Writing a case study analysis

Case Studies

1. Writing A Case Study Analysis

2. What is a case study? It may be more helpful to break this down. A case is a real life situation or event. A case study is an analysis of that situation or event, using ideas, theories and approaches you have learnt about on your course. Why do you write them? The purpose of a Case Study is to develop and demonstrate an understanding of a real-life case, and make a decision about it. This decision is made using the content you have been learning about on your course.

3. Business Nursing Travel and Tourism Education Engineering A company A key figure within a company A person patient A critical incident An event Period of time A company A group of pupils An individual student A place A person Journal articles Books Government Reports Codes of practice Standards Journal articles Books Government Reports Codes of practice Standards Journal articles Books Government Reports Codes of practice Standards Journal articles Books Government Reports Codes of practice Standards Journal articles Books Government Reports Codes of practice Standards Subject Focus of the case Outcome Report Essay Presentation Analysis using course materials

4. Read the case study and assignment instructions carefully. What are you being asked to do? Pick out the problems? Provide solutions? Both? What format does your answer need to be presented in- an essay, report or presentation? Highlight key/descriptive information Look up key words you do not understand Think about the theories and concepts you have covered in the module/on your course which link to the case Note down the theories etc. you need to research to begin to write your answer Look at your reading list Create a broad plan/mind map/grid based on your initial thoughts First Steps

5. Critical Reading What are the key facts/issues? Who? What? Where? When? How? Why? How do these facts and issues fit together to result in the current situation? What are the underlying problems? How can the situation be resolved? What are the possible solution options? What are the strengths and limitations of these options? Which solutions fit best? How can the solution be implemented? What is the recommended plan of action? How can this action plan be monitored for success? Questions to ask as you review the case As you read the case keep moving between this and your course information and research.

6. Who/What Where/When What has happened? What needs to be analysed? Reasons/Cause Theories/Models Legislation Possible Solutions/ Predictions Business Easy Jet UK company -2019 Competitive Advantage Compare to other low cost airlines. Swot Porter’s Five Forces PEST Good competitive advantage Some threat from Ryan Air in terms of cost Social Work Patient A UK Liverpool Royal patient. 87 yrs. old. Review options for patient A in terms of housing options. Admitted with broken hip. Previously living on her own. Can no longer cope. Housing Act (2004) Care Act (2014) Sheltered Housing Carers Family Support Pharmacy Patient B Attending pharmacy- describing behaviour Exhibiting signs of bipolar disorder? What medication needs to be prescribed. Periods of intense activity followed by depression. Mind (2015) Recommended drugs and therapies Constructing a grid can help you pull out key points from the case, and start to build up a picture of how to analyse it.

7. Who/What Where/When What has happened? What needs to be analysed? Reasons/Cause Theories/Models Legislation Possible Solutions/ Predictions Constructing a grid can help you pull out key points from the case and start to build up a picture of how to analyse it. Your assignment. Look at the case study you have. Using the grid can you start to break down the case? The initial analysis will then direct you to further research and help you think about the structure.

8. Who/What Where/When What has happened? What needs to be analysed? Reasons/Cause Theories/Models Legislation Possible Solutions/ Predictions Constructing a grid can help you pull out key points from the case, and start to build up a picture of how to analyse it.

9. Structure Essay Introduction Body Paragraphs Key topics – One key topic covered in each paragraph. Conclusion References Report – Use Your Assignment Guidance Abstract/Summary Introduction Findings Discussion Conclusion/Recommendations References

10. Look at this introduction to a case study answer. Highlight the background to the topic. Highlight the specific case being reviewed. How many body paragraphs or sections will the student write?

11. Background information. Explaining the reason for investigating the topic. Moving from general to specific. Providing definition of key terms. Link between the general issue and the specific case. Outline of the case. Signalling the structure and areas of analysis. The impact of sleep on a pilot’s performance has attracted the interest of both aviation authorities and researchers for some time. One specific factor, sleep inertia which is the physiological state that immediately follows awakening has been found to impair mental and manual operations. Sleep inertia has been linked to a number of aviation incidents involving pilot error. This case study will analyse the role sleep inertia may have played in the crash of Air India Express Flight IX-812 at Mangalore in India on May 22nd 2010. The report of the subsequent Court of Inquiry along with literature relating to sleep inertia will form the basis of the analysis. First, research findings about sleep inertia generally, and sleep inertia in aviation specifically, will be examined. An account of this particular incident and the major findings of the Court of Inquiry will then be provided. Next a discussion of the impact of sleep inertia played in this incident and the lessons that can be learnt from this will be presented. Finally, recommendations for how such incidents can be avoided in the future are made. Introduction

12. Introduction – Move from general to specific. 6 . The use of prepositions in English has always been problematic for language learners. 5. These small connecting words do not necessarily exist in other languages, or may not have exactly the same meanings. 8. This makes teaching of this area very difficult, and research (Lindstromberg 1998, Brala 2002) indicates that no single method has yet proved successful . 2. The essay which follows gives a brief history of prepositional theory and discusses two major teaching strategies from a cognitive linguistic perspective. Critically evaluate approaches to the teaching of prepositions to language learners. Focus on the question. Moving to more specific analysis of the issues. Addressing the question directly and highlighting line of argument. Signalling the structure of the rest of the essay.

13. Use WEED to help you plan and write critically analytical paragraphs. W hat is your paragraph about? This will be your topic sentence. E xplanation: what do you mean? Offer some evidence and explanation. E xamples: make sure that you illustrate your point with examples from literature, policy or practice. Start synthesising the literature. D o: What do I do with this information? How is it relevant? Keep thinking ‘How?’, ‘Why’ and ‘So what?’

