An 'abstract' at the start of every chapter?

Question

I am using the book document class and what I would like to do is to have a abstract like text at the start of every chapter (in smaller font outlining what will happen in the chapter, etc.). I don't have a problem changing to amsbook if that helps in anyway.

Example: http://www.amazon.com/Classical-Introduction-Modern-Graduate-Mathematics/dp/038797329X

Answer 1

Here is an example that uses one of the KOMA-Script classes to achieve a similar effect:

\documentclass[pagesize=auto, version=last, chapterprefix=true]{scrbook}

\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{amsfonts}

\renewcommand*{\thesection}{\S\enspace\arabic{section}}
\renewcommand*{\dictumwidth}{0.7\textwidth}
\renewcommand*{\raggeddictum}{\raggedright}
\renewcommand*{\raggeddictumtext}{}

\addtokomafont{disposition}{\rmfamily\mdseries}
\addtokomafont{chapterprefix}{\large}
\setkomafont{dictumtext}{\normalfont\normalcolor\itshape\setlength{\parindent}{1em}\noindent}


\begin{document}


\setchapterpreamble{%
  \dictum{%
    The notion of prime number is fundamental in number theory.
    The first part of this chapter is devoted to proving that every integer can be written as a product of primes in an essentially unique way.

    After that, we shall prove an analogous theorem in the ring of polynomials over a field.%
  }%
  \vspace{24pt}%
}

\chapter{Unique Factorization}

\section{Unique Factorization in $\mathbb Z$}


\end{document}

Answer 2

I just use

\begin{quote}
{\small ...}
\end{quote} 

Answer 3

You can define a similar abstract environment to your example using

\newenvironment{abstract}{\rightskip1in\itshape}{}

Just use \begin{abstract}...\end{abstract} after your \chapter and then start a \section after that.

Answer 4

Abstract at the beginning of the chapter can be inserted using "quote environment". To avoid repetition of the commands at the beginning of each chapter, a "\newcommand" environment is created as preamble. Here I have created a newcommand called "\chapterabstract". For the lines above and below the abstract '\rule' command has been used and to avoid the white space after the bottom line of the abstract '\vskip' command has been used. \lipsum environment is used for the dummy text.

%===============Chapter abs by Chas============
\documentclass[a4paper,11pt]{report}
\usepackage{times,lipsum}
\usepackage[margin=1in]{geometry}
\usepackage[onehalfspacing]{setspace}

\newcommand{\chapabstract}[1]{
    \begin{quote}
        \singlespacing\small
        \rule{14cm}{1pt}
        #1
        \vskip-4mm
        \rule{14cm}{1pt}
\end{quote}}

\begin{document}

\chapter{An Abstract at the Start of Each Chapter}
\chapabstract{\lipsum[2]}

\lipsum[2-3]
 
\chapter{Introduction}
\chapabstract{\lipsum[1]}

\lipsum[1]
\end{document}

Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dF2lCIFoRlI