This guide is intended primarily for authors who, for the first time, need to index their own work; it also includes information on how indexes should be formatted and submitted to Tamesis Books.
Considerations
Although you will be very familiar with the material, you should bear in mind that the index needs to be easily usable by readers coming to your work for the first time; their terminology or conceptual grasp of the subject may be different from your own. This is particularly true if you are writing a book for a general readership rather than for the academic community. If possible, arrange with a colleague or friend to (a) review the index at an early stage to see if you’re going in the right direction and (b) try using the completed index to look up a few topics. The amount of time required to produce a good index should not be underestimated. Indexing is a creative task in its own right and a good index will make a good book immeasurably better.
Further Reading
Booth, Pat F., Indexing: The Manual of Good Practice. London: K.G. Saur, 2001
Mulvany, Nancy C., Indexing Books. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2nd edition, 2005
Other Resources
The Society of Indexers, Woodbourn Business Centre, 10 Jessell Street, Sheffield S9 3HY; tel. +44 (0) 114 244 9561; www.indexers.co.uk, e-mail [email protected]
American Society of Indexers, 10200 West 44th Avenue, Suite 304, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033; tel. +1 (303) 463-2887; www.asindexing.org, e-mail [email protected]
CINDEX””: Indexing Research, 602 Park Avenue #183, Rochester, New York 14607; tel. +1 (585) 413-1819; www.indexres.com
MACREX””: Macrex Indexing Services, Beech House, Blaydon Burn, Tyne & Wear, NE21 6JR, England; tel. +44 (0) 191 414 2595; www.macrex.com