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Student Research of Case Study
College students and professionals need to be able to understand different methods researchers
use to generate information useful in scholarly works and everyday use. This paper will define the non-
experimental research method known as case study. The advantages and disadvantages of the approach
will be discussed. If there are limitations of using a case study and what they are will be answered. By
the end of this paper, one could explain ways and the sources researchers use to help them with case
study research methods.
Defining The Research Method
A case study is a type of non-experimental research methodology used by researchers. To perform the
act of conducting a case study one must intensely observe an individual, animal, event, or treatment
method (Crawford, 2018, p.78). An in-depth detailed account of what was observed must be taken
because it is exceedingly rare. The dictionary Merriam-Webster defines case study as, “a method of
research used especially in sociology by which accumulated case histories are analyzed with a view
toward formulating general principles” (Merriam Webster, n.d.). In research the details analyzed with
case studies are considered psychological and social types of phenomena. Case study can be used in
several disciplines such as the health field, business, and law settings. They are used to explain, explore,
and describe events in the natural setting they occur (Crowe, S., Cresswell, K., Robertson, A. et al., 2011).
Advantages of Case Study Approach
The advantage of this approach is that researchers get to witness the event in the natural real life setting
where it took place without any bias. A big advantage of case study is researchers can study rare events
depending on the situation that some may consider unethical to study or deemed unusual
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to study in separate ways if they ever occurred (Crawford, 2018). “It would be extremely unethical to
deprive a child of language, make people swallow objects, or damage parts of the brain to see how the
event influenced an individual’s behavior. Therefore, case studies provide us with unique opportunities
to better understand situations that we could not study experimentally” (Crawford, 2018). Case studies
provide detailed data that is relevant context and can be added over a period (Martin Davies, 2011).
Limitations Researchers Find with Case Study
Like other research methods there are some limitations that researchers would consider for not
selecting case study as their preference. Researchers must consider how much time and money they can
contribute when conducting research. Case study can be expensive and take more time when compared
to other methods. One limitation to this approach is researcher bias. Researcher bias is when a
researcher uses his or her own beliefs to influence the data being collected. In the text Introduction to
Research: Less Freight, More Insight, “In trying to understand the male patient admit-ted to the hospital,
researchers attempted to reconstruct events from his past to explain his current situation. Yet, this
procedure introduces bias because the researchers are selecting what information from his past they
think is important. There could be other variables that the patient and the researchers were unaware of
that influenced him.” (Crawford, 2018). That approach caused significant errors to the study from the
researchers adding their own bias.’ Limitations of this approach are case study is not easy for
researchers to repeat given their uniqueness, scientific rigour is lacking, researcher bias, time
constraints, and it is costly (Indeed Editorial, 2023).
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Describe the Information Sources
Researchers have several methods for collecting their data for case studies. Direct observation is the
first known method where researchers observe participants in their natural setting and take detailed
notes of their behaviors. Participant observation is another way researchers gather information by
knowingly participating in the setting as if they are a part of it but gathering information from a closer
perspective. An example of this would be a researcher sitting in the park with her child playing among
other children and gathering data on how children play with children in the playground setting. The
researcher is a mother herself, so it looks as if she is just watching her own child play and nothing more.
Interviewing through using survey type questions is a common way to get data for case studies.
Researchers use hard copy data already recorded such as newspapers, letters, and survey records
(Tahedoost, 2021, p.29).
Conclusion
This paper describes what a case study is defined as. The advantages and disadvantages of a case study
approach for research purposes were addressed. Some limitations a researcher must consider when
doing research were included in the text. Case study is a highly effective approach researchers have
available to use if they want to explore people, animals, or events in their natural setting. Case studies
can be beneficial to researchers to create hypothesis for future research.
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References
Crawford (2018). Introduction to Research: Less Fright, More Insight: A Customized Version of
Research Methods: Are You Equipped? Second Edition by Jennifer Bonds-Raacke and John
Raacke (3rd ed.). Kendall Hunt Publishing.
https://libertyonline.vitalsource.com/books/9781524965457
Crowe, S., Cresswell, K., Robertson, A. et al. The case study approach. BMC Med Res Methodol 11, 100
(2011). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-11-100
Indeed Editorial Team. (2022, September 30). What Is a Case Study in Psychology? (With Methods and
Steps). https://ca.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/what-is-a-case-study-in-
psychology#:~:text=Disadvantages%20of%20case%20studies&text=Case%20study%20results
%20can%20be,the%20accuracy%20of%20data%20collected.
Martin Davies (2011), Study Skills for International Postgraduate Students. Basingstoke, UK.: Palgrave,
MacMillan. ISBN: 140 399 580 X.
https://library.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/1924175/Casestudy_Research.pdf
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Case study method. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved
November 24, 2023, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/case%20study
%20method
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