The eight authors of this article developed descriptive anchor points for each of the eighteen symptom scales of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) of J. Overall and D. Gorham in an effort to improve interrater reliability of this popular research instrument. They were careful to adhere closely to the original published descriptions of these scales. Accordingly, they believe, the Scale's validity remains intact. Their preliminary studies indicate that they have facilitated the quantitative assessment of the degree of severity of a particular symptom construct. This modification has enhanced interrater agreement, and thus the Scale's reliability. The authors present a table that contains definitions of all the descriptive anchor points. They also offer suggestions for the application of this version of the BPRS in clinical research.