FINDING LIST OF TOPICS 

 An Alphabetical Index 



It has become the habit of users of reference works to seek for information 

 only under the regular alphabetical arrangement of black-type headings. If a 

 word sought is not thus found, it is assumed that nowhere in the set of books is 

 there any important reference to it. This is usually a false conclusion, yet the 

 seeker after information is helpless; he does not know where in his books the facts 

 he needs may be hidden, and the publishers have adopted no method of enlighten- 

 ing him. 



It is neither desirable nor possible to give separate articles, under a black- 

 type heading, to thousands of minor topics. Many of them are purely dictionary 

 terms; others are not of sufficient importance to merit extended treatment. How- 

 ever, nearly all subjects of this nature are mentioned in connection with the 

 discussion of other topics, and an Index which will reveal their location will easily 

 double the value of any reference work. 



It is possible to carry such an Index, or Finding List, to an extreme where its 

 usefulness will rapidly decrease. A concordance, or list of all leading words used, 

 must be avoided; unless some bit of valuable information is given there is no 

 necessity for reference. 



The legitimate uses of a Finding List may be briefly illustrated. A person 

 may find in a paper or magazine something about the ricebird; he turns to his 

 encyclopedia and fails to find an article relating to it. The omission is entiivly 

 proper, for the name ricebird is locally employed; a thorough, carefully-made 

 Index will refer to the article BOBOLINK. Naturally the term light years will not 

 be the subject of a special article. Where, then, should the person turn who needs 

 quickly an explanation of it? The word pepper-grass may become of interest; the 

 properly-prepared Index identifies it at once. Instances of the usefulness of such 

 an Index might be multiplied endlessly. 



The following Finding List of The World Book has been prepared with the 

 purpose of bringing to usefulness many thousands of topics hidden away in the 

 text of other articles. No word has been included unless some fact of importance 

 is printed concerning it. To facilitate the locating of any word or phrase sought, 

 the letters a, b, c, d are employed immediately after page numbers to indicate the 

 first, second, third and fourth quarters of the page a and 6 the top and bottom 

 halves of the first column on the page, and c and d the top and bottom halves 

 of the second column. Thus, the person who sees in the Finding List Water- 

 bound macadam, 6029b, knows that that subject is described on the lower part of 

 the first column of the page named. 



We believe no simpler or more effective designation could have been adopted. 

 The usefulness of The World Book will be increased in the hands of any owner to 

 the extent that he makes demands upon the pages which follow. 



