The index found in a book is a list of the topics, names and places mentioned in it, together with the page numbers where they can be found. The index is usually found at the back of a book. Only those words that have relevance to the book's main themes are chosen for the index. An index is a critical, yet often undervalued, piece of many nonfiction books, especially information-dense books like reference books, self-help and advice books, textbooks, and cookbooks. A good index will ultimately make your book more useful, easier to navigate, and will ensure that your readers refer back to your book time and time again. Recipe for an index Review the paginated page proof. Read the first chapter and skim the remainder of the book. Prepare the file in which you will put the entries. Begin by reviewing the first chapter. Locate "idea segments" — collections For each idea segment, create an entry with a name that