Includes bibliographical references (p. 219-255) and indexes

1. The conundrum of the case study -- 2. What is a case study? : the problem of definition -- 3. What is a case study good for? : case study versus large-N cross-care analysis -- 4. Preliminaries -- 5. Techniques for choosing cases / Jason Seawright -- 6. Internal validity : an experimental template / Rose McDermott -- 7. Internal validity : process tracing / Craig Thomas -- Epilogue : single-outcome studies

Case Study Research: Principles and Practices aims to provide a general understanding of the case study method as well as specific tools for its successful implementation. These tools can be utilized in all fields where the case study method is prominent, including business, anthropology, communications, economics, education, medicine, political science, social work, and sociology. Topics include the definition of a 'case study,' the strengths and weaknesses of this distinctive method, strategies for choosing cases, an experimental template for understanding research design, and the role of singular observations in case study research. It is argued that a diversity of approaches - experimental, observational, qualitative, quantitative, ethnographic - may be successfully integrated into case study research. This book breaks down traditional boundaries between qualitative and quantitative, experimental and nonexperimental, positivist and interpretivist.