Indexing: Theory and Application

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• Online course: Internet access required
• Enroll anytime: You have 6 months to complete
• $650 (EDP 887489)

Sylvia Coates, B.S., has been a full-time freelance indexer since 1989, working for scholarly, textbook and trade book presses. She has written numerous publications on indexing and has taught workshops and a basic indexing course since 1999. Coates developed the Indexing: Theory and Application course for UC Berkeley Extension and continues to serve as an instructor.

Textbook(s) for this course: Note: This title is a chapter taken from The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th ed, 2003 (0-226-10420-6), so you do not need to purchase this title if you already own the complete Chicago Manual of Style.
Indexes: A Chapter from The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th ed
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Publication Year: 2010
ISBN: 0226836142

AND Indexing Books
Author: Nancy C. Mulvany
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Edition: 2nd
Publication Year: 2005
ISBN: 0226552764

X477 (3 semester units in Journalism)

Recipient of the 2005 Distance Learning "Community of Practice" Course Award from the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA)

A good index greatly enhances a book’s usability and value, yet few writers and editors know how to construct this vital part of a nonfiction publication. Learn the fundamentals of writing, editing and delivering back-of-book indexes to publishing clients. You also learn the basic formats, guidelines and term-selection approaches of embedded and Web indexing using three major indexing software programs to complete several assignments.

Prerequisites: Strong language, reading, computer and Internet skills. A PC running the Windows OS is highly recommended.

Students enrolled in this course have free access to the student versions of three indexing software programs: CINDEX, MACREX and SKY. You must use all three programs for three short exercises in the first half of the course. (Afterwards, you may choose one of the programs to complete the rest of the assignments.) Of the three programs, only CINDEX provides a version that works on the Macintosh OS. However, students using the Macintosh OS can successfully complete the course in one of two ways: (1) their Macintosh computers must have software such as Parallels Desktop for Mac or Microsoft Virtual PC to run Windows-compatible software, or (2) they must have access to a PC to complete the first three exercises in the course.

Future-Term Courses and Enrollments

Courses are offered three terms per year: spring, summer, fall. Information about upcoming courses is available when enrollment opens each term.

• Spring term: Enrollment opens in early December. Classes begin in January.
• Summer term: Enrollment opens in early April. Classes begin in late May.
• Fall term: Enrollment opens in early July. Classes begin in August.

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