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101 and the changes or differences observed in those people are not likely to be accurate. These are non- experimental designs that do not involve the use of treatment or intervention (experimental) and control or comparison groups. To that effect, they are not suitable for establishing the causal relationship between a programme or intervention and its effects. Case Study Designs A case study is a method used in developing a complete understanding of a process, programme, event, or activity. The goal of this type of study is to develop a comprehensive understanding of a case, or complex bounded system , including the context and circumstances in which it occurs, through extensive description and analysis (Smith, 1978). A common element of the case study approach is a reliance on systematic and detailed data collection, particularly first hand observations (Wholey et al ., 2007). This is a non-intervention or non-experimental design because it does not involve manipulation of the variables of the subjects. The design may be a single case or multiple cases, and can address descriptive questions. The case study design provides in-depth information, comprehensive description and broader understanding of the intervention or programme. Therefore, a case study design is employed to get a deeper understanding, in-depth description, explanation and interpretation of the situation being examined. To that end, the aim of the case study design is to provide in-depth understandings of the effects of the intervention or programme on the beneficiaries or recipients of the programme. The case study design is used to describe the implementation of the intervention or programme in terms of how and why the programme was implemented like that. So, it is used in evaluating development policies, projects, programmes or interventions (Morra & Friedlander, 1999; Morra-Imas & Rist, 2009). For example, a case study design can be used to collect in-depth data about people’s opinions or choices about using contraceptives to prevent unwanted pregnancies among adolescents at high school. Advantages and Disadvantages of Case Study Designs The case study design provides in-depth information, comprehensive description and broader understanding of the intervention or programme. Therefore, a case study design is employed to get a deeper understanding, in-depth description, explanation and interpretation of the situation being examined. Case studies provide a detailed picture of programme operations, often at a number of locations, and can result in a deeper understanding of how and why programme operations relate to outcomes. They are especially useful for understanding the programme implementation process. However, case study designs are non-experimental designs that do not make any effort to assign participants

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