Steps & Examples
How to Write a Strong Hypothesis | Steps & Examples
Published on May 6, 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on November 20, 2023.
A hypothesis is a statement that can be tested by scientific research. If you want to test a relationship between two or more variables, you need to write hypotheses before you start your experiment or data collection .
Example: Hypothesis
Daily apple consumption leads to fewer doctor’s visits.
Table of contents
What is a hypothesis, developing a hypothesis (with example), hypothesis examples, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about writing hypotheses.
A hypothesis states your predictions about what your research will find. It is a tentative answer to your research question that has not yet been tested. For some research projects, you might have to write several hypotheses that address different aspects of your research question.
A hypothesis is not just a guess – it should be based on existing theories and knowledge. It also has to be testable, which means you can support or refute it through scientific research methods (such as experiments, observations and statistical analysis of data).
Variables in hypotheses
Hypotheses propose a relationship between two or more types of variables .
- An independent variable is something the researcher changes or controls.
- A dependent variable is something the researcher observes and measures.
If there are any control variables , extraneous variables , or confounding variables , be sure to jot those down as you go to minimize the chances that research bias will affect your results.
In this example, the independent variable is exposure to the sun – the assumed cause . The dependent variable is the level of happiness – the assumed effect .
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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 ensure that you’re embarking on a relevant topic . This can also help you identify which variables you will study and what you think the relationships are between them. Sometimes, you’ll have to operationalize more complex constructs.
Step 3. Formulate your hypothesis
Now you should have some idea of what you expect to find. Write your initial answer to the question in a clear, concise sentence.
4. Refine your hypothesis
You need to make sure your hypothesis is specific and testable. There are various ways of phrasing a hypothesis, but all the terms you use should have clear definitions, and the hypothesis should contain:
- The relevant variables
- The specific group being studied
- The predicted outcome of the experiment or analysis
5. Phrase your hypothesis in three ways
To identify the variables, you can write a simple prediction in if…then form. The first part of the sentence states the independent variable and the second part states the dependent variable.
In academic research, hypotheses are more commonly phrased in terms of correlations or effects, where you directly state the predicted relationship between variables.
If you are comparing two groups, the hypothesis can state what difference you expect to find between them.
6. Write a null hypothesis
If your research involves statistical hypothesis testing , you will also have to write a null hypothesis . The null hypothesis is the default position that there is no association between the variables. The null hypothesis is written as H 0 , while the alternative hypothesis is H 1 or H a .
- H 0 : The number of lectures attended by first-year students has no effect on their final exam scores.
- H 1 : The number of lectures attended by first-year students has a positive effect on their final exam scores.
Research question | Hypothesis | Null hypothesis |
---|---|---|
What are the health benefits of eating an apple a day? | Increasing apple consumption in over-60s will result in decreasing frequency of doctor’s visits. | Increasing apple consumption in over-60s will have no effect on frequency of doctor’s visits. |
Which airlines have the most delays? | Low-cost airlines are more likely to have delays than premium airlines. | Low-cost and premium airlines are equally likely to have delays. |
Can flexible work arrangements improve job satisfaction? | Employees who have flexible working hours will report greater job satisfaction than employees who work fixed hours. | There is no relationship between working hour flexibility and job satisfaction. |
How effective is high school sex education at reducing teen pregnancies? | Teenagers who received sex education lessons throughout high school will have lower rates of unplanned pregnancy teenagers who did not receive any sex education. | High school sex education has no effect on teen pregnancy rates. |
What effect does daily use of social media have on the attention span of under-16s? | There is a negative between time spent on social media and attention span in under-16s. | There is no relationship between social media use and attention span in under-16s. |
If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
- Sampling methods
- Simple random sampling
- Stratified sampling
- Cluster sampling
- Likert scales
- Reproducibility
Statistics
- Null hypothesis
- Statistical power
- Probability distribution
- Effect size
- Poisson distribution
Research bias
- Optimism bias
- Cognitive bias
- Implicit bias
- Hawthorne effect
- Anchoring bias
- Explicit bias
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A hypothesis is not just a guess — it should be based on existing theories and knowledge. It also has to be testable, which means you can support or refute it through scientific research methods (such as experiments, observations and statistical analysis of data).
