EASTERN THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE

Rajabari, Jorhat, Assam

M.Th. I : Christian Ministry (Education and Counselling)

Course Title : Research Methods
Course Code : MCM014
Topic : Analysis of Case Materials:

Personal Documents, Documents relating to Institutional,

Community, Organizations, Political Parties and Other Agencies.
Presenter : Bachem Buchem
Respondent : Kuvelu Chuzho
Course Guide : Dr Shyam K. Basumatary
Date : 19th September 2023

Contents

Introduction
1. Case Material
2. Document Analysis
3. Personal Documents
2.1. Types of personal documents
2.2. Strength and weakness of personal documents
3. Institutional Documents
3.1. Community – Based Studies
3.2. Educational Research
3.3. School Based Partnerships Clarify Identity and Positionality
4. Community
4.1. Specific objective of rural development
5. Organizations
5.1. NGOs
5.2. Methods
5.3. Advantage of Working with NGO’s
5.4. Non-NGOs Research
6. Political Parties
6.1. History of Political Parties
 6.2. Features of Political Parties
6.3. Political Parties Ideology
7. Other Agencies
7.1. History
7.2. Questionnaires
7.3. Interviewers

Conclusion
Bibliography
 1

Introduction
Evidence for case studies may come from various sources. Analysis of document sources is
very important for a researcher to study and analyze different materials for the ongoing
research. In this paper we will be discussing on the Analysis of Case Materials: Personal
documents, documents relating to Institutional, Community, Organizations, Political Parties
and other Agencies.

1. Case Material
Case materials are excellent teaching tools. They serve as a bridge between theory and
practice, and are particularly useful in learning how to solve problems, and to evaluate and
judge. Case materials are problem oriented descriptions of a believable event which provides
sufficient detail to allow the readers to analyze the problem/solution process.1

2. Document Analysis
Document analysis is a systematic procedure for reviewing or evaluating documents—both
printed and electronic (computer-based and Internet-transmitted) material. Like other
analytical methods in qualitative research, document analysis requires that data be examined
and interpreted in order to elicit meaning, gain understanding, and develop empirical
knowledge. Documents contain text (words) and images that have been recorded without a
researcher’s intervention.2

3. Personal Documents
Personal documents are written documents that were created with the intention of keeping
them to oneself or to show to certain trusted individuals. These are generally expressed
personal thoughts and feelings and thus are not intended for public viewing. Personal
documents are also referred to as life documents because it is a written recorded of one’s life
and experiences. Personal documents are helpful in understanding the complex individual
experiences through written thoughts or feelings.
3.1. Types of personal documents
1
DeLayne Hudspeth, "Case Study Materials; Strategies for Design and Use," Teaching of Psychology 2/4
(December 1989): 30-41.
2
Bowen, Glenn A., “Document Analysis as a Qualitative Research Method,” Qualitative Research Journal,
9/2 (2009): 27-40.
 2

The three main types of personal documents are:

1. Diary entries – This is a written record of a person’s daily activities and experiences. It
may include varieties of information related to the person writing it. Diary entries are
usually thoughts, ideas or perceptions and life experiences.
2. Letters to friends and family – Letters are written records
3. Biographies and Autobiographies –
3.2. Strengths and Weakness of personal documents
3.2.1. Strengths
1. Provide a rich insight into a person’s feelings and perceptions.
2. They are usual in providing insights where no other data exists such as being held
captive.
3. They are often the only insight sociologists have into the past such as war veteran’s
diaries or letters home.
4. Personal documents can supplement official data such as school performance. A school
might be high in league tables but pupils dislike the regime in which they learn.

3.2.2. Weaknesses3
a) They are a one person view of events which can be biased in order to justify a
person’s actions and therefore invalid.
b) The data is likely to be unreliable.
c) The data is likely to be unrepresentative.
d) The authenticity of the data is open to question.
e) The sociologist might interpret the data in a way the author never intended.

3. Institutional Documents
3.1. School as a Source of Community-Based Studies
School and colleges can be used as a source of local community-based studies in two
particular ways such as:
(a) It can be used as a form to identify the key information about the community

3
“Strength and weakness of personal documents,” https://sociologytwynham.com/2015/01/08/personal-
documents/ (Accessed on 09/09/2023).
 3

(b) And it can be used as a basic for deriving sample for further study of some aspects of its
development.

