Final answer:
A short introductory statement or passage in a book is commonly known as a preface or foreword, providing insight into the author's purpose or context for the work. It may start with an epigraph, a brief quote setting the work's tone, and includes citations when referenced in academic work.
Step-by-step explanation:
A short introductory statement or passage in a published work such as a book is predominantly known as a preface or foreword. This introductory segment is often written by the author to explain the purpose behind the book and to give readers preliminary commentary or insights. It may serve as a brief introductory explanation of how the author develops and supports the thesis or stance. Alternatively, it can also include a summary of context and culture relevant to the work's subject matter. Occasionally, this section may start with an epigraph, which is a brief quotation that sets the tone or suggests the theme of the work to come.
For citing work that includes an introduction, preface, foreword, or afterword, the citation would start with the author of that section, followed by a description of the work you are citing. An example would be 'Offill, Jenny. Foreword. Mrs. Dalloway, by Virginia Woolf, Penguin Classics, 2021, pp. vii-xiv.'
In order to effectively draw readers in, the preface or foreword might provide an overview, an anecdote, or a thought-provoking quotation. It could further include a preview statement offering an overview of the book's content, as well as transition statements to ease the reader into the main body of the work. The conclusion statement at the end of this segment is designed to transition seamlessly into the body of the book.