Widely praised for her engaging and motivating writing style, Brenda Smith provides exercises and instruction designed to encourage critical thinking.

A hallmark of the text, the readings are taken from college textbooks and represent three different reading levels (9th-10th, 10th-12th, 12th+) in each chapter to permit individualization of assignments to meet varying student needs. A variety of academic disciplines are represented throughout, including psychology, history, biology, business, allied health and English literature. Intended for 9th-12th grade reading level.