ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND

BEHAVIORAL STUDIES

DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL NEEDS AND

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
Presentation of Assignment I
Case study (qualitative research design)

By; Eshetu Getahun (Ass. Professor)

/GSR/1339/16 Year I PhD Student
Submitted to:
Dr. Alemayehu T. (Associate professor)

Dec, 2023
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
 Case study is an empirical inquiry that examines
a contemporary phenomenon within the context
of its real life (Dr. Hayden, 2022).
To refer to a work as a “case study” might mean;
1. Its method is qualitative,
2. The research is holistic (more or less
comprehensive examination of a phenomenon)
3. Utilizes a particular type of evidence
4. Its method of evidence gathering is naturalistic
(a “real-life context”
5. The topic is diffusive (case and context are
difficult to distinguish
6. It employs triangulation (multiple sources of
evidence),
7. It investigates the properties of a
single observation,
8. It investigates the properties of
a single phenomenon, instance (John Gerring,
2007).
Ontological, Epistemological and
Methodological Assumptions in qualitative
Case Study
Ontology: Defined by (Crotty: 2003:10) as “the study of
being
Guba and Lincolin (1989:83) state that the ontological
assumptions are those that respond to the question:
‘What is there that can be known?’ or ‘what is the
nature of reality?’
E.g. 1. The current price of goods & its impacts on
livelihood of public servants.
2. Provision of stolen fertilizers for merchants
 Epistemological assumptions
It is study of the nature of knowledge and justification
of beliefs held to be true, can be thought as justification
of knowledge and the theory of knowledge
Is about what knowledge is and how it is constructed.
Constructivism and existentialism (non-determinism)
should be the epistemologies that orient and inform the
qualitative case study research since “most contemporary
qualitative researchers hold that knowledge is
constructed rather than discovered” (Stake, 1995, p. 99).
The key philosophical assumption upon which all types
of qualitative research are based is the view that reality
is constructed by individuals interacting with their
social worlds” (Merriam, 1998, p. 6).
Case study researcher is supposed to “maximize four
conditions related to design quality: construct validity,
internal validity, external validity, and reliability for
Yinian
R.Yin is epistemologically adheres to positivism.
Philosophical assumption of Case Study
Primarily there are two fundamental
philosophical orientations that influence
research endeavours ˗ positivism or quantitative
methodology and non- positivism known as
constructivist and interpretivist paradigms
(Harrison, Birks, Franklin, & Mills, 2017).
For interpretive researcher the purpose of
research is to advance knowledge by describing
and interpreting the phenomena.
For positivist the entire world is rational, it
should make sense and, given sufficient time
and effort, it should be possible for it to be
understood through patient research (Thaka B.,
2018, p75).
Hence, this determines ontological and
epistemological characteristics of a research and
fundamental for a research design.
Axiological assumptions of case study
Refers to the researcher’s understanding of values and
their role in research.
Axiology explains the role and importance of the
research process, considers the values researchers assign
to their research, and guides their pursuit of knowledge
(Faith A., & SBumni M., 2023).
Informed consent
Confidentiality
Truthfulness
Honesty
1.2. Types of case study
According to Yin's categorization in terms of
forms of case study;
1. Exploratory: Defining the questions and
hypotheses of a subsequent study
2. Explanatory: Presents cause-effect
relationships
3. Descriptive: Provides full description of
phenomenon
 According to Stake (1995: 3);
1. Intrinsic case study:
Researcher interested in understanding a
specific individual or situation to understand
the case in all its parts
Exploratory Research
2. Instrumental case study.
Researcher interested in understanding something
more than just a particular case and draws
conclusions that apply beyond a particular case
Others put it as;
1. Illustrative Case Studies
Are primarily descriptive studies
Typically utilise one or two instances of an event to
show what a situation is like
2. Exploratory (or pilot) Case Studies:
Basic function is to help identify questions and select
types of measurement prior to the main
investigation.
Primary pit fall of this type of study is that initial
findings may seem convincing enough to be released
prematurely as conclusions.
3. Cumulative Case Studies
Serve to aggregate information from several sites
collected at different times.
4. Critical Instance Case Studies
Examine one or more sites for either;
1. the purpose of examining a situation of unique
interest with little to no interest in generalisability, or;
2. To call into question or challenge a highly
generalised or universal assertion.
This method is useful for answering cause and
effect questions.
1.3. Scope
Is geographically and conceptually delimited to
the subject of the study (individual, group,
organization or phenomena or case.).
Nevertheless, its finding can be generalized
base on the nature of the design and study.
 1.4. Sampling
1. Purposive Sampling (judgmental)
Helps purposely to choose persons, who is judged
possess required appropriate characteristics or
Thought to be relevant to the study and easily
available to him.
Eg., If someone wants to study beggars. S/he knows
three areas in the city where beggars are found in
abundance. He/she will visit only these three areas
and interview beggars of her/his choice.
2. Snowball/ network, chain referral/sampling
The researcher uses the first subject as the connecting
link to select the rest of the subjects (World Journal of
Education Vol. 4, No. 3; 2014).
Employed extensively in research with groups whose
members are difficult to locate or unlikely to be willing
to take part without referral from others in their own
network
3. Quota Sampling
In quota sample, the researcher needs to include a certain
proportion of subjects with a specific characteristic or
quality.
 1.5. Instruments

