Resources for Indexers / Ressources pour les indexeurs

Hazel K. Bell, Indexing Biographies and Other Stories of Human Lives, 3rd ed., with an appendix by Noeline Bridge (Sheffield, England: Society of Indexers, 2004)

Pat F. Booth, Indexing: The Manual of Good Practice (München: Saur, 2001)

Glenda Browne and Jonathan Jermey, The Indexing Companion (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007)

__________, Website Indexing: Enhancing Access to Information Within Websites, 2nd ed. (Blackwood, Australia: Auslib Press, 2004)

Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003), and Indexes: A Chapter from the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th Edition (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003)

Linda Fetters, Handbook of Indexing Techniques: A Guide for Beginning Indexers, 2nd ed. (Corpus Christi, Texas: FimCo Books, 1999)

James A. Lamb, Website Indexing: Visitors to Content in Two Clicks (Ardleigh, England: James A. Lamb, 2006)

Nancy Mulvany, Indexing Books, 2nd ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005) — expanded and updated version of the original 1994 edition

Sherry Smith and Kari Kells, Inside Indexing: The Decision-Making Process (Northwest Indexing Press, 2005)

Do Mi Stauber, Facing the Text: Content and Structure in Book Indexing (Eugene, Oregon: Cedar Row Press, 2004)

Hans H. Wellisch, Indexing from A to Z, 2nd ed., rev. and enl. (New York: H.W. Wilson, 1995)

A to Z (membership required)

The newsletter of the Society for Technical Communication (STC) Indexing SIG. A very useful and informative newsletter focussing on technical indexing topics.

Selected articles from A to Z (in PDF format) can be found at http://www.stcsig.org/idx/articles.html.

The Indexer

Journal of the Society of Indexers. The professional journal for indexers, automatically included with ISC / SCI membership. A cumulative index for Vols. 20 to 25 (1996-2005) is now online.

i-TORQUE

A subscription-based newsletter published from January 2003 through November/December 2005 by Nancy Mulvany. A table of contents and index to issues can be viewed online. As well, a CD-ROM is available for purchase.

Key Words

Bulletin of the American Society for Indexing. Also available:
Index covering issues from 1994 to 1999
Index covering issues from 2000 to 2002
Sample articles, 1990-2002

Back issues are available from the ASI Administrative office. 

Isc-l Mailing list for ISC / SCI members. To join, simply go to the information page via the link above and follow the instructions. To post a message to the list, send e-mail to isc-l@list.web.net.

Cindex Users Group

The Cindex users list is a forum for discussing Cindex, the professional indexing software program from Indexing Research. The list encourages exchange of tips, tricks, and techniques among Cindex users.

Index Café

This list provides a community "where indexers, both new and experienced, can strengthen their social bonds in the indexing community. ... Membership open to both ASI members and non-members, USDA indexing students and graduates, freelance and corporate indexers." For more information, please visit http://suite101.com/welcome.cfm/indexing.

Index-L discussion group

Join via the subscription page, or send an email message to lyris@listserv.unc.edu. The entire message should be: 
subscribe index-l YourName 
(leave the subject line blank, and do not include a signature or any other text). INDEX-L was created to promote good indexing practice by providing a forum for aspiring and professional indexers to share information and ideas relating to all aspects of index preparation. Topics for discussion can include various types of index structures such as indexes for books, periodicals, online text, databases, or hypermedia. Participants include but are not limited to members of professional indexers organizations (ASI, NFIAS), librarians, library school faculty, and editors. 

Index-L Archives

Search the archives for answers to your indexing questions. FAQ's also available.

Index Peer Reviewers

This list provides a forum in which indexers volunteer to review each other's edited indexes. "A Peer Review provides a rare opportunity for this feedback. By reviewing and being reviewed, we increase our awareness of good indexing technique and gain valuable feedback on our current skills."

IndexStudents

This is a very helpful and well-run resource "for all persons interested in discussing issues related to learning to index books, magazines, databases and the World Wide Web." Discussion is focused on the USDA courses, the Society of Indexers courses, and other methods of instruction, as well as topics such as freelance indexing and marketing. More information can be found at http://www.indexstudents.com. Beginning in March 2004, IndexStudents introduced live chat sessions giving list members a chance to connect with industry leaders. Past guests have included Do Mi Stauber, Seth Maislin, and Gale Rhoades. For more information, please visit the IndexStudents Live Indexing Discussions page.

