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Great Argumentative Essay Topics About Food with essay prompts

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  • July 31, 2022
  • Essay Topics and Ideas , Nursing

It can be hard to think of a good Argumentative Essay Topics About Food. You want something that will engage your audience and get them thinking, but you also need to pick a topic that you feel passionate about. In this article, we’ll give you a list of some great Argumentative Essay Topics About Food to get you started!

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Great Argumentative Essay Topics About Food

Differences Between Food Intoxication and Food Infection

Essay Prompt: Food infections occur when individuals consume food contaminated by infectious organisms such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and toxins. Food contamination can happen during the production of food.

Food as a Way to Showcase African Americans’ Identity

Essay Prompt: For the majority, there is not much to think about food. Food is simply a means to an end. We eat so we could be full. However, others understand that food is not just a means. They understand that what they eat is a representation of who they are.

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Why Do People Waste Food?

Essay Prompt: Evidence reveals that the food wasted annually could be enough to feed an enormous number of people. There are two main reasons why people waste food. First, when people visit restaurants, they are usually starving. Consequently, they are likely to order more food than they need.

The Food we Eat

Essay Prompt: The food we eat contains nutrients necessary for nourishing and proper functioning of the body. It is important to understand well the food we put into our mouths because it determines our health and wellbeing. The food we eat contains nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, and vitamins…

Food Preference Identifies Identity

Essay Prompt: Although food variations can be found anywhere in the world whether it is local or adopted; that people are liking food regardless of their roots and preferences; those food varieties these days are being adopted and reformulated from culture to culture, food variation identifies the individual’s culture.  

Please watch the documentary “Food Chains”. Literature & Language

Essay Prompt: Food Chains is a documentary that was produced by Eva Longoria on November 24, 2014. This documentary reveals how farmworkers in the United States are abused by the multibillion-dollar supermarkets and food industries

Essay Prompt: Food wastage refers to the loss of unconsumed food. Food wastage occurs in various stages, such as production, processing, distribution, retail, and consumption. Conversely, food loss refers to the removal of food intended for consumption from the food chain. In most cases, food that ends up.

Unique Argumentative Essay Topics About Food

The topic is fast Food and health

Essay Prompt: Fast food refers to types of foods that are prepared within a short time before they are served. They are relatively cheaper than ordinary food cooked in homes. In most restaurants, fast foods are readily available and one does not need time to wait for it to be prepared.  

Food Security and Reasons Why LDCs Are Food-Deficit Countries

Essay Prompt: Food security entails the availability of adequate, nutritious, sufficient, and safe food that enable people to maintain their health and have active lives. In particular, food security comprises of three primary elements, namely availability, access, and utilization. (Argumentative Essay Topics About Food)

The Slow Food Movement will improve the Condition of the Environment

Essay Prompt: The slow food movement has been popularized due to the positive effects that it has on the environment. The movement supports the consumption of locally manufactured food instead of imported foods, which ultimately cuts the use of fossil fuel in the transportation of food.

The Concept of Right to Food, Justice, and Sovereignty and the Food Insecurity

Essay Prompt: From the video, key concepts discussed are the right to food, justice, and sovereignty. Every human being has a right to food, which involves the right to have adequate food which is correspondent to their cultural tradition, as well as enhance physical and mental status for a dignified and fulfilling life.

Here are additional 60+ Top And Best Argumentative Essay Topics For Different Contexts

Food Policy and Public Health’s Impacts on Mexican Food System

Essay Prompt: Food policy and public health are always a major concern to different countries across the globe. Food policy is the way a government manages and regulates the food system and industry, the laws governing the trading of food products and inputs.

Food History. Could slow Food be the best choice for producing Food for humanity?

Essay Prompt: Slow Food mainly seeks to attain the goal of producing food that is good, clean, and fair. Additionally, it also seeks to continue feeding the world without necessarily harming the environment. Unique Argumentative Essay Topics About Food.

Find out more on  Argumentative Essay Topics About Social Media [Updated]

Reflection on the Lecture About Food Justice

Essay Prompt: This lecture explores diverse concepts, with food justice attracting significant attention. Food justice ensures that everybody acquires access to nutritional and affordable food, not forgetting the safety of those involved in food production.

Research Paper Topics on Food

Cause and Effect Eating out at Fast Food

Essay Prompt: Fast food was made famous in the 1950s through Mc Donald’s company. The industry has been growing vast in the past years. This has been a result of the high demand from customers and improvements in the products and services.

Facts Impacting Food Choices

Essay Prompt: The state of human health is predominantly a faction of food choices that an individual makes every day. My daily food choices are mostly affected by cultural influences, time, and cost. My cultural background affects my daily food choices.

How Food Affects Human Health

Essay Prompt: Currently, the numbers of teenagers with poor eating habits have drastically improved as the sizes of fast-food restaurants also increase. Specifically, the issue has been observed in the US where several new fast-food businesses continue to emerge which produce unhealthy food products.

Global Food Politics

Essay Prompt: After viewing the week eight lecture recording, different key concepts can be unpacked from the discussion, such as student overall essay performance, global food politics, and diabetics. Global food politics is one of the critical concepts that caught my attention.

Traceability, Suitability, and Regenerative Agriculture in Food Supply Chain

Essay Prompt: The Food Industry plays a significant part in providing fundamental necessities and essentials with which diverse human behaviors and activities are given. When food is harvested or manufactured, it must go through several processes.

How can Food supply chains prepare for the future in terms of traceability, suitability, and regenerative agriculture?

Food Insecurity and the Strategies for Solving It

Essay Prompt: A key concept that was clarified in the Zoom Lecture is food insecurity. Food insecurity is an issue that faces a significant number of households globally. During the pandemic, many people experienced food insecurity.

Eating Unhealthily and Our Expectations in How Others Eat

Essay Prompt: Is It Ethical to Eat Unhealthily? People’s food intake comprises the food systems, which are composed of elements such as the workforce, infrastructures, environment, institutions, and other activities associated with food.

How should a developing country improve its Food security? Select a single developing country to consider?

Essay Prompt: Food is critical to human sustenance. Through mankind’s journey, food has been front and center of major events including wars, social rituals, worship and child-bearing.

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Should Ban or Limit GMO Food

Essay Prompt: In the recent years, the GMO foods have flooded the consumer market with over 30,000 different food products.

Global Food Politics: The Food System

Essay Prompt: The movement of people across Mexico and the USA has been on the rise in recent years. There have been several cases of undocumented migration. According to the zoom meeting lecture, the policies put on the line to prevent the undocumented migration of people have not been effective.

Pros of a Single Food Agency

Essay Prompt: Master’s level Essay: Pros of a Single Food Agency: What are some of the pros and cons of creating a single food agency?

Food Industry’s System Structure and Misaligned Interests with Public Health

Essay Prompt: The food industry has introduced a fierce competition for consumers’ money through aggressive advertising efforts and their display of products on supermarket shelves. The fierce competition imposes poor diets worldwide, characterized by immense consumption of ultra-processed packaged food products manufactured.

Why People Work to Reduce Food Wastage?

Essay Prompt: The primary reason why people work to reduce food wastage is because of hunger and saving the resources used to produce food; for example, 28 percent of global land coverage is used for producing food, which eventually goes to waste. Not everybody can afford to buy food from the supermarket, and the grocery.

Is GMO Food safe? They are more nutritious. FDA has approved GMO Foods

Essay Prompt: The safety of GMO foods has sparked heated debates and, in many countries, there is legislation on their consumption. The proponents of GMO foods assert that they cannot be dismissed as categorically harmful….

Write a topic About Food that affects health. Is GMO Food safe?…

The Relationship Between Overproduction and Hunger with the Commodification of Food

Essay Prompt: A commodity is a primary resource utilized as a raw material in manufacturing goods and services. Coffee, beans, and wheat are just a few examples of commodities. The transformation of resources and services into commodities is a significant factor influencing all cultures.

You can also check out 150+ Top-Notch Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas

Identifying the Meaning of Organic

Essay Prompt: Organic implies that the food or agricultural products meet quality standards without the use of synthetic chemicals and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Fruits, vegetables, grains, and even meat can be produced organically but is mostly the food crops than meat…

College Students Who Go Full Time to School Should Be Able to Get Free Food

Essay Prompt: While in high school, many students yearn for the opportunity to complete their studies and join college little do they know what one goes through in college. College comes with huge expenses and it may be costlier for those who reside in the campus.

Food Symbolism in Society

Essay Prompt: Research on food thrives, from the history of contradictory types of charge to the relationship between provisioning and values, gender responsibilities, and eating maladies.

Raw Fresh Foods versus Cooked Processed Foods: Which is better for the Body?

Essay Prompt: The irony that while most people agree that raw fresh foods are better for the body and yet most people also eat more processed food than fresh food.

Here’s a sample argumentative essay outline you can use for your food essay

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Six brilliant student essays on the power of food to spark social change.

Read winning essays from our fall 2018 “Feeding Ourselves, Feeding Our Revolutions,” student writing contest.

sioux-chef-cooking.jpg

For the Fall 2018 student writing competition, “Feeding Ourselves, Feeding Our Revolutions,” we invited students to read the YES! Magazine article, “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,”   by Korsha Wilson and respond to this writing prompt: If you were to host a potluck or dinner to discuss a challenge facing your community or country, what food would you cook? Whom would you invite? On what issue would you deliberate? 

The Winners

From the hundreds of essays written, these six—on anti-Semitism, cultural identity, death row prisoners, coming out as transgender, climate change, and addiction—were chosen as essay winners.  Be sure to read the literary gems and catchy titles that caught our eye.

Middle School Winner: India Brown High School Winner: Grace Williams University Winner: Lillia Borodkin Powerful Voice Winner: Paisley Regester Powerful Voice Winner: Emma Lingo Powerful Voice Winner: Hayden Wilson

Literary Gems Clever Titles

Middle School Winner: India Brown  

A Feast for the Future

Close your eyes and imagine the not too distant future: The Statue of Liberty is up to her knees in water, the streets of lower Manhattan resemble the canals of Venice, and hurricanes arrive in the fall and stay until summer. Now, open your eyes and see the beautiful planet that we will destroy if we do not do something. Now is the time for change. Our future is in our control if we take actions, ranging from small steps, such as not using plastic straws, to large ones, such as reducing fossil fuel consumption and electing leaders who take the problem seriously.

 Hosting a dinner party is an extraordinary way to publicize what is at stake. At my potluck, I would serve linguini with clams. The clams would be sautéed in white wine sauce. The pasta tossed with a light coat of butter and topped with freshly shredded parmesan. I choose this meal because it cannot be made if global warming’s patterns persist. Soon enough, the ocean will be too warm to cultivate clams, vineyards will be too sweltering to grow grapes, and wheat fields will dry out, leaving us without pasta.

I think that giving my guests a delicious meal and then breaking the news to them that its ingredients would be unattainable if Earth continues to get hotter is a creative strategy to initiate action. Plus, on the off chance the conversation gets drastically tense, pasta is a relatively difficult food to throw.

In YES! Magazine’s article, “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” Korsha Wilson says “…beyond the narrow definition of what cooking is, you can see that cooking is and has always been an act of resistance.” I hope that my dish inspires people to be aware of what’s at stake with increasing greenhouse gas emissions and work toward creating a clean energy future.

 My guest list for the potluck would include two groups of people: local farmers, who are directly and personally affected by rising temperatures, increased carbon dioxide, drought, and flooding, and people who either do not believe in human-caused climate change or don’t think it affects anyone. I would invite the farmers or farm owners because their jobs and crops are dependent on the weather. I hope that after hearing a farmer’s perspective, climate-deniers would be awakened by the truth and more receptive to the effort to reverse these catastrophic trends.

Earth is a beautiful planet that provides everything we’ll ever need, but because of our pattern of living—wasteful consumption, fossil fuel burning, and greenhouse gas emissions— our habitat is rapidly deteriorating. Whether you are a farmer, a long-shower-taking teenager, a worker in a pollution-producing factory, or a climate-denier, the future of humankind is in our hands. The choices we make and the actions we take will forever affect planet Earth.

 India Brown is an eighth grader who lives in New York City with her parents and older brother. She enjoys spending time with her friends, walking her dog, Morty, playing volleyball and lacrosse, and swimming.

High School Winner: Grace Williams

argumentative essay food

Apple Pie Embrace

It’s 1:47 a.m. Thanksgiving smells fill the kitchen. The sweet aroma of sugar-covered apples and buttery dough swirls into my nostrils. Fragrant orange and rosemary permeate the room and every corner smells like a stroll past the open door of a French bakery. My eleven-year-old eyes water, red with drowsiness, and refocus on the oven timer counting down. Behind me, my mom and aunt chat to no end, fueled by the seemingly self-replenishable coffee pot stashed in the corner. Their hands work fast, mashing potatoes, crumbling cornbread, and covering finished dishes in a thin layer of plastic wrap. The most my tired body can do is sit slouched on the backless wooden footstool. I bask in the heat escaping under the oven door.

 As a child, I enjoyed Thanksgiving and the preparations that came with it, but it seemed like more of a bridge between my birthday and Christmas than an actual holiday. Now, it’s a time of year I look forward to, dedicated to family, memories, and, most importantly, food. What I realized as I grew older was that my homemade Thanksgiving apple pie was more than its flaky crust and soft-fruit center. This American food symbolized a rite of passage, my Iraqi family’s ticket to assimilation. 

 Some argue that by adopting American customs like the apple pie, we lose our culture. I would argue that while American culture influences what my family eats and celebrates, it doesn’t define our character. In my family, we eat Iraqi dishes like mesta and tahini, but we also eat Cinnamon Toast Crunch for breakfast. This doesn’t mean we favor one culture over the other; instead, we create a beautiful blend of the two, adapting traditions to make them our own.

 That said, my family has always been more than the “mashed potatoes and turkey” type.

My mom’s family immigrated to the United States in 1976. Upon their arrival, they encountered a deeply divided America. Racism thrived, even after the significant freedoms gained from the Civil Rights Movement a few years before. Here, my family was thrust into a completely unknown world: they didn’t speak the language, they didn’t dress normally, and dinners like riza maraka seemed strange in comparison to the Pop Tarts and Oreos lining grocery store shelves.

 If I were to host a dinner party, it would be like Thanksgiving with my Chaldean family. The guests, my extended family, are a diverse people, distinct ingredients in a sweet potato casserole, coming together to create a delicious dish.

In her article “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” Korsha Wilson writes, “each ingredient that we use, every technique, every spice tells a story about our access, our privilege, our heritage, and our culture.” Voices around the room will echo off the walls into the late hours of the night while the hot apple pie steams at the table’s center.

We will play concan on the blanketed floor and I’ll try to understand my Toto, who, after forty years, still speaks broken English. I’ll listen to my elders as they tell stories about growing up in Unionville, Michigan, a predominately white town where they always felt like outsiders, stories of racism that I have the privilege not to experience. While snacking on sunflower seeds and salted pistachios, we’ll talk about the news- how thousands of people across the country are protesting for justice among immigrants. No one protested to give my family a voice.

Our Thanksgiving food is more than just sustenance, it is a physical representation of my family ’s blended and ever-changing culture, even after 40 years in the United States. No matter how the food on our plates changes, it will always symbolize our sense of family—immediate and extended—and our unbreakable bond.

Grace Williams, a student at Kirkwood High School in Kirkwood, Missouri, enjoys playing tennis, baking, and spending time with her family. Grace also enjoys her time as a writing editor for her school’s yearbook, the Pioneer. In the future, Grace hopes to continue her travels abroad, as well as live near extended family along the sunny beaches of La Jolla, California.

University Winner: Lillia Borodkin

argumentative essay food

Nourishing Change After Tragedy Strikes

In the Jewish community, food is paramount. We often spend our holidays gathered around a table, sharing a meal and reveling in our people’s story. On other sacred days, we fast, focusing instead on reflection, atonement, and forgiveness.

As a child, I delighted in the comfort of matzo ball soup, the sweetness of hamantaschen, and the beauty of braided challah. But as I grew older and more knowledgeable about my faith, I learned that the origins of these foods are not rooted in joy, but in sacrifice.

The matzo of matzo balls was a necessity as the Jewish people did not have time for their bread to rise as they fled slavery in Egypt. The hamantaschen was an homage to the hat of Haman, the villain of the Purim story who plotted the Jewish people’s destruction. The unbaked portion of braided challah was tithed by commandment to the kohen  or priests. Our food is an expression of our history, commemorating both our struggles and our triumphs.

As I write this, only days have passed since eleven Jews were killed at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. These people, intending only to pray and celebrate the Sabbath with their community, were murdered simply for being Jewish. This brutal event, in a temple and city much like my own, is a reminder that anti-Semitism still exists in this country. A reminder that hatred of Jews, of me, my family, and my community, is alive and flourishing in America today. The thought that a difference in religion would make some believe that others do not have the right to exist is frightening and sickening.  

 This is why, if given the chance, I would sit down the entire Jewish American community at one giant Shabbat table. I’d serve matzo ball soup, pass around loaves of challah, and do my best to offer comfort. We would take time to remember the beautiful souls lost to anti-Semitism this October and the countless others who have been victims of such hatred in the past. I would then ask that we channel all we are feeling—all the fear, confusion, and anger —into the fight.

As suggested in Korsha Wilson’s “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” I would urge my guests to direct our passion for justice and the comfort and care provided by the food we are eating into resisting anti-Semitism and hatred of all kinds.

We must use the courage this sustenance provides to create change and honor our people’s suffering and strength. We must remind our neighbors, both Jewish and non-Jewish, that anti-Semitism is alive and well today. We must shout and scream and vote until our elected leaders take this threat to our community seriously. And, we must stand with, support, and listen to other communities that are subjected to vengeful hate today in the same way that many of these groups have supported us in the wake of this tragedy.

This terrible shooting is not the first of its kind, and if conflict and loathing are permitted to grow, I fear it will not be the last. While political change may help, the best way to target this hate is through smaller-scale actions in our own communities.

It is critical that we as a Jewish people take time to congregate and heal together, but it is equally necessary to include those outside the Jewish community to build a powerful crusade against hatred and bigotry. While convening with these individuals, we will work to end the dangerous “otherizing” that plagues our society and seek to understand that we share far more in common than we thought. As disagreements arise during our discussions, we will learn to respect and treat each other with the fairness we each desire. Together, we shall share the comfort, strength, and courage that traditional Jewish foods provide and use them to fuel our revolution. 

We are not alone in the fight despite what extremists and anti-semites might like us to believe.  So, like any Jew would do, I invite you to join me at the Shabbat table. First, we will eat. Then, we will get to work.  

Lillia Borodkin is a senior at Kent State University majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Child Psychology. She plans to attend graduate school and become a school psychologist while continuing to pursue her passion for reading and writing. Outside of class, Lillia is involved in research in the psychology department and volunteers at the Women’s Center on campus.   

Powerful Voice Winner: Paisley Regester

argumentative essay food

As a kid, I remember asking my friends jokingly, ”If you were stuck on a deserted island, what single item of food would you bring?” Some of my friends answered practically and said they’d bring water. Others answered comically and said they’d bring snacks like Flamin’ Hot Cheetos or a banana. However, most of my friends answered sentimentally and listed the foods that made them happy. This seems like fun and games, but what happens if the hypothetical changes? Imagine being asked, on the eve of your death, to choose the final meal you will ever eat. What food would you pick? Something practical? Comical? Sentimental?  

This situation is the reality for the 2,747 American prisoners who are currently awaiting execution on death row. The grim ritual of “last meals,” when prisoners choose their final meal before execution, can reveal a lot about these individuals and what they valued throughout their lives.

It is difficult for us to imagine someone eating steak, lobster tail, apple pie, and vanilla ice cream one moment and being killed by state-approved lethal injection the next. The prisoner can only hope that the apple pie he requested tastes as good as his mom’s. Surprisingly, many people in prison decline the option to request a special last meal. We often think of food as something that keeps us alive, so is there really any point to eating if someone knows they are going to die?

“Controlling food is a means of controlling power,” said chef Sean Sherman in the YES! Magazine article “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” by Korsha Wilson. There are deeper stories that lie behind the final meals of individuals on death row.

