. Case Study Number (if given). Database main URL
Berry, A. (2024). .
. Harvard Business School Case 822-122.
. Case study number (if given). URL
Henderson, R. M., Locke, R. M., & Lyddy, C. (2019). . . Case No. ETH33. | |
| |
|
(pp. Page Numbers). Publisher.
Green cause-related marketing for social innovation: Helping people to reimagine plastic recycling and sustainability. In M. M. Galan-Ladero, C. Galera-Casquet, & H. M. Alves (Eds.), (pp. 19-30). Springer. | |
| |
|
You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.
Back to Academic Integrity guide
Reference : Author/editor Last name, Initials. (Year) 'Title of case study' [Case Study], Journal Title, Volume (Issue), pp. page numbers. Available at: URL [Accessed Day Month Year].
Ofek, E., Avery, J., Rudolph, S., Martins Gomes, V., Saadat, N., Tsui, A., & Shroff, Y. (2014) 'Case study second thoughts about a strategy shift' [Case Study], Harvard Business Review , 92(12), pp. 125-129. Available at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=99621003&site=ehost-live [Accessed 10 December 2014].
In-Text-Citation :
Still unsure what in-text citation and referencing mean? Check here .
Still unsure why you need to reference all this information? Check here .
Create a new citation.
Published February 4, 2021. Updated August 9, 2021.
To create a reference or citation for a case study, you will need to know basic information including the name of the author, title of the case study, journal or book title, and publication year.
The templates and examples below will show you how to cite a case study in MLA style, APA style, Chicago style, and Harvard referencing style.
Easily cite a case study in the style of your choice using the Chegg Writing citation generator .
Help protect your paper against accidental plagiarism with the Chegg Writing plagiarism checker and citation generator .
In-text citation template and example:
(Author Surname Page number)
(Rapp and Caramazza 373)
Works cited entry template and example:
Surname, First M. “Title of the Case Study.” Name of Publication , Volume number, Issue number, Publication Day Month Year, Page number. Case study.
Rapp, Brenda, and Alfonso Caramazza. “Selective Difficulties with Spoken Nouns and Written Verbs: A Single Case Study.” Journal of Neurolinguistics , vol. 15, no. 3, 2002, pp. 373–402. Case Study.
(Author Surname, Year)
(Rapp & Caramazza, 2002)
Reference list entry template and example:
Surname, F. M. (Publication Year). Title of the case study [Case study]. Name of Publication , Volume(Issue), Page number.
Rapp, B., & Caramazza, A. (2002). Selective difficulties with spoken nouns and written verbs: A single case study [Case study]. Journal of Neurolinguistics, 15(3), 373–402.
Footnote template and example:
Author Full Name, “Title of the Case Study,”
Name of Publication
Volume number, Issue number (Publication Month Day, Year): Page number.
Brenda Rapp and Alfonso Caramazza, “Selective Difficulties with Spoken Nouns and Written Verbs: A Single Case Study,”
Journal of Neurolinguistics
15, no. 3 (2002): 373.
Shortened Note
Author Surname, “Shortened Title of the Case Study,” Page number.
Rapp and Caramazza, “Selective Difficulties,” 402.
Bibliography entry template and example:
Author Surname, First M. “Title of the Case Study.” Name of Publication Volume number, Issue number (Publication Month Day, Year): Page number.
Rapp, Brenda, and Alfonso Caramazza. “Selective Difficulties with Spoken Nouns and Written Verbs: A Single Case Study.” Journal of Neurolinguistics 15, no. 3 (2002): 373–402.
(Author Surname Publication year)
(Rapp and Caramazza 2002)
Author Surname, First M. Publication year. “Title of the Case Study.” Name of Publication Volume number, Issue number: Page number.
Rapp, Brenda, and Alfonso Caramazza. 2002. “Selective Difficulties with Spoken Nouns and Written Verbs: A Single Case Study.” Journal of Neurolinguistics 15, no. 3: 373–402.
(Author Surname, Publication Year)
(Rapp and Caramazza, 2002)
Author Surname, F.M. (Publication Year) ‘Title of case study’, Name of Journal , Volume(Issue), pp. #-#.
Rapp, B. and Caramazza, A. (2002) ‘Selective difficulties with spoken nouns and written verbs: A single case study’, Journal of Neurolinguistics , 15(3-5), pp. 373–402.
Writing a paper ? Don’t forget to include a bibliography .
Digital media, personal communication, government documents, additional sources.
Nail down everything from main ideas to small edits: real expert proofreading, plagiarism scans, and instant grammar checks 24/7
Get the most out of chegg writing.
Chegg Writing » Citations » Citing a case study
Author's Last Name, Author's First Name. "Title of Case Study." Case Study Number (if given), Publisher, Year of Publication. Database Name . Case Study.
Havard, Cody T. " Basketball at the Most Magical Place on Earth: A Case Study of the NBA’s Season Conclusion at Walt Disney World Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic." SAGE, 2021. SAGE Business Cases . Case Study.
According to APA, case studies do not have their own citation style or process, instead, cite as an article.
Was this helpful? Yes 10 No 17
Related topics.
Last Updated: March 6, 2024
This article was reviewed by Gerald Posner and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Gerald Posner is an Author & Journalist based in Miami, Florida. With over 35 years of experience, he specializes in investigative journalism, nonfiction books, and editorials. He holds a law degree from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and a BA in Political Science from the University of California-Berkeley. He’s the author of thirteen books, including several New York Times bestsellers, the winner of the Florida Book Award for General Nonfiction, and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. He was also shortlisted for the Best Business Book of 2020 by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. This article has been viewed 37,947 times.
Particularly in research for business studies or papers in the social sciences, you may want to cite a case study completed by a university or other organization. While case studies have titles and publication information like other articles, they often have a unique case study number that is typically included in your citation. While Chicago citation style is most frequently used in business schools, you may also use the American Psychological Association (APA) or Modern Language Association (MLA) style.
APA Style (7th ed.)
Case study with a DOI
If the case study has an assigned DOI (print or online versions), include the DOI in the reference.
Khan, S. (2019). Managing a leadership transition in an non-governmental organization [Case study]. SAGE Business Cases Originals. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526465061
Case study without a DOI retrieved from an academic research database
Peters, C., Thomas, J., Aponte, M., Connelly, R., & Judge, S. (2014). Media Arts Group and the case of channel conflict [Case study]. Society for Case Research.
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000
Was this helpful? Yes 0 No 0
If you’re writing an academic paper, you may need to cite a case study. But how do you do that? This guide will explain everything you need to know about citing a case study in APA format.
Table of Contents
APA stands for American Psychological Association. It is a style guide used by many academic disciplines, including psychology, sociology, and business. The purpose of the APA style is to provide a consistent format for academic writing, making it easier for readers to understand and follow the author’s argument.
Citing a case study is important for several reasons. First, it gives credit to the original author for their work. Second, it allows readers to find the source if they want to learn more. Finally, it adds credibility to your work by demonstrating that you have researched and referenced other relevant studies.
Here are the steps you need to follow to cite a case study in APA format:
The first step in citing a case study is to list the author’s last name and first initial. For example Smith, J.
Next, you need to include the year of publication in parentheses. For example: (2018).
After the year of publication, you need to provide the title of the case study in italics. For example The impact of social media on adolescent mental health.
The next step is to add the name of the publisher. For example Harvard Business Review Press.
