What is required for candidates to make conclusions in their responses?

• A. Conclusions must be substantiated and based on evidence presented.
• B. Conclusions can be opinion-based without references.
• C. Conclusions should rely on external sources only.
• D. Conclusions should be brief and unsubstantiated.

Answer: (A)

Conclusions in a case-study response must be grounded in the material provided. Any claim about what should be done or what a result means should be substantiated by evidence from the case and by the analysis you’ve conducted, showing exactly how the data, figures, stakeholder inputs, or observed trends lead to that conclusion. External sources can inform your understanding, but the conclusion you present for the case must be clearly anchored in the case evidence and your reasoning. This shows you can synthesize information and justify judgments rather than merely stating an opinion. Conclusions that are only opinion-based, rely solely on external sources without tying back to the case, or are unsubstantiated do not meet the requirement to base conclusions on evidence and reasoning.