What Is A Case Study

What Is a Case Study?
A case study is a subcategory of research design which investigates problems and offers
solutions. Case studies can range from academic research studies to corporate promotional
tools trying to sell an idea—their scope is quite vast.
What Is the Difference Between a Research Paper and a Case

Study?
While research papers turn the reader’s attention to a certain problem, case studies go even
further. Case study guidelines require students to pay attention to details, examining issues
closely and in-depth using different research methods. For example, case studies may be used
to examine court cases if you study Law, or a patient's health history if you study Medicine.
Case studies involve a lot of storytelling – they usually examine particular cases for a person or
a group of people. This method of research is very helpful, as it is very practical and can give a
lot of hands-on information. Most commonly, the length of the case study is about 500-900
words, which is much less than the length of an average research paper.
The structure of a case study is very similar to storytelling. It has a protagonist or main
character, which in your case is actually a problem you are trying to solve. You can use the
system of 3 Acts in your story. It should have an introduction, rising action, a climax where
transformation occurs, falling action, and a solution.
Types of Case Studies

The purpose of a case study is to provide detailed reports on an event, an institution, a place, a
person, or pretty much anything. There are a few common types of case study, but the type
depends on the topic. The following are the most common domains where case studies are
needed:
 Historical case studies are great to learn from. Historical events have a multitude of source info
offering different perspectives. There are always modern parallels where these perspectives can
be applied, compared, and thoroughly analyzed.
 Problem-oriented case studies are usually used for solving problems. These are often assigned
as theoretical situations where you need to immerse yourself in the situation to examine it.
Imagine you’re working for a startup and you’ve just noticed a significant flaw in your product’s
design. Before taking it to senior manager, you want to study the issue in detail and provide
solutions. On a greater scale, problem-oriented case studies are a vital part of relevant socio-
economic discussions.
 Cumulative case studies collect information and offer comparisons. In business, case studies are
often used to tell people about the value of a product.
 Critical case studies explore the causes and effects of a certain case.
 Illustrative case studies describe certain events, investigating outcomes and lessons learned.
Case Study Format

The case study format is typically made up of eight parts:
1. Executive Summary. Explain what you will examine in the case study. Write an overview of the
field you’re researching. Make a thesis statement and sum up the results of your observation in a
maximum of 2 sentences.
2. Background. Provide background information and the most relevant facts. Isolate the issues.
3. Case Evaluation. Isolate the sections of the study you want to focus on. In it, explain why
something is working or is not working.
4. Proposed Solutions. Offer realistic ways to solve what isn’t working or how to improve its current
condition. Explain why these solutions work by offering testable evidence.
5. Conclusion. Summarize the main points from the case evaluations and proposed solutions. 6.
Recommendations. Talk about the strategy that you should choose. Explain why this choice is the
most appropriate.
6. Implementation. Explain how to put the strategy into action.
7. References. Provide all the citations.
Writing a Case Study Analysis
A case study analysis requires you to investigate a business problem, examine
the alternative solutions, and propose the most effective solution using
supporting evidence.
Preparing the Case

Before you begin writing, follow these guidelines to help you prepare and
understand the case study:
1.Read and Examine the Case Thoroughly

o Take notes, highlight relevant facts, underline key problems.
2.Focus Your Analysis

o Identify two to five key problems.
o Why do they exist?
o How do they impact the organization?
o Who is responsible for them?
3.Uncover Possible Solutions/Changes Needed

o Review course readings, discussions, outside research, your
experience.
4.Select the Best Solution

o Consider strong supporting evidence, pros, and cons. Is this
solution realistic?
Drafting the Case

Once you have gathered the necessary information, a draft of your analysis
should include these general sections, but these may differ depending on your
assignment directions or your specific case study:
1.Introduction
o Identify the key problems and issues in the case study.
o Formulate and include a thesis statement, summarizing the
outcome of your analysis in 1–2 sentences.
2.Background
o Set the scene: background information, relevant facts, and the
most important issues.
o Demonstrate that you have researched the problems in this case
study.
3.Evaluation of the Case

o Outline the various pieces of the case study that you are focusing
on.
o Evaluate these pieces by discussing what is working and what is
not working.
o State why these parts of the case study are or are not working well.
4.Proposed Solution/Changes
o Provide specific and realistic solution(s) or changes needed.
o Explain why this solution was chosen.
o Support this solution with solid evidence, such as:
 Concepts from class (text readings, discussions, lectures)
 Outside research
 Personal experience (anecdotes)
5.Recommendations
o Determine and discuss specific strategies for accomplishing the
proposed solution.
o If applicable, recommend further action to resolve some of the
issues.
o What should be done and who should do it?
Finalizing the Case

After you have composed the first draft of your case study analysis, read
through it to check for any gaps or inconsistencies in content or structure:
 Is your thesis statement clear and direct?

 Have you provided solid evidence?
 Is any component from the analysis missing?
When you make the necessary revisions, proofread and edit your analysis
before submitting the final draft.

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What Is a Case Study?

What Is the Difference Between a Research Paper and a Case

Types of Case Studies

Case Study Format

Preparing the Case

1.Read and Examine the Case Thoroughly

2.Focus Your Analysis

3.Uncover Possible Solutions/Changes Needed

4.Select the Best Solution

Drafting the Case

3.Evaluation of the Case

Finalizing the Case

 Is your thesis statement clear and direct?

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