Table of Contents

The table of contents is in the front of a book. It shows how many chapters, or parts, are in a book. It tells the page numbers where those chapters begin. Look at the chapter names to see which ones might be useful to you.

A table of contents can be much more detailed than the one shown here. For example, it might list sections within chapters, important visuals, or special sections found in the book.

illustration of a table of contents page from a book

A chapter title tells what the chapter is mostly about.

The page number tells where the chapter begins.

Chapter Headings

Once you have found a chapter you are interested in using from the table of contents, you will turn to the chapter. The first page in the chapter will contain a header describing what you will find in the chapter. Often, chapters are numbered.

illustration of the first page of a chapter from a book photograph of the red, dusty surface of Mars