A

PROJECT
ON

Characteristics and Principles of Case Study

(Submitted as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for B.A.LL.B (HONS)

Submitted By: Supervised By:

University Five Year Law College

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 DECLARATION

I, Pooran Gurjar, hereby declare that this project titled “Characteristics and
Principles of Case Study ” is based on the original research work carried out by me
under the guidance and supervision of Dr. Deepa Mathur . The interpretations put forth
are based on my reading and understanding of the original texts. The books, articles and
website etc. which have been relied upon by me have been duly acknowledged at the
respective places in the text.
For the present project which I am submitting to the university, no degree or diploma
has been conferred on me before, either in this or in any other university.

Date :15/06/2021 Pooran gurjar

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 CERTIFICATE

Dr.deepa Mathur
Date: 15th June, 2021
Faculty of university five year law college
University of Rajasthan, Jaipur.

This is to certified that Mr.Pooran Gurjar , student of semester IV-B has carried out
project titled “Characteristics and Principles of Case Study ”, under my supervision. It
is an investigation report of his research project. The student has completed research
work in stipulated time and according to norms prescribed for the purpose.

supervisor

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my gratitude to those who generously took initiative and helped in

the successful completion of this project. I thank to them for their inspiration and

guidance towards preparation of this report. I own to my esteemed teacher and

supervisor, respected Prof. Sanjula Thanvi, Director, UFYLC, Dept. of law, University

of Rajasthan. I am highly indebted and my profound gratitude to Dr. Deepa Mathur ,

University Five-year law college, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, who enabled me to

make a project and provided me their stimulus of writing this. I am grateful to my father

for his valuable advice, continuous support and guidance through various useful

discussions at different times during the tenure of making this project and her co-

operation led to great learning experience to me. My humble thanks to all my colleagues

and classmates who rendered whole hearted co-operation and wonderful response.

Pooran Gurjar

Table of Contents
P
age
Title ……………………………………………………………………… I
Declaration of Originality ……………………………………………….. II
Certificate ............................................................................................................. III
Acknowledgement ………………………………………………………… IV

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 Table of contents……………………………………………………………… V

CHAPTER – 1
CASE STUDY METHOD ............................................................................... 6

CHAPTER – 2
CHARACTERISTICS ..................................................................................... 7-8
CHAPTER – 3
ADVANTAGES………………………. ………………………….………… 9- 11
CHAPTER -4
LIMITATIONS ............................................................................................... 12-13
CHAPTER -5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................ 15
BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................... 16

INTRODUCTION

Chapter:-1

CASE STUDY METHOD

Meaning: The case study method is a very popular form of qualitative analysis and involves a
careful and complete observation of a social unit, be that unit a person, a family, an institution, a
cultural group or even the entire community. It is a method of study in depth rather than breadth.
The case study places more emphasis on the full analysis of a limited number of events or
conditions and their interrelations.
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The case study deals with the processes that take place and their interrelationship. Thus, case
study is essentially an intensive investigation of the particular unit under consideration. The
object of the case study method is to locate the factors that account for the behaviour-patterns of
the given unit as an integrated totality.

According to H. Odum, “The case study method is a technique by which individual factor
whether it be an institution or just an episode in the life of an individual or a group is analysed in
its relationship to any other in the group.”5 Thus, a fairly exhaustive study of a person (as to
what he does and has done, what he thinks he does and had done and what he expects to do and
says he ought to do) or group is called a life or case history. Burgess has used the words “the
social microscope” for the case study method.”6 Pauline V. Young describes case study as “a
comprehensive study of a social unit be that unit a person, a group, a social institution, a district
or a community.”7 In brief, we can say that case study method is a form of qualitative analysis
where in careful and complete observation of an individual or a situation or an institution is
done; efforts are made to study each and every aspect of the concerning unit in minute details
and then from case data generalisations and inferences are drawn.

Chapter:-2

Characteristics:

The important characteristics of the case study method are as under:

1. Under this method the researcher can take one single social unit or more of such units for his
study purpose; he may even take a situation to study the same comprehensively.

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2. Here the selected unit is studied intensively i.e., it is studied in minute details. Generally, the
study extends over a long period of time to ascertain the natural history of the unit so as to obtain
enough information for drawing correct inferences. 5 H. Odum, An Introduction to Social
Research, p. 229. 6 Burgess, Research Methods in Sociology, p. 26 in Georges Gurvitch and
W.E. Moore (Eds.) Twentieth Century Sociology. 7 Pauline V. Young, Scientific Social Surveys
and Research, p. 247.114 Research Methodology

3. In the context of this method we make complete study of the social unit covering all facets.
Through this method we try to understand the complex of factors that are operative within a
social unit as an integrated totality.

4 Under this method the approach happens to be qualitative and not quantitative. Mere
quantitative information is not collected. Every possible effort is made to collect information
concerning all aspects of life. As such, case study deepens our perception and gives us a clear
insight into life. For instance, under this method we not only study how many crimes a man has
done but shall peep into the factors that forced him to commit crimes when we are making a case
study of a man as a criminal. The objective of the study may be to suggest ways to reform the
criminal.

