Professor Jane Perryman | Summer: Monday May 12 to Friday May 23

Important note: our registration system will detail this as an ‘all day course’.  However, there is no specific time for this course.  It will be continuous and run across the dates advertised.
 

Case studies concern a topic rather than a method.  They are a research approach, which can involve a variety of methods.  Although there are many different definitions of case study research, it is commonly agreed that it is an empirical enquiry of phenomena within a bounded context (single institutions, groups or events, or of a few of these). The strength of a case study approach is in its attention to detail, complexities and relations between the parts that make up the whole case. A case study can, more than any other method, include rich description and narrative, analysis of events, a focus on the perceptions and feelings of a group of those involved, the involvement of the researcher in the case, and presentation of the case in a way which captures the experience. Case studies do not aim to make the broad sweep of a survey, or to manipulate variables as in an experiment. Case studies describe, analyse and explain rather than measure.

This course will give you the opportunity to explore both the strengths and potential weaknesses of a case study approach. You will examine existing case study data and studies and explore such issues as: sampling, the status of different kinds of 'evidence', ways of analysing data, the generalisability of 'cases', and writing up case study research.  The sessions will be ‘hands-on’, practical sessions in which you will be able to discuss issues as they arise and present ideas to each other. 

Please note: Attendance at certain times is not required as all the resources will be online for the duration of the course, and participants can select those they wish to engage with.
 

Suggested reading:
 

• Gillham, B. (2000) Case Study Research Methods.  London: Continuum.
• Bassey, M. (1999) Case study research in educational settings.  Buckingham: OUP.
• Merriam, S.B, (1997) Qualitative Research and Case Study Applications in Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
• Richards, L. (2009) Handling Qualitative Data: A practical guide. London: Sage.
• Punch, K.F. (2009) Introduction to Research Methods in Education, London: SAGE Publications Ltd., Ch.7.