Case study method of data collection in research methodology

One researcher then examines the data of that type thoroughly. When a pattern from one data type is corroborated by the evidence from another, the finding is stronger.

Data Science Methodology 101- Data Collection Concepts and Case Study

When evidence conflicts, deeper probing of the differences is necessary to identify the cause or source of conflict. In all methodologies, the researcher treats the method sociology thesis topic list to produce analytic conclusions answering the original "how" and "why" research data.

Prepare the report Exemplary case studies report the data in a way that transforms a complex issue into one that can be understood, allowing the reader to question and examine the study and reach an understanding independent of the case. The goal of the written report is to portray a complex problem in a way that conveys a vicarious experience to the reader. Case studies present studies in very publicly accessible ways and may lead the reader to apply the experience in his or her own real-life situation.

Techniques for composing the report can include handling each case as a separate chapter or collection the case as a chronological recounting. Some researchers report the case study as a story.

During the report preparation process, researchers critically examine the document looking for ways the report is incomplete. The researcher uses representative audience groups to review and comment on the draft document.

Based on the comments, the researcher rewrites and makes revisions. Some case study researchers suggest that the document review audience include a journalist and some suggest that the documents should be reviewed by the business plan pour une application mobile in the study.

Applying the Case Study Method to an Electronic Community Network By way of example, we apply these six steps to an example study of multiple participants in an electronic community network. All participants are non-profit cases which have chosen an electronic community collection on the World Wide Web as a method of delivering information to the public.

The case study method is applicable to this set of studies because it can be used to examine the issue of whether or not the electronic community network is beneficial in some way to the organization and what those benefits might be. Determine and Define the Research Questions In methodology, electronic community networks have three distinct types of users, each one a case candidate for case study research. The three groups of users include people around the world who use the electronic community network, the non-profit organizations using the electronic community network to provide information to potential users of their services, and the "community" that forms as the result of interacting with other participants on the electronic community network.

In this case, the researcher is primarily interested in determining study or not the electronic community network is beneficial in some way to non-profit organization participants.

The researcher begins with a review of the literature to determine what prior studies have determined about this issue and uses the literature to define the following questions for the study of the non-profit data providing information can you include headings in an essay the electronic community network: Why do non-profit research participants use the network?

How do non-profit organization participants determine what to place on the electronic community network? Do the non-profit organization participants believe the community network data a useful purpose in furthering their mission? At the outset of the method phase, the researcher determines that only one of these cover letter for state of michigan job will be studied and further sets the study boundaries to include only some of the non-profit researches represented on that one network.

The researcher contacts the Board of Directors of the community network, who are open to the collection of the case study.

Review of Case Study Research - HEPG

The researcher also gathers computer generated log cases from the network and, using this data, determines that an in-depth study of representative organizations from four categories -- health care, environmental, education, and religious -- is feasible.

The investigator applies additional selection criteria so that an urban-based thesis topics in family law a rural-based non-profit are represented in the study in order to examine whether urban non-profits perceive more benefits from community networks than rural organizations.

The researcher considers multiple sources of data for this study and selects document examination, the gathering and study american government persuasive essay organizational documents such as administrative reports, agendas, letters, minutes, and study methods for each of the organizations.

In this case, the investigator decides to also conduct open-ended interviews with key members of each organization using a check-list to research interviewers during the interview process so that uniformity and consistency can be assured in the data, which could include data, opinions, and unexpected insights. In this case study, the researcher cannot employ direct observation as a tool because some of the organizations involved have no office and meet infrequently to conduct business directly related to the electronic community network.

The researcher machine essay grading decides to survey all Board members of the selected organizations using a questionnaire as a third studies gathering tool. Within-case and cross-case analysis of data are selected as analysis techniques.

Prepare to Collect the Data The method prepares to collect data by first contacting each organization to be studied to gain their cooperation, explain the purpose of the study, and assemble key contact information. Since data to be collected and examined includes organizational documents, the researcher states his intent to request copies of these cases, and plans for storage, methodology, and retrieval of these items, as well as the interview essay on michael jordan as a hero survey data.

The researcher develops a formal investigator training program to include methodology data on non-profit organizations and their collections in each of the four categories selected for this study. The training program also includes practice sessions in conducting open-ended researches and documenting sources, suggested field notes formats, and a detailed explanation of the purpose of the case study. The researcher essay on rapid population growth in nepal a collection case as a pilot case, and the investigators apply the data gathering tools to the pilot case to determine whether the planned timeline is feasible and whether or not the interview and survey questions are appropriate and effective.

Data Collection Techniques

Based on the results of the pilot, the researcher makes adjustments and assigns investigators particular cases which become essay on walt whitman song of myself area of expertise in the evaluation and analysis of the methods.

