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AP 405 - SEMINAR - SN Lecture - How To Conduct A Case Study

This document provides guidance on conducting a case study for a 4th year seminar paper. It defines a case study as an in-depth examination of a contemporary real-world phenomenon in its natural context. The document outlines key aspects of a case study such as choosing an appropriate case, collecting and analyzing data, and summarizing conclusions. It emphasizes bounding the scope of the case study, considering multiple perspectives, and relating the case back to the research. Overall, the document serves as a starting point for students to understand the case study method and how to structure a high-quality case study analysis.

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Kishan Sirohi
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62 views22 pages

AP 405 - SEMINAR - SN Lecture - How To Conduct A Case Study

This document provides guidance on conducting a case study for a 4th year seminar paper. It defines a case study as an in-depth examination of a contemporary real-world phenomenon in its natural context. The document outlines key aspects of a case study such as choosing an appropriate case, collecting and analyzing data, and summarizing conclusions. It emphasizes bounding the scope of the case study, considering multiple perspectives, and relating the case back to the research. Overall, the document serves as a starting point for students to understand the case study method and how to structure a high-quality case study analysis.

Uploaded by

Kishan Sirohi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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How to Conduct a Case Study

SEMINAR Paper Support for 4th Year Students.

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 :

• Case: It is any given “real life” situation.

• Case Study: It is the analysis of this “real life”


situation.
Features of a Case Study
• Taken from real life.
• It includes sufficient information for the
reader to relate to the researcher’s topic of
research issues.
• Consists of many parts.
– Divide your research to headings and
sub-headings.
What Case to Study?
• Choose Wisely!
– Should fit within your research method
• (for e.g. : this semester – online, time bound. )
• Relationship to context

– Establish a rationale for your selection


• What am I trying to find out more about?
• How does this fit with my area of research?

– Define how it affects your research


• Your research could be based on :
– a philosophy
– An aspect of design
– Technical science
– Human behaviour or Social Science

– Link it to your research


Benefits of a Case Study as part of
Research?
• Narrows and refines your research - Focus on
a BOUNDED topic.

• Allows diverse information to be collected and


used.

• You gain new perspective and knowledge –


and think about a different view point.
Bounding a Case Study
• A BOUNDED Case Study is a closed system, that allows the researcher to
focus on their area of research.

• What is this case study being done for?


– What is your starting point?
• Broad interest to be narrowed down to specific topic.

• What is my focus and specific objective?


– Focus on your own area of analysis

• What type do I want?


– Is this Case Study a Typical (Representative) example of the phenomenon I am
studying?
Or
– Is it Atypical (Radical)?
• often provide more unique information.
Approaches to Case Studies
• Analytical Approach
– Understand what has happened and why.
– Not necessary to identify problems or suggest
solutions.

• 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

• Interviews with key persons

• Blog / Journal / Websites/ Social media

• Any relevant documents


– Statistics
– Governmental Data
– Timeline of events

• 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.

• CREATION of an in-depth narrative of the phenomenon you are researching.


Good case studies should:
• Relate your research to a practical situation
– So that you are able to apply the ideas and knowledge
researched to the practical situation at hand in the
case study.
• Identify the patterns and links
– Select the major patterns and trends in the case
studies.
– Suggest solutions as required or analyse links and
trends in your analysis.
• Recommend a solution to be implemented, if required.
• Detail how this solution can be implemented
Summary - Conclusions
-Recommendations
• Summary
– What happened?
• Conclusions
– Reasons it happened?
– Why did it happen this way?
– Why not another way?
• Recommendations
– How does this support or change my solution?
– What new solutions can I suggest?
5 things for a good Case Study!
• Must be significant.
• Must be complete.
• Must consider alternative perspectives.
• Must display sufficient evidence.
• Must engage interest of reader.
8 Steps to write a Case Study!
1. Outline the purpose of the case study
2. Describe the specific field of research
– Usually an overview of the situation
3. Identify problems found.
– divide into sub-sections, one for each problem.
– Record your findings
4. Summary – of all issues found
5. Identify solutions. (likely to be more than one
solution per problem) Discuss them.
8 Steps to write a Case Study!
6. Final Summary - Sum up the main points
from the findings and discussion.
7. Conclusion
– Justify your choice of alternative solutions that
can be adopted.
• Here, integration of theory is appropriate.
8. Make sure all references are cited correctly.
• References / Appendices (if any)
Case Study Protocol
• Check records
• Background Analysis
• Design of case study
• Data Collection
• Analysis
• Validity
• Study limitations
• Identify target audience
• Schedule
Check list on writing a Case Study
• Jargon should be minimum.
• Know the case thoroughly.
• Be analytical.
• Keep the attention of the reader.
• Present the situation without bias.
• Provide relevant details.
References
• “How to write a case study ”, Monash University, Published in July 2007
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314147521_Case_Studies_as_method
_for_architectural_research
• https://www.academia.edu/33816129/CASE_STUDY_AS_A_TOOL_FOR_ARCHITEC
TURAL_RESEARCH
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ectS1ote8uA
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7XTVBajjr8
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhvdC4vDjts
• Yin R.K. (2003). Case Study Research: Design And Methods. Los Angeles, CA: Sage
Thank you & All the Best!

Sarika Ma’am

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