An hypothesis is an important scientific concept. Thus, it is important to define hypothesis. What is an hypothesis? Below is a definition of an hypothesis with respect to scientific research. (1)
Hypothesis Definition:
A hypothesis (which may be based on theory or prior findings) is a prediction concerning the relationship between variables or the outcome of a scientific study.
Hypothesis Examples:
Providing examples of hypotheses may help to clarify the meaning of an hypothesis, and also help in learning how to write an hypothesis.
Below are two examples:
1. Imagine you were interested in investigating the influence of humor in ads on sales. Your hypothesis could be the following:
A funny ad will result in more sales than an ad that is not funny.
2. Now imagine that you were interested in investigating whether the number of pages in a book influences book sales. Your hypothesis could be the following:
Books with more pages will sell more copies.
Notes
1. The article, Null Hypothesis, has a definition and example of the null hypothesis.