USERVE.COM asks:cPR> I guess a specific question I have is

[Tobey Reed <tobey -dot- reed -at- CHANNEL1 -dot- COM>]

t is the logic behind indexing?

Paula;

        The "logic" behind indexing is simple--the purpose of the index
        is to aid the reader in finding information in the text.  There
        are many styles of indexing which accomplish this result.  The
        index writer should be thorough and inventive.  By "thorough"
        I mean that anything that can be indexed should be indexed.  By
        "inventive" I mean that the writer should index synonyms for
        the word(s) in the text even though the synonym itself doesn't
        appear in the text.

        I do *not* like computer-generated automatic indexers.  Even
        though an indexible term occurs on a page does not mean it should
        be indexed.  Only if there is a reason that the reader would want
        to refer to the page should it be indexed.  This is a judgement
        call and is where the artistry of the indexer comes in.

        I prefer double-entry indexing.  Thus, I would create entries
        for both "creating an index" and "index, creating".

        As to whether index entries should be nested or not depends upon
        whether doing so helps the reader.  The total size of the index
        is also a factor.  Nesting works better with larger indices.

        You may find it helpful to study the indices of as many manuals
        and books as you can find and evaluate their usefulness.


                                        -- Tobey J.E. Reed
                                           reed/write & Company





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