Research Help

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. 

• Brief Introduction to Accordance Bible Software (PDF)
• New Testament Word Studies Using Accordance Mark 4.35-41 (PDF)
• Using Accordance for New Testament Exegesis: 2 Corinthians (PDF)
• Using Accordance for New Testament Exegesis: John (PDF)
• Using Accordance for Old Testament Exegesis: Exodus (PDF)

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 Handout (PDF)

Atla Scripture Search (MP4)

Three Methods to Search for Scripture Citations in Atla (MP4)

Other Atla Guides

• Introduction to Atla (PDF)
• Atla: Using (but not abusing) Your (Loyal, Royal) Subjects (PDF)
• Atla Scripture Search (it can save your life, or at least your exegesis grade) (PDF)
• Saving and citing in Atla (PDF)

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)

Blue Letter Bible: Old Testament Handout (PDF)

Blue Letter Bible Old Testament Overview (MP4)

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

• How to run a basic search
• How to find a book (in Credo Reference)

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

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

E-book Help Page

The library at Austin Seminary provides access to over 450,000 e-books to our researchers. This page on the library's website offers an 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 an overview of the process of finding, using, and downloading e-books from the library.

Quick guide to downloading and using EBSCO e-books (PDF)

Quick guide to downloading and using e-books on the EBSCO platform (the majority of our e-book collection).

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 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

Ministry Matters provides online access to essential Bible reference works such as The New Interpreter's Bible and The New Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, as well as the Bicentennial edition of Wesley's Works and resources for preaching and church ministry.

Ministry Matters Handout (PDF)

Ministry Matters Overview (MP4)

Books

• Library maps
• Understanding Wright Center locations and call numbers (PDF)
• How to find books in other libraries (PDF)
• Borrowing and renewing books

Sophi Search help page

A guide to all things SophiSearch including what it is, how to search it, and how to access what you find.

ophiSearch 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.

Finding Journal Articles

Provides guidance on deciphering journal article citations and using this information to track down the full text of an article.

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)

STEP Bible: Old Testament Overview (MP4)

Thesaurus linguae Graecae: a digital library of Greek literature

PDF Guides

1. Register and create a TLG account
2. Canon Search
   • Canon Tags and Work Classifications (short)
   • Canon Tags (from B&S Canon) (long)
3. Browse
   • Browse One Text
   • Parallel Browsing
4. Text Search
   • Simple Search
   • Proximity Search
5. Lexica
6. Intertextual Phrase Matching (N-Grams)
7. Statistics
8. Vocabulary Tools
9. Saved Searches

Video Tutorials

A series of short video tutorials are available here, to help you explore the new online TLG.