Getting Started . . .

• Table of Contents. The main Table of Contents provides links to the textbook chapters, the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, and other resources. The top left and bottom left of every page has a ToC button that links to the main table of contents. The top right and bottom right of every page within a chapter has a ToC button that links to that chapter's table of contents.
• Previous Page and Next Page Arrows. Each chapter begins with the Table of Contents page and ends with the For Further Study page. You can move sequentially from the beginning to the end of each chapter by using the right arrow button . You can go back to the previous page using the left arrow button . When you see the end button you know you're at the end of the chapter.
• Picture Thumbnail Buttons. The thumbnail pictures on pages are buttons to larger pictures. Many of these buttons are outside links to museum web sites that provide full scale pictures, often along with a narrative description. You must have an active internet connection in order for these links to work. To get back to RTOT when visiting museum sites, use the BACK button of your browser (see below).
• Go Back. Full size pictures do not have navigation buttons. Use the BACK button of your browser (typically located on the button bar near the top) to bring yourself back to the previous page. Also note that the GO button presents a list of the pages you've already visited.
• Bookmark Your Place. You can mark your place (or places) for later retrieval by setting a BOOKMARK, under the Bookmarks feature of the browser.
• Resource Lists. Each chapter has a Resource List that lists and links all the graphics and tables contained in that chapter for easy retrieval. There is a master list of all resource lists linked to the main table of contents.

Key Features

• The Bible On-Line. The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible is linked throughout the textbook wherever reference is made to the Bible. Note that any text or numbers underlined in blue are clickable links.
• Maps. A variety of maps combine historical and literary elements to supplement the biblical text. Example: The Fertile Crescent.
• Time Lines. Time lines bring together historical and literary features of Old Testament study. Example: Sources and Composition of the Torah.
• Illustrations, Pictures, and Art Works. Artistic works are used to illustrate and enhance the biblical text. Example: Tower of Babel Gallery.
• Tables. A variety of tables summarize and cross-reference information. Example: Table 1.4 Parallel Structure of Genesis 1-11.
• Study Guide. Each chapter has a study guide, accessible from the table of contents, that includes a chapter summary, a list of key terms linked to definitions, a set of concept questions, and a progress test. Each progress test consists of four modules: true/false, multiple choice, matching, and identify items. Students will find these useful for self-study and review. Example: Chapter 1 Study Guide. The main table of contents links to the Master List of Study Guides.
• Bibliography. Each chapter has a classified bibliography. Bibliography links within the chapters take you directly to the full bibliographic item. Example: Chapter 1 Bibliography. Many bibliographic items contain a table of contents. This is a useful feature, especially for research. The main table of contents links to the Master List of Bibliographies.
• Resouce List. This is an index to the maps and illustrations used in a chapter. It also lists outside resources relevant to that chapter. Example: Chapter 1 Resource List. The main table of contents links to the Master List of Resource Lists.
• Glossary. The glossary contains definitions of all the key names and terms in the textbook. The key terms in the study guide are also linked to the glossary. Key names and terms are marked in the text by red.

Using the CD in Teaching and Learning

• The activities and progress tests might provide a teacher greater freedom in the classroom, perhaps by assigning readings and requiring that the progress test results be handed in as proof of the assignment. Or, background readings from RTOT could be assigned in an upper-level Old Testament course and the instructor could test the students' coverage of the material using the online self-tests without having to devote class time to basic information.
• An instructor could use the CD in the classroom and project illustrations, pictures, and tables as aids in lectures and discussions. Since the entire Bible is on the CD, passages can also be projected for in-class text analysis and discussion.
• Students often like to mark up a textbook by highlighting important sentences, underlining, and making notes in the margin. The same effect can be achieved in the electronic version by using the Copy and Paste features of Windows or the MacOS (in the Edit menu). To do this, text is highlighted in the browser, then copied and pasted into the electronic Note Pad of Windows or the MacOS, or pasted into a word processor.
• The variety of artistic works in the text, and especially the galleries, can be an interesting point of departure for investigating the act of interpretation. Each work of art interprets the biblical text from a specific perspective, and it can be interesting to compare this with the original text.