North East Institute of Social Sciences and Research,

Dimapur

Topic- Case Study Method

Dr. Toli Kiba

 CASE STUDY
Meaning of case study
-Often termed a method, a technique, an approach to social reality.
-A comprehensive study of a social unit.

Definition of case study

Case study is a way of organizing social data so as to preserve the
unitary character of the social object being studied. Expressed
somewhat differently it is an approach which views any social unit as
a whole. Goode and Hatt

The case study is a form of qualitative analysis involving the very

careful and complete observation of a person, a situation or an
Institution. Biesanz and Biesanz
 Characteristics of Case study

• Create interest while reading

• Case study is a deep, detailed and intensive study of social unit.
• It is a method of qualitative analysis
• Study EVERYTHING about SOMETHING, rather than
SOMETHING about EVERYTHING
• Unit of study may be an individual, a family, an institution, a
cultural group or an entire community.
• According to P.V. Young, Case study data may be gathered
exhaustively on the entire life cycle of social unit or a definite
section of it.
• The number of units has to be small. The number may vary from
a single unit to a few dozen or even a few hundreds
 Types of Case Study

1. Historical case study

2. Observational case study
3. Oral History
4. Situational analysis
5. Clinical case study
6. Multi- case studies
 Planning in case study

• Initial case study question

• Study proposition
• Unit of analysis
Sampling method in case study
• Non- probability sampling is more often applied in
case study.
 Case study procedure

• State the purpose of the study

• State the issues
• The setting
• The propositions being investigated
• Review of literature
• Operational procedure for getting data, source of
information