Discuss the methodological implications of case study.

1. Various related methods are used in case study namely :

(?) Social surveys

(b) Questionnaires

(c) Interviews

(d) Attitude scales

(e) Projective techniques

2. Besides above referred five techniques, personal documents, diaries, autobiographies, latters, life history, data etc. are also used.

3. Both case study and survey differ in degree not in kind. Those who favour surveys critcize case study for being unrepresentative and for dealing with artificial situations. The advocates of case study method are critical of surveys for their reduced ability to control vital variables, for following events rather than ranking them.

4. The application of these (already discussed in above paragraphs) approaches, however, depends on what we need to find out and on the form of question to which we seek an answer.

5. Many research inquiries have employed both the approaches during different phases of their research, using the result of one to inform and redefine other, thus, producing conclusion that both are precise and representative.

Criticism of the Case Study Methodological Implications :

1. The case study method is very time consuming and very demanding of the researcher. The possibility of becoming involved emotionally is much greater than in survey research, thus, making detached and objective observation difficult and sometimes, impossible.

2. Another problem in the use of case study method is that, since, only one example of a social situation or group is being studied the result may not be representative of all groups or situations in the category. In other words, the specific mental hospital ward, slum, or suburb may not be typical of all mental hospital wards, slums, or suburbs.

3. Critics of the case study method believe that the study of a small number of cases can offer no grounds for establishing reliability or generality of findigs. Others feel that the intense exposure to the study of some specific cases biases the findings.

4. Some critics dismiss case study research as useful only as an exploratory tool.

Conclusion : However, researchers continute to use the case study research method with success in carefully planned crafted studies of real-life situations, issues and problems.