How to Write a Proficient Case Study

Case study writing is a quite broad term – what one means by it may differ considerably depending on the context and topic. A case study written as a part of research for an academic institution will be different from a business case study aimed at a market situation, and so on. There are, however, common aspects that are shared by most case studies. In this guide we will cover them and teach you how to write a successful case study that will fit any context. Preparatory Phase Depending on how specific your task is and how much freedom you have, some initial stages of the work may already have been done for you, narrowing down the scope of your work. Before starting with the proper writing you have to take care of the following: Read the case and define the task/topic; Determine the case study type or style; Look for existing case studies on the same or similar subject; Prepare the interview; Carry out the interview. Defining the Task Naturally, the first step you are supposed to take is to study the task at hand carefully and decide what exactly you are going to work on. Read the case and try to answer the following questions: What is the apparent problem? Read the case and summarize the problem as succinctly as possible. What is the context? What guidelines or instructions were you given? What tools are you going to use or which are required of you to be used? What information do you have on the problem? What additional information you have to obtain and where can it be found? How do you have to present your case study? (Deadline, size, form of presentation, necessary sections, etc.) Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuG8AzK9GVQ Determining the Case Study Type There are four general types of case studies: Illustrative – describing events and situations; Cumulative – aggregating information from several sources or sites, sometimes at different times; Explorative – investigating the situation, problem or risks; Critical – examining a particular subject, usually that of unique interest with little attention paid to generalizations. Of course, these are not the only types, and the boundaries between them may be vague at times. These four, however, serve as a good starting point. You should think carefully about your situation and decide which type will best answer the needs of your research, which will ideally suit your target audience, which is going to yield the best results. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQfoq7c4UE4 Reading Existing Case Studies You don’t want to duplicate the already existing research. So, get busy: discuss the topic with your professors, run a web search on all possible keyword combinations, scrounge through the library. As you do it, mark down books, articles and other sources that may come in handy and read the most relevant ones outright – it will be your entry point into the topic. What you read can make you alter the topic somewhat or suggest an entirely new vista of research. If you find the new topic more interesting, don’t hesitate to replace the original one – your work hasn’t yet started in earnest anyway. You may also pay attention to case studies similar to your current task in scope and topic – they may give you some insight as to the formatting and composition of your work. Preparing an Interview Sometimes this stage may not be necessary, and reviewing course readings, discussions, literature and articles on the subject may turn out to be enough to obtain the necessary solution. However, don’t count on it – in most cases preparing and carrying out an interview is considered to be one of the most important parts of research, aimed at improving your practical skills and ability to obtain information. As it pays to be prepared, here is how you should do it: 1. Decide Whom You Are Going to Interview It is hard to give any recommendations here, as the optimal choice heavily depends on your discipline, topic, the task at hand and the scope of your research. In most cases, it would be best to choose experts in your field and people directly involved in the studied situation (either currently or in the past). If these two overlap, that’s just perfect. 2. Decide How You Are Going to Carry out an Interview Most importantly: whether your interview will be collective or individual. Both approaches are acceptable and useful in appropriate situations. If your research is concentrated on personal matters or you want the insights of the interviewees to be independent from each other, approach them separately. In other situations, it may be more efficient to gather them in a group and ask for a collective opinion. 3. Find out as Much as Possible both about the Situation and the Interviewees Normally you only have one shot at an interview, so prepare for it carefully. Obtain all the information that is available from the outside sources. Study the people you are going to interview and their relation to the situation. 4. Decide on the Method of the Interview Collective or individual, there are a number of options: personal meetings, phone calls, group activities, emails, skype, anything you can think about and arrange. Decide which will suit you best. 5. Prepare the Questions Make sure your questions are aimed at learning the opinions of the interviewees and are concentrated around what cannot be learned from any other source. They should be plain, clear and easily understandable. Avoid controversy and subjectivity. 6. Arrange the Interview(s) Make sure the interviewees know they are being interviewed and that their words will be used in research. In some cases it may even be necessary to have them sign appropriate wavers before you can use the information you receive from them. It is important – ignore this point at your own risk. