Courses and workshops in indexing are conducted at locations throughout Australia and New Zealand. Their frequency is dependent on demand, so some courses may be held several times a year in one location, but only every couple of years in another.
Upcoming workshops and training:
There are no upcoming events.
General information on ANZSI courses
Introductory book indexing (NSW)
This is a two-day introduction to the principles of book indexing. It includes:
- Indexing context (working with editors)
- Indexing processes (reading, highlighting, indexing, editing)
- Project planning
- Wording of entries, and creation of cross-references
- Headings, subheadings, locators
- Names of people, places, and organisations
- Alphabetical order, and other filing conventions
- Style of entries
- Editing and evaluating entries
- Indexing software – a brief introduction
The course is presented using lecture format, class discussions and exercises, and take-home exercises. Students receive a substantial workbook.
Experience of course
- Introductory book indexing, Celia Lindsay, ANZSI Newsletter, 2013, vol. 9, no. 7, pg. 11
Intermediate/Practical course (NSW)
In this practical course students index a short book (about 100 pages) for a month, with support from a mailing list, and with individual feedback along the way. The group then meets for a 3-hour face-to-face session to discuss issues that arose with indexing the book, and other practical indexing issues, and finishes with a social lunch.
Experience of course
- NSW Branch book indexing course, Lyn Lewis, ANZSI Newsletter, 2011, vol. 7, no. 6, pg. 5
Basic Book Indexing Part 1 & 2 (Vic)
Part 1: This one-day course covers the essentials of theory of indexing and the structure of the index so that participants understand what decisions are involved in compiling a book index. Some practical exercises are included.
Areas covered include:
- The indexer’s role in the publishing process
- Indexing software
- Selection of terms
- Headings and subheadings
- Cross references
- Alphabetical arrangement
- Style in indexes
- Editing the index
- Evaluating indexes
Part 2: This one-day course is a follow-on from the Basic Book Indexing Part 1 course where participants apply the theory skills they have learnt by indexing a small (approx. 50 pages) non-fiction work using one of the dedicated indexing software packages on the market. This course develops practical indexing skills.
Note on Parts 1 and 2: some courses combine elements from both courses together.
Experiences of courses
- My experience of Basic Book indexing, Mary Trabucco, ANZSI Newsletter, 2011, vol. 7, no. 7, pg. 5
- Queensland Branch News — impressions of an indexing course, Mo Dickson, ANZSI Newsletter, 2009, vol. 5, no. 5, pg. 7
Follow-up indexing workshop / Refresher indexing workshop (Vic)
A half-day follow-up indexing workshops / refresher indexing workshops for participants who have completed the Basic Book Indexing part II course in the past or an equivalent level of training, but feel they require some additional indexing training prior to branching out on their own.
Participants will be provided with a copy of a non-fiction book about 3-4 weeks prior to the course. Participants will be expected to have completed indexing this title and to bring along their completed index to the workshop where we will discuss how you indexed the work, approaches and assumptions you made, and any difficulties you encountered.
Other parts of the workshop will involve a question and answer session where any conceptual problems of indexing can be discussed and resolved. The final session of the workshop will look at setting up and running your indexing business, eg choosing a business name. getting an ABN and registering for GST, equipment needed to get started, income protection insurance, finding work, quoting, etc.
Experience of course
Victorian branch news — indexers in the making, Louise Molloy, ANZSI Newsletter, 2009, vol. 5, no. 5, pg. 7