Case Studys and lesson of how to do case
- 1. CAPACITY BUILDING TRAINING PROGRAMME for Staff Members of The Regional Renewable Energy Service Centres (RRESCs) Writing Case Studies
- 2. What is a case study? • A case study includes a description of a situation (challenge or problem) with relevant facts and opinions that could influence individual decision. • A case study can be factual or fictional
- 3. Purpose of a case study • Case studies are frequently used to examine complex issues in real-life applications. • They are ideally suited for understanding phenomena that require a holistic view, where cause-and-effect relationships are likely influenced by a number of factors.
- 4. • The goal is to capture an interesting or difficult situation requiring a creative and illuminating response. • It portrays, via a graphic story or situation, problems, issues or responsibilities typical of a particular role or institution. Purpose of a case study
- 5. Purpose of a case study • Case studies, however do not provide “right” or “wrong” answers. • The important result of a case study is to challenge the reader to think deeply about the situation and reach a new level of understanding about the situation/event presented. • Case studies are often exercised to review, re- examine and or re-interpret a particular learning experience.
- 6. A case study therefore: • can be used on its own or as part of other materials/document (to make contents more interesting by adding some real examples) • is useful to link theory and practice (For example, it can show how a planned intervention worked or failed)
- 7. Different types of Case Studies Robson (1993) has identified the following kinds of case studies: • Individual case study • Set of individual case studies-of a small number of people with some features in common • Community studies, e.g. a town, a village • Social group studies, e.g. families, occupational groups • Studies of organisations and institutions • Studies of processes, events, roles, and relationships.
- 8. Key components of a Case Study • Situation before (background, physical and historical setting) • Process (intervention, activity) • Situation after (outcome, result, change): comparing the situation before and after • Sometimes, analysis of the situation is important when the writer has to articulate ideas and comments on the important event. The analysis helps to identify the key elements that created the change in the situation. • Similarly, the lesson learned and the relationship between the processes and results are also analysed.
- 9. Methods for preparing case studies • Personal Interviews • Telephone Interviews • Focus group Discussion • Observational Study • Questionnaires • Visual Methods: social mapping, transect etc. • Video • Photography
- 10. Planning a Case Study What is the case study about ? 1. Identify the Problem/Challenge 2. Define the Context 3. Identify Key Decision-Makers 4.Identify Stakeholders 5. Conclusion
- 11. Organising a Case study • Title of case study: This explains what is the case study about? Title should be such that is able to catch people’s attention. • Introduction to case study: It includes main aims and themes of the study. • Introduction to the subjects of the case study: The introductory information to the subject (people, organisation or event); name and mission, where and who does it work with? should be mentioned.
- 12. Organising a Case study • Outline of Projects: If the case study is about a project, the key areas of the projects should be outlined. • Key achievements: (What has the NGO/CBO done best? What results can it show?) • Key challenges: Honest briefing of the challenges and weaknesses of the NGO/CBO or the subject of the study has to be mentioned in case studies, however, the writer can avoid using people’s names or get permission to spell out their identities.
- 13. Organising a Case study • Lessons learned: What can be done differently ? • Conclusions/plans for the future: (What are the conclusions? What are the future directions?) • Support for the work :( Which donors and others supported the work?)
- 14. Things to consider • Keep your audience in mind – use of language, depth of context/background • Use story telling techniques – use of characters, visualisations • Openings: Grab the reader with a character facing his or her biggest problem: set the scene for the confrontations, the frustrations, and the main conflicts. • Present situations and scenes without any attempt at analysis. Scenes must follow a logical order.
- 15. A good case study should • Communicate a learning experience • Tell a complete story • Be relevant to the targeted audience/reader group • Be realistic and credible • Create empathy with the characters • Be short and simple to read – no technical jargons or concepts.
- 16. How to write effective Case Study
- 17. What is Case Study? • Case study is an event , problem, process, activity program a single person or several people. • Case studies make use of numerous types of data to possess a in-depth knowledge of the situation.
- 18. Case Study • Case studies are typical projects in various educational fields. College students and university levels of study are often tasked with this assignment. Case studies entail lots of research as well as fact finding. • Understand how the case study differs • How you can successfully make use of a case study • How you can increase the case study" • How you can duplicate the case study"
- 19. • Phases required for analyzing as well as writing a case study report may include: – Determine the actual task – Think about that theories as well as evaluation tools. – Help to make recommendations as well as form conclusions. – Create the report – Put together the reference list.
- 20. 1: Determine the task • Your first step is to read the case as well as all of the directions for that assignment. • Checklist use as a guide or to record your definition of the task.
