TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:RE: Is a bad index better than no index? From:"Lydia Wong" <lydiaw -at- fpoint -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 23 May 2001 09:47:27 -0400
David Castro asked the subject question, and Jo Francis Byrd replied:
<snip>
YES!!!!!!
I have done documentation without an index, but these are specific
instances, and
usually have such a comprehensive TOC that the index would be redundant.
My background includes amateur historian and librarian (confessing the
latter sends
those who know me into gales of hysterical laughter: YOU? a
liBRARian???!!!).
</snip>
I agree with Jo Francis Byrd and the many others who said to provide even a
marginal index vs. no index. Many people made excellent points about why
this is a good idea.
I'd like to add one more point: it's good for you! You'll start learning
another skill for your resume, and it will help you remember to think like a
user.
Indexing is a skill; therefore, it takes practice and some training. Don't
get discouraged, David. Check out the excellent books that folks on the list
recommended, and do your best given the time you have. You'll probably get
frustrated, and certainly this won't be the best index ever produced. But
next time you'll remember what you learned here, have more questions to take
back to these resources people suggested, and you'll do a better job. Each
index you create will be better, and in time, you might come to enjoy
indexing (you never know!).
Oh, and I was a liBRARian???!!! too! Unfortunately, people seem to think
that's quite in keeping with my personality. What can I say?? In any event,
it was good training for many aspects of being a technical writer.
My two cents!
Lydia : )
__________________
Lydia Wong
Technical Writer
FarPoint Technologies, Inc.
www.fpoint.com
*** Deva(tm) Tools for Dreamweaver and Deva(tm) Search ***
Build Contents, Indexes, and Search for Web Sites and Help Systems
Available now at http://www.devahelp.com or info -at- devahelp -dot- com
Sponsored by Information Mapping, Inc., a professional services firm
specializing in Knowledge Management and e-content solutions. See http://www.infomap.com or 800-463-6627 for more about our solutions.
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
