Sharing response frameworks ahead of the assessment helps students structure their thinking without scripting their answers. These frameworks are discipline-agnostic and transferable .
PREP Point · Reason · Example · Point |
P Point — State your position R Reason — Explain why E Example — Give a specific, relevant instance P Point — Restate your conclusion Best for: concise, well-supported responses to direct questions |
STAR Situation · Task · Action · Result |
S Situation — Describe the context T Task — Identify what needed to happen A Action — Explain what you did R Result — Describe the outcome Best for: scenario-based and reflective responses in professional contexts |
BBT Because · But · Therefore |
B Because — Establish the cause or context B But — Introduce the complication or gap T Therefore — State the action or conclusion Best for: problem-solving and decision-making scenarios |
IRAC Issue · Rule · Application · Conclusion |
I Issue — Identify the legal or policy problem R Rule — State the relevant law, regulation, or principle A Application — Apply the rule to the facts C Conclusion — State the outcome Best for: legal and policy analysis. Systematic and rigorous |
What? / So What? / Now What? What? · So What? · Now What? |
W What? — Describe what occurred SW So What? — Explain why it mattered NW Now What? — Identify next steps or changes Best for: reflective practice in clinical, professional, and placement contexts |