Common Inductive Marking Symbols, Plus Creating Your Own
The inductive Bible study method requires making lots and lots of observations of a passage. This can get overwhelming. As such, coming up with or using marking symbols will make the observation process easier and less overwhelming.
The most widely used inductive Bible study marking symbols are from Precept Ministries International or Kari Dent, who started a Precept Bible Study group in Camden, GA. These symbols utilize different colored pencils and highlighters to mark key words in the Bible.
There are hundreds of key words, all with a unique symbol in Bible study. It doesn’t matter what symbol or color is used at all. Who knows, maybe looking at these Inductive marking symbols will help you create your own.
Not sure what the inductive Bible study method is all about? Then check out this great article that will walk you through the Inductive Bible Study Method with an example one step at a time.
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Bible Marking for Inductive Bible Study
Before we take a look at common Bible marking symbols for Inductive Bible study, let’s discuss what are some of the common ways people mark in their Bible and what they mark.
As a general rule, colored pencils or pens and highlighters are used to mark in Bibles. Though some just use a pencil. Often Bible’s have special pages that are thinner than a regular book. As such, you want to be cautious using regular pens and highlighters.
To remedy this some Bible publishers have begun publishing Bibles with thicker pages that are designed for extensive writing and Bible marking like the NIV, Journal the Word Bible. There are also specific highlighters and pens that were created for marking Bible pages that will not bleed, fade, or smear.
In his book on how to study the Bible, evangelist D.L. Moody recommends people mark:
- Good things you hear
- Underling or go over letters with a pen
- Number repeated words or phrases,
- Mark: Cross-references, words that change meaning, unfortunate divisions, and religious crisis in you life
Are you concerned about marking in your Bible? That’s okay. Check out this great article that explains why marking in your Bible is a beautiful practice and goes over even more things you may want to consider marking.
Common Inductive Marking Symbols
Overall, the most common and widely used inductive Bible marking symbols come from Precept Ministries International, founded by Kay Arthur. Precept Ministries was created to equip people with the tools and resources for Inductive Bible study.
One of the unique features is their marking system. It uses symbols to help users mark key elements and identify important information within a Bible passage. The precept Ministries marking system uses a combination of highlighting, underlining, color, and shapes to create unique symbols, which can include:
- Circles
- Boxes
- Triangles
- Question Marks
- Exclamation Points
- Clouds
- Capital letters
- Arrows
- Double Underline
- Crosses
- and More
This unique approach can help someone new to Inductive Bible study carefully observe a passage in the Bible. Though, it can also be overwhelming and prove too much. Which tends to be my opinion on the matter.
That said, if you are interested in the idea, Precept Scotland has put together a document that has a complete list of keyword marking symbols. And Kari Dent, who started a Precept Bible Study in her hometown has worked hard on creating key word lists and symbols for each book of the Bible.
Did you know that marking key words is not the only thing to look for when studying the Bible? There are tons of other questions to ask. So, I wrote this article listing every question you need to ask for inductive Bible study.
Creating Your Own Inductive Marking Symbols
Hopefully, these common Bible marking symbols for the inductive Bible study method can help you make the observation process a lot easier. You can use the symbols from Precept Ministries and Keri Dent, or created your own. If you are interested in creating your own, here are some tips I recommend:
- Start with a purpose: Consider what things you want to mark in your Bible. Your symbols should align with your personal Bible study goals and habit. What type of information do you find most important in your study?
- Keep it simple: Keep your symbols simple and easy to draw. Not only will you be using these symbols frequently, but the pages of the Bible have limited space. If I was using a marking system I would create symbols that could be on the outside margins of a passage, to keep the text clear and easy to read in the future.
- Consider the use of colors or a visual hierarchy: Different colors can represent different themes or ideas. You may also want to use larger or bolder symbols for key verses or ideas like main points of a passage.
- Create a legend: Start with a few key symbols for key ideas, people, and concepts throughout the whole Bible. And create a key with these symbols on it that you can refer back to. Leave room for new key words and ideas as you go along in your study.
- Experiment and Refine: It may take some time to come up with a system that works for you. So, don’t be afraid of a little trial and error.
Ideally, these practical tips will help you create your own Bible marking system. When you create your own symbols, it can make your Bible study time more meaningful and personal.
Remember, the goal of Bible study is to grow closer to and become more like Christ. So, only use Bible marking symbols if they aid you in doing that. Keep it simple and have fun enjoying experiencing the Bible in a way that you encounter God.
