Table of Contents

1. Getting Started: How to Know Whether and When to Use the Case Study as a Research Method

Being Ready for the Challenge, and Setting High Expectations
Comparing Case Studies With Other Social Science Research Methods
Variations in Case Studies, but a Common Definition
Addressing Traditional Concerns About Case Study Research

2. Designing Case Studies: Identifying Your Case(s) and Establishing the Logic of Your Case Study

General Approach to Designing Case Studies
The Role of Theory in Research Designs
Criteria for Judging the Quality of Research Designs
Case Study Research Designs
Modest Advice in Selecting Case Study Designs
Application #1: An Exploratory Case Study: How New Organizational Practices Become Routinized
Application #2: Defining the “Case” in a Case Study: Linking Job Training and Economic Development Initiatives at the Local Level
Application #3: How “Discovery” Can Occur in the Field: Social Stratification in a Midsized Community

3. Preparing to Collect Case Study Evidence: What You Need to Do Before Starting to Collect Case Study Data

The Case Study Researcher: Desired Skills and Values
Preparation and Training for a Specific Case Study
The Case Study Protocol
Screening the Candidate Cases for Your Case Study
The Pilot Case Study

4. Collecting Case Study Evidence: The Principles You Should Follow in Working With Six Sources of Evidence

Six Sources of Evidence
Four Principles of Data Collection
Application #4: Doing Interviews in the Field: Citizens on Patrol
Application #5: Making Field Observations: First Day in an Urban Neighborhood
Application #6: Assembling a Question-and-Answer Database: A Case Study of a Community Organization

5. Analyzing Case Study Evidence: How to Start Your Analysis, Your Analytic Choices, and How They Work

An Analytic Strategy: More Than Relying on Analytic Tools
Five Analytic Techniques
Pressing for a High-Quality Analysis
Application #7: Using a Case Study to Compare Directly Competing Rival Hypotheses: Whether Military Base Closures Produce Catastrophic Economic Impacts or Not
Application #8: A Nutshell Example of an Explanatory Case Study: How a Federal Award Affected a University Computer Department
Application #9: An Explanatory Case Study: Transforming a Business Firm Through Strategic Planning

6. Reporting Case Studies: How and What to Compose

Audiences for Case Study Research
Varieties of Case Study Compositions
Procedures in Composing a Case Study
What Makes an Exemplary Case Study?
Application #10: A Multiple-Case Study Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Data: Proposal Processing at 17 Universities

Appendix A. A Note on the Uses of Case Study Research in Psychology

Appendix B. A Note on the Uses of Case Study Research in Evaluations
Application #11: An Evaluation Case Study: Evaluation of a Community Coalition’s Campaign

Brief Glossary of Terms Directly Related to Case Study Research