INTRODUCTION
Traditionally case study has been a
method of qualitative analysis. As an important tool of social investigation,
it was developed particularly in U.S.A.
WHAT IS A CASE STUDY
The method of exploring and
analyzing the life of a social unit be it a person, a family, an institution or
a community is known as the case study method. The terms case study and case
work, are often used in the context of social research. Case study as seen
above refers to the intensive investigation of a particular unit, while case
work relates to the developmental and adjusts mental procedure that follows the
diagnosis.
The case study is often termed a
method, a technique, an ‘approach’ to social reality and a mode of organizing
data in terms of some chosen units.
STEPS
A case study has to pass through
several stages before it can achieve its purpose. The various steps involved in
any case study may be analyzed thus:
1. The first step
is to determine the status of the phenomenon under investigation through direct
observation or measurement. For example, to make a case study of a maladjusted
pupil or a run-down school-system, the first thing the investigator has to do
it to survey the present status of the pupil or the school-system.
2. The next step
is to determine the most probable antecedence of the case and to formulate a
definite hypothesis or set of hypotheses through a knowledge of similar cases.
For example, one can formulate a hypothesis that the occurrence of
maladjustment in a pupil or a group of pupils is due to faulty home
environment, poor school environment, or defective play-life, etc. history is,
thus, the main source of data at this stage.
3. After the
formulation of hypothesis comes the stage of verifying the hypothesis. The case
is then checked for the presence or absence of the antecedents supposed to
apply to the situation under investigation. This going beyond the hypothesis
stage is achieved through a use of the knowledge of status and history of the
case. Many personal documents like biography, autobiography, diaries, letters,
records of dreams, etc. are useful sources.
4. The next step
after the verification of the hypothesis is directed towards a further
validation of the diagnosis. This is achieved through remedial step of removing
the causes found out and through making necessary adjustments. The effect of
the changes introduced thus is observed carefully.
5. Follow-up of
the case is the last step. The phenomenon under study is Remeasured after a
significant period of time to ascertain if any changes have been produced or
not, by the modifications introduced. If the change is a positive one, and
quite significant in amount, the diagnosis is taken to be correct.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD
CASE-STUDY
For
a good case study, i.e. for a case study which achieves some definite, useful
purpose, the following requirements should be fulfilled:
1. Completeness
of data,
2. Validity of
data
3. Continuity,
4. Confidential recording, and
5. Scientific synthesis.
FUNCTIONS OF CASE STUDY
Case study helps to secure a wealth
of details about the unit of study which may provide clues and ideas for further
research. Through the case study, as Giddings puts it, we ascertain as completely
as we can the number and variety, of traits, qualities, habits or what not,
combined in a particular instance. According to McKinney
PROCEDURES, TECHNIQUES AND
TOOLS
The case study method is more or
less a technique or an approach which views any social unit as a whole and
includes the development of that unit. This method elicits data in terms of
some chosen unit and seeks information in respect of processes which for the
most part cannot be situated numerically. It examines style situation of person
or institution as complex whole and makes use of personal documents probing
many facts of the respondents’ life, sharing experiences with the individuals,
collecting life histories etc. the case unit may be obtained from many diverse
sources such as life histories, interviewing the individuals, from participant
observation, etc. the use of set questionnaire or schedule is highly
ineffective in the case study.
Life records provide comprehensive
case materials. Thomas and Znaniecki have made extensive use of letters which
they divided into five types:
1. Ceremonial letters, 2.Informing letters, 3.Sentimental letters,
4.Business letters. These letters are helpful in serving an understanding of
family and personal solidarity and personal experiences. In recent times, the
case data are being collected by means of the ecological method.
LIMITATIONS
The case method has its own
limitations. The main drawbacks are lack of objectivity in observing and
recording data, informality and subjectivity of the generalizations drawn from
cases and lack of quantification check.
The main
drawbacks of the case studies are:
- No uniform and standardized system of recording case histories has been developed,
- As a result, case histories are usually couched in highly subjective, qualitative terms and units,
- Quantitative term in some way destroys the vitality of human touch and other essential qualities of a valuable case record.
VALUE OF THE CASE STUDY
TECHNIQUE
The
merits of case study outweigh the demerits. Case data are the means by which we
are able to arrive at the actual human experience and attitudes which
constitute the full and actual social reality. It draws attention to the role
of each independent factor in relation to others and provides a picture of past
situations furnishing new meanings.
In recent past, attempts have been made to quantify the case data
and thus render it capable of statistical analysis.
Case studies are also valuable as it develops ideas, sometimes
leading to conclusion and sometimes to hypothesis needing testing by
experimental or other techniques.
CONCLUSION
Case studies are playing a vital role in research. Case studies are
indispersable for therapeutic and administrative purposes. Through this
technique of research, a researcher may develop new concepts or theories or
test the existing concepts.
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