Case studies and content analysis

Question 1

What is a case study

Answer 1

An in-depth investigation of an individual, institution or event

Question 2

What are two strengths of using a case study

Answer 2

1. provides rich, in-depth information- gives new insight into unusual and atypical forms of behaviour
2. may generate hypotheses for future study and trigger the revision of an entire theory

Question 3

What are two limitations of using a case study

Answer 3

1. difficult to generalise from individual cases
2. information is based on subjective selection and interpretation of researcher

Question 4

What is content analysis

Answer 4

A kind of observational study of qualitative data in which behaviour is observed indirectly via communication. can involve either qualitative or quantitative analysis or both

Question 5

What is a quantitative way of analysing the data

Answer 5

coding- the analysis of communication by placing into categories then counting

Question 6

What is a qualitative way of analysing data

Answer 6

thematic analysis- involves identifying implicit/explicit ideas within data

Question 7

What are the steps of carrying out a content analysis

Answer 7

1. collect data
2. researcher reads through and familiarises themselves with data
3. identify coding units
4. re-analyse data and apply coding units
5. tally the number of times a coding unit appears

Question 8

Describe how to carry out a thematic analysis

Answer 8

Researcher initially analyses data using coding. They would then review the data and look for emergent themes

Question 9

What are the two strengths of using content analysis

Answer 9

1. high ecological validity- based on observation of what people actually do
2. when resources can be accessed by others the content analysis can be replicated- tested for reliability

Question 10

What are the two limitations of using content analysis

Answer 10

1. observer bias- different observers may interpret meaning of behavioural categories differently
2. culture biased- interpretation of written or verbal content will be affected by the language and culture of observer