How to Write a Case Study in APA Format

image

Table of contents

  • 1 What Is a Case Study In APA Format?
  • 2.1 Sample Of APA Case Study Outline
  • 3.1 Title Page in APA for Case Study Project
  • 3.2 APA Title Page Example
  • 3.3 The Abstract for an APA case study

Whether you study social sciences or life sciences, you’re likely to encounter a case study analysis in your academic journey. These papers demand a lot from students. First, you must have impeccable research and analysis skills. Sample populations, particularly people, can be challenging to analyze. It’s easy to misinterpret data and come up with the wrong conclusions. Additionally, you’ll need to have a knack for writing to present your findings persuasively, backed up by evidence-based arguments that build confidence for your teacher to accept the results of your work. If you need to boost your paper, Papers Owl is here to help you with a wide range of guidelines on how to write a case study in APA.

What Is a Case Study In APA Format?

To make your success, first realize that a case study is detective work. Your research may have an unresolved question or to carry out some testing to validate a hypothesis; in this case, studies are born. Psychology, nursing, and business are common fields this method is applied. In this scientific method, you’ll approach an event, action, individual, etc. And apply a set of circumstances to observe outcomes. Most papers in this field are written in the APA format, which can be a burden for students, especially if they aren’t familiar with this style. If you lack time or motivation for writing, appeal to our professional writers to write a case study  in APA format, and we will ensure your paper is perfectly formatted and gets a high grade.

Structure of Case Study Report In APA

First, let’s look at the sections in writing a case study in APA, which shares a few similarities to a typical research paper.

Introduction: Introduce your topic to the reader. Be sure to include the state of current research and where you plan to develop the current state of knowledge. You should include an interesting fact to reinforce your work’s importance and develop an interest in your hypothesis. Finish off with a thesis statement that you’ll focus on your workaround.

Aims: In this section, you answer the questions regarding why you are conducting your research and any questions you’ll explore. Avid case study writer recommends focusing your questions around your thesis. You can develop a triangle with a diagram and drill down your questions in a logical format that matches your paper’s main purpose.

Methods: Writing a case study in APA requires a methods section that details how you conducted your research. Did you conduct any interviews, send out questionnaires, or observe any behaviors? Detail them in this section, and state the environment and circumstances surrounding your data collection.

more_shortcode

Results: Now that you’ve identified what you’d planned to accomplish and how you went about it in your APA case study format, it’s time to post the results. Don’t be shy if things don’t go swimmingly. Often in studies, we have unexpected results, which sometimes makes your paper more interesting to read.

Discussion: It’s time for the heart and soul of your paper. After all your research and observation, it is time to have a discourse on the results. The key to how to write a case paper in APA hangs on your ability to interpret the results in a meaningful way. Be sure to focus the discussion on your stated methods and how they pertain to your aims.

Recommendations: Here you want to detail what is to follow your research. Professional case study writers advise stating any knowledge gaps in your work and any unanswered or new questions you had found in the process. Your insights will be useful for others to follow in your footsteps and expand on your analysis.

Sample Of APA Case Study Outline

Example of writing a case study analysis in APA format:

pic

Writing a case study in APA Step By Step

Knowing how to write a case study in APA format is a common question for students. In addition to the typical academic standards, APA has its own requirements that must be adhered to. The first step is to create a heading, known as a running head, that will be present on each page of your paper. The running head includes:

  • The page number on the right margin
  • A shortened title of your paper in ALL-CAPS no longer than 50 characters to the right

Title Page in APA for Case Study Project

The title of a case study in an APA paper is a requirement. The purpose is to state the name of the work, who the author is, and the institution that sponsored the research. It has the following parts:

  • The words “running head” at the top, followed by the actual running head
  • The full title of your paper using APA titling no longer than 12 words
  • Your name without any designations (Dr/Ph.D./Rev/etc.) and the institution you attend

For APA Style ( 7th edition ), the cover page should also have:

  • A page number at the top right corner.
  • The institutional affiliation where the research took place.
  • Course information, which is mandatory for student papers.
  • The author’s note is optional and usually appears in professional papers.
  • Font options have expanded to include Calibri 11, Arial 11, Lucida Sans Unicode 10, Times New Roman 12, or Georgia 11.
  • All text on the title page should be double-spaced.
  • Center all page contents and capitalize the first letter of significant words.

Note: APA 7 distinguishes between the formatting of title pages for professional and student papers. For instance, professional papers include a running head, while student papers do not necessarily include one.

know_shortcode

APA Title Page Example

pic

The Abstract for an APA case study

The abstract of your paper works as a summary to give a brief overview of what it contains. Include the running head at the top; the first line should have the word “abstract” centered. Follow the abstract with 150-250 words summarizing your paper. You may also index some keywords to help find the contents of your work in academic databases. At the end of your summary, indent once, and in italics, indicate keywords related to your work.

Writing an effective college paper requires a lot of planning and formatting to get it done right. Brush up on these guidelines for how to write your paper in APA format . If you need someone to review your work or write any parts of your paper, reach out to our professional writers, who are always willing to lend a hand.

Additionally, with the help of our blog, you can make sure you create a professional PowerPoint presentation that clearly outlines the main points of your paper. If you need help with this, our professional writers can provide guidance.

Readers also enjoyed

How to Write a Research Paper in APA Format

WHY WAIT? PLACE AN ORDER RIGHT NOW!

Just fill out the form, press the button, and have no worries!

We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy.

medical case study apa format

Home / Guides / Citation Guides / How to Cite Sources / How to Cite a Case Study in APA, MLA, or Chicago

How to Cite a Case Study in APA, MLA, or Chicago

When citing a case study, the format in MLA and APA is similar to that of a report, and in Chicago style, it is similar to that of a book. For all three citation styles, you will need the name of the author(s), the title of the case study, the year it was published, the publishing organization/publisher, and URL (if applicable). The templates and examples below will demonstrate how to cite a case study in MLA, APA, and Chicago styles.

Author Last Name, Author First Name.  Title of Case Study . Edition (if applicable), volume number (if applicable), Publisher, year of publication, URL without http:// or https:// (if applicable).

Hill, Linda A., et al. HCL Technologies (A). Rev. edition, Harvard Business School, 2008, www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=34784.

In-text Citation:

(Author Last Name(s) page #)

(Hill et al. 8)

Author Last Name, Author Initial. (Publication Year). Title of Case Study (Case # if applicable). Publishing Organization. URL

Hill, L., Khanna, T., & Stecker, E. (2008). HCL Technologies (A) (Case 408-004). Harvard Business School. https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=34784

(Author Last Name, Publication Year)

(Hill et al., 2008)

Notes-bibliography style

Author Last Name, First Name.  Title of the Case Study . Publishing City: Publishing Organization, Publication Year. URL.

Hill, Linda A., Tarun Khanna, and Emily Stecker. HCL Technologies (A).  Boston: Harvard Business School, 2008. https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=34784.

1. Author First Name Last Name, Title of the Case Study (Publishing City: Publishing Organization, Publication Year), URL.

