Questions and Answers
What is a hypothesis?
A hypothesis is a tentative conclusion or answer to a specific question raised at the beginning of the investigation.
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a hypothesis?
A null hypothesis states that there is a relationship between the two variables being studied.
False
What does an alternative hypothesis indicate?
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What is the purpose of a theoretical framework?
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A __________ framework provides a structure that clarifies the scope of a study and the concepts being examined.
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Which of the following guidelines is NOT recommended for writing a hypothesis?
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What is a directional hypothesis?
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What is the symbol for the null hypothesis?
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What is the symbol for the alternative hypothesis?
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Study Notes
Hypothesis
- A hypothesis is a tentative conclusion or educated guess answering a specific research question.
- It defines the relationship between two or more variables and is a specific, testable prediction of expected outcomes.
- Important functions of a hypothesis include:
- Assisting researchers in study design, including methods and data collection.
- Providing tentative explanations and facilitating knowledge extension.
- Serving as a basis for analyzing the relevance of data.
- Guiding researchers in consolidating findings and formulating conclusions.
Characteristics of a Hypothesis
- Must be testable and logical.
- Should relate directly to the research problem.
- Represents a simple unit of the issue being studied.
- Factually or theoretically based and states relationships between variables.
- Defines the limits of the study.
- Must be framed to allow for acceptance or rejection.
Guidelines for Writing a Hypothesis
- Formulate hypotheses in declarative sentences.
- Base hypotheses on theories, known facts, previous studies, or personal insights.
- Establish logical relationships with the research problem and predict variable relationships.
- Ensure hypothesis testability.
- Use clear, specific language to avoid wordiness.
Types of Hypotheses
- Null Hypothesis (H0): Indicates no relationship between the studied variables; asserts that one variable does not affect the other. Commonly used in various study designs.
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Alternative Hypothesis (H1): Suggests there is a relationship between the independent and dependent variables; aims to disprove the null hypothesis. Can be:
- Directional Hypothesis (One-tailed): Predicts the direction of results, indicating which group will perform better or worse.
- Non-directional Hypothesis (Two-tailed): States there will be a difference between groups without predicting the direction of that difference.
Theoretical and Conceptual Framework
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Conceptual Framework:
- A broad, abstract structure outlining key concepts, variables, and relationships in a research study.
- Clarifies the study's scope and serves as a foundation for developing hypotheses or research questions.
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Theoretical Framework:
- A more specific and comprehensive set of concepts, theories, and models used to explain the phenomena under investigation.
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Description
This quiz explores the fundamental concepts related to hypotheses in research, including null and alternative hypotheses. It examines the characteristics of a good hypothesis and the role of theoretical frameworks in clarifying the scope of a study. Test your understanding of these critical research components!