Finally, you need to include the DOI or URL where the case study can be found. For example https://doi.org/10.1145/1234567.1234567
Here’s what the final citation should look like:
Smith, J. (2018). The impact of social media on adolescent mental health. Harvard Business Review Press. https://doi.org/10.1145/1234567.1234567
If you cannot find a DOI or URL for the case study, you can omit it from the citation. In that case, you should include the name of the database where you found the case study instead. For example:
Smith, J. (2018). The impact of social media on adolescent mental health. Harvard Business Review Press. Academic Search Complete.
Citing a case study in APA format may seem daunting at first, but it is quite simple once you know the steps. By following the guidelines in this article, you can ensure that your citations are accurate and complete and that you are giving credit to the original authors for their work.
Google Classroom is a popular learning management system that simplifies communication and organization between teachers […]
Curiosity, the insatiable thirst for unlocking knowledge, is the engine that propels human progress. It’s […]
The world of work is undergoing a dramatic transformation. Automation, artificial intelligence, and the rise […]
IN-TEXT CITATION
Spar and Burns (2000) ...
.... (Spar & Burns, 2000)
"....." (Spar & Burns, 2000:8)
FORMAT OF A REFERENCE TO A CASE STUDY
Author’s surname, Initials. Year. ‘Title.’ Case number. Place: Publisher or Institution.
Note that the title is not italicised.
EXAMPLE OF A REFERENCE TO A PRINTED CASE STUDY
Spar, D. and Burns, J. 2000. ‘Hitting the wall: Nike and International Labor Practices.’ HBS 700047. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing.
EXAMPLE OF A REFERENCE TO AN ELECTRONIC CASE STUDY FROM A DATABASE
Mathu, K.M. and Scheepers, C . 2016. 'L eading change towards sustainable green coal mining'. Available from: Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies, < https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/full/10.1108/ EEMCS-01-2016-0007> [Accessed on: 7 June 2017].
South African Bureau of Standards (2013) ...
... (South African Bureau of Standards, 2013).
"....." (South African Bureau of Standards, 2013: 3).
FORMAT OF A REFERENCE TO A STANDARD
Name of the Authorizing Body. Year. Number and Title of Standard. Place of Publication: Publisher.
EXAMPLE OF A REFERENCE TO A PRINT STANDARD
British Standards Institute.2015. BS ISO 14001:Environmental management systems. Requirements with guidance for use. London: British Standards Institute.
EXAMPLE OF A REFERENCE TO AN ELECTRONIC STANDARD TAKEN FROM A DATABASE
South African Bureau of Standards. 2013. SANS 1300: Quality management — Customer satisfaction — Guidelines for monitoring and measuring . [online]. Pretoria: South African Bureau of Standards. Available from:<https://www.sabs.co.za/Standardss/index.asp> [ Accessed on: 17 March 2014].
A case study research paper examines a person, place, event, condition, phenomenon, or other type of subject of analysis in order to extrapolate key themes and results that help predict future trends, illuminate previously hidden issues that can be applied to practice, and/or provide a means for understanding an important research problem with greater clarity. A case study research paper usually examines a single subject of analysis, but case study papers can also be designed as a comparative investigation that shows relationships between two or more subjects. The methods used to study a case can rest within a quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method investigative paradigm.
Case Studies. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Mills, Albert J. , Gabrielle Durepos, and Eiden Wiebe, editors. Encyclopedia of Case Study Research . Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2010 ; “What is a Case Study?” In Swanborn, Peter G. Case Study Research: What, Why and How? London: SAGE, 2010.
General information about how to choose a topic to investigate can be found under the " Choosing a Research Problem " tab in the Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper writing guide. Review this page because it may help you identify a subject of analysis that can be investigated using a case study design.
However, identifying a case to investigate involves more than choosing the research problem . A case study encompasses a problem contextualized around the application of in-depth analysis, interpretation, and discussion, often resulting in specific recommendations for action or for improving existing conditions. As Seawright and Gerring note, practical considerations such as time and access to information can influence case selection, but these issues should not be the sole factors used in describing the methodological justification for identifying a particular case to study. Given this, selecting a case includes considering the following:
Eisenhardt, Kathleen M. “Building Theories from Case Study Research.” Academy of Management Review 14 (October 1989): 532-550; Emmel, Nick. Sampling and Choosing Cases in Qualitative Research: A Realist Approach . Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2013; Gerring, John. “What Is a Case Study and What Is It Good for?” American Political Science Review 98 (May 2004): 341-354; Mills, Albert J. , Gabrielle Durepos, and Eiden Wiebe, editors. Encyclopedia of Case Study Research . Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2010; Seawright, Jason and John Gerring. "Case Selection Techniques in Case Study Research." Political Research Quarterly 61 (June 2008): 294-308.
The purpose of a paper in the social sciences designed around a case study is to thoroughly investigate a subject of analysis in order to reveal a new understanding about the research problem and, in so doing, contributing new knowledge to what is already known from previous studies. In applied social sciences disciplines [e.g., education, social work, public administration, etc.], case studies may also be used to reveal best practices, highlight key programs, or investigate interesting aspects of professional work.
In general, the structure of a case study research paper is not all that different from a standard college-level research paper. However, there are subtle differences you should be aware of. Here are the key elements to organizing and writing a case study research paper.
I. Introduction
As with any research paper, your introduction should serve as a roadmap for your readers to ascertain the scope and purpose of your study . The introduction to a case study research paper, however, should not only describe the research problem and its significance, but you should also succinctly describe why the case is being used and how it relates to addressing the problem. The two elements should be linked. With this in mind, a good introduction answers these four questions:
Each of these questions should be addressed in no more than a few paragraphs. Exceptions to this can be when you are addressing a complex research problem or subject of analysis that requires more in-depth background information.
II. Literature Review
The literature review for a case study research paper is generally structured the same as it is for any college-level research paper. The difference, however, is that the literature review is focused on providing background information and enabling historical interpretation of the subject of analysis in relation to the research problem the case is intended to address . This includes synthesizing studies that help to:
III. Method
In this section, you explain why you selected a particular case [i.e., subject of analysis] and the strategy you used to identify and ultimately decide that your case was appropriate in addressing the research problem. The way you describe the methods used varies depending on the type of subject of analysis that constitutes your case study.
If your subject of analysis is an incident or event . In the social and behavioral sciences, the event or incident that represents the case to be studied is usually bounded by time and place, with a clear beginning and end and with an identifiable location or position relative to its surroundings. The subject of analysis can be a rare or critical event or it can focus on a typical or regular event. The purpose of studying a rare event is to illuminate new ways of thinking about the broader research problem or to test a hypothesis. Critical incident case studies must describe the method by which you identified the event and explain the process by which you determined the validity of this case to inform broader perspectives about the research problem or to reveal new findings. However, the event does not have to be a rare or uniquely significant to support new thinking about the research problem or to challenge an existing hypothesis. For example, Walo, Bull, and Breen conducted a case study to identify and evaluate the direct and indirect economic benefits and costs of a local sports event in the City of Lismore, New South Wales, Australia. The purpose of their study was to provide new insights from measuring the impact of a typical local sports event that prior studies could not measure well because they focused on large "mega-events." Whether the event is rare or not, the methods section should include an explanation of the following characteristics of the event: a) when did it take place; b) what were the underlying circumstances leading to the event; and, c) what were the consequences of the event in relation to the research problem.
If your subject of analysis is a person. Explain why you selected this particular individual to be studied and describe what experiences they have had that provide an opportunity to advance new understandings about the research problem. Mention any background about this person which might help the reader understand the significance of their experiences that make them worthy of study. This includes describing the relationships this person has had with other people, institutions, and/or events that support using them as the subject for a case study research paper. It is particularly important to differentiate the person as the subject of analysis from others and to succinctly explain how the person relates to examining the research problem [e.g., why is one politician in a particular local election used to show an increase in voter turnout from any other candidate running in the election]. Note that these issues apply to a specific group of people used as a case study unit of analysis [e.g., a classroom of students].
If your subject of analysis is a place. In general, a case study that investigates a place suggests a subject of analysis that is unique or special in some way and that this uniqueness can be used to build new understanding or knowledge about the research problem. A case study of a place must not only describe its various attributes relevant to the research problem [e.g., physical, social, historical, cultural, economic, political], but you must state the method by which you determined that this place will illuminate new understandings about the research problem. It is also important to articulate why a particular place as the case for study is being used if similar places also exist [i.e., if you are studying patterns of homeless encampments of veterans in open spaces, explain why you are studying Echo Park in Los Angeles rather than Griffith Park?]. If applicable, describe what type of human activity involving this place makes it a good choice to study [e.g., prior research suggests Echo Park has more homeless veterans].
If your subject of analysis is a phenomenon. A phenomenon refers to a fact, occurrence, or circumstance that can be studied or observed but with the cause or explanation to be in question. In this sense, a phenomenon that forms your subject of analysis can encompass anything that can be observed or presumed to exist but is not fully understood. In the social and behavioral sciences, the case usually focuses on human interaction within a complex physical, social, economic, cultural, or political system. For example, the phenomenon could be the observation that many vehicles used by ISIS fighters are small trucks with English language advertisements on them. The research problem could be that ISIS fighters are difficult to combat because they are highly mobile. The research questions could be how and by what means are these vehicles used by ISIS being supplied to the militants and how might supply lines to these vehicles be cut off? How might knowing the suppliers of these trucks reveal larger networks of collaborators and financial support? A case study of a phenomenon most often encompasses an in-depth analysis of a cause and effect that is grounded in an interactive relationship between people and their environment in some way.
NOTE: The choice of the case or set of cases to study cannot appear random. Evidence that supports the method by which you identified and chose your subject of analysis should clearly support investigation of the research problem and linked to key findings from your literature review. Be sure to cite any studies that helped you determine that the case you chose was appropriate for examining the problem.
IV. Discussion
The main elements of your discussion section are generally the same as any research paper, but centered around interpreting and drawing conclusions about the key findings from your analysis of the case study. Note that a general social sciences research paper may contain a separate section to report findings. However, in a paper designed around a case study, it is common to combine a description of the results with the discussion about their implications. The objectives of your discussion section should include the following:
Reiterate the Research Problem/State the Major Findings Briefly reiterate the research problem you are investigating and explain why the subject of analysis around which you designed the case study were used. You should then describe the findings revealed from your study of the case using direct, declarative, and succinct proclamation of the study results. Highlight any findings that were unexpected or especially profound.
Explain the Meaning of the Findings and Why They are Important Systematically explain the meaning of your case study findings and why you believe they are important. Begin this part of the section by repeating what you consider to be your most important or surprising finding first, then systematically review each finding. Be sure to thoroughly extrapolate what your analysis of the case can tell the reader about situations or conditions beyond the actual case that was studied while, at the same time, being careful not to misconstrue or conflate a finding that undermines the external validity of your conclusions.
Relate the Findings to Similar Studies No study in the social sciences is so novel or possesses such a restricted focus that it has absolutely no relation to previously published research. The discussion section should relate your case study results to those found in other studies, particularly if questions raised from prior studies served as the motivation for choosing your subject of analysis. This is important because comparing and contrasting the findings of other studies helps support the overall importance of your results and it highlights how and in what ways your case study design and the subject of analysis differs from prior research about the topic.
Consider Alternative Explanations of the Findings Remember that the purpose of social science research is to discover and not to prove. When writing the discussion section, you should carefully consider all possible explanations revealed by the case study results, rather than just those that fit your hypothesis or prior assumptions and biases. Be alert to what the in-depth analysis of the case may reveal about the research problem, including offering a contrarian perspective to what scholars have stated in prior research if that is how the findings can be interpreted from your case.
Acknowledge the Study's Limitations You can state the study's limitations in the conclusion section of your paper but describing the limitations of your subject of analysis in the discussion section provides an opportunity to identify the limitations and explain why they are not significant. This part of the discussion section should also note any unanswered questions or issues your case study could not address. More detailed information about how to document any limitations to your research can be found here .
Suggest Areas for Further Research Although your case study may offer important insights about the research problem, there are likely additional questions related to the problem that remain unanswered or findings that unexpectedly revealed themselves as a result of your in-depth analysis of the case. Be sure that the recommendations for further research are linked to the research problem and that you explain why your recommendations are valid in other contexts and based on the original assumptions of your study.
V. Conclusion
As with any research paper, you should summarize your conclusion in clear, simple language; emphasize how the findings from your case study differs from or supports prior research and why. Do not simply reiterate the discussion section. Provide a synthesis of key findings presented in the paper to show how these converge to address the research problem. If you haven't already done so in the discussion section, be sure to document the limitations of your case study and any need for further research.
The function of your paper's conclusion is to: 1) reiterate the main argument supported by the findings from your case study; 2) state clearly the context, background, and necessity of pursuing the research problem using a case study design in relation to an issue, controversy, or a gap found from reviewing the literature; and, 3) provide a place to persuasively and succinctly restate the significance of your research problem, given that the reader has now been presented with in-depth information about the topic.
Consider the following points to help ensure your conclusion is appropriate:
Note that, depending on the discipline you are writing in or the preferences of your professor, the concluding paragraph may contain your final reflections on the evidence presented as it applies to practice or on the essay's central research problem. However, the nature of being introspective about the subject of analysis you have investigated will depend on whether you are explicitly asked to express your observations in this way.
Problems to Avoid
Overgeneralization One of the goals of a case study is to lay a foundation for understanding broader trends and issues applied to similar circumstances. However, be careful when drawing conclusions from your case study. They must be evidence-based and grounded in the results of the study; otherwise, it is merely speculation. Looking at a prior example, it would be incorrect to state that a factor in improving girls access to education in Azerbaijan and the policy implications this may have for improving access in other Muslim nations is due to girls access to social media if there is no documentary evidence from your case study to indicate this. There may be anecdotal evidence that retention rates were better for girls who were engaged with social media, but this observation would only point to the need for further research and would not be a definitive finding if this was not a part of your original research agenda.
Failure to Document Limitations No case is going to reveal all that needs to be understood about a research problem. Therefore, just as you have to clearly state the limitations of a general research study , you must describe the specific limitations inherent in the subject of analysis. For example, the case of studying how women conceptualize the need for water conservation in a village in Uganda could have limited application in other cultural contexts or in areas where fresh water from rivers or lakes is plentiful and, therefore, conservation is understood more in terms of managing access rather than preserving access to a scarce resource.