1. Linda A. Hill, Tarun Khanna, and Emily Stecker, HCL Technologies (A) ( Boston: Harvard Business School, 2008), https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=34784.

Author-date style

Author Last Name, First Name. Publication Year. Title of the Case Study . Publishing City: Publishing Organization. URL.

Hill, Linda A., Tarun Khanna, and Emily Stecker. 2008. HCL Technologies (A).  Boston: Harvard Business School. https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=34784.

In-text citation: 

(Author Last Name Publication Date)

(Holl, Khanna, and Stecker 2008)

Citation Guides

  • Annotated Bibliography
  • Block Quotes
  • Citation Examples
  • et al Usage
  • In-text Citations
  • Page Numbers
  • Reference Page
  • Sample Paper
  • APA 7 Updates
  • View APA Guide
  • Bibliography
  • Works Cited
  • MLA 8 Updates
  • View MLA Guide

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

Citation Basics

Harvard Referencing

Plagiarism Basics

Plagiarism Checker

Upload a paper to check for plagiarism against billions of sources and get advanced writing suggestions for clarity and style.

Get Started

  • - Google Chrome

Intended for healthcare professionals

  • My email alerts
  • BMA member login
  • Username * Password * Forgot your log in details? Need to activate BMA Member Log In Log in via OpenAthens Log in via your institution

Home

Search form

  • Advanced search
  • Search responses
  • Search blogs
  • How to write a medical...

How to write a medical case report

  • Related content
  • Peer review
  • Seema Biswas , editor-in-chief, BMJ Case Reports, London, UK ,
  • Oliver Jones , student editor, BMJ Case Reports, London, UK

Two BMJ Case Reports journal editors take you through the process

This article contains...

- Choosing the right patient

- Choosing the right message

- Before you begin - patient consent

- How to write your case report

- How to get published

During medical school, students often come across patients with a unique presentation, an unfamiliar response to treatment, or even an obscure disease. Writing a case report is an excellent way of documenting these findings for the wider medical community—sharing new knowledge that will lead to better and safer patient care.

For many medical students and junior doctors, a case report may be their first attempt at medical writing. A published case report will look impressive on your curriculum vitae, particularly if it is on a topic of your chosen specialty. Publication will be an advantage when applying for foundation year posts and specialty training, and many job applications have points allocated exclusively for publications in peer reviewed journals, including case reports.

The writing of a case report rests on skills that medical students acquire in their medical training, which they use throughout their postgraduate careers: these include history taking, interpretation of clinical signs and symptoms, interpretation of laboratory and imaging results, researching disease aetiology, reviewing medical evidence, and writing in a manner that clearly and effectively communicates with the reader.

If you are considering writing a case report, try to find a senior doctor who can be a supervising coauthor and help you decide whether you have a message worth writing about, that you have chosen the correct journal to submit to (considering the format that the journal requires), that the process is transparent and ethical at all times, and that your patient is not compromised in your writing. Indeed, try to include your patient in the process from the …

Log in using your username and password

BMA Member Log In

If you have a subscription to The BMJ, log in:

  • Need to activate
  • Log in via institution
  • Log in via OpenAthens

Log in through your institution

Subscribe from £184 *.

Subscribe and get access to all BMJ articles, and much more.

* For online subscription

Access this article for 1 day for: £33 / $40 / €36 ( excludes VAT )

You can download a PDF version for your personal record.

Buy this article

medical case study apa format

  • PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
  • EDIT Edit this Article
  • EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
  • Browse Articles
  • Learn Something New
  • Quizzes Hot
  • This Or That Game
  • Train Your Brain
  • Explore More
  • Support wikiHow
  • About wikiHow
  • Log in / Sign up
  • Education and Communications
  • Medical Studies

How to Write a Medical Case Study Report

Last Updated: April 18, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was medically reviewed by Mark Ziats, MD, PhD and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Dr. Mark Ziats is an Internal Medicine Physician, Scientist, Entrepreneur, and the Medical Director of xBiotech. With over five years of experience, he specializes in biotechnology, genomics, and medical devices. He earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from Baylor College of Medicine, a Ph.D. in Genetics from the University of Cambridge, and a BS in Biochemistry and Chemistry from Clemson University. He also completed the INNoVATE Program in Biotechnology Entrepreneurship at The Johns Hopkins University - Carey Business School. Dr. Ziats is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. There are 15 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 187,503 times.

You've encountered an interesting and unusual case on your rounds, and a colleague or supervising physician says, "Why don't you write up a case study report?" If you've never written one before, that might sound intimidating, but it's a great way to get started in medical writing. Case studies always follow a standard structure and format, so the writing is very formulaic once you get the hang of it. Read on for a step-by-step guide to writing your first case study report.

What is a case study report?

Step 1 A case study report is an academic publication describing an unusual or unique case.

  • Medical students or residents typically do the bulk of the writing of the report. If you're just starting your medical career, a case study report is a great way to get a publication under your belt. [2] X Research source

Step 2 Your report discusses the case presented by one patient.

  • If the patient is a minor or is incapable of giving informed consent, get consent from their parents or closest relative. [4] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
  • Your hospital likely has specific consent forms to use. Ask your supervising physician if you're not sure where to get one.
  • Some journals also have their own consent form. Check your target journal's author or submission information to make sure. [5] X Research source

How is a case study report structured?

Step 1 A typical report consists of an abstract, intro, case description, discussion, and conclusion.

  • Even though the introduction is the first part of a case study report, doctors typically write it last. You'll have a better idea of how to introduce your case study to readers after you've written it.
  • Your abstract comes at the top, before the introduction, and provides a brief summary of the entire report. Unless your case study is published in an open-access journal, the abstract is the only part of the article many readers will see.

Step 2 Check your target journal for possible variations.

  • Many journals offer templates and checklists you can use to make sure your case study includes everything necessary and is formatted properly—take advantage of these! Some journals, such as BMJ Case Reports , require all case studies submitted to use their templates.

Drafting Your Medical Case Study Report

Step 1 Pull all of the hospital records for the case.

  • Patient description
  • Chronological case history
  • Physical exam results
  • Results of any pathological tests, imaging, or other investigations
  • Treatment plan
  • Expected outcome of treatment
  • Actual outcome of treatment

Step 2 Write a draft of the case presentation.

  • Why the patient sought medical help (you can even use their own words)
  • Important information that helped you settle on your diagnosis
  • The results of your clinical examination, including diagnostic tests and their results, along with any helpful images
  • A description of the treatment plan
  • The outcome, including how and why treatment ended and how long the patient was under your care [11] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source

Step 3 Research the existing literature on the patient's condition and treatment.

  • You will need references to back up symptoms of the condition, common treatment, and the expected outcome of that common treatment.
  • Use your research to paint a picture of the usual case of a patient with a similar condition—it'll help you show how unusual and different your patient's case is.
  • Generally, aim for around 20 references—no fewer than 15, but no more than 25. [13] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source

Step 4 Write a section discussing the case in light of your research.

