A guide to case study reporting

A guide to case study

reporting

Prepared for Yεn Daakye Project and ICI/iMPACT

implementing partners

September 8, 2009

ICI A guide to case study reporting 2 | P a g e

International Cocoa Initiative (ICI)

A guide to case study reporting

For YDK and ICI/iMPACT partners

September 2009


Contents:

Why case studies are reported ---------- Page 4

So what is a case? ---------- Page 4

Elements of a good case report ---------- Page 5

Key notes ---------- Page 6

Examples of case stories ---------- Page 9

Using photographs effectively ---------- Page 11

Watch these carefully ---------- Page 13

Reporting cases of suspected trafficking ---------- Page 15

Details of case of suspected trafficking ---------- Page 16


Why case studies are reported

The Yεn Daakye (YDK) Project uses several processes which lead to change.

Invariably, the change that takes place is positive, leading to improvement in the

knowledge, attitudes, practices and opportunities available to people in cocoa-

growing communities. Change at the level of one person is as important as the

change that takes place among a large group of people. It may be difficult for

single cases of progress to be identified; yet, these are the proof that activities are

being undertaken within the YDK Project, and that these activities are bringing

about the desired change or other forms of change.

Much of what happens in the cocoa growing communities is not heard in other

parts of the country or in the international community. Donor agencies, cocoa

industry partners, the Government, consumer groups, similar projects and other

communities need to hear what changes are taking place. Case study reports give

a clear picture of this change. The YDK Project is one that induces change; and

any change that occurs needs to be reported.

So what is a case?

Within the YDK Project approach, a case would be a change that has taken place.

Change occurs on a number of fronts:

• An individual whose circumstances of work, education, living or other

practices or circumstances have changed.

• A group of persons – a community, a district, a family, a school or a certain

focus group - whose practices or activities have changed.

• An organization or agency that has taken an initiative for the wellbeing of

children or has developed its paradigm in favor of the advancement of

children.

A case is often an improvement in a person’s or group’s circumstances – a positive

change. Negative changes also occur and these also need to be reported. A

negative change is a learning point for “what does not work”, and reveals where a

change in strategy might be required.


Elements of a good case report

A good case report has the following essential elements:

1. The name of the subject, i.e. the child, community, district, organization,

society or focus group, about whom the case is being reported;

2. The place where the case happened;

3. The previous condition of the subject;

4. The process of change, i.e. what happened that caused the change to take

place;

5. The change that occurred, be it attitudinal, practice, behavior, legal,

infrastructural or financial change;

6. The current situation;

7. Data to support the story where possible.

Notice that every case reported may be followed up by a third party for

remediation or verification. This is why the name of the subject and the place

where the subject can be found are important. In addition to these, a good case

report is presented in a before-and-after sequence, showing the original situation,

the process of change and the current situation.


Key notes

Name the child/person in the case:

Naming the case subject brings life to the report; a name makes the case real,

personal and credible. It also gives direct attribution to verifiable persons. In the

case of a child who is suspected to have been trafficked or has lived in abusive

conditions, a pseudonym may be used for the report. For example, it is not out of

place to write, “Kay (not his real name) of Aggreso Kabre”. Similarly, it may be

good to write “Kay of Aggreso Kabre” and provide a footnote at the bottom of the

page that explains that the real name of the boy in the report has been changed

to protect his identity. This is also better than labeling the subject, “A certain boy

from a certain community”.

Use dates:

In reporting the case, dates are relevant. For example, “Isaac was sent to live

with his uncle when his father died in 2001” or “The YDK Project was introduced to

Bokazo in 2007” or “The Famer Field School was started in March 2009”. Dates

help to judge how long it has taken for change to occur. Duration may be used in

place of a date, e.g. “The school has had the full complement of teachers for the

past three years”. However, actual dates are preferable since the case study

report would still be easily understood for many years when actual dates are used.

Give a background to the case:

A background paints the picture of the situation of the case. This consists in a

brief description of a community, a family, a school or any case subject. In

reporting the case of a community which has built a new school for the children, it

is important to say:

• what the original school structure was (in as much detail as possible),

• the number of children in the community who used the old school structure,

• how this facility affected the studies or participation of the children in

classes.

Any other relevant background to the case needs to be presented in the report.

Such a background establishes the importance of the intervention or change that

is being related in the cases study report.

When reporting the case of a child whose circumstances of work has changed, do

well to state exactly what type of work the child did before and how it affected the

child’s health, education and confidence, among other effects. Be exact; it is not

very helpful to mention that “carrying heavy loads had a negative effect on the

child” or “fetching water for spraying was not good for the children”. State exactly

what the effects of these circumstances were on the child or children. Clarity is of

prime importance in determining whether the change being reported has been

worth it or not.


