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Hypothesis Formulation: A Comprehensive Step Guide

Have you ever been intrigued by the old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”? Are you curious if there’s any truth to it? To discover the answer, we must first establish a valid hypothesis. But what is a hypothesis, you ask? Hello, I’m Dr. Friederike Jurth, here to guide you through your academic journey.

Demystifying the Concept of Hypothesis and Laying the Groundwork for Effective Research

So, let’s dissect a hypothesis. It’s a provisional claim about what you anticipate to discover through your research. It isn’t merely a wild guess, but an educa

ted conjecture derived from prior knowledge. Why don’t you grab an apple and let’s dig deeper into this interesting subject! Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create a compelling hypothesis.

Step 1: Pose a Question

Creating a hypothesis begins with a research query you’re interested in addressing. This question should be precise, targeted, and investigable. For example: What are the health benefits of eating an apple a day?

Step 2: Conduct Preliminary Research

Your initial answer to the question should be grounded in existing knowledge on the subject. Investigate theories and past research to guide your educated guess. For instance, you might discover that apples are high in vitamin C and can enhance your immune system, which could lead to fewer visits to the doctor.

Step 3: Draft Your Hypothesis

Once you’ve completed your preliminary research, note down your primary response to the question in a succinct and clear sentence. For instance: Daily apple consumption results in fewer doctor’s visits.

Step 4: Polish Your Hypothesis

In this phase, ensure that your hypothesis is both specific and verifiable. It should include pertinent variables, the anticipated result of the experiment or analysis, and the particular group under examination. For our purpose, let’s focus on people aged over 60.

Step 5: Articulate Your Hypothesis in Three Forms

First, we can use the “if-then” form. If people over the age of 60 consume an apple daily, then their frequency of doctor’s visits will decrease. The first part mentions the independent variable – daily apple consumption. The second part refers to the dependent variable – the frequency of doctor’s visits.

Secondly, you can phrase your hypothesis in terms of a correlation or effect. For instance: Daily apple consumption in over-60s will result in fewer doctor’s visits.

Lastly, a hypothesis can be expressed by comparing two groups. People over the age of 60 who eat an apple daily visit the doctor less often than those who don’t.

Step 6: Construct a Null Hypothesis

If your research involves statistical hypothesis testing, you’ll also need to formulate a null hypothesis. This type of hypothesis presumes no relationship between the variables. In our case, the null hypothesis would be: Daily apple consumption in the over-60s will have no impact on the frequency of doctor’s visits.

If you’re looking for more examples of how to create a hypothesis, be sure to check out the additional resources provided in this web content. That’s a wrap on crafting a hypothesis! If you found this informative and want more, leave a comment or question below. Stay tuned for more content!

Helpful Resources for Further Reference

About the author:

Dr. Friederike Jurth

Possibly you already heard of me through different media channels. My name is Dr. Friederike Jurth, and I hold a certificate from Harvard in Higher Education Teaching. Since 2010, I have given lectures on Methodology, Empirical Research, Anthropology, and Transcultural (Music) Studies in collaboration with universities in the United States, Germany, Spain, and Brazil. In 2010, I began a 7-year-long fieldwork project in Rio de Janeiro and have since presented my research at conferences worldwide, including in Japan, the United States, Australia, Brazil, Thailand, Switzerland, and many other countries. Additionally, I have worked as a lecturer and researcher with Germany’s renowned UNESCO Chair.

After completing my doctoral dissertation with summa cum laude, I aimed to unite, condense, and share the steps, ways, and details of my unique methodological and structural approach that I developed during my Ph.D. and that ultimately helped me achieve this result. By concentrating and putting them together into an elaborate academic conception, MyThesis Academy was born. Motivated by the sole aim and objective to help my students through all steps and stages of their thesis journey, MyThesis Academy enables them to achieve their best possible results in the shortest time, independent of their specific area of research.

In addition to my extensive teaching and research experience, I am part of the authors of the Cambridge Companion to Music in Brazil 2024, published by Cambridge University Press & Assessment, where I contribute as a Cambridge Author. This work is a co-operative project conducted remotely from Cambridge, England, United Kingdom.