1. S-529 Case Study Research Methods
Class Session 8
03/25/2016
Irene A. Liefshitz, Ed.D

2. AGENDA . S-529 Case Study Research Methods Class Session 8 Welcome
Class Community
Project Workshop
Break
Case Study Guest Speaker: Dr. Meira Levinson
Methods Discussion
Closure .

3. Class Community
S-529 Case Study Research Methods
03/25/2016

4. S-529 Case Study Research Methods Class Session 8: Class Community
FEEDBACK FROM LAST CLASS
QUESTIONS, ANNOUNCEMENTS

5. Project Workshop
S-529 Case Study Research Methods
03/25/2016

6. S-529 Case Study Research Methods Class Session 8: Project Workshop
Introduction
Workshop partners
Protocol choices
Individual reflection
Partner work
Closure

7. Inside Look at CSR Design: Dr
Inside Look at CSR Design: Dr. Meira Levinson The ethics of pandering in Boston Public Schools’ school assignment plan (2015)
S-529 Case Study Research Methods
03/04/2016

8. Causal & Descriptive Arguments
S-529 Case Study Research Methods
03/25/2016

9. S-529 Case Study Research Methods Class Session 8: Description
Gerring (2012) “Mere Description”
Description and causation BOTH as valid analytic goals
Taxonomy of descriptive arguments
Particularizing description
Account
Generalizing descriptions
Indicators
Associations
Syntheses
Typology

10. S-529 Case Study Research Methods Class Session 8: Explanation
Hedstorm & Ylikoski (2010): mechanisms
Analytic sociology:
intentional attention to the components of any mechanism: agents, their properties, their actions, their relations unfolding over time
Possible probable plausible
Typology of social mechanisms
Situational mechanisms
Action-formation mechanisms
Transformational mechanisms 

11. S-529 Case Study Research Methods
Class Session 8: Description & Explanation
Where can we find description in Levinson’s article? Can we classify her case study into Gerring’s typology?
Can we find explanation of causal mechanisms as part of Levinson’s work? What, if anything, is she explaining anything in her case study?
What else is accomplished by Levinson’s case study research design, beyond description or explanation?

12. S-529 Case Study Research Methods
Class Session 8: Description & Explanation
CHOOSE ARTICLE TO DISCUSS
Miller (2011) or Cortez (2013)
SMALL GROUP/PAIR DISCUSSION
What is the “argument about the world” this article is making? Is this primarily a descriptive or explanatory/causal argument?
Is the article’s argument convincing? In what ways could the description and/or explanation be strengthened?
What effective/strong element of case study research reported in this article connects to or is usable in your own case study research design?
WHOLE GROUP SHARE OUT

13. Closure
S-529 Case Study Research Methods
03/25/2016

14. FEEDBACK!!!!!!! S-529 Case Study Research Methods
Class Session 8: Closure
NEXT CLASS: 04/01/2016 (Generalization & Theory Building)
Methodological readings
Ethics & Politics reading: pdf already posted in Module 9
3 case study articles; I will post guiding questions for the 2nd part of our case study discussion by Monday 3/28
Start reading Alexander Means case study
FEEDBACK!!!!!!!