5. In respect of the case study method an effort is made to know the mutual inter-relationship of
causal factors.

6. Under case study method the behaviour pattern of the concerning unit is studied directly and
not by an indirect and abstract approach. 7. Case study method results in fruitful hypotheses
along with the data which may be helpful in testing them, and thus it enables the generalised
knowledge to get richer and richer. In its absence, generalised social science may get
handicapped. Evolution and scope: The case study method is a widely used systemati

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 Chapter:-3

Advantages:

There are several advantages of the case study method that follow from the various

characteristics outlined above. Mention may be made here of the important advantages.

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(i) Being an exhaustive study of a social unit, the case study method enables us to understand

fully the behaviour pattern of the concerned unit. In the words of Charles Horton Cooley,

“case study deepens our perception and gives us a clearer insight into life…. It gets at

behaviour directly and not by an indirect and abstract approach.”

(ii) Through case study a researcher can obtain a real and enlightened record of personal

experiences which would reveal man’s inner strivings, tensions and motivations that drive

him to action along with the forces that direct him to adopt a certain pattern of behaviour.

(iii) This method enables the researcher to trace out the natural history of the social unit and its

relationship with the social factors and the forces involved in its surrounding environment.

(iv) It helps in formulating relevant hypotheses along with the data which may be helpful in

testing them. Case studies, thus, enable the generalised knowledge to get richer and richer.

(v) The method facilitates intensive study of social units which is generally not possible if we

use either the observation method or the method of collecting information through schedules.

This is the reason why case study method is being frequently used, particularly in social

researches.

(vi) Information collected under the case study method helps a lot to the researcher in the task

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of constructing the appropriate questionnaire or schedule for the said task requires thorough

knowledge of the concerning universe.

(vii) The researcher can use one or more of the several research methods under the case study

method depending upon the prevalent circumstances. In other words, the use of different

methods such as depth interviews, questionnaires, documents, study reports of individuals,

letters, and the like is possible under case study method.

(viii) Case study method has proved beneficial in determining the nature of units to be studied

along with the nature of the universe. This is the reason why at times the case study

method is alternatively known as “mode of organising data”.

(ix) This method is a means to well understand the past of a social unit because of its emphasis

of historical analysis. Besides, it is also a technique to suggest measures for improvement

in the context of the present environment of the concerned social units.

(x) Case studies constitute the perfect type of sociological material as they represent a real

record of personal experiences which very often escape the attention of most of the skilled

researchers using other techniques.

(xi) Case study method enhances the experience of the researcher and this in turn increases

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his analysing ability and skill.

(xii) This method makes possible the study of social changes. On account of the minute study of

the different facets of a social unit, the researcher can well understand the social change

then and now. This also facilitates the drawing of inferences and helps in maintaining the

continuity of the research process. In fact, it may be considered the gateway to and at the

same time the final destination of abstract knowledge.116 Research Methodology

(xiii) Case study techniques are indispensable for therapeutic and administrative purposes. They

are also of immense value in taking decisions regarding several management problems.

Case data are quite useful for diagnosis, therapy and other practical case problems.

Chapter 4

Limitations:

Important limitations of the case study method may as well be highlighted.

(i) Case situations are seldom comparable and as such the information gathered in case studies

is often not comparable. Since the subject under case study tells history in his own words,

logical concepts and units of scientific classification have to be read into it or out of it by the

investigator.

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(ii) Read Bain does not consider the case data as significant scientific data since they do not

provide knowledge of the “impersonal, universal, non-ethical, non-practical, repetitive aspects

of phenomena.”

Real information is often not collected because the subjectivity of the

researcher does enter in the collection of information in a case study.

(iii) The danger of false generalisation is always there in view of the fact that no set rules are

followed in collection of the information and only few units are studied.

(iv) It consumes more time and requires lot of expenditure. More time is needed under case

study method since one studies the natural history cycles of social units and that too minutely.

(v) The case data are often vitiated because the subject, according to Read Bain, may write

what he thinks the investigator wants; and the greater the rapport, the more subjective the

whole process is.

(vi) Case study method is based on several assumptions which may not be very realistic at

times, and as such the usefulness of case data is always subject to doubt.

(vii) Case study method can be used only in a limited sphere., it is not possible to use it in case

of a big society. Sampling is also not possible under a case study method.

(viii) Response of the investigator is an important limitation of the case study method. He often

thinks that he has full knowledge of the unit and can himself answer about it. In case the

same is not true, then consequences follow. In fact, this is more the fault of the researcher

rather than that of the case method.

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 Chapter 5

CONCLUSION

Despite the above stated limitations, we find that case studies are being undertaken in several
disciplines, particularly in sociology, as a tool of scientific research in view of the several
advantages indicated earlier. Most of the limitations can be removed if researchers are always
conscious of these and are well trained in the modern methods of collecting case data and in the
scientific techniques of assembling, classifying and processing the same. Besides, case studies,
inmodern times, can be conducted in such a manner that the data are amenable to quantification

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and statistical treatment. Possibly, this is also the reason why case studies are becoming popular
day by day.

Bibliography

1. Ram Ahuja , (2001) . Research Methods. Rawat Publication Pvt. Ltd.

Studies. SAGE Publications Inc.

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 3. William J. Goode and Paul K. Hatt. (2019). Methods In Social Research. Surjeet
Publications

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