Research Hypothesis

In common term, a hypothesis is a mere assumption or some supposition to be proved or disproved. But in a research process a hypothesis is a format question that the researcher intends to resolve.

Every research is carried out to develop some theory, to prove or disprove some facts. To do these things the researchers make assumption or presumption about the facts. This assumption or presumption is known as the research hypothesis. The whole research process is carried out to test the research hypothesis. A hypothesis helps the researcher in proceeding further or finding solution of the problem which researcher wants to study.

The logical relationship between two or more variables in the form of testable statements is known as hypothesis. When the relationship is tested by some scientific methods, it is termed as research hypothesis. The research hypothesis is a predictive statement that relates an independent variable to a dependent variable. Usually a research hypothesis must contain at least one independent and one dependent variable that are assumed but not to be tested, are not termed as research hypothesis.

Research hypothesis is the backbone of the research process. There is no any readymade research hypothesis. So it should be formulated with proper care. It should be formulated on the basis of researcher’s area of interest, subject matter, availability of resources etc.

Formulation of research hypothesis

The formulation of hypothesis is an important step which must be accomplished with due care in accordance with the object and nature of problem under consideration. One difficulty that the research worker usually encounters is the formulation of research hypothesis. Some of the main difficulties or problems are given below:

• If the research problem is too general, it is usually too vague and cannot be put in the form of research hypothesis. A researcher must remember that narrower hypothesis is generally more testable.
• Personal judgments, preferences, value statements are difficult to put in a form of a research hypothesis.
• Scientific investigation is empirical. If the researcher believes something is so, he must somehow or other put his belief to a test outside himself. In practical situations many problems cannot be put in a form of research hypothesis because they are not amenable to testing.
• Some researches are concerned with the multivariate relationship of the variables. Generally in psychological, sociological and educational research, this is the case. In such case it is difficult to formulate a research hypothesis in univariate form.
• Some of the variables under study have not any relationship and most of the formulate research hypothesis are very difficult or impossible.
• Research is carried out to develop some theory or to verify some existing facts but in some case the researcher has not such aim. In such case it is worthless to formulate a research hypothesis.
• In some cases, time constraints also influence in formulating a research hypothesis. Researchers have an excellent hypothesis but he has not a sufficient time to test it, then it becomes meaningless.
• Research hypothesis should be such which is accepted easily in society. It should not be such which rules out the rules and norms of the society.