1. Observations/direct or participant (e.g., human actions

or a physical environment)
2. Interviews (e.g., open-ended conversations with key
participants)
3. Archival records (e.g., student records)
4. Documents (e.g., newspaper articles, letters and e-
mails, reports)
 1.6. Data collection and display
1.6.1. Data Collection
Collection of primary data involves the following
steps.
1. Making oneself both mentally as well as physically
ready.
2. Keeping a field book/record book or diary
3. Verifying the facts through cross checks in the
answers and ground realities.
4. Integrating the observations, responses and recorded
facts in a systematic and logical framework
1.6.2. Data Display
1. Editing of data:
Can be done at field and post-field editing.
The field editing is a review of reporting by
the investigator for completing abbreviations
during interviewing the respondent.
The post-field editing is carried out when
field survey is completed.
Requires review of all forms thoroughly.
2. The coding of data:
To keep the response within limited alternatives,
we need to assign some alphabetical or
numerical symbols or both to the answers.
The alternatives must be mutually exclusive i.e.
defined in one concept or term only.
3. Organization of Data
The information need to be arranged in an
ascending order is known as the array of data.
 1.7. Data analysis
Some qualitative analysis methods
include thematic analysis, content analysis, and
narrative analysis are used
A typical format for data analysis in a case study
consists of the following phases:
1. Description:
Entails developing a detailed description of each
instance (occurrence/illustrations) of the case
and its setting.
2. Categorical Aggregation:
Involves seeking a collection of themes from the
data, hoping that relevant meaning about lessons
to be learned about the case will emerge.
3. Direct Interpretation
By looking at the single instance or member of
the case and drawing meaning from it without
looking for multiple instances,
It pulls the data apart and puts it together in more
meaningful ways.
4. Within-Case Analysis:
This would identify the themes that emerge
from the data collected from each instance of
the case, including connections between or
among the themes.
These themes would be further developed
using verbatim passages and direct quotation to
elucidate each theme.
This would serve as the summary of the
thematic analysis for each individual
participant.
5. Cross-Case Analysis:
This phase develops a thematic analysis across
cases as well as assertions and interpretations of
the meaning of the themes emerging from all
participants in the study.
6. Interpretive Phase:
In the final phase, this is the creation of
naturalistic generalizations from the data as a
whole and reporting on the lesson learned from
the case study (Adapted from Creswell, 1998;
Stake, 1995.)
 1.8. Discussion and conclusion
1.8.1. Discussion
Discussion should focus on what can be learnt about
that particular situation and the individuals involved
(Western Sydney University, 2019).
Include the following information.
The major findings of your study
The meaning of those findings
How these findings relate to what others have done
Limitations of your findings
An explanation for any surprising, unexpected, or inconclusive
results
Suggestions for further research
1.8.2. Conclusion
Remind the reader of what they have just read.
Conclusion should:
Restate hypothesis or research question
Restate major findings
Tell the reader what contribution your study
has made to the existing literature
Highlight any limitations
State future directions for
research/recommendations/
 1.9. Reporting style
Title: Should reflect and concisely describe the research
project.
Authors: Include authors name, degree and institutional
affiliation
Introduction/Background: Why the topic selected is a
problem that needs to be addressed?
What is missing from the field of study that your the
is going to address?
Provide a one-sentence summary of the rationale for
the study question.
Objective(s): What does this study intend to resolve?
Provide a one-sentence description (e.g., "To
determine…," "To establish…") of the study's primary
objective.
Methods: A short paragraph discussing the design, setting,
context.
This section describes how the study was carried out.
Design: A statement of the study's basic design
Make sure you include in the design statement a notation
that the research study was approved.
Setting: A one-sentence description of the
circumstances of the setting
Participants: A brief description of the key
eligibility criteria of the study's participants.
The total number of the participants must be
included and how many participants were
included in the study
Results: A brief summary of the main results
along with declarations and explanations of
any important findings.
Conclusion: How does this study add to the
body of knowledge on the topic?
Provide a brief summary of the study's
conclusions directly supported by the reported
evidence.
Authors may include clinical applications and
any recommendations for additional study.
 1.10. Ethical issues
Informed consent:
Emphasizes the voluntary component,
promising to keep participants safe, and paying
particular attention to vulnerable population
segments
Confidentiality: Take extra precautions to ensure
participants’ right to privacy.
Data protection:
Maintaining the quality and integrity of the data.
Transparency and safety:
Keeping participants both from physical and
psychological harm, including the potential
harm associated with the invasion of privacy
and confidentiality (Brinkmann, S., & Kvale,
S., 2008).
 1.11. Limitations of case study
1. Inevitably lacking in external validity since
they include the in-depth analysis of a
particular instance of an event or person.
2. The difficulty of generalizing case study
research's conclusions to different contexts.
3. The researchers could inject their personal
opinions (researcher bias)
4. It is challenging to repeat.
 5. It’s expensive and time-consuming.
6. The amount of analysis done with the instruments
was constrained by the data and the time limits
imposed.
7. It may not be possible to directly compare the
results of studies conducted by other researchers
or by the same researcher at different times unless
employing multiple cases of the same scenarios.
1.12. Similarities and differences
1.12.1. Case study and Ethnography
Both are in depth study of an individual or a
group by nature.
Use almost similar data collection instruments
Case study Ethnography
A strategy of assembling data and As a practice is a method of
drawing interpretations collecting data
Provides detailed observation of Does not always produce studies.
reality and trying to avoid former But it can be based on quantitative
commitment to any theoretical or qualitative data.
frameworks

