Counterpart of front matter. Any material, such as appendixes, notes, references, glossary or index, coming after the chapters of a book.
Back matter is the material at the end of a book, after the main text. The term “back matter” includes all the pages after the text of the book that are not part of the front matter. The back matter may include an afterword, a bibliography, an index, and other supplemental materials.
The afterword is a brief summary or conclusion, typically written by the author, that comes after the main text. The bibliography is a list of sources used in the book, either in the form of footnotes or endnotes. The index is an alphabetical list of topics and names that appear in the book, with page numbers where they can be found.
Supplemental materials are any materials that are not essential to the book’s argument but that provide additional information that may be of interest to the reader. This could include anything from maps and timelines to interviews and primary source documents.
Back matter is the final section of a book and usually includes information such as an afterword, appendix, glossary, index, bibliography, and/or acknowledgements. Although back matter is not essential to the plot of a book, it can be extremely important in providing readers with additional context and information about the story.
For example, an appendix in a historical fiction novel could provide readers with information about the real-life events that inspired the book. A glossary in a fantasy novel could help readers understand made-up words and concepts that are essential to the world-building. And an index in a non-fiction book could help readers quickly find specific information that they are looking for.
In conclusion, back matter can be extremely important in providing readers with additional information and context about a book. Although it is not essential to the plot, back matter can help enhance a reader’s understanding and enjoyment of a book.