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• What Is a Case Study? | Definition, Examples & Methods

What Is a Case Study? | Definition, Examples & Methods

Published on May 8, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on November 20, 2023.

A case study is a detailed study of a specific subject, such as a person, group, place, event, organization, or phenomenon. 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. Case studies are good for describing , comparing, evaluating and understanding different aspects of a research problem .

Table of contents

When to do a case study, step 1: select a case, step 2: build a theoretical framework, step 3: collect your data, step 4: describe and analyze the case, other interesting articles.

A case study is an appropriate research design when you want to gain concrete, contextual, in-depth knowledge about a specific real-world subject. It allows you to explore the key characteristics, meanings, and implications of the case.

Case studies are often a good choice in a thesis or dissertation . They keep your project focused and manageable when you don’t have the time or resources to do large-scale research.

You might use just one complex case study where you explore a single subject in depth, or conduct multiple case studies to compare and illuminate different aspects of your research problem.

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Once you have developed your problem statement and research questions , you should be ready to choose the specific case that you want to focus on. A good case study should have the potential to:

• Provide new or unexpected insights into the subject
• Challenge or complicate existing assumptions and theories
• Propose practical courses of action to resolve a problem
• Open up new directions for future research

TipIf your research is more practical in nature and aims to simultaneously investigate an issue as you solve it, consider conducting action research instead.

Unlike quantitative or experimental research , a strong case study does not require a random or representative sample. In fact, case studies often deliberately focus on unusual, neglected, or outlying cases which may shed new light on the research problem.

Example of an outlying case studyIn the 1960s the town of Roseto, Pennsylvania was discovered to have extremely low rates of heart disease compared to the US average. It became an important case study for understanding previously neglected causes of heart disease.

However, you can also choose a more common or representative case to exemplify a particular category, experience or phenomenon.

Example of a representative case studyIn the 1920s, two sociologists used Muncie, Indiana as a case study of a typical American city that supposedly exemplified the changing culture of the US at the time.

While case studies focus more on concrete details than general theories, they should usually have some connection with theory in the field. This way the case study is not just an isolated description, but is integrated into existing knowledge about the topic. It might aim to:

• Exemplify a theory by showing how it explains the case under investigation
• Expand on a theory by uncovering new concepts and ideas that need to be incorporated
• Challenge a theory by exploring an outlier case that doesn’t fit with established assumptions

To ensure that your analysis of the case has a solid academic grounding, you should conduct a literature review of sources related to the topic and develop a theoretical framework . This means identifying key concepts and theories to guide your analysis and interpretation.

There are many different research methods you can use to collect data on your subject. Case studies tend to focus on qualitative data using methods such as interviews , observations , and analysis of primary and secondary sources (e.g., newspaper articles, photographs, official records). Sometimes a case study will also collect quantitative data.

Example of a mixed methods case studyFor a case study of a wind farm development in a rural area, you could collect quantitative data on employment rates and business revenue, collect qualitative data on local people’s perceptions and experiences, and analyze local and national media coverage of the development.

The aim is to gain as thorough an understanding as possible of the case and its context.

In writing up the case study, you need to bring together all the relevant aspects to give as complete a picture as possible of the subject.

How you report your findings depends on the type of research you are doing. Some case studies are structured like a standard scientific paper or thesis , with separate sections or chapters for the methods , results and discussion .

Others are written in a more narrative style, aiming to explore the case from various angles and analyze its meanings and implications (for example, by using textual analysis or discourse analysis ).

In all cases, though, make sure to give contextual details about the case, connect it back to the literature and theory, and discuss how it fits into wider patterns or debates.

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Normal distribution
• Degrees of freedom
• Null hypothesis
• Discourse analysis
• Control groups
• Mixed methods research
• Non-probability sampling
• Quantitative research
• Ecological validity

Research bias

• Rosenthal effect
• Implicit bias
• Cognitive bias
• Selection bias
• Negativity bias
• Status quo bias

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McCombes, S. (2023, November 20). What Is a Case Study? | Definition, Examples & Methods. Scribbr. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/case-study/

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Definition of case study noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• She co-authored a case study on urban development.

Questions about grammar and vocabulary?

Find the answers with Practical English Usage online, your indispensable guide to problems in English.

• Athletes make an interesting case study for doctors.

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• Knowledge Base
• Methodology
• Case Study | Definition, Examples & Methods

Case Study | Definition, Examples & Methods

Published on 5 May 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on 30 January 2023.

A case study is a detailed study of a specific subject, such as a person, group, place, event, organisation, or phenomenon. 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. Case studies are good for describing , comparing, evaluating, and understanding different aspects of a research problem .

Table of contents

When to do a case study, step 1: select a case, step 2: build a theoretical framework, step 3: collect your data, step 4: describe and analyse the case.

A case study is an appropriate research design when you want to gain concrete, contextual, in-depth knowledge about a specific real-world subject. It allows you to explore the key characteristics, meanings, and implications of the case.

