Saleem M. Dahabreh Advanced Readings in Architecture, Culture, & Behavior Fall 2002 Prof.

Craig Zimring Book review: Case Study Research: Design and Methods by Robert K. Yin, 1989

The book by Robert K. Yin is about the design and construction of case study research. It deals with the issue of how to design and analyze case studies. The book deals with the questions of how to define a case study? How to determine the relative data? And what to do with the data? There are different research strategies that have different ways of collecting and analyzing data. Research strategies can either be exploratory (e.g. with questions of what type), explanatory (e.g. questions that have how and why), and descriptive such as the case of some historical research. The use of various research strategies is determined by three conditions: Type of research question; research questions have both substance (i.e. what is the study about?), and form (i.e. what is the question being asked who, how, what). Degree of control, and; The focus on contemporary or historical phenomena. It should be noted that different research strategies can be used in various types of research but some research studies are preferred for an each type depending the questions asked. Case Study Research Case studies are preferred in the study of complex social phenomena. They are used when questions of how and why are being asked in the case of contemporary real life events where behaviors cannot be manipulated. Case study research deals with a full variety of evidence from documents and artifacts to interviews and observations. The author argued that despite the fact that case study research has been criticized for the lack of rigor, little provision for scientific generalization and, and being too long, these points are not only limited to case studies but they extend to other types of research as well. Case study research is an empirical study that investigates a real life phenomenon in a real context in which multiple sources of evidence can be examined. The use of case studies has four applications: explain the casual links in real life interventions; describe real life context; benefit from a descriptive intervention in a real life context and; explore situations in which an intervention being investigated is not very clear. Research Design To conduct any research, research design is needed. Research design is the logic that links the data collected to the initial research question and the conclusions made. It deals with: what questions to study, the relevant data for conducting the research, the collection and analysis of data, and how to analyze the results. The components of research design are: Research questions. This deals with the form of the question asked what, who, how, where, and why.

Saleem M. Dahabreh Advanced Readings in Architecture, Culture, & Behavior Fall 2002 Prof. Craig Zimring Book review: Case Study Research: Design and Methods by Robert K. Yin, 1989

Research propositions that draw attention to what should be examined in the study and relevant information Unit/s of analysis. It is related to defining what the case is. Logic that links the data to the findings or how the data was examined and The criteria for interpreting the findings.

Research Criteria Any research requires criteria to judge the quality of its design. These include four tests Construct validity i.e. correct operational measures that deal with what type of constructs are found in the research and how to measure them. Internal validity i.e. casual relations (e.g. if x leads to y) and making inferences External validity i.e. ability to generalize from a case study to a domain. Reliability i.e. repeatability of the study and making the process of research as operational as possible Single Case study vs. multiple case studies Single case studies are carried out in well-formulated theories in order to confirm, challenge or confirm the theory. It is also used in extreme and unique cases or cases the represents opportunities that were not there before, and in a revelatory case. Multiple case studies are considered to be more compelling and thus robust but are considered extensive and require lots of resources and time. In the case of multiple case study research each individual case should indicate how and why each proposition is taken. Within each case study there should be defined specific measures. The aim of multiple case studies is to develop a rich theoretical framework. Holistic vs. embedded case studies Holistic case studies deals with the global nature of the unit of analysis on an abstract level while embedded case studies deal with subunit or units of the given situation. Holistic is used when logical subunits can be identified and when the nature of theory under which the research is carried is holistic in nature. Conducting case studies In order for an investigator to be able to do a case study, he/she should be prepared in terms of what questions to ask, how to listen to answers, and how to adapt to changing situations. In order for the researcher to be able to do this he has to have knowledge about: why the study is being done, expected variations, and supportive or contrary evidence.