Null and alternative hypotheses are used in statistical hypothesis testing . The null hypothesis of a test always predicts no effect or no relationship between variables, while the alternative hypothesis states your research prediction of an effect or relationship.
Hypothesis testing is a formal procedure for investigating our ideas about the world using statistics. It is used by scientists to test specific predictions, called hypotheses , by calculating how likely it is that a pattern or relationship between variables could have arisen by chance.
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McCombes, S. (2023, November 20). How to Write a Strong Hypothesis | Steps & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved August 12, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/hypothesis/
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To help you write your lab report, you will first answer the questions listed below by reflecting on the experiment
Fill out the questions about the lab and the different lessons learned in the lab. Identify the hypothesis, and other aspects of the lab. lab report guide
The "if" portion of the hypothesis describes something that you will change in the experiment. The "then" portion of the hypothesis describes what you think will happen as a result of that change.
Pose a question. Collect and interpret data. Form a hypothesis. Design an experiment. 10 Parts of a Lab Report: Part 1 There are different forms of writing lab reports, but typically you will see these same components.
Skip to main content Contact Us How can we help you? Edgenuity Tools & Resources Science Resources Student Lab Guides for Science courses
6. What do the data tell you about your hypothesis? e How do the data support your ur 8. If you could repeat the experiment and make it better, what would you do differently and why? ys ways that experiments can be improved. Now that you are a veteran of this experiment and have experience with the procedure, offer some advice to the next
is a possible explanation of or answer to a scientific question that is based on prior knowledge or research and is • A . is a hypothesis or group of related hypotheses that can be accepted as true based on observation and repeated experimentation with results. 2
hypothesis a possible explanation of or answer to a scientific question that is based on prior knowledge or , and is testable law a statement about how something behaves or in the natural world theory a well-tested, widely accepted explanation that combines several hypotheses and Lesson Goals Differentiate hypotheses, theories, and laws.
Review the key concepts and results of the lab on reaction rate with these interactive flashcards. Test your understanding of temperature, particle size, and surface area effects.
2. What is your hypothesis (or hypotheses) for this experiment? My hypothesis is that the pellots
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.
Write your question in general terms, not in terms of specific plants. What is the effect of adding nutrients over community of plants in a particular ecosystem? Write a hypothesis about the addition of compost (nutrients) to the soil and ecological succession using this format: "If . . . then . . . because . . ."
distinguish to recognize the between objects or concepts hypothesis a possible explanation of or answer to a question that is based on prior knowledge or research and is testable. Lesson Goals. Relate hypotheses, theories, and laws. Distinguish. among hypotheses, theories, and. Identify examples of scientific theories and laws.
1. What is the purpose of the lab, the importance of the topic, and the question you are trying to answer? The Purpose of the lab is to displace water to determine volume.And weigh objects to get mass. Then We would divide the two and get density.How do we determine density? 2. What is your hypothesis (or hypotheses) for this experiment?
2. What is your hypothesis (or hypotheses) for this experiment? 3. What methods are you using to test this (or each) hypothesis?
a possible explanation of or answer to a scientific question that is based on prior knowledge or research and is testable. a statement of fact that is generally accepted to be true and universal because it has always been observed to be true. Warm-Up. Hypotheses, Theories, and Laws. Scientific Inquiry.
Like this hypothesis, hypotheses are often structured using the format "If . . . then . . . because . . .," which is described below. The "if" portion of the hypothesis describes something that you will change in the experiment.
of an object using a laboratory procedure to describe its motion. 2. What is your hypothesis (or hypotheses) for this experiment?
the dense with protons (positive particles). • used clues and evidence from his experiment to determine that electrons must " " at some distance from the center. Label the nucleus "N." Circle one electron.
1. What is the purpose of the lab, the importance of the topic, and the question you are trying toanswer? 2. What is your hypothesis (or hypotheses) for this experiment? 3. What methods are you using to test this (or each) hypothesis?
to recognize the differences between objects. a statement about how something behaves or functions in the natural world. hypothesis. C. a well-tested, widely accepted explanation that combines several hypotheses and observations. distinguish.