FAQ (frequently asked questions)

	What is indexing?			When should I contact an indexer?
	Can't a computer do it?			What should I ask the indexer?
	Can't I do it myself?			What will the indexer ask me?
	Must it be done?			How can we work together?

What is indexing?

An index is an orderly arrangement of entries that specify the location of information about topics addressed in a document or set of documents, where document is understood in the general sense to include books, periodicals and non-print materials such as photographs, databases or Web sites. Indexing is the process of analyzing a document and then selecting and arranging entries. Closed-system indexing is the process of creating an index for static documents, such as reports or new books. Open-system indexing is the process of initially creating and then continually updating an index for growing documents, such as newspapers or magazines. The processes are similar in their purpose, which is to enable users to locate information in documents, but different in their details. An indexer is a person who performs either process. Consider this excerpt from a hypothetical index: ... index of refraction see refractive index indexers    education, 34, 44    personality characteristics, 14, 21, 35 indexing see also book indexing; periodical indexing    defined, 2    history, 6-9    principles, 87-89 indexing software, 62-66, 77 Inge, William (American playwright), 53 Inge, William (English prelate), 12, 13 ... In the excerpt, the entries are in alphabetical order, which is predictable and necessarily different from the order in which the information appears in the document. Each entry consists of a heading, which specifies the topic; a locator, which specifies the location of the information about the topic; and, optionally, a qualifier, which clarifies the meaning of the heading or distinguishes it from homographic headings. The excerpt contains two entries pertaining to William Inge, the English prelate. The entries for Inge indicate that an entry may be added to an index by adding a locator without also adding a heading. The excerpt also contains eight entries with multilevel headings, which are headings containing one or more levels of subheadings, which specify aspects of the topic specified by their higher level heading. Subheadings may be displayed in indented style, as in the excerpt, where each subheading begins on a new line, or in run-in style, where subheadings follow immediately after the main heading and one another, resulting in a structure in which each heading together with its subheadings appears as a single hanging paragraph. Locators are either page references, which specify the physical location of the information, such as the page or range of pages containing it, or cross-references, which specify other headings in the index where the information being sought may be found. The excerpt includes examples of the two major types of cross-references: see references, which point users from a heading they may use when seeking information about a topic to the synonymous heading under which the information has been indexed, and see also references, which point users to headings specifying related information.

Can't a computer do it?

Automatic indexing is the process of assigning and arranging index terms for natural-language texts without human intervention. For several decades, there have been many attempts to create such processes, driven both by the intellectual challenge and by the desire to significantly reduce the time and cost of producing indexes. Dozens if not hundreds of computer programs have been written to identify the words in a text and their location, and to alphabetize the words. Typically, definite and indefinite articles, prepositions and other words on a so-called stop list are not included in the program's output. Even some word processors provide this capability. Nevertheless, computer-generated results are inevitably more aptly described as concordances (lists of words in a document) rather than as usable indexes. The primary reason computers cannot automatically generate usable indexes is that, in indexing, abstraction is more important than alphabetization. Abstractions result from intellectual processes based on judgments about what to include and what to exclude. Computers are good at algorithmic processes such as alphabetization, but not good at inexplicable processes such as abstraction. Another reason is that headings in an index do not depend only on the terminology in the document; they also depend on terminology employed by intended users of the index and on their familiarity with the document. For example: in medical indexing, separate entries may need to be provided for brand names of drugs, chemical names, popular names and names used in other countries, even when certain of the names are not mentioned in the text. A third reason is that there should be no headings for topics about which no information is provided in the document. A typical document includes many terms signifying topics about which it contains no information. Computer programs include those terms in their results because they lack the intelligence required to distinguish terms signifying topics about which information is presented from terms about which no information is presented. A fourth reason is that headings and subheadings in indexes are tailored to the needs and viewpoints of anticipated users. Some are aimed at users who are very knowledgeable about topics addressed in the document; others at users with little knowledge. Some are reminders to those who read the document already; others are enticements to potential readers. To date, no one has found a way to provide computer programs with the judgment, expertise, intelligence or audience awareness that is needed to create usable indexes. Until they do, automatic indexing will remain a pipe dream.

Can't I do it myself?

Of course, if you have the time and training needed to do it well or the time needed to acquire the training needed to do it well; if you don't mind re-reading and analyzing the document in depth again and perhaps again and again; if you are willing to forego the advantages of having someone else analyze it in depth, and; if you are not anxious to get on with the next project. If so, you may consider creating it yourself. That may be the right decision because you are not likely to find someone else to do it who knows as much about your subject matter as you do.

Must it be done?

