. Case Study Number (if given). Database main URL
Berry, A. (2024). .
. Harvard Business School Case 822-122.
. Case study number (if given). URL
Henderson, R. M., Locke, R. M., & Lyddy, C. (2019). . . Case No. ETH33. | |
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(pp. Page Numbers). Publisher.
Green cause-related marketing for social innovation: Helping people to reimagine plastic recycling and sustainability. In M. M. Galan-Ladero, C. Galera-Casquet, & H. M. Alves (Eds.), (pp. 19-30). Springer. | |
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Resources on using in-text citations in APA style
Resources on writing an APA style reference list, including citation formats
Table of contents
Whether you study social sciences or life sciences, you’re likely to encounter a case study analysis in your academic journey. These papers demand a lot from students. First, you must have impeccable research and analysis skills. Sample populations, particularly people, can be challenging to analyze. It’s easy to misinterpret data and come up with the wrong conclusions. Additionally, you’ll need to have a knack for writing to present your findings persuasively, backed up by evidence-based arguments that build confidence for your teacher to accept the results of your work. If you need to boost your paper, Papers Owl is here to help you with a wide range of guidelines on how to write a case study in APA.
To make your success, first realize that a case study is detective work. Your research may have an unresolved question or to carry out some testing to validate a hypothesis; in this case, studies are born. Psychology, nursing, and business are common fields this method is applied. In this scientific method, you’ll approach an event, action, individual, etc. And apply a set of circumstances to observe outcomes. Most papers in this field are written in the APA format, which can be a burden for students, especially if they aren’t familiar with this style. If you lack time or motivation for writing, appeal to our professional writers to write a case study in APA format, and we will ensure your paper is perfectly formatted and gets a high grade.
First, let’s look at the sections in writing a case study in APA, which shares a few similarities to a typical research paper.
Introduction: Introduce your topic to the reader. Be sure to include the state of current research and where you plan to develop the current state of knowledge. You should include an interesting fact to reinforce your work’s importance and develop an interest in your hypothesis. Finish off with a thesis statement that you’ll focus on your workaround.
Aims: In this section, you answer the questions regarding why you are conducting your research and any questions you’ll explore. Avid case study writer recommends focusing your questions around your thesis. You can develop a triangle with a diagram and drill down your questions in a logical format that matches your paper’s main purpose.
Methods: Writing a case study in APA requires a methods section that details how you conducted your research. Did you conduct any interviews, send out questionnaires, or observe any behaviors? Detail them in this section, and state the environment and circumstances surrounding your data collection.
Results: Now that you’ve identified what you’d planned to accomplish and how you went about it in your APA case study format, it’s time to post the results. Don’t be shy if things don’t go swimmingly. Often in studies, we have unexpected results, which sometimes makes your paper more interesting to read.
Discussion: It’s time for the heart and soul of your paper. After all your research and observation, it is time to have a discourse on the results. The key to how to write a case paper in APA hangs on your ability to interpret the results in a meaningful way. Be sure to focus the discussion on your stated methods and how they pertain to your aims.
Recommendations: Here you want to detail what is to follow your research. Professional case study writers advise stating any knowledge gaps in your work and any unanswered or new questions you had found in the process. Your insights will be useful for others to follow in your footsteps and expand on your analysis.
Example of writing a case study analysis in APA format:
Knowing how to write a case study in APA format is a common question for students. In addition to the typical academic standards, APA has its own requirements that must be adhered to. The first step is to create a heading, known as a running head, that will be present on each page of your paper. The running head includes:
The title of a case study in an APA paper is a requirement. The purpose is to state the name of the work, who the author is, and the institution that sponsored the research. It has the following parts:
For APA Style ( 7th edition ), the cover page should also have:
Note: APA 7 distinguishes between the formatting of title pages for professional and student papers. For instance, professional papers include a running head, while student papers do not necessarily include one.
The abstract of your paper works as a summary to give a brief overview of what it contains. Include the running head at the top; the first line should have the word “abstract” centered. Follow the abstract with 150-250 words summarizing your paper. You may also index some keywords to help find the contents of your work in academic databases. At the end of your summary, indent once, and in italics, indicate keywords related to your work.
Writing an effective college paper requires a lot of planning and formatting to get it done right. Brush up on these guidelines for how to write your paper in APA format . If you need someone to review your work or write any parts of your paper, reach out to our professional writers, who are always willing to lend a hand.
Additionally, with the help of our blog, you can make sure you create a professional PowerPoint presentation that clearly outlines the main points of your paper. If you need help with this, our professional writers can provide guidance.