Say the process that led to change:

Change may have resulted from one dialog and sensitization session, a yearlong

process of dialog, the use of a video show or drama, a training program, or the

action taken by a particular focus group. There are often some direct trigger

factors that lead to change. Do well to identify the trigger factors and state them

clearly.

Demonstrate the change:

A good story well told shows the change that taken place. The change can only be

made obvious when the previous situation is well described, and when the current

situation is also well described. It is not enough to just say a child has stopped

working on the cocoa farm; say what the child was doing before, what caused the

change and what the current situation is. It is also not enough to say, “Now,

parents have changed their attitude towards children’s education”. Be specific

about what attitude the parents have adopted towards the education of their

children, and what new practices prove this attitudinal change.

It is also important to note that the YDK approach focuses on elimination of worst

forms of child labor and forced adult labor. In presenting a case study, the

ultimate change should be the adoption of better labor practices. If a case results

in making new laws that ban children from watching video at night, but does not

ban the use of children to perform hazardous farm activities, the change may not

be absolutely useful to the aim of the YDK project.

Use data:

Correct data is most important in reporting a case study. For example, in giving

the background to a case, such data as the number of children in a community,

the school enrolment rate, and the number of children employed as farm hands on

a particular farm need to be provided. Likewise, in showing the current situation

and consequently the change that has taken place, data on the same statistics

need to be presented. Remember, a case study report presents the before-and-

after situation to demonstrate that change has taken place.

Do not make up data, and do not estimate using percentages or fractions

without first counting. People sometimes mention that “the school building is 90%

complete” or “child labor has been reduced by about 80%”, without performing

any evaluation to know for certain that these percentages are valid. This is wrong

and should be avoided. If adequate data have not been gathered, use non-

numeric estimates such as, “the school building is expected to be completed

within two weeks” or “the school building is constructed; what remains to be done

is the fixing of doors and windows which will take about two weeks to complete”

or “very few children are observed on the farm during school hours, but the

farmers who engage these children are being sensitized to allow them to attend


school”.

Use photographs:

It is said that “A picture is worth a thousand words”. A photograph of the subject,

showing the change, adds to the narrative presented. Where a community has

constructed a new school, a picture of the old school structure and the new school

structure laid side-by-side would show the difference clearly. In the case of a child

suspected to have been trafficked or abused, the picture may be masked to

conceal the full features of the face of the child. Remember that every photograph

should be clear, focused and labeled correctly. A video or audio recording may

also tell the full story if it is used on an appropriate medium.

Brevity is important:

An overly long story is not of relevance. Brevity does not necessarily mean “short”

either. It rather means that the case study report has all the relevant information.

It is long enough to cover all the relevant information, and short enough to

sustain the reader’s interest and understanding.

Use quotations and direct reported speech

It is important to tell the case report in the language of the case subject. Using a

direct quotation from a community member, a chief, a child or any person related

to the case enhances the report. For example, where a person has benefitted from

farmer training and has been able to educate his or her children, a quotation from

the trained farmer enhances the case study report. An example of an appropriate

quote is the following:

For many years, I harvested between 3 and 5 bags of cocoa each season. Last

year, I took part in the YDK farmer education. For the first time, I was able to

harvest 12 bags of cocoa on the same acreage of land. I have made a lot of profit

this year and I have bought new school uniforms and books for my two children

who attend primary school. I have also been able to pay the fees of my daughter

who has just entered Senior Secondary School. I am very happy that YDK has

come to our community to make life better for us all.

Asking the right questions help to get a good quotation from the case subject.


Examples of case stories

Here are a few examples of cases that are estimated to be well presented:

The best part of this story is how the change took place, i.e. the direct trigger factor that led to change. It names the subject, Abu, and spares the names of the children. This story could be improved if dates of enrolment and the actual ages of the children are added.

The report relates a clear change in attitude and practice of the entire community, including the Unit Committee member who relates this account, and ends on enhanced school enrolment and improved school facilities. There are a few problems with this report. The order of events as recounted lacks a good flow. It also lacks ample data, names and dates. This report really needs data such as the school enrolment figures or rate before sensitization started (with correct month and year stated), and the school enrolment rate as of a certain date. Can you attempt to rearrange the report to bring out a before-and-after effect? How else could you improve upon this report to make the Minister of Education or the President of The Hershey Company desire to see and support this school further?

Abu, an illiterate caretaker farmer for 15 years in Kofikrom, has 3 children of school-going age. When the YDK project was begun in Kofikrom in 2007, none of his children had been enrolled in school; they only supported Abu to work on the farm daily. At one dialog and sensitization session, a Primary 4 pupil of the Kofikrom Primary School addressed the community and implored the adults to help the children to gain education to place them in a position to take care of the parents in their old age. Abu was touched and took keen interest in the boy’s address. The very next day, he sent all his children to school to be enrolled. The children are now in Primary 2, 4 and 6 and they attend school regularly. Abu also studies with them every evening as a way of enhancing his own literacy skills. Abu said, “I am happy the YDK Project was introduced in our community because I am now assured that I will have educated children to support me in my old age. Hitherto, I did not notice that my children’s education would be to my own benefit. Now, I know and I will support them to the highest educational level possible. I will borrow money to pay their fees if I have to.”

