The editors of Renaissance and Reformation have strived toward and succeeded in making a time of long ago more accessible to today's middle- and junior-high-school students. Coverage focuses on major events and individuals of European history between the mid-1300s and the early 1600s. Like numerous other UXL sets, this one is divided into Almanac (two volumes), Biographies (two volumes), and Primary Sources (one volume). Each of the three elements is indexed separately, and a separate comprehensive paperback index is also included.

The Almanac is organized into topical chapters that include sidebars with additional information and more than 100 black-and-white illustrations. Volume 1 begins with a time line of important events. Following the time line are a 17-page vocabulary list and a research and activity guide. Chapters, which range from 30 to 50 pages in length, deal with topics such as the rise of European monarchies, the Protestant and Catholic Reformations, the scientific revolution, the status of women, and daily life. A concluding bibliography lists books, Web sites, and video recordings and DVDs.

The entries in the biography volumes cover 50 individuals, from Isaac Abrabanel to Huldrych Zwingli, and are five to six pages long. Each biography begins with a reproduction of a painting or drawing, a significant quote, birth and death dates, and occupation. Information on each individual's personal life is included, but the focus is on contributions within the context of the Renaissance and Reformation. Primary Sources provides selected specific writings of the time. Introductory information about the original author begins each section, and sidebars list definitions of obscure or antiquated words. Following each document piece is a discussion of the historical effects of the piece along with additional readings.