Tools of the Trade, pt.3: Encyclopedias
Tools of the Trade, pt.1 briefly discusses thesauruses, with a quick note on why they are useful to indexers, and gives a quick overview of the More Resources for Writers page. Tools of the Trade, pt.2 touches on the various kinds of dictionaries and their relevance to indexing.
And now to discuss another tool that is important to indexers…
Encyclopedias
An Encyclopedia is defined by Merriam-Webster as being “a work that contains information on all branches of knowledge or treats comprehensively a particular branch of knowledge usually in articles arranged alphabetically often by subject.”
General or subject-specific encyclopedias are common tools for indexers.
When indexing, encyclopedias offer in-depth information on specific topics; they provide critical background knowledge and research-based insights, and can be extremely helpful in providing details on a topic that the author assumes the audience knows. Since it is impossible for one indexer to know everything about every book project he or she undertakes, the information provided by an encyclopedia can be absolutely critical for those little details that make a big difference when indexing.
I occasionally use encyclopedias when working on book indexing projects but mostly I have turned to them when creating terms or verifying names of people or historic events in my database indexing work. In this regard, encyclopedias serve a similar function to that of specialized dictionaries.
A List of Some Encyclopedias
Brill has published a number of specialized encyclopedias (e.g. A Concise Encyclopedia of the United Nations) that are available through subscription. Contact your local library for details.
Britannica free access; a general encyclopedia.
Encyclopædia Iranica free access; “[…] dedicated to the study of Iranian civilization in the Middle East, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent.”
Encyclopedia.com free access; a general encyclopedia.
Oxford is another well-respected publisher, responsible for a number of quality reference works including encyclopedias (and dictionaries) on a range of subjects. — I have The Desk Encyclopedia of World History.
Find these encyclopedias (and others) at your local library. Contact your librarian, search WorldCat, or contact me for help with finding what you’re looking for.