School is generally viewed by the communities as an important and key figure in the
community even the government officials, businessmen and women, and also by the elders in the
society.
School registers kept carefully and are up to date, with the names of the students enrolled
according to the grade so that they can easily be traced to their home locally. For some case
registered earlier years may be available in the archive of the school. Register can efficiently be
used for identifying an individual.4

3.2. School for Educational Research

School and other institutions should be a place where the primary source for research in
education. Some of the primary data collected in school studies are learning and achievements,
study of curriculum and other learning materials, studies of aspirations and expectations of the
students, performance of the teachers in classroom teaching, environmental studies in the
schools. The secondary data comprise not only the statistical data on the enrolments and
attendance, teachers’ qualifications and the performances in then examination. It also includes
aspects such as learning materials, buildings and infrastructure. In-order to conduct a class
questionnaire from institutions it requires then permission from the principal and also from the
board of management by giving them the view of the questionnaire in advance.
3.3. School Based Partnerships Clarify Identity and Positionality
The researchers have much to gain by working in, with and or from school or any
educational institution. They have direct access to data through facilitating and also through the
informants from the institutions. By being immediately identified in a school by students,
teachers and the community at large, it gives the research can be related to. Through this, it will
give the researcher a better sense of their own positionality and also the sense of being an active
contributor to the life of the community.5

4
B.N. Ghosh Scientific Methods & Social Research,(Delhi: Sterling Publication Private Limited, 1982), 85.

5
JoAnn Mc. Gregor, “Diaries and Case Studies,” in Doing Developmental Research, Edited by Vandana
Desai and Robert B. Potter, (New Delhi : SAGE Publications, 2006). 201.
 4

4. Community
4.1. The specific objective of rural development
(a) Raising the standard of living of people in rural area.
(b) Alleviating the poverty in rural areas and improving the quality of life of the people.
(c) Developing of both farming and non-farming activities so as to generate gainful
employment
(d) Changing the attitude of the rural people towards transformation of village community.
(e) Provision of social infrastructure such as drinking water, health care, education,
sanitation, housing, road, electrification, etc.
(f) Maximum utilization of local resources without adversely effecting the environment. 6
5. Organizations
5.1. NGOs

Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) is a non-profit organization and it is citizen

based group that function independently of Government, NGOs, sometimes called as civil
societies are organized on community, national and international levels in serve specific social or
political purposes, and are cooperative, rather than commercial, in nature. The term NGO covers
a whole variety and types of organization, such as international NGOs, religious group and social
movements.
5.2. Methods

Most of the NGOs studies use qualitative methodologies, though some quantitative
methods can be helpful to supplement the qualitative materials are gathered. Some of the
methods that can be useful while doing a research on NGO’s are as follows:
(a) “Interviews with key informants such as NGO staff and project leaders, donor staff (is
NGO receives donor funding), village or settlement leaders, local leaders from
government, business and religious institution.
(b) Interviews or focus group discussions with the beneficiaries of project
(c) Survey in the location of the project
(d) NGO reports and baseline survey.

6
JoAnn Mc. Gregor, “Diaries and Case Studies,” in Doing Developmental Research, Edited by Vandana
Desai and Robert B. Potter, (New Delhi : SAGE Publications, 2006).
 5

5.3. Advantage of Working with NGO’s

There are many good reasons to work with the NGO’s, even if an individual is not
researching them directly, NGO’s are known for being local and also for being very responsive
to the need of the communities, so take advantage of this both in academic as well as in practical
terms. They are a source of local knowledge. An individual can contact NGO’s local to the area
before you travel, as they may be able to advice about where to stay, local costs, necessary
equipments, safety issues and so on. Many NGO’s staff will be based in certain area for some
time and they will be able to local insights for research question.7
When researchers link themselves, the local NGO’s may facilitate community acceptance
and the work, helping an individual to gain access to key informants and other information more
quickly. In many of the NGO’s they have to prepare documents, annual reports, statistic on the
local area, project audits for their donors etc. So, if all the documents collected in a library then a
researcher can ask and use it. 8
5.4. Non-NGO Research

Sometimes the research question might not be direct relation to the issue of NGOs, but it
may be useful as a source of information for the research. The NGO staff can be the informant
and the Community-Based Organization (CBO) leaders can act as the representative for their
community, and particularly in a place where there are only for institution. The data that is
collected by the NGO can be useful for a research topic.9
6. Political Parties

Political parties are formal organizations for representing the aims and interest of
different socio-economic forces in the political spheres. It is an organizational means by which
candidates are recruited for office and ideologies are propagated. 14 Political party which can be
government is called ruling party, and when more than two political parties are actively involved
in politics, the system is called Multi-party system.10
6.1. History of Political Parties

7
Claire Mercer “Working with Partners: NGOs and CBOs.” In doing develiopmnt research, Edited by
Vandann Desai and Roberg B. Potter, (New Delwhi: SAGE Publication, 2006), 98-99.
8
Mercer “Working with Partners: NGOs and CBOs.” In doing develiopmnt research…, 99.
9
Mercer “Working with Partners: NGOs and CBOs.” In doing develiopmnt research…, 100.
10
http://indohistory.com/history_of_Political_Parties.html. (Accessed on 27th Oct. 2021).
 6

