Abduction, deduction and induction: can these concepts be used for an understanding of methodological processes in interpretative case studies?

Within the area of interpretative case studies, there appears to be a vast amount of literature about theoretical interpretations as the main analytical strategy. In light of this theoretically based strategy in case studies, this article presents an extended perspective based on Charles Sanders Peirce’s concepts of abduction, deduction and induction. I intend to show some of the integral relationships between these concepts which can be relevant for interpretative case studies exemplified by classroom research. The connections between these concepts and interpretative field research result in two interpretative strategies, illuminated by syllogisms, and named abduction–deduction–induction (A–D–I) and deduction–induction–abduction (D–I–A). These strategies will be discussed.