5.5.2. Foreword, preface and introduction

The foreword, preface and introduction are distinct parts of the preliminary texts of a work.

There is often confusion among these three preliminary texts, including in the terminology between languages. The distinction in English is as follows.

Because it is not part of the text, the foreword is usually placed before the contents page. It is written by someone other than the author, often a prominent public figure, and comprises background information on the work and/or the author. The foreword may be printed in a different typeface from that used for the main text.

As with the foreword, the preface may be placed before the contents page. Written by the author personally, it concerns the work as a whole. It too may be printed in a different typeface.

The introduction, also written by the author, is placed after the contents page and is considered part of the text. It is primarily a preparation for, or explanation of, the text itself. It is usually printed in the same typeface as the main text.