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Conducting Case Studies: Collecting the evidence

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Plan the collection of data from documents. Different types include letters, memos, email ... Correctness, corroborate, inference. Beware of ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Conducting Case Studies: Collecting the evidence


1
Conducting Case Studies Collecting the evidence
  • Summary of chapter 4 of 'Case Study Research,
    Design and Methods'by Robert K. Yin

2
Conducting Case Studies Collecting the
evidenceSix Sources of Evidence
3
Content
  • Six sources of evidence
  • Data collection methods
  • Three principles for collecting data

4
Collecting data
  • Six primary sources of evidence
  • Documents
  • Archival records
  • Interviews
  • Direct observations
  • Participant-observation
  • Physical artifacts
  • Additional sources exists

5
Collecting data from documents
  • What to think of
  • Plan the collection of data from documents
  • Different types include letters, memos, email
  • Agendas, minutes of meetings
  • Reports
  • Other evaluations or studies
  • Make sure you have access to documents
  • Document retrieval and investigation takes time
  • Why use documents
  • Correctness, corroborate, inference
  • Beware of
  • Documents are seldom literal records of what
    happened
  • Documents are written for a specific audience

6
Collecting data from archival records
  • What to think of
  • Plan the collection of data from archival records
  • Very often data bases
  • Personal records
  • Service records, customer complaint database
  • Survey data
  • Make sure you have access to databases etc.
  • Retrieval and investigation takes time
  • Why use archival records
  • Can contain quantitative data for the case
  • Beware of
  • Records are written for a specific purpose and
    audience

7
Collecting data through interviews
  • What to think of
  • Two tasks
  • Follow the line of inquiry and make sure to
    capture the response to the questions
  • Ask the actual questions
  • Maintain a friendly and non-threatening climate
  • Ask how questions rather than why
  • Different types of interviews
  • Open-ended
  • Focused interview
  • Structured questions (compare with surveys)
  • Why use interviews
  • Captures data not recorded
  • Possibility to capture different views
  • Beware of
  • Bias, poor recall, poor or inaccurate
    articulation
  • Recording device or not?

8
Collecting data through direct observations
  • What to observe
  • Meetings
  • Factory work
  • Classrooms
  • Conditions of buildings
  • Work space
  • What to think of
  • Decide on level of formality
  • Observational protocols
  • Direct observations taking notes
  • Less formal observations
  • Why use direct observations
  • Useful in providing additional information and
    understanding of the case

9
Collecting data through direct observations
  • Beware of
  • Capturing events with cameras etc may require
    written permission
  • Single observers may miss important events
  • Always affect observed entities

10
Collecting data through participant-observations
  • What to think of
  • Decide on what roles to assume (special mode of
    direct observations)
  • Why use participant-observation
  • Gives access to events and data otherwise
    inaccessible
  • Reality is perceived from within
  • Gives the observer ability to manipulate minor
    events
  • Beware of
  • Reduces the possibilities to work as an outside
    observer
  • The observer becomes a supporter
  • The role assumed requires too much and prevents
    the observation
  • Timing

11
Collecting data from physical artifacts
  • Examples
  • Technological devices
  • Tools or instruments
  • A work of art
  • What to think of
  • Collected or observed as part of an
    (direct/participant/historical) observation
  • Plan the collection of data from physical
    artifacts
  • What is really usefull?
  • Why use physical artifacts
  • May include data not found in other ways
  • Beware of
  • Amount of data
  • Need other information to put the artifact in a
    context

12
Conducting Case Studies Collecting the
evidenceThree Principles of Data Collection
13
Principle 1 Use Multiple Sources of Evidence
  • Why use multiple sources of evidence?
  • Single source only provides data on one specifc
    source
  • Generally applicable results are hard to derive
  • Trustworthiness
  • Accuracy
  • NOT recommended for case studies
  • Weaknesses of data sources in case studies
  • Bias
  • Correctness
  • Use multiple sources!!!
  • Other research methods do usually not need this
    in the same extent,e.g., performing an
    experiment in a lab

14
Principle 1 Use Multiple Sources of Evidence
contd
  • Triangulation Rationale for using multiple
    sources of evidence
  • Triangulate data from multiple sources
  • Develop converging lines of inquiry
  • Findings/conclusions are likely to be more
    convincing and accurate
  • Possible to address broader array of issues
  • With data triangulation
  • Addresses construct validity
  • How can we be certain that what we measure relect
    the changes we study?
  • Case studies using multiple sources often
    areconsidered to have higher overall quality

15
Principle 1 Use Multiple Sources of Evidence
contd 2
Convergence of Evidence
Non-Convergence of Evidence
ArchivalRecords
Observations
conclusions
site visits
conclusions
survey
FACT
document analysis
conclusions
Documents
Interviews and surveys
  • Prerequisities for using multiple sources
  • More expensive
  • More time-consuming
  • Each investigator requires skills in using
    multiple sources(can be troublesome to aquire
    these skills)

16
Principle 2 Create a Case Study Database
  • Why create case study database?
  • Weakness in many case studies
  • No separation between collected evidence and
    final report
  • Readers of the report have no way of finding out
    basis for conclusions
  • Not using a database is a major drawback...
  • Using a database
  • Increases reliability of the entire case study

17
Principle 2 Create a Case Study Database contd
  • Contents of database
  • Case study notes
  • Notes from e.g. interviews, observations,
    document analysis
  • Handwritten, typed, computer files, audiotapes
    etc.
  • Can use any classification system
  • Case study documents
  • Can require large physical space (for printed
    material)
  • Beneficial to have an annotated bibliography
  • Tabular materials
  • Surveys and other quantative data
  • Narratives
  • E.g. open-ended answers to questions in the case
    study protocol
  • Contents of database need not be presentable...
  • Other people should be able to access and search
    the database

18
Principle 3 Maintain a Chain of Evidence
  • Why maintain chain of evidence?
  • To increase reliability of the information in the
    case study
  • To allow an external observer to follow the
    derivation of any evidence
  • To trace the steps in either direction
  • Prove that
  • Case study report contains the same evidence as
    was collected
  • No evidence have been lost via carelessness or
    bias
  • Case study report should hold in court!!

19
Principle 3 Maintain a Chain of Evidence contd
  • Case study report should citate case study
    database
  • Database should reveal how and when evidence was
    collected and surrounding circumstances
  • Circumstances should be consistent with specific
    procedures and questions in case study protocol
  • Case study protocol should be linked to initial
    case study questions

20
Summary
  • Use Multiple Sources of Evidence
  • Create a Case Study Database
  • Maintain a Chain of Evidence
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