Three main challenges faced me as I prepared this fifth edition of The Bedford Handbook. First, because today's computer-age students want quick access to information, preferably through visuals, I hoped to simplify the book's reference system and enliven it with icons. Second, because technology has changed composing behaviors so dramatically over the past four years, I looked forward to bringing the book into the electronic age. And, finally, because many instructors assign writing based on one or two sources (rather than on personal experience or many sources), I wanted to emphasize text-based writing early in the book, not just in later sections.