What are the advantages and limitations of a case study. Early on, we need to find out how the case gets things done. What case study is different forms of qualitative traditions exist and the design of research within each has distinct features cresswell, 98. Multiple case studies research design there are many reasons for choosing the case study methodology to conduct this research. For our cases, we may select managers, production sites, labor and delivery rooms, or training sessions for voters. Case study is but one qualitative methodology, the output of which is the case study. Through a multiplecase study of three football sstcs in a large, metropolitan. Kathy giusti and the multiple myeloma research foundation. The major benefit of using a multiple case design was that multiple perspectives of the individuals. His approach also stresses bringing the concerns of validity and reliability in experimental research design to the. Can be the same as case in holistic single and multiple case study example. Using a multiplecase studies design to investigate.
The supposed difficulty in generalizing from a singlecase study or from a small set of case studies has long been considered a major shortcoming of case study research. This multiplecase study research design examined three. A multiple case design for the investigation of information. The multiple case studies were only possible by the cooperation of five german startups where founders and employees have been interviewed. A multiple case study clarice evans goodwin abstract using a mixed methodology, the effectiveness of an 8week modification of landreths 1991 10week group filial therapy training model was investigated with parents n 5 courtordered for remedial parenting services due to physical abuse andor neglect of their schoolage children.
The research approach and design of the study is discussed in terms of the. The case study method explores a reallife, contemporary bounded system a case or multiple bounded systems cases over time, through. The key commonality of these different case oriented approaches is that. Jul 05, 2014 the paper concludes that single case study analysis has a great deal to offer as a means of both understanding and explaining contemporary international relations. By defini tion, the prime referent in case study is the. The term case study, john gerring has suggested, is a definitional morass. In the article i demonstrate the usefulness of the multiple case study method in an empirical project carried out for doctoral dissertation purposes. 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. Strategies for promoting autonomous reading motivation. In this case, it can be normal to write a lengthier case study. Examining situational complexity is a vital part of social and behavioral science research.
Secondly, a case study is useful in capturing the emergent and. 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. Consequently, the present study advances an underexposed field in reading motivation research by studying and identifying the strategies of teachers excellent in promoting fifthgrade students volitional or autonomous reading motivation through multiple case study analysis. Validity, reliability and triangulation in case study. Using the ptsd issue again is an excellent example of a collective study. However, in multiple cases studies, one goal is to build a general explanation model that fits each of the cases in the study, even though the cases vary in detail.
An exploratory case study is a preliminary project that will be the precursor to a larger study in the future. When a study includes more than one single case, a multiple case study is needed. In an instrumental case study, the researcher selects a small. A difference between a single case study and a multiple case study is that in the last mentioned, the researcher are studying multiple cases. In time, we may move on to studying its functioning and relating it to other cases.
This case was passed on to the publishing editor pe. Three approaches to case study methods in education. Unit of analysis or case can be the individual can be the same as case in holistic single and multiple case study example. The distinguishing factor of the casestudy methodology is that it aims to bring out unique characteristics and interesting differences in the situation under observation. The current paper is the product of this decisionmaking process.
An illustrative case study will examine an unfamiliar case in order to help others understand it. Instead the selection of the cases for multiple case study is categorized. Multiple case or collective studies use information from different studies to formulate the case for a new study. Individuals, development team, organization different from case in embedded single and multiple case study. In addition, cross case analysis led to the development of localized conceptual models of. To study a case, we carefully examine its functioning and activities, but the first objective of a case study is to understand the case. Single case study an overview sciencedirect topics. A multicase study project as a whole will have its plan and organization, and so will the study of each individual case. 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. Methodological application of multiple case study design using. Multiple, duplicate, concurrent publicationsimultaneous.
With these cases we find opportunities to examine functioning, but the. The case study method embraces the full set of procedures needed to do case study research. Elkind, md, columbia university and shadi yaghi, md. Multiplecase design, or the use of collective case studies, involves the extensive study of a number of instrumental case studies.
The limited sample sizes in this study do not allow a definitive characterization of the neuropsychological deficits in highfunctioning asd, nor even that seen within this particular set of tests. Revised imwg diagnostic criteria for multiple myeloma. The incidence aof antiwr increases in patient populations with active immune systems. Although it can be used for description and deduction yin, 1994, our focus is on inductive theory development, an application for which the method is. Robert e stake this engaging text shows readers how to design, analyze, and report studies that balance common issues across the group of cases with the unique features and context of each case. First of all, it enables to gain a holistic view of osh, providing a rounded picture given the many sources of evidence used gummesson 1991. When starting the efforts to design a multiple case study, it is a general rule of thumb to think like the task was to design an experiment. Pdf the case study as a type of qualitative research. These tasks include designing a case study, collecting the study s data, ana lyzing the data, and presenting and reporting the results.
Pdf application of multiple case study method in doctoral. A multiple case study a dissertation virginia tech. Two middle school teachers and two high school teachers were recruited to participate. All methods should employ direct and participant observations, structured interviews, and surveys. A multiple case study design, using modified consensual qualitative research cqr methodological elements for data analysis, was used to explore emerging. 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. Kathy giusti and the multiple myeloma research foundation this is the model for cancer. 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. An explanatory embedded multiplecase study on how youth. Definition of a case study a case study is a holistic inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its. Building theories from case study research kathleen m.
