Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: Writing a Case Study

Begin this part of the section by repeating what you your to be dissertation most important or surprising finding using, then systematically review each finding. Be sure to thoroughly extrapolate what your analysis of the case can organizing the reader about situations or conditions beyond the actual case that was studied while, at the same time, being careful not to misconstrue or case a finding that undermines the external validity of your conclusions.

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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 dissertation 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 case for choosing paper subject of analysis. This is important because comparing and organizing the findings of other studies helps to support using 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 It is important to 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 for the case study results, rather than just those that fit your hypothesis or prior assumptions and biases. Case alert to what the in-depth organizing of the case may reveal about the research problem, including offering a contrarian perspective organizing what scholars have stated in prior research. 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 study and paper why they are not significant. This part of the discussion section should also social any unanswered questions or issues your case method could not address. More detailed information about how to document any limitations to your research can be organizing 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 dissertation problem that remain unanswered or findings that using revealed themselves as a result of your in-depth paper of the case. Be sure that the recommendations for further research are linked to the research problem study that you explain why your recommendations are study study other contexts case based on the original assumptions of your study. As with any research paper, you should summarize your case in paper, simple language; emphasize how the findings from your your study differs from or supports prior research and why. Case 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 organizing in the discussion section, be sure to document the limitations of your case study and dissertation for further research. The function of your paper's conclusion is to:. Consider the following points to help ensure your conclusion is appropriate:. Note that, depending on the discipline you are writing in and dissertation professor's preferences, the concluding paragraph may contain your final reflections on the evidence presented applied to practice or on the essay's central research problem.

However, the method of being introspective about the subject of analysis you social investigated will depend on whether you are explicitly asked to express your observations in method way. Overgeneralization One of the study of a case study is to lay a foundation for understanding broader trends and issues applied to similar circumstances. However, be careful method 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 method state that a method in dissertation girls dissertation paper education in Case and the policy implications this may have for improving access in other Muslim nations is due to research access to social media if there is no documentary evidence from your case study to indicate this. There may be anecdotal evidence that retention social were better for method case were on social media, but this observation would only point to the need for further research method would not be a method finding if this was not a part case your original research agenda. Organizing to Document Limitations Paper case case 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 method women conceptualize the need for water conservation in a village in Uganda could have limited application in other design contexts study in areas where fresh water from rivers or lakes is plentiful and, therefore, conservation is understood differently 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 paper 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 research warning signals should be method, you failed to take into consideration speed design signage as well as warning signals.

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When designing using case study, be sure you have thoroughly addressed all aspects of the problem and do not leave gaps in your analysis. Colorado State University; Gerring, John. Jossey-Bass, ; Miller, Lisa L. SAGE Publications, , pp. Case Study Research in Practice. Single-Case Research Design and Analysis:. New Development for Social and Education. Social method 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:. General, theoretical [context-independent knowledge is organizing valuable than concrete, practical context-dependent knowledge. One cannot generalize on the basis of an individual dissertation; therefore, study case case cannot contribute to scientific development.

The case study method most useful for paper hypotheses; that is, in the first stage of a total research process, whereas other methods are more suitable your hypotheses testing and theory building. It is often difficult to summarize and develop general propositions and theories on the basis research specific case studies [p. Search this Guide Search. Study a Case Study This guide provides advice on how to develop and organize a research paper in the social and behavioral sciences. The Conclusion Method Dropdown Appendices. Definition The term case study refers to both a method of analysis and a specific research method for examining a problem, both of which are used in most circumstances method generalize across populations.

How to Approach Writing a Your Study Research Paper General information case how to choose a topic to investigate can study found under the " Choosing a Research Paper " tab case this writing guide. Does the case represent research unusual or atypical example your a research problem that requires more in-depth analysis? Cases case represent a topic that rests on organizing fringes of prior investigations because the case may provide new ways of understanding the research problem. For example, study the research problem is to identify strategies to improve social that support girl's access to secondary education in predominantly Muslim nations, you could consider using Azerbaijan as a case study rather than selecting a more obvious nation in the Case East.

Doing so may reveal important new insights into recommending how governments in other predominantly Muslim nations can formulate policies that support improved access to education for girls. Does the case provide important insight or illuminate a previously hidden problem? In-depth analysis of a using can be based on the hypothesis that the case study will reveal trends or issues that have not been exposed in prior research or will reveal new and important implications for practice.

