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How to Cite a Case Study in APA, MLA, or Chicago

When citing a case study, the format in MLA and APA is similar to that of a report, and in Chicago style, it is similar to that of a book. For all three citation styles, you will need the name of the author(s), the title of the case study, the year it was published, the publishing organization/publisher, and URL (if applicable). The templates and examples below will demonstrate how to cite a case study in MLA, APA, and Chicago styles.

Author Last Name, Author First Name.  Title of Case Study . Edition (if applicable), volume number (if applicable), Publisher, year of publication, URL without http:// or https:// (if applicable).

Hill, Linda A., et al. HCL Technologies (A). Rev. edition, Harvard Business School, 2008, www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=34784.

In-text Citation:

(Author Last Name(s) page #)

(Hill et al. 8)

Author Last Name, Author Initial. (Publication Year). Title of Case Study (Case # if applicable). Publishing Organization. URL

Hill, L., Khanna, T., & Stecker, E. (2008). HCL Technologies (A) (Case 408-004). Harvard Business School. https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=34784

(Author Last Name, Publication Year)

(Hill et al., 2008)

Notes-bibliography style

Author Last Name, First Name.  Title of the Case Study . Publishing City: Publishing Organization, Publication Year. URL.

Hill, Linda A., Tarun Khanna, and Emily Stecker. HCL Technologies (A).  Boston: Harvard Business School, 2008. https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=34784.

1. Author First Name Last Name, Title of the Case Study (Publishing City: Publishing Organization, Publication Year), URL.

1. Linda A. Hill, Tarun Khanna, and Emily Stecker, HCL Technologies (A) ( Boston: Harvard Business School, 2008), https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=34784.

Author-date style

Author Last Name, First Name. Publication Year. Title of the Case Study . Publishing City: Publishing Organization. URL.

Hill, Linda A., Tarun Khanna, and Emily Stecker. 2008. HCL Technologies (A).  Boston: Harvard Business School. https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=34784.

In-text citation: 

(Author Last Name Publication Date)

(Holl, Khanna, and Stecker 2008)

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Q. How do I cite a case study in Harvard Business Review?

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Answered By: Katie Hutchison Last Updated: Oct 26, 2016     Views: 353971

Harvard Business Review - Case Studies

This format would apply to any business case including Harvard Business Review, Ivey and MIT Sloane cases:

Author(s). Name of the case. Business Case. City. Publisher. Date. Format (Print or Web) If your format is Web include the date it was accessed. EXAMPLE: Yoffe, David B. and Renee Kim. Apple Inc in 2010. Case Study. Boston. Harvard Business Publishing, 2010. Web. 28 October 2010.

  APA Format

Harvard Business School Case Study

Citation elements required and general format:

Author(s). (Year). Title of case study . HBS No. number of case study. City, State abbreviation or Country of publication: Publisher. EXAMPLES:

One Author:

Smith, S. (2003). Leadership. HBS No. 7-806-122. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.

Two Authors:

Eisenmann, T., & Herman, K. (2006). Google, Inc. HBS No. 9-806-105. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.

  In-text citation examples – Harvard Business School Case Study

APA in-text citations include the author’s last name, the year of publication, and the page number (for quotes), either as part of the text of your paper or in parentheses.

…as the case study concluded (Smith, 2003, p. 6).

Smith reported (2003, p. 6) that the data was flawed.

Eisenmann and Herman did agree on the research findings (2006, p. 11).

… as both researchers agreed (Eisenmann & Herman, 2006, p. 11).

Chicago Manual of Style ( PDF selections copied from Grove City College Henry Buhl Library)

CASES (PRINTED)   

Footnote   

Mikołaj  Jan  Piskorski  and David Chen, “Twitter,” HBS No. 710-455 (Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing, 2010), p. 8.   

Bibliography   

Piskorski ,  Mikołaj  Jan, and David Chen. “Twitter.” HBS No. 710-455. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing, 2010.   

CASES (ONLINE)   

On the Web   

Amy C. Edmondson and Laura R. Feldman, “Group Process in the Challenger Launch Decision (A),” HBS No. 603-068 (Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing, 2002), http://hbsp.harvard.edu, accessed October 2012.   

Edmondson, Amy C., and Laura R. Feldman. “Group Process in the Challenger Launch Decision (A).” HBS No. 603-068. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing, 2002. http://hbsp. harvard.edu, accessed September 2007.   

Michael J. Enright et al., “Daewoo and the Korean Chaebol,” University of Hong Kong case no. HKU143 (University of Hong Kong, August 2001), via Harvard Business Publishing, http://hbsp.harvard.edu/, accessed March 2007.   

Bibliography   

Enright, Michael J., et al. “Daewoo and the Korean Chaebol.” University of Hong Kong case no. HKU143 (University of Hong Kong, August 2001). Harvard Business Publishing. http://hbsp.harvard.edu/, accessed March 2007.   

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FAQ: How do I cite a Harvard Business Review case study in APA Style?

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Last Updated: Jul 16, 2024 Views: 76595

The APA Manual does not include instructions on how to cite a Harvard Business Review case study. When citing case studies in APA style you will want to include the typical citation elements and apply general formatting guidelines. The following are examples of how case studies could be cited in APA style, but be sure to check with your professor about how they would like you to cite case studies in your work.

In-Text Citations

Kotter (1990) explains the steps British Airways took to reverse a horrible customer service atmosphere and financial crisis.

… as the case study concluded (Bisell & Tram, 2007).

Groysberg and Connolly (2015) concluded in their case study that….

Reference List

General format.

Author(s). (Year). Title of case study . HBS No. number of case study. Publisher.

Example, one author

Kotter, J. (1990). Changing the culture at British Airways . HBS No. 491-009. Harvard Business School Publishing.

Example, two authors

Groysberg, B., & Connolly, K. (2015). BlackRock: Diversity as a driver for success . HBS No. 415-047. Harvard Business School Publishing.

More Information

  • APA Guide  (Shapiro Library)
  • APA Style Blog This link opens in a new window (APA)
  • APA Style This link opens in a new window (APA)

This information is intended to be a guideline, not expert advice. Please be sure to speak to your professor about the appropriate way to cite sources in your class assignments and projects.

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Citing Your Sources

Chicago style, american psychological association (apa) style manuals, modern language association (mla) style manuals, selected web guides.

Proper citation is an essential aspect of scholarship. Citing properly allows your reader or audience to locate the materials you have used. Most importantly, citations give credit to the authors of quoted or consulted information. Failure to acknowledge sources of information properly may constitute plagiarism.  For an explicit definition of plagiarism, see the  Boston University Academic Conduct Code .

For detailed instructions on how to cite within the text of your paper, please consult a style manual listed below. Please also note: some of the resources below do not cover every possibility you might encounter when trying to cite your sources. For this reason, it is suggested that you consult a style manual to create your bibliography.

  • Online Resources
  • Sample Citations
  • Reference Books
  • Chicago Manual of Style Online This link opens in a new window Note: Full text online includes 16th and 17th editions.
  • Citation Quick Guide - A Chicago Style Q&A and a Tools section featuring sample forms, letters and style sheets. - Discover the difference between Notes & Bibliography style and Author/Date style.
  • Citation Guide (HBS) This excellent guide in .PDF from the Harvard Business School covers citation within text as well as how to do a bibliography using Chicago style.

1. Lynda Gratton, The Key: How Corporations Succeed by Solving the World’s Toughest Problems (New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2014),  67-71.

Shortened note:

10. Gratton, The Key , 67-71.

Bibliography entry:

Gratton, Lynda. The Key: How How Corporations Succeed by Solving the Toughest Problems . New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2014.

     13. Peter Weill and Stephanie L. Woerner, What's Your Digital Business Model?: Six Questions to Help You Build the Next-Generation Enterprise (Harvard Business Review Press, 2018), 21-23, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/bu /detail.action?docID=5180058.

Shortened note :

15. Weill and Woerner, What's Your Digital Business? , 21-23, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/bu /detail.action?docID=5180058.

Weill, Peter and Stephanie L. Woerrner. What's Your Digital Business?: Six Questions to Help You Build the Next-Generation

       Enterprise . Harvard Business Review Press 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central ,

       https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/bu /detail.action?docID=5180058.

   

Journal Article from a database

     19. Sam son Nambei Asoba and Nteboheng Patricia Mefi , "Functional Strategies for Small Businesses During Crisis Situations,"  Academy of Entrepreneurship Journal 27, n o. 3 (2021): 2-3. https://ezproxy.bu.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fscholarly-journals%2Ffunctional-strategies-small-businesses-during%2Fdocview%2F2565213471%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D9676.

      27. Asoba and Mefi, "Functional Stategies," Academy of Entrepreneurship Journal 27, 2-3. https://ezproxy.bu.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fscholarly-journals%2Ffunctional-strategies-small-businesses-during%2Fdocview%2F2565213471%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D9676

Asoba, Samson Nambei and Nteboheng Patricia Mefi. "Functional Strategies for Small Businesses During Crisis

       Situations." Academy of Entrepreneurship Journal 27, no. 3 (2021): 1-7. [place url here].

     

Electronic Databases (BU Databases)

Mergent Online (Electronic database)

      25. Thomas Key, "Comprehensive Technical and Fundamental Analysis for AAPL," Mergent Online, Stock Trader's Daily (via Investext), Sept. 15, 2021, accessed 9-17-21, [place url here].

Key, Thomas. "Comprehensive Technical and Fundamental Analysis for AAPL." Mergent Online.

      Stock Trader's Daily (via Investext). Sept. 15, 2021, accessed 9-17-21, [place url here].

MarketLine Company Profile via Business Source Complete (Electronic database)

     31 . “Company Profile: Apple Inc., “Company Profile: Apple Inc.,” MarketLine Report via Business Source Complete, accessed October 17, 2014, [place url here].

“Company Profile: Apple Inc., 19 September 2014.” MarketLine Report via Business Source Complete.

      Accessed October 17, 2014. [place url here].

Cover Art

  • APA Style.Style and Grammar Guidelines

APA Sample Citations: Note- initially no indent and then following lines indented.

Print Source:

Book (print):.

Gratton, L. (2014).  The Key: How Corporations Succeed by Solving the World’s Toughest Problems . New York: McGraw-Hill Education .

Bloomberg (Electronic Database):

Bloomberg L.P. (2014).  Historical Price Line Chart for Apple, Inc. 11/1/03 to 11/1/04 . Retrieved October 17, 2014 from Bloomberg L.P.

MarketLine Company Profile via Business Source Complete:

MarketLine Report. (2014, September 19).  Company Profile: Apple Inc . Retrieved October 17, 2014 from Business Source Complete database.

Mergent Online (SEC/EDGAR filing in BU database):

Apple, Inc. (2013, September 28).  Form 10-K . Retrieved October 17, 2014 from Mergent Online database.

Mintel Reports (Electronic Database):

Mintel. (2014, October).  Mobile Apps – US – October 2014 . Retrieved October 17, 2014 from Mintel Reports database.

SRDS online (Electronic Database)

SRDS Media Solutions. (n.d.).  U.S. News & World Report Profile . Retrieved October 17, 2014 from SRDS Media Solutions database.

University Reporter  (Electronic Database):

University Reporter . (2014, Spring).  2014 Spring Reporter Apparel/Accessories . Retrieved February 23, 2016 from  University Reporter  database.

Articles from a BU Database:

Abi/inform global.

Overman, S. (2014). The Culture of Conscience.  Leadership Excellence ,  31 (10) , 49-51.

Online Sources:

Annual report available online:.

Apple Inc.(2013).   Apple, Inc. Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended September 28, 2013 . Retrieved from http://investor.apple.com/financials.cfm.

Cover Art

  • Ask the MLA The FAQ’s answer recurring questions about the use of this style.

MLA Sample Citations: Note- initially no indent and then following lines indented.

Gratton, Lynda.  The Key: How Corporations Succeed by Solving the World’s Toughest Problems . New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2014. Print.

Electronic Databases (BU Databases):

Bloomberg (electronic database): bloomberg l.p..

Bloomberg L.P. “ Historical Price Line Chart for Apple, Inc. 11/1/03 to 11/1/04."   Bloomberg L.P. ,2014. Web. 17 October 2014.

MarketLine Report. “ Company Profile: Apple Inc. ”  Business Source Complete database,  19 September 2014. Web. 17 October 2014.

Apple, Inc. “ Form 10-K,"   Mergent Online database . 28 September 2013. Web.  17 October 2014.

Mintel (Electronic Database):

Mintel. “ Mobile Apps – US ."   Mintel database,  October 2014. Web.  17 October 2014.

SRDS Online (Electronic Database):

SRDS Media Solutions. “U.S. News & World Report Profile."  SRDS Media Solutions, n.d. Web. 17 October 2014.

University Reporter .  2014 Spring Reporter Apparel/Accessories . Web. February 23, 2016.

Article from a BU database

Overman, Steven. “The Culture of Conscience."  Leadership Excellence  31.10 (2014): 49-51. ABI-Inform Complete. Web.  17 October 2014.

Online Sources

Apple Inc.  Apple, Inc. Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended September 28, 2013 . Apple Inc., 28 September 2013. Web. 17 October 2014.

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  • Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) The Online Writing Lab at Purdue University provides examples of APA, MLA and Chicago Style citations as well as formatting instructions from the style manuals.

