research methods

• The AIM is developed from theories and is a general statement about the purpose of an investigation.
• A HYPOTHESIS is a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation.
• A directional hypothesis will explain HOW you expect something to change in your investigation.
• In a non-directional hypothesis you would say you EXPECT something to change, but NOT how you expect it to change.
• Alternative hypotheses explain what is likely to happen in your experiment, e.g. directional and non-directional hypotheses.
• A null hypothesis states what will happen if the independent variable has no impact on the dependent variable. e.g. if nothing happens