Methods of Research and Enquiry

Qualitative Case Studyby Dr. Daniel Churchill

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Slides are available from:http://iln.cite.hku.hk/com/1391/Session7.ppt

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About Case Study The case study is examination of a specific

phenomenon Case study concentrate on many, if not all, the

variables present in a single unit Researchers are interested in insight, discovery,

and interpretation rather than hypothesis testing Case studies bring about discovery one new

meaning, extend reader’s experience or confirm what is known

Case studies in education are qualitative and hypothesis-generating, rather than quantitative and hypothesis-testing studies

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The Case One cannot define what the case is without first

having a research problem The case is an instance not a representative of a

class -- a case is selected because it is an example of some phenomenon of interest

One selects a case study approach because of an interest in understanding the phenomenon in a holistic manner

Case selection: reputation-case selection and typical-case selection

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Case Study Process Determine and define the research questions Select the cases and determine data gathering

and analysis techniques Prepare to collect the data Collect data in the field Evaluate and analyze the data Prepare the report

Read more about process from: http://www.gslis.utexas.edu/~ssoy/usesusers/l391d1b.htm

Iterative

Process

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Case Study Design Case study does not claim any particular

method for data collection or analysis. Qualitative research assumes that there

are multiple realities It is a highly subjective phenomenon in

need of interpreting rather than measuring A case study can test theory or build

theory, incorporate random or purposive sample, and include quantitative and qualitative data

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Data collection Researcher is the primary instrument for

data collection and analysis Data is collected through interviews,

observations, documents, questionnaires Through the case study there are no set

procedures or protocols that one follows step by step

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Data Analysis Qualitative studies are inductive by the

researcher Qualitative case studies develop theory Data collection and analysis is a a

simultaneous activity. Case studies go beyond descriptions and

are interpretative in nature Case study admit subjective perception

and biases of both participants and researcher into the research frame

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Analyzing The researcher is instrument sensitive to context (Lincoln

& Guba, 1981) Categories are created inductively by the researcher

(Goetz and LeCompte, 1984). Lincoln and Guba, (1981) -- Unitizing, units come from

the interviews, documents, observations. Identifying units serves as basis for defining categories. A unit can be a sentence, phrase, a paragraph. It must be smallest piece of information about something that can stand by itself.

Further level of analysis involves developing theory – not dealing just with observable but also with unobservable, and connecting the two

Although not used commonly in qualitative case studies, there are other strategies: data can be organized into scheme by the participants to break

up the complexity of reality into parts classification can be borrowed from sources outside the study

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Rigor

Internal Validity is ensured through triangulation, member checking, long-term observation, peer examination

Internal validity deals with question of how ones findings match reality (reality of the participant in study). Reality is holistic, multidimensional, ever-changing, it is not single, fixed, objective phenomenon waiting to be discovered, observed, and measured.

Qualitative studies usually have high internal but not external validity

One selects case approach because one wishes to understand the particular in depth, not because one wants to know what is generally true on the many.

Theoretical validity is ensured by going back to literature (draw up conclusion : maybe from multiple sources of data, but also supported/suggested by literature, strengthened your validity)

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Reporting There is no standard format for reporting case studies

(Lofland, 1974, Merriam, 1990) The content of report depend on the researcher’s purpose

in doing the research Once the results have been summarized, the researcher

presents a discussion of their meanings. It is the researcher who interprets and evaluates the findings in light of the methodology to explain what the results mean and how they can be used.

The case records include all major information that will be used in doing the analysis. This information is edited, redundancies are sorted out, parts are fitted together and the case record is organized for ready access chronologically or topologically

Discussion of the outcomes is a lesson to be learnt from the study. This is not generalization but “working hypothesis”

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Example of a Case Study

Daniel’s Study

Paper form this Study

Daniel's Study

Daniel's Paper

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For Next Week

Prepare 5 minutes long presentation of your proposed topic for research plan assignment

You should have maximum of 3 slides: Slide 1 – Title and Research Question, Who are the

study participants, How are they selected Slide 2 – Why is this important topic to study Slide 3: How will data be collected and analyzed

Upload your slides to you group blog site before the presentation