User`s guide

Publishing on Kindle: Guidelines for Publishers
Testing Kindle Dictionaries 7.6
7.6.1 Format Testing
Amazon recommends verifying that the converted dictionary is properly formatted to provide a good
visual experience for the user. Check the formatting of the definitions by paging through the dictionary
and reading several definitions. (The format of the dictionary may be checked using Kindle Previewer or
any Kindle device; however, lookup testing requires the use of an e Ink device.)
• Check words for unsupported characters, broken or joined words, proper display of accented
characters, symbols, pronunciation guide, etc.
• Check that there are no typos.
• Check that links (if present) are working correctly. (Links will be disabled in the in-book
lookup window, but links should function inside the dictionary itself.)
• If any images are used, check that these images are clear and readable.
• Check that the font color and typeface are not forced.
7.6.2 Lookup Testing
Amazon recommends verifying that definitions return correctly when the dictionary is used to look up
words in other books. This component of testing can be done only with e Ink devices (not including
Previewer), because only e Ink devices allow the user to set the default dictionary for lookup.
• Sideload the dictionary onto the e Ink device. To do this, connect the Kindle to your computer
with a USB-to-mini-USB cord. Your computer should detect the device. In the window that
pops up, you should see a folder called Documents. Put the dictionary file into this folder, and
then eject your Kindle from the computer.
• Set the test dictionary as the default dictionary for lookup:
o Kindle Paperwhite: Go to Home > Menu > Settings > Device Options > Language
and Dictionaries > Dictionaries > [Source Language]
• Look up a variety of words to see what definition is returned. Open a title other than the
dictionary, select a word, and note the definition returned in the lookup window. If lookup fails
entirely, check for errors in the HTML tagging.
Suggestions of words to look up include:
o Conjugations of regular and irregular verbs.
 Example: walk, walks, walked, walking; go, goes, went, gone, going.
o Nouns, adjectives, adverbs and their conjugations/declensions.
 Example: desk, desks; wolf, wolves; hot, hotter, hottest.
o Grammatical and punctuation conventions commonly used in the language.
 Example: contractions, elisions, verbs with clitic pronouns.
• Check the index view of the dictionary. To do this, open the dictionary and start typing a word
in the Search box. An alphabetized list of headwords should appear and should update
dynamically based on which letters are typed. Selecting a headword from the index list
should redirect the user to the dictionary entry for that headword.
Kindle Publishing Guidelines Amazon.com 62