Don't forget that the ASI Annual Meetings always include workshops, and ASI Chapters have regular meetings that often include workshops or presentations, providing you with yet another opportunity for professional development. 

ASI Training Course in Indexing—The ASI Training Course in Indexing is now available. ASI's first distance-learning course, available on interactive CD-ROM, allows comprehensive learning and practice with the touch of a button. Beginning indexers, people experiencing career changes, information workers, editors, and writers will benefit from this course.

The course, adapted under license from the British Society of Indexers' prestigious and well-established distance-learning course, offers

• self-paced learning through three separate units
• comprehensive coverage of all aspects of indexing and related activities
• descriptions from experienced indexers on how they work
• practical self-assessment exercises to prepare you for real-world indexing projects
• interactive exercises to test your understanding of what you have studied
• content based on International Standard (ISO 999) guidelines and Chicago Manual of Style recommendations

Each unit takes approximately 40–50 hours of study and practice. On completion of each unit, students may choose to be examined. To qualify for the Certificate of Completion in Indexing Training from ASI, candidates must

• successfully meet the requirements of the examinations
• complete all three units and their associated examinations within a three-year period

We are now accepting online registrations for this course.

For more information, please refer to the overview and FAQs found on this site.

Book Indexing Postal Tutorials (BIPT) is a correspondence course originating in Scotland. It consists of five tutorials, involving the compilation of indexes to short texts, chosen to represent most of the problems an indexer is likely to meet. 

Contact:
Ann Hall
The Lodge, Sidmount Avenue
Moffat, Scotland DG10 9BS
Phone: 011-44-01683-220440

The Graduate School, USDA self study course is one of the leading sources of training on indexing in the US. The courses were developed and are taught by professional indexers, and allow students to progress at their own speed, working at home. 

Contact:
Graduate School, USDA
Phone: (303) 236-8500 
Fax: (303 236-8525 
Email: selfpaced@grad.usda.gov
Web: http://www.grad.usda.gov

Middlesex Community College (in Bedford, Mass.) offers its Indexing Books and Websites Certificate Course over the Web at least three times a year. Taught by Seth Maislin, the course structure is designed to resemble an actual classroom. Weekly lectures are posted on Mondays, along with exercises and homework assignments. Students log in to read the lectures and participate in active discussion boards at any time; no part of the course is synchronous (in real time). All students work independently, but class discussions -- and the instructor's daily involvement as an instructor -- lend the online course its energy. Students need a minimum of 10 hours weekly to participate, and all students are expected to log in and participate at least twice every week. The final project requires students to index a book of the their choice.

Contact:
More information about the course is available at http://www.middlesex.mass.edu/CareerTraining/WritingIndexesforBooksandWebsites.htm.

Minneapolis Community and Technical College (Minneapolis, MN) offers INFS 2210, Introduction to Indexing and Abstracting, each Spring semester (Jan–May). This 3-credit course is part of MCTC's Library Information Technology program, but students may take the course as non-degree seeking students. The course covers indexing and abstracting of traditional print resources as well as digital and web-based material.

Contact:
Virginia Heinrich
Phone: (612) 659-6296
Email: virginia.heinrich@minneapolis.edu
Web: http://www.minneapolis.edu/academics/coursedescriptions.cfm?subj_id=90

Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science (Boston) is offering a series of noncredit online workshops in its Continuing Education program.

Contact:
Kris Liberman, Program Manager
Simmons College
Graduate School of Library and Information Science
The Office of Continuing Education
300 The Fenway
Boston, MA 02115-5898

Tel: (617) 521-2803
Fax: (617) 521-3192
Email: gslisce@simmons.edu
Web: http://www.simmons.edu/gslis/continuinged/workshops/online.shtml#index

Society for Technical Communication publishes a book called In-House Training in Technical Communication, designed to help bridge the gap between practicing communication and teaching it. Chapters include articles on adult learning theory, course design and delivery, distance training, and sample courses. This book is available at a discount to STC members. 

Contact:
Merrick Bechini (703) 522-4114, ext. 202 or e-mail merrick@stc-va.org. 

