Case Studies and Content Analysis Flashcards
What is a case study?
In-depth investigation, description and analysis of a single individual, group or event
What kind of data does case study usually produce?
Qualitative data
How do researchers construct case study?
Using interviews, observations, questionnaires or a combination of all of them
What doe we call studies which take place over a long period of time?
Longitudinal
Is case studies normally longitudinal?
Yes
When doing a case study is it focused just on the individual of interest?
No, additional data can be gathered from family and friends of the individual
Strengths of a case study:
- Rich, detailed insight on unusual or atypical forms of behaviours
- Help contribute to ‘normal’ functions
- May generate future hypothesis
Limitations of a case study:
- External validity lacking = low generalisation
- Subjective selection and interpretation
What is content analysis?
Research technique that enables the indirect study of behaviour by examining communications that people produce
What are examples of content analysis?
Text, emails, TV, film and other media
What is coding in content analysis?
Communication to be studied is analysed by identifying each instance of the chosen categories
What is thematic analysis?
Inductive and qualitative approach to analysis that identifies implicit or explicit ideas within the data
When do themes emerge in analysis?
After data has been coded
When may coding occur?
When the data sets are extremely large so need to categorise into meaningful units
What is a theme in content analysis?
Any idea which is recurrent