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B-zGIrg7KA Carrying out the Interview Exactly what kinds of questions you should ask depends on the situation, but there are a few tips that can improve the overall effectiveness of the process: Usually you want to ask all interviewees identical or similar questions. It helps you get different viewpoints on the matter. However, you can alter the questions depending on the positions and knowledge of the subjects. Questions that don’t allow the interviewee to answer simply by ‘yes’ or ‘no’ usually yield more information. Drafting the Case Study Once you’ve obtained all the information you need from the interviewees and other sources, it is finally time to start working on the written part of your assignment. In most cases, unless specified differently by your professor, your case study should contain the following sections: Introduction Context Main Part Suggested Solution Recommendations References and Appendices Let’s take a closer look at each of them. Introduction Introduction is aimed at giving the reader a very basic idea of what the case is all about: what problems you are going to analyze, what is the situation, why it is important. A good way to start is to ask a question or to quote one of your interviewees. Context/Background Information Before you plunge into the analysis, you should set the stage – that is, provide context for it. It may include: Background information on the situation; Relevant facts; Why your interviewees are a valid source of information; Why the problem is important; Photos or a video that can make your work more persuasive (if the chosen case study format allows). Main Part This is the part where you present the bulk of your data and analysis. Depending on the subject matter and your goals, it may contain: Quotes by individual interviewees; Factual and numerical data: statistics, percentages, graphs, diagrams; in other words, everything that can lend additional credibility to your findings; Generalized findings from the interviews and personal research; History of the problem’s development; Alternative solutions, both proposed and implemented; Why implemented alternatives were/are ineffective; Why proposed alternatives were rejected; What financial, situational and time constraints exist at the moment; Thoughts, feelings and ideas of those with first-hand knowledge of the situation; If you make any claims in addition to what you’ve learned from the interviewees, statistical data and observation, you should be ready to carry out additional research and calculations. Suggested Solution You should end your analysis with proposing a solution of your own, probably building upon what some of your interviewees have already said. Judging by your analysis, choose a solution that you believe to be the most realistic and likeliest to succeed; Explain your motives for choosing it; Provide hard, factual evidence in support of this solution; Further prove your point of view by additional research and, probably, personal experience in the field. Recommendations Recommendations are specific, clearly defined actions and strategies that should be carried out to solve or alleviate the problem. For each part of the solution you should answer the following questions: What exactly should be done? What can go wrong and how to prepare for these contingencies? Who will do it, are they qualified enough, who else may be considered for the job? When should it be done? What are the financial implications: how much will it cost, when will it pay off, how much will be saved? If appropriate, you may recommend a follow-up strategy that may further improve the efficiency of the solution after it is implemented. References and Appendices These are pretty straightforward. Reference list contains all the information sources you’ve used to prepare the case study and referred to. Appendices encompass all the information that is relevant to your case study but couldn’t have been included before without interrupting the flow of your reasoning and disrupting the structure of the study. Make sure to consult your professor as to the citation style you are supposed to use. Editing, Proofreading, Alteration No matter how good your plan is, you will find yourself in need of changing some parts of the case study. Already during writing it you will sometimes notice that the study develops in an unexpected way. If it happens, don’t worry and don’t try to keep to the original plan at whatever the cost – if your research grows organically in a different direction, perhaps it is for the best. Just make sure to make alterations, additions and deletions as necessary. As for editing and proofreading, the rules and methods are more or less the same as with any other paper: Unless you are pressed for time, leave your case study alone for a day or two before starting with the final edit. It will allow you to see your work with a fresh eye; As you reread and edit your text, keep an eye open for grammar, punctuation and spelling mistakes. They, however, shouldn’t be your primary concern; Reread your original task and guidelines – it will refresh them in your mind and make it immediately obvious if you steered away from what you were supposed to be doing; Reread the case study in its entirety and try to define if it is logically coherent, if sections flow naturally one into another, if you’ve managed to successfully prove your point of view; Study sections separately and decide if any changes have to be made in their structure or contents; Introduce the necessary changes. Pay special attention to transition sections – they are most often in need of improving due to the lack of coherence; Other important parts to pay attention to: graphs, figures, schemes, tables and formatting; Ask someone else to read the entire text, preferably someone you may trust to not simply skim through it. After working on it for a long time, reading, rereading and recompiling the info for dozens of times you may have lost the ability to perceive it objectively. An outside observer can draw your attention to the lack of logical connection between items you are too used to, or point out a blatant mistake that evaded your notice. Preparing a case study is a long and arduous task, requiring considerable knowledge of the subject and the ability to plan ahead. We hope that this guide has got the latter covered – and it’s up to you to deal with the former.

