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Indexing Services: Indexing FAQ

So what is indexing exactly? A systematic arrangement (usually alphabetical) of entries designed to aid readers or users in locating information in a document. There are many types of indexes, from cumulative indexes for journals or magazines to database indexes. Modern Parlance focuses on back-of-the-book indexes found in nonfiction books.

How is indexing done? The indexer works from page proofs for the book (which are images of the actual pages as they will appear including page numbers). This means the indexing is among the last stages of book production. The indexer reads the page proofs, marking items for inclusion and entering the headers and subheaders (with page locators) into the dedicated indexing software. The result is a rough index that will be edited for structure and consistency, then formatted to meet the project specifications. The indexer then proofreads the index and, finding everything in order, submits it to the client.  If you're interested in a more detailed description of how indexing is done, check out our Indexing Process page.

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Is an index really necessary? Indexes are not luxury items. They are vital to a book's usability and usefulness. One of the first things a potential buyer does when deciding whether to buy a non-fiction work is to look at the index. Titles without any index are often dismissed as not being nearly as valuable to them as one that includes this vital navigational tool. The absence of an index, or inclusion of a bad one, has been the focus of scathing comments by book reviewers and readers.

Who creates the index? The index for a non-fiction book is the responsibility of the author. That said, they are not the ones who usually do the actual indexing. The evolution of the publishing business has led to fewer and fewer in-house indexers and the result is that most indexing is done by freelancers or indexing firms. These freelancers can be contracted by authors, publishers, or packagers. (A packager is an independent business which manages a team of freelancers who handle the tasks involved in production of a book:  copyediting, design and layout, proofreading, and indexing.) More often, the indexer is hired by the publisher, and the fee is deducted from the money due the author.

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Isn’t the author the obvious person to index the book? Why incur additional costs by using an indexer? There are, of course, advantages and disadvantages to being the person closest to the work in question. On the plus side, authors have a deep understanding of their subject area, the vocabulary of their fields,and the audience they are writing for. Furthermore, after all that time writing it, the author is the person closest to the text itself and that can be a plus when trying to remember what pages or chapter contain that last mention of a topic.

On the down side, that closeness over an extended period of time can result in burn-out. You may feel you never want to see those pages ever again (at least until they are bound and ready for signing). Another issue worth examining is the difference between being the author and being a reader. The index is a tool for the reader and should be written from the point of view of someone who is looking for ways into the text. The author-created index is often written the other way around―from the inside out. This is perfectly natural considering the time and effort that went into the text. But it's not right for readers, who may be coming to the text with different purposes at different times.

Indexes are also a very specialized form of writing. The author may be able to write lyrically and thoroughly on their own topic but may lack the experience needed to craft effective headers and sub-headers. They may not be familiar enough with the publisher's indexing style guidelines to deliver the document in the proper format. The time needed to gain familiarity with these issues can delay the index and end up costing more in the end. There is also the matter of how the material is read or viewed. Because the process of writing a book is most commonly done section by section over an extended period of time, the author can lose sight of the overarching ideas or broader view. Indexing through the “writer’s view” can result in an index of narrow entries that address very specific detail but which lack comprehensiveness and breadth.

In books where there are multiple authors, consistency is difficult to achieve not only between index and text but also within the index itself should each separate author participate in the indexing process.

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Can't a computer create the index? Indexes are created on computers, not by computers. There are software programs that have an “indexing” option, but the resulting list of entries is not an index. It's a concordance―an alphabetical list of the actual words that appear in a manuscript or document.  It’s a good way to find every occurrence of the word 'airlines', for instance, but not a very good way to find the pages that deal specifically with the idea of fuel prices' impact on airlines, or the section of the book dealing with a specific airline. For that targeted sort of information, you need a document that illustrates the relationship between words and concepts like 'Delta', 'Airbus', 'fuel prices' and 'airlines. The index should take you directly to the section detailing fuel prices' impact on airlines without making you wade through pages with no relevance to your search. All the computer can do is see words. It can’t understand them, make the connections between them, or see the concepts they illustrate.

What types of issues are covered in the initial consultation? An important part of getting a first-class index is clear communication and an informed client. To help us create the best index for your next title, here are some issues and decisions that come into play when contracting for and creating an index.

The schedule
As the book production process gets more compressed, schedules get tighter and tighter. Naturally, one wants the index completed as soon as possible but it's important to be realistic as well. The time needed to index a children's book on birds is not the same as that needed for a presidential autobiography or a college-level physics text. The current status of the manuscript can impact the schedule as well. We prefer to work from the most complete page proofs possible when indexing―this is usually the second set. We are happy to index from the first set when time is especially tight but quite a few changes can occur between first- and second-set proofs. If the changes are extensive, the index will need adjusting to the page and content shifts―all of which takes time and will push back the delivery date. Modern Parlance can work with regular and rush schedules. Let's discuss what your project is and how we can best accommodate you.

Indexing specifications
The size, depth, and style of the index should be settled upon as early in the process as possible so that the indexer knows what they have to work with and what the expectations are for the final product. Several factors come together to dictate what the parameters for a particular index will be.

  • House styles: Most publishers have in-house guidelines for the treatment of page ranges, notes, illustrations, etc. These are followed by default unless specific instructions are given otherwise. If the index is from a new publisher, a set of the house guidelines will be requested before work begins on the index.
     

  • Length of the index: This will depend on the length of the book and the intended audience. A light mass-market book might need only 3-5% of the pages given over to the index, whereas a heavier, more deeply indexed book might need 8-10%. The design and layout of the book will determine how many lines will fit on each page and how long those lines will be. The quantity of indexable material and depth of indexing required will also have an impact on how long the index will be.
     

  • Indexable material: In most cases, the indexable material in a book consists of the pages making up the main text. Front matter―the preface, acknowledgements, etc.―are not generally indexed. An introduction may be indexed if it enhances or expands on the material. Back matter―such as the glossary or bibliography―is generally not indexed. Notes, whether they are footnotes or end notes, can be indexed or not as the situation dictates. When the notes section is to be indexed, the notes that are bibliographic in nature are generally left unindexed while notes that are substantive and contain additional material are included in the index.
     

  • The depth of the index: Again, this varies from book to book. What is the book about? How densely is it written? Who is the intended audience? A 200 page unauthorized celebrity tell-all may need a "name-only index", whereas a 500 page book on the history of China will need a much deeper index covering not only the people involved and the places mentioned but both explicit and implied concepts. The intended audience can also make a difference. Is it written for college students or business managers? Or is it a comprehensive but slightly shallower book aimed at children? All these things need to be considered.

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How do you estimate and calculate your rates? Rates are quoted per page or per hour―depending on the nature of the project. Estimates are based on schedule, depth of index requested, and a page count for indexable materials. For more on indexable materials and depth of index, see the discussion of schedule and index specifications above. For more information on the estimation and calculation of rates, go to our rates page.

What if a publisher's style guidelines are not available or don't apply? If there are no restrictions to a publisher's style guide, then the client's preferences are followed. If you don't have specific requirements, Modern Parlance's in-house standards (Chicago Manual of Style, 15th Edition) will be applied.
 

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Our blog: Personal Parlance