- 21. 2: Analysis Tools Text books and readings should indicate the right strategy for your case study analysis. • Determine the query • Utilize analysis tools • Record your own outcomes as well as suggestions.
- 22. 3) Recommendations and conclusions • Help to Make Recommendations: are a obvious declaration associated with exactly what action should be taken to minimize, resolve or even take away the query being investigated. • Form conclusions: drawn from your analysis as well as evaluation from the situation.
- 23. 4) Create the report • Prepare your Report • Timetable your time period • Evaluate your own target audience • Make a draft report
- 24. 5) Put the reference list • The reference list of all the resources a person make reference to within the report. • As you read and take notes remember to collect the following information to be able to very easily as well as rapidly put together your own reference list.
- 25. Method of Case Study • Figure out if a case study will answer your research query. • Following collecting data, the actual researcher analyzes the data. • Determine the actual cases and what type of case study will be used. • Assertion : once the researcher can makes interpretations from of the case data.
- 26. • Researcher makes statements about the lession learned from the case, what needs to be learned from the meaning of the data.
- 27. Limitation • Difficult to look for the case, or find an issue or cause and then find a case to illustrate it, or to study the case itself. • Difficult in order to determine the boundaries of the case. • Difficult to find out whether to study one or even several cases. • Learning several case means that the researcher will go into less depth for every case.
- 29. An Overview of Case Study Research Methods
- 30. • Unit of Analysis • Case selected because they are: – highly effective; not effective; representative; of special interest Choosing Your Case Study
- 31. Methods of Analysis (Types of Evidence) • Documentation • Interviews • Direct Observation • Participant Observation • ...and Others (Survey, Artifacts, etc.) • Why multiple? ...Triangulation
- 32. How to Conduct Case Studies • Determine / define research question – good for “how” & “why” questions / limited number of events and their interrelationships • Select cases & determine data gathering / analysis techniques – not a “sampling technique” -- select to maximize what can be learned – with multiple cases, each is a single case with conclusions contributing to the whole study • Prepare to collect data – systematic organization is key! • Collect / evaluate data • Prepare the report (and graduate!)
- 33. Analyzing the Evidence • Before writing up your case study, you need to analyze the data -- keep focused on your research question • Pattern matching: a set of results is predicted, then compared to actual results • Explanation building: a particular explanation (e.g. theory) use to analyze the data • Time-series analysis: looks at trends over time, matching with possible explanations • Logic models: a complex chain of events and looks at relationship between independent variables (causes) and dependent variables (events) • Cross-case synthesis: findings are analyzed across cases and generalizations made
- 34. Analyzing the Evidence cont. • Key tips: 1.Cover all relevant evidence; account for alternative hypotheses and explanations 2.Focus on most significant aspects of the case 3.Analysis should cover general points from this particular case, and the implications for practice (What are your specific
- 35. Writing Up a Case Study • Remember your audience • Use short-story writing technique (each element moves the narrative forward) • Openings: grab the reader’s attention • Scenes should follow a logical order and illustrate a point, concept or issue related to the problem(s) you are attempting to address – Carry the narrative forward (should not be simply a recitation of events) – Relate directly to the problems/issues you are exploring (e.g. tie in to research question) • Provide relevant details
- 37. Purpose of Interviews • Generate ideas • Develop hypothesis • Gain insight into complex issues • Seek expert opinion • Get people’s opinion; learn how they look at the world • Collect information
- 38. Pre-Interview • Prepare, prepare, prepare! Know your objectives and information needed. • Select interviewees -- rationale • Prepare questions – Clearly worded; neutral; value of open-ended questions; possible probes/follow-up questions – But, be flexible -- take advantage of opportunities • Initial contact
- 39. Interview Process • Face-to-face; phone • Non-distracting setting (for face-to-face) • Introduction/review purpose/informed consent • Redundant note taking • Carefully constructed question order (more later) • Be flexible (skip questions, ask probes) • Closing question
- 40. Post-Interview • Reserve time to re-write/organize notes – Time-consuming, but an essential piece • Follow-up with interviewee
- 41. Types of Interviews • Informal, conversational: no predetermined questions asked (based on rough topic list you want to cover); adaptable to interviewee’s nature & priorities; “go with the flow” BUT difficult to do effectively, tough to analyze/compare with others, can get off-topic quickly, can be time-consuming • Standardized, open-ended interview: same open-ended questions asked to all; faster interviews; easier to analyze, less flexibility/opportunity to explore new avenues (can build in prompts to allow this) • Closed, fixed-response interview: same questions and same set of pre-determined responses (like a survey)