Failure to Extrapolate All Possible Implications Just as you don't want to over-generalize from your case study findings, you also have to be thorough in the consideration of all possible outcomes or recommendations derived from your findings. If you do not, your reader may question the validity of your analysis, particularly if you failed to document an obvious outcome from your case study research. For example, in the case of studying the accident at the railroad crossing to evaluate where and what types of warning signals should be located, you failed to take into consideration speed limit signage as well as warning signals. When designing your case study, be sure you have thoroughly addressed all aspects of the problem and do not leave gaps in your analysis that leave the reader questioning the results.
Case Studies. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Gerring, John. Case Study Research: Principles and Practices . New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007; Merriam, Sharan B. Qualitative Research and Case Study Applications in Education . Rev. ed. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1998; Miller, Lisa L. “The Use of Case Studies in Law and Social Science Research.” Annual Review of Law and Social Science 14 (2018): TBD; Mills, Albert J., Gabrielle Durepos, and Eiden Wiebe, editors. Encyclopedia of Case Study Research . Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2010; Putney, LeAnn Grogan. "Case Study." In Encyclopedia of Research Design , Neil J. Salkind, editor. (Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2010), pp. 116-120; Simons, Helen. Case Study Research in Practice . London: SAGE Publications, 2009; Kratochwill, Thomas R. and Joel R. Levin, editors. Single-Case Research Design and Analysis: New Development for Psychology and Education . Hilldsale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1992; Swanborn, Peter G. Case Study Research: What, Why and How? London : SAGE, 2010; Yin, Robert K. Case Study Research: Design and Methods . 6th edition. Los Angeles, CA, SAGE Publications, 2014; Walo, Maree, Adrian Bull, and Helen Breen. “Achieving Economic Benefits at Local Events: A Case Study of a Local Sports Event.” Festival Management and Event Tourism 4 (1996): 95-106.
At Least Five Misconceptions about Case Study Research
Social science case studies are often perceived as limited in their ability to create new knowledge because they are not randomly selected and findings cannot be generalized to larger populations. Flyvbjerg examines five misunderstandings about case study research and systematically "corrects" each one. To quote, these are:
Misunderstanding 1 : General, theoretical [context-independent] knowledge is more valuable than concrete, practical [context-dependent] knowledge. Misunderstanding 2 : One cannot generalize on the basis of an individual case; therefore, the case study cannot contribute to scientific development. Misunderstanding 3 : The case study is most useful for generating hypotheses; that is, in the first stage of a total research process, whereas other methods are more suitable for hypotheses testing and theory building. Misunderstanding 4 : The case study contains a bias toward verification, that is, a tendency to confirm the researcher’s preconceived notions. Misunderstanding 5 : It is often difficult to summarize and develop general propositions and theories on the basis of specific case studies [p. 221].
While writing your paper, think introspectively about how you addressed these misconceptions because to do so can help you strengthen the validity and reliability of your research by clarifying issues of case selection, the testing and challenging of existing assumptions, the interpretation of key findings, and the summation of case outcomes. Think of a case study research paper as a complete, in-depth narrative about the specific properties and key characteristics of your subject of analysis applied to the research problem.
Flyvbjerg, Bent. “Five Misunderstandings About Case-Study Research.” Qualitative Inquiry 12 (April 2006): 219-245.
There is no specific way to reference a case study in APA style. Case studies are typically published as an article or report, or within a book. Format the reference list entry according to the type of publication. Following are some examples of case studies in business.
Author(s). (Year). Title of case study . Number of case study. URL
Dey, A. (2022). Corporate governance: A three pillar framework. HBS No. 491-009. https://hbsp.harvard.edu/cases/
Dunbar, C., & Southam, C. (2005). London youth symphony. Ivey ID: 9B05009. http://iveycases.com
November 20, 2023
Properly citing case studies plays a crucial role in academic writing for several reasons. Firstly, citing case studies demonstrates the credibility and reliability of your arguments and research. By referencing the original sources, you show that you have conducted thorough research and have used reputable and authoritative information to support your claims.
Secondly, citing case studies allows readers to further explore the topic and verify the information provided. It enables them to locate and read the full case study if they wish to delve deeper into the details and findings. This promotes transparency and fosters a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.
Finally, citing case studies acknowledges the contributions of the original authors and researchers. By giving proper credit, you adhere to ethical standards of academic integrity and avoid plagiarism. It also ensures that the individuals responsible for the case study receive recognition for their work.
In summary, citing case studies is essential in academic writing to enhance credibility, facilitate further exploration, and acknowledge the original authors’ contributions.
When citing a case study in your essay, it is important to follow some basic guidelines to ensure accuracy and consistency. Here are the key guidelines to keep in mind:
By adhering to these basic guidelines, you can ensure that your case study citations are accurate, consistent, and accessible for your readers. Remember to consult the specific guidelines of your chosen citation style to ensure complete adherence.
When citing a case study in APA format, follow these guidelines to accurately reference the source:
Example APA citation for a case study:
Make sure to properly format the citation, including hanging indents, use of italics, and punctuation. Additionally, list all the case studies you cited in a separate references page at the end of your essay, following APA formatting guidelines.
When citing a case study in MLA format, follow these guidelines to reference the source accurately:
Example MLA citation for a case study:
Remember to properly format the citation, including hanging indents, use of italics, and punctuation. Additionally, list all the case studies you cited in a separate works cited page at the end of your essay, following MLA formatting guidelines.
When citing a case study in Chicago style, follow these guidelines to reference the source accurately:
Example Chicago citation for a case study:
Remember to properly format the citation, including hanging indents and punctuation. Additionally, list all the case studies you cited in a separate bibliography page at the end of your essay, following Chicago formatting guidelines.
When citing a case study in Harvard style, follow these guidelines to accurately reference the source:
Example Harvard citation for a case study:
Ensure the citation is properly formatted, including punctuation, use of italics, and indentation. Also, list all the case studies cited in a separate references list at the end of the essay, following Harvard formatting guidelines.
Finding case studies for your essay is made easier with the availability of online databases. These databases compile various case studies from different disciplines, allowing you to access a wide range of relevant examples. Here are some online databases you can use to find case studies:
When searching in these databases, use keywords specific to your topic, such as the name of the industry or concept you are focusing on. Additionally, if you find a relevant case study, make sure to cite it correctly using the appropriate citation style.
Sociology Research Topics Ideas
Importance of Computer in Nursing Practice Essay
History Research Paper Topics For Students
By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy. We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related emails.
Debating in class or composing a persuasive paper is a fruitful intellectual practice. Doing so, participants and writers are expected...
Most students wonder whether it is possible to cite an article in an essay. The answer is “Yes”! Why not...
Let us explain what is what and how it can be used. An anthology is a published collection of poems...
I want to feel as happy, as your customers do, so I'd better order now
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Researchers in business-related fields employ the American Psychological Association (APA) style for citation. Basically, by considering learning how to cite a case study in APA, students need to consider such a type of source for their academic research. In turn, this guide explains the standard in-text citation and reference list formats for such papers acquired from the Harvard Business Review magazine. Also, the guide demonstrates the use of copyright attribution and content footnotes for case study sources.
Apa in-text citation sample:.
Parenthetical citation: (Jones, 2010, p. 12)
Narrative citation: Jones (2010) argues . . . proper efforts (p. 12).
Author, D. D. (Year, month date). Title of the case study. Title of the Magazine, Volume (Issue number), Page numbers. DOI or URL
Jones, G. H. (2010, March 19). Building an economy for generations. Harvard Business Review, 3 (12), 32-37. https://hbr.org/case/hbs_22345
First footnote: Shared control over the business eliminates leadership issues. 1
Subsequent reference to the footnote: Change management is critical during transitions (see Footnote 1).