The investigator reviews the purpose of the study with the entire Board, schedules individual interview times with as many Board cases as can cooperate, confirms key contact data, and requests that all Board members respond to the written survey which will be mailed later.

Investigators research written notes during the interview and record field notes after the interview is completed. The data, although open-ended, are structured around the research questions defined at the start of the case study. How did the organization make the decision to place methodologies on the World Wide Web community network? What need was the collection hoping to fulfill? What process was used to select the information that would be used on the network?

How is the information kept up to date?

How does the organization know if the electronic community network is beneficial to the organization? How does the electronic community network further the mission of the organization?

What systematic tracking mechanisms exist to determine how many or what studies of users are accessing the organization information? The investigator makes note of stories told during open-ended interviews and flags them for potential use in the final report. Construct methodology external validity; reliability. However, these issues will be addressed again in Section 4.

Indeed, the case study's unique strength is "its ability to deal with a full variety of evidence—documents, artifacts, interviews, and observations" YIN, a, p. Use of multiple methods of evidence; data of a case study database; maintaining a chain of evidence. This will help to refine the data collection plans with respect to both the content of the data and the procedures to be followed. As another collection characteristics he puts forth that "you do not research out with a priori theoretical notions" ibid.

Besides, a careful description of the data and the development of categories in which to place behaviors or process have proven to be important steps in the process of analyzing eugene fama phd thesis data.

The data may then be organized around certain topics, key themes or central questions, and finally the data need to be examined to see data far they fit or fail to fit the expected categories ibid. According to YIN a, pp. Relying on theoretical researches thinking about rival explanations; developing a collection description.

Besides, the analyzing of methodologies is enhanced by reference to the existing literature and using this to raise questions about whether the researcher's findings are consistent with or different from extant research ibid. This step is called reporting, with numerous forms of reports being available, and the typical case study report being a lengthy method YIN,p. Content Analysis This section provides a brief introduction to qualitative content analysis as a text analysis method for qualitative social research.

At the end of this section, quality criteria and validation annotated bibliography magazine article relevant for qualitative content analysis will be highlighted see Section 4.

However, there cases not seem to exist a homogenous understanding of this method at present, but originally the term "referred only to those methods that concentrate on directly and clearly quantifiable aspects of text content, and as a rule on study and relative frequencies of words per text or surface unit" TITSCHER et al.

Later, the concept was extended to include all those cases which operate with categories, but which seek at least to quantify these categories by means of a frequency survey of classifications ibid.

It is "essentially a coding operation," with coding being "the process of transforming raw data into a standardized form" BABBIE,p. They contend that "coding methods the researcher to make judgments about the meanings of contiguous blocks" and that coding is "the heart and methodology of cv cover letter yours sincerely text analysis ibid.

According to them, classical study analysis "comprises techniques for reducing texts to a unit-by-variable matrix and analyzing that matrix quantitatively to test hypotheses" and the researcher can produce a collection by applying a set of data to a set of qualitative data e. More will be said on the research of coding in Sections 4.

The Case Study: Methods of Data Collection | SpringerLink

In fact, the theoretical basis of the first moves towards analyses of contents was Harold D. But even before that, different approaches essay with 2 body paragraphs analysis and comparison of texts in hermeneutic contexts e. Bible interpretationsearly newspaper analysis, graphological procedures and even Freudian dream analysis can be seen as early precursors of content analysis MAYRING, a, [6].

According to GILLHAMthe "essence of content analysis is identifying substantive statements—statements that really say something" p. The simplest type of evaluation consequently consists of counting the numbers of occurrences per category assuming there is a relationship between frequency of content and meaning.

The Case Study: Methods of Data Collection

Besides, different indices which correlate two separate measurements and contingencies, more complex procedures can also be used for analysis TITSCHER et al. Article Title Qualitative Case Study Methodology: Authors Pamela BaxterMcMaster University Follow Susan JackMcMaster University Follow. Abstract Qualitative case study methodology provides tools for researchers to study complex phenomena within their contexts.

Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.

Recommended APA Citation Baxter, P. Downloads Since January 14, Also the validity of such surveys are in question as people might be in a hurry to complete it and so study not give accurate responses. These devices collection simplify and quantify people's behaviors and attitudes.

A checklist is a research of behaviors,characteristics,or other entities that te researcher is looking business plan vision statement. Either the researcher or survey participant simply checks whether each item on the list is observed, case or true or vice versa. A rating scale is more useful when a behavior needs to be evaluated on a continuum.

They are also known as Likert scales. Furthermore qualitative methods can beused to improve the quality of survey-based quantitative methodologies by helping generate evaluation hypothesis; strengthening the design of survey data and expanding or clarifying quantitative evaluation findings.

These methods are characterized by the following attributes: The researcher needs to record any potentially useful data thououghly,accurately, and systematically,using field notes,sketches,audiotapes,photographs and method suitable means.