Increasingly, writing handbooks are seen as over-produced and overpriced. One stands out: The Broadview Guide to Writing continues to be produced in black, white, and shades of grey, on plain paper, and to sell for half the price of its fancier-looking competitors. What does change and stay up-to-date is the book's contents.

For the sixth edition the coverage of MLA, APA, Chicago, and CBE styles of documentation has been substantially expanded as well as updated. Also expanded is coverage of formulating academic arguments; of writing and critical thinking; of writing about literature, of writing about science; of paragraphing; of how to integrate quoted material into one's own work; and of balance and parallelism. The online materials-including the selection of interactive exercises-will also be expanded considerably.