I want to bring awareness to the complex and often controversial conditions of this country’s criminal justice system and change the common perception of prisoners as inhuman. To accomplish this, I would host a potluck where I would recreate the last meals of prisoners sentenced to death.

In front of each plate, there would be a place card with the prisoner’s full name, the date of execution, and the method of execution. These meals could range from a plate of fried chicken, peas with butter, apple pie, and a Dr. Pepper, reminiscent of a Sunday dinner at Grandma’s, to a single olive.

Seeing these meals up close, meals that many may eat at their own table or feed to their own kids, would force attendees to face the reality of the death penalty. It will urge my guests to look at these individuals not just as prisoners, assigned a number and a death date, but as people, capable of love and rehabilitation.  

This potluck is not only about realizing a prisoner’s humanity, but it is also about recognizing a flawed criminal justice system. Over the years, I have become skeptical of the American judicial system, especially when only seven states have judges who ethnically represent the people they serve. I was shocked when I found out that the officers who killed Michael Brown and Anthony Lamar Smith were exonerated for their actions. How could that be possible when so many teens and adults of color have spent years in prison, some even executed, for crimes they never committed?  

Lawmakers, police officers, city officials, and young constituents, along with former prisoners and their families, would be invited to my potluck to start an honest conversation about the role and application of inequality, dehumanization, and racism in the death penalty. Food served at the potluck would represent the humanity of prisoners and push people to acknowledge that many inmates are victims of a racist and corrupt judicial system.

Recognizing these injustices is only the first step towards a more equitable society. The second step would be acting on these injustices to ensure that every voice is heard, even ones separated from us by prison walls. Let’s leave that for the next potluck, where I plan to serve humble pie.

Paisley Regester is a high school senior and devotes her life to activism, the arts, and adventure. Inspired by her experiences traveling abroad to Nicaragua, Mexico, and Scotland, Paisley hopes to someday write about the diverse people and places she has encountered and share her stories with the rest of the world.

Powerful Voice Winner: Emma Lingo

argumentative essay food

The Empty Seat

“If you aren’t sober, then I don’t want to see you on Christmas.”

Harsh words for my father to hear from his daughter but words he needed to hear. Words I needed him to understand and words he seemed to consider as he fiddled with his wine glass at the head of the table. Our guests, my grandma, and her neighbors remained resolutely silent. They were not about to defend my drunken father–or Charles as I call him–from my anger or my ultimatum.

This was the first dinner we had had together in a year. The last meal we shared ended with Charles slopping his drink all over my birthday presents and my mother explaining heroin addiction to me. So, I wasn’t surprised when Charles threw down some liquid valor before dinner in anticipation of my anger. If he wanted to be welcomed on Christmas, he needed to be sober—or he needed to be gone.

Countless dinners, holidays, and birthdays taught me that my demands for sobriety would fall on deaf ears. But not this time. Charles gave me a gift—a one of a kind, limited edition, absolutely awkward treat. One that I didn’t know how to deal with at all. Charles went home that night, smacked a bright red bow on my father, and hand-delivered him to me on Christmas morning.

He arrived for breakfast freshly showered and looking flustered. He would remember this day for once only because his daughter had scolded him into sobriety. Dad teetered between happiness and shame. Grandma distracted us from Dad’s presence by bringing the piping hot bacon and biscuits from the kitchen to the table, theatrically announcing their arrival. Although these foods were the alleged focus of the meal, the real spotlight shined on the unopened liquor cabinet in my grandma’s kitchen—the cabinet I know Charles was begging Dad to open.

I’ve isolated myself from Charles. My family has too. It means we don’t see Dad, but it’s the best way to avoid confrontation and heartache. Sometimes I find myself wondering what it would be like if we talked with him more or if he still lived nearby. Would he be less inclined to use? If all families with an addict tried to hang on to a relationship with the user, would there be fewer addicts in the world? Christmas breakfast with Dad was followed by Charles whisking him away to Colorado where pot had just been legalized. I haven’t talked to Dad since that Christmas.

As Korsha Wilson stated in her YES! Magazine article, “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” “Sometimes what we don’t cook says more than what we do cook.” When it comes to addiction, what isn’t served is more important than what is. In quiet moments, I like to imagine a meal with my family–including Dad. He’d have a spot at the table in my little fantasy. No alcohol would push him out of his chair, the cigarettes would remain seated in his back pocket, and the stench of weed wouldn’t invade the dining room. Fruit salad and gumbo would fill the table—foods that Dad likes. We’d talk about trivial matters in life, like how school is going and what we watched last night on TV.

Dad would feel loved. We would connect. He would feel less alone. At the end of the night, he’d walk me to the door and promise to see me again soon. And I would believe him.

Emma Lingo spends her time working as an editor for her school paper, reading, and being vocal about social justice issues. Emma is active with many clubs such as Youth and Government, KHS Cares, and Peer Helpers. She hopes to be a journalist one day and to be able to continue helping out people by volunteering at local nonprofits.

Powerful Voice Winner: Hayden Wilson

argumentative essay food

Bittersweet Reunion

I close my eyes and envision a dinner of my wildest dreams. I would invite all of my relatives. Not just my sister who doesn’t ask how I am anymore. Not just my nephews who I’m told are too young to understand me. No, I would gather all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins to introduce them to the me they haven’t met.

For almost two years, I’ve gone by a different name that most of my family refuses to acknowledge. My aunt, a nun of 40 years, told me at a recent birthday dinner that she’d heard of my “nickname.” I didn’t want to start a fight, so I decided not to correct her. Even the ones who’ve adjusted to my name have yet to recognize the bigger issue.

Last year on Facebook, I announced to my friends and family that I am transgender. No one in my family has talked to me about it, but they have plenty to say to my parents. I feel as if this is about my parents more than me—that they’ve made some big parenting mistake. Maybe if I invited everyone to dinner and opened up a discussion, they would voice their concerns to me instead of my parents.

I would serve two different meals of comfort food to remind my family of our good times. For my dad’s family, I would cook heavily salted breakfast food, the kind my grandpa used to enjoy. He took all of his kids to IHOP every Sunday and ordered the least healthy option he could find, usually some combination of an overcooked omelet and a loaded Classic Burger. For my mom’s family, I would buy shakes and burgers from Hardee’s. In my grandma’s final weeks, she let aluminum tins of sympathy meals pile up on her dining table while she made my uncle take her to Hardee’s every day.

In her article on cooking and activism, food writer Korsha Wilson writes, “Everyone puts down their guard over a good meal, and in that space, change is possible.” Hopefully the same will apply to my guests.

When I first thought of this idea, my mind rushed to the endless negative possibilities. My nun-aunt and my two non-nun aunts who live like nuns would whip out their Bibles before I even finished my first sentence. My very liberal, state representative cousin would say how proud she is of the guy I’m becoming, but this would trigger my aunts to accuse her of corrupting my mind. My sister, who has never spoken to me about my genderidentity, would cover her children’s ears and rush them out of the house. My Great-Depression-raised grandparents would roll over in their graves, mumbling about how kids have it easy nowadays.

After mentally mapping out every imaginable terrible outcome this dinner could have, I realized a conversation is unavoidable if I want my family to accept who I am. I long to restore the deep connection I used to have with them. Though I often think these former relationships are out of reach, I won’t know until I try to repair them. For a year and a half, I’ve relied on Facebook and my parents to relay messages about my identity, but I need to tell my own story.

At first, I thought Korsha Wilson’s idea of a cooked meal leading the way to social change was too optimistic, but now I understand that I need to think more like her. Maybe, just maybe, my family could all gather around a table, enjoy some overpriced shakes, and be as close as we were when I was a little girl.

 Hayden Wilson is a 17-year-old high school junior from Missouri. He loves writing, making music, and painting. He’s a part of his school’s writing club, as well as the GSA and a few service clubs.

 Literary Gems

We received many outstanding essays for the Fall 2018 Writing Competition. Though not every participant can win the contest, we’d like to share some excerpts that caught our eye.

Thinking of the main staple of the dish—potatoes, the starchy vegetable that provides sustenance for people around the globe. The onion, the layers of sorrow and joy—a base for this dish served during the holidays.  The oil, symbolic of hope and perseverance. All of these elements come together to form this delicious oval pancake permeating with possibilities. I wonder about future possibilities as I flip the latkes.

—Nikki Markman, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California

The egg is a treasure. It is a fragile heart of gold that once broken, flows over the blemishless surface of the egg white in dandelion colored streams, like ribbon unraveling from its spool.

—Kaylin Ku, West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South, Princeton Junction, New Jersey

If I were to bring one food to a potluck to create social change by addressing anti-Semitism, I would bring gefilte fish because it is different from other fish, just like the Jews are different from other people.  It looks more like a matzo ball than fish, smells extraordinarily fishy, and tastes like sweet brine with the consistency of a crab cake.

—Noah Glassman, Ethical Culture Fieldston School,  Bronx, New York

I would not only be serving them something to digest, I would serve them a one-of-a-kind taste of the past, a taste of fear that is felt in the souls of those whose home and land were taken away, a taste of ancestral power that still lives upon us, and a taste of the voices that want to be heard and that want the suffering of the Natives to end.

—Citlalic Anima Guevara, Wichita North High School, Wichita, Kansas

It’s the one thing that your parents make sure you have because they didn’t.  Food is what your mother gives you as she lies, telling you she already ate. It’s something not everybody is fortunate to have and it’s also what we throw away without hesitation.  Food is a blessing to me, but what is it to you?

—Mohamed Omar, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Missouri

Filleted and fried humphead wrasse, mangrove crab with coconut milk, pounded taro, a whole roast pig, and caramelized nuts—cuisines that will not be simplified to just “food.” Because what we eat is the diligence and pride of our people—a culture that has survived and continues to thrive.

—Mayumi Remengesau, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California

Some people automatically think I’m kosher or ask me to say prayers in Hebrew.  However, guess what? I don’t know many prayers and I eat bacon.

—Hannah Reing, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, The Bronx, New York

Everything was placed before me. Rolling up my sleeves I started cracking eggs, mixing flour, and sampling some chocolate chips, because you can never be too sure. Three separate bowls. All different sizes. Carefully, I tipped the smallest, and the medium-sized bowls into the biggest. Next, I plugged in my hand-held mixer and flicked on the switch. The beaters whirl to life. I lowered it into the bowl and witnessed the creation of something magnificent. Cookie dough.

—Cassandra Amaya, Owen Goodnight Middle School, San Marcos, Texas

Biscuits and bisexuality are both things that are in my life…My grandmother’s biscuits are the best: the good old classic Southern biscuits, crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. Except it is mostly Southern people who don’t accept me.

—Jaden Huckaby, Arbor Montessori, Decatur, Georgia

We zest the bright yellow lemons and the peels of flavor fall lightly into the batter.  To make frosting, we keep adding more and more powdered sugar until it looks like fluffy clouds with raspberry seed rain.

—Jane Minus, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

Tamales for my grandma, I can still remember her skillfully spreading the perfect layer of masa on every corn husk, looking at me pitifully as my young hands fumbled with the corn wrapper, always too thick or too thin.

—Brenna Eliaz, San Marcos High School, San Marcos, Texas

Just like fry bread, MRE’s (Meals Ready to Eat) remind New Orleanians and others affected by disasters of the devastation throughout our city and the little amount of help we got afterward.

—Madeline Johnson, Spring Hill College, Mobile, Alabama

I would bring cream corn and buckeyes and have a big debate on whether marijuana should be illegal or not.

—Lillian Martinez, Miller Middle School, San Marcos, Texas

We would finish the meal off with a delicious apple strudel, topped with schlag, schlag, schlag, more schlag, and a cherry, and finally…more schlag (in case you were wondering, schlag is like whipped cream, but 10 times better because it is heavier and sweeter).

—Morgan Sheehan, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

Clever Titles

This year we decided to do something different. We were so impressed by the number of catchy titles that we decided to feature some of our favorites. 

“Eat Like a Baby: Why Shame Has No Place at a Baby’s Dinner Plate”

—Tate Miller, Wichita North High School, Wichita, Kansas 

“The Cheese in Between”

—Jedd Horowitz, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

“Harvey, Michael, Florence or Katrina? Invite Them All Because Now We Are Prepared”

—Molly Mendoza, Spring Hill College, Mobile, Alabama

“Neglecting Our Children: From Broccoli to Bullets”

—Kylie Rollings, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Missouri  

“The Lasagna of Life”

—Max Williams, Wichita North High School, Wichita, Kansas

“Yum, Yum, Carbon Dioxide In Our Lungs”

—Melanie Eickmeyer, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Missouri

“My Potluck, My Choice”

—Francesca Grossberg, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

“Trumping with Tacos”

—Maya Goncalves, Lincoln Middle School, Ypsilanti, Michigan

“Quiche and Climate Change”

—Bernie Waldman, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

“Biscuits and Bisexuality”

“W(health)”

—Miles Oshan, San Marcos High School, San Marcos, Texas

“Bubula, Come Eat!”

—Jordan Fienberg, Ethical Culture Fieldston School,  Bronx, New York

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Food Insecurity and What We Can Do to Help Essay (Speech)

  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Works cited.

  • General Purpose: To persuade
  • Specific Purpose: To persuade listeners that the food insecurity issue is severe and that everyone can contribute to its solution.
  • Time: ~ 8 min.
  • Imagine a day when you have little strength and energy – you feel weakness and soreness – the feelings are rather unpleasant. Now imagine that you feel this discomfort and lack of strength every day.
  • In a world where for many people, any food is within walking distance and abundantly presented on supermarket shelves, it is easy to forget how many people are still starving. Moreover, hunger in its usual understanding of lack of food is only part of the problem. Some families are forced to choose cheap and low-quality food, only worsening their health. This problem usually intersects with others – frequent diseases and chronic conditions, high medical expenses, moral oppression, and similar issues.
  • Tie to the audience: This is not just a problem on remote continents about which reporters talk. People suffering from food insecurity can live in your community. Moreover, an irresponsible attitude and nature can lead to consequences for each of us.
  • Thesis Statement: The problem of food insecurity today is not in the amount of food but its availability. It affects people’s life quality and social development, but there are several measures that each of us can take.
  • Thus, I want to talk to you today about the very problem of food insecurity, its causes and consequences, and what individuals can do to help.

[Transition into the body of speech: I will begin with what is food security and insecurity and why it is so important.].

  • Description of Problem: Food insecurity is “a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life” ( What is Food Insecurity? para. 2). Although the problem is closely related to hunger, this is a different concept since hunger refers to physical sensations, and insecurity refers to the lack of available resources and does not always imply hunger. Another phenomenon that helps to understand the problem better is food swamp – areas in which unhealthy food, such as fast food, is more accessible and common than a healthy one (Caspi para. 17).
  • Besides the daily feeling of hunger or weakness, food insecurity negatively affects physical and mental health and development, especially in children.
  • People experiencing food insecurity are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions such as diabetes, blood pressure problems, anemia, and similar issues ( Compromises and Coping Strategies para. 5). Without enough energy and health, they cannot improve their life quality.
  • Example, Narrative, or Testimony: Quality food is an essential condition for maintaining a person’s intellectual and physical abilities.
  • Extent of Problem: Some households often have a difficult choice between quality food and other vital needs.
  • According to the United Nations, the number of people suffering from the problem in the world reaches 690 million inhabitants, or almost 9% ( Goal 2: Zero Hunger para. 1).
  • In America, one in nine citizens experience food insecurity problems, equating to 37 million people, of which 11 million are children ( What is Food Insecurity? para. 1).
  • More than 60% of American citizens facing food insecurity are forced to choose between food and utilities, healthcare, or transportation ( Compromises and Coping Strategies para 2). To save money, about 80% of affected people choose unhealthy food ( Compromises and Coping Strategies para. 4).
  • At the same time, about 1.3 billion tonnes of food, a third of all food produced for people, is wasted every year (Depta para. 2).
  • Who is Affected: Food insecurity can affect adults, children, people of different nationalities – all low-income citizens. It can be caused by economic instability, extreme weather events such as drought or flooding, armed conflicts, and similar problems ( Global Report on Food Crises 2021 para. 2-3).

Example/Narrative and/or Facts/Statistics: Nevertheless, the representation of the problem reflects the general picture of the population – African Americans and Hispanics suffer more (Caspi para. 14). Injustice is associated with general discriminatory practices and their consequences – difficulties accessing opportunities, lack of affordable housing, and other problems.

[Transition: As you can see, the reasons for food insecurity are deep, and states should devote part of their activities to its solution. However, each person can also take several measures to help improve the situation.]

Satisfaction

  • How Solution Satisfies Need: A responsible attitude towards the environment will slow climate change, giving time to solve problems in the long term. Charity will have an effect in the short term, as it will provide the necessary resources to those who need them.
  • How Solution can be Implemented: To take action, you need awareness of the problem and solutions and participation in charitable organizations’ work.
  • Step 1 of Plan: Responsible attitude to the environment involves recycling, not pollution of nature, saving natural resources, and similar measures that everyone can learn.
  • Step 2 of Plan: It is necessary to prevent the excessive purchase of food and its throwing out by planning meals and supporting local producers.
  • Step 3 of Plan: Participation in charity can be different – volunteering or making donations. You only need to find suitable initiatives in your area using the Internet.

[Transition: Thus, you can start solving global problems with small steps but achieve great results.]

Visualization

  • Describe Expected Results of Action: The more people learn about the problem and take action, the greater their effect. In particular, responsible food consumption and the purchase will reduce surplus production and use resources in less affluent areas. Taking care of the environment will also slow climate change. Finally, helping people get the nutrition necessary for a healthy life will improve the nation’s health and well-being.
  • Describe Consequences of Inaction: If the problem is ignored, the number of people who do not receive the necessary nutrition will increase. Their oppressed condition will prevent them from showing their potential and talents and investing it in the development of society. Moreover, we contribute to inequality, discrimination, environmental degradation, and other related issues by ignoring the problem.

[Transition: In conclusion]

  • Brakelight: In conclusion, as you see, the solution to global problems is the shared responsibility of each of us.
  • Summary: I provided to you information about what food insecurity is, its danger, the reasons, and how to deal with it. The inaccessibility of quality food negatively affects people’s health and well-being and can be triggered by poverty, environmental disasters, inequality, and other causes.
  • Tie Back to the Audience: Although it may seem that the responsibility lies with others – politicians, corporations, international organizations, everyone makes a choice – whether or not to help.
  • Concluding Remarks:

CALL TO ACTION: I encourage you to be responsible in your lifestyle, help others and take care of your health.

Caspi, Caitlin. “What is Food Insecurity?” The Conversation , 2021, Web.

“Compromises and Coping Strategies.” Feeding America , Web.

Depta, Laura. “Global Food Waste and its Environmental Impact.” Reset , 2018, Web.

“Global Report on Food Crises 2021.” Reliefweb , 2021, Web.

“Goal 2: Zero Hunger.” United Nations , Web.

“What is Food Insecurity?” Hunger + Health , Web.

  • Analysis and Significance of Food Moisture Content
  • Food Security Under Hot Climate in Saudi Arabia
  • The Job Insecurity Scale
  • Impacts of Climatic Changes on Food Insecurity
  • Food Insecurity: Key Principles
  • Promoting Fast Food Ingredient Awareness
  • Wildlife Conservation and Food Safety for Human
  • Food Processing and Preservation Methods
  • The Role of Sweeteners in Weight Gain
  • Food Safety in the Modern World
  • Chicago (A-D)
  • Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2022, July 23). Food Insecurity and What We Can Do to Help. https://ivypanda.com/essays/food-insecurity-persuasive-speech/

"Food Insecurity and What We Can Do to Help." IvyPanda , 23 July 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/food-insecurity-persuasive-speech/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Food Insecurity and What We Can Do to Help'. 23 July.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Food Insecurity and What We Can Do to Help." July 23, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/food-insecurity-persuasive-speech/.

1. IvyPanda . "Food Insecurity and What We Can Do to Help." July 23, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/food-insecurity-persuasive-speech/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Food Insecurity and What We Can Do to Help." July 23, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/food-insecurity-persuasive-speech/.

