AQA Psychology - Research Methods - Case Studies and Content Analysis
A case study is an in-depth investigation, description, and analysis of a single individual, group, or event. It often uses multiple methods (e.g. interviews, observations, tests) to gather rich, detailed data over a period of time.
What is a case study?
In-depth investigation, description and analysis of a single individual, group or event
Key Terms
What is a case study?
In-depth investigation, description and analysis of a single individual, group or event
What kind of data does case study usually produce?
Qualitative data
How do researchers construct case study?
Using interviews, observations, questionnaires or a combination of all of them
What doe we call studies which take place over a long period of time?
Longitudinal
Is case studies normally longitudinal?
Yes
When doing a case study is it focused just on the individual of interest?
No, additional data can be gathered from family and friends of the individual
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
What is a case study? | In-depth investigation, description and analysis of a single individual, group or event |
What kind of data does case study usually produce? | Qualitative data |
How do researchers construct case study? | Using interviews, observations, questionnaires or a combination of all of them |
What doe we call studies which take place over a long period of time? | Longitudinal |
Is case studies normally longitudinal? | Yes |
When doing a case study is it focused just on the individual of interest? | No, additional data can be gathered from family and friends of the individual |
Strengths of a case study: | Rich, detailed insight on unusual or atypical forms of behaviours Help contribute to ‘normal’ functions May generate future hypothesis |
Limitations of a case study: | External validity lacking = low generalisation - Subjective selection and interpretation |
What is content analysis? | Research technique that enables the indirect study of behaviour by examining communications that people produce |
What are examples of content analysis? | Text, emails, TV, film and other media |
What is coding in content analysis? | Communication to be studied is analysed by identifying each instance of the chosen categories |
What is thematic analysis? | Inductive and qualitative approach to analysis that identifies implicit or explicit ideas within the data |
When do themes emerge in analysis? | After data has been coded |
When may coding occur? | When the data sets are extremely large so need to categorise into meaningful units |
What is a theme in content analysis? | Any idea which is recurrent |
Coding or thematic analysis is more likely to be descriptive? | Thematic analysis |
What happens if the researcher is satisfied with the themes and how they cover aspects? | May collect a new set of data to test validity of themes and categories |
What do researchers of new sets of data fit old set of data? | Research writes up final report - Tend to use direct quotes to show theme |
What kind of data is produced by coding in content analysis? | Quantitative data |
What kind of data is produced by thematic analysis in content analysis? | Qualitative data |
Strengths of content analysis: | Reduced ethical issues as research studying already exists in public domain Produce quantitative or qualitative data |
Limitations of content analysis: | Studied indirectly so outside of context so opinions and motivations may have been distorted Lack of objectivity |