1 of 9
What is a table of contents?

The Table of Contents helps readers see at a glance what the publication covers and helps them navigate to specific parts of the contents.
Photo by J. James
The table of contents (TOC) is a navigational element typically found in multi-page publications such as books and magazines. Found near the front of a publication, the TOC provides both an overview of the scope of the publication and a means of quickly locating certain sections of the content -- usually by listing page numbers that correspond to the start of a section or chapter. For books, the table of contents may list each chapter of the book and perhaps sub-sections of each chapter. For magazines, the table of contents may list each individual article or special sections.