Definition of Appendix in a Book or Written Work

Definition of Appendix in a Book or Written Work An appendix is a collection of supplementary materials, usually appearing at the end of a report, academic paper,  proposal  (such as a bid or a grant), or book. The word appendix comes from the Latin appendere, meaning hang upon. An appendix typically includes data and supporting documents used by a writer to develop the written work. Though such information should be of potential use to the reader (not  treated as an opportunity for padding), it would disrupt the flow of the argument if  it were included in the main body of the text. Examples of Supporting Materials Not every report, proposal, or  book needs an  appendix. However, including one allows you to point to  additional information that is relevant  but would be out of place in the main body of the text. It can  give the reader more depth to the topic, supply resources for further reading or contact lists, or provide documentation to make your case for your grant or bid proposal. Appendix information may include tables, figures, charts, letters, memos,  detailed technical specs, maps, drawings, diagrams, photos, or other materials. In the case of research papers, supporting materials may include surveys, questionnaires, or schematics and the like that were  used to produce the results included in the paper. Because of its supplementary nature, it is important that material in an appendix not be left to speak for itself, according to Eamon Fulcher in A Guide to Coursework in Psychology. This means that you must not put vital information only in an appendix without any indication in the main text that it is there, Fulcher says. An appendix is an ideal place to include information and other data that are simply too long or detailed to incorporate into the main body text. If these materials were used in the works development, readers may want to reference them to double-check or locate additional information. Including the materials in an appendix is often the most organized way to make them available. Should You Include an Appendix? Whether you include an appendix depends on your topic and what will benefit the reader. If you answer yes to one or more of these questions, create an appendix. Will supplemental materials aid the readers understanding of your topic? Will they provide resources for further reading or exploration? Will they supply additional depth to the data presented in your report, article, book, or proposal? Will the materials provide additional backup for your thesis or message? Do you have items  that would be unwieldy to present in a footnote? The appendix material should be streamlined, relevant to your topic or thesis, and useful to the reader- but its not a place to put all of your research materials. The citations in the references, bibliography, works cited, or endnotes will take care of citing your sources. An appendix is a place for items that help the readers understanding of your work and research and the topic at hand.  If the material is not important enough to refer to in your text, then dont include it in an appendix. Appendix vs. Addendum An addendum is new  material added to a book or other written work after its first edition has been produced. It may be updated research or additional sources that came to light or further explanation about the book from the author, for example. In a contract, an addendum can change the terms of the contract, such as canceling sections or updating terms or pricing in sections without the whole contract becoming null and void and needing everyone to sign it anew. The parties to the contract just need to sign the addendum with the noted changes. Formatting an Appendix The way in which you format your appendix depends on the style guide you have chosen to follow for your work. In general, each item referred to in your text (table, figure, chart, or other information) should be included as its own appendix- though if there are many data sets under one grouping, keep them together in their appendix and label each piece appropriately. If you have more than one appendix, label the appendices Appendix A, Appendix B, etc. so that you can easily cite them in the body of the  report, and start each on a separate page. Put them in the order that you refer to them in the paper, for ease of use for the reader, and dont forget to note them in the table of contents, if your work has one. Research papers, including academic and medical studies, usually follow APA style guidelines for the formatting of appendices. They can also follow the Chicago Manual of Style. For each of these styles, format the appendix as follows: APA: Center the title, and use upper and lowercase letters. The text of the appendix should be flush left, and you should indent your paragraphs. Chicago: The Chicago style manual also allows for numbered appendices (1, 2, 3, not just A, B, C). As far as location, they appear before any endnotes sections so that any information in the appendices that needs a note can refer to the notes section. If there are many tables in the appendices, though, it might be best to keep the notes with the tables.