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Answered By: Theresa Bell (she/her/hers) Last Updated: Nov 04, 2021     Views: 42050

APA Style (7th ed.)

Case study with a DOI

If the case study has an assigned DOI (print or online versions), include the DOI in the reference.

Khan, S. (2019). Managing a leadership transition in an non-governmental organization [Case study]. SAGE Business Cases Originals. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526465061

  • In-text citation: (Khan, 2019, p. X)

Case study without a DOI retrieved from an academic research database

Peters, C., Thomas, J., Aponte, M., Connelly, R., & Judge, S. (2014).  Media Arts Group and the case of channel conflict [Case study]. Society for Case Research.

  • In-text citation: (Peters et al., 2014, p. X)

American Psychological Association. (2020).  Publication manual of the American Psychological Association  (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

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Referencing Case Studies

IN-TEXT CITATION

Spar and Burns (2000) ...

.... (Spar & Burns, 2000)

"....." (Spar & Burns, 2000:8)

FORMAT OF A REFERENCE TO A CASE STUDY

Author’s surname, Initials. Year. ‘Title.’ Case number. Place: Publisher or Institution.

Note that the title is not italicised.

EXAMPLE OF A REFERENCE TO A PRINTED CASE STUDY

Spar, D. and Burns, J. 2000. ‘Hitting the wall: Nike and International Labor Practices.’ HBS 700047.  Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing.

EXAMPLE OF A REFERENCE TO AN ELECTRONIC CASE STUDY FROM A DATABASE

Mathu, K.M. and Scheepers, C . 2016.  'L eading change towards sustainable green coal mining'. Available from: Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies, < https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/full/10.1108/ EEMCS-01-2016-0007> [Accessed on: 7 June 2017].

Referencing Standards

South African Bureau of Standards (2013) ...

... (South African Bureau of Standards, 2013).

"....." (South African Bureau of Standards, 2013: 3).

FORMAT OF A REFERENCE  TO A STANDARD

Name of the Authorizing Body. Year.  Number and Title of Standard.  Place of Publication: Publisher.

 EXAMPLE OF A REFERENCE TO A PRINT STANDARD

British Standards Institute.2015.  ​BS ISO 14001:Environmental management systems. Requirements with guidance for use.  ​London: British Standards Institute.

EXAMPLE OF A REFERENCE  TO AN ELECTRONIC STANDARD TAKEN FROM A DATABASE

South African Bureau of Standards. 2013.  SANS 1300​: Quality management — Customer satisfaction — Guidelines for monitoring and measuring ​. [online]. Pretoria: South African Bureau of Standards. Available from:<https://www.sabs.co.za/Standardss/index.asp> [ Accessed on: 17 March 2014].

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Online news articles, case studies.

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*Cite and Analyze Business Information: Cite Online Sources in APA Format

IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT THIS CITATION GUIDE:

  • This guide reflects the most current version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7 , published October 2019). 
  • The citation examples on this guide are for electronic sources only . For tips on print materials, see Purdue University's Online Writing Lab for APA guidelines .
  • APA 7 no longer requires the use of "Retrieved from" in front of URLs or DOIs , unless the resource is unarchived. Citations for unarchived materials should include a retrieval date to indicate that the version of the work cited may be different than what was originally used. 

Basic format for a journal article in an electronic journal (or from a database) Author, A.A., & Author, B.B. (Year). Article title. Periodical Title, volume number (issue number), pages. https://doi.org/xx.xxx/yyyy 

Notes about DOIs and URLs:

  • If the article is assigned a DOI ( digital object indicator ), include it after the page numbers of the article.
  • If the online scholarly article is published on a website and no DOI is assigned, indicate the URL of the website you retrieved the article from.
  • If the online scholarly article is published in a database and no DOI is assigned, do not include a URL or any database information. 

Citation example: Hendrikx, A., & Castro, D. (2022). Netflix’s community relationship management: An analysis of its Facebook-USA page.  Journal of Media Business Studies ,  19 (2), 108–125. https://doi.org/10.1080/16522354.2021.1932396 Intext citation:  (Hendrikx & Castro, 2022 )

Webpage or Piece of Online Content

Formats With or Without an Author: Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year, Month Date).  Title of page . Site Name. URL

Group or Organization Name. (Year, Month Date). Title of page . Site Name. URL

Citation Examples: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. (2018, September 5). Using EDGAR to research investments. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  https://www.sec.gov/filings/edgar-guide Intext citation:  (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 2018)

Federal Trade Commission. (2014, March 27).  FTC proposes changes to fuel rating rule [Press Release]. Federal Trade Commission.  http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2014/03/ftc-proposes-changes-fuel-rating-rule Intext citation:  (Federal Trade Commission, 2014)

Brown, A. (2014, March 3). Forbes billionaires: Full list of the richest Americans . Forbes.com.  http://www.forbes.com/sites/abrambrown/2014/03/03/forbes-billionaires-full-list-of-the-richest-americans/ Intext citation: (Brown, 2014)

  • If no date is given on the website, use [n.d.], which stands for "no date."

Basic Format: Author, A.A. (Year, Month Date). Title of article. Title of Publication . URL

Citation Example: Scheiber, N. (2023, August 16). From Detroit to Hollywood, New union leaders take a harder line. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/16/business/economy/union-leaders-teamsters-uaw-hollywood.html   Intext citation:  (Scheiber, 2023)

  • If the business case is published in a journal, follow the guidelines for journal article citations.
  • If the business case is published as a case document, include the publisher name and a DOI or URL.

Citation example for a case study published in an academic article or journal (such as in Harvard Business Review): Gino, F., Klesyk, A., & Hartman, M. (2013). Fighting a government threat. Harvard Business Review , 91 (3), 123-127.  Intext citation: ( Gino, Klesyk & Hartman, 2013)

Citation example for a case study published as a business case document (such as in Sage Business Cases): Kimball, D. C., (2016). Corporate social responsibility at Starbucks: 2016–2017 issues for discussion. In  Sage Business Cases . SAGE Publications, Ltd., https:// doi. org/10.4135/9781473972261 Intext citation: ( Kimball, 2016)

Blogs, Discussion Forums, & Newsgroups

Basic Format: Author, A.A. (Year, Month Date). Title of posted item. Publisher Name . URL

  • If no author name, use screen name, if no screen name, use the title.
  • Try to use a permanent link (aka permalink), if available.

Citation example of blog post : Ritholtz, B. (2010, October 20). Darwin's law of maladaptive corporate behavior (or, why bailouts are nearly always a terrible idea). The Big Picture . http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2010/10/darwins-corporate-survival Intext citation: (Ritholtz, 2010)

Citation example of blog comment: Cherub96. (2010, October 20). Re: Darwin's law of maladaptive corporate behavior (or, why bailouts are nearly always a terrible idea) [Blog Comment].  The Big Picture . http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2010/10/darwins-corporate-survival Intext citation: (Cherub96, 2010)

Basic Format: Host, A. (Host). (Year, Month Date). Title of episode (No. if provided). [Audio podcast episode]. In Name of Podcast . Publisher Name. URL

Citation Example of Podcast using the host's name: Beard, A. (Host). (2023, July 18). In defense of middle management (923). [Audio podcast episode]. In HBR IdeaCast . Harvard Business Review.  https://hbr.org/podcast/2023/07/in-defense-of-middle-management Intext citation:   (Beard, 2018)

Emails and Interviews

Personal Communications (e.g., interviews, emails): When personal communications such as interviews or emails are not recoverable by readers, they are not included in the references unless the instructor requires it. However, they must be cited intext.

Recorded Interviews (e.g., audio or video)   Citation Example: UW Bothell. (2014, March 20). UW Bothell Icons of Retail Conversation with Erik Nordstrom  [Video]. YouTube.  http://youtu.be/taAWMIRsEx4

Citation for an interview from a journal or magazine: Published interviews are cited according to the print or online journal format.

If you have questions:

  • check with the UWB Writing and Communication Center
  • consult the Purdue OWL APA website

Online Abstract

Basic Format: Author, A., & Author, B. (Year). Article title [Abstract].  Periodical Title, volume (issue), pages. 

NOTE: If you are unable to obtain the full article, instructors may allow use of information from an abstract; however, the citation must indicate the information came from an abstract. Include "[Abstract]" after the article or source name, as shown in the citation format example above. Information from abstracts should not be used for material being published.

Example Citation for an Abstract: Mehra, A., & Floyd, S.W. (1998, July-August). Product market heterogeneity, resource imitability and strategic group formation [Abstract].  Journal of Management, 24 (4), 511-512.  Intext Citation: (Mehra & Floyd, 1998)

Company, Industry, Market, and Financial Reports

Basic formats for company, industry, marketing, and financial reports:

Author, A.A., & Author, B.B. (Year, Month Date). Title of report. Publisher Name.   DOI or URL 

Name of Group. (Year, Month Date). Title of report. Publisher Name.   DOI or URL 

NOTES: For school assignments :

  • When citing reports found in a database, list the DOI (if there is one) but do not list the URL. 
  • When citing reports found on a free website (such as a company website), list the URL at the end of the citation.

Reporting the database name is not standard procedure for published articles and reports.

Company report

Citation examples: MarketLine. (2023).  Costco wholesale corporation MarketLine company profile. MarketLine.  Intext citation:  (MarketLine, 2023)

D&B Hoover's, Inc. (2009).  International Business Machines: company profile: Index.  D&B Hoover's. Intext citation: (D&B Hoover's, 2009)

Mergent. (2013). Nike, Inc. company details report . MergentOnline. Intext citation: (Mergent, 2013)

Industry reports

Citation Example: Kaczanowska, A. (2012, June).  IBISWorld industry report OD4302. Craft beer production in the US . IBISWorld.  Intext citation:   (Kaczanowska, 2012)

Market reports

Citation Example: Mintel. (2023). Cannabis retail: Positioning and marketing US, 2023 . Mintel Group Ltd.  Intext citation:   (Mintel, 2023)

Financial reports

When citing financial reports, following the report title, include any file name or number (if available) and any other identifying information needed to trace the report.

Citation Examples: General Electric Company. (2011).  United States Securities and Exchange Commission form 10-K for the fiscal year ended 2010.  U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/40545/000119312511047479/d10k.htm   Intext citation:  (General Electric Company, 2011)

Texas Instruments. (2010).  2010 annual report to shareholders.  Texas Instruments.  http://www.ti.com/corp/docs/investor/ar10/index.html Intext citation:  (Texas Instruments, 2010)

For more in-depth details about citing SimplyAnalytics, including screenshots showing how to retrieve citation data, see the SimplyAnalytics user guide .

Basic format: Variable One With Year, Variable Two With Year, and Variable Three With Year. Data Source. SimplyAnalytics.

Citation example with one variable: Median Household Income 2020. US Census Bureau American Community Survey. Census 2009 Estimate. SimplyAnalytics. Intext citation: (Median Household Income, 2020)

Citation example with two variables: Make of Vehicle- Most Recently Acquired- Toyota 2019 and Gasoline Household Average 2020. SimmonsLOCAL and SimplyAnalytics Consumer Expenditure Estimates. SimplyAnalytics. Intext citation: (Make of Vehicle-Toyota 2019 and Gasoline Household Average 2020)

NOTE:  List all major variables used (i.e. income, automotive sales, etc). 

General formats for eBooks

Basic Formats: Author, A.A. (Year). Book title . Publisher Name. URL Author, A.A. (Year).  Book title [eBook edition]. Publisher Name. URL Author, A.A. (Year). Book title (N. Narrator, Narr). [Audiobook]. Publisher Name. URL 

NOTES: APA 7 does not require you to note that you have used an eBook if the content is the same as a physical book. As such, if the eBook is retrieved from a database, it is not always necessary to include the database URL in the citation. If an eBook is fond on the free Web, include a URL or DOI.

Citation Example: Kolb, R.W. (Ed.). (2008). Encyclopedia of business, ethics and society . SAGE Publications.  Intext citation: (Kolb, 2008)

eBooks on the free Web

Basic Format: Author, A.A. (Year). Book Title. Publisher Name.   DOI or URL

Citation Example: Weathington, B. L., Cunningham, C. J. L., & Pittenger, D. J. (2012). Understanding business research . John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/9781118342978.  Intext citation: (Weathington, Cunningham, & Pittenger 2012)

eBook chapter

Citation Format: Author, A.A., & Author B.B. (Year). Title of chapter. In A. Editor & B. Editor (Eds.), Title of book (pp.xxx-xxx). Publisher. .

Citation Example: Anicama, C. (2011). Business responsibilities and human rights in Latin America: Lessons and inspiration for the future. In K. Bhuman, L. Roseberry, & M. Morsing (Eds.), Corporate social and human rights responsibilities (pp.185-201). Palgrave Macmillan. Intext citation: (Anicama, 2011)

Example of Work Cited in Another Work

Boxall, P. & Purcell, J. (2008). Strategy and human resource management . Palgrave Macmillan. In Budhwar, P. S. & Bhatnagar, J. (Eds). (2009). The changing face of people management in India . (p. 162). Routledge.  Intext citation: (Boxall & Purcell, 2008)

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MLA Citation Guide (MLA 9th Edition): Case Studies

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Case Study from a Library Database

Case study from a website, case study from a book or ebook.

. Case Study.


