Since we are PI (Potomac Indexing), we’ve always held the mathematical constant, π, close to our hearts and use it in our logo. So, today being π day, we are again celebrating the usefulness of this great and ultimately impossible-to-pin-down number (more on π’s unique qualities at Wikipedia, here). PI and Indexing As indexers and taxonomists, […]
Embedded and Hyperlinked Indexes
The embedded index The embedded index is an index where the entries have been inserted into the content of the book. Embedded indexes have been around for decades, but they’ve been quite clunky until just a few years ago. With tags marking the entries, publishing software such as InDesign or word processing programs like Microsoft […]
The Power of Affiliation
I still remember my first ASI (American Society for Indexing) conference in 1992 (long time ago). I was pregnant with my second child at the time, and the conference happened to occur in nearby San Antonio, Texas. This conference and the affiliations I was able to create by being there are what launched my book […]
Book Indexes: Too Much or to Little?
In a recent post we discussed the problem of “passing mentions” related to names in indexes and the strings of “undifferentiated locators” that may result. This problem applies to any topic covered in the index, though, not just names. When you put the two together (passing mentions and lots of page numbers) you have the […]
Why Are Book Indexes So Inconsistent?
Why are book indexes so inconsistent? All the different variations create all kinds of questions. The short answer is that every index is a custom job. One of the first things new indexer mentees notice when I’ve asked them to evaluate an index from their own point of view is that there are so many variations […]
References
As indexers, we all use our recognized professional references (e.g. The Chicago Manual of Style, Mulvaney, and Best Practices from our professional organization, the American Society for Indexing (ASI)). But those are not all that we should have to hand. As much as I love Google, it is not a reliable reference, but it can […]
