If you are still struggling with the essay writing process and need further guidance be

sure to check out our essay guides here.

1. Zoos are sometimes seen as necessary but not poor alternatives to a natural
environment. Discuss some of the arguments for and/or against keeping animals in
zoos.
2. Imaginethat your teacher wants to teach a new subject for the next few weeks. Your
teacher will take suggestions, and then let the students vote on the new subject.
What subject should your class choose? Write an essay to support your choice and
to persuade the other students to vote for your choice.
3. Are actors and professional athletes paid too much?
4. Should teachers have to wear uniforms or have a dress code?
5. Since the invention of nuclear weapons we have had a long period of GLOBAL
peace and stability. Are nuclear weapons global peacemakers or killing devices?
6. Should boys and girls be in separate classes?
7. Is the death penalty effective?
8. To what extent is the use of animals in scientific research acceptable?
9. What age is appropriate for dating?
10. Pretend you woke up one day and there were no rules. People could suddenly do
whatever they wanted! Explain what the world would be like. Use your imagination!
11. Should students textbooks be replaced by notebook computers?
12. Should students be allowed to have cell phones in elementary and high schools?
13. Should wealthy nations be required to share their wealth among poorer nations?
14. Should money be spent on space exploration?
15. Is fashion important?
16. Are we too dependent on computers?
17. Ifyou had the opportunity to bring any person past or present, fictional or
nonfictional to a place that is special to you (your hometown or country, a
favourite location, etc.), who would you bring and why? Tell us what you would
share with that person
18. Most high level jobs are done by men. Should the government encourage a certain
percentage of these jobs to be reserved for women?
19. Should students be allowed to grade their teachers?
20. In your opinion what factors contribute to a good movie?
21. The destruction of the worlds forests is inevitable as our need for land and food
grows. Do you agree?
22. Many parents give their children certain chores or tasks to do at home.
Should children have to do chores or tasks at home? Be sure to explain why
 you think it is a good idea or a bad idea. Include examples to support
your reasons.
23. Should the voting age be lowered to thirteen?
24. Should the government place a tax on junk food and fatty snacks?
25. Should more be done to protect and preserve endangered animals?
Bullying is a big problem for children and young people that go through it. It knocks their self-esteem
and makes them lose their confidence, and can make them dread going to school each day. In
extreme cases, young people can become suicidal as a result of bullying, while in other very serious
cases, it can get out of hand and lead to the bully murdering their victim. Its also a huge problem for
parents and teachers, because stopping bullying is a hard task and they often dont know the best
ways to go about it. There are three key elements to stopping bullying: educating the bullies, imposing
greater sanctions for the bullies, and protecting the victim.

The reason that bullies must be educated is that many of them are not aware of exactly how much
they are hurting their victim. In serious cases, it is probably wholly deliberate, but even then, most
bullies wouldnt want their victim to become as suicidal as they have made them. Bullying can come in
all sorts of forms and one that affects girls in particular is a group of so-called friends excluding them
from everything. In cases like these, if the bullies understood that they had become bullies picking on
a victim, they may think twice.

The second way to deal with the bullies is to punish them. This could be the only thing that works for
incredibly nasty people, because they will only care when it begins to affect them. Bullying often isnt
taken seriously enough; for example, if you punched a person in the middle of the street you would
probably be arrested, but if it happens in a case of bullying, the perpetrator might get a detention. It is
important not to allow things to happen in school that they would never get away with out in the real
world, and children and young people who dont have boundaries and sanctions imposed as they
grow up may not obey the law as adults.

The final main way to deal with bullying involves working with the victim. Victims of bullying need to
know their self-worth so that they dont just accept whats happening to them, and need to be taught
to be assertive without just being aggressive. They should also be taught that self-defence is allowed
when necessary, and should not be punished for it, while it is very important that adults always listen
to them and take their concerns very seriously.

All in all, there is no one single solution for bullying, but its not good enough to ignore it just because
its hard to deal with. By using a combination of these three tactics, teachers should be able to stop
bullying at school long before it gets out of hand.
Part 1: What is an Argumentative Essay?

An argument essay is an essay that seeks to persuade an audience to see the

writers point.Thus, an argumentative essay requires the student to investigate a
topic, collect evidence, and evaluate evidence in order to clearly establish a
point of view on the topic chosen.

