Three common elements in books, especially instruction books, are the appendix, the bibliography, and the glossary. This week, we will put them in their places.
appendix
Typically, the appendix contains reference material that may be important to the reader, but due to the amount of content, it would break the flow if it were included in the text. It may also contain forms or illustrations that relate to more chapters or multiple modules. In many cases, material that some people may find useful and others irrelevant is placed in an appendix.
Addendums (or appendices) are also frequently used to provide specific information at the end of RFQs and RFPs. Some examples are budget details, technical specifications and legal elements. They are usually found at the back of the book, in front of the index.
Bibliography
A bibliography is simply a list of books, articles, web pages, or other sources that are referenced or cited in a document. They are usually found at the back of the book, before the table of contents. There are a number of styles and formats used for bibliographies. It is important to use the one designated by the customer.
Glossary
Glossaries are something like dictionaries dedicated to a specific subject area; an alphabetical list of terms with definitions and explanations of use.
They can be stand-alone documents, such as a Glossary of Computer Terms, and are often included in a document when a large number of unfamiliar terms are used. They can be simple or extensive depending on the perceived needs of the target audience. They can be located at the front of a document, after the table of contents and ahead, or at the back, in front of the index, usually before a bibliography or an appendix. The exact location will depend on the client’s style guide.
