Automatic Book Indexing Software

• Automatic indexing software
  produce a "concordance"
  which is a list of words with a
  long string of page numbers afterwards, which makes it
  difficult for readers to locate
  information.

• Indexers write an "index" by
  manipulating words in the text
  to create concise headings and
  subheadings with page locators
  for quick, efficient access to
  specific information.

• Not able to create subheadings
  which structurally organize
  ideas and concepts for quick,
  efficient access by readers

• Indexers create both headings
  and subheadings.
• Subheadings are the real "meat-
  and-potatoes" of an index.

• Not able to create a network of
  inter-relationships of concepts,
  name or ideas.

• Indexers create a network of
  inter-relationships of concepts,
  names and ideas using: headings,
  subheadings, cross-references
  and double postings.
  

• Not able to analyze the text;
  nor able to identify or synthesize
  concepts. Lacks human
  "subjective thinking".

• Indexers read between the lines,
  analyzing the text, identifying and synthesizing concepts whether or not they are mentioned in the text
  

• Not able to identify or synthesize concepts or use "subjective
  thinking"

• Indexers determine the relative
  importance of words and
  concepts by subjective thinking
  

• Not able to make subjective
  and intelligent analysis of the
  text

• Indexers identify the complex
  organization of concepts and
  ideas found throughout the
  text. Headings and subheadings are developed accordingly.
  

• Not able to distinguish concepts
  or terms as this requires abstract
  thinking

• Indexers distinguish between
  terms mentioned in passing,
  and terms fundamental to the
  theme or focus of the book
  
  

• Not able to consider or
  anticipate how a reader will
  think when looking for
  information

• Indexers consider and
  anticipate how readers will
  search for information.
  Readers see the "added value"
  of an index, resulting in
  increased book sales.
  

• Not able to make cross-
  references.

• Indexers identify relationships
  and create alternate routes for
  information access by using
  cross-references
  
  
• "See"and "See also" cross
  references are useful navigation
  routes for the reader

• Not able to make double-
  postings.

• Indexers double-posts words
  from related or synonymous
  terms to enhance access to information by the reader.

Seth Maislin, “Troubleshooting Those Horrible Microsoft Word Index Problems”

Word's automatic tagging functionality is not indexing, but rather a concordance builder. I'm not fond of the automatic indexing features of Microsoft Word. In truth, my issue isn't that the feature exists. I have a problem with this feature being called "autoindex," as if computer-generated indexes were actually any good. They aren't. Computer-generated or automatic indexes STINK. I've had this discussion many times with many people, indexers and non-indexers alike, and we are all 100% in agreement. You can't build an index using computer logic.

Indexing with Microsoft Word (any version) isn't easy or effective. There is always something going wrong with Word's indexing features....If almost all of your page numbers are coming out wrong when you generate your index, then you've stumbled across one of the stupidest side-effects of Word's indexing functionality… Microsoft Word's functionality for page ranges is abysmal.... It is absolutely no surprise that your page ranges are a problem....There are many reasons why your entries don't appear in the index where you want them to go, but the biggest and most annoying reason is because Word doesn't actually know how to sort index entries! Word's sorting algorithm is quite rudimentary....Word is a word processor, not a publishing program; it is not uncommon that your index will get messed up by some of the internal things that Word does.

O.M. Kvern and D. Blatner. Article on indexing with InDesign CS3

Sitting down and indexing a book is — in our experience — the most painful, horrible, mind-numbing activity you could ever wish on your worst enemy. And yet, this is the kind of task that a computer should be great at, but it’s actually impossible for a computer to do a good job of indexing a book by itself... In short, indexing requires comprehension — a quality computer software, at this early stage of its evolution, lacks."

"Hire a professional indexer. The author of a text is the worst person for the job. You simply know the material too well (or, if you don’t, why in the world did you write the book?) to create a useful index. A professional indexer will read and understand your text, and will create an index that opens it up to a wider range of possible readers than you ever could. It’s what they do.

John McGhie, Article on Making an Index

Really good indexes are an even mix of science and art form, and the quality improvement a professional makes is well worth paying for. I implore you not to waste your time with a Concordance Index. Every major word-processor will do them, but it results in a huge pile of rubbish that is of very little use to the reader. The Concordance Index is a hangover from the past when people were desperately hoping to produce an “automatic index” to reduce the labor.