Part 2: Is an argumentative essay the same as a persuasive essay?

Most students often ask whether there is a difference between argumentative

essay vs persuasive essay. The answer is yes. Here are three differences
between persuasive and argumentative writing:

1. The goal with argumentative writing is not to take a stand and persuade, but
rather to summarize a text, and discuss the extent to which you agree or
disagree, providing solid evidence.
2. Students can qualify with argumentative writing by providing reasons and
examples from the text provided and from their previous readings, own
experiences, and observations to support their opinions, and discuss the
extent to which they agree or disagree.
3. Argumentative writing recognizes the balance of incorporating different
perspectives on the argument, but with solid support, argues distinctly for
one.
The chart below further discusses the main differences:

Persuasive Writing Vs. Argument

Claim based on Opinion Claim (Opinion, Position, Hypothesis, Thesis
Statement, Theory)

Not Always Substantiated Claim(e.g., Substantiated Claim (Based on Relevant &

Propaganda, Advertisements) Sufficient Evidence)

PathosAppeal to Audience Some Pathos but emphasis is onLogos

Emotion, Desires, Needs
EthosAppeal to writers or
speakers character, credentials,
trustworthiness
Appeal to logical reasoning and evidence (e.g.,
Facts, Examples, Historical and Legal
Precedents)
EthosAppeal to writers or speakers
credibility (more so than character); credibility
is established through knowledge of subject
matter and merits of reasons and factual
evidence

Persuasive texts may make an Include the following elements of Argument:

argument, but they dont always
include elements of a formal argument

Warrants (Statements about How Evidence

Supports Claims)
Backing (Support for Warrants)
May not take opposing views into Counterclaim (Opposing Argument)
account
Rebuttals (Respond to and Try to Refute)

Heart of Critical Thinking

Part 3: What Is The Outline For An Argumentative Essay?

Like most essays, an argumentative essay has three parts: introduction, body,
and the conclusion. Below are explanations of what to do in each of these parts:

a. Introduction: explain the thesis (be precise but do not present evidence
yet)
b. Body: The body is made up of a number of paragraphs, each with a topic
sentence (main argument of the paragraph), followed by further illustration
and specific examples to support the topic sentence.
c. Conclusion: quick summary of thesis; then muse on implications of the
thesis

Part 4: Interesting Topics to Write anArgumentative EssayOn

As discussed above, an argumentative essay uses reasoning and evidence - not

emotion - to take a definitive stand on a controversial or debatable issue. This is
one of the most common type of writing in a students' career. The first step to
writing an argumentative paper is to choose a controversial topic to defend or
argue against

Argumentative Essay Topics on Technology and Social Media

1. Are the Web Filters at Your School Too Restrictive?

2. Does Technology Make Us More Alone?
3. Are You Distracted by Technology?
4. Do Apps Help You or Just Waste Your Time?
5. Do You Spend Too Much Time on Smart Phones Playing Stupid Games?
6. Has Facebook Lost Its Edge?
7. Does Facebook Ever Make You Feel Bad?
8. Should What You Say on Facebook Be Grounds for Getting Fired?
9. Should People Be Allowed to Obscure Their Identities Online?
10. What Should the Punishment Be for Acts of Cyberbullying?
11. Is Online Learning as Good as Face-to-Face Learning?
12. Do Your Teachers Use Technology Well?
13. Should Tablet Computers Become the Primary Way Students Learn in
Class?
14. Can Cellphones Be Educational Tools?
15. Should Computer Games Be Used for Classroom Instruction?
16. How Young Is Too Young for an iPhone?
17. Should Companies Collect Information About You?
18. Would You Trade Your Paper Books for Digital Versions?
19. Are Digital Photographs Too Plentiful to Be Meaningful?
20. DoYou Worry We Are Filming Too Much?
21. Would You Want a Pair of Googles Computer Glasses?
22. How Would You Feel About a Computer Grading Your Essays?
23. What Role Will Robots Play in Our Future?
24. How Many Text Messages Are Too Many?
25. How Much Do You Trust Online Reviews?

