In the Essentials of Psychological Assessment series, we have attempted to provide the reader with books that will deliver key practical information in the most efficient and accessible style. Many books in the series feature specific instruments in a variety of domains, such as cognition, personality, education, and neuropsychology. Other books focus on crucial topics for professionals who are involved in any way with assessment—topics such as specific reading disabilities, evidenced‐based interventions, and ADHD assessment. For the experienced professional, books in the series offer a concise yet thorough review of a test instrument or a specific area of expertise, including numerous tips for best practices. Students can turn to series books for a clear and concise overview of important assessment tools and of key topics in which they must become proficient to practice skillfully, efficiently, and ethically in their chosen fields.

Wherever feasible, visual cues highlighting key points are utilized alongside systematic, step‐by‐step guidelines. Chapters are focused and succinct. Topics are organized for an easy understanding of the essential material related to a particular test or topic. Theory and research are continually woven into the fabric of each book, but the aim always is to enhance the practical application of the material rather than to sidetrack or overwhelm readers. With this series, we aim to challenge and assist readers interested in psychological assessment to aspire to the highest level of competency by arming them with the tools they need for knowledgeable, informed practice. We have long been advocates of “intelligent” testing—the notion that numbers are meaningless unless they are brought to life by the clinical acumen and expertise of examiners. Assessment must be used to make a difference in the child’s or adult’s life, or why bother to test? All books in the series—whether devoted to specific tests or general topics—are consistent with this credo. We want this series to help our readers, novice and veteran alike, to benefit from the intelligent assessment approaches of the authors of each book.

We are delighted to include the second edition of Essentials of Assessment Report Writing in our series. The internationally‐acclaimed authors of this book have offered the field a broad, inclusive, and humane vision of what assessment reports should accomplish. This edition’s central theme is that assessment reports are primarily tools of empathic communication. Not only is the examinee understood in empathic terms, but the report reader’s needs are considered carefully throughout the report‐writing process. Ultimately, the goal is to guide the reader to a new understanding of the examinee’s difficulties and to inspire effective efforts to intervene on the examinee’s behalf. Beginning professionals will appreciate the book’s practical focus and clear suggestions for writing effectively. Veteran professionals will appreciate how the book challenges them to rethink old habits and give their reports a conceptual makeover. In the final chapter, all readers will appreciate the opportunity to learn from expert report writers in 11 annotated sample reports. We believe that professionals who engage with the ideas of this book will not only benefit from its many direct suggestions for improvement, but they will also find their own creativity is sparked along the way, and they will generate many more ways to enhance their reports so that they better serve the individuals they strive to help.

The first edition of this book was crafted with pride and was well received by practitioners. We saw few reasons to alter the original content at first. The primary shortcoming we hoped to rectify was that the first edition contained too few examples of complete reports. Thus, our original plan for the second edition was to do a little touchup here and there, update the references to outdated tests, and include annotated case study reports from experts we admire. It was a good plan, but soon after we put it in motion, we found ourselves reworking, restructuring, and rewriting almost everything. Why?

To prepare for writing the second edition, each of the four authors took on different tasks. We reread the first edition closely, imagining how it would seem to first‐time readers. We read research articles on practices that enhance reports. We interviewed expert clinicians and scholars on how they write reports. We reacquainted ourselves with the classics of the small genre of psychological report writing books and learned all we could from more recent efforts to help professionals write better reports. In the course of our preparations, two truths thrust themselves into our awareness with equal force:

1. All experts urge professionals to write clear, readable, practical reports free of jargon.
2. These urgings have not made writing such reports less difficult.

Our ambition for the second edition has been to tackle this problem head on. The central theme of the book is that assessment professionals can make use of their primary strength—their talent for empathy—and direct it toward the readers of their reports. As we began unifying the content of the second edition around this theme, we found it productive to ask ourselves seemingly simple but fundamental questions about assessment. Why do we have reports at all? Who is our audience? How much do readers need to know? What is the purpose of describing behavioral observations? Which kinds of recommendations lead to meaningful changes?

Although much of the structure and content from the first edition was preserved, most of it was completely rewritten and recast in the light of our central theme. The questions we asked ourselves about the essentials of assessment report writing helped us articulate explicitly what we had only grasped intuitively before. Sometimes these questions led us to places we did not anticipate going and caused us to rethink old habits, practices, and traditions. We hope that the efforts we took to sharpen the book’s focus have enhanced its utility and will help assessment professionals communicate their observations and insights to inspire more understanding, more compassion, and more effective action in the lives of those who need it most.

We are grateful to our expert report writers who generously contributed annotated reports from their own practices: Lisa Chalukian, Scott Decker, Catharine Fiorello, Linda M. Fishman, John Garruto, Donna Goetz, Elaine Fletcher‐Janzen, Robert Lichtenstein, Christopher Nicholls, Susan Engi Raiford, Jennie Kaufman Singer, and Alison Wilkinson‐Smith. Rita McCleary wrote a chapter for the first edition that was so good that almost nothing needed to be changed.

Many professionals and scholars, and friends were consulted informally about their ideas about assessment report writing, including Clark Clipson, Vincent Alfonso, Dawn Flanagan, Rosemary Flanagan, Catherine Fiorello, Kevin McGrew, Sam Ortiz, Leandra Parris, Cecil Reynolds, Mark Swerdlik, Renée Tobin, and John Willis. Renée Tobin and John Willis provided invaluable feedback on earlier drafts of the book. John Willis extended what was already a tremendous contribution by writing a new chapter crackling with wit and style. Susan Geraghty, our copyeditor, caught an amazing number of typos and substantially improved the flow of the document. Audrey Koh, our production editor, was unfailingly helpful, professional, and patient as she worked to help us present our book in its best light.

The first three authors of this book wish to express our gratitude to our co‐author Nadeen Kaufman and to Alan Kaufman, co‐author of the first edition of this book. As co‐editors of the Essentials of Psychological Assessment series, they have given this field an extraordinary collection of practical wisdom on psychological assessment. It has been an honor to have the opportunity to contribute to their evolving and expanding work.