Case studies are often a good choice in a thesis or dissertation . They keep your project focused and manageable when you don’t have the time or resources to do large-scale research.

You might use just one complex case study where you explore a single subject in depth, or conduct multiple case studies to compare and illuminate different aspects of your research problem.

Prevent plagiarism, run a free check.

Once you have developed your problem statement and research questions , you should be ready to choose the specific case that you want to focus on. A good case study should have the potential to:

• Provide new or unexpected insights into the subject
• Challenge or complicate existing assumptions and theories
• Propose practical courses of action to resolve a problem
• Open up new directions for future research

Unlike quantitative or experimental research, a strong case study does not require a random or representative sample. In fact, case studies often deliberately focus on unusual, neglected, or outlying cases which may shed new light on the research problem.

If you find yourself aiming to simultaneously investigate and solve an issue, consider conducting action research . As its name suggests, action research conducts research and takes action at the same time, and is highly iterative and flexible. 

However, you can also choose a more common or representative case to exemplify a particular category, experience, or phenomenon.

While case studies focus more on concrete details than general theories, they should usually have some connection with theory in the field. This way the case study is not just an isolated description, but is integrated into existing knowledge about the topic. It might aim to:

• Exemplify a theory by showing how it explains the case under investigation
• Expand on a theory by uncovering new concepts and ideas that need to be incorporated
• Challenge a theory by exploring an outlier case that doesn’t fit with established assumptions

To ensure that your analysis of the case has a solid academic grounding, you should conduct a literature review of sources related to the topic and develop a theoretical framework . This means identifying key concepts and theories to guide your analysis and interpretation.

There are many different research methods you can use to collect data on your subject. Case studies tend to focus on qualitative data using methods such as interviews, observations, and analysis of primary and secondary sources (e.g., newspaper articles, photographs, official records). Sometimes a case study will also collect quantitative data .

The aim is to gain as thorough an understanding as possible of the case and its context.

In writing up the case study, you need to bring together all the relevant aspects to give as complete a picture as possible of the subject.

How you report your findings depends on the type of research you are doing. Some case studies are structured like a standard scientific paper or thesis, with separate sections or chapters for the methods , results , and discussion .

Others are written in a more narrative style, aiming to explore the case from various angles and analyse its meanings and implications (for example, by using textual analysis or discourse analysis ).

In all cases, though, make sure to give contextual details about the case, connect it back to the literature and theory, and discuss how it fits into wider patterns or debates.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, January 30). Case Study | Definition, Examples & Methods. Scribbr. Retrieved 9 April 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/research-methods/case-studies/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

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Case studies in magazine and journal articles.

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The definition of a case study varies widely between periodicals.  Magazines and trade publications often carry short articles outlining how an organization or individual handled a business or management problem. Journal articles often provide more in-depth studies of an organizational issue by using the case method as a research tool. 

Try a keyword search in an article database such as Business Source Complete or ABI/Inform Collection may retrieve case studies from trade or business magazines or journals.  In the boxes below are some sample searches.

If your search does not find relevant articles when the search includes the phrase case studies , leave it out.  

• Try searching for just the topic -- e.g. “servant leadership”.
• Limit your search results to magazines (e.g. Harvard Business Review) and/or trade publications (e.g. Healthcare Executive) to find practice-oriented articles.
• Scan the article titles for those that study a single organization or individual.

Finding case study articles in the Business Source Complete  database

Caveat:  Records (but not the full-text) of the Harvard Business School Cases are covered in the Business Source Complete database. These commercial cases must be purchased from the publisher, they are not available via Interlibrary Loan. 

• Business Source Complete Offers indexing and abstracts for over 25,000 business magazines and journals and includes the full-text of cases published as articles in The Harvard Business Review and thousands of other periodicals.
• topical search example A keyword search of international banking AND case studies .
• search example - case studies in Harvard Business Review This search finds articles from the Harvard Business Review magazine that contain the subject heading "case studies". To narrow the results, add a topical keyword, e.g. leadership to the second box on the search form.

Case studies in the ABI/Inform  database

• ABI/Inform Collection This well-known databases covers thousands of leading business publications.
• search example The search example shows the results for outsourcing AND "case studies" . (To search for a phrase in this database, enclose the phrase in "double quotation marks".) You can further refine the search results by adding another search keyword (or two); limiting to journal or trade or magazine articles; or adding a date limit.

From a library database

When the PDF or HTML full-text is not available in one of our databases, use the "Full Text Finder" button. Full Text Finder will allow you to link to the article in another database. If no full text is available you may request an electronic copy of the article through Interlibrary Loan .

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Case study definition

Case study, a term which some of you may know from the "Case Study of Vanitas" anime and manga, is a thorough examination of a particular subject, such as a person, group, location, occasion, establishment, phenomena, etc. They are most frequently utilized in research of business, medicine, education and social behaviour. There are a different types of case studies that researchers might use:

• Collective case studies

• Descriptive case studies

• Explanatory case studies

• Exploratory case studies

• Instrumental case studies

• Intrinsic case studies

Case studies are usually much more sophisticated and professional than regular essays and courseworks, as they require a lot of verified data, are research-oriented and not necessarily designed to be read by the general public.

