Jun 23, 2019 a case study is a research method that relies on a single case rather than a population or sample. The intrinsic case study is done to learn about a unique phenomenon which the study focuses on. Single case design scd is also called intrasubjectreplication design, single case research, time series methodology, n1 research and so on. Can i generalize from my case to seemingly similarly others. Paper presented to the learning and skills development agency conference pdf. The researcher needs to be able to define the uniqueness of this phenomenon which distinguishes it from all others. Some case study research goes beyond being a type of qualitative research, by using a mix of quantitative and qualitative evidence.
Multiple case or collective studies use information from different studies to formulate the case for a new study. Pdf the case study as a type of qualitative research. Case study design definition of case study design by. If the researcher only wants to study one single thing for example a person from a. A case study reserach can be single or multiple case studies, includes quantitative evidence, relies on multiple sources of evidence and benefits from the prior development of theoritical propositions. A second step calls for deciding whether your case study will consist of a single or multiple caseswhat then might be labeled as a singleor a multiplecase study. Because of different reasons the case studies can be either single or multiple. Through using a multiplecase design a wider exploration of the research question and. Examining the issues across cases can help to provide a tougher test of a theory. This is frequently associated with several experiments.
Early on, we need to find out how the case gets things done. Another, similar, definition is that a case study is an analyse of systems that are studied with a comprehensive view by either one or several. The advantages and limitations of single case study analysis. It will further answer the benefits and disadvantages with the different types. Distinguishing case study as a research method from case. Triangulation means using more than one method to collect data on the. Mar 25, 2012 the difference between a case study and single case designs in this blog i will be describing case studies and single case designs, and discussing the differences between them. I guess it is better to follow an embedded multiple case study design, and aim for a literal replication. The key commonality of these different case oriented approaches is that. As noted above, a lack of consensus still exists within the wider social science literature on the principles and purposes and by extension the advantages and limitations of case study research. In contrast to multiple case research, single cases may contain intriguing stories but are less likely to produce highquality theory. In design of experiments, single subject design or single case research design is a research design most often used in applied fields of psychology, education, and human behavior in which the subject serves as.
A difference between a single case study and a multiple case study is that in the last mentioned, the researcher are studying multiple cases. By defini tion, the prime referent in case study is the. Case study research is a qualitative approach in which the investigator explores a bounded system a case or multiple bounded systems cases over time through detailed, indepth data collection involving multiple sources of information e. An instrumental case study is the study of a case e. Pdf case studies are a research method aimed at holistically analyzing a. Therefore, multiplecase designs are more powerful than single. Second, data collected in case studies are detailed, qualitative, and anecdotal, but are rarely systematically or quantitatively measured. The idea of representative sampling and statistical generalizations to a. These case studies are likely to appear in formal research venues, as journals and professional conferences, rather than in popular works. Some guidelines for multiple case studies are given and finally some example multiple case studies found in the literature is presented. This study attempts to answer when to write a single case study and when to. To study a case, we carefully examine its functioning and activities, but the first objective of a case study is to understand the case. Using the ptsd issue again is an excellent example of a collective study. In most cases, a case study method selects a small geographical area or a very limited number of individuals as the subjects of study.
Hilliard, 1993 this is an experimental method utilized in one analytical unit, and only one or few subjects will be observed, in other words, scd strongly focuses on intraparticipant variability. Using a multiplecase research study allows for a more indepth understanding of the cases as a unit. The use of past studies allows additional information without needing to spend more time and money on additional studies. The multiple case design was the best research design for this study, as it allowed the researcher to use best practices from the two international universities in order to develop a conceptual framework for the university of johannesburg. Mar 05, 2012 or this cannot be counted as a multiple case study, instead, it should be a single case embedded design with multiple units of analysis type 2 design described by yin. A case study is a descriptive and exploratory analysis of a person, group or event. Case studies have a distinctive place in evaluation research. I did recognize that there were single incidents specific to only one case that were significant to the study as well. The word case originates from the latin casus cadere to fall. We argue that one of the biggest challenges is the case selection bias when. This study attempts to answer when to write a single case study and when to write a multiple case study. Case study is a research methodology, typically seen in social and life sciences.
A case may be considered unique, prototypical, salient, or revelatory to the understanding of a phenomenon or problem. This multi case study explored individual and organizational perspective change by. In direct interpretation, the case study researcher looks at a single instance and draws meaning from it without looking for multiple instances p. A multiple case study of professional development and perspective. The episteme and purpose of the study would guide you to choose a single case study or a multicase study design. A multiple case design for the investigation of information. When a study includes more than one single case, a multiple case study is needed. A single case design is basically one where the subject serves as their own control group. Case study and qualitative methods introduction to graduate students and researchers unfamiliar with case study methodology, there is often misunderstanding about what a case study is and how it, as a form of.
A case study is usually a study of a single case or a small number of cases. Single case versus multiple case another design characteristic of a case study is whether the design is single case or multiple case. When researchers focus on a single case, they can make detailed observations over a long period of time, something that cannot be done with large samples without costing a lot of money. In time, we may move on to studying its functioning and relating it to other cases. Multiple case designs if the same study contains more than a single case, it is a multiple case design advantages evidence is considered more compelling overall study is therefore regarded as more robust disadvantages rationale for single case designs usually cannot be satisfied by multiple cases can require extensive resources and time. You should also look at flyvbjergs demystification of case studies flyvbjerg, b. Another application of case studies is for nomothetic research aimed at building new theory, typically through the analysis of multiple cases and large sets of data within each case. The example study was done as a followup on the study. Case study can accommodate a variety of epistemological orientations, but these will influence research design. The difference between a case study and single case designs. Case studies include both single and multiple case studies. Case studies can deal with either single or multiple cases. Single case study an overview sciencedirect topics. Collective case study involves more than one case, which may or may not be physically colocated with other cases.
As previously mentioned, opinions are widely divided regarding the definition of a case study. Case study research can mean single and multiple case studies, can include quantitative evidence, relies on multiple sources of evidence, and benefits from the prior development of theoretical propositions. Jul 05, 2014 having elucidated the defining principles of the single case study approach, the paper now turns to an overview of its main benefits. There are several different definitions and kinds of case studies. Jan 01, 2019 case study research is defined as a qualitative approach in which the investigator explores a reallife, contemporary bounded system a case or multiple bound systems cases over time, through detailed, indepth data collection involving multiple sources of information, and reports a case description and case themes. This may be an individual person, family, group, or classroom. This multicase study explored individual and organizational perspective change by. It has been suggested that this article be merged with single subject research and n of 1 trial. Case study research is concerned with investigating single or multiple units of study, using familiar research methods for data collection such as interviews or surveys. Definition of case study case study method enables a researcher to closely examine the data within a specific context.
The single case study is the most basic form of case oriented research, but researchers may also conduct a series of case studies, each study building on the previous, or conduct simultaneous studies of several instances of the same phenomenon as in comparative research. A collective case study may be conducted at one site e. The episteme and purpose of the study would guide you to choose a single case study or a multi case study design. Comparing a single case study with an experiment, yin maintains that single case studies are relevant for critical cases in order test theory, or to analyze cases that may be extreme, typical, revelatory or longitudinal. However, a good case study leads one to the question.
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