#31 Research Question vs. Hypothesis

When I was working on my first research project, I was struggling to understand the difference between a research question and a hypothesis.

My first manuscript had lots of interesting analyses, and visualizations but the research question was not clear. What I was doing was blurry.

If you also struggle with this too, this post is for you.

Let’s look at the key differences.

1. Their definitions

- Research Question: A question that guides research, an open-ended question. For example: "What are the effects of plastic waste on marine ecosystems?"

- Hypothesis: This is a statement you can test based on existing knowledge. For example: "If screen time decreases, then sleep quality improves."

2. What are their purposes?

- Research Question: It identifies a topic or problem to be explored and analyzed.

- Hypothesis: It offers a possible explanation for a phenomenon that can be tested.

3. How do you form them?

- Research Question: It’s defined through a process of inquiry into existing literature where you identify gaps or unanswered questions.

- Hypothesis: It’s formed based on literature review and understanding of theories.

4. Can you test them?

- Research Question: It may not be directly testable but leads to data collection and analysis.

- Hypothesis: It’s usually narrower and is designed to be empirically tested and either supported or refuted by your research findings.

5. How do you use them in research?

- Research Question:Generally used in qualitative research to explore and better understand phenomena.

- Hypothesis: Usually used in experimental/quantitative research.

6. How flexible are they?

- Research Question: Can be more flexible than hypotheses. This allows for refinement through the research process.

- Hypothesis: Generally fixed. If you change it, this can affect the research outcomes.

7. What are their relationships to theory?

- Research Question: It can be exploratory and may or may not be directly linked to existing theory.

- Hypothesis: Grounded in existing theory, it provides a framework for interpreting results and building new knowledge.

Quick Tips:

- Research questions can be descriptive, exploratory, or explanatory, depending on the nature of your research. Keep in mind that you can have multiple research questions in a single study.

- Hypotheses can be directional (predicting a specific direction of the relationship) or non-directional (predicting a relationship without specifying the direction).

If you understand the differences, you will be in a better position to have a solid research project.

That's all for this week.

If you have additional suggestions, please let us know in the comments.

As always, if you need clarification or assistance with your research projects, feel free to reach out to me, and I will respond.

See you next Sunday and Happy researching!

Jamal