Case Studies

Research Design: cyclical Writing the Case Selecting a project Making a record Asking questions Collecting data Analysing the data

Case study: Definitions From Robert Yin (1994) Case Study Research London Sage p 13 A case study is an empirical inquiry that Investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real life context, especially when The boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident The case study inquiry Copes with the technically distinct situation in which there will be many more variables of interest than data points, and as one result Relies on multiple sources of evidence, with data needing to converge in a triangulating fashion, and as another result Benefits from the prior development of theoretical propositions to guided data collection and analysis

From Robert Yin (1994) Case Study Research London Sage p 13

A case study is an empirical inquiry that

Investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real life context, especially when

The boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident

The case study inquiry

Copes with the technically distinct situation in which there will be many more variables of interest than data points, and as one result

Relies on multiple sources of evidence, with data needing to converge in a triangulating fashion, and as another result

Benefits from the prior development of theoretical propositions to guided data collection and analysis

Design Yin outlines 5 components of a research design A study’s questions (How?/Why?) Its propositions/purposes Its unit(s) of analysis The logical linking the data to the propositions The criteria for interpreting the findings Data Analysis

Yin outlines 5 components of a research design

A study’s questions (How?/Why?)

Its propositions/purposes

Its unit(s) of analysis

The logical linking the data to the propositions

The criteria for interpreting the findings

Data Collection Skills The ability to ask good questions – and to interpret the answers The ability to listen effectively – not to be trapped by personal preconceptions The ability to be adaptive and flexible A firm grasp of the issues being studied Be unbiased by preconceived notions

Skills

The ability to ask good questions – and to interpret the answers

The ability to listen effectively – not to be trapped by personal preconceptions

The ability to be adaptive and flexible

A firm grasp of the issues being studied

Be unbiased by preconceived notions

Data Collection Gathering material: Six sources of evidence Documentation Archival records Interviews Direct observations Participant observations Physical artefacts

Gathering material: Six sources of evidence

Documentation

Archival records

Interviews

Direct observations

Participant observations

Physical artefacts

Writing Up the case Organise – sections, topics, sub-topics – this will constitute the report’s structure Review Van Maanen concept of ‘tales’ for reporting fieldwork results Six example structures: Linear-analytic Comparative Chronological Theory-building ‘ suspense’ structures Unsequenced structures

Organise – sections, topics, sub-topics – this will constitute the report’s structure

Review Van Maanen concept of ‘tales’ for reporting fieldwork results

Six example structures:

Linear-analytic

Comparative

Chronological

Theory-building

‘ suspense’ structures

Unsequenced structures

Research Design: cyclical Writing the Case Selecting a project Making a record Asking questions Collecting data Analysing the data