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If you’re writing an academic paper, you may need to cite a case study. But how do you do that? This guide will explain everything you need to know about citing a case study in APA format.
Table of Contents
APA stands for American Psychological Association. It is a style guide used by many academic disciplines, including psychology, sociology, and business. The purpose of the APA style is to provide a consistent format for academic writing, making it easier for readers to understand and follow the author’s argument.
Citing a case study is important for several reasons. First, it gives credit to the original author for their work. Second, it allows readers to find the source if they want to learn more. Finally, it adds credibility to your work by demonstrating that you have researched and referenced other relevant studies.
Here are the steps you need to follow to cite a case study in APA format:
The first step in citing a case study is to list the author’s last name and first initial. For example Smith, J.
Next, you need to include the year of publication in parentheses. For example: (2018).
After the year of publication, you need to provide the title of the case study in italics. For example The impact of social media on adolescent mental health.
The next step is to add the name of the publisher. For example Harvard Business Review Press.
Finally, you need to include the DOI or URL where the case study can be found. For example https://doi.org/10.1145/1234567.1234567
Here’s what the final citation should look like:
Smith, J. (2018). The impact of social media on adolescent mental health. Harvard Business Review Press. https://doi.org/10.1145/1234567.1234567
If you cannot find a DOI or URL for the case study, you can omit it from the citation. In that case, you should include the name of the database where you found the case study instead. For example:
Smith, J. (2018). The impact of social media on adolescent mental health. Harvard Business Review Press. Academic Search Complete.
Citing a case study in APA format may seem daunting at first, but it is quite simple once you know the steps. By following the guidelines in this article, you can ensure that your citations are accurate and complete and that you are giving credit to the original authors for their work.
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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
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.
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000
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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.
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….
General format.
Author(s). (Year). Title of case study . HBS No. number of case study. Publisher.
Kotter, J. (1990). Changing the culture at British Airways . HBS No. 491-009. Harvard Business School Publishing.
Groysberg, B., & Connolly, K. (2015). BlackRock: Diversity as a driver for success . HBS No. 415-047. Harvard Business School Publishing.
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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This citation guide outlines the most important citation guidelines from the 7th edition APA Publication Manual (2020). Scribbr also offers free guides for the older APA 6th edition , MLA Style , and Chicago Style .
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Apa in-text citations, apa references, formatting the apa reference page, free lecture slides, frequently asked questions.
In-text citations are brief references in the running text that direct readers to the reference entry at the end of the paper. You include them every time you quote or paraphrase someone else’s ideas or words to avoid plagiarism . Our plagiarism checker can help ensure your paper contains appropriate author attributions.
An APA in-text citation consists of the author’s last name and the year of publication (also known as the author-date system). If you’re citing a specific part of a source, you should also include a locator such as a page number or timestamp. For example: (Smith, 2020, p. 170) .
The in-text citation can take two forms: parenthetical and narrative. Both types are generated automatically when citing a source with Scribbr’s APA Citation Generator.
The in-text citation changes slightly when a source has multiple authors or an organization as an author. Pay attention to punctuation and the use of the ampersand (&) symbol.
Author type | Parenthetical citation | Narrative citation |
---|---|---|
One author | (Smith, 2020) | Smith (2020) |
Two authors | (Smith & Jones, 2020) | Smith and Jones (2020) |
Three or more authors | (Smith et al., 2020) | Smith et al. (2020) |
Organization | (Scribbr, 2020) | Scribbr (2020) |
When the author, publication date or locator is unknown, take the steps outlined below.
Missing element | What to do | Parenthetical citation |
---|---|---|
Author | Use the source title.* | ( , 2020) |
Date | Write “n.d.” for “no date”. | (Smith, n.d.) |
Page number | Either use an or omit the page number. | (Smith, 2020, Chapter 3) or (Smith, 2020) |
The AI-powered Citation Checker helps you avoid common mistakes such as:
APA references generally include information about the author , publication date , title , and source . Depending on the type of source, you may have to include extra information that helps your reader locate the source.
Citing a source starts with choosing the correct reference format. Use Scribbr’s Citation Example Generator to learn more about the format for the most common source types. Pay close attention to punctuation, capitalization, and italicization.
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It is not uncommon for certain information to be unknown or missing, especially with sources found online. In these cases, the reference is slightly adjusted.
Missing element | What to do | Reference format |
---|---|---|
Author | Start the reference entry with the source title. | Title. (Date). Source. |
Date | Write “n.d.” for “no date”. | Author. (n.d.). Title. Source. |
Title | Describe the work in square brackets. | Author. (Date). [Description]. Source. |
On the first line of the page, write the section label “References” (in bold and centered). On the second line, start listing your references in alphabetical order .
