Embedded indexing involves placing index markers in the working file, creating an index that updates automatically as the layout evolves. The principles and index elements are the same as back-of-book indexing, but the index terms are marked directly within the file rather than compiled externally.
What’s involved in embedded indexing:
- Reading the manuscript in the designated software (e.g., Microsoft Word, Adobe InDesign) to identify indexable topics, names, and concepts
- Inserting index markers linked to specific text locations to generate index entries
- Structuring entries with a logical hierarchy and cross-references
- Flagging errors or typos in the mansucript
- Testing entries to ensure accuracy after index marker and pagination changes
- Formatting the generated index according to publisher or style guide requirements
- Delivering the final index file with embedded markers intact for production use
- Coordinating with the design/production team to resolve any post-submission indexing or pagination issues
- Delivering a separate, print-ready version of the index if both embedded and standalone formats are required
- Offering indexing notes to ensure consistency if later volumes or editions are embedded indexed
For this service, I typically work on:
- Academic and nonfiction - humanities, law, life sciences, medicine & nursing, natural sciences, psychiatry, psychology, social sciences
- Publication types - references books, scholarly books, trade books, textbooks
To request my resume or a complete list of projects, please get in touch via email or through the contact page.