Report Writing

Abstract

lHow does the call for evidence-based assessment lend itself to report writing?

lHow does a clinician clarify the referral question?

lWhat are the common mistakes made in report writing?

lHow should assessment results be reported to parents in conferences?

Presenting assessment results orally or in writing can be a foreboding task. However, this process is central to assessment. The most sophisticated, accurate, and comprehensive case conceptualization is useless if the key figures in a child’s life (e.g., parents, teachers) are unaware of the results or recommendations from an assessment or do not fully understand them. Aside from appropriately and accurately conveying results and recommendations, clinicians are also often faced with fears of litigation and insecurities about their interpretive skill. Thus, a chapter on report writing is crucial for an assessment text. As clinicians know well, their written products can carry a great deal of importance, and if done well, they can facilitate positive outcomes for a child. On the other hand, if a report is faulty (i.e., inaccurate, unclear, full of errors), it will make no impact aside from being a negative reflection on the clinician who wrote it.