AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM

HYPOTHESIS
IN RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Anu Thomas
1Sem LLM
Roll No:3
27/01/2024
 CONTENT
1. What is hypothesis
2. Meaning of hypothesis
3. Definitions of hypothesis
4. Importance of hypothesis
5. Characteristics of hypothesis
6. Sources of hypothesis
7. Types of hypothesis
8. Testing the hypothesis
9. Conclusion
Structure of Logical Reasoning :- Minor Premise, Major
Premise and conclusion

E.g.:- All humans are mortal (Major Premise)

All Indians are humans (Minor Premise)
Therefor All Indians are mortal ( Conclusion)

Logical reasoning is connected with Formulation, Testing

and Evaluation of Hypothesis in a Research Study
 Logical Induction :- From a Particular statement to a General
statement
E.g.:-A comes from a broken family, so he has criminal tendencies
B comes from another broken family, and she also has
criminal tendencies
C also comes from a broken family , he too has criminal
tendencies.
(Particular Statements)
Therefor:- All children from broken families have criminal tendencies
( General Statement)
Conclusion :- Broken family is the cause of criminal tendency in children
 Logical Deduction :- From General Statement to Particular
Statement

E.g.:- All humans are mortal (General Statement)

All Indians are humans

All Chinese are humans
All Americans are humans ( Particular Statement)

Conclusion :- All Indians, Chinese, and Americans are mortal

 Variables :- Variable are essential for testing
hypothesis. There are lot of variables in a hypothesis,
which determines the cause -and- effect relationship in a
hypothesis.
 Variable are two types: -
 Independent variable
 Dependent variable
E.g. :- Poverty leads to criminality
Poverty is an independent variable
Criminality is dependent variable
Where there is poverty, criminality also there.
 Multivariable hypothesis:-
A multivariable hypothesis involves more
than one independent variable or
dependent variable or both.
E.g. :- Poverty and illiteracy lead to criminality
and unemployment.
Forms of hypothesis
 It may be a statement (most common)
E.g. :- Poverty leads to criminality
 It may be an Issue
E.g. :- Whether the Gujarat state has the authority to
remit the sentence? (Bilkis Bano Case)
 Which court conduct the trial proceedings?
 Which court passed the judgement?
 Which court execute the said order? ( Variables)
 Proved hypothesis

E.g. :- Poverty leads to criminality

If we conclude our research study with this statement, it is
actually poor people who are committing theft. We may come
to the conclusion that there is a relation between poverty and
criminality. We can call it as proved hypothesis.
That indicated by the letter :- H1 or Ha (Affirmed Hypothesis)
 Disproved hypothesis

If we get an outcome of our research like this, it is not

actually poor people, who are committing theft, rich
people are also committing theft. We may come to the
conclusion that there is no relation between poverty
and criminality. We can call it as a disproved
hypothesis
It indicated by the letter:- H0 or Hn (Null Hypothesis)
 In our research study there is only one hypothesis , we
can call it as Hypothesis
 If there are more than one hypothesis, We can call it as
Hypotheses

Then we can move on the theoretical part of hypothesis

In every scientific or legal research, after the
selection of the research problem and literature
review the very next step is to formulate a
hypothesis. It makes the research more specific
and pin pointed and provides right direction to
proceed. Without hypothesis, a research is
unfocused.
 A Hypothesis is a formal tentative statement
of the expected relationship between two or
more variables under study.

 It helps to translate the research problem and

objectives into a clear explanation or
predictions of the expected results or
outcomes of the research study.
 MEANING OF HYPOTHESIS

“Hypo” means “Less than or Under”

“Thesis” means “Idea or General opinion”

Thus Hypothesis means An idea formed beforehand

which has less value than generally formed view.
 DEFINITIONS OF HYPOTHESIS
There are number of definitions about hypothesis in research
methodology:-
 Good and Hatt define Hypothesis as a shrewd guess or
inference that is formulated and provisionally adopted to
explain observed facts or conditions and to guide in further
investigation.
 According to Robert Berslein and James Dyer “A Hypothesis
is an assertion of a casual association between two properties”.
 Polite and Beck define Hypothesis as a statement of
researcher’s expectations about relationship between the
variables under investigation.
 According to Cohen and Nagel “We cannot take a single step
forward in any inquiry unless we begin with a suggested
explanation or solution of the difficulty which originated it. Such
tentative explanation are suggested to us by something in the subject
matter and by our previous knowledge. When they are formulated as
propositions, they are called hypothesis.
From these definitions we can make a clear idea or understanding
about Hypothesis.
In simple words “Hypothesis is an assumption statement about the
relationship between two or more variables that suggest an answer to
the research question.
 IMPORTANCE OF HYPOTHESIS
Hypothesis has a very important place in research although it
occupies a very small pace in the body of a thesis.

