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Unit-3: Basic Concepts : Fact, Concept, Theory and Hypothesis

research gets the motivation for new questions. Goode and Haute believe that any hypothesis tells us note
as to what one in actually looking for. they further elaborate that in a good research work, hypothesis
formation is the basic and central step.
in this way it is quite clear that the hypothesis is of great importance for any research work. in its
absence, it is very difficult to reach any final conclusions. If it is missing the researcher may loose
his way too. With the help of hypothesis only he is able to find out the truth and false of any related
concept and thus reach the actual results. in the absence of hypothesis, the researcher work may be
compared with a tossing ship without.
Following are some of the important points that clarify the importance of hypothesis :
1. Determination of the Goal of the Study—Hypothesis actually decides the goal of the study
or research. We can research and collect the facts related to the topic only once the goal is
clearly defined. Hypothesis tell us that which of the facts have to be collected and which are
useless and have to be left out. Cohen and Nagel, mention that in the absence of hypothesis
the research cannot be done properly and results are treated as indefinite and thoughtless
work. the conclusions that are derived will never be clear in meaning resulting in just a
collection of useless facts.
2. providing suitable Decisions—Hypothesis helps the researcher in guiding towards the right
path and stops him from getting lost. By proving the clear path and direction , the researcher
remains concentrated the on main subject or topic. Hypothesis helps the researcher to remain
on the main path which is the correct one. Von Dalen believes that hypothesis is like that
light in the sky that guides is way in the correct directions only. P.V.Young mentions that
this guidance restricts the researcher to collect excessively the facts and data which later
become only useless and not logical for the researcher.
3. Restricting the Field of Study—Lundberg writes that due to hypothesis we accept our
thought fullness but restrict ourselves in the field of researcher thus making less mistakes
due to set and limited field hypothesis which restricts the researcher by limiting the field of
researcher basing it to the topic only, so he concentrates on the specific topic of the research
only.
4. Bringing Definiteness in Study—Through hypothesis, study can be made definite. Through
this researcher remembers that when, where and which information he has to compile. in it
there is no possibility of irregularity and disorder.
5. Helpful in Collection of Facts—Hypothesis motivates the researcher to compile appropriate
facts related to problem. initially it may also happen that because of ambiguity, we collect a
jungle of facts. But later on from them we have to select some specific facts only. Hypothesis
is helpful in this task. M.H. Gopal has written, “Without hypothesis, researcher may collect
unnecessary or even waste material and actually important and useful facts may be missed
by him.”
6. Helpful in Drawing Conclusions—facts are compiled on the basis of hypothesis and on
the basis of facts only it is known that whether our hypothesis is true or false. in both the
situations we have to do verification which cannot be done due to lack of it. Northrop’s
view is that, “fact existent in any hypothesis may also be a solution to a problem,whether it
is actually a solution,it is the task of investigation.”
7. Helpful in Formulation of Theories—Peter H. Mann’s view is that hypothesis is the link
between facts and principles. in words of M.H. Gopal, “expecting a difference between a
principle and a hypothesis is more than the quantity, because when hypothesis is proved
true and is established then it becomes a part of principle. in this way they are developed
from each other”.
William George has written, “practically a principle is a detailed hypothesis, it is in comparison to
an easy hypothesis is related to more kinds of facts.” We start any social research on the basis of

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