What is an index and how is it done?
Index
What is an index and how is it done?
An index is a list in which bibliographic materials are located, classified, and ordered . In libraries, the index is the categorization of all available books and materials, in such a way that they can be found by users quickly and efficiently.
Index comes from the Latin index , which means signal
For its part, an economic index is the relationship that exists between two variables and serves to measure a phenomenon (cost of living, inflation, value of the local currency, etc.)
In human anatomy, index is the name of the finger that is located between the thumb and the middle finger. It receives this name because it is usually the one used to indicate something.
How to make an index
To make an index, it is necessary to take into account some considerations depending on its type:
Index of contents
Commonly known as a table of contents or thematic index, it is the organization of the sections or chapters of a bibliographic material. To make an index of contents , you must take into account:
- The sections or chapters should be organized in the same order that they will appear in the book.
- The name of the chapter should appear in the index and immediately afterwards, the number of the page where the chapter begins.
Table of Contents Example
Onomastic index
It is a list in which the names of the different authors that are mentioned in a text are ordered. To make a name index , you need:
- Organize the names of the authors in alphabetical order.
- Write the author's last name first, followed by a comma (,) and then the first name.
- Immediately after the surname and first name, the page number where it is cited is added.
Example of an onomastic index
How to make an index in Word
To make an index in Word, the bibliographic material should already be finished, so that the order of the chapters or sections is clear. In case it is not yet finalized, the index can be edited.
Then it is necessary to follow the following steps:
Rank titles
If all titles have the same hierarchy, they must be in the format of Title1. If, on the other hand, the chapters consist of titles and subtitles, the latter must be in Title 2 format.
Select the type of index
The part of the document where the index will be must be located and once there, the References option must be selected. There you can choose the type of index that best suits the needs of the content.
Once chosen, it is selected by clicking on it.
Index automation
Word will automatically create the table of contents with the document titles and subtitles that were created in step 1.
What is the index for
In bibliographic terms, an index is a tool for organizing content. Indexes help readers to quickly locate what interests them, which contributes to a more efficient use of study material.
On the other hand, the indexes ensure that the contents have order and coherence, since they must be grouped by sections and sub-sections, or main and secondary themes. This gives meaning to the bibliographic work and makes it easier to understand.
- Update date: March 7, 2021.
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