Case Study Research

Case Study Research report

1. Case Study Research Qualitative Approaches to Inquiry

2. Types of Qualitative Research Methods Narrative Research Phenomenological Research Ethnographic Research Grounded Theory Research Case Study Research

3. Definition Case Study Research i nvolves the study of an issue explored through one or more cases within a bounded system. It is a qualitative approach in which a bounded system or multiple bounded systems are explored over time, through detailed in-depth data collection, involving multiple sources of information, and reports a case description and case based themes.

4. Definition In the social and life sciences, a case study is a research method involving an up-close, in-depth, and detailed examination of a particular case as well as its related contextual conditions.

5. Background Invented in legal education by Christopher Columbus Langdell, dean of Harvard Law School from 1870 to 1895 , it was conceived as a way to systematize and simplify legal education by focusing on previous case law that furthered principles or doctrines. His first casebook was a collection of settled cases that showed the current state of contract law. Students read the cases and analyzed them during Socratic question-and-answer sessions in class.

6. Types of Case Studies Single instrumental case study Collective or multiple case study Intrinsic case study

7. Single Instrumental Case Study Selects a single issue or concern, then selects one bounded case to illustrate the issue

8. Collective/Multiple Case Study One issue or concern is selected, but the inquirer selects multiple case studies to illustrate the issue. Several programs from several research sites or multiple programs within a single site may be selected. Often , multiple cases are selected on purpose to show different perspectives on the issue

9. Intrinsic Case Study Focus is on the case itself, such as in evaluating a program, because the case presents an unusual or unique situation . Unlik e other case study types, the intrinsic case study analyzes the case itself.

10. Procedures (Stake, 1995) Appropriateness Identify case or cases Data collection Data analysis Data interpretation

11. Procedures (Stake, 1995) Appropriateness: The researcher first determines if a case study approach, as opposed to other modes of inquiry, is the proper instrument to use. A case study is appropriate if the inquirer has clearly identifiable cases with boundaries, and seeks to provide an in-depth understanding of the cases or a comparison of several cases.

12. Procedures (Stake, 1995) Identification of case(s ): The next step is to identify the case or cases for study. These may involve an individual, several individuals, a program, an event, or an activity. It is at this point that the type of case study is chosen that is most promising and useful, whether single or collective case study, multi-sited or within-site case study, or intrinsic or instrumental case study .

13. Procedures (Stake, 1995) Data collection : Multiple sources of information are usually used to gather data for a case study. These can be taken from observations, interviews, documents, and audio-visual materials.

14. Procedures (Stake, 1995) Data collection : Types of information to be collected: Documents Archival Records Interviews Direct Observations Participant Observations Physical Artifacts

15. Procedures (Stake, 1995) Data analysis : The analysis of the data gathered can be: Holistic Analysis or the analysis of the entirety of the case Embedded Analysis or the analysis of a specific aspect of the case Analysis of Themes or a focus on a few key issues of the case to understand its complexity

16. Procedures (Stake, 1995) Data analysis : Context of the Case or the identification of issues within each case and looking for common themes that transcend these cases Within-Case Analysis or the analysis of multiple cases to provide a detailed description of each case and the themes within the case Cross-Case Analysis or the thematic analysis across cases

17. Procedures (Stake, 1995) Interpretation of data : The final stage of the Case Study, the researcher reports the meaning of the case, whether that meaning comes from learning about the issue of the case ( instrumental case ) or learning about an unusual situation ( intrinsic case ).

18. Challenges Identification of case or cases Number of cases (single or multiple) Data boundaries

19. Challenges Identification of case or cases – the choice of which bounded system to study belongs to the individual researcher , bearing in mind that there may be others that are also worthy of study

20. Challenges Singular or Multiple cases – an in-depth analysis is possible with a single case, because the study of more than one dilutes the overall analysis; the more cases, the less depth in any single case. However, studying more than a single case creates generalizability, the characteristic of applying the analysis to other cases. Usually, no more than 4 or 5 cases are studied for applicability.

21. Challenges Boundaries of data – there is no depth to the amount of data that may be collected in a case. However, this will prove counter productive to the study. Constraining a study in terms of time, events, and processes may be necessary to limit the amount of data that will be collected.

22. Distinguished from others Similarities: Research process Data collection processes

23. Distinguished from others Differences: Types of data collected Focus or Primary Objectives Backgrounds Emphasis of data collected Extent of data collected Data Analysis Research Report

24. Distinguished from others Type Focus Narrative Research Exploring the life of an individual Phenomenology Understanding the essence of the experience Grounded Theory Developing a theory grounded in data from the field Ethnography Describing and interpreting a culture-sharing group Case Study Developing an in-depth description and analysis of a case or cases

25. Distinguished from others Type Type of Problem Narrative Research Stories of individual experiences Phenomenology Description of the essence of a lived phenomenon Grounded Theory Grounding a theory in the views of participants Ethnography Describing and interpreting shared patterns of culture of a group Case Study In-depth understanding of a case or cases

26. Distinguished from others Type Discipline Background Narrative Research Anthropology, Literature, History, Psychology, and Education Phenomenology Philosophy, Psychology, and Education Grounded Theory Sociology Ethnography Anthropology and Sociology Case Study Psychology, Law, Political Science, Medicine

27. Distinguished from others Type Unit of Analysis Narrative Research 1 or more individuals Phenomenology Several individuals with shared experience Grounded Theory Process, action, or interaction involving many individuals Ethnography Group that shares same culture Case Study Event, program, activity of more than one individual