{"id":242,"date":"2022-02-14T02:29:25","date_gmt":"2022-02-13T18:29:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/?p=242"},"modified":"2023-05-22T06:11:38","modified_gmt":"2023-05-21T22:11:38","slug":"latex-document","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document","title":{"rendered":"6 Easy Steps to Create Your First LaTeX Document"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Creating your first <em>LaTeX document<\/em> is a relatively straightforward process. This guide will show you the various components of a LaTeX document and how to get started with creating your first one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_67_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69c7061d52a2a\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69c7061d52a2a\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#What_is_a_LaTeX_Document\" title=\"What is a LaTeX Document?\">What is a LaTeX Document?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#What_are_LaTeX_Document_Commands\" title=\"What are LaTeX Document Commands?\">What are LaTeX Document Commands?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#What_are_LaTeX_Document_Packages\" title=\"What are LaTeX Document Packages?\">What are LaTeX Document Packages?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#What_is_LaTeX_Document_Text\" title=\"What is LaTeX Document Text?\">What is LaTeX Document Text?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#Understanding_LaTeX_Document_Structure\" title=\"Understanding LaTeX Document Structure\">Understanding LaTeX Document Structure<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#Adding_the_LaTeX_Document_Preamble\" title=\"Adding the LaTeX Document Preamble.\">Adding the LaTeX Document Preamble.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#Adding_the_LaTeX_Document_Body\" title=\"Adding the LaTeX Document Body\">Adding the LaTeX Document Body<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#Adding_Maths_to_Your_LaTeX_Document\" title=\"Adding Maths to Your LaTeX Document\">Adding Maths to Your LaTeX Document<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#Common_Preamble_Commands\" title=\"Common Preamble Commands\">Common Preamble Commands<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#documentclass\" title=\"\\documentclass{}\">\\documentclass{}<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#title\" title=\"\\title{}\">\\title{}<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#author\" title=\"\\author{}\">\\author{}<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#usepackage\" title=\"\\usepackage{}\">\\usepackage{}<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#Common_Body_Commands\" title=\"Common Body Commands\">Common Body Commands<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#maketitle\" title=\"\\maketitle\">\\maketitle<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#tableofcontents\" title=\"\\tableofcontents\">\\tableofcontents<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#listoffigures\" title=\"\\listoffigures\">\\listoffigures<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#listoftables\" title=\"\\listoftables\">\\listoftables<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#begin_and_end\" title=\"\\begin{} and \\end{}\">\\begin{} and \\end{}<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#How_to_Create_a_LaTeX_Document_in_6_Easy_Steps\" title=\"How to Create a LaTeX Document in 6 Easy Steps\">How to Create a LaTeX Document in 6 Easy Steps<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#Step_1_Specify_the_Document_Class\" title=\"Step 1: Specify the Document Class\">Step 1: Specify the Document Class<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#Step_2_Specify_the_Packages_to_Use\" title=\"Step 2: Specify the Packages to Use\">Step 2: Specify the Packages to Use<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#Step_3_Specify_Title_Author_and_Date\" title=\"Step 3: Specify Title, Author, and Date\">Step 3: Specify Title, Author, and Date<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#Step_4_Add_Your_Document_Body\" title=\"Step 4: Add Your Document Body\">Step 4: Add Your Document Body<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#Step_5_Save_the_Document\" title=\"Step 5: Save the Document\">Step 5: Save the Document<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-26\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#Step_6_Compile_Your_Document\" title=\"Step 6: Compile Your Document\">Step 6: Compile Your Document<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-27\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#Frequently_Asked_Questions\" title=\"Frequently Asked Questions\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-28\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#Q1_How_Do_I_Start_a_LaTeX_Document\" title=\"Q1. How Do I Start a LaTeX Document?\">Q1. How Do I Start a LaTeX Document?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-29\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#Q2_Why_is_LaTeX_used\" title=\"Q2. Why is LaTeX used?\">Q2. Why is LaTeX used?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-30\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#Q3_Is_LaTeX_better_than_Word\" title=\"Q3. Is LaTeX better than Word?\">Q3. Is LaTeX better than Word?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-31\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\/#Further_Reading\" title=\"Further Reading\">Further Reading<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-2adfcbf8 gb-headline-text\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_a_LaTeX_Document\"><\/span><strong>What is a LaTeX Document?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>LaTeX is a special document preparation system that is useful for creating and publishing scientific documents. This software offers many capabilities beyond that of standard document creation software such as MS Word.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A LaTeX document is simply a document that is created in LaTeX. These documents are created and structured using commands, packages, and text. Before we look at how to create a basic LaTeX document, it is important to know about commands, packages, and text.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-are-latex-document-commands\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_LaTeX_Document_Commands\"><\/span><strong>What are LaTeX Document Commands?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Commands help structure your&nbsp; LaTeX document in different ways. You can use them to change your document text or to make format changes. Commands are also useful for creating equations, inputting symbols, or to delineate sections in your preferred manner.