The dominance of the India National Congress was broken for the first time 1977, with
the defeat of the party led by Indra Gandhi, by an unlikely combination of the entire other
parties. The weak coalition was marked and lead to its breaking apart in 1979. A similar
coalition, led by V.P. Singh was swept to power in 1989 in the wake of major allegations of
corruption by the late Prime Minister, Rajive Gandhi.
6.2. Features of Political Party

A political party is a large group of people with many members of a political party,
having similar political views in one political ideology. A political party always tries to get the
power to form the government and to rule the country. It fields its candidates, organizes election
campaigns and tries to win more and more seats. Political parties are actively involved in polities
either as a ruling party or as an opposition party. 11
6.3. Political Parties Ideologies

Both BJP and Congress have targeted similar issues in their election manifesto and
despite similar issues the two political parties have adopted different ideologies to achieve the
goal. While BJP has prioritized national security, Congress party has concentrated more on
restoring financial stability. Both manifestos cover a range of issues that have a burden to
citizens, from jobs safety as well as national security and countering terrorism.12
6.3.1. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

The Bharatiya Janata Party was founded in 1980. BJP is mainly a right wing party and it
is the political branch of world’s largest volunteer social organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh (RSS). The concept of Hindutva has a special place in its ideology, with the party aiming
to transform India into a modern, progressive and enlightened nation which draws inspiration
from India’s ancient Hindu culture. The party bans slaughtering of cows in-order to honor the
Hindu tradition of not consuming the flesh of cow, and prohibiting the consumption of beef.
6.3.2. India National Congress (INC)

India National Congress or generally known as the Congress Party is a prominent

political party in India. It is a central left wing party of India. It was the dominant party in India

11
http://indohistory.com/history_of_political_parties.html (Accessed on 27th Oct. 2021).
12
http://indohistory.com/history_of_Political_Parties.html. (Accessed on 27th Oct. 2021).
 7

after independence until the rise of BJP. INC came into existence in 1885, in Bombay by W.C.
Bonnarjee, who was the first President of the INC. The congress is ideologically committed to
socialism, secularism and democracy. Their special emphasis is on the planned economics
development country, the government is expected to play a key role. The part enjoyed the
support of the common people and played a very significant role in the freedom struggle. Thus,
party supports common people and ensures development of a country as a whole.
7. Other Agencies
7.1. History

Historical accounts of incidents or institution is valuable document. It is useful for linking

a certain period of history about the person and it can be done through interviews with the very
person. The material is gathered from writing materials about the respondent and also through
interviews. Here, the life of the respondent is taken into account.13
7.2. Questionnaires

Questionnaire is a method in which a number of printed questions are used for collecting
data. When a person cannot be interviewed or contacted directly, questionnaires that consist of
relevant question is send to them. When their replies are collected information may be processed
gathered from the questionnaires.14
7.3. Interviews

Interview is a verbal questioning. The interview spends time with the respondents asking
questions and gets the response. That is how the interviewer understands the respondent more
clearly seeks for additional information when needed and make use of that. Interview can help in
identifying new variable for study and also for sharpening of conceptual clarity. 15

Conclusion

13
B.N. Ghosh Scientific Methods & Social Research,(Delhi: Sterling Publication Private Limited, 1982),
197.
14
Ghosh Scientific Methods & Social Research…, 198.
15
Ghosh Scientific Methods & Social Research…, 221-222.
 8

Case material can also be considered as one of the important methods. It helps the
researcher to go deep into the situation, to study an individual or go through personal documents
or history in-order to collect material for the research study. It also gives the researcher an
opportunity to visit and explore certain areas like institution and organizations to know and find
more about their internal functioning and struggles.

Bibliography
Ghosh, B.N. Scientific Methods & Social Research. Delhi: Sterling Publication Private Limited,
1982.
Sjoberg, Gideon and Roger Nert. A Methodology for Social Research. New Delhi: Rawat
Publication, 1992.

Gregor, JoAnn Mc. “Diaries and Case Studies,” in Doing Developmental Research, Edited by
Vandana Desai and Robert B. Potter. New Delhi : SAGE Publications, 2006.
Webliography
“History of Political Party”
 9

http://indohistory.com/history_of_political_parties.html (Accessed on 27th Oct. 2021).

“Institutional Document”
https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/institutional-document (Accessed on 21/10/2021).

“Institutional Documents”
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“Organization documents,”
https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/organizational-documents (27th Oct. 2021).
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https://sociologytwynham.com/2015/01/08/personal-documents/ (Accessed on
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“What is political parties”

https://www.britannica.com/topic/political-party (27th Oct. 2021).