This book presents a disciplined, qualitative exploration of case study methods by drawing from naturalistic, holistic, ethnographic, phenomenological and biographic research methods.
Robert E. Stake uses and annotates an actual case study to answer such questions as: How is the case selected? How do you select the case which will maximize what can be learned? How can what is learned from one case be applied to another? How can what is learned from a case be interpreted? In addition, the book covers: the differences between quantitative and qualitative approaches; data-gathering including document review; coding, sorting and pattern analysis; the roles of the researcher; triangulation; and reporting.
About the Author
Professor Stake received his B.A. in Mathematics with a minor in naval science and Spanish from the University of Nebraska in 1950. He graduated with an M.A. in educational psychology in 1954 from this university. In 1958, he received his Ph.D. in psychology from Princeton University. From 1955 to 1958, he was a Psychometric Fellow at the Educational Testing Service. Then, an Associate Professor and Faculty Research Coordinator of the College of Education at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. In 1963, he arrived at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he assisted Thomas Hastings, Lee Cronbach, and Jack Easley in the creation of the new evaluation center, CIRCE, and in developing a program of research on program evaluation. He also became the Associate Director of the Statewide High School Testing Program. In 1975, he became director of CIRCE. He has been active in the program evaluation profession and has promoted an approach to evaluation methods called “responsive evaluation.” He took up a qualitative perspective, particularly case study methods, in order to represent the personal experience and complexity of evaluation study. He received the Lazerfeld Award from the American Evaluation Association and an honorary doctorate from the University of Uppsala.
If you’re looking for a practial book on completing a case study this is it! The chapters are organized in such a way that the process is laid out and easily understood. The book is reader friendly and doesn’t spend much time in the technical aspect of case study. It allows the reader to understand and then sit down and get to work. I’ve read several books dealing with case study and this one I found most useful. It is written during the authors time of teaching a course. The benefit of the book for the reader is that you most likely don’t have time to take a course specifically on case study and can read the book in place of taking the course!I am much further ahead in the completion of my own dissertation case study since I’ve read the book. I recommend it to anyone moving in this direction and believe that you will find it understandable, useful, and key in your successful completion of a case study. Wow – what a find!
Product Details :
- Paperback: 192 pages
- Publisher: Sage Publications (April 5, 1995)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 080395767X
- ISBN-13: 978-0803957671
- Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 0.5 inches