Case Study

Case Study

By definition, a case study refers to a research method involving a close, in-depth study of a single individual, group, or event. The case study approach involves detailed investigations of specific individuals, events, issues, or circumstances. In sociology, the case study has been used as an investigative method of qualitative research that aims to obtain an in-depth understanding or knowledge of a particular phenomenon by examining the events that comprise a single case.

The main objective of using case studies is to draw general conclusions from a narrow and specific study. Drawing such a conclusion helps us to use the research wisely in the 'real world', as similar situations to those studied could be identified and methods that were shown to be effective in the study could then be applied. Case studies are generally descriptive or explanatory, but they can also adopt a comparative approach by looking at how different factors operate for different people/ groups/organizations.

Comparative case studies allow us to make comparisons between situations, which can provide insight into how and why a particular group is different from another. This type of study also allows inferences to be made about a single situation by applying what has been learned in a different setting. This page will help you look at different case studies from diverse applications of the technology and draw comparative conclusions.