Not all studies test hypotheses. Some areas of research are too new to warrant tests of hypotheses or the findings are so mixed that a specific hypothesis is not supported by the literature. It is not a weakness of the article if there is not a stated hypothesis. In the absence of a hypothesis, there should be an explicit research question/goal that is clearly outlined for the reader. The research question/hypothesis is usually presented at the end of the introduction and is accompanied by a rationale.