Indexing Guidelines for Authors

(Based on chapter 15 of the Chicago Manual of Style, 18th edition)

Included here is a set of basic pointers for indexing, as well as an indexing checklist and a sample index. Please refer to the Chicago Manual of Style, 18th edition for further information. When the index is complete, please send it as an email attachment to the project editor.

Click here to view these instructions as a PDF.

How to Index

Include only subjects that readers would be likely to look up in the index to your book. Do not include passing mentions and tangential entries (CMS 15.31). For example, a biography may mention that its subject was born in London; this may generate an entry regarding the subject’s birth but not an entry for London.

Do not index the preface or other front matter (unless specifically informed otherwise by the project editor) or the bibliography or other back matter. In the notes, index only the discursive material.

If there are more than six or so page numbers following an entry, please consider providing subentries (CMS 15.10)—likewise if a range given is more than about ten pages. An entry such as “Kissinger, Henry, 2, 5, 8, 20, 39, 57, 66, 79, 88, 104, 115, 220, 234, 260, 268, 278, 299, 305, 306, 317, 320” is not helpful to the reader; neither is “Kissinger, Henry, 321-99.” Provide subentries for meaningful references and ignore passing references that do not convey any information to the reader. Do not use the form ff. or passim; give specific page numbers.

Reserve parenthetic explanation for terms with more than one interpretation: “Colorado (river)” and “Colorado (state).”

Avoid the temptation to give additional information in the index: birth and death dates of individuals, definitions of terms, and so on. Do not give explanations, e.g., “Kissinger, Henry, discusses peace plan with Nixon at White House breakfast, 278”; entry should read instead “Kissinger, Henry, on peace plan, 278.”

Typing the Index

Punctuation and Formatting

Prepare the index one column to a page.

Use hard returns only at the ends of entries.

Please capitalize first letter of each main entry.

Use a comma to separate the entry from the first page number. There is no final punctuation.

Use inclusive numbers (see CMS 15.14). Use a keyboard hyphen (-) between inclusive numbers.

Entries followed by cross-references end in a period, e.g., “Kissinger, Henry, 278. See also Nixon, Richard”

In an index that contains references to one type of figure (illustrations, tables, etc.), italicize the page number and include the following line at the beginning of the index: “Page numbers in italics refer to illustrations.” If an index references more than one type, add a roman letter to the page number. For example, for tables and illustrations, add t and i to page numbers (144t, 168i) and include a note such as “Page numbers followed by the letters t and i indicate tables and illustrations.”

Alphabetization

(See CMS 15.64–71 for full information)

Use the letter-by-letter style of alphabetization up to first comma; for example, Seal Beach precedes Sealing (15.67).

Alphabetize names beginning with “Mc” under those letters, not “Mac” (15.81).

Treat entries beginning with numbers as if the number were spelled out as a word.

Create a blank space between each letter section. Do not label the section with that letter.

Subentries and Sub-Subentries

Subentries help direct the reader to the information they need. Entries that consist only of long strings of page numbers are not useful. Divide major-topic entries into subtopics so readers won’t have to look up 20 page numbers to find what they’re looking for.

Subentries are separated by a semicolon: “Food: growing, 8, 19-21; harvesting, 3, 7, 21; trading, 35-36, 110-15.” Link the subentries to the main entry with a minimum of articles or prepositions (e.g., “Army, US, drug use” could become “Army, US, on drug use” or “Army, US, drug use in”).

Use run-in style (CMS 15.27–28) for subentries, with hanging indents.

Arrange subentries alphabetically by first important word, ignoring articles and prepositions (15.76).

If subentry begins with a number, treat it as if the number were spelled out as a word, unless there are several, in which case those should be arranged in numerical order at the beginning of the subentries. NOTE: If you are indexing the facts of a person’s life or the passage of a bill through Congress, you may arrange subentries chronologically rather than alphabetically. (See CMS 15.76–78)

Sub-subentries (CMS 15.27): For long, complex sub-subentries, pull the entire subentry out of the main entry and put it below the main entry preceded by an em dash. If unsure about this, discuss with your editor. Use two hyphens (--) to make an em dash. Example:

Cross-References

(See CMS 15.15–23)

Multiple cross-references are arranged in alphabetical order and are separated by semicolons (e.g., See also Migration; Population).

Cross-references must be worded exactly the same as the entry being referred to.

If the cross-reference follows the main entry only, the main entry is followed by the italicized term See and the cross-reference term: “Beagles. See Dogs”

If the cross-reference is added after page references, it should be followed by See also and the cross-reference term: “Beagles, 45, 53. See also Dogs”

If a cross-reference applies only to a subentry, it should be enclosed in parentheses immediately following the subentry (for example, “black market” subentry under “American Embassy” in sample index below).

Indexing Notes

Works and authors cited in notes only as documentation should not be indexed.

For discursive material in the notes, provide both the page number and the note number: 387n7. If two or more consecutive notes are referred to, two ns are used (e.g., 334nn14-16). Nonconsecutive notes on the same page are treated separately (e.g., 334n14, 334n16, 334n19).

Index Checklist

Read index carefully for spelling, punctuation, and sense. Check spelling and sense against page proofs as needed.

• Main entries are alphabetical
• Subentries are alphabetical
• Space is marked between alphabetical sections
• Page numbers are treated consistently
• Words added to subentries for sense as needed
• Placement of cross-references in entry correct
• Cross-referenced headings use the same wording in both places

Sample Index

Page numbers in italics refer to illustrations.