How to write a case study?

It very much depends on the topic of your case study, as a medical case study and a coffee business case study have completely different sources, outlines, target demographics, etc. But just for this example, let's outline a coffee roaster case study. Firstly, it's likely going to be a problem-solving case study, like most in the business and economics field are. Here are some tips for these types of case studies:

• Your case scenario should be precisely defined in terms of your unique assessment criteria.

• Determine the primary issues by analyzing the scenario. Think about how they connect to the main ideas and theories in your piece.

• Find and investigate any theories or methods that might be relevant to your case.

• Keep your audience in mind. Exactly who are your stakeholder(s)? If writing a case study on coffee roasters, it's probably gonna be suppliers, landlords, investors, customers, etc.

• Indicate the best solution(s) and how they should be implemented. Make sure your suggestions are grounded in pertinent theories and useful resources, as well as being realistic, practical, and attainable.

• Carefully proofread your case study. Keep in mind these four principles when editing: clarity, honesty, reality and relevance.

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Luckily, there are!

We completely understand and have been ourselves in a position, where we couldn't wrap our head around how to write an effective and useful case study, but don't fear - our service is here.

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The ordering process is fully online, and it goes as follows:

• Select the topic and the deadline of your case study.

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If a term isn’t listed in the stylebook, its entry in merriam-webster will be considered ap style..

Merriam-Webster will be the Associated Press Stylebook’s official dictionary starting May 29, stylebook editor Paula Froke announced Friday.

It is the first change to the stylebook’s primary dictionary in decades. If a term isn’t listed in the stylebook, its entry in Merriam-Webster will be considered AP style. Froke and Merriam-Webster editor at large Peter Sokolowski announced the change at a panel at the annual ACES: The Society for Editing conference.

“Merriam-Webster is updated far more frequently to reflect new terms, evolving usage and other developments. We have long consulted Merriam-Webster to help guide our decisions, even when it wasn’t our official dictionary,” Froke told Poynter in an email. “Overall, we find Merriam-Webster more aligned with the AP Stylebook’s needs and approach.”

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The updated stylebook, which publishes its 57th edition this year, will also include expanded guidance on climate change, Froke announced. The topic has recently become a priority for many newsrooms, and the stylebook added several new climate-related terms last year . It continues that trend this year with new entries like community solar , geothermal , lithium ion , energy transition and hydrogen .

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When referring to individuals, reporters should use the proper name of their tribe and specify whether the person is an enrolled citizen of the tribe or a descendant of an enrolled citizen. The stylebook notes that some individuals may prefer using their tribe’s official name: “For example, some members of the Navajo Nation refer to themselves as Diné , the Navajo word for the people .”

Journalists should not use the term American Indians , which is generally considered outdated, unless referring to tribal citizens who use the term in reference to themselves or others. “American Indians” is also acceptable when it appears in a legal context or in an organization’s name.

Reporters should also avoid using possessive language unless they are referring to Native Hawaiians. For example, instead of referring to “Oklahoma’s Native American tribes,” reporters should write, “Native American tribes in Oklahoma.” “Hawaii’s Indigenous people,” is acceptable, however. The stylebook notes that the term Hawaiian should only be used for “members of the ethnic group indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands.”

Indigenous people(s) is acceptable as a broad description of “the original inhabitants of a place globally,” the stylebook notes. But reporters should be specific when possible since the term “does not capture the political relationship or political status of Native American tribes or people.” Examples of appropriate uses of the term include “Indigenous people in the United States and Canada” or “Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.”

The stylebook also updated its guidance on bulleted lists. Journalists should not use a period after items in a list unless the item is a complete sentence.

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Definition of study

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Definition of study  (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

transitive verb

• disquisition
• examination
• exploration
• inquisition
• investigation

consider , study , contemplate , weigh mean to think about in order to arrive at a judgment or decision.

consider may suggest giving thought to in order to reach a suitable conclusion, opinion, or decision.

study implies sustained purposeful concentration and attention to details and minutiae.

contemplate stresses focusing one's thoughts on something but does not imply coming to a conclusion or decision.

weigh implies attempting to reach the truth or arrive at a decision by balancing conflicting claims or evidence.

Examples of study in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'study.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Middle English studie , from Anglo-French estudie , from Latin studium , from studēre to devote oneself, study; probably akin to Latin tundere to beat — more at contusion

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing study

• fast / quick study
• brown study
• make a study of
• self - study
• feasibility study
• work - study program
• independent study
• course of study

Dictionary Entries Near study

study group

Cite this Entry

“Study.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/study. Accessed 11 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of study.

Kids Definition of study  (Entry 2 of 2)

More from Merriam-Webster on study

Nglish: Translation of study for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of study for Arabic Speakers

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