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Structure and Writing Style Tips For Case Study

The purpose of the document is to outline the structure and writing style of a case study research paper. It discusses that the paper should thoroughly investigate a subject to reveal a new understanding about the research problem. It provides guidance on key elements like the introduction, literature review, case description, analysis, and conclusion.

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Justine Joi Guiab
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19 views

Structure and Writing Style Tips For Case Study

The purpose of the document is to outline the structure and writing style of a case study research paper. It discusses that the paper should thoroughly investigate a subject to reveal a new understanding about the research problem. It provides guidance on key elements like the introduction, literature review, case description, analysis, and conclusion.

Uploaded by

Justine Joi Guiab
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Structure and Writing Style

The purpose of a paper in the social sciences designed around a case study is to
thoroughly investigate a subject of analysis in order to reveal a new understanding about
the research problem and, in so doing, contributing new knowledge to what is already
known from previous studies. In applied social sciences disciplines [e.g., education,
social work, public administration, etc.], case studies may also be used to reveal best
practices, highligSht key programs, or investigate interesting aspects of professional
work.

In general, the structure of a case study research paper is not all that different from a
standard college-level research paper. However, there are subtle differences you should
be aware of. Here are the key elements to organizing and writing a case study research
paper.

I. Introduction

As with any research paper, your introduction should serve as a roadmap for your
readers to ascertain the scope and purpose of your study. The introduction to a case
study research paper, however, should not only describe the research problem and its
significance, but you should also succinctly describe why the case is being used and how
it relates to addressing the problem. The two elements should be linked. With this in
mind, a good introduction answers these four questions:

What is being studied? Describe the research problem and describe the subject of
analysis [the case] you have chosen to address the problem. Explain how they are linked
and what elements of the case will help to expand knowledge and understanding about
the problem.
Why is this topic important to investigate? Describe the significance of the research
problem and state why a case study design and the subject of analysis that the paper is
designed around is appropriate in addressing the problem.

What did we know about this topic before I did this study? Provide background that
helps lead the reader into the more in-depth literature review to follow. If applicable,
summarize prior case study research applied to the research problem and why it fails to
adequately address the problem. Describe why your case will be useful. If no prior case
studies have been used to address the research problem, explain why you have selected
this subject of analysis.

How will this study advance new knowledge or new ways of understanding? Explain
why your case study will be suitable in helping to expand knowledge and understanding
about the research problem.

Each of these questions should be addressed in no more than a few paragraphs.


Exceptions to this can be when you are addressing a complex research problem or
subject of analysis that requires more in-depth background information.

II. Literature Review

The literature review for a case study research paper is generally structured the same as
it is for any college-level research paper. The difference, however, is that the literature
review is focused on providing background information and enabling historical
interpretation of the subject of analysis in relation to the research problem the case is
intended to address. This includes synthesizing studies that help to:

Place relevant works in the context of their contribution to understanding the case study
being investigated. This would involve summarizing studies that have used a similar
subject of analysis to investigate the research problem. If there is literature using the
same or a very similar case to study, you need to explain why duplicating past research
is important [e.g., conditions have changed; prior studies were conducted long ago,
etc.].

Describe the relationship each work has to the others under consideration that informs
the reader why this case is applicable. Your literature review should include a
description of any works that support using the case to investigate the research problem
and the underlying research questions.

Identify new ways to interpret prior research using the case study. If applicable, review
any research that has examined the research problem using a different research design.
Explain how your use of a case study design may reveal new knowledge or a new
perspective or that can redirect research in an important new direction.

Resolve conflicts amongst seemingly contradictory previous studies. This refers to


synthesizing any literature that points to unresolved issues of concern about the
research problem and describing how the subject of analysis that forms the case study
can help resolve these existing contradictions.

Point the way in fulfilling a need for additional research. Your review should examine
any literature that lays a foundation for understanding why your case study design and
the subject of analysis around which you have designed your study may reveal a new
way of approaching the research problem or offer a perspective that points to the need
for additional research.

Expose any gaps that exist in the literature that the case study could help to fill.
Summarize any literature that not only shows how your subject of analysis contributes
to understanding the research problem, but how your case contributes to a new way of
understanding the problem that prior research has failed to do.

Locate your own research within the context of existing literature [very important!].
Collectively, your literature review should always place your case study within the larger
domain of prior research about the problem. The overarching purpose of reviewing
pertinent literature in a case study paper is to demonstrate that you have thoroughly
identified and synthesized prior studies in relation to explaining the relevance of the
case in addressing the research problem.

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