From this guide you will be able to obtain tools to write a case study report in the disciplinary context of public administration. Although this type of report may have variations in each university course, here is a model that you can use or adapt in your own context.
Key Questions
What is a case study report?
The case brief study is the research methodology that takes as its object a case “with more or less clear borders, which is analyzed in its context and which is considered relevant either to understand, illustrate or build a theory or part of it, either for its intrinsic value” (Coller, 2015, p. 29). The case study report is one in which a particular case study is reported. Thus, it is a text in which a limited case is analyzed from a certain group of theoretical concepts.
ACTIVATE PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
Have you written similar reports in another course of your career? What characteristics did that job have? What difficulties did you encounter when writing it and how did you face them?
Take advantage of and adapt what you already know to write this case study!
ROADMAP
Strategic questions to face the case study report writing process
BEFORE WRITING WHILE YOU WRITE AFTER WRITING
What policy, program or legislation am I going to analyze?What are your most relevant backgrounds?
What theoretical basis will I use for my analysis and why?
What will be the central points of my argument?
Do I adequately contextualize the policy, program or legislation that I am analyzing?Do I develop the necessary theoretical background to support my analysis?
Do I adequately develop the arguments I need?
Do I adequately cite the bibliographic references with which I am working?
Did I fulfill my writing purpose?Did I include everything my teacher required?
Did I add all relevant bibliography?
Is the writing clear? Do you understand what I mean?
Have I corrected any spelling or typing errors I may have made?
THE STRUCTURE OF THE CASE STUDY REPORT
- In this section you present your writing to your reader, making sure that they can find out what your work is about. It is relevant that, before writing your introduction, you are clear about what key aspects you will observe of the selected case, from the corresponding theoretical perspective. At a minimum, you should ensure that:Present the case study: you must state the policy, program or legislation that you will analyze, and provide a brief background. For example, if it is a program, you can mention what main objectives it pursues, what strategies it implements and since what year, what public entity is in charge of it, among others.
- Indicate the perspective of analysis: it is also important that you briefly indicate the theoretical debate that you will take as a basis for analysis justifying the relevance of your choice.
- For example, some debates from the public administration area could be redistribution, recognition or citizen participation.
Specifically, when you write this section, start by briefly explaining the public problem that gives rise to the state intervention you selected. Then, explain the main plot line that you will develop in the text. Then, detail the structure and sequence that the rest of the writing will follow.
An example of the concern that you can raise for your analysis: If you select a program that seeks to generate social equity and you analyze it from redistribution, you may wonder what standard of equity it seeks to achieve precisely, or what idea of social justice prevails in it.