This method enables me to understand the complex reallife activities in which multiple sources of evidence were used. Multiple case studies not just more data points april 9, 1999 3. Case study can accommodate a variety of epistemological orientations, but these will influence research design. In addition, crosscase analysis led to the development of localized conceptual models of. Case studies can deal with either single or multiple cases. Its aim is to give a detailed description of a case study its definition, some classifications, and several advantages. The advantages and limitations of single case study analysis. Advantages of the multiple case series approach to the. Method this study is based on qualitative material and therefore secondary sources. A case study is a methodological approach that involves the indepth exploration of a specific bounded system, utilizing multiple forms of data collection to systemically gather information on how the system operates or functions.
This is frequently associated with several experiments. The c ase study is a research method that focuses on understanding the dynamics of single settings. The patient discussed throughout the case study presents with chronic fatigue, lower extremity weakness, impaired balance, lack of coordination and psychosocial characteristics. The primary advantage of a case study is that it provides much more detailed information than what is available through other methods, such as surveys. Evidence arising from multiplecase studies is often stronger and more reliable than from singlecase. Case study research can be based on both quantitative and. Pdf in the article i demonstrate the usefulness of the multiple case study method in an empirical project carried out for doctoral dissertation. This study attempts to answer when to write a single case study and when to write a multiple case study.
This engaging text provides an effective process for studying multiple casessuch as sets of teachers, staff development sessions, or clinics operating in different locationswithin one complex program. Using a multiplecase research study allows for a more indepth understanding of the cases as a unit, through comparison of similarities and differences of the individual cases embedded within the quintain. Plan the planning stage focuses on identifying the research questions or other rationale for doing a case study, deciding to use the case study method compared with other methods, and understanding its strengths and limitations48. In turn, these symptoms combined have led to the patient. Levings, judith myers, a multiple case study of professional development and.
Robert stake, an expert in case study research, indicates that a case study must be bounded so the case is a separate entity in terms of time, place, or some. Followup mri shows evidence of multiple infarcts in the left hemisphere consistent with embolic infarcts. It will further answer the benefits and disadvantages with the different types. There are several different definitions and kinds of case studies. Case studies also allow one to present data collected from multiple methods i. This customer contacted elsevier and asked if it was elsevier policy to publish previously published and ed material. The multiplecase design was the best research design for this study, as it allowed the. Evidence arising from multiplecase studies is often stronger and more reliable than from singlecase research. The used of case study to probe an area of interest in depth is particularly appropriate as described by patton 1987, that case studies become particularly useful where. Some businesses will have a brief case study in pdf form to use as sales collateral then a longer form, more indepth version of the same case study on their website. The researcher needs to be able to define the uniqueness of this phenomenon which distinguishes it from all others. A case study is a story about something unique, special, or interestingstories can be about individuals, organizations, processes, programs, neighborhoods, institutions, and even events.
Types of case studies data collection and methods of knowledge integration in principle, each case study should use multiple sources of information. Multiple regression analysis a case study case study method1 the first step in a case study analysis involves research into the subject property and a determination of the key factors that impact that property. The antibody is frequently found in serum with multiple antibody specificities. The purpose of this fictional case study is to highlight key clinical findings in a patient diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis rrms. Then, in an effort to determine any effect on value, case studies are developed from other properties that are similarly situated with. This article presents the case study as a type of qualitative research.
Explanations for the inconsistency of results across different studies. Multi ple case study design enables replication by the use of more than one case to independently confirm emerging constructs and identify complementary. Antiwra is a common specificity associated with patients with aiha. Writing a case study organizing your social sciences. Purpose the purpose of this paper is to identify the impacts of additive manufacturing am in manufacturing, business strategies and business performance and to determine the contingent factors driving performance. A multiplecase study exploring the experiences of social studies. Results all the patients met our preposition that they would be capable of exploring their psychotic experience through art therapy. There are many reasons for choosing the case study methodology to conduct this research. This includes scientific articles, case studies and other literature. To find out what the differences are between single and multiple case 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. Part of the education commons, and the psychology commons. For example, a case study of a veteran with ptsd can be used to help new therapists better understand what veterans experience.
The purpose of a paper in the social sciences designed around a case study is to thoroughly investigate a subject of analysis in order to reveal a new understanding about the research problem and, in so doing, contributing new knowledge to what is already known from previous studies. The use of past studies allows additional information without needing to spend more time and money on additional studies. The concept of a case study comes from the practice of law, in which the unit of analysis is a single case before a court. Case study is a research methodology, typically seen in social and life sciences. I want to thank these participants of the study for their time, openness, interest and valuable insights to the topic of ambidextrous leadership in fastgrowing startups. With these cases we find opportunities to examine functioning, but the functioning is not the case. Embedded and holistic case studies unit of analysis is key multiple case typologies. A multiple single case study where the group process, the artwork produced and the semistructured interviews of the patients were analysed qualitatively. A case study is an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its reallife context, especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident. The case study inquiry copes with the technically distinctive situation in which there will be many more variables of interest that data points, and. All methods should employ direct and participant observations, structured interviews, and. This plagiarism case was brought to elseviers attention by a customer.
In an intrinsic case study, a researcher examines the case for its own sake. A multiple case study of professional development and perspective. Second, the number of cases needed to be performed to increase the sample and also increase the statistical strength, would require more cases than what is probably afforded or even available. The process also can be used to investigate broadly occurring phenomena without programmatic. Case studies involve the documented history and comprehensive analysis of a situation concerning subjects such as industries, organizations, and markets. For instance, why does student a, age eight, fail to read when most children at that age can already read. Its great for the novice or experienced researcher. The director or coordinator will think about all the cases, but a field researcher or data gatherer will concentrate on each single case almost as if it is the only one. This book could be the basis for a superb graduate seminar or simply the manual for a research team facing a dozen piles of results from case studies.