The Chairman of the Unit Committee of Adaase said through the YDK sensitization, parents sent their children to school which has saved the primary school from being closed down by the District Education Office due to low enrolment. He said as a result of their capacity being built during the leadership meeting, they wrote to the district Assembly for a school block since the old school block was in a deplorable state, but they were told that until enrolment increases, a new school block cannot be built in the community and that should enrolment drop further, the school would be closed down. But due to the YDK intervention, school enrolment has increased and the Assembly has put up a six-classroom block for the community which is about 90% completed.


Here are a few more examples of cases that require some improvement:

In the past, Aku used to take part in spraying. She would work with her brothers

and sisters everyday when there is spraying. After the YDK sensitization, she no

longer sprays.

This story is brief and to the point, but it does not show that Aku is a child, does not show how long Aku has been involved in spraying, which aspects of spraying she was involved in, what effects this activity had on her, what happened to induce the change and what she now does.

Kwaku was not enrolled in school before the YDK sensitization took place. Now, he

is enrolled in school.

This may be the fact of the case but it does not show the triggers of change. Besides, it is not exciting to read. There is really no case study presented in these two lines. Dorcas Antwi is a 14-year-old girl in Form One. She said formerly, her parents made her take part in spraying of cocoa farms, but due to the YDK sensitization on the harmful effect of agro-chemicals on the child’s health, the parents no longer engaged her in spraying of cocoa. She further said formerly, she was not interested in school and the YDK sensitization has whipped her interest in education. About 80% of the children in the community are in school. First of all, it is not stated whether Dorcas is in Senior High School or Junior High School; both of these levels of education has Form One. Secondly, it is not certain whether Dorcas was actually spraying using the motobro or the knapsack, or whether she was supplying water to the spraying gang while they were spraying or before spraying starts; all these are parts of spraying which Dorcas could be engaged in. Thirdly, where Dorcas comes from is not stated. Fourthly, what is the basis and/or proof of the estimated 80% of children in the community being enrolled in school? This is a good case of positive change whose presentation does not reveal the essential details. Could you attempt to present this case in a more explanatory manner?


Using photographs effectively

Photographs support and prove case study narrative reports. To use photographs,

note that the photographs should be:

• Clear, not blurred.

• Bright enough to show all images clearly.

• Focused on the exact items being highlighted, or cropped if necessary.

• Related to the case being reported.

• Masked in the face if it is a photograph of a child suspected to have been

trafficked or abused.

• Labeled to make it easy to understand.

• Resized if necessary, with natural dimensions properly maintained. To

resize a photograph and maintain its dimensions, click on the photograph

and drag it from one of the four corners. Drag it inwards to make it smaller

or outwards to make it bigger. Do not drag the photograph from one side,

the top or the bottom since this will change its dimensions, making the

subject taller or broader than it really is.

Two or more photographs could be used to show the case situation before and

after as well as the process leading to the change. Notice the cover page of this

booklet has three photographs which represent1 in the order from top to bottom:

1. the state of children on a school day in a certain community at the start of

the YDK sensitization processes,

2. the process that led to change, i.e. construction of a school facility,

3. the state of children on a school day in that same community after the YDK

process had been implemented for nine month.

1 The photographs were actually taken from different communities. They are used on the cover page only to represent the

concept of story-telling using photographs.


Using photographs effectively

Here are a few examples of how photographs could be used in case study reports.

Madam Akosua Serwaa of Abekoase, drying

her cocoa beans after a good harvest.

(This photograph might be best used if

accompanied by a quote from the person in

the photograph.)

The DCE of Mpohor Wassa East District, Hon.

Bassaw, pledging his support to the

implementation of the Community Action

Plans prepared as part of the YDK processes.

(This photograph may be too dark to use in

a report. It also needs to be cropped to

remove the rest of the office items and

persons.)

The kindergarten classroom constructed by

the Kakabo community.

(This photograph makes good

accompaniment for a case story about a

community which recognized the need for a

KG classroom to give their little children an

early start to education, gathered

resources and put up the school block.)

A family returning home from the farm.

(There is really no story to this photograph.

However, it could be used together with

other photographs to show that not all

children carry heavy loads from the farm.

For effect, it would have to be carefully

cropped to show only the relevant portions

in relation to the case study.)