- 42. Sequence of Questions • Get respondents involved in interview as soon as possible (limited time, ask only “important” questions) • Start off with “easy” questions (e.g. facts rather than controversial issues) • Intersperse fact-based questions throughout • Make sure your “key” questions aren’t at very end (in case you run out of time) • Transition between major topics • Importance of closing question
- 43. Review (Interview) Research Stages • Thematizing: why and what of the research • Designing: plan the study (including interview guide) • Interviewing: conduct based on a guide (best format for 298 research) • Transcribing: prepare material for analysis, time-consuming • Analyzing: looks for themes, key points related to research questions, compare/contrast across interviews • Verifying: assess validity of findings (multiple sources of information) • Reporting: write up report using information/analysis from interviews
- 44. Sources of Error/Bias • Interviewee/Respondent Induced Bias – Memory, exaggeration, hidden agenda, misunderstand, lack of expertise, incomplete answer, courtesy • Interview Induced Bias – React to response, voice inflections, desire to help, biased questions, question order, appearance
- 46. Case Study Format: Internationalizing Extension 1. Context: Background information, climate, concerns, issues 2. Strategies Described: approaches taken, agencies and actors involved 3. Challenges: concerns that emerged, various perspectives 4. Outcomes: accomplishments, changes, lessons learned
- 47. 1. Context • Information about the organizational and environmental setting • Climate of the organization or setting • History or conditions influencing the situation • Current concerns or issues
- 48. 2. Strategies Described • Facts about the case— narrative that describes what innovations were introduced • Actors involved • Strategies tried • Goals or outcomes expected
- 49. 3. Challenges Encountered • Challenges that emerged • Perspectives of various actors • Decisions taken • Actions or changes made
- 50. 4. Outcomes • Results of changes taken or practices continued • Analysis of post- intervention situation • Accomplishments or outcomes • Lessons learned
- 51. Use of a case study • Read the written case study • Analyze the strategies and resulting outcomes—what happened and why? • Discuss what could have been done to further enhance outcomes, how could this experience be adapted/replicated •Highlight principles or lessons learned
- 52. TIPS for Writing Case Studies Provided by the Abstracts Committee
- 53. BASIC FORMAT FOR WRITING CASE STUDIES: Abstract: A brief statement of 150 words that summarized the content of the paper Key words: three to five words that reflect the content of the article Introduction: Explaining the significance of the case study Case Reports: Relevant patient information, results of other diagnostic tests, sonographic equipment and technique used, a description of the sonographic findings and patient outcome Discussion: Review the etiology, pathophysiology, and treatment for the case and summarize the sonographic criteria the case has demonstrated Conclusion: Summary statement of sonographic characteristics and techniques related to pathology References: Should be cited in the text in numerical order and listed on a separate page; once a reference is cited, all subsequent citations should be to the original number
- 54. 6 ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF WRITING CASE STUDIES: 1. Organization 2. Content 3. Visuals 4. Mechanics 5. Style 6. Research
- 55. ORGANIZATION (CAN BE UTILIZED IN WRITING ‘PATIENT DESCRIPTION’) • Paper should be well written in logical sequence, easy for reader to follow using SOAP format below • SOAP format will aide the writer to include essential information • SOAP format is: S: Subjective: Symptoms, risk factors, history O: Objective: Physical exam and ultrasound exam data A: Assessment: Analysis and conclusion of exam data relative to the patient’s presentation P: Plan: Future imaging and/or treatment for the patient, actual or options
- 56. CONTENT ( USE IN WRITING ‘RESULTS’) • KNOWLEDGE is key! • Written content demonstrates full knowledge and depth of concepts with explanations and elaborations • Correct and appropriate presentation of knowledge to the subject • Avoid distracting details • Avoid inaccurate statements
- 57. VISUALS (EXPLANATION OF ‘METHODS’) • Excellent images, pictures, or diagrams used with specific explanations relating to the discussion in the paper • Use of appropriate, thorough but concise visuals (images, charts, diagrams) • Use visuals that enhance ease of understanding for the reader/listener of the case • Use visuals that are clear and easy to follow with labeling
- 58. MECHANICS (USE THROUGHOUT) • No misspellings or grammatical errors • Good sentence structure and syntax
- 59. STYLE (USE THROUGHOUT) • Excellent writing technique • Interesting final product that engages the reader • Appealing to the reader or audience • Keeps the attention of the reader / listener • Moves smoothly through the different aspects of the case • Use scientific and professional tone • Avoid casual and conversational tone
- 60. RESEARCH (CAN BE PART OF ‘RESULTS’ AND/OR ‘DISCUSSION’) • Evidence of research with appropriate citations within the body of the paper • Appropriate number of references • Use appropriate references/research to improve the understanding of the case
- 61. THANK YOU