A collective case study may be conducted at one site e. The use of past studies allows additional information without needing to spend more time and money on additional studies. Simply put, the case method is a discussion of reallife situations that business executives have faced. Jun 23, 2019 a case study is a research method that relies on a single case rather than a population or sample. This method is useful for answering cause and effect questions. A software package based on microsoft access is answr that is suitable for the analysis of qualitative data answer, 2000. Case study method in management case study method of learning. The main benefit for this package explicitly states that it is for use in teambased. The study should have four main sections, the introduction, the background of the study and why it was developed, the presentation of findings, and the conclusion. Types of case study all about case studies research. Case study research allows the researcher to look at the phenomenon in context. When deciding whether to perform a case study or a crosscase study, the key questions are a how many cases are studied and b how intensively are they studiedwith the understanding that a case embodies the unit concern in the central inference gerring, 2006, p.
These case study method advantages and disadvantages offer a look at the effectiveness of this research option. Aug 26, 2014 types 1 intrinsic case study where the researchers do not have to select the case eg. Pdf the case study as a type of qualitative research. The advantages and limitations of single case study analysis. Types of case study person the study of one single individual, generally using several different research methods. The case study approach allows, amongst other things, critical events, interventions, policy developments and programmebased service reforms to be studied in detail in a reallife context. Case study research has a long history within the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities, dating back to the early 1920s. The most challenging aspect of the application of case study research in this context is to lift the investigation from a descrip. The study of one single individual, generally using several different research methods. Introduction case study research, through reports of past studies, allows the exploration and understanding of complex issues. A case study is a research method that relies on a single case rather than a population or sample. The objective of this paper is to present a brief overview of case study method, compare it with other qualitative and quantitative research methods, and study the merits and limitations of using. When researchers focus on a single case, they can make detailed observations over a long period of time, something that cannot be done with large samples without costing a lot of money.
A case study focuses attention on a single unit thoroughly. A case study is a common framework for conducting qualitative research stake, 2000. Its aim is to give a detailed description of a case study its definition, some classifications, and several advantages. In an early critique of case study approaches, campbell and stanley 1966 argued that case studies are inherently limited in their ability to establish causation because of the degrees of freedom. It is presented to learners, either orally or by handout, for analysis and resolution. Without the right skill set, the case study method becomes inefficient and inaccurate. When to use a case study when reallife situations make your point more effectively than other methods. Using the ptsd issue again is an excellent example of a collective study. Despite being one of the most frequently used qualitative research methodologies in educational research, the methodologists do not have a full consensus on the design and implementation of case study. For example, a case study in medicine may examine a specific patient a doctor treated, and a case study in. The case study is a form of empirical inquiry that enables the indepth examination of a.
Also, case studies are good for beginners and freshmen, who have never done any serious research in the past. Data for qualitative researches are typically obtained from different sources such as focus groups, interviews, observations of reallife settings, and documents. In most situations, output of a survey conducted with a nonprobable sample leads to. Four steps to analyse data from a case study method. Multiple case or collective studies use information from different studies to formulate the case for a new study. Types 1 intrinsic case study where the researchers do not have to select the case eg. For example, ras 2009 described how she found the need to add a quantitative component to her qualitative case study of selfimposed curricular change at one elementary school. Each case was selected as a tool to illuminating a particular issuep.
Case study designs have been used across a number of disciplines, particularly the social sciences, education, business, law, and health, to address a wide range of research questions. Case study is a comprehensive study of a social unit, be it a person, a group of persons, an institution, a. The case study research method originated in clinical medicine the case history, i. The case study as a scientific method is, and has been for a long time, a subject of heavy discussion in the scientific community.
