If you are a psychology or anthropology student, you might have encountered such writing assignments as case studies. But if you are doing it for the first time and need help, our article with beneficial tips will help you with a systematic approach to the solution to this academic task. You will learn how to write a case study and where to get A-level case study examples.
What is the Case study paper?
A case study is a paper that outlines how you overcame a problem. It’s real-world proof that your study or activity result works. A case study is an excellent way to attract stakeholders and show the opportunity for a deeper study of the sharing problem.
A case study definition is listed in the American Psychological Association Dictionary as an in-depth investigation of a single individual, family, event, or other entity. Although case studies allow for intensive analysis of an issue, they are limited in how much their findings may be generalized.
Case studies are used in many fields, such as medicine, education, political science, sociology, business, and law. Often, university instructors recommend writing a compelling case study when experimentation is impossible or difficult. At the same time, such a task contributes to studying the situation or hypotheses more simply.
Research Paper and Case Study, Are They the Same Paper?
Even very well-written research papers will only reveal the existence of a particular problem, while case studies delve deeper into it. Students more carefully research the details and methods that were used to solve the problem. Case studies can be used when studying a particularly complex court specific case (if you are a law student) or a unique patient health history (if you are a medical student). If you study marketing, you will be able, thanks to the case study, to find the best solution for the promotion of the service based on data on the effectiveness of each of the tools used.
Interestingly, the structure of a case study closely resembles that of a well-written story. Central to this narrative is the unique case that you are investigating, and understanding how to write a case study effectively helps you craft this narrative compellingly.
First, you introduce the reader to the case or problem. You indicate where and when it occurred. This is your introduction. Next, you show the steps that led you to solving the problem (this is your climax).
A full description of the results obtained through the research will be your solution. Finally, in the end, you need to create strong conclusions so that every reader of the research will be able to use this case study.
Pros and Cons of Case Study
Pros
One of the best things about a case report is that it helps researchers investigate things that are hard or impossible to do in a laboratory. Other benefits of a case study include:
- Studies are valuable educational tools, that offer opportunities to analyze problems, make decisions, and understand consequences in a controlled sphere.
- They serve as illustrative examples in academic settings, enriching presentations, reports, and discussions.
- Researchers can find out “how,” “what,” and “why” something happens.
- They also can understand why one approach is chosen over other strategies.
- Researchers can come up with ideas to test in experiments.
- Can be applied in many fields such as psychology, social sciences, business, and medicine.
- Studies highlight decision-making processes, demonstrating effective or ineffective approaches in complex situations.
Cons
Alternatively, a case study can have some drawbacks:
- Often, the obtained data are difficult to generalize and transfer to a larger group of people.
- It is difficult to identify and demonstrate cause and effect.
- Requires a lot of time and effort to gather proper and detailed information.
- Conclusions may not be scientifically accurate.
- It often requires the involvement of substantial resources, including financing.
A case study is suitable for studying a new phenomenon if its findings can be used for a deeper investigation of the complex topics using another scientific research method.
Types of Case Studies
These are the college students’ preferred types of case studies:
- descriptive;
- explanatory;
- exploratory;
- intrinsic;
- instrumental;
- collective.
Let’s look at examples of types of research for students of various specialities.
Types of case studies for medical students
In this paper you can provide detailed accounts of patient history, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.
Try to explore the underlying mechanisms of diseases and how they affect the body.
Be focused on the diagnostic process, including the use of diagnostic tests.
You should examine treatment plans, their implementation, and outcomes.
Study the distribution of health-related states or events in specific populations.
There are popular directions for medical students to write a case study:
- Neurological disorders
- Surgical cases
- Pediatric Cases
- Emergency medicine and trauma
- Infectious Diseases
- Ethical dilemmas in medicine, etc.
Medic students can investigate a medical case from a public health perspective, focusing on epidemiology, disease prevention, community health implications, or healthcare policy considerations.
Varieties of case studies for marketing students
Focus on the implementation and practical aspects of marketing strategies.
Compare and contrast different marketing strategies or campaigns.
Gain a deep understanding of a unique or interesting marketing case.
Provide insight into a broader issue or refine a marketing theory, with the case itself being of secondary interest.
