Art And Craft Of Case Writing - 2nd edition

1. What Is a Case and Why Write One?

Definition of a Case
How Students Learn
Case Types
A Real Situation
Facts, Not Opinion
Research as Anthropology
Reasons for Writing a Case
Gap Analysis
Serendipity
Writing to Learn
Summary and Conclusions

2. Objectives--Key to the Case

What Skills/Theories Do You Want to Develop?
Marzano--The Thinking Process
Bloom's Taxonomies
Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning
Case Characteristics and Educational Objectives
Educational Objective
Data Dimensions, Analytical Methods, and Value Dimensions
Types of Cases
Descriptive Cases and Other Story Problems
Evaluative Cases
Decision-Focus Cases
Research Cases
A Practice Session
Summary and Conclusions

3. Finding a Case Site and Gathering Data

Identifying Potential Case Sites
Students as Resources
Family and Friends as Resources
Alumni as Resources
Consortia and Research Groups
Published Sources
Consulting Contacts
The Field Research Process
Making Contact
Gaining Access
Releases and Promises
Case Disguises
Gathering Data
Preliminary Preparation
The Interviewing Process
Triangulating
Authorization for Release
Library Cases
In Conclusion

4. Research Cases

Background
Advantages and Disadvantages of Case Research
Methodology
Institutional Review Boards
Uses
Hypothesis Development
Hypothesis Testing
Preparation
Presentation Style
A Research Case Example
Case Research to Case Teaching: The Unbroken Circle
Summary and Conclusions

5. The Instructor's Manual, Part 1

The Importance of an Instructor's Manual
Who Should Write the Case Note?
A Quick Outline of a Typical Instructor's Manual
Objectives of the Case
Case Summary
Basic Pedagogy
Key Issues of the Case--Student Take-Aways
Theoretical Links
Questions for Student Preparation and Discussion
Methodology
The Practice Session
Summary and Conclusions

6. Organizing the Case

Length and Straightforwardness
Selection of Facts
Appropriate Length
Red Herrings and Extra Information
Missing Information
Students as Case Writers
The Hook
To Direct the Student or Not?
Alternative Beginnings
Case Organization
Appropriate Style
Point of View
Ending the Case
Tone and Tense
Objectivity
Inserting References
Past Tense
The Practice Session
Summary and Conclusions

7. Testing and Refining the Teaching Case

Releases
Developing a Preliminary Teaching Plan
Testing Your Case in Class
What to Tell the Class
The Mechanics of Class Testing
What You Learned from Class Testing
Evaluating the Educational Objectives
Double-Check for Data
Getting a Second Opinion (and a Third . . .)
Other Readers, Other Case Writers
Other Teachers
Workshops and Other Collaborative Formats
Revising and Updating Cases
The Practice Session
Summary and Conclusions

8. The Instructor's Manual, Part 2

Refining the Discussion Questions
Answers: Sample or Suggested Responses
Refining the Teaching Objectives and Key Issues
What You've Learned from Class Testing
The A Student/C Student Split
Timing
Board Layout
Other Techniques
Double Checks for the Case's Completeness
The Role of Opinion
Exhibits for Instructors' Use
Master Copies
Data Workouts
Bibliography, Recommended Readings, Other Resources
The Epilogue
The Practice Session
Summary and Conclusions

9. Notes, Case Series, and Other Supplements

When a Case Note Makes Sense
Technical and Other Notes
Cultural and National Notes
Sources of Information for Notes
When It Makes Sense to Divide a Case (Create a Series)
Time Series Cases
Multiple Approach Case Series
The Practice Session
Summary and Conclusions

10. Video and Multimedia Case Studies

Video Supplements
Video Cases
Benefits of Video Cases
Problems of Video Cases
Multimedia Cases
Benefits of Multimedia Cases
Problems of Multimedia Cases
Development of Internet Cases
Case Documents
Internet Access
Summary and Conclusions