Psychology and Child & Adolescent Development Research Guide

Case studies are articles that typically focus on a single subject, situation, and/or scenario in a real-life/clinical setting. There are different types of case studies, depending on the field.

More about case studies in psychology

For information about case studies in other fields, review the appropriate research guide and/or contact the subject librarian for detailed guidance and help. 

Case studies are a unique type of empirical/primary research article. In most empirical/primary research article, the author(s) conduct an experiment. There is a hypothesis, methodology, data is collected and analyzed, which is then used to make conclusions. In case studies, the author(s) will detail one specific situation/scenario that actually occurred. The format may vary depending on the field.  More information on empirical studies can be found here and here. 

To find case studies in databases, adding the phrase 'case study' to your search is typically the best way. PsycINFO has a limiter to help users find case studies.