Indexing is the process of creating access to information.
In printed media this has been traditionally accomplished by the medium of the "back of book" index. Scholars and casual readers alike have benefited from and have used indexes for centuries. To date and into the immediate future the process of indexing depends on the analytic and discriminative ability of the human indexer. Attempts to create indexes using search engines or other mechanical approaches produce very low quality indexes. For now there is no substitute for human intelligence in the creation of quality indexes.

As we move into the Information Age the need for indexing
is greater than ever and new media have been created that would benefit from indexing. In addition to books there are now audio and video media, Web sites, databases, and intranets- all areas needing indexing. The sheer quantity of available information makes access to information as important as the information itself. Any one who has used a search engine to any degree becomes quickly aware of the limitations of search engines. Search engines tend to be most useful when the user knows specifically what he is searching for. Even in such a case however the search may return such a large number of responses that it becomes impossible or infeasible to locate the relevant information. The solution to this is the use of indexes. Just as indexes have created access to information in printed materials for centuries they can now also provide access to information in electronic media and other contemporary media.

For more information, click on the indexing topics below: .....