How many words should an index be?

How many words should an index be?

The index length should be sufficient to cover all useful elements; however, you should aim to include no more than 70–80 terms (headings and subheadings) per 10,000 words of the manuscript (roughly equivalent to 4–6 typeset pages per 100 typeset proof pages).

How do you write an index?

A good index will:

  1. be arranged in alphabetical order.
  2. include accurate page references that lead to useful information on a topic.
  3. avoid listing every use of a word or phrase.
  4. be consistent across similar topics.
  5. use sub-categories to break up long blocks of page numbers.
  6. use italics for publications and Acts.

What is an index in a book?

What Is a Book Index? A back-of-the-book index is a list of words with corresponding page references that point readers to the locations of various topics within a book. Along with elements like the front matter and table of contents, book indexes are found in most non-fiction research books.

When should you not index?

When Should We Avoid Using Indexes?

  1. Indexes should not be used on tables containing few records.
  2. Tables that have frequent, large batch updates or insert operations.
  3. Indexes should not be used on columns that contain a high number of NULL values.
  4. Indexes should not be used on the columns that are frequently manipulated.

How long does a book index take?

Usually the deadline for index submission is three weeks from receipt of page proofs. A serious delay in publication may result from a late–arriving index. Adequate index preparation requires 10–15 hours per 100 typeset pages. For example, a 300–page book will require 30–45 hours of preparation.

What is the difference between glossary and index?

Glossary and Index are two words that are often confused due to the appearing similarity between their meanings. A glossary is a list of words or a word list. On the other hand, an index refers to alphabetical listing of important words. This is the main difference between the two words.

What is an example of an index?

The definition of an index is a guide, list or sign, or a number used to measure change. An example of an index is a list of employee names, addresses and phone numbers.

What does an index include?

An index is an alphabetical list of keywords contained in the text of a book or other lengthy writing project. It includes pointers to where those keywords or concepts are mentioned in the book—typically page numbers, but sometimes footnote numbers, chapters, or sections.

Do all books need an index?

Since you’re the author, it is up to you whether you decide to include an index for your book or not. If your book is a non-fiction book then the reader will surely need an index for it, and the index should be well made.

How long does it take to index a book?

Can I have too many indexes Why?

The reason that having to many indexes is a bad thing is that it dramatically increases the amount of writing that needs to be done to the table. This happens in a couple of different places. When a write happens the data first is logged to the transaction log.

Is index always useful?

Indexes can be very good for performance, but in some cases may actually hurt performance. Refrain from creating indexes on columns that will contain few unique values, such as gender, state of residence, and so on.