front matter

Before chapter one

Front matter is the material at the beginning of a book before the main text—title page, copyright page, table of contents, preface, acknowledgments, and similar sections.

Publishers and editors use the term to distinguish these preliminary pages from the body of the work and the back matter.

Pages in front matter are typically numbered with Roman numerals.

components

title page

Book's identifying front page

copyright pageBook's legal information section
dedicationWholehearted loyalty to purpose
acknowledgmentsRecognition of contributions

foreword · preface · prologue · table of contents · epigraph · colophon · disclaimer · permissions · ISBN · publication date

publishing

imprint

Mark from applied pressure

publisherCompany releasing books
typesettingArranging text for print
catalogingSystematic organization into records

rights · permissions · copyright · ISBN · edition · publication date · colophon · galley · proof · manuscript

purpose

introduction

Preliminary section or presentation

overviewBroad general summary
orientationPosition relative to surroundings
contextCircumstances shaping meaning

roadmap · preview · summary · outline · framework · preamble · setup · background · guide · navigation

front matter

title page

imprint

introduction

front matter

Opposites

Categories

Family