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 […]
