Skip to Main Content

Guide to AMS Editor's Package

For Conference Proceedings and Collections

Download the editor's package (editpkg_amslatex.zip).
(Requires AMS-LaTeX 2.0. This is a "required" component of a LaTeX distribution, and is thus already present if your LaTeX installation is less than ten years old.)

Purpose of this package

The AMS editor's package is intended for editors of proceedings and collections, to help them:

  • prepare front and end matter in a standard format;
  • deliver all the files needed to produce the front and back matter:
    • front matter -- required: all files containing material that should appear before the first article in the collection;
    • back matter -- optional: all files containing common material to be placed after the final article;
  • communicate the structure and organization of the volume to the AMS production staff.

The package is provided only for AMS-LaTeX. In addition, if any files for individual articles in the collection are submitted in a form other than AMS-LaTeX, they will be converted to AMS-LaTeX by AMS staff before processing.

What the package includes

The package includes the following:

  • the editor document class file;
  • two template files:
    • ed-front-template.tex
      This is the main file for all the required and optional elements for the front of the book in the correct order, with roman page numbers.
    • ed-back-template.tex     Note: This will not be needed for most books.
      This is the main file for all the common material for the back of the book (bibliography, index, if any) in the desired order.
  • this file of instructions that you are reading.

Topics covered by these instructions

General information is given first. Information specific to a particular version is clearly marked within each topic.


How to use the templates

  • Begin by copying the templates to files named for the series and the editor:
    ed-front-template.tex ==> series-editor-front.tex
    ed-back-template.tex ==> series-editor-back.tex
  • If there is no general back matter (index, bibliography), ignore the instruction for ed-back-template.tex and do not submit that file.
     
  • Do not move material from the "back" template into the "front" template.

    The goal is to provide instructions for a logical final assembly of the book from the submitted files.

Title and copyright page information -- Required

  • Use the template ed-front-template.tex.
  • The first two pages created from this package are not used directly in the final product. The information on these pages is used at the AMS in creation of the final title and copyright pages.
  • The template provides a place for the following information:
    • title,
    • editor name(s),
    • MSC subject classification numbers.

Table of Contents (TOC) -- Required

  • Use the template ed-front-template.tex.
  • The table of contents includes the title and author name(s) for each article. (Page numbers will be added at the AMS.)

Basic TOC style:

  • Both the beginning and end of the Table of Contents must be marked. Use
    \begin{contentslist}
      ...
    \end{contentslist} 
  • Use this template for each contents entry (NOTE: Do not enter page numbers; the \page tag is required for formatting.):
    \contitem
      \title{}
      \author{}
      \page{} 
  • Only one author should be entered with the \author tag. If an item has multiple authors, tag each one separately.
  • For preliminary chapters that have no author, omit the  \author  tag.
  • Examples:
    \contitem
      \title{Preface}
      \page{}
    \contitem
      \title{A solution of Deligne's Hochschild cohomology
       conjecture}
      \author{J. McClure}
      \author{J. Smith}
      \page{} 

Variations:

  • When a volume is divided into parts, they are indicated by part headings in the contents list. These are inserted as follows, just before the \contitem which begins a part:
    \part{full text of heading}
    \contitem
      ... 
    Part headings are flush left by default; to center them, use the  ctrparthead  document style option.
     
  • If there is a reason to change the heading of the contents page, this can be done by supplying the new title just before the contents list; the formula for a two-line title is shown:
    \renewcommand{\contentsname}{%
      First line\protect\\Second line}
    \begin{contentslist}
      ... 
    This technique can be used to insert additional lists if required, for example a list of illustrations, or a second contents list (e.g. "Contents of Volume II") if a work is divided into more than one volume. In such a case, each list needs a new \contentsname and \begin{contentslist}...\end{contentslist}.

Preface, introduction, etc. -- Required

  • Use the template ed-front-template.tex.
  • A preface is an unnumbered introductory chapter.
    This and other introductory chapters have no author, but they should have a signature at the end.
  • Use  \chapter*{...}  to begin preliminary chapters.
  • Acknowledgments should appear as the last paragraph of the preface.
  • Use  \aufm{...}  at the end of the preface for the editor's signature.
    Within  \aufm , indicate line breaks with \\.

Dedication -- Optional

  • Use the template ed-front-template.tex.
  • A short dedication (one or two lines) should be centered. Use the environment
    \begin{shortdedication}
      ...
    \end{shortdedication} 
    Indicate a line break by \\.
  • A longer dedication is presented in paragraph form. Use the environment
    \begin{dedication}
      ...
    \end{dedication} 
  • Instructions for both forms of dedication are given in the front matter template.

List of participants -- Optional

  • Use the template ed-front-template.tex.
  • Participant lists are set in a two-column format. Use the environment
    \begin{participants}
    
    \chapter[Participants]{List of Participants}
      \participant
      ...
    \end{participants} 
    The chapter title may be changed if appropriate.
  • Precede each participant name by the command
    \participant
    Example:
    \participant J. W. Roberts \\ University of Michigan

Bibliographies -- Optional

  • Bibliographies in collections usually belong to one of these categories:
    • A list of publications by an individual:
      • In a proceedings volume in honor of that individual.
        Such a list should be part of the book's front matter.
      • In the collected works of that individual.
        The list may appear in either the front matter or back matter, as determined by the editor.
    • A comprehensive bibliography covering articles by different authors.
      Such bibliographies are rare; when they occur, they should appear in the back matter of the collection.
    • Bibliographies for an individual article or chapter should be processed within the article or chapter. They are not covered here.
  • For a bibliography in the front matter, use the template ed-front-template.tex.
  • For a bibliography in the back matter, use the template ed-back-template.tex.
  • Create the bibliography as a separate file. If feasible, use the amsrefs package or BibTeX, following the instructions that apply to the tool selected.
  • If using amsrefs, include these commands in the file created from the appropriate template:
    \usepackage{amsrefs}
      ...
    \include{bib-file-name} 
    The bibliography file should use these commands as a wrapper:
    \begin{bibdiv}[Optional title]
      {Optional introductory text}
    \begin{biblist}
      ...
    \end{biblist}
    \end{bibdiv} 
    Multiple bibliographies can easily be accommodated.
  • If using BibTeX, include these commands in the file created from the appropriate template:
    \bibliographystyle{...}
    \bibliography{bib-file-name} 
    If optional introductory text is desired, see instructions in the back matter template.
  • If using neither amsrefs nor BibTeX, input the references so that the output will be in the same format as that appearing in the bibliographies of the individual articles in the collection.

