Strengths and Limitations

A User's Guide to Case Studies: Examination and Critique of an Approach to Research

Strengths and Limitations

How to find strengths and limitations in a case study

Anchored in real-life situations, the case study results in a rich and holistic account of a phenomenon

Strengths of a Case Study

A case study offers insights and illuminates meanings that expand its readers' experiences, which in turn helps to structure future research. The use of multiple-case studies allow for a comprehensive exploration of the research question and aid in theory development. Therefore, the case study design plays a vital role in the advancement of a field's knowledge base.
The strengths of the case study are attractive to researchers as they can serve a variety of purposes with regard to applied fields of study such as health, education, administration, etc. The literature illustrates the usefulness of case studies to provide depth when studying educational innovations, evaluating programs, and informing policy
The special features of case study research that provide the rationale for its selection also have certain limitations in its usage and are described below

Limitations of a Case Study

Qualitative case studies are limited by the sensitivity and integrity of the investigator. The primary instrument of data collection and analysis is the researcher. Though this has its advantages, when it comes to training in observation and interviewing, this is often not readily available to aspiring case study researchers. Guidelines for constructing the final study report are left up to the discretion of the researcher(s), which presents the option of relying on personal instinct and ability throughout the majority of the research process.

As a case study focuses on a single unit or a single instance, the issue of generalizability becomes a serious limitation, unlike alternative types of qualitative research
Due to the difficulty in organizing the sheer volume of data, data analysis and integration strategies need to be carefully thought through. Also, there is a temptation to veer away from the focus of the research. In reporting of findings from multiple-case research studies, researchers also face challenges at times, most especially in relation to the word limits for some journal papers.

Another limitation about case study research, especially in case evaluation is what is known as "unusual problems of ethics” in which an unethical case writer selects from among available data virtually anything he wished could be illustrated thereby causing biases that can affect the final product
Researchers fault case studies for their lack of representativeness and rigour in the collection and analysis of the empirical materials that give rise to this study. Researchers linked lack of rigour to the problem of bias which the subjectivity of the researcher and others involved in the case introduce

Applying Strengths and Limitations to the Case Study Example

Case Study Example

Strengths of the Case Study

Current and real-life applicability to the world today
Can be applied to many fields; Health Sciences, Social Sciences, Education, and Psychology
Contributes to the literature regarding mental health in students
Serves as a starting point for exploratory research regarding COVID-19 related stressors and their impact on the perceived mental well-being (perceived stress, anxiety, depression) of University students in Punjab

Limitations of the Case Study

Limited sample size
Unable to confirm the truthfulness of the data
Did not draw from various research mediums
The transversal analysis was conducted in a novel, rapidly evolving context that had not yet been represented in the literature
Researchers did not account for exacerbations of existing mental-health diagnoses (Ex. students that had a past medical history of anxiety or depressive disorders) and how this may have affected the data

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