Indexing Jyothi Jandhyala

Disclaimer! Indexing cannot be reduced to a set of steps that can be followed! It is not a mechanical process. Indexing books is a form of writing. Like other types of writing, it is a mixture of art and craft, judgment and selection. With practice and experience, indexers develop their own style as do other writers. The best we can do as teachers of indexing is to present the rules and offer guidance. * *Nancy C. Mulvany, Indexing Books

Agenda Introduction Introduction Primary entries Primary entries Secondary entries Secondary entries Indexing guidelines Indexing guidelines Formatting and style Formatting and style Cross-references Cross-references Tools used for indexing Tools used for indexing Refining an index Refining an index Resources Resources

Introduction What is an index? What is an index? Why and when is an index required? Why and when is an index required? What to index What to index What not to index What not to index Components of an index entry Components of an index entry Planning your index Planning your index

What is an index? A good index records every pertinent statement made within the body of the text. The subject matter and purpose of the book determine which statements are pertinent and which peripheral. An index should be considered more than an expanded, alphabetical table of contents. It should also be something other than a concordance of words and phrases. * A good index records every pertinent statement made within the body of the text. The subject matter and purpose of the book determine which statements are pertinent and which peripheral. An index should be considered more than an expanded, alphabetical table of contents. It should also be something other than a concordance of words and phrases. * * The Chicago Manual of Style, 14 th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1993, p. 703

Why and when is an index required? Free-text search Free-text search Terms and concept/relevance and irrelevance Size of a document/index Size of a document/index

What to index Headings Headings Terms and concepts important to the user Terms and concepts important to the user Overviews Overviews Procedures Procedures Acronyms and abbreviations Acronyms and abbreviations Definitions, new terms, industry-specific terms Definitions, new terms, industry-specific terms Commands, functions, methods, and properties Commands, functions, methods, and properties Warnings, notes, tips, etc. Warnings, notes, tips, etc. Common synonyms for words in the topics Common synonyms for words in the topics

What not to index Front matter Front matter Glossary terms Glossary terms Passing mention of a subject Passing mention of a subject

Components of an index entry Heading text Heading text Locators (page, section, paragraph) Locators (page, section, paragraph) Secondary entries Secondary entries Cross-references Cross-references

Planning your index Consider audience Consider audience Consider context as well as content. Index entries should lead to useful information, not to every occurrence of a subject. Consider context as well as content. Index entries should lead to useful information, not to every occurrence of a subject. Categorize concepts by considering logical relationship among entries, clarity, cross- referencing, and completeness. The structure of your index determines how useful it is to the user to find information. Categorize concepts by considering logical relationship among entries, clarity, cross- referencing, and completeness. The structure of your index determines how useful it is to the user to find information.

Primary entries Clone heading text. Clone heading text. Provide multiple postings. Provide multiple postings. Create synonym entries – words and verbs. Create synonym entries – words and verbs.

Primary entries - examples Creating documents Creating documents Documents, creating Documents, creating Adding documents Adding documents Files, adding Files, adding

Secondary entries Group related entries. Group related entries. Split primary entries with multiple locators. Split primary entries with multiple locators. Do not repeat the primary entry in the secondary entry. Do not repeat the primary entry in the secondary entry. Ensure that there are at least two or three secondary entries. Ensure that there are at least two or three secondary entries. Limit the number of index levels to three. Limit the number of index levels to three.

Secondary entries - examples Editing text Editing text moving moving copying copying pasting pasting

Indexing guidelines General guidelines General guidelines Guidelines for print index Guidelines for print index

General guidelines Index only significant occurrence of words/concepts Index only significant occurrence of words/concepts Arrange words for emphasis Arrange words for emphasis Verbs – use gerunds rather than imperative Verbs – use gerunds rather than imperative Avoid common gerunds, be specific Avoid common gerunds, be specific Limit usage of prepositions and articles Limit usage of prepositions and articles Use plural rather than singular Use plural rather than singular Capitalization Capitalization Punctuation Punctuation Parallelism Parallelism Locators Locators

Guidelines for print index If the primary entry is followed by secondary entries, do not leave the primary entry alone at the bottom of the column. If the primary entry is followed by secondary entries, do not leave the primary entry alone at the bottom of the column. If you must break up a list of secondary entries, at the top of the next column, include the primary entry followed by (continued). If you must break up a list of secondary entries, at the top of the next column, include the primary entry followed by (continued). Include no more than two to four page references per index entry. Include no more than two to four page references per index entry. Separate multiple page references with commas. Separate multiple page references with commas.

Formatting and style Run-in versus flush left and hanging (indented) index for primary and secondary index entries. Run-in versus flush left and hanging (indented) index for primary and secondary index entries. Multiple entries separated by a semicolon. Multiple entries separated by a semicolon. The font should be the same as that in the document. However, font size should be smaller. The font should be the same as that in the document. However, font size should be smaller. In general, do not use special character formats such as bold or italic for entries, unless used in the actual text. In general, do not use special character formats such as bold or italic for entries, unless used in the actual text.

Cross-references See See Direct an user from a term not used in document to a term that is used as index entry. Direct an user from a term not used in document to a term that is used as index entry. Acronyms and abbreviations. Acronyms and abbreviations. See also See also Direct user to related information. Direct user to related information.

Cross-references - examples See See Pride and Prejudice. See Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice. See Jane Austen HTML. See Hypertext Markup Language HTML. See Hypertext Markup Language See also See also Pride and Prejudice. See also Bridget Jones diary Pride and Prejudice. See also Bridget Jones diary

Guidelines for cross-references Use with discretion. Avoid in online index. Use with discretion. Avoid in online index. Use italic font style for see and see also. Use italic font style for see and see also. Never use a See reference with an entry that has a page number. Never use a See reference with an entry that has a page number. Never include a page number for See and See also references. Never include a page number for See and See also references. Make sure that these references use the exact wording of the index entry. Also, no blind cross-references. Make sure that these references use the exact wording of the index entry. Also, no blind cross-references. Do not use See also reference to direct a user to an inverted entry or a See reference. Do not use See also reference to direct a user to an inverted entry or a See reference. Use a semi colon to separate multiple See and See also references. Use a semi colon to separate multiple See and See also references.

Tools used for indexing HTMLIndexer ( ) HTMLIndexer ( ) IXgen for FrameMaker ( IXgen for FrameMaker ( FrameMaker, Word, RoboHelp, and so on. FrameMaker, Word, RoboHelp, and so on.

Refining an index Remove superfluous and generic entries. Remove superfluous and generic entries. Use only primary entries if there are too many secondary entries. Use only primary entries if there are too many secondary entries. Remove secondary entries that point to the same page. Remove secondary entries that point to the same page. Re-organize multiple secondary entries. Re-organize multiple secondary entries. Do not over index or under index. Do not over index or under index. Remove misuse of singular and plural words. Remove misuse of singular and plural words. Check variations in wording. Check variations in wording.

Summary The single most important principle is this: Include all pertinent information in the index and make it easy to find. The single most important principle is this: Include all pertinent information in the index and make it easy to find.

Resources The Chicago Manual of Style The Chicago Manual of Style Microsoft Manual of Style Microsoft Manual of Style Read Me First! Read Me First! World Wide Web World Wide Web

Thanks!