RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESIS

PROF. MAHENDRA KUMAR GHADOLIYA

Questions to be asked

• Qualitative Research Questions- Qualitative researchers pose Research questions- not objectives, not Hypothesis

• Quantitative Research Questions- Questions about relationship of variables that we wish to know. Hypothesis is the predictions that researcher makes about the expected relationship of variables.

• What are the questions I need to ask? – Central questions, Sub questions

• Who chooses the research area?

• Why do I select this topic?

• Who is going to support it?

• What are the answers I seek?

• What is a good problem statement?

Forms for writing quantitative research questions and hypothesis

If writing hypotheses, use a consistent form:

• Null hypotheses (predict no difference or no relationship)

• Directional hypotheses (predict direction of difference or relationship)

• Nondirectional hypotheses (predict a difference or relationship, but not its direction)

If writing research questions:

• First, specify descriptive questions for each important variable

• Next, state inferential questions that relate variables or compare groups

• Finally, add questions in which variables are controlled

Defining a hypothesis

• Proposing a statement pertaining to a tentative relationship between variables is called hypothesis. It is a tentative generalization, the validity of which remains to be tested.

• A supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation.

• A hypothesis is an assumption about relations between variables.

• Goode and Hatt define it as “a proposition which can be put to test to determine validity”.

What is it not?

• It is not an opinion

• It is not a value judgement

• It is not a normative statement

Themes for discussion• Criteria for hypothesis formation - There exist two criteria for formulation of a good hypothesis. First,

it is a statement about the relations between variables. Secondly it carries clear implications for testing the stated relations.

• Nature of hypothesis

• Types of hypothesis - Hypotheses may be of various kinds. It may be crude or refined. A crude hypothesis is at the lower level of abstraction, indicating only the kind of data to be collected, not leading to higher theoretical research. On the contrary, the refined hypothesis appears to be more significant in research.

• Difficulties in formulating hypothesis

• Characteristics of a useful hypothesis

• Sources of deriving hypothesis

Criteria for hypothesis formation

• It is written as a statement- complete sentence

• It should be empirically testable

• It should be specific and precise

• The statement should not be contradictory

• It should specify the variables

• It should describe one issue only. It is to be restricted

Nature of hypothesis

• It must accurately reflect the facts

• It must not contradict relevant statements

• It must consider the experience of other researcher

Types of Hypothesis

Null Hypothesis-Specific statement about a Population Parameter made for the purposes of argument.States the assumption to be testedNull Hypothesis is always about the population parameter, not about a sample statistic.The absence of relationship or difference in results any relationship or difference is due to chance or sampling error

Alternative hypothesis-

• Represents all other possible parameter values except that stated

in the null hypothesis.

• Challenges to the status quo

• It is the hypothesis that is believed and needs to be supported by

the researcher.

Directional Hypothesis-

• Directional hypothesis expresses relationship between the

variables under study.

• Assumption that is specified and objective in nature.

• Points a direction and requires evidence from literature

• Working hypothesis- just based on tentative knowledge of the problem

• Research hypothesis – Statements in words as to what the Researcher expects to prove.

• Scientific hypothesis- objective , value neutral

• Statistical hypothesis- Statement in statistical terms as to what would be found if the research hypothesis is true. This predicts relationship among variables

Difficulties in formulating Hypothesis

• Inability to frame or phrase the Hypothesis strongly

• Absence of clear theoretical framework or knowledge

• Lack of ability to utilise the theoretical framework

• Rigid control

• Lack of access to primary sources

Characteristics of a useful Hypothesis

• Power of prediction

• Conceptual clarity

• Empirical references

• Specificity- It should be for a specific problem. It should be

relevant to the problem

• Relevant to the available techniques

• Testability

Sources of deriving Hypothesis

• Cultural contexts & value systems

• Past research

• Folk wisdom

• Discussions & conversations

• Personal experiences

• Intuitions

Concluding remark/criticism of Hypothesis

Two broad schools of thought:

• One, no positive contribution, may bias research, predetermine outcome

• Second, all types of research needs hypothesis

• Qualitative researchers claim hypotheses should result from investigation