CASE STUDY RESEARCH

CONTENT & PRESENTERS:Characteristics & Types of Case Studies Nur Haiyu binti IshakExample of A Case Study ResearchYusrina bintiHasanStrengths and Weaknesses Nur Syazwani

WHAT IS A CASE STUDY RESEARCH METHOD?

• ‘an empirical inquiry that investigates a

contemporary phenomenon within its

reallife context; when the boundaries

between phenomenon and context are

not clearly evident; and in which multiple

sources of evidences are used’

(Yin, 1984)

WHAT IS A CASE STUDY RESEARCH METHOD?

• A method use to study individual or institution in depth and details within its own concept.

• The subject can be individual, a small group, object, an organisation or process.

WHEN TO USE CASE STUDY METHOD?

• To answer questions like ‘how’ or ‘why’

• When investigator has a little/no

possibility to control the events

• Contemporary phenomenon in a real-life

context

(Yin, 1994)

TYPES OF CASE STUDIES

• Explanatory

• Exploratory

• Descriptive

• Intrinsic

• Instrumental

• Collective

• Single-case

• Multiple-case

AN EXAMPLE OF EXPLORATORY CASE STUDY RESEARCH

a) Research Title

Language Use By Bilingual Special Educators

Of English Language Learners With Disabilities

International Journal of Special Education. (2009).

Vol. 24. No. 3; pg. 63-69.

b) Researchers Involved• Oneyda M. Paneque & Diane Rodriguez

from East Carolina University

AN EXAMPLE OF EXPLORATORY CASE STUDY RESEARCH

c) Research Objectives• To examine the language use of five bilingual

special education teachers of English Language Learners (ELLs) with disabilities.

d) Research Questions• Did the special education teachers use both

English and Spanish for instruction?• If so, how were English and Spanish used?• Were there differences in the use of English and

Spanish by the special education teachers?

AN EXAMPLE OF EXPLORATORY CASE STUDY RESEARCH

e) Methodology• Classroom observations.

- The participants were observed during five

class periods over the course of a six week

period.

- The observations were conducted by the

principal investigator (PI) of this study.

- The PI took notes during the class periods

describing the context of the classroom

learning situation.

AN EXAMPLE OF EXPLORATORY CASE STUDY RESEARCH

• Audio recordings of teacher lessons. - Each time the teacher was observed, the PI made audio recordings of the teacher lessons. - These recordings were later transcribed and

coded for frequency of language used and how the language was used.

• Teacher Interviews. - After the last classroom observation, each teacher was interviewed individually to gather additional data on their use of English and Spanish in the classroom.

AN EXAMPLE OF EXPLORATORY CASE STUDY RESEARCH

Three principles of data collection:• Use multiple sources of evidence

-Triangulation = searching converging findings from

different sources -> increases construct validity• Create a case study database

- Case study notes (clear & available for later use)

- Case study documents

- Tabular materials (collected & created)

- Narratives (initial open-ended answers to the study

questions suggested by investigators)• Maintain a chain of evidence

STRENGTHS

• Focuses on an individual or one aspect only which can allow for in depth and detail observation.

• Use various techniques of data collection including personal observation, interview and record/document related to aspects focus on in the study

• It enables the researcher to gain a holistic view of a certain phenomenon or series of events.

WEAKNESSES

• Need to collect data from a variety of sources which can be difficult to control.

• Data gathered maybe influenced by

researcher`s bias.• Although it allow indepth data gathering,

the scope is not broad.

SOURCE OF EVIDENCE STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

Documentation •stable - repeated

review

•unobtrusive - exist

prior to case study

•exact - names etc.

•broad coverage –

extended time span

•retrievability - difficult

•biased selectivity

•reporting bias –

reflects author bias

•access - may be

blocked

Archival Records •Same as above

•precise and

quantitative

•Same as above

•privacy might inhibit

access

Interviews •targeted - focuses on

case study topic

•insightful – provides

perceived causal

inferences

•bias due to poor

questions

•response bias

•incomplete recollection

•reflexivity – interviewee

expresses what

interviewer wants to hear

SOURCE OF EVIDENCE STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

Direct Observation •reality - covers events

in real time

•contextual – covers

event context

•time-consuming

•selectivity – might

miss facts

•reflexivity - observer's

presence might cause

change

•cost - observers need

time

Participant Observation •Same as above

•insightful into

interpersonal behavior

•Same as above

•bias due to investigator's

actions

Physical Artifacts •insightful into cultural

features

•insightful into technical

operations

•selectivity

•availability

THE END

Thank You…