an overarching hypothesis

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'an overarching hypothesis' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a general idea that can be broken down into smaller, more specific hypotheses. For example, "The overarching hypothesis of the study was that the decline in honeybee populations was due to changes in the environment."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The Parma workshop helped to focus this emerging field by developing an overarching hypothesis for the role of environmental chemicals in the current worldwide epidemics of obesity, diabetes and related metabolic diseases.

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

An overarching hypothesis of MICA is that genomic data viewed together with a spectrum of exposure, effects, clinical and susceptibility markers: a) increases the sensitivity needed to define exposure-response-effects relationships, and b) provides mechanistic insight useful from a clinical and environmental health context.

BMC Public Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

This is because evolution operates as an overarching theory.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Our overarching hypothesis is based on a speculative model where Pol I-dependent gene expression is selectively regulated to produce new rRNA; hence, new ribosomes, to carry out the protein synthesis required to support long-term synaptic plasticity at learning-activated ("tagged") synapses (Fig. 1 ).

Communicative and Integrative Biology

The overarching hypothesis was that WNV primes astroglia to release S100B protein, which leads to a cascade of events that may have deleterious effects in both acute and chronic stages of WNV disease.

Journal of the Neurological Sciences

The study's overarching hypothesis is that treating insomnia will produce reduction in insomnia, PTSD, and depression severity, allowing patients to more fully engage in, and derive optimal benefits from, cognitive processing therapy.

Contemporary Clinical Trials

In this study we tested the overarching hypothesis that the angiogenic behaviours of leptin-stimulated human ECs depend upon COX-2 activity and require VEGFR2 activation.

Plosone

Our overarching hypothesis is that spatial patterns of WNv in the northern Great Plains are determined by environmental drivers, and that these drivers have maintained a relatively stable zone of elevated WNv risk in the northern Great Plains.

Plosone

Our overarching hypothesis is that genetic variation influences the likelihood of response to specific AEDs.

Epilepsia

Our overarching hypothesis was that patients and controls would differ in IS and MI.

Behavioral and Brain Functions

Our overarching hypothesis is that AF exposure, alone or in combination with FUM and DON, contributes to EED and is an important cause of child stunting.

Clinical Infectious Diseases

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "an overarching hypothesis" when you want to indicate the central, guiding idea that underpins a research project or theory. Ensure that subsequent, more specific hypotheses directly relate to and support this overarching concept.

Common error

Avoid using "an overarching hypothesis" when a more specific or detailed hypothesis is appropriate. Overarching hypotheses are broad frameworks; ensure you also develop and test the granular details within that framework.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an overarching hypothesis" functions as a noun phrase that identifies a main, comprehensive proposition. It's used to introduce a broad idea that serves as the foundation for further investigation or more specific predictions, as shown in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an overarching hypothesis" is a noun phrase denoting a primary, comprehensive proposition. As Ludwig AI points out, the phrase is grammatically correct and used to present a broad concept serving as the basis for further investigation. While primarily found in scientific and formal contexts, it sets the stage for more detailed analyses. Remember to use this phrase when introducing a general idea that subsequent, specific hypotheses will support. Avoid using it when a more detailed hypothesis is needed. The examples show its correct usage and common pitfalls to avoid.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a central hypothesis

Replaces "overarching" with "central", focusing on the core aspect of the hypothesis.

a primary hypothesis

Substitutes "overarching" with "primary", highlighting the main importance of the hypothesis.

a main hypothesis

Uses "main" instead of "overarching" for a simpler expression of the core idea.

a comprehensive hypothesis

Replaces "overarching" with "comprehensive", emphasizing the all-encompassing nature of the hypothesis.

a unifying hypothesis

Substitutes "overarching" with "unifying", stressing the hypothesis's role in bringing together different elements.

a broad hypothesis

Uses "broad" instead of "overarching", focusing on the wide scope of the hypothesis.

a general hypothesis

Replaces "overarching" with "general", indicating the hypothesis's applicability to a wide range of situations.

a dominant hypothesis

Substitutes "overarching" with "dominant", highlighting the prevailing influence of the hypothesis.

a key hypothesis

Emphasizes the importance of the hypothesis by using "key" instead of "overarching".

a fundamental hypothesis

Replaces "overarching" with "fundamental", indicating that the hypothesis is foundational.

FAQs

How can I use "an overarching hypothesis" in a sentence?

You can use "an overarching hypothesis" to introduce the main idea that a study or research aims to prove. For example, "An overarching hypothesis of this study is that increased screen time negatively affects students' academic performance".

What's the difference between "an overarching hypothesis" and "a specific hypothesis"?

"An overarching hypothesis" is a general, broad statement, while "a specific hypothesis" is a detailed, testable prediction derived from the overarching one. The specific hypothesis is a testable component of the broader, overarching framework.

What can I say instead of "an overarching hypothesis"?

You can use alternatives like "a central hypothesis", "a primary hypothesis", or "a main hypothesis" depending on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

Is "an overarching theory" the same as "an overarching hypothesis"?

While similar, "an overarching theory" is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world, based on a body of facts that have been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experiment. An "overarching hypothesis" is a proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation.