2. Definitions:
A case study is …
• an empirical method aimed at investigating contemporary
phenomena in their context.
• a detailed investigation of a ‘bounded system’—single individual or
group (a community, an institution, an individual, an activity or an
event) to provide an in-depth understanding of the case(s).
• a study of a particular case or set of cases which may rely on
quantitative or qualitative data (or both) but usually involves some
field-based data and aims to describes or explains the events of the
case(s).
• a research strategy that aims to understand social phenomena
within a single or small number of naturally occurring settings. The
purpose may be to provide description through a detailed example
or to generate or test particular theories.
• an investigation strives to portray ‘what it is like’ to be in a
particular situation, to catch the close up reality and ‘thick
description’ of participants’ lived experiences of, thoughts about
and feelings for a situation.

3. Distinctive Features
• Aims to gain a detailed rich and vivid description of
events involved within a setting.
• Provides a chronological narrative of events relevant to
the case.
• Blends a description of events with the analysis of
them.
• Focuses on individual actors or groups of actors and
seeks to understand their perceptions of events.
• Uses multiple techniques of data collection, including
interviews, observations, field notes, documentary
methods, audio or video recording.
• Data collection typically continues over prolonged
periods.

4. TYPES
• Descriptive Case Study: attempts to provide a full portrayal of the
case or cases being studied. It is used to (1) explore subjects about
which little is previously known or phenomena in need of an
interpretation that sheds new light on known data, and their
descriptive aspect is invaluable. In a descriptive case study, events
and situations are allowed to speak for themselves, rather than to
be largely interpreted, evaluated or judged by the researcher.
Thus, this case study is akin to the TV documentary.
• Interpretive Case Study: uses theoretical frameworks to provide an
explanation of particular cases, which can lead as well to an
evaluation and refinement of theories.
• Theory-evaluating Case Study: used to assess whether existing
theories account for the processes and outcomes of selected cases.

5. Some Classical Examples
• Hakuta (1976) studied the acquisition of English of Uguisu, the 5-year old
daughter of a visiting scholar from Japan. Data were collected for a period
of 60 weeks, after Uguisu had 5 months of exposure to English. The study
reports that four grammatical features are not having been acquired: 3rd
persons, irregular past, regular past and plurals.
• Warchauer & Kern (1998) studied the use of CMC (computer-mediated
Communication) in second language acquisition.
• Wegerif (1998) studied the similarities and differences between face to
face interaction and CMC and issues of motivation and autonomy in online
learning.

6. Current Examples (1)
Mu & Carrington (2007) investigated writing strategies of three
Chinese post-graduate students in an Australian higher education
institution. The study was prompted by the paucity of second
language writing strategies of Chinese students in an authentic
context. Data were collected from a semi-structured
interview, questionnaire, retrospective post-writing discussion, and
analysis on written drafts of papers. The findings indicate that the
three participants employed rhetorical strategies, metacognitive
strategies, cognitive strategies and social/affective strategies in their
writing practice. This study supports the theory second language
writing process is strategically, rhetorically, linguistically different from
first language (L1) writing process. Data demonstrated that
metacognitive, cognitive, and social/affective strategies except
rhetorical strategies (organization of paragraphs) transferred across
languages positively.
“An Investigation of Three Chinese Students' English Writing Strategies” Published
in TESL-EJ vol. 11, no. 1, June 2007

7. Current Examples (2)
Soproni (2008) investigates language teachers’ perception
on their personal development through the eye of seven
experienced language learners who have learnt or English and
other languages for several years and/or have had or had very
many teachers of languages. Data were collected through
unstructured interviews. Findings indicate that to
develop, language teachers need life-long learning and should
adapt to student needs. According to experienced language
learners, teacher education appears to be good enough for entry
into the profession but new motivation and impetus are
necessary for someone to remain a language teacher.
“The Way Language Teachers Learn: Professional Development Through the
Eyes of Experienced Language Learners”. Published in Practice and Theory in
Systems of Education, Volume 3 Number 2 2008

8. Five Major Steps of Conducting a Case Study
1. Designing and planning the case study
• determining the objective—what to achieve?
• determining the case—what is studied?
• studying theory—frame of reference
• formulating research questions—what to know?
• Selecting the site and/or unit of analysis—from what whom the data will be obtained?
2. Determining the methods of data collection
Try to use not less than the four types of triangulation (data-source triangulation—using more
than one data source or collecting the same data at different occasions; observer
triangulation—using more than one observer in the study; methodological triangulation—
combining different types of data collection methods; or theory triangulation—using
alternative theories or viewpoints.
3. Collecting evidence
4. Analyzing data
Qualitative data analysis methods are commonly used.
5. Reporting
Use Pseudonyms

9. Proposal Outline
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
A. Background to the Study
B. Reason for Choosing the Topic
C. Statement of the Problem
D. The site and/or unit of analysis General profiles
E. Objectives of the Study
F. Research Questions
G. Significance of the Study
H. Scope of the Study
I. Definition of Terms

10. Proposal Outline (cont.)
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
A. Previous Studies
B. Theoretical Background
CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A. Research Method
B. Data and Data Collection Procedure
C. Research Population and Sample
D. Research Setting
E. Data Analysis Techniques
F. Data Triangulation Techniques
G. Research Procedure

11. SOME SAMPLE TOPICS FOR CASE STUDIES
• How three good Indonesian English teachers
develop their professional skills
• An investigation on the causes of a particular
learner’s unwillingness to participate in group
work in a junior high school
• An evaluation of the use of short story to develop
the students’ English vocabulary in grade 10 of a
senior high school
• Using problem-solving technique to develop
students’ speaking skills in a senior high school

12. References
Burns. A. (2010). Doing action research in english language teaching: A guide for
practitioners. New York: Routledge:
Creswell, J. W. 2008. Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating
quantitative and qualitative research. New Jersey: Pearson
Denscombe, M. (2010). The good research guide for small-scale social research
projects. New York: McGraw-Hill
Gillham, B. (2000). Case Study Research Methods. London: Continuum
Gerring. J. 2007. Case Study Research: Principles and Practices. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Pres Gillham, B. (2000). Case Study Research Methods.
London: Continuum
Gerring. J. 2007. Case study research: Principles and practices. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Pres
Goddard, W & Melville, S. (2006). Research methodology: An introduction. Lansdowne:
Juta & Co, Ltd.
McKay, S. L. (2006). Researching second language classrooms. New Jersey: Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Publishers
Mu & Carrington. (2007). “An Investigation of Three Chinese Students' English Writing
Strategies”. Retrieved on December 8, 2010 from: http://tesl-ej.org/ej41/a1.html
Ross, Kenneth N. (ed.). (2005). Educational research: Some basic concepts and
terminology. Paris: International Institute for Educational Planning/ UNESCO.
Soproni, Z. (2008). “The Way Language Teachers Learn: Professional Development
through the Eyes of Experienced Language Learners”. Retrieved on October
12, 2010 from: http://www.eduscience.hu/index06.html