Quick navigation for Why Use an Indexer?
Click to the various sections of this page:
- Insights for publishers, packagers, editors, & anyone in publishing
- Insights for urban planning professionals, consultants, public sector decision-makers, CFOs, & annual report preparers
First, what is the significance of a well written index?
The following include some of the elements to look for, which suggest a quality index.
- Readers want information, and want it quick. An effective index will act as a road map and lead a variety of readers to that information with minimal effort. It serves its purpose when the reader gets to the task at hand -- reading.
- It analyzes concepts within the author's composition. A quality index presents a holistic analysis of content and subject matter.
- Achievement of balance. Allowing freedom within a framework, the architecture of an index blends a balance between structure and creativity. If you're finished reading this, please bump down to this section...thanks!
Informing planners, consultants, public sector decision-makers, and CFOs about bringing indexes into documentation and reports.
This portion of the page is currently under construction, as I'm working out my thoughts (that will soon go on it) at this post on my business blog The Penny Farthing Commuter. I invite you to frame some of your own thoughts on the value of professionally prepared indexes in government documents and annual reports.
It's currently 3/28/2011, and I intend to finish this page before the end of April 2011.
The challenge here is not so much how an index fits into such documentation, as much as educating professionals on the value of an index; simply because very few in government have a background that lends understanding to an index's lasting worth in terms of increasing document usability. This is not a knock on government and other related professionals as much as acknowledgment of the fact that:
- A need exists, and more importantly...
- The professional community in question needs to be educated on this need, since they are unaware it exists due to lack of background in the area of indexing; or they defer the work to consultants who are unaware and untrained, staff is short on time and therefore attention to such details are limited, or a plethora of other reasons abound.
- We're all trained in our own areas of expertise. After all, you can't know everything, right?
So then...that being said, it's all in how you pitch an idea. Therefore, it's important that I perform due diligence in how I present and frame indexing to this large community of professionals. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as I work through this, and be sure to check back soon for more developments.
There are a variety of reasons for bringing an indexer into your project...
Writing an index is like assembling a puzzle. Allowing freedom within a framework, the architecture of an index blends a balance between structure and creativity. A professional indexer's brain is wired to embrace this balance, and in doing so will provide the following...
Experience, insight, & analysis
An indexer provides experience and insight into the perspectives of a wide audience of readers. An index achieves success when the analysis by the indexer brings the reader before information easily and seamlessly.
This flowchart of the topic selection process for indexing is taken from The Art of Indexing by Larry S. Bonura. It provides an interesting and thorough examination of how an indexer goes through the process of topic selection when analyzing book text.
A professional indexer will objectively serve the author's content and subject matter with appropriate main headings, subheadings, cross-references, & synonyms. These elements work together within the final product.
A quality, professional index will be accessible, visually appealing, and easy to use. When that is accomplished, the index boosts the sales, value and usability of the book or document.
Professional indexing software
Indexing software augments the indexer's talents by accommodating a necessary level of detail in the work while also giving a world view as the index develops. It allows for a more through job and has flexibility with applications for a variety of styles.
Let us work for you...
See the indexing page for more details on how we can help, or simply contact us so we can get the ball rolling to help your project!
Send your inquiries to Paul at: info@TopHatWordandIndex.com
