Documentary method
How IndexPresse analyzes and indexes the French press
IndexPresse turns press articles into structured, sourced, and retrievable documentary records. Discover the principles behind selection, description, indexing, and quality control.
Press indexing means processing articles individually so they remain identifiable, understandable, and retrievable over time. This method is central to all three IndexPresse databases.
Defining a source scope
The work begins with a clearly identified corpus of journals, magazines, and professional publications. Documentary relevance, subject specialization, and continuity of coverage guide the scope.
Browse a selection of indexed sources
Selecting relevant articles
Indexing is not the automatic transcription of every page. Documentalists identify articles that provide usable information and connect them to their original publication and issue.
Describing and summarizing each article
Each record brings together the information needed to identify a document: title, publication, date, authors, and bibliographic references. A summary helps users assess the article quickly without losing its editorial context.
Adding documentary access points
Indexing connects an article to subjects, people, organizations, companies, industries, or places. Depending on the database, controlled vocabularies such as RAMEAU may be used to reduce ambiguity and connect different wordings.
Controlling quality and provenance
Structured fields, summaries, and subjects are checked for consistency. The record preserves the editorial origin of the information so users can identify the source, date, and publication context. Digital tools may assist certain steps under the responsibility of the IndexPresse documentary process.
Indexing based on the RAMEAU vocabulary
Indexing is based on the 2017 RAMEAU indexing guidelines. It already incorporates the developments introduced by the RAMEAU reform implemented in Noemi, the BnF’s new cataloging tool. Our aim is therefore to provide continuously updated indexing that can keep pace with new documentary practices and developments in library catalogs.
Data designed for research
Records support searches by subject, publication, date, author, company, or industry. Depending on rights and the database, they may lead to full text and integrate with documentary portals or catalogs.
- IndexPresse Business : industry monitoring and professional press.
- Generalis : research across French general-interest press.
- References : records for library catalogs.
Frequently asked questions
How does press indexing differ from a table of contents?
A table of contents reproduces the structure of an issue. Press indexing analyzes articles individually and adds documentary access points such as subjects, authors, companies, industries, and summaries.
Does every record provide access to the full text?
No. A record identifies an article and makes it retrievable. Full-text access then depends on negotiated rights, the database being used, and the institution’s subscriptions.