How to write a hypothesis

A hypothesis is nothing more than a verifiable statement to find an answer to a specific question; A formalized hypothesis forces you to think about what results to expect in an experiment.

Therefore, a hypothesis can be used for almost everything, such as testing different results in everyday tasks, identifying a possible ending in an investigation, forming the basis of a scientific experiment, etc.

In this article, you'll learn the reasoning behind it, the different types of hypotheses, as well as how to write a more self-evident hypothesis.

What is a hypothesis?

A hypothesis is a method of forecasting, an attempt to find an answer to something that has not yet been proven, an idea or a proposal based on limited evidence.

In most cases, it is about proposing relationships between two (or more) variables: the independent variable (the change made) and the dependent variable (the measure). For example, suppose you are used to studying all night before an exam, but you are always too tired to understand the subject clearly, which causes you to get bad grades.

Therefore, the hypothesis is that if you study during the day, you will understand the subject and, consequently, you will get a good grade. In this example, the independent variable is the study time and the dependent variables are the understanding of the subject and the grade.

As you can see, a hypothesis can be used in almost any situation, but it is most common to find it in research papers or scientific experiments.

When writing a hypothesis, it is essential to be cautious and thorough before starting to write it down. Since any hypothesis must be tested by facts, direct evidence, and data evidence, even small flaws or misunderstandings in the construction of the hypothesis can have a negative impact on the quality of your research and your subsequent results.

How to write a hypothesis in six steps

1. Ask a question

Writing a hypothesis implies having a question to answer. The question should be direct, concrete and specific. To help identify it, frame this question with the six classic ones: who, what, where, when, why or how. But remember that a hypothesis must be a statement and not a question.

2. Gather primary research

Gathering background information on the topic may require reading various books, academic journals, experiments, and observations, or it may be as simple as an Internet search.

Remember to consider your questions from multiple perspectives; conflicting research can be extremely helpful in developing a hypothesis; you can use your conclusions as possible rebuttals and frame your study to address these concerns.

3. Define your variables

Once you have determined what the question will be, you need to identify the independent and dependent variables, as well as the type of assumptions that apply.

4. Put it in the form of an if-then statement

When constructing a hypothesis, it can be helpful to use an "if-then" format. For example: "If I exercise more, I will lose more weight." This format can be tricky when dealing with multiple variables, but in general it is a reliable way of expressing the cause-and-effect relationship that is being tested.

5. Collect more data to prove your hypothesis

The priority over a hypothesis is to answer the question and prove that it is correct or incorrect. Once you have established your hypothesis and determined your variables, you can begin your experiments. Ideally, you should gather data that supports your hypothesis.

6. Write it down

Finally, once you have written your hypothesis, analyze all the data you have collected and draw your conclusions in the form of a research paper.