Exegetical Layout
Can someone point me in the direction of a good layout for doing exegetical work?
Pastor, Mt. Leonard Baptist Church, SBC
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I'm sure some people will answer you here on this thread, but in the meantime while you're waiting, here's a wiki page with links to several past forum threads where people posted recommended layouts. You might find some good suggestions in those.
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Thank you for the info. I'm going to look at it all this coming week.
Pastor, Mt. Leonard Baptist Church, SBC
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Hi Jonathan,
I generally like my layouts as follows: 3 columns with the guides and tools on the left; biblical texts center and resources on the right.
My exegetical layout consists of:
left side: A Custom Exegetical Guide, Information Window, Search
Center Top: English RI
Center Bottom: Greek Text, Lexham Discourse GNT, Opentext visual, English compare text, Greek compare text.
Right side: Lexicons for Greek, LXX and Hebrew
My layout will automatically switch to Hebrew or LXX exegesis by using the Series function in my library, so I have lexicons on the right for all three studies. These are really just place holders so the resources I open will open in that pane. Screenshots below.
For instruction on creating a custom exegetical guide review this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy9taS_QdRI
The collections that I find helpful in addition Grammars that I added to my custom guide are Grammar and Language Commentaries and Exegetical and Hermeneutical resources. You can either develop your own collections or find them here: https://faithlife.com
Type collections in the search box, select a group, join it and then click on documents. Post back if you need more help.
I keep my notes outside Logos, but you could easily add a note file to the layout. Hope this gives you some ideas. You can add technical commentaries to the custom guide if you wish, but I like to refer to them after my initial work.
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Reading Free Book => https://www.logos.com/zondervan-free-book-2015 provided reminder about reverse interlinear deceptiveness. Personally like visual filter highlighting of Greek morphological and Louw-Nida tagging in English, Greek, and Spanish resources so am Thankful for reverse interlinear tagging. Wiki has => https://wiki.logos.com/Extended_Tips_for_Highlighting_and_Visual_Filters#Examples_of_visual_filters
Exegetical layout variation is placing English and Greek so each has their own context while out of easy peripheral vision reach:
Sympathetic highlighting shows corresponding lemma in other resources: e.g selecting σπουδὴν in NA27 w/ Apparatus highlights effort in Lexham English Bible. In Top middle, can have NA27 w/Apparatus so can consider textual variants, which is linked to other resources for scrolling.
An option in Bottom Middle is commentaries. Thankful can rearrange as desired.
For Text Comparison, can use a collection:
Keep Smiling [:)]
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John's answers are always educational and practical. He could easily get a 'night job' as a Logos trainer and make the big bucks (like Graham). And KSFJ is the expert on automated resource highlighting.
Since many will pass through here for possible value, I would add some additional thoughts:
- The layout really reflects your familiarity with the resources. If you have your favorite authors, and a preferred workflow, then your base layout should reflect that. Then you 'add' resources day-to-day to concentrate on a specific area, type of theology, etc. I think that's the way George works. That's also the way I work.
- Layouts can take advantage of some of the peculiarities of Logos:
> If you use the right-click menu a lot (as I do), by keeping a tool panel open in your layout, Logos will add the next one in the next tab. So for example, I keep a search panel open for my day-to-day searches. But when I use a right-click search, Logos puts it right next to my other searches. Very handy also for word studies, etc. I always know where Logos will put things. No surprises.
> The layout approach from Logos4 onwards, allows you to drag panel 'borders' up/down and right/left, 'smashing up' whatever is in the way. This comes in handy, by keeping a vertical series of lexicon panels by language ... in my case, hebrew, greek, aramaic/syriac/arabic and english/coptic. Whenever I'm working the OT, I simply grab the border of the hebrew group down all the way (which quishes up all the other lexicon panels automatically). Later when in the greek I simply move the border up, squishing up the hebrew. Very efficient. And I order lexicons in a language by the period it addresses, left to right.
> A lot of people worry about large layouts. But keep in mind, the pressure on the CPU is for what you're looking at (visually available). So linking 10 lexicons together is not significant if only 1 is visible. I keep almost 120 resources open on 4 windows with little impact on my CPU (a 2011 lenovo). The key is to watch what is visibly linked ... resources, guides, highlighting tools, etc. for maintaining a snappy workspace. And why so many open? Because I'm a visual person ... I want to know where every books is, while I'm working ... just like on a desktop.
> John notes the importance of how you structure your library. But I'll add the principle, always prioritize the most specific resources ahead of the most general, within a language. Logos looks downward through your priorities until it gets a 'hit'. So for lexicons, and depending on your interests, the most unsual lexicon goes first in priority, while analytical lexicons go last. Thus, even with an untagged resource, you can right-click a work and get an answer.
> And take advantage of Logos' unusual ability to customize your library, the reason being that you can operate with a 'thin' layout and then quickly get extra books from your library (I keep the library open always in the first window). Tags allow quickly grouping in the library (collections demand filtering). Sorts can easily be changed by re-titling your resources (I've re-titled most of my reference books). That way, even with a basic layout, you can quickly find what you're needing. And short titles improve the read-ability of your tabs in your layout.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
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John Fidel,
When you say you keep notes outside of Logos, I assume you mean on something like Word or Pages?
Also, would you mind sharing how you sort your custom exegetical guide?
Thanks!
Pastor, Mt. Leonard Baptist Church, SBC
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And, if you don't mind, what rule do you use for sorting your exegetical works into a collection for your guide? I haven't been very successful and learning the whole rules thing yet..
Pastor, Mt. Leonard Baptist Church, SBC
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Jonathan,
My notes are in Word. Logos notes and highlighting are good features, just not how I choose to track my thoughts.
