Facing the Text: Content and Structure in Book Indexing [Paperback]

Do Mi Stauber (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 2004

Based on Do Mi Stauber's popular and empowering workshop, the book discusses such standard topics as subheadings, cross-references and indexability, in the context of particular texts and indexes. Hundreds of examples illustrate the many practical strategies that Do Mi has drawn from her own practice in social sciences and humanities indexing. The book goes beyond abstract rules to confront the unique needs of each text and index, and provides guidelines to help novice and experienced indexers alike make common-sense, flexible, and reader-centered decisions. You will learn such strategies as: ? addressing the main topic of the book in your index structure ? pinning down the elusive main argument of a scholarly book ? using local main topics to understand the structure of the text ? deciding which topics should be indexed ? understanding subheadings with a new typology created by Do Mi Stauber and Nancy Mulvany ? choosing subheadings for long spans and locator strings ? deciding when to use the author's wording, when to modify it, and when to create a new wording ? connecting topics in the index through double-posting and cross references ? distinguishing among indexing strategies for scholarly books, textbooks and reference books

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Do Mi Stauber is the 2007 winner of the Wilson Award for Excellence in Indexing. She has presented her popular workshops for indexers since 1997. She has indexed in the social sciences and humanities since 1986.

Product Details

• Paperback: 374 pages
• Publisher: Cedar Row Press; 1st edition (2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974834505
• ISBN-13: 978-0974834504
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,974 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable guide to indexing, May 20, 2007

By 

Michael Robertson (Augsburg, Germany) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Facing the Text: Content and Structure in Book Indexing (Paperback)

For people faced with the task of indexing books, Do Mi Stauber provides a detailed guide to the processes involved in analyzing the content of each chapter, section and page and how to select, phrase, and structure suitable terms for the index. While there are plenty of guides available on the details of structuring and editing indexes (i.e. after the index entries already exist), this is the only one I know of that explains and illustrates in detail the mental processes involved in the step between reading the page and creating the index entries for it -- and how to make these processes clearer and easier.

Based on the author's successful workshop course on "Facing the Text" for indexers, the book has been highly recommended by professional indexers and was reviewed in the specialist journal "The Indexer" (Vol. 24, issue 2, October 2004 p. 111). It is an indispensable item for the serious indexer's library.

It seems it is still not available yet on Amazon directly, but it can be ordered directly from the author at [...].

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading to complete your training, September 27, 2009

By 

AV (Hong Kong) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Facing the Text: Content and Structure in Book Indexing (Paperback)

Any indexing student should have this book listed at the top of their 'Must Have' reference works. Course materials, standards, tutor feedback on submitted indexes (only) explain and correct the way we apply the rules and standards. Do Mi's book complements the theory by providing a wealth of practical samples on what to do when one encounters a particular type of paragraph, problem, blockage... It really is as if one is sitting next to her while indexing. Do not expect to be supplied with 'fixed answers to known problems' but you will get a deeper insight in possible approaches to understanding the text at hand and how to deal with it while creating an index.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inside a leading indexer's thought processes, April 25, 2009

By 

Hedley Finger (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Facing the Text: Content and Structure in Book Indexing (Paperback)

Anyone who owns the bible of indexing, Nancy Mulvany's Indexing Books, Second Edition (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing) should also obtain Facing the Text: Content and Structure in Book Indexing to join it on the desk. Most indexing books cover the gamut of the indexing task, including the mechanics of developing, formatting, and editing indexes. Stauber's book particularly emphasises the analysis of the text to identify topics -- which may be fragmented throughout the text -- and developing the most useful terms. She tells you how to recognise the many types of index headings and subheadings, and how to use them effectively: for example, to recognise and include implied umbrella terms. After reading this book you will come to your next project with a methodology to index even the most discursive and unstructured work. Very highly recommended.
Hedley Finger, author of 'Survival indexing for how-to books', Hand Holding Press.