In research methodology this is the important part to grow knowledge so today we discuss about the case study. A case study is a realistic situation or a series of actual events involving a judgment call. A case study is, perhaps, the most widely used methodology due to its flexibility. Secondly, the process of validity and reliability in case study method are discussed and how they can be employed in the qualitative research paradigm. Case study method an overview sciencedirect topics. The first one is a study case and the second one is the case. Types of case study person the study of one single individual, generally. In most cases, a case study method selects a small geographical area or a very limited number of individuals as the subjects of study. Case study methodology is evolving and regularly reinterpreted. Illustrative case studies these are primarily descriptive studies. Typically, data are gathered from a variety of sources and by using several different methods e. If there are different demographics involved with the entity, or there are different needs which must be examined, then the case study method becomes very inefficient. A search to determine what is known about the cases is typically conducted.
The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the current research program by. As a student of program evaluation, i was extremely pleased to see the addition of the role of case study in the. This study is inspire by jensen and rodgers 2001 identified taxonomy of case studies comprising five types as shown in image. Advantages of case control studies case control studies are the most efficient design for rare diseases and require a much smaller study sample than cohort studies. The case study method is a learning technique in which the student is faced a particular problem, the case. A case study is a particular method of qualitative research. A case study is a story about something unique, special, or interestingstories can be about individuals, organizations, processes, programs, neighborhoods, institutions, and even events. This method involves the observation of the advancement of a particular concept over a period of time. This articulation of what is already known about the phenomenon is called a descriptive. Case study research in psychology sage research methods. As the name suggests it is used for explaining an organization or an entity. Case study is but one qualitative methodology, the output of which is the case study.
There are several types of case studies, each differing from each other based on the hypothesis andor thesis to be proved. A search to determine what is known about the case s is typically conducted. Case study method in research methodology in research. Case studies are indepth investigations of a single person, group, event or community. Describing the case study approach and how it is used as a research method. Validity, reliability and triangulation in case study. Pdf the case study as a type of qualitative research researchgate. Feb 23, 2015 case study methodology has long been a contested terrain in social sciences research which is characterized by varying, sometimes opposing, approaches espoused by many research methodologists. Such projects are quite popular in different educational institutions. It is also possible for types of case studies to overlap each other. Most times professional case study writing service makes use of this method in order to give a case study help is a good place.
As a rule, a paper of this kind uses a research method that relies on a single case more than on a few different samples. On average, youll attend three to four different classes a day, for a total of about six hours of class time schedules vary. As well as, a case study has an opportunity to bend several methods into justified research design. The descriptive research has mainly three types such as observation method, the survey method, and the casestudy method. This article presents the case study as a type of qualitative research. Specifically the case study method of qualitative research would be used for this study. This qualitative case study is an approach to research that facilitates exploration. Three approaches to case study methods in education. The idea of representative sampling and statistical generalizations to a.
In these types of study, limiting to only quantitative method would obscure some of the important data that need to be uncovered. Types, designs, and logics of inference 3 it is important to note that case is not equivalent to observations. The 3 basic types of descriptive research methods were mentioned before, and now we will open them widely. Aug 24, 2018 the case study method requires a small sample size for it to yield an effective amount of data to be analyzed. Bound each case study was bounded by one individual and by the time he or she matriculated in the elhe program p. In most cases, a case study method selects a small geograph ical area or a very li mited number.
Case studies often lead to testable hypotheses and allow us to study rare phenomena. A descriptive study focuses on covering the background information and accurate description of the case in question. Collective case study involves more than one case, which may or may not be physically colocated with other cases. A case study is usually a study of a single case or a small number of cases. It can be considered a robust research method particularly when a holistic, indepth investigation is required. The case study places more emphasis on the full analysis of a limited number of events or. Additionally, investigators can avoid the logistical challenges of following a large sample over time. So, they are observational, case study and survey method. The aim is that to find out the influencing factors of a social unit and the relationship between these factors and a social unit. Please note that some file types are incompatible with some mobile and tablet. This type of research method is used within a number of areas like education, social sciences and similar. Some scientists disregard the study completely and argue that its nothing more than storytelling, while others claim that the case study is the most relevant research method there is. She addressed emergent concerns with the trustworthiness of her interpreta. When using multiplecase studies, each case must be carefully selected so that it either.
