Case Study

A case study is an intensive analysis of an individual unit (e.g., a person, group, or event) Stressing developmental factors in relation to context.

"Case studies are analyses of persons, events, decisions, periods, projects, policies, institutions, or other systems that are studied holistically by one or more methods. The case that is the subject of the inquiry will be an instance of a class of phenomena that provides an analytical frame an object within which the study is conducted and which the case illuminates and explicates."

Case study refers to the collection and presentation of detailed information about a particular participant or small group, frequently including the accounts of subjects themselves. The case study looks intensely at an individual or small participant pool, drawing conclusions only about that participant or group and only in that specific context.

Researchers do not focus on the discovery of a universal, generalizable truth, nor do they typically look for cause-effect relationships; instead, emphasis is placed on exploration and description.

It is generally believed that the case-study method was first introduced into social science by Frederic Le Play in 1829 as a handmaiden to statistics in his studies of family budgets. The use of case studies for the creation of new theory in social sciences has been further developed by the sociologists Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss who presented their research method, Grounded theory, in 1967.

The popularity of case studies in testing hypotheses has developed only in recent decades. One of the areas in which case studies have been gaining popularity is education and in particular educational evaluation. Case studies have also been used as a teaching method and as part of professional development, especially in business and legal education. Such as problem-based learning (PBL) movement. When used in (non-business) education and professional development, case studies are often referred to as critical incidents.

When the Harvard Business School was started The faculty quickly realized that there were no textbooks suitable to a graduate program in business. Their first solution to this problem was to interview leading practitioners of business and to write detailed accounts of what these managers were doing.

Cases are generally written by business school faculty with particular learning objectives in mind and are refined in the classroom before publication

Illustrative Case Studies Exploratory (or pilot) Case Studies Cumulative Case Studies Critical Instance Case Studies

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These are primarily descriptive studies. They typically utilize one or two instances of an event to show what a situation is like. Illustrative case studies serve primarily to make the unfamiliar familiar and to give readers a common language about the topic in question.

These are condensed case studies performed before implementing a large scale investigation. Their basic function is to help identify questions and select types of measurement prior to the main investigation. The primary pitfall of this type of study is that initial findings may seem convincing enough to be released prematurely as conclusions.

These serve to aggregate information from several sites collected at different times. The idea behind these studies is the collection of past studies will allow for greater generalization without additional cost or time being expended on new, possibly repetitive studies.

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These examine one or more sites The purpose of examining a situation of unique interest with little to no interest in generalizability, or to call into question or challenge a highly generalized or universal assertion. This method is useful for answering cause and effect questions.

Prospective: ` A type of case study in which an individual or group of people is observed in order to determine outcomes. ` For example, a group of individuals might be watched over an extended period of time to observe the progression of a particular disease.

Retrospective: ` A type of case study that involves looking at historical information. ` For example, researchers might start with an outcome, such as a disease ` Then backwards at information about the individuals life to determine risk factors that may have contributed to the onset of the illness.

Direct observation: This strategy involves observing the subject, often in a natural setting. While an individual observer is sometimes used, it is more common to utilize a group of observers. Interviews: One of the most important methods for gathering information in case studies. An interview can involves structured survey-type questions, or more open-ended questions. Documents: Letters, newspaper articles, administrative records, etc.

Archival records: Survey records, name lists, etc. Physical artifacts: Tools, objects, instruments and other artifacts often observed during a direct observation of the subject. Participant observation: Involves the researcher actually serving as a participant in events and observing the actions and outcomes.

It is founded the case-based approach to be a useful method to develop transferable skills. It includes: Group working: The benefits of group working are well documented, and it is founded that a team case study approach can add to the learning experience. Individual study skills: Case studies are a good vehicle for encouraging students to carry out independent research outside of the lecture

Information gathering and analysis:

Many case studies require resource investigation and encourage students to utilize a number of different sources, i.e. Internet, library, laboratory results and contacting experts in industry.

Time management: Longer case studies require students to really consider how best to carry out the work so that it is completed to the set deadline.

Presentation skills: Most of our case studies require students to present their work in a variety of formats, these include oral presentations, articles, posters and reports. Practical skills: Some of our case studies involve practical work on the components that are being studied. Feedback has shown that many students enjoy the hands-on approach.

case studies are predominantly coursework-based; however, this style of work may not be suited to everyone. Some students may work more efficiently in a formal and timeconstrained setting, such as an examination, One way in which we have tackled this, in some of our case studies, is to have both coursework and exam assessment on the case study content. Provided that a balance in learning styles is maintained in the overall course then the students are able to develop a range of skills and no student should be unfairly disadvantaged compared to another. Group working may also not be suited to all students.