Watch these carefully

Do not use acronyms or jargon. Remember that the one reading the case study may be in Arusha, Barcelona, Pittsburgh or Samreboi. The reader may not realize that ICI refers to International Cocoa Initiative, and not Industrial Chemicals Incorporated. Always write the full name. If the name is to be used several times in the document, write the full name the first time it is used, and write next to it in brackets the acronym, e.g. the Community Action Plan (CAP). Subsequently, the acronym CAP may be used alone. Do not seek to impress the reader with your prowess in the use of big words. A case study report relies only on the facts, not on big words. Keep the language simple. If you are unsure of the meaning of a word, look up its meaning before you use it. Remember, your computer has a thesaurus; use it for quick reference. Use the correct tense. The past tense and past perfect tense are the best tenses to use. Notice that in these tenses, will changes to would, shall changes to should, and can changes to could. An example is the following: After the second dialog and sensitization session, the Queen-mother said she would monitor the task assigned to children on the farm. She could then determine if the children should continue performing those tasks or be assigned lighter tasks. Some words sound the same but are spelt different and mean different. Formally means in an official manner; and formerly means in the past.

Temporal means earthly; and temporary means for a short time (not permanent).

Guard means watch over; and guide means direct.

Red is a color; read is both the present and past tense of the act of looking at

words and understanding them.

Urge means to encourage someone to do something; and edge is the end of

something like a table, bench or a road.

Cloth is something we wear by wrapping around part of or all of the body; and

clothes (usually used in plural) are items that we wear around the body including

a frock, skirt, trouser or shirt. Used in singular, clothe is a verb meaning to cover.

Using a wrong word changes the meaning of the case study report entirely. Use quotation marks where necessary. If you use a direct quotation from a community member or any other person, use quotation marks with the text and attribute it to the right person. Recognize that quotation marks, i.e. “these signs” or ‘these signs’ are not the same as brackets, i.e. (these signs), {these signs} or [these signs]. Use the correct signs. Do not translate literally from vernacular into English. Such translations could alter the meaning of what is being said. An example is this:


The children went to school for the first time. Then they said they like school than farm. This statement, in fact, means: The children attended school for the first time. They then admitted that they preferred being in school to being on the farm. It helps to think in the language that the report is being prepared in.


Reporting cases of suspected trafficking Suspected human trafficking is an emergency that needs to be reported

immediately it is detected. Human trafficking is a criminal offence and should be

treated as a very urgent case. Any available initial information should be

submitted to the District Child Protection Committee through the District Social

Welfare Officer and the District Police Service within three days of detection. It

should also be reported to the ICI National Coordinator for further reporting to the

Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service as well as the National

Program for the Elimination of Worst Forms of Child Labor in Cocoa (NPECLC) for

rapid investigation.

Every case of suspected human trafficking should have some basic details as

shown on page 14. Notice that it is inappropriate to write “trafficked case” as

the title to the case of suspected trafficking. Use a more apt title: case of

suspected child trafficking. Do not omit the word suspected until a police

report reveals that the case has been investigated and confirmed to be one of

human trafficking.


Details of case of suspected trafficking

1. Name of community where the case was detected:

2. Name of person suspected to have been trafficked:

3. Age of person suspected to have been trafficked:

4. What the person was found doing:

5. With whom the person lives:

6. Indicators of trafficking detected (for children – go to Question 7 if the person is

18 years old or more – tick against all that apply):

a. The child came from another country or another part of Ghana, and not

the community in which s/he was found

b. The child works on the farm or elsewhere

c. The child does not attend school

d. The child was brought into the community by an agent

e. The agent promised to send the child to school or to learn a trade and not

to be put to work

f. The child, since arriving in the community, has been passed on from one

person to another (at least two persons, including the agent)

g. The child is poorly fed, poorly accommodated, and feels forced to work

h. The child performs hazardous activities as defined in the Hazardous Child

Labor Activity Framework

i. Someone else is paid for the child’s labor/the child is not paid for his or

her work

7. Indicators of trafficking detected (for adults):

a. The person came from another country or another part of Ghana

b. The person works on the farm or elsewhere

c. The person was brought into the community by an agent

d. The person, since arriving in the community, has been passed on from

one person to another (at least two persons, including the agent)

e. The person is poorly fed, poorly accommodated and is not happy with

his/her work

f. Someone else is paid for his or her labor/ the person is not paid for his or

her labor at all

8. Tell the story of the person suspected to be trafficked:

9. What do community members say about the person?

10. What action has been taken concerning this person (tick all that apply)?

a. The case has been reported to the police

b. The case has been reported to the Chief or the CCPC

c. The case has been reported to the District Social Welfare Officer

d. The person has been withdrawn and accommodated by a fit person

e. The person has been withdrawn and sent to his/her original home

f. The one with whom the person suspected to have been trafficked lives or

works has been remanded

g. The one with whom the person suspected to have been trafficked lives or

works has been counseled to take positive action

h. Other (write the action taken so far)


Documents

A guide to case study reporting