Case study dissertation
Spring uctioncase study research excels at bringing us to tanding of a complex issue or object and can extend experience or add what is already known through previous research. Case studies emphasize tual analysis of a limited number of events or conditions and their chers have used the case study research method for many years across a disciplines. Critics of the case study e that the study of a small number of cases can offer no grounds for ility or generality of findings. Yet researchers continue to use the case study with success in carefully planned and crafted studies of real-life situations,Issues, and problems. This paper explains how to use the case and then applies the method to an example case study project designed e how one set of users, non-profit organizations, make use of an ity network. The study examines the issue of whether or not the ity network is beneficial in some way to non-profit organizations and benefits might be. Yin have written about case study suggested techniques for organizing and conducting the research introduction to case study research draws upon their work and proposes that should be used: determine and define the research the cases and determine data gathering and analysis techniques collect the data collect data in the field evaluate and analyze prepare the report step 1. Determine and define the ons the first step in case study research is to establish a ch focus to which the researcher can refer over the course of study of x phenomenon or object. The research object in a case study is often a program,An entity, a person, or a group of people. Each object is likely to be ted to political, social, historical, and personal issues, providing g possibilities for questions and adding complexity to the case study.
Cher investigates the object of the case study in depth using a data gathering methods to produce evidence that leads to understanding of and answers the research questions. Careful definition questions at the start pinpoints where to look for evidence and helps methods of analysis to be used in the study. The literature review, the purpose of the case study, and early determination of the potential the final report guide how the study will be designed, conducted, and ed. Select the cases and determine data gathering and ques during the design phase of case study research, the ines what approaches to use in selecting single or multiple real-life examine in depth and which instruments and data gathering approaches to using multiple cases, each case is treated as a single case. Each sions can then be used as information contributing to the whole study, case remains a single case. Exemplary case studies carefully select carefully examine the choices available from among many research tools order to increase the validity of the study. The determine whether to study cases which are unique in some way or cases considered typical and may also select cases to represent a variety of s, a variety of size parameters, or other parameters. A useful step in ion process is to repeatedly refer back to the purpose of the study in focus attention on where to look for cases and evidence that will satisfy e of the study and answer the research questions posed. Selecting single cases is a key element, but a case study can include more than one embedded analysis. For example, a case study may involve study of a ry and a firm participating in that industry.
This type of case study levels of analysis and increases the complexity and amount of data to be analyzed. A key strength of the case study method involves using s and techniques in the data gathering process. Throughout the design phase, ensure that the study is well constructed to ensure construct validity, ty, external validity, and reliability. Ty (especially important with explanatory or causal studies) certain conditions lead to other conditions and requires the use of of evidence from multiple sources to uncover convergent lines of researcher strives to establish a chain of evidence forward and al validity reflects whether or not findings are generalizable beyond ate case or cases; the more variations in places, people, and procedures. Exemplary case ensures that the procedures used are well documented and can be the same results over and over again. Prepare to collect because case study research generates a large amount of data le sources, systematic organization of the data is important to researcher from becoming overwhelmed by the amount of data and to researcher from losing sight of the original research purpose and e preparation assists in handling large amounts of data in a systematic fashion. Exemplary case e good training programs for investigators, establish clear protocols ures in advance of investigator field work, and conduct a pilot study e of moving into the field in order to remove obvious barriers and investigator training program covers the basic concepts of the study, terminology,Processes, and methods, and teaches investigators how to properly apply the used in the study. The program also trains investigators to understand gathering of data using multiple techniques strengthens the study by unities for triangulation during the analysis phase of the study. The protocols for case study research, including time deadlines, formats ive reporting and field notes, guidelines for collection of documents, ines for field procedures to be used. Investigators need to be flexible in real-life situations and threatened by unexpected change, missed appointments, or lack of office igators need to understand the purpose of the study and grasp the must be open to contrary findings.
