Writing by Choice is a comprehensive, widely applicable approach to developing writing skills for the academic, business, and personal realms. This "4-in-1" text focuses on helping student writers make informed choices among the many variables involved in different types of writing. Students learn about the three common types of student essays (argumentative, research, literary) and topics relevant to today's classroom, such as electronic research, source reliability, diction and vocabulary, and writing across the disciplines.

The third edition is divided into three parts (a rhetoric with integrated reader, a research guide, and a handbook) and features learning objectives, current examples, new academic and professional readings, annotated student essays, definitions and cross-references in the margins, individual and collaborative exercises, chapter summaries, and a glossary.