Havard, Cody T. "Basketball at the Most Magical Place on Earth: A Case Study of the NBA’s Season Conclusion at Walt Disney World amid the COVID-19 Pandemic." SAGE, 2021.  . Case Study.  

Author last name, page number (if given) 

 

 

. Case Study Number (if given), Sponsoring Organization, Date of publication or last modified date, URL. Case Study.


Case No. ETH33, Stanford Graduate School of Business, 2021,  . Case Study.  

Author last name, page number (if given) 

 

 

, edited by First Name Last Name of Editor if given, Publisher, Year of Publication, pp. Page Numbers.  or URL (if citing eBook). Case Study.


Green Cause-Related Marketing for Social Innovation: Helping People to Reimagine Plastic Recycling and Sustainability." , Springer, 2021, pp. 19-30.  . Case Study.

Author last name, page number 

 

 

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Getting Started with Citing

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David Lam Library's Business Citation Examples guide offers citation tips, as well as APA citation examples from commonly used business databases. Use this document along with the Library's Getting Started with APA Citation Style guide.

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How do I cite a case study?

According to APA, case studies do not have their own citation style or process, instead a case study is typically cited according to its source type -- often as an article. See below for some examples.

Journal Article/Case Study with DOI (Print or Electronic)

Author Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial.(Year). Title of article. Journal Title , Volume Number (Issue Number), Page Numbers. http://dx.doi.org/xx.xxxxxxx.xx.x

Wheeler, B. J., & Taylor, B. J. (2012). Successful management of allergy to the insulin excipient metacresol in a child with type 1 diabetes: a case report.  Journal Of Medical Case Reports ,  6 (1), 263-266. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1752-1947-6-263

Case Study with a DOI from a Library Database (not from a Journal)

Author Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year). Title of article. Publisher . http://dx.doi.org/xx.xxxxxxx.xx.x

Example from SAGE Cases:

Ravichandran, N., & Narayanaswami, S. (2016). Security management at the national institute of management: To outsource or insource? (A). SAGE Publications . https://www.doi.org/10.4135/9781526438379

Journal Article/Case Study Without a DOI from a Library Database

Author Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., & Author Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year). Title of article. Journal Title, Volume Number (Issue Number), Page Numbers. Permanent link/URL

Pedemont, K., Jolly, N., & Rose, L. (2011). A child with Myasthenia Gravis and defective accommodation: A case study.  Australian Orthoptic Journal ,  43 (2), 4–8.  https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=a9h&AN=87023984&site=eds-live&custid=s9076023

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General format

There is no specific way to reference a case study in APA style. Case studies are typically published as an article or report, or within a book. Format the reference list entry according to the type of publication. Following are some examples of case studies in business.

Business case study

Author(s). (Year).   Title of case study . Number of case study. URL

Harvard business school case study

Dey, A. (2022). Corporate governance: A three pillar framework. HBS No. 491-009.  https://hbsp.harvard.edu/cases/

Ivey business school case study

Dunbar, C., & Southam, C. (2005). London youth symphony. Ivey ID: 9B05009.  http://iveycases.com

Style notes

  • If the case study is not numbered, leave it out of the reference entry.
  • If the source is a book, format the reference according to the rules for books.
  • If the source is a journal, format the reference according to the rules for journal articles.
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Answer Last Updated: Aug 23, 2023     Views: 20717

Author's Last Name, Author's First Name. "Title of Case Study." Case Study Number (if given), Publisher, Year of Publication.  Database Name . Case Study.

Havard, Cody T. " Basketball at the Most Magical Place on Earth: A Case Study of the NBA’s Season Conclusion at Walt Disney World Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic." SAGE, 2021.  SAGE Business Cases . Case Study.   

  According to APA, case studies do not have their own citation style or process, instead, cite as an article. 

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How to Cite a Case Study

Last Updated: March 6, 2024

This article was reviewed by Gerald Posner and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Gerald Posner is an Author & Journalist based in Miami, Florida. With over 35 years of experience, he specializes in investigative journalism, nonfiction books, and editorials. He holds a law degree from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and a BA in Political Science from the University of California-Berkeley. He’s the author of thirteen books, including several New York Times bestsellers, the winner of the Florida Book Award for General Nonfiction, and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. He was also shortlisted for the Best Business Book of 2020 by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. This article has been viewed 37,953 times.

Particularly in research for business studies or papers in the social sciences, you may want to cite a case study completed by a university or other organization. While case studies have titles and publication information like other articles, they often have a unique case study number that is typically included in your citation. While Chicago citation style is most frequently used in business schools, you may also use the American Psychological Association (APA) or Modern Language Association (MLA) style.

Sample Citations

how to quote business case study

  • Example: Lee, Stan.
  • If there is more than one author, list the additional authors' names in first-middle initial-last format. Separate author's names with commas, with the word "and" before the last author's name.

Step 2 Identify the name and number of the case study.

  • Example: Lee, Stan. "DC Comics in 2016." HBS No. 999-111.

Step 3 Add publication information for the case study.

  • Example: Lee, Stan. "DC Comics in 2016." HBS No. 999-111. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing, 2017.

Step 4 Include the URL and date of access for online cases.

  • Example: Lee, Stan. "DC Comics in 2016." HBS No. 999-111. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing, 2017. http://hbsp.harvard.edu, accessed July 2018.

Step 5 Alter the punctuation for footnotes.

  • Print example: Stan Lee, "DC Comics in 2016," HBS No. 999-111 (Boston, Harvard Business School Publishing, 2017), p. 14.
  • Online example: Stan Lee, "DC Comics in 2016," HBS No. 999-111 (Boston, Harvard Business School Publishing, 2017), http://hbsp.harvard.edu, accessed July 2018.

Step 1 Put the name of the author, last name first.

  • Example: Lee, S.
  • Separate the names of multiple authors with commas, placing an ampersand before the last author's name.

Step 2 Include the year of publication in parentheses.

  • Example: Lee, S. (2017).
  • If there is no year of publication listed, use the abbreviation "n.d." in the parentheses.

Step 3 Provide the title of the case study in italics.

  • Example: Lee, S. (2017). DC Comics in 2016 .

Step 4 List the case number of the case study.

  • Example: Lee, S. (2017). DC Comics in 2016 . HBS No. 999-111.

Step 5 Close your citation with publication information.

  • Example: Lee, S. (2017). DC Comics in 2016 . HBS No. 999-111. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.

Step 6 Provide the author and year of publication for in-text citations.

  • Example: (Lee, 2017).

Step 1 Provide the author's name first.

  • If there are 2 authors, place the word "and" between their names. For 3 or more, use commas with the word "and" before the final author. After the first author, list subsequent authors with their first name followed by their last name. For example: Lee, Stan and Clark Kent.

Step 2 Include the title and the phrase

  • Example: Lee, Stan. DC Comics in 2016. Case Study.

Step 3 List publication information for the case study.

  • Example: Lee, Stan. DC Comics in 2016. Case Study. Boston. Harvard Business School Publishing, 2017.
  • Note that unlike many other citation styles, the unique case study number is not necessarily included for MLA citations. Ask your instructor or supervisor if they want this information included in your citation.

Step 4 Identify whether you accessed a print or online version.

  • Print example: Lee, Stan. DC Comics in 2016. Case Study. Boston. Harvard Business School Publishing, 2017. Print.
  • Web example: Lee, Stan. DC Comics in 2016. Case Study. Boston. Harvard Business School Publishing, 2017. Web. 17 July 2018.
  • If you accessed the case study online, you may put the URL of the case study. However, this isn't required by MLA style. Ask your instructor or supervisor for their preference.

Step 5 Use the author's name and page number in parenthetical citations.

  • Example: (Lee 27).

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  • ↑ https://guides.library.ualberta.ca/apa-citation-style/case-studies
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how to quote business case study

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APA Citation Style 7th ed.: Specific Business Sources

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Specific Business Sources

how to quote business case study

Jump to a source:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

ABI/INFORM Trade & Industry

Article (trade publication).

Slefo, G. P. (2020, April 6). Digital audio sees shifts: with less commuting, consumers are changing when and where they listen – and what they are listening to. Advertising Age .

Country data set

Economist Intelligence Unit. (2020, May 25). CountryData South Africa May 2020 [Data set]. http://search.proquest.com/abitrade  

Industry profile

Dun & Bradstreet First Research reports seem to be available in multiple databases, so in such cases APA says not to include the database name or URL.

Dun & Bradstreet. (2019, May 27). Restaurants - quarterly update [industry report].

Fitch Solutions Group Limited. (n.d.). Mexico agribusiness report Q1 2020 [Industry profile]. BMI Research. http://search.proquest.com/abitrade

Access World News

Broadcast transcript

Kelly, M.L. (2020, May 4). Alaska restaurant owner: reopening far from profitable, but still worth it. [Radio broadcast transcript]. NPR All Things Considered. http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/?p=NewsBank

Newspaper article

DePass, D. & Crosby, J. (2020, February 13). Businesses could feel hit as virus cuts supply chain. Star Tribune , 1A.

Annual Report, 10-K, Other SEC filings

McDonald’s. (2019). 2018 annual report . https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/m/NYSE_MCD_2018.pdf

SEC/EDGAR filings

Netflix. (2020, April 21). Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 21, 2020. https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1065280/000106528020000155/form10qq120.htm

Bloomberg. (2019). Company analysis for Bank of Canada. https://www.bloomberg.com/

Bloomberg. (2017). Environmental, social, and governance analysis for Bank of Canada 11/10/12 to 11/10/17. https://www.bloomberg.com/

Bloomberg Businessweek

Park, K., Philip, S., Davies, W., Man, Y., & Amin, H. (2020, April 20). The virus clips AirAsia’s wings. Bloomberg Businessweek , 16–17.

Business Source Premier

Maze, J. (2020, May/June). Game of chicken: Popeyes' sandwich and Chick-fil-A's consistency proved again that America can't get enough chicken. Restaurant Business.

Company profile

MarketLine. (2020, January 16). 3M Company [Company profile]. https://www.ebsco.com/products/research-databases/business-source-premier  

Country report

IHS Markit. (2020, March 3). Country/territory report - Australia. https://www.ebsco.com/products/research-databases/business-source-premier

MarketLine. (2020, April). Healthcare providers in Germany. [Industry profile]. https://www.ebsco.com/products/research-databases/business-source-premier  

SWOT analysis

MarketLine. (2019, September 27). Apple, Inc. SWOT Analysis. https://www.ebsco.com/products/research-databases/business-source-premier

Case studies

One author:

Smith, S. (2003). Leadership. HBS No. 7-806-122. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.

Two authors:

Eisenmann, T., & Herman, K. (2006). Google, Inc. HBS No. 9-806-105. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.

Textbook case study, one author:

Pederson, S. (2008). The XYZ Group. In J. Ness, Cases in digital processing (pp.11-20). Saskatoon, Canada: CDMA Publishing.

Census data

Find the permalink to cite the Census table directly whenever possible, rather than the various visualization tools such as CHASS which do not have permalinks.

Statistics Canada. (2017). Census profile, 2016 Census: Montréal (Census metropolitan area), Quebec and Quebec (Province) (Table 98-316-X2016001) [Data set]. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMACA&Code1=462&Geo2=PR&Code2=24&SearchText=Montreal&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1&type=0

Statistics Canada. (n.d.). Income - total sex: Total - income statistics in 2015 for the population aged 15 years and over in private households [Data set]. CHASS. http://datacentre.chass.utoronto.ca/

United States

Find the permalink to cite the Census table directly whenever possible, rather than the various visualization tools such as Census Business Builder which do not usually have permalinks.

U.S. Census Bureau. (2017). Construction: Summary statistics for the US, states, and selected geographies (Table EC1723BASIC) [Data set]. U.S. Department of Commerce. https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?tid=ECNBASIC2017.EC1723BASIC&t=Employment%3ANew%20Housing%20%28Construction%20and%20Sales%29&vintage=2017&hidePreview=false

U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). QuickFacts: Madison city, Wisconsin . U.S. Department of Commerce. Retrieved June 18, 2020, from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/madisoncitywisconsin/LND110210

U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). Census business builder: Small business edition - 3.0.1 [Map showing restaurants in the Dane County, WI area and surrounding counties].  U.S. Department of Commerce. Retrieved June 18, 2020, from https://cbb.census.gov/sbe/#

U.S. Census Bureau. (2012). Retail trade: Geographic area series: Summary statistics for the United States, States, metro areas. counties, and places: 2012 (Table EC1244A1) [Dataset]. U.S. Department of Commerce. https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=EC1244&hidePreview=true&table=EC1244A1&tid=ECNBASIC2012.EC1244A1&g=0100000US,.04000.001&lastDisplayedRow=30

U.S. Census Bureau. (2018). Hennepin county, Minnesota - income in the past 12 months (in 2018 inflation-adjusted dollars) (Table S1901) [Dataset]. U.S. Department of Commerce. https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=hennepin%20county%20mn%20income&g=0500000US27053&hidePreview=false&tid=ACSST1Y2018.S1901&t=Income%20%28Households,%20Families,%20Individuals%29&layer=VT_2018_050_00_PY_D1&cid=S1901_C01_001E&vintage=2018

U.S. Census Bureau. (2018). Ramsey county, Minnesota - all sectors: County Business Patterns by legal form of organization and employment size class for U.S., states, and selected geographies: 2018 (Table CB1800CBP) [Dataset]. U.S. Department of Commerce. https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=0500000US27123&d=ANN%20Business%20Patterns%20County%20Business%20Patterns&table=CB1800CBP&tid=CBP2018.CB1800CBP&hidePreview=true&lastDisplayedRow=18

CIA World Factbook 

Central Intelligence Agency. (2020). Brazil. In The World Factbook . https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br.html

Consumer Expenditure Survey

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2018). Race of reference person: Shares of annual aggregate expenditures and sources of income, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2018 (Table 2100) [Dataset]. U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.bls.gov/cex/2018/aggregate/race.pdf

Country Commercial Guides

International Trade Administration. (2019, June 4). Latvia Country Commercial Guide. U.S. Department of Commerce. https://legacy.export.gov/article?series=a0pt0000000PAuFAAW&type=Country_Commercial__kav

D&B Hoovers

Analyst report.