Indexes -- Optional

  • For most proceedings volumes, indexes are not included.
  • Use the file copied from the template ed-back-template.tex. Read the instructions in the file.
  • MakeIndex is the tool recommended for index preparation. Instructions are given in the LaTeX User's Guide (Lamport), Appendix A. Additional, more detailed, instructions are given in the LaTeX Companion (Second edition), Chapter 11.
  • Indexes are set in a two-column format.
     
  • Adding index terms and processing the index:
     
    • The instructions for adding index terms to a LaTeX source file are in Appendix A of the LaTeX User's Guide and Chapter 11 of the LaTeX Companion (Second edition).
       
    • If the collection contains any articles prepared with AMS-TeX that you wish to be indexed, request instructions from the AMS technical support staff. However, please note that non-AMS-LaTeX article files will be converted to AMS-LaTeX before processing at AMS.
       
    • Place the command \makeindex in the preamble of each LaTeX article file that contains index items, and run through LaTeX one more time to get the raw file of index terms (.idx file). If the book is to contain only one index, there will be one .idx file for each article that contains index items.
       
    • Combine all the .idx files into a single file named series-editor-back.idx and run this through MakeIndex to obtain a sorted file series-editor-back.ind. When you process the *-back.tex file, the .ind file will be pulled in and properly formatted.
       
    • Page numbers will not be presented correctly at this stage. Final processing at the AMS will produce correct page numbers for each index entry. Confirmation copy will be provided for your careful review.
       
    • Check the output to make sure that everything has been sorted into the proper order, and there are no multiple entries for the same index term. (Multiple entries are often the result of differences in spacing in entries as typed in the input file.) If changes are needed, make all corrections in the input file(s).
       
    • If there will be more than one index, use the package imakeidx with the [original] option. (See the package documentation for usage details; the package is included in TeX Live, and is present in most TeX distributions.) With this package, you can compile files of index terms for as many indexes as you want, to be processed by MakeIndex, and included in your book. Other multiple-index packages are not compatible with AMS document classes.

Compiling a proceedings volume or similar collection

If your book is in a monograph series (e.g., History of Mathematics) with chapters by different authors, see the next section.

At present, there is no mechanism for processing an AMS proceedings volume or similar collection into a single output file, using a main file or other means. Each article must be processed separately, and must thus be in a separate .tex file.

General strategy

  • Collect all the articles and arrange them in the desired order.
  • Check each article to make sure the authors have followed the instructions:
    • The article uses the document class/style file for the series, or "amsproc" for a proceedings series that has no specific author package.
    • The top matter is tagged properly according to the template for the series.
    • If internal cross-references are used, they are references to section numbers (AMS-LaTeX \ref), not page numbers (AMS-LaTeX \pageref).
    • All citations to bibliography items are resolved.
  • Create the table of contents using the template described above. Include all required information for each article, excluding the page numbers, which will be entered at the AMS.
  • Table of contents data may be placed either in the *-front.tex file, or in a separate file to be read in by an  \include  command.

Parts

  • A proceedings volume may be divided into parts, e.g. invited lectures, contributed papers, or theory, applications, etc.
  • When there are multiple parts, a "part-title" page will be used to separate them.
  • The "part-title" page will be prepared at the AMS. Include a comment when submitting your files that part-title pages are used.

Compiling a monograph volume with chapters by different authors

Some monographs (e.g., in the History of Mathematics series) contain one or more chapters or appendices that should have the author identified on the chapter title page and in the table of contents.

The package "amsbooka" will do this for a book prepared in LaTeX using an AMS document class. Use of this package is described in our Author FAQ. The package is present in most TeX distributions, with AMS document classes.


Summary of document style options

Different series vary in the details of their style, particularly that of the Table of Contents. The default style is the one used for proceedings of meetings.

Specify the options to the document class as follows:

\documentclass[option]{editor}

The following document-level options are provided:

  • articles -- ordinary proceedings volumes; this is the default.
  • tocitalauth -- in the Table of Contents, author names are italic (the default is small caps).
  • tocbib -- Table of Contents entries are essentially the same as bibliographic entries, appropriate when articles are reprinted from another source, such as collected works.
  • labels -- in the Table of Contents, articles are labeled with a number or other reference. This is often used in conjunction with the  tocbib  option.
  • ctrpartheads -- center part headings in the Table of Contents; the default is flush left.

The following series have particular style requirements:

  • CRM (copublications with the Centre de Récherches Mathématiques, Université de Montréal):
    • Use the option  tocitalauth .
    • Do not use the option  ctrpartheads .

Delivering files to the AMS


Where to go if you need support

  • Non-technical questions should be directed to the Acquisitions Department.
  • Technical assistance can be requested from AMS technical support staff.
    Please identify the book series and principal editor when inquiring.
  • If your question involves specific uses of input coding, please send a brief but complete and runnable file, along with the log from your attempt to process it. Otherwise, we may have to request more information before we can help you resolve the problem.