Foreword (1965 Edition) The Research Information Center and Advisory Service on Information Processing3 (RICASIP), which is jointly supported by the National Science Foundation and the National Bureau of Standards, is engaged in a continuing program to collect information and main- tain current awareness about research and development activities in the field of information processing and retrieval. An important responsibility of RICASIP is the preparation of state-of-the-art reviews on topics of current interest in various areas of this broad field. This report is one of a series intended as contributions toward improved interchange of information among those engaged in research and development in this field. The report considers new uses of machines and automatic data processing procedures for the compila- tion and generation of indexes to the scientific and technical literature. A.V. Astin, Director iii Foreword (1970 Edition) Widespread interest in the use of computers in automatic indexing created a demand for this publication that led to a recent exhaustion of all stock. While updating and revision would have been desirable, other demands have prescribed reissuance with additional mate- rial added as appendices. These are a paper updating the field through September 1966 (Appendix B), and bibliographic citations, pertinent to the subjects in the original text, through August 1969 (Appendix C). Lewis M. Branscomb Director Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 65-600z3