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indexes: entry versus subentry

The indexer is constantly faced with the problem of whether to list references to a topic in a series of simple entries or as one main entry with a number of subentries. For example, references to the various types of statistical mean are scattered throughout a statistical work. They could be indexed in one large, complex entry:

  • Mean
    • arithmetic, 28
      • for grouped data, 29, 135
      • properties of, 29, 136–37
    • geometric, 31
      • for chained ratios, 32, 138
      • properties of, 31, 139–41
    • harmonic, 32, 142

Since the document is a specialized one, however, it makes more sense to create main entries for each type of mean, with a cross-reference (see INDEXES: CROSS-REFERENCES) from Mean, thereby obviating the need for sub-subentries and the repetition of page number references.

In general, avoid single subentries and sub-subentries. In the interest of conciseness, the complex entry

  • Spasticity
  • neonatal, inherited, 1046
  • periodic, inherited, 1046

can easily be reduced to

  • Spasticity, inherited neonatal and periodic, 1046