Making the Text More Accessible. The most obvious change in this edition is that it no longer presents two columns of text crowded side-by-side onto each page. A single wider column of text, with illustrations in the margin, allows a cleaner, clearer organization of material, making it easier for a student to follow an argument or extended discussion.

Linking to Related Topics. On many pages I have placed "link" arrows that point a student to an earlier place in the text where an important related concept or finding has been discussed, or to a place later in the text where a topic will play an important role. In a course like introductory biology a student is barraged with terms and ideas, and linking them together is an important aspect of mastering them. Link arrows provide the student help in this key task.

Learning How to Learn. In over 30 years of teaching I have seen students do well and others do poorly, and one of the best predictors of who would do well has been how well a student is prepared to learn. Entering a large freshman course, does a student know how to take notes? Does a student know how to use these notes effectively with the textbook? Can a student read a graph? In this edition I decided to tackle this problem head-on, and have added a "chapter 0" at the beginning of the text to help students with these very basic but essential learning tools.

Inquiry & Analysis. One of the most useful things a student can take away from his or her biology class is the ability to judge scientific claims that they encounter as citizens, long after college is over. As a way of teaching that important skill, I have greatly expanded the Inquiry & Analysis features I introduced in the previous edition. Most chapters now end with a full-page presentation of an actual scientific investigation that requires the student to analyze the data and reach conclusions. Few pages in this text provide more bang for the buck in learning that lasts.

Updating the Content. Biology as a science has advanced rapidly in the years since the last revision of Essentials of The Living World. Four examples serve to make the point clearly:

RNA Interference (page 210) This discovery, so important that it won a Nobel Prize in the shortest length of time ever, has totally altered our view of how genes are regulated, and is revolutionizing medicine.

Ethanol and Biofuels (pages 449 to 450) A topic very much in the news, a careful explanation is needed for a student to understand the issue.

Curing Cancer (pages 138 to 139) The families of many students are affected by cancer, and one quarter of all students will someday experience it.

Transforming Adult Tissue Cells into Embryonic-like Stem Cells (page 233) Using embryonic stem cells to cure disease is a very controversial topic, indeed a political hot potato. This advance of using adult tissue cells may provide a less controversial alternative.