The length of a book index is generally determined by:
-
the number of pages available;
-
number of lines per page;
-
number of characters per line;
-
total number of entries in the index;
-
the font and number of columns used in the index.
The number of pages set aside for the index can make a huge difference in
the overall quality of an index.
A general guideline for estimating the number of pages or length of an index is:
Estimates of Index Length
*Adapted from Indexing Books by Nancy C. Mulvany. pp. 65-67.
Type of Book
Percent of
Index Pages
# Entries per
page
Mass market
trade books
General reader
Short indexes
2-5%
3-5
General
reference books
Academic books
Cookbooks
Medical texts
Style manuals
7-8%
6-8
Technical I
Academic books
General manuals
Policy and procedures
Text books
Training manuals
10%
8-10
Technical II
Academic books
Codes & regulations
Complex manuals
Specialized books
15%+
15+
Reducing the Index Length
Reducing the size or length of a book index is something that should be done
by the indexer, not the editor (unless the editor has extensive experience with indexes).
The indexer is more intimately aware of the index structure, and so can remove
less important entries while retaining key concepts.
Ways to squeeze a book index into the allotted space:
-
Use a smaller font.
The typical index has a font two points smaller
than the main text. An 8 point font
is often used.
-
Use 3 or 4 columns instead of 2 columns for the index.
-
One or two blank pages can usually be found somewhere in the book.
One
extra page can make a big difference in the usefulness of the index.
info@cpynebookindexing.com
