Various fields use case studies in their respective forms, but case studies are usually used in academic and business contexts. Academic case studies focus on individuals or groups of people, producing detailed but uncommon reports based on months of research. In the business world, marketing case studies illustrate success stories used to grow companies.
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Method 1 of 3: Planning an Academic Case Study
Step 1. Determine the research subjects
Case studies focus on an individual, a small group of people, or sometimes a single event. You will conduct qualitative research to seek specific data and descriptions of how the subject matter is affected.
- For example, a medical case study might examine how a patient is affected by an injury. A case study in psychology might study a group of people in the form of a therapy experiment.
- Case studies are not designed for large study groups or statistical analysis.
Step 2. Decide whether to conduct prospective or retrospective research
Prospective case studies conduct new studies on their own, involving individuals or small groups. A retrospective case study examines a number of cases in the past related to the problem of the study, and does not require new involvement with the problems of these cases.
Case studies may or may not include both types of research
Step 3. Narrow your research objectives
This may have been given to you by your previous teacher or supervisor, or you may have developed it yourself. The following are the main types of case studies, by purpose:
- Illustrative case studies describe unfamiliar situations to help people understand them. For example, a case study of people suffering from depression, is designed to help communicate the subjective experience of depression to aspiring therapists.
- Explorer case studies are preparatory projects to help guide future projects on a larger scale. The case study is intended to identify research questions and possible research approaches. For example, a case study of three school teaching programs will describe the pros and cons of each approach, and provide tentative recommendations on how the new teaching program could be organized.
- A critical instance case study focuses on a unique case, with no general purpose. Examples are a descriptive study of a patient with a rare condition, or a specific case study to determine whether a theory that is widely applied "universally" is really applicable or useful in all cases.
Step 4. Apply for ethical approval
Nearly all case studies, by law, must obtain ethical approval before they can begin. Contact your institution or department and submit your case study to the people responsible for ethical fallacies. You may be asked to prove that the case study did no harm to the participants.
Follow this step even if you are conducting a retrospective case study. In some cases, publishing new interpretations can cause harm to participants in the initial study
Step 5. Plan a long-term study
The majority of academic case studies last at least 3-6 months, and many continue for years. You may be limited by research funding or the length of your degree program, but you should leave at least a few weeks for your study.
Step 6. Design a detailed research strategy
Create a description that describes how you will collect the data and answer the research questions. The exact approach is up to you, but the following suggestions might help:
- Make four or five points that you will answer, if possible, in the study. Consider the views on how to answer the question and the bullet points.
- Choose at least two, and preferably more, from these data sources: report collections, Internet research, library research, interviewing research subjects, interviewing experts, other fields of work, and concept mapping or typology.
- Design interview questions that will encourage in-depth answers and ongoing conversations related to the research objectives.
Step 7. Recruit participants if necessary
You may already have someone in mind, or you may need to recruit people from a wider group who fit your research criteria. Explain the method and time limit of the research to potential participants clearly. Unclear communication can constitute an ethical violation, or it can cause participants to leave midway through the study, thus wasting a lot of time.
Since you're not conducting statistical analysis, you don't need to recruit a diverse range of people. You should be aware of any biases in your small sample, and explain those biases in your report, but they should not nullify your research
Method 2 of 3: Conducting Academic Case Study Research
Step 1. Do some background research
When studying people, investigate information in their past that may be relevant, perhaps including medical history, family history, or the history of an organization. A good background knowledge of research topics and similar case studies can help guide your research as well, especially if you are writing a particularly interesting case study.
Any case study, but particularly case studies containing a retrospective component, will benefit from a basic academic research strategy
Step 2. Learn how to make obtrusive observations
In case studies involving human participants, ethical guidelines do not allow you to "spy" on the participants. You should practice obtrusive observation, in which participants are not aware of your presence. As opposed to a quantitative study, you may be conversing with participants, making them feel comfortable, and engaging yourself in various activities. Some researchers seek to guard against loot, but be aware that your presence will influence participants' behavior, regardless of the relationship you form with them.
- Building trust with participants will result in less inhibited behavior. Observing people in their home, workplace, or "natural" environment may be more effective than taking them to the laboratory or office.
- Asking subjects to fill out a questionnaire is a common example of obtrusive research. Subjects know that they are being studied, so their behavior will change, but this happens quickly and is sometimes the only way to get certain information.
