A textbook for a course in either an academic or a professional education program for librarians. Reviews the principles, practice, consistency, and quality of indexing; the types and functions of abstracts; natural language in informating retrieval; and the future of indexing and abstracting services. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Based on new research and years of practical experience, this guide presents the basic knowledge necessary to become a professional indexer. Synthesizing the thinking and experience of indexers and abstractors over the years, the book introduces readers to such fundamentals as the nature of information, the organization of information, vocabulary control, types of indexes and abstracts, evaluation of indexing, and the use of computers. A new chapter on indexing and the Internet has been added, as has a chapter that lists Web resources for indexers and abstractors. The work concludes with a discussion of the education, training, and job opportunities of the profession, as well as a look to the future. With its simple but thorough approach, this book provides readers with a broad overview of the professions, processes, and art of indexing and abstracting.