Macrex Users Group

The MACREX list does not cover general indexing matters. If you would like to join the Macrex group, send a message to mailjoin@macrex.cix.co.uk All you need to put in the message is: 
Join macrex list (your name) (date and version of MACREX owned by you)

SKYIndexUsers List

Discussion group focussed on the use of SKY Index as an indexing tool. The SKYIndexUsers list encourages the exchange of tips, tricks, and techniques among owners of SKY Index. The list is also intended to aid those who are trying the SKY Index demo and would like to learn more about the programs capabilities. Sfter signing on to Yahoo! Groups, sign up by clicking on the join button.

Society for Technical Communication (STC) Indexing SIG Discussion Group

To subscribe, send a message to lyris@lists.stc.org. In the body of the message (you do not need a subject), type: 
subscribe stcisig-l 
(Note that the address ends with the lowercase letter "L" and not the number one.)

Once you are confirmed as a member, to communicate with the listserv, send your messages to stcisig-l@lists.stc.org. You can learn more about Lyris listserv commands by visiting http://lists.gurus.com/lyris.html. 

Web Indexing

Web Indexing is associated with the Web Indexing Special Interest Group of the American Society for Indexing (discussed in more detail below), although membership in the Web Indexing SIG is not a requirement for joining this group. Web Indexing is an open forum for indexers who specialize in writing indexes for web sites. Indexers interested in learning about web indexing, and web site creators/editors interested in indexing are also welcome to join this group. We welcome discussions of techniques, standards, software tools, client-indexer relations, and marketing specific to web indexing.

WordIndexers

This is a list specifically for those doing embedded indexing in Word, not a general embedded indexing list.

Below is a list of selected special interest groups (SIGs) affiliated with the American Society for Indexing. Information on the Society for Technical Communication (STC) Indexing SIG is provided here as well.

Business

Established in July 2000 as a resource for indexers of business-related books. Professional indexers and others interested in the indexing of business subjects — such as accounting, marketing, business law, finance, and banking — may be interested in joining this SIG. Dues are $20 US per annum.

Culinary

"An educational forum and a network for experienced and novice indexers interested in culinary indexing in various media, such as books, periodicals, CD-ROMs, and web sites." Members must belong to one of the six affiliated international indexing societies. Dues are $25 US per annum.

Gardening / Environmental Studies

"An alliance of trained, skilled indexers with education, background, and experience in numerous subject specialties, including botany, gardening, horticulture, landscape design, agriculture, biogeography, ecology, environmental topics, geography, homesteading, natural history, natural resources, wildlife conservation and more." Dues are $15 US per annum (payable each January).

Genealogy Indexing and Transcription

Members "uphold current professional standards in genealogy indexing and transcription as well as enhance the knowledge of other indexers, professional and amateur genealogists, librarians, and publishers regarding the special needs of genealogists and historians utilizing genealogical works."

History / Archaeology

"An alliance of highly skilled, expert indexers with academic and professional backgrounds in archaeology and history." Members have credentials in such specialized fields as film and theater history, classical studies, regional and county histories, military history, biographies, and environmental history. Dues are $25 US per annum.

Legal

Open to any member of the ASI and the other indexing societies around the world. The SIG has established its own discussion group. Dues are $20 US per annum.

Periodical / Database Indexing

The SIG has established its own discussion group, open to both members and non-members. No fees currently being charged (subject to change).

Politics / International Relations (unaffiliated with ASI)

"An international association of professional indexers who are encouraging advancement of the art and science of indexing along a wide spectrum of texts that are political or politically-related." The SIG has established its own discussion group.

Scholarly Indexing

"This SIG's goals include indexers' sharing information about, and techniques for, indexing academic books; referrals; and other marketing. We also maintain a networking list for members of this SIG, so that indexers can consult with each other." The SIG has established its own discussion group. No fees.

Science / Medicine

"An alliance of skilled indexing professionals with professional and academic credentials in numerous subject specialties, including technology, clinical medicine, engineering, physics, veterinary medicine and more." New members pay $25 US when joining. Expenses are shared, and there are currently no annual dues.

