What Is a Table of Contents

Glossary > Table of Contents

What is the purpose of a table of contents?

A table of contents:

• Gives readers an overview of the book. A well-organized and detailed table of contents can help readers quickly locate and navigate to the information they need, saving them time and effort in finding the relevant sections or chapters.
• Guides the readers. If readers wish to read a particular section or chapter, they can look at the table of contents and jump to that page.
• Organizes the content. A table of contents organizes the entire book, giving a sense of order to the reader.

What does a table of contents include?

A table of contents typically includes the following elements:

• List of chapter or section titles: These are the main parts of the work, usually organized in a hierarchical order. In a book, the main sections can be numbered chapters, while in a report, they might be titled sections.
• Page numbers: Each chapter or section title has a respective page number where it can be found in the book.
• Subheadings: In longer works, the main sections can be divided into subheadings, along with their page numbers.
• Appendices or supplementary material: If the work includes appendices or other supplementary material, these may be listed in the table of contents, along with their page numbers.
• List of figures, tables, or other graphics: In works with multiple graphics, authors can create a separate list that contains these figures, tables, or graphics and their corresponding page numbers.