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Users can use commands by placing a backlash before them. For example, the command for making text bold can be written as <em>\\textbf{&#8230;} command<\/em>. Commands generally follow a format of <em>\\command{optional argument}{required argument}<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is possible to use multiple arguments in a command by separating each one using a comma. For example the command <em>hypersetup{colorlinks=true, &nbsp; linkcolor=blue, filecolor=magenta, urlcolor=cyan}<\/em> would set the color for hyperlinks contained within your LaTeX document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Users that wish to set their text font as well as the number of columns in their document can use the command <em>\\documentclass{12pt, twocolumn}<\/em>. This command sets the font size as 12 and structures the text in two columns. The command <em>\\documentclass{article}<\/em> informs LaTeX to use the default settings associated with the command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-are-latex-document-packages\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_LaTeX_Document_Packages\"><\/span><strong>What are LaTeX Document Packages?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>LaTeX also utilizes \u201cpackages\u201d frequently during the document creation process. These packages are essentially extensions of the software\u2019s mechanics. They offer additional functionality and customization options for document creation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many commands rely on packages. So if you encounter an error when attempting to use a command, it is likely because the correct package hasn\u2019t been included in the document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can tell LaTeX to include a certain package in your document by using the command <em>\\usepackage{}<\/em>. The package for customizing headers and footers in a document is called <em>fancyhdr<\/em>. So the command for using this package would be <em>\\usepackage{fancyhdr}<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-latex-document-text\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_LaTeX_Document_Text\"><\/span><strong>What is LaTeX Document Text?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The document text in LaTeX is similar to the document text in other document creation software. Users can start adding text to their document once they are inside the body section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"understanding-latex-document-structure\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Understanding_LaTeX_Document_Structure\"><\/span><strong>Understanding LaTeX Document Structure<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A LaTeX document can typically be broken down into two sections: preamble and body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"adding-the-latex-document-preamble\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Adding_the_LaTeX_Document_Preamble\"><\/span><strong>Adding the LaTeX Document Preamble.<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Preamble refers to the information that is added before the document begins. The preamble typically starts with the command <em>\\documentclass{}<\/em> and ends with <em>\\begin{document}<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An example of a document preamble is shown below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\documentclass{article}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\usepackage{geometry}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\usepackage{amsmath}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\usepackage{graphicx}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\title{My First Document}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\author{Alan Matthew}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\date{}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\begin{document}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the above example, the preamble mentions the packages to be used as well as the document title, the author name, and document date. You can use any number of packages you wish to in the document preamble. In-fact, it is vital to use certain packages if you wish to use a particular command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"adding-the-latex-document-body\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Adding_the_LaTeX_Document_Body\"><\/span><strong>Adding the LaTeX Document Body<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The body of a LaTeX document is where your text, figures, equations, and tables are added. You can signal the start of your document body using the command <em>\\begin{document}<\/em> and end the body with the command <em>\\end{document}<\/em>. After the adding a body to the above example, the sample code output resembles the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\documentclass{article}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\usepackage{geometry}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\usepackage{amsmath}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\usepackage{graphicx}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\title{My First Document}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\author{Alan Matthew}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\date{}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\begin{document}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\maketitle<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>This is the text for my first document<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\end{document}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The final document for the above example should resemble:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/sc75WjAUz8o_bNg-m8itSA6yTeUgfyw9iIMhcqn5drAs1EySDLEZfqhhi0jnkj_oQuoxTR9ubyCTUTmQYeGqqKudyHfTo_dXn8RDojyTM1cqIjV1le2ux-ctGzIj5PDzJQxV1MuR\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"adding-maths-to-your-latex-document\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Adding_Maths_to_Your_LaTeX_Document\"><\/span><strong>Adding Maths to Your LaTeX Document<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>LaTeX is favored by scientists and mathematicians over traditional document creation softwares because it allows users to add mathematical equations and symbols with ease.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You should keep two important things in mind when attempting to add mathematical formulas to your document. The first being to ensure all the right LaTeX packages are included.