Hypotheses and variables

• What is a hypothesis?

  An explanation for behavior tested objectively
• What does formulating an aim involve?

  A general statement explaining the study's purpose
• What is a variable?

  Anything that can change or vary
• What is the independent variable (IV)?


  Deliberately changed in an experiment
• What is the dependent variable (DV)?

  What is being measured in an experiment
• What does operationalisation mean?

  Making variables clearly defined and measurable
• What is a testable hypothesis?

  A clear precise statement with DV and IV levels
• What is an alternative hypothesis?

  Statement of relationship between variables
• What is a null hypothesis?

  Statement of no relationship between variables
• How do alternative and null hypotheses differ?

  Alternative states a relationship; null states none