How to answer case study
questions and long
application questions
Answering case study
questions
• It is a scenario in a particular professional context.
• The scenario involves a number of issues or problems that must be
dealt with in a professional workplace.
• Students are expected to analyse and respond to, guided by specific
questions posed concerning the situation.
• Usually require students to identify problems and to make decisions
and recommendations based on these to either prevent or solve some
of the issues in that scenario.
Skills Tested in a Case Study
• Case studies can be used to examine you in a variety of subjects.
• Whether it’s business, economics, or a subject in your course, this is a
great way to test your expertise. Skills tested in a case study include:
• Reading skills
• Knowledge of your coursework
• Analytical skills
• Critical thinking
• Reasoning
Steps to answering to a case study
• Step 1: Read the case study and questions carefully
• Read the case and associated questions carefully.
• Highlight the main points of the case and any issues that you can identify.
• Read the questions closely and analyse what they are requiring you to do.
• Read the case again, linking the information that is relevant to each
question you have been asked.
Steps to answering to a case study
• Step 2: Identify the issues in the case study
• An important part of your answer is to analyse the situation and to identify
the issues/actions described in the case which may be problematic.
• Analysing the case should take the following steps:
• Defining the issue(s)
• Analysing the case data
• Generating alternatives
• Selecting decision criteria
• Analysing and evaluating alternatives and selecting the preferred one
• Developing an action/implementation plan
Steps to answering to a case study
• The following questions may help you to do this:
• What actions were taken in the case?
• Were these actions the most appropriate and why?
• Were there any consequences of the actions taken?
• Was anything omitted or not considered?
• Were actions/procedures in line with existing codes of practice, policy or
theories?
Steps to answering to a case study
• Step 3: Link theory to practice
• Use your knowledge of existing codes of practice, theories and/or other
professional documents and behaviours to decide what was done
appropriately and what was not.
Steps to answering to a case study
• Step 4: Plan your answer
• It can be useful to use the questions you have been set as headings and
to answer each part in turn, reducing the chance of omitting set
questions.
• You can always take out the headings before you submit if you wish.
• Lecturers usually set questions in a logical order, so answer in the order
they are written in your question
Steps to answering to a case study
• Step 5: Start writing your case study answer
• Like any assignment, you will need an introduction, body sections in
which you answer the questions put to you regarding the case study, and
a conclusion.
Steps to answering to a case study
• Step 6: Edit and proofread
• As with all assignments, use the spell-checking tool on your computer
and then read through your paper yourself to detect and correct other
errors and omissions.
• Check you have answered all questions and backed up your answer with
relevant literature.
• Check that you have followed your tutor’s instructions, that you have
acknowledged all sources of information correctly and that all references
are in your reference list.
Steps to answering to a case study
• Step 7: Submit
• Does your paper demonstrate that if you were a professional working in
this situation, you would know what policies and procedures should be
followed, or what actions to take to deal professionally with the situation?
• If so, it is ready to submit.
Answering long application
questions
Analyze the question
• First, identify the direction and the instructions for the question.
• This can help you determine what the lecturer expects from your
answer.
Read
• Read the question carefully to understand it fully.
Example:
Compare and contrast the human relations approach with the systems
approach to management, and in your own understanding, explain how
do the two perspectives differ in their understanding of employee
attitudes and effectiveness? (11)
Compare and contrast the roles of different management levels in
executing the management functions. In your own understanding,
discuss the implications of these differences for business effectiveness.
(14)
Identify topic words and underline them
• Think about what the long question or statement is about.
Example:
Compare and contrast the human relations approach with the systems
approach to management, and in your own understanding, explain how
do the two perspectives differ in their understanding of employee
attitudes and effectiveness? (11)
Compare and contrast the roles of different management levels in
executing the management functions. In your own understanding,
discuss the implications of these differences for business effectiveness.
(14)
Use your time effectively
• Figure out how much time you have to complete your response.
• This will influence the length of your answer, as well as how much
you cover.
• For example, if the questions are worth 75% of the exam’s grade,
and the exam was of three hours’ long, you would aim to spend
about 1 hour and 30 minutes on the questions.
Brainstorm
• Think back to the material covered in your lectures, then
brainstorm responses to the long questions a for a few minutes.
• Once you have some ideas down, choose which ones that are
relevant to the questions.
Write
• Now, with plan to work from and a clear position to argue, start
writing!
• You are still expected to write in full sentences using appropriate
academic language conventions (avoid contractions, slang,
informal language, and so on).
• Use technical and subject-specific terms to demonstrate your
knowledge and understanding.
Proof your work
• Save a few minutes at the end of your exam to read over your
answers and check for mistakes.
The end