14. Language Cause and Effect may cause can lead to can result in caused by resulting from stemming from One reason why Xs have declined is that … A consequence of vitamin A deficiency is blindness. The causal role of X in Y has been demonstrated by … The most likely causes of X are poor diet and lack of exercise. The causes of X have been the subject of intense debate within … X can have profound health consequences for older people Reporting Verbs Boynton (1982, p. 79) warns the reader that ordinary chocolate is ‘too frail to withstand heat, moisture and proximity to baked beans’. Hanks (2004, p. 257) defines an idiom as an expression whose ‘meaning . . . is distinct from the sum of its parts’. Smith (2005) disagrees with Fry (2003) when she maintains that many students have trouble with reporting verbs. Some people subscribe to the idea that chocolate is unhealthy, but Boynton’s (1982) book refutes this claim. This paper investigates the effects of alcohol on memory and stresses that further research be done as a matter of urgency.

15. One factor which may contribute to this chronic fatigue among pilots is the extended flight duty period associated with long-haul, international flights. In particular, pilots of these flights are likely to have duty periods in excess of 8 h and thus are at the greatest risk for performance impairment due to fatigue (Rosekind et al. 1995). For example, a 9-h flight may involve a duty period of 12 h or more. Justifying concerns with regard to the potential dangers associated with these long-haul flights and extended duty periods, Goode (2003) examined the records of accidents in commercial aviation between 1978 and 1999 and found a significant relationship between flight duration and frequency of accidents. Additionally, pilots have reported increasing fatigue across the duration of the flight ( Gundel et al. 1995; Petrilli et al. 2006), suggesting that the combination of time-on-task fatigue ( Samel et al. 1997) and the strong drive to sleep after someone has been awake for a long period of time (that is, homeostatic sleep pressure) may lead to a serious deterioration in the pilots’ alertness and performance. However, several other factors have Review this body paragraph from a case study essay. Highlight the topic sentence Supporting evidence and examples Reporting verbs

16. Topic Sentence Linking Words References – linking the case analysis with theories and research Applying the literature to the case- not simply describing. Reporting Verb

17. This case study examined the role sleep inertia may have played in the crash of Air India Express Flight IX-812 at Mangalore in India on May 22nd 2010. Studies of human factors in aviation have shown that a variety of factors influence the severity and duration of sleep inertia. These factors include depth of sleep, timing of sleep and chemical influences. If a crew member is awakened from a deep sleep, then it is likely their reaction time performance will be adversely affected. This appeared to be the case for Air India Express Flight IX-812 where the Captain was in a long sleep during the flight. As a result, upon awakening, the Captain’s judgment appeared to have been impaired, resulting in a series of poor decisions. This case highlights the need for an effective Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) and a Crew Resource Management (CRM) system, along with focused training to ensure crew are fully aware of the impact of sleep inertia on performance, particularly decision making. Look at this sample conclusion. Can you identify- Where the student has restated the focus of the assignment. Has summarised the main points or findings. Has demonstrated a link to the recommendations.

18. This case study examined the role sleep inertia may have played in the crash of Air India Express Flight IX-812 at Mangalore in India on May 22nd 2010. Studies of human factors in aviation have shown that a variety of factors influence the severity and duration of sleep inertia. These factors include depth of sleep, timing of sleep and chemical influences. If a crew member is awakened from a deep sleep, then it is likely their reaction time performance will be adversely affected. This appeared to be the case for Air India Express Flight IX-812 where the Captain was in a long sleep during the flight. As a result, upon awakening, the Captain’s judgment appeared to have been impaired, resulting in a series of poor decisions. This case highlights the need for an effective Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) and a Crew Resource Management (CRM) system, along with focused training to ensure crew are fully aware of the impact of sleep inertia on performance, particularly decision making. Restate the focus Sum up the main points or findings Link to recommendations Specific focus – conclusions based on the analysis Conclusion

19. Conclusion – Moving from specific to general 7 . In conclusion, it is apparent that the most effective element in teaching of English articles is the reinforcement of the notion of countability . 4. The evidence presented here suggests that learners do not use articles randomly, but that they choose articles according to whether or not the noun is countable. 3. The concept of definiteness in relation to articles remains, however, more problematic, and needs further investigation. 1. Despite these problems, it is possible for teachers to make a positive contribution to learners’ knowledge in this important area. Signalling the end of the essay. Addressing the question and the line of argument. Critically evaluate approaches to the teaching of prepositions to language learners. Summary of the points raised in the essay. Suggestion for further research, based on analysis of the research. Ultimate statement – must link to the evidence and conclusions presented in the main body.

20. Recommendations The Recommendations are actions to be implemented as a result of the conclusions . Conclusion = Patient has an ulcer Recommendation = Patient to take medicine + stop smoking A report prepared for information purposes only will have no Recommendations section A report prepared for persuasion purposes will have a Recommendations section - no point in persuading someone of the need for action if no recommendations are given In an essay answer the recommendations may be included in the conclusion Recommendations should not include further results, analysis, discussion or conclusions The Recommendations section should be simple action list. Eg : Do action X, build factory Y, delete product Z.

21. Recommendations Based on the main findings of this case study, it is recommended that: CRM training and refreshers for all flight crew should be conducted as required by DGCA vide Operations Circular No 2 of 2001 CRM training must include both classroom and simulator training - Relate back to the issues discussed in the Conclusion. - Are stated briefly but clearly - Are expressed as action statements or directives to do something - Use persuasive or firm language such as ‘must’, ‘ought to’ etc.