
Guidance on teaching notes
We strongly encourage you to write a teaching note to accompany your case. Cases submitted to us must include a teaching note. Faculty prefer cases with teaching notes, and most of our bestselling cases have one. Nearly half of the cases in our collection have a teaching note, but 95% of our 50 most popular cases have one.
Submit an alternative teaching note
What to include in your teaching note
There are no hard and fast rules for the style or format of a teaching note. However, it should include the following:
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Synopsis of the case
Provide a brief description of what the case is about, and the context in which it is set. -
Target group
Indicate the target learning group, for example, undergraduates, postgraduates, executive. -
Learning objectives and key issues
Set out the learning objectives, and identify the key issues in the case that will help achieve them. -
Teaching strategy
Describe how the case may be used in class. For example, suggest trigger questions to open the case discussion; offer ideas for group work; suggest how learning can be consolidated at the end of the case session, and so on. This section will generally reflect your own teaching style. -
Questions for discussion
Include a list of questions designed to promote discussion of the key issues within the case. -
Analysis of data
If the case contains quantitative data for analysis it can be helpful if the results of essential ‘number crunching’ are provided in the teaching note. Teachers can use this to check their own calculations. -
Background reading
Provide references to relevant supplementary material on the case or related issues. You may also provide information on ‘what happened next’, something students are usually keen to know. -
Experience of using the case
Include feedback on how the case has worked in different classes, and the issues on which students have tended to focus. This can be useful for other teachers preparing to teach your case. -
Multimedia
Include links to video and audio clips that are relevant to the case.
References
Heath, J (2015), Teaching and Writing Cases: A practical guide (The Case Centre) ISBN 978-0-907815-04-4
Leenders, M R and Erskine, J A (1989), Case Research: The Case Writing Process (The University of Western Ontario) ISBN 0-7714-1045-X
Reynolds, J I, Case Method in Management Development (International Labour Office)
Video clips
Watch a selection of video clips of management educators talking about teaching notes.
Learn more

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Teaching Notes Larry Weatherford Darden Business Publishing, University of Virginia |
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Writing Cases and Teaching Notes E Raymond Corey Harvard Business School |
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Teaching and Writing Cases: A practical guide John Heath Published by The Case Centre |
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Writing Cases Michiel R Leenders, James A Erskine and Louise A Mauffette-Leenders |