This document outlines how to conduct case study research. It defines case study as a qualitative method that explores a bounded system or systems through detailed data collection from multiple sources. It describes the types of case studies as intrinsic, instrumental, or collective. The key steps are deciding if a case study fits the research problem, identifying the case(s), collecting data from various sources, conducting within-case and cross-case analysis, and reporting lessons learned. Validation involves ensuring a coherent narrative, adequate data, and attention to context. Case studies differ from narratives and ethnography based on their unit of analysis. The discussion covers whether theory is needed and balancing generalizability with depth.

1. Understand Case Study
Nan Yang
Doctoral School of Psychological Science and Education
Nan.yang@unitn.it
09/08/2013
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2. Outline
• What is case study
• How to conduct case study
• How to validate case study
• Comparison
• Discussion
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3. What is case study
• Definition
– Case study research is a qualitative approach in
which the investigator explores a bounded
system (a case) or multiple bounded systems
over time, through detailed, in-depth data
collection involving multiple sources of
information
(observations, interviews, audiovisual
material, and documents and reports) and
reports a case description and case-based
themes (Creswell, 2007)
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4. What is case study
• Types of case study
– Intrinsic case study
• Learn about a unique phenomenon which the study focuses on
• Define the uniqueness of this phenomenon which distinguishes
it from all others
– Instrumental case study
• Provide a general understanding of a phenomenon using a
particular case
• The researcher needs to provide a rationale for using a
particular case
– Collective case study
• Provide a general understanding using N instrumental case
study
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5. How to conduct case study
• Decide if case study fit the research problem
– To answer: how, why question
– Researchers cannot manipulate the behavior of those involved in the study
– Want to cover contextual conditions
• Identify cases
– individual, a program, an event/activity
• Data collection
– Documents, observations, interviews, audiovisual materials
• Analysis
– Holistic analysis: the entire case
– Embedded analysis: a specific aspect of the case
– Within case analysis: a detailed description of each case and themes in the
case
– Cross-case study: followed by a thematic analysis across the cases
• Report
– Lessons learned from the case
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6. How to validate case study
• Stake: critique checklist for a case study report (part of)
– Easy to read
– Fit together, each sentence contributing to the whole
– Have a conceptual structure (themes or issues)
– Issues are developed in a serious and scholarly way
– Adequately defined case
– A sense of story to the presentation
– The reader is provided vicarious experience
– Effective quotations
– Effective headings, figures, artifacts, appendixes, indexes
– Make sound assertions, neither over- or under interpreting
– Pay adequate attention to various contexts
– Present sufficient raw data
– Well chosen data source, in sufficient number
– Triangulated observations and interpretations
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7. How to validate case study
• Creswell
– Clear identification of the case
– The case used to understand a research issue or
used because intrinsic merit
– Clear description of the case
– Assertions or generalizations are made from the
case analysis
– Researchers reflexive or self-disclosing about
their own position in the study
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8. Comparison
• With narrative and ethnographical study
– When the unit of analysis is a single individual
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Case Study Narrative Study Ethnographical Study
Illustrate an issue,
compiles a detailed
description of the setting
for the case
Focus on the stories told
from the individual and
arrange these stories in
chronological order
Set individuals’ stories
within the context of
their culture and culture-
sharing group

9. Discussion
• Do we need a theory in case study?
• How to balance the generalizability and
depth of case
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10. Thank you
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