Q:- Define hypothesis and explain the different functions

they perform in a research process.

Hypotheses are the questions scientists ask as they use the scientific method to
understand the world. People use the process of formulating then attempting to
disprove a hypothesis in their everyday lives as well. The function of the hypothesis
is to give structure to the process of understanding how the world works.

A hypothesis is an educated guess, based on the probability of an outcome.

Scientists formulate hypotheses after they understand all the current research on
their subject. Hypotheses specify the relationship between at least two variables, and
are testable. For a hypothesis to function properly, other scientists must be able to
reproduce the results that prove or disprove it. Two types of hypotheses exist: a
descriptive hypothesis asks a question, and a directional hypothesis makes a
statement.

Scientific Method
 The scientific method is the process by which hypotheses function. Scientists use
the scientific method to, over time, form an accurate picture of the world. The
scientific method attempts to remove the scientist's bias from the research. The four
parts of the scientific method are observation and description, formulation of a
hypothesis, use of the hypothesis for prediction and performance of testing of the
hypothesis. Scientists use the scientific method to disprove hypotheses, rather than
prove them. It they cannot be disproved, the hypotheses over time become accepted
theories.

Experiments
 The most important function hypotheses perform is providing the framework for
testing and experimentation. Scientists formulate a hypothesis, or ask a question,
about a certain phenomenon and how it relates to other aspects of the world. Then
they devise ways to try to disprove their theory as to the answer. For instance, if a
scientist made a hypothesis that what goes up must come down, he would test it by
throwing many items in the air to see if they do come down. Because scientists
cannot test every single possible item for this theory, hypotheses are never proven.
However, after many scientists have experimented with the hypothesis, it becomes
accepted scientific theory.

Formulating Hypotheses
 Scientists make a hypothesis by comparing the phenomenon being studied to
another phenomenon. For instance, in the real world, a person might decide that her
house is cold because a window is open. She would test this theory by checking the
windows. If the windows are closed, then that hypothesis is proven false, and
another is formed when the person decides that her house is probably cold because
the furnace isn't working properly. The process of forming and disproving hypotheses
continues until a person makes a hypothesis that cannot be disproved.
 Hypothesis and Support
 Scientists seek to create an accurate representation of the world through consistent
experimentation. They use standardized methods to avoid bias. Scientists form a
hypothesis after observing a particular phenomenon. The scientist then uses the
hypothesis to predict other phenomena. A hypothesis with a lot of evidence
supporting it can eventually become a theory or law. Even as a theory or law,
scientists can always disprove the hypothesis later on. There is always the potential
that scientists poorly interpreted the data. New evidence might come out to disprove
the hypothesis.

Testability
 No matter how believable the hypothesis is, it must conform to collected empirical
data to have validity. The theory must also be testable, or it is not considered a
scientific theory. For example, scientists cannot create scientific theories about
molecules that have no observable characteristics.

Disproving Theories
 A hypothesis with supporting evidence can eventually be disproved when scientists
discover problems with the original experiments that produced the data. There might
have been problems with the measuring instruments, and some experimental
methods have inherent flaws, such as the influence that experimenters have on
animals during naturalistic observations. Scientists must consider all the potential
problems that can emerge in the experimental model and must take measures to
prevent these errors. In addition, experimenters might have preferences for one
outcome over another, so the experimenters must make sure they do not form
conclusions based on their expectations instead of based on the data.

Alternative Theories
 When scientists come up with a hypothesis, they must come up with alternative
possibilities to avoid drawing erroneous conclusions. They must consider that there
is more than one explanation of a phenomenon. Scientists must constantly look for
flaws in their hypothesis. In addition, other scientists are constantly looking for flaws
in each others' hypotheses.

Proving the Hypothesis

 When data show the hypothesis might be correct, the hypothesis is still not proven.
There is no point at which a hypothesis becomes proven through testing. Each test
simply makes the hypothesis seem more likely to be true. Even highly respected and
often applied scientific theories like the laws of thermodynamics aren't considered
proven. They're considered only to be possibly true and close to the truth.

 Types of Research Hypotheses

Before scientists can begin working on a question that interests them, they need to
formulate a research hypothesis. This is an important step in the scientific method
 because it determines the direction of the study. Scientists need to scrutinize
previous work in the area and select an experimental design to use that helps them
find data that either supports or rejects their hypothesis. Research hypotheses are of
four types: null, directional, nondirectional and causal.

Null Hypothesis
 This is the conventional approach to making a prediction. It involves a statement that
says there is no relationship between two groups that the researcher compares on a
certain variable. The hypothesis also may state that there is no significant difference
when different groups are compared with respect to a particular variable. For
example, “There is no difference in the academic performance of high school
students who participate in extracurricular activities and those who do not participate
in such activities” is a null hypothesis. In many cases, the purpose of a null
hypothesis is to allow the experimental results to contradict the hypothesis and prove
the point that there is a definite relationship.

Nondirectional Hypothesis
 Certain hypothesis statements convey a relationship between the variables that the
researcher compares, but do not specify the exact nature of this relationship. This
form of hypothesis is used in studies where there is no sufficient past research on
which to base a prediction. Continuing with the same example, a nondirectional
hypothesis would read, “The academic performance of high school students is
related to their participation in extracurricular activities.”

Directional Hypothesis
 This type of hypothesis suggests the outcome the investigator expects at the end of
the study. Scientific journal articles generally use this form of hypothesis. The
investigator bases this hypothesis on the trends apparent from previous research on
this topic. Considering the previous example, a researcher may state the hypothesis
as, “High school students who participate in extracurricular activities have a lower
GPA than those who do not participate in such activities.” Such hypotheses provide
a definite direction to the prediction.

Causal Hypothesis
 Some studies involve a measurement of the degree of influence of one variable on
another. In such cases, the researcher states the hypothesis in terms of the effect of
variations in a particular factor on another factor. This causal hypothesis is said to be
bivariate because it specifies two aspects -- the cause and the effect. For the
example mentioned, the causal hypothesis will state, “High school students who
participate in extracurricular activities spend less time studying which leads to a
lower GPA.” When verifying such hypotheses, the researcher needs to use statistical
techniques to demonstrate the presence of a relationship between the cause and
effect. Such hypotheses also need the researcher to rule out the possibility that the
effect is a result of a cause other than what the study has examined.