Question

___________ is an intensive qualitative method involving careful and complete study of a person or an institution.
 

• A. Observation
• B. Case study
• C. Ethnography
• D. Interview

Hint:

Think of "case" as in a "medical case" or a "legal case"—it's a deep dive into one specific instance. This helps distinguish it from ethnography (studying a whole culture) or observation (just one way to collect data).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks to identify a specific qualitative research method. Qualitative methods focus on in-depth understanding of social phenomena. The key descriptors in the question are "intensive," "careful and complete study," and "of a person or an institution" (i.e., a single, bounded unit).
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
- Observation: This is a technique for gathering data by watching subjects. It can be part of many methods, but it isn't the method itself that is defined as an intensive study of a single unit.
- Case study: This method involves an in-depth, long-term examination of a single instance or event: a "case." A case can be a single person, a group, an institution, or a community. The goal is a detailed and holistic understanding. This definition perfectly matches the question's description.
- Ethnography: This is a broader method focused on describing an entire culture or social group. While it is intensive, its unit of analysis is typically a whole community or culture, not necessarily just one person or institution as a bounded case.
- Interview: This is a data collection tool used within many research methods (like case studies and ethnography) to gather information through conversation. It is not the overall research method itself.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The method that is defined as an intensive, careful, and complete study of a person, institution, or a single bounded system is the case study.