Case Study

n. detailed study or analysis of a particular situation or case used as a base to deduce in situations or cases that are alike; record of problems of a person and how they were solved (particularly by a doctor)

The case study is one of several ways of doing social science research. Other ways include experiments, surveys, multiple histories, and analysis of archival information (Yin 2003). Rather than using large samples and following a rigid protocol to examine a limited number of variables, case study methods involve an in-depth, longitudinal examination of a single instance or event: a case. They provide a systematic way of looking at events, collecting data, analyzing information, and reporting the results. As a result the researcher may gain a sharpened understanding of why the instance happened as it did, and what might become important to look at more extensively in future research. Case studies lend themselves to both generating and testing hypotheses (Flyvbjerg, 2006).
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Noun
1. a careful study of some social unit (as a corporation or division within a corporation) that attempts to determine what factors led to its success or failure
(hypernym) report, study, written report
(classification) corporation, corp
2. a detailed analysis of a person or group from a social or psychological or medical point of view
(hypernym) analysis

1. an observation technique in which one person, one organisation, is studied in depth in the hope of reveiling universal techniques.
2. method of teaching used by business schools. A case is usually a short story outlining a situation faced by a business.