Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 12, No. 2, 1995, page 14
Examples
1. Piaget‟s studies of cognitive growth in children.
2. An in-depth study of a pupil with a learning disability by a school psychologist or a
student on probation by a social worker.
3. An intensive study of the “inner city” culture and living conditions in a large metropolitan
environment.
4. An anthropologist‟s exhaustive field study of cultural life on a remote Indian reservation
in the Southwest.
Characteristics
1. Case studies are in-depth investigations of a given social unit resulting in a complete,
well-organized picture of that unit. Depending on the purpose, the scope of the study may
encompass an entire life cycle or only a selected segment it may concentrate on specific
factors or take in the totality of elements and events.
2. Compared to a survey study, which tends to examine a small number of variables across
a large sample of units, the case study tends to examine a small number of units across a
large number of variables and conditions.
Strengths
1. Case studies are particularly useful as background information for planning major
investigations in the social sciences. Because they are intensive, they bring to light the
important variables, processes, and interactions that deserve more extensive attention.
They pioneer new ground and often are the source of fruitful hypotheses for further study.
2. Case study data provide useful anecdotes or examples to illustrate more generalized
statistical findings.
Weaknesses
1. Because of their narrow focus on a few units, case studies are limited in their
representativeness. They do not allow valid generalizations to the population from which
their units came until the appropriate follow-up research is accomplished, focusing on
specific hypotheses and using proper sampling methods.
2. Case studies are particularly vulnerable to subjective biases. The case itself may be
selected because of its dramatic rather than typical attributes, or because it neatly fits the
researchers‟ preconceptions. Because of selective judgments, certain data might be ruled in
or out, or a high or low value might be assigned to their significance, or they might be
placed in one context rather than another. To the extent that this occurs, subjective
interpretation is influencing the outcome.
Steps
1. State the objectives. What is the unit of study and what characteristics, relationships,
processes will direct the investigation?
2. Design the approach. How will the units be selected? What sources of data are available?
Which data-collection methods will be used?
3. Collect the data.
4. Organize the information to form a coherent, well-integrated reconstruction of the unit
of study.
5. Report the results and discuss their significance.
Examples
1. Piaget‟s studies of cognitive growth in children.
2. An in-depth study of a pupil with a learning disability by a school psychologist or a
student on probation by a social worker.
3. An intensive study of the “inner city” culture and living conditions in a large metropolitan
environment.
4. An anthropologist‟s exhaustive field study of cultural life on a remote Indian reservation
in the Southwest.
Characteristics
1. Case studies are in-depth investigations of a given social unit resulting in a complete,
well-organized picture of that unit. Depending on the purpose, the scope of the study may
encompass an entire life cycle or only a selected segment it may concentrate on specific
factors or take in the totality of elements and events.
2. Compared to a survey study, which tends to examine a small number of variables across
a large sample of units, the case study tends to examine a small number of units across a
large number of variables and conditions.
Strengths
1. Case studies are particularly useful as background information for planning major
investigations in the social sciences. Because they are intensive, they bring to light the
important variables, processes, and interactions that deserve more extensive attention.
They pioneer new ground and often are the source of fruitful hypotheses for further study.
2. Case study data provide useful anecdotes or examples to illustrate more generalized
statistical findings.
Weaknesses
1. Because of their narrow focus on a few units, case studies are limited in their
representativeness. They do not allow valid generalizations to the population from which
their units came until the appropriate follow-up research is accomplished, focusing on
specific hypotheses and using proper sampling methods.
2. Case studies are particularly vulnerable to subjective biases. The case itself may be
selected because of its dramatic rather than typical attributes, or because it neatly fits the
researchers‟ preconceptions. Because of selective judgments, certain data might be ruled in
or out, or a high or low value might be assigned to their significance, or they might be
placed in one context rather than another. To the extent that this occurs, subjective
interpretation is influencing the outcome.
Steps
1. State the objectives. What is the unit of study and what characteristics, relationships,
processes will direct the investigation?
2. Design the approach. How will the units be selected? What sources of data are available?
Which data-collection methods will be used?
3. Collect the data.
4. Organize the information to form a coherent, well-integrated reconstruction of the unit
of study.
5. Report the results and discuss their significance.
