|
Instructors: Ph.D. Dhara Patel
Event type:
Seminar
Org-unit: Dept. 02 - Institute of Sociology
Displayed in timetable as:
02-22-2103-se
Subject:
Crediting for:
Hours per week:
2
Language of instruction:
Englisch
Min. | Max. participants:
- | 35
Course Contents:
This course investigates the logic, methods, and practice of case-study research. After a short introduction to qualitative research (methods), and building on Yin (2013), the course will review focal concepts, techniques, and strategies along the different stages of case study research, namely: (1) How to know whether and when to use the case study as a research method; (2) Designing case studies; (3) Preparing to collect case study evidence; (4) Collecting case study evidence; (5) Analyzing case study evidence; (6) Reporting case studies. For each stage, there will be a discussion of recent case studies published in top-tier journals and/or hands-on exercises.
Ultimately the learning of the craft of case-study research will be structured through reading, writing, and discussion on theoretical and methodological issues and through applying the acquired understanding to a case-study research project of one's own.
Further Grading Information:
Requirements for obtaining credit points (5 cps):
Students will be expected to produce 1 presentation, 1 essay and 1 other piece of coursework (Group work) in the seminar along with minimum 80% attendance.
1 presentation: every week 1-2 students will present on a key reading and lead a subsequent discussion of the reading and its research design
1 formative paper: literature review and project outline (1-2 pages) due in week 8. Students will receive written feedback on this by week 11. This will be a group project.
1 term paper: 2000-3000 words expanding on the project outline
Writing a Paper – Hausarbeit (optional) – extra 5 cps
Making the Case for Case Study Research (4500-5000 words)
With this option, class members apply their knowledge of the characteristics of quality case study research and the reasons for conducting case study research to propose a case study research project of their own. The paper should describe the phenomenon under investigation, the theoretical tradition(s) in which this study will be grounded, and the key questions to be investigated. The paper should develop the case study design and the reasons for the design choices (boundaries of the case study, kind of case study, sample selection, etc.) as well as establish a connection between the case study design and the empirical and theoretical contributions the study might make. The paper should address the strengths and limitations embedded in the design that reflects an understanding of what case study research is “good for,” and why this method is preferable to others in the investigation of this phenomenon. While the paper should provide a brief description of the data to be collected, analytic plan, checks for bias and error and researcher positionality, the majority of the paper should concern the logic of the design.
Online Offerings:
E-learning platform Moodle
Accompanying the seminar there is a course on the e-learning platform Moodle. There are ready to read texts. Presentations and protocols in the seminar can be collected and stored there. You can also register there for the respective session moderations and later upload your work.
? You can reach the course at: https://moodle.tu-darmstadt.de/
? To register, you need your HRZ email address.
|
