Academic writers frequently need to cite articles in various types of serial publications: journals organized by volume, each of which contains multiple issues that are paginated consecutively (see SBLHS 6.3.1–2); magazines that are arranged by volume and issue but not consecutively paginated across issues (see 6.3.9 and here); journals organized by issue only or by … Continue reading Journals Identified by Issue Number
Author: SBLPress
Modern Author Names
Ideally, the names of modern authors would be listed in bibliographic references in the same form as they appear in their published works (CMS 14.73). However, not all authors spell their names consistently in published works, due to changes in authorial preference, editorial oversight, changes made to the legal name, or variations in publisher preferences. … Continue reading Modern Author Names
Formatting Headings and Subheadings
Authors often use headings and subheadings to structure their argument. When used effectively, these signals can help guide readers through a long argument. SBLHS 2.1.3.1 provides basic guidelines for formatting headings and subheadings (see also CMS 1.55–1.57). This post will expand those guidelines and provide examples. 1. Hierarchy Since the ultimate goal of headings and … Continue reading Formatting Headings and Subheadings
Citing Journals and Magazines: Issue Numbers
A previous post described the style that one should use to distinguish between series (roman font) and journals (italics). Another post detailed how one should format page references for chapters and journal articles in footnotes. A related question that we frequently receive is whether one should include issue numbers when citing a journal or magazine … Continue reading Citing Journals and Magazines: Issue Numbers
Usage of the Word Only
Although the SBLHS blog does not often venture into issues of English composition per se, correct word usage and clear sentence construction are both key components of good style and thus worthy of occasional comment. In that spirit, this modest post highlights the improper and proper placement of the word only. Consider, for example, the … Continue reading Usage of the Word Only
Citing Smyth’s Greek Grammar
Herbert Weir Smyth’s Greek Grammar has been a standard tool for students and scholars of Greek for over a hundred years. Focusing on Attic Greek, but giving examples from a wide range of ancient Greek literature, this single-volume reference grammar covers all aspects of the language, from the fundamental elements of the alphabet and accents … Continue reading Citing Smyth’s Greek Grammar
Philo of Alexandria
Philo of Alexandria (a.k.a. Philo Judaeus, ca. 15 BCE–50 CE) was a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher. His extensive corpus is an important source of early Jewish biblical interpretations. SBLHS §8.3.6 includes guidelines for citing the works of Philo. This post updates those guidelines. 1. Name Scholars frequently refer to this writer simply as “Philo.” In most … Continue reading Philo of Alexandria
Titles in Non-Latin Alphabets
SBLHS 2 §6.1.3.9 provides guidelines on how to format bibliographic entries for modern works that have titles in non-Latin alphabets (e.g., Modern Hebrew, Greek, and Cyrillic). As noted there, the titles of such works should ordinarily be given in translation only, with the original language indicated in parenthesis. The handbook does not, however, specify where … Continue reading Titles in Non-Latin Alphabets
Josephus
Josephus (ca. 37–ca. 100 CE) was an early Jewish historian whose works provide a glimpse into Jewish history as it was understood in the first century CE. SBLHS 2 §8.3.7 includes guidelines for citing the works of Josephus. This post updates those guidelines and provides additional resources. 1. Abbreviations SBLHS 2 §8.3.7 provides two sets … Continue reading Josephus
Citing Page Numbers for Chapters and Articles
We are frequently asked how to format page references for chapters and articles in footnotes. If you are citing the entire chapter or article, the answer is easy enough: include the entire page range. For example: Bart Geurts, “Presupposition and Givenness,” in The Oxford Handbook of Pragmatics, ed. Yan Huang (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017), 180–98. … Continue reading Citing Page Numbers for Chapters and Articles
SBL Handbook of Style 