Beginner’s Guide to Case Studies In Journalism

Lily Gilbey

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Learning how to find case studies and implement them into your research is fundamental to creating powerful journalism.

Case studies, relaying important and interesting experiences, can bring a story to life. Including case studies in your work can also give a platform to those who deserve a safe space to tell their story.

Case Studies In Journalism

Case studies can provide human perspective and experience, which, in turn, can make stories more engaging and relatable. This human connection allows the audience to have a deeper attachment and understanding of the subject matter.

A case study can accompany a feature, personalise a news story or even be published by itself.

Personal accounts of serious matters can influence an audience’s emotional connection to the case study and spark action from readers, for example, by encouraging them to sign a petition or inspire meaningful conversations.

Case studies also allow us to diversify perspectives by enabling journalists to represent different experiences of cultures and communities, which can help shape a well-rounded and comprehensive story. This can also give a platform to those who are often underrepresented in the media and amplify marginalised voices.

Finding Case Studies

To find your case study, you must specify the topic of the story you are trying to produce. Doing this allows you to narrow down your search and relevant people with stories and experiences that align with the theme of the story.

Social media can be a valuable tool for this. Platforms like X, Facebook and LinkedIn can be useful for finding sources and reaching out to them, as long as their privacy settings allow it. Twitter Advanced Search allows you to filter tweets by location, keywords, and dates. 

Resources like X’s #JournoRequest hashtag can make finding your source as simple as sending out a tweet. Individuals typically tweet a specific call for sources with certain experiences or expertise. A #JournoRequest can include your deadline, the publication and how to contact you. It also lets accounts like PR & Journo Requests and Press Plugs know you’re looking for sources. You can also ask for retweets explicitly if you’re looking for sources outside of your general algorithm.

Online forums and communities are another great way to source case studies. A quick search of your topic on Reddit could lead you to hundreds of people with relevant and interesting stories. Reaching out to local charities and campaigns can also be a good way of finding case studies.

Lily Canter, journalist and lecturer at Sheffield University, emphasises the use of PR agencies and Press Offices in finding case studies, as they already have an established database of people who can be contacted. The Journalist Enquiry Service is also free to use, and allows you send a request to hundreds of relevant experts, charities and PRs. 

Ethical Considerations Of Using Case Studies

As with all aspects of journalism, ethics are fundamental to sourcing and hearing from a case study, and obtaining informed consent is extremely important. Additionally, it is your responsibility to be fully transparent about the purpose of the story and the potential consequences it might have when it is published.

It is equally crucial to approach personal topics with sensitivity, bearing in mind that they may have the potential to trigger case studies or audiences. It is therefore important not to approach people in an intrusive way which may cause unnecessary harm.

The topic of privacy should be always discussed prior to publishing a case study, especially when dealing with sensitive stories. When necessary, you can use pseudonyms to anonymise sources.

When presenting case studies, it’s of the utmost important to remain truthful and avoid distorting the narrative, which could cause harm to your sources.

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Featured image courtesy of Vlada Karpovich via Pexels. No changes or alterations have been made to this image. Image license found here.