Investigators must also be aware that going into the world of real human beings who may be threatened or what the case study will bring. Researchers carefully object of the case study and identify causal factors associated with the enon. Renegotiation of arrangements with the objects of the study or questions to interviews may be necessary as the study progresses. Case ch is flexible, but when changes are made, they are documented ary case studies use field notes and databases to categorize and so that it is readily available for subsequent reinterpretation. The researcher may enter into a database and physically store other data, but the researcher documents,Classifies, and cross-references all evidence so that it can be efficiently sorting and examination over the course of the study. The case , with its use of multiple data collection methods and analysis techniques,Provides researchers with opportunities to triangulate data in order to research findings and conclusions. Exemplary case studies will deliberately sort the many different ways to expose or create new insights and will for conflicting data to disconfirm the analysis. Researchers categorize,Tabulate, and recombine data to address the initial propositions or purpose study, and conduct cross-checks of facts and discrepancies in accounts. Tions, on the other hand, cause the researchers to pry more r technique, the cross-case search for patterns, keeps investigators ng premature conclusions by requiring that investigators look at the many different ways. Complex issue into one that can be understood, allowing the reader to examine the study and reach an understanding independent of the goal of the written report is to portray a complex problem in a way that conveys.
Case studies present data in very ible ways and may lead the reader to apply the experience in his or real-life situation. Researchers pay particular attention to displaying ce to gain the readers confidence that all avenues have been explored,Clearly communicating the boundaries of the case, and giving special conflicting propositions. Techniques for composing the report can ng each case as a separate chapter or treating the case as a ting. Some case study researchers suggest that the audience include a journalist and some suggest that the documents reviewed by the participants in the study. Applying the case study an electronic community networkby way of example, we apply these six an example study of multiple participants in an electronic community participants are non-profit organizations which have chosen an ity network on the world wide web as a method of delivering the public. The case study method is applicable to this set of users can be used to examine the issue of whether or not the electronic k is beneficial in some way to the organization and what those be. Determine and define the research questions l, electronic community networks have three distinct types of users, a good candidate for case study research. In this case, the researcher is primarily interested in r or not the electronic community network is beneficial in some way to zation participants. The researcher begins with a review of the determine what prior studies have determined about this issue and uses ture to define the following questions for the study of the non-profit ing information to the electronic community network: why do zation participants use the network? At the the design phase, the researcher determines that only one of these be studied and further sets the study boundaries to include only some non-profit organizations represented on that one network.
The researcher board of directors of the community network, who are open to the idea of study. The researcher also gathers computer generated log data from the , using this data, determines that an in-depth study of representative four categories -- health care, environmental, education, and religious --. The investigator applies additional selection criteria so that -based and a rural-based non-profit are represented in the study in examine whether urban non-profits perceive more benefits from community rural organizations. The researcher considers multiple sources of this study and selects document examination, the gathering and study of nts such as administrative reports, agendas, letters, minutes, and ngs for each of the organizations. In this case, the investigator also conduct open-ended interviews with key members of each organization using. In this case study, the researcher cannot employ ation as a tool because some of the organizations involved have no meet infrequently to conduct business directly related to the electronic k. Prepare to collect the data the researcher prepares to collect first contacting each organization to be studied to gain their cooperation,Explain the purpose of the study, and assemble key contact information. The researcher develops a formal investigator training program to r topics on non-profit organizations and their structures in each of categories selected for this study. The training program also includes ns in conducting open-ended interviews and documenting sources, notes formats, and a detailed explanation of the purpose of the case researcher selects a fifth case as a pilot case, and the investigators data gathering tools to the pilot case to determine whether the planned feasible and whether or not the interview and survey questions are effective. Based on the results of the pilot, the researcher makes assigns investigators particular cases which become their area of the evaluation and analysis of the data.
