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Index Samples

All book excerpts carry the original book Copyright - reprinted here with permission.

General Index Tips Page
Click on underlined text for more information.

There is no "silver bullet" for proper publication design or format and the Index element is no exception. Below are some examples of indexes in published books. Click here for a listing of free "personal use" indexes that may provide different formatting insights.

This example used a sans-serif font for easy readability, separated page numbers and first name entries by comma, and did a hanging indent for large last name entries. This cropped example is from My Branch of the Family, by Roy Denman:

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These next two examples are from the same book. The first is the original index - note the size of font that was used to save space. The second example is from information that was added later. Note the supplemental index also contains information about what the index deals with. Which would be easier to use? These next two examples are from The Batchelor Family..., by Lyle Keith Williams:

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More PDF Examples of full indexes:

• Surname bolded to allow the eye to see name breaks easily

• Surname ALL CAPS to allow the eye to see name breaks easily

• Given names grouped under surname with individual letter headers to match page header/font scheme

• Multiple columns using sub columns to organize page numbers (produced manually on typewriter)

• Index utilizing "" as shorthand (some entries in parenthesis) produced manually on typewriter

• Brides/females with dates

• Index with user notes

• Index indicating handwritten pages

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This area will be growing, so check back often. If you have a suggestion, let us know and we may just publish it here - crediting the source, of course!

All book excerpts carry the original book Copyright - reprinted here with permission.

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For more suggestions on this subject and more, order our book:
G550-$20.00 WRITING Family History Or Genealogy For Pleasure and Profit Complete Edition, by Gregath Company, Inc., *updated* 2015. ISBN: 978-0-944619-00-1, 8½x11", softbound book, 132 pages, suggestions & examples of all facets of your project for the typist and/or computer user. Note: All G prefix books 100 pages or more, this one included, that are SB can be special ordered in hard cover edition - contact for details. Also available on disk. | Click here for more information.

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Page Last Updated: January 09, 2019