Preparing for Data Collection
• Need to recognize that data collection is a
high level activity that cannot be just passed
off to graduate assistant
• Need to
– Develop a protocol
– Train people to use it
– Fix the bugs through pilot work
Desired Skills for Collecting
Case Data
Ask Good Questions
Be an Open Minded Listener
Be adaptive and Flexible
Need to be knowledgeable
Unbiased by preconceived notions
Training
• Seminar approach
– Meanings, discussions, clarifications needed
– Cannot just lecture at someone.
– Need to help them learn the subtle meanings
that come from deeper analysis of the case
study topic.
Case Study Protocol
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•
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Overview of Case Study Project
Field Procedures
Case Study Questions
Analysis Plan and Plan for Case Study
Analysis
• See Figures 3.2-3.5
Pilot Study
• More general
• Work on Logistics
• Pilot interviews, questionnaires, data
collection protocols
• Learn about the culture of the organization
• Learn about other types of data or other
considerations
Collecting Evidence
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•
•
•
Six Data sources
Using multiple sources of data
Need for a case study database
Need to document the chain of evidence
Sources of Data
•
•
•
•
•
•
Documentation
Archival Records
Interviews
Direct Observation
Participant Observation
Physical Artifacts
Documents and Archival Records
• Documents
– Memos, reports, agendas, etc.
• Archival Records
– Service records, organizational records, maps,
charts, names, other relevant stuff
Interviews
• Open-ended
– Facts and opinions
– Respondent becomes informant
– Need corroboration
• Focused
– Done to corroborate facts
– Try not to be too leading
• Survey Form
– More formal
– Needs corroboration
Problems with Interviews
•
•
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Self-report
May be inaccurate
May reflect bias of individual
May have social desirability effects
Direct Observation
•
•
•
•
Watching something in action
Helpful to have multiple observers
May want to video or audiotape
Need to be aware that participants may act
in ways that are socially desirable.
Participant Observation
• Actually being a part of the case
– Live in the setting
– Work in the organization
– Take the class
• Advantage
– Get insider information
– May be able to manipulate the environment
• Disadvantage
– Getting caught up in the culture
– Difficulty in doing observation while participating
Physical Artifacts
• Items or things that are traces of a culture
or group
• E.g., the computer print outs
• E.g., might study lab use by looking at
history on the computers in labs, paper in
the recycle bin etc
• Yin suggests that they are not as useful for
case-studies, but can provide support
Use Multiple Sources of
Evidence
• Triangulation
•
•
•
•
Of data sources (data triangulation)
Among different evaluators (investigator triangulation)
Of perspectives on the same data set (Theory Triangulation)
Of methods (Methods Triangulation)
– Convergence confirms ideas
– Nonconvergence leads to further investigation and data
collection
Case Study Database
• Case Study Notes
– Field notes
– Audiotapes
– Computer files
• Case Study Documents
• Tabular Materials
• Narratives(Essay answers that marshal evidence
for answers to questions from the protocol)
Maintain A Chain of Evidence
• Drawing conclusions from large amounts of
converging evidence taxes working memory
• Need to write out and document how you
draw conclusions
Group Activities for Today
• Decide what kinds of data you could collect
to answer your questions
• Develop a case study protocol for your
study
For each of your research
questions, describe the categories
of data you will collect
Documentation
Archival Records
Interviews
Direct Observation
Participant Observation
Physical Artifacts
Case Study Protocol
• Purpose and Introduction
• Fieldwork procedures
• Case Study Questions and sources of
information to answer those questions
• Analysis plan, case study reports to be
generated, and references
Purpose and Introduction
• What is the background for the study?
• Why were these particular questions of
interest
• Basic information on purpose and setting
Field Work Procedures
• How will you get access to the setting?
• Schedule of visits and determination of who
to visit or see
• Determine what is needed for visits
• Provision for training fieldworkers
• Instructions for interviewers going out to
talk with someone
• Provision for unanticipated events
Case Study Protocol and
Questions
• Each question you wish to answer is laid
out with the potential data to answer it listed
with it
• Inclusion of “shells” to indicate interesting
crosstabulations
Plans for Case Study Report
• How will you do this depends on the nature
of your case study
• May need individual and cross-case reports
• May develop annotated bibliography of case
reports and presentations to keep track of
and cite