This page is a how-to guide in approaching case study questions in the HHD exam: 

Transcript

The last thing we need to know before addressing Unit 3 is how to approach case studies. Sometimes, case studies will be half a page to a page long. You might be thinking: ain’t nobody got time for that!

But this isn’t really the case. If you use your time wisely in SACs and exams, then case study questions aren’t too bad. The idea here is to use reading time effectively. As soon as writing time begins, grab your favourite highlighter or pen, and note the most important parts of the case study.

For example, say there is a case study like this, and the question asks you to analyse Mr. Engage’s health:

Mr. Engage is a 42-year-old male who enjoys riding his bike regularly. He is part of a group called Ride to Fitness, which aims to make physical exercise fun. With his two best friends – Mrs. Study and Mr. Success – Mr. Engage has made the group part of his everyday life. However, Mr. Engage has a very stressful job, and at nights, he feels unmotivated and uncaring.

We might highlight the following things:

Mr. Engage is a 42-year-old male who enjoys riding his bike regularly [physical health]. He is part of a group called Ride to Fitness [social health], which aims to make physical exercise fun. With his two best friends – Mrs. Study and Mr. Success – Mr. Engage has made the group part of his everyday life [social health]. However, Mr. Engage has a very stressful job, and at nights, he feels unmotivated and uncaring [mental health].

And once you have the main points of the case study highlighted, your response becomes a lot easier to structure.

Another point to remember is to explicitly use the material that the question provides. Using names, for example, is a great way to show that you are engaging with that particular question. It is really no different to real life; just as using somebody’s name shows that you know exactly who they are, using names from the case study shows that you’re not just regurgitating content, but applying it.