Hypothesis

A hypothesis is a specific, testable statement predicting a relationship between variables. It converts a broad research question into something a statistical test can evaluate, and it must be falsifiable — capable in principle of being contradicted by data.

A directional hypothesis predicts which way the relationship runs (service quality positively influences loyalty) and is tested one-tailed; a non-directional one predicts a relationship without specifying direction and is tested two-tailed. Direction should be justified by theory or prior findings, not chosen to make significance easier.

Each hypothesis pairs with a null hypothesis of no effect, and the test evaluates the null. Number them (H1, H2, H3) consistently across your conceptual framework, methodology and results chapters, and state each one as a full sentence naming both variables and the expected direction.