Anorexi The Body And The Psyche Essay - 1604 Words

Anorexia is a kind of dietary issue, those who have an extraordinary dread of putting on weight. They seriously restrict the measure of what they eat and can turn out to be thin. Anorexia influences both the body and the psyche. Anorexia is an intense dietary issue, especially on the off chance that it is joined by co-happening psychiatric and addictive clutters. Like bulimia anxious and other dietary problems, anorexia is a medicinal malady that can bring about irreversible wellbeing complexities, including death. Anorexia is like other dietary issues those with anorexia fixate on calories and weight. The treatment for anorexia for the most part includes a blend of mental treatment and administered weight pick up. It s essential for a man or woman with anorexia to begin treatment right away, as it could be expected under the circumstances to decrease the danger of genuine inconveniences of anorexia, especially on the off chance that they ve effectively lost a great deal of weight. Anorexia: Starvation for Perfection Anorexia is a serious disease that has affected many people in today’s society. 10-15% of all Americans experience the ill effects of some kind of genuine dietary problem and one out of two-hundred women experience anorexia. Anorexia is a disease that has been occurring among people because of society s high standards. It is a serious emotional disorder that is characterized by the fanatical yearning to get in shape by neglecting to eat. In 1684

Applocetoun fur thi Netounel Hunur Sucoity Essay Example For Students

Applocetoun fur thi Netounel Hunur Sucoity Essay Netounel Hunur Sucoity traly os e hunur tu bi ecciptid ontu. Netounel Hunur Sucoity riprisints schulershop, liedirshop, sirvoci, end cherectir. I biloivi sonci I wes yuang I hevi shuwn cumpessoun end liedirshop niidid on uar sucoity. Thet os why thos os thi roght sucoity fur mi. I hevi biin onvulvid woth on uar schuul end uar cummanoty. In uar schuul I wes numonetid fur hied uf Prum cummottii thos yier. Thos pusotoun os qaoti strissfal bat I wuald nut hevi ot eny uthir wey. I injuy biong ebli tu hilp end pat my merk un ot fur uar schuul. I breonsturm fur fandreosirs, ectovotois, end smell jubs uar cless cen du tu reosi muniy. I elsu git tu chuusi uar rivinai, thimi fur prum, end dicuretouns. I du ell uf thos wothon uat toght badgit. I try tu meki iviryuni heppy woth my dicosouns end I thonk I du e foni jub. Alsu wothon uar schuul I injuy hilpong woth uar yuath prugrem. I hevi hilpid uat woth thi yuath beskitbell prugrem meny tomis. Sonci I hevi fuar yuangir soblongs mysilf I injuy hilpong yuang choldrin. In thi yuath beskitbell prugrem I wuald ubsirvi thior tichnoqai, pley gemis, end govi puontirs. I elsu hilpid woth e tuys fur tuts. I hed tu hilp ricraot piupli tu brong tuys end I hed tu duneti tuys mysilf. Nut unly du I du thos fur thi bittir uf uar cummanoty bat ot elsu folls e sput on my hiert knuwong thet I cen hilp. As fur schulershop, I hevi biin un thi hunur rull sonci I wes elluwid tu bi un uni. I hevi hed meny chencis tu chellingi mysilf thruagh my hogh schuul ceriir end o hevi tekin thusi chencis. In my muri edvencid clessis I hevi hed thi hoghir ur hoghist gredis on my cless. Nurmel stadois cumi qaoti netarelly tu mi thet os why I loki tu pruvuki my diipir thonkong by tekong thisi muri edvencid cuarsis. Jast tu ebli tu epply fur Netounel Hunur Sucoity shuws my echoivimints on schuul. I mintounid ierloir huw I wes onvulvid on Prum Cummottii. I biloivi thet pusotoun cen fell ontu iothir cetigury biceasi I em liedong end mekong dicosouns un bihelf uf m schuul bat ot elsu fells ontu sirvoci biceasi I hevi tu spind e lut uf my uwn tomi un my datois. I elsu wes thi tiem cepteon uf my cruss cuantry tiem thos yier.

International Relations as Natural and Social Science

Introduction/Thesis statement Nowadays, it became a common practice among many political scientists to suggest that, since the observable emanations of international relations in today’s world do seem to have acquired a number of qualitatively new subtleties, the application of a positivist methodology in IR can no longer be considered appropriate.1 This suggestion, however, cannot be referred to as such that represents an undeniable truth-value.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on International Relations as Natural and Social Science specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is because, even though that, during the course of recent decades, the operational principles of IR did undergo a rather drastic transformation, the innermost essence of how different countries relate to each other on the arena of international politics remains thoroughly ‘functional’. This, of course, implies that IR-related sub ject matters can be best addressed within the conceptual framework of a specifically positivist methodology, which in turn suggests that IR may indeed be studied as a natural science. I will aim to explore the validity of this thesis at length. Analytical part The methodological principles of natural sciences are based upon the empirically tested assumption that there are a number of objectively existing impersonal laws, which define the essence of a surrounding reality. In its turn, this makes it possible to predict the vector of a researched phenomena’s spatial development. For example, we are well aware of the fact that, after having been thrown high into the air, any physical object will necessarily fall down back on earth – the law of gravity will cause it to do so. This is exactly the reason why physics is considered a ‘hard science’, for example – physical laws are thoroughly objective. Even though IR cannot be considered a ‘hard scienc e’, in the full sense of this word, there are many good reasons to consider IR’s discursive conventions as such that fit well within the methodological framework of biology (another ‘hard science’) and physics. This points out to the fact that IR can indeed be considered a subject of a positivist scientific inquiry. For example, even though that traditionalists and post-positivists suggest that, there is too much complexity to the subject of international relations (in order for its integral components to be disassembled for the purpose of positivist testing); this point of view does not stand much ground.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is because, once we apply a naturalistic approach for assessing the actual significance of IR-related conventions, the earlier mentioned ‘complexity’ will simply evaporate. After all, just abo ut all the aspects of how countries coexist/compete on the arena of international politics can be well discussed within the context of what positivists consider the foremost purposes of every state’s existence: Economic/geopolitical expansion, Protection of internal stability, Impairment of the internal stability of competing/neighboring countries.2 In their turn, the earlier mentioned purposes of states’ existence reflect the scientifically proven fact that, biologically speaking, the representatives of Homo Sapiens species are nothing but primates, whose foremost existential pursuits are being concerned with reproduction and with trying to impose their dominance upon others. What it means is that national states can be well conceptualized as culturally/scientifically advanced and geographically bounded packs of apes that remain in the state of a continual competition for natural resources. The validity of this statement can be well explored in regards to the actual consequences of 2011 Arab revolutions. Even though that Western mainstream Medias never ceased referring to the downfalls of secular regimes in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, as such that have been predetermined by the citizens’ strive towards ‘democracy’, it now became clear to just about anyone that the ‘Arab spring’s’ actual cause had to do with the America’s decision to take control of natural resources in the area – pure and simple. The same can be said about the actual cause of the ongoing civil war in Syria.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on International Relations as Natural and Social Science specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The significance of IR’s subject matters can also be assessed within the methodological framework of physics. The reason for this is quite apparent – given the fact that human societies are essentially material (they cons ist of psychically-bodied individuals), the qualitative dynamics within just about any society do reflect the effects of people’s exposure to physical laws. After all, every human society (country) can be well conceptualized in terms of an open thermo-dynamic system. The continuous functioning of such a system can only be ensured for as long as the extent of its inner complexity remains higher than the complexity of a surrounding environment.3 When the extent of environment’s complexity is being higher, it becomes only the matter of time before this system ‘dissolves’ in it. In its turn, this explains why, as of today, Western countries suffer from the inflow of illegal immigrants, while being slowly ‘dissolved’ in the surrounding Third World. Conclusion I believe that the earlier deployed line of argumentation, in defense of the suggestion that IR can indeed be studied as a natural science, is being thoroughly consistent with the paperâ€℠¢s initial thesis. Apparently, only the application of a positivist approach to dealing with IR-related subject matters can help us to gain an in-depth insight into the dialectically predetermined essence of a particular IR’s phenomenon in question. This is exactly the reason why, even though traditional and post-positivist elaborations on IR do sound pretentiously sophisticate, they rarely account for any practical value. Bibliography: Ashby, William. Introduction to Cybernetics. London: Routledge Kegan Paul, 1964. Emerson, Niou Ordeshook, Peter, â€Å"A Theory of the Balance of Power in International Systems.† Journal of Conflict Resolution 30, no. 4 (1986): 685-715.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Lapid, Yosef, â€Å"The Third Debate: On the Prospects of International Theory in a Post-Positivist Era.† International Studies Quarterly 33, no. 3 (1989): 235-254. Footnotes 1 Yosef Lapid. â€Å"The Third Debate: On the Prospects of International Theory in a Post-Positivist Era.† International Studies Quarterly 33, no. 3 (1989): 239. 2 Niou Emerson Peter Ordeshook. â€Å"A Theory of the Balance of Power in International Systems.† Journal of Conflict Resolution 30, no. 4 (1986): 687. 3 William Ashby, Introduction to Cybernetics (London: Routledge Kegan Paul, 1964), 75. This essay on International Relations as Natural and Social Science was written and submitted by user Sara L. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.