Deutsche Bank. (2020, April 28). 3M: Under the mask [Analyst report]. Dun & Bradstreet. http://logon.onesource.com/

Dun & Bradstreet. (n.d.). Kohl's Corporation [Company profile]. Retrieved May 27, 2020, from http://logon.onesource.com/

Some reports are HTML and without a date; some are PDFs with a date.

Dun & Bradstreet. (n.d.). Space research & technology [Industry profile]. Retrieved June 29, 2020, from http://logon.onesource.com/

MarketLine. (2020, January). Home & garden products in the United States [Industry profile]. Dun & Bradstreet. http://logon.onesource.com/

Dun & Bradstreet. (2019, December 6). Target Corporation SWOT analysis. http://logon.onesource.com/

Data-Planet Statistical Datasets

Energy Information Administration. (2020, May 17). Retail gasoline prices: Gasoline prices - all grades, 08/20/1990 - 05/11/2020 [Data set]. Department of Energy; Data Planet Statistical Datasets. https://doi.org/10.6068/DP1722EF40B2064

Loose, N., Spearman, J., & Gewise, J. (2021, May). Online shops: Amazon in China 2021 [Report]. Statista Global Consumer Survey - Brand Report. https://ecommercedb.com/

Briggs, P., Dolliver, M., Kim, A., Koch, L., & Wurmser, Y. (2020, February). Canada digital habits by generation: Identifying key distinctions across age groups, from teens to baby boomers . eMarketer. https://www.emarketer.com/

eStatement Studies

You may need to use a search engine to find the URL for a particular report.

Risk Management Association. (2019, November 11). Financial ratio benchmarks 2019-2020 for NAICS 11110: Soybean farming . https://www.rmahq.org/ProductDetail.aspx?productid=684685779

Lombardo, C. & Mattioli, D. (2020, July 24). Amazon wooed startups, then competed with them - some companies regret sharing information with the tech giant. Wall Street Journal, J1.

Water-conscious Coloradoans love "Garden in a box," the ready-made, do-it-yourself xeric garden kit (2020, March 12). Business Wire.

Factiva. (n.d.). Best Buy Co, Inc. [Company profile]. Retrieved May 27, 2020, from http://global.factiva.com/

Ratios  

Factiva. (n.d.). Starbucks Corp. [Ratio comparison report]. Retrieved May 27, 2020, from http://global.factiva.com/

IBISWorld Industry Market Research

Most reports have a unique identifier number, so use it in parentheses after the title. In this case, also include a more specific description in the brackets than just [Industry report] as is often used elsewhere, because IBIS has risk and other reports as well as global, state, and other levels of industry reports, and sometimes the titles and numbers are the same.

Diment, D. (2019, December). Corporate wellness services (OD4621) [U.S. specialized industry report] . IBISWorld . https://www.ibisworld.com/

Egan, S. (2021, May). Car & automobile manufacturing in the US (33611A) [U.S. industry iExpert summaries report] . IBISWorld . https://www.ibisworld.com/

Lombardo, C. (2019, July). Breweries in Colorado (CO31212) [U.S. industry state report] . IBISWorld . https://www.ibisworld.com/

McGrath, S. (2020, June). Global commercial real estate (K6111-GL) [Global industry report] . IBISWorld . https://www.ibisworld.com/

Market Share Reporter

Global energy consumption, 2016. (2020). In R. S. Lazich & V. L. Burton, III (Eds.), Market Share Reporter (30th ed.). Gale.

Mergent Intellect / Mergent FirstResearch

Mergent. (n.d). Davanni’s, Inc. [Company profile]. Retrieved June 3, 2020, from      https://www.mergentintellect.com/

Dun & Bradstreet. (2019, August 26). Fast-food & quick-service restaurants [industry report].

Mergent Online

Analyst reports (Investext)

MarketLine. (2020, June). Target Corp. [Analyst report]. Retrieved from https://www.mergentonline.com/login.php

Mergent. (n.d.). Hain Celestial Group [Company profile]. Retrieved June 3, 2020, from https://www.mergentonline.com/login.php  

Executive biography

Mergent. (n.d.). Hain Celestial Group: R. Dean Hollis [Executive bio]. Retrieved June 3, 2020, from https://www.mergentonline.com/login.php  

Company financials/ratios (part of a company profile)

Mergent. (n.d.). Apple, Inc. Company financials. Retrieved June 3, 2020, from https://www.mergentonline.com/login.php  

SEC filings

Best Buy Co. Inc. (2020, March 23). Form 10-K. Retrieved from https://www.mergentonline.com/login.php  

SWOT (Investext)

GlobalData. (2020, March 19). FedEx Corporation (FDX) Financial and Strategic SWOT Analysis Review. https://www.mergentonline.com/login.php

Mintel Academic

Failla, J. (2020, April). Quick service restaurants - US . Mintel. https://reports.mintel.com/display/986928/#

Mintel. (n.d.). Shampoo & conditioners: Retail market segmentation by values . Retrieved May 28, 2020, from https://marketsizes.mintel.com/

Morningstar

Company ratios  

Morningstar. (n.d.). Delta Air Lines Inc.: key ratios. Retrieved May 27, 2020 from http://library.morningstar.com

Mutual fund report  

Morningstar. (n.d.). Vanguard Global Equity [Mutual fund report]. Retrieved May 27, 2020 from http://library.morningstar.com

Stock analysis  

Huey, B. (2020, July 14). Delta Air Lines analyst note. Retrieved from http://library.morningstar.com  

MRI-Simmons Catalyst

Since the title of the dataset is not very descriptive of your particular data retrieved, include a description of the variables you used so that somebody else could figure out what you did.

Brand Catalyst

MRI-Simmons. (2020). Spring 2020 NHCS adult study 12 month [Male 18-34] [Segmentation profile]. https://simmonsinsights.com/

Crosstab results

MRI-Simmons. (2020). Spring 2020 NHCS adult study 12 month [Cell phones / smartphones services used last 30 days  - age, gender] [Data set]. https://simmonsinsights.com/

MRI-Simmons. (2020). Spring 2020 NHCS adult study 12 month [Computer software types owned by age] [Data set]. https://simmonsinsights.com/

Quick Reports

Quick Report- Demographic Profile  

MRI-Simmons. (2020). Spring 2020 NHCS adult study 12 month [Target/ TUMS-brands used most] [Demographic profile]. https://simmonsinsights.com/

Quick Report- Segmentation  

MRI-Simmons. (2020). Spring 2020 NHCS adult study 12 month [Base/ Millennials] [Segmentation profile]. https://simmonsinsights.com/

Homma, A. (2020, February 24). Apparel and footwear in the US [Country report]. Passport.  https://go.euromonitor.com/passport.html

Euromonitor. (n.d.). Apparel and footwear USA [Market sizes]. Passport. Retrieved May 20, 2020, from https://go.euromonitor.com/passport.html

Euromonitor. (2018, February 8). Population change as a megatrend driver [Briefing]. Passport.   https://go.euromonitor.com/passport.html

Euromonitor.  (n.d.) Apparel and footwear dashboard: Store-based retailing [Chart]. Passport.  Retrieved June 4, 2020, from https://go.euromonitor.com/passport.html

Pew Research Center

Pew Research Center. (2020, April 20). From virtual parties to ordering food, how Americans are using the internet during COVID-19 [Report]. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/04/30/from-virtual-parties-to-ordering-food-how-americans-are-using-the-internet-during-covid-19/

Political Risk Yearbook

PRS Group. (2019, August). Czech Republic. In Political risk yearbook.   https://epub.prsgroup.com/

Press Release

No database info needed if it’s something widely available from multiple sources (e.g., most periodical articles, press releases, stock information.)

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2019, November 15). FDA approves first contact lens indicated to slow the progression of nearsightedness in children [Press release]. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-contact-lens-indicated-slow-progression-nearsightedness-children

Company profiles

PrivCo. (n.d.). PopSockets [Company profile]. Retrieved May 26, 2020, from https://system.privco.com/auth/login

Company lists or directories

Since there is no official title, create a description in square brackets, non-italicized, to describe how you compiled this data. See section 9.22 in the Manual. The square brackets in this case indicate that somebody else searching the resource cannot use these exact words to search for it; but they could figure out what you did.

PrivCo. (n.d.). [List of VC-backed companies in the Boulder, CO, area with up to $500M in revenue]. Retrieved June 29, 2020, from https://system.privco.com/auth/login

ProQuest US Newstream

Kumar, K. (2020, March 10). Target puts cap on disinfectant sales: retailer encouraging no-contact deliveries for same-day Shipt service. Star Tribune, D3.

Reference Solutions

Look in the Business Demographics section for the Last Updated date.

If the title of the company profile is sufficiently unique to identify the company profile (i.e. there is only one of that company in that city & state), then the company name with city is the title:

Data Axle. (2020, September). Jackson Hewitt Tax Svc-Walmart, Kenai, AK [Company profile]. Reference Solutions. Retrieved January 26, 2021, from https://www.referenceusa.com

If there are multiple locations of that business in that city/state, include the exact address in parentheses as a form of unique number identifier:

Data Axle. (2020, September). Jackson Hewitt Tax Svc-Walmart (3101 A. St, Anchorage, AK) [Company profile]. Reference Solutions. Retrieved January 26, 2021, from https://www.referenceusa.com

Data Axle. (n.d.). [List of companies in Walworth county, Wisconsin with 5 or more employees]. Reference Solutions. Retrieved January 26, 2021, from https://www.referenceusa.com

Richard K. Miller & Associates (RKMA Market Research Handbooks)

Miller, R. K., & Washington, K. (2019). Consumer behavior 2019-2020. Richard K. Miller & Associates.

S&P Global NetAdvantage

Standard & Poor’s. (2020). Restaurant Brands International [Company profile] . S&P NetAdvantage. https://www.capitaliq.com

Standard & Poor’s. (2020). Transaction screening: bankruptcy announcement date 5/20/2020 - 5/27/2020 [Data set]. S&P NetAdvantage. https://www.capitaliq.com

Scarola, C. & Ko, W. (2020, May). Aerospace & defense. CFRA Industry Surveys. https://www.capitaliq.com

Stock report

CFRA Equity Research. (2020, August 8). General Electric . CFRA Stock Reports. https://www.capitaliq.com

SBRNet (Sports Market Analytics)

SBRnet. (n.d.). Basketball: College fan market summary. Sports Market Analytics. Retrieved June 3, 2020, from https://sportsmarketanalytics.com/

SimplyAnalytics

Look at the Variable Metadata or View Metadata section in order to get the Source information -- which agency collected the data. The Date is whatever year the data were collected.

SimplyAnalytics. (2019). [% households consuming imported beer/ale: Drank in last 6 months, for ZIP codes 55416, 55401, and Minneapolis metro area] [Data set]. MRI Consumer Survey US. http://app.simplyanalytics.com

SimplyAnalytics. (2019). [Map of Minneapolis, MN metro with family income $200,000 and over]. Census US. http://app.simplyanalytics.com

SimplyAnalytics. (2019.) [% food - Snack/dessert ice cream & sherbet - Brand Haagen-Daaz, entire US] [Data set]. SimmonsLocal US. http://app.simplyanalytics.com

SimplyAnalytics. (2018). [Map showing # multimarket data - Leisure activities - Current level of interest in major league soccer (MLS) - Somewhat, for Minneapolis-St. Paul DMA]. Scarborough Local Insights. http://app.simplyanalytics.com

Statistics, dossiers, and reports

Look under the Source section for “Survey by” -- that is the author

Daniel Research Group. (2019, September). Unit shipments of mobile personal computers (PCs) and laptops in the United States, from 2013 to 2023 (in millions) [Chart]. Statista.  https://www.statista.com/

Sporting Intelligence. (2019). Global sports salaries survey 2019 . [Report]. Statista. https://www.statista.com/

Statista. (2020). National Hockey League . [Report]. Statista. https://www.statista.com/

Anything without a named author:

Statista. (2020, May). Laptops & tablets [Consumer market outlook]. https://www.statista.com/

Infographics

Armstrong, M. (2020, June 4). UK government approval on the slide [Infographic] . Statista. https://www.statista.com/

Statistical Abstract of the United States (ProQuest)

Bureau of Census (2019). Table 3: Resident population projections and components of change: 2017 To 2060 [as of July 1 ] . In ProQuest Statistical Abstract of the U.S. https://statabs.proquest.com/  

Stock quotes

NYSE. (2020, July 20). The Gap, Inc. stock quote. Yahoo! Finance. https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/GPS?ltr=1

SWOT Analysis

Thomson Reuters Checkpoint

Batter, A. (2016, November/December). The impact of a double trigger on the section 162(m) deduction . Journal of Corporate Taxation , 34-38.