Content Footnote :
1 The researchers used Rawld’s test to validate the findings.
Copyright Attribution :
1 Adapted from “Building an Economy for Generations,” by G. H. Jones, 19 March 2010, Harvard Business Review, 3 (12), p. 34 (https://hbr.org/case/hbs_22345).
Accurate APA citations, verified by experts, trusted by millions.
Cite any page or article with a single click right from your browser. The extension does the hard work for you by automatically grabbing the title, author(s), publication date, and everything else needed to whip up the perfect APA citation.
Add to Chrome. It's free!
⚙️ Styles | APA 7 & APA 6 |
---|---|
📚 Source types | Websites, books, articles |
🔎 Autocite | Search by title, URL, DOI, or ISBN |
You don’t want points taken off for incorrect citations. That’s why our APA citation experts have invested countless hours perfecting our algorithms. As a result, we’re proud to be recommended by teachers worldwide.
Staying focused is already challenging enough. You don’t need video pop-ups and flickering banner ads slowing you down. At Scribbr, we keep distractions to a minimum while also keeping the APA Citation Generator free for everyone.
Search for your source by title, URL, DOI, ISBN, and more to retrieve the relevant information automatically.
Scribbr's Citation Generator supports both APA 6 and APA 7 (as well as MLA and Harvard ). No matter what edition you're using, we’ve got you covered!
Easily export in BibTeX format and continue working in your favorite LaTeX editor.
Reference list finished? Export to Word with perfect indentation and spacing set up for you.
Organize the reference list the way you want: from A to Z, new to old, or grouped by source type.
Stay organized by creating a separate reference list for each of your assignments.
Choose between Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, and more options to match your style.
The Scribbr Citation Generator is built using the same citation software (CSL) as Mendeley and Zotero, but with an added layer for improved accuracy.
Create perfectly formatted annotated bibliographies with just a few clicks.
Explanatory tips help you get the details right to ensure accurate citations.
Getting to grips with citation is simple with the help of our highly rated APA citation guides and videos .
Your work is saved automatically after every change and stored securely in your Scribbr account.
APA Style is widely used by students, researchers, and professionals in the social and behavioral sciences. Scribbr’s free citation generator automatically generates accurate references and in-text citations.
This citation guide outlines the most important citation guidelines from the 7th edition APA Publication Manual (2020).
APA in-text citations include the author’s last name, publication date, and, if relevant, a locator such as a page number or timestamp. For example, (Smith, 2021, p. 170) . See it as a shorter version of the entry in the reference list .
You should include in-text citations every time you’re quoting or paraphrasing someone else’s ideas or words. In doing so, you give credit to the original author and avoid plagiarism .
The in-text citation can take two forms: parenthetical and narrative. Both types are generated automatically when citing a source with Scribbr’s APA Citation Generator.
The in-text citation changes slightly when a source has multiple authors or an organization as an author. Pay attention to punctuation and the use of the ampersand (&) symbol.
Author type | Parenthetical citation | Narrative citation |
---|---|---|
One author | (Smith, 2020) | Smith (2020) |
Two authors | (Smith & Jones, 2020) | Smith and Jones (2020) |
Three or more authors | (Smith et al., 2020) | Smith et al. (2020) |
Organization | (Scribbr, 2020) | Scribbr (2020) |
When the author, publication date or locator is unknown, take the steps outlined below.
Missing element | What to do | Parenthetical citation |
---|---|---|
Author | Use the source title.* | ( , 2020) |
Date | Write “n.d.” for “no date.” | (Smith, n.d.) |
Page number | Either use an or omit the page number. | (Smith, 2020, Chapter 3) or (Smith, 2020) |
APA Citation Generator
Get started
APA references generally include information about the author , publication date , title , and source . Depending on the type of source, you may have to include extra information that helps your reader locate the source.
It is not uncommon for certain information to be unknown or missing, especially with sources found online. In these cases, the reference is slightly adjusted.
Missing element | What to do | Reference format |
---|---|---|
Author | Start the reference entry with the source title. | Title. (Date). Source. |
Date | Write “n.d.” for “no date”. | Author. (n.d.). Title. Source. |
Title | Describe the work in square brackets. | Author. (Date). [Description]. Source. |
On the first line of the page, write the section label “References” (in bold and centered). On the second line, start listing your references in alphabetical order .
Apply these formatting guidelines to the APA reference page:
On the reference page, you only include sources that you have cited in the text (with an in-text citation ). You should not include references to personal communications that your reader can’t access (e.g. emails, phone conversations or private online material).
In addition to the APA Citation Generator, Scribbr provides many more tools and resources that help millions of students and academics every month.
Weighing the pros and cons of this method of research
Verywell / Colleen Tighe
Where do you find data for a case study, how do i write a psychology case study.
A case study is an in-depth study of one person, group, or event. In a case study, nearly every aspect of the subject's life and history is analyzed to seek patterns and causes of behavior. Case studies can be used in many different fields, including psychology, medicine, education, anthropology, political science, and social work.
The point of a case study is to learn as much as possible about an individual or group so that the information can be generalized to many others. Unfortunately, case studies tend to be highly subjective, and it is sometimes difficult to generalize results to a larger population.
While case studies focus on a single individual or group, they follow a format similar to other types of psychology writing. If you are writing a case study, we got you—here are some rules of APA format to reference.
A case study, or an in-depth study of a person, group, or event, can be a useful research tool when used wisely. In many cases, case studies are best used in situations where it would be difficult or impossible for you to conduct an experiment. They are helpful for looking at unique situations and allow researchers to gather a lot of˜ information about a specific individual or group of people. However, it's important to be cautious of any bias we draw from them as they are highly subjective.
A case study can have its strengths and weaknesses. Researchers must consider these pros and cons before deciding if this type of study is appropriate for their needs.
One of the greatest advantages of a case study is that it allows researchers to investigate things that are often difficult or impossible to replicate in a lab. Some other benefits of a case study:
On the other hand, a case study can have some drawbacks:
Researchers may choose to perform a case study if they want to explore a unique or recently discovered phenomenon. Through their insights, researchers develop additional ideas and study questions that might be explored in future studies.
It's important to remember that the insights from case studies cannot be used to determine cause-and-effect relationships between variables. However, case studies may be used to develop hypotheses that can then be addressed in experimental research.
There have been a number of notable case studies in the history of psychology. Much of Freud's work and theories were developed through individual case studies. Some great examples of case studies in psychology include:
Such cases demonstrate how case research can be used to study things that researchers could not replicate in experimental settings. In Genie's case, her horrific abuse denied her the opportunity to learn a language at critical points in her development.
This is clearly not something researchers could ethically replicate, but conducting a case study on Genie allowed researchers to study phenomena that are otherwise impossible to reproduce.
There are a few different types of case studies that psychologists and other researchers might use:
The three main case study types often used are intrinsic, instrumental, and collective. Intrinsic case studies are useful for learning about unique cases. Instrumental case studies help look at an individual to learn more about a broader issue. A collective case study can be useful for looking at several cases simultaneously.
The type of case study that psychology researchers use depends on the unique characteristics of the situation and the case itself.
There are a number of different sources and methods that researchers can use to gather information about an individual or group. Six major sources that have been identified by researchers are:
If you have been directed to write a case study for a psychology course, be sure to check with your instructor for any specific guidelines you need to follow. If you are writing your case study for a professional publication, check with the publisher for their specific guidelines for submitting a case study.
