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Conducting Research Projects Guide: Case study

Guidance is provided to students engaging in empirical research projects for internships and post-graduate study

Case Study introduction

A case study looks at a particular person, organisation, policy, programme, or event in a specificed place and time. The purpose of a case study is to explore the case in depth. 

This is often a useful design for how or why questions.

A case study may require multiple onsite visits to interview or observe your participants. 

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Case study process

Strengths of case studies

The strengths of a case study are:

  • experiences of programmes and policies can be studied in depth
  • cases can be studied within their context.
  • can explore multiple viewpoints and perspectives through story telling
  • good for understanding process and dynamics of change in the real world
  • can be flexible in terms of time, method, how it is written up
  • can include a range of methodologies
  • can provide an understanding of what is happening and why
  • good for engaging participants in the research process

(Simons, 2009)

Limitations of case studies

The limitations of case studies are:

  • the volume of data collected can be difficult to process
  • reports can end up being very long
  • they can become uncontrolled interventions in peoples lives
  • they can distort the picture of the way things are
  • can be conservative
  • validity and usefulness of the results can be brought into question due to the involvement of the researcher

(Simons, 2009)

Useful library books

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