Argumentative Essay Topics On Education

1. Is Cheating Getting Worse?

2. Should Students Be Able to Grade Their Teachers?
3. Does Your School Hand Out Too Many As?
4. Should Middle School Students Be Drug Tested?
5. Should Reading and Math Be Taught in Gym Class Too?
6. How Seriously Should We Take Standardized Tests?
7. How Well Do You Think Standardized Tests Measure Your Abilities?
8. Do You Spend Too Much Time Preparing for Standardized Tests?
9. Should Schools Offer Cash Bonuses for Good Test Scores?
10. Should We Rethink How Long Students Spend in High School?
11. Do Schools Provide Students With Enough Opportunities to Be Creative?
12. What Are You Really Learning at School?
13. How Important Is Arts Education?
14. Does Gym Help Students Perform Better in All Their Classes?
15. Who Should Be Able to See Students Records?
16. Are Children of Illegal Immigrants Entitled to a Public Education?
17. What Is the Right Amount of Group Work in School?
18. Is Your School Day Too Short?
19. Do You Think a Longer School Calendar Is a Good Idea?
20. Should the Dropout Age Be Raised?
21. Should Students Be Allowed to Skip Senior Year of High School?
22. How Does Your School Deal With Students Who Misbehave?
23. Should Schools Be Allowed to Use Corporal Punishment?
24. How Big a Problem Is Bullying or Cyberbullying in Your School or
Community?
25. How Should Schools Address Bullying?
26. Should Schools Put Tracking Devices in Students ID Cards?
27. What Do You Think of Grouping Students by Ability in Schools?
28. Do We Need a New Way to Teach Math?
29. Does Class Size Matter?
30. Should All Students Get Equal Space in a Yearbook?
31. Is Prom Worth It?
32. How Important Are Parent-Teacher Conferences?
33. Should All Children Be Able to Go to Preschool?
34. Should Colleges Use Admissions Criteria Other Than SAT Scores and
Grades?
35. What Criteria Should Be Used in Awarding Scholarships for College?
36. Do You Support Affirmative Action?
37. Do College Rankings Matter?
38. How Necessary Is a College Education?
39. Should Engineers Pay Less for College Than English Majors?

Argumentative Essay Topics on Sports and Athletics

1. If Football Is So Dangerous to Players, Should We Be Watching It?

2. Should Parents Let Their Children Play Football?
3. Should College Football Players Get Paid?
4. When Do Pranks Cross the Line to Become Bullying?
5. Has Baseball Lost Its Cool?
6. Are Some Youth Sports Too Intense?
7. Is It Offensive for Sports Teams to Use Native American Names and
Mascots?
8. Where Should Colleges and Sports Teams Draw the Line in Selling Naming
Rights?
9. Should Colleges Fund Wellness Programs Instead of Sports?
10. Is Cheer-leading a Sport?
11. How Big a Deal Is It That an N.B.A. Player Came Out as Gay?
12. Should There Be Stricter Rules About How Coaches Treat Their Players?
13. Should Athletes Who Dope Have to Forfeit Their Titles and Medals?
14. Should Sports Betting Be Legal Everywhere?
15. Should Home-Schoolers Be Allowed to Play Public School Sports?
16. Would You Want a Bike Share Program for Your Community?

Sample Argumentative Essay Topics On Health and fitness

1. should healthcare be considered a right?

2. Is the hybrid American Health care system sustainable or will it collapse
back to the state it was at prior to the recent passing of laws?
3. Should Cosmetic surgery be covered by insurance?
4. should alternate medicines be covered by insurance?
5. Can mental health clinics be attached to American high schools?
6. What is the real cost of medicine, and why are health care costs so high in
the first place?
7. Why do people go to other countries for health care?
8. How is the state of corruption in the Eastern European health care system
affecting the healthcare decisions of patients?
9. Is male circumcision ethical?
10. Is female circumcision ethical?
11. Is the compensation financially for doctors too high, are they exploiting
people in need of health care?
12. What everyday things can people do to avoid seeing a doctor?

