What is the difference between hypothesis and prediction?
Hypothesis and predictions are terms commonly used in science, research, and logic. They are typically used to formulate new theories that tend to affect human civilization in the future. Besides that, they help to draw a conclusion about certain circumstances.
The lesson provides the difference between hypothesis and prediction with a comparison chart. You will also get to know the similarities between hypothesis and prediction.
What Is Hypothesis?
The hypothesis is a proposed explanation for an observable event-based on established facts that trigger further investigation.
The term is commonly used in the field of science and research. It later results in two types of hypotheses as scientific and research hypotheses.
The scientific hypothesis can be tested by scientific methods. The research hypothesis is based on independent and dependent variables.
The research hypothesis serves as a conceptual framework in qualitative research. It helps to formulate a new theory that triggers further investigation about the phenomenon.
What Is Prediction?
Prediction is a statement that forecasts the happening of something in the future. It is more of a guess but based on the existing evidence or observations.
However, making conclusions about the future occurrence of a phenomenon can be difficult. Prediction help to prevent occurrences of negative consequences in the future.
A strong hypothesis help to provide predictions. This is the reason behind their strong relationship in the field of science, logic, and research.
Comparison Chart: Hypothesis Vs Prediction
| Basic Terms | Hypothesis | Prediction |
| Meaning | It is a proposed explanation of something based on evidence or facts to trigger further investigations. | It is a statement that tells about the future of something. |
| Interpretation | Help to explain why something happens | Help to tell what might happen in the future based on the facts or evidence |
| Result | Provide answers to the situation which lead to the development of a theory | Provide assumptions of the future |
| Statistics | Related to statistics | Not related to statistics but brings forth probability |
| Process | Start from the cause or beginning | Goes to the future occurrence |
| Nature | Has the ability to be tested | Cannot be tested |
| Formulation | Takes a long time | Comparatively short time |
| Guess | Educated guess | Pure guess |
| Based on | Facts and evidence | No facts and evidence |
| Relationship | Has a casual correlation between variables | Do not have a close relationship with variables |
Core Differences between Hypothesis and Prediction
- The hypothesis can be tested while predictions cannot be tested.
- Hypothesis start from the beginning of the occurrence while predictions go forth to the future
- The hypothesis is directly related to statistics while prediction brings forth probabilities
- Hypothesis provides answers to a phenomenon while prediction provide assumptions for the future
- Hypothesis provides an explanation of why something happens while prediction provides an explanation to what might happen in the future
- Formulation of a hypothesis takes a long time while prediction takes a comparatively short time
- The hypothesis has a casual relationship between variables while prediction does not have any relationship
- The hypothesis is based on facts and evidence while prediction based on forecast
- The hypothesis is an educated guess while prediction is a pure guess
- The hypothesis is structured longer than predictions
Similarities between Hypothesis and Prediction
- Quite common terms in science and research
- Provide information about a phenomenon
- Quite important on present and future occurrences
Comparison Video
Summary of Hypothesis Vs Prediction
The core difference between hypothesis and prediction is that hypothesis provides an explanation to something that has already happened while prediction provides information to something that will happen in future.