I actually have my entire library tagged and then just use the tags to build collections. It was a one time, time consuming task, but now easily maintained. Sorry can't just provide you a formula, but they are readily available.
Have you clicked on the link for faith life I provided and looked at the collections that are already available? Attached is a pdf that explains in more detail with images and links. It also explains the custom guides I have set up. I know it requires some time, but it is worth it.
If that does not answer your questions, post back.
Denise, thanks for your comments and additions as they are very helpful.
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This looks great! I am going to look over this tonight and sometime this week work on it. Thanks. If I have any questions, I'll let you know
Pastor, Mt. Leonard Baptist Church, SBC
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I'm having a blast with this. I might forget to go to bed....
Pastor, Mt. Leonard Baptist Church, SBC
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Jonathan Bradley said:
I'm having a blast with this. I might forget to go to bed....
Better watch out. There is a support group for Logos addicts if you find you need it. Actually, I might be wrong about that -- it might be for Logos forum addicts. I never joined it (obviously), so I might be misremembering... [;)]
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Gotta love a good "ah-ha" moment. I get them reading these forums and discovering something new and wonderful.
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Hi John,
Thank you for this layout and the collection information. The layout is awesome. I set it up in less than 30 mins (with collections) and I am loving it. I have several workspaces for Bible Study and sermon prep, but this layout is great!
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Glad to be of help. God bless.
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Do you have any other layouts/guides/etc of coolness you could share? :-)
Pastor, Mt. Leonard Baptist Church, SBC
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I have a topical study layout that includes a custom topic guide. Topical studies have come a long way in Logos with some additional tagging for headings in resources. A custom topical guide is the key to this layout.
Topic Study Layout has:
Left side: My Topic Guide, Factbook and Search. The custom Topic Guide can be set up with prior instructions and you can see the collection I included. From the Topics in My Topic Guide there is a Factbook link. That is why I have a Factbook open on the left. If you have many hits in the Topic Guide collections section you can run a search, hence the search window. It is set to "run searches here".
Center is my biblical text. If you open the topic guide related verses section or the Factbook related verses section you can open all the verses in your preferred bible. That is why I have it center. FYI my biblical texts are center in all my layouts. On the right I have a resource open so all the remaining resources will open there. I use the Dictionary of Biblical Themes as it has a hit for almost all topics.
My custom Topic Guide has collections with the following in mind:
If I am doing a topic search on a biblical book I want additional topics from my Bible Introductions, Handbooks, Exegesis and Hermeneutics and background collections. If you enter a biblical book in the topic guide, open topics and then select Factbook for a great new L6 feature.
Places and people I want Handbooks, Background, History and biography and Archaeology collections.
Theological topics I want Theological Dictionaries, Theological Journals (topically searched), Theology resources and Creeds.
For counseling and application I want Apologetics, Counseling, Devotionals and Application from Christian Living authors.
You get the idea. Type in Salvation and you will go to the theological sections; Anxiety the counseling sections; Epistle of James the sections on biblical introductions etc.
Hope you find this helpful.
I have a layout for studying the OT in the NT that I will post when I have more time. It is a bit more elaborate, but if you are interested in that type of study, I find it helpful.
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Thank you so much for your wisdom with this. I am still learning a lot!
Pastor, Mt. Leonard Baptist Church, SBC
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Good morning Jonathan,
Here is my OT in the NT layout.
Top- Bible Harmony OT in the NT. There are two to choose from and you can easily switch them using the parallel icon as shown below.
Left is where I have lexicons: Greek BDAG, LXX LEH and Hebrew CHALOT. (I would have HALOT, but I do not own it) I also have Beale's commentary on the OT in the NT. Great resource if you don't have it. Beale's commentary is linked with A.
Center top I have the NASB. I use this text because it closely follows the Greek and Hebrew. If I am going to be reviewing the NT text as well as the quoted or alluded to OT text I want an English translation that follows the original languages in the translation.
Center bottom I have the NA27. You can use an interlinear if your Greek is not sufficient and still have this workspace be very useful. If you use an interlinear because of the small windows I would limit the view to the Greek and English gloss. Here is the very important aspect of this layout. You need to click on the pane options on the upper left and select "send hyperlinks here". Link these resources as A.
Right top I have the NASB to display the OT text.
Right bottom I have the following: BHS 4.18 (you can use another Hebrew text or an interlinear limited to the hebrew and english gloss); LXX (again you can use the Lexham interlinear) and the Lexham English Septuagint for an English LXX translation. Here is the very important aspect of this layout. You need to click on the pane options on the upper left of the BHS text and select "send hyperlinks here". Link these resources as B.
The purpose it to type into the reference box for the bible harmony, find the NT verse that has an OT quote or allusion and then click on the NT and OT links in the harmony. The NT will open in the center and the OT on the right. You can then compare the English NASB, The Greek with the LXX both Greek and English as well as the Hebrew text. Many NT quotes of the OT are from the LXX and this allows for a more in depth analysis.
The other use for this layout is when reading resources such as "Biblical Exegesis in the Apostolic Period" that discusses the OT in the NT. The OT and NT references will link to the texts in the center and right allowing for comparison.
The only downside to this is that it is a separate layout. I suppose one could create a floating window that has the same layout and use it in conjunction with a main study layout.
Here are the screenshots:
Post back if you have questions. Hope this is helpful.
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thats, I just wanted to tag this post so i can check into tomorrow in detail.
John's layouts look very good!
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Thanks. Let me know if you have questions.
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Wow, that looks complex. But helpful. Thank you!
Pastor, Mt. Leonard Baptist Church, SBC
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