A hypothesis is a formal tentative statement of the expected relationship between two or more variables under study.
Definition: A hypothesis is an assumption statement about the relationship between two or more variables that suggest an answer to the research question.
OR
Good & Hatt define hypothesis as shrewd guess or inference that is formulated and provisionally adopted to explain observed facts or conditions and to guide in further investigation.
Importance:
❖ Hypothesis enables the researcher to objectively investigate new areas of discovery.
❖ Hypothesis provides objectivity to the research activity.
❖ It also provides direction to conduct research such as defining the sources and relevance of data.
❖ Hypothesis provides clear and specific goals to the researchers.
❖ Hypothesis provide link between theories and actual practical research.
❖ It provides a bridge between theory and reality.
❖ A hypothesis suggests which type of research is likely to be most appropriate.
❖ As it is tentative statement of anticipated results.
❖ It stimulating the thinking process of researcher as the researcher forms the hypothesis by anticipating outcome.
❖ It also determines the most appropriate research designs and techniques of data analysis.
❖ Hypothesis provides understanding to the researchers about what to except from the results of the research study.
❖ It serves as a framework for drawing conclusions of a research study.
❖ Without hypothesis, research would be like aimless wandering.
Characteristics of a good hypothesis:
The main characteristics of a good hypothesis as follows:
➢ Conceptual clarity: Hypothesis should consist of clearly defined and understandable concepts. Hypothesis can be stated in declarative statement, in present tense.
➢ Empirical referents: A good
Bibliography: ← Sharma K Suresh, Nursing research & statistics, second edition, Published by Elsevier, Page no.61-65 ← Burns, N, & Grove,S.K, The practice of nursing research, 5th edition, Published by Elsevier Saunders, Page no.30-34 [pic]