Elements Written Into Quantitative Research Questions and Hypotheses

One of the basic elements of the quantitative research question or hypothesis writing is the use of variables. A variable can be independent, meaning that it provides the basis for estimation, or the variable can be dependent, which means that its values are being predicted or estimated.

The use of variables restricts quantitative research into one of three categories. In the first category, the research is interested in assessing the impact of a group of independent variables on a single dependent variable. In the second category, the research links one or more independent variables to one or more dependent variables. In the third category, quantitative research describes responses to the variables (independent, mediating, dependent). Another element of writing quantitative research questions or hypotheses is eliminating redundancy.

The wording is also another element put into consideration when writing quantitative research questions or hypotheses. In your hypothesis, you want to make sure that the hypothetical statement(s) is brief and to the point, yet bringing out the full meaning that is intended. For instance, consider a population A; the hypothetical statement for the null hypothesis can be; the mean of A is 50, whereas the corresponding hypothetical statement for the alternative hypothesis can be; the mean of A is not 50. Other elements as given by Creswell that go into a quantitative research question or hypothesis writing are; following a test theory that specifies the type of quantitative research questions that can be asked and the type of hypothesis that can be formulated and ensuring that independent and dependent variables are measured separately.