How to Write a Case Study Abstract – Are you working on a research paper? Does your research paper require a case study? Are you confused about writing an abstract for a case study? If this is you, then you are in the right place.
In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about writing an abstract for a case study. Keep reading to find out.
What is a Case Study?
A case study doesn’t have a definite definition. It is however an in-depth study about a people, group, unit, or event. A case study involves a lot of investigations and is usually seen in social and life sciences. Almost every area of the subject’s life is examined to find patterns and causes of behavior. A case study can be used in diverse fields like political science, medicine, social work, psychology, anthropology, and education.
Although case studies are done with the hope of generalizing the outcome, it can be difficult to do because case studies are highly subjective.Case studies usually follow the same format similar to other kinds of psychology writing. The rules of APA format are typically used when writing case studies. It is also known as a case report.
Types of Case Studies
Below are the different types of case studies that may be used by researchers and psychologists.
- Collective case studies
- Descriptive case studies
- Explanatory case studies
- Exploratory case studies
- Instrumental case studies
- Intrinsic case studies
Collective case studies
Collective case studies deals with the study of individuals. It can also require researchers to study a group of people in a specific place or a whole community of people.
Descriptive case studies
Descriptive case studies begins with a descriptive theory. Researchers observe subjects and gather information. The information gotten is matched to already existing theory.
Explanatory case studies
Explanatory case studies are sometimes used in casual investigations. Researchers seek factors that may be responsible for a specific occurrence.
Exploratory case studies
Exploratory case studies are often used as an introduction to further, more detailed research. This type of case study enables researchers to collect more information before developing hypotheses and research questions.
Instrumental case studies
Instrumental case studies is a type of case study that happens when a group or individual permits researchers to get more information than what was seen by observers initially.
Intrinsic case studies
Intrinsic case studies occur when the researcher has a personal interest in the case/research.
Benefits and Limitations of a Case Study
Case studies have both pros and cons and researchers need to consider them before deciding to get into them.
Benefits
- The first advantage of a case study is that it lets researchers investigate subjects that are sometimes hard to duplicate in a lab.
- It allows researchers to gather a lot of information.
- A case study offers researchers the opportunity to gather information on uncommon and scarce cases.
- It lets researchers develop hypotheses that may be surveyed in experimental research.
Limitations
- A case study cannot be generalized to a bigger population.
- It doesn’t indicate the cause and effect.
- Case studies can be scientifically meticulous.
- It can give rise to a bias.
What is an Abstract?
An abstract is a brief and compelling summary that narrates the purpose of a research paper. It is not an excerpt from a research paper, it is originally written and normally includes keywords found all over the full research paper.An abstract is usually written for both published and unpublished research papers. It is typically a paragraph long, approximately 150 to 250 words ( 6 -7 sentences).
A well-written abstract allows the reader to have a clear understanding of what to expect from research work and to remember key points from a research paper. An abstract can decide whether a reader will go on to read a full research paper or not.
What is Abstract in a Case Study?
An abstract helps the reader to understand what the case study is all about and why it is important. It gives the most important information about a case study.It saves readers time by helping them understand the purpose of the case study in about 250 words.
A case study abstract highlights the comprehensive purpose of the research work and problem investigated, the fundamental design of the study, the crucial findings or trends discovered as an outcome of a researcher’s analysis, and a small summary of the researcher’s interpretations and conclusions.
Types of Abstracts
Before writing an abstract, it is necessary to know the type of abstract and the one that fits your research paper. Below are the types of abstracts.
- Critical Abstract
- Descriptive Abstract
- Informative Abstract
- Highlight Abstract
Critical Abstract
A critical abstract apart from describing the main information, and findings of a case study. It also includes a comment or judgment concerning the study’s completeness or validity.This type of abstract usually includes a comparison of the research paper and other related works. Critical abstracts are usually 400 to 500 words in length because of the extra interpretative commentary. It is not frequently used in research works.
Descriptive Abstract
A descriptive abstract shows the type of information contained in the research work. It doesn’t make any judgment or comment nor does it offer outcomes or conclusions of the research work. However, it includes keywords found in the work and may include methods, scope, and purpose of the research.In simple terms, descriptive abstracts only describe the work being summarized. It is considered an outline than a summary by some researchers. It is usually a maximum of 100 words in length.
