Hypothesis Generation
Hypothesis: A testable explanation to a proposed problem
An educated guess? The importance of a hypothesis in research:
Generally, when people think of a hypothesis they will define it simply as an educated guess. But for scientific research a hypothesis is a bit more intricate than that and will act as the basis from which you design experiments.
In research you often start with a proposed problem to solve or a question you would like to answer. To answer this question, you will read papers relating to your topic and you may also talk to your PI or other lab mentors in order to develop possible explanations or solutions to your problem. These possibilities will become your testable hypotheses that will guide what experiments you do to solve your problem.
What is a hypothesis?
Miriam Webster defines a hypothesis as follows:
1a: an assumption or concession made for the sake of argument
b: an interpretation of a practical situation or condition taken as the ground for action
2: a tentative assumption made in order to draw out and test its logical or empirical consequences
For this guide we will be using the second definition 2: a tentative assumption made in order to draw out and test its logical or empirical consequences. For science, the hypothesis forms the basis of your scientific experiments and therefore it must be testable and you want to be careful and deliberate when forming your hypothesis.
How to generate a hypothesis:
The basic criteria of a hypothesis:
It must be testable.
It must be possible for the hypothesis to be proven false.
It must be possible for the hypothesis to be proven true.
Whatever results you get must be reproducible
Formulating a research hypothesis in 3 steps.
State the question or problem you are addressing in your research.
Have a clear and defined focus and make sure your hypothesis actually addresses the question
Try to formulate your hypothesis using the if/then method
If an action is taken then this will occur.
Not every question will be conducive to this format but this is a good place to start.
Define the Variables
A hypothesis should examine the relationship between an independent and a dependent variable. The independent variable is what you will be changing in your experiment(The if) and the dependent variable is the effect (the then)
A simple example
You are trying to determine the effects of sleep deprivation on appetite. You have read on up previous research done on sleep deprivation and now want to form your hypothesis. Your main question is how will a reduction in sleep affect a person’s appetite. Based on your research you hypothesize that If you were to reduce the amount of sleep a person were to get, then their appetite would be reduced. In this case the independent variable would be number of hours of sleep and the dependent variable would be the effects on appetite.
Questions to ask yourself as you generate the hypothesis.
1. What question am I asking?
2. What do I think will happen?
3. How would I test this?
4. What variables are important?
Questions to ask yourself once you have generated the hypothesis.
1. Is the hypothesis clearly stated?
2. Does the hypothesis address the research question?
3. Does the hypothesis contain an easily identifiable dependent and independent variable?
4. Is the hypothesis testable and able to be proven either true or false?
5. Does the hypothesis explain what you expect to happen?
References & Further Reading
https://www.enago.com/academy/how-to-develop-a-good-research-hypothesis/
