A hypothesis is a conjectural statement of the relation between two or more variables.

(Kerlinger, 1956)

Hypotheses are single tentative guesses, good hunches assumed for use in devising theory or
planning experiments intended to be given a direct experimental test when possible. (Eric Rogers, 1966)

Hypothesis is a formal statement that presents the expected relationship between an independent and
dependent variable.(Creswell, 1994)

A hypothesis is a logical supposition, a reasonable guess, an educated conjecture. It provides a tentative

explanation for a phenomenon under investigation." (Leedy and Ormrod, 2001).

A hypothesis is a specific, testable prediction about what you expect to happen in your study. For
example, a study designed to look at the relationship between study habits and test anxiety might
have a hypothesis that states, This study is designed to assess the hypothesis that students with
better study habits will suffer less test anxiety. Unless your study is exploratory in nature.Our
hypothesis should always explain what we expect to happen during the course of your experiment or
research

Need.
Guides/gives direction to the study/investigation.

Defines Facts that are relevant and not relevant.

Suggests which form of research design is likely to be the most appropriate.

Provides a framework for organizing the conclusions of the findings.

Limits the research to specific area.

Offers explanations for the relationships between those variables that can be empirically tested.

Furnishes proof that the researcher has sufficient background knowledge to enable her/him to make
suggestions in order to extend existing knowledge

Structures the next phase in the investigation and therefore furnishes continuity to the examination
of the problem

Hypotheses can take various forms, depending on the question being asked and the type of study
being conducted.Some hypotheses may simply describe how two things may be related. For
example, correlational research.In others the researcher might hypothesize that one variable causes
a change in the other variable (causal relationship.In their simplest forms, hypotheses are typically
phrased as if-then statements.

Categorizing Hypotheses
1. Null Hypotheses and Alternate Hypotheses
 Null hypothesis always predicts that no differences between the groups being studied (e.g.,
experimental vs. control group) or no relationship between the variables being studied.
Whereas , alternate hypothesis always predicts that there will be a difference between the
groups being studied (or a relationship between the variables being studied)

2. DEDUCTIVE

The deductive approach is when a hypothesis is developed from an already existing theory.
They start with a social theory that they find compelling and then test its implications with
data. They move from a more general level to a more specific one. A deductive approach to
research is the one that people typically associate with scientific investigation. The
researcher studies what others have done, reads existing theories and then tests hypotheses
that emerge from those theories.

2. INDUCTIVE

In an inductive approach to research, a researcher begins by collecting data that is

relevant to his or her topic of interest. Once a considerable amount of data has been
collected, the researcher will then take a time out from data collection, stepping back to
get a birds eye view of their data. At this stage, the researcher looks for patterns in the
data, working to develop a theory that could explain those patterns.

Example
A sales manager might observe that customers are perhaps not pleased as they used to
be. The manager may not be certain that this is really the case but may experience
anxiety and some uneasiness that customer satisfaction is on the decline. This process
of observation or sensing of the phenomena around us is what gets most of the
research- whether applied or basic- started.

The next step is to determine whether there is a real problem, and if so, how serious it is. This
problem identification calls for some preliminary data gathering.The manager might talk to a few
customers to find out how they feel about the products and customer service. The manager
might find that the customers like the products but are upset because many of the times the
product is out of stock, and they perceive the salesperson as not being helpful.
From discussions with some of the salespersons , the manager might discover that the
factory does not supply the goods on time . Salespersons might also indicate that they try to
please the customers by communicating the delivery dates given to them by the factory.
Integration of the information obtained through the informal and formal interviewing process
has helped the manager to determine that the problem does exist. It also helps the manager
to formulate a conceptual model or theoretical framework of all the factors contributing to the
problem.
Thus, the following factors contribute to the problem:
Delays by the factory in delivering goods
The notification of later delivery dates that are not kept.
The promises of the salespersons to the customers that cannot be fulfilled .
All of these factors contribute to customer dissatisfaction .