Rolfe’s reflective model uses three questions: What? So what? Now what? It is associated with Gary Rolfe, Dawn Freshwater and Melanie Jasper’s 2001 book, Critical reflection for nursing and the helping professions: A user’s guide. The National Library of Medicine catalogue records all three authors and the original publisher, Palgrave.
What is Rolfe’s Reflective Model?
The questions move a reflection from describing an experience to examining its meaning and deciding what to do next. They were not invented in 2001: the University of Edinburgh’s guide traces them to Borton (1970), discusses Driscoll’s adaptation and also identifies Rolfe and colleagues’ later version. Three headings alone do not make an account critical; the explanation and evidence beneath them matter.
What So What Now What
- What? – Description of the situation or experience
- So What? – Analysis and interpretation of the event
- Now What? – Action plan for future improvement
The Gary Rolfe Reflective Model has gained popularity across various disciplines due to its simplicity and effectiveness. It’s particularly useful in fields such as nursing, education, and social work, where reflective practice is crucial for professional growth.
Rolfe’s Reflective Model: What So What Now What
Breaking down the Rolfes model of reflection What So What Now What approach:
- What?: This stage involves describing the event or situation in detail. What happened? Who was involved? What was your role?
- So What?: This is the analysis phase. Why is this significant? What does it mean for your practice? What have you learned?
- Now What?: This final stage focuses on action. How will you apply what you’ve learned? What will you do differently next time?
Example of Rolfe Reflective Model
Original hypothetical example: a nursing-class presentation. This is an invented learning exercise, not a patient case or the author’s clinical experience.
- What? In a classroom presentation, I used an abbreviation without explaining it. Two classmates asked what it meant, and I finished before checking whether the explanation was clear.
- So what? Their questions show that my meaning was not clear to everyone; they do not prove the class lacked preparation. I had assumed shared vocabulary. Nervousness or a rushed explanation might also have contributed, so I would ask for specific feedback rather than decide the cause from this incident alone.
- Now what? Before the next presentation, I will rehearse with a peer and define unfamiliar terms at first use. Afterward, I will ask the peer which explanation remained unclear and use that feedback to review my plan.
The useful progression is from an observation, through possible explanations, to an action with a way to review it. Adapt the prompts to your own experience rather than submitting this invented account as your own.
Rolfe’s Reflective Model Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Three short questions provide a memorable structure.
- The final question connects analysis with a proposed next step.
Cons:
- Simply recording what happened can leave the explanation superficial.
- An action such as “do better next time” offers little basis for checking progress.
Use the linked Edinburgh guide’s more detailed prompts when the three questions are insufficient, and follow your assessment brief. The framework organises reflection; it does not guarantee insight or improvement.
Rolfe Reflective Model Example Essay
When writing a Rolfe’s Reflective Model example essay, structure your thoughts according to the three main questions. Here’s a brief outline:
- Introduction: Explain the context and purpose of your reflection.
- What?: Describe the situation or experience in detail.
- So What?: Analyze the impact and implications of the event.
- Now What?: Propose actions for improvement or change.
- Conclusion: Summarize key learnings and future applications.
Rolfe Reflective Model Citation
Cite the source you actually read. If you consulted the 2001 book, its authors are Rolfe, Freshwater and Jasper; examples for that edition appear below. If you used a university webpage instead, reference that webpage rather than implying that you read the book. In APA 7, a general in-text citation is (Rolfe et al., 2001), or Rolfe et al. (2001) in a sentence. For a quotation, use the real locator from the consulted source; no page number is supplied here.
Applications of the Rolfe Reflective Model
The Reflective Model is widely applicable beyond nursing:
- Education: Teachers can reflect on their methods and student interactions.
- Social Work: Social workers can analyze complex cases and improve their interventions.
- Business: Managers can use the model for performance reviews and strategic planning.
- Personal Development: Individuals can reflect on personal experiences for self-improvement.
Rolfe Reflective Model Example
Original hypothetical example: classroom speaking practice. The following is a second invented illustration, not a reported teaching outcome.
- What? A learner stopped partway through a practice presentation. I offered to let them finish later, but did not ask which part of the task was difficult.
- So what? I interpreted the pause as anxiety, but that is only one possibility. Unclear instructions or unfamiliar material could also explain it. I need the learner’s perspective before deciding what support would help.
- Now what? Before the next practice session, I will ask the learner what made the task difficult, agree one manageable adjustment and check afterward whether it helped. I will not treat my first interpretation as an established diagnosis.
Rolfe Reflective Model Reference
These examples use the 2001 Palgrave edition recorded in the NLM catalogue. Match the edition you consulted. Harvard conventions vary; the example here follows the University of Sheffield’s three-author format.
Harvard Reference:
Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D. and Jasper, M. (2001) Critical reflection for nursing and the helping professions: a user’s guide. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
APA 7 Reference:
Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D., & Jasper, M. (2001). Critical reflection for nursing and the helping professions: A user’s guide. Palgrave.
MLA Reference:
Rolfe, Gary, et al. Critical Reflection for Nursing and the Helping Professions: A User’s Guide. Palgrave, 2001.
Chicago Style Reference:
Rolfe, Gary, Dawn Freshwater, and Melanie Jasper. Critical Reflection for Nursing and the Helping Professions: A User’s Guide. Palgrave, 2001.
IEEE Reference:
[1] G. Rolfe, D. Freshwater, and M. Jasper, Critical Reflection for Nursing and the Helping Professions: A User’s Guide. Basingstoke, U.K.: Palgrave, 2001.
- APA book-reference guidance: publisher location is omitted.
- Concordia University MLA guidance: use the first author followed by et al. for three or more authors.
- Chicago notes-and-bibliography guidance: the example above is a bibliography entry, not a footnote; current guidance does not require the publication place.
- Cornell’s IEEE reference guidance: book titles and publication details have a different format from APA.
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