A null hypothesis is used to imply that variables being tested are not related to each other even though they might seem to be, where an alternative (research) hypothesis states that the variables are actually related. The purpose of the null hypothesis from what the weekly reading seems to say is to be proven wrong. If the null hypothesis is proven wrong, then the alternative hypothesis would be used, but if the null hypothesis is correct then the alternative would not be used. Qualitative research does not collect the type of data used to create a hypothesis since it is question-based data and not really numerical data. To test it you would have to ask people questions which you could manipulate the results of the data by asking the questions a certain way, so it is hard to truly test it. Qualitative research is a series of questions being asked to a group of people and our slides from this week (or lecture if you want to call it that) state that the questions themselves asked in qualitative research point to a hypothesis. So, an actual hypothesis isn't written out but the overall question of the survey being conducted is a form or hint of the hypothesis