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, a popular package for using mathematical formulas is <em>amsmath<\/em>. This package enables users to include many mathematical symbols and commands in their document. You should note that if you run into an error when attempting to use a certain mathematical command, it is likely because you require an additional package.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The second thing to ensure is that \u201cmath mode\u201d has been enabled. This mode lets you enter complex mathematical formulas with ease. You can enter math mode in a variety of different ways. The easiest is to use \u201c$&#8230;..$\u201d, or where your mathematical formula is bookended by the \u201c$\u201d symbol. Alternatively, you can use the commands <em>\\begin{equation}<\/em> and <em>\\end{equation}<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, you can turn the equation f(x) = 5x + 15 into a proper formula with the command $f(x) = 5x + 15$. The final formula in the document will resemble:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/JI84bhC4B6HtBaYV8sCb13JqXo5yvQuGkVnIYhObTUpGg7RMXptcsFdlXBueaOKH_P3a8TfA0HNJgN55MSymXSoxltYUyXW37oNKRhacjHvjQ9kiT1AW6DlzPazuPA8erxfGxAnk\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"common-preamble-commands\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Common_Preamble_Commands\"><\/span><strong>Common Preamble Commands<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that we have looked at the structure for LaTeX documents, let\u2019s look at some common preamble commands and how to use them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"documentclass\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"documentclass\"><\/span><strong>\\documentclass{}<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the first command used in a LaTeX document. It can be used to specify the type of document being created. Common arguments for documentclass are article, book, and slides. So if you intend to create an article for a scientific journal, you would use the command <em>\\documentclass{article}<\/em> at the start of your document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"title\"><\/span><strong>\\title{}<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This command is for specifying the title of your document. If you want to name your document \u201cMy First Document\u201d, the command would resemble <em>\\title{My First Document}<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"author\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"author\"><\/span><strong>\\author{}<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This command is for specifying the author name in your document. If you would like to include multiple author names, use the <em>\\and<\/em> command. So if you wanted to mention Alan Matthew and Sarah Smith as authors, the code would resemble \\<em>author{Alan Matthew \\and Sarah Parker}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"usepackage\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"usepackage\"><\/span><strong>\\usepackage{}<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This command enables you to import a package into your LaTeX document. This is usually needed when you wish to use commands that aren\u2019t part of LaTeX\u2019s basic system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"common-body-commands\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Common_Body_Commands\"><\/span><strong>Common Body Commands<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Some common body commands&nbsp; include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"maketitle\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"maketitle\"><\/span><strong>\\maketitle<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This command creates a document title using the \\title, \\author, and \\date you provided in the preamble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tableofcontents\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"tableofcontents\"><\/span><strong>\\tableofcontents<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This command creates a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-table-of-contents\">table of contents<\/a> for your document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"listoffigures\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"listoffigures\"><\/span><strong>\\listoffigures<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This command creates a list of figures for your document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"listoftables\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"listoftables\"><\/span><strong>\\listoftables<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This command creates a list of tables for the document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"begin-and-end\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"begin_and_end\"><\/span><strong>\\begin{} and \\end{}<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;The <em>\\begin{}<\/em> and <em>\\end{}<\/em> commands signal the start and end of a certain environment in the LaTeX document. In the above example, we used <em>\\begin{document}<\/em> and <em>\\end{document}<\/em> to begin and end the document body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-create-a-latex-document-in-6-easy-steps\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Create_a_LaTeX_Document_in_6_Easy_Steps\"><\/span><strong>How to Create a LaTeX Document in 6 Easy Steps<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that we have looked at the various components of a LaTeX document, let\u2019s summarize the process into 5 simple steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-1-specify-the-document-class\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_1_Specify_the_Document_Class\"><\/span><strong>Step 1: Specify the Document Class<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Start by specifying the documentclass in the preamble as <em>\\documentclass{}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-2-specify-the-packages-to-use\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_2_Specify_the_Packages_to_Use\"><\/span><strong>Step 2: Specify the Packages to Use<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, mention any packages you wish LaTeX to include in your preamble as <em>\\usepackage{}<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-3-specify-title-author-and-date\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_3_Specify_Title_Author_and_Date\"><\/span><strong>Step 3: Specify Title, Author, and Date<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, specify the document title, author, and date in the preamble as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\title{}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\author{}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\\date{}<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-4-add-your-document-body\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_4_Add_Your_Document_Body\"><\/span><strong>Step 