Case Study Method

1) Explain the significance of case study method.
Case study method has been in use for many decades and has contributed to knowledge significantly. It is a viable strategy for research and can be versatile device for bridging the gap between the phenomenon and image that a researcher has about it. Case study is relevant in the situation where researcher has to answer for ‘why’ and ‘how’. It is considered appropriate if the research is focused on the contemporary events.

2) What is the aim of case study?
The aim of case study is to find out the factors that are account for behaviour pattern of the units and its relationships with the environment. In other words, the researcher using the case study method tries to understand the complex of factors that are operative within a social unit.

3) Enlist the different sources of data for case study research.
The possible sources of data for case study research are, life histories, personal documents of all types, confessions, biographies and interviewing individuals. Case studies are not limited to any single source of data collection. They employ a number of sources.

4) Discuss the complementary role of the case study and statistical technique
Case study and statistical approaches have been considered as rivals and not really mutually exclusive. They are in fact, complementary and both may be employed with advantage in the same project. While one analyses mass of data horizontally and otherwise, the other studies vertically a small number of individual cases in detail and as a whole-the number of units may be small but the total number of traits would be large. The two approaches have their significant role.

Keywords
Case Study : Intensive investigation of a particular unit.
Case Work : Developmental and adjunct mental procedure that follows diagnosis.
Research Design : A plan of action or a blueprint.
Trait : Distinguishing feature in character.

Source:IGNOU Study Material