Thomson Reuters. (2020). 2020 RIA federal tax handbook . http://checkpoint.riag.com/

Uniworld Online

Uniworld. (n.d.). [United States firms with subsidiaries in Norway]. Retrieved June 15, 2020, from http://uniworldonline.com/

Value Line Research Center

Look at the bottom of the company’s stock page for the dates of the PDF reports -- usually approximately quarterly. Those are the archived reports and should be the preferred date.

Value Line. (2020, May 22). Delta Air Lines . Value Line Investment Survey. https://jump.valueline.com/

Web-based data sets (WHO, IMF, trade data, the Federal Reserve, etc.)

Use a direct/permalink URL whenever available. 

International Financial Statistics. (2020). Government finance: Japan 2013-2020 [Data set] . International Monetary Fund. https://www.imf.org

World Health Organization. (2020, June 2). Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Situation report - 134. https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200602-covid-19-sitrep-134.pdf?sfvrsn=cc95e5d5_2

Bureau of Economic Analysis. (2020, May 28). Price indexes for personal consumption expenditures by major type of product and by major function . (Table 2.3.4U) [Data set]. United States Department of Commerce. https://apps.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?reqid=19&step=3&isuri=1&nipa_table_list=2013&categories=underlying

Eurostat. (2020). Area under organic farming [Data set] . https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-datasets/-/sdg_02_40

Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) data

Standard & Poor’s. (n.d.). Compustat daily updates - fundamentals annual [ Microsoft Corporation: Income statement items - January 2015 to January 2020 ] [Data set] . Capital IQ. Retrieved June 3, 2020, from https://wrds-www.wharton.upenn.edu/

The Center for Research in Security Prices. (n.d.). CRSP daily stock [Tesla Motors stock prices from 2007 to 2020] [Data set]. Retrieved June 3, 2020, from https://wrds-www.wharton.upenn.ed u/

Winmo (formerly RedBooks)

List Partners. (n.d.). The Wendy’s Company . Winmo. Retrieved May 21, 2020, from https://www.winmo.com/

Working Paper

Hastings, J., Neilson, C. A., & Zimmerman, S.D. (2015, June). The effects of earnings disclosure on college enrollment decisions (NBER Working Paper No. 21300). http://www.nber.org/

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How do I cite a case study that is in my textbook both in-text and for my reference page - APA format?

To see how to cite a textbook (and a case study from it), visit the  APA Help  guide:

  • Click on References and In-text Citation Examples
  • See the drop down arrow by Books  for one that matches your textbook.

Books: General Format

Author Last Name, First & Middle Initials. (Year).  Title of book: Subtitle of book.  City, ST: Publisher.

In-text : Paraphrase : (Last Name, Year).  Quotation : (Last Name, Year, p. Page Number).

Thank you for using ASK US.  For further help, contact your Campus Library/ARC .

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  • How to Quote | Citing Quotes in APA, MLA & Chicago

How to Quote | Citing Quotes in APA, MLA & Chicago

Published on April 15, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Jack Caulfield. Revised on May 31, 2023.

Quoting means copying a passage of someone else’s words and crediting the source. To quote a source, you must ensure:

  • The quoted text is enclosed in quotation marks or formatted as a block quote
  • The original author is correctly cited
  • The text is identical to the original

The exact format of a quote depends on its length and on which citation style you are using. Quoting and citing correctly is essential to avoid plagiarism which is easy to detect with a good plagiarism checker .

How to Quote

Table of contents

How to cite a quote in apa, mla and chicago, introducing quotes, quotes within quotes, shortening or altering a quote, block quotes, when should i use quotes, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about quoting sources.

Every time you quote, you must cite the source correctly . This looks slightly different depending on the citation style you’re using. Three of the most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

Citing a quote in APA Style

To cite a direct quote in APA , you must include the author’s last name, the year, and a page number, all separated by commas . If the quote appears on a single page, use “p.”; if it spans a page range, use “pp.”

An APA in-text citation can be parenthetical or narrative. In a parenthetical citation , you place all the information in parentheses after the quote. In a narrative citation , you name the author in your sentence (followed by the year), and place the page number after the quote.

Punctuation marks such as periods and commas are placed after the citation, not within the quotation marks .

  • Evolution is a gradual process that “can act only by very short and slow steps” (Darwin, 1859, p. 510) .
  • Darwin (1859) explains that evolution “can act only by very short and slow steps” (p. 510) .

Complete guide to APA

Citing a quote in mla style.

An MLA in-text citation includes only the author’s last name and a page number. As in APA, it can be parenthetical or narrative, and a period (or other punctuation mark) appears after the citation.

  • Evolution is a gradual process that “can act only by very short and slow steps” (Darwin 510) .
  • Darwin explains that evolution “can act only by very short and slow steps” (510) .

Complete guide to MLA

Citing a quote in chicago style.

Chicago style uses Chicago footnotes to cite sources. A note, indicated by a superscript number placed directly after the quote, specifies the author, title, and page number—or sometimes fuller information .

Unlike with parenthetical citations, in this style, the period or other punctuation mark should appear within the quotation marks, followed by the footnote number.

, 510.

Complete guide to Chicago style

Scribbr Citation Checker New

The AI-powered Citation Checker helps you avoid common mistakes such as:

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how to quote business case study

Make sure you integrate quotes properly into your text by introducing them in your own words, showing the reader why you’re including the quote and providing any context necessary to understand it.  Don’t  present quotations as stand-alone sentences.

There are three main strategies you can use to introduce quotes in a grammatically correct way:

  • Add an introductory sentence
  • Use an introductory signal phrase
  • Integrate the quote into your own sentence

The following examples use APA Style citations, but these strategies can be used in all styles.

Introductory sentence

Introduce the quote with a full sentence ending in a colon . Don’t use a colon if the text before the quote isn’t a full sentence.

If you name the author in your sentence, you may use present-tense verbs , such as “states,” “argues,” “explains,” “writes,” or “reports,” to describe the content of the quote.

  • In Denmark, a recent poll shows that: “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
  • In Denmark, a recent poll shows that support for the EU has grown since the Brexit vote: “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
  • Levring (2018) reports that support for the EU has grown since the Brexit vote: “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (p. 3).

Introductory signal phrase

You can also use a signal phrase that mentions the author or source, but doesn’t form a full sentence. In this case, you follow the phrase with a comma instead of a colon.

  • According to a recent poll, “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
  • As Levring (2018) explains, “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (p. 3).

Integrated into your own sentence

To quote a phrase that doesn’t form a full sentence, you can also integrate it as part of your sentence, without any extra punctuation .

  • A recent poll suggests that EU membership “would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” in a referendum (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
  • Levring (2018) reports that EU membership “would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” in a referendum (p. 3).

When you quote text that itself contains another quote, this is called a nested quotation or a quote within a quote. It may occur, for example, when quoting dialogue from a novel.

To distinguish this quote from the surrounding quote, you enclose it in single (instead of double) quotation marks (even if this involves changing the punctuation from the original text). Make sure to close both sets of quotation marks at the appropriate moments.

Note that if you only quote the nested quotation itself, and not the surrounding text, you can just use double quotation marks.

  • Carraway introduces his narrative by quoting his father: “ “ Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, ” he told me, “ just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had ” ” (Fitzgerald 1).
  • Carraway introduces his narrative by quoting his father: “‘Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had ” (Fitzgerald 1).
  • Carraway introduces his narrative by quoting his father: “‘Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had’” (Fitzgerald 1).
  • Carraway begins by quoting his father’s invocation to “remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had” (Fitzgerald 1).

Note:  When the quoted text in the source comes from another source, it’s best to just find that original source in order to quote it directly. If you can’t find the original source, you can instead cite it indirectly .

Often, incorporating a quote smoothly into your text requires you to make some changes to the original text. It’s fine to do this, as long as you clearly mark the changes you’ve made to the quote.

Shortening a quote

If some parts of a passage are redundant or irrelevant, you can shorten the quote by removing words, phrases, or sentences and replacing them with an ellipsis (…). Put a space before and after the ellipsis.

Be careful that removing the words doesn’t change the meaning. The ellipsis indicates that some text has been removed, but the shortened quote should still accurately represent the author’s point.

Altering a quote

You can add or replace words in a quote when necessary. This might be because the original text doesn’t fit grammatically with your sentence (e.g., it’s in a different verb tense), or because extra information is needed to clarify the quote’s meaning.

Use brackets to distinguish words that you have added from words that were present in the original text.

The Latin term “ sic ” is used to indicate a (factual or grammatical) mistake in a quotation. It shows the reader that the mistake is from the quoted material, not a typo of your own.

In some cases, it can be useful to italicize part of a quotation to add emphasis, showing the reader that this is the key part to pay attention to. Use the phrase “emphasis added” to show that the italics were not part of the original text.

You usually don’t need to use brackets to indicate minor changes to punctuation or capitalization made to ensure the quote fits the style of your text.

If you quote more than a few lines from a source, you must format it as a block quote . Instead of using quotation marks, you set the quote on a new line and indent it so that it forms a separate block of text.

Block quotes are cited just like regular quotes, except that if the quote ends with a period, the citation appears after the period.

To the end of his days Bilbo could never remember how he found himself outside, without a hat, a walking-stick or any money, or anything that he usually took when he went out; leaving his second breakfast half-finished and quite unwashed-up, pushing his keys into Gandalf’s hands, and running as fast as his furry feet could carry him down the lane, past the great Mill, across The Water, and then on for a mile or more. (16)

Avoid relying too heavily on quotes in academic writing . To integrate a source , it’s often best to paraphrase , which means putting the passage in your own words. This helps you integrate information smoothly and keeps your own voice dominant.

However, there are some situations in which quoting is more appropriate.

When focusing on language

If you want to comment on how the author uses language (for example, in literary analysis ), it’s necessary to quote so that the reader can see the exact passage you are referring to.

When giving evidence

To convince the reader of your argument, interpretation or position on a topic, it’s often helpful to include quotes that support your point. Quotes from primary sources (for example, interview transcripts or historical documents) are especially credible as evidence.

When presenting an author’s position or definition

When you’re referring to secondary sources such as scholarly books and journal articles, try to put others’ ideas in your own words when possible.

But if a passage does a great job at expressing, explaining, or defining something, and it would be very difficult to paraphrase without changing the meaning or losing the weakening the idea’s impact, it’s worth quoting directly.

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

  • ChatGPT vs human editor
  • ChatGPT citations
  • Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
  • Using ChatGPT for your studies
  • What is ChatGPT?
  • Chicago style
  • Paraphrasing
  • Critical thinking

 Plagiarism

  • Types of plagiarism
  • Self-plagiarism
  • Avoiding plagiarism
  • Academic integrity
  • Consequences of plagiarism
  • Common knowledge

A quote is an exact copy of someone else’s words, usually enclosed in quotation marks and credited to the original author or speaker.

In academic writing , there are three main situations where quoting is the best choice:

  • To analyze the author’s language (e.g., in a literary analysis essay )
  • To give evidence from primary sources
  • To accurately present a precise definition or argument

Don’t overuse quotes; your own voice should be dominant. If you just want to provide information from a source, it’s usually better to paraphrase or summarize .

Every time you quote a source , you must include a correctly formatted in-text citation . This looks slightly different depending on the citation style .

For example, a direct quote in APA is cited like this: “This is a quote” (Streefkerk, 2020, p. 5).

Every in-text citation should also correspond to a full reference at the end of your paper.

A block quote is a long quote formatted as a separate “block” of text. Instead of using quotation marks , you place the quote on a new line, and indent the entire quote to mark it apart from your own words.

The rules for when to apply block quote formatting depend on the citation style:

  • APA block quotes are 40 words or longer.
  • MLA block quotes are more than 4 lines of prose or 3 lines of poetry.
  • Chicago block quotes are longer than 100 words.

If you’re quoting from a text that paraphrases or summarizes other sources and cites them in parentheses , APA and Chicago both recommend retaining the citations as part of the quote. However, MLA recommends omitting citations within a quote:

  • APA: Smith states that “the literature on this topic (Jones, 2015; Sill, 2019; Paulson, 2020) shows no clear consensus” (Smith, 2019, p. 4).
  • MLA: Smith states that “the literature on this topic shows no clear consensus” (Smith, 2019, p. 4).

Footnote or endnote numbers that appear within quoted text should be omitted in all styles.

If you want to cite an indirect source (one you’ve only seen quoted in another source), either locate the original source or use the phrase “as cited in” in your citation.

In scientific subjects, the information itself is more important than how it was expressed, so quoting should generally be kept to a minimum. In the arts and humanities, however, well-chosen quotes are often essential to a good paper.

In social sciences, it varies. If your research is mainly quantitative , you won’t include many quotes, but if it’s more qualitative , you may need to quote from the data you collected .