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ENG 101 - Argumentative Essay - Food Related (Ray)

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ENG 101 - Argumentative Essay - Food Related

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12.4 Annotated Student Sample: "Healthy Diets from Sustainable Sources Can Save the Earth" by Lily Tran

Learning outcomes.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

  • Analyze how writers use evidence in research writing.
  • Analyze the ways a writer incorporates sources into research writing, while retaining their own voice.
  • Explain the use of headings as organizational tools in research writing.
  • Analyze how writers use evidence to address counterarguments when writing a research essay.

Introduction

In this argumentative research essay for a first-year composition class, student Lily Tran creates a solid, focused argument and supports it with researched evidence. Throughout the essay, she uses this evidence to support cause-and-effect and problem-solution reasoning, make strong appeals, and develop her ethos on the topic.

Living by Their Own Words

Food as change.

public domain text For the human race to have a sustainable future, massive changes in the way food is produced, processed, and distributed are necessary on a global scale. end public domain text

annotated text Purpose. Lily Tran refers to what she sees as the general purpose for writing this paper: the problem of current global practices in food production, processing, and distribution. By presenting the “problem,” she immediately prepares readers for her proposed solution. end annotated text

public domain text The required changes will affect nearly all aspects of life, including not only world hunger but also health and welfare, land use and habitats, water quality and availability, energy use and production, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, economics, and even cultural and social values. These changes may not be popular, but they are imperative. The human race must turn to sustainable food systems that provide healthy diets with minimal environmental impact—and starting now. end public domain text

annotated text Thesis. Leading up to this clear, declarative thesis statement are key points on which Tran will expand later. In doing this, she presents some foundational evidence that connects the problem to the proposed solution. end annotated text

THE COMING FOOD CRISIS

public domain text The world population has been rising exponentially in modern history. From 1 billion in 1804, it doubled to approximately 2 billion by 1927, then doubled again to approximately 4 billion in 1974. By 2019, it had nearly doubled again, rising to 7.7 billion (“World Population by Year”). It has been projected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050 (Berners-Lee et al.). At the same time, the average life span also has been increasing. These situations have led to severe stress on the environment, particularly in the demands for food. It has been estimated, for example, that by 2050, milk production will increase 58 percent and meat production 73 percent (Chai et al.). end public domain text

annotated text Evidence. In this first supporting paragraph, Tran uses numerical evidence from several sources. This numerical data as evidence helps establish the projection of population growth. By beginning with such evidence, Tran underscores the severity of the situation. end annotated text

public domain text Theoretically, the planet can produce enough food for everyone, but human activities have endangered this capability through unsustainable practices. Currently, agriculture produces 10–23 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gases—the most common being carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapor— trap heat in the atmosphere, reradiate it, and send it back to Earth again. Heat trapped in the atmosphere is a problem because it causes unnatural global warming as well as air pollution, extreme weather conditions, and respiratory diseases. end public domain text

annotated text Audience. With her audience in mind, Tran briefly explains the problem of greenhouse gases and global warming. end annotated text

public domain text It has been estimated that global greenhouse gas emissions will increase by as much as 150 percent by 2030 (Chai et al.). Transportation also has a negative effect on the environment when foods are shipped around the world. As Joseph Poore of the University of Oxford commented, “It’s essential to be mindful about everything we consume: air-transported fruit and veg can create more greenhouse gas emissions per kilogram than poultry meat, for example” (qtd. in Gray). end public domain text

annotated text Transition. By beginning this paragraph with her own transition of ideas, Tran establishes control over the organization and development of ideas. Thus, she retains her sources as supports and does not allow them to dominate her essay. end annotated text

public domain text Current practices have affected the nutritional value of foods. Concentrated animal-feeding operations, intended to increase production, have had the side effect of decreasing nutritional content in animal protein and increasing saturated fat. One study found that an intensively raised chicken in 2017 contained only one-sixth of the amount of omega-3 fatty acid, an essential nutrient, that was in a chicken in 1970. Today the majority of calories in chicken come from fat rather than protein (World Wildlife Fund). end public domain text

annotated text Example. By focusing on an example (chicken), Tran uses specific research data to develop the nuance of the argument. end annotated text

public domain text Current policies such as government subsidies that divert food to biofuels are counterproductive to the goal of achieving adequate global nutrition. Some trade policies allow “dumping” of below-cost, subsidized foods on developing countries that should instead be enabled to protect their farmers and meet their own nutritional needs (Sierra Club). Too often, agriculture’s objectives are geared toward maximizing quantities produced per acre rather than optimizing output of critical nutritional needs and protection of the environment. end public domain text

AREAS OF CONCERN

Hunger and nutrition.

annotated text Headings and Subheadings. Throughout the essay, Tran has created headings and subheadings to help organize her argument and clarify it for readers. end annotated text

public domain text More than 820 million people around the world do not have enough to eat. At the same time, about a third of all grains and almost two-thirds of all soybeans, maize, and barley crops are fed to animals (Barnard). According to the World Health Organization, 462 million adults are underweight, 47 million children under 5 years of age are underweight for their height, 14.3 million are severely underweight for their height, and 144 million are stunted (“Malnutrition”). About 45 percent of mortality among children under 5 is linked to undernutrition. These deaths occur mainly in low- and middle-income countries where, in stark contrast, the rate of childhood obesity is rising. Globally, 1.9 billion adults and 38.3 million children are overweight or obese (“Obesity”). Undernutrition and obesity can be found in the same household, largely a result of eating energy-dense foods that are high in fat and sugars. The global impact of malnutrition, which includes both undernutrition and obesity, has lasting developmental, economic, social, and medical consequences. end public domain text

public domain text In 2019, Berners-Lee et al. published the results of their quantitative analysis of global and regional food supply. They determined that significant changes are needed on four fronts: end public domain text

Food production must be sufficient, in quantity and quality, to feed the global population without unacceptable environmental impacts. Food distribution must be sufficiently efficient so that a diverse range of foods containing adequate nutrition is available to all, again without unacceptable environmental impacts. Socio-economic conditions must be sufficiently equitable so that all consumers can access the quantity and range of foods needed for a healthy diet. Consumers need to be able to make informed and rational choices so that they consume a healthy and environmentally sustainable diet (10).

annotated text Block Quote. The writer has chosen to present important evidence as a direct quotation, using the correct format for direct quotations longer than four lines. See Section Editing Focus: Integrating Sources and Quotations for more information about block quotes. end annotated text

public domain text Among their findings, they singled out, in particular, the practice of using human-edible crops to produce meat, dairy, and fish for the human table. Currently 34 percent of human-edible crops are fed to animals, a practice that reduces calorie and protein supplies. They state in their report, “If society continues on a ‘business-as-usual’ dietary trajectory, a 119% increase in edible crops grown will be required by 2050” (1). Future food production and distribution must be transformed into systems that are nutritionally adequate, environmentally sound, and economically affordable. end public domain text

Land and Water Use

public domain text Agriculture occupies 40 percent of Earth’s ice-free land mass (Barnard). While the net area used for producing food has been fairly constant since the mid-20th century, the locations have shifted significantly. Temperate regions of North America, Europe, and Russia have lost agricultural land to other uses, while in the tropics, agricultural land has expanded, mainly as a result of clearing forests and burning biomass (Willett et al.). Seventy percent of the rainforest that has been cut down is being used to graze livestock (Münter). Agricultural use of water is of critical concern both quantitatively and qualitatively. Agriculture accounts for about 70 percent of freshwater use, making it “the world’s largest water-consuming sector” (Barnard). Meat, dairy, and egg production causes water pollution, as liquid wastes flow into rivers and to the ocean (World Wildlife Fund and Knorr Foods). According to the Hertwich et al., “the impacts related to these activities are unlikely to be reduced, but rather enhanced, in a business-as-usual scenario for the future” (13). end public domain text

annotated text Statistical Data. To develop her points related to land and water use, Tran presents specific statistical data throughout this section. Notice that she has chosen only the needed words of these key points to ensure that she controls the development of the supporting point and does not overuse borrowed source material. end annotated text

annotated text Defining Terms. Aware of her audience, Tran defines monocropping , a term that may be unfamiliar. end annotated text

public domain text Earth’s resources and ability to absorb pollution are limited, and many current agricultural practices undermine these capacities. Among these unsustainable practices are monocropping [growing a single crop year after year on the same land], concentrated animal-feeding operations, and overdependence on manufactured pesticides and fertilizers (Hamilton). Such practices deplete the soil, dramatically increase energy use, reduce pollinator populations, and lead to the collapse of resource supplies. One study found that producing one gram of beef for human consumption requires 42 times more land, 2 times more water, and 4 times more nitrogen than staple crops. It also creates 3 times more greenhouse gas emissions (Chai et al.). The EAT– Lancet Commission calls for “halting expansion of new agricultural land at the expense of natural ecosystems . . . strict protections on intact ecosystems, suspending concessions for logging in protected areas, or conversion of remaining intact ecosystems, particularly peatlands and forest areas” (Willett et al. 481). The Commission also calls for land-use zoning, regulations prohibiting land clearing, and incentives for protecting natural areas, including forests. end public domain text

annotated text Synthesis. The paragraphs above and below this comment show how Tran has synthesized content from several sources to help establish and reinforce key supports of her essay . end annotated text

Greenhouse Gas and Climate Change

public domain text Climate change is heavily affected by two factors: greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration. In nature, the two remain in balance; for example, most animals exhale carbon dioxide, and most plants capture carbon dioxide. Carbon is also captured, or sequestered, by soil and water, especially oceans, in what are called “sinks.” Human activities have skewed this balance over the past two centuries. The shift in land use, which exploits land, water, and fossil energy, has caused increased greenhouse-gas emissions, which in turn accelerate climate change. end public domain text

public domain text Global food systems are threatened by climate change because farmers depend on relatively stable climate systems to plan for production and harvest. Yet food production is responsible for up to 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions (Barnard). While soil can be a highly effective means of carbon sequestration, agricultural soils have lost much of their effectiveness from overgrazing, erosion, overuse of chemical fertilizer, and excess tilling. Hamilton reports that the world’s cultivated and grazed soils have lost 50 to 70 percent of their ability to accumulate and store carbon. As a result, “billions of tons of carbon have been released into the atmosphere.” end public domain text

annotated text Direct Quotation and Paraphrase. While Tran has paraphrased some content of this source borrowing, because of the specificity and impact of the number— “billions of tons of carbon”—she has chosen to use the author’s original words. As she has done elsewhere in the essay, she has indicated these as directly borrowed words by placing them within quotation marks. See Section 12.5 for more about paraphrasing. end annotated text

public domain text While carbon sequestration has been falling, greenhouse gas emissions have been increasing as a result of the production, transport, processing, storage, waste disposal, and other life stages of food production. Agriculture alone is responsible for fully 10 to 12 percent of global emissions, and that figure is estimated to rise by up to 150 percent of current levels by 2030 (Chai et al.). Münter reports that “more greenhouse gas emissions are produced by growing livestock for meat than all the planes, trains, ships, cars, trucks, and all forms of fossil fuel-based transportation combined” (5). Additional greenhouse gases, methane and nitrous oxide, are produced by the decomposition of organic wastes. Methane has 25 times and nitrous oxide has nearly 300 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide (Curnow). Agricultural and food production systems must be reformed to shift agriculture from greenhouse gas source to sink. end public domain text

Social and Cultural Values

public domain text As the Sierra Club has pointed out, agriculture is inherently cultural: all systems of food production have “the capacity to generate . . . economic benefits and ecological capital” as well as “a sense of meaning and connection to natural resources.” Yet this connection is more evident in some cultures and less so in others. Wealthy countries built on a consumer culture emphasize excess consumption. One result of this attitude is that in 2014, Americans discarded the equivalent of $165 billion worth of food. Much of this waste ended up rotting in landfills, comprised the single largest component of U.S. municipal solid waste, and contributed a substantial portion of U.S. methane emissions (Sierra Club). In low- and middle-income countries, food waste tends to occur in early production stages because of poor scheduling of harvests, improper handling of produce, or lack of market access (Willett et al.). The recent “America First” philosophy has encouraged prioritizing the economic welfare of one nation to the detriment of global welfare and sustainability. end public domain text

annotated text Synthesis and Response to Claims. Here, as in subsequent sections, while still relying heavily on facts and content from borrowed sources, Tran provides her synthesized understanding of the information by responding to key points. end annotated text

public domain text In response to claims that a vegetarian diet is a necessary component of sustainable food production and consumption, Lusk and Norwood determined the importance of meat in a consumer’s diet. Their study indicated that meat is the most valuable food category to consumers, and “humans derive great pleasure from consuming beef, pork, and poultry” (120). Currently only 4 percent of Americans are vegetarians, and it would be difficult to convince consumers to change their eating habits. Purdy adds “there’s the issue of philosophy. A lot of vegans aren’t in the business of avoiding animal products for the sake of land sustainability. Many would prefer to just leave animal husbandry out of food altogether.” end public domain text

public domain text At the same time, consumers expect ready availability of the foods they desire, regardless of health implications or sustainability of sources. Unhealthy and unsustainable foods are heavily marketed. Out-of-season produce is imported year-round, increasing carbon emissions from air transportation. Highly processed and packaged convenience foods are nutritionally inferior and waste both energy and packaging materials. Serving sizes are larger than necessary, contributing to overconsumption and obesity. Snack food vending machines are ubiquitous in schools and public buildings. What is needed is a widespread attitude shift toward reducing waste, choosing local fruits and vegetables that are in season, and paying attention to how foods are grown and transported. end public domain text

annotated text Thesis Restated. Restating her thesis, Tran ends this section by advocating for a change in attitude to bring about sustainability. end annotated text

DISSENTING OPINIONS

annotated text Counterclaims . Tran uses equally strong research to present the counterargument. Presenting both sides by addressing objections is important in constructing a clear, well-reasoned argument. Writers should use as much rigor in finding research-based evidence to counter the opposition as they do to develop their argument. end annotated text

public domain text Transformation of the food production system faces resistance for a number of reasons, most of which dispute the need for plant-based diets. Historically, meat has been considered integral to athletes’ diets and thus has caused many consumers to believe meat is necessary for a healthy diet. Lynch et al. examined the impact of plant-based diets on human physical health, environmental sustainability, and exercise performance capacity. The results show “it is unlikely that plant-based diets provide advantages, but do not suffer from disadvantages, compared to omnivorous diets for strength, anaerobic, or aerobic exercise performance” (1). end public domain text

public domain text A second objection addresses the claim that land use for animal-based food production contributes to pollution and greenhouse gas emissions and is inefficient in terms of nutrient delivery. Berners-Lee et al. point out that animal nutrition from grass, pasture, and silage comes partially from land that cannot be used for other purposes, such as producing food directly edible by humans or for other ecosystem services such as biofuel production. Consequently, nutritional losses from such land use do not fully translate into losses of human-available nutrients (3). end public domain text

annotated text Paraphrase. Tran has paraphrased the information as support. Though she still cites the source, she has changed the words to her own, most likely to condense a larger amount of original text or to make it more accessible. end annotated text

public domain text While this objection may be correct, it does not address the fact that natural carbon sinks are being destroyed to increase agricultural land and, therefore, increase greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. end public domain text

public domain text Another significant dissenting opinion is that transforming food production will place hardships on farmers and others employed in the food industry. Farmers and ranchers make a major investment in their own operations. At the same time, they support jobs in related industries, as consumers of farm machinery, customers at local businesses, and suppliers for other industries such as food processing (Schulz). Sparks reports that “livestock farmers are being unfairly ‘demonized’ by vegans and environmental advocates” and argues that while farming includes both costs and benefits, the costs receive much more attention than the benefits. end public domain text

FUTURE GENERATIONS

public domain text The EAT– Lancet Commission calls for a transformation in the global food system, implementing different core processes and feedback. This transformation will not happen unless there is “widespread, multi-sector, multilevel action to change what food is eaten, how it is produced, and its effects on the environment and health, while providing healthy diets for the global population” (Willett et al. 476). System changes will require global efforts coordinated across all levels and will require governments, the private sector, and civil society to share a common vision and goals. Scientific modeling indicates 10 billion people could indeed be fed a healthy and sustainable diet. end public domain text

annotated text Conclusion. While still using research-based sources as evidence in the concluding section, Tran finishes with her own words, restating her thesis. end annotated text

public domain text For the human race to have a sustainable future, massive changes in the way food is produced, processed, and distributed are necessary on a global scale. The required changes will affect nearly all aspects of life, including not only world hunger but also health and welfare, land use and habitats, water quality and availability, energy use and production, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, economics, and even cultural and social values. These changes may not be popular, but they are imperative. They are also achievable. The human race must turn to sustainable food systems that provide healthy diets with minimal environmental impact, starting now. end public domain text

annotated text Sources. Note two important aspects of the sources chosen: 1) They represent a range of perspectives, and 2) They are all quite current. When exploring a contemporary topic, it is important to avoid research that is out of date. end annotated text

Works Cited

Barnard, Neal. “How Eating More Plants Can Save Lives and the Planet.” Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine , 24 Jan. 2019, www.pcrm.org/news/blog/how-eating-more-plants-can-save-lives-and-planet. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

Berners-Lee, M., et al. “Current Global Food Production Is Sufficient to Meet Human Nutritional Needs in 2050 Provided There Is Radical Societal Adaptation.” Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene , vol. 6, no. 52, 2018, doi:10.1525/elementa.310. Accessed 7 Dec. 2020.

Chai, Bingli Clark, et al. “Which Diet Has the Least Environmental Impact on Our Planet? A Systematic Review of Vegan, Vegetarian and Omnivorous Diets.” Sustainability , vol. 11, no. 15, 2019, doi: underline 10.3390/su11154110 end underline . Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

Curnow, Mandy. “Managing Manure to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions.” Government of Western Australia, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, 2 Nov. 2020, www.agric.wa.gov.au/climate-change/managing-manure-reduce-greenhouse-gas-emissions. Accessed 9 Dec. 2020.

Gray, Richard. “Why the Vegan Diet Is Not Always Green.” BBC , 13 Feb. 2020, www.bbc.com/future/article/20200211-why-the-vegan-diet-is-not-always-green. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

Hamilton, Bruce. “Food and Our Climate.” Sierra Club, 2014, www.sierraclub.org/compass/2014/10/food-and-our-climate. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

Hertwich. Edgar G., et al. Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Consumption and Production. United Nations Environment Programme, 2010, www.resourcepanel.org/reports/assessing-environmental-impacts-consumption-and-production.

Lusk, Jayson L., and F. Bailey Norwood. “Some Economic Benefits and Costs of Vegetarianism.” Agricultural and Resource Economics Review , vol. 38, no. 2, 2009, pp. 109-24, doi: 10.1017/S1068280500003142. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

Lynch Heidi, et al. “Plant-Based Diets: Considerations for Environmental Impact, Protein Quality, and Exercise Performance.” Nutrients, vol. 10, no. 12, 2018, doi:10.3390/nu10121841. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

Münter, Leilani. “Why a Plant-Based Diet Will Save the World.” Health and the Environment. Disruptive Women in Health Care & the United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2012, archive.epa.gov/womenandgirls/web/pdf/1016healththeenvironmentebook.pdf.

Purdy, Chase. “Being Vegan Isn’t as Good for Humanity as You Think.” Quartz , 4 Aug. 2016, qz.com/749443/being-vegan-isnt-as-environmentally-friendly-as-you-think/. Accessed 7 Dec. 2020.

Schulz, Lee. “Would a Sudden Loss of the Meat and Dairy Industry, and All the Ripple Effects, Destroy the Economy?” Iowa State U Department of Economics, www.econ.iastate.edu/node/691. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

Sierra Club. “Agriculture and Food.” Sierra Club, 28 Feb. 2015, www.sierraclub.org/policy/agriculture/food. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

Sparks, Hannah. “Veganism Won’t Save the World from Environmental Ruin, Researchers Warn.” New York Post , 29 Nov. 2019, nypost.com/2019/11/29/veganism-wont-save-the-world-from-environmental-ruin-researchers-warn/. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

Willett, Walter, et al. “Food in the Anthropocene: The EAT– Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems.” The Lancet, vol. 393, no. 10170, 2019. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31788-4. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

World Health Organization. “Malnutrition.” World Health Organization, 1 Apr. 2020, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition. Accessed 8 Dec. 2020.

World Health Organization. “Obesity and Overweight.” World Health Organization, 1 Apr. 2020, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight. Accessed 8 Dec. 2020.

