How to Write a Case Study: Types, Structure

A case study is a detailed study of a certain phenomenon, event, person, or organization. You may have the task of conducting one for your discipline. The case study format follows the general academic writing pattern with a few distinct touches. A case study fits perfectly for evaluating and describing different aspects of a research problem.

What Is A Case Study? 

A case study is a perfect academic choice when you want to gain in-depth knowledge concerning some real-world subject but don't have time for a large-scale proposal. There is no strict answer to "how long should a case study be." As long as it covers the actual case and has a grounding, you may go with any volume unless you have direct instructions for the word count.

You may use a case study either during your university studies, whether you're a business owner, working in the healthcare industry, or simply writing a blog post. You may demonstrate your achievements to future customers using a case study with real-life examples that make a compelling story. You may even arrange an actual interview to fully investigate the experience of your prospective customers that you'll need for your case study. You can also use a customer story to support all your research with solid evidence for your case study. Last but not least, case studies are perfect for showing your potential customers how they could profit from your goods or services.

You may look for an example of a case study to understand how one may look. For example, a case study may have a formal academic paper format, like a research, thesis, or term paper. Another variant is a case study in a more narrative format, like textual or discourse analysis.

Case Study Types 

Case studies have different types that can be applied in various research fields. If you ask our write my case study service for help, we will conduct any of them. Each of the types may be a case study format for students. Therefore, when you conduct your research, you should apply the most fitting one. There are six common case study types: 

• A collective case study. Collective case studies focus on a certain group of people. The study may research the setting in which the individuals live or particular features of the group. 
• A descriptive case study. A case study of this type focuses on a detailed description of a certain phenomenon and its theories. The subject is observed, described, and compared with the theories on it that existed before. 
• An explanatory case study. Researchers apply this type when they want to learn about the conditions and origins of a certain phenomenon. 
• An exploratory case study. This type of case study is used as a preparation for bigger-scaled research. It allows for gathering more information through different research methods before developing research questions and hypotheses. 
• An instrumental case study. This type of case study analysis allows researchers to understand more about the subject than what was learned about it initially.
• An intrinsic case study. This case study implies the personal interest of a researcher in a case. For example, Jean Piaget's observation of his children. 

Case Study Structure 

The case study requires a literature review, method description, and case discussion. 

A case study outline must include the next sections: 

• Introduction. In this section, you provide a roadmap of your research, scope, and purpose. 
• Literature Review. A literature review in a case study is similar to regular academic writing. However, it focuses on providing the case's background information and historical context. 
• Method. You explain why your case fits perfectly for the research problem analysis in this section. 
• Discussion. This section focuses on the key findings of the research. 
• Conclusion. As in the rest of academic writings, the conclusion section sums up your findings and emphasizes the key elements of your research. 
  

Introduction 

Besides providing the outline of the research and its background, a case study introduction must include information concerning why the case was used and how it relates to the issue. The introduction for a case study should answer the next questions: what subject is studied? Why is it important to study it? What is known about the subject before the case analysis? How will this case study improve the understanding of the subject? 

Each question needs to be addressed in a few paragraphs of a case study introduction example. The questions may be expanded if you have a more complex assignment. Describe the problem of the case study assignment and how a case for the research is linked. Include the elements that will help to understand the problem deeper. Explain why the research problem is significant and how a case study design addresses this problem. 

You need to provide the information known before the case study analysis. This part will lead to the following in-depth literature analysis. If possible, summarize the information already known and how your analysis of the case study will contribute to this knowledge. Besides, explain how your contribution will be useful for a deeper understanding of the research problem.

