why do we need a hypothesis?

Question

Why do researchers use a hypothesis when conducting a study?

Answer 1

writing the Hypothesis is a good way to write down what you think will happen in the experiment. "what you think"
then after the experiment, you see what actually happened.
if your hypothesis was similar to the conclusion- bravo! you understand the logical process behind the experiment and can guess what would happen in other experiments.
but if your hypothesis was different from your conclusion, it means you have to go back, see what mistake you made in logical reasoning. ask yourself, why couldn't i have guessed what would happen in the experiment.
when you get that, you attain a new level of logical reasoning and you can guess accurately in what would happen in similar experiment.

apart from that, hypothesis helps clear misunderstandings, supose the whole thinks Genetically modified foods are good. it is important to state that.
after the experiment on mice you conclude that Genetically modified foods are bad.
so it's actually just showing that I thought 'that' but actually it is 'this'... and so forth.

yeah, that's alot!
i just mean that the hypothesis helps you correct your thinking process or learn new things.
scientists don't write the hypothesis, it's there in their minds. so teachers are just teaching you to have a habit of keeping the hypothesis in mind (while you do the experiment.)

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Answer 2

A hypothesis is the first step in the scientific method. The hypothesis outlines the phenomenon you wish to prove or disprove through observation and/or experimentation.

It is used to provide a basis for a scientific study based on observation and/or experimentation. With out a hypothesis your body of work will not be readily defined or understood. This is necessary for additional experimentation to support your hypothesis, once the body of evidence is sufficient the hypothesis becomes a theory, which is a generally accepted scientific principle.

Answer 3

It is a tentative explanation to a problem, which then needs to be tested to see if it stands up. This is the lynchpin of the sceitnific method . . . testing an idea to see if it is true by experiment and observation.

Answer 4

to derive an answer to a question, one needs to try out many hypothetical answers to the question, by the hit and trial methods, hence the hypothetical situations leading to answer create the experience of a HYPOTHESIS

Answer 5

Its a jumping off point and gives them something to test.