This index covers the Initial Reports of Volumes 174AX and 174AX Supplement of the Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program. The Initial Reports Volume 174AX, which was published in 1998, contains the Bass River site chapter. The 174AX Supplement volume, which was published in 2003, contains the Leg 174AX Leg Summary and the Ancora, Bethany Beach, and Ocean View site chapters. The Ancora site chapter was published on the Web in 1999, the Ocean View site chapter was published on the Web in 2001, and the Bethany Beach site chapter and 174AX Leg Summary chapter were published on the Web in 2003. Since publication of the Leg 174AXS Supplement volume, additional site chapters have been published on the Web (these chapters appear only on the Web): Fort Mott site (2004), Millville site (2005), Sea Girt site (2006), and Cape May Zoo site (2007). References to page numbers in the 174AX Bass River site are preceded by "A" followed by a colon (A:) and to those in the 174AX Supplement by "A Suppl." followed by the chapter with a colon [A Suppl. (summary):] or (A Suppl. 1:).
The index was prepared by Earth Systems, under subcontract to the Ocean Drilling Program. The index contains two hierarchies of entries: (1) a main entry, defined as a keyword or concept followed by a reference to the page on which that word or concept appears, and (2) a subentry, defined as an elaboration on the main entry followed by a page reference.
The index covers volume text, figures, and tables but not core-description forms ("barrel sheets"), core photographs, smear slide data, or thin section descriptions. Also excluded from the index are bibliographic references, names of individuals, and routine front matter.
The Subject Index follows a standard format. Geographical, geologic, and other terms are referenced only if they are subjects of discussion. A site chapter in the Initial Reports is considered the principal reference for that site and is indicated on the first line of the site's listing in the index. Such a reference to the Ancora Site, for example, is given as "Ancora Site, A Suppl. 1:1–65."
The Taxonomic Index is an index relating to significant findings and/or substantive discussions, not of species names per se. This index covers three varieties of information: (1) individual genera and species that have been erected or emended formally, (2) biostratigraphic zones, and (3) fossils depicted in illustrations. A taxonomic entry consisting of both genus and species is listed alphabetically by genus and also by species. Biostratigraphic zones are listed alphabetically by genus; zones with letter prefixes are listed under "zones."