aims and hypotheses

Question 1

What’s an aim?

Answer 1

The aim is where you state what you are going to do in your study
Should include what is being studied and what the study is trying to achieve

Question 2

How to formulate an aim?

Answer 2

1. Start of with the phrase ‘to investigate…’
2. In most studies you investigate the effect of the IV on the DV so the sentence needs to be structured accordingly
3. In correlational studies, you’re investigating the relationship between two variables

Question 3

What’s a hypothesis?

Answer 3

A testable prediction which states what you are expect to find
The type you formulate is dependent upon whether you are using an experimental or non-experimental method

Question 4

What’s a directional hypothesis?

Answer 4

If past research has shown that a certain result is likely to occur then our hypothesis is directional
It predicts the direction the results will go a.k.a. one-tailed

Question 5

What’s a non-directional hypothesis?

Answer 5

If we are unsure what the outcome of our research will be then the hypothesis will be non-directional as we have not specified the direction the results will go in a.k.a. two-tailed

Question 6

How do you write a non-directional hypothesis?

Answer 6

It can’t say which group will do better/worse just that there is some kind of difference

Question 7

How do you write a directional hypothesis?

Answer 7

Include both conditions of your IV at the start and end of the hypothesis and the effect this will have on the DV in the middle