Cross-referencing conundrums in book indexing
Abstract
Most book indexes need some see also cross-references to direct the reader to relevant material elsewhere in the index as clearly as possible. But in large complex indexes this is not always straightforward. For example, how do you direct the reader to a subheading in another entry? Are ‘serial’ and ‘generalized’ cross-references ever justifiable? Should you ever make a see also cross-reference to an adjacent entry? Using examples mainly drawn from the author’s experience of indexing large and complex architectural and archaeological texts, this article discusses various options but concludes that in many situations there is no one perfect solution.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Publishing and Scholarly Communication
Lexicography and Language Studies
Digital Humanities and Scholarship
Publication details
- Journal / source
- The Indexer
- Publisher
- Liverpool University Press
- Volume
- 44
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 3–13
- Publication date
- 14 March 2026
- Language
- EN