The section on taxa is further subdivided to facilitate easy access to related groups. A straightforward layout and informal, readable prose make the encyclopedia easy to use. The informative entries range in length from one to eight pages. One of the longest entries discusses Western Europe. Personal entries, included only for deceased persons, consist of a delineation of the individual's major publications and a bibliography of additional reading, and conclude with a concise, biographical summary of the person's contributions to the field.
All entries supply a list of works cited.
Cross-references are found throughout. Abundant black and white photos, figures, illustrations, charts, diagrams, and tables complement the readable text. Two extensive indexes, one of taxonomic terms and the other a general index of people, places, and things related to paleontology, offer quick access to terms of interest. An appendix provides contact information for each of the contributors and advisors, noting which essays each composed. Finally, the encyclopedia includes a useful, alphabetical listing of the 45 most widely recognized and available paleontological journals.