Key Concepts

Idiographic Case Studies are the case studies whose  aim is to describe, explain, interpret, and/or understand a single case as an end in itself rather than as a vehicle for developing broader theoretical generalizations. The work of most (but not all) historians falls into this category. Idiographic Case Study is usually divided into two subtypes: Inductive Case Studies and theory-Guided Case Studies.

Illustrative case studies are descriptive case studies that usually utilize one or two instances of an event to describe a situation. They serve to introduce the reader to a concept and give readers common language about the topic.

Inductive case studies, which Verba (1967) and Eckstein (1975: 96–99) label configurative-idiographic and which Lijphart (1971) labels atheoretical, are highly descriptive and lacking an explicit theoretical framework to guide the empirical analysis. Inductive case studies often take the form of “total history,” which assumes that everything is connected to everything else and which consequently aims to explain all aspects of a case and their interconnections.

• Instrumental case study, selected to help in the understanding of something else, based on issues. the researcher selects a small group of subjects inorder to examine a certain pattern of behavior, for instance, to see how tertiary level students study for examination.

a work of which the purpose is to gain a better understanding of a theoretical question or problem

An instrumental case study is the study of a case (e.g., person, specific group, occupation, department, organization) to provide insight into a particular issue, redraw generalizations, or build theory. In instrumental case research the case facilitates understanding of something else.

An instrumental case study is the study of a case (e.g., person, specific group, occupation, department, organization) to provide insight into a particular issue, redraw generalizations, or build theory. In instrumental case research the case facilitates understanding of something else. Robert Stake classified cases into three categories: (1) intrinsic, (2) instrumental, and (3) collective. 

In an instrumental case study the case is secondary to the exploration of a specific issue, building theory or redrawing generalizations. In an instrumental case study the case becomes a tool to better understand something else

Instrumental case study involves using a case study of one case to gain insights into a particular phenomenon, where there is also an explicit expectation that learning can be used to generalize or to develop theory. In this case, there is likely to be a question or a set of predetermined criteria or a theory which is being explored and tested through the case study.