Aims and Hypotheses

Question 1

What is an Aim?

Answer 1

An aim is a general statement about the purpose of an investigation. For example, “the purpose of this study is to investigate the difference in intelligence across genders”.

Question 2

What is a Hypothesis?

Answer 2

What you expect to find; a prediction that can be tested.

Question 3

What is the difference between Aim and Hypothesis?

Answer 3

Aim: what you are looking for.
Hypothesis: what you expect to find.

They are both statements, not questions.

Question 4

What are the 2 types of Hypotheses?

Answer 4

1. Null hypothesis
2. Alternative hypothesis

Question 5

What is a Null Hypothesis?

Answer 5

There is no difference or relationship between variables (e.g., men and women are equally intelligent).

Question 6

What is an Alternative Hypothesis?

Answer 6

There is a difference or relationship between variables (e.g., men and women are not equally intelligent, e.g., women are more intelligent than men).

Question 7

What is Experimental Hypotheses?

Answer 7

An alternative hypothesis is often referred to as the experimental hypothesis. However, this is the case only when using an experiment as a research method.

Question 8

The alternative or experimental hypothesis may be:

Answer 8

1. Non-directional hypothesis
2. Directional hypothesis

Question 9

What is a Non-directional Hypothesis?

Answer 9

Predicts a general difference between variables (e.g., men and women are not equally intelligent)

Question 10

What is a Directional Hypothesis?

Answer 10

Predicts a difference between variables in a particular direction (e.g., woman are more intelligent than men)