  • Close your discussion section with a summary of the lessons learned from the case and why it's significant to consider when treating similar cases in the future.
  • Outline any open questions that remain. You might also provide suggestions for future research.

Step 5 Complete your introduction and conclusion after you've written the body.

  • In your conclusion, you might also give suggestions or recommendations to readers based on what you learned as a result of the case.
  • Some journals don't want a separate conclusion section. If that's the case for one of your target journals, just move this paragraph to the end of your discussion section.

Polishing Your Report for Submission to Publishers

Step 1 Come up with a title for your case study.

  • Most titles are fewer than 10 words long and include the name of the disease or condition treated.
  • You might also include the treatment used and whether the outcome was successful. When deciding what to include, think about the reason you wrote the case study in the first place and why you think it's important for other clinicians to read.

Step 2 Identify the authors of the report on the title page.

  • Made a significant intellectual contribution to the case study report
  • Was involved in the medical care of the patient reported
  • Can explain and defend the data presented in the report
  • Has approved the final manuscript before submission for publication

Step 3 Write an abstract summarizing the entire article.

  • Keep in mind that the abstract is not just going to be the first thing people read—it will often be the only thing people read. Make sure that if someone is going to walk away having only read the abstract, they'll still get the same message they would have if they read the whole thing.
  • There are 2 basic types of abstract: narrative and structured. A narrative abstract is a single paragraph written in narrative prose. A structured abstract includes headings that correspond with the sections of the paper, then a brief summary of each section. Use the format preferred by your target journal.

Step 4 Choose keywords that will help readers find your case study.

  • Look for keywords that are relevant to your field or sub-field and directly related to the content of your article, such as the name of the condition or specific treatments you used.
  • Most journals allow 4-8 keywords but check the submission guidelines of your target journal to make sure.

Step 5 Obscure the patient's identity.

  • Blur out the patient's face as well as any tattoos, birthmarks, or unrelated scars that are visible in diagnostic images.

Step 6 Include your acknowledgments and conflict of interest statement.

  • It's common to thank the patient, but that's up to you. Even if you don't, include a statement indicating that you have the patient's written, informed consent to publish the information.
  • Read the journal's submission guidelines for a definition of what that journal considers a conflict of interest. They're generally the same, but some might be stricter than others. [22] X Research source

Step 7 Compile and format your reference section.

  • If you're not familiar with the citation style used by your target journal, check online for a guide. There might also be one available at your hospital or medical school library.
  • Medical librarians can also help with citation style and references if you run into something tricky—don't just wing it! Correct citation style insures that readers can access the materials you cite.

Step 8 Get feedback on your final draft.

  • It's also a good idea to get a beta reader who isn't a medical professional. Their comments can help you figure out where you need to clarify your points.
  • Read a lot of case studies published in your target journals—it will help you internalize the tone and style that journal is looking for.

Submitting Your Report to Publishers

Step 1 Choose target journals that publish similar content.

  • Look into the background and reputation of journals before you decide to submit to them. Only seek publication from reputable journals in which articles go through a peer-review process.
  • Find out what publishing fees the journals charge. Keep in mind that open-access journals tend to charge higher publishing fees. [26] X Research source
  • Read each journal's submission and editorial guidelines carefully. They'll tell you exactly how to format your case study, how long each section should be, and what citation style to use. [27] X Research source
  • For electronic journals that only publish case reports, try BMJ Case Reports , Journal of Medical Case Reports , or Radiology Case Reports .

Step 2 Submit your manuscript according to the journal's requirements.

  • If your manuscript isn't suitable for the journal you submitted to, the journal might offer to forward it to an associated journal where it would be a better fit.
  • When your manuscript is provisionally accepted, the journal will send it to other doctors for evaluation under the peer-review process.
  • Most medical journals don't accept simultaneous submissions, meaning you'll have to submit to your first choice, wait for their decision, then move to the next journal on the list if they don't bite.

Step 3 Revise your manuscript based on peer review comments.

  • Along with your revised manuscript, include a letter with your response to each of the reviewer's comments. Where you made revisions, add page numbers to indicate where the revisions are that address that reviewer's comments.
  • Sometimes, doctors involved in the peer review process will indicate that the journal should reject the manuscript. If that's the case, you'll get a letter explaining why your case study report won't be published and you're free to submit it elsewhere.

Step 4 Complete final copy-editing if the editors approve your article.

  • Some journals require you to have your article professionally copy-edited at your own cost while others do this in-house. The editors will let you know what you're responsible for.

Step 5 Pay the article processing charge if your article is accepted.

  • With your acceptance letter, you'll get instructions on how to make payment and how much you owe. Take note of the deadline and make sure you pay it as soon as possible to avoid publication delays.
  • Some journals will publish for free, with an "open-access option" that allows you to pay a fee only if you want open access to your article. [32] X Research source

Step 6 Sign your publishing agreement.

  • Through the publishing agreement, you assign your copyright in the article to the journal. This allows the journal to legally publish your work. That assignment can be exclusive or non-exclusive and may only last for a specific term. Read these details carefully!
  • If you published an open-access article, you don't assign the copyright to the publisher. The publishing agreement merely gives the journal the right to publish the "Version of Record." [33] X Research source

How do I find a suitable case for a report?

Step 1 Keep your eye out for unusual or interesting cases.

  • A rare disease, or unusual presentation of any disease
  • An unusual combination of diseases or conditions
  • A difficult or inconclusive diagnosis
  • Unexpected developments or responses to treatment
  • Personal impact
  • Observations that shed new light on the patient's disease or condition

Step 2 Discuss possible cases with your medical team.

  • There might be other members of your medical team that want to help with writing. If so, use one of these brainstorming sessions to divvy up writing responsibilities in a way that makes the most sense given your relative skills and experience.
  • Senior doctors might also be able to name some journals that would potentially publish your case study. [36] X Research source

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

Read an MRI

  • ↑ https://www.elsevier.com/connect/authors-update/the-dos-and-donts-of-writing-and-publishing-case-reports
  • ↑ https://www.bmj.com/content/350/bmj.h2693
  • ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5686928/
  • ↑ https://health.usf.edu/medicine/internalmedicine/im-impact/~/media/B3A3421F4C144FA090AE965C21791A3C.ashx
  • ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2597880/
  • ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6476221/
  • ↑ https://www.springer.com/gp/authors-editors/authorandreviewertutorials/writing-a-journal-manuscript/title-abstract-and-keywords/10285522
  • ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2597880/
  • ↑ https://thelancet.com/pb/assets/raw/Lancet/authors/tl-info-for-authors.pdf
  • ↑ https://jmedicalcasereports.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13256-017-1351-y
  • ↑ https://guides.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/casereports
  • ↑ https://casereports.bmj.com/pages/authors/
  • ↑ https://jmedicalcasereports.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1752-1947-7-239
  • ↑ https://research.chm.msu.edu/students-residents/writing-a-case-report
  • ↑ https://authorservices.taylorandfrancis.com/publishing-your-research/moving-through-production/copyright-for-journal-authors/#

About This Article

Mark Ziats, MD, PhD

Medical Disclaimer

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.

