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Dierence Between Hypothesis and Theory

September2,2016BySurbhiS LeaveaComment

Theprimarytool,intheresearchprocess,isahypothesis,thatintendstosuggest
newexperimentsandobservations.Therearemanyexperimentswhichare
undertakenwiththesoleobjectiveoftestinghypothesis.Itreferstoasupposition,
regardinganobservablephenomenonofarelationshipbetweenvarious
phenomena.Thehypothesisisoftencontrastedwiththetermtheorywhichimplies
anidea,typicallyproven,whichaimsatexplainingfactsandevents.Both
hypothesisandtheoryareimportantcomponentsofdevelopinganapproach,but
thesearenotsame.Thereexistafinelineofdifferencebetweenhypothesisand
theory,discussedinthisarticle,havealook.
Content: Hypothesis Vs Theory
1.ComparisonChart
2.Definition
3.KeyDifferences
4.Conclusion

Comparison Chart

BASISFOR
HYPOTHESIS THEORY
COMPARISON

Meaning Aneducatedguess,based Theoryisawellsubstantiated

oncertaindata,asan explanationofnatural
inceptionforfurther phenomena,whichis
researchorinvestigation continuouslyvalidatedthrough
iscalledhypothesis. experimentationand
observation.

Basedon Limieddata Widerangeofdata

Testing& Itisnotscientifically Itisscientificallytestedand

Proving testedandproven. proven.

Relieson Projectionorpossibility. Evidenceandverification.

Result Uncertain Certain

Relationship Outcomeoftheory. Formulatedthroughhypothesis.

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Denition of Hypothesis
Anunprovenstatementoramereassumptiontobeprovedordisproved,abouta
factor,onwhichtheresearcherisinterested,iscalledahypothesis.Itisatentative
statement,whichisconcernedwiththerelationshipbetweentwoormore
phenomena,asspecifiedbythetheoreticalframework.Thehypothesishastogo
throughatest,todetermineitsvalidity.

Inotherwords,thehypothesisisapredictivestatement,whichcanbeobjectively
verifiedandtestedthroughscientificmethods,andrelatestheindependentfactor
tothedependentone.Toaresearcher,ahypothesisismorelikeaquestionwhich
heintendstoresolve.Thesalientfeaturesofhypothesisare:

Itmustbeclearandpreciseorelsethereliabilityoftheinferencesdrawnwill
bequestioned.
Itcanbeputtothetest.
Ifthehypothesisisrelational,itshouldstatetherelationshipbetween
independentanddependentvariables.
Thehypothesisshouldbeopenandresponsivetotestingwithinthestipulated
time.
Itshouldbelimitedinscopeandmustbeclearlydefined.

Denition of Theory
Anideaorabroadrangeofideasthatareassumedtobetrue,whichaimsat
explainingcauseandeffectrelationshipbetweenmultipleobservedphenomena.It
isbasedonhypothesis,whichafterathoroughanalysisandcontinuoustestingand
confirmationthroughobservationandexperiments,becomesatheory.Asitis
KeyDifferences
backedbyevidence,itisscientificallyproven. 2,926likes

Justlikehypothesis,theoriescanalsobeacceptedorrejected.Asmoreandmore
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informationisgatheredonthesubject,theoriesaremodifiedaccordingly,to
increasetheaccuracyofpredictionovertime.
Bethefirstofyourfriendstolikethis

Key Dierences Between Hypothesis and Theory

Thepointsgivenbelowarevital,sofarasthedifferencebetweenhypothesis
andtheoryisconcerned:

1.Hypothesisreferstoasupposition,basedonfewpiecesofevidence,as
aninceptionoffurtherresearchorinvestigation.Atheoryisawell
affirmedexplanationofnaturalphenomena,whichisfrequently
validatedthroughexperimentationandobservation.

2.Whilethehypothesisisbasedonalittleamountofdata,thetheoryis
basedonawidesetofdata.

3.Thehypothesisisanunprovenstatementthatcanbetested.Onthe
otherhand,thetheoryisascientificallytestedandprovenexplanation
offactorevent.

4.Hypothesisreliesonsuggestions,prediction,possibilityorprojects
whereasatheoryissupportedbyevidenceandisverified.

5.Thehypothesismayormaynotbeprovedtrue,sotheresultis
uncertain.Onthecontrary,thetheoryisone,thatisassumedtobe
trueandsoitsresultiscertain.

6.Hypothesisandtheoryaretwolevelsofthescientificmethod,i.e.
theoryfollowshypothesisandthebasisforresearchishypothesis
whoseoutcomeisatheory.

Conclusion
Bothhypothesisandtheoryaretestableandfalsifiable.Whenahypothesisis
provedtrue,bypassingallcriticaltestsandanalysis,itbecomesatheory.So,the
hypothesisisverydifferentfromtheory,astheformerissomethingunprovenbut
thelatterisaprovenandtestedstatement.