Hamill Indexing Service

What is an Index?

To me, indexing is a compulsion, like putting together jigsaw puzzles. It is the art of creation. When finished it becomes a web, an interconnection of ideas and information. An index links together information found at different places in a document. It will contain broad topics and specific names and places. It is the thoughtful choice of these terms and concepts that accurately represent the content of a document.

The indexer must decide when a name, or a piece of information is important and when it is not. Lets say you are interested in the history of the CBC. Have you run across an index entry like this:

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) 4, 34, 45, 53, 101, 102, 211, 233

I'll bet that most of those entries won't tell you very much about the CBC. They may say that George Brown worked for the CBC, or that the footnotes contain a reference to a CBC program. They may say that a certain film received CBC funding or that Mary likes a certain CBC radio show. It will take time for you to find out. In a properly prepared index that entry would be done as follows:

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC): 211(n);

employees, 45; film production, 34, 53;

management, 101, 102; regulation of, 233

The index allows the reader to find information quickly. An index can not be replaced by a word search and it can not be generated by a computer.

The indexer considers the needs of different types of users. Some users will have read the book completely and some will not have read it. Some users will be familiar with the terminology of the subject and some will need direction from terms not used in the text.

Tips to Authors Agreements How Much Will It Cost? Sample Index Tips to Editors	Hamill Indexing Service
	What is an Index? To me, indexing is a compulsion, like putting together jigsaw puzzles. It is the art of creation. When finished it becomes a web, an interconnection of ideas and information. An index links together information found at different places in a document. It will contain broad topics and specific names and places. It is the thoughtful choice of these terms and concepts that accurately represent the content of a document. The indexer must decide when a name, or a piece of information is important and when it is not. Lets say you are interested in the history of the CBC. Have you run across an index entry like this: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) 4, 34, 45, 53, 101, 102, 211, 233 I'll bet that most of those entries won't tell you very much about the CBC. They may say that George Brown worked for the CBC, or that the footnotes contain a reference to a CBC program. They may say that a certain film received CBC funding or that Mary likes a certain CBC radio show. It will take time for you to find out. In a properly prepared index that entry would be done as follows: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC): 211(n); employees, 45; film production, 34, 53; management, 101, 102; regulation of, 233 The index allows the reader to find information quickly. An index can not be replaced by a word search and it can not be generated by a computer. The indexer considers the needs of different types of users. Some users will have read the book completely and some will not have read it. Some users will be familiar with the terminology of the subject and some will need direction from terms not used in the text.	Contact Information: Carol Hamill 180 Homer Road Victoria, BC, CANADA V8Z 1V6 (250) 658-2856 hamill@island.net Website design by Patrick Meyer copyright 2006-2008