When starting any library research, it is important to consider two key questions:
1. What type(s) of information do you need?
Do you need books, commentaries, journal articles, etc.? Are there certain types of information sources you are not allowed to use, such as Wikipedia, blogs, websites? Are there other restrictions that impact what information you use, such as publication date, peer-review requirements, etc.?
2. Where do you find that information?
Think about the format of the information, as well as the academic discipline in which you are researching, and select the appropriate search tool. For example, if you need commentaries, start with the library's online catalog. If you need articles from theological journals, start with a religion database, such as Atla Religion.
Also be sure to give careful attention to your assignment instructions and instructor announcements.
This research guide is organized to help you find materials by their format and includes a final section to assist you in properly citing them. You will find these sections below:
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament by Subject-specific dictionaries and encyclopedias are a great way to become familiar with terms and concepts. Many times, they can also lead to additional sources. Below are a few titles that may be helpful.
Since these titles are only available in print at this time, you would need to submit a request through Interlibary Loan to have the appropriate sections scanned and sent to you via e-mail. Please note: be sure to allow enough time to have the request processed. It can take up to several days to receive scanned documents.
Dictionary of Paul and His Letters by To locate books and e-books on Romans, including commentaries, click on "Books" under "Finding Resources" on the library webpage. Then click on the boxes next to "Print" and "Audiobook." The box next to "E-book" should be the only one checked.
To obtain the most relevant results, use the authoritative subject headings for your topic(s). While searching "Romans Commentaries" will produce results, isolating the authoritative heading, Bible. Romans--Commentaries, will ensure you retrieve the most relevant titles. By clicking the linked subject in the book record, you receive similar titles. Think of the subject link like a "Get More Like This" feature.
This principle applies to any topic. Sometimes the authoritative heading is the same or very similar to your topic, but sometimes it can be very different.
As you look through the results, be on the lookout for noted scholars in the field and reputable academic publishers (B&H Academic, Eerdmans, Baker, IVP, Zondervan, etc.).
The New American Commentary - Romans by 
Paul's Letter to the Romans by The premier database for locating religious and theological journal article content is Atla Religion Database with AtlaSerials Plus. This database has a unique Scripture index that allows you to quickly locate relevant articles on a biblical text down to the verse. It is found in the dark blue ribbon across the top of the database, as indicated by the arrow below.
This search can then be combined with other search terms to narrow the results. For example, after finding all articles on Romans, you can add "Justification" as another search term.
You can limit even further using the limiters to the side, circled below. Two limiters to consider include:
1. Publication Date. Use the slider, or type in dates.
2. Scholarly (Peer Review) Journals. Check the box.
Beware of limiting too much. The more limits you add, the fewer results you will have.
You can link to the sample search pictured below by clicking here.
Always cite your sources, whether you summarize, paraphrase or directly quote from them. Plagiarism is a serious academic offense with serious consequences. Use the links below for help in creating correct citations in Turabian format.
Many online resources, including Atla Religion, have citation generators. However, these are machine-generated citations and must be verified for accuracy against the style manual.
