Indexing Society of Canada

ASI Webinar: An Introduction to Abstracting

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A Way to Enhance Your Indexing with Lisa Ryan

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Abstracting is an indexing specialty that adds value to a document by providing a summary and bibliographic detail of the work. Abstracts are formal summaries, giving a brief objective summary of the essential content of a book, article, speech, report, dissertation, or other work. Abstracts are important tools for information users, assisting readers in deciding whether or not to read the full text. Since abstracts contain complete bibliographic citations, they are useful when writing up research. Knowing how to write abstracts can enhance your indexing.

In this webinar, you will:

  • discover what abstracting is
  • review the skills needed to compose abstracts
  • understand how to add bibliographic detail
  • learn how to write abstracts
  • explore abstracting opportunities

Lisa Ryan, founder and developer of Stellar Searches LLC, has 24 years of searching, writing, indexing, and abstracting experience beginning as a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill’s Master of Science program from the School of Information and Library Science and continuing with employment at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Library in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. She also worked at the Center for Transportation and the Environment at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, and the National Association of Home Builders and U.S. Department of Transportation, both in Washington, D.C. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts in English and from Emerson College with a Master of Arts in Writing and Publishing.

If you are a member of ISC/SCI, you can receive the member discount using the coupon code on the Member Benefits page.

Get more information at https://www.asindexing.org/webinars/abstracting-ryan/

Society News

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For your information, Tere Mullin, co-president since March, has had to step down from the position. We are grateful for her hard work and wish her the best as she continues her indexing career. Make sure to thank Tere as you see her in the regional and national meetings.

Jolanta Komornicka has agreed to stand as co-president. She, along with the rest of the executive committee, will stand for election at the next AGM in 2023.

Jolanta has previous academic experience in history, particularly medieval European history. She holds a PhD and has both taught and published at the university level for several years. Jolanta studied indexing at Toronto Metropolitan University (previously Ryerson).

Previous to accepting this position as co-president, Jolanta was co-regional
representative for the Central (Ontario) region.

Conference 2023: See also Newfoundland. Come share with us!

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Call for Proposals

The Conference Committee invites your proposals for ISC/SCI Conference 2023.
Proposals are being accepted until October 3, 2022.

The committee is seeking proposals in the following areas:
▪ aspects of running an indexing business (social media for marketing, profitability, project scheduling, websites, etc.)
▪ technology related to indexing such as devices or equipment, non-indexing software, or apps
▪ improving/assessing index quality or usability from broad topics such as improving your speed to niche topics on specific languages, communities, or subjects
▪ non-back-of-book indexing such as taxonomy, controlled vocabularies, thesaurus development
▪ any niche or specialty topics you feel passionate about

This is an in-person conference taking place in St. John’s in early June. Attendance is expected unless conference plans need to be changed closer to the date. Sessions will be 50 minutes in total (35–40 minutes for presentation followed by a 10–15 minute question-and-answer session).

Application form and more information can be found here.

Why hire an indexer?

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Who hires indexers?

You will benefit from the services of an indexer if you are

  • an author of a nonfiction book
  • a publisher of nonfiction books
  • the editor of a journal or series
  • a government department with long and complex reports
  • an organization with multiple digital files
  • a service that maintains a database
  • someone with a multiple-page website
  • someone with any other source of information that needs to be findable

What will an indexer bring to my project?

Indexers are trained to write a comprehensive and useful index that will help your readers find information on significant topics. Indexers bring to the job

  • Experience – An indexer has analytical skills, knows the conventions, and knows how to apply them.
  • Readers’ point of view – An indexer has the users’ needs in mind and knows how to think from many angles.
  • Fresh eyes – An indexer comes to the text without preconceptions, reading it as it was written, not as it was imagined by its creator. The indexer is often the last reader before the text is published or goes live and sometimes finds missed errors. An indexer will report those errors to you so that you can feel confident about going to press.
  • Community – The indexers whom you find here have access to resources and colleagues. Not many people in Canada (or the world) have indexing skills, which is why we have a national organization with connections to international organizations.

How do I find an indexer?

Our registry of indexers provides background, specialties, and locations of indexers across the country. Indexers who are not able to take on your project will often suggest names of other indexers whom they recommend. Ask and we will help you find an indexer for your project.

How do I work with an indexer?

Working with an indexer may be the easiest part of writing your book. This free e-book gives you the process step by step.

How much will it cost?

Due to the range of complexity of the material, there are no hard and fast answers. Most indexers can give you an estimate if you tell them about the size and audience of your project, send them your manuscript, or send some sample chapters.

In Canada, editors, project managers and publishers seem very willing to share information about costs of indexes. Consider contacting colleagues and ask what they paid for similar projects.

In 2021, ISC/SCI’s survey committee conducted a rates survey. Access the report for authors and publishers here.

If you would like to learn more about costs of indexes, here is an article about the indexers consider use to price their projects.

2022 Tamarack Award: Lisa Fedorak

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The Indexing Society of Canada / Société canadienne d’indexation (ISC/SCI) is pleased to announce the 2022 recipient of the Tamarack Award. Lisa Fedorak (Vancouver) is being recognized for her contribution and commitment to the society.

Lisa was chosen for her warmth, her diligence, and her independent spirit. Lisa’s colleagues had the following to say about her:

I wanted Lisa to be given the Tamarack Award to acknowledge her courage and stamina. Through Lisa’s initiative and her untiring efforts, we are on a path to becoming better at our business.

Lisa is highly conscientious and has donated an enormous amount of energy to the ISC/SCI. Lisa is a team player who is always doing what she can to make things better for others.

[Lisa] is someone in the world you’re so grateful to have crossed paths with, and I appreciate her gifts of compassion, human values, and warmth.

Co-Presidents Alexandra Peace and Tere Mullin said: “We are thrilled to present this award to Lisa, and we are honoured to have her as a member of our society. Thank you, Lisa, for all you have given to the society and its membership.”

The Tamarack Award was instituted to recognize members who go “above and beyond the call of duty” in their volunteer work for the Society. Past recipients can be found on the website here: https://staging.indexers.ca/isc-awards/