Resources – Dictionary of Indexing Terms

This is a list of resources focusing on indexing terminology, including the dictionary development itself, and the way to index in the languages covered in the dictionary.

Development of the Dictionary project

Burek, JoAnne and Fassbender, Jochen (2022). “Dictionary of basic indexing terminology”, presentation at Continental Connections: international indexing conference, Berlin, 17–18 October.

Fassbender, Jochen (2023). “Dictionary of Indexing Terminology: A Multilingual Resource”, Key Words 31(1), 13–15.

Foreign languages in general

Dubnick, Randa (2024). “Indexing in Foreign Languages, Foreign Languages in Indexing”. Key Words 32(4), 12-13.

Terry, Noalani (2024). “How I Became Involved in Indexing Foreign-language Materials: A Memoir”. Key Words 32(4), 19-20.

Chinese

Lam Lai Heung (2025). “Chinese language indexing: the whys and hows” (中文索引: 剖析與解讀 [traditional script] / 中文索引: 剖析与解读 [simplified script]), The Indexer 43(3), 217–47.
https://doi.org/10.3828/index.2025.25

Czech

Komornicka, Jolanta N. (2024). “Dictionary of basic indexing terminology: Polish and Czech” (“Słownik podstawowej terminologii indeksacyjnej: polski i czeski” / “Slovník základní terminologie indexování: polský a český”), The Indexer 42(4), 419–25.
https://doi.org/10.3828/index.2024.26

Dutch

Bosschieter, Pierke (2006). “Back-of-the-book indexing in the Netherlands today”, The Indexer 25(2), 86–8.
https://doi.org/10.3828/indexer.2006.23

English

Chicago Manual of Style (2024), 18th ed. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Chapter 15: “Indexes”, pp. 953–1005.
https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/book/ed18/part3/ch15/toc.html

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) (1996). ISO 999: Information and documentation – Guidelines for the content, organization and presentation of indexes. Geneva: ISO.

National Information Standards Organization (NISO) (2021). NISO Z39.4-2021: Criteria for indexes. Baltimore, MD: NISO.
https://groups.niso.org/higherlogic/ws/public/download/25816/ANSI_NISO_Z39.94-2021_Criteria_for_Indexes.pdf

Wellisch, Hans H. (1995). Indexing from A to Z, 2nd ed. New York/Dublin: H. W. Wilson.

Wellisch, Hans H. (2000). Glossary of Terminology in Abstracting, Classification, Indexing, and Thesaurus Construction, 2nd ed. Medford, NJ: Information Today.

French

Maniez, Jacques and Maniez, Dominique (2009). Concevoir l’index d’un livre: histoire, actualité, perspectives. Paris: ADBS éditions.

Organisation internationale de normalisation (ISO) (1996). ISO 999: Information et documentation – Principes directeurs pour l’élaboration, la structure et la présentation des index. Geneva: ISO.

Perret, Arthur (2025). “Indexation”. Includes an interactive glossary.
https://www.arthurperret.fr/cours/indexation.html
https://www.arthurperret.fr/glossaire-indexation.html

Trahan, François (2011). “French-language indexing: resources, rules and guidelines”, The Indexer 29(4), 146–150.
https://doi.org/10.3828/indexer.2011.41

German

Bain, Paula Clarke (2023). “Translating Index, a history of the: a comparison of its English, German and Italian indexes”, The Indexer 41(3), 269–83.
https://doi.org/10.3828/index.2023.33

Deutsches Institut für Normung (1988). DIN 31630: Registererstellung: Begriffe, formale Gestaltung von gedruckten Registern. Teil 1. Berlin: Beuth.

Duncan, Dennis (2022). Index, eine Geschichte des – Vom Suchen und Finden, translated by Ursel Schäfer. Munich: Antje Kunstmann.

