Indexing process evaluation

The process of subject indexing is difficult to describe and evaluate. The indexer provides guides to subjects reported to authors. The result is an index to subjects—a subject index. He selects subjects, paraphrases and chooses guides to them, and translates the guides into standard index language. The concept of “subject” is elusive. The author controls the number of complexity of subjects and, thus, the indexing density. Guidance among index entries is by cross references. Qualifications of indexers are education in the subject and training in indexing. Differentiation between generalization for brevity and that warranted by the author is important in indexing to the maximum specificity. Weighting of terms in manipulative systems enables increased selectivity upon retrieval. The most common rules for indexing are listed. Teaching and mechanics of indexing are described. Alternatives are contrasted with subject indexing. Indexer‐computer collaboration can lead to improved indexing.