Read More...

To start a medical case study report, first choose a title that clearly reflects the contents of the report. You’ll also need to list any participating authors and develop a list of keywords, as well as an abstract summarizing the report. Your report will need to include an introduction summarizing the context of the report, as well as a detailed presentation of the case. Don’t forget to include a thorough citation list and acknowledgements of anyone else who participated in the study. For more tips from our Medical co-author, including how to get your case study report published, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

  • Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Dr V K Rao

Sep 5, 2020

Did this article help you?

medical case study apa format

Asfia Banu Pasha

Apr 10, 2017

Mason

Jun 20, 2021

C. L.

Mar 1, 2017

Do I Have a Dirty Mind Quiz

Featured Articles

The Best Ways to Speed Read & Become a Faster Reader

Trending Articles

18 Practical Ways to Celebrate Pride as an Ally

Watch Articles

Clean Silver Jewelry with Vinegar

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Info
  • Not Selling Info

Don’t miss out! Sign up for

wikiHow’s newsletter

Oakland Community College Home

Medical & Health: How to Cite Sources: APA Style

  • Medical & Health Home
  • Find Articles
  • Credible Websites
  • How to Cite Sources: APA Style

Help with APA Style - 7th edition

  • APA Style and Grammar Guidelines
  • APA Style In-Text Citations
  • APA Style References
  • APA 7th ed Quick Reference Guide
  • Purdue University Online Writing Lab 7th ed. 2019. Covers both print and electronic sources.
  • APA 7th ed. Documentation Style: OCC Reference Examples
  • Student Paper Checklist: APA Style, 7th ed, Use this checklist to see if your paper meets APA Style 7th ed. requirements.

APA Format for OCC Nursing Students

OCC Nursing Students

Please see the Nursing Research Guide for specialized APA instructions.


Alert! Results from a citation machine are only as good as the details you plug in!  They are unable to tell errors you make. Be sure to check your results against APA guidelines.


Alert! Citations created for sources in databases or the Search Everything Library Catalog are often wrong.  Be sure to check your results against APA Guidelines for the edition your instructor requires.

Books @ OCC Libraries

Try these books, available in OCC Libraries, for more help on citing your sources.

Cover Art

  • << Previous: Credible Websites
  • Last Updated: Mar 20, 2024 11:53 AM
  • URL: https://libguides.oaklandcc.edu/Medical_Health

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

  • Publications
  • Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

  • Advanced Search
  • Journal List
  • JACC Case Rep
  • v.4(21); 2022 Nov 2

How to Write Your First Clinical Case Report

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is fx1.jpg

Do you remember when your first publication of a clinical case was? Most likely when you were a medical student or resident. Although the process for young authors is rewarding once the manuscript gets accepted, the writing and revision process can be exhausting. For some early career authors, it can be difficult to find a starting point. What is the main advice that the JACC: Case Reports editorial board can give you for publishing a clinical case? After having handled more than 9,000 submissions to the journal in the last 3 years, here is what we think.

Select the Journal of Submission and Look at the Literature

Before you submit your manuscript, carefully peruse the potential journals of submission and read the author instructions for those journals. It is important to ensure that the journal of submission is the right one for your work. Carefully considering journal selection will allow you to avoid disappointment if the journal’s audience is not the best fit for your clinical case. Journals will also vary in styles and format offerings, so the first step should always be to visit the instructions for that particular journal to ensure that one of the formats is appropriate for your case.

Furthermore, before you begin to write the case, perform a comprehensive literature search. Just because it is new to you does not mean that the findings or topics are novel in the context of the published literature. A manuscript also reflects your work as a clinician, so make sure that you submit a case that best reflects your clinical achievements.

Structure Your Report

Once you have selected the journal of submission, carefully reread the author instructions to structure your submission. The JACC: Case Reports authors instructions suggest a specific structure for a clinical case: history of presentation, physical examination, past medical history, differential diagnosis, investigations, management (medical/interventions), discussion, follow-up, conclusions, and learning objectives. For a clinical case, it is important to document the patient’s presentation and the physical examination. For example, in a patient with acute pulmonary embolism, it is important to document blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate.

Another important component of the clinical case is the differential diagnosis, in which you should explain why you ended up with the final diagnosis. We do not wish to see a bullet point listing of possible diagnoses, but rather a narrative explanation of why you excluded other clinical issues. When you describe management, do not hesitate to describe any procedural complications. We learn from our mistakes, and a complication may be of great educational value for the medical community. When the JACC: Case Reports editorial board makes a call for procedural complications cases, we typically receive a decent number of malpractice cases. Therefore, make sure that you describe appropriate, guideline-directed clinical practice. Proper management can also a product of good mentorship, which I discuss later in this paper.

The Discussion section is crucial because it explains why your case merits publication. Why is it important to the medical community? Is it going to lead to further research that may eventually change clinical practice? Even if you did not follow clinical guidelines, this is important for us, because it is through clinical cases that we identify gaps in evidence that should be addressed.

Remember that there are also other formats for the journal, and you may choose a different format that better suits your case report.

Include High-Quality Imaging

The foundation of a clinical case is imaging, and this should reflect the high quality standards of the JACC family of journals. As an interactive journal with audiovisual multimedia, do not forget to upload complementary videos when relevant to the reader’s understanding of the case. Investigations such as echocardiograms and angiograms are crucial for the management of the patient and should be included. Remember to remove any patient identifying or institutional information from figures and videos, detach background noise from videos, and upload the original mp4 file from your institution’s system. Video recordings of echocardiograms and angiography from your cell phone may detract from the quality of the videos.

Request Senior Supervision as You Write and Revise Your Submission

Many submissions to the journal are rejected without review because of a lack of interest for the journal’s readership or a lack of sufficient novelty. However, rejection may often occur because the clinical case is poorly written if the junior author had not received oversight from the senior colleagues who are acknowledged in the manuscript. This is a learning process for junior authors: send it to your peers/senior coauthors with a deadline for comments, include those who have worked on the patient, and make sure that every author has read the manuscript and consented to the final version of submission. This is teamwork.

For early career authors, we are proud to have started the JACC: Case Reports Reviewer Mentoring Program, which aims to teach colleagues about the art of peer review, the publication process, and writing good cases and original research manuscripts. If you are interested, stay tuned for communications from the American College of Cardiology education team to apply to the next iteration of the program in 2023.

Be Respectful in the Communications Surrounding Your Manuscript

It is respectful (and helpful) to the journal’s editors to provide a cover letter explaining why you feel that your clinical case merits publication. The cover letter can also include information about how the case might be accepted for presentation at an upcoming scientific meeting, requests for expedited review, or details about conflicts of interest.

Be careful to correctly write the name of the Editor-in-Chief. Personally, I often see my name being written Graspa rather than Grapsa. It is the legacy of my father—Greek and the surname means “writer.” Although we never reject a manuscript because an Editor-in-Chief’s surname is wrong or misspelled, this can hold up the processing of your paper and leave an impression on the editors that the authors did not take time and care to prepare all manuscript materials.