World Wildlife Fund. Appetite for Destruction: Summary Report. World Wildlife Fund, 2017, www.wwf.org.uk/sites/default/files/2017-10/WWF_AppetiteForDestruction_Summary_Report_SignOff.pdf.

World Wildlife Fund and Knorr Foods. Future Fifty Foods. World Wildlife Fund, 2019, www.wwf.org.uk/sites/default/files/2019-02/Knorr_Future_50_Report_FINAL_Online.pdf.

“World Population by Year.” Worldometer , www.worldometers.info/world-population/world-population-by-year/. Accessed 8 Dec. 2020.

Discussion Questions

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Food Topics for A+ Grade Research Writing

01 December, 2021

13 minutes read

Author:  Richard Pircher

Food is a sensitive topic since it impacts human lives directly. As experts say, you are what you eat is indeed true that the meals you consume can either build or weaken your immune system. Careful diet selection affects your health immensely. You need to eat nutritious meals to maintain a healthy lifestyle and lower the risks of various diseases. That is why there are numerous diet courses and programs offered in colleges and universities.

food topics

Students get assigned numerous research papers as part of the course assessment. However, the diversity of the subject makes it difficult for learners to pick the best topics about food. It is quite a broad subject, which might confuse students more. Therefore, you must be keen during topic selection to compose remarkable research papers. Our experts have listed food safety topics and other compelling ideas to help you.

Furthermore, there are limitless controversial food topics that you can derive interesting arguments for your paper. Read on and gain more insights on how to choose appropriate topics and tips to write impressive papers.

Food Research Paper Explanation

A food research paper is an academic project that entails composing original essays and projects that analyze and explain information surrounding the nutrition industry. It could be researching safety, policies, management, nutrition, or diet innovations.

Tutors use research assignments to gauge the understanding of learners on specific subjects. That is why the papers must follow the required academic standards.

Therefore, it is imperative to identify a suitable food essay topic to compose an exceptional paper that meets the research purpose.

The Main Branches of Food Science

Food science is a study that involves multiple disciplines that relate to different nutrition aspects. It is a course that analyses nutrition properties in terms of chemical compositions and the physical aspect. The subjects also cover various scientific aspects like food safety, the processing stages, and storage.

Let us take a look at the main branches:

  • Analytical chemistry.
  • Engineering.
  • Biotechnology.
  • Quality control
  • Food safety.

Thus, it is imperative to note that food technology has a massive impact on bulk production. The industry takes essential steps in how to preserve, package, and distribute food for human consumption.

Due to the subject’s diversity, learners have limitless food debate topics to cover. You can never miss out during topic selection as long as you understand the research question.

Food Topics Are Tricky – How To Choose and Work On Them

Topic selection is a critical phase even for research papers. Most students get stuck on how to approach this broad subject. It is pretty tricky to get good food topics to write about from a diverse category of options. From food arguments topics to safety issues, learners can identify numerous controversial themes to explore.

food essay topics

You must brainstorm to get related themes surrounding the main subject. Ensure you read the essay prompt carefully to understand the angle you will take when selecting a relevant topic. It is imperative to take adequate time to avoid picking inappropriate topics that do not align with the research purpose. For instance, if you select argumentative essay topics about food, you must incorporate logical arguments to persuade your readers about the research perspective.

In addition, you must research extensively to find verifiable sources. Crafting original documents with correct citations is paramount in research paper writing. Make sure the websites or books you are getting information contain enough content. Some controversial topics might have plenty of information, while others have fewer data.

Fortunately, it is a subject that opens debatable conversations and offers a rich ground for writing captivating research papers that can advance the medical field and the culinary world in general.

However, if you still find it challenging to select topics, you can seek professional assistance from our trusted service. Our experts are on standby 24/7, helping numerous students out and producing stellar essays and research papers on a broad array of nutrition-related topics.

20 Captivating Food As A Science Topic Ideas

Here are original food science topics to inspire your writing process:

  • Explain the different categories of nutrition.
  • Analyze the significant nutrition types essential for body development.
  • Discuss the relationship between poor nutrition and bone density.
  • Can poor people afford nutrition supplements?
  • Discuss the importance of vitamin D on young children.
  • An analysis of female dietary habits compared to males.
  • Impact of science in nutrition.
  • The types of nutrition that improve bone density.
  • Discuss the importance of amino acids in muscle growth.
  • An analysis of organic vs. processed diets.
  • Discuss the nutritional value of dry beans and their health benefits.
  • Explore the health benefits of an organic diet.
  • Discuss why organic milk is a significant nutritional source.
  • The role of culture in diet preferences.
  • Analyze the future of the fast meal industry.
  • Food Science: A quantitative analysis of modern nutrition supplements.
  • Why hospitals do not provide junk meals to patients.
  • Stored meals: Discuss the nutritional value and health hazards.
  • Causes and effects of food poisoning.
  • An analysis of nutritional deficiency and related diseases. 

10 Controversial Food Topics

Here are interesting food controversy topics that will develop compelling arguments and impress your tutor.

  • What is the healthiest method to cook eggs?
  • Is pizza good for young developing children?
  • Effective storage for diet sauce.
  • Do vegetarians live a long healthy life compared to meat consumers?
  • The influence of obesity on fast restaurants.
  • Analyze the causes of the rising sedentary lifestyle.
  • Impact of excessive caffeine intake.
  • Evaluate the role of beauty standards in eating disorders.
  • The effectiveness of dietary supplements.
  • Discuss the significance of a fatty diet in children.

10 Interactive Food Topics For Argumentative Writing

Diet forms part of a growing health debate in modern times. Let us look at some of the engaging food argumentative essay topics to jumpstart your writing.

  • Are sodas suitable for young children?
  • The adverse effects of a vegan diet.
  • The impact of chocolate addiction on a healthy diet.
  • Why honey is essential in managing flu ailments.
  • Discuss the fruits that are effective in detoxing the human system.
  • The impact of poor detoxification in the body.
  • The role of garlic in insulin metabolism.
  • Are there healthy sugar substitutes?
  • How do quick-service restaurants affect society?
  • The influence of climate on diet preferences.

10 Interesting Food Topics That Are Perfect For Debates

Numerous food debates topics help develop excellent research papers. Below are interesting topic ideas that can form captivating debates.

  • Are color additives safe for human consumption?
  • Can good eating habits reduce diet allergies in children?
  • What is Avian Influenza? Should consumers be worried about it?
  • Discuss the effective methods of organizing food in the fridge.
  • An analysis of healthy spices and their benefits.
  • The role of the government in creating awareness about organic diet.
  • Can nutrition supplements replace organic diets?
  • Explore diet choices between men and women.
  • Discuss the benefits of adopting a macrobiotic diet.
  • The influence of technology on eating habits.

10 Captivating Food Topics on Safety Measures

Looking for more fascinating topics? Below is a list of topic ideas about safety measures:

  • Discuss the health concerns surrounding coffee?
  • How to avoid food poisoning.
  • The impact of biofuels in the food industry.
  • Evaluate why stored meals are toxic in the human system.
  • Why the government should be strict on safety and inspection.
  • Effective methods of reducing botulism.
  • An analysis of food safety policy.
  • Discuss the significance of proper packaging.
  • The downside of selling junk meals to school children.
  • The role of the government in improving food safety.

10 Brilliant Food Topics For A Research Project

If you are stuck with a research paper without any topic ideas, we have you covered. The following are brilliant food research topics to inspire your research projects:

  • Causes and effects of high acidity in the body.
  • The thin line between weight loss diets and malnutrition.
  • How does overeating affect the immune system?
  • The pros and cons of consuming genetically modified foods.
  • The negative effects of binge eating.
  • Home-cooked meals vs. restaurant meals.
  • The role of the government in curbing obesity.
  • Discuss why meal choice is an individual responsibility.
  • The fast-food industry is manipulating people’s eating habits.
  • Analyze the long-term effects of eating.

10 Engaging Food Topics To Use In An Essay

Need more attention-grabbing food essay topics? Peruse the list below and find one that suits your research paper:

  • Discuss the health hazards of genetically modified foods.
  • An analysis of plant sterols in high cholesterol treatment.
  • Why athletes require a special, optimal diet.
  • Compare and contrast sugar and sweeteners.
  • Is breakfast the most important meal to start your day?
  • Impact of plastics as a packaging product.
  • How biotechnology helps in meeting the nutritional needs of poor people.
  • Analyze the influence of caffeinated drinks on human health.
  • Are beans a better source of proteins than meat?
  • Do carbonated drinks accelerate the aging of cells?

10 Interesting Food Topics for Smooth Writing

Research writing requires interactive topics to make the paper attention-grabbing to the target audience. Here are some interesting topics for your research paper:

  • What are antioxidants? Discuss the nutritional value.
  • Food addiction: Definition, causes, and effects.
  • Why is it essential to maintain balanced pH levels?
  • Discuss the socio-economic advantages of the fast-food industry.
  • Discuss the controversies surrounding vegetable oils.
  • Why intermittent fasting is not a healthy practice.
  • The role of culture in fueling obesity.
  • An analysis of chronic lifestyle diseases.
  • The significance of drinking freshly extracted fruit juice.
  • Is margarine a healthy choice? Discuss its implications.

10 Food Topics For Open Discussion

Let us explore other exciting food topics to talk about with rich analysis.

  • Vegetarian diet: What drives people to become vegans? Is the diet suitable for everyone?
  • Does interval fasting cure sedentary illnesses?
  • Does lack of milk cause calcium deficiency?
  • Discuss alternative calcium sources for people allergic to dairy products.
  • Impact of sugar and sweeteners on human health.
  • Does labeling affect consumer choices when purchasing food?
  • Discuss the effective methods of reducing meal wastage.
  • Impact of long-term Keto diet.
  • An analysis of allergies in young children.
  • Discuss the legal implications of diet adulteration.

food topics

Can’t Choose A Winning Topic? Our Writers Are Available 24/7!

Still, grappling with choosing interesting food topics to write about? Worry no more. The topic selection process might seem challenging, but it is pretty easy with the right approach. You must take time in the pre-writing stage and ensure you brainstorm extensively to arrive at a worthy, debatable subject. But if you encounter problems, trust us with your research papers and turn in excellent results.

With a competent team of qualified researchers, writers and editors, you can be sure of getting top-notch essays with a guarantee of impressive scores. Our essay writers work on each paper as per your instructions. We tailor your order to meet the tutor’s requirements and expectations. Forget the stress and anxiety of dealing with research work with no hope of securing top grades. Let us work on your complicated papers while you take a long break.

Moreover, we have genuine guarantees to ensure the safety and satisfaction of all customers. Get authentic texts that meet the originality requirements without any plagiarism issues. If you encounter any problem when ordering, making payments, or with your writer, reach out to the support agents, and you will get an instant response on the live chat option.

Do not hesitate to contact us immediately and upgrade your scores.

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Module 9: Academic Argument

The argumentative essay, learning objectives.

  • Examine types of argumentative essays

Argumentative Essays

You may have heard it said that all writing is an argument of some kind. Even if you’re writing an informative essay, you still have the job of trying to convince your audience that the information is important. However, there are times you’ll be asked to write an essay that is specifically an argumentative piece.

An argumentative essay is one that makes a clear assertion or argument about some topic or issue. When you’re writing an argumentative essay, it’s important to remember that an academic argument is quite different from a regular, emotional argument. Note that sometimes students forget the academic aspect of an argumentative essay and write essays that are much too emotional for an academic audience. It’s important for you to choose a topic you feel passionately about (if you’re allowed to pick your topic), but you have to be sure you aren’t too emotionally attached to a topic. In an academic argument, you’ll have a lot more constraints you have to consider, and you’ll focus much more on logic and reasoning than emotions.

A cartoon person with a heart in one hand and a brain in the other.

Figure 1 . When writing an argumentative essay, students must be able to separate emotion based arguments from logic based arguments in order to appeal to an academic audience.

Argumentative essays are quite common in academic writing and are often an important part of writing in all disciplines. You may be asked to take a stand on a social issue in your introduction to writing course, but you could also be asked to take a stand on an issue related to health care in your nursing courses or make a case for solving a local environmental problem in your biology class. And, since argument is such a common essay assignment, it’s important to be aware of some basic elements of a good argumentative essay.

When your professor asks you to write an argumentative essay, you’ll often be given something specific to write about. For example, you may be asked to take a stand on an issue you have been discussing in class. Perhaps, in your education class, you would be asked to write about standardized testing in public schools. Or, in your literature class, you might be asked to argue the effects of protest literature on public policy in the United States.

However, there are times when you’ll be given a choice of topics. You might even be asked to write an argumentative essay on any topic related to your field of study or a topic you feel that is important personally.

Whatever the case, having some knowledge of some basic argumentative techniques or strategies will be helpful as you write. Below are some common types of arguments.

Causal Arguments

  • You write about how something has caused something else. For example, you might explore the increase of industrial pollution and the resulting decline of large mammals in the world’s ocean.

Evaluation Arguments

  • You can write an argumentative evaluation of something as “good” or “bad,” but you also need to establish the criteria for “good” or “bad.” For example, you might evaluate a children’s book for your Introduction to Educational Theory class, but you would need to establish clear criteria for your evaluation for your audience.

Proposal Arguments

  • With this type of writing, you need to propose a solution to a problem. First, you must establish a clear problem and then propose a specific solution to that problem. For example, you might argue for a removal of parking fines on students who use the parking deck on campus.

Narrative Arguments

  • For this type of argument, you make your case by telling a story with a clear point related to your argument. For example, you might write a narrative about your negative experiences with standardized testing in order to make a case for reform.

Rebuttal Arguments

  • In a rebuttal argument, you build your case around refuting an idea or ideas that have come before. In other words, your starting point is to challenge the ideas of the past. For this type of writing assignment, you have to explain what you are refuting first, and then you can expand on your new ideas or perspectives.

Definition Arguments

  • In this type of argument, you use a definition as the starting point for making your case. For example, in a definition argument, you might argue that NCAA basketball players should be defined as professional players and, therefore, should be paid.

Essay Examples

  • You can read more about an argumentative essay on the consequences of fast fashion . Read it and look at the comments to recognize strategies and techniques the author uses to convey her ideas.
  • In this example, you’ll see a sample argumentative paper from a psychology class submitted in APA format. Key parts of the argumentative structure have been noted for you in the sample.

Link to Learning

For more examples of types of argumentative essays, visit the Argumentative Purposes section of the Excelsior OWL .

  • Argumentative Essay. Provided by : Excelsior OWL. Located at : https://owl.excelsior.edu/rhetorical-styles/argumentative-essay/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
  • Image of a man with a heart and a brain. Authored by : Mohamed Hassan. Provided by : Pixabay. Located at : https://pixabay.com/illustrations/decision-brain-heart-mind-4083469/ . License : Other . License Terms : https://pixabay.com/service/terms/#license

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  • How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips

How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

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Table of contents

When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.

In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.

  • Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
  • Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by evidence from sources.
  • Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.
  • Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least effective, and why.
  • Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.
  • Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

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An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:

  • Make a claim
  • Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
  • Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
  • Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:

  • Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better spent on other approaches
  • Cite data to support your claim
  • Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
  • Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

  • Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
  • Highlight the problems with this position
  • Present your own position , showing how it addresses these problems
  • Suggest a possible compromise —what elements of your position would proponents of the opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

  • Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia
  • Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
  • Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
  • Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

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An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

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Food waste is the symptom, not the problem

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Foundation essay: This article on food waste by Tim Lang, Professor of Food Policy at City University London , is part of a series marking the launch of The Conversation in the UK. Our foundation essays are longer than our usual comment and analysis articles and take a wider look at key issues affecting society.

Modern societies have a problem with waste. The entire economy is wasteful, a distortion of needs and wants. It overproduces and we under-consume - that’s what the current financial crisis is about. Debt was dangled in front of us urging us to consume. Then when the debt mirage evaporated, crashing us back to reality, consumption nosedived. Meanwhile the public sector is being cut to bail out the banking debt. Result: human waste in the form of unemployment, squeezed wages, uncertainty, rising inequalities.

In food, the lunacy of this situation is visible even more starkly than in economics. In nature, there’s no waste. When an apple or fruit or leaves fall from a tree in the woods, the rotting process folds back the embedded energy and matter, dissolving the “waste” into other lifeforms - worms, insects, microbes - which replenish the soil. If I drop an apple in the city, it sits on the tarmac as waste, a potential problem for someone to attend to.

At a large scale, this illustrates our societal problem with food. The food system overproduces, wraps food in packaging, embeds energy, chucks away mountains of usable food, and produces food residues. All this is done on such a massive scale that the waste we’ve made is too dangerous even to feed to pigs, one traditional solution.

The food industry is aware of its waste problem. The voluntary Courtauld Commitment , struck in 2005, has cut millions of tonnes of household and supply chain food and packaging waste – savings worth billions of pounds. Its third phase aims further to chip away at the estimated seven million tonnes of food thrown away each year. But still the waste keeps piling up – why? Because waste is not the problem; it is the symptom.

Organisations like Wrap and its “ Love Food, Hate Waste ” campaign have spent more than a decade arguing that food waste is an iniquity that should be stamped out. Their argument is that waste is inefficient. It is. But politicians and scientific advisers said the same thing in the 1920s and 1930s. Then, waste was associated poor storage on farms that left crops to rot. If only we cut that waste, scientists at the time argued, we could feed the world. They argued persuasively that better storage, refrigeration and transport could help, alongside massive investment in newer farming techniques and technologies, particularly fertilisers and mechanisation.

The food revolution they designed worked. After the Second World War food supply increased. Farm waste dropped. But so remarkable was the food revolution right down the food supply chain that the combination of economic signals (such as price), product standardisation, marketing, consumer de-skilling and consumer demand have created an over-supply situation where in much of the developing world “old style” farm waste continues, but in the developed world – our world – “new” waste proliferates. No wonder policymakers are both latching onto the issue today (it suits the moral agenda) and find it difficult to sort out.

Two Worlds of Waste

There’s one new feature in all this, which threatens the neo-liberal market agenda. Consumers are being subtly blamed. The customer who was sovereign is now wasteful. Privately, many in the food industry know consumer behaviour patterns must change as climate change and other long-term drivers kick in. But no one is saying that overtly yet, except some academic critics and civil society campaigners. In truth, society is not clear about what it wants from its food.

In the developing world, consumers waste very little. When your entire society is poor, you conserve and manage resources. But in our rich societies, characterised by resource wealth – cars, housing, infrastructure - even if you are cash poor, the entire food culture is factored around waste. It’s rightly pointed out that it’s wrong to blame consumers for buying too much bagged salad or throwing food away if the label carries an unrealistic best-before date, or if consumers aren’t taught how to cook, if supermarkets peddle BOGOF deals and price offers, and if the entire food sector spends hundreds of millions on advertising. Which confectionery firm doesn’t entice kids to consume by their clever games and interactions? The result: health waste.

It’s no wonder the entire food economy is a mess. There’s a structured mismatch between production, consumption, environment, health and social values. The simple principle of recycling waste back into nature becomes a heroic task.

The result is that avoidable waste - such as crops rotting in the field, pest infestations, lack of infrastructure and investment – is as prevalent now in 2013 in the developing world as it was in the rich world of the 1930s. Africa, given the right investment, could raise output many times over, although climate change, water stress and geopolitical turmoil add uncertainties. Meanwhile, in the rich world hypermarkets are awash with a dizzying variety of food, at unprecedentedly low prices. But here too, uncertainties loom: farmers and their land are squeezed in a contractual lock-in to the giant retailers who gate-keep the system. And bad diet now adds spiralling healthcare costs to economies.

The cost versus the value of food

Britain has a peculiar variant of this general problem. It is a parasitic food state. Britons live quite a lot off other people’s land and resources and grow less than 60% of the food we eat, according to Defra’s latest UK agricultural statistics . The gap between what the UK imports and exports is now a huge £19.4 billion annual deficit. That means a lot of other exports have to be made and sold abroad to pay to feed ourselves - food like fruit and veg which we could and should grow. Our land use is bizarre. An estimated 40% of cereals grown on prime land is fed to animals to make cheap meat. Animals are poor converters. Meat ought to be exceptional food not ubiquitous. The burgerisation of food culture is systemic waste.

