ENGL 1301 (English Composition I) Dr. J. Leatham

Your Assignments

• Choose a topic for research.
• Use the library's search tools to help you locate three credible sources that discuss your topic. 
• Dr. Leatham accepts credible books and eBooks for your assignments. However, some sources might not work as well for all of your needs:
  • reference books
    • these sorts of books compile lists of information (often from other sources) and are best for pre-research or definitions
    • these books include encyclopedias, dictionaries, directories, etc.
  • self-published books
    • these books are published by the author
    • it is highly unusual to find these sorts of books in the MCC library, but you may encounter them at book stores
  • book reviews
    • these articles are reviews of published books. 
    • if you find a review that sounds useful, use it to locate the book it reviews

• If you have trouble locating appropriate sources (or are uncertain as to whether a book is a reference book), ask an MCC librarian for help by stopping by the library or by using the links in the "Get Research and Citation Help" box on this page.

The MCC Library's collection contains both books and eBooks. This mini guide will provide some basic information on locating each type of source.

When searching using the library's search tool, select the tab labeled "Books and eBooks" (highlighted in orange in the image below) to limit your results to results of those types. Input your search terms and click on the search button to receive a list of search results.

Once you receive search results, examine each item's preview to find the format and determine whether the item is a book or eBook (highlighted in images below).

If you select a book, you will need the item's call number to locate it on the library's shelves. If you don't know how to locate the item using the call number, ask any library employee for assistance.

If the item is an eBook, you can click the link contained on the item's preview to directly access the eBook. No special software or devices are required.

You can search individual databases to find books and eBooks. Below, you will find a list of databases that contain only books and eBooks: