Indexing Tutorials

Jump to information about: Description | Comments from students | Who are these tutorials for | Completion requirements | Process | Cost and time estimates

Description

By providing custom tutorials in building a foundation of basic indexing skills, I can modify the instruction provided based on what each individual student needs. Each tutorial is tailored to each student's needs and wants. Because these are distance-oriented and self-paced, they're not tied to any specific location or time.

My planned topics for each segment are:

1. This first segment starts with a broad look at intellectual access and the process or steps that go into writing an index. Included is information about some of the benefits and challenges of freelance indexing, descriptions of the indexing processes used by a number of indexers (so you can take a peek into how different indexers approach their work), and an introduction to analyzing passages and choosing index terms.
2. In the second segment, we go into more detail about styles and structures of indexes*, topic analysis (evaluating discussions to decide what they're about and to weigh their inclusion in an index)*, and term selection* (choosing keywords that start main headings and also choosing phrasing subheadings). Also included are readings about index structure (after you try your hand at writing an index the concept of the "structure" of indexes will probably make more sense), publisher style guides for/format of indexes.
3. There are two parts to the third segment:
   • Evaluating and editing indexes, including improving usability, understanding information retrieval behavior*, planning projects with clients. By editing your indexes and evaluating indexes written by others, your own process & style will evolve. This segment includes information about what to look for when you edit or evaluate indexes. It also includes other index quality-related discussions.
   • Technical issues, including an overview of automated and semi-automated indexing, descriptions of "online indexing," an introduction to embedded indexing, and suggestions for evaluating & selecting dedicated indexing software.
4. The segment that completes most people's training with me focuses on freelance and small business issues. We cover information about where to find clients, how to approach potential clients (including the dreaded cold-query, as well as alternative methods), what to expect during phone calls with potential clients, etc.

E-mail or call me if you would like to see an expanded table-of-contents that includes a list of readings and detailed descriptions of assigned indexing exercises.

Readings in packets will reflect the above structure. Our discussions and the intensity of focus on the topics above will depend on what is most important to you. For example, if you have little interest in embedded indexing, there's no need to discuss it after you've gone through the basic readings about it. If you feel grounded in freelance & small business issues, we'll skip that segment.

For each segment, you will write an index for a self-contained text that is 40-80 pages. I'll provide you with the first few texts, but you choose the rest so that you can practice writing indexes for books in subject areas of interest to you. These might even be books that you decide to use in your marketing packets as samples of your work.

I require that you participate in peer-reviews (see Completion requirements below) because the main drawback to private, one-on-one indexing courses is that many of the "aha moments" that new indexers experience during training happens when they're in a room full of potential users who are reviewing their index. This is the best approach I've found to incorporate that experience into private tutorials.

I'm available to you throughout the entire process and beyond. Email or call me with indexing-related questions, concerns, or issues.

Here's a highlight of a few of the differences between my tutorials and courses offered through institutions:

• Lessons are customizable. We don't have to follow a one-size-fits-all prescribed course. Our work is tailored to focus on what is most important to you.
• When I send you my feedback on your index, I also send supporting documents which include excerpts of dozens of other indexes (and in some cases entire indexes) for the same text that you just worked with. Seeing how other people approached the same text is a fantastic way to decide what you did better than someone else or what you want to do differently next time.
• Work as quickly as you want. Some folks have finished all four segments within a couple of months.
• Work as slowly as you want. There is no end-date for these tutorials. Your registration does not expire. If it takes you a couple of years because life gets in the way, that's fine. No sweat. One of the large institutions courses has an expiration date of 6 months after you register. Another of the courses has an expiration date of 1 year after you register and allows you to buy one 6-month extension.
• I focus on indexing competency and application of what you read about by to weaving reading comprehension into my feedback about your indexes. Other courses include reading comprehension exercises requiring you to recite information in your readings.
• I send all assigned readings to you in a packet. You don't have to track down each article or book in order to read all the assignments.
• You can buy one segment at a time instead of paying all at once. (I can accept checks or credit cards.)

