Folks often ask, after the initial “Someone actually creates the index that goes in the back of a book?”: “How do you go about figuring that out?” Or someone who’s thinking about being an indexer will wonder if the career field is a good match for them. This is an important question because there’s a […]
Numbers in Indexes
The most memorable characteristic of an index is the arrangement of the entries in alphabetical order*. It makes it easy to find what you’re looking for, and even the picky differences between word-by-word and letter-by-letter arrangement aren’t noticeable to a casual user. But what about numbers? Since they’re not letters and therefore not obviously subject […]
Usability: Understanding Cross References, Part II
Note: This is an updated version of a post that appeared in 2016. Cross references are the instructions in an index that point a user from one place to another, usually taking the form of See or See also. They’re awfully convenient for indexers, providing a way to collect information outside the structure of the index. That is, […]
Usability: Understanding Cross References, Part I
Cross references — those little notes that tell a reader to look elsewhere in the index for information — are a much-loved tool for many indexers (Hans Wellisch gives them 10 pages in Indexing from A to Z). They’re quiet instructions, helping readers get acquainted with the author’s word choices. They neatly connect bits and pieces of the index, highlighting […]
PI Associate Interview: Maria Sosnowski
We’re running a series of interviews to introduce you all to our wonderfully talented group of independent indexers and taxonomists who enable us to say “yes” to the variety of project types and turnaround times our clients are looking for. Today, we’d like you to get to know our talented legal indexer, Maria Sosnowski. Your Business […]
PI Partner Profile: S. Anne Fifer
We are happy to report that we have a new PI Partner in Anne Fifer. We’d love to have you get to know her through this blog interview! Your Business PI: How long have you been doing indexing? I started indexing in 2008 part-time while teaching medical terminology at a local community college. I was […]
