Critical Thinking Case Analysis

Basic Guidelines for Case Reports

The “Case Assignment Grading Rubric” outlines the criteria on which all submissions are evaluated. Please use that as a reference on how your work will be scored.

Content

• Imagine you are writing a report for the top management of a corporation. Please try to limit your report to ~5+ content pages (excluding references, graphics, and appendices). The goal is to be complete, clear, and concise. There is no reduction for longer reports BUT, there are significant reductions for short or incomplete ones.

• The basic outline of your report should have these parts (parts 1,2 and 4 are all required, part 3 is optional as needed):

  1. Executive Summary [page 1]:

     • Problem: A very brief summary of the decision-making situation, including a compact statement of the alternative courses of action (absolutely no need to summarize or repeat the facts of the case).

     • Solution: An executive summary of your results and recommendations (including very brief answers to the case discussion questions listed in the assignment); and references to specific elements of the analysis (part 2) in support of your statements, answers, and recommendations.

  2. Written Analysis [pages 2-5+]:

     • The supporting analyses that justify your results and recommendations (including detailed answers to the case discussion questions listed in the assignment) for which you want to get buy-in from the organization.

  3. Appendix: Further details of your analysis (e.g., solution process, assumptions, model, analysis techniques, etc.) and supporting data, charts, etc.

  4. References; proper Chicago-style citations, please.

• Be concise and coherent. It will take effort and careful planning to provide an effective executive summary of your results and recommendations.

• You should support your recommendations and conclusions with solid analysis and data [SEE PART II]. Please make appropriate references from the Executive Summary to your supporting work (Analysis & Appendix). I should not have deciphered the link between your results and your analysis. To be able to pinpoint specific parts of your analysis, divide it into appropriate subheadings/TABS.

• Exhibits for graphical and tabular content are often helpful for clarity and completeness. But, given the space limitations, most will need to be relegated to an appendix, and only the ones essential to make your point should stay in the main body of your report (pages 2-5).

• A cover sheet or title page that states what the work is and who is submitting it. Include all team members' names.

• In the interest of ensuring fair and consistent evaluation of your work, I will impose strict format requirements on case reports. All groups will provide their reports in either WORD or PDF using single-spacing, 12-point font with standard margins (~1”).

• However, you can add all the extraneous information (exhibits/figures/tables/etc.) in the appendices that you want (no page limit there). In fairness, I’ll only be grading on the content so I may or may not look at the ancillary data as carefully.

• Please proofread your report before turning it in.

Content

• Your analysis is used to support your conclusions and to show that you can properly structure the data to make a case for your recommendations in the firm.

• Your analysis should be done in EXCEL and submitted at the same time as you submit your report on Canvas.

• Proper analytical elements are key. Please refer to The “Case Assignment Grading Rubric” for the six criteria that will be evaluated.

• Again, please proof your work before submitting it.

• All “reporting” groups will need to submit their Case Solution via a written report and including any supporting analysis file [e.g., spreadsheet) on Canvas when or before the assigned due date/time. A PDF is preferred for the written report. Spreadsheets or other analyses that support your work must be posted in their original format.