AP 405 - SEMINAR - SN Lecture - How To Conduct A Case Study
AP 405 - SEMINAR - SN Lecture - How To Conduct A Case Study
AP 405 - SEMINAR - SN Lecture - How To Conduct A Case Study
Sarika Narayan
25TH September 2021
What is a Case Study ?
• A Case Study is an enquiry that investigates or
examines a contemporary phenomenon in depth
and within its real life context.
• It is your account of:
– An activity
– An event A Phenomenon
– A problem
• Used to understand how the complexities of real life
influence your area of research.
• Analyse. Apply knowledge. Reason. Draw conclusions.
Points to remember :
• Problem-Oriented Method
– Identify major problems that exist
– Suggest solutions to these problems.
Types of Case Studies
• Single
– Specific to one sample
• Intense
• Limitless
• Difficult to justify
• Single, but embedded
– Like overlays of information on the same Case
• Multiple
– Many, to support your research
– Cross-analysis between them
How to choose?
• A few to support my research?
• And a few to show failure of my research?
Selecting the Depth of your research :
• HOLISTIC : One whole entity (narrow scope,
intense).
OR
• EMBEDDED : Many Cases, some common
aspects studied which are common to your
research.
Format for a Case Study
• Introduction
• Statement of Research (Identify it)
• Purpose of research
– Exploring an idea / theory?
– Explaining a scientific fact?
– Describing a phenomenon?
• Limitations of conducting your case study
• Any important definitions
Methodology of Data
• Decide how your data is researched and collected for your
Case Study.
• Find
– Themes
– Links
– Patterns
• Data could be based on multiple observations:
– P.E.S.T. or Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural or Technical
concerns and issues
– Interviews, Questionnaires, Social Media, etc.
• Data sources could relate to each other or be dissimilar
(contradictory).
– For eg: Architect’s vision vs. Client’s vision vs. User’s perception.
Data Collection Methods
• Questionnaire
– to gain different perspectives
• Observations
– Confirm / Contrast collected information
• Source business journals, periodicals, and textual references as any online research. Make sure
you support your ideas with facts and figures.
Sarika Ma’am