A researcher is interested in the relationship between ability grouping and reading achievement ...

Answer to #1

Research: Third graders who have been placed in reading class according to their reading ability will achieve at a higher level on a end-of-year standardized reading test than will third graders who were placed in heterogeneous groups.

Alternate: Third graders who are placed in heterogeneous groups will achieve at a higher level on a end-of-year standardized reading test than will third graders who are placed in homogeneous groups.

Null: There is no relationship between using ability grouping for third grade reading and students' achievement on an end-of-year standardized reading test.

Answer to #2

A directional research hypothesis specifies the direction of the predicted relationship between variables; a nondirectional hypothesis states that a relationship exists but does not specify the direction of the expected finding.

Answer to #3

A statement of the research problem, a statement of the hypothesis(es) with operational definitions of the variables, the proposed methodology specifying the design, population, sampling procedure, and measuring instruments, and the proposed data analysis.

Answer to #4

The hypothesis provides (a) a tentative explanation for the phenomenon under investigation, (b) direction to the research process, and (c) a framework for reporting the findings and conclusions.