Multiple Case Study

Overview

Multiple case study focuses on the bounded case as the unit of analysis. A case can be an individual, group of people, organization, community, process, or policy. Cases are bounded by parameters that establish each case as a distinct entity, such as a specific place and time. For example, a particular school or neighborhood could constitute a case; however, the concepts of “education” or “community” could not. In a multiple case study design, several bounded cases are analyzed to collectively foster a richer, more detailed understanding of a phenomenon than examining a single case would provide. For example, a researcher investigating the use of a new educational technology might select three schools that are implementing the technology in different communities to illuminate how the technology supports and/or constrains learning in a variety of contexts. By examining the similarities and differences across the three schools, the researcher would gain a richer understanding than would be possible by studying the technology in a single school context.

Multiple case study involves the collection and analysis of multiple forms of data from multiple sources, often over an extended period of time, to produce detailed, descriptive findings. Rather than focusing on one or two variables, researchers examine multiple aspects of the phenomenon, interaction among [Page 967]them, and their relationship with the broader context. This supports investigation of complex phenomena in context. Data collection and analysis are repeated sequentially for each case. A detailed, “thick” description is developed for each individual case and within-case themes are identified. Then, cross-case analysis is conducted to identify patterns of similarity and dissimilarity that transcend individual cases. Findings from each case are compared, rather than pooled. Robert Yin describes this process as following the logic of replication, which is similar to experimental research in that an experiment is repeated multiple times and results are compared.

In the educational technology example presented earlier, the researcher would first examine each school as an individual case and create detailed portraits that illustrate how the technology is implemented, how it supports and/or constrains learning, and the contextual factors that influence its adoption and use. Then, the researcher would conduct cross-case comparisons to reveal commonalities and differences across the schools, illuminating how the technology is used and operates in different contexts and conditions. Multiple case study would enable the researcher to understand the technology differently and more fully than investigation of a single school context.

Considerations for Conducting Multiple Case Studies

The decision to use a multiple case study is driven by the research questions. The design is well-suited to investigating questions about complex phenomena that are fundamentally intertwined with context. As a result, multiple case study is particularly relevant in applied areas of inquiry such as education, social work, program evaluation, and policy research. The design is not appropriate for questions that focus on one or two variables, the relationship between variables without consideration of context, or the prevalence or frequency of a phenomenon. Multiple case study is also not suitable when investigating very unique cases, as the researcher is less likely to identify multiple instances.

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