The interviews, although open-ended, are structured around the ons defined at the start of the case study. Once the surveys ed, the researcher codes and enters the data into the database so that be used independently as well as integrated when the case study the point of cross-case examination of data for all four cases. Evaluate and analyze the data within-case analysis is the first que used with each non-profit organization under study. Separate case to identify unique patterns within the data for that single dual investigators prepare detailed case study write-ups for each organization,Categorizing interview questions and answers and examining the data for rities and differences. In those cases, the investigator conducts follow-up iews to confirm or correct the initial data in order to tie the the findings and to state relationships in answer to the research 6 prepare the report the outline of the report includes of the participants, stating the problem, listing the research questions,Describing the methods used to conduct the research and any potential flaws method used, explaining the data gathering and analysis techniques used, ding with the answers to the questions and suggestions for further features of the report include a retelling of specific stories related successes or disappointments experienced by the organizations that were data collection, and answers or comments illuminating issues directly the research questions. In library and information science, research has been used to study reasons why library school programs close. Researchers could case study method to further study the role of the librarian in ic models of service. For example, case study research could examine ation-seeking behavior in public libraries compares with or in places other than libraries, to conduct in-depth studies of ity based information services to compare with library based community es, and to study community networks based in libraries. S are complex because they generally involve multiple sources of data, e multiple cases within a study, and produce large amounts of data for chers from many disciplines use the case study method to build upon theory,To produce new theory, to dispute or challenge theory, to explain a situation,To provide a basis to apply solutions to situations, to explore, or to object or phenomenon. The advantages of the case study method are its real-life, contemporary, human situations and its public accessibility n reports.
Case study results relate directly to the common readers ence and facilitate an understanding of complex real-life graphy busha, c. Powerful actors in public land use decision making processes:A case study in austin, texas. Towards a the singular: essays about case study in educational research and h, uk: university of east anglia, centre for applied research in , r. The case study as a research ished paper, university of texas at case study as a research methoduses and users of information. The case study as a research ished paper, university of texas at to write a ing a dissertation to choose a reliable writing g free help with a phd al thesis writing ing your master's g an ethnographic dissertation tation conclusion tation acknowledgement sources with dissertations. Graduate dissertation literature hing a graduate study method dissertation g phd thesis samples raduate thesis g phd dissertation tation topic ideas in microbiology. Way to use sample thesis g template law es of professional te dissertation al research ng a phd uring your phd an excellent thesis g some dissertation g for a thesis proposal aduate paper al dissertation writing ies of a thesis paper writing ng dissertation n investment dissertation communication dissertation management dissertation topics. Dissertation research plan g sociology thesis abstract dissertations with uring a phd dissertation y phd paper use of dissertation agencies. Guide to dissertation sing a thesis a decent thesis ng mistakes in your ional leadership dissertation: depends on your dissertation topic... Great proposal for your papers require responsible for writing a dissertation g strong paper dissertation writing a dissertation writing tation writing rules.
Manual on dissertation tation of dissertation ting a dissertation dissertation & thesis tation ting phd law phd paper subject ng a body for your sive dissertation steps to write a strong ng a history paper for master's ng mistakes in choosing a sources with thesis g dissertation writing e dissertation ment dissertation topics. Solid topics for communication paper to use the case study method in your you worried because you want to write a great dissertation to impress your professors? Do you think it is hard to follow the instructions by your teacher because she wants you to use the case study method? Do you need someone to help you write your paper using the case study method? This means that you take a real case under your subject for example, if you are to write a dissertation on marketing, then you need to visit a business or organization on their physical location. A case study is different from theory because it involves practical aspects and other fluctuations that we ignore in the theoretical article talks about the steps you need to use in order to compose a winning case study in your first step is to develop your focus of research and define the question you will address in your paper. You can develop this focus by creating questions regarding your provided second step in your case study is to design the process. You need to create a roadmap for the real life cases you will select and why you will choose them. Use the raw materials first and do not interpret any results unless you are complete with your last step in your case study is to report your data in an easy way. It will help you to restrain ideas and make your writing more tation writing thesis paper from expert sional dissertation and thesis to write a ing a dissertation to choose a reliable writing g free help with a phd al thesis writing ing your master's g an ethnographic dissertation tation conclusion tation acknowledgement sources with dissertations.
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