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LIBRARY

ENGL 202 (Homer) : Library

Access Library Databases and Other Resources Remotely

To access library online databases from off-campus locations, always use database links from the MiraCosta College Library web pages, including Databases A to Z.

Users will be prompted to enter their SURF ID and SURF Password to log-in to the database selected.

If you are experiencing difficulty logging in, or have forgotten your SURF password, please contact the Student Help Desk.

MLA Citation

Modern Language Association (MLA) citation style is used to avoid plagiarism and give credit to others for their work. MLA (8th and 9th edition) requires:

  • In-Text Citations for each source when paraphrasing and quoting
  • Works Cited page with full citation details for each source used

OneSearch

Recommended Databases

Scholarly vs Popular

A source is scholarly if:

  • Author is an expert in the subject and credentials are given, e.g. holds an MA or PhD, works at a university or research institute
  • Includes lengthy references or bibliography to show where the information came from
  • Author uses in-text citations when referring to the research, ideas or quotes of others
  • Presents findings from a research study, case study or in-depth analysis
  • Information is published in a scholarly source, e.g. a journal
  • Publisher (e.g. Elsevier) or organization (e.g. American Medical Association) produces scholarly work
  • Often includes tables, charts and graphs
  • Includes few to no advertisements, and advertisements are clearly labeled as advertisements
  • Articles will usually be long (8 pages or more)
  • Author will use technical or academic words

Search Tips

  • To limit your results to scholarly sources only, select the checkbox for Peer-Reviewed 
  • Try multiple searches -- typing in different keywords related to your topic
  • Use quotation marks around phrases of two or more words to search the phrase as a whole
  • Join multiple terms with "and" & "or"