Donald Pharr received his bachelor's degree from Indiana State University and his master's and doctorate from the University of Georgia. He is the co-author (with Gerald J. Schiffhorst) of The Short Handbook for Writers, second edition. He taught for many years in the Florida community college system, where he specialized in applied composition: business, technical, and science writing. As well, he has spent almost two decades consulting as a technical writer and editor. Dr. Pharr currently teaches English at Saint Leo University. He lives in Lakeland, Florida, with his wife, Mary.

Santi V. Buscemi is professor of English and chair of the Department of English at Middlesex County College in Edison, New Jersey, where he teaches reading and writing. He received his B.A. from St. Bonaventure University, and completed studies for the doctorate at the University of Tennessee. He is the author of A READER FOR DEVELOPING WRITERS (McGraw-Hill), now in its third edition; AN ESL WORKBOOK (McGraw-Hill); and coauthor with Charlotte Smith of 75 READINGS PLUS (McGraw-Hill). He is also chief author of McGraw-Hill's ALLWRITE!, an interactive computer software program in rhetoric, grammar, and research.