Case Study Surveys

Conceptual Overview and Discussion

The purpose of case study survey research is to identify characteristics of a population by asking a number of questions of individuals in that population related to an issue. The population as a whole is generally not studied, although survey research does allow for collection of data from a larger number of people than is generally possible. Usually, a carefully selected sample is surveyed. The survey [Page 125]is used to examine individual characteristics to find and describe trends in the population with a focus on learning about the population.

Case study survey research does not involve an experimental manipulation of conditions. It cannot be used to explain cause and effect and cannot be used to determine causal relationships with any degree of certainty. It yields a normative description of how the sample has distributed itself on a question and the response alternatives for every questionnaire item. It can be used to explore a variety of relationships, and can also be used to explore relationships between two or more variables. However, validity of the information gathered is contingent on individuals' honesty and willingness to participate.

Application

There are several types of designs that can be used in case study survey research. The first is a simple descriptive design. This is a one-time–only survey that is used to describe the characteristics of a sample case at one point in time. The second type is a cross-sectional survey design where the researcher collects information from a population or several populations at one point in time. The third survey research design is longitudinal. Longitudinal designs follow the same or very similar populations over a period of time or at different points in time. They include trend studies that examine different samples from a population surveyed at different points in time, cohort studies where a specific population is followed over a period of time, and panel studies that survey the same individuals at each subsequent data collection point. Unfortunately, panel studies may suffer from a loss of subjects over time, leaving a smaller sample with possible bias.

Case study survey research design makes use of several tools to obtain standardized information from all individuals in the sample. Questionnaires or interview guides are the most common instruments used to collect data. The questions asked in the questionnaires and interviews may be either closed form where only certain responses are allowed, or open form where the subjects respond as they wish. The form used is determined by the objective of the question and the nature of the response desired.

A questionnaire is a form with questions that the individual completes and returns to the researcher. The individual chooses or completes answers to questions and provides basic personal or demographic information. The questionnaire may be mailed or online. Questionnaires that are mailed tend to have lower response rates than other survey tools, and there is no opportunity for the researcher to probe or question answers. However, they offer the greatest anonymity to individuals who are responding. Online questionnaires are considerably less expensive than mailed surveys, and offer the advantage of being convenient to complete and return.

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