How to Add a Short Abstract After a LaTeX Part Heading

Title: How to Add a Short Abstract After a LaTeX Part Heading Category: latex

---- ARTICLE BODY ----

LaTeX does not have a built-in command that combines a \part heading with a short abstract underneath it. Define a command that calls \part and then prints the abstract in the style you want. The example below uses a small, indented block and works with the standard article class.

A command for a part and its abstract

Put this definition in the preamble, after \documentclass and before \begin{document}:

\newcommand{\partwithabstract}[2]{%
  \part{#1}%
  \begin{quote}
    \small
    \textbf{Abstract.} #2
  \end{quote}%
}

Then use it like this:

\partwithabstract{Background}{This part introduces the setting and notation used throughout the document.}

The first argument, #1, supplies the part title. The second, #2, supplies the abstract text. The command prints the ordinary \part heading first, then places the abstract in a quote environment at \small size. The word “Abstract.” is included as a bold label; remove or change it if you prefer a different look.

Complete compilable example

\documentclass{article}

\newcommand{\partwithabstract}[2]{%
  \part{#1}%
  \begin{quote}
    \small
    \textbf{Abstract.} #2
  \end{quote}%
}

\begin{document}

\partwithabstract{Background}{This part introduces the setting and notation used throughout the document.}

\section{Motivation}
The main text begins here.

\end{document}

No additional package is required. In the standard article class, \part is a valid sectioning command and produces a numbered part heading. The report and book classes also support parts, though their page layout and heading appearance differ. In those classes, the standard \part commands end the part-title page before subsequent text, so this macro places the abstract on a following page rather than beneath the heading unless you customize the class behavior. The macro leaves the class-defined heading styles intact.

Adjusting the abstract’s appearance

The quote environment indents the abstract from both margins. If you want it flush with the main text instead, replace the quote block with:

  {\small\noindent\textbf{Abstract.} #2\par}

The braces limit the effect of \small to the abstract. The \par ends the paragraph before normal text resumes. For a centered or boxed abstract, change only the formatting portion of the macro; keep the call to \part so the title remains a proper document heading.

If the abstract is long or needs several paragraphs, the two-argument command can still contain paragraph breaks in its second argument, but an environment may be more convenient. An environment gives you a clear beginning and end for longer text. For a short description, a command is usually simpler.

Common mistakes

• Putting the definition after \begin{document}: Define \newcommand in the preamble so it is available throughout the document.
• Forgetting the number of arguments: The [2] in the definition declares two arguments. Use the command with two brace-delimited values.
• Expecting \part to look identical in every class: The heading style, numbering, and page breaks depend on the document class. The abstract formatting in the macro does not redefine those settings.
• Using abstract as if it were a universal part-level feature: The standard abstract environment is intended for document abstracts and its availability or placement can depend on the class. A custom block after \part is more direct when each part needs its own short description.
• Adding manual vertical space too early: Try the command as written first. If the abstract sits too close to or too far from the heading in your class, adjust the spacing only after checking the compiled output.

In the article class, this approach gives every part the same heading-and-description structure while preserving LaTeX’s built-in sectioning behavior.