Case Studies
A Users Guide to Case Studies: Examination and Critique of an Approach to Research
What is a Case Study Research?
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Case Study Further Defined
Case study research incorporates both qualitative and quantitative components. Often defined as “a qualitative approach in which the investigator explores a real-life, contemporary bounded system or multiple bounded systems over time through detailed, in-depth data collection involving multiple sources of information. . .. and reports a case description and case themes" (Creswell, 2011). The researcher might want to use a single case, or multiple cases depending on the research question being asked, but the case study must always be bounded by time and place to remain valid. Since case research is very interpretive, it is best practice to reflect for the reader that the case report is just one person's encounter with a complex case.
There Are Three Main Categories of Case Studies
A case study can typically fall into one of three categories:
- Exploratory
- Explanatory
- Descriptive
There are Three Main Types of Case Studies
Instrumental
In instrumental case studies the research question surrounds one issue; the researcher selects one bounded case to illustrate it (also called descriptive)
Intrinsic
In an intrinsic case study the focus is on the case itself because the case presents an unusual or unique situation that needs to be analyzed.
Collective
Collective case studies involve a centralized research question, like an instrumental study, but the researcher selects multiple cases to illustrate the issue in a more generalizable way by illustrating the issue from multiple perspectives
How to Approach A Case Study