Furthermore, even though social media is commonly used in the medical community to discuss publications, this is not the proper channel for authors to submit a presubmission query. Messaging the editors on social media is unfair to the other authors who choose to submit their work for peer review. Addressing queries from authors on social media would also be unfair to the authors, because our decisions are group-led through our weekly editorial board meetings, and those messages are unsecure because they are housed on social media platforms. All presubmission queries should be sent to the Editorial Office ( [email protected] ), and staff members will triage any questions or issues to the editors.

We always ask our editors, reviewers, editorialists, and staff to be respectful in communications surrounding your manuscript. We make every effort to provide constructive feedback, even if the manuscript is rejected. With that in mind, we request that authors are also respectful of our editors, reviewers, editorialists, and all those working in the Editorial Office.

Be Persistent: Do Not Get Disappointed or Discouraged

Even if your clinical case is rejected, it may not necessarily have been because of quality. It is possible there were reasons it did not reach priority for publication in that particular journal. For example, many other cases on that topic may already have been accepted/published. If the case has been accepted with revision after peer review, try to address the editors’ and reviewers’ comments and resubmit as soon as possible. A clinical case can easily get outdated if the authors delay submitting a revised version, particularly because of novelty concerns. If your case is rejected, do not get disappointed or discouraged. You may submit your case to another journal with a better outcome. Remember that we learn from a rejection letter, particularly if there are constructive comments included in the letter, and every positive or negative answer is an opportunity for us to grow.

Submit Your Case: The Sky Is the Limit

As a last message, to all of the young authors who are trying to get their clinical cases published, remember that the “sky is the limit”—be creative, find a good mentor, and write up an interesting case. Once your manuscript is accepted, it is just the beginning of your academic career.

At JACC: Case Reports , we are always willing to help you through the submission process. Please send any presubmission queries to the Editorial Office: [email protected] . Furthermore, you may wish to watch the video featuring JACC: Case Reports Deputy Editor, Dr Mary Walsh, and Associate Editor, Dr David, discussing tips and tricks for how to write a successful clinical case.

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

APA Sample Paper

OWL logo

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Note:  This page reflects the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7), which released in October 2019. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style  can be found here .

Media Files: APA Sample Student Paper  ,  APA Sample Professional Paper

This resource is enhanced by Acrobat PDF files. Download the free Acrobat Reader

Note: The APA Publication Manual, 7 th Edition specifies different formatting conventions for student  and  professional  papers (i.e., papers written for credit in a course and papers intended for scholarly publication). These differences mostly extend to the title page and running head. Crucially, citation practices do not differ between the two styles of paper.

However, for your convenience, we have provided two versions of our APA 7 sample paper below: one in  student style and one in  professional  style.

Note: For accessibility purposes, we have used "Track Changes" to make comments along the margins of these samples. Those authored by [AF] denote explanations of formatting and [AWC] denote directions for writing and citing in APA 7. 

APA 7 Student Paper:

Apa 7 professional paper:.

American Psychological Association

Clinical Practice References

This page contains reference examples for clinical practice for nurses, including the following:

  • UpToDate article
  • Cochrane review
  • Clinical practice guideline with a group author
  • Clinical practice guideline by individual authors at a government agency, published as part of a series
  • Drug information
  • Lab or diagnostic manual
  • Mobile app reference work
  • Entry in a mobile app reference work

1. UpToDate article

Bordeaux, B., & Lieberman, H. R. (2020). Benefits and risks of caffeine and caffeinated beverages. UpToDate . Retrieved February 26, 2020, from https://www.uptodate.com/contents/benefits-and-risks-of-caffeine-and-caffeinated-beverages

  • Parenthetical citation : (Bordeaux & Lieberman, 2020)
  • Narrative citation : Bordeaux and Lieberman (2020)
  • Articles in the UpToDate database are available only in that database and have information that changes over time.
  • In the reference list, format UpToDate articles like periodical articles. Italicize the database name in the reference like a periodical title, but do not italicize the database name if it appears in the text.
  • Use the year of last update in the date element.
  • Include a retrieval date because the content is designed to change over time and versions of the page are not archived.

2. Cochrane review

Lane, D. A., & Lip, G. Y. H. (2013). Treatment of hypertension in peripheral arterial disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews . https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD003075.pub3

  • Parenthetical citation : (Lane & Lip, 2013)
  • Narrative citation : Lane and Lip (2013)
  • Cochrane reviews follow the journal article format.
  • Provide the name of the database (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews) in italic title case in the reference, but if you write the name of the database elsewhere in the paper, do not italicize it.
  • Full-text versions of Cochrane reviews do not include volume numbers, issue numbers, or article numbers. The full-text version displays when you visit the DOI of the article.
  • However, the article PDFs show the year as the volume number, an issue number, and an article number.
  • It is fine to omit the volume, issue, and article number from the Cochrane review reference if the information is missing from your version of the article, but if you do see this information, include it just as you would for any journal article

3. Clinical practice guideline with a group author

American Psychological Association. (2019). Clinical practice guideline for the treatment of depression across three age cohorts . https://www.apa.org/depression-guideline

Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee. (2009). Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) . U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/cauti/index.html

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2019). Hypertension in adults: Diagnosis and management (NICE Guideline NG136). https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng136

World Health Organization. (2017). Guideline: Protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding in facilities providing maternity and newborn services . Guideline Central. https://www.guidelinecentral.com/share/summary/5acc36cc939f5#section-society

  • Parenthetical citations : (American Psychological Association, 2019; Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee, 2009; National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2019; World Health Organization, 2017)
  • Narrative citations : American Psychological Association (2019), Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (2009), National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2019), and World Health Organization (2017)
  • Most clinical practice guidelines are published as reports or webpages and so follow the report or webpage reference type, which have the same structure.
  • Use the committee or agency that developed the guideline in the author element of the reference when no individual authors are credited.
  • When the title page or cover credits both a committee and an agency, provide the committee name in the author element of the reference and the agency name in the source element of the reference. The first example shows this: The committee is the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee, and the agency is the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  • When the title page or cover credits only an agency, provide the agency name in the author element of the reference. The second and third examples show this: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the World Health Organization are agencies.
  • Provide the year in which the guideline was developed in the date element of the reference.
  • If you are citing an updated guideline, use the year of the update in the reference.
  • Provide the title of the guideline in italic sentence case.
  • Provide the name of the website from which the guideline was obtained in the source element of the reference.
  • If the website name is the same as the author, omit the site name to avoid repetition (as in the NICE guideline example).
  • Provide a URL for the guideline.

