We started talking about that a case is something that is out there in the real world; it can be a company in crisis, a medical patient with a set of symptoms, a criminal case, etc. They all have a given natural delimitation. The researcher can also sometimes put their own limitations on something that they want to prove is a case, and make a research about it. That is a way for new phenomenon/cases to appear - if the concept they find is accepted as “real”.
When we talked about theory in the beginning of the course we also discussed what theory is not. We did this on the seminar as well. A user study is for example not a case study, unless it focuses on a real life problem with real users. Another example can be a market survey or inquiry since it's only telling us what is.
So a case study research is a research about something already naturally limited complex phenomenon, or it’s a research about what the researcher believes is a new coming phenomenon and then he limits it himself. During the research you use different methods that you think is appropriate for the research.
Finally we came to three pinpoints of what a case study research is:
- It’s something that exists in the real life with a natural limitation.
- It uses different methods.
- It’s something inductive - no starting hypotheses and drags conclusions of experience.
Good reflection you have written there!
SvaraRaderaPreviously, I do not have a clear definition of this case study research, because it looks pretty different with previous method we learned in last theme.
One of the main difference is, in case study, we use the inductive method to begin with the research. In this method, we start from observation and begin to search the patterns that occur in the data, formulate some hypotheses that we can explore, and finally end up developing theories.
So, in order to get the initial data, I think the case itself must be already exist before we conduct the research, it is like the example Leif's told us in police case.
But, there is 1 thing I cannot get a clear explanation, can you give more emphasize on the point that "it uses different method"? It is like qualitative method, quantitative method, or else.
Hi Malin!
SvaraRaderaI really like that you have summarised the 3 key points from the seminar.
As you, I also had a hard time understanding what a case study is and how it is different from other forms of studies.
As you say case studies can sometimes help to give a new concept a definition and I would say also some trustworthiness. One example that Leif mentioned was about ADHD. Before ADHD did not exist and no one had that diagnosis. However, when ADHD was discovered case studies helped to establish the definition.
I was also shocked about the fact that case studies should include more than 3 cases to be seen as valid. But it makes sense because the more cases included - the more valid and trustworthy the results are.
Good job!
Hi,
SvaraRaderaGreat summary of the three main points. Even though the case study concept is a bit messy it seems like you learned and grasped the concepts from this theme, good job!
Haha interesting how many cases makes up "many" or "few" cases, did Leif mention why the line is drawn between 3 and 4 cases?
Keep up the good work! :)