Informative Abstract
Informative abstracts do not evaluate or critique work. It is purely informative and does more than describe a work.This type of abstract acts as a substitute for research work. The main points ar arguments, necessary outcomes, and evidence of the work are included here.Informative abstracts usually include the same information found in a descriptive abstract. These are purpose, methods, and scope including the outcomes and conclusions of the research plus the author’s recommendations.This type of abstract is usually 300 words in length. However, its length varies depending on the discipline.
Highlight Abstract
A highlight abstract is solely to attract the attention of the reader to the research work. It is usually filled with clickbait words to catch the attention of the reader. It is not considered a real abstract and is hardly used in academic works.
How to Write a Case Study Abstract
Here are the fundamental steps to follow when writing a case study abstract. It will detail “How to Write a Case Study Abstract”
- Write and complete your paper
- Analyze the requirements
- Consider your audience and publication
- Describe the problem
- Describe your methods
- Report the outcomes
- Provide a conclusion
Write and complete your paper
The first step to on how to write a case study abstract is to write and complete your research paper. You cannot write an abstract for uncompleted work.An abstract is a summary of a research paper, so it cannot be written until the research paper is complete. Focus on your research paper and complete it, if you want to write a good abstract.
Analyze the requirements
Make sure that your research work matches the requirements given to you by your supervisor, or journal. Go through it and ensure that it meets all requirements before writing your abstract.
Think about your audience
The main purpose of abstracts is to help readers understand a research work before delving deeper into it. So, it’s essential to consider your audience when writing an abstract. What language should you use? Use a language easy to understand and matches the discipline your research paper is written on.
Describe the problem
When writing an abstract, it’s important to specify the problem your research work is trying to solve. Highlight the scope and the main argument of your research work.
Describe your methods
The next step when writing an abstract is to describe the methods you utilized in completing your study, as well as the research conducted, variables included and the approach used. You can also add any evidence that supports your claim.
Report the outcomes
After describing your methods, you should describe or report your outcomes/results. Share the common findings and answers you got from your research/study. If you cannot briefly summarize all the outcomes of your research, simply highlight the major findings.
Provide a conclusion
The last thing to do in your abstract is to provide a conclusion. End your abstract by addressing the explanation of the findings and why the paper is essential. Only the informative type of abstracts requires you to include the implications of the research work.
When to Write an Abstract in a Case Study
An abstract usually appears in the first part of a research. However, it should be written when the researcher has completed their research paper. This will help the researcher in writing the abstract because they will be writing with a better knowledge of the research topic.
An abstract is not an excerpt of research work. It stands on its own as a summary of research work. It should also help someone who has not read a research paper understand what it is all about.An abstract should be published on its page. It normally comes after the title page and acknowledgments but before the table contents.
Conclusion
An abstract is an important part of every well-written case study. It helps the reader to have a surface understanding of what a research work will focus on. An abstract is a stand-alone summary of a research work that determines if a reader will read a research paper or not.
We hope you found this article on “how to write a case study abstract” informative.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes, a case study has an abstract. The abstract helps to inform the readers of the reason behind the choice big the topic, the approach and methods used, and the outcome of the research.The abstract is a deciding factor in a reader consulting the full case study or not. That is why it good to know how to write a case study abstract
A case study must contain an introduction, a body where the majority of the work is explained, the conclusion, and the reference.Each of these help to make the work presentable and easy to read.
Yes, an abstract is a summary of a published or unpublished research paper. It is typically a paragraph long. In words, 150 – 250 words long.What are the 3 types of abstract?The three types of abstracts are Indicative abstracts, Evaluative abstracts (also called critical abstracts), and Informative abstracts.Informative abstracts are lengthy and more detailed. Indicative abstracts are brief, objective, and straightforward. Evaluative abstracts are subjective.
Reference
- https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/abstract#:~:text=An%20abstract%20summarizes%2C%20usually%20in,as%20a%20result%20of%20your
- https://ebn.bmj.com/content/21/1/7
- https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-write-a-psychology-case-study-2795722
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