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1. CONVENTIONS
OF
CASE WRITING
Lee Meng Foon

2. QUALITIES OF A ‘GOOD’ CASE
• Clarity of objective(s)
• Facts are presented in a logical
manner to facilitate analysis of the
situation
• Free from factual inconsistencies and
typographical errors
• Sense of urgency about the problem
or situation

3. QUALITIES OF A ‘GOOD’ CASE
• Gives clues about the causes of the
problem
• Leads the reader to think about the
problem and its solution
• Has breadth and depth (broad
perspective and narrow focus)
• Easy to read and understand

4. CASE WRITING CONVENTIONS
• Case depicts a realistic situation
(facts are authentic)
• Opinions on the behaviors of people
are expressed by the characters in
the case, not by the writer
• Use past tense and specific dates
• Provide sufficient background
information to set the case

5. • Avoid editorializing or being judgemental
• Make the case exciting but real (use
prose and dialogue)
• Provide ‘flesh and blood’ to create reality
(behavioral and emotional aspects)
• Write effectively in prose to motivate
the reader to reflect on the case
• The closing paragraph opens the case for
discussion

6. USE OF DATA
• Include only relevant data
• Analyze the case concurrently to
assess the data required
• Date all documents and state all
sources of information