Part 1. Indexing Whatchamacallits and Thingamajigs
How to Word Vague, Implied, and Elusive References
with Joan Shapiro
In this session Joan will discuss indexing textual discussions that are in some way incomplete. How do you handle references to concepts that aren’t explicitly stated? What do you index for titles of works or events that aren’t spelled out? What if a book title is discussed but its author isn’t mentioned; do you include the author’s name? We will talk about what to put in the index when important information literally cannot be found in the text.
In this webinar, you will:
- Discover how to handle references to concepts that are not explicitly stated
- Know how to index titles of works that aren’t spelled out
- Determine what to put into the index when important information doesn’t appear in the text
Join us for the first of this three-part webinar series and discover how professional indexers create entries when important information literally cannot be found in the text.
Joan Shapiro, Shapiro Indexing Services, has been writing indexes for trade publishers and scholarly presses for more than 25 years. Book topics cover biographies, historical nonfiction, business, communication, marketing, self-help, social sciences, and more. She holds a BS in Mass Communication from Boston University and an MLS from Southern Connecticut State University. Prior to indexing she worked for ten years in corporate communications, producing videos for a telecommunications research company. She served as a board member for ASI and as a former president of the New England ASI chapter.
This webinar was presented on March 4, 2026.
Part 2. Beginnings and Endings
How to Make the Most of Introductions and Conclusions
with Gina Guilinger
Gina Guilinger explores the often-overlooked power of introductions and conclusions, sharing practical strategies for using these sections to strengthen and clarify the overall index.
In this webinar, you will:
- Understand the role and purpose of the introduction and conclusion
- Hear best practices for indexing these sections of the book
- See and discuss examples of how to make the most of the introduction and conclusion and what should or should not be indexed
Join us for the second of this three-part webinar series and learn to harness the power of introductions and conclusions.
Gina Guilinger is the owner of Weight of the Word Indexing Service and has been indexing since 2011, specializing in back-of-the-book and database indexing. She has a BA in Law, Societies & Justice from the University of Washington and completed her indexing training through the UC Berkeley indexing course. Her indexing interests and specialties include religion, culinary arts, earth sciences, social sciences, and criminology. Gina is a member and Past President of the American Society for Indexing.
This webinar was presented on March 11, 2026.
Part 3. Beyond the Book: Managing Supplemental Materials
with Devon Thomas
You’ve worked your way through the main text, but what about all that other stuff? Appendices, glossaries, exercises, review questions, etc, are common, but advice and practice varies on indexing them. This presentation will explore the conundrums of dealing with ancillary materials, including:
In this webinar, you will:
- Understand different types of supplemental material
- Consider audience, space, and usability when indexing ancillary materials
- Know the common rules and when to break them
Join us for the third session of this three-part webinar series and explore how to deal with ancillary materials.
Devon Thomas has been indexing since 2006. She is a past-president of ASI, a recipient of the Hines Award, and an instructor for the Berkeley course. She lives in Chelsea MI and indexes in a wide range of subjects, including history, literary criticism and other humanities. She also enjoys indexing cookbooks, gardening and art books.
This webinar was presented on March 18, 2026.
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