Question

Good research begins by presenting a hypothesis. Explain the meaning and purpose of a hypothesis. What process should be used to test the hypothesis?

Answer 1

1st part:

A hypothesis is a specific prediction which can be tested. It describes what we expect will happen in a certain circumstance.
A hypothesis is used in an experiment to define the relationship between two variables. The purpose of a hypothesis is to find the solution to a question or experiment. A formal hypothesis urges to think about what results we should look for in an experiment. It can be used to identify the flaws and disadvantages of an experiment which we can avoid when finalyzing the research work. The first variable is the independent variable which can be changed and tested. This variable happens first and can be considered the cause of any changes in the outcome. The outcome is the dependent variable.

A hypothesis should always:
a. Explain what we expect to happen.
b. Be clear and understandable.
c. Be testable and measurable.
d. Contain an independent and dependent variable.

2nd part:

The following process should be used to test the hypothesis:

1. First step is- the analyst states the two hypotheses to find the right one.
2. Then an analysis plan is formulated, which outlines how the data will be evaluated.
3. After that the sample data is physically analyzed to carry out the plan.
4. Final step is analyzing the results and either rejecting the null hypothesis, or stating that the null hypothesis is reasonable, given the data.