Thesis Research in Architecture: Research methods

"Fieldwork can mean the data collection stage of a project (particularly in the qualitative tradition); or how researchers go about collecting data; or more narrowly, data collection in a social setting that tries to reflect the naturally occurring order of events and subjective meanings of those being studied."¹

Where can you find case studies?

• Case studies are often published in journal articles, so consult the journals listed in Architecture Research Guide, and search for articles using the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals.

• Some case studies are presented as conference papers, which are sometimes published as part of conference proceedings, as well as in journals.

• Look for projects that have received formal recognition; awards announcements will usually provide details about a project that may be helpful to you. These announcements are sometimes published in journals, as well as on the web sites of the organizations making the awards.

• You can also try searching for Case studies as a subject combining other key words or subject headings, and/or filtering by library to only include books from Musagetes. Please keep in mind that this will exclude a lot of sources that are not formally considered to be case studies

Case Study Methodology

Case Study Sources

Doing interviews, focus groups, or surveys? See the University of Waterloo's Office of Research Ethics requirements for research with human participants.

Interviews

Focus Groups

Surveys