4. Clinical practice guideline by individual authors at a government agency, published as part of a series

Grohskopf, L. A., Sokolow, L. Z., Broder, K. R., Walter, E. B., Fry, A. M., & Jernigan, D. B. (2018). Prevention and control of seasonal influenza with vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices—United States, 2018–19 influenza season (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Vol. 67, No. 3). U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/rr/pdfs/rr6703a1-H.pdf

  • Parenthetical citation : (Grohskopf et al., 2018)
  • Narrative citation : Grohskopf et al. (2018)
  • When a guideline has individual authors, provide the names in the author element of the reference.
  • Provide the year of the report in the date element of the reference.
  • After the title, provide the name of the series (here, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) and volume and issue number for the report in parentheses after the title.
  • Provide the publisher of the guideline in the source element of the reference.

5. Drug information

Sandoz. (n.d.). Prednisolone acetate (prednisolone acetate) suspension/drops [Drug information]. Guideline Central. https://www.guidelinecentral.com/share/drug-information/61314-637#section-title

  • Parenthetical citation : (Sandoz, n.d.)
  • Narrative citation : Sandoz (n.d.)
  • The format for drug information is the same as for a webpage.
  • Provide the name of the drug or pharmaceutical company that manufactures the drug in the author element of the reference.
  • If a date is not available, substitute “(n.d.).”
  • Provide the title of the drug information (usually the name of the drug) in italic sentence case, followed by the description “[Drug information]” in square brackets (or other wording as appropriate).
  • Provide the name of the website from which the drug information was obtained in the source element of the reference. If the website name is the same as the author, omit the site name to avoid repetition.
  • Provide a URL for the drug information.

6. Lab or diagnostic manual

Pagana, K. D., Pagana, T. J., & Pagana, T. N. (2019). Mosby’s diagnostic and laboratory test reference (14th ed.). Elsevier.

  • Parenthetical citation : (Pagana et al., 2019)
  • Narrative citation : Pagana et al. (2019)
  • Laboratory or diagnostic manuals follow the format for books.

7. Mobile app reference work

Vallerand, A. H., & Sanoski, C. A. (2019). Davis’s drug guide (16th ed.) (Version 1.31) [Mobile app]. F. A. Davis Company. https://www.unboundmedicine.com/products/davis_drug_guide

  • Parenthetical citation : (Vallerand & Sanoski, 2019)
  • Narrative citation : Vallerand and Sanoski (2019)
  • For a mobile app reference work with individual authors (as shown in the example), provide the author names in the author element of the reference.
  • Provide the year of the version used in the date element of the reference.
  • Provide the title of the app in italic sentence case.
  • When the app includes an edition number (as with the example), place the edition information in parentheses without italics after the title.
  • Provide the version number of the app (which you can obtain from the app itself once it is downloaded) in a separate set of parentheses.
  • Provide the publisher of the app or the name of the app store (e.g., App Store, Google Play Store). In the example, the app was downloaded from the publisher’s website, so the publisher (F. A. Davis Company) is provided in the source element of the reference. If you downloaded the app from the App Store instead, use “App Store” instead of “F. A. Davis Company.”
  • Provide a URL when possible.

8. Entry in a mobile app reference work

Lexicomp. (2019). Amoxicillin. In Lexicomp (Version 5.1.1) [Mobile app]. App Store. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lexicomp/id313401238

  • Parenthetical citation : (Lexicomp, 2019)
  • Narrative citation : Lexicomp (2019)
  • To cite an entry in a mobile app reference work, follow the format for an edited book chapter.
  • Provide the author of the app in the author element of the reference. In the example, the company that produces the app (Lexicomp) is treated as a group author.
  • Provide the date year of the app version that you used in the date element of the reference.
  • Provide the title of the entry in the reference work in the title element of the reference.
  • In the source element, provide the name of the app in italics (which in the example happens to be the same as the author), the version of the app used in parentheses, the description “[Mobile app]” and the publisher or app store from which the app was obtained.

References for clinical practice appear throughout the seventh edition APA Style manuals but are consolidated on this page for ease of reference for health care professionals and students

medical case study apa format

  • Our Writers
  • How to Order
  • Assignment Writing Service
  • Report Writing Service
  • Buy Coursework
  • Dissertation Writing Service
  • Research Paper Writing Service
  • All Essay Services
  • Buy Research Paper
  • Buy Term Paper
  • Buy Dissertation
  • Buy Case study
  • Buy Presentation
  • Buy Personal statement

User Icon

Writing A Case Study

Case Study Format

Barbara P

Simple Case Study Format for Students to Follow

Case Study Format

People also read

A Complete Case Study Writing Guide With Examples

Understand the Types of Case Study Here

Brilliant Case Study Examples and Templates For Your Help

Having trouble making your case studies stand out? Finding it hard to organise your story? You're not alone! 

Many students struggle with case study writing !

Imagine spending a lot of time on your case studies, but they don't grab your reader's interest.  But don't worry! 

In this guide, we will go step by step through case study formatting, along with practical tips to make your research stand out from the rest! By following our step-by-step approach, you can understand how to write a case study assignment well. 

So, let’s get started!

Order Essay

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

Arrow Down

  • 1. How to Format a Case Study 
  • 2. Case Study Format Template
  • 3. Case Study Format Examples

How to Format a Case Study 

When it comes to crafting a compelling case study, understanding how to write case study format is key to presenting your research effectively. 

If you are wondering how to make case study format, here are the elements to include in your case study paper format.

Create an interesting title for your work. Keep it simple and short.

Here you need to briefly elaborate on the accomplishment. What you have done and how you got there.

Write about the entire story in one paragraph followed by 2-3 bullet points to display the case study contents.

An introduction about what the case study is all about.

Describe the challenges of the customer prior to using your product or service. Explain the long-term goals or objectives that the customer set out to achieve.

In this 2-3 paragraph section describe how your product or service specifically benefited and helped achieve the goals. You can also use percentages to show your contributions.

In the relevant section of your case study, add 1-2 quotes and visuals to support the story you are telling. You can also use icons to summarise information and highlight areas of your research.

Figure out what a study means and look at where else we can learn more are really important for making academic work have a bigger impact.

Call to action is optional but adding one can encourage your readers to take some action after learning your work.

Case Study Formatting Guidelines 

Effective case study formatting is essential to convey your insights clearly and engage your audience. Follow these guidelines to ensure your case study is well-organised and impactful:

  • Opt for easily readable fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman.
  • Maintain a consistent font size, typically 12 points for the body text.
  • Set line spacing to double-spaced for the entire document.
  • Use bullet points for concise and scannable information presentation.
  • Employ numbered lists for sequences of steps or chronological order of events.
  • Bold or italicize key phrases to draw attention to critical points; use underline sparingly.
  • Choose left, center, or justified alignment based on your overall design.
  • Make your headings clear and organized so readers know what's important.

If you need further assistance, check our case study format for students pdf here:

How To Write A Case Study Pdf

Case Study Format Template

Case studies can be used for different purposes. In social sciences, it can help you understand the problems of other people.

In businesses, it can help you earn the trust of potential customers. But do you even know what are the different  types of case study  and how to write one?

Refer to this case study format pdf before you start writing your own document. This student case study format sample contains all the information you might need when gathering information for your case study.

Case Study Format Examples

Case study examples are the best way to learn the basic techniques for writing a great case study on your own. 