As a general guideline, quotes should take up no more than 5–10% of your paper. If in doubt, check with your instructor or supervisor how much quoting is appropriate in your field.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. & Caulfield, J. (2023, May 31). How to Quote | Citing Quotes in APA, MLA & Chicago. Scribbr. Retrieved September 13, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/how-to-quote/

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What Is a Case Study? How to Write, Examples, and Template

how to quote business case study

In this post

How to write a case study

Case study template, case study examples, types of case studies, what are the benefits of case studies , what are the limitations of case studies , case study vs. testimonial.

In today's marketplace, conveying your product's value through a compelling narrative is crucial to genuinely connecting with your customers.

Your business can use marketing analytics tools to understand what customers want to know about your product. Once you have this information, the next step is to showcase your product and its benefits to your target audience. This strategy involves a mix of data, analysis, and storytelling. Combining these elements allows you to create a narrative that engages your audience. So, how can you do this effectively?

What is a case study? 

A case study is a powerful tool for showcasing a business's success in helping clients achieve their goals. It's a form of storytelling that details real-world scenarios where a business implemented its solutions to deliver positive results for a client.

In this article, we explore the concept of a case study , including its writing process, benefits, various types, challenges, and more.

Understanding how to write a case study is an invaluable skill. You'll need to embrace decision-making – from deciding which customers to feature to designing the best format to make them as engaging as possible.  This can feel overwhelming in a hurry, so let's break it down.

Step 1: Reach out to the target persona

If you've been in business for a while, you have no shortage of happy customers. But w ith limited time and resources, you can't choose everyone.  So, take some time beforehand to flesh out your target buyer personas. 

Once you know precisely who you're targeting, go through your stable of happy customers to find a buyer representative of the audience you're trying to reach. The closer their problems, goals, and industries align, the more your case study will resonate.

What if you have more than one buyer persona? No problem. This is a common situation for companies because buyers comprise an entire committee. You might be marketing to procurement experts, executives, engineers, etc. Try to develop a case study tailored to each key persona. This might be a long-term goal, and that's fine. The better you can personalize the experience for each stakeholder, the easier it is to keep their attention.  

Here are a few considerations to think about before research:

  • Products/services of yours the customer uses (and how familiar they are with them)
  • The customer's brand recognition in the industry
  • Whether the results they've achieved are specific and remarkable
  • Whether they've switched from a competitor's product/service
  • How closely aligned they are with your target audience

These items are just a jumping-off point as you develop your criteria.  Once you have a list, run each customer through it to determine your top targets. Approach the ones on the top (your "dream" case study subjects) and work your way down as needed.

Who to interview

You should consider interviewing top-level managers or executives because those are high-profile positions. But consider how close they are to your product and its results.

Focusing on an office manager or engineer who uses your product daily would be better. Look for someone with a courtside view of the effects.

The ways to request customer participation in case studies can vary, but certain principles can improve your chances:

  • Make it easy for customers to work with you, respecting their valuable time. Be well-prepared and minimize their involvement.
  • Emphasize how customers will benefit through increased publicity, revenue opportunities, or recognition for their success. 
  • Acknowledge their contributions and showcase their achievements.
  • Standardizing the request process with a script incorporating these principles can help your team consistently secure case study approvals and track performance.

Step 2: Prepare for the interview

Case study interviews are like school exams. The more prepared you are for them, the better they turn out. Preparing thoroughly also shows participants that you value their time. You don't waste precious minutes rehashing things you should have already known. You focus on getting the information you need as efficiently as possible.

You can conduct your case study interview in multiple formats, from exchanging emails to in-person interviews. This isn't a trivial decision.  As you'll see in the chart below, each format has its unique advantages and disadvantages. 

Seeing each other's facial expressions puts everyone at ease and encourages case study participants to open up.

It's a good format if you're simultaneously conferencing with several people from the customer's team.
Always be on guard for connection issues; not every customer knows the technology.

Audio quality will probably be less good than on the phone. When multiple people are talking, pieces of conversation can be lost.
It is a more personal than email because you can hear someone's tone. You can encourage them to continue if they get really excited about certain answers.

Convenient and immediate. Dial a number and start interviewing without ever leaving the office.
It isn't as personal as a video chat or an in-person interview because you can't see the customer's face, and nonverbal cues might be missed.


Don't get direct quotes like you would with email responses. The only way to preserve the interview is to remember to have it recorded.
The most personal interview style. It feels like an informal conversation, making it easier to tell stories and switch seamlessly between topics.

Humanizes the customer's experience and allows you to put a face to the incredible results.
Puts a lot of pressure on customers who are shy or introverted – especially if they're being recorded.


Requires the most commitment for the participant – travel, dressing up, dealing with audiovisual equipment, etc.
Gives customers the most flexibility with respect to scheduling. They can answer a few questions, see to their obligations, and return to them at their convenience.

No coordination of schedules is needed. Each party can fulfill their obligations whenever they're able to.
There is less opportunity for customers to go “off script” and tell compelling anecdotes that your questions might have overlooked.

Some of the study participant's personalities might be lost in their typed responses. It's harder to sense their enthusiasm or frustration.

You'll also have to consider who will ask and answer the questions during your case study interview. It's wise to consider this while considering the case study format.  The number of participants factors into which format will work best. Pulling off an in-person interview becomes much harder if you're trying to juggle four or five people's busy schedules. Try a video conference instead.

Before interviewing your case study participant, it is crucial to identify the specific questions that need to be asked.  It's essential to thoroughly evaluate your collaboration with the client and understand how your product's contributions impact the company. 

Remember that structuring your case study is akin to crafting a compelling narrative. To achieve this, follow a structured approach:

  • Beginning of your story. Delve into the customer's challenge that ultimately led them to do business with you. What were their problems like? What drove them to make a decision finally? Why did they choose you?
  • The middle of the case study.  Your audience also wants to know about the experience of working with you. Your customer has taken action to address their problems. What happened once you got on board?
  • An ending that makes you the hero.  Describe the specific results your company produced for the customer. How has the customer's business (and life) changed once they implemented your solution?

Sample questions for the case study interview

If you're preparing for a case study interview, here are some sample case study research questions to help you get started:

  • What challenges led you to seek a solution?
  • When did you realize the need for immediate action? Was there a tipping point?
  • How did you decide on the criteria for choosing a B2B solution, and who was involved?
  • What set our product or service apart from others you considered?
  • How was your experience working with us post-purchase?
  • Were there any pleasant surprises or exceeded expectations during our collaboration?
  • How smoothly did your team integrate our solution into their workflows?
  • How long before you started seeing positive results?
  • How have you benefited from our products or services?
  • How do you measure the value our product or service provides?

Step 3: Conduct the interview

Preparing for case study interviews can be different from everyday conversations. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

  • Create a comfortable atmosphere.  Before diving into the discussion, talk about their business and personal interests. Ensure everyone is at ease, and address any questions or concerns.
  • Prioritize key questions.  Lead with your most crucial questions to respect your customer's time. Interview lengths can vary, so starting with the essentials ensures you get the vital information.
  • Be flexible.  Case study interviews don't have to be rigid. If your interviewee goes "off script," embrace it. Their spontaneous responses often provide valuable insights.
  • Record the interview.  If not conducted via email, ask for permission to record the interview. This lets you focus on the conversation and capture valuable quotes without distractions.

Step 4: Figure out who will create the case study

When creating written case studies for your business, deciding who should handle the writing depends on cost, perspective, and revisions.

Outsourcing might be pricier, but it ensures a professionally crafted outcome. On the other hand, in-house writing has its considerations, including understanding your customers and products. 

Technical expertise and equipment are needed for video case studies, which often leads companies to consider outsourcing due to production and editing costs. 

Tip: When outsourcing work, it's essential to clearly understand pricing details to avoid surprises and unexpected charges during payment.

Step 5: Utilize storytelling

Understanding and applying storytelling elements can make your case studies unforgettable, offering a competitive edge. 

Narrative Arc - The Framework Bank - Medium

Source: The Framework Bank

Every great study follows a narrative arc (also called a "story arc"). This arc represents how a character faces challenges, struggles against raising stakes, and encounters a formidable obstacle before the tension resolves.

In a case study narrative, consider:

  • Exposition. Provide background information about the company, revealing their "old life" before becoming your customer.
  • Inciting incident. Highlight the problem that drove the customer to seek a solution, creating a sense of urgency.
  • Obstacles (rising action). Describe the customer's journey in researching and evaluating solutions, building tension as they explore options.
  • Midpoint. Explain what made the business choose your product or service and what set you apart.
  • Climax. Showcase the success achieved with your product.
  • Denouement. Describe the customer's transformed business and end with a call-to-action for the reader to take the next step.

Step 6: Design the case study

The adage "Don't judge a book by its cover" is familiar, but people tend to do just that quite often!

A poor layout can deter readers even if you have an outstanding case study. To create an engaging case study, follow these steps:

  • Craft a compelling title. Just like you wouldn't read a newspaper article without an eye-catching headline, the same goes for case studies. Start with a title that grabs attention.
  • Organize your content. Break down your content into different sections, such as challenges, results, etc. Each section can also include subsections. This case study approach divides the content into manageable portions, preventing readers from feeling overwhelmed by lengthy blocks of text.
  • Conciseness is key. Keep your case study as concise as possible. The most compelling case studies are precisely long enough to introduce the customer's challenge, experience with your solution, and outstanding results. Prioritize clarity and omit any sections that may detract from the main storyline.
  • Utilize visual elements. To break up text and maintain reader interest, incorporate visual elements like callout boxes, bulleted lists, and sidebars.
  • Include charts and images. Summarize results and simplify complex topics by including pictures and charts. Visual aids enhance the overall appeal of your case study.
  • Embrace white space. Avoid overwhelming walls of text to prevent reader fatigue. Opt for plenty of white space, use shorter paragraphs, and employ subsections to ensure easy readability and navigation.
  • Enhance video case studies. In video case studies, elements like music, fonts, and color grading are pivotal in setting the right tone. Choose music that complements your message and use it strategically throughout your story. Carefully select fonts to convey the desired style, and consider how lighting and color grading can influence the mood. These elements collectively help create the desired tone for your video case study.

Step 7: Edits and revisions

Once you've finished the interview and created your case study, the hardest part is over. Now's the time for editing and revision. This might feel frustrating for impatient B2B marketers, but it can turn good stories into great ones.

Ideally, you'll want to submit your case study through two different rounds of editing and revisions:

  • Internal review. Seek feedback from various team members to ensure your case study is captivating and error-free. Gather perspectives from marketing, sales, and those in close contact with customers for well-rounded insights. Use patterns from this feedback to guide revisions and apply lessons to future case studies.
  • Customer feedback. Share the case study with customers to make them feel valued and ensure accuracy. Let them review quotes and data points, as they are the "heroes" of the story, and their logos will be prominently featured. This step maintains positive customer relationships.

Case study mistakes to avoid

  • Ensure easy access to case studies on your website.
  • Spotlight the customer, not just your business.
  • Tailor each case study to a specific audience.
  • Avoid excessive industry jargon in your content.

Step 8: Publishing

Take a moment to proofread your case study one more time carefully. Even if you're reasonably confident you've caught all the errors, it's always a good idea to check. Your case study will be a valuable marketing tool for years, so it's worth the investment to ensure it's flawless. Once done, your case study is all set to go!

Consider sharing a copy of the completed case study with your customer as a thoughtful gesture. They'll likely appreciate it; some may want to keep it for their records. After all, your case study wouldn't have been possible without their help, and they deserve to see the final product.

Where you publish your case study depends on its role in your overall marketing strategy. If you want to reach as many people as possible with your case study, consider publishing it on your website and social media platforms. 

Tip: Some companies prefer to keep their case studies exclusive, making them available only to those who request them. This approach is often taken to control access to valuable information and to engage more deeply with potential customers who express specific interests. It can create a sense of exclusivity and encourage interested parties to engage directly with the company.

Step 9: Case study distribution

When sharing individual case studies, concentrate on reaching the audience with the most influence on purchasing decisions

Here are some common distribution channels to consider:

  • Sales teams. Share case studies to enhance customer interactions, retention , and upselling among your sales and customer success teams. Keep them updated on new studies and offer easily accessible formats like PDFs or landing page links.
  • Company website. Feature case studies on your website to establish authority and provide valuable information to potential buyers. Organize them by categories such as location, size, industry, challenges, and products or services used for effective presentation.
  • Events. Use live events like conferences and webinars to distribute printed case study copies, showcase video case studies at trade show booths, and conclude webinars with links to your case study library. This creative approach blends personal interactions with compelling content.
  • Industry journalists. Engage relevant industry journalists to gain media coverage by identifying suitable publications and journalists covering related topics. Building relationships is vital, and platforms like HARO (Help A Reporter Out) can facilitate connections, especially if your competitors have received coverage before.

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It can seem daunting to transform the information you've gathered into a cohesive narrative.  We’ve created a versatile case study template that can serve as a solid starting point for your case study.

With this template, your business can explore any solutions offered to satisfied customers, covering their background, the factors that led them to choose your services, and their outcomes.

Case Study Template

The template boasts a straightforward design, featuring distinct sections that guide you in effectively narrating your and your customer's story. However, remember that limitless ways to showcase your business's accomplishments exist.

