Scientists, psychologists, marketers, and many other professionals use research for their needs.
Scientists, for instance, strive to find new ways to apply scientific principles.
Psychologists want to delve further into the human mind, and marketers continuously search
for ways to expand their products' reach. And one could even argue that movie or book
analysis videos on YouTube qualify as case studies.
These groups of people can benefit from a wide array of tools to carry out their research.
White papers, articles on peer-reviewed journals, blogs, etc. But all these outlets remain largely
theoretical. If researchers wish to formulate practical applications for their theories,
or reflect a deep analytical view on their chosen matter, they use case studies.
Hi guys, this is Mark from Essaypro, and today we're going to talk about case studies.
We'll talk about what case studies are, what they are used for, and of course, we'll give you
practical and actionable tips about creating your own.
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Let's talk about case studies
Simon Sinek, an author and motivational speaker, said that 'To become an academic expert takes
years of studying. Academic experts are experts in how and what others have done. They use
case studies and observation to understand a subject.'
Sinek's quote is actually a good definition of what case studies are, and what their usefulness is.
But let's expand it a bit.
A case study is a piece of research methodology that involves a detailed, in-depth, and descriptive
examination of a single individual, group, or event.
Case studies, by definition, tend to have a very narrow focus.
The very name reveals this: Case study.
The study of a single, specific case.
In Psychology, for example, the focus might be one individual afflicted
by a particular disorder. In Economics, a case study might
zero in on the principles of microeconomics. A Marketing case study could for example delve
into the benefits of using a CRM system. And within the hallowed realm of YouTube, an analysis
of why a movie or a book worked -or didn't- can be included in the case study category.
The key takeaway here for you guys is that a case study focuses on a single concept or
person.
What are case studies used for?
Even though the format of case studies remains largely the same across different disciplines
(that is, a piece of writing focused on a single concept or subject), the actual purpose
of case studies sort of varies, depending on its origin. Let me explain this.
A scientific team will likely use a case study to discuss different theories about a subject.
Say, for instance, a team of virologists might write a case study about how coronavirus affected
the respiratory system of an infected individual who survived the disease, and theorize about
why this particular patient recovered while others in a similar age, gender, and social
bracket did not.
A marketing outfit might publish a case study on how a CRM system led to a significant boost
in revenue for a particular firm, so the purpose here would be to illustrate the rationale
behind purchasing and implementing such a platform.
And a YouTuber would use a 'why this movie flopped' video as a means to dissect the reasons
why a film did not fare so well at the box office.
All these examples are case studies that follow the single- subject format. The difference
is their ultimate purpose.
Quick recap
Let’s do a quick recap of what we’ve learned so far, and what the main takeaway points
should be.
Case studies are:
Detailed, in-depth, and descriptive examinations of a single individual, group, or event
Used for different purposes, depending on their source
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Five practical and actionable tips for writing case studies
A case study tends to be a long-ish piece of writing, so actually writing one falls
outside the scope of this video. But we can certainly lay down a few practical tips that
will help you to create insightful and effective case studies.
Here are your five tips, in no particular order of importance:
Create an outline for your case study
You know how we always remind you about the importance of an outline? We even created
a video specifically dealing with this, we encourage you to review it
Creating an outline is the first step in the case study creation process, as an outline
will help you visualize the idea that you have in mind. Write down a few general headings
and subheadings that you can always expand upon and drill down further.
Use easy-to-read formatting
From a reader's perspective, there's nothing worse than being presented with a solid wall
of text before one's eyes.
The reader will immediately lose interest and move on to something
else. Why? The information and data offered might be great, but it's impossible to find.
Readers cannot easily discern where to find relevant facts, as key concepts might be hidden
among a labyrinthine maze of words.
Use clear, simple formatting. Paragraphs, bullet points, and bold text, for example,
to make sections and certain words or sentences stand out. Make it easy for the reader to
navigate through your study.
Always, always use storytelling
Everyone loves a good story, right?
Literary classics like Pinocchio or Little Red Riding
Hood are still relevant today, as they are timeless tales that appeal to generation after
generation.
The root of this enduring quality is the power of storytelling, and case studies are no exception
to this rule. When writing a case study, you're crafting a story. This story might be about
a CRM, a person suffering from bipolar disorder, or why a movie bombed at the box office. Regardless
of the subject matter, create a story about it. Take the reader through a journey across
your case study.
Use real, verifiable facts and numbers
It's very easy to claim that a solution 'doubled or tripled revenue', or that a movie 'performed
far below financial expectations.' But these claims, if unsubstantiated, will have a mark
of doubt about them.
In other words, they might or might not be real, or realistic.
If you quote figures, facts, or amounts, you need to back them up. Include links to where
all this information came from, and your study will be much more solid as a result.
Strike a balance between words and images
An image is worth a thousand words, they say. True, but an abundance of images creates the
opposite effect, as too many pictures tend to dilute the effectiveness of the text.
This is a hard one to call, so use your own judgment. By all means, include images where
and if required, but don't overuse them.
And that's it. We hope you guys enjoyed this video about creating case studies. Essaypro
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