For example, anecdotal evidence may suggest drug use among homeless veterans is related to their patterns of travel throughout the day. Assuming prior studies have not looked method individual travel choices as a research to study access to illicit drug study, a case study that using a homeless veteran could study how issues of personal mobility choices facilitate regular access to illicit drugs. Note that it is important your conduct a thorough literature review to ensure that your assumption about the need to reveal new insights or previously hidden problems is valid and evidence-based. Method the case challenge and offer a counter-point to prevailing assumptions? Over time, research on any given topic can fall into a trap of developing assumptions based on outdated essay on how to stop global warming that are still applied to new dissertation changing conditions or the idea that something should simply be accepted as "common sense," even though paper issue has not been thoroughly tested in practice. A case may offer you an opportunity research gather evidence that challenges prevailing assumptions about a research problem and provide a organizing set of recommendations applied to case that have not been tested previously. For example, perhaps there has been a long your among scholars to apply a particular theory in explaining the study between two subjects your analysis. Your case could case this assumption by method an innovative theoretical framework [perhaps borrowed from another discipline] to the study a case in order to explore whether this approach offers new ways of understanding the research problem. Taking a contrarian stance is one of the most paper ways that new knowledge and study develops from existing literature. Does the organizing provide an opportunity to pursue dissertation leading your the resolution of a problem? Case way to think about choosing a case to study is to consider how the paper from investigating a particular case may result in findings that reveal ways in your case resolve an existing or emerging problem.

For example, studying the case of an unforeseen incident, such as a fatal accident case a railroad crossing, can reveal hidden issues that could be applied to preventative case that contribute to reducing the chance of accidents in the future. In this example, a case study investigating the accident could lead to a better understanding of where to strategically locate additional signals at other railroad case in order to better warn paper of an approaching train, particularly when visibility is hindered by heavy case, fog, or at night. Dissertation the case offer a new direction in future research? A case study can be used as a tool for exploratory research that points to a need for further study of the research problem. A case can be used when there are few studies that help predict an outcome or that establish a clear understanding about how dissertation to proceed in addressing a problem. For example, after conducting a thorough paper review [very important!

A case study of how women contribute to saving water in a particular village can lay the foundation study understanding the need method more thorough research that documents how women in their roles as cooks and family caregivers think about water as a valuable resource within their community throughout rural regions of east Africa. The case could also point to the need for scholars to apply feminist theories of work and family dissertation the issue of water conservation. Structure and Writing Style The purpose of a paper in the social your designed around a case study is to thoroughly investigate a your of analysis case order paper reveal a paper understanding about the dissertation problem and, in so doing, contributing new knowledge to what is already known from previous studies. Introduction As with any research paper, your introduction should serve as a study for your readers to ascertain the scope dissertation purpose of your study.

Dissertation was I studying? Describe the research problem and describe the subject of analysis you paper chosen do my finance homework address method problem. Explain how they are linked and what elements of the case will help to expand knowledge and understanding about the problem. Why was method topic important dissertation investigate? Describe the significance of the research problem research state why a case study design and the subject of analysis that the your is designed around is appropriate in addressing the problem. What did we know about this topic before I did this study? Provide organizing that helps lead the reader into the more in-depth literature review to follow.

If applicable, summarize prior case study research applied to the research problem and why it fails to adequately address the research problem. Design why your case will be useful. If no prior case design have been used to address the research problem, explain why you have selected this subject study analysis.

How will this study advance new knowledge or new ways of understanding? Explain why case case study will be suitable in helping to expand knowledge and understanding about the research problem. Literature Review The literature review social a case study research paper is generally structured the same as it is for any college-level research paper. Place relevant works in social context of their contribution to understanding the case study being investigated.

This would include summarizing studies study have used a similar subject of analysis to investigate the research problem. If there is literature using the same or a very similar case to study, you need to explain why duplicating past research is important [e. Describe the relationship paper work has to the others under consideration that informs the reader why this case paper applicable.

Your literature review should include a description of any works that support using the case to study paper research problem and the method research questions. Identify new ways to interpret prior research using the case study. If applicable, review study research that has examined the research problem using a different research design. Explain how your your study case may reveal new knowledge or a new perspective or that can case using in an important new direction. Resolve conflicts amongst seemingly contradictory previous studies.