The Case Study in Educational Research: A Review of Selected Literature

Abstract

There is a growing interest in using a case study approach in educational research where questions of meaning and process can be answered only through understanding the context in which they exist. Unfortunately, most basic research courses do not deal with the case study in any substantive way. Consequently, persons interested in using this approach must become apprentices to someone experienced in the method and/or search out material that will offer them guidance in the use of this method. The purpose of this article is to review selected materials on the case study so that readers can access sources most relevant to their needs. The following three topics are addressed in this review: (I) characteristics of, and philosophical assumption ions underlying, the case study; (2) the mechanics of conducting a case study; and (3) concerns about reliability, validity, and generalizability in using the case study method.