Comparative Case Method
Updated 2026-08-13
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
The comparative case method selects cases that vary in outcome but share background conditions, or that differ widely yet share an outcome, and compares them systematically to identify the critical distinguishing condition. It applies Mill's methods of agreement and difference. The core proposition is that a small number of carefully chosen cases can approximate causal inference where experiments are impossible. The key qualification is that cases must be genuinely comparable and that unobserved variables can never be fully ruled out.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Case pairing: choose cases that differ in outcome while sharing background conditions. - Difference search: list every condition present in the success case and absent in the failure case. - Bias check: ask whether the cases were chosen because they were convenient or because they are comparable.
Anchor fast decisions
If background conditions are genuinely held constant, any remaining difference between cases must carry the explanation. Mill's method of difference formalizes this by eliminating shared conditions as candidates. The reasoning is vulnerable to any unmeasured variable that also differs, which is why case selection and explicit comparison of alternatives matter more than the number of cases.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Case_studyverified
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