University of California Berkeley—Indexing: Theory and Application (distance learning course) is now open for student enrollment. The course is designed for those interested in becoming freelance indexers for publishers, business corporations, and technical companies, as well as for non-fiction and technical writers who want to index their own work. This online course conveys three college credit hours. There are no prerequisites, but students should have strong language, reading, computer, and internet skills.

Contact:
For course details and enrollment information, visit: http://unex.berkeley.edu/cat/course394.html

University of Washington (Seattle, WA), offers two indexing-related classes: "Indexing and Abstracting" (LIS 536) and "Construction of Index Languages" (LIS 537) through its Graduate School of Library Science (Ischool). Instructors are ISchool faculty.

The University of Washington has also offered TC N100 (taught by Kari Kells, a professional indexer) in the past through its Department of Technical Communication (UW Extension). Because of low enrollment, this class hasn't been offered since 2000. If you're interested in taking a technical indexing class, please contact UWTC and let them know that you'd like them to bring back TC N100.

Contact:
Phone: (206) 543-1794 (ISchool)
Web: http://www.ischool.washington.edu (ISchool)
Web: http://www.uwtc.washington.edu (UWTC)

Courses in Graduate Schools of Information and Library Science: Many programs in which students work towards their Master's Degrees in Information Science and/or Library Science offer classes in indexing. Other relevant classes in cataloging, classification, and information retrieval may also be of interest to indexers. 

Allegro Technical Indexing provides hands-on, practical training for how to index technical documents. Two formats are offered: a telephone/internet course for individuals or a two-day onsite workshop for groups.

Participants learn how to:

• write effective index entries
• evaluate and edit an index
• embed index markers in Adobe FrameMaker or Microsoft Word documents

Working with indexes in both paper and electronic formats, participants learn basic indexing principles and practical tips.

Contact:
Fred Brown
Allegro Technical Indexing
Tel: (613) 728-9373
E-mail: fred.brown@allegrotechindexing.com
Web: http://www.allegrotechindexing.com/training.htm

Bright Path Solutions offers a workshop in Applied Indexing taught by Dick Evans. This one-day course is designed for writers and engineers who need to create or edit indexes but lack formal training in indexing concepts and practices. The workshop is a combination of lecture and exercises.

Contact:
Bright Path Solutions
P.O. Box 14265
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
Tel: (919) 547-0129
Fax: (919) 558-2183
E-mail: Training@TravelThePath.com
Web: http://www.TravelThePath.com

Editorial Experts, Inc. (EEI) Offers an Introduction to Indexing workshop. For more information... 

Contact:
Editorial Experts, Inc. (EEI) 
66 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 200 
Alexandria, VA 22314 
Tel: (703) 683-0683 
Fax: (703) 683-4915 
Web: http://www.eeicommunications.com/training/class/indexing.html

Focus Information Services offers private and custom workshops on indexing and index evaluation for print and hypertext media, as well as materials relating to information architecture, search keywording and optimization, and taxonomy. Other services are also available. For more information...

Contact:
Web: http://taxonomist.tripod.com

Hedden Information Management offers Web-based training in indexing of web sites and intranets to both experienced and inexperienced indexers.

• Web Site Indexing for Freelance Indexers (5 lessons)
• HTML for Indexers (3 lessons)
• Indexing Techniques for Web Sites and Intranets (4 lessons)

Contact:
Heather Hedden
Hedden Information Management
Tel: (978) 371-0822
E-mail: heather@hedden.net
Web: http://www.hedden-information.com/workshops.htm

nSight, Inc. offers a comprehensive curriculum of interactive training workshops for communications professionals. Courses include

Indexing Technical Documentation – Key Wording

A hands-on workshop covering writing and reviewing indexes for technical documentation.

• Enhance your documentation by understanding the value of indexing
• Study the nuts and bolts of page numbers, labeling, sorting, subentries, and cross references
• Explore how the Web affects indexes and the indexing process
• Develop skills needed to edit indexes, including those written by others
• Review existing indexes for quality and guidelines for improvement
• Become a better writer with an understanding of structure, content relationships, and usability

Taught by Seth Maislin.

Contact:
nSight, Inc.
1 Van de Graff Drive, Suite 202
Burlington, MA 01803
Tel: 781-273-6300 (voice)
781-273-6301 (fax)
Email: training@nSightWorks.com
Web: http://www.nSightWorks.com

Susan Holbert, Indexing Services offers a 3-cassette video of an actual day-long workshop.