With this type, we can observe both animal and human behavior. The case study facilitates the exploration of a real issue within a defined context, using a variety of data sources baxter et al. Cases are intended to stimulate the reality of the managers job. To prepare, youll work through problems with your peers. Under the more generalized category of case study exist several subdivisions, each of which is custom selected for use depending upon the goals andor objectives of the investigator. Furthermore, when describing the steps undertaken while using a case study approach, this method of research allows the researcher to take a complex and broad topic, or phenom. You can gather more knowledge about the research methods through this article. The nonprobability method is a sampling method that involves a collection of feedback on the basis of a researcher or statisticians sample selection capabilities and not on a fixed selection process. What case study is different forms of qualitative traditions exist and the design of research within each has distinct features cresswell, 98. An overview of the types of case study designs is provided along with general. Types contd 2 instrumental case study the researchers begin with a research question or problem, and seek out a case that offers illumination. Definition of a case study a case study is a holistic inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its. Case studies involve analysis of small data sets, such as one or. First, reliability, validity and triangulation as used in case study method are discussed as a way of providing a springboard to examining what these three terms mean.
Distinguishing case study as a research method from case. Case study method has the strengths and weaknesses of both forms of inquiry. Rather than using large samples and following a rigid protocol to examine a limited number of variables, case study methods involve an indepth, longitudinal examination of a single instance or event. Accordingly, case studies are pertinent when your research addresses either a descriptive questionwhat is happening or has hap pened. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, university of maryland, college park. It is an allinclusive analysis and report from a historical angle. However, as yin notes, case studies can like all forms of social science research be exploratory, descriptive, andor explanatory in nature. Four steps to analyse data from a case study method 3 the manipulation of the data and is relatively intuitive to learn. In the social and life sciences, a case study is a research method involving an upclose, indepth, and detailed examination of a particular case. A descriptive case study is one that is focused and detailed, in which propositions and questions about a phenomenon are carefully scrutinized and articulated at the outset. Jul 08, 2018 case study method case study research involves an indepth study of an individual or group of indviduals. In case studies on regional or urban planning, the units may be different interest groups that are involved or affected by the project. It should therefore be considered when an experimental design is either inappropriate to answer the research questions posed or impossible to undertake.
Jun 17, 2010 case study method in management education allow a different kind of learning. With the right skill set, it can be used as an effective tool to gather rich, detailed information about specific entities. A very brief refresher on the case study method 5 different research methods, including the case study method, can be determined by the kind of research question that a study is trying to address e. A case study is a detailed study of a specific subject, such as a person, group, place, event, organization, or phenomenon. In this article, we will discuss each way of the descriptive and their advantages and drawbacks briefly. A case study is defined by adelman, et al 1980 as the study of an instance in action. Thus, case control studies also allow more intensive. Whether its results can be generalised in other contexts remains an open question. Method the steps when using case study methodology are the same as for other types of research.
In general terms, the case study analyzes a defined problem consisting in a real situation and. The case study method has evolved over the past few years and developed as into a valuable qualitative research method. Case studies are commonly used in social, educational, clinical, and business research. Because case study research is indepth and intensive, there. There are several different types of case studies, as well as several types of subjects of case studies. It is a method of study in depth rather than breadth. Comparative or multiple case studies are used as a tool for synthesizing information across time and space to research the impact of policy and practice in various fields of social research. Case study method enables a researcher to closely examine the data within a specific context. The case study method is a very popular form of qualitative analysis and involves a careful and complete observation of a social unit, be that unit a person, a family, an institution, a cultural group or even the entire community. The material in the case provides data for analysis and decisionmaking. Recognised as a tool in many social science studies, the role. Remember, the case study must analyze a case or situation in a clear and concise way, but should also be readable by people not familiar with scientific methods. Case study research has grown in reputation as an effective methodology to investigate and understand complex issues in real world settings. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, university of maryland.