How to Answer ACCA Case Study Questions
The big case-study questions in SBL, SBR and the options papers carry the most marks. Here's how to structure an answer that earns them.
The large case-study questions in papers like SBL and SBR — and the case-heavy requirements in the options papers — carry the biggest chunks of marks in the exam. They reward students who can read a rich scenario, pick out what matters, and produce a focused, applied answer. They punish students who dump everything they know.
Structure beats volume
A well-structured answer is easier to mark and easier to score. Use clear headings that mirror the requirement, keep points in separate paragraphs, and make one clear point per paragraph. The examiner should never have to hunt for your answer.
A repeatable case-study method
- Read the requirement and note exactly what output is wanted — a report, a briefing, recommendations, an evaluation.
- Work through the scenario, tagging details against each part of the requirement.
- Plan a short skeleton of headings before you write, so your answer covers the whole requirement.
- Write applied points: scenario detail plus its implication plus your judgement or recommendation.
- Address professional skills where they're marked — clarity, analysis, scepticism, commercial acumen.
Common case-study mistakes
- Describing the scenario back instead of analysing it.
- Writing everything about the first issue and running out of time for the rest.
- Ignoring the required format, which can cost professional marks.
- Making assertions without linking them to evidence in the scenario.
Case-study technique only improves when you practise full answers and see how they'd actually be marked. The 50% Club marks your practice case-study answers against the official ACCA scheme, highlighting where you earned marks, where you padded, and where professional marks slipped away — so your next answer is tighter and higher-scoring.