the quasar’s radiation field (e.g., [Perna]{}, [Lazzati]{}, & [Fiore]{} 2003).

We investigate the continuum properties with three different fitting procedures. If spectral indices alone are the reason that BALQSOs are intrinsically redder than nonBALQSOs, then the BALQSO and nonBALQSO composite spectra might be matched by a simple change of spectral index. On the other hand, if BALQSOs are really dust reddened and/or if they do not have the same underlying spectral index distribution as nonBALQSOs, then the fits will need to properly account for the lost continuum flux at bluer wavelengths due to dust reddening. Thus, one procedure is a two-parameter fit, where we fit spectra by changing both the power-law spectral index and $E(B-V)$ of a template composite spectrum to match each individual spectrum. We will also fit spectra by allowing only one of these parameters to change. To distinguish these different fits, we will abbreviate them as $P$, for change in the power-law spectral index only, $f_\lambda \propto
\lambda^{\alpha}$; $R$, for change in reddening only, $f_\lambda
\propto 10^{-aE(B-V)\xi(\lambda)}$; and $RP$, for change in both the power-law spectral index and reddening, $f_\lambda \propto
\lambda^{\alpha} 10^{-aE(B-V)\xi(\lambda)}$.

The template composite spectrum that we use for our fits is the EDR composite 