case studies Flashcards
what is a case studies
→ detailed and in-depth investigations of a small group of an individuals
→ case studies allow researchers to examine individuals who have undergone a unique or rare experience or who are usual in some way
→ qualitative data may be collected using interviews, observation, open-ended questions on a questionnaire
pros of case studies
→ provide rich in-depth data which is high in explanatory power therefore the researcher can gain insight into the unique experience of the pp
→ this a holistic, idiographic approach, idiographic approach where the whole individual is considered
→ case studies are high in ecological validity
→ allows researchers to form conclusions as to how the majority of the population functions
cons of case studies
→ findings from case studies only represent the person (or small group) who is the focus of the study → which means that they cannot be generalised to wider population
→ case studies may suffer due to the relationship between the research may begin to fell too close to the person they are study which could result in them losing their objectivity and possibly using bias in their reporting of their results → any type of bias would impair the validity of the findings
