You can test a research statement with the help of experimental or theoretical research, known as a hypothesis.
If you want to find out the similarities, differences, and relationships between variables, you must write a testable hypothesis before compiling the data, performing analysis, and generating results to complete.
The data analysis and findings will help you test the hypothesis and see whether it is true or false. Here is all you need to know about how to write a hypothesis for a dissertation.
Not sure what the meaning of the research hypothesis is?
A research hypothesis predicts an answer to the research question based on existing theoretical knowledge or experimental data.
Some studies may have multiple hypothesis statements depending on the research question(s). A research hypothesis must be based on formulas, facts, and theories. It should be testable by data analysis, observations, experiments, or other scientific methodologies that can refute or support the statement.
Developing a hypothesis is easy. Most research studies have two or more variables in the hypothesis, particularly studies involving correlational and experimental research. The researcher can control or change the independent variable(s) while measuring and observing the independent variable(s).
“How long a student sleeps affects test scores.”
In the above statement, the dependent variable is the test score, while the independent variable is the length of time spent in sleep. Developing a hypothesis will be easy if you know your research’s dependent and independent variables.
Once you have developed a thesis statement, questions such as how to write a hypothesis for the dissertation and how to test a research hypothesis become pretty straightforward.
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Here are the steps involved in how to write a hypothesis for a dissertation.
Example: Does exposure to sunlight affect plant growth?
Example:
IV: Amount of sunlight exposure (e.g., 2 hours/day, 4 hours/day, 8 hours/day)
DV: Plant growth (e.g., height in centimetres)
Example: If plants receive more sunlight, then they will grow taller.
A good hypothesis is empirically testable. This means you should be able to design an experiment or observation to test its validity.
Example: You can set up an experiment where plants are exposed to varying amounts of sunlight and then measure their growth over a period of time.
Example: Soil quality, water frequency, or type of plant can all affect growth. Consider keeping these constant in your experiment.
Example: There is no difference in plant growth regardless of the amount of sunlight exposure.
Design an experiment or conduct observations to test your hypothesis.
Example: Grow three sets of plants: one set exposed to 2 hours of sunlight daily, another exposed to 4 hours, and a third exposed to 8 hours. Measure and compare their growth after a set period.
After testing, review your data to determine if it supports your hypothesis.
Try to use “if”… and “then”… to identify the variables. The independent variable should be present in the first part of the hypothesis, while the dependent variable will form the second part of the statement. Consider understanding the below research hypothesis example to create a specific, clear, and concise research hypothesis;
If an obese lady starts attending Zomba fitness classes, her health will improve.
In academic research, you can write the predicted variable relationship directly because most research studies correlate terms.
The number of Zomba fitness classes attended by the obese lady has a positive effect on health.
If your research compares two groups, then you can develop a hypothesis statement on their differences.
An obese lady who attended most Zumba fitness classes will have better health than those who attended a few.
If a statistical analysis is involved in your research, then you must create a null hypothesis. If you find any relationship between the variables, then the null hypothesis will be the default position that there is no relationship between them. H0 is the symbol for the null hypothesis, while the hypothesis is represented as H1. The null hypothesis will also answer your question, “How to test the research hypothesis in the dissertation.”
H0: The number of Zumba fitness classes attended by the obese lady does not affect her health.
H1: The number of Zumba fitness classes attended by obese lady positively affects health.
Research Question: Does the amount of sunlight a plant receives affect its growth?
Hypothesis: Plants that receive more sunlight will grow taller than plants that receive less sunlight.
Research Question: Do students who eat breakfast perform better in school exams than those who don’t?
Hypothesis: Students who eat a morning breakfast will score higher on school exams compared to students who skip breakfast.
Research Question: Does listening to music while studying impact a student’s ability to retain information?
Hypothesis 1 (Directional): Students who listen to music while studying will retain less information than those who study in silence.
Hypothesis 2 (Non-directional): There will be a difference in information retention between students who listen to music while studying and those who study in silence.
If you are unsure about how to rest a research hypothesis in a dissertation or simply unsure about how to develop a hypothesis for your research, then you can take advantage of our dissertation services which cover every tiny aspect of a dissertation project you might need help with including but not limited to setting up a hypothesis and research questions, help with individual chapters, full dissertation writing, statistical analysis, and much more.