Literature Review 

The literature review section does not simply restate the already-known facts. Instead, it summarizes the prior research in the context of the case analyzed and related to the research problem. Here, you should discuss specific strategies for accomplishing the proposed solution using supporting evidence. You should follow case study guidelines to conduct a competent literature review section: 

• Place the sources in the context of the research problem. In this part, you will justify why you need to include the research made previously and why they are relevant to your study. 
• Include the description of the links between the works and the case study at hand. The major criterion of a good literature review is the relevance of the research problem. 
• If possible, outline the new ways of the prior research interpretation in your case study. This part is optional but may help to reveal new perspectives on the research problem.
• In your case study sample, try to resolve the prior contradictions in the previous studies. Synthesize the information from the previous studies and describe how the case you study may help to resolve present issues. 
• An important part of the literature review section is pointing out the vector for further research. Describe how your approach toward the research problem helps to determine additional research and questions to the research issue.
• Fill the gap in the preexisting research. Your literature review should include the section where you describe which parts of the research problem were not covered in the background literature and how you may fill this gap with your case study. 
• Finally, point out which place your case study takes in the research problem discourse. Answering the question ‘how to write a case study paper,’ you should demonstrate an understanding of the research question and that you studied the subject thoroughly before conducting the case study. 

Discussion 

The discussion section for a case study research usually combines the study's results and their implications. First of all, restate a research problem. Then, describe the findings of your case study related to the research problem. Highlight unexpected and especially profound results of the case study. 

Second, explain the meaning of your results and why they are important for the research problem. For example, you may reiterate the most important findings of your case study paper and then carefully review them. Third, draw a connection between your study results and the previous research. A case study cannot exist in itself without a relation to the scientific background. 

Finally, suggest the questions for further research. Your in-depth analysis could provide new insight or an unexpected issue that can't be answered in this particular case study.

Conclusion 

Finish writing a case study with a conclusion. The conclusion section should not simply repeat the key findings from the discussion. Instead, describe how the findings of your case study report differ or how they support the previous research. If your case study has a complex argument, you should restate it in the conclusion, to clearly describe your research significance. Define the key findings' importance if you did not do it in the discussion section or made it too brief. Finally, reiterate the scientific background and connection to the prior research. The conclusion section must highlight the key parts of your case study. 

Depending on the discipline in which you conduct a case study, you may be asked to provide your reflection on the case study.

How To Do A Case Study? 

The following will help you identify the easy steps towards crafting a perfect case study, so keep on reading!

Choose A Case 

It may seem that writing case studies is a daunting and challenging task. You may always get help from our professional writing service if you are unsure about your academic writing capabilities. However, follow these guidelines if you are willing to conduct a case study.

You should start creating a case study with a research problem. It is an issue in the real world that is actual, relevant, and can be discussed through particular cases. After defining the problem, you need to select a case representing it. 

A good case easily answers the question "how to make a case study." A decent case follows the next criteria:

• It provides an unusual view of the research problem. 
• It challenges existing theories and assumptions regarding the case study. 
• A good case study opens new perspectives on further research. 

Unlike experimental or quantitative research, a case study cannot rely on a random or representative case. Instead, case studies focus on unusual, unconventional, and neglected cases of a research problem. 

Collect Your Data 

A vital part of writing a case study paper is data collection. If you apply for do my essay service, this part will also be provided, and you will have a list of reliable sources for your academic paper. Data collection relies on qualitative research methods such as interviews, analysis of secondary sources, and observations. While data gathering, you may write a case study outline, making notes for the literature review and discussion sections. Take notes on the contradictions in the sources, their relevance to the research problem, and what conclusions you may draw from the sources. 

If you are wondering how to conduct a case study effectively, you need to consider one important factor. A well-done collection of data will help you write сoherently and with a sole focus on the research problem.

Analyze The Case 

Finally, provide the analysis of the case study. There is no single standard scheme for how to analyze a case study. Some of them follow a strict academic structure. Others follow a more narrative style of analysis. You may look for a case analysis example to grasp how to analyze a case.

The point of the case analysis is to provide a new perspective on the research problem. It may be an unusual method of perception, finding new benefits from the issue, or, on the contrary, highlighting obscured drawbacks of the case researched. For example, you may discuss how the morning jog may harm one's health and recommend medical consultation before engaging in physical activities. The analysis depends on the clarity of the research problem and the data collected.