Explore a marketing concept or phenomenon where there is little existing research.
There are leading directions for marketing students to write a case study:
- Consumer behavior
- Advertising campaigns
- Product launches
- Market positioning
- Market segmentation
- Loyalty programs and personalized marketing
- Social media strategies, etc.
Marketing students can examine marketing challenges and strategies in global markets and discuss cultural considerations, market entry modes.
How to format the case studies
Proper case study format is crucial for the high evaluation of the paper. However, the case study format is no less important for the correct understanding and interpretation of the data in the research paper. If you adhere to the format our case study writing service experts have given below, you will organize your data qualitatively and receive a truly A-level paper.
1. Title Page
The name of the case study, the name of the author, and the date should be indicated here. You can find many examples of designing this title page on the Internet. Stay discreet and concise. This page is not for redundant data.
2. Abstract
The introduction should provide a concise overview without personal opinions. At the same time, it should highlight the essence of the problem and indicate the methods by which it was solved. In this section, information should be presented concisely.
A-level abstract structure:
- A one- or two-sentence presentation that summarizes the entire article.
- A summary of the case and the investigation conducted is given in a few sentences.
- A more detailed description of the event with an explanation of the research approach and methods.
- Detailed information about the result.
- Additions in the various forms of information about obvious inconsistencies between data received from different groups.
- A summary containing the key findings in several sentences in length.
3. Introduction (executive summary)
The goal you sought to achieve in preparing for the study. Outline the problem, and the solution of which was sought. Include the thesis statement and the context or background information necessary to understand the case. The length of the introduction should be about 1–2 paragraphs long (for a short paper), 2–3 paragraphs, roughly 200–400 words for a medium-length case study, and 3-4 paragraphs or more for 10+ page research paper.
4. Literature Review
Existing literature review provides insights into methodological approaches that have been successful in similar studies.
This section includes a comprehensive overview of relevant studies, theories, and concepts related to the case study topic. It critically evaluates previous research, highlighting key findings, methodologies, and theoretical frameworks that inform the current study.
Here’s the case study outline example for a literature review:
1. Introduction (Write about scope of the review and its importance in the context of the investigation).
2. Thematic Review (or Chronological/Methodological/Theoretical)
- Theme 1 (Summary of key studies/Synthesis of findings/Critical analysis)
- Theme 2 (Summary of key studies/Synthesis of findings/Critical analysis)
3. Relevance to Case Study (How the literature relates to the study and gaps identification).
4. Conclusion (Summary of key points and findings).
5. Methodology
Methods for collecting (for example, interviews, observations, documents) and analyzing the data obtained. Remember to include a description of participants (or groups of participants) of the study in this section. Include information on the selection criteria, sample size, and any relevant demographics.
If you try to choose the most suitable methodology for your case study you should align research questions, objectives, and the specifics of the investigation. Begin with clearly defining your research questions and outlining precise objectives. It helps to clarify which methodology will effectively address the intended goals.
6. Findings
This section should contain key conclusions and observations about the problem you have defined. An understandable presentation of the data will help readers correctly identify and use the results of your work for further research.
In this section, use tables, charts, graphs, or quotes from interviews with research participants to illustrate key points. Include relevant statistics, percentages, or qualitative descriptions to support your findings.
7. Discussion
This section might involve discussing how the results can inform policy, practice, or future research directions. Through the research discussion, you can see how the results correlate with existing theories. You should explain the significance of your results and what they bring to existing hypotheses.
8. Conclusion
In this section, include the answers to the research question or the solution to the problem. You can also add suggestions for further research that would develop the industry.
Acknowledge any limitations in your study and demonstrate your awareness of potential constraints that may have affected the validity or generalizability of your findings.
Conclusions should be concise yet comprehensive enough to effectively summarize the key findings and implications of the case study. They range from a few paragraphs to a page or two in length.
9. References
Pick a citation style (e.g., MLA, Chicago, APA) based on the guidelines from your institution. APA style is commonly used in many disciplines for case studies.
Examples of reference formats
- Book (APA): Author(s). (Year). Title of the book (Edition if applicable). Publisher.
