Research Help

Ask (for help) and Ye Shall Receive

Contact us any time at library@austinseminary.edu with any questions.
For help with off-campus access to library resources, see Off-campus Access to Library Resources
Find guidance all things Citations (including the Chicago Manual of Style) here.
For additional help with writing for Seminary classes, see Theological Writing Resources

Guides on Using Specific Research Tools

Accordance Bible Software

Accordance Bible software (available on select computers on campus) draws together a panoply of texts and sophisticated tools necessary for in-depth study of Biblical texts, both original language texts and translations, in a clean, intuitive interface.

Accordance Bible Software Overview and Guide (Southern Methodist University)
Accordance Basics for Exegesis (MP4) (Southern Methodist University)
New Testament Word Studies Using Accordance Mark 4.35-41 (PDF)
Using Accordance for the Exegesis Portion of the PCUSA Ordination Exam (PDF)

Atla Religion Database

Atla Religion Database with AtlaSerials PLUS

The Atla Religion Database is the premier resource for journal articles, book reviews, and collections of essays in all fields of religion with the largest collection of full text religion and theology journals. This database is produced by Atla, a membership association of collectors and connectors in religion and theology.

Atla Overview Handout (PDF)

Atla Overview (MP4)

Atla Scripture Search (MP4)

Offers a step-by-step guide to Atla’s Scripture Search function, which finds scholarly journal articles and essays on a given Bible passage.

Other Atla Guides

Blue Letter Bible

Blue Letter Bible (BLB), created and maintained by a non-profit ministry grounded in conservative, historical Christian faith, provides a free online Bible study tool that includes a robust search interface integrated with several older, public domain dictionaries, lexicons and encyclopedias.

Blue Letter Bible: New Testament Handout (PDF)

Blue Letter Bible: New Testament Overview (MP4)

Credo Reference

Credo Reference Online

Credo Reference provides access to several good academic reference works in a single search interface and is thus an excellent place to begin one’s research.

Credo Reference Handout (PDF)

Credo Reference Overview (MP4)

Other Credo Reference Guides

E-books

E-book Help Page

The library at Austin Seminary provides access to over 315,000 e-books to our researchers. This page on the library's website offers and overview of the process of finding, using, and downloading e-books from the library.

E-books Handout: Regarding E-books (PDF)

Discusses some of the features (and challenges) of e-books and offers and overview of the process of finding, using, and downloading e-books from the library.

E-books Overview (MP4)

Discusses some of the features (and challenges) of e-books and offers and overview of the process of finding, using, and downloading e-books from the library.

Other Guides on Using E-books

Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception

Encyclopedia of the Bible and its Reception Online

A comprehensive reference work on the Bible, its development, and its reception by Jewish, Christian, and other faith communities and in societies and cultures, including depictions of and allusions to the Bible in literature and media.

Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception Online Handout (PDF)

Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception Online Overview (MP4)

Lumina NET Bible

Lumina NET Bible Study Suite

Lumina, produced by the Biblical Studies Foundation, is an online study program that includes the NET Bible and its thousands of notes, along with the ESV, HCSB, KJV, ISV, Message, and NASB. It also provides the NET Greek NT (based on Westcott and Hort) with parsing information, word definitions drawn from Thayer's lexicon, and a word search function based on Strong's numbers.

Lumina NET Bible Study Suite: New Testament - Handout (PDF)

Lumina NET Bible Study Suite: New Testament - Overview (MP4)

Ministry Matters

Oxford Biblical Studies Online

Print Sources

SophiSearch

SophiSearch Handout (PDF)

Introduces SophiSearch, the library’s main search interface for finding books, journal articles, e-books and other sources for learning in seminary.

Introduction to SopiSearch (MP4)

Introduces SophiSearch, the library’s main search interface for finding books, journal articles, e-books and other sources for learning in seminary.

Sophi Search help page

STEP Bible

STEP Bible is a free, online Bible study tool created and maintained by Tyndale House, Cambridge with “features to help people study the Bible text, from reading and comparing different versions of the Bible to grappling with original language words.”

STEP Bible: New Testament Handout (PDF)

STEP Bible: New Testament Overview (MP4)

STEP Bible: Old Testament Handout (PDF)

Research Overview

Research 101 (PDF)
The Research Quest: Thesis (PDF) (or PowerPoint)
The Elephant in the (Reference) Room (PDF)
The Elephant in the (Reference) Room (MP4)

Provides a brief introduction to the library’s role in theological research, and why Wikipedia and Google alone will not suffice.

Videos from Credo Reference (off campus access requires login)

Sources

Sources: Types - Handout with Transcript (PDF)

Provides a brief introduction to the types of sources students will encounter and use in seminary: primary, secondary, and tertiary.

Sources: Types - Overview (MP4)

Provides a brief introduction to the types of sources students will encounter and use in seminary: primary, secondary, and tertiary.

Sources: Formats -Handout with Transcript (PDF)

Provides a brief introduction to some of the formats of sources students will encounter and use in seminary: monographs, articles, essays, commentaries, book reviews, etc.

Sources: Formats - Overview (MP4)

Provides a brief introduction to some of the formats of sources students will encounter and use in seminary: monographs, articles, essays, commentaries, book reviews, etc.

Other Guides on Sources

Videos from Credo Reference (off campus access requires login)

Other Helpful Guides

Helpful handouts

Class Session Handouts and Recordings

Library Orientation

Handouts

Presentations

The Elephant in the (Reference) Room (PDF)
The Elephant in the (Reference) Room (MP4)

Provides a brief introduction to the library’s role in theological research, and why Wikipedia and Google alone will not suffice.

Library Website Tour (PDF)
Library Website Tour (MP4)

Offers a guided tour of the library’s website, highlighting parts of the website that can save students’ time.

Seminary Sojourn - Handout with Transcript (PDF)
Seminary Sojourn (MP4)

Provides a brief overview of some of the challenges students will face in seminary and how the library can ameliorate them.

Provides a brief introduction to the types of sources students will encounter and use in seminary: primary, secondary, and tertiary.

Provides a brief introduction to some of the formats of sources students will encounter and use in seminary: monographs, articles, essays, commentaries, book reviews, etc.

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In This Section

Research Help

Ask (for help) and Ye Shall Receive

Guides on Using Specific Research Tools

Accordance Bible Software

Atla Religion Database

Blue Letter Bible

Credo Reference

E-books

Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception

Lumina NET Bible

Ministry Matters

Oxford Biblical Studies Online

Print Sources

Books

SophiSearch

STEP Bible

Guides on the Research Process

Research Overview

Sources

Other Helpful Guides

Helpful handouts

Class Session Handouts and Recordings

Library Orientation

Exegesis Resources for those taking the PCUSA Ordination Exam

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