Writing Hypotheses

 Definition
 Variables

 Formatting Hypotheses

 Linking Conclusions to

Hypotheses
 Definition
A hypothesis is a tentative statement that proposes a possible explanation to
some phenomenon or event. A useful hypothesis is a testable statement
which may include a prediction.

A hypotheses should not be confused with a theory.

Theories are general explanations based on a large amount of data.

For example, the theory of evolution applies to all living things and is based
on wide range of observations. However, there are many things about
evolution that are not fully understood such as gaps in the fossil record. Many
hypotheses have been proposed and tested.
 Definition
The key word is testable. That is, you will
perform a test of how two variables
might be related. This is when you are
doing a real experiment. You are testing
variables.
 Variables
A variable is any factor, trait, or
condition that can exist in differing
amounts or types. An experiment
usually has two kinds of
variables: independent and
dependent.
 Variables
The independent variable is the one that is changed
by the scientist. A good experiment has only one
independent variable. As the scientist changes the
independent variable, he or she observes what
happens.

The scientist focuses his or her observations on the

dependent variable to see how it responds to the
change made to the independent variable. The new
value of the dependent variable is caused by and
depends on the value of the independent variable.
 Variables
Example:
If you open a faucet (the independent variable), the
quantity of water flowing (dependent variable) changes
in response--you observe that the water flow increases.

Independent Variable (What I change)

Water faucet opening (closed, half open, fully open)

Dependent Variable (What I observe)

Amount of water flowing measured in liters per minute
 Practice

Identify the dependent and the independent variables

in each of the following:

1. Chocolate may cause pimples

Dependent Variable: Pimples
Independent Variable: Chocolate

2. Salt in soil may affect plant growth.

Dependent Variable: plant growth
Independent Variable: salt in soil
 Practice

3. Is plant growth affected by the color of the light?

Dependent Variable: Plant Growth
Independent Variable: light

4. Bacterial growth may be affected by temperature.

Dependent Variable: Bacterial growth

Independent Variable: temperature
 Practice

5. If skin cancer is related to ultraviolet light , then

people with a high exposure to ultraviolet light will
have a higher frequency of skin cancer.

Dependent Variable: skin cancer

Independent Variable: ultraviolet light
 Practice

6. Temperature may cause leaves to change color.

Dependent Variable: leaf colour change
Independent Variable: temperature
 Formatting Hypothesis
Hypotheses take three formats:
 A question, "Does temperature affect
fermentation?“
 A conditional statement, "Temperature may affect
fermentation.“
 An If, then statement, "If fermentation rate is
related to temperature, then increasing the
temperature will increase gas production.
(formalized hypothesis)
 Formalized Hypothesis
A caution is necessary at this point.
Beware! Not all "if-then“
statements are hypotheses.
For example, "If you warm yeast, then more gas will be
produced." This is a simple prediction, not a
hypothesis! The problem with this statement is that
there is no proposition to test. What is related to what?
Is temperature a variable? Is yeast a variable? Is gas
production a variable?
 Formalized Hypothesis
The use of the phrase "is related" is intentional
in these examples. Other phrases such as "is
affected" will work here, but I prefer "is related"
because it reminds students that we are
investigating relationships, not just cause and
effect events. Students get into less trouble if
they stick to this phrase.
 Formalized Hypothesis
In a formalized hypothesis, a tentative relationship
is
stated. For example, if the frequency of winning
(dependent) is related to frequency of buying
lottery tickets (independent). "Then" is followed by
a prediction of what will happen if you increase or
decrease the frequency of buying lottery tickets. If
you always ask yourself that if one thing is related
to another, then you should be able to test it.
 A Very Important Note
A hypothesis is still valid even when results are
the opposite of what is predicted because it will
still shed light on the true nature of the
relationship being tested. This lowers the risks of
being wrong. For example, "If the period of a
pendulum is related to its length, then the longer
the pendulum the shorter the period." Actually
the results show just the opposite is true.
 A Very Important Note
Hypotheses that predict unrelated variables
are also useful. For example, "If the period
of a pendulum is related to its mass, then
increasing the mass will increase the
period." As it turns out, the mass has no
effect at all, as the student will discover
while testing this hypothesis.
 Linking Conclusions to
Hypotheses
Students are to restate what is the relationship,
describe it, and tell how she/he knows it is so.

The key to good conclusions is to establish standards

for what is expected and then model it. A solid
conclusion should always relate back to the original
hypothesis, describe how the relationship works, and
relate how the data supports this conclusion.
Conclusions are often inferences drawn from what
observations and data imply.