Dialogues, Fourth Edition continues the previous edition's focus on argument as meaningful dialogue, that is, the exchange of opinions and ideas.

Dialogues represents argument not as a battle to be won but as a process of dialogue and deliberation among people with diverse values and perspectives. Part I contains succinct instruction on analyzing and developing arguments, from critical reading to source documentation, to a new chapter on visual arguments. Part II, with more than 90 new readings, offers a diverse collection of provocative essays from both the popular and scholarly medium. The lucid, lively, and engaging writing addresses students as writers and thinkers, without overwhelming them with unnecessary jargon or theory.