A case study assignment is a piece of academic writing in which you must critically analyze a specific subject or topic and then draw a conclusion. If you are a student, you will be asked to submit case study assignments on a specific problem at some point during your academic career. In general, case study writing is a difficult task, but you can handle it wisely if you understand the case study preparation steps. Are you aware of how to write a case study assignment? If you’re not familiar with it, keep reading this blog post to learn more about case study assignment writing.
What is a Case Study?
A case study is a detailed examination of a subject in a real-world setting. The subject here can be anything related to a specific event, case, person, situation, organization, cases, and so on. The primary goal of a case study is to thoroughly investigate a topic and reach an appropriate conclusion.
A case study research and analysis can be done in a variety of ways. When conducting case study research, you can approach the cases in a comparative, explanatory, reflective, or analytical manner, depending on your case study topic and the instructions provided by your professor.
Data is essential for conducting research. As a result, you can use either quantitative or qualitative research methods to collect data for your case study research based on your topic. Remember that if you use the incorrect method, the data you use will become untrustworthy. Therefore, you must ensure that you select the appropriate methodology for data collection.
Different Types of Case Study Assignments
Commonly, case studies are classified into different types. When it comes to writing case study assignments, you should first understand which type you are going to deal with. The case study research can be done for both academic as well as business purposes. Listed below are some common types of case study assignments.
Illustrative Case Studies
Illustrative case studies are descriptive study that focuses on a specific situation or any periodic consequences. Mostly, this type of case study allows the readers to get familiar with a subject. When preparing illustrative case studies, as an author you should describe a phenomenon or circumstance along with its causes, features, and consequences of existence.
Exploratory Case Studies
It is one of the most complex types of case studies that are investigative. As the name suggests, exploratory case studies explore the subject and explain the reasons why it requires large-scale research. It is more commonly used in social sciences and also focuses on real-life cases.
Descriptive Case Studies
A descriptive case study can be prepared when there is a hypothesis. This study aims to establish connections between a theory and a subject that is being studied. The study can be concluded after the connections are established. The descriptive case study results often suggest how to build a theory further. For more in-depth research, descriptive reports depend on quantitative data.
Cumulative Case Studies
The cumulative case study is a common type of case study in qualitative research. Often, it is used to gather data from numerous sources at different times. This case study aims to summarize the past studies without spending additional time and cost on new investigations. Hence, it is considered to be a form of data analysis.
Critical Instance Case Studies
This case study is used to determine the cause and consequences of an event. The ultimate purpose of a critical instance case study is to investigate one or more sources with unique interest or no interest. Also, this case study is used to question a universal assertion.
Also Read: A Complete Guide on How to Write an Observation Report
Steps for Conducting a Case Study Research
If you have a clear idea about the different types of case studies, then you can proceed to perform in-depth case study research by executing the following steps.
- Firstly, go through the case study topics.
- Secondly, determine the case study problems.
- Thirdly, find out which case study type would be appropriate for the topic.
- Fourthly, based on your case study type, identify the case study research methods.
- Fifthly, collect data and group it with a relevant research method.
- Next, research and analyze the cases with the gathered data. While performing research, find out the root cause of the problem and generate potential solutions for that problem.
- Create a strategy for your case study.
- Next, after completing the research, compose the answer to your case study with proper citations.
- While preparing the answers, structure the content of your case study as per the standard format.
- Finally, proofread the content and edit it before submission.
Understand How to Write a Case Study Assignment
Here, in detail, let us take a look at the steps for Middle School Study Tips For Academic Success.
Step 1: Choose a topic
The first step in the preparation of a case study document is finding an ideal topic. On the subject of your interest, brainstorm various case study research topic ideas and from it choose something that matches your course like how to write a case study and case study writing guidelines. Your topic can be related to any place, people, event, or organization. Remember, you can skip this step if your instructors have already provided a topic relevant to your course.
Step 2: Identify the Case Study Type
For your case study topic, find out an appropriate case study type. Your cases can be illustrative, exploratory, or any other. If you want to stay on the right track, you can double-check with your grading rubric.
Step 3: Sketch a Case Study Outline
To prepare an outstanding case study, it is necessary to create a case study outline by including the problem statement and the background information. Especially, while sketching the outline, begin with the key facts related to your objective, and then include the points you have in your notes while conducting case study research. In general, the outline should contain details about the case study problem, the goals to achieve, valid solutions, the results of the work, and the call to action.
