an indexing question

[Stuart Burnfield <slb -at- FS -dot- COM -dot- AU>]

It's hard to certain without knowing the real characteristics in your
database, but a general attribute such as 'colour' doesn't seem like
a useful search path. Readers aren't likely to look up the index
knowing that they're interested in a red thing, but not knowing what
the thing itself is. They're also not likely to be interested in
seeing grouped together all red things or all colourful things.

They *are* likely to want to see the main attributes of an object
grouped together, especially if the references are scattered through
the book:

  Dingus
     colour 17, 20
     texture 18, 92
     replacing 65

If all the references are tightly clustered, there's no need to be
excessively detailed. Remember that the purpose of the index is not to
do away with the book, it's to steer the reader quickly toward the
right place in the book. Avoid this sort of thing:

  Dingus
     adding 16
     colour 17
     material 17
     overview 14-15
     price 18
     replacing 65
     shape 17
     size 17
     texture 17
     weight 18

This is usually better:

  Dingus 14-18
     adding 16-18
     replacing 65

If I'm telling a taxi driver where I want to go, I don't tell them how
to find my front door while we're still at the airport. I just want to
get us first to the right general area, then when we get close I can say
"Left here, right at the lights, I live under that bridge over there."

Regards
---
Stuart Burnfield        "Some wear their heart on their sleeve
Functional Software      Some wear the patience of saints
mailto:slb -at- fs -dot- com -dot- au     Some wear the weight of the world on their shoulders"
                           -- Deborah Conway 'String of Pearls'