Overview of Case Studies

What is a case study report?

Case studies are a type of assignment that are used increasingly often in university courses. Like essays and 'reports' of other kinds, they are used to demonstrate to the teacher your knowledge of, and ability to engage with, the subject matter presented in the course. Case studies are designed to be as close to a 'real life' situation as possible, and usually focus on a problem of some sort.

In particular case studies usually focus on a dilemma. A dilemma is a 'situational' problem that requires a path of action to be chosen, but for which there is no one clear correct answer. In attempting to come up with the best solution to the problem, the idea is for the student to demonstrate his or her knowledge of the theory and knowledge presented in the course by using this knowledge to both choose the best solution and criticise less effective solutions.

Case study reports simulate 'real life' situations such as will be encountered by the student when he or she enters the workforce, and have long been used in the fields of medicine and law particularly. In medicine the students will be given a description of one patient's condition and symptoms for instance, and the student is required to decide on the best treatment. In Law, similarly, a particular case will be presented to the students and they will have to use their best knowledge to decide how to best approach or argue the case. In the field of business, likewise, a proposal for a business, or the situation of a company is presented for students to analyse.

Just as in a real life work situation professionals often work in a team, so case studies are usually assigned as group tasks at university level, and the responsibility for the outcome (result) divided evenly amongst the participants.