writing a hypothesis for a research paper

A hypothesis is a statement that can be tested by scientific research. If you want to test a relationship between two or more variables, you need to write hypotheses before you start your experiment or data collection.

A hypothesis is a statement that explains the predictions and reasoning of your research—an “educated guess” about how your scientific experiments will end. Use this guide to learn how to write a hypothesis and read successful and unsuccessful examples of a testable hypotheses.

Writing a hypothesis is one of the essential elements of a scientific research paper. It needs to be to the point, clearly communicating what your research is trying to accomplish. A blurry, drawn-out, or complexly-structured hypothesis can confuse your readers.

A research hypothesis is your proposed answer to your research question. The research hypothesis usually includes an explanation (‘ x affects y because …’). A statistical hypothesis, on the other hand, is a mathematical statement about a population parameter.

Key Takeaways. A hypothesis is a testable statement that predicts an outcome based on certain variables. There are different types of hypotheses, including null, alternative, directional, and non-directional. A good hypothesis should be clear, precise, and relevant to the research question.

So, in a nutshell, you (1) look at existing evidence/theories, (2) come up with a hypothesis, (3) make a prediction that allows you to (4) design an experiment or data analysis to test it, and (5) come to a conclusion.