Implementing the case study method in a practical X-ray crystallography course designed for graduate or upper-level undergraduate chemistry students is described. Compared with a traditional lecture format, assigning small groups of students to examine literature case studies encourages more active engagement with the course material and stimulates improved class discussion. In particular, a judicious selection of case studies either from high-profile publications or from literature directly pertaining to students' fields of research allows students to draw an immediate connection between the lecture material and their own academic/research interests.