Comments from students:

• "I always appreciate your comments -- your feedback is always concise and to the point. Thank you!!" – Margie Joy
• "Kari, you are a wonderful mentor! Very encouraging, attentive and honest. Thanks for all the help." - Wendy Catalano
• "I'm glad you require peer review (although it was excruciating to put my index out there for close scrutiny!). It really does help you see the index differently." - Dona Roell, AdVerbum Book Works
• "One of the more challenging -- and useful -- things about Kari's course is that she encourages her students to look much further than her instruction for answers to questions. Of course she's always there to give help and encouragement, but she wants us to have a much bigger picture. Having indexes peer-reviewed is just one of those things... All this on top of Kari's feedback gave me a huge boost in both skills and confidence... I appreciate that this course is much more than book-learning. The indexing community is so very spread out and diverse." – Margie Joy
• "My experience with you has been nothing short of enjoyable and encouraging. " - Samantha A. Terhorst-Steele
• "The encouragement you gave me...is beyond words. Thank you so much for that." - anonymous (2004)
• "Thank you again for all of your work. I really appreciate getting the feedback and your positive comments have given me confidence to continue with the course and begin marketing my services." - anonymous (2003)

Who are these tutorials for

Anyone who wants to start a career in indexing will find these useful.

Completion Requirements

• Thorough reading of Nancy Mulvany's Indexing Books.
• Complete reading of all articles and handouts provided in segment packets.
• Completion of indexing assignments in at least 4 segments.
• Participation in a minimum of 2 peer reviews, either live or online. (I can point you to some online review resources.) If I'm unable to be present (virtually or physically), I'd like to hear about your experiences.

Proposed Process

1. You send a payment for the upcoming segment.
2. I send you a packet of reading materials for the segment, which includes (but won't be limited to) notes I've written about the topics in this lesson, list of relevant portions of Mulvany's book, copies of related articles, and an indexing assignment.
3. You contact me if you have any questions about the readings or the assignment while working through them.
4. You return the completed assignment to me.
5. I review your index and provide extensive feedback on it. This will be similar to what I provide through my consultation services.
6. You let me know when you are ready for us to talk about your index. We'll agree on a date and time. I prefer face-to-face meetings because those are most valuable when reviewing my comments on your indexing assignments. However, if that's inconvenient, we can have our meetings on the phone or we can use Instant Messenger (IM). Whatever is easiest for both of us.
7. We meet to discuss the readings and review your indexing assignment. If we meet in person, I'll give you my feedback at that time. If this happens over the phone or through IM, I'll send my feedback to you before we meet. Our discussion time will be spent mostly on reviewing your indexes, but also can revolve around any other indexing or freelance issues you are interested in.
8. You let me know if you'd like to talk again about your index after you have had an opportunity to review my comments by yourself.
9. We start the same process for the next segment.

Cost and time estimates

These are on a pay-as-you-go arrangement. You pay in advance for one segment at a time. E-mail or call me for the per-segment fees. There is no need for any other type of advance payment. If you prefer to pay for a bundle of segments all at once, you will get a discount. However, I don't require that kind of financial commitment. Some people who begin indexing courses decide that indexing isn't a good fit for them after all. It doesn't quite seem fair for me to charge you a bundle of money for a bundle of lessons that you might not actually complete.

I also accept credit cards through PayPal, if you prefer to pay online with plastic.

You set your own schedule for each segment. You can be as formal or as informal as you'd like. Either give me a list of target dates for all lessons up front, or simply tell me your target deadlines for each individual segment as we come to it. Obviously, dates and times of meetings will depend on both of our schedules.

How quickly you complete the entire process depends mostly on you. In my experience, during the third or fourth indexing assignment most people begin to internalize the new information, understand the relationships between theory and practice, and gain enough practice to that they're ready to begin. However, this tutorial is tailored to you and your needs, so our timeline may change: I may decide you are ready to roll after just a couple of segments, you may decide to do less or more.

I guarantee to give you up to 2 hours of instruction time for each individual segment. I spend that time reviewing your indexes, preparing feedback, and discussing indexing and business-related issues with you (in person, on the phone, through IM, or through email). I don't include in this the time I spend preparing your readings packets. I'm not nit-picky about this time, but do need to limit it.

Interested?

E-mail or call me if you have any questions, or if you would like references from students who've worked with me on these kinds of tutorials.

Contact Kari

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