Here is a general outline of what should be included in a case study.
This section will have the following structure and content:
Background information : The first section of your paper will present your client's background. Include factors such as age, gender, work, health status, family mental health history, family and social relationships, drug and alcohol history, life difficulties, goals, and coping skills and weaknesses.
Description of the presenting problem : In the next section of your case study, you will describe the problem or symptoms that the client presented with.
Describe any physical, emotional, or sensory symptoms reported by the client. Thoughts, feelings, and perceptions related to the symptoms should also be noted. Any screening or diagnostic assessments that are used should also be described in detail and all scores reported.
Your diagnosis : Provide your diagnosis and give the appropriate Diagnostic and Statistical Manual code. Explain how you reached your diagnosis, how the client's symptoms fit the diagnostic criteria for the disorder(s), or any possible difficulties in reaching a diagnosis.
This portion of the paper will address the chosen treatment for the condition. This might also include the theoretical basis for the chosen treatment or any other evidence that might exist to support why this approach was chosen.
This section of a case study should also include information about the treatment goals, process, and outcomes.
When you are writing a case study, you should also include a section where you discuss the case study itself, including the strengths and limitiations of the study. You should note how the findings of your case study might support previous research.
In your discussion section, you should also describe some of the implications of your case study. What ideas or findings might require further exploration? How might researchers go about exploring some of these questions in additional studies?
Here are a few additional pointers to keep in mind when formatting your case study:
Crowe S, Cresswell K, Robertson A, Huby G, Avery A, Sheikh A. The case study approach . BMC Med Res Methodol . 2011;11:100.
Crowe S, Cresswell K, Robertson A, Huby G, Avery A, Sheikh A. The case study approach . BMC Med Res Methodol . 2011 Jun 27;11:100. doi:10.1186/1471-2288-11-100
Gagnon, Yves-Chantal. The Case Study as Research Method: A Practical Handbook . Canada, Chicago Review Press Incorporated DBA Independent Pub Group, 2010.
Yin, Robert K. Case Study Research and Applications: Design and Methods . United States, SAGE Publications, 2017.
By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."
Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, automatically generate references for free.
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 .
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.
Research question | Case study |
---|---|
What are the ecological effects of wolf reintroduction? | Case study of wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone National Park in the US |
How do populist politicians use narratives about history to gain support? | Case studies of Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán and US president Donald Trump |
How can teachers implement active learning strategies in mixed-level classrooms? | Case study of a local school that promotes active learning |
What are the main advantages and disadvantages of wind farms for rural communities? | Case studies of three rural wind farm development projects in different parts of the country |
How are viral marketing strategies changing the relationship between companies and consumers? | Case study of the iPhone X marketing campaign |
How do experiences of work in the gig economy differ by gender, race, and age? | Case studies of Deliveroo and Uber drivers in London |
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:
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:
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.
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 September 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/research-methods/case-studies/
Other students also liked, correlational research | guide, design & examples, a quick guide to experimental design | 5 steps & examples, descriptive research design | definition, methods & examples.
This is a list of references on case study research (positivist, interpretive and critical). After a brief introduction which suggests those works which are essential reading for newcomers to the field, the list is organized into two parts: the first part lists some important citations related to the approach in other disciplines (including the source disciplines), the second lists citations related to the approach in Information Systems. You can use the E dit F ind command in Netscape to look for a specific citation.
Please send additional references and/or short abstracts of items on this page (maximum 50 words) to the Section Editor at: [email protected]
[ Introduction ] [ Citations in Other Disciplines ] [ Citations in Information Systems ]
A standard text for anyone wanting to do case study research is the book by Yin (1994) . Two important methodological articles on the case study method in the IS field are those by Benbasat et al. (1987) and Lee (1989) . One of the most cited empirical examples of case study research in Information Systems is the article by Markus (1983) . For interpretive case studies, Walsham's (1993) book is excellent. Two good empirical examples of the interpretive case study method in IS are the articles by Myers (1994) and Walsham and Waema (1994).
Campbell, D. "'Degrees of Freedom' and the Case Study," Comparative Political Studies , Volume 8, Number 2, 1975, pp. 178-193. Dukes, W. "N=1," Psychological Bulletin , Volume 64, 1965, pp. 74-79. Dyer, W.G. Jr. and Wilkins, A.L. "Better Stories, Not Better Constructs, to Generate Better Theory: A Rejoinder to Eisenhardt," Academy of Management Review (16:3), 1991, pp. 613-619. Eisenhardt, K.M. "Building Theories from Case Study Research," Academy of Management Review (14:4), 1989, pp. 532-550. Eisenhardt, K.M. "Better Stories and Better Constructs: The Case for Rigor and Comparative Logic," Academy of Management Review (16:3), 1991, pp. 620-627. Hamel, J. Case study method , Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications, 1993. Luthans, F. and Davis, T.R.V. "An Idiographic Approach to Organizational Behavior Research: The Use of Single Case Experimental Designs and Direct Measures," Academy of Management Review (7:3), July 1982, pp. 380-391. McCutcheon, D. and Meredith, J., "Conducting Case Study Research in Operations Management," Journal of Operations Management , Volume 11, 1993, pp. 239-256. Nardulli, P.F. The Courtroom Elite: An Organizational Perspective on Criminal Justice , Ballinger Press, Cambridge, MA, 1978. Ragin, Charles C. and Becker, Howard S., What Is a Case?: Exploring the Foundations of Social Inquiry , Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1992. Stake, Robert E. The Art of Case Study Research . Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA, 1995. Whyte, W.F. Street Corner Society: The social structure of an Italian slum , University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1943. Yin, R., "The Case Study Crisis: Some Answers," Administrative Science Quarterly , Volume 26, 1981, pp. 58-65. Yin, R., "The Case Study as a Serious Research Strategy," Knowledge , Volume 3, pp. 97-114. Yin, R.K. Case Study Research, Design and Methods, 2nd ed. Newbury Park, Sage Publications, 1994.
