How does the \appendix command change numbering?

\appendix is a switch, not an environment: every \section (in article) or \chapter (in report/book) after it is lettered A, B, C instead of numbered, and subsections become A.1, A.2. It also relabels the heading word, so a chapter reads 'Appendix A'. You place \appendix once, after your last regular section and before the first appendix section. Everything before it keeps normal numbering.

Should the appendix come before or after the bibliography?

Conventions vary by field and journal, but the most common order in papers is: main text, references, then appendices — because reviewers expect the reference list right after the conclusion. In theses, appendices usually come after the bibliography as back matter. Always follow your target journal or university guidelines, since some explicitly require appendices before references. The \appendix command works in either position.

How do I get separate, more controllable appendix formatting?

Use the appendices package, which provides \begin{appendices}...\end{appendices} and an option to add a 'Appendices' divider page or per-appendix titles. It gives finer control than the plain \appendix switch, such as a table-of-contents entry for the appendix group and customizable heading text. For a simple paper, the built-in \appendix command is enough; reach for the package when you need the extra structure in a thesis.

How to Add an Appendix in LaTeX

To add an appendix in LaTeX, place the \appendix command after your last regular section — it switches all following section numbering to A, B, C automatically. It's a one-word switch, not an environment, and it relabels headings so they read "Appendix A". Here's the setup and the conventions for placement.

1. The one-command appendix

\section{Conclusion}
% ... main content ends ...

\appendix
\section{Proof of Theorem 1}   % becomes "Appendix A"
\section{Additional Results}   % becomes "Appendix B"

Everything after \appendix is lettered; subsections become A.1, A.2. Everything before keeps normal numbering. In the report or book class, use \chapter instead of \section after \appendix.

2. Placement: where the appendix goes

| Document | Typical order | |---|---| | Journal paper | Main text → references → appendices | | Thesis | Main text → references → appendices (back matter) | | Some venues | Main text → appendices → references |

Follow your target's guidelines — some journals require appendices before the bibliography. The \appendix command works in any position.

3. The appendices package for more control

\usepackage[toc, page]{appendices}
...
\begin{appendices}
  \section{Derivations}
  \section{Code}
\end{appendices}

This adds a TOC entry for the appendix group and an optional divider page — better for a thesis than the plain switch.

4. Referencing appendix content

Label appendix sections and reference them from the main text:

See `Appendix~\ref{app:proof}` for the full derivation.

Put \label{app:proof} right after the appendix \section — see cross-referencing.

5. What belongs in an appendix

Long proofs, extra tables, full code listings, questionnaire text, and supplementary figures. Keep the main text readable by moving anything non-essential here. For overall document structure, see How to Write a Research Paper.

→ Build and preview appendices instantly in LetX.

Written by Shihab Shahriar Antor — AI Engineer & Founder of Shahriar Labs, maker of LetX.