Sunday, 18 October 2015

Theme 6: Reflections after the Lecture and Seminar



The theme of this week was qualitative methods and case study research. Unfortunately the lecture was canceled, so we only attended to the seminar. 

The point of the qualitative methods this week was not to find differences between quantitative and qualitative methods, as we did in a previous theme, but to find and learn about different types of qualitative research, thought the paper that we have selected. So we discussed about them in smaller groups. A question that we discussed all together was if we can use qualitative method when we only have one participant. The number of the participants does not define the type of the method. The type of the data that we gather defines the method. Imagine that there is only one person on earth that has a rare disease. We can make a research on this disease by giving to him different medical treatments every week and analyze the results. It would be better for our research to have more than one participant, but our research will be accepted either way, if there is only one patient with this disease. 

With my group we discussed also about the case study research paper that we have selected. We all agreed that the most confusing part of this week was to find a case study paper and use the table 1 from Eisenhardtto research [1] to analyze the weakness and the strengths of the selected paper. We weren’t sure even after we have read the paper if the paper is really a case study research. Also, since there were not any further explanations for the table, it was difficult to understand clearly every step and try to connect it with our paper. Ilias told us that it is not necessary for a research to contain all the parts of the table, and he tried to explain to us some parts of the table by giving examples.

After the seminar I came to a conclusion about case study. A case study is not defined by the method that we use. It doesn’t mean that in a case study research we have to use a specific method. The reason of a case study is to examine and look in depth a particular case that is interesting. Interesting means that this case is unique and different from the other cases. The case study is applied to one particular thing. For instance, a case study of a man that has hit his head in a way that no one did before. The effects of this hit are different from all the other, so a case study on that could help us to learn more about brain. If there are more than one people is not a case study any more.

In addition, a case study is not about confirming a theory. It is about trying to understand and learn what is different about a case and why this case sticks out. For example, a case study on a new and weird fashion that a lot of people follow.  We have to make a study on one of those people to understand what is going on and then we can have a qualitative or quantitative research on all of them so we can average and conclude.

Finally, a case study is about something new. That means in this study you are on your own. You are setting an example and a method. You cannot depend on similar studies, since there are not similar studies. A case study could be an idea that you have to examine and see if it will come up with something or not. A great example of that is Gallileo’s theory of solar system. 

10 comments:

  1. I like the question that you asked during your seminar. I think it is really interesting. And I agree that the number of participants should not change the nature our research and it is the way we select to collect data determines our method of research. I like your example about even a single person with a rare disease could be the subject of a full scale research project.

    I also agree that the most challenging part of this theme was selecting a paper that fits within the required criteria. I had the exact same problem as well. Even during the seminar I wasn’t sure what I had selected was a case study at all.

    It is quite interesting that you have learned more about case studies and what they are and not. I think you have some interesting realizations right there. Very nice reflection, you have done a good job!

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  2. Nice summary of the concept of case studies, and good reflection in all.
    To expand just a tiny bit on what you wrote about case studies not being defined by the method that you use; the methods are not predetermined when doing case studies. Methods are chosen along the way and can vary depending on what needs to be done.

    You asked an interesting question about the number of participants, and I agree with the conclusion that you got to.

    Good luck on the last post!

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  3. Hi!
    And thanks for your reflection.
    I agree with you that the number of participants doesn't define the type of method. However I belive that it is a lot easier to conduct interviews with fewer participants, due to the required time for analysis. However I think that the research question should decide with method that is most appropiate.
    Another thing that I found intresting is your definition that it isn't a case study when you have two identical cases. I would argue that it is but I also think that the difference between other studies and case studies is a bit blurry. I think my standpoint is that within a casestudie we can investigate more than one case, however this might be divided into two case studies?

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  4. Hi,
    Thank you for sharing, nice reflection. I agree with you that it's unfortunate, the lecture was canceled. In the seminar, the group talk, we did the same thing as you, which is focusing on the paper we chose, and I like your example of a case study about "a man that has hit his head in a way that no one did before". I think you are good at summarizing, and you summarised most of your group talked case study, and write down your won acquisition in this reflection. Good job!

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  5. hi,
    thanks for your reply on my blog. it really helps enhance my understanding.
    you had a point right there at the beginning that "The number of the participants does not define the type of the method. The type of the data that we gather defines the method." i was too obsess about numbers of participants to differentiate case study apart from other quali/quantitative research.but actually your point is too at whether the information is enough to be a qualitative/quantitative or a case study ! nice reflecting thank you !.

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  6. Hello!
    I think you explained case studies really well so thanks for that! I understand how you mean though with your example of a man that hits a head, but I wouldn't agree on "If there are more than one people is not a case study any more" since it becomes a statement of it's own and there can be situations where there are more people involved!
    But good job with the reflection! I found the table we were supposed to use for analyzing the case study was difficult to use as well.

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  7. Hej,
    Thanks for sharing your thoughts. You have done a great job in summarizing the key concepts about this last theme. As I wasn’t in your seminar group it was interesting to read that you discussed the question of a qualitative study is possible with only one participant and the example with a patient with a rare disease supports the understanding. Furthermore, I really enjoyed reading your thoughts about the case study research, especially when you explain that a case study is not about confirming a theory.

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  8. Hi!

    Thank you for a well-conducted analysis of theme 6 with many interesting perspectives. You explain a case study in an extraordinary way and I agree with you about your final conclusion that a case study is about something new. Well done!

    / Paul

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  9. HI,
    To be true, I really like what you write,"The number of the participants does not define the type of the method. The type of the data that we gather defines the method".It's interesting in your seminar that you were talking about whether the number can determine the types of method. You really made a good reflection,
    I also think it is not necessary for a research to contain all the parts of the table,
    because I think the case study is a strategy for you to conduct.It is just used to help you.
    thank you.

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  10. Hi! I agree with you that the definition of case study is not very clear. I am also not sure whether my selected paper is a case study or not. And I become more confused when I see your conclusion “If there are more than one people is not a case study any more.” since in my selected paper, the ‘case’ size is 200 people. Wiki says that “In doing case study research, the ‘case’ being studied may be an individual, organization, event, or action, existing in a specific time and place.” I take this to mean that the ‘case’ studied can be one specific person as well as a group pf people. Anyway your blog post is really clearly structured and interesting to read! Nice job!

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