Thirty years of experience at the Purdue University writing center told Muriel Harris that few students could effectively use their handbook. A truly useful textbook, she felt, would have ways to help students find the information they were seeking without having to know the terminology, would be clear and easy to understand for all students, and would be written in a student-friendly language and tone to avoid the intimidating formal instructional tone of some handbooks. These principles became the foundation of Harris,s Prentice Hall Reference Guide. Check us out on Facebook at !