What is the purpose of an index?

• A. Tells where to find the information
• B. States chapters and their page numbers
• C. Tells the definition of some of the words found in a text
• D. Divides text into sections and explains what the section will be about

Answer: (A)

The index is a navigation tool that helps you locate where information on specific topics appears in a text by listing topics with page numbers. In practice, it lets you find the exact pages to read about something you’re researching. It’s not meant to list chapters and starting pages (that’s a table of contents), nor to define words (that’s a glossary), and it doesn’t divide the text into sections with previews of each section (that’s headings or section introductions). For example, if you want information on climate change, you’d look it up in the index and go to the pages listed there to read about it.