Indexation Definition
An index is a list of terms and their corresponding page numbers. An indexation is the process of compiling this list. This can be done manually, by scanning a document and noting down every instance of a particular term and its page number, or it can be done automatically using software designed for the purpose.
When an indexer compiles an index, they will often also include information about where each term appears in the document – for example, whether it appears in the main body text or in a sidebar, and whether it is bolded or italicized. This makes it easier for readers to find the passages they are interested in.
Indexes can be used to find specific terms within a document, or to browse through a document according to topic. For example, if you were looking for information about “cats” in a book about pets, you would consult the index and turn to the pages listed under “cats”. Alternatively, if you wanted to read about all the different kinds of pets mentioned in the book, you could start at the beginning of the “pets” section of the index and read through all the entries until you reach the end of that section.
Indexes can be very helpful when used in this way, but they can also be frustrating if they are not well-made. A good index should be comprehensive – that is, it should include all the terms that someone might want to look up – but it
