Doing Case Study Research: A Practical Guide for Beginning Researchers

121 Pages·2006·0.39 MB·english

by  Dawson R. Hancock

Doing Case Study Research

Doing Case Study Research
A Practical Guide for Beginning Researchers
Dawson R. Hancock
Bob Algozzine
Teachers College
Columbia University
New York and London
Published by Teachers College Press, 1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
Copyright © 2006 by Teachers College, Columbia University
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, or any information
storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hancock, Dawson R.
Doing case study research : a practical guide for beginning researchers / Dawson R.
Hancock, Bob Algozzine.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-8077-4708-7 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN-13: 978-0-8077-4707-0 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-8077-4708-4 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-8077-4707-6 (pbk : alk. paper)
1. Education—Research—Methodology. 2. Education—Research—Case studies.
3. Case method. I. Algozzine, Robert. II. Title.
LB1028.H313 2006
370.7'2—dc22
2006040499
ISBN-13: ISBN-10:
978-0-8077-4707-0 (paper) 0-8077-4707-6 (paper)
978-0-8077-4708-7 (cloth) 0-8077-4708-4 (cloth)
Printed on acid-free paper
Manufactured in the United States of America
13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Preface ix
Key Features x
Rationale x
Course Applications xi
Acknowledgments xiii
PART I:
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
1. Scientific Inquiry 3
Content Review 6
Activities and Applications for Prospective Researchers 6
2. Qualitative and Quantitative Research 7
Illustrations from Practice 10
Content Review 10
Activities and Applications for Prospective Researchers 10
PART II:
STAGES OF DOING CASE STUDY RESEARCH
3. Setting the Stage 15
What Has Been Studied Using Case Study Research? 17
Illustrations from Practice 23
Content Review 24
Activities and Applications for Prospective Researchers 25
4. Determining What We Know 26
How to Do a Literature Review 28
Illustrations from Practice 28
v
vi Contents
Content Review 29
Activities and Applications for Prospective Researchers 30
5. Selecting a Design 31
Relations Between Design and Method 34
Illustrations from Practice 34
Content Review 38
Activities and Applications for Prospective Researchers 38
6. Gathering Information from Interviews 39
Illustration from Practice 41
Content Review 45
Activities and Applications for Prospective Researchers 45
7. Gathering Information from Observations 46
Design Illustrations 47
Illustrations from Practice 48
Content Review 49
Activities and Applications for Prospective Researchers 50
8. Gathering Information from Documents 51
Authenticity of Documents 52
Questions to Answer When Gathering Information
from Documents 53
Illustrations from Practice 53
Content Review 55
Activities and Applications for Prospective Researchers 55
9. Summarizing and Interpreting the Information 56
Design Illustration: Thinking About Method 58
Illustrations from Practice 58
Content Review 60
Activities and Applications for Prospective Researchers 60
10. Reporting Findings 61
How to Synthesize Findings 62
Design Illustration 63
Content Review 64
Activities and Applications for Prospective Researchers 64
11. Confirming Case Study Findings 66
Illustrations from Practice 67
Content Review 68
Activities and Applications for Prospective Researchers 68
Contents vii
Part III:
Putting It All Together
12. Preparing Proposals for Case Study Research 71
Introduction 71
Review of Literature 72
Method 72
Supporting Materials 73
Frequently Asked Questions About Research Proposals 74
Content Review 77
Activities and Applications for Prospective Researchers 77
13. Disseminating Case Study Research 78
Introduction 79
Method 79
Results 79
Discussion 80
Content Review 81
Activities and Applications for Prospective Researchers 81
Epilogue 83
Key Terms 85
References 89
Annotated Bibliography 93
Index 101
About the Authors 106

Preface
As university professors teaching quantitative and qualitative methods
courses to beginning and advanced graduate students in education and
health professions, we are constantly faced with the need for resources
that guide novice researchers through the stages of planning and imple-
menting studies. This handbook is a guide for doing case study research.
The emphasis throughout is on learning how to plan, conduct, and write
up a case study research project. Our goal is to provide sufficient struc-
ture, detail, and guidance for beginning researchers to get a handle on what
it takes to complete a systematic case study.
Doing Case Study Research begins with an examination of the scientific
method (Chapter 1, Scientific Inquiry) as the context for exploring topolo-
gies and procedures used to conduct educational research (Chapter 2,
Qualitative and Quantitative Research). The rationale and circumstances
for conducting a certain type of research, the case study (Chapter 3, Set-
ting the Stage), are followed by a discussion of how to identify literature
that informs the research effort (Chapter 4, Determining What We Know).
We then describe how to determine an appropriate research design (Chap-
ter 5, Selecting a Design) and how to conduct informative interviews
(Chapter 6, Gathering Information from Interviews), observations (Chapter
7, Gathering Information from Observations), and document analyses
(Chapter 8, Gathering Information from Documents). After describing how
data are acquired, we discuss how to derive meaning from them (Chapter
9, Interpreting the Information) and how to communicate results (Chap-
ter 10, Reporting Findings). Finally, we describe ways to verify, substan-
tiate, and back up the results attained through a case study research effort
(Chapter 11, Confirming Findings). Applying the steps examined in this
handbook, researchers at all levels will be able to design and conduct a
high-quality case study research project.
To facilitate understanding, Doing Case Study Research contains many
examples that illustrate key concepts contained in the chapters. Sources
of additional case study research information are cited throughout the book
for those interested in more in-depth information. Finally, each chapter
ix