Hobbies And Interests
Simplicity
A scientific hypothesis needs to be as simple as possible in order to be acceptable. This does not mean that it cannot be complex, it means that it cannot be complicated in the sense that it cannot contain unnecessary elements. This is the principle of Ockham's Razor, which stipulates that the best theory makes the fewest new assumptions to explain a phenomenon.
Testability
A testable hypothesis is a usable hypothesis. Testability means that the assumptions made about the phenomenon are reproducible, which also implies that they are potentially refutable. A testable hypothesis is a hypothesis that is potentially applicable across a wide range of related phenomena. An increased hypothetical scope is more useful in any given field of study.
Accountability
A good hypothesis needs to encompass various scopes of phenomena as well as satisfy a principle of empirical simplicity. This means, ideally, that it fits well with or follows from previous, more rigorously tested and mature theories. Most hypotheses contain relatively few novel assumptions compared to the theories and hypotheses they follow from because the development of scientific theories is meant to refine them.
Future Phenomena
By eliminating extraneous information, a coherent hypothesis is potentially a foundation of future hypotheses and theories. This gradual accumulation of assumptions and educated guesses is the major advantage of the scientific method because it provides a model that can help predict future phenomena, giving scientists ideas about future avenues of research.