Step 3. Take notes
Extensive notes during observations will be vital when you are compiling your final report. In some case studies, it may be reasonable to ask participants to record their experiences in a diary.
Step 4. Conduct the interview
Depending on the overall length of your case study, you may be interviewing weekly, once a month or two months, or only once or twice a year. Start with the interview questions you prepared in the planning phase, then repeat the questions to dig deeper into the topic of conversation:
- Describe the experience - ask participants what it was like to live the experience you are studying, or be part of the system you are studying.
- Describe the meaning - ask participants what the experience meant to them, or what "life lessons" they took from the experience. Ask what kind of mental and emotional connection they have with your subject, whether it's a medical condition, an event, or some other topic.
- Focus – at the next interview, prepare questions that fill in your knowledge gaps, or questions that are relevant to the development of research questions and theories during the study.
Step 5. Stay vigilant
Case studies may feel less "data-driven" than medical or scientific experiments, but your attention to rigorous and valid methodology is vital. If you're focused on studying the participants in the most vulnerable positions, take the time to observe the more "typical" participants as well. When reviewing notes, question your own logic and discard conclusions that are not accompanied by detailed observations. Any sources you cite should be carefully checked for reliability.
Step 6. Collect all the data and then analyze it
Step 7. Write your final case study report
Based on the research questions you design and the type of case study you conduct, the report may be a descriptive report, an analytical argument based on a specific case, or a suggested guide for further research or projects. Include the most relevant observations and interviews in the case studies themselves, and consider attaching additional data (such as full interviews) in addition for readers to refer to them.
If you are writing a case study for a non-academic audience, consider using a narrative form, chronologically describing events that occurred during the case study. Reduce the use of jargon
Method 3 of 3: Writing a Marketing Case Study
Step 1. Ask the client for permission
Case studies in marketing illustrate "success stories" between companies and clients. Ideally, the client has interacted with your company recently, and he or she is eager to contribute by sending a positive message. Choose clients who are close to your audience, if possible.
For maximum results, ask for full involvement of the client. Even if the client just wants to review the research material you sent them, make sure that the person involved in the case study has an important position in the organization, and is very knowledgeable about the relationship between the company and the client
Step 2. Tell the story
A standard marketing case study begins by describing the client's problem and background. Then the story quickly turns to depicting how your company strategically approached these problems, and managed to solve them to the fullest. Finish by illustrating how you can apply a similar solution across the industry. The whole case study should be divided into about three to five parts.
- Collaboration with clients is helpful here, so be sure to include the issues with the strongest and most impactful impact.
- If your audience doesn't immediately recognize a client's problem, start with a more general introduction, describing the type of problem in your industry.
Step 3. Keep your review legible and robust
Use bold text and headers to break the case study into easy-to-read sections. Begin each section with short imperative sentences and strong verbs.
Step 4. Include actual figures
Use examples of numbers that show how effective your solutions are. Explain this as clearly as possible, using actual numbers instead of using (or completing) percentages. For example, the HR department could show impressive retention numbers after a process change, while the marketing team could show an increase in previous sales from the company's service business.
Charts and graphs can be excellent visual aids, but make diagrams and graphs in large font so that the positive meaning can be conveyed clearly to people who are not used to reading raw data
Step 5. Ask for a quote or write your own
Of course you want to cite positive feedback from clients. However, often the person writing the quotes doesn't have a background in marketing. Ask the client if you can write statements for them, although of course the client will give their consent to the statements before the case study results are published.
Usually these quotes are short, only a sentence or two in length, which describe your "service" in a positive light
Step 6. Add the image
Include photos or other images to make your case study more interesting. One tactic that will work is to ask the client for photos. Amateur digital photos showing a smiling team of clients can add a touch of authenticity.
Step 7. Share the results of the case study with as many people as possible
Make the results of case studies in the field of marketing accessible anywhere. Try using Amazon Web Services, Microsoft's Business Hub, or Drupal. Send a copy of the case study results to the clients you work with, attaching a letter of thanks for their participation.
Suggestions
- Keep in mind that case studies do not aim to definitively answer research questions. The purpose of the case study is to develop one or more hypotheses about the answer.
- Other fields use the term "case study" to mean a short, less intense process. Most clearly, in the fields of law and programming, the term case study is defined as a real or hypothetical situation (a legal case or programming problem), which is accompanied by an oral or written discussion that leads to a conclusion or possible solution.
