Topics & Hypotheses Flashcards
What are the types of hypotheses?
Inductive
Deductive
Non directional
Directional
Null
What is a hypothesis?
An explanation for the occurrence of certain behaviors, phenomena, or events.
What is meant by operational definition of variables?
Definitions that clarify important terms in a study so that all readers understand the precise meaning the researcher intends
What is a null hypothesis?
States that there is no significant relationship or difference between variables
What are type I and type II errors?
Type I: The researcher incorrectly rejects the null hypothesis
Type II: The researcher incorrectly fails to reject the null hypotheses
How do you determine if you should reject or accept the null hypothesis?
A small p-value (typically ≤ 0.05) indicates strong evidence against the null hypothesis, so you reject the null hypothesis.
A large p-value (> 0.05) indicates weak evidence against the null hypothesis, so you fail to reject the null hypothesis.
p-values very close to the cutoff (0.05) are considered to be marginal (could go either way). Always report the p-value so your readers can draw their own conclusions.
How is the hypothesis used in a specified research paradigm?
Quantitative research
Qualitative research: as a guiding concept
How is the hypothesis related to the null hypothesis?
The null hypothesis states that the difference or relation claimed by the hypothesis does not exist.
How do type I and type II errors relate to the null hypothesis?
Type I: incorrectly rejects null hypothesis
Type II: incorrectly fails to reject the null hypothesis
What is an inductive hypothesis?
Generalization based on specific observations
What is a deductive hypothesis?
Derived from theory, provides evidence that supports, expands, or contradicts the theory
What is the difference between a non-directional hypothesis and a directional hypothesis?
A non-directional hypothesis states that a there is a relationship or difference between variables; a directional hypotheses states the expected direction of the relationship or difference.