Sports / Fitness

Established to serve as a network for indexers who work in the areas of sports, fitness, and related materials. Dues are $15 US per annum.

Taxonomies and Controlled Vocabularies

For those interested or involved in "creating or editing taxonomies, thesauri, or controlled vocabularies used for indexing. They may either be freelancers, contractors, or consultants, or work as in-house developers of taxonomies, thesauri, or controlled vocabularies, such as for publishers, database vendors, search software developers, etc." The SIG has established a discussion group. No fees currently being charged (subject to change).

Web Indexing

Reactivated in January 2005, the Web Indexing SIG was established (i) "to serve the professional interest of indexers who seek to apply their skills in traditional human indexing to the nontraditional web medium," and (ii) "to inform the web design and development community of the advantages of professional web indexing." Dues for 2005 are $5 US per annum. Membership in the SIG, however, is not a requirement for joining its discussion group.

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Society for Technical Communication (STC) Indexing SIG

Established to help technical writers learn and master indexing skills, as well as to maintain close contacts with the professional indexing community. Dues are $5 US per annum. The SIG has its own discussion group, which is also listed above.

Indexing (Suite101.com)

Dawn Spencer's "how to" resource for the beginning freelance indexer. Covers the basics for starting and running an indexing business, marketing, the indexing process, and much more.

Indexing Resources on the WWW

Comprehensive selection of articles originally collected for the UBC School of Library, Archival and Information Studies. Prof. Mary Sue Stephenson maintains this site as a service to indexing professionals.

Below is a select list of indexing courses offered in class, online, by correspondence, and as videos.

Basic Indexing and Applied Indexing (USDA) – Correspondence

Popular correspondence courses offered by the Graduate School, USDA. Basic Indexing "focuses on back-of-the book indexing techniques and covers the style of the University of Chicago Press, the most common style used by U.S. publishers." Applied Indexing enables students to build on what they have learned in Basic Indexing as they "index significant excerpts from books and respond to business management problems that an indexer might experience."

Book Indexing Personal Tuition (BIPT) – Online (via e-mail)

The Book Indexing Personal Tuition (formerly Book Indexing Postal Tutorials) course covers elements similar to the Society of Indexers course above, but is more practical, involving the creation of small indexes right from the start. This course is conducted entirely by e-mail. Please contact Ann Hall at alanindex@tiscali.co.uk for more information.

Ann Hall
Craigbeck Farm Cottage
Moffat
DG10 9QP
Scotland

Tel.: +44 07708 571548
E-mail: alanindex@tiscali.co.uk

Indexing: An Essential Art and Science (Simon Fraser University) – In-class and online

This course – part of Simon Fraser University's Writing and Publishing Program – is designed for both aspiring indexers and editors who must oversee the indexing work of others. The wide range of topics includes not just the basics of index creation but style guides and reference works, the business of indexing, and opportunities for networking and professional development. Also offered in an online version.

Karen Griffiths, a former British Columbia representative for ISC/SCI, is teaching Indexing: An Essential Art and Science. Karen has been a freelance indexer for almost 10 years, working for a diverse set of clients, including trade publishers, governments, book packagers, and authors. She has also written classification schemes, category lists, and taxonomies for online clients. Most recently, Karen was a contributor to the ASI's Indexing Specialties: Cookbooks (Medford, N.J.: Information Today, 2009).

Indexing: Theory and Application (University of California at Berkeley) – Online

Award-winning online course developed by indexer and instructor Sylvia Coates. Teaches "the fundamentals of writing, editing, and delivering back-of-the-book indexes to publishing clients," as well as embedded and Web indexing. Students learn to use each of the three major indexing software programs (Cindex, Macrex, and SKY).

Heather Ebbs, a past president of both ISC/SCI and the Editors' Association of Canada (EAC), is now an instructor in the UC Berkeley course. Heather has nearly 30 years' experience as an indexer, editor, and writer. In addition to having led the EAC's indexing seminar in Toronto, Heather has taught book editing at the Banff Publishing Workshop and publications production at Algonquin College. She won the EAC's Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence in 1986.