Is a detailed investigation of a Is the detailed and systematic

single event, situation or an study of people and culture
individual in order to explore an
unearth complex issues
Focus on a single event, Observe cultural phenomena
incidence, or individual
Case study Ethnography
Intend to uncover the Aims to describe the nature of
tacit/implicit/ knowledge of culture through detailed
culture participants investigation of individual cases
May use interviews, observations, Use participant observations and
questionnaires, checklists, analysis interviews
of recorded data and
openionnaires

The researcher does not have to The researcher has to spend a

live in a particular community considerable amount of time
inside that particular community
1.12.2.Case study and phenomenology

Both can provide valuable insights into

understanding a particular phenomenon.
Case study Phenomenology
Characterized as an examination Examination procedure and also a logic
technique that is utilized to research an that investigates the lived encounters of
individual or an occasion individuals

An in-depth and detailed investigation of A study that is designed to understand the

the development of a single event, subjective, lived experiences and
situation, or an individual over a period perspectives of participants.
of time

Data collection methods include Interviews are the main method of data
observations, interviews, questionnaires, collection
etc

Focus on a single incident, event, Focus on various individuals and their

organization or individual experiences

Information cannot be used to make Information heavily relies on interview

generalizations skills of researchers and the articulate
skills of participants (www.pediaa.com)
1.12.3.Case study and grounded theory
Both are valuable research methods that can provide
valuable insights into complex issues
Their appropriateness depends on the type of
information needed and the research question to be
answered
Both methods have their roots in sociology and are
focused on understanding, explaining, and/or predicting
human behavior.
Employ several of the same strategies for data
collection.
Case study Grounded theory
Particularly useful in exploring Seeks to generate new theories
complex issues from data collected through
systematic observation,
interviewing, and analysis.
Can also be used to test existing It seeks to identify patterns and
theories or to identify patterns in a relationships in a variety of data.
particular situation
The researcher uses the data to The researcher then uses the data
gain an understanding of the to develop a theory about the
situation and draw conclusions. phenomena under study
Its goal is to describe a Its goal is to develop theories that
contemporary situation within its describe or explain particular
real-life context situations and accurately perceive
and present another’s world
1.12.4.Case study and Narrative
The unit of analysis is a single individual,
event…
Can make a vital contribution that seeks to
understand processes that may explain current
realities
Case study Narrative
Focus on a single case or a small Focuses on understanding how
number of cases, people make sense of their
experiences
Can rely on quantitative data, Relies on qualitative data, such as
such as surveys and interviews, stories, and
measurements, observations.
Used to explore complex social Can gain insights into how people
phenomena, such as poverty, think about and make sense of the
health, education, and social world around them
change.
Examines One Context In Depth Explores how a subject has acted
in various contexts across time
1.12.5. Case study and action research
Both investigates classroom situations
The most popular for practical reasons for
teacher-researchers.
Case study Action research
An in-depth analysis of a Initiated to solve immediate
particular event or case for problem
long period of time
Involves observing and Involves solving a problem
analyzing a situation

Used in many fields Mainly used in the field of

education
Don to provide a solution to Always involve providing a
a problem solution to a problem
Researchers generally don’t Researchers can also act as
take part in the research participants of the research
study
Thank
you!