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In response to Ellen DeVries (edevries -at- glhec -dot- org), who asked:
>In your opinion, should an index for a procedures manual contain entries
for
>each figure? The figures are mostly mainframe screen samples, and samples
of
>federal and/or inter-departmental forms. Note, the manual already contains
a
>book-wide list of figures, listed in order of appearance.
Hi, Ellen. Good question! One of my "Tips for Creating Great Indexes"
(available on my Web site - http://idt.net/~lathro19) says "Don't rewrite
the book in the index!" However, there are several ways you can (and
should) index the screen samples: (1) create main headings such as "screen
samples" or "inter-departmental forms" that point to the list you already
have in your manual; (2) then, create main headings for each screen sample
name. The main headings of "screen samples" and "inter-departmental forms"
serve novice users by pointing them to the list you already have in the
documentation, and the individual main headings for each screen sample
serve users who are more familiar with the product.
One of the problems I often see is a tendency to make the index compensate
for shortcomings in the documentation. The list you have already created
is exactly what you need to avoid that problem. :-) All you need now are
index entries that point to that list and entries that point to the names
of screen samples.
Happy indexing! .... Lori
Lori Lathrop (LoriLathrop -at- compuserve -dot- com)
Immediate Past President, American Society of Indexers
Chair, Publications Competition - STC Metrolina Chapter
Lathrop Media Services (http://idt.net/~lathro19)
