 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
INTRODUCTION
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
My name is Sue Lightfoot. I have been working as a professional, freelance indexer since 1996. This web page provides a brief introduction to indexing followed by a summary of the work I have done so far. I am accredited by the Society of Indexers – have a look at their website to find out much more about indexing. You can't judge a book by its cover, but you can judge it by its index A professional index adds value to any book – if you are looking for someone to create an index to complete your work please do get in touch with me at this address: slightfoot@macace.net. You will find my preferred subjects and my credentials below. I hope I will be able to work with you soon. SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT INDEXING: What is an index? An index groups together in a systematic arrangement information scattered throughout a document, database or other collection, and is designed to enable users to identify and locate relevant information and to retrieve it quickly and efficiently. (A document may be a book, an issue or volume of a magazine or journal, audiotape, film, computer file, minutes of meetings, or any other information source.) What do book indexers do? Indexers read the final proofs of newly-written books, and identify the ideas, names and any other information that readers are likely to want to find. Readers may be scanning the index to find out what the book is about, they may be looking for information on a particular topic, or they may be wanting to find passages they remember reading. It is the indexer’s job to organize the index so that readers can easily find what they are looking for. Aren’t indexes generated by computers these days? Computers are indispensable for sorting and formatting the items to be included in the index, and most indexers use dedicated software such as Cindex or Macrex for this part of the process. However the program has yet to be written which can understand the thinking behind the text, make links between concepts, differentiate between homonyms, imagine itself into the mind of the reader and decide which items the index should include. The index aims to provide signposts to the text both for the potential reader and for the one who, having read the text, wishes to find some half-remembered nugget of wisdom. Deciding which items to include in order to achieve this goal is the indexer's main skill. What kinds of texts do you index? Indexers are most effective when they work on subjects of which they have a good level of background knowledge. I index books on a range of academic subjects (see below), books for children, directories and yearbooks, educational materials, encyclopedias, journals, language course materials, phrasebooks and travel guides. Below I have included a list of some of the books I have indexed recently. Isn't it boring, sitting at your desk all day mining texts for information? Not at all. Whether I am working on one of my preferred subjects as listed below, or on something with which I am less familiar I learn something new every day. What kinds of people become indexers, and how do they start? All sorts of people become indexers, but you do need a good general level of education, you need to be well organised and able to work accurately. Most indexers are self-employed, so need to be able to negotiate successfully with clients, be adaptable, willing to meet deadlines and able to run a business successfully. We work alone most of the time, but the Society of Indexers provides support and opportunities for liaising with colleagues by means of email discussion lists, networking in local groups, workshops and conferences. The Society regularly runs workshops for people who are interested in taking up indexing, and also a distance-learning training course that leads to accreditation. Have a look at the Society website if you would like to find out more. My preferred subjects are Asia (particularly Southeast Asia and Thailand), biography, child development, children's books, Cornwall, education (especially primary education, language teaching and international education), linguistics, literature, psychology and travel – though you can see from the Bibliography below that I am happy to index a wide range of subjects. BA (Honours) English and French. University of Southampton, 1966 Postgraduate Certificate in Education. University of Southampton, 1968 Standard English Braille Certificate. Royal National Institute for the Blind, London, 1982 Thai Language: Prathom 6 Certificate. Ministry of Education, Bangkok, Thailand, 1986 Indexing: Certificate of Accreditation. Society of Indexers, London, 1996 Basic Proofreading Certificate. Book House Training Centre, London, 1997 After teaching French in England, and English as a second/foreign language in France, England and Thailand, I found my niche teaching 9–10 year-olds at the Bangkok Patana International School, Bangkok. I spent eleven happy years there teaching all subjects of the National Curriculum and French, and as Deputy Head of the Middle School. The medium of instruction was English, but students came from all over the world. When I returned to Cornwall I looked for a way in which I could use my knowledge of education, languages, children and books to work freelance from home – and I found indexing. Working quietly alone is quite a change from being surrounded by hundreds of children all day, but I like it. I love the challenge each new text brings with it, and the flexibility of being self-employed. My degree was in French, but I also speak, read and write Thai, and am happy to check texts in both languages. I regularly proofread texts, for publishers (see below) and business clients. I am a member of the Society of Indexers and a former Chair of the Executive Board. I continue to learn by attending workshops and the annual conference. I also lead Introduction to Indexing workshops, for people who wish to find out more about indexing and whether it might be a suitable career move for them. I am also a member of the Society for Editors and Proofreaders. These are just some of the texts I have indexed over the last few years:
I regularly index for the following clients, among others: Blackwell Cambridge University Press Cornwall Editions Dorling Kindersley Franklin Watts International Railway Journal Kingfisher Network Continuum Education Oxford University Press Pearson Education Psychology Press River Books, Bangkok Taylor and Francis Swales and Willis © Sue Lightfoot |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
