Hypothesis formulation based on knowledge: a note

Hypothesis formulation based on knowledge [justified beliefs]: a note for research methods students doing correlation study.

Formulating hypothesis statements requires justification with relevant knowledge (i.e. justified beliefs):

Beliefs are justified with knowledge from"

1. academic literature review (top choice)

2. Government publications,

3. newspapers, and 

4. personal personal observations.

A classical example for discussion purpose is:

A hypothesis (null) : all swans are white. (based on existing findings from credible sources, e.g. the academic literature)

An alternative hypothesis is: not all swans are white.

The main aim of hypothesis testing is not "to prove that the null hypothesis statement is correct"; but to find out if the empirical evidence (e.g. your sample statistics) is sufficient to reject the null hypothesis (re: study Popper's falsification).

*** Now, note these: 

a. If your hypothesis test result rejects your null hypothesis, it does not mean that your research method exercise (e.g. hypothesis testing on correlation relationship) is a failure.

b. If your hypothesis test does not reject your null hypothesis, it does not prove that you null hypothesis statement is correct; it just means that that your test result (on you sample statistics) does not reject your null hypothesis.