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- 125 Strong Argumentative Essay Topics For Your Next Paper
125 Strong Argumentative Essay Topics For Your Next Paper
June 21, 2021
Understanding how to write an argumentative essay is important as it
helps you develop your grammar and writing style while encouraging analytical thinking and can be helpful in both your scholastic or professional careers. In this article, we explain what an argumentative essay is, offer tips for choosing an argumentative essay topic and provide an extensive list of argumentative essay topics to help you write yours.
Related: Types of Essays and When To Use Them
What is an argumentative essay?
An argumentative essay is a formal essay that persuades the reader to agree with your thesis statement. Argumentative essays vary in terms of complexity from simple comparisons, like, "Red is better than blue," to "The argument for socialism over capitalism." Regardless of the topic, argumentative essays involve research with evidentiary facts and data to support whatever conclusion you are arguing.
The format of an argumentative essay typically consists of three basic elements:
Introductory paragraph, stating topic and thesis
Supporting paragraphs, presenting arguments and unique facts
Final paragraph, restating supporting evidence and thesis
The length and complexity of the essay will vary depending on the level of the studenttypically elementary- or college-level. Younger students usually have simpler topics and shorter length requirements while advanced high school and college students are required to conduct extensive research, argue comprehensively and write longer arguments with more complex conclusions.
Related: 10 Essay Writing Tips
What makes a good argumentative essay?
There are three key elements of a good argumentative essay: a strong argument, thesis and comprehensive research.
Strong argument
To write a compelling essay that persuades your reader, start with a strong argument. Start with a topic that you feel strongly about and construct an argument with reasons and proof. Remember, that in order to convince your reader, your argument needs to be well thought out and researched. It should have a main point, but also, several reasons why.
Read more: The Parts of an Argument [With Definition and Examples]
Thesis
Closely related to having a strong argument is your formal and specific message, or your thesis. The thesis is your complex argument condensed into one sentence. Your thesis needs to be able to be well-reasoned, researched and strong. All facts, data and essay conjecture needs to be able to come back to prove this one-sentence thesis.
Related: How To Write a Thesis Statement [With Tips and Examples]
Research
For an argumentative essay to be convincing, it needs to be based upon and cited by comprehensive research. Before forming your thesis, use your argument to search for corroborating data in scientific journals, studies and newspapers.
If, after conducting comprehensive research, you cannot find enough research on your topic and/or argument, consider finding a different topic to write your argumentative essay about.
Read more: Types of Research: Definitions and Examples
List of 125 argumentative essay topics
Consider this list of 125 argumentative essay topics by type to consider:
Science
Should the U.S. allow fracking?
Should doctors be allowed to genetically modify unborn children at the parents' request?
Technology
Should social media platforms be banned from collecting their users' data?
Should companies have to hire human workers overusing autonomous machines?
Should cell phones be banned from vehicles?
Has the internet made society better?
Should parents limit screen time for kids?
Should everyone get the internet for free?
Is technology too isolating?
Should cyber-bullying carry legal consequences?
Health
Are GMOs good for us or bad for us?
Should schools require vaccinations for students?
Would universal healthcare improve healthcare access?
Should medical professionals be allowed to market pharmaceuticals to their patients?
Should parents limit the number of activities their kids participate in?
Are kids more depressed than they used to be?
Is there too much focus on diets in society?
Is fasting healthy?
Does our society undervalue sleep?
Are car seats effective at keeping children safe in car crashes?
Is physical health more important than mental health?
Should vaccinations be compulsory for all United States citizens?
Government
Should climate change be a governmental issue?
Would America function better without the electoral college?
Should America automate voter registration?
Should all states provide automatic mail-in ballots for elections?
Should people serving prison sentences be allowed to vote?
Should Americans vote on and elect Supreme Court justices?
Should unpaid internships be illegal?
Should the government increase the federal minimum wage?
Should the government provide everyone with a universal basic income?
Should corporations pay more taxes?
Should the government regulate what we eat?
Should the government impose term limits on Congresspeople?
Should the United States have an official language?
Should the drinking age in the United States be lowered to 18?
Should personal ownership of guns be illegal?
Should the government be blamed for the current national obesity rate?
Should military service be compulsory in the United States?
Should smoking in public be illegal?
Should alcohol sales be illegal between midnight and noon?
Should the voting age in the United States be raised to 21?
Should the government be able to censor people on the internet?
Are the current political fundraising rules effective?
Is the United States' immigration policy effective?
Should there be more than two major political parties in the United States?
Is the United States Constitution outdated?
Education
Should colleges and universities have to pay their student athletes?
Should public schools allow student-led religious clubs and organizations?
Should schools require students to say the Pledge of Allegiance?
Should schools require their students to wear school uniforms?
Should physical education classes be graded?
Should college and university be free like elementary, middle and high school?
Should college students be prohibited from participating in Greek life?
Should art classes be compulsory in school?
Should music and other types of art be free online?
Should students who cheat on tests be punished?
Should schools limit the use of computers and other technology for students?
Is single-sex education better than co-education?
Should schools run year round?
Should schools abolish homework?
Should all students receive free breakfast and lunch at school?
Is private education too competitive?
Should teachers be held accountable for poor test scores?
Should high school students get to choose which classes they take?
Should students be required to learn a foreign language?
Should teachers assign grades to students?
Are standardized tests effective?
Do sports hurt academic performance in teenagers?
Should students be allowed to use computers for research when taking tests?
Should high school graduates take a gap year before beginning their careers or going to college?
Should the school day start after 9 am?
Is online learning effective?
Should middle and high school students be required to work part-time?
Should teachers earn more money?
Should parents be punished if their kids skip school?
Should college be compulsory for all kids?
Should students have the option of grading their teachers?
Should schools allow corporal punishment?
Are schools safer with armed guards?
Should school libraries ban certain books from students?
Environmental
Do electric vehicles decrease overall emissions?
Is the seemingly increased frequency of natural disasters a result of climate change?
Economic
Should companies have to provide paid parental leave?
Should all companies offer paternity leave?
Is the current American tax system fair?
Should there be a salary cap for celebrities like athletes and actors?
Do CEOs make too much money?
Should most companies move to a four-day workweek?
Is there an income inequality problem in the United States?
Are workers more productive at home?
Sports
Should women be allowed to play professional sports on men's teams?
Are designated hitters good or bad for the sport of baseball?
Should dance be an Olympic sport?
Should steroid users be banned from their sport forever?
Should tackle football be illegal for kids under 18 years old?
Does the use of helmets in sports like football and hockey make playing more dangerous?
Should professional athletes and professional coaches make the same amount of money?
Ethics
Should social media sites regulate and censor user posts?
Are humans and our actions responsible for climate change?
Should the death penalty be illegal?
Should torture ever be allowed?
Should influencers be allowed to market products?
Are curfews for teenagers effective?
Is animal testing moral?
Should smoking cigarettes be illegal?
Should public video surveillance be illegal?
Should people be fined for not recycling?
Are children too coddled?
Should marketing designed for kids be illegal?
Should society hold celebrities to a high moral standard?
Should violent video games be illegal?
Do violent video games cause people to act more violently?
Are beauty pageants dangerous for the participants?
Should drugs be legal?
Is affirmative action effective
Is cloning unethical?
Are social protests effective?
Should there be a limit to the number of children a person can have?
Should fur coats be illegal?
Should drunk drivers have their driver's licenses permanently revoked?
Is graffiti an act of vandalism or the creation of art?
Religion
Should religious groups and organizations have to pay taxes like businesses do?
Should religion be a required course in school?
Should all clergy people be allowed to marry and have children?
Related: How To Write an Analytical Essay