A case study is an examination of a person, event or phenomenon. It is a collection of data, cleansing it and then evaluating to get all the actions of complexity about one particular topic. Domain that commonly use case studies include business, law, medicine, and social sciences.
Types of Case Studies
Descriptive Case Study: It gives a complete description of the case study.
Explanatory Case Study: Describe the causes and effects of a phenomenon
Research type: Exploratory Case Study: (New Phenomenon, Research Question)
Examplary Case: is a normal example of an event.
Elements of a Case Study
Introduction: a short background of the case and research question or problem
Background: General background information and background on the issue about the case.
Data Collection: Collecting data through interviews, observations, or document analysis.
Data Analysis: The raw data was examined for any patterns, themes or discussions.
Results and Discussion: This really involves finding what the research found, and discussing it.
Summary of conclusions and recommendations:
Advantages of the Case Study Method
Real World Context: Case studies provide in-depth insights to real life contexts.
Study depth: They provide an extensive understanding of a complex issue.
Adaptability: Researchers can adapt case studies to a range of different research questions and settings.
Generative ability: They can generate new theories & hypotheses.
The Case Study Research Limitations
Limited Generalizability — The results from the case study may not apply to other populations or contexts.
Subjectivity: The findings can be affected by the way that each researcher interprets the data.
Time consuming: Case studies, following strict protocols to satisfy scientific rigor nor necessarily stating the objectives of a study in advance based on hypothesis-testing or theory-testing frameworks.
When researchers select cases wisely, collect and analyze data rigorously, as well as drawing appropriate inferences, case study research can contribute significantly to our understanding of complex phenomena.