• It is the base of a scientific investigation.

• It provides direction to research, and defines what is relevant
and what is irrelevant.
• It sensitizes the investigator to certain aspects of situations,
which are relevant from the standpoint of the problem in hand.
• It is a guide to the thinking process of discovery
• Hypothesis enables the researcher to objectively investigate
new area of discovery. Thus it provides a powerful tool for the
advancement of knowledge.
• It provides objectivity to research activity. The formulation of
hypothesis provides a study with focus and guides the
researcher about the scientific aspects of research problems to
investigate.
• It provides the insight to the researcher about what data to
collect and what not to collect, thereby providing the focus to
the study.
• It also provides directions to conduct research such as defining
the sources and relevance of data.
• It provides clear and specific goals to the researchers. These
clear and specific goals provide the investigator with a basis
for selecting sample and research procedures to meet these
goals.
• It provides link between theories and actual practical research.
• It provides 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 results, it guides
the researcher towards the direction 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 conclusions of a
research study.
• Without hypothesis, research would be like aimless
wandering.
 CHARECTERISTICS OF HYPOTHESIS

The main characteristics of a good hypothesis are:-

1) Empirical referents: Research must have an ultimate
empirical referent. Therefore, hypothesis generally must be
formulated based on the concept that are empirically tested.
2) Conceptual Clarity: Hypothesis should consist of clearly
defined and understandable concepts. It should be stated in
very clear terms, the meaning and implication of which
cannot be doubted.
3)Objectivity: Hypothesis must be objective, which provides an
effective guidance to the researcher about what to measure and
how to measure.
4)Specificity: Specificity of hypothesis helps to avoid the
ambiguity and it clearly specifies the intended influence of an
independent variable on dependent variable.
5)Relevant: Hypothesis of the study must be relevant to the
statement of research problem, objectives of research study,
operational definitions, existing evidences, and related theories.
6) Testability: Hypothesis should be testable and should not be a
moral judgement. It must be directly or indirectly observable
and measurable. A clearly stated hypothesis is usually tested
through inferential statistical tests to determine the effect of
independent variable on dependent variable.
7) Consistency: A hypothesis should be consistent with an
existing body of theories, research findings, and other
hypothesizes. It should correspond with existing knowledge.
8) Simplicity: A hypothesis should be formulated in simple and
understandable terms. It should require fewer conditions and
assumptions.
9) Availability of Techniques: The researchers must make sure that
methods are available for testing their proposed hypothesis.
10)Purposiveness: The researcher must formulate only purposeful
hypothesis, which has relevance with research problem and
objectives.
11)Verifiability: A good hypothesis can be actually verified in
practical terms.
12)Profundity of effect: A good hypothesis should have profound
effect upon a verity of research variables.
13)Economical: The expenditure of money and time can be
controlled if the hypothesis underlying the research undertaken is
good.
 SOURCES OF HYPOTHESIS
Theoretical or conceptual Culture and analogies
frameworks

Previous research findings and Real-life experiences

reading materials

Academic literature and other studies

 SOURCES OF HYPOTHESIS

OBSERVATIONS INTUITIONS EXPECTATIONS

EXPECTATIONS
BEHAVIOR INSPIRATIONS
AND EXPERIENCE
PATTERNS OF
HUNCHES OF THE
SPECIAL GROUP
RESEARCHER
With the help of these resources the researcher can formulate
hypothesis
 TYPES OF HYPOTHESIS
1.Simple and Complex Hypothesis
Simple hypothesis or Uni-variable hypothesis is a statement that
reflects the relationship between two variables.
E.g. :- Poverty leads to criminality

Complex hypothesis or multi-variable hypothesis is a statement that

reflects the relationship between more than two variables.
E.g. :- Poverty and illiteracy lead to criminality and unemployment.
2.Associative and Causal Hypothesis

Associative hypothesis reflects a relationship between

variables that occurs or exists in natural settings without
manipulation. This hypothesis is used in correlation
research studies.
E.g.:- There is a negative association between tendency to
commit theft and other kinds of criminal activities.
 Causal hypothesis predicts the cause-and-effect relationship
between two or more dependent and independent variables in
experimental or interventional setting, where independent variable
is manipulated by the researcher to examine the effect on the
dependent variable. The causal hypothesis reflects the
measurement of dependent variable to examine the effect of
independent variable, which is manipulated by the researchers.

