The major difficulty with the case study method as a basis for drawing cause-and-effect conclusions is that
A) coding of the results cannot be done reliably and validly.
B) the simultaneous use of several treatments and failure to control extraneous variables prevent causal inference.
C) excessive constraints on the external validity of the case study prevent causal inference.
D) biases of the researcher must dominate the interpretation of the results.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The major difficulty with the case study method as a basis for drawing cause-and-effect conclusions is that the simultaneous use of several treatments and failure to control extraneous variables prevent causal inference. Case studies are typically limited to one or a few individuals or situations, making it difficult to generalize the findings to larger populations. Additionally, case studies are often retrospective and may rely on self-report, which can be biased. Therefore, researchers must be cautious when attempting to draw causal conclusions from case study data.

The Major Difficulty with the Case Study Method as a Basis