To assist you in this process, here's a breakdown of the recommended sections to include in a case study:

  • Title.  Keep it concise. Create a brief yet engaging project title summarizing your work with your subject. Consider your title like a newspaper headline; do it well, and readers will want to learn more. 
  • Subtitle . Use this section to elaborate on the achievement briefly. Make it creative and catchy to engage your audience.
  • Executive summary.  Use this as an overview of the story, followed by 2-3 bullet points highlighting key success metrics.
  • Challenges and objectives. This section describes the customer's challenges before adopting your product or service, along with the goals or objectives they sought to achieve.
  • How product/service helped.  A paragraph explaining how your product or service addressed their problem.
  • Testimonials.  Incorporate short quotes or statements from the individuals involved in the case study, sharing their perspectives and experiences.
  • Supporting visuals.  Include one or two impactful visuals, such as graphs, infographics, or highlighted metrics, that reinforce the narrative.
  • Call to action (CTA).  If you do your job well, your audience will read (or watch) your case studies from beginning to end. They are interested in everything you've said. Now, what's the next step they should take to continue their relationship with you? Give people a simple action they can complete. 

Case studies are proven marketing strategies in a wide variety of B2B industries. Here are just a few examples of a case study:

  • Amazon Web Services, Inc.  provides companies with cloud computing platforms and APIs on a metered, pay-as-you-go basis. This case study example illustrates the benefits Thomson Reuters experienced using AWS.
  • LinkedIn Marketing Solutions combines captivating visuals with measurable results in the case study created for BlackRock. This case study illustrates how LinkedIn has contributed to the growth of BlackRock's brand awareness over the years. 
  • Salesforce , a sales and marketing automation SaaS solutions provider, seamlessly integrates written and visual elements to convey its success stories with Pepe Jeans. This case study effectively demonstrates how Pepe Jeans is captivating online shoppers with immersive and context-driven e-commerce experiences through Salesforce.
  • HubSpot offers a combination of sales and marketing tools. Their case study demonstrates the effectiveness of its all-in-one solutions. These typically focus on a particular client's journey and how HubSpot helped them achieve significant results.

There are two different types of case studies that businesses might utilize:

Written case studies 

Written case studies offer readers a clear visual representation of data, which helps them quickly identify and focus on the information that matters most. 

Printed versions of case studies find their place at events like trade shows, where they serve as valuable sales collateral to engage prospective clients.  Even in the digital age, many businesses provide case studies in PDF format or as web-based landing pages, improving accessibility for their audience. 

Note: Landing pages , in particular, offer the flexibility to incorporate rich multimedia content, including images, charts, and videos. This flexibility in design makes landing pages an attractive choice for presenting detailed content to the audience.

Written case study advantages

Here are several significant advantages to leveraging case studies for your company:

  • Hyperlink accessibility.  Whether in PDF or landing page format, written case studies allow for embedded hyperlinks, offering prospects easy access to additional information and contact forms.
  • Flexible engagement.  Unlike video case studies, which may demand in-person arrangements, written case studies can be conducted via phone or video streaming, reducing customer commitment and simplifying scheduling.
  • Efficient scanning . Well-structured written case studies with a scannable format cater to time-strapped professionals. Charts and callout boxes with key statistics enhance the ease of information retrieval.
  • Printable for offline use.  Written case studies can be effortlessly printed and distributed at trade shows, sales meetings, and live events. This tangible format accommodates those who prefer physical materials and provides versatility in outreach, unlike video content, which is less portable.

Written case study disadvantages

Here are some drawbacks associated with the use of case studies:

  • Reduced emotional impact.  Written content lacks the emotional punch of live video testimonials, which engage more senses and emotions, making a stronger connection.
  • Consider time investment.  Creating a compelling case study involves editing, proofreading, and design collaboration, with multiple revisions commonly required before publication.
  • Challenges in maintaining attention.  Attention spans are short in today's ad-saturated world. Using graphics, infographics, and videos more often is more powerful to incite the right emotions in customers.

Video case studies

Video case studies are the latest marketing trend. Unlike in the past, when video production was costly, today's tools make it more accessible for users to create and edit their videos. However, specific technical requirements still apply.

Like written case studies, video case studies delve into a specific customer's challenges and how your business provides solutions. Yet, the video offers a more profound connection by showcasing the person who faced and conquered the problem.

Video case studies can boost brand exposure when shared on platforms like YouTube. For example, Slack's engaging case study video with Sandwich Video illustrates how Slack transformed its workflow and adds humor, which can be challenging in written case studies focused on factual evidence.

Source : YouTube

This video case study has garnered nearly a million views on YouTube.

Video case study advantages

Here are some of the top advantages of video case studies. While video testimonials take more time, the payoff can be worth it. 

  • Humanization and authenticity.  Video case studies connect viewers with real people, adding authenticity and fostering a stronger emotional connection.
  • Engaging multiple senses.  They engage both auditory and visual senses, enhancing credibility and emotional impact. Charts, statistics, and images can also be incorporated.
  • Broad distribution.  Videos can be shared on websites, YouTube, social media, and more, reaching diverse audiences and boosting engagement, especially on social platforms.

Video case study disadvantages

Before fully committing to video testimonials, consider the following:

  • Technical expertise and equipment.  Video production requires technical know-how and equipment, which can be costly. Skilled video editing is essential to maintain a professional image. While technology advances, producing amateurish videos may harm your brand's perception.
  • Viewer convenience.  Some prospects prefer written formats due to faster reading and ease of navigation. Video typically requires sound, which can be inconvenient for viewers in specific settings. Many people may not have headphones readily available to watch your content.
  • Demand on case study participants.  On-camera interviews can be time-consuming and location-dependent, making scheduling challenging for case study participants. Additionally, being on screen for a global audience may create insecurities and performance pressure.
  • Comfort on camera.  Not everyone feels at ease on camera. Nervousness or a different on-screen persona can impact the effectiveness of the testimonial, and discovering this late in the process can be problematic.

Written or video case studies: Which is right for you?

Now that you know the pros and cons of each, how do you choose which is right for you?

One of the most significant factors in doing video case studies can be the technical expertise and equipment required for a high level of production quality. Whether you have the budget to do this in-house or hire a production company can be one of the major deciding factors.

Still, written or video doesn't have to be an either-or decision. Some B2B companies are using both formats. They can complement each other nicely, minimizing the downsides mentioned above and reaching your potential customers where they prefer.

Let's say you're selling IT network security. What you offer is invaluable but complicated. You could create a short (three- or four-minute) video case study to get attention and touch on the significant benefits of your services. This whets the viewer's appetite for more information, which they could find in a written case study that supplements the video.

Should you decide to test the water in video case studies, test their effectiveness among your target audience. See how well they work for your company and sales team. And, just like a written case study, you can always find ways to improve your process as you continue exploring video case studies.

Case studies offer several distinctive advantages, making them an ideal tool for businesses to market their products to customers. However, their benefits extend beyond these qualities. 

Here's an overview of all the advantages of case studies:

Valuable sales support

Case studies serve as a valuable resource for your sales endeavors. Buyers frequently require additional information before finalizing a purchase decision. These studies provide concrete evidence of your product or service's effectiveness, assisting your sales representatives in closing deals more efficiently, especially with customers with lingering uncertainties.

Validating your value

Case studies serve as evidence of your product or service's worth or value proposition , playing a role in building trust with potential customers. By showcasing successful partnerships, you make it easier for prospects to place trust in your offerings. This effect is particularly notable when the featured customer holds a reputable status.

Unique and engaging content

By working closely with your customer success teams, you can uncover various customer stories that resonate with different prospects. Case studies allow marketers to shape product features and benefits into compelling narratives. 

Each case study's distinctiveness, mirroring the uniqueness of every customer's journey, makes them a valuable source of relatable and engaging content. Storytelling possesses the unique ability to connect with audiences on an emotional level, a dimension that statistics alone often cannot achieve. 

Spotlighting valuable customers

Case studies provide a valuable platform for showcasing your esteemed customers. Featuring them in these studies offers a chance to give them visibility and express your gratitude for the partnership, which can enhance customer loyalty . Depending on the company you are writing about, it can also demonstrate the caliber of your business.

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It's important to consider limitations when designing and interpreting the results of case studies. Here's an overview of the limitations of case studies:

Challenges in replication

Case studies often focus on specific individuals, organizations, or situations, making generalizing their findings to broader populations or contexts challenging. 

Time-intensive process

Case studies require a significant time investment. The extensive data collection process and the need for comprehensive analysis can be demanding, especially for researchers who are new to this method.

Potential for errors

Case studies can be influenced by memory and judgment, potentially leading to inaccuracies. Depending on human memory to reconstruct a case's history may result in variations and potential inconsistencies in how individuals recall past events. Additionally, bias may emerge, as individuals tend to prioritize what they consider most significant, which could limit their consideration of alternative perspectives.

Challenges in verification

Confirming results through additional research can present difficulties. This complexity arises from the need for detailed and extensive data in the initial creation of a case study. Consequently, this process requires significant effort and a substantial amount of time.

While looking at case studies, you may have noticed a quote. This type of quote is considered a testimonial, a key element of case studies.

If a customer's quote proves that your brand does what it says it will or performs as expected, you may wonder: 'Aren't customer testimonials and case studies the same thing?' Not exactly.

case study vs. testimonial

Testimonials are brief endorsements designed to establish trust on a broad scale. In contrast, case studies are detailed narratives that offer a comprehensive understanding of how a product or service addresses a specific problem, targeting a more focused audience. 

Crafting case studies requires more resources and a structured approach than testimonials. Your selection between the two depends on your marketing objectives and the complexity of your product or service.

Case in point!

Case studies are among a company's most effective tools. You're  well on your way to mastering them.

Today's buyers are tackling much of the case study research methodology independently. Many are understandably skeptical before making a buying decision. By connecting them with multiple case studies, you can prove you've gotten the results you say you can. There's hardly a better way to boost your credibility and persuade them to consider your solution.

Case study formats and distribution methods might change as technology evolves. However, the fundamentals that make them effective—knowing how to choose subjects, conduct interviews, and structure everything to get attention—will serve you for as long as you're in business. 

We covered a ton of concepts and resources, so go ahead and bookmark this page. You can refer to it whenever you have questions or need a refresher.

Dive into market research to uncover customer preferences and spending habits.

Kristen McCabe

Kristen’s is a former senior content marketing specialist at G2. Her global marketing experience extends from Australia to Chicago, with expertise in B2B and B2C industries. Specializing in content, conversions, and events, Kristen spends her time outside of work time acting, learning nature photography, and joining in the #instadog fun with her Pug/Jack Russell, Bella. (she/her/hers)

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How to write a convincing case study: five must-have elements.

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Owner of  Criterion.B , overseeing client strategy and company culture.

Looking to produce case studies that increase the credibility of your business and attract new customers? There is a methodical art to case studies — an art you can master.

One mistake I often see brands make is confusing case studies with other promotional materials. As a reminder, case studies are not advertisements or a story about your company. They are a story about your customer's journey.

Here are five must-have elements that can turn your case studies from another thing that gets looked over to engaging lead generators that prospects want to read.

1. A Realistic And Authentic Client-Testimonial

While we recommend that you insert your client quote near the end of your case study, we are putting this component in the No. 1 spot on our list. Why? Because it is arguably the most important.

Without a client quote or testimonial, your case study may sound like you are simply bragging about how great your company is. Any "bragging" in your case study should only come from the client testimonial.

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That said, simply having a client testimonial doesn't make it a good one. Client testimonials need to be both realistic and authentic. This means that you don't write it yourself.

Something gets lost when you try to write your own testimonial. It's nearly impossible to re-create the individualistic, unique tone of voice that each of your clients or customers has.

Here's a little test. Choose the best client testimonial:

• Option A: "Wow! This agency was great! I honestly can't imagine working with another agency. Their consistent communication and insights into the industry blew me away. Each member on the team was passionate and always ready to answer any questions I had. I recommend them to all of my friends!"

• Option B: "It was a relief to work with this agency. The team was able to understand the needs of my business and the pain points of my customers quickly. I was happy to see how eager they were to get the ball rolling — they didn't waste time. As a property manager, I'm juggling a lot of projects, and they really took the stress off my back."

What's your pick?

If you picked option A, then you may be used to reading client testimonials written by businesses themselves. Don't be afraid to ask customers who are happy with your work for five minutes of their time.

2. Quick Stats

Along with simply including them, the motto for statistics or data in your case study is to get in and get out. Punch in a few facts and let the numbers speak for themselves. As well, the more powerful they are, the less you need to say in general.

For example, one of the most effective statistics in a case study generated by our team is this: 500 e-book downloads and counting. Why? Because it's clear, succinct and proves our effectiveness as a marketing agency in promoting our client's e-book. With the addition of "and counting," we are also showing that the downloads are still increasing. This inspires a future prospect to think, "They can do that for my business."

3. Well-Placed Imagery 

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a high-quality image of the product or service you provided for your client is worth a million. In our case, that would be shots of brochures, logos, websites and graphics that we created. It's been said that the brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text . Your prospects are going to see the amazing work you do before they read about it.

On average, we include four images of designed pieces in each of our case studies. We have found that this hits the sweet spot between visuals and text.

As for where to put them, place images next to the headlines or paragraphs that reference your product or service. The biggest mistake is arbitrarily placing a high-quality image and losing the opportunity to make an impression on the prospect because they have no idea what they're looking at.

4. An Angle And A Broad Appeal

Does this seem contradictory? Yes. Can you achieve it? Yes. 

