Guidelines to Writing a Case Study

A case stud walks the reader through a situation where a problem is presented, thorough information about the situation is provided, and a solution given. While writing a case study, it is eminent to follow the following procedure;

• Choose a topic/situation

• Conduct a Research on the situation

• Analyze all aspects of the situation

• Determine the solution

• Determine whether the solution will work

• Write the Report

• Final Edit

1. Choose a Situation

Make sure you read the instructions for the assignment keenly. Generally, choosing a situation is more like choosing a research problem. However, choosing a situation for a case study involves much more than just picking a research problem. You have to consider several aspects of identifying a particular case for case study analysis. The considerations include;

• Does the chosen topic document a real life situation/problem?

• Does the topic require an in-depth analysis?

• Does the situation challenge the current solutions or assumptions?

• Does the situation provide an opportunity for an alternative solution or assumption?

• Does the situation require future research?

2. Conduct a Research on the Situation

Conducting the research is one of the most important part of case study analysis and writing. This is where you investigate every aspect of the situation/topic you have chosen to ensure that you are fully equipped. Case study research is not simple and direct as most of other research, it is an art! Nonetheless, anyone can achieve this art of perfection by following the guidelines bellow as conducted by Nolen, Novello, and Rodgers:

3. Analyze all Aspects of the Situation

Your initial analysis should involve identifying the problems that are within the case chosen. After a thorough investigation, you will accrue yourself with all the problems that are inherent with the case – document them for reference. Thereafter, apply analysis tools in accordance with your course. There are different analysis tools and procedures depending on the field of evaluation. This will help in having a deeper understanding of the case and to focus on one particular problem. Document your findings.

4. Determine the Solution

Critical thinking and deeper analysis of the research data is used to determine a more coherent solution or assumption that is different from the previous solution. Support your solution with references and experiments.

5. Determine Whether the Solution will Work

Test your solution for the real world crisis. Remember that you are using real-life situation but avoiding real world names and titles. Therefore, you should test your solution from a real world perspective and ensure it passes all tests. If it is an experiment, you can look for data of the same experiment conducted by different individuals and compare your results.

6. Write the Report

You can now document your findings in what will be your final paper. Most case study papers take the format of a research paper. The format is as follows;

• Title page

• Executive summary

• Summarize your paper

• Mention the key words

• Introduction

• Describe what you are studying

• Why is the topic important

• Illustrate previous knowledge on the topic

• Thesis statement

• Illustrate how your research will improve the previous knowledge

• Literature Review

• Describe relevant works on the topic/ previous research

• Resolve conflict from the previous studies

• Illustrate the need for further research

• Place your own research in the context of existing literature

• Methods

• Explain the methods you used to do research, conduct a survey, or do an experiment

• Illustrate the methods used to analyze the data and the detriments as well as the eminence of each method.

• Discussion

• Mention the research problem

• Discuss your findings and state their importance

• Relate the findings to similar studies using the same solutions

• Discuss the limitations of the study and the need for further research

• Conclusion and Recommendations

• Summarize your paper in clear and simple language.

• Do not introduce a new idea in the conclusion

• Recommend further reading

7. Final Edit

Now you can have that sigh of relief! You are done doing the hard part. Go through your paper as you check on the diction, word use, grammar, and spelling. Ensure that your paper is impeccable in documentation and in writing. Lastly, ensure your solution is clearly raised and the language used in illustrating it is simple. In case you face any sort of trouble at this or any other part of the case study, we are on stand-by (with 24-hour services) to help you get a grade that deserves to be hanged on your grandmother’s fridge. Remember, a top-notch essay is just a button away, and we never disappoint.