Apply these formatting guidelines to the APA reference page:
On the reference page, you only include sources that you have cited in the text (with an in-text citation ). You should not include references to personal communications that your reader can’t access (e.g. emails, phone conversations or private online material).
Are you a teacher or professor looking to introduce your students to APA Style? Download our free introductory lecture slides, available for Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint.
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When no individual author name is listed, but the source can clearly be attributed to a specific organization—e.g., a press release by a charity, a report by an agency, or a page from a company’s website—use the organization’s name as the author in the reference entry and APA in-text citations .
When no author at all can be determined—e.g. a collaboratively edited wiki or an online article published anonymously—use the title in place of the author. In the in-text citation, put the title in quotation marks if it appears in plain text in the reference list, and in italics if it appears in italics in the reference list. Shorten it if necessary.
When you quote or paraphrase a specific passage from a source, you need to indicate the location of the passage in your APA in-text citation . If there are no page numbers (e.g. when citing a website ) but the text is long, you can instead use section headings, paragraph numbers, or a combination of the two:
(Caulfield, 2019, Linking section, para. 1).
Section headings can be shortened if necessary. Kindle location numbers should not be used in ebook citations , as they are unreliable.
If you are referring to the source as a whole, it’s not necessary to include a page number or other marker.
The abbreviation “ et al. ” (meaning “and others”) is used to shorten APA in-text citations with three or more authors . Here’s how it works:
Only include the first author’s last name, followed by “et al.”, a comma and the year of publication, for example (Taylor et al., 2018).
APA Style usually does not require an access date. You never need to include one when citing journal articles , e-books , or other stable online sources.
However, if you are citing a website or online article that’s designed to change over time, it’s a good idea to include an access date. In this case, write it in the following format at the end of the reference: Retrieved October 19, 2020, from https://www.uva.nl/en/about-the-uva/about-the-university/about-the-university.html
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Researchers in the behavioral and social sciences often use case studies to analyze new phenomena. The sixth edition of the "Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association" offers style and format guidelines for these writers. However, a case study does not have its own citation style. Instead, reference the book or journal that published the study.
After discussing a case study in text, include a reference citation within parentheses. Insert the author's last name, a comma and the date, such as (Doe, 1998). If you mention the author in text, omit the name.
Include in-text citations of case studies on the References page. For a book, begin with the author's last name, a comma, initials and a period. Put the publication date inside parentheses. Add a period. Insert the italicized title of the book in sentence case and a period. Conclude with the publication location, a colon, the publisher and a period;
for example: Doe, J. (1998). Psychological case studies. New York: Psych Books.
Put an in-text citation to a case study from an article on the References page. Start with the author's last name, a comma, initials and a period. Insert the year inside parentheses. Add a period. List the title of the article in sentence case followed by a period. Include the italicized title of the journal, a comma and volume number. Add a comma, the hyphenated page numbers and a period;
for instance: Smith, T. (2009). An economic case study. Economics Today, 27, 156-167.
Living in upstate New York, Susan Sherwood is a researcher who has been writing within educational settings for more than 10 years. She has co-authored papers for Horizons Research, Inc. and the Capital Region Science Education Partnership. Sherwood has a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from the University at Albany.
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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.
General format for citing case studies: Author (s). (Year). Title of case study. Number of case study. URL. Examples: Harvard Business School Case Study. Smith, S. (2003).
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 ...
General Format. In-Text Citations: The Basics. In-Text Citations: Author/Authors. Footnotes and Endnotes. Reference List: Basic Rules. Reference List: Author/Authors. Reference List: Articles in Periodicals. Reference List: Books. Reference List: Other Print Sources.
How to Write a Case Study in APA Format. Written by Sarina Jones. Posted: March 30, 2022. Last update date: August 5, 2024. 4 min read. Table of contents. 1 What Is a Case Study In APA Format? 2 Structure of Case Study Report In APA. 2.1 Sample Of APA Case Study Outline. 3 Writing a case study in APA Step By Step.
A comprehensive guide to citing a case study in APA format, including step-by-step instructions and examples.
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.
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 ...
Citing a source starts with choosing the correct reference format. Use Scribbr’s Citation Example Generator to learn more about the format for the most common source types. Pay close attention to punctuation, capitalization, and italicization. Generate APA citations for free.
Put an in-text citation to a case study from an article on the References page. Start with the author's last name, a comma, initials and a period. Insert the year inside parentheses.