4: Add Your Document Body<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Add <em>\\begin{document} <\/em>to start your document body. Fill out your document\u2019s text and equations as needed. Then end the body with <em>\\end{document}<\/em>. You should ensure that no text is added after the <em>\\end{document}<\/em> command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-5-save-the-document\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_5_Save_the_Document\"><\/span><strong>Step 5: Save the Document<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The next step is to save your document. You can do this by pressing Ctrl+S or clicking \u201cFile\u201d then \u201cSave\u201d. Select the destination folder for your file and allow it to save. This should produce a .tex file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-6-compile-your-document\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_6_Compile_Your_Document\"><\/span><strong>Step 6: Compile Your Document<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, you should compile your document.&nbsp; You can do this on TeXmaker by selecting the \u201cQuick Build\u201d command in the toolbar and clicking the \u201cRun\u201d button. Your completed document will then be compiled and show up on the right side of the software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions\"><\/span><strong>Frequently Asked Questions<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Some frequently asked questions related to LaTeX documents are shown below.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1630924005682\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Q1_How_Do_I_Start_a_LaTeX_Document\"><\/span><strong>Q1. How Do I Start a LaTeX Document?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>You can start a LaTeX document by opening TeXworks and typing \\<em>documentclass{}<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1630924043267\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Q2_Why_is_LaTeX_used\"><\/span><strong>Q2. Why is LaTeX used?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>LaTeX is used for both quality and aesthetics. Users can add mathematical equations and formulas into their documents easily, and get them looking professional with minimal effort.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1630924043996\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Q3_Is_LaTeX_better_than_Word\"><\/span><strong>Q3. Is LaTeX better than Word?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Microsoft Word may be more popular than LaTeX. However, the software isn\u2019t capable of inserting and handling mathematical equations and formulas with the ease that LaTeX can. This is one of the reasons why so many scientists and mathematicians use LaTeX for their papers.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-49569038 gb-headline-text\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Further_Reading\"><\/span>Further Reading<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>LaTex Tutorial<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/pros-and-cons-of-using-latex\">27 Pros and Cons of Using LaTex for Scientific Writing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/circuit-diagrams-in-latex\">How to add circuit diagrams in Latex<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-font\">How to change Latex font and font size<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-table-of-contents\">How to create a Latex table of contents<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/footnotes-in-latex\">How to create footnotes in LaTeX and how to refer to them, using the builtin commands<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/glossaries-in-latex\">How to create Glossaries in LaTeX<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/plots-in-latex\">How to create plots in Latex \u2013 codes and examples<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/symbols-in-latex\">How to create symbols in LaTeX \u2013 commands for Latex greek alphabet<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-tables\">How to create tables in LaTeX \u2013 rows, columns, pages and landscape tables<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/graphs-in-latex\">How to drawing graphs in Latex \u2013 vector graphics with tikz<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/source-code-in-latex\">How to highlight source code in LaTeX<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/image-in-latex\">How to insert an image in LaTeX \u2013 Managing Latex figure and picture<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-bullet-points\">How to Itemize and Number List \u2013 Adding Latex Bullet Points<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/hyperlinks-in-latex\">How to make hyperlink in latex \u2013 Clickable links<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/reference-in-latex\">How to reference in Latex \u2013 5 steps to bibliography with Bibtex<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-packages\">How to use Latex Packages with examples<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-paragraphs\">How to use LaTeX paragraphs and sections<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-installation-guide\">LaTeX Installation Guide \u2013 Easy to follow steps to install LaTex<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-equations-and-math\">Learn to typeset and align Latex equations and math<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Creating your first LaTeX document is a relatively straightforward process. This guide will show you the various components of a LaTeX document and how to get started with creating your first one. What is a LaTeX Document? LaTeX is a special document preparation system that is useful for creating and publishing scientific documents. This software &#8230; <a title=\"6 Easy Steps to Create Your First LaTeX Document\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/latex-document\" aria-label=\"Read more about 6 Easy Steps to Create Your First LaTeX Document\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":235,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=242"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5560,"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242\/revisions\/5560"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/235"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=242"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=242"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scijournal.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=242"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}