How it works

Structure and formatting

To get the best use out of any software it is important to understand the concepts by which it operates. The using electronic resources section of this tutorial described how to use databases such as the IBSS. You can think of bibliographic software as a tool that will allow you to create your own database of references.

Terminology

You will find that different software will refer to the parts of a database (or even a database itself) in different ways. For the purpose of this section:

  • database will refer to each collection of references that you hold together
  • record will stand for each individual reference
  • and field will describe each element of of your reference (see below)

Records and fields

Like all databases, yours will be made up of records. Each record will contain all the information that you have collected for one reference. This information will be arranged as a series of fields. A field might be any of the following:

  • An author's name
  • The title of a book or article
  • The date of publication

and so on.

For example, the following reference has 6 fields:

Blomberg, Craig L. and Jennifer Foutz Markley. A Handbook of New Testament Exegesis. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2010. 

                 Author 1:     Blomberg, Craig L.   
  Author 2:   Markley, Jennifer Foutz
  Title: Rhodesia:    A Handbook of New Testament Exegesis
  Place of publication:   Grand Rapids, Mich.
  Publisher:    Baker Academic
  Date of publication:    2010

While commercial software is available to aid this process, it is usually rather expensive. However, Steffen Jenkins, UST's Greek & OT lecturer, has kindly and freely released his SBLHS Apparatus Builder application, which relieves a great deal of the labour in formatting footnotes and bibliographies in conformity to the SBLHS. You may wish to make use of this resource.

 

The latest version of the software, together with instructions for installing it, can be found via:

Cite SBLHS — towards more fruitful essay writing

 Steffen would welcome feedback from users, so that the application can be improved in its accuracy and usefulness.

 When you have downloaded and installed the software, make sure that you read the opening screen and the help files. A little time spent doing so will pay significant dividends.

If you are thinking about buying the software yourself remember that you can usually find a free trial version of the software online, and if you are a student registered at a university you will very likely be entitled to a significant discount (as much as 75% off the commercial price). The 'further information' page of this section provides locations for trial downloads, and software sellers.