Good Argumentative Essay Topics On Immigration

1. Does the Government do Effective Health Screening, on New Immigrants?

2. How does Legal Immigration affect the workplace?
3. How does Illegal Immigration affect the Workplace?
4. What are the costs of Illegal Immigration?
5. How does Immigration affect the Market?
6. What is the cost of Immigration in the School System?
7. Does Port Security have an Effect on Illegal Immigration, and How Much?
8. How does Illegal Immigration affect the Workplace?
9. What does Illegal Immigration Bring to the Country?
10. Is Anti-Illegal Immigration Laws Effective?
11. What are the Costs of Illegal Immigration?
12. Do present Security Checks Protect Us from Hostile Immigration?
13. How does Immigration affect the Workplace?
14. What does Immigration Bring to the Country?
15. How effective is Profiling in Screening New Immigrants, and is it Used?

Argumentative Essay Topic on Arts and Media:

1. Why Do We Like to Watch Rich People on TV and in the Movies?

2. Do TV Shows Like 16 and Pregnant Promote or Discourage Teenage
Pregnancy?
3. Does TV Capture the Diversity of America Yet?
4. Is TV Too White?
5. Is TV Stronger Than Ever, or Becoming Obsolete?
6. Does Reality TV Promote Dangerous Stereotypes?
7. What Current Musicians Do You Think Will Stand the Test of Time?
8. What Artists or Bands of Today Are Destined for the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame?
9. What Musician, Actor or Author Should Be a Superstar, but Hasnt Quite
Made It Yet?
10. Will Musical Training Make You More Successful?
11. Should Video Games Be Considered a Sport?
12. Should Stores Sell Violent Video Games to Minors?
13. Can a Video Game Be a Work of Art?
14. Do Violent Video Games Make People More Violent in Real Life?
15. When Should You Feel Guilty for Killing Zombies?
16. What Game Would You Like to Redesign?
17. What Were the Best Movies You Saw in the Past Year?
18. To What Writer Would You Award a Prize?
19. Do You Prefer Your Childrens Book Characters Obedient or Contrary?
20. Where Is the Line Between Truth and Fiction?
21. Can Graffiti Ever Be Considered Art?
22. Do We Need Art in Our Lives?
23. What Makes a Good Commercial?
24. Why Did a Cheerios Ad Attract So Many Angry Comments Online?
25. Does Pop Culture Deserve Serious Study?
26. Argumentative Essay Topic on Gender Issues
27. Do Parents Have Different Hopes and Standards for Their Sons Than for
Their Daughters?
28. Is School Designed More for Girls Than Boys?
29. Is There Too Much Pressure on Girls to Have Perfect Bodies?
30. How Much Pressure Do Boys Face to Have the Perfect Body?
31. Do Photoshopped Images Make You Feel Bad About Your Own Looks?
32. Is It O.K. for Men and Boys to Comment on Women and Girls on the
Street?
33. What Should We Do to Fight Sexual Violence Against Young Women?
34. How Do You Feel About Rihanna and Chris Brown Getting Back
Together?
35. Do Fraternities Promote Misogyny?
36. Why Arent There More Girls in Leadership Roles?
37. Why Arent More Girls Choosing to Pursue Careers in Math and Science?
38. Should Women Be Allowed to Fight on the Front Lines Alongside Men?
39. Do You Believe in Equal Rights for Women and Men?
40. Are Women Better at Compromising and Collaborating?
41. Do Boys Have Less Intense Friendships Than Girls?
42. Argumentative Essay Topic on Politics and the Legal System
43. What Local Problems Do You Think Your Mayor Should Try to Solve?
44. If You Were Governor of Your State, How Would You Spend a Budget
Surplus?
45. When Is the Use of Military Force Justified?
46. What Is More Important: Our Privacy or National Security?
47. Should the U.S. Be Spying on Its Friends?
48. Do You Trust Your Government?
49. What Do You Think of the Police Tactic of Stop-and-Frisk?
50. Do Rich People Get Off Easier When They Break the Law?
51. Should Rich People Have to Pay More Taxes?
52. Do Laws That Ban Offensive Words Make the World a Better Place?
53. Is It Principled, or Irresponsible, for Politicians to Threaten a Shutdown?
54. Do Leaders Have Moral Obligations?
55. Do Great Leaders Have to Be Outgoing?
56. How Should We Prevent Future Mass Shootings?
57. Should Guns Be Permitted on College Campuses?
58. Would You Feel Safer With Armed Guards Patrolling Your School?
59. What Is Your Relationship With Guns?
60. Do You Support or Oppose the Death Penalty?
61. When Should Juvenile Offenders Receive Life Sentences?
62. Parenting and Childhood
63. Do We Give Children Too Many Trophies?
64. When Do You Become an Adult?
65. When Should You Be Able to Buy Cigarettes, Drink Alcohol, Vote, Drive
and Fight in Wars?
66. Should the Morning-After Pill Be Sold Over the Counter to People Under
17?
67. Should Birth Control Pills Be Available to Teenage Girls Without a
Prescription?
68. Is Modern Culture Ruining Childhood?
69. Are Adults Hurting Young Children by Pushing Them to Achieve?
70. How, and by Whom, Should Children Be Taught Appropriate Behavior?
71. What Can Older People Learn From Your Generation?
72. Do Shame and Blame Work to Change Teenage Behavior?
73. How Should Children Be Taught About Puberty and Sex?
74. Is Dating a Thing of the Past?
75. How Should Parents Handle a Bad Report Card?
76. Should Children Be Allowed to Wear Whatever They Want?
77. How Should Educators and Legislators Deal With Minors Who Sext?
78. Do You Think Child Stars Have It Rough?
79. Argumentative Essay Topic on Health and Nutrition
80. Is Smoking Still a Problem Among Teenagers?
81. Are Antismoking Ads Effective?
82. Is Drinking and Driving Still a Problem for Teenagers?
83. Do You Think a Healthier School Lunch Program Is a Lost Cause?
84. How Concerned Are You About Where Your Food Comes From?
85. Is It Ethical to Eat Meat?
86. Do You Prefer Your Tacos Authentic or Appropriated?
87. Should the Government Limit the Size of Sugary Drinks?
88. Should Marijuana Be Legal?
89. Should Students Be Required to Take Drug Tests?