Step 4: Create a Thesis Statement
Analyze the problem by first checking similar case studies, and then find out what is not discussed. Next, based on that, create a strong thesis statement. Remember, to explain your thesis statement, you must have a valid supporting piece of evidence.
Step 5: Compose the case study
After identifying a thesis statement suitable to your case study topic, begin writing your case study paper with all the data you have gathered. Next, format your case study properly with essential sections such as the introduction, body, and conclusion. In the introduction section, you should mention the purpose of the study with your thesis statement. Next, in the body section, you should address all the important arguments relevant to your thesis statement with supporting proof. Finally, you should summarize all the important information and suggest recommendations for further research in the conclusion. Also, make sure to cite your sources properly.
Step 6: Proofread and Edit
As soon as you complete writing the case study, proofread and edit the entire document. Check whether you have addressed all the questions in your paper. Also, see to the grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors in the content. Submit your case study copy once you confirm that it is free from errors.
In the next section, let us have a detailed look at how to prepare a case study draft.
Standard Format of a Case Study Assignment
The readers can understand your points only if your case study is well-structured. Hence, while writing your case study, you should structure it properly according to the standard case study format that includes the following important components.
Introduction
It is the opening section of a case study where you need to describe the problem or issue. Mainly, here, you should highlight how your study will resolve the issue. In simple, in this section, you should remember to focus on the purpose of the case study and define the case study research type.
Background
To help your readers understand the issue and topic, here, you should describe the background details of your case study topic along with the pros and cons of your case study problem. Also, in this section, you should make sure to discuss your research objectives and research methods.
Case Evaluation
It is one of the important sections in the case study where you have to segregate major and minor points related to your cases. In addition to that, you will also have to discuss the limitations of the case study and the strengths and weaknesses of your approach.
Proposed Solutions
In this section, you should present information based on a specific method or a scientific concept. Also, you should discuss the pros of your solution. Here, you can also feel free to develop assumptions and create an analytical strategy.
Analytical Findings
After including the proposed solutions section, add an analytical finding section and in it provide a summary of your findings in the form of bullet points. In this section, connect your thesis statement with an outcome.
Recommendations
It is the conclusion section. Here, you should recommend alternative solutions or suggest some effective ways to address the limitations of the case study. Additionally, in this section, you can also recommend further literature.
Know How to Write a Title Page and Cite a Case Study
In this section, let us look at how to make a fantastic title page and cite a case study.
Title Page
Your title page must follow the guidelines for citation formats. The following information ought to be on the title page:
- A title that captures attention and describes your research
- The phrase “case study” should appear in the title.
- The length of the title should be between 5 and 9 words.
- Your name and contact details.
- The final length of your paper should be between 500 and 1,500 words. When writing this kind of assignment, be sure to be concise and avoid filler.
Citation
Learning how to properly reference a case study is essential since there are situations in which you will need to use someone else’s research in your own. In terms of citations, a case study and a research paper are similar. Depending on the style required, you can cite it just like you would cite a book.
MLA Citation Format
Last Name, First Name. “Title of Case Study.” Title of Journal or Publication, vol. Volume, no. Issue, Year, pp. Page Numbers. DOI or URL.
APA Citation Format
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of case study. Title of Journal or Publication, Volume(Issue), pp. Page Numbers. DOI or URL.
Chicago Citation Format
Last Name, First Name. “Title of Case Study.” Title of Journal or Publication Volume, no. Issue (Year): Page Numbers. DOI or URL.
Note: In all formats, the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) or URL should be included if the case study is accessed online. If it’s accessed in print, only the page numbers have to be included.
Wrapping Up
Hopefully, by now, you will have understood how to write a case study assignment. Generally, when you write a case study, make sure to deeply analyze the chosen topic and present your case evaluation with valid pieces of evidence. Remember, the case study that you compose should be well-structured, well-researched, and plagiarism-free. In case, it is troublesome for you to draft a case study, approach us immediately. Our team contains skilled case study writers from different educational backgrounds. By using their expertise, they will guide you in preparing your case study assignments on any topic according to your specifications.
