Writing a college research paper using MLA style can feel intimidating at first, but following the general MLA format and doing thorough research can help your paper come together. This article will explore some key elements of MLA style and provide a sample college research paper in MLA format to give you a model to refer to as you write your own papers.
The Modern Language Association (MLA) provides guidelines for citing sources and formatting research papers across academic disciplines in the humanities. MLA style focuses on brevity and clarity in attribution by embedding parenthetical citations in the text that refer to a Works Cited page at the end of the paper. The guidelines help ensure research papers are formatted and cited consistently so readers can quickly find referenced sources. Some key MLA style elements all college research papers should follow include:
Header with last name and page number in the upper right corner of each page.
Times New Roman 12-point font, double spaced, with one-inch margins.
Author’s last name and page number in header for every page.
Title centered, not bolded, italized, underlined, or in quotation marks.
First name followed by last name for in-text citations of authors.
Works Cited page titled with the words Works Cited, centered, with no bold, italics, quotation marks, or extra spacing above or below. Source entries are double spaced with a hanging indent.
Date formatted as day month year for sources published prior to 1900, otherwise year on its own.
Now let’s look at a sample MLA format college research paper on how social media is affecting teenage life:
Smith 1
Jenna Smith
Professor Roberts
English 101
15 September 2023
The Impact of Social Media on Teen Life
Technology has forever changed communication and relationships in today’s world. While social networks allow people to connect in new ways, they also introduce challenges, especially for teenage users. This paper will analyze research on how social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok influence teens’ mental health, self-image, and social development.
Teenagers today face a constant barrage of highly curated versions of life presented on social media. Studies have shown this exposure can negatively impact mental well-being in numerous ways. According to researchers at Brigham Young University, teens who spend more time on social media are prone to feelings of loneliness, inadequacy, and depression (Primack et al. 645). Those who compare themselves to others on social networks often develop symptoms of low self-esteem as they feel they do not measure up to unrealistic standards portrayed online (Frison and Eggermont 6).
Research by psychologist Jean Twenge has also found links between teen social media use and increases in rates of mental health issues. Her analysis determined that depressive symptoms and suicide-related outcomes rose steadily among Americans ages 12-17 between 2010–2015, correlating with the rise of smartphone ownership (Twenge). Teen girls appear especially vulnerable, as the time spent on social networks has risen most steeply among this group, coinciding with higher levels of depression and lower self-reported life satisfaction (Twenge).
Aside from impacts on mental health, social media could potentially hinder important social and emotional development during the teenage years. psychologist Dr. Sherry Turkle points out that interacting through devices prevents fostering authentic communication skills through face-to-face interactions and nonverbal cues like eye contact or body language. Teens today connect primarily through “fragmented” texts and social media posts instead of quality time spent bonding over shared experiences (Turkle 42). This pattern may preclude teenagers from acquiring skills like empathy, compromise, and emotional intelligence that stem from truly understanding others’ perspectives.
While social media fills an understandable need for social belonging and reassurance for many teenagers, its constant presence also introduces certain risks. By understanding research on how sites like Instagram and TikTok could potentially undermine well-being, parents and educators can better guide teen social media use. Implementing screen time limits, discussing healthy body images, and encouraging real social activities may help teens reap social media’s benefits while avoiding some of its pitfalls. Social networks are a daily reality for most young people, so ongoing research on their impact remains crucial for supporting teenagers navigating an increasingly online world.
Smith 2
Work Cited
Frison, Elaine, and Steven Eggermont. “Toward an Integrated and Differential Approach to the Relationships between Loneliness, Different Types of Facebook Use, and Adolescents’ Depressed Mood.” Communication Research, vol. 42, no. 5, June 2015, pp. 606–27.
Primack, Brian A., et al. “Social Media Use and Perceived Social Isolation Among Young Adults in the U.S.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine, vol. 53, no. 1, July 2017, pp. 1–8.
Turkle, Sherry. “Stop Googling. Let’s Talk.” The New York Times, 26 Sept. 2015, p. 42.
Twenge, Jean M. “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” The Atlantic, Sept. 2017. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/. Accessed 13 Jan. 2023.
This sample college research paper in MLA format covers key style elements like the header, title, formatting, citations, and Works Cited page. It analyzes various research studies on the mental health and social impacts of social media use on teenagers. While just one example, it serves as a model for MLA paper structure and formatting that students can refer to as they write their own college assignments. Following MLA guidelines consistently helps ensure research is presented in a clear, credible way that showcases new understandings developed through thoughtful synthesis of multiple credible sources. College students learning to write research papers will gain valuable experience communicating complex ideas by crafting well-structured papers adhering to MLA style.
Andrew Stroud