Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Isn’t the Table of Contents the same as the Index?

A: No. Although similar, the Table of Contents gives the reader a general overview of the book, whereas the Index identifies specific terms, concepts, and elements within the book that the reader cannot easily find. If you rely solely on the Table of Contents, your reader will have to hunt and peck through the book looking for important information.

Q:  Can’t I create the index using my word processing software’s index creation feature?

A: Yes, you could. However, these index creation tools often search for pre-determined keywords and list EVERY page number the keyword appears on.  This creates a long string of numbers that often frustrate readers who may be searching for a specific discussion about the keyword. A professional indexer will also find the important keywords but will add subheadings to help your reader find the discussion relevant to them.

For example

(a)  FBI, 3, 14, 20, 25, 45, 48, 62, 65

or

(b) FBI

history of, 3, 14

Hoover’s involvement with, 20, 25

reports by, 62, 65

scandals involving, 45,48

Q: How long does it take to create an index?

A: It depends on the page count of the book and on the density of the text. Books less than 500 pages usually take approximately 10-12 days; those 500 pages and higher usually take 14-21 days. If you’ve got less time than that, give us a call, and we can discuss our rates for RUSH jobs.

Q: Do I need all of the book pages ready to start the indexing process?

A: No. We can get started on your book with as little as one chapter. We just need a schedule from you letting us know when the remaining chapters will be available.

Q: Can you use PDFs instead of paper pages?

A: Yes. You can either send us your PDFs through e-mail, or we can download them from a FTP site.