Case Study Method
Updated 2026-08-13
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
The case study method examines a single case or a small number of cases intensively, drawing on multiple sources of evidence to reconstruct how and why something happened within its context. The core proposition is that mechanism and process questions cannot be answered by large-sample statistics, which strip away the context that produces the outcome. The key qualification is that findings generalize to theory rather than to populations, and the method depends on triangulation and careful boundary definition.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Boundary definition: state exactly what is inside the case and what is treated as context. - Source triangulation: gather interviews, documents, and observation so that no single source carries the conclusion. - Chain building: write the explanatory sequence and mark each link with the evidence that supports it.
Anchor fast decisions
Depth of evidence is what allows a causal sequence to be reconstructed rather than inferred from covariation. Multiple sources that disagree expose where the account is weak, and agreement across independent sources raises confidence. Because context is retained rather than averaged away, the resulting explanation can specify the conditions under which the mechanism operates.
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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