Baskerville, R., Pentland, B.T. and Walsham, G. "A Workshop on Two Techniques for Qualitative Analysis: Interviewing and Evaluation," Proceedings of the Fifteenth International Conference on Information Systems , 1994, p. 503-4. Benbasat, I., Goldstein, D.K. and Mead, M. "The Case Research Strategy in Studies of Information Systems," MIS Quarterly (11:3) 1987, pp. 369-386. Boland, R. "The process and product of system design," Management Science (28:9), 1978, pp. 887-898. Boland, R. "Control, causality and information system requirements," Accounting, Organizations and Society (4:4), 1979, pp. 259272. Cavaye, A.L.M. "Case study research: a multi-faceted research approach for IS," Information Systems Journal (6:3) 1996, pp. 227-242. Davies, L., Newman, M. and Kaplan, B. "A Workshop on Two Techniques for Qualitative Analysis: Interviewing and Evaluation," Proceedings of the Fourteenth International Conference on Information Systems , 1993, p. 399. Gable, G. "Integrating Case Study and Survey Research Methods: An Example in Information Systems," European Journal of Information Systems , Volume 3, Number 2, 1994, pp. 112-126. Gerson, E.M. and Star, S.L. "Analyzing Due Process in the Workplace," ACM Transactions on Office Information Systems (4:3), July 1986, pp. 257-270. Hewitt, C. "Offices are Open Systems," Transactions on Office Information Systems (4:3), 1986, pp. 271-287. Kaplan, B. and Duchon, D. "Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Information Systems Research: A Case Study," MIS Quarterly (12:4) 1988, pp. 571-587. Lee, A.S. "A Scientific Methodology for MIS Case Studies," MIS Quarterly (13:1), 1989, pp. 33-52. Lee, A.S. "Case Studies as Natural Experiments," Human Relations , (42:2), 1989, pp. 117-137. Lee, A. S. "Integrating Positivist and Interpretive Approaches to Organizational Research," Organization Science, (2), 1991, pp. 342-365. Lee, A.S. "Electronic Mail as a Medium for Rich Communication: An Empirical Investigation Using Hermeneutic Interpretation," MIS Quarterly (18:2), June 1994, pp. 143-157. Lee, A.S., Baskerville, R.L. and Davies, L. "A Workshop on Two Techniques for Qualitative Data Analysis: Action Research and Ethnography," Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Conference on Information Systems , 1992, p. 305-306. Levine, H.G. and Rossmore, D. "Diagnosing the Human Threats to Information Technology Implementation: A Missing Factor in Systems Analysis Illustrated in a Case Study," Journal of Management Information Systems , (10:2), Fall 1993, pp. 55-73. Madsen, K.H. "Breakthrough by Breakdown," in Information Systems Development for Human Progress in Organizations , H.K. Klein and K. Kumar (eds.), 1989, pp. 41-53. Manning, P.K. "Information Technology in the Police Context: The "Sailor" Phone," Information Systems Research (7:1), 1996, pp. 52-62. Markus, M.L. "Power, Politics and MIS Implementation," Communications of the ACM , 26, 1983, pp. 430-444. Markus, M.L. "Case Selection in a Disconfirmatory Case Study" in The Information Systems Research Challenge , Harvard Business School Research Colloquium, Boston: Harvard Business School, 1989, pp. 20- 26. Markus, M.L. "Finding a Happy Medium: Explaining the Negative Effects of Electronic Communication on Social Life at Work", ACM Transactions on Information Systems , 12,2, April 1994, pp. 119-149. Markus, M.L., "Electronic Mail as the Medium of Managerial Choice," Organization Science , Volume 5, Number 4, 1994, pp. 502-527. Myers, M.D. "A disaster for everyone to see: an interpretive analysis of a failed IS project," Accounting, Management and Information Technologies (4:4), 1994, pp. 185-201. Myers, M. D. "Quality in Qualitative Research in Information Systems", Proceedings of the 5th Australasian Conference on Information Systems , 1994, pp. 763-766. Myers, M.D. "Dialectical hermeneutics: a theoretical framework for the implementation of information systems," Information Systems Journal (5:1), 1995, pp. 51-70. Orlikowski, W.J. "CASE Tools as Organizational Change: Investigating Incremental and Radical Changes in Systems Development," MIS Quarterly (17:3), September 1993, pp. 309-340. Orlikowski, W.J. "Improvising Organizational Transformation Over Time: A Situated Change Perspective," Information Systems Research (7:1), 1996, pp. 63-92. Orlikowski, W.J., Markus, M.L. and Lee, A.S. "A Workshop on Two Techniques for Qualitative Data Analysis: Analytic Induction and Hermeneutics," Proceedings of the Twelfth International Conference on Information Systems , 1991, p. 390-1. Robey, D. and Sahay, S. "Transforming Work through Information Technology: A Comparative Case Study of Geographic Information Systems in County Government," Information Systems Research (7:1), 1996, pp. 93-110. Sauer, C. Why Information Systems Fail: A Case Study Approach , Alfred Waller Ltd, Henley-on-Thames, 1993. Walsham, G. Interpreting Information S ystems in Organizations , Wiley, Chichester, 1993. Walsham, G. "Interpretive case studies in IS research: nature and method," European Journal of Information Systems (4), 1995, pp. 74-81. Walsham, G. and Waema, T. "Information Systems Strategy and Implementation: A Case Study of a Building Society," ACM Transactions on Information Systems (12:2), April 1994, pp. 150-173.
Revised: february 05, 2004.
This work was published in MISQ Discovery on May 20, 1997. This is the original archival version. It is currently maintained by Michael D. Myers . Corrections, clarifications, and suggested modifications should be directed to him at [email protected] . Serious problems should be referred to the Editor-in-Chief .
Discover the world's research
To read the full-text of this research, you can request a copy directly from the authors.
Solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) are at high risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) metastasis. Despite prior studies identifying risk factors, mortality remains high. Understanding additional risk factors may aid in reducing mortality in this population. This study aimed to investigate risk factors and predictive variables for metastatic cSCC in SOTRs. The primary goal was to accurately identify transplant patients at increased risk of metastatic cSCC. A retrospective case–control study in a single institution of 3576 cases of organ transplants were identified from January 1991 to July 2022. A cohort of metastatic cancer patients and two randomly generated age and organ matched control cohorts were identified. 16 SOTR patients developed metastatic cSCC. The majority were male, with high-risk tumor sites. Tumor depth varied and half exhibited perineural invasion. Cylex® (p = 0.05) and white blood cell counts (p = 0.04) were significantly lower in these patients compared to control. Lung transplants were at highest risk relative to other solid organ transplants. Voriconazole exposure was also associated with increased metastatic risk (p = 0.04). Small sample size at a single institution. Close monitoring of SOTR, especially those with lung transplants given their increased risk, reducing immunosuppression, and limiting exposure to voriconazole can improve outcomes in SOTRs with metastatic cSCC.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Subscribe and save.
Price includes VAT (Russian Federation)
Instant access to the full article PDF.
Rent this article via DeepDyve
Institutional subscriptions
De-identified data will be made available upon reasonable request.
Lanz J, Bouwes Bavinck JN, Westhuis M et al (2019) Aggressive squamous cell carcinoma in organ transplant recipients. JAMA Dermatol 155(1):66–71. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.4406
Article PubMed Google Scholar
Goyal RK (2015) Voriconazole-associated phototoxic dermatoses and skin cancer. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 13(12):1537–1546. https://doi.org/10.1586/14787210.2015.1102053
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Garret GL, Lowenstein SE, Singer JP, He SY, Arron ST (2016) Trends of skin cancer mortality after transplant in the United States: 1987 to 2013. J Am Acad Dermatol 75(1):106–112
Article Google Scholar
Brougham ND, Dennett ER, Cameron R, Tan ST (2012) The incidence of metastasis from cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and the impact of its risk factors. J Surg Oncol 106(7):811–815
Genders RE, Osinga JAJ, Tromp EE, O’Rourke P, Bouwes Bavinck JN, Plasmeijer EI (2018) Metastasis risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in organ transplant recipients and immunocompetent patients. Acta Derm Venereol 98(6):551–555
Kumar V, Shinagare AB, Rennke HG et al (2020) The safety and efficacy of checkpoint inhibitors in transplant recipients: a case series and systematic review of literature. Oncologist 25(6):505–514
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Zeevi A, Lunz J (2013) Cylex immuknow cell function assay. Methods Mol Biol Transpl Immunol 1034:343–351
Article CAS Google Scholar
McLaughlin EJ, Miller L, Shin TM et al (2017) Rate of regional nodal metastases of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in the immunosuppressed patient. Am J Otolaryngol 38(3):325–328
D’Arcy ME, Pfeiffer RM, Rivera DR et al (2020) Voriconazole and the risk of keratinocyte carcinomas among lung transplant recipients in the United States. JAMA Dermatol 156(7):772–779
Jiyad Z, Olsen CM, Burke MT, Isbel NM, Green AC (2016) Azathioprine and risk of skin cancer in organ transplant recipients: systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Transplant 16(12):3490–3503
Wang L, Motter J, Bae S et al (2020) Induction immunosuppression and the risk of incident malignancies among older and younger kidney transplant recipients: a prospective cohort study. Clin Transplant 34(12):e14121
Haisma MS, Greven N, Logendran M et al (2023) Chronic use of hydrochlorothiazide and risk of skin cancer in caucasian adults: a pharmlines initiative inception cohort study. Acta Derm Venereol 4:103
Google Scholar
Bossart S, Daneluzzi C, Moor MB et al (2023) HPV vaccination in immunosuppressed patients with established skin warts and non-melanoma skin cancer: a single-institutional cohort study. Vaccines (Basel) 1511(9):1490
Matsuzaki J, Tsuji T, Luescher IF et al (2015) Direct tumor recognition by a human CD4(+) T-cell subset potently mediates tumor growth inhibition and orchestrates anti-tumor immune responses. Sci Rep 5:14896
Tay RE, Richardson EK, Toh HC (2021) Revisiting the role of CD4+ T cells in cancer immunotherapy—new insights into old paradigms. Cancer Gene Ther 28:5–17
Download references
Thank you to Dr. Ahmed Shalaby for statistical analysis. Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under award Number UL1 TR003163. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH (National Institutes of Health). Thank you to Anusha Mithani, PA-C, Yadaris Bonilla, PA-C and Rafael Basa PA-C for data collection.
