By Shaina Lucas, PPS Editor —
When you think of indexes, a lot comes to mind. How do you create an index? How do you organize it? What do you include? Luckily, there are many services out there to help you figure out the right type of index for your product and help you create it!
Where Do You Start?
An index is one of the most important parts of a book. This comprehensive list found at the back of a book is your ultimate guide to finding something you’re looking for throughout the pages. For example, you remember a reference to butterflies and their migration patterns in a book you read. You flip to the back of the book for the index. But how do you find it? Would it be under the entry “butterflies” with a subentry of “migration” in the “B” section? Would it be under “M” for “migration of butterflies”? Or could it be under “P” for “patterns of migration”? Depending on the depth of the subject and its significance in the book, it could be under either entry, or both of those entries.
How is this decided? Well, Kovid Rathee states, “Indexes have to be designed based on current or expected usage.” That means when creating an index, think about if someone would want to look up that term or section. Oftentimes, main entries are headings and important terms or keywords. According to Wiley, “the ideal page length should be in the range 4-6% of total typeset book pages. For example, a 300-page book would have a finished typeset index of 12-18 pages each containing approximately 100 entries and subentries.”
To Include or Not to Include? That Is the Question
When trying to figure out what to include in an index, the first step is to read the full manuscript. Reading the book will help give an idea of what terms are exemplified. After reading, make a list of terms and references and then separate them into main entries and subentries. The next step is to list each main entry in alphabetical order and then each subentry, but be sure not to include prepositions or articles as part of your alpha order. What if there are duplicates or plural forms of the same entry? Acronyms? The best practice is to delete these extra entries, known as “superficial,” and only include the acronym cross-references if the acronym and spelled-out entries have enough entries between them, such as going to the next page or next column if the index is 2 or 3 columns per page. Also, use lowercase letters for your entries (unless it’s a proper noun), and set any image references in either bold or italics, unless your style guide says differently. For example, a page number with a table could use an italic “t” like so: 150t.
What should you not include in an index? The main thing is to make sure the index is not “over” or “under” indexed. To make these decisions, we refer back to what a reader would search for. Book sections typically not indexed include table of contents, the preface, contributor names (unless otherwise referenced in detail in the main text), notes (unless important, such as a reference to a legal case in a footnote), references, further reading, bibliography, and glossary.
Is There Software for Creating an Index?
The best way to ensure the accuracy of your index is to create it by hand, but there is software out there to help you build a foundation. Microsoft Word has a handy feature to create a basic, yet customizable, index. First, the pages will need to be paginated under the Insert > Page Number section, then mark your basic entries. To mark basic entries, use References > Index > Mark Entry. For more instruction to create detailed indexes using this feature, check out TCK Publishing’s informational guide.
After using software for a foundation, be sure to proofread! Make sure all entries have been entered and are in the appropriate order, and double-check that they are correctly placed as a main entry or subentry. Then, make sure the page numbers are accurate. Typically, page numbers are added from the PDF proofs, not the Word manuscript itself, to ensure accuracy. This is not always the case as some manuscripts remain Word files.
With all of these tools and tips in hand, you can successfully start creating your index! For a detailed guide on Indexing, you can download the ASI Best Practices for Indexing book here. This guide is an all-encompassing list of everything you need to know about creating an index. Happy indexing!