RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

            Hypothesis in research is called research hypothesis. It is the statements of relationship among variables observed during literature review and identified in theoretical model. These are unproved statements which could convince researcher due to some knowledge or arguments coming from his own mind. I call it unproved because he has not yet found convincing arguments for the other people in the related field of study in human society.

            For example, a physician as a researcher has reached to some convincing argument that “success in any operation depends on hard work on the table in planning stage before start of the operation in operation theater”. This hypothesis is developed out of the theoretical model which he has formed after the literature review.  Now researcher has to find some socially and academically acceptable arguments to prove this model and to make it a theory. It will remain a statement of hypothesis unless it is proved.

            This is important to mention that the direction of research process is determined by the way a hypothesis is developed. The nature of hypothesis explains what research design is appropriate to test research hypothesis. Whether the research is qualitative or quantitative, exploratory or descriptive, field study or lab experiment, Inter-temporal or cross sectional, etc., all these decisions depend on how hypothesis statement is written and framed. Some examples of statements of hypothesis are given below:

a.       “Relationship exists between hard work at planning stage and the success of operation”

b.      “The more the time physician spends in planning; higher will be the chances of success in operation”

c.       “Good planners are more successful physicians”

d.      “If physician spends more time in planning the operation, his chances of success will be higher”

e.       “Success of operation depends on planning time, history of disease, experience of physician, and stress level physician keeps during operation”

            These examples of hypothesis clearly determine how researcher should proceeds with research project. For example, statement type “e” is inviting experimental research design, whereas, statement type “c” could be a reason for descriptive research design.  

            In summary we can say that, researcher discovers variables by using his own knowledge on subject and literature review. He then identifies prevailing relationships among variables and forms a theoretical model. Each relationship among variable(s) leads to a statement of research hypothesis, which ultimately determines the path of the research process to achieve the research goals.

Author: (Muhammad Azeem)