Case studies

• What is a case study?

  An in-depth investigation of an individual
• What type of research method is a case study?

  A qualitative method
• What type of data do case studies primarily collect?

  Information about people's experiences in words
• Can case studies include quantitative data?

  Yes, e.g. IQ scores
• What is a characteristic of longitudinal case studies?

  They are often carried out over a long period
• What can longitudinal studies help researchers observe?

  How behaviour changes over time
• What type of case history may also be collected?

  Retrospective case history
• What are the strengths of case studies?

  • Researcher is more open-minded
  • Best for studying rare behaviours
• What are the weaknesses of case studies?

  • Cannot be generalised
  • Subjective interpretation of events