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editing, writing & indexing services
Sarah Endacott's indexing services
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PREPARE YOUR DOCUMENT FOR PUBLICATION
ENSURE YOUR DOCUMENT MEETS YOUR READERS’ NEEDS
ADVICE ON YOUR NOVEL OR SHORT STORY
MANUSCRIPT ASSESSMENT
ORB SPECULATIVE FICTION MAGAZINE
THESES, RESEARCH PAPERS, GRANT SUBMISSIONS
THE ROLE AND TASKS OF THE EDITOR
EMAIL AND ADDRESS
when you need an index
Most technical manuals require an index. We don’t expect readers to read through the entire document to find what they want. Most users dip in
and out of a technical document and only want to go to the places where information is relevant to them.
A good table of contents is essential, but an index will point to instances of key terms and phrases that are discussed in various contexts.
You need an index if you expect readers to quickly find information such as legislation, regulations, guidelines and instructions. Documents that
contain lists of items, such as wildlife, will also need an index.
examples of books that need indexes
- a set of guidelines for handling food
- a manual for restraining loads on transport
- technical instructions for installing sinks
- a comprehensive overview of Australian native birds
- a large annual report
- a history of war and military exercises
- a register of historical craft practices
- gardening books
- cookbooks
what makes a good index
Everybody has used an index at some stage. We all know what entries are useful, and get annoyed when the entry we want isn’t there.
That’s why Sarah Endacott's indexing services manually controls the index entries – so your readers will be able to find what
they’re looking for. The indexer puts themselves in the position of the reader/user and imagine what they are looking for. With the aid of specialised indexing software, the
entries ensure that they do what they’re supposed to do, and go where they’re supposed to go.
when is the index prepared
The index is one of the final stages of a book’s production. The text must be in layout form, just as it will be printed or produced
online, and when the page numbers or locations are set. The index is produced as an add-on to the end of that file, and the designer must make room (and time) for it to be incorporated.
The document must be thoroughly edited before an index can be prepared.
membership
Sarah Endacott is a member of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Indexers (ANZSI).
© edit or die 2022