No funding sources for this study.
Authors and affiliations.
Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Harry Hines, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
Cynthia F. Griffith, Anthony Solhjoo & Rajiv I. Nijhawan
Department of Lung Transplant, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar
C.G., A.S., and L.M. wrote the main manuscript text, prepared figures/tables, and made substantial contributions to the conception of the work, acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of data. R.I.N. revised the manuscript text critically for important intellectual content. All authors reviewed the manuscript. C.G. approved the version to be published.
Correspondence to Cynthia F. Griffith .
Conflict of interest.
The authors declare no competing interests.
Not applicable.
Publisher's note.
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions.
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
Reprints and permissions
Griffith, C.F., Solhjoo, A., Mahan, L. et al. A case controlled study of risk factors for metastatic squamous cell carcinoma in organ transplant recipients: single academic medical center. Arch Dermatol Res 316 , 612 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-024-03284-7
Download citation
Received : 10 July 2024
Revised : 10 July 2024
Accepted : 05 August 2024
Published : 11 September 2024
DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-024-03284-7
Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:
Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.
Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
How to Cite a Case Study in APA, MLA, or Chicago Share to Google Classroom 2.3 (28)
Author (s). (Year). Title of case study. Number of case study. URL. Examples: Harvard Business School Case Study
Reference List Citation. Author's Last Name, Author's First Initial. (Publication Year). Title of case study: Subtitle if any. Case Study Number (if given). Database main URL. Note: If your source has two to twenty authors, include all of the authors' last names, first initials, and second initials (if given) in the Reference List citation.
Harvard Style Guide: Case studies. This guide explains how to use the Harvard Style. It includes a short tutorial. Reference: Author/editor Last name, Initials. (Year) 'Title of case study' [Case Study], Journal Title, Volume (Issue), pp. page numbers. Available at: URL [Accessed Day Month Year].
Cite a case study using the citation templates and examples in this guide. There is information on APA, MLA, Chicago style, and Harvard referencing.
MLA: Author's Last Name, Author's First Name. "Title of Case Study." Case Study Number (if given), Publisher, Year of Publication. Database Name. Case Study. Example. Havard, Cody T. "Basketball at the Most Magical Place on Earth: A Case Study of the NBA's Season Conclusion at Walt Disney World Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic." SAGE, 2021.
Particularly in research for business studies or papers in the social sciences, you may want to cite a case study completed by a university or other organization. While case studies have titles and publication information like other articles, they often have a unique case study number that is typically included in your citation.
If the case study has an assigned DOI (print or online versions), include the DOI in the reference.
A comprehensive guide to citing a case study in APA format, including step-by-step instructions and examples.
EXAMPLE OF A REFERENCE TO A PRINTED CASE STUDY. Spar, D. and Burns, J. 2000. 'Hitting the wall: Nike and International Labor Practices.'. HBS 700047. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing. EXAMPLE OF A REFERENCE TO AN ELECTRONIC CASE STUDY FROM A DATABASE. Mathu, K.M. and Scheepers, C. 2016. 'Leading change towards sustainable green ...
How to Approach Writing a Case Study Research Paper General information about how to choose a topic to investigate can be found under the "Choosing a Research Problem" tab in the Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper writing guide. Review this page because it may help you identify a subject of analysis that can be investigated using a case study design.
General format There is no specific way to reference a case study in APA style. Case studies are typically published as an article or report, or within a book. Format the reference list entry according to the type of publication. Following are some examples of case studies in business.
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.
Learn how to conduct and write effective case studies for business research with this comprehensive guide.
When citing a case study in APA format, follow these guidelines to accurately reference the source: Author (s) of the case study: Include the last name (s) and initials of the author (s) of the case study. If there are multiple authors, separate their names with commas and use an ampersand (&) before the last author's name.
This guide on how to cite a case study includes the basic requirements with samples of the in-text citation, reference entry, and footnote.
Scribbr's free APA Citation Generator creates accurate APA citations in seconds. Recommended and trusted by students and teachers worldwide.
Common Reference Examples Guide This guide contains examples of common types of APA Style references. Section numbers indicate where to find the examples in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.).
How to cite a case study in IEEE. Here's how the IEEE citation case study format looks like: Author's last name, Case Study Title. City, State, Country: Publisher's name, Month Day, Year. An example of how to cite a case study in IEEE: Leonard, Our response to global warming.
Abstract A case study is one of the most commonly used methodologies of social research. This article attempts to look into the various dimensions of a case study research strategy, the different epistemological strands which determine the particular case study type and approach adopted in the field, discusses the factors which can enhance the effectiveness of a case study research, and the ...
A case study is an in-depth analysis of one individual or group. Learn more about how to write a case study, including tips and examples, and its importance in psychology.
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.
This is a list of references on case study research (positivist, interpretive and critical). After a brief introduction which suggests those works which are essential reading for newcomers to the field, the list is organized into two parts: the first part lists some important citations related to the approach in other disciplines (including the source disciplines), the second lists citations ...
On examination, the temporal temperature was 37.1°C, the heart rate 106 beats per minute, the blood pressure 152/67 mm Hg, and the oxygen saturation 100% while the patient was breathing ambient air.
This study explored the use of three participatory tools within a Philippines-based case study with community health workers (CHWs) by comparing and contrasting the process and data generated across the tools, and critically reflecting on adaptations and facilitation considerations that affected the tools' use.
Download Citation | Pakistani students' perceptions about knowledge, use and impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on academic writing: a case study | Integrating artificial intelligence (AI ...
This study aimed to investigate risk factors and predictive variables for metastatic cSCC in SOTRs. The primary goal was to accurately identify transplant patients at increased risk of metastatic cSCC. A retrospective case-control study in a single institution of 3576 cases of organ transplants were identified from January 1991 to July 2022.