A single case, on the other hand, may be considered idiosyncratic. International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks 2013 9: 11. 0000028323 00000 n 797 0 obj<>stream Like the Yin (1994) strategy, the Miles and Huberman (1994) process of analysis of case study data, although quite detailed, may still be insufficient to guide the novice researcher. Data collection . Hence it is typically used for exploratory research and data analysis. Cepeda and Martin (2005) see theory building as a key stage in the case study research process. All research needs to conform to the following quality criteria: 1. These should cover how the subjects will be accessed (including ethics), the schedule, together with such practical issues as how to handle document collection, etc. 0000012413 00000 n Case studies involve taking a close look at a particular case – an individual, a group of individuals, or an organization. Gerring, J. and McDermott, R. (2007), "An experimental template for case study research", American Journal of Political Science, Vol. As Rowley puts it (2002): "Triangulation uses evidence from different sources to corroborate the same fact or finding.". 0 The area is largely uncharted, in contrast to statistical analysis, where there are plenty of established techniques. 2168). and Baksh, M.S.N. The studies identify a number of data sources. Data Collection And Analysis Paper. They should however act as a guide for any questions the researcher poses to human subjects, or which are used in the perusal of documents. What about a hospital? The data collection process demands that the researcher be actively involved, asking the right questions which link to those that are central to the study, in a manner which does not alienate the subject. Carrying out a literature review is an essential precursor to most research, and is a good way of getting ideas for research questions. 0000000016 00000 n Case study research is neither a quick nor a soft option. Surveys, based on a sample of a larger population, allow for statistical generalisation. And the negative side of readily available specialist statistical software is that it becomes that much easier to generate elegantly presented rubbish” [2] . 16-27. The research may also continue for an extended period of time, so processes and developments can be studied as they happen. If the patterns coincide, the results can help a case study to strengthen its internal validity. 2816) mentions five particular analytical techniques: Of these, Yin (2009) describes pattern matching as "one of the most desirable" (location no. (Yin, 2003, location no. (Note that this is different from being able to replicate the results in another case.) 51 No. should draw on the researcher's prior expert knowledge in the area of the case study, but in an unbiased and objective manner. 2495) the data from the case study is often merged with the report, whereas it should be stored in such a way that it can easily be accessed and viewed by another researcher. 4. The next step is, obviously, to share your findings with others by writing up your case study. For example, a school might illustrate an important theoretical point, but if teachers and pupils refuse to engage and you can't gain access to classrooms, it will not be of much use. A representative case – a case that is representative, or typical, of a particular situation. It includes an iterative process in which initial analysis of data shapes subsequent data collection and analysis. That explanatory research can offer an understanding of a phenomenon is viewed with scepticism by some, on the grounds that a single case study cannot yield a sufficient volume of evidence on which to generalise. This is known as analytical generalisation. 0000020579 00000 n Number of times cited according to CrossRef: 7. Seawright, J. and Gerring, J. Direct observation occurs when the researcher observes but does not participate. Tables are commonly used for this purpose, with a framework to suit the relevant data outcomes. These should have informed the data collection, and during the analysis the researcher trawls through the evidence, looking for corroborative (or not) evidence. When considering your theoretical position at the outset, it is important not to lose sight of an important practical consideration: will the case you have chosen (or are considering choosing) cooperate with your research? How you do this will vary according to your target audience. The most usual sources of information are: The most important use of documentation lies in: See "How to... use secondary data and archive material", especially "Using archival data" for more details. 827) advises narrowing down the research question to something more specific, in order to look for relevant evidence. The latter is covered in part 3 of the author guide, "How to ... write a case study". If data collection for case studies is difficult, data analysis is no less so. Both types of case study design have their advantages. 851-876. The questions need to be suitable: large enough to provide sufficient scope for research, but new enough not to have already been answered. 1, pp. Stake (1995) discussed two other potential sources of data for case study research: observation and document review. 0000015819 00000 n 1, pp. Single cases and multiple cases can be holistic or embedded. H�\��n�0F�y See "How to... conduct interviews". A longitudinal case – a study of changes over time. This type of data collection is very versatile and can be used to analyze simple and complex subjects. 