Case Studies and Content Analysis

Question 1

What is a case study?

Answer 1

In-depth investigation, description and analysis of a single individual, group or event

Question 2

What kind of data does case study usually produce?

Answer 2

Qualitative data

Question 3

How do researchers construct case study?

Answer 3

Using interviews, observations, questionnaires or a combination of all of them

Question 4

What doe we call studies which take place over a long period of time?

Answer 4

Longitudinal

Question 5

Is case studies normally longitudinal?

Answer 5

Yes

Question 6

When doing a case study is it focused just on the individual of interest?

Answer 6

No, additional data can be gathered from family and friends of the individual

Question 7

Strengths of a case study:

Answer 7

• Rich, detailed insight on unusual or atypical forms of behaviours
• Help contribute to ‘normal’ functions
• May generate future hypothesis

Question 8

Limitations of a case study:

Answer 8

• External validity lacking = low generalisation

- Subjective selection and interpretation

Question 9

What is content analysis?

Answer 9

Research technique that enables the indirect study of behaviour by examining communications that people produce

Question 10

What are examples of content analysis?

Answer 10

Text, emails, TV, film and other media

Question 11

What is coding in content analysis?

Answer 11

Communication to be studied is analysed by identifying each instance of the chosen categories

Question 12

What is thematic analysis?

Answer 12

Inductive and qualitative approach to analysis that identifies implicit or explicit ideas within the data

Question 13

When do themes emerge in analysis?

Answer 13

After data has been coded

Question 14

When may coding occur?

Answer 14

When the data sets are extremely large so need to categorise into meaningful units

Question 15

What is a theme in content analysis?

Answer 15

Any idea which is recurrent

Question 16

Coding or thematic analysis is more likely to be descriptive?

Answer 16

Thematic analysis

Question 17

What happens if the researcher is satisfied with the themes and how they cover aspects?

Answer 17

May collect a new set of data to test validity of themes and categories

Question 18

What do researchers of new sets of data fit old set of data?

Answer 18

• Research writes up final report

- Tend to use direct quotes to show theme

Question 19

What kind of data is produced by coding in content analysis?

Answer 19

Quantitative data

Question 20

What kind of data is produced by thematic analysis in content analysis?

Answer 20

Qualitative data

Question 21

Strengths of content analysis:

Answer 21

• Reduced ethical issues as research studying already exists in public domain
• Produce quantitative or qualitative data

Question 22

Limitations of content analysis:

Answer 22

• Studied indirectly so outside of context so opinions and motivations may have been distorted
• Lack of objectivity