Case Study Method Flashcards
Representative Case
Typical of wider population, make generalizations
Prototypical case
what you think might become an important phenomon, common election tool, study something relatively new
Exemplar Case
looking to the past, important case happened in past important to phenomenon, constitutions,
Deviant Case
doesn’t behave in a way that should, help refine theories and hypotheses
Critical/Crucial Case
most likely find where your hypothesis to be true, can show if you have a strong hypothesis, can be gamble but also very rewarding showing proof
Quantitative Method
used for more sweeping generalised statements, the statistical method (between two variables, looking for correlation to discover relationship)
Historical Method
method used for studying the likes of a phenomenon, a case that does not happen every day so can only draw from past events and past phenomenons
Comparsion Method in Comp Pol
- What is the theoretical approach? 2. What is the unit of analysis? 3. What is the level of analysis? 4. What are the cases and methods to be used?
Level of Analysis - Micro
Unit of analysis: individual actors
Approach: Rational, structural, institutional
Data collection method: Surveys, interviews, experiments, observation, etc.
Level of analysis- Meso
Unit of analysis: Groups i.e. parties, associations
Approaches: Institutional, structural
Data collection method: Experiments, networks, discourse analysis, observation
Lvel of analysis- Macro
Unit: Institutions, structures, etc.
Approaches: Institutional, structural
Data collection method: databases, document analysis, process tracing
MSSD (Most Similar System Design)
: you are trying to understand the causes that led to DV occuring (1) or not occuring (0). You choose cases that are similar on a lot of potential causes or factors (IV constant), except the one that you want to test
MDSD- Most Disimilar system design
: you are trying to understand why despite cases being very different on a lot of relevant factors (IV), they face the same outcome (DV) – you try to identify the one factor accounting for this outcome
