This Guide is intended as a starting point for your research and lists a selection of material. You will need to look beyond the resources listed here to identify further reading. Additional material (including more ebooks) can be found in the Education Ebooks Collection, or Sage Research Methods and in scholarly ejournal articles sourced using bibliographic databases.
See the Case Study Section of the Education Ebooks Collection for additional reading
The following sections of the Library will contain material on this subject:
301/01 – Social science research methodology
370/78 – Educational research
Encyclopedia of Case Study Research by
Case study methodology has a relatively long history within the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Dating back to medical research in the early 1930s and the advent of the case history, case study research was initially viewed as useful for assisting researchers in making valid inferences from events outside the lab in ways yet consistent with the rigorous methodology of laboratory science.á As such, it gained in importance as a research strategy for identifying rich sources of data, developing into a technique that combines both qualitative and quantitative research.á Although initially rooted within a sciences approach, the case study gained even wider popularity within the social sciences and has been found to be especially valuable in such practice-oriented fields as education, management, public administration, and the human services.Despite this long history and widespread use, case study research has received perhaps the least attention among the various methodologies in the social scientist's research arsenal.á Only a few texts deal directly with it as a central subject, and no encyclopedic reference provides a thorough overview of design and methods in case study research as guidance for students, researchers, and professionals trying to incorporate case studies into a rigorous research project or program.á This work is intended to be that authoritative resource.
Listen to Michael Evans discuss case studies and action research
Case Study Research in Educational Settings by
This book offers new insights into the case study as a tool of educational research and suggests how it can be a prime research strategy for developing educational theory which illuminates policy and enhances practice. Several different kinds of educational case studies are identified, namely: theory-seeking, theory-testing, story-telling, picture-drawing, and evaluative case study and there are substantial examples of each of these. The book develops the author's recent advocacy of fuzzy generalization. Readers are taken through the various stages in conducting case study research, including a helpful account of data collection and data analysis methods. Each stage is underpinned by the concepts of trustworthiness and respect for persons. Structured, narrative and descriptive approaches to writing case study reports are also discussed and the value of conducting an audit is considered. This will be a valuable text for students undertaking Masters and Doctorates in Education as well as staff in University departments of education and teachers carrying out small scale research projects.
Case Study Research in Practice by 
Case Study Research : What, why and how? by
How should case studies be selected? Is case study methodology fundamentally different to that of other methods? What, in fact, is a case? Case Study Research: What, Why and How? is an authoritative and nuanced exploration of the many faces of case-based research methods. As well as the what, how and why, the author also examines the when and which - always with an eye on practical applications to the design, collection, analysis and presentation of the research. Case study methodology can prove a confusing and fragmented topic. In bringing diverse notions of case study research together in one volume and sensitising the reader to the many varying definitions and perceptions of ′case study′, this book equips researchers at all levels with the knowledge to make an informed choice of research strategy.
Encyclopedia of Case Study Research by
Case study methodology has a relatively long history within the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Dating back to medical research in the early 1930s and the advent of the case history, case study research was initially viewed as useful for assisting researchers in making valid inferences from events outside the lab in ways yet consistent with the rigorous methodology of laboratory science. As such, it gained in importance as a research strategy for identifying rich sources of data, developing into a technique that combines both qualitative and quantitative research.á Although initially rooted within a sciences approach, the case study gained even wider popularity within the social sciences and has been found to be especially valuable in such practice-oriented fields as education, management, public administration, and the human services.Despite this long history and widespread use, case study research has received perhaps the least attention among the various methodologies in the social scientist's research arsenal.á Only a few texts deal directly with it as a central subject, and no encyclopedic reference provides a thorough overview of design and methods in case study research as guidance for students, researchers, and professionals trying to incorporate case studies into a rigorous research project or program.á This work is intended to be that authoritative resource.