Explore these short case study sample pdfs to gain insights into presenting your research cohesively:

For your help, we have also compiled real-life  case study examples  along with a format that you can refer to while writing your own.

APA Case Study Format

If you are asked to write a case study in APA format, keep in mind there are some specific requirements that you need to adhere to.

Here is a case study APA format example for you to learn how to format a case study.

Business Case Study Format

Business case studies can help businesses sell products or services to prospects. Here is a perfect example for you to learn how to write an impressive business case study.

Case Study Format For MBA Students

Case Study Format Nursing

Writing a great nursing case study can be tough. That’s why we have provided a case study format for nursing students to use as a guide in creating their work. 

Refer to this family case study format example if you are writing a nursing case study for the first time.

Nursing Case Study Format

Harvard Business School Case Study Format

Looking for HBS style business case study? Here is one for you to read and take hints and ideas to prepare this type of case study like a professional.

Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writers!

Medical Case Study Format

Writing medical case studies is helpful in medical practices as it gives a lot of information about different diseases. Look at this example and learn how to write a detailed medical case study.

Case Study Format Psychology 

To study how the human mind works, you need a clear and organised method. Follow this easy psychology case study format to explore the details of psychological research:

Case Study Format Psychology

To sum it up, getting good at writing case studies means combining a clear structure, good storytelling, and smart presentation. If you follow the tips I've shared in this blog, you're on your way to making interesting stories that grab people's attention.

If your case study is causing problems, consider getting professional help. 

Our essay writing company  aims to help you secure top grades by meeting the criteria set by professors. 

Our skilled writers are here to assist with any type of assignment you may have. Explore our case study writing service to relieve your stress and excel academically.

AI Essay Bot

Write Essay Within 60 Seconds!

Barbara P

Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

Get Help

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That’s our Job!

Keep reading

Case Study

Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Depression

Case Examples

Examples of recommended interventions in the treatment of depression across the lifespan.

title-depression-examples

Children/Adolescents

A 15-year-old Puerto Rican female

The adolescent was previously diagnosed with major depressive disorder and treated intermittently with supportive psychotherapy and antidepressants. Her more recent episodes related to her parents’ marital problems and her academic/social difficulties at school. She was treated using cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).

Chafey, M.I.J., Bernal, G., & Rossello, J. (2009). Clinical Case Study: CBT for Depression in A Puerto Rican Adolescent. Challenges and Variability in Treatment Response. Depression and Anxiety , 26, 98-103.  https://doi.org/10.1002/da.20457

Sam, a 15-year-old adolescent

Sam was team captain of his soccer team, but an unexpected fight with another teammate prompted his parents to meet with a clinical psychologist. Sam was diagnosed with major depressive disorder after showing an increase in symptoms over the previous three months. Several recent challenges in his family and romantic life led the therapist to recommend interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents (IPT-A).

Hall, E.B., & Mufson, L. (2009). Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents (IPT-A): A Case Illustration. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 38 (4), 582-593. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374410902976338

© Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (Div. 53) APA, https://sccap53.org/, reprinted by permission of Taylor & Francis Ltd, http://www.tandfonline.com on behalf of the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (Div. 53) APA.

General Adults

Mark, a 43-year-old male

Mark had a history of depression and sought treatment after his second marriage ended. His depression was characterized as being “controlled by a pattern of interpersonal avoidance.” The behavior/activation therapist asked Mark to complete an activity record to help steer the treatment sessions.

Dimidjian, S., Martell, C.R., Addis, M.E., & Herman-Dunn, R. (2008). Chapter 8: Behavioral activation for depression. In D.H. Barlow (Ed.) Clinical handbook of psychological disorders: A step-by-step treatment manual (4th ed., pp. 343-362). New York: Guilford Press.

Reprinted with permission from Guilford Press.

Denise, a 59-year-old widow

Denise is described as having “nonchronic depression” which appeared most recently at the onset of her husband’s diagnosis with brain cancer. Her symptoms were loneliness, difficulty coping with daily life, and sadness. Treatment included filling out a weekly activity log and identifying/reconstructing automatic thoughts.

Young, J.E., Rygh, J.L., Weinberger, A.D., & Beck, A.T. (2008). Chapter 6: Cognitive therapy for depression. In D.H. Barlow (Ed.) Clinical handbook of psychological disorders: A step-by-step treatment manual (4th ed., pp. 278-287). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Nancy, a 25-year-old single, white female

Nancy described herself as being “trapped by her relationships.” Her intake interview confirmed symptoms of major depressive disorder and the clinician recommended cognitive-behavioral therapy. 

Persons, J.B., Davidson, J. & Tompkins, M.A. (2001). A Case Example: Nancy. In Essential Components of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy For Depression (pp. 205-242). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/10389-007

While APA owns the rights to this text, some exhibits are property of the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy, which has granted the APA permission for use.

Luke, a 34-year-old male graduate student

Luke is described as having treatment-resistant depression and while not suicidal, hoped that a fatal illness would take his life or that he would just disappear. His treatment involved mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, which helps participants become aware of and recharacterize their overwhelming negative thoughts. It involves regular practice of mindfulness techniques and exercises as one component of therapy.

Sipe, W.E.B., & Eisendrath, S.J. (2014). Chapter 3 — Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy For Treatment-Resistant Depression. In R.A. Baer (Ed.), Mindfulness-Based Treatment Approaches (2nd ed., pp. 66-70). San Diego: Academic Press.

Reprinted with permission from Elsevier.

Sara, a 35-year-old married female

Sara was referred to treatment after having a stillbirth. Sara showed symptoms of grief, or complicated bereavement, and was diagnosed with major depression, recurrent. The clinician recommended interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) for a duration of 12 weeks.

Bleiberg, K.L., & Markowitz, J.C. (2008). Chapter 7: Interpersonal psychotherapy for depression. In D.H. Barlow (Ed.) Clinical handbook of psychological disorders: a treatment manual (4th ed., pp. 315-323). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Peggy, a 52-year-old white, Italian-American widow

Peggy had a history of chronic depression, which flared during her husband’s illness and ultimate death. Guilt was a driving factor of her depressive symptoms, which lasted six months after his death. The clinician treated Peggy with psychodynamic therapy over a period of two years.

Bishop, J., & Lane , R.C. (2003). Psychodynamic Treatment of a Case of Grief Superimposed On Melancholia. Clinical Case Studies , 2(1), 3-19. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534650102239085

Several case examples of supportive therapy

Winston, A., Rosenthal, R.N., & Pinsker, H. (2004). Introduction to Supportive Psychotherapy . Arlington, VA : American Psychiatric Publishing.

Older Adults

Several case examples of interpersonal psychotherapy & pharmacotherapy

Miller, M. D., Wolfson, L., Frank, E., Cornes, C., Silberman, R., Ehrenpreis, L.…Reynolds, C. F., III. (1998). Using Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) in a Combined Psychotherapy/Medication Research Protocol with Depressed Elders: A Descriptive Report With Case Vignettes. Journal of Psychotherapy Practice and Research , 7(1), 47-55.

