Which description matches a case study?

Which description matches a case study?

• A. A large-scale survey.
• B. A detailed study of a single individual, institution or event.
• C. A laboratory experiment.
• D. A meta-analysis.

Answer: (B)

Case studies involve a detailed, in-depth examination of a single person, group, or event, often drawing on multiple sources of evidence to build a rich, contextual picture. This exactly fits the description of studying one unit very closely rather than many. The strength is the nuanced understanding it provides, especially for rare or complex phenomena in real-life settings. The trade-off is limited generalizability and less ability to infer causation. By contrast, a large-scale survey gathers data from many participants to identify patterns; a laboratory experiment tests ideas under controlled conditions with manipulation of variables; a meta-analysis combines results from multiple studies. So the description that matches a case study is the detailed study of a single individual, institution, or event.

Case studies involve a detailed, in-depth examination of a single person, group, or event, often drawing on multiple sources of evidence to build a rich, contextual picture. This exactly fits the description of studying one unit very closely rather than many. The strength is the nuanced understanding it provides, especially for rare or complex phenomena in real-life settings. The trade-off is limited generalizability and less ability to infer causation. By contrast, a large-scale survey gathers data from many participants to identify patterns; a laboratory experiment tests ideas under controlled conditions with manipulation of variables; a meta-analysis combines results from multiple studies. So the description that matches a case study is the detailed study of a single individual, institution, or event.