interesting essay topics 2023

Top 25 Essay Topics for 2024

Wow, 2023, was another challenging year for many parts of the world, but let’s all put our optimistic goggles on for 2024 and explore some great topics to write about for an essay sure to engage and inspire your students.

Writing an essay can be a daunting task for both teachers and students in terms of creating and crafting a high-quality essay,  and finally editing and grading them.

It seems as though we may have overlooked one of the toughest steps in writing an essay and that is actually selecting appropriate interesting essay topics for your students.

Thankfully we have compiled a list of 25 fun essay topics for 2024 that might just make that process a little easier.  Enjoy.  And remember to add any other great suggestions in the comment section below.

If you are still struggling with the essay writing process and need further guidance be sure to check out our definitive guide to writing a great essay. 

FREE interesting essay topics FOR STUDENTS

FOR STUDENTS NEEDING A VISUAL PROMPT TO WRITE A GREAT ESSAY

ESSAY TOPICS YOUR STUDENTS WILL LOVE TO WRITE ABOUT

• Zoos are sometimes seen as necessary but not poor alternatives to a natural environment. Discuss some of the arguments for and/or against keeping animals in zoos.
• Imagine that your teacher wants to teach a new subject for the next few weeks. Your teacher will take suggestions, and then let the students vote on the new subject. What subject should your class choose? Write an essay to support your choice and to persuade the other students to vote for your choice.
• Are actors and professional athletes paid too much?
• Should teachers have to wear uniforms or have a dress code?
• Since the invention of nuclear weapons we have had a long period of GLOBAL peace and stability. Are nuclear weapons global peacemakers or killing devices?
• Should boys and girls be in separate classes?
• Is the death penalty effective?
• To what extent is the use of animals in scientific research acceptable?
• What age is appropriate for dating?
• Pretend you woke up one day and there were no rules. People could suddenly do whatever they wanted! Explain what the world would be like. Use your imagination!
• Should student’s textbooks be replaced by notebook computers?
• Should students be allowed to have cell phones in elementary and high schools?
• Should wealthy nations be required to share their wealth among poorer nations?
• Should money be spent on space exploration?
• Is fashion important?
• Are we too dependent on computers?
• If you had the opportunity to bring any person — past or present, fictional or nonfictional — to a place that is special to you (your hometown or country, a favorite location, etc.), who would you bring and why? Tell us what you would share with that person
• Most high level jobs are done by men. Should the government encourage a certain percentage of these jobs to be reserved for women?
• Should students be allowed to grade their teachers?
• In your opinion what factors contribute to a good movie?
• The destruction of the world’s forests is inevitable as our need for land and food grows. Do you agree?
• Many parents give their children certain chores or tasks to do at home. Should children have to do chores or tasks at home? Be sure to explain why you think it is a good idea or a bad idea. Include examples to support your reasons.
• Should the voting age be lowered to thirteen?
• Should the government place a tax on junk food and fatty snacks?
• Should more be done to protect and preserve endangered animals?

OTHER GREAT ARTICLES ABOUT ESSAY WRITING

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160 Good Argumentative Essay Topics for Students in 2024

April 3, 2024

The skill of writing an excellent argumentative essay is a crucial one for every high school or college student to master. In sum, argumentative essays teach students how to organize their thoughts logically and present them in a convincing way. This skill is helpful not only for those pursuing degrees in law , international relations , or public policy , but for any student who wishes to develop their critical thinking faculties. In this article, we’ll cover what makes a good argument essay and offer several argumentative essay topics for high school and college students. Let’s begin!

What is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is an essay that uses research to present a reasoned argument on a particular subject . As with the persuasive essay , the purpose of an argumentative essay is to sway the reader to the writer’s position. However, a strong persuasive essay makes its point through diligent research and emotion while a strong argumentative essay should be based solely on facts, not feelings.

Moreover, each fact should be supported by clear evidence from credible sources . Furthermore, a good argumentative essay will have an easy-to-follow structure. When organizing your argumentative essay, use this format as a guide:

• Introduction
• Supporting body paragraphs
• Paragraph(s) addressing common counterarguments

Argumentative Essay Format

In the introduction , the writer presents their position and thesis statement —a sentence that summarizes the paper’s main points. The body paragraphs then draw upon supporting evidence to back up this initial statement, with each paragraph focusing on its own point. The length of your paper will determine the amount of examples you need. In general, you’ll likely need at least two to three. Additionally, your examples should be as detailed as possible, citing specific research, case studies, statistics, or anecdotes.

In the counterargument paragraph , the writer acknowledges and refutes opposing viewpoints. Finally, in the conclusion , the writer restates the main argument made in the thesis statement and summarizes the points of the essay. Additionally, the conclusion may offer a final proposal to persuade the reader of the essay’s position.

How to Write an Effective Argumentative Essay, Step by Step

• Choose your topic. Use the list below to help you pick a topic. Ideally, a good argumentative essay topic will be meaningful to you—writing is always stronger when you are interested in the subject matter. In addition, the topic should be complex with plenty of “pro” and “con” arguments. Avoid choosing a topic that is either widely accepted as fact or too narrow. For example, “Is the earth round?” would not be a solid choice.
• Research. Use the library, the web, and any other resources to gather information about your argumentative essay topic. Research widely but smartly. As you go, take organized notes, marking the source of every quote and where it may fit in the scheme of your larger essay. Moreover, remember to look for (and research) possible counterarguments.
• Outline . Using the argument essay format above, create an outline for your essay. Then, brainstorm a thesis statement covering your argument’s main points, and begin to put your examples in order, focusing on logical flow. It’s often best to place your strongest example last.
• Write . Draw on your research and outline to create a first draft. Remember, your first draft doesn’t need to be perfect. (As Voltaire says, “Perfect is the enemy of good.”) Accordingly, just focus on getting the words down on paper.
• Does my thesis statement need to be adjusted?
• Which examples feel strongest? Weakest?
• Do the transitions flow smoothly?
• Do I have a strong opening paragraph?
• Does the conclusion reinforce my argument?

Tips for Revising an Argument Essay

Evaluating your own work can be difficult, so you might consider the following strategies:

• Read your work aloud to yourself.
• Record yourself reading your paper, and listen to the recording.
• Reverse outline your paper. Firstly, next to each paragraph, write a short summary of that paragraph’s main points/idea. Then, read through your reverse outline. Does it have a logical flow? If not, where should you adjust?
• Print out your paper and cut it into paragraphs. What happens when you rearrange the paragraphs?

Good Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School, High School, and College Students

Family argumentative essay topics.

• Should the government provide financial incentives for families to have children to address the declining birth rate?
• Should we require parents to provide their children with a certain level of nutrition and physical activity to prevent childhood obesity?
• Should parents implement limits on how much time their children spend playing video games?
• Should cell phones be banned from family/holiday gatherings?
• Should we hold parents legally responsible for their children’s actions?
• Should children have the right to sue their parents for neglect?
• Should parents have the right to choose their child’s religion?
• Are spanking and other forms of physical punishment an effective method of discipline?
• Should courts allow children to choose where they live in cases of divorce?
• Should parents have the right to monitor teens’ activity on social media?
• Should parents control their child’s medical treatment, even if it goes against the child’s wishes?
• Should parents be allowed to post pictures of their children on social media without their consent?
• Should fathers have a legal say in whether their partners do or do not receive an abortion?
• Can television have positive developmental benefits on children?
• Should the driving age be raised to prevent teen car accidents?
• Should adult children be legally required to care for their aging parents?

Education