Indexing for Books, Journals, and Reports (Ryerson University) – In-class

This course – part of Ryerson University's Publishing Program – focuses on back-of-the-book indexing, as well as the indexing of journals, reports, and Web sites. Topics range from indexing basics such as alphabetization and punctuation to software and the business of freelance indexing. "Although the emphasis is placed on the practical craft of indexing, the art of an elegant index will also be addressed."

Mary Newberry, our current co-president, will be teaching Indexing for Books, Journals, and Reports (CDPB 311). Mary is an experienced indexer and editor who has taught editing and indexing at George Brown College, as well as writing and editing at Centennial College. She was the recipient of the Stephen Mills Mentorship Award, with the Ryerson Publishing program, in 2001.

Learn to Index: A Practical Course on Freelance Indexing – Video

Taught by Susan Holbert, this course is available as a set of three videocassettes. "No previous editorial, indexing, or computer experience is necessary to take this workshop."

Society of Indexers (U.K.) Course – Correspondence

The Society of Indexers runs its own distance-learning course, "Training in Indexing," which consists of four assessed modules (Units) plus a practical indexing assignment. Although anyone may purchase the Units, only members of the Society of Indexers may take the formal tests. Successful candidates are officially accredited by the Society. For further details, please visit the Society Web page via the link above.

Web Site Indexing Courses (Hedden Information Management) – Online

Individualized, self-paced online training sessions in indexing of web sites and intranets for both experienced and inexperienced indexers.

Allegro Technical Indexing Workshops

"Practical, hands-on training for indexing technical documentation." Participants learn how to write index entries, edit indexes, and embed index markers in Adobe FrameMaker or Microsoft Word documents. Two formats are offered: a telephone/internet course for individuals or a two-day onsite workshop for groups.

Creating Web Site Indexes

A 4-week online workshop offered through the Continuing Education Program of Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science, Boston, MA, USA.

Indexing A to Z

Seminar offered each year by the Toronto Branch of the Editors' Association of Canada. Please visit their Seminars page for more information.

Indexing Skills Workshops

Two-day workshops offered by North Carolina-based Lathrop Media Services to corporate clients throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Editors' Association of Canada

Seminars on various aspects of editing and publishing are offered throughout the year. Simply click on the name of your regional branch in the left-hand navigation bar for access to links on seminars in your area.

Ryerson University Publishing Program – offered through Ryerson's Continuing Education Division

Mailing address:
Ryerson University
Continuing Education Division
350 Victoria Street
Toronto, Ontario
M5B 2K3
Tel. (416) 979-5035
Web site (Continuing Education): http://ce-online.ryerson.ca/ce_2009-2010/default.aspx
E-mail: ce@ryerson.ca

Simon Fraser University – Writing and Publishing Program

Mailing address:
Writing & Publishing Program – Continuing Studies
Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre
515 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC
V6B 5K3
Tel. (604) 291-5093
Fax (604) 291-5098
Web site: http://www.sfu.ca/wp/
E-mail: wpp@sfu.ca

CINDEX

Features include (among others): automatic alphabetizing; automatic formatting; search and replace; spell-checking; cross-reference and page reference management. Downloadable demo, information and other products and services from Indexing Research. 

HTML Indexer

For indexing HTML files: It includes output options for JavaHelp and HTML Help, command-line invocation, and stylistic control. Downloadable demo version of the software is available.

Macrex

Version 7 is designed for Windows 95, 98 or NT. It is a Windows NT text-mode program. The new version has been completely rewritten to be compatible with future versions of Windows. Downloadable demo version of the software is available.

RoboHelp Products

A variety of help software products: Office, Office Pro, Office Pro for .NET, RoboHelp for Word, RoboHelp for HTML, and RoboHelp Asian editions.

RoboHelp for Word creates Help for Windows and Web-based applications; RoboHelp for HTML creates Help systems in the Microsoft HTML Help format.

SKY Index

SKY Index is designed to maximize use of the Windows user interface. Features include context menus, tool bars, drag and drop, and online help. Downloadable demos and product information available. Has student version.

Comparison of thesaurus management software for PCs

MultiTes Thesaurus Construction

MultiTes handles lists of Terms, Descriptors, Top Terms, Subject Headings, Polyhierarchical Thesauri, Authority Files, Subject Categories, and Multilingual Thesauri. Product information and evaluation copies of software available.

Term Tree 2000

Thesaurus classification creation management software. Evaluation copy.