E.g.:- If the students read judgements daily, then their ability of

reasoning will increase.
3. Directional and Nondirectional Hypothesis
 Directional hypothesis specifies not only the existence,
but also the expected direction of the relationship between
variables.
 Directional hypothesis states the nature of the relationship
between two or more variables such as positive, negative,
or no relationship. To express the direction of relationship
between variables, the directional terms are used to state
the hypothesis such as positive, negative, less, more,
increased, decreased, greater higher lower, etc.,
E.g.:- Education decreases criminality and
unemployment will increase

Non-directional hypothesis reflects the

relationship between two or more variables, but
it does not specify the anticipated direction and
nature of relationship such as positive or
negative. It indicates the existence of
relationship between the variables.
4. Experimental and non-experimental Hypothesis:
 Experimental hypothesis can again be sub-divided into two
existential hypothesis and statistical hypothesis
 Non-experimental hypothesis are of three forms : simple
level, complex level, and functional level hypothesis

5. Temporal Hypothesis and Cross- sectional Hypothesis:

 A temporal hypothesis is true at a point of time.
 A cross- sectional hypotheses are spelt out as true at the same
point in time. Both of them do not imply causality.
6.Descriptive and Explanatory Hypothesis:
 In descriptive hypothesis, there exists propositions of
description.
 In explanatory hypothesis, there are relational propositions
which strongly state the existence of cause-effect relation.

7. Null and Research hypothesis

 Null hypothesis is also known as statistical hypothesis and is
used for statistical testing and interpretation of statistical
outcomes. It states the existence of no relationship between the
independent and dependent variables.
 It is easier to disprove the contrary of any hypothesis than to
prove it with complete certainty. It enables the researcher to
eliminate some of the alternative hypothesis.
 Research hypothesis is also known as alternative hypothesis. It
states the existence of relationship between two or more
variables.

A research hypothesis could be simple, complex, directional,

nondirectional, associative, or causal. However, it is commonly
recommended to use directional research hypothesis in research
studies.
 Testing the Hypothesis
We cannot admit anything as a valid knowledge until a satisfactory
test of the validity has been completed. Robert Bales lists the
following pertinent which should be asked about hypothesis before
they are adopted for testing:
1) Are the terms empirically specific, so that the concepts or
variables can be distinguished in concrete situation?
2) Is the positive relationship between variables such that it could be
verified or nullified by means of empirical operations?
3) Is there any prior evidence as to the truth or falseness of the
positive relationship?
4) Can an appropriate study design be devised?
5) Are the variables “contest-bound” or could they be equally
well applied to other interaction situated?
6) Can they be also applied realistically to other cultures?
7) If other factors are subject to change in the cause of the
observations, are they adequately specified and enumerated so
that the observers can ascertain whether they have changed
during the period of observations?
8) Is the generalization part of a theoretical system for which it
could be deducted as well as being verified by the proposed
empirical inductions?
9) Is the empirical system that is constructed sufficiently precis
and articulate to permit predictions in concrete situations?

After analyzing the data, the researcher is in a position to test

the hypothesis, if any , they had formulated earlier. The
hypothesis may be tested through the various tests like chi-
square test, T- test, F- test and so on, depending upon the nature
and object of research inquiry. Hypothesis testing will result in
either accepting the hypothesis or rejecting it.
 CONCLUSION

When a hypothesis is sustained by logical and empirical

tests, it provides the basis for generalizations or
conclusions. As further confirmation and clarification of
the conditions under which the hypothesis holds,
accumulate, a generalization may become a law or
principle. Sound theories are reached only after many
hypotheses have been tried out and discarded or
modified to harmonize with established facts.