This is all complex. There are no easy messages in this analysis. But that’s what political processes ought to sort out. By any terms, the current food system is unsustainable, but the implications are immense. After 70 years of investing in one food system, we now need to rapidly change - this is both an economic and cultural challenge. As a society, whereas once we were aware of the worth of our food, now it has become ubiquitous fuel. we never stop eating and thus wasting. It’s everywhere – any 500 yard stretch along a city street will take you past dozens of feeding stations. Bad food joints circle schools, targeting kids, setting expectations. Media pour out messages: buy me, eat me, like me. The problem is that when something becomes cheap or ubiquitous, it gets abused and taken for granted.

Back to that apple on the tarmac. WRAP and its Courtauld Commitments follow some heroic work done over the last 25 years by small civil society organisations and pioneering local authorities to introduce and mainstream municipal composting, trying to complete the ecological cycle. But these efforts are not mainstreamed, and mass food systems turn a simple biological cycle into Byzantine complexity. This isn’t helped by lack of political cohesion from government, which is happy for initiatives to make the food system more sustainable to remain at arms’ length. The food system needs firm and clear frameworks and goals, and not just a focus on one aspect - waste - as though it can be separated from the rest. Regulations can work - the EU landfill tax worked, levelling the playing field and penalising those manufacturers and consumers who don’t care what happens to their product after they’ve used it.

The good thing about the food waste issue is that it raises fundamental questions. One is about costs. Since the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846, the pursuit of cheaper food has been hard-wired into British politics. Bringing prices down from when working class households spent 50% of income on food enabled people to eat better. But now we over-eat.

Back in the 19th century, manufacturers wanted cheap food to get cheap labour, food being a factor in labour costs. Now, we need to ask how cheap is cheap? If cheap food encourages unhealthy eating, and dumps costs on the environment and healthcare, is it cheap? If a food system is as wasteful as ours, what does that tell us? Blaming consumers for waste is like saying “We have the right food system, just the wrong consumers.” But of course, blaming consumers is much easier for politicians than fixing a broken system.

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Fast Food — Argumentative About Fast Food

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Argumentative About Fast Food

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Published: Mar 19, 2024

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Argumentative essay writing, as the name implies, involves creating strong arguments based on facts and evidence. The goal of this essay is to convince the reader to adopt a logical viewpoint based on the available proof. It is a complex form of essay writing which requires extensive first-hand as well as second-hand research.

Let’s understand what an argumentative essay is and how to write it with the help of numerous argumentative essay examples. To guide you in your essay writing journey, we’ve also provided a well-structured argumentative essay outline.

Let’s start off with understanding what is an argumentative essay.

What is an argumentative essay?

An argumentative essay is a piece of writing that convinces one to adopt a particular viewpoint, based on statistics and evidence. Unlike an expository essay, an argumentative essay involves adopting a particular point of view on a topic based on the available information.  

Since it’s aimed at convincing the readers, it needs to contain strong supporting evidence. This requires a much more thorough examination of the available data sources. An argumentative essay is the most common essay type assigned in science, technology or even advanced literature courses in colleges. 

A well-written argumentative essay makes use of information rather than personal opinion. For instance, the statement “beaches are better than mountains” makes for a poor argument. However, including statistical data and figures makes this argument more substantial. For instance “48% of Americans prefer beaches, whereas only 27% prefer mountains”

Now that we’ve understood the meaning of an argumentative essay, let’s take a look at its outline.

Argumentative essay outline

The argumentative essay structure is different from other essay types. Although its aim is to convince the reader to adopt a viewpoint, a good argumentative essay structure looks at an argument from all sides and also addresses the counterargument. The goal is to disprove the opposing arguments with the use of logic and the latest evidence. 

There are three main argumentative essay formats. Let’s take a look:

This is the simplest structure of an argumentative essay when it comes to writing. It follows a logical path of introducing the argument, providing evidence supporting the argument, refuting counterarguments, and finally concluding your argument.

The following outline talks about the advantages of using nuclear power for environmental protection. 

Advantages of Nuclear Power for Environmental Protection

I. Introduction

A. Background information on the topic

B. Thesis statement: Despite the negative reputation and potential risks associated with nuclear power, it is the best bet for our environment due to its low carbon emissions, high energy production, and advancements in safety technology.

II. Low carbon emissions

A. Explanation of carbon emissions and their impact on the environment

B. Comparison of nuclear power to other energy sources in terms of carbon emissions

C. Case studies and statistics supporting the low carbon emission of nuclear power

III. High energy production

A. Explanation of energy production and its importance

B. Comparison of nuclear power to other energy sources in terms of energy production

C. Case studies and statistics supporting the high energy production of nuclear power

IV. Advancements in safety technology

A. Explanation of nuclear power safety concerns

B. Overview of advancements in nuclear power safety technology

C. Comparison of nuclear power safety technology to other energy sources

D. Case studies and statistics supporting the advancements in nuclear power safety technology

V. Counterarguments and refutations

A. Discussion of common counterarguments against nuclear power

B. Refutation of counterarguments with evidence and examples

VI. Conclusion

A. Restatement of thesis

B. Summary of main points

C. Final thoughts on the importance of nuclear power in addressing environmental challenges.

This format is used to explain your stance on a highly polarizing, complex topic. It involves presenting your stance and comparing it with the generally accepted evidence. It also involves presenting the limitations of your claim along with rebuttals. 

The following Toulmin essay outline highlights the dangers of genetic modification:

The Dark Side of Genetic Modification

B. Thesis statement: Genetic modification is dangerous due to the potential risks it poses to human health, the environment, and ethical concerns surrounding genetic engineering.

II. Claim 1: Risks to human health

A. Explanation of the potential risks to human health associated with genetic modification

B. Overview of studies and research that have shown adverse effects on human health

C. Evidence and examples supporting the claim

III. Claim 2: Risks to the environment

A. Explanation of the potential risks to the environment associated with genetic modification

B. Overview of studies and research that have shown negative impacts on the environment

IV. Claim 3: Ethical concerns

A. Explanation of the ethical concerns surrounding genetic engineering

B. Overview of the potential consequences of genetic modification on social, cultural, and ethical values

V. Counterargument and refutation

A. Discussion of common counterarguments in favor of genetic modification

V. Conclusion

C. Final thoughts on the dangers of genetic modification and the need for caution in its application.

3. Rogerian

This format acknowledges both sides of the argument and provides evidence as to why your stance is valid. It is the least confrontational form of argument which is used to convince to opposition to adopt your point of view.  

The following Rogerian essay outline talks about why more government funds should be dedicated to space exploration.

A Cosmic Investment

B. Thesis statement: While some may argue that government funds should be allocated towards pressing issues on earth, dedicating more funds to space travel is necessary because of the technological advancements it brings, the potential for scientific discoveries, and economic benefits.

II. Understanding the opposing arguments

A. Explanation of the opposing viewpoint’s concerns and arguments

B. Acknowledgement of valid points made by the opposing viewpoint

C. Statement of common ground between the opposing viewpoint and the argument

III. Presenting the supporting arguments

A. Explanation of the technological advancements made possible through space travel

B. Overview of the scientific discoveries that have been made possible through space exploration

C. Explanation of the economic benefits of space travel and the growth of the space industry

IV. Addressing concerns of the opposition

A. Discussion of concerns raised by the opposing viewpoint and why they should not prevent the dedication of funds to space travel

B. Explanation of how funding for space travel can coexist with funding for pressing issues on earth

C. Evidence and examples to support the argument

V. Common ground and conclusion

A. Restatement of the thesis statement

B. Summary of the main points of the argument

C. Statement of common ground and call to action for continued exploration of space.

Now that you’ve learned how to structure, let’s understand how to write an argumentative essay. 

How to write an argumentative essay

Although the process of writing an argumentative essay is similar to other essay types, it requires much more research and planning. Developing an argument requires a significant understanding of the subject matter from all angles. 

Let’s take a look at the steps to writing an argumentative essay:

1. Choose appropriate argumentative essay topics.

Although topics for an argumentative essay are highly diverse, they are based on a controversial stance. So, make sure that your argumentative essay topics are debatable. Here are a few examples of good argumentative essay topics:

Should animal testing be prohibited?

Should sports be segregated by gender?

Are wildlife sanctuaries ethical?

2. Construct a thesis statement. 

The thesis statement involves taking a stance on your topic. For instance, if your topic is “Should school uniforms be mandatory?”, your thesis statement will take a stance for, or against this. However, make sure that your thesis statement has sufficient evidence from reliable sources to back it up. 

Let’s take a look at a thesis statement example for the topic “Why four-day work-weeks should  be encouraged”: 

A four-day workweek is a viable solution for reducing employee burnout, enhancing work-life balance, and improving overall productivity. It not only promotes a healthier and happier workforce but also reduces costs for employers.

3. Collect evidence.

After taking your stance on your essay topic, it’s time to back it up with facts, evidence, and statistics. This requires an extensive amount of research. 

Make sure to facilitate your research from reputed sources. To make your essay up-to-date and reliable, you can even collect evidence with the help of surveys and experiments. 

Next, sort your evidence into main points to create a basic outline of your essay. This is also a good time to address the counterarguments to your stance.

4. Write the first draft.

After developing the outline, it’s time to flesh it out. Start by constructing an interesting hook, and providing background information for your thesis statement in the introduction. 

Next, elaborate on the topic sentences that provide support to your thesis statement. You can add statistics and empirical data along with plenty of direct quotes and citations to give credibility to your essay. 

And finally, conclude your essay with a summarization of the main points of your essay along with the key takeaway. A powerful conclusion not only allows the readers to see your viewpoint but also creates a lasting impression on their minds.

5. Edit your draft.

Your first draft may not be perfect. Make sure to optimize the sentence structure and word choice. Also, modify your arguments if necessary. You can have friends and family go over your essay and spot any errors that slip through the cracks. For a more fool-proof, error-free essay you can also take the help of professional essay proofreading services .

Now that we’ve understood how to write an effective argumentative essay, let’s take a look at an example of an argumentative essay.

Argumentative essay example 

To guide you in your essay-writing journey, we’ve provided you with an argumentative essay example. It discusses the ill effects of automation. This essay is slightly longer in length and deviates from the commonly used five-paragraph structure. 

Should Companies Invest in Manpower over Autonomous Machines?

The rise of autonomous machines has revolutionized the manufacturing industry, with robots now able to perform tasks that were once done exclusively by human workers. While this technology has undoubtedly improved efficiency and productivity, the question remains whether companies should be required to hire human workers over using autonomous machines. 

The use of autonomous machines has resulted in job losses in the manufacturing industry. According to a study by the Brookings Institution, the use of robots in the United States has led to the loss of over 1.7 million jobs since 2000. While automation has created new jobs in certain industries, such as software development and engineering, the number of jobs lost is significantly higher.

Hiring human workers also has a positive impact on the economy. According to a report by the National Bureau of Economic Research, every robot that replaces a human worker leads to a net loss of 1.6 jobs. This means that for every 10 robots introduced into the workforce, 16 jobs are lost. Hiring human workers over using autonomous machines can help to create more jobs and improve the overall economic situation.

In addition to the economic benefits, human workers offer several advantages over autonomous machines. Human workers are able to adapt to changing situations and problem-solve in a way that machines cannot. This is particularly important in industries where there is a high level of variability in the work being done. 

Furthermore, the use of autonomous machines can lead to safety concerns in the workplace. While robots have become increasingly sophisticated, they are still prone to malfunctions and errors. In some cases, this can lead to workplace accidents and injuries. Human workers are able to identify potential safety hazards and take preventative measures to reduce the risk of accidents.

Although the use of autonomous machines has led to increased efficiency and productivity, their negative impact cannot be ignored. Hiring human workers over using autonomous machines can create jobs, improve the economy, and offer many more advantages. Additionally, the safety concerns associated with the use of autonomous machines highlight the importance of prioritizing human workers. Human workers are more adept at ensuring the well-being of the workforce and the economy as a whole. Therefore, they should be prioritized over machines. 

We hope the above explanation and examples have clarified the basics of writing argumentative essays. As providers of essay editing services , we understand how writing good essays is not a piece of cake. 

To help you write good essays, our team has created detailed resources. Continue reading to take your essay-writing skills to the next level! 

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457 Food Essay Topics & Research Questions to Write about

Are you looking for good topics about food? Luckily, there are so many food topics you can research! You can focus on food safety, the link between nutrition and health, food insecurity, national cuisines, food waste in supply chains, food processing technologies, and many more. Check this list of the most exciting food research questions and titles!

🥫 TOP 7 Food Topics – 2024

🏆 best essay topics on food, ❓ research questions about food, 👍 good food research topics & essay examples, 📝 food argumentative essay topics, 🌶️ hot food topics to research, 🔎 current food topics for research paper, 🎓 most interesting food topics to write about, 🗣️ persuasive speech topics about food, 💡 simple research topics about food, 📌 easy food essay topics.

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  • Advantages and Disadvantages of Biotechnology in Improving the Nutritive Value of Foods In this essay, the author explores the advantages and disadvantages of biotechnology with an emphasis on benefits and potential harm to mankind.
  • Food Truck Market Analysis Example Food truck business has high chances of becoming popular because food industry is one of the kinds of businesses that never go out of fashion.
  • Fast-Food Restaurants’ Popularity and Its Causes Majority of people in the United States have resorted to fast food restaurants, especially college students who are of the view that these restaurants save a lot of time.
  • Causes and Effects of Fast-Food Addiction Studies show that those who frequently eat fast food have an increased risk of progressing from simple consumption to addiction.
  • Italy’s Food: Traditional Italian Food Recipes Italian cuisine is famous around the world for its delicious and healthy food. It includes thousands of varieties of recipes for different dishes with various ingredients.
  • Healthy Multicultural Food: Product SWOT Analysis The chosen product is healthy multicultural food, which should be provided to the customers of Active Retirement nursing home.
  • Food Waste Management The paper aims at explaining the issue of food waste and describing approaches to the reduction of this problem.
  • Healthy Food: the Impact of the Vegetarian Diet In recent years, there has been a growing trend towards vegetarianism in societal dietary choices. In the modern world, vegetarians can uphold the nutritional needs of the body.
  • The Food Prices Issue and Its Impacts on the Industry The challenge of increasing food prices is relevant to the culinary, hospitality, and food industries because it significantly affects food availability and quality.
  • History of Ketchup and Its Role in Foods Tomato ketchup is a popular addition to a variety of dishes which acts as a sauce and goes well with all food.
  • Food Safety Issues in Modern Agriculture According to the United Nations Asian and Pacific Center for Agricultural Engineering and Machinery, an upsurge in international trade on agricultural products has made food safety a major concern.
  • Food Shortage Situation Overview The connections and relationship between population and food shortage transcend all areas of human life and as such encompasses various aspects of demands that support human life.
  • Fast-Food Industry’s Market Place and Environment The fast-food industry is experiencing a revenue of over $15 billion growth a year, and the future growth rate at an average of 2.7%.
  • Kenya, Its Tourist Attractions and Food Culture Kenya is one of the most beautiful African countries I have ever been. I am always thrilled to visit it. However, it has taken some time since I was there.
  • Food in Korean Culture: Describing Korean Cuisine Korean citizens believe that food has medicinal properties that improve a person’s emotional, psychological, and mental well-being.
  • Food and Drink Industry’s Innovation and Barriers The paper provides the reasons that influence the need to innovate in the industry and the barriers that stop innovation from taking place.
  • Indian Culture Examined Through Street Food A fondness of India’s rich culture, combined with a desire to innovate and adapt with the times are all present in the Curry Up Now restaurant and Indian street food as a whole.
  • Food Additives There are three types of food additives, cosmetic food additives, preservatives and the processing aids of food.
  • Food Security: The Impact of Climate Change Since climate change affects the natural world, it is evident that it poses particular challenges for food security in the future.
  • Food Science: How to Make Butter Fresh milk is made up of a combination of milk and cream; since the cream is less thick than the milk, it separates and rises to the top, where it may be scrapped.
  • Food Truck Business Strategy, Resources, Management The paper describes the food truck business’s goals and objectives, management functions, decision-making process, organizational structure, etc.
  • Aspects of Muslim Food Culture Islam has many rules related to food. One of the most significant rules in Islam is the restriction on the consumption of pork.
  • McDonald’s: How Strategic Choices Shape Fast Food Supremacy This paper will focus on McDonald’s corporation’s business and corporate-level strategies, competitive environment, and market cycles.
  • McDonalds Fast Food Company Organizational Change This paper attempts to explicitly review the successful implementation of the proposed change that involves improving the performance of the McDonalds Company and enhancing its customer focus.
  • Super Greens Organic Food Restaurant’s Business Plan ‘Super Greens’ restaurant is a new medium-sized restaurant to be located in a busy locality of Westminster in the neighbourhood of some aristocratic areas.
  • Wendy’s Fast Food Franchise in the Chinese Market Because of the strong presence that KFC and McDonald’s already have in the Chinese market, firms such as Wendy’s have to design a unique product.
  • The Environmental Impacts of the Food and Hospitality Industry The food wastage issue in the food and hospitality industry in Australia remains to be consciously considered as it may adversely affect the environment.
  • Food Safety and Hazards Manufacturers are obligated to maintain safe control measures to ensure products are fit for human consumption.
  • Right to Food as a Fundamental Right Right to food is an important human right issue today. Advocates for the right to food use the phrase “Food first” to show the importance of availability to food above other priorities.
  • Role of Food in Marquez’ “One Hundred Years of Solitude“ and Esquivel’s “Like Water for Chocolate” Laura Esquivel was born and raised in Mexico and may have written this novel with the hope of portraying to her readers some Spanish background and history.
  • National Food Products Company: Marketing Segmentation NFPC has gained the reputation of a company that has been striving in the UAE market quite successfully by delivering essential products such as milk, water, plastic carriers.
  • Food Truck Business’s SWOT Analysis The Food Truck company operates in the central business district of Portland, the area where the food delivery industry is very well developed.
  • Researching Food Service in Hospital Combining medical and gustatory qualities in hospital food is one of the most common difficulties in the healthcare sector worldwide.
  • Healthy Food Advertising: Nutrient Content Advertising is certainly a major driver for the success of a business. It is important to mention that healthy foods correlate with overall well-being, both physical and mental.
  • The Food Chain: Groups and Functions Producers, consumers, and decomposers are the three groups of organisms that comprise a food chain in an ecosystem.
  • McDonald’s and Its Decline & Crisis Due to the Healthy Food Trend The trend for healthy eating was born not so long ago but continues to cover more and more segments of the population around the world.
  • Japan’s Food Patterns and Nutrition Habits The most commonly consumed foods among the Japanese people include sushi and sashimi, ramen, Tempura, Kare-raisu (curry rice), and okonomiyaki.
  • Organic Food Market Trends Food retailers replaced farmers and whole food retailers as the main retailers of organic food. Higher production costs is the only factor to the higher organic food prices.
  • Food Safety and Hygiene Practices This article provides an informative overview of food safety and hygiene practices, covering various aspects of the topic that are important to consider.
  • Are Fast Food Restaurants to Blame for Obesity?
  • Are Genetically Modified Food Safe for Consumption?
  • Are the Nutrition Charts on Food Packages Accurate?
  • What Are Issues on Food Around the World?
  • What Is It Called When You Have Food Issues?
  • Are You Harming Your Family by the Food You Are Preparing?
  • Can Organic Farmers Produce Enough Food to Feed the World?
  • What Are the Six Major Threats to Food Security?
  • What Are the Four Major Problems That Affect the World’s Food Needs?
  • Could Biotechnology Solve Food Shortage Problem?
  • Does Dehydration Reduce the Nutrient Value in Quality of the Food?
  • What Are Some Challenges to Food Production?
  • Does Fast Food Have a Possible Connection With Obesity?
  • How Can We Solve Food Supply Problems?
  • How Did Jollibee Build Its Position in the Philippine Fast Food Industry?
  • What Are Four Issues Related to Food Production?
  • How Does America Solve Food Deserts?
  • What Are the Seven Challenges to Food Safety?
  • How Does Whole Food Build Human and Social Capital?
  • What Is the Most Important Food Safety Issue?
  • Should Fast Food Advertising Be Banned?
  • What Are the Six Food Borne Diseases?
  • What Are the Ten Main Reasons for Food Poisoning?
  • Should Fast Food Chains Be to Blame for Childhood Obesity?
  • Should Fast Food Only Be Sold to People Eighteen and Older?
  • Should New Zealand Allow Genetically Modified Food?
  • Should People Abandon Their Favorite Food and Stay Healthy?
  • What Are Three Causes of Food Contamination?
  • Were the Salem Witch Trials Spurred by Food Poisoning?
  • Nutrients: The Distribution in the Food Groups This essay associates nutrients to their specific food groups justify their nutritional composition and explains their significance.
  • Financial Projections for Entrepreneurship in Food Industry Running a restaurant, especially in the area known for its high competition rates among the local food production companies, particularly, the fast food industries, is not an easy task.
  • Food Service Facilities Design: Food Preparation The food service facility design in a mall in Singapore is based on providing customers with various dining options, including fast food, and casual dining.
  • Powerade Food Myth Buster: Investigating Health Claims Powerade makes a statement on the bottle that it helps replenish four electrolytes lost in sweat. Powerade food myth buster aims to investigate its health claims from ingredients.
  • A Problem of Food Waste and Its Solutions Food waste draws a lot of interest from global policymakers as well as various organizations and scholars – it continues to grow despite the looming resource depletion.
  • “Maple Leaf Foods”: Company’s Issues and Their Management Maple Leaf Foods faces the issue of the lack of a sustainable vision due to poor leadership and contamination of products, adversely affecting consumers’ health.
  • The Use of Biodegradable Straws in Food and Beverages Business Plastic straw usage is part of the problem of plastic pollution and its adverse impact on the planet’s ecology. Nature is dying, and all new consequences of plastic are manifested.
  • Food and Water Security Management The purpose of this article is to evaluate the current methodologies for addressing food and water security issues and propose sustainable solutions based on scholarly evidence.
  • Impact of Food Waste and Water Use on Earth The paper explores how food waste and water use affect the food system and how agriculture affects the environment.
  • Food Poisoning Case at Air China Flight On October 6, 2013, nearly 50 passengers on an Air China flight that was bound for Beijing fell ill with symptoms such as vomiting, stomachaches and diarrhea.
  • McDonald’s Company: The Flawed Fast Food Tax McDonalds is one of the world’s leading fast food restaurants serving more than 57 million customers daily with branches all over the major cities.
  • Food Donation and Food Safety: Environmental Health Food safety is often taken for granted, with most people relying on basic practices and following essential hygiene standards without giving a second thought.
  • Taiwanese Culture, Foods, and Tourism This paper provides a brief overview of Taiwan, including its location, culture, food, and tourism industry and its significant economic impact on the country.
  • Effects of Climate Variability on Water Resources, Food Security, and Human Health Evaluating the effects of climate variability on water, food, and health will help identify the areas for improvement and offer solutions to current environmental challenges.
  • The Issue of Food and Water Security The global issue for the analysis is food and water security. This is a topical problem nowadays, especially in light of climate change and population growth.
  • Nutrients in Different Food Groups The essay explains the variety of nutrients in different food groups, the reasons for these variations, and the health benefits associated with the nutrients.
  • McDonald’s: The Most Popular Fast-Food Restaurant McDonald’s is one of the most popular fast-food restaurants, and its success is defined by compliance with the needs of the present-day business world.
  • Feasibility Plan for E-Commerce of Food Delivery The use of cell phone innovation can be viewed as one of the creative approaches to assist organizations in improving their business execution in the global market.
  • Fast Food Chain Locations, Non-Chain Restaurants and Bars As discussed in prior sections of the report, the competition for Moma Monaz can be distinguished into three categories: fast food chain locations, non-chain restaurants, and bars.
  • Food Safety Sanitation Requirements for a Child’s Health To maintain optimal diet and nutrition for a child’s health and welfare, emphasis must be made on sanitary criteria for food safety, storage, preparation, and food presentation.
  • Hospitality Management: Food and Beverage Management A person is preparing for their last high school exam and looking forward to a career in hospitality management, which is currently one of the best in the field.
  • The Six Major Elements of a Food Safety Plan (FSP) A Food Safety Plan (FSP) is a way that identifies and prevents safety hazards from occurring during and after food production, this paper is going to discuss FSP’s major elements.
  • “Chinese Restaurant Food” : The Article Review The article ‘Chinese Restaurant Food’ educates the general public about the hidden dangers and harm of eating too much Chinese food.
  • Proposal for Providing Healthier Food Choices for Elementary Students This paper describes the necessity of having a properly balanced diet, and execute healthy exercising patterns in our routines, along with our children.
  • UK Business Sourcing Extensive Food Materials from Greece The ability of a firm to achieve success in the current competitive business environment depends on the effectiveness of its procurement and supplier relationship strategies.
  • Food Culture: Doughnut’s History, Marketing and Sociology A doughnut, or as it is often called donut, is a kind of fried dough baked or pastry meal. The doughnut has become well-known and beloved in numerous countries and cooked in an assorted model.
  • The Food Choices Movie Analysis The main thesis of the movie, ‘Food Choices,’ is that a plant-based diet is the most nutritious, and people should not consume animal products.
  • Availability of Healthy Food Food security and accessibility are now seen as ensuring that all members of society have physical and economic access to food that is safe.
  • Technical Description of a Food Processor A food processor seems like one of those kitchen gadgets that, once owned, makes a person wonder how they ever survived without it.
  • Proper Food Rotation Overview This paper will focus on the benefits of proper rotation and the consequences of effectively rotating foods, including its health implications.
  • How Do Fried Foods Affect Nutrition for Young Adults? An annotated bibliography on the topic how fried foods affect nutrition for young adults, the effect of television, the effect of dietary patterns on young adults’ health.
  • Junk Food and Children’s Obesity Eating junk foods on a regular basis causes weight gain and for one in five Americans, obesity, is a major health concern though no one seems to be sounding the alarm.
  • TQM, Six Sigma and Product Liability in Perishable Food Industry This paper will examine on how economic, safety, legal and social responsibility, and how quality control system can be utilized to achieve the company goals.
  • Food in Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” The readers of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” cannot overlook the fact that the motif of food consumption does resurface throughout the play’s entirety.
  • Advertising Promoting Organic Food and Beverages To turn the world more organic, one has to resort to using organic supplies. Creating ads on the way people can improve environmental conditions will change the position.
  • Food Additives: Dangers and Health Impact Research shows that synthetic food additives have a negative human health and consumer dissatisfaction effect which calls for stricter regulation of their use in products.
  • Alaska Natives Diet: Traditional Food Habits and Adaptation of American Foodstuffs The Alaska Natives have retained their culture up-to-date in spite of their interactions with the wider American society.
  • What the Slow Food Movement Is Doing to Help the World With Food Insecurities The paper enlightens people on the origins of the Slow Food movement and how it has affected modern food, health care, and environmental sustainability.
  • The Meat Inspection and Food Safety Issues The safety of the food that people consume must be carefully checked before it hits the shelves. However, the inspection only checks some pieces of meat that enter the stores.
  • Food Sustainability Assessment Food sustainability is the ability to produce enough food to meet the current population’s needs without damaging the resources that future generations will need to survive.

