Working hypothesis
A working hypothesis is a hypothesis that is provisionally accepted as a basis for further ongoing research[1] in the hope that a tenable theory will be produced, even if the hypothesis ultimately fails.[2] Like all hypotheses, a working hypothesis is constructed as a statement of expectations, which can be linked to deductive, exploratory research[3][4] in empirical investigation and is often used as a conceptual framework in qualitative research.[5][6] The term "working" indicates that the hypothesis is subject to change.[3]
Application[edit]
In the field of public administration working hypotheses are used as a conceptual framework for exploratory, applied, empirical research.[28][29][30] Research projects that use working hypotheses use a deductive reasoning or logic of inquiry.[3] In other words, the problem and preliminary theory are developed ahead of time and tested using evidence. Working hypotheses (statements of expectation) are flexible and incorporate relational or non-relational statements. They are often used as ways to investigate a problem in a particular city or public agency.[31][32][33]
These projects are a type of case study and use multiple methods of evidence collection.[34] The working hypotheses are used as a device to direct evidence collection. As a result, working hypotheses are generally organized using sub-hypotheses, which specify in more detail the kinds of data or evidence needed to support the hypothesis.[3]