Hypothesis
The main purpose of a hypothesis/ thesis statement is to inform the reader of the focus of the research assignment. it is in the thesis statement or hypothesis that you state to the reader the variables that will be tested in your research. In fact, a thesis statement on any assignment plays a critical role in the success of the assignment. How then do you formulate a thesis statement?
It is paramount to note that a thesis statement is a tentative explanation of a phenomenon, and it is not the only explanation to the problem in question; the hypothesis help to guide the research process. Through testing a thesis statement on any subject, the explanation can either be approved as a theory, or discarded, or subjected to further testing.
Characteristics of a good hypothesis
- Is constructed after gaining substantial knowledge on the nature of the problem, extent and intensity of the problem.
- It should feature throughout the research
- Should be tentative, however, it should not be so simple or generalized.
- A research problem can have more than one hypothesis
Criteria for formulating a hypothesis/ thesis statement
A hypothesis or thesis statement on any assignment should meet the criteria below:
Should be:
- Clear
- Testable
- Specific
- Valid
- Logical and simple
- Correlated with a specific theory
- Consistent with the available research techniques
- Consistent with other thesis statements in the same field of study
- Relevant to a collection of the observable phenomenon as opposed to presenting value judgment only
Testing a hypothesis/ thesis statement
The main reason of testing a hypothesis or thesis statement on any project is to determine whether the explanation given is supported by facts. As such, to test a hypothesis or thesis statement effectively, you must sufficient knowledge on variables to be tested. This calls for an extensive literature review.