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Web Indexing SIG, a Special Interest Group of the American Society for Indexing

Web Indexing Awards

To encourage high quality web site indexes and to promote the web indexing work of professional indexers, the Web Indexing Special Interest Group of the American Society for Indexing awards a deserving indexer the annual Web Indexing SIG Award for excellence in web site indexing. The award is announced at the Honors & Awards session of the American Society for Indexing Annual conference each spring. You do not have to attend the conference to win.

Award Criteria & 2010 Entry Information

Eligibility Requirements

  • The index should be a browsable hyperlinked A to Z index, i.e., similar to a back of the book index.
  • Created by humans, either an individual or a team.
  • Publicly accessible on the Web at the time of submission, but could have been created at any time in the past.
  • There is no minimum size requirement. However, a web site index that is too small cannot adequately demonstrate its quality. A larger web site index is likely to be more highly rated than a small one all other factors being equal.
  • Entries are open to members of the Web Indexing SIG and its partner organization, the Information Architecture Institute (IAI). Members of other indexing societies are eligible to enter by joining the Web Indexing SIG (ASI, ISC, SI, ANZSI, DNI, NIN, ASAIB, and China Society of Indexers).
  • Up to two web site indexes per indexer is allowed.

Entries to the 2010 awards are now being accepted. The deadline for submissions is Friday 23 April 2010.

Evaluation Criteria for the Award

The selection criteria for the Web Indexing SIG Award is based on the SIG's best practices for Web site indexes including the following criteria:

  • Usability/ease of use in navigating within the index and finding information
  • Sufficient coverage of web site content, i.e. indexing depth and completeness
  • Wording of entries and subentries
  • Correct use of cross-references
  • Sufficient and appropriate use of double posting
  • No broken or incorrect links
  • Special features used, e.g., the use of a special method to indicate a page that is particularly important
  • Attractive design

Submission Guidelines

  • Please submit completed form information via email to the Web Indexing SIG Manager at webindexing@asindexing.org.
  • Submissions are free for Web Indexing SIG members and members of the Information Architecture Institute (IAI).
  • Members of ASI and affiliated indexing societies who are not yet Web Indexing SIG members should pay US$5.00, which also includes one year's membership of the SIG. Please see New Member Registration for payment options.

All submitters to the Award will be acknowledged.

Prize

The winning indexer receives US$75 and a certificate from the ASI Web Indexing Special Interest Group.

Judging of the Award

The Web Indexing SIG Manager submits the entries anonymously to the judges. Entries are judged by three judges who are experts in web indexing, using the criteria listed above.

The judges of the 2010 Award are:

Heather Hedden
Heather is an instructor and presenter on web site indexing, providing conference presentations and online workshops through Simmons College and her own business, Hedden Information Management. She is the author of the book Indexing Specialties: Web Sites and is a past manager of the Web Indexing SIG.

James A. Lamb
James A. Lamb has a degree in Computer Science and Mathematics from London University, worked for over 20 years as a senior IT technician and team leader and became full-time professional indexer in 2004. He is author of the book Website Indexes, Database Developer and Administrator for the Web Indexing SIG, and Internet Director and website indexer for the (UK) Society of Indexers.

TBC
The third judge is to be confirmed.

No web site indexed by the judges or the Web Indexing SIG Manager (as the Award Coordinator) will be eligible for entry.

Submission Form

Site index URL:
Site Home Page URL:
Name of the site:
Purpose/audience of the web site:
Indexer’s name:
Indexer’s email address:
Indexer’s mailing address:
Indexer’s indexing society affiliation or Information Architecture Institute membership (Please note that all entrants must be a member of an indexing society or the IAI):
Indexing software used (optional):

Please submit the completed information via email to the Web Indexing SIG Manager: webindexing@asindexing.org
The deadline for submissions is Friday 23 April 2010.

 

Award Winners

2009: Mary Russell, Australia, Index to the Australian and New Zealand Society of Indexers (ANZSI) web site: Further Information and Comments.

2008: Rebecca Linford, Index to the English Department at the University of Dundee, Scotland (1st place); Michael Unwalla, Index to TechScribe (2nd place): Further Information and Comments.

Australian and New Zealand Society of Indexers Web Indexing Award

The Australian Society of Indexers (AusSI), later the Australian and New Zealand Society of Indexers (ANZSI), was the first society to award a web indexing prize or award to the best web site index submitted. In 2006 ANZSI decided not to continue with the ANZSI Web Indexing Award as a standalone item.

ANZSI Web Indexing Award past recipients