To be intriguing (i.e., not like every other case study), give your piece a specific angle — usually something you can highlight in the title. Here's an example: "Marketing Agency Creates Engaging Branded Collateral From Scratch for Texas Apartment Community." The angle is that the agency created marketing materials for a new business. The angle is often the highlight of the case study.

That said, your case study should appeal to a broad audience — more specifically, the entirety of your target audience. This is because you want your case study to maximize its conversion potential, and you can't control what type of individual arrives at your website and clicks on your case study.

5. A 'Challenges' And Subsequent 'Solutions' Section

Without fail, we include both a "challenges" and a "solutions" section. This is critical to driving home the problems you fixed or obstacles you overcame for the client. As a reminder, a case study is a story of the customer's journey, and for a journey to exist, there have to be some obstacles to overcome.

Here are some initial challenges many of our marketing clients come to us with:

• Inconsistent messaging 

• Lack of branding

• Low web traffic

• Outdated web design 

This is another opportunity to inspire your prospects to think, "They can do that for me." Also, we suggest the solutions section be the place where you put your hard-hitting statistics.

Case Studies Win New Business

Case studies are your ultimate tool for winning new business because they are proof that you are credible, reliable and good at whatever it is that you do. Once you generate your case studies, make sure to put them on the homepage of your website and share them with prospective customers. It's easy for case studies to collect dust; don't let your hard work go to waste.

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Where to Use Quotes in a Case Study… Besides in the Body Copy

After interviewing a happy client/customer (and hopefully sending that recording off to a transcription service) for your case study, you’ll have a treasure trove of quotes to play with.

When you use these quotes right, they go with your own words like peanut butter and jelly.

Or steak and lobster. Sorry, I have expensive taste.

But where do you use the quotes in your case study, exactly? How do you weave in your customer’s words to create flowing marketing prose that closes a sale or 20?

Yeah, you probably use them in the body copy…

But do they fit anywhere else?

Well, let’s look at how often to use quotes in that body copy, then cover some other places to put your customer’s words.

First: Quote Frequency

Customer words are among the most powerful marketing assets in your arsenal. After all, customers trust other customers more than they trust you in many cases (that’s not a bad thing, that’s just nature).

Yet, I read a lot of case studies (hey, don’t be surprised: I’m a copywriter) lacking in quotes.

Case studies are indeed social proof-ish, but they’re still written by you. You want a wealth of customer quotes in there.

That said, it’s possible (but less common) to go overboard on the quotes.

You don’t need one in every sentence. Even if you get tons of gold during the case study interview, you have to pick which pieces of gold are most valuable and use them in the right places.

See, overdoing the quotes can get the reader off track. Remember, you have limited room in the case study. It can’t be too long . You’ve got to keep your reader’s attention and cover all the important parts.

As with many things, the ideal lies somewhere in the middle. It is contextual — brand voice, case study length, case study design/format, and much more affect how many quotes make sense in a study.

So you basically want more than one quote but fewer than the total number of sentences in your case study.

Really, you should aim for at least one in each section’s body copy.

But even that is context-specific.

That’s why I’m going to share some key places to sprinkle quotes throughout your case study that aren’t the text. Getting at least one for each of these could be a good bare minimum.

Anyways…

Use Quotes In These Places Throughout Your Case Study

At the very top.

What better way to start a case study than with the happy customer’s words?

Well, start with a compelling title, of course.

But putting a quote right after the title is a good idea. Ideally, that quote should play off the title and offer a powerful summary of the overall case study.

So, for example, if your title is “How ABC Company increased revenue by 10% with XYZ automation,” you’d pull a quote from your interview where the customer mentions how much more revenue or profit their earning.

You could also use a quote with a relevant benefit that isn’t an exact match. In the above example, maybe that’s a quote regarding the time that ABC Company saved with XYZ automation.

However, I like the first idea better since your quote will better encompass the overall case study. The second one would be handy if , for some reason, you didn’t have a quote that followed the first idea.

Below Subheadings

Here’s a good idea: Each section of the case study should — below the subheading — lead with a quote relevant to that section.

I did this with a client to great success. We had “The Problem” as a subheading, followed by “We didn’t know what we didn’t know…” (actual quote from my client’s customer). As in, they knew they had problems and could make improvements, but they didn’t have the time or energy to define those problems because they were so busy running their business.

Based on the type of service my client offers and the problem they solve, that quote would hit home with more of my client’s target market. Trust me. The client’s customer truly came into the engagement not knowing what they didn’t know — my client taught their customer these things, then helped them fix them.

I’ve seen some people use quotes as subheadings. That can work in some cases, but it is, admittedly, a bit more unconventional.

If you want to play it safe, try sticking relevant quotes right under the subheadings as I described.

But, depending on the brand, I’d actually go this route. Especially in B2C. Make it more of a “success story” angle than a case study.

At the Very End/Sidebar

Lastly, there should be a more full-length testimonial (instead of just a quote) either somewhere on the side or at the very end, depending on design.

This testimonial would be the entire case study in a nutshell, from the customer’s view. It would start with the “before” state and finish with the “looking forward to the future” portion.

You may be able to use 2 testimonials, too. One could go at the end and be the type I just explained. The other might zoom in and talk about the process of working with you.

Either way, strategically placing full-length testimonials drives the point home.

Quotes: Apply Liberally, But Not Too Much

Quotes deserve more than just going into your case study body copy. You can use them under your title and subheadings and throw in a full-length testimonial or two at the end or on the side of the study.

Hey, you can even use them as subheadings.

Just don’t use them too much. Instead, they should add to your case study, like salt and pepper to a steak.

Can you tell I like steak?

If you want help writing a case study and using customer quotes in it, reach out to me . I have a nice, lengthy interview with your client full of follow-up questions to dig out the real gold. Happy to talk more about it with you!

Get my free email mini-course: “4 Revenue Leaks In Your Business… and How to Plug Them”

Just plop your name and best email address below:

IMAGES

  1. What is a Business Case Study and How to Write with Examples?

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  2. How to Write a Business Case Study (Step by Step Guide)

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  3. How to Write a Business Case Study: A Beginner’s Guide

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  4. How to Write a Business Case Study

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  5. 15+ Professional Case Study Examples [Design Tips + Templates]

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  6. How to Write a B2B Case Study in 9 Clear Steps

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VIDEO

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  6. Quote of the Day

COMMENTS

  1. How to Cite a Case Study in APA, MLA or Chicago

    Plagiarism Checker. Upload a paper to check for plagiarism against billions of sources and get advanced writing suggestions for clarity and style.

  2. Q. How do I cite a case study in Harvard Business Review?

    Google, Inc. HBS No. 9-806-105. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing. In-text citation examples - Harvard Business School Case Study. APA in-text citations include the author's last name, the year of publication, and the page number (for quotes), either as part of the text of your paper or in parentheses. One Author:

  3. FAQ: How do I cite a Harvard Business Review case study in APA Style?

    The APA Manual does not include instructions on how to cite a Harvard Business Review case study. When citing case studies in APA style you will want to include the typical citation elements and apply general formatting guidelines. The following are examples of how case studies could be cited in APA style, but be sure to check with your ...

  4. Research: Business Case Studies: Citing Business Sources

    Citing Your Sources. Proper citation is an essential aspect of scholarship. Citing properly allows your reader or audience to locate the materials you have used. Most importantly, citations give credit to the authors of quoted or consulted information. Failure to acknowledge sources of information properly may constitute plagiarism.

  5. Subject Guides: APA Citation Style (7th Edition): Case Studies

    Number of case study. URL. Examples: Harvard Business School Case Study Smith, S. (2003). Leadership. HBS No. 7-806-122. https://hbsp.harvard.edu/cases/ Ivey Business School Case Study Heisz, M., & Leech, L. (2005). Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002: Understanding the requirements and the Canadian response. Ivey ID: 9B05B009. https://www.iveycases.com ...

  6. APA Citation Guide (APA 7th Edition): Case Studies

    Reference List Citation. Author's Last Name, Author's First Initial. (Publication Year). Title of case study: Subtitle if any. Case Study Number (if given). Database main URL. Note: If your source has two to twenty authors, include all of the authors' last names, first initials, and second initials (if given) in the Reference List citation.

  7. Q. How do I cite a case study in APA Style?

    APA Style (7th ed.) Case study with a DOI. If the case study has an assigned DOI (print or online versions), include the DOI in the reference. Khan, S. (2019).

  8. LibGuides: Harvard Referencing Style: Case Studies & Standards

    EXAMPLE OF A REFERENCE TO A PRINTED CASE STUDY. Spar, D. and Burns, J. 2000. 'Hitting the wall: Nike and International Labor Practices.'. HBS 700047. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing. EXAMPLE OF A REFERENCE TO AN ELECTRONIC CASE STUDY FROM A DATABASE. Mathu, K.M. and Scheepers, C. 2016. 'Leading change towards sustainable green ...

  9. Cite Online Sources in APA Format

    If the business case is published as a case document, include the publisher name and a DOI or URL. Citation example for a case study published in an academic article or journal (such as in Harvard Business Review): Gino, F., Klesyk, A., & Hartman, M. (2013). Fighting a government threat. Harvard Business Review, 91(3), 123-127.

  10. MLA Citation Guide (MLA 9th Edition): Case Studies

    SAGE Business Cases. Case Study. In-Text Citation: Required elements: Author last name, page number (if ... Havard states that "insert quote here" (7). Case Study from a Website. Works Cited List Citation: Author's Last Name, Author's First Name. Title of Case Study. Case Study Number (if given), Sponsoring Organization, Date of publication or ...

  11. Citing

    David Lam Library's Business Citation Examples guide offers citation tips, as well as APA citation examples from commonly used business databases. Use this document along with the Library's Getting Started with APA Citation Style guide.

  12. Case studies

    Harvard Style Guide: Case studies. This guide explains how to use the Harvard Style. It includes a short tutorial. Reference: Author/editor Last name, Initials. (Year) 'Title of case study' [Case Study], Journal Title, Volume (Issue), pp. page numbers. Available at: URL [Accessed Day Month Year].

  13. How do I cite a case study?

    According to APA, case studies do not have their own citation style or process, instead a case study is typically cited according to its source type -- often as an article. See below for some examples. Journal Article/Case Study with DOI (Print or Electronic) Author Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year).

  14. Library Research Guides: APA referencing: Case studies

    There is no specific way to reference a case study in APA style. Case studies are typically published as an article or report, or within a book. Format the reference list entry according to the type of publication. Following are some examples of case studies in business. Business case study. Author(s). (Year). Title of case study. Number of ...

  15. Q. How do I write an APA or MLA citation for a case study?

    Case Study. Example. Havard, Cody T. "Basketball at the Most Magical Place on Earth: A Case Study of the NBA's Season Conclusion at Walt Disney World Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic." SAGE, 2021. SAGE Business Cases. Case Study. APA: According to APA, case studies do not have their own citation style or process, instead, cite as an article.

  16. 4 Ways to Cite a Case Study

    3. List publication information for the case study. Type the city where the case study was published, then follow with a period. Type the name of the publishing company (which will typically be the university or organization that produced the study). Place a comma, then provide the year the case study was published.

  17. APA Citation Style 7th ed.: Specific Business Sources

    In this case, also include a more specific description in the brackets than just [Industry report] as is often used elsewhere, because IBIS has risk and other reports as well as global, state, and other levels of industry reports, and sometimes the titles and numbers are the same.

  18. Case Study Method: A Step-by-Step Guide for Business Researchers

    By keeping in mind research students, this article presents a systematic step-by-step guide to conduct a case study in the business discipline. Research students belonging to said discipline face issues in terms of clarity, selection, and operationalization of qualitative case study while doing their final dissertation. These issues often lead ...

  19. How do I cite a case study that is in my textbook both in-text and for

    To see how to cite a textbook (and a case study from it), visit the APA Help guide: Click on References and In-text Citation Examples; See the drop down arrow by Books for one that matches your textbook. Example: Books: General Format. Author Last Name, First & Middle Initials. (Year). Title of book: Subtitle of book. City, ST: Publisher. In-text:

  20. How to Quote

    Citing a quote in APA Style. To cite a direct quote in APA, you must include the author's last name, the year, and a page number, all separated by commas. If the quote appears on a single page, use "p."; if it spans a page range, use "pp.". An APA in-text citation can be parenthetical or narrative.

  21. What Is a Case Study? How to Write, Examples, and Template

    Step 1: Reach out to the target persona. If you've been in business for a while, you have no shortage of happy customers. But with limited time and resources, you can't choose everyone. So, take some time beforehand to flesh out your target buyer personas.

  22. How To Write A Convincing Case Study: Five Must-Have Elements

    2. Quick Stats. Along with simply including them, the motto for statistics or data in your case study is to get in and get out. Punch in a few facts and let the numbers speak for themselves. As ...

  23. Where to Use Quotes in a Case Study… Besides in the Body Copy

    Quotes: Apply Liberally, But Not Too Much. Quotes deserve more than just going into your case study body copy. You can use them under your title and subheadings and throw in a full-length testimonial or two at the end or on the side of the study. Hey, you can even use them as subheadings. Just don't use them too much.

  24. How Country Delight's Genius Marketing Strategy made it a ...

    "Discover the inspiring story of Country Delight, a dairy startup founded by two IIM graduates in 2013. From humble beginnings to becoming a ₹6,000 crore com...