The truth is in the stream: hydrologic hypotheses for designing field studies and interpreting their results
Advances in hydrology are greatly needed and approaches that employ hypotheses to guide research have the potential to contribute to future advances. One line of reasoning in the USGS research program where I started my career was to 鈥渘ever undervalue forward progress on a tough problem鈥, and in this context, hypotheses can be particularly useful and empowering. Hypotheses can serve a range of purposes.听Retrospective hypotheses that attempt to explain unexpected field observations or experimental results can provide a guide for designing further field studies.听Focused testable hypotheses can facilitate effective presentation of proposed research, and clarify alternative hypotheses.听Overarching hypotheses can provide a common integrating framework for collaborative research and can be revised as research progresses over time. Finally, the value of employing a hypothesis-based approach depends upon the research environment, which can act as an 鈥樷榚nvironmental filter鈥欌 in determining successful research outcomes.听