What is a hypothesis in research?

What is a hypothesis in research?

• A. A descriptive summary
• B. A final conclusion
• C. A plan for data collection
• D. A prediction of the results for a study

Answer: (D)

A hypothesis is a testable prediction about the relationship between variables in a study. It states what you expect to find and can be tested through data collection and analysis. It specifies the variables and the anticipated direction of their relationship (if X, then Y), though it can also be nondirectional. It guides how you design the study and how you analyze results, and it must be falsifiable. It is not simply a descriptive summary of data, nor a final conclusion derived after analysis, nor a plan for data collection. In practice, a hypothesis helps you test whether X affects Y and predicts the study’s outcomes.

A hypothesis is a testable prediction about the relationship between variables in a study. It states what you expect to find and can be tested through data collection and analysis. It specifies the variables and the anticipated direction of their relationship (if X, then Y), though it can also be nondirectional. It guides how you design the study and how you analyze results, and it must be falsifiable. It is not simply a descriptive summary of data, nor a final conclusion derived after analysis, nor a plan for data collection. In practice, a hypothesis helps you test whether X affects Y and predicts the study’s outcomes.