A case study examination is composed of a set of questions surrounding a single problem, person, place or thing. Each problem attacks different angles of the subject matter to determine if the examinee comprehends the particular problem(s) and can solve them. Case study examinations can be used in business, technology, medicine, psychology, advertising, law, consulting and science. The questions are ideal for testing the knowledge of an individual who must prove his grasp of the subject matter in a particular field, i.e., the legal professional.

A week or two before the case study, locate a practice test and run through it a few times on your own. The more acquainted you are with the word arrangement of this type of test, the more comfortable you will be during either a written or oral case study assessment.

On the day of the case study test, relax and allow yourself to remember what you have learned from previous readings on the subject. You should possess a wealth of knowledge in this area from classes you have taken or work experience. Just use what you already know to answer the questions.

To answer questions on a case study examination in the best possible way, read or listen for the topic sentence. This is usually the first sentence in the introduction or first paragraph. This sentence presents the problem and thus holds key information; it tells you what the problem is about. Make sure that you understand the topic before reading the case study.

Next, read or focus on the meaning of the entire study question to become familiar with the nature and scope of the problem. Go over it again more slowly, a second time, if you do not understand it during the first read. Do not skip, skim or gloss over the content. Otherwise, vital information that you will need to answer the question might be missed. Note word arrangement, facts, figures or statistics in the text that will help come up with a solution. Think of different ways that you can answer the case study question and then determine the effects of each answer on your outcome.

Visualize the scenario or situation posed by the question. See it in your mind's eye as you review it. Consider the question as if it were an actual problem that will affect the lives of others. Write the best possible answer.

Slow down if you start to get confused. You may be moving too fast, trying to beat the clock. If this is the case, answer the easiest questions first and come back to the harder ones later. This will buy you some time and hopefully boost your confidence enough for you to calm down and can answer the more difficult questions with less anxiety.