0000037889 00000 n 0000028122 00000 n Figure 1. On the other hand, your unit of analysis might be an individual or a small group, for example if you were looking at the effects of a particular social intervention such as whether or not neighbourhood policing could reduce crime. According to Yin (2009, location no. Lasica Ilona-Elefteryja, Maria Meletiou-Mavrotheris, Konstantinos Katzis, A Teacher Professional Development Program on Teaching STEM-Related Topics Using Augmented Reality in Secondary … 226-248. Providing that these data are central to the case study and to any propositions you are investigating, combining statistical and qualitative analysis will offer a strong strategy. Providing inferential information, for example, about networks, which can be deduced from distribution lists etc. Pattern matching. The approach of data collection is different for different fields of study, depending on the required information. what happened, how, and why? 0000018106 00000 n It studies a social unit in its entire perspectives. Case study method is responsible for intensive study of a unit. Once you have collected, analysed and formed conclusions from your data. Woodside (2010) provides detailed accounts of several other methods: for example storytelling, visual narrative art, conversational analysis, and forced metaphor elicitation technique. Corroborating, or contradicting, evidence from interviews or other sources. Hitherto it has been assumed that theory is developed as part of the initial research work, drawing from the literature review, and that data are analysed against theory. Lloyd-Jones, G. (2003), "Design and control issues in qualitative case study research", International Journal of Qualitative Methods, Vol. 0000016307 00000 n It does not proceed in a linear fashion; it is not neat. 294-308. Population – the group of people or the area you are investigating – and the sample (the subset of the population you are studying) are both important research principles (see Sampling techniques). A case study is an in-depth empirical investigation of a situation to understand and answer the how and why questions pertaining to a particular phenomenon.It refers to gathering information about a particular individual or a group in order to gain a holistic view about the subject of study .A case study approach is a holistic approach to observe the situation and gather valuable insights from the participants in the situation to explore phenomena. 2 No. According to Yin (2006), case study research is best applied when the research addresses descriptive or explanatory questions: i.e. The first is rich detail in recording events, interviews, and o bservations. The first task is to decide what it is you are trying to find out by defining your research question. The most common objection to case study research is that it is insufficiently rigorous. Also, the unit must be at the same level as the object of the proposition (Gerring and McDermott, 2007). Documents collected during the case study, which should be accompanied by an annotated bibliography. If you conduct a pilot case study, this will help you refine your plans for collecting data, for example the type of questions you might want to ask your interview subjects. The iterative quality of grounded theory would seem to remove it from consideration in orthodox case study design. According to Woodside (2010, pp. H�\��j� ��}��ܽX�a�eK!=д��$+4F����w&. 2, pp. 0000028587 00000 n 256-257) commented on how they maintained a chain of evidence: "Using multiple researchers, we continually communicated our methodological decisions to respondents and recorded the data mechanically by using a tape recorder. Woodside (2010, p. 107) maintains that a multiple methods approach is essential in order to elicit both conscious and unconscious thinking processes. One can ask themselves, "How do we prevent this from happening again?" 0000015982 00000 n It means there is no sampling in case study method. Dul, J. and Hak, T. (2007), Case Study Methodology in Business Research, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford. The data collection process demands that the researcher be actively involved, asking the right questions which link to those that are central to the study, in a manner which does not alienate the subject. 6, pp. This is usually what businesses and persons affected by a hurricane ask each other. If case study research is never a soft option, the collection and analysis of data can be particularly challenging. 0000016881 00000 n Examine rival explanations. Internal validity – this seeks to establish a causal relationship, and is relevant for explanatory rather than exploratory cases. Yin (2009, location no. 0000019547 00000 n The objective of the case study is to analyse the linkage between data collection related to monitoring of energy savings and evaluation on energy efficiency policies. 0000005694 00000 n Download Citation. The final screening of cases involves selecting the case(s) which best fit your design, where you can obtain the best data, and where you can obtain easy access to documents, people and other information. Coding can be explained as categorization of data. According to Yin (2003), a case study is a comprehensive methodology, which incorporates appropriate data collection methods and data analysis techniques. A Case Study of Sensor Data Collection and Analysis in Smart City: Provenance in Smart Food Supply Chain. Rowley, J. 0000018678 00000 n 0000033228 00000 n Then, additional cases are examined to see if they contribute to the theory. Rely on the study's theoretical propositions. However, with grounded theory design, the opposite happens: data are collected first of all, then theory developed, then more data are collected and compared with the theory, so the whole becomes an iterative process (see How to... implement grounded theory). This may take the form of a proposition. Yin, R.K. (2006), "Case study methods", in Green, J.L., Camilli, G. and Elmore, P.B. This way of collecting data is very powerful, because the researcher is unobtrusive, and can therefore freely observe behaviour which is not "edited", as it might be in a laboratory setting, or when the interviewer's questions frame the response (Woodside, 2010, p. 406). (2008), "Case selection techniques in case study research: a menu of qualitative and quantitative options", Political Research Quarterly, Vol. H�. Next Page . 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