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Case Studies

Case studies are designed to help you link a ‘real-life example to the bigger picture (a theory or a broad trend). They are assignments where you will analyse a case to do with an organisation, person, issue, or event. You may be asked to link a case to a theory or provide solutions to a problem. 

If you are asked to do a case study, you will be expected to:

• Analyse a specific case in all its complexity
• Explain the elements of its complexity by using a certain theory / different theories In other words, the case is the ‘real-life situation/subject, while the study is the analysis of the latter.

Key Elements of a Case Study

Key elements of a case study The following characteristics set a case study aside from other types of assessment. As you draft your case study, make sure that these come through clearly in your writing:

• Both broad and detailed description of the case and its elements

• Chronological order

• The focus is on the organisation/person/event/group/project (and its parts)

• Combination of description, analysis, and interpretation of data

Different Approaches to Case Studies

Writing a Case Study

1. Read through the case and gain an overview of the whole picture. Establish what has happened (explore events, factors, and connections in greater detail) – use a theoretical approach to explain your findings 

2. Determine the reasons/causes 

3. Develop and assess possible solutions (if required) 

4. Make recommendations (if required)

The Case Study Structure

A case study is similar to a report in that it follows a particular structure.

• Introduction / Case background information
• Research methods used
• Statement of the problem, issue or, focus
• Note of action or intervention if necessary
• Note of current action or intervention if necessary
• Stakeholders (people involved in the case) and what their responses are to the case
• Evaluation of actions taken
• Outstanding issues or problems
• Causes of these problems
• Possible solutions to these problems
• Conclusions of main findings
• Recommendations on best possible solutions or findings
• (Cottrell, p. 71, 2019)

Common Mistakes 

When working on your case study, make sure to avoid these common errors: 

• Ignoring certain facts/ events /factors which affect the overall ‘picture’ 
• Failing to provide an explanation for the causes or implications of the problem 
• Making unsupported assumptions, which simplify the case (but omit valuable information) 
• Presenting causes/solutions as generic rather than case-specific 
• Relying too much on own experience / common sense rather than theory and data

Source: Cottrell, S. (2019). The Study Skills Handbook. (5th ed.). Macmillan. 

Case Study Template

Resources from the Library

Journal Articles

Journal articles can be found by searching the databases through Locate. 

They are articles written by experts in their field and are academic sources that you can reference to support your arguments and ideas when completing your assignments.