There are many academic writing assignments these days. Some of them are easy; others are less manageable. Case studies tend to be one of the most challenging tasks in college. They are prevalent in Business, Marketing, and other disciplines that fall into Social Sciences.
Case studies are a cornerstone toward students’ development of writing and critical thinking skills. However, the number of assigned case studies doesn’t determine that they are easy to complete. Many still face severe trouble completing such a type of paper, so they buy case study from services like buyessay.org. Students have their reasons for turning to such companies. We, in turn, have explored the topic and put together a step-by-step guide to writing a compelling and impeccable case study quickly.
What is a case study in the first place?
But before we start, it would be reasonable to answer why case studies are essential. After all, there has to be a reason that makes teachers assign students with such papers. And here it is: a case study analyzes extremely complicated financial and social problems. Case studies deal with various data, which requires the writer to process it and answer the central research question. Answering such questions helps understand individual or group behavior and how a person or a certain number of people conduct, i.e., their behavioral patterns. This is highly beneficial in business and related fields in that it demonstrates customers’ interests, preferences, purchasing power, and other critical factors.
Indubitably, case studies can’t provide completely accurate results. Since data can be misleading, there is a chance (often a low one) that a case study wrongly interprets gathered information. That’s why the writer should be cautious when locating sources and processing them.
With that being said, let’s dive into the seven practical tips for writing a high-quality case study.
Step 1. Researching and gathering data
As was already mentioned, data can be inaccurate. Nonetheless, it plays a pivotal role in any case study. Usually, such assignments provide the case the writer has to study. Therefore, first, start researching the topic once you get it. It will help you become aware of a subject and decide on theoretical ideas and a framework to use. It will also allow you to choose one of the two following approaches:
- Theoretical modeling
- Large empirical analysis
Knowing the case and the requirements, start exploring the area. The availability of information will let you estimate whether there is adequate data on the case and which approach to use.
Step 2. Analyzing information and organizing it
Once you know the case study and find enough information, it’s time to process it and come up with a compiled set of data. You can break down the batch of data into chronological order or sort it by importance or relevance.
Step 3. Getting to know the audience
Although a case study often isn’t exact, it is still precious to the reader. It points out a research question and uses various wherewithal to answer it. It is hard to state whether or not a reader appreciates it. However, you can increase the chances of making your work outstanding for the audience. What you should do is analyze the readers, trying to understand what they anticipate learning. Try to determine how much they know about the topic. It will help you be very detailed–if the reader isn’t knowledgeable of the subject–or vice versa.
Other than that, evaluating your audience can help you with developing a research question. Suffice to say that the latter is integral in a case study. Choosing the right research question does the most job.
Step 4. Formulating the research question and addressing it to the reader
When you research the market, business, or industry and examine the audience, start working on the research question. A good research question touches upon an issue and sets the context within which the writer will operate. Pay close attention to the question’s structure, including the action words. Misusing keywords can confuse the reader and make your case study obscure and of low quality.
Step 5. Answering, explaining, and providing an example
You can have several research questions, depending on your case study’s word count. Either way, make sure to give a clear answer, explain it, and provide an example by attaching an authoritative source you have located when researching the area. Keep in mind that every idea, argument, or assumption needs to have a reasonable grounding. By including credible sources, you make your standpoint reliable and competent.
Step 6. Following the right layout
One of the most widespread mistakes that lead to a low-quality case study is the poor structure. It’s often hard to generate compelling content, especially when it comes to case study writing. Failing to split the paper into the necessary sections can result in a clumsy, hard-to-understand document.
Business case studies comprise essential elements, which are:
- Title page
- Executive summary
- Findings
- Discussion
- Conclusions
- Recommendations
- Implementation
- Appendices
- References
This is a typical structure of a business case study. We suggest checking your task’s instructions, as every academic institution reserves the right to set its own rules.
Step 7. Revising content and submitting
By now, you should address the research question and draft your case study. Upon completing that, step away from it and take a short break. It will let you restore your concentration and set you for further work. The next–and final–step is checking the entire document and polishing it to shine.
Reapproach your work and examine how well your body part corresponds with the research question. Ensure checking topic sentences, explanations, and examples provided in every paragraph. Plus, look at the endings–every section must wrap up the content and bridge the following paragraph.
Next, consider checking the mechanics. Although grammar and punctuation errors aren’t the gravest mistakes–the content matters the most–some may get you into real trouble. Use a spell checker to accelerate your editing; remember, though, to double-check what they correct.
Finally, thoroughly go through your references. Check whether they are correctly cited and follow a relevant formatting style. Likewise, you can apply tools like citation generators to create in-and end-text references. But again, pay close attention to their correctness.
Of all the writing tasks, case studies are among the most complicated. Writing a case study isn’t effortless because it requires finding a crucial issue and developing a research question. The writer should also analyze the audience to come up with the right writing strategy.
Last but not least, it is imperative to properly structure the paper to improve its coherence and readability score. This guide encompasses all the mentioned elements and provides information that makes case study writing doable.