Which statement best describes the role of a hypothesis in research?

• A. It describes all variables
• B. It reviews alternative methods
• C. It predicts the results of the study
• D. It provides a probability calculation of success

Answer: (C)

A hypothesis is a testable prediction about the relationship between variables. It states what you expect to find under certain conditions, often describing how changes in an independent variable will affect a dependent variable. This explicit forecast guides how you design the study, what data you collect, and how you analyze the results, because you’re testing whether the data support or refute that specific prediction.

It’s not simply describing all variables—that would be more about definitions and measurement—nor is it about reviewing methods from the literature, which is planning and background work. It also isn’t a probability calculation of success; that belongs to statistical planning and analysis.