Even if you are willing and able to produce an index, that doesn't mean that you should. One reason for not creating an index is that people don't expect some types of works to be indexed, such as fictional works or works of non-fiction shorter than two dozen pages or so. Another reason is that there may be no compelling reason to create an index. Publishing a book-length non-fictional work without one is not an indictable offense and it will not cause you to lose copyright protection. A third reason is that economics may argue against creating one. You know that your book is going to be a bestseller regardless of whether it includes an index. More likely, your book is not going to be a bestseller, and your book contract makes you responsible for the index and it stipulates that you will assume the costs of producing it or that the cost of producing it will be deducted from your royalties. Those provisions, which appear in standard book contracts, contribute more than anything else to the fact that many indexes are created by authors who are better writers than indexers and who rather do something else, or by their relative who does it to keep peace in the family, or by a freelancer whose first and foremost directive is to minimize the cost of producing it. Be that as it may, people do expect book-length non-fiction documents to be indexed. Also, studies indicate that the presence or absence of an index and its quality affect the sales of non-fiction books. Librarians and many others examine indexes when making purchasing decisions. If your book doesn't have an index and another one about the same topic does, or if your index is deemed unusable whereas the other book's is deemed useful, you've lost a sale. Further, if you produce a document without an index when most intended users expect it to have one, you've lost professional respect. That applies to both authors and publishers.

When should I contact an indexer?

Generally, you should wait to contact an indexer about compiling an index for your book until you have produced or on the verge of producing page proofs for some or all of the book - that is, you have produced or are on the verge of producing images of the pages that will appear in the book when it is made available to the intended audience. Generally that means that page numbers have already been assigned to the pages. However, they may not have been assigned in cases where the order of chapters or other components of the book is known but the components are being readied in a different order. In such cases, indexers can create temporary locators that will later be replaced when page numbers are finally settled. However, that entails additional time and cost. The point is that the text must be relatively stable but not necessarily absolutely finalized. For example: while the index is being compiled, the final proofreading may be being done concurrently by someone else. The indexer may also notice misspellings and other matters that should cause the text to be changed slightly. The point is, avoid starting indexing when there are likely to be false starts due to significant modifications to or re-paginations of the text. Most indexers charge higher than normal fees for significant rework.

What should I ask the indexer?

When contacting an indexer about compiling an index for your book, you should at least ask: How much experience do you have indexing the particular type of work I've written? How familiar are you with the field covered by my work? Are you professionally trained in indexing? Are you a member of a professional society of indexers? Can I see samples of your work? How do you price your services? Do you require a contract? What is your availability? Can you recommend someone else?

What will the indexer ask me?

Most likely, the indexer will ask you: What is the title of the book? Was it written by one author or more than one? What is it about? Who is its intended audience? Will this be a new index or a revision of an existing index? If it will be a revision, has the book been re-formatted since the existing index was published? How stable is the text - i.e., Will I receive galley proofs or final proofs? How dense is it? What is the word count? How many columns are there? What is the type size and leading - e.g., 9 on 10, 10 on 12? Are there many illustrations? What parts of it should be indexed? The foreword or preface? Citations where the author is referenced in the text or all citations, including those where the author being referenced is cited parenthetically? Footnotes and endnotes having substantive information or all footnotes and endnotes, including those that are merely bibliographic citations? Charts, tables, maps, illustrations? The bibliography? Appendices? Glosssary terms? How many pages contain indexable material? How many entries do you expect per page? 5? 10? 15? Do you want one index or multiple indexes? For example: Do you want separate name and subject indexes, or a separate index for first lines or authors cited? Do you have a list of terms or preferred synonyms or names (including variants) that must be included in, or excluded from, the index(es)? Am I expected to provide dates for persons in the index(es)? Do you have style or formatting standards that must be used? For example: Do you have in-house style guidelines or should I user Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS)? If CMOS, should I use the current edition (the 15th) or an earlier one? Should the index be in indented or run-in style? Should all main headings begin with intial caps or just main headings that are proper nouns? Should main headings be in word-by-word or letter-by-letter order? Should subheadings be in alphabetic, chronological or page-number order? Should leading articles, conjunctions, or prepositions in subheadings be alphabetized? Should page number ranges be expressed in full (e.g., 31-35) or compressed (e.g., 31-5)? If compressed, what are the page number compression rules? Should cross-references follow the main heading or the last subheading? How will the index be formatted when the book is published? For example: How many columns will there be per page? How wide will the columns be? How many lines will there be per column? What is the maximum number of pages allotted to the index? Will other indexers also be working on this project? Will interim reviews be required? When will the initial portion of the page proofs be delivered? When will the last portion be delivered? Will I receive the bundles in or out of sequence? When must the completed index be in your hands? How should it be submitted? As an email attachment? A floppy disk? A printout? Is the budget fixed or negotiable? Will I have an opportunity to review the index after it has been typeset? Will there be a printed acknowledgment of my work? Will I receive a complimentary copy of the book? What is your customary payment schedule? Upon receipt? Thirty days? More? The indexer will also discuss billing arrangements and may ask you to sign a contract. If you are unsure about specifications for the index, consult with your editor.

How can we work together?

Call 718.275.6641 in the United States or  Send E-mail  describing your project and how to contact you.