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Indexing Books
Indexing Books will be welcomed by authors and professional indexers as a much-needed guide to index preparation that is thorough, accessible, well organized, and up-to-date.
Nancy C. Mulvany builds on various style guides, particularly The Chicago Manual of Style 's extensive chapter on indexing. She expands its treatment of mechanics with more in-depth discussions of analysis and editorial judgment calls—deciding what is and what is not indexable, and establishing the structure of entries. She also discusses the concept of indexing and how it fits into the publishing process; deciding when to prepare one's own index and when to hire a professional; deciphering publishers' indexing guidelines; and choosing appropriate software.
Mulvany's evaluation of available embedded and dedicated software is especially useful as a current guide to what works best for which tasks. While she advocates use of computers for certain tasks, she demonstrates that no software can replace the analysis provided by a good indexer.
Appendixes provide a worksheet for general index specifications, the table of ASCII characters, tables of commonly used generic characters, and a list of additional resources.
The most extensive and up-to-date reference available, this will become the standard indexing guide for authors, technical writers, editors, beginning and advanced professional indexers, and all others involved in writing and publishing nonfiction books.
This practical and thorough guide to indexing shows how to determine what is and what is not indexable, select terms to create clear and succinct entries, establish the external and internal structures of entries, choose headings and subentries, cross-reference, manage foreign names, abbreviations, acronyms, numbers, and multiauthored works, lay out an index, and edit an index.
Nancy C. Mulvany builds on various style guides, particularly The Chicago Manual of Style 's extensive chapter on indexing. She expands its treatment of mechanics with more in-depth discussions of analysis and editorial judgment calls—deciding what is and what is not indexable, and establishing the structure of entries. She also discusses the concept of indexing and how it fits into the publishing process; deciding when to prepare one's own index and when to hire a professional; deciphering publishers' indexing guidelines; and choosing appropriate software.
Mulvany's evaluation of available embedded and dedicated software is especially useful as a current guide to what works best for which tasks. While she advocates use of computers for certain tasks, she demonstrates that no software can replace the analysis provided by a good indexer.
Appendixes provide a worksheet for general index specifications, the table of ASCII characters, tables of commonly used generic characters, and a list of additional resources.
The most extensive and up-to-date reference available, this will become the standard indexing guide for authors, technical writers, editors, beginning and advanced professional indexers, and all others involved in writing and publishing nonfiction books.
This practical and thorough guide to indexing shows how to determine what is and what is not indexable, select terms to create clear and succinct entries, establish the external and internal structures of entries, choose headings and subentries, cross-reference, manage foreign names, abbreviations, acronyms, numbers, and multiauthored works, lay out an index, and edit an index.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published May 2, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
August 16, 2012
A thorough examination of what indexing books entails. I have just completed a certificate course in editing and am preparing to launch an freelance editing and proofreading business. I am considering whether to add indexing as a service.
February 11, 2010
Thorough introduction to the trade and business of indexing.
October 17, 2012
Comprehensive, authoritative, and sensible, but a technical sections are now out of date.
August 22, 2020
This is an excellent book and necessary if you're interested in a career as a back-of-the-book indexer. There are issues though on which version you should read.
I have both the hardcover book and the Kindle version. I mostly read the Kindle version. There is also the Kindle version you can read on your laptop. I stopped reading the laptop version pretty early on. When reading about creating indexes, it is important that the indentations are correct. Indexes are made up of headings, subheadings (and sometimes sub-subheadings), and locators. Publishers have standards on the spacing of indentations. Things like en- and em-dashes are important.
On the laptop version of this book, the formatting of the index examples do not work. Several times I had to grab the IRL-book to see what the author was talking about. The Kindle was closer to the book in that regard. Therefore, I have to recommend if you want to read this book to only read it in the actual-book form.
Unfortunately, I left the actual book at home as I'm traveling now. The Kindle version does have a few instances of messed up indentations, but by the time I got to them, I knew what she was trying to show.
This was an expensive book for Kindle, but an important addition to my library. It cost me $24.75 back in 2011, bringing 2020's book expenses up to: $461.86.
For the Dewey Decimal challenge, this one is 025.3.
I have both the hardcover book and the Kindle version. I mostly read the Kindle version. There is also the Kindle version you can read on your laptop. I stopped reading the laptop version pretty early on. When reading about creating indexes, it is important that the indentations are correct. Indexes are made up of headings, subheadings (and sometimes sub-subheadings), and locators. Publishers have standards on the spacing of indentations. Things like en- and em-dashes are important.
On the laptop version of this book, the formatting of the index examples do not work. Several times I had to grab the IRL-book to see what the author was talking about. The Kindle was closer to the book in that regard. Therefore, I have to recommend if you want to read this book to only read it in the actual-book form.
Unfortunately, I left the actual book at home as I'm traveling now. The Kindle version does have a few instances of messed up indentations, but by the time I got to them, I knew what she was trying to show.
This was an expensive book for Kindle, but an important addition to my library. It cost me $24.75 back in 2011, bringing 2020's book expenses up to: $461.86.
For the Dewey Decimal challenge, this one is 025.3.
July 21, 2026
I have written a few indexes for Pathfinder Press, and for anyone interested in writing an index, either of their own book, or another, this is where to start. You will probably also want a copy of the latest version of Indexes: A Chapter from "The Chicago Manual of Style," Eighteenth Edition.
And then you should learn Cindex, the wonderful (now free) program that makes indexing easier (yet in some ways more complicated). Index cards are thing of the past.
And then you should learn Cindex, the wonderful (now free) program that makes indexing easier (yet in some ways more complicated). Index cards are thing of the past.
January 23, 2025
*4.5
Excellent resource on the topic—indexing is much harder than I thought! I do think it's time for an updated edition with the changes in technology.
The part that explains indexing or "thematic thinking" is an inherent skill and can't be learned felt off. Mulvaney only referenced one study for this and her evidence was otherwise anecdotal. I would want to see more evidence in the text for such a bold claim.
Excellent resource on the topic—indexing is much harder than I thought! I do think it's time for an updated edition with the changes in technology.
The part that explains indexing or "thematic thinking" is an inherent skill and can't be learned felt off. Mulvaney only referenced one study for this and her evidence was otherwise anecdotal. I would want to see more evidence in the text for such a bold claim.
February 14, 2019
If you need to make an index for a book this is the basic guide to get you started. I picked it up because I index my journals and was wanting to see how I could improve my system. It gave me what I needed and more.
February 13, 2019
The expert and her masterpiece.
March 21, 2020
Does what it says it does. I used it for indexing my latest book.
April 23, 2021
Did not technically read everything; saved a few chapters for another time when (if) they are more relevant. The core discussion of theory and methodology was accessible and helpful.
January 21, 2017
This book is a standard in the indexing community, often used as a textbook in indexing courses.
June 24, 2015
For the most part, this was a helpful look at the basic issues of back-of-book indexing. There were a few sections that I did not find as relevant, such as the extended section on embedded indexing. I also felt that the author was a bit idealistic about the whole process—for instance, she says that indexers must have an innate “knack” for the craft, it can’t be taught. This seems a bit much to me.
If you are someone who is just getting into back-of-book indexing, this would probably be an ideal starting point. It also would make a helpful reference work to have in a collection about this topic. The clarity and the interest level were pretty high for a book of this type.
If you are someone who is just getting into back-of-book indexing, this would probably be an ideal starting point. It also would make a helpful reference work to have in a collection about this topic. The clarity and the interest level were pretty high for a book of this type.
February 29, 2008
Call me a book nerd, but a good index is vital to nonfiction. If I can't flip around with the use of a good index, sometimes I don't bother finishing the book. Indexes are so important to me that out of frustration with
A Thomas Jefferson Education
, I taught myself how to index. This is pretty much *the* indexing text.
June 27, 2014
Great introduction to indexing, even for me who is indexing periodicals, and not a book. I sought out another book to find more information on indexing periodicals, but there's not much that isn't already covered here. You just have to expand your thinking to how are you will cover multiple volumes — basically, knowing that authors write differently, and that preferred terminology will change over time.
August 28, 2011
Halfway through I find out there is a second edition. Which would have taken care of all the outdated computer references. Great.
Anyway, it is a very well-written book. She knows how to give you a "feel" for indexing, using few and well-chosen words. That shouldn't be surprising, since that's what writing an index is all about.
Anyway, it is a very well-written book. She knows how to give you a "feel" for indexing, using few and well-chosen words. That shouldn't be surprising, since that's what writing an index is all about.
February 28, 2015
Useful and fairly comprehensive reference in terms of the planning and process of creating an index. Not the place to find fine grained details about styling and formatting, but good for understanding what indexers do, what the necessary components of an index are, and what kind of thinking goes into creating an index that will be a resource for the reader.
January 3, 2008
I never thought about it, but someone has to write the indexes that appear in the back of books, and this book explains how to do it. Not as easy as it sounds, but after reading this book it seems like it might be an interesting career option...
Read
July 29, 2011It's boring, as you'd expect from the title, but probably very good for someone who wants to be a professional idenxer. For an author like me--who panicked and bought this--it's a bit too heavy. The publisher's guidelines will usually be enough, I'd say.
November 15, 2014
Read this for school. I can't say that I "liked" it, because it is about indexing and I don't plan to become an indexer. That said, it is an excellent resource for someone considering the profession. Mulvany is readable yet thorough with what can be a pretty dry subject. Excellent reference book!
Want to Read
January 10, 2009if i ever start indexing again, i'd like this around.
August 10, 2009
Useful but not exactly a page-turner. Did you know that there was an annual award for best index?
December 21, 2010
Not a thrilling book to sit down and read straight through, but it will be a great source for me as I put together the index for my own book...
August 28, 2010
If you need to learn how to index a book (or a web page) this is THE book to read.
November 18, 2011
Mulvany explains it all.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews