Page 63 - DLIS401_METHODOLOGY_OF_RESEARCH_AND_STATISTICAL_TECHNIQUES

Methodology of Research and Statistical Techniques

Notes exposure to study of the case biases the findings. Some dismiss case study research as useful
only as an exploratory tool. Yet researchers continue to use the case study research method
with success in carefully planned and crafted studies of real-life situations, issues, and problems.
Reports on case studies from many disciplines are widely available in the literature.

Notes Case study is an in depth study of a particular situation rather than a sweeping
statistical survey. It is a method used to narrow down a very broad field of research
into one easily researchable topic.

This unit explains how to use the case study method and then applies the method to an
example case study project designed to examine how one set of users, non-profit organizations,
make use of an electronic community network. The study examines the issue of whether or not
the electronic community network is beneficial in some way to non-profit organizations and
what those benefits might be.
Many well-known case study researchers such as Robert E. Stake, Helen Simons, and Robert K.Y
in have written about case study research and suggested techniques for organizing and conducting
the research successfully. This introduction to case study research draws upon their work and
proposes six steps that should be used:
• Determine and define the research questions,
• Select the cases and determine data gathering and analysis techniques,

• Prepare to collect the data,
• Collect data in the field,
• Evaluate and analyze the data,

• Prepare the report.
Step 1. Determine and Define the Research Questions
The first step in case study research is to establish a firm research focus to which the researcher
can refer over the course of study of a complex phenomenon or object. The researcher establishes
the focus of the study by forming questions about the situation or problem to be studied and
determining a purpose for the study. 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 intricately connected to
political, social, historical, and personal issues, providing wide ranging possibilities for questions
and adding complexity to the case study. The researcher investigates the object of the case
study in depth using a variety of data gathering methods to produce evidence that leads to
understanding of the case and answers the research questions.
Case study research generally answers one or more questions which begin with “how” or
“why.” The questions are targeted to a limited number of events or conditions and their inter-
relationships. To assist in targeting and formulating the questions, researchers conduct a literature
review. This review establishes what research has been previously conducted and leads to
refined, insightful questions about the problem. Careful definition of the questions at the start
pinpoints where to look for evidence and helps determine the methods of analysis to be used
in the study. The literature review, definition of the purpose of the case study, and early
determination of the potential audience for the final report guide how the study will be
designed, conducted, and publicly reported.

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