• IMPORTANCE OF HYPOTHESIS IN RESEARCH
• The hypothesis is the basis of a scientific
investigation, and it plays a pivotal role in the
research process.
• Hypothesis and theories are reciprocal to each
other.
• The verified hypothesis becomes the basis of theory;
theory also serves as a source of hypothesis.
• Some important characteristic fea-tures of
hypothesis are given here:
• Hypothesis enables the researcher to
objectively investigate new areas of discovery.
Thus, it provides a powerful tool for the
advancement of knowledge.
• It provides objectivity to the research activity.
The formulation of a hypothesis provides a
study with focus and guides the researcher
regarding the spe-cific aspects of research
problems to investigate.
• It provides insight to the researcher about what
data to collect and what not to collect, thereby
providing the focus to the [Link] ould beIt
also provides directions to conduct research such
as defining the sources and relevance of data.
• It provides clear and specific goals to research-ers.
• These clear and specific goals provide the
investigator with a basis for selecting sample and
research procedures to meet these goals.
• It provides a link between theory and actual
practical research.
• It provides a bridge between theory and
reality.
• It suggests which type of research is likely to
be most appropriate.
• As it is a tentative statement of anticipated re-
sults, it guides the researcher towards the direc-
tion in which the research should proceed.
• It also determines the most appropriate research
designs and techniques of data analysis.
• It provides understanding to the researchers
about what to expect from the results of the
research study.
• It serves as a framework for drawing conclu-
sions of a research study.
• Without hypothesis, research would be like
aimless wandering.
• CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD HYPOTHESISA
The main characteristics of a good hypothesis
are as follows:
• Conceptual clarity: The hypothesis should
con-sist of clearly defined and understandable
con-cepts.
• It should be stated in very clear terms, the
meaning and implication of which cannot be
doubted.
• To facilitate the conceptual clarity, the
hypothesis can be stated in declarative state-
ment, in the present tense.
• Empirical referents: Research must have an
ul-timate empirical referent.
• A good hypoth-esis must have empirical basis
from the area of enquiry.
• Therefore, hypothesis generally must be
formulated on the basis of the concepts that
are empirically tested.
• Objectivity: The hypothesis must be
objective, facilitate objectivity in data
collection and keep the research activity free
from researcher value-judgement or bias.
• The objectivity of hypoth-eses provides an
effective guidance to the researcher about what
to measure and how to measure.
• Specificity: A good hypothesis should be
specific, not general, and should explain the
expected re-lations between variables.
• For example, regular yoga reduces stress.
Specificity of hypothesis helps to avoid
ambiguity and clearly specifies the intended
influence of an independent variable on the
dependent variable.
• Relevant: The hypothesis should be relevant
to the problem being studied as well as the
objectives of the study.
• In addition, the hypothesis must have
relevance with the theory under test in a
research process. Furthermore, hypotheses of
the study must be relevant to the statement of
research problemstudy, operational definitions,
existing evidence and related theories.
• Testability: Hypothesis should be testable and
should not be a moral judgement.
• It must be directly/indirectly observable and
measurable.
• The researcher can set up a situation that per-
mits one to assess if it is true or false.
• It must be verifiable, e.g., a statement such as
'bad partners produce bad children, cannot be
tested.
• Consistency: A hypothesis should be
consistent with an existing body of theories,
research find-ings and other hypotheses. It
should correspond with existing knowledge.
• Simplicity: A hypothesis should be formulated
in simple and understandable terms. It should
require few conditions and assumptions.
• Availability of techniques: Researchers must
make sure that methods are available for
testing their proposed hypotheses.
• Purposiveness: The researcher must
formulateonly purposeful hypotheses, which
has rele-vance with research problem and
objectives.
• Verifiability: A good hypothesis can be
actually verified in practical terms.
• Profundity of effect: A good hypothesis should
have profound effect upon a variety of
research variables
• Economical: The expenditure of money and
time can be controlled if the hypothesis under-
lying the research undertaken is good.