Learn

• how to index—all you need to know to get started.
• how to find clients and negotiate fees—a great motivator.

Receive

• an easy-to-use 30-page reference booklet.
• sample résumés and networking information.
• unlimited free telephone support!

For more info

• call toll-free to discuss whether indexing would be a good choice for you.
• take an informative quiz, "Is Indexing For You?" at our Web site.

Contact:
Susan Holbert, Indexing Services
24 Harris Street
Waltham, MA 02452
Tel. (toll-free): (877) 408-7299
E-mail: susan.h@rcn.com
Web: http://www.abbington.com/holbert

Susan Holbert, Indexing Services also offers a 2-day technical indexing workshop called How to Index User Manuals and Online Help. This workshop is geared toward technical writers who want to improve their indexing skills and practicing indexers who want to index for hi-tech companies. To attend a public seminar or schedule an in-house workshop:

Contact:
Susan Holbert, Indexing Services 
24 Harris Street 
Waltham, MA 02452 
Tel. (toll-free): (877) 408-7299 
E-mail: susan.h@rcn.com
Web: http://www.abbington.com/holbert

Index West (Olympia, WA), the freelance indexing business of Kari Kells, offers classes in the Olympia–Seattle area, as well as self-paced individual tutorials. 

Lathrop Media Services offers a two-day "Indexing Skills Workshop for Technical Communicators" course to corporate clients throughout the U.S. and Canada. 

For an updated schedule, contact:
Lori Lathrop 
Lathrop Media Services 
7308-C East Independence Blvd., #316 
Charlotte, NC 28227 
Tel (toll-free): (888) 345-INDX 
E-mail: LoriLathrop@compuserve.com
Web: http://www.indexingskills.com/wkshp.html

The National Federation of Abstracting and Information Services (NFAIS) offers occasional seminars. For more information... 

Contact:
National Federation of Abstracting and Information Services (NFAIS) 
1518 Walnut Street 
Suite 307 
Philadelphia PA 19102-3403 
Tel: (215) 893-1561 
Fax: (215) 893-1564 
E-mail: trip10@aol.com

Sherry L. Smith Indexing Services (Bend and Eugene, OR) offers indexing classes and workshops, as well as self-paced individual tutorials. In the classes, you will learn about the basics of back-of-the-book indexing with an emphasis on text analysis. The workshops are designed for advanced and intermediate indexers who want to improve their skills and learn from other indexers. The one-to-one tutorials are designed for the person who wants to learn about back-of-the-book indexing and prefers individual instruction. 

The Society for Technical Communication (STC) occasionally sponsors two-day workshops, "Indexing Skills for Technical Communicators." This workshop gives writers and indexers basic training needed to develop user-oriented, quality indexes: analytical skills, attention to detail, familiarity with standards and guidelines. These follow a step-by-step approach with hands-on activities. 

Contact:
STC Office 
901 N. Stuart St., Suite 904 
Arlington, VA 22203-1854 
Tel: (703) 522-4114 
Fax: (703) 522-2075 

St. John’s University, New York City offers Professional Development Seminars taught by Dr. Bella Hass Weinberg, Professor, Division of Library and Information Science.

Handouts, audiotapes, and videotapes are available for "Indexing Books and Reference Works: A Structural Approach," taught by Dr. Weinberg in 2001. Similar materials are available for a seminar entitled "Thesaurus Design for Semantic Information Management," presented in 2002. The prices are: handouts, $15; audiotapes, $45; and videotapes, $75. These prices include postage for U.S. shipments; foreign postage is additional. Any combination of materials may be ordered. Prepayment is required, with a check made payable to St. John's University and mailed to: Division of Library and Information Science, St. John's University, 8000 Utopia Parkway, Queens NY 11439.

A seminar on Thesaurus Design was presented for the Special Libraries Association in 2003. Packets of handouts are available from St. John's University for $15. The same seminar was presented at the national conference of the American Society of Indexers in 2004. Packets of handouts, which have an updated bibliography but fewer illustrations than the 2002 and 2003 editions, are available from St. John's University for $10.

To provide information or make a suggestion, send email to webmaster@asindexing.org
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