If you have ever tried to look up information in a nonfiction piece of writing, you know that the key to finding what you are looking for is in the index. At the back of the book there is a listing of topics, or keywords, followed by a page number or page numbers of where you can find that word or group of words. What you probably didn't know is that a computer doesn't generate this list. Instead a writer known as an indexer reads through the text and selects important information and then creates the index based on the requests of the publisher, packager, or author.
What is Involved in Indexing?
The process of indexing is relatively simple. As an indexer you will receive proof pages from the nonfiction text along with instructions on what the author or packager wants indexed. Some instructions may be as simple as index only headings and subheadings, or index three to four entries per page, or index important names and events. A sample layout may also be provided so that you know how to format categories and subcategories as well as how page numbers and references to other entries need to be notated.
Once the proof pages and instructions have been received, the indexer goes through the material and constructs a rough index. For the rough index the entries will not be organized or structured, and instead entries will be ordered based on their position in the text. After the rough index is finished, the indexer will go back over the index and organize the material alphabetically, and hierarchically. Information is then grouped and structured in a logical manner, and the indexer reads through all of the information that they have compiled for spelling mistakes, duplications, consistency in formatting, etc. Once the rough draft of the index has passed all editing stages, the indexer submits the index in the format that has been requested. While in the past this was a hard-copy of the index, now most authors or packagers will want the index delivered via disk, CD, or email attachment.