Front Matter
Front matter groups preliminary pages before the main text. Harvard dissertation guidance lists examples such as acknowledgments, dedication, lists and glossary, while exact components and order remain document- and institution-specific.
Front matter is the preliminary material before the main body. Use the order and required components specified by the publisher, institution or style guide rather than a generic fixed sequence.
Key details
Important caveats
Scope Boundary
Front matter names a document region, not a single required page; title, copyright, contents and other preliminary elements may have their own separate rules.
Further guidance
Components
Typical front matter can include acknowledgments, dedication, lists, glossary or other preliminary navigation/context elements, but the exact set depends on the document type and authority.
Placement
Keep front matter before the main body and follow the governing publisher, institution or style order rather than assuming one universal sequence.
Practical Application
Identify the publisher, institution, or house style first, then list only the preliminary elements that document requires before the main text. Use the governing sequence rather than copying a generic front-matter order into every publication.
Reader Check
Have you confirmed which preliminary components are required, optional, or prohibited for this specific publication?
Worked Example
For a book submission, follow the publisher’s specified order for title, copyright, contents, foreword/preface, and other preliminary pages instead of assuming every possible component belongs in the manuscript.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Dissertation Formatting Guidance — Front and Back Matter (opens in a new tab)Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences · Harvard dissertation guidance distinguishing front matter from back matter and listing typical components