Indexing

Find your way around with an index

An index adds value to your book. It is a content management system that allows the reader to find information easily and quickly. 

An index is different to a Table of Contents. A Table of Contents appears at the beginning and lists the chapter headings. An index is at the back and guides the read to the actual content. It should link related topics (cross-referencing) and define subject matter. It should give the reader multiple entry points for finding the information.

Think of how you use a cookbook. It has a list of chapter headings at the front but most people go to the back of the book to find what they want. The same happens with a street directory.

People use an index in a similar way. They don’t go to the front where the chapters are listed; they go to the back to find what they want.

Indexes are provided in traditional (rtf) format. Contact me for your indexing requirements.

I am a UC Berkeley Indexing Theory and Application graduate and am a member of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Indexers (ANZSI) https://www.anzsi.org/.