Book review by Pierke Bosschieter and Sam Arnet, The Indexer 41(3), 331–41.
https://doi.org/10.3828/index.2023.40

Fassbender, Jochen (2006). “German indexing: some observations on typographical practice”, The Indexer 25(2), 79–82.
https://doi.org/10.3828/indexer.2006.21

Fassbender, Jochen (2023). Chapter B 7: “Register/Indexe”, in Rainer Kuhlen et al. (eds.), Grundlagen der Informationswissenschaft, 7th ed., Berlin/Boston: de Gruyter, pp. 219–32.
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110769043-019

Fassbender, Jochen (2024). “How to Index in German”. Key Words 32(4), 14–17.

Fugmann, Robert (2006). Das Buchregister: Methodische Grundlagen und praktische Anwendungen. Frankfurt/Main: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Informationswissenschaft und Informationspraxis e.V. (Reihe Informationswissenschaft der DGI, Bd. 10).

Kunze, Horst (1992). Über das Registermachen. 4th ed. Munich: Saur.

Italian

Bain, Paula Clarke (2023), “Translating Index, a history of the: a comparison of its English, German and Italian indexes”, The Indexer 41(3), 269–83.
https://doi.org/10.3828/index.2023.33

Duncan, Dennis (2022). Indice, Storia dell’, translated by Chiara Baffa. Turin: UTET.

Japanese

Committee on Standards for Information of Science and Technology (科学技術振興機構) (1992). SIST 13-1992: Indexing and Indexes (SIST 13-1992索引作成). Tokyo: Japan Information Science and Technology Agency.
https://warp.ndl.go.jp/20220119/20220113214538/http://jipsti.jst.go.jp/sist/pdf/SIST13.pdf

Duncan, Dennis (デニス・ダンカン) (2023). Index, a history of the (索引　～の歴史 / Sakuin ~ no rekishi), translated by Onogi Akie (小野木明恵). Tokyo: Kobunsha.

Fassbender, Jochen (ヨッヘン・ファスベンダー) (2024). “Dictionary of basic indexing terminology: Japanese” (索引作成基本用語辞典：日本語 / Sakuin sakusei kihon yōgo jiten: nihongo). The Indexer 42(3), 247–55.
https://doi.org/10.3828/index.2024.11

Fujita Setsuko (藤田節子) (2019). How to create a book index (本の索引の作り方 / Hon no sakuin no tsukurikata). Tokyo: Chijin Shokan.

Fujita Setsuko (藤田節子) (2025). “Book indexing in Japan: an overview and a review of the Japanese translation of the index of Dennis Duncan’s Index, a history of the”. The Indexer 43(1), 15–48.
https://doi.org/10.3828/index.2025.4

Polish

Portuguese

Duncan, Dennis (2024). Índice, uma história do, translated by Flávia Costa Neves Machado. São Paulo: Editora Fósforo.

Book review by Susie Marques-Jones, The Indexer 42(4), 461–6.
https://doi.org/10.3828/index.2024.32

Instituto Português da Qualidade (IPQ) (1989) NP 3715: Documentação: Método para análise de documentos, determinação do seu conteúdo e selecção de termos de indexação.

Spanish

Asociación Española de Normalización (UNE) (2014). UNE-ISO 999: Información y documentación. Directrices sobre el contenido, la organización y presentación de índices.

Cronshaw, Francine (2008). “From A to Zeta: a brief guide to Spanish-language entries”, Key Words 16(2), 52–5.

Fassbender, Jochen (2021). “The Manual de estilo Chicago-Deusto and indexing techniques in Spanish language indexes”, The Indexer 39(4), 353–68.
https://doi.org/10.3828/indexer.2021.37

Gil-Leiva, Isidoro (2008). Manual de indización: Teoría y práctica. Gijón: Trea.

Perlman, Janet (2006) “Spanish-language materials: a new string to my bow”, The Indexer 25(2), 92–3.
https://doi.org/10.3828/indexer.2006.25

Torres Ripa, Javier (ed.) (2013). Manual de estilo Chicago-Deusto. Bilbao: Universidad de Deusto. Capítulo 16: “Índices”, pp. 771–822.

Welsh

Marques-Jones, Susie (2024). “Dictionary of basic indexing terminology: Welsh” (“Geiriadur terminoleg mynegeio sylfaenol: Cymraeg”), The Indexer 42(3), 257–67.
https://doi.org/10.3828/index.2024.12