Indexes | Lifeway eBook Development Style Guide

Indexes in EPUBs must follow a prescribed pattern using a set of index types.

Each index in the work should be nested in an index type section within its own backmatter document.

<body epub:type="backmatter">
  <section epub:type="index">
    <h1>Author Index</h1>
    <!-- … -->
  </section>
</body>

<!-- Separate XHTML document -->
<body epub:type="backmatter">
  <section epub:type="index">
    <h1>Subject Index</h1>
    <!-- … -->
  </section>
</body>

We have developed a workflow that makes achieving the markup outlined below much easier. See Indexes under Development Process for more information.

Index Groups

An index that has groupings of some kind (usually alphabetical) should be tagged accordingly. If there are no discernible groupings, the entire index should be wrapped in an index-group section.

<section epub:type="index">
  <h1>Index</h1>
  <section epub:type="index-group">
    <h2>A</h2><!-- Group headings are not necessary if not found in the work itself. -->
    <!-- list of index terms -->
  </section>
</section>

Index Terms

Index terms are tagged as <span> with epub:type="index-term" and nested in an unordered list (<ul>), using an <li> tag.

<ul>
  <li id="(unique id)">
    <span epub:type="index-term">Aaron</span>,
    <!-- … -->
  </li>
  <!-- <li id=""> and <span epub:type="index-term"> for each term -->
</ul>

Page Numbers

Lists of page numbers associated with index terms must be tagged with <a> and nested in a <span> with epub:type="index-locator-list".

<span epub:type="index-term">Aaron</span>,
<span epub:type="index-locator-list">
  <a href="ShortName02_chapter01.xhtml#page10">10</a>,
  <a href="ShortName02_chapter08.xhtml#page142">142</a>,
  <a href="ShortName02_chapter11.xhtml#page195">195</a>,
  <!-- etc. -->
</span>

Cross References

Each cross-referenced term is tagged with <a>, with attributes epub:type="index-term" and href="#xyz", where “xyz” is the id given to the other term. The parent tag depends on whether the term is preferred or related.

<!-- Preferred references -->
<li>
  <span epub:type="index-term">Antioch of Pisidia</span>.
  <span epub:type="index-xref-preferred">
    <span class="italic">See</span> <a epub:type="index-term" href="#(unique id)">Pisidian Antioch</a>.
  </span>
</li>

<!-- Related references -->
<li id="(unique id)">
  <span epub:type="index-term">Cephas</span>,
  <span epub:type="index-locator-list">
    <a href="WWShortName02_chapter70.xhtml#page1321">1321-22</a>.
  </span>
  <span epub:type="index-xref-related">
    <span class="italic">See also</span> <a epub:type="index-term" href="#(unique id)">Simon Peter</a>.
  </span>
</li>

Preferred (See)

Typically identified with “See,” preferred cross references are usually listed in place of a page number list. In EPUB indexes, they are tagged with a <span> with epub:type="index-xref-preferred".

Typically identified with “See also,” related cross references usually appear along with a list of page numbers. Similar to preferred cross references, they are tagged with a <span> with epub:type="index-xref-related".

Sub-listed Index Terms

Sub-listed terms should be listed in another <ul> nested in the main term’s <li>.

<li id="(unique id)">
  <span epub:type="index-term">ark (of the covenant)</span>,
  <span epub:type="index-locator-list">
    <a href="ShortName02_chapter01.xhtml#page5">5</a>,
    <!-- etc. -->
  </span>
  <ul>
    <li>
      <span epub:type="index-term">in battle</span>,
      <span epub:type="index-locator-list">
        <a href="ShortName02_chapter08.xhtml#page144">144</a>,
        <a href="ShortName02_chapter13.xhtml#page221">221</a>;
      </span>
    </li>
    <!-- etc. -->
  </ul>
</li>

Putting It All Together

Follow the link to see the full snippet: Index.