I'm doing a master's assignment on the phonological deficit hypothesis / theory of dyslexia. My lecture notes call it a theory, whereas the assignmment calls it a hypothesis. Is there a difference in emphasis? I've noticed that journals use both terms!
by 
Angusthewestie
ANSWERS: 4
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A hypothesis is usually untested whereas a theory has usually undergone some experimental validation. For instance, in physics Einstein has a Theory of Relativity (which has had parts validated through experimentation). This theory started with a hypothesis by Einstein before it was validated.
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I don't think of it as a hypothesis growing into a theory. I think of a hypothesis is something that you accept as true, in the context of your argument, and then you build on it to see where it gets you. A "theory" seems like more of a goal, something you are trying to build from you hypotheses or else find support for through empirical evidence.
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a hypothesis is an "educated guess" and theory is infact a hypothesis that has been tested but hasnt been found to be exactly true of false.
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A hypothesis is more open to new evidence and to re-evaluation, and is assumed to be true for the purposes of debate, whereas a theory is a logical statement created to explain a set of established facts. On that basis I'd say they are both the same, except that a hypothesis is what you call a theory when the 'facts' you are working with are open to, um, augmentation. So: Calling something a theory assumes that you have all the facts and have come up with a possible explanation based on all the info there is to be had. Calling it a hypothesis suggests you have come up with a possible explanation based on all the info you think you've established so far.
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