Guidelines for authors
We welcome cases written about real people, in real organisations, who have to make real decisions. Cases can be developed from primary data and/or secondary data. Cases can have some information disguised which will need to be outlined in your research methods section in the teaching note, and the real individuals and/or company need to provide consent for the publication of the disguised case. We do not publish fictional cases.
Before you submit your case and IM, Compact Case and Teaching Note, industry note, technical note, critical incident or article to The CASE Journal, please check that your submission complies with the following:
Cases
- Do not include a synopsis or abstract – save it for the instructors’ manual.
- The case must be factual: that is, using real people, real companies, real situations – no composites. You may disguise the company and individuals involved (note that on the first page of the case), but this does not relieve you of the responsibility for obtaining a release.
- All cases must be written in the past tense, except for direct quotes. Cases written in the present tense will be returned without review.
- Cases do not have to have a decision focus; illustrative, descriptive, and analytical cases are welcome at The Case Journal.
- Use 1” margins, single spacing, and clearly numbered exhibits or appendices. Number all tables, appendices, attachments, illustrations, exhibits, maps, and other sorts of ancillary material sequentially, using the generic “Exhibit” as the identifier.
Case study writing guide
Instructors' manual
The instructors' manual should contain the following information (at minimum):
- Include an appropriate synopsis describing the context of the case, the dilemma being faced, and the discipline the case is relevant for.
- Detail a set of teaching objectives appropriate for the stated target audience.
- Provide a research methods section that details the types of data used to develop the case.
- Include a 90-minute multi-media teaching plan, including suggested classroom facilitation questions and activities.
- Include a set of assignment questions that align with the teaching objectives, and relate to the dilemma being faced in the case.
- Use recent literature, theory, or research findings to analyse the case study and provide model answers to the assignment questions.
- Include a specific set of instructions as to how this case can be used in a live environment and the ways in which an educator might want to consider adapting the teaching plan to use it in this way.
- You are welcome to include an epilogue of the case, of what really happened, if known.
Compact Cases
The CASE Journal publishes Compact Cases designed to provide sufficient information to motivate student learning, illustrate concepts and provide discussion opportunities in a shorter case format. Compact Cases must meet all of the guidelines for Cases, but are limited to 500-1,000 words in length (just about two single-spaced pages). Compact cases have a briefer Teaching Note (described below) instead of a full Instructor’s manual.
Teaching Note
Only Compact Cases utilise a Teaching Note. Do not utilise these guidelines for cases that exceed 1,000 words in length. The Teaching Note should contain:
- Abbreviated abstract
- Keywords
- Case usage (level and course)
- Learning objectives (usually one or two)
- Discussion questions (usually no more than three)
- Theory Discussion (more tightly focused than for full length case)
- Answers to Discussion Questions
- Teaching Tips/Activities
- Epilogue (if known)
- Authors must provide a structured abstract of no more than 400 words for their case, this is to be completed on the title page. The structured abstract is to be split into the following sections; Synopsis, Research Methodology, Relevant Courses and Levels & Theoretical Basis. Authors must also provide a minimum of 5 keywords for their case study.
Teaching note writing guide
Copyright
Teaching cases submitted for publication should not have been published before in their current or substantially similar form, or be under consideration for publication with any ISSN/ ISBN registered publication. Please see Emerald’s originality guidelines for details. Authors submitting teaching cases for publication warrant that the work is not an infringement of any existing copyright and will indemnify the publisher against any breach of such warranty. For ease of dissemination and to ensure proper policing of use, papers and contributions become the legal copyright of the publisher unless otherwise agreed. The editor may make use of iThenticate software for checking the originality of submissions received.
Permissions
Prior to teaching case submission, authors must clear permission to use any content that has not been created by them. Failure to do so may lead to lengthy delays in publication. Emerald is unable to publish any content which has permissions outstanding. The rights that Emerald require evidence of clearance for, are:
- Non-exclusive rights to reproduce the material.
- Print and electronic rights.
- Worldwide English language rights.
- To use the material for the life of the work (i.e., there should be no time restrictions on the re-use of material, e.g., a one-year licence).
When reproducing tables, figures or excerpts from another source, it is expected that:
- Authors obtain the necessary written permission in advance from any third party owners of copyright for the use in print and electronic formats of any of their text, illustrations, graphics, or other material, in their manuscript. Permission must also be cleared for any minor adaptations of any work not created by them.
- If an author significantly adapts any material, the author must inform the copyright holder of the original work.
- Authors obtain any proof of consent statements.
- Authors must always acknowledge the source in figure captions and refer to the source in the reference list.
- Authors should not assume that any content which is freely available on the web is free to use. Authors should check the website for details of the copyright holder to seek permission for re-use.
Emerald is a member of the STM Association and participates in the reciprocal free exchange of material with other STM members. This may mean that in some cases, authors do not need to clear permission for re-use of content. If so, please highlight this upon submission. For more information and additional help, please follow the Permissions for your Manuscript guide.
Consent to publish – release form
All teaching cases submitted for review must include appropriate signed permissions from case Protagonists, e.g., CEO; company directors or any employee given authority by the organisation; or the person or persons under review, granting full permission to publish the case. Written permission must also be obtained if you include any material for which someone other than yourself or the case subject/protagonist, own the copyright. Please see Permissions section above for more detail. Please refer to our Consent to publish – Release Form as an example of the required release form.
Defamation / Libel
If inaccurate, unsubstantiated or emotive statements are made about organisations or people in a submitted case, Emerald reserves the right to request changes to the text from the author or to reject the case prior to publication.
Critiques and reviews of organisations, products and services are acceptable but comments must be constructive and must not:
- Expose groups or individuals to hatred, ridicule or contempt;
- Cause them to be shunned or avoided;
- Lower them in the estimation of right-thinking members of society generally;
- Disparage them in their business, trade, office or profession.
Final Submission
Authors should note that proofs are not supplied prior to publication. The manuscript will be considered to be the definitive version of the teaching case. Therefore, any requests for changes after the final submission will not be granted. The author must ensure that the final submission is complete, grammatically correct and without spelling or typographical errors.
