Case Study

Definition and Background

A case study is a qualitative approach in research in which the investigator explores a bounded system or multiple bounded systems over time, through detailed, in-depth data collection involving multiple sources of information.

Similar to ethnographic research, the case study approach has its roots in anthropology and sociology.

types of case studies

Three variations of case studies exist in terms of intent, which are the following:

Single Instrument Case

From the term itself, the focus of the research is a single issue or concern. After the researcher chooses the focal topic, they then select one bounded case to illustrate it.

Collective case

In this variation, the researcher selects multiple case studies to illustrate the focal issue they have initially identified.

Intrinsic Case

Unlike the preceding case studies, this focuses on the chosen case itself because of its inherent unusual nature.

procedure

Researchers determine if a case study approach is appropriate to the research problem.
Researchers then need to identify their case or cases.
For data collection, it is recommended to collect six types of information: documents, archival records, interviews, direct observations, participant observations, and physical artifacts.
For data analysis, it can either be holistic or embedded. When multiple cases are chosen, a typical format is to first provide a detailed description of each case and themes within the case (within-case analysis), followed by a thematic analysis across the cases (cross-case analysis), as well as assertions or an interpretation of the meaning of the case.
The final interpretive phase constitutes the lessons learned from the case.

challenges

The researcher must identify the specific case that they will be working on.
The case study researcher must decide which bounded system to study.
The researcher must consider whether to study a single case or multiple cases.
The researcher must establish a rationale for their purposeful sampling strategy for selecting the case and for gathering information about the case.
Deciding the "boundaries" of a case — how it might be constrained in terms of time, events, and processes — may be challenging.

Qualitative researchers have highlighted the importance of not only understanding the beliefs and theories that inform our research but also actively writing about them in our reports and studies. In the next lesson, you will learn about the various philosophical and theoretical frameworks common to qualitative research.

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