Page Comparison

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08.4.1 Print Media

Journal Article

First reference:     John D. Author, “Title,” Journal volume/issue (year): page(s).

Bibliography:          Author, John D. “Title.” Journal volume/issue (year): page(s).

Note that, According to SBL convention, double quotation marks are used and the comma (or full stop) goes inside them. A closing question mark or exclamation mark replaces the full stop of a bibliography, but not the comma of a reference (see the second example). The issue number should only be included if the pagination starts afresh in each issue (compare the examples). The page numbers are preceded by a colon. In second and subsequent references, only the author’s surname, an abbreviated title, and the relevant page(s) need be supplied. In the bibliography, full stops follow author and title, and the journal title is fully written.

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Books and Edited Books

First reference:     Author(s)[or, Editor(s), ed(s).], Title, ed. editor, trans. translator, number of volumes vols., edition ed., series-title number (place: publisher, year), page(s).

Bibliography:          Author(s)[or, Editor(s), ed(s).]. Title. Edited by editor. Translated by translator. number of volumes vols. edition ed. series-title number. place: publisher, year.

The main change from the old SBL style is that ONLY the publication details (place: publisher, year) are included within parentheses in footnotes. When there are two or three authors or editors, list them all and separate the last two by “and”. When there are more than three, list just the first followed by “et al.” in the first reference, but list all of them in the bibliography. The page numbers (omitted in the bibliography) are preceded by a comma. In the bibliographic version, all elements before the place of publication are separated by full stops, and “edited by” and “translated by” are fully written.

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Article in an Edited Volume

First reference:         Author(s), “Title,” in Book Title, ed. editor(s), trans. translator, number of volumes vols., edition ed., series-title number (place: publisher, year), page(s).

Bibliography:              Author(s). “Title.” Pages page(s) in Book Title. Edited by editor(s). Translated by translator. number of volumes vols. edition ed. series-title number. place: publisher, year.

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Quoting already-quoted words (e.g. when the book you are reading mentions or quotes an ancient or foreign-language source). If possible, go back to the source and cite it for yourself! If the source is unavailable or unintelligible, do not include it in your bibliography, as you did not consult it. In footnotes, imitate the following examples:

^12. J. G. Eichhorn, Einleitung in das Alte Testament, 3rd edn (Leipzig: Weidmannischen Buchhandlung, 1803), 3:154, cited by Andrew G. Shead, A Mouth Full of Fire: The Word of God in the Words of Jeremiah, NSBT 29 (Leicester: IVP, 2012), 79.

^17. Hadad-yith‘i inscription (800 BC), translated by Sandra L. Richter, The Deuteronomistic History and the Name Theology, BZAW 318 (Berlin: de Gruyter, 2002), 203.

^27. Sefire Inscriptions, Stele I, Face B, trans. Joseph A. Fitzmeyer, in William W. Hallo and K. Lawson Younger, Jr., eds., The Context of Scripture (Leiden: Brill, 2003), 2:214.

Beyond this there remain complex examples for which, at an undergraduate level, consistency and common sense should be the guide rather than strict adherence to the letter of the law. If further help is necessary, refer to the SBL Handbook, 95–102, for examples of citations from conference papers, magazine articles, ANET, COS, the Loeb Classical Library, papyri, ostraca, ancient epistles and homilies, the Ante- and Post-Nicene Fathers, J.-P. Migne’s Patrologia Latina and Patrologia Graeca, and Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt. Before citing texts from the Judaean Desert, see the SBL Handbook, 176.

There is no need to list references to the Bible. Likewise, there is no need to list references to well-known documents from church history or antiquity. Like biblical references, these can be cited in parentheses within the main body of the text. For example:

(Josephus, Ant. 2.233–235)

(b. B. Bat. 12a)

(Calvin, Inst. III.ii.2)

(Barth, CD IV/1, 128)

When you come across other works which are referred to by similar such abbreviations (e.g. Luther’s works or the Mishnah), imitate the usage of your source in your own referencing. Note that when you cite the exact words of a translation of ancient or classic modern works, the translator should be acknowledged. In this case, the source should be included in the bibliography.

(Calvin, Inst. III.ii.2 [Battles])

(Josephus, Ant. 2.233–235 [Thackeray, LCL])

Josephus. Translated by H. St J. Thackeray et al. 10 vols. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1937.

08.4.2 Electronic Media

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If it is a rare book, provide the DOI/URL or the name of the database you accessed. Two bibliography entries may serve as examples:

Abbott, George. The Whole Booke of Iob Paraphrased, or, Made Easie for Any to Understand. London: Printed by Edward Griffin for Henry Overton, 1640. http://rarebooks.dts.edu/viewbook.aspx?bookid=1206.

Coverdale, Miles. Goostly Psalmes and Spirituall Songes Drawen out of the Holy Scripture, for the Comforte and Consolacyon of Soch as Loue to Reioyse in God and His Worde. London: Iohan Gough, 1535. Early English Books Online.

Online Database

When citing databases with formally published content, the author of the content or the owner of the site should be referenced, plus the title of the content, the name of the database, and a release or revision date. Two bibliography entries may serve as examples:

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Archival sources include correspondence, meeting minutes, unpublished papers or lectures, oral history recordings and photographs, which are held in an institutional collection. Include enough information so that another person can find the same document or collection. Use square brackets to indicate information not recorded on the document. Publications of limited circulation (e.g. newsletters) are cited in the same way as published periodicals. Digitised audio and video recordings may be cited in the same way online audiovisual material.

Letter from an archive

First reference:         Author, to recipient, date, repository, series no.

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Unpublished paper or lecture from an archive

First reference:         Author, title, date, collection, repository, series no.

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