If you need a good idea for your argumentative essay, check out some food related topics to debate:

  • Should fast food be regulated?
  • Should GMO labeling be mandatory?
  • Is there a need for stricter regulation of food advertising?
  • The link between processed food and obesity.
  • The role of meat consumption in climate change.
  • The pros and cons in functional foods.
  • Can cities become self-sufficient in food production?
  • Why should we promote Meatless Mondays?
  • Are food additives and preservatives evil?
  • The impact of food packaging on plastic pollution.
  • The Food Truck Business Models Development This paper examines the following models for the food truck business: operating model, value model, service model, experience model, cost model, and revenue model.
  • Food Behaviors Among Mexicans and South Americans People from diverse backgrounds eat different foods influenced by factors such as geographical location, religion, family values, and beliefs about health.
  • The “Food Inc.” Documentary by Robert Kenner In his film “Food Inc.”, documentary film producer Robert Kenner explores how massive businesses have monopolized every part of the food supply chain in the United States.
  • The Indigenous Food Sovereignty Concept The indigenous food sovereignty concept is broad in essence, and it perceives food as integrating all aspects of existence – mental, spiritual, cultural, and intellectual.
  • Solutions for Food and Water Security Issue With many nations encountering food and water security problems, the consequences of such events have become global, giving rise to multiple outcomes this insecurity.
  • Fast Food Popularity in America: Cause and Effect The popularity of fast food affects Americans in many ways, but the threats of obesity, chronic diseases, and unstable immunity remain critical effects.
  • Agriculture and Food in Ancient Greece The paper states that agricultural practices and goods from Greece extended to neighboring countries in the Mediterranean as the dominance increased.
  • Human Geography: Food Insecurity The problem of food insecurity is a significant bother of humankind. Various international organizations were created to address the matter.
  • Food Voice of the Bangladeshi Rice forms the core of the Bangladeshi eating patterns. It is consumed in large quantities across the country, being the base for many traditional dishes.
  • Comfort Food as a Quarantine Trend Comfort food is a coping mechanism for many people in stressful situations, especially as serious as a global pandemic.
  • The Use of Low Fat Food This short essay will demonstrate that many of the foods we are eating today are in reality not that low in fat as they claim.
  • Food and Family in the Hispanic Culture The notion of family is crucial to the Hispanic culture due to its encouraging idea of interdependence and belonging. The food became an integral part of family gatherings.
  • First in Show Pet Foods: Case Analysis First in Show Pet Foods is among the newest frozen dog food companies, which can be considered to be a first-mover in the given market.
  • Behavior-Based Safety in the Food Industry: DO IT Method The so-called DO IT method is useful when applied to jobs in the restaurant industry, leading to an improvement in the work behavior of employees.
  • Working in a Food Pantry Hunger is a highly pervasive social problem around the globe. It is required that authorities all over design and implement policies that will solve the problem.
  • How the Fast Food Industry Has Changed the Environment and the Health of American Society? More and more Americans eat fast food and since it is relatively inexpensive, tastes good and can be ordered and consumed quickly, fast food has become the national diet.
  • Food and Drug Administration History The paper provides a brief introduction, background, and history of the FDA and the ways in which it operates, and the practices implemented.
  • Eric Schlosser’s “Fast Food Nation” In the past 40 years, the world of fast food has penetrated even the remote areas of the American society. It was an industry, which had been started by a few hamburgers
  • “Fast Food Nation” the Book by Eric Schlosser In his book Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser argues that fast food has greatly influenced American society and culture.
  • Fast Foods Lead to Fast Death: Informative Speech The fast-food industry has expanded at a rapid pace during the past half-century. The consequence has been the rapid expansion of the nation’s collective waistline.
  • Obesity Caused by Fast-Food as a Nursing Practice Issue The proposed intervention will emphasize the necessity to increase the intake of fruit and vegetables as a method of reducing the consumption of fast food.
  • Chick-fil-A Fast-Food Network Brand Analysis Based on customer demographic data, the paper analyzes the Chick-fil-A fast-food network and compares some data to compile an accurate picture of people’s preferences.
  • Australian Consumers Strategies to Reduce Food Waste It is estimated that Australians discard food over $5 billion annually. Thus, government efforts to reduce food waste would result in significant financial savings.
  • Indian Culture and Food in the Raaga Restaurant Before visiting Raaga, a restaurant of Indian cuisine, I tried to consider what I knew about this culture and whether I would eat what I would be served.
  • Chick-fil-A Inc.’s Entry into Qatari Food Industry The report presents three elements (political, economic, and legal) of PESTEL for Chick-fil-A to use in its decision to expand in the Qatari fast food industry.
  • Local Food Venture and Its Operations Management Building a small business enterprise is a complex task. This case study examines a model of expanding a local food venture to a permanent location and franchise.
  • Fast Food Nation: Annotated Bibliography Zepeda’s Bad Choices in Our Food System book explores how the food system, including relevant policies in the US, influences consumer food choices.
  • Food Habits and Acculturation of Immigrants With immigration waves and globalization, people from foreign countries integrate within the host culture, which is a process called acculturation.
  • Scientific Approach to Food Safety at Home The paper states that a scientific approach to handling, preparing, and storing food that explains how to prevent sickness is known as food safety.
  • The Food Quality Impact on Economy and Health The problem of food quality and its impact on the economy and health of not only one country but the whole world cannot be overemphasized.
  • Food Insecurity’s Causes and Implications Food insecurity is a complex problem that affects the economy, demography, ecology, and many other areas of development of states and their societies.
  • Food Insecurity in the United States Food insecurity is one of the most pressing global problems that is also relevant for the United States today.
  • Fast-Food Expansion Strategy for Indian Market With the increasing globalization of the world economy and the fast-food industry, in particular, major fast-food chains continuously seek new markets to expand their operations.
  • Discussion of Freedman’s Article “How Junk Food Can End Obesity” David Freedman, in article “How Junk Food Can End Obesity”, talks about various misconceptions regarding healthy food that are common in society.
  • A Qualitative Study of Independent Fast-Food Vendors Near Secondary Schools “A qualitative study of independent fast-food vendors near secondary schools” primarily sought to explore and navigate the barriers toward offering healthier menu options.
  • Firefly Burger Fast Food Marketing Plan The project aims to examine the internal and external environments that affect the success of Firefly restaurant and the need for changing its marketing strategy.
  • Nitrates and Nitrites in Food Nitrates are nontoxic compounds however when converted to nitrites in human bodies they can cause cyanosis, weakness, and a rapid pulse, coma, and cancer.
  • Healthy Fast Foods: Sector Analysis Health consciousness is fast becoming an important trend in the fast-food restaurant industry. The paper concerns sector analysis on profitability in the said marketplace.
  • The Process of Food Poisoning in General This article focuses on food poisoning: briefly discusses pathogens and symptoms, referring to the article “Encyclopedia of Health – Diseases and Conditions”.
  • Time and Food: Chrononutrition & Night Eating This paper examines the relationship between time and nutrition, involving chrono-nutrition and night shift eating, as well as the health outcomes of metabolic and public health.

Do you want to write a paper on the latest advancements in food science and technology? Here are some current food-related research topics to discuss:

  • Potential health benefits of plant-based diets.
  • Nanotechnology in food packaging.
  • The application of 3D printing in the food industry.
  • The benefits of bioprocessing of food waste.
  • The impact of fermented foods on gut health.
  • Current techniques for clean meat production.
  • Food traceability: why does it matter?
  • Alternative sweeteners as a sugar reduction strategy.
  • Emerging trends in food packaging materials.
  • The use of robotics in the food industry.
  • Genetically Modified Food Safety and Benefits Today’s world faces a problem of the shortage of food supplies to feed its growing population. The adoption of GM foods can solve the problem of food shortage in several ways.
  • Global Food Supplies, Overpopulation and Pollution The essay explores the problem of the threats to global food supplies and presents solutions and a critique of their effectiveness in alleviating this challenge.
  • The Currency Devaluation Concept in the Food Industry Finances and exchange rates play a substantial role in the functioning of the international market while ensuring the circulations of goods and services.
  • Evolution of Food Photography: From Daguerreotypes to Digital Storytelling Photos of food have been taken, shared, and appreciated for decades, from ambrosia salads in the 1970s to the current trend of upside-down acai bowls and elaborate latte art.
  • The Age of “Nutritionism”: In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan Michael Pollan, an investigative journalist, wrote the book In Defense of Food to educate on what humans should consume to be healthy.
  • Food Processing: Principles and Controversies Food processing is a currently applied trend to turn fresh food into different food products through such methods as washing, pasteurizing, freezing, cooking, or packaging.
  • Code of Ethics in Food Tracks Business A transformation in the way that food is prepared and enjoyed can be seen in the vast development in the prominence of food trucks.
  • Cause and Effect of Genetically Modified Food The paper states that better testing should be done on GMOs. It would lead to avoiding catastrophic health issues caused by these foods.
  • Food and Agriculture of Ancient Greece The concepts of agriculture and cuisine both have a deep connection to Greek history, culture, development, and social trends.
  • Foreign Market Entry of Electronic Food Delivery Service in Nigeria The purpose of this report is to discuss and analyze the establishment of an electronic, online-based food delivery service in Nigeria.
  • Trade Peculiarities in Food and Agriculture Food trading is a peculiar area, as food is the basis for surviving the population. The one who controls food production and trading routes, also controls all populations.
  • Discussion of Food Safety Issues The paper discusses food tampering and bioterrorism are those issues that can result in fundamental problems in food safety area.
  • Sustainable Agriculture Against Food Insecurity The paper argues sustainable agriculture is one way to reduce food insecurity without harming the planet because the number of resources is currently decreasing.
  • The Importance of Nutritional Labeling on Packaged Food It is essential to embrace nutritional labeling on packaged food, as they are meant to educate consumers about the products and their content.
  • A Typical American Dinner Plate: Origins of Food A plate with tater tots (fried potatoes), chicken wings, spinach soup, and a piece of watermelon for dessert would qualify as ideal in any American household.
  • Food, Health and Environment Relations This essay briefly explores the role played by EHPs in ensuring food safety and quality, the regulatory framework in place as well as risk and proportionality in food quality.
  • Food and Wine Pairing Menu Considering the amount of sugars, acids, or tannins in wine might help to achieve a specific taste or sensation via its unique combination with food.
  • Food Waste Reduction Strategy The Strategy aims to raise society’s awareness and bring the food value back to reduce the volume of food waste generated.
  • Climate Change and Its Potential Impact on Agriculture and Food Supply The global food supply chain has been greatly affected by the impact of global climate change. There are, however, benefits as well as drawbacks to crop production.
  • Product Design in Food Industry: A McDonald’s Case Article Critique In “Product Design in Food Industry – A McDonald’s Case,” authors consider McDonald’s recent launch of new products along with some of the aspects of its production process and innovativeness.
  • The Trends of Natural and Organic Foods Organic food is primarily intended to appeal to financially well-off people who can afford to spend more money on food in exchange for its perceived superior quality.
  • The Importance of Sustainable Development in the Food Retail Sector The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are discussed from the perspective of their relevance to the Canadian business in general and the food retail sector in particular.
  • Food Company Managing Business Activities The company’s primary output consists of numerous dishes and drinks. The firm has a set of requirements that are used to determine if products meet the standards.
  • Eco-Friendly Packaging Design for Food and Drinks The paper will focus on the issues of eco-friendly packaging. The topic will be narrowed to the food industry, i.e. food and beverage production.
  • Food Policy Action and Food Security Legislation Food Policy Action was created from efforts of the US food policy leaders for holding legislators accountable for those votes that have a direct impact on the food industry.
  • Pet Food Product Marketing Strategy This paper outlines the marketing strategies that will be used for launching my pet food product: SWOT analysis, target market, market needs, and other market strategies.
  • Fast Food Harmful Effects on Children This paper states that the exposure of children to fast food early on has an adverse effect on them, resulting in the need to prevent the sale of fast food in schools.
  • Food Diversion as a Type-2 Diabetes Treatment This research paper examines its potential use for the treatment of type-2 diabetes in patients within the previously stipulated BMI range.
  • Pizza as One of the Most Famous Food in London The most revolutionary thing about pizza is that it combines three key ingredients to become one of the tastiest foods to date. This dish utilizes our London-made bread.
  • Supply Chain Management in the Food Industry Designing a proper supply chain in the environment of the global economy is a challenging task for a number of reasons; the numerous risks that need to be dealt with being the key one.
  • The Food Insecurity Action Center The Food Insecurity Action Center is a non-profit organization that aims to address the problem of food insecurity among students with negative school lunch balances.
  • Sustainable Food Production: Cooking Chicken Breast Chicken breast is a versatile and nutritious cut of meat that can be cooked using dry heat methods such as roasting, grilling, or sautéing.
  • Ecological Consumption in Terms of Food The paper focuses on food and its relation to ecology, precisely, how eating types of food can harm the ecosystem while others can help sustain the ecosystem’s health.
  • Global Trade: Food Price Indexes and Data Collection Global trade is a rather beneficial aspect of the economy. It provides people with extra job opportunities and exposes people to previously unknown brands.
  • Food Waste Management Importance The world is gradually losing its beauty and is constantly coming under pressure from different problems every other day.
  • Canada’s Food Guide Discussion Food recommendations are more important than ever, as customers struggle with varying levels of effectiveness in making nutritional judgments in today’s internet-based environment.
  • The American Diet Influenced by Fast Food Ads McDonald’s is the largest provider of food services worldwide. It is one of the most well-known and reputable companies in the world, with a multi-level marketing campaign.
  • Food Deserts’ Impact on Children Food deserts are an alarming issue of concern, especially for school-going children. This is because a lack of healthy food affects children both physically and mentally.
  • Food Deserts Control in the United States Food access is a major contributor to food deserts and is viewed as a consequence of several factors such as physical closeness to food supplies.
  • The Salmonella Bacterium as a Food Borne Illness Pathogen This paper will explore these aspects of the salmonella bacterium, which can negatively affect the human body.

