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REL 294: Paul and Early Christianity: Finding Resources

Professor: Efrain Agosto
Spring 2023

Using Subject Headings

Subject Headings are terms that are most commonly used to describe the topic that a resource covers. Unlike keywords, which are user generated, subject headings are created and maintained by an authoritative institution. Since Williams Libraries, and most academic libraries, organizes our resources using the Library of Congress Classification, we also utilize Library of Congress Subject Headings to provide access to our collections by subject. Subject headings are arranged systematically, and can be useful tools to help browse the collection by topic. Subject headings for each resource are located in the "Details" section of the catalog record, under "Subjects."

 A screenshot of the Details section of a record in the library catalog with the subjects section in a green box

Below are examples of Subject Headings that may be used as starting points for your research projects. Clicking on a subject below will take you to a list of resources that cover the listed subject.

Subject Heading Examples

Bible New Testament -- Criticism, interpretation, etc >               Ethics in the Bible >

Equality -- Religious aspects -- Christianity >                             Bible Epistles of Paul -- Criticism, interpretation, etc >

Racism -- Religious aspects -- Christianity >                             Globalization -- Religious aspects -- Christianity >                                                          

Bible -- Criticism, Textual >                                                         Bible as literature >                                                                     

Exegesis and Biblical criticism >                                                 Identification (Religion) -- Biblical teaching >                          

 

Or try combining subjects like Church history -- Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600 AND Paul, the Apostle, Saint

 

FINDING SPECIFIC BOOKS IN THE BIBLE USING SUBJECT HEADINGS

Using subject headings makes is quite easy to look up specific versions of and books within the Bible, as they all use the same format: 

Bible. [Name of book/version]

For example:

Bible. New Testament > 

Bible. Galatians -- Commentaries > 

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