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The Global Insight

What is a case based study

Author

John Johnson

Updated on April 22, 2026

Case studies are stories that are used as a teaching tool to show the application of a theory or concept to real situations. Dependent on the goal they are meant to fulfill, cases can be fact-driven and deductive where there is a correct answer, or they can be context driven where multiple solutions are possible.

What are the 3 types of case studies?

  • Illustrative Case Studies. These are primarily descriptive studies. …
  • Exploratory (or pilot) Case Studies. These are condensed case studies performed before implementing a large scale investigation. …
  • Cumulative Case Studies. …
  • Critical Instance Case Studies.

What are the four types of case studies?

  • Descriptive case studies.
  • Explanatory case studies.
  • Exploratory case reports.
  • Intrinsic case studies.
  • Instrumental case studies.
  • Collective case reports.

What is case study research example?

Case studies are a popular research method in business area. Case studies aim to analyze specific issues within the boundaries of a specific environment, situation or organization. … Example: “Impact of increasing levels of multiculturalism on marketing practices: A case study of McDonald’s Indonesia.”

How do you structure a case study?

  1. Synopsis/Executive Summary. Outline the purpose of the case study. …
  2. Findings. Identify the problems found in the case by: …
  3. Discussion. Summarise the major problem/s. …
  4. Conclusion. …
  5. Recommendations. …
  6. Implementation. …
  7. References. …
  8. Appendices (if any)

What is a good sample size for a case study?

Some say between 30-50 sample size is fine, while others say between 5-25, and another group say between 5-12. There is even a renowned authority who claimed that one participant is enough depending on what a researcher is researching.

What is the difference between a case study and a scenario?

Case studies reflect real-life situations where problems need to be solved. Scenario-based learning is more focused toward building communication and teamwork skills. Case studies and scenarios are methods of problem based–learning.

How do you write an introduction for a case study?

  1. Introduction. Identify the key problems and issues in the case study. …
  2. Background. Set the scene: background information, relevant facts, and the most important issues. …
  3. Evaluation of the Case. Outline the various pieces of the case study that you are focusing on. …
  4. Proposed Solution/Changes. …
  5. Recommendations.

What is a case study design?

A case study is a research approach that is used to generate an in-depth, multi-faceted understanding of a complex issue in its real-life context. It is an established research design that is used extensively in a wide variety of disciplines, particularly in the social sciences.

What is a case study Slideshare?

Case study is a form of qualitative descriptive research that is used to look at individuals, a small group of participants, or a group as a whole. This qualitative method of study emphasizes detailed contextual analysis of a limited number of events or conditions and their relationships.

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What are the main characteristics of case study research?

Characteristics of Case Study It studies a social unit deeply and thoroughly. It is qualitative as well as quantitative. It covers sufficient wide cycle of time. It has continuity in nature.

How do you analyze a case study?

  1. Identify the most important facts surrounding the case.
  2. Identify the key issue or issues.
  3. Specify alternative courses of action.
  4. Evaluate each course of action.
  5. Recommend the best course of action.

How should a case study look like?

Case studies usually follow a typical story structure, which means they have a beginning, middle, and end. Think of them as a “before and after” snapshot of a customer’s business – complete with quotes, statistics, and images. Business case studies are often created by the marketing team and given to the sales team.

What is a case study assessment?

A case study requires you to analyse and write about a person, a scenario or an organisation. You might be given information about the case in the assessment description, or you may be required to invent or find your own case.

How do you present a case study in eLearning?

  1. Connect Using Story and Emotions. One way of increasing engagement is by framing the content using a compelling storyline with characters. …
  2. Integrate a Variety of Media. …
  3. Create an Infographic. …
  4. Blend It With a Discussion.

What is a case based scenario?

A case scenario is a made-up situation or problem using real-life constraints and affects in order to discuss and predict how a certain situation could turn out in the real world. By testing the potential outcomes of a problem, those problems are sometimes easier to avoid and solve.

How many pages is a typical case study?

In conclusion, there is no right or wrong in how long a case study should be there is however some guidelines to follow. The recommended number of pages should be somewhere between 5-15. This seems to be an appropriate form to stick to.

How many participants are in a case study?

Normally, 12 to 15 is sufficient to reach a saturation point. However, some authorities have distinguished the sample size according to different variants of qualitative studies, such as grounded theory, ethnography, phenomenology, etc.

Does a case study have a sample size?

Sample sizes in case studies are typically small, which is common in most qualitative research. Sometimes the selection of samples and cases to use is straightforward and clear, due to the uniqueness of the person or organization or because of special arrange- ments or access to the case.

What is the purpose of a case study in education?

Case studies are stories that are used as a teaching tool to show the application of a theory or concept to real situations. Dependent on the goal they are meant to fulfill, cases can be fact-driven and deductive where there is a correct answer, or they can be context driven where multiple solutions are possible.

What is case study approach in qualitative research?

A case study is a research method common in social science. It is based on an in-depth investigation of a single individual, group, or event. Case studies may be descriptive or explanatory. … A clear explanation of the case study method of research.

How do you write a case study research proposal?

  1. Goal(s) of the study. …
  2. A hypothesis or proposition you want to test. …
  3. The specific questions you want to answer. …
  4. The methodology (how information was collected). …
  5. Participants. …
  6. The data that was or will be collected. …
  7. Analysis of the data. …
  8. Conclusions.

Where is case study used?

Case studies are commonly used in social, educational, clinical, and business research. A case study research design usually involves qualitative methods, but quantitative methods are sometimes also used.

What is case study introduction?

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.

What is case study PDF?

Case studies involve the documented history and comprehensive analysis of a situation concerning subjects such as industries, organizations, and markets. … The narratives in case studies offer detailed, rich descriptions of situation and their context.

What kind of methodology is a case study?

A case study is a research methodology that has commonly used in social sciences. A case study is a research strategy and an empirical inquiry that investigates a phenomenon within its real-life context.

What methods are used in a case study?

Case study method may draw on a number of methods to gather data, such as observation, experiments, structured interviews, questionnaires, and/or documentary analysis. Case study within a positivistic paradigm is subsequently guided by the tenets of a quantitative methodology.

Why is a case study used in qualitative research?

The goal in case study research is to understand the boundaries of the case and the complexity of the behavior patterns of the bounded system. Researchers may study a single case or mutiple cases. … For this reason, case study research often involves the use of multiple methods for collecting data.

How do you write a case study design?

  1. Write down your case studies before you do almost anything else. …
  2. Keep it brief & caption everything. …
  3. Include the right details. …
  4. Give credit & explain your role. …
  5. Write in your voice. …
  6. Don’t image dump. …
  7. Think of each case study like a magazine feature.

What Are Case Study Questions?

  • Can you give a brief description of your company? …
  • How did you first hear about our service? …
  • What challenges/problems necessitated a change? …
  • What trends in your industry drove the need to use our product?
  • What were you looking for in a solution?

Is a case study formative or summative assessment?

The use of case studies has been widely implemented as an active learning strategy. … Therefore, if case studies are used as an instructional tool, or formative assessment, then they should also be used as part of the summative assessment as well.