COMMENTS

  1. How to Write a Case Study? [APA Format]

    The Abstract for an APA case study. The abstract of your paper works as a summary to give a brief overview of what it contains. Include the running head at the top; the first line should have the word "abstract" centered. Follow the abstract with 150-250 words summarizing your paper.

  2. Guidelines To Writing A Clinical Case Report

    A case report is a detailed report of the symptoms, signs, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of an individual patient. Case reports usually describe an unusual or novel occurrence and as such, remain one of the cornerstones of medical progress and provide many new ideas in medicine. Some reports contain an extensive review of the relevant ...

  3. Subject Guides: APA Citation Style (7th Edition): Case Studies

    General format for citing case studies: Author(s). (Year). Title of case study. Number of case study. URL. Examples: Harvard Business School Case Study Smith, S. (2003). ... (Examples courtesy of APA Style Guidelines & Examples - NAIT Library.) Textbook Case Study Author(s) or editor(s) of the chapter or entry or case study. (Year of book).

  4. APA Formatting and Style Guide (7th Edition)

    Basic guidelines for formatting the reference list at the end of a standard APA research paper Author/Authors Rules for handling works by a single author or multiple authors that apply to all APA-style references in your reference list, regardless of the type of work (book, article, electronic resource, etc.)

  5. Developing a Beginner's Guide to Writing a Clinical Case Report: A

    The aim of this study was to get junior doctors to evaluate an online presentation as part of the process of developing a beginner's guide to writing a clinical case report. Materials and methods. In response to our previous studies an online presentation concerning how to write a clinical case report was provided for junior doctors.

  6. Guidelines for Submitting Case Reports

    Format. All manuscripts should be prepared according to general guidelines for AAJP. As with other submissions, case studies will be limited to the maximum of 30 manuscript pages including title page, abstract, and references. Otherwise, the manuscript should follow the guidelines of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

  7. Writing a case report in 10 steps

    First steps. Begin by sitting down with your medical team to discuss the interesting aspects of the case and the learning points to highlight. Ideally, a registrar or middle grade will mentor you and give you guidance. Another junior doctor or medical student may also be keen to be involved. Allocate jobs to split the workload, set a deadline ...

  8. How to Cite a Case Study in APA, MLA or Chicago

    When citing a case study, the format in MLA and APA is similar to that of a report, and in Chicago style, it is similar to that of a book. ... The templates and examples below will demonstrate how to cite a case study in MLA, APA, and Chicago styles. MLA 9. Structure: Author Last Name, Author First Name.

  9. Guidelines to the writing of case studies

    It is best to simply tell the story and let the outcome speak for itself. With these points in mind, let's begin the process of writing the case study: Title page: Title: The title page will contain the full title of the article. Remember that many people may find our article by searching on the internet.

  10. How to write a medical case report

    Writing a case report is an excellent way of documenting these findings for the wider medical community—sharing new knowledge that will lead to better and safer patient care. For many medical students and junior doctors, a case report may be their first attempt at medical writing. A published case report will look impressive on your ...

  11. Sample papers

    These sample papers demonstrate APA Style formatting standards for different student paper types. Students may write the same types of papers as professional authors (e.g., quantitative studies, literature reviews) or other types of papers for course assignments (e.g., reaction or response papers, discussion posts), dissertations, and theses.

  12. Writing a Medical Case Study: From Inspiration to Publication

    Case studies always follow a standard structure and format, so the writing is very formulaic once you get the hang of it. Read on for a step-by-step guide to writing your first case study report. Steps. Section 1 of 6: ... To start a medical case study report, first choose a title that clearly reflects the contents of the report. ...

  13. Case Analysis in Health Sciences

    The case analysis gives you the opportunity to explore, make mistakes, and learn. 0:32: In most cases, your professor will provide a case study that describes the facts of a patient's health situation. 0:38: Sometimes, the case study will focus on a particular community or organization instead of just a single person. 0:44

  14. PDF Student Paper Setup Guide, APA Style 7th Edition

    Indent the first line of every paragraph of text 0.5 in. using the tab key or the paragraph-formatting function of your word-processing program. Page numbers: Put a page number in the top right corner of every page, including the title page or cover page, which is page 1. Student papers do not require a running head on any page.

  15. Case Study APA 7 Template (2)

    Response to Question # Thoroughly address all the prompts (The three questions in the case study: Distinguish, Discuss, Explain) using evidence-based research to support your claim. Patient-care Technologies. References Incorporate at least two peer-reviewed journal articles to support your findings in this case study.

  16. LibGuides: Medical & Health: How to Cite Sources: APA Style

    Try these books, available in OCC Libraries, for more help on citing your sources. Cite Right, Third Edition by Charles Lipson. Call Number: PN 171 .F56 L55 2018. Publication Date: 2018-11-20. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association by American Psychological Association. Call Number: BF 76.7 .P83 2020.

  17. How to Write Your First Clinical Case Report

    Structure Your Report. Once you have selected the journal of submission, carefully reread the author instructions to structure your submission. The JACC: Case Reports authors instructions suggest a specific structure for a clinical case: history of presentation, physical examination, past medical history, differential diagnosis, investigations, management (medical/interventions), discussion ...

  18. APA Sample Paper

    Media Files: APA Sample Student Paper , APA Sample Professional Paper This resource is enhanced by Acrobat PDF files. Download the free Acrobat Reader. Note: The APA Publication Manual, 7 th Edition specifies different formatting conventions for student and professional papers (i.e., papers written for credit in a course and papers intended for scholarly publication).

  19. APA Style (American Psychological Association)

    Use the following format when citing a patient medical record when writing papers or case reports. This citation is based on the 7th ed. APA rules for a technical report -- Section 10.4 Reports and Gray Literature. How to Cite a Radiology Report -- Citation example . Interpreting Physician (Year, Month date [Dictation Date]). Exam [italicized ...

  20. Clinical practice references

    Clinical Practice References. This page contains reference examples for clinical practice for nurses, including the following: UpToDate article. Cochrane review. Clinical practice guideline with a group author. Clinical practice guideline by individual authors at a government agency, published as part of a series. Drug information.

  21. PDF How to write a case study

    This guide explains how to write a descriptive case study. A descriptive case study describes how an organization handled a specific issue. Case studies can vary in length and the amount of details provided. They can be fictional or based on true events. Why should you write one? Case studies can help others (e.g., students, other organizations,

  22. Case Study Format

    Here is a case study APA format example for you to learn how to format a case study. APA Case Study Format. ... Medical Case Study Format. Writing medical case studies is helpful in medical practices as it gives a lot of information about different diseases. Look at this example and learn how to write a detailed medical case study.

  23. Case Examples

    Sara, a 35-year-old married female. Sara was referred to treatment after having a stillbirth. Sara showed symptoms of grief, or complicated bereavement, and was diagnosed with major depression, recurrent. The clinician recommended interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) for a duration of 12 weeks. Bleiberg, K.L., & Markowitz, J.C. (2008).