If you’re looking for persuasive topics about food to talk about, here are some suggestions for you:

  • The benefits of eating organic foods.
  • Fast food advertising to children should be banned.
  • Food waste reduction is everyone’s responsibility.
  • The importance of clear and informative food labels.
  • The need for stricter regulation of junk food sales in schools.
  • Why should the government impose a soda tax?
  • The role of food companies in addressing childhood obesity.
  • The impact of social media on eating behaviors.
  • Home cooking is essential for health and family bonding.
  • The role of food companies in addressing food allergies.
  • The Omnivore’s Dilemma Regarding Sources of Food
  • Improper Food Handling Practices in Kansas City Restaurant
  • The Food Insecurity Issue and Methods of Solving
  • Food Ingredients: Molecular Reactions
  • Food Preparation in Upper Paleolithic Ohalo II
  • Agriculture, Water, and Food Security in Tanzania
  • Food, Inc., Produced by Kenner Review
  • Jewish Dietary Patterns: Kosher Food and New Meat
  • Improper Food Handling Practices in Kansas City
  • Factors Influencing Food Choices and Their Impact on Health
  • The Lack of Food Safety in Kansas City, Missouri
  • Food Poisoning Caused by Staphylococcus Aureus
  • Effects of Food-Medication Interplay on Recovery
  • The Reaction to the “Food, Inc.” Documentary
  • Food Insecurity Health Issue: How to Mitigate It
  • Hazard Analysis in Food Safety
  • The Challenges in Food Supply Chain During COVID-19
  • Nike, Whole Foods, and Mcdonald’s: The Use of Information Systems
  • Food Industry: The Safety Issues
  • Food-Borne Salmonella Epidemiologic Triad
  • Food Insecurity in New York City
  • Agriculture-Led Food Crops and Cash Crops in Tanzania
  • Food Security: Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine
  • Indian Culture and Food Supply
  • Buffalo Skies Aki Forest Food Sovereignty Pilot Project
  • Amazon and Whole Foods Merger
  • Protecting Ourselves from Food Article by Sherman & Flaxman
  • Food Deserts and Related Challenges
  • The Baby Food Shortage: Public Service Announcement
  • Examining Solutions for Mitigating the Food and Water Security Issue
  • Junk Food Taxation in the United States
  • Restricting the Volume of Sale of Fast Foods and Genetically Modified Foods
  • Agriculture and Food Safety in the United States
  • Expanding Access to Food Interview Plan
  • The Consumer Attitude Towards Buying Organic Food in Hong Kong
  • Liability of Death from Food Poisoning
  • Food Labeling Affecting Sustainable Food Choices
  • Behavioral Reasoning Perspectives on Organic Food Purchase
  • Analysis of Freeman’s Promotion of Junk Food
  • Morals and Using Animals for Food
  • Food and Cultural Appropriation Article by Cheung
  • Fast Food Addiction: Comparison of Articles
  • Evaluation of Articles on Food and Water Security
  • Food Administration on Sustainable Palm Oil
  • Food Cost Issues in the Hospital
  • Issues of Obesity and Food Addiction
  • Global Societal Issue: Food and Water Security
  • Addressing Food Insecurity in Wyandotte County
  • Chinese Food in the United States
  • Fortified and Aromatic Wines and Accompanying Food
  • “Can You Be Addicted to Food?”: A New Problem Faced by North Americans
  • The Connection Between Food Allergies and Gut Microbiome
  • Food Facility Design: Sustainable Kitchen for Delight Restaurant
  • Successful Institutional Food Management & Delivery Systems
  • Food and Water Security as Globalization Issues
  • Digitization in Improving the Food Supply Chain
  • The Discrepancies in Unhealthy Food Advertising: Hispanic and Black Consumers
  • The Biofuel and Food Industry Connection
  • Climate Change and Food Production Cycle
  • “Societal Control” Over Food and Weight Gain
  • Food Deprivation in the United States
  • “Fast Food Nation”: The Development of the Food Industry in the USA
  • The Connection Between Food Choices, Identity, and Nationalism
  • Healthy Food for Learning Achievements in School
  • Introduction to Food: Macromolecules Analysis
  • Discussion of Food Foraging History
  • Aspects of Food Insecurity
  • Botulism Prevention and Food Security Approaches
  • Should Food Manufacturers Label All GMOs?
  • “Food Stamped” and Its Main Shortcomings
  • Discussion of Food Security Technologies
  • Whole Foods Company’s Product Marketing in France
  • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Globalization
  • Food Allergies and Eating Disorders
  • Supply Chain Strategy for the Foods and Drinks Sector
  • Organic Food Purchases Among Customers of Different Ages
  • Indian Cuisine: Food and Socio-Cultural Aspects of Eating
  • Food Deserts and Their Impact on Local Communities
  • Introduction and Politics of Food Discussion
  • Food Security: Global Health Issue Comparison
  • Are Food Manufactures Killing Us?
  • A Community Mobile Food Truck to Serve Disadvantaged Children’s Needs
  • Whole Foods: An Organizational Needs Analysis
  • White-Collar Crimes: Unsafe Food
  • The Class About Nutrition to Real Life Situations When Making Food Choices
  • Food and Beverage Plan: The COVID-19 Pandemic Influence
  • Impacts of Climate Change on Agriculture and Food
  • Food Supplements in Preventing Long-Term Illnesses
  • Healthier Cookie Version: The Challenges to the Food Industry
  • Personal Response About the Documentary “Food Inc.”
  • A Plan for Receiving and Handling of Food Products Based on HACCP
  • Logistics Network of the Food and Beverage Production Industry
  • Quality of Food Served to Children
  • Fast Food Restaurants in the US
  • Fast-Food Marketing and Children’s Fast-Food Consumption
  • Genetically Modified Foods: How Safe are they?
  • The Home Food Environment and Obesity-Promoting Eating Behaviours
  • Fast Food and Health Relations
  • The Effects of Food on ADHD
  • Genetically Modified Organisms in Human Food
  • Eating Fast Food and Obesity Correlation Analysis
  • Nursing: Issue of Obesity, Impact of Food
  • When Food Costs More Than It Is Supposed To
  • Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act Amendment
  • American Food Industry in the “Food, Inc.” Movie
  • Ban on Genetically Modified Foods
  • Obesity Treatment – More Than Food
  • Fast-Food Industry’s Influences on Children
  • Nurse-Led Program on Food Safety Problem
  • Halal Food in Other Religions
  • Neighborhood Deprivation and Exposure to Fast Food in a Large Rural Area
  • Bacteria That Cause Food Toxicity
  • “The Food Matters” by James Colquhoun
  • “The Future of Food” produced by Catherine Lynn Butler
  • A 3-Day Diet Analysis With the USDA Food Pyramid
  • Food Consumption: Enjoyment and Ethics
  • Reducing Food Packaging Litter in Ireland
  • Food Insecurity Assessment in Miami
  • Food Labeling and Concordia University’s Food Sphere
  • The Downtown Rideau Area: Food Segway Tours
  • The History of Soul Food Cuisine in the United States
  • The Words on Your Plate: Analysis of the Food Words
  • Expanding Ultima Foods in China
  • The Actual and Budgeted Food Costs
  • Escherichia Coli Infection: Preventing Food Borne Illness
  • National Food Policy Guaranteeing Healthy Food Marketing
  • Impact of COVID-19 on People’s Livelihoods, Their Health and Our Food Systems
  • Food Festival Event for Westboro Residents
  • Analysis of Nutrition and Food Studies
  • Modeling Sustainable Food Systems
  • Soul Food: An Original American Art Form
  • Macronutrients Consumption: The Best Food Sources
  • Statistics on Food Disorders in the US and Puerto Rico
  • The Impact of Food Choices on the Economy and Environment
  • Teens ‘Especially Vulnerable’ to Junk Food Advertising
  • The Importance of Variability in the Food Industry
  • “Women, Food, and Learning” by Claudia Setzer
  • Food Additives Use in Agriculture in the United States
  • Schieffelin: Rainforest Environment and the Kaluli Food Production
  • Advantages of Using Genetically Modified Foods
  • The Origins of the Soul Food and Barbeque in the USA
  • Food and Sustainable Environmental Issues in Campus
  • 2019 Brooklyn Crush Wine & Artisanal Food Festival
  • America Express Charity Food Overview
  • Visual Communication. Natural Food Packaging Colors
  • Food, Body, and Weight Issues Exploration and Family Dynamics in Ireland
  • Is Fast Food Really Harmful and Can It Be Healthy?
  • The Current American Food Situation Influenced by the Immigrant Farmers
  • Traditional Lakota Food: Buffalo
  • Organic Foods Issue of “In Defense of Food” by Michael Pollan
  • Negative Impact of Soil Erosion on the World`s Food Supply
  • Food Safety in the Commercial Industry
  • Testing Food Service Employees: Policy Assessment
  • How Tesco a Leading Food Retailer Globally
  • Competition in the Australian Food Industry: Case Analysis
  • Food Safety Issues and Standards
  • Genetic Engineering in Food and Freshwater Issues
  • Food Habits and Dietary Practices: Honey as Food
  • White Thinking Hat Fast Food: Overview
  • Genetically Modified Food as a Current Issue
  • The Fast Food Restaurants History in the United States
  • Fast Food Nation: Business Analysis
  • Delectability of Foods Within the Context of Children
  • Concerns Regarding Genetically Modified Food
  • Food and Drug Administration – Regulatory Agency
  • Do Marketers Condition Us to Buy More Junk Food?
  • Bologna-Surface Bacterial Analysis: Bacterial Contamination on Two Food Contact Surfaces
  • The Case of Salesforce and Wegmans Food Market
  • Food Insecurity Intervention and Its Effectiveness
  • Business Within Society: Food Truck
  • Proposal for Lowering the Intake of High-Calorie Food
  • Food Innovation: Ayran Yogurt in the Scandinavian Market
  • Organizational Design Factors in the Food Industry
  • Granite City Food & Brewery Company’s Analysis
  • Global Food Security: UN Speech
  • Sociology of Food and Eating
  • Food & Beverage Companies’ Input to Global Food Consumption
  • McDonald’s Fast-Food Restaurant’s Analysis
  • “The Future of Food” Documentary
  • Fast-Food Restaurant’s Capacity Increasing Options
  • Healthy Food Access for Poor People
  • Waste, Food and Transportation: Sustainable Development
  • Food Stamps: Rationale for Tightened Conditions
  • Granite City Food & Brewery Company’s Environment
  • Granite City Food & Brewery Company’s Market Capitalization
  • Food Labeling Changes in the United States
  • Biofoam: The Snack Food That’s Packing America
  • Start Up Company: Genetically Modified Foods in China
  • Costly Healthy Food and State Policies
  • Granite City Food & Brewery Company’s Value Chain
  • Nature’s Best Pet Food Brand’s Target Market
  • Food Choices in Food Deserts: Sociological Analysis
  • Healthy and Nutritious Food for Young Children
  • Food Chain: Ricotta Cheese Production
  • Food in Reducing Risks and Improving Health
  • Childhood Obesity Causes: Junk Food and Video Games
  • Food and Drug Administration Fast-Track Approval
  • Dietary Laws and Food Products for Health
  • Fast Food as a Cause of Obesity in the US and World
  • How Canadian Government Could Improve Food Safety?
  • Labeling Food With Genetically Modified Organisms
  • Ethical Eating in Daily Food Practices
  • Healthy Food in U.S. Schools
  • Drug-Drug and Food-Drug Interactions
  • Food Producing Company and Its Key Processes
  • Saddle Creek Corporation: Food Company Analysis
  • IES Lean Systems Ltd. in the Food Industry
  • Food Ads Ban for Childhood Obesity Prevention
  • World Hunger and Food Distribution as Global Issue
  • Whole Foods Market’s Strategic Position and Goals
  • Packaging in Marketing, Food Safety, Environment
  • Food: National Identity and Cultural Difference
  • Slow Food Movement in USA
  • Food for the Working-class Americans
  • Fast Food and Obesity Link – Nutrition
  • In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
  • Nutrition: Causes and Effects of Fast Food
  • Food Science and Technology of Genetic Modification
  • Food Across Cultures: Asida (Jamza) Meal Project
  • Food in the 20th Centure
  • Food Safety and Information Bulletin
  • Nutrition, Healthy Food Choice, and Nutritional Value of Fast Foods
  • Nutrition and Food Security within the Aboriginal and Remote Communities of Australia
  • Food Allergies and Obesity
  • Genetically Modified Foods and Their Impact on Human Health
  • Nutrition: Foods Containing Calories

Thanks for reading! On this page, we’ve collected:

You’ll discover a wide range of analytical, informative, and argumentative essay topics about food.
Do you want to write a paper about food processing and storage techniques? StudyCorgi has suitable ideas for you!
Feel free to use the titles below for your presentation, persuasive speech, project, and other assignments.
Check out interesting samples below to get inspired and better understand how to structure your own paper about food.

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StudyCorgi. (2021, September 9). 457 Food Essay Topics & Research Questions to Write about. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/food-essay-topics/

"457 Food Essay Topics & Research Questions to Write about." StudyCorgi , 9 Sept. 2021, studycorgi.com/ideas/food-essay-topics/.

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StudyCorgi . "457 Food Essay Topics & Research Questions to Write about." September 9, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/food-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . 2021. "457 Food Essay Topics & Research Questions to Write about." September 9, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/food-essay-topics/.

These essay examples and topics on Food were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on June 22, 2024 .

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How to Write an Argumentative Essay

How to Write an Argumentative Essay

4-minute read

  • 30th April 2022

An argumentative essay is a structured, compelling piece of writing where an author clearly defines their stance on a specific topic. This is a very popular style of writing assigned to students at schools, colleges, and universities. Learn the steps to researching, structuring, and writing an effective argumentative essay below.

Requirements of an Argumentative Essay

To effectively achieve its purpose, an argumentative essay must contain:

●  A concise thesis statement that introduces readers to the central argument of the essay

●  A clear, logical, argument that engages readers

●  Ample research and evidence that supports your argument

Approaches to Use in Your Argumentative Essay

1.   classical.

●  Clearly present the central argument.

●  Outline your opinion.

●  Provide enough evidence to support your theory.

2.   Toulmin

●  State your claim.

●  Supply the evidence for your stance.

●  Explain how these findings support the argument.

●  Include and discuss any limitations of your belief.

3.   Rogerian

●  Explain the opposing stance of your argument.

●  Discuss the problems with adopting this viewpoint.

●  Offer your position on the matter.

●  Provide reasons for why yours is the more beneficial stance.

●  Include a potential compromise for the topic at hand.

Tips for Writing a Well-Written Argumentative Essay

●  Introduce your topic in a bold, direct, and engaging manner to captivate your readers and encourage them to keep reading.

●  Provide sufficient evidence to justify your argument and convince readers to adopt this point of view.

●  Consider, include, and fairly present all sides of the topic.

●  Structure your argument in a clear, logical manner that helps your readers to understand your thought process.

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●  Discuss any counterarguments that might be posed.

●  Use persuasive writing that’s appropriate for your target audience and motivates them to agree with you.

Steps to Write an Argumentative Essay

Follow these basic steps to write a powerful and meaningful argumentative essay :

Step 1: Choose a topic that you’re passionate about

If you’ve already been given a topic to write about, pick a stance that resonates deeply with you. This will shine through in your writing, make the research process easier, and positively influence the outcome of your argument.

Step 2: Conduct ample research to prove the validity of your argument

To write an emotive argumentative essay , finding enough research to support your theory is a must. You’ll need solid evidence to convince readers to agree with your take on the matter. You’ll also need to logically organize the research so that it naturally convinces readers of your viewpoint and leaves no room for questioning.

Step 3: Follow a simple, easy-to-follow structure and compile your essay

A good structure to ensure a well-written and effective argumentative essay includes:

Introduction

●  Introduce your topic.

●  Offer background information on the claim.

●  Discuss the evidence you’ll present to support your argument.

●  State your thesis statement, a one-to-two sentence summary of your claim.

●  This is the section where you’ll develop and expand on your argument.

●  It should be split into three or four coherent paragraphs, with each one presenting its own idea.

●  Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that indicates why readers should adopt your belief or stance.

●  Include your research, statistics, citations, and other supporting evidence.

●  Discuss opposing viewpoints and why they’re invalid.

●  This part typically consists of one paragraph.

●  Summarize your research and the findings that were presented.

●  Emphasize your initial thesis statement.

●  Persuade readers to agree with your stance.

We certainly hope that you feel inspired to use these tips when writing your next argumentative essay . And, if you’re currently elbow-deep in writing one, consider submitting a free sample to us once it’s completed. Our expert team of editors can help ensure that it’s concise, error-free, and effective!

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3 Key Tips for How to Write an Argumentative Essay

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General Education

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If there’s one writing skill you need to have in your toolkit for standardized tests, AP exams, and college-level writing, it’s the ability to make a persuasive argument. Effectively arguing for a position on a topic or issue isn’t just for the debate team— it’s for anyone who wants to ace the essay portion of an exam or make As in college courses.

To give you everything you need to know about how to write an argumentative essay , we’re going to answer the following questions for you:

  • What is an argumentative essay?
  • How should an argumentative essay be structured?
  • How do I write a strong argument?
  • What’s an example of a strong argumentative essay?
  • What are the top takeaways for writing argumentative papers?

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepped and ready to write a great argumentative essay yourself!

Now, let’s break this down.

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What Is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is a type of writing that presents the writer’s position or stance on a specific topic and uses evidence to support that position. The goal of an argumentative essay is to convince your reader that your position is logical, ethical, and, ultimately, right . In argumentative essays, writers accomplish this by writing:

  • A clear, persuasive thesis statement in the introduction paragraph
  • Body paragraphs that use evidence and explanations to support the thesis statement
  • A paragraph addressing opposing positions on the topic—when appropriate
  • A conclusion that gives the audience something meaningful to think about.

Introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion: these are the main sections of an argumentative essay. Those probably sound familiar. Where does arguing come into all of this, though? It’s not like you’re having a shouting match with your little brother across the dinner table. You’re just writing words down on a page!

...or are you? Even though writing papers can feel like a lonely process, one of the most important things you can do to be successful in argumentative writing is to think about your argument as participating in a larger conversation . For one thing, you’re going to be responding to the ideas of others as you write your argument. And when you’re done writing, someone—a teacher, a professor, or exam scorer—is going to be reading and evaluating your argument.

If you want to make a strong argument on any topic, you have to get informed about what’s already been said on that topic . That includes researching the different views and positions, figuring out what evidence has been produced, and learning the history of the topic. That means—you guessed it!—argumentative essays almost always require you to incorporate outside sources into your writing.  

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What Makes Argumentative Essays Unique?

Argumentative essays are different from other types of essays for one main reason: in an argumentative essay, you decide what the argument will be . Some types of essays, like summaries or syntheses, don’t want you to show your stance on the topic—they want you to remain unbiased and neutral.

In argumentative essays, you’re presenting your point of view as the writer and, sometimes, choosing the topic you’ll be arguing about. You just want to make sure that that point of view comes across as informed, well-reasoned, and persuasive.

Another thing about argumentative essays: they’re often longer than other types of essays. Why, you ask? Because it takes time to develop an effective argument. If your argument is going to be persuasive to readers, you have to address multiple points that support your argument, acknowledge counterpoints, and provide enough evidence and explanations to convince your reader that your points are valid.

