Seven elements of the case selection process: contributions towards more rigor and transparency in the Social Sciences

Abstract:

This article, directed at researchers who consider it appropriate to use case studies in their investigations, aims to present, in a systematic way, the seven key elements related to the case selection procedure - that is, the process that begins with the research question and that ends with the case selection itself, while dealing with the latent need to guarantee transparency along the way. To this end, a narrative literature review is conducted in order to organize and to present in an intuitive manner elements scattered throughout the literature on case studies. The purpose is to contribute to a more rigorous use of case studies and to the development of a broader debate on the need for more transparency and systematization in the use of different methods in Brazilian Social Sciences.

Keywords:
case studies; methods; case selection; scientific rigor; transparency