College of Education & Health Professions

Introduction

First determine what topic you want to study, keeping in mind you will need to have a subject for your case study. For example, you may work with a high school student with moderate IDD who engages in aggressive behavior. Consequently, you might focus your interest and research on how aggressive behaviors in those with IDD are addressed in public schools. In the first paragraphs provide a general overview of the topic. In this example, define aggressive behavior and from the research give a general description and overview of the prevalence of aggressive behavior in the population of students with IDD in public school. Next provide general information on how public schools typically address aggressive behaviors.

Literature Review

Review research studies that address the topic. In the current example provided above, you will review the research over behavioral interventions for aggressive behavior in IDD in the public school setting. You want to compare different approaches in the research literature and identify gaps of knowledge or conflicting results in the body of research. Also describe how the research relates to the topic you are studying.

Purpose

This is the research question you will formulate based on the literature review. For example: “Based on the literature review, the purpose of this case study is to examine the effectiveness of behavioral interventions implemented in the public school setting for aggressive behavior in a student with moderate IDD. The researcher is interested in answering the following questions:

1. What interventions have been implemented and who implements the interventions and what is their training? 
2. Are the interventions based on proven methods from behavioral research?
3. What was the result of the interventions? Were there reductions in subject’s aggressive behavior and improvement in related behaviors?
4. Which interventions were most effective?
5. What is the social validity of the methods to reduce aggressive behavior for the subject and school personnel?

Method

Setting

Describe the setting in which the case study will be conducted

Subject(s)

Describe how the subject(s) was chosen and describe the subject’s behavioral history and general background.

Data Collection Method

Describe the methods you will use to collect data and gather information. For example, you may directly observe the subject, as well as interview the subject, teachers and staff, and you may conduct an archival record review.

References

Include APA style reference list.