Multiple Case Study Analysis by
Examining situational complexity is a vital part of social and behavioral science research. This engaging text provides an effective process for studying multiple cases--such as sets of teachers, staff development sessions, or clinics operating in different locations--within one complex program. The process also can be used to investigate broadly occurring phenomena without programmatic links, such as leadership or sibling rivalry. Readers learn to design, analyze, and report studies that balance common issues across the group of cases with the unique features and context of each case. Three actual case reports from a transnational early childhood program illustrate the author's approach, and helpful reproducible worksheets facilitate multicase recording and analysis.
Rethinking Case Study Research by
Comparative case studies are an effective qualitative tool for researching the impact of policy and practice in various fields of social research, including education. Developed in response to the inadequacy of traditional case study approaches, comparative case studies are highly effective because of their ability to synthesize information across time and space. In Rethinking Case Study Research: A Comparative Approach, the authors describe, explain, and illustrate the horizontal, vertical, and transversal axes of comparative case studies in order to help readers develop their own comparative case study research designs. In six concise chapters, two experts employ geographically distinct case studies--from Tanzania to Guatemala to the U.S.--to show how this innovative approach applies to the operation of policy and practice across multiple social fields. With examples and activities from anthropology, development studies, and policy studies, this volume is written for researchers, especially graduate students, in the fields of education and the interpretive social sciences.
The SAGE Handbook of Case-Based Methods by
This handbook provides a clear, critical examination of case-oriented research. It defines case-based social research as a subfield of methodology.
Using Case Study in Education Research by Brown, P.A. (2008) A review of the literature on case study research. Canadian Journal for New Scholars in Education, 1(1).
Evers, C. W., & Wu, E. H. (2006). On generalising from single case studies: Epistemological reflections. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 40(4), 511-526.
Flyvberg, B. (2006). Five misunderstandings about case study research. Qualitative Inquiry. 12(2) pp.219-245.
Kyburz-Graber, R. (2004). Does case-study methodology lack rigour? The need for quality criteria for sound case-study research, as illustrated by a recent case in secondary and higher education. Environmental Education Research, 10(1), 53-65.
Simons, H. (1996). The paradox of case study. Cambridge Journal of Education, 26(2), 225-240.
Tight, M. (2010). The curious case of case study: a viewpoint. International Journal of Social Science Research Methodology. 13(4), pp.329-339.
Verschuren, P. J. M. (2003). Case study as a research strategy: Some ambiguities and opportunities. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 6(2), 121-139.
"Sage Research Methods provides access to more than 1000 books, reference works, journal articles, and instructional videos by world-leading academics from across the social sciences and includes the largest collection of qualitative methods books available online from any scholarly publisher."
Case Study Research and Applications (6th edition) by
Recognized as one of the most cited methodology books in the social sciences, the Sixth Edition of Robert K. Yin's bestselling text provides a complete portal to the world of case study research. With the integration of 11 applications in this edition, the book gives readers access to exemplary case studies drawn from a wide variety of academic and applied fields. Ultimately, Case Study Research and Applications will guide students in the successful use and application of the case study research method.
Educational Research: Current issues (pp. 91-113) by 
Educational Research: Principles, policies and practices (pp. 26-45) by 
How to Do Your Case Study (3rd ed.) by
This accessible guide takes you through the process of designing, conducting and writing up a research project using case study methods. In his characteristic warm and friendly style, Gary Thomas covers each step at a confidence-building pace, helping you to get to grips with the theory and practice of doing a case study. Focusing on vital issues like validity, reliability and quality in research, the author helps you ensure your research is rigorous and methodologically sound. This third edition: · Offers an expanded discussion of key ethical issues in case study research · Provides up to date information about using social media in research· Presents a new navigation tool to help you plan your case study project· Enables you to develop the skills you need to become a critical and reflexive researcher Covering international examples of case study in practice and accompanied by downloadable checklists and templates, this book is the perfect companion to help you successfully complete a case study.