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Our 3 Best Tips for Picking a Great Argumentative Topic

The first step to writing an argumentative essay deciding what to write about! Choosing a topic for your argumentative essay might seem daunting, though. It can feel like you could make an argument about anything under the sun. For example, you could write an argumentative essay about how cats are way cooler than dogs, right?

It’s not quite that simple . Here are some strategies for choosing a topic that serves as a solid foundation for a strong argument.

Choose a Topic That Can Be Supported With Evidence

First, you want to make sure the topic you choose allows you to make a claim that can be supported by evidence that’s considered credible and appropriate for the subject matter ...and, unfortunately, your personal opinions or that Buzzfeed quiz you took last week don’t quite make the cut.

Some topics—like whether cats or dogs are cooler—can generate heated arguments, but at the end of the day, any argument you make on that topic is just going to be a matter of opinion. You have to pick a topic that allows you to take a position that can be supported by actual, researched evidence.

(Quick note: you could write an argumentative paper over the general idea that dogs are better than cats—or visa versa!—if you’re a) more specific and b) choose an idea that has some scientific research behind it. For example, a strong argumentative topic could be proving that dogs make better assistance animals than cats do.)

You also don’t want to make an argument about a topic that’s already a proven fact, like that drinking water is good for you. While some people might dislike the taste of water, there is an overwhelming body of evidence that proves—beyond the shadow of a doubt—that drinking water is a key part of good health.  

To avoid choosing a topic that’s either unprovable or already proven, try brainstorming some issues that have recently been discussed in the news, that you’ve seen people debating on social media, or that affect your local community. If you explore those outlets for potential topics, you’ll likely stumble upon something that piques your audience’s interest as well.  

Choose a Topic That You Find Interesting

Topics that have local, national, or global relevance often also resonate with us on a personal level. Consider choosing a topic that holds a connection between something you know or care about and something that is relevant to the rest of society. These don’t have to be super serious issues, but they should be topics that are timely and significant.

For example, if you are a huge football fan, a great argumentative topic for you might be arguing whether football leagues need to do more to prevent concussions . Is this as “important” an issue as climate change? No, but it’s still a timely topic that affects many people. And not only is this a great argumentative topic: you also get to write about one of your passions! Ultimately, if you’re working with a topic you enjoy, you’ll have more to say—and probably write a better essay .

Choose a Topic That Doesn’t Get You Too Heated

Another word of caution on choosing a topic for an argumentative paper: while it can be effective to choose a topic that matters to you personally, you also want to make sure you’re choosing a topic that you can keep your cool over. You’ve got to be able to stay unemotional, interpret the evidence persuasively, and, when appropriate, discuss opposing points of view without getting too salty.

In some situations, choosing a topic for your argumentative paper won’t be an issue at all: the test or exam will choose it for you . In that case, you’ve got to do the best you can with what you’re given.

In the next sections, we’re going to break down how to write any argumentative essay —regardless of whether you get to choose your own topic or have one assigned to you! Our expert tips and tricks will make sure that you’re knocking your paper out of the park.

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The Thesis: The Argumentative Essay’s Backbone

You’ve chosen a topic or, more likely, read the exam question telling you to defend, challenge, or qualify a claim on an assigned topic. What do you do now?

You establish your position on the topic by writing a killer thesis statement ! The thesis statement, sometimes just called “the thesis,” is the backbone of your argument, the north star that keeps you oriented as you develop your main points, the—well, you get the idea.

In more concrete terms, a thesis statement conveys your point of view on your topic, usually in one sentence toward the end of your introduction paragraph . It’s very important that you state your point of view in your thesis statement in an argumentative way—in other words, it should state a point of view that is debatable.

And since your thesis statement is going to present your argument on the topic, it’s the thing that you’ll spend the rest of your argumentative paper defending. That’s where persuasion comes in. Your thesis statement tells your reader what your argument is, then the rest of your essay shows and explains why your argument is logical.

Why does an argumentative essay need a thesis, though? Well, the thesis statement—the sentence with your main claim—is actually the entire point of an argumentative essay. If you don’t clearly state an arguable claim at the beginning of your paper, then it’s not an argumentative essay. No thesis statement = no argumentative essay. Got it?

Other types of essays that you’re familiar with might simply use a thesis statement to forecast what the rest of the essay is going to discuss or to communicate what the topic is. That’s not the case here. If your thesis statement doesn’t make a claim or establish your position, you’ll need to go back to the drawing board.

Example Thesis Statements

Here are a couple of examples of thesis statements that aren’t argumentative and thesis statements that are argumentative

The sky is blue.

The thesis statement above conveys a fact, not a claim, so it’s not argumentative.

To keep the sky blue, governments must pass clean air legislation and regulate emissions.

The second example states a position on a topic. What’s the topic in that second sentence? The best way to keep the sky blue. And what position is being conveyed? That the best way to keep the sky blue is by passing clean air legislation and regulating emissions.

Some people would probably respond to that thesis statement with gusto: “No! Governments should not pass clean air legislation and regulate emissions! That infringes on my right to pollute the earth!” And there you have it: a thesis statement that presents a clear, debatable position on a topic.

Here’s one more set of thesis statement examples, just to throw in a little variety:

Spirituality and otherworldliness characterize A$AP Rocky’s portrayals of urban life and the American Dream in his rap songs and music videos.

The statement above is another example that isn’t argumentative, but you could write a really interesting analytical essay with that thesis statement. Long live A$AP! Now here’s another one that is argumentative:

To give students an understanding of the role of the American Dream in contemporary life, teachers should incorporate pop culture, like the music of A$AP Rocky, into their lessons and curriculum.

The argument in this one? Teachers should incorporate more relevant pop culture texts into their curriculum.

This thesis statement also gives a specific reason for making the argument above: To give students an understanding of the role of the American Dream in contemporary life. If you can let your reader know why you’re making your argument in your thesis statement, it will help them understand your argument better.

body-argumentative-essay-meme-6

An actual image of you killing your argumentative essay prompts after reading this article! 

Breaking Down the Sections of An Argumentative Essay

Now that you know how to pick a topic for an argumentative essay and how to make a strong claim on your topic in a thesis statement, you’re ready to think about writing the other sections of an argumentative essay. These are the parts that will flesh out your argument and support the claim you made in your thesis statement.  

Like other types of essays, argumentative essays typically have three main sections: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. Within those sections, there are some key elements that a reader—and especially an exam scorer or professor—is always going to expect you to include.

Let’s look at a quick outline of those three sections with their essential pieces here:

  • Introduction paragraph with a thesis statement (which we just talked about)
  • Support Point #1 with evidence
  • Explain/interpret the evidence with your own, original commentary (AKA, the fun part!)
  • Support Point #2 with evidence
  • Explain/interpret the evidence with your own, original commentary
  • Support Point #3 with evidence
  • New paragraph addressing opposing viewpoints (more on this later!)
  • Concluding paragraph

 Now, there are some key concepts in those sections that you’ve got to understand if you’re going to master how to write an argumentative essay. To make the most of the body section, you have to know how to support your claim (your thesis statement), what evidence and explanations are and when you should use them, and how and when to address opposing viewpoints. To finish strong, you’ve got to have a strategy for writing a stellar conclusion.

This probably feels like a big deal! The body and conclusion make up most of the essay, right? Let’s get down to it, then.

body-laptop-on-table

How to Write a Strong Argument

Once you have your topic and thesis, you’re ready for the hard part: actually writing your argument. If you make strategic choices—like the ones we’re about to talk about—writing a strong argumentative essay won’t feel so difficult.

There are three main areas where you want to focus your energy as you develop a strategy for how to write an argumentative essay: supporting your claim—your thesis statement—in your essay, addressing other viewpoints on your topic, and writing a solid conclusion. If you put thought and effort into these three things, you’re much more likely to write an argumentative essay that’s engaging, persuasive, and memorable...aka A+ material.

Focus Area 1: Supporting Your Claim With Evidence and Explanations

So you’ve chosen your topic, decided what your position will be, and written a thesis statement. But like we see in comment threads across the Internet, if you make a claim and don’t back it up with evidence, what do people say? “Where’s your proof?” “Show me the facts!” “Do you have any evidence to support that claim?”

Of course you’ve done your research like we talked about. Supporting your claim in your thesis statement is where that research comes in handy.

You can’t just use your research to state the facts, though. Remember your reader? They’re going to expect you to do some of the dirty work of interpreting the evidence for them. That’s why it’s important to know the difference between evidence and explanations, and how and when to use both in your argumentative essay.

What Evidence Is and When You Should Use It

Evidence can be material from any authoritative and credible outside source that supports your position on your topic. In some cases, evidence can come in the form of photos, video footage, or audio recordings. In other cases, you might be pulling reasons, facts, or statistics from news media articles, public policy, or scholarly books or journals.

There are some clues you can look for that indicate whether or not a source is credible , such as whether:

  • The website where you found the source ends in .edu, .gov, or .org
  • The source was published by a university press
  • The source was published in a peer-reviewed journal
  • The authors did extensive research to support the claims they make in the source

This is just a short list of some of the clues that a source is likely a credible one, but just because a source was published by a prestigious press or the authors all have PhDs doesn’t necessarily mean it is the best piece of evidence for you to use to support your argument.

In addition to evaluating the source’s credibility, you’ve got to consider what types of evidence might come across as most persuasive in the context of the argument you’re making and who your readers are. In other words, stepping back and getting a bird’s eye view of the entire context of your argumentative paper is key to choosing evidence that will strengthen your argument.

On some exams, like the AP exams , you may be given pretty strict parameters for what evidence to use and how to use it. You might be given six short readings that all address the same topic, have 15 minutes to read them, then be required to pull material from a minimum of three of the short readings to support your claim in an argumentative essay.

When the sources are handed to you like that, be sure to take notes that will help you pick out evidence as you read. Highlight, underline, put checkmarks in the margins of your exam . . . do whatever you need to do to begin identifying the material that you find most helpful or relevant. Those highlights and check marks might just turn into your quotes, paraphrases, or summaries of evidence in your completed exam essay.

What Explanations Are and When You Should Use Them

Now you know that taking a strategic mindset toward evidence and explanations is critical to grasping how to write an argumentative essay. Unfortunately, evidence doesn’t speak for itself. While it may be obvious to you, the researcher and writer, how the pieces of evidence you’ve included are relevant to your audience, it might not be as obvious to your reader.

That’s where explanations—or analysis, or interpretations—come in. You never want to just stick some quotes from an article into your paragraph and call it a day. You do want to interpret the evidence you’ve included to show your reader how that evidence supports your claim.

Now, that doesn’t mean you’re going to be saying, “This piece of evidence supports my argument because...”. Instead, you want to comment on the evidence in a way that helps your reader see how it supports the position you stated in your thesis. We’ll talk more about how to do this when we show you an example of a strong body paragraph from an argumentative essay here in a bit.

Understanding how to incorporate evidence and explanations to your advantage is really important. Here’s why: when you’re writing an argumentative essay, particularly on standardized tests or the AP exam, the exam scorers can’t penalize you for the position you take. Instead, their evaluation is going to focus on the way you incorporated evidence and explained it in your essay.

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Focus Area 2: How—and When—to Address Other Viewpoints

Why would we be making arguments at all if there weren’t multiple views out there on a given topic? As you do research and consider the background surrounding your topic, you’ll probably come across arguments that stand in direct opposition to your position.

Oftentimes, teachers will ask you to “address the opposition” in your argumentative essay. What does that mean, though, to “ address the opposition ?”

Opposing viewpoints function kind of like an elephant in the room. Your audience knows they’re there. In fact, your audience might even buy into an opposing viewpoint and be waiting for you to show them why your viewpoint is better. If you don’t, it means that you’ll have a hard time convincing your audience to buy your argument.

Addressing the opposition is a balancing act: you don’t want to undermine your own argument, but you don’t want to dismiss the validity of opposing viewpoints out-of-hand or ignore them altogether, which can also undermine your argument.

This isn’t the only acceptable approach, but it’s common practice to wait to address the opposition until close to the end of an argumentative essay. But why?

Well, waiting to present an opposing viewpoint until after you’ve thoroughly supported your own argument is strategic. You aren’t going to go into great detail discussing the opposing viewpoint: you’re going to explain what that viewpoint is fairly, but you’re also going to point out what’s wrong with it.

It can also be effective to read the opposition through the lens of your own argument and the evidence you’ve used to support it. If the evidence you’ve already included supports your argument, it probably doesn’t support the opposing viewpoint. Without being too obvious, it might be worth pointing this out when you address the opposition.

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Focus Area #3: Writing the Conclusion

It’s common to conclude an argumentative essay by reiterating the thesis statement in some way, either by reminding the reader what the overarching argument was in the first place or by reviewing the main points and evidence that you covered.

You don’t just want to restate your thesis statement and review your main points and call it a day, though. So much has happened since you stated your thesis in the introduction! And why waste a whole paragraph—the very last thing your audience is going to read—on just repeating yourself?

Here’s an approach to the conclusion that can give your audience a fresh perspective on your argument: reinterpret your thesis statement for them in light of all the evidence and explanations you’ve provided. Think about how your readers might read your thesis statement in a new light now that they’ve heard your whole argument out.

That’s what you want to leave your audience with as you conclude your argumentative paper: a brief explanation of why all that arguing mattered in the first place. If you can give your audience something to continue pondering after they’ve read your argument, that’s even better.

One thing you want to avoid in your conclusion, though: presenting new supporting points or new evidence. That can just be confusing for your reader. Stick to telling your reader why the argument you’ve already made matters, and your argument will stick with your reader.

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A Strong Argumentative Essay: Examples

For some aspiring argumentative essay writers, showing is better than telling. To show rather than tell you what makes a strong argumentative essay, we’ve provided three examples of possible body paragraphs for an argumentative essay below.

Think of these example paragraphs as taking on the form of the “Argumentative Point #1 → Evidence —> Explanation —> Repeat” process we talked through earlier. It’s always nice to be able to compare examples, so we’ve included three paragraphs from an argumentative paper ranging from poor (or needs a lot of improvement, if you’re feeling generous), to better, to best.

All of the example paragraphs are for an essay with this thesis statement: 

Thesis Statement: In order to most effectively protect user data and combat the spread of disinformation, the U.S. government should implement more stringent regulations of Facebook and other social media outlets.

As you read the examples, think about what makes them different, and what makes the “best” paragraph more effective than the “better” and “poor” paragraphs. Here we go:

A Poor Argument

Example Body Paragraph: Data mining has affected a lot of people in recent years. Facebook has 2.23 billion users from around the world, and though it would take a huge amount of time and effort to make sure a company as big as Facebook was complying with privacy regulations in countries across the globe, adopting a common framework for privacy regulation in more countries would be the first step. In fact, Mark Zuckerberg himself supports adopting a global framework for privacy and data protection, which would protect more users than before.

What’s Wrong With This Example?

First, let’s look at the thesis statement. Ask yourself: does this make a claim that some people might agree with, but others might disagree with?

The answer is yes. Some people probably think that Facebook should be regulated, while others might believe that’s too much government intervention. Also, there are definitely good, reliable sources out there that will help this writer prove their argument. So this paper is off to a strong start!  

Unfortunately, this writer doesn’t do a great job proving their thesis in their body paragraph. First, the topic sentence—aka the first sentence of the paragraph—doesn’t make a point that directly supports the position stated in the thesis. We’re trying to argue that government regulation will help protect user data and combat the spread of misinformation, remember? The topic sentence should make a point that gets right at that, instead of throwing out a random fact about data mining.

Second, because the topic sentence isn’t focused on making a clear point, the rest of the paragraph doesn’t have much relevant information, and it fails to provide credible evidence that supports the claim made in the thesis statement. For example, it would be a great idea to include exactly what Mark Zuckerberg said ! So while there’s definitely some relevant information in this paragraph, it needs to be presented with more evidence.

A Better Argument  

This paragraph is a bit better than the first one, but it still needs some work. The topic sentence is a bit too long, and it doesn’t make a point that clearly supports the position laid out in the thesis statement. The reader already knows that mining user data is a big issue, so the topic sentence would be a great place to make a point about why more stringent government regulations would most effectively protect user data.

There’s also a problem with how the evidence is incorporated in this example. While there is some relevant, persuasive evidence included in this paragraph, there’s no explanation of why or how it is relevant . Remember, you can’t assume that your evidence speaks for itself: you have to interpret its relevance for your reader. That means including at least a sentence that tells your reader why the evidence you’ve chosen proves your argument.

A Best—But Not Perfect!—Argument  

Example Body Paragraph: Though Facebook claims to be implementing company policies that will protect user data and stop the spread of misinformation , its attempts have been unsuccessful compared to those made by the federal government. When PricewaterhouseCoopers conducted a Federal Trade Commission-mandated assessment of Facebook’s partnerships with Microsoft and the makers of the Blackberry handset in 2013, the team found limited evidence that Facebook had monitored or even checked that its partners had complied with Facebook’s existing data use policies. In fact, Facebook’s own auditors confirmed the PricewaterhouseCoopers findings, despite the fact that Facebook claimed that the company was making greater attempts to safeguard users’ personal information. In contrast, bills written by Congress have been more successful in changing Facebook’s practices than Facebook’s own company policies have. According to The Washington Post, The Honest Ads Act of 2017 “created public demand for transparency and changed how social media companies disclose online political advertising.” These policy efforts, though thus far unsuccessful in passing legislation, have nevertheless pushed social media companies to change some of their practices by sparking public outrage and negative media attention.

Why This Example Is The Best

This paragraph isn’t perfect, but it is the most effective at doing some of the things that you want to do when you write an argumentative essay.

First, the topic sentences get to the point . . . and it’s a point that supports and explains the claim made in the thesis statement! It gives a clear reason why our claim in favor of more stringent government regulations is a good claim : because Facebook has failed to self-regulate its practices.

This paragraph also provides strong evidence and specific examples that support the point made in the topic sentence. The evidence presented shows specific instances in which Facebook has failed to self-regulate, and other examples where the federal government has successfully influenced regulation of Facebook’s practices for the better.

Perhaps most importantly, though, this writer explains why the evidence is important. The bold sentence in the example is where the writer links the evidence back to their opinion. In this case, they explain that the pressure from Federal Trade Commission and Congress—and the threat of regulation—have helped change Facebook for the better.

Why point out that this isn’t a perfect paragraph, though? Because you won’t be writing perfect paragraphs when you’re taking timed exams either. But get this: you don’t have to write perfect paragraphs to make a good score on AP exams or even on an essay you write for class. Like in this example paragraph, you just have to effectively develop your position by appropriately and convincingly relying on evidence from good sources.

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Top 3 Takeaways For Writing Argumentative Essays

This is all great information, right? If (when) you have to write an argumentative essay, you’ll be ready. But when in doubt, remember these three things about how to write an argumentative essay, and you’ll emerge victorious:

Takeaway #1: Read Closely and Carefully

This tip applies to every aspect of writing an argumentative essay. From making sure you’re addressing your prompt, to really digging into your sources, to proofreading your final paper...you’ll need to actively and pay attention! This is especially true if you’re writing on the clock, like during an AP exam.

Takeaway #2: Make Your Argument the Focus of the Essay

Define your position clearly in your thesis statement and stick to that position! The thesis is the backbone of your paper, and every paragraph should help prove your thesis in one way or another. But sometimes you get to the end of your essay and realize that you’ve gotten off topic, or that your thesis doesn’t quite fit. Don’t worry—if that happens, you can always rewrite your thesis to fit your paper!

Takeaway #3: Use Sources to Develop Your Argument—and Explain Them

Nothing is as powerful as good, strong evidence. First, make sure you’re finding credible sources that support your argument. Then you can paraphrase, briefly summarize, or quote from your sources as you incorporate them into your paragraphs. But remember the most important part: you have to explain why you’ve chosen that evidence and why it proves your thesis.

What's Next?

Once you’re comfortable with how to write an argumentative essay, it’s time to learn some more advanced tips and tricks for putting together a killer argument.

Keep in mind that argumentative essays are just one type of essay you might encounter. That’s why we’ve put together more specific guides on how to tackle IB essays , SAT essays , and ACT essays .

But what about admissions essays? We’ve got you covered. Not only do we have comprehensive guides to the Coalition App and Common App essays, we also have tons of individual college application guides, too . You can search through all of our college-specific posts by clicking here.

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