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Exercise 2: Keyword Index
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Purpose |
With this exercise, you will create your very first index on your own. This will be a “keyword” index. That is, you will select words within the document as index terms. By analyzing the document manually, you will be exposed to the thinking processes necessary to index. With this effort, you will also become aware of the various indexing issues.
Note that index terms can consist of a word, phrase, or alphanumerical term. But not all words in a document will really represent the content and meaning of the document. Well, as an indexer we must develop a keen sense of the nature of item being indexed. Just because the word BANK is there, doesn’t necessarily mean that the document is about a river bank; it can also mean a savings bank, an institution where you can take care of financial affairs or a safe place of storage for and retrieval of important items (blood bank, data bank, etc.). So the real question is what is the document really about? |
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Procedures |
Part I
1) Go to the All About PeanutsLinks to an external site. website and open the following articles: Origin and History of PeanutsLinks to an external site.Links to an external site. Nutritional FactsLinks to an external site.Links to an external site.Growing PeanutsLinks to an external site.Links to an external site.Fun Peanut FactsLinks to an external site.Links to an external site.Peanut SustainabilityLinks to an external site. 2) Read the document quickly in order to form a perception of what the text is about. Note: The file you are trying to index has no page number, It might be easier if you print the article and use an old fashion hi-liter to mark possible index terms unless you can use the markup tools in digital format. 3) Read the document a second time and make a list of possible index terms. First impressions will not always be correct, but don’t rule out anything. Jot it all down. 4) Edit the list. Ask yourself: If a user wants the information in this particular document would this term be appropriate as he/she uses your index or would it be misleading? This is the litmus test. Herein lies the intellectual difficulty of indexing. 5) Create the index using SkyIndex or Cindex, or a word processor. |
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Part II Write a brief (about 150 word) comment on your first indexing effort. Easier than you thought?A bit more difficult than you imagined?Do you think you will make a good indexer? |
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Assignments to be Submitted |
1. An index to the article
2. A brief reflection on your first effort |
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Date Due |
September 4, 2023 |