Argumentative Essay Topic on Personal Character and Morality Questions

1. Do Bystanders Have a Responsibility to Intervene When There is Trouble?

2. Should You Care About the Health and Safety of Those Making Your
Clothing?
3. Can Money Buy You Happiness?
4. Does Buying and Accumulating More and More Stuff Make Us Happier?
5. Are We Losing the Art of Listening?
6. Do People Complain Too Much?
7. Can Kindness Become Cool?
8. Which Is More Important: Talent or Hard Work?
9. How Important Is Keeping Your Cool?
10. When Should You Compromise?
11. Is Your Generation More Self-Centered Than Earlier Generations?
12. Can You Be Good Without God?
13. Have Curse Words Become So Common They Have Lost Their Shock
Value?
14. What Words or Phrases Should Be Retired in 2014?
15. What Words or Phrases Do You Think Are Overused?
 16. Should Couples Live Together Before Marriage?
17. How Important Do You Think It Is to Marry Someone With the Same
Religion?
18. How Long Is It O.K. to Linger in a Cafe or Restaurant?
19. Does Keeping a Messy Desk Make People More Creative?
20. How Important Is Keeping a Clean House?

Science Related Argumentative Essay Topics

1. Should Scientists Try to Help People Beat Old Age So We Can Live Longer
Lives?
2. Given Unlimited Resources, What Scientific or Medical Problem Would
You Investigate?
3. When Is It O.K. to Replace Human Limbs With Technology?
4. Do You Think Life Exists or Has Ever Existed Somewhere Besides
Earth?
5. Should Fertilized Eggs Be Given Legal Personhood?
6. How Concerned Are You About Climate Change?

Other Questions To Base An Argumentative Essay On:

1. Is It Wrong for a Newspaper to Publish a Front-Page Photo of a Man About

to Die?
2. What Causes Should Philanthropic Groups Finance?
3. Should Charities Focus More on America?
4. Should the Private Lives of Famous People Be Off Limits?
5. Did a Newspaper Act Irresponsibly by Publishing the Addresses of Gun
Owners?
6. Would You Rather Work From Home or in an Office?
7. What Time Should Black Friday Sales Start?
8. Do You Shop at Locally Owned Businesses?
9. How Much Does Your Neighborhood Define Who You Are?
Tweet