Case study
A case study focuses on a particular unit - a person, a site, a project. It often uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative data.
Case studies can be particularly useful for understanding how different elements fit together and how different elements (implementation, context and other factors) have produced the observed impacts.
There are different types of case studies, which can be used for different purposes in evaluation. The GAO (Government Accountability Office) has described six different types of case study:
1. Illustrative: This is descriptive in character and intended to add realism and in-depth examples to other information about a program or policy. (These are often used to complement quantitative data by providing examples of the overall findings).
2. Exploratory: This is also descriptive but is aimed at generating hypotheses for later investigation rather than simply providing illustration.
3. Critical instance: This examines a single instance of unique interest, or serves as a critical test of an assertion about a program, problem or strategy.
4. Program implementation. This investigates operations, often at several sites, and often with reference to a set of norms or standards about implementation processes.
5. Program effects. This examines the causal links between the program and observed effects (outputs, outcomes or impacts, depending on the timing of the evaluation) and usually involves multisite, multimethod evaluations.
6. Cumulative. This brings together findings from many case studies to answer evaluative questions.
Resources
Guides
The following guides are particularly recommended because they distinguish between the research design (case study) and the type of data (qualitative or quantitative), and provide guidance on selecting cases, addressing causal inference, and generalizing from cases.
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Resource
- A local development index for the CAR and Mali
- Broadening the range of designs and methods for impact evaluations
- Building statistical capacity in fragile and conflict-affected states
- Case Study Research: Design and Methods
- Case studies in action
- Case study
- Case study evaluations - US General Accounting Office
- Case study evaluations - World Bank
- Challenges and opportunities of mobile phone-based data collection: Evidence from South Sudan
- Comparative case studies
- Compasss: Comparative methods for systematic cross-case analysis
- Dealing with paradox – Stories and lessons from the first three years of consortium-building
- Designing and facilitating creative conversations & learning activities
- Estudo de caso: a avaliação externa de um programa
- Evaluation tools
- Evaluations that make a difference
- Guidance for the design of qualitative case study evaluation
- Introduction to qualitative research methodology
- Methods for monitoring and evaluation
- Monitoring the Ebola crisis using mobile phone surveys
- Monitoring, evaluation and learning for fragile states and peacebuilding programs: Practical tools for improving program performance and results
- Qualitative research & evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice
- Reflections on innovation, assessment and social change processes: A SPARC case study, India
- Toward a listening bank: A review of best practices and the efficacy of beneficiary assessment
- Tracking displaced people in Mali
- UNICEF webinar: Comparative case studies
- Unique Methods in Advocacy Evaluation
- Using case studies to do program evaluation
- West Lothian Children’s Rights Forum – Having Your Say
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