Before we can talk about types of case study and the features, we have to know- what is a case study? It is a method of research that uses a well-detailed, thorough and exhaustive examination of the subject matter at hand and its condition as at that time. A case study is a form of research that is why it is called case study research.
There are different types of studies for different sets of researchers, and each has a different case study format. It is usually a learning tool for Teachers, historians, social workers, etc. the researcher recognizes definite problems by thorough investigation and several discussions on the issue in question. They are then able to identify the key contributors and aggravating situations.
Case Study Structure
By virtue of its Nature and for you to know how to write a case study you have to pay attention to structure. Every form of writing must have a structure for it to be considered as organized. Generally, it is divided into:
| Element | Function |
| Introduction | This is where the case is introduced to the reader, with short background info on the topic and insights on previous writings on the subject matter |
| Aims | This has to do with the reason and purpose of the paper and the question it intends to answer |
| Method | The approach that will be employed in order to achieve the aim and data will be gathered or collected. |
| Results | A description of the outcome of findings through interviews, questionnaires |
| Discussion | An explanation of the findings and extraction of problems from such explanations and the lessons that can be learnt for that case. |
| Recommendation | Suggestion for actions to take in the future in order to help the situation or proffer solutions, |
In this article, we will help you to learn more about case study writing by discussing the types and its features.
6 Types of Case Study
1. Historical Case Study
This method involves the observation of the advancement of a particular concept over a period of time. It is an all-inclusive analysis and report from a historical angle. Most times professional case study writing service makes use of this method in order to give a case study help acasestudy.com is a good place to check for such. This method pays attention to dates and timeline in relation to presently occurring situations and occurrences.
2. Observational Case Study
Using this method, data is gathered by participant observation which is then augmented by formal or informal interview. A good example would be observing workers in the staff break room within a company. In this case, the researcher can choose to observe some group of persons and their interaction with certain concepts and ideologies in order to gather data about the subject.
3. Illustrative case studies
This is a form of descriptive learning that uses one or more occurrences of an event to demonstrate the situation at hand. The aim is to give the readers an in-depth common idea about the topic being treated. When writing such a case study, the idea is to have whoever reads it inclined to the common understanding of the topic.
Most times, these studies are very objective such that they do not require a lot of interpretation. They rarely involve humans because when it does several variables come into play concerning that subject matter.
4. Exploratory or pilot case studies
This is a summarized method done before executing a full-scale investigation. The main reason for this type of study is to assist in classifying questions and choose measurement parameters before the actual investigation. However, if you are not careful, you may be tempted to make a premature conclusion based on the initial summary.
Usually, the goal is to show that more investigations will be required and considered necessary. It is very popular in psychological fields. For example, some psychologists may decide to do a study of troupers that come home after active combat. Although the end goal is to identify the causes of PTSD, however at the very beginning attention may be put on the veterans themselves to establish PTSD.
5. Cumulative case studies
This is used to gather information put together by different sites at different times, in order to come up with a single body of information which makes it hot to write. The aim of these studies usually is to gather the information from these past studies and form a greater, concrete overview of the topic in question without going through the rigours of extra costs or time being used on fresh studies.
An example here would be a case where a researcher decides not only to study the Vietnam veterans, but also the ones from world war 2 and the Persian Gulf veterans. By this, the researcher is able to give a collective study on the concept as a whole and not fixating on just one place at one time.
6. Critical instance case studies
This method is used mostly to question existing generalizations or extensive claims about concepts. The aim here is to look into two or more findings and examine the situation without forming any generalization. Instead, each situation is considered uniquely.
Case studies are very important especially in the world of academia, it assists in the world of making new discoveries and improving the old one. They can also be used in almost any field or discipline and most times they do not occur in isolation. You can check online for some case study examples if you need to see practical samples of these, there are a lot of them.
Positive Words Research – Types Of Case Study And Its Features