Book (Chicago): Author(s). Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher, year of publication.
- Journal Article (APA): Author(s). (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Journal, Volume(Issue), pages.
Journal Article (Chicago): Author(s). “Title of Article.” Title of Journal volume number, no. issue number (Year): page range. DOI or URL (if available).
- Website (APA): Author(s) or Organization. (Year, Month Date). Title of the webpage. Website name. URL
Website (Chicago): Author(s) or Website Name. “Title of Web Page.” Name of Website. Publication date or access date. URL.
10. Appendices (if applicable)
Additional materials, such as interview transcripts, copies of the questionnaires, raw data papers or any other additional information. Appendices can also include maps, site plans, or other visual aids that help illustrate the context of the case study or the relationships between different parts of the study.
You can add a glossary of terms with definitions of specialized terminology or acronyms used in the case study.
Tips for preparing winning case study
Choose an engaging theme
The topic should be relevant, but also you should be interested in it personally. If you are concerned about a certain issue, prepare a study to find a reasonable answer.
Select an appropriate case
Do not look for a simple case, even if it is appropriate for your essay. Choose a more complex event that will help you to better understand the topic. Define the objectives and participants of the study. Often, the success of a case study depends on the initial data.
Use complete data
Treat data collection responsibly. Evaluate the information you receive at every step, not just when analyzing research results. Dig deeper to learn more about your hypothesis. Use all types of data – qualitative and quantitative.
Use clear and concise language
Write in a clear and telegraphic manner. Avoid overly complicated language and jargon. If you have a good understanding of who your audience is, you will be able to choose the appropriate writing style.
Do evidence-based presentation of analysis
Support your arguments and conclusions with proof from your investigation. Use quotes and examples to illustrate key points and impress your audience.
Show the practical benefit
Demonstrate how research can be put into practice. Make some comparisons of how it was before and how the situation might change after reading your research. This will add value to your paper in the experts’ eyes.
Be focused on lessons learned
Reflect on the lessons and expertise you get from the experience and how they can be applied to similar situations or challenges in the future.
Revise and proofread
This stage is special. You may be exhausted after doing your research, but proofreading and editing are necessary. In some cases, you can use a template from the Internet for comparison. But you will have to do the main verification work yourself.
If you lack enthusiasm or experience, you can entrust this assignment to a professional editor. Just pay to make your paper shine!
Follow these tips, and you’ll be on your way to producing a surprisingly important case study. Demonstrate your analytical skills and ability to apply academic knowledge in practice in real-world situations. Now you know almost everything about how to write a case study. Let’s take a look at how the case evaluation works.
By the way, If you find it challenging to write your case study or lack the time, our urgent essay writing service is here to help you out.
How to evaluate a case
Case evaluation includes defining objectives, collecting data, analyzing the data, comparing outcomes with expectations, identifying contributing factors, drawing conclusions, making recommendations, and reporting findings. Use our tips with techniques and tools to properly evaluate a case.
Tools:
- Surveys and questionnaires ( gathering quantitative data from a large group).
- Interviews (collecting in-depth qualitative data).
- Observations (understanding the context and environment of the case).
- Statistical analysis software (like R for quantitative data analysis).
Techniques:
- SWOT analysis – helps to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to the event.
- Cost-benefit analysis – helps to evaluate the costs incurred and benefits gained from various aspects of the case, such as making a decision.
- Ethical analysis – helps to evaluate the ethical implications of decisions or actions taken within the case study.
- Stakeholder analysis – assists in identifying and analyzing the interests, needs, and influences of stakeholders involved in.
- Risk assessment – helps to identify and assess potential risks associated with different courses of action or decisions within the study context.
Useful tips:
- Ensure the evaluation is unbiased and based on evidence.
- Use multiple facts and figures sources.
- Keep detailed records of the data collection and analysis processes for transparency.
Writing a case study a case study can be exciting and interesting, although, it is also challenging. You can prepare a successful academic paper yourself using this guideline. You can also find other useful articles on the site, such as how to write a book review or how to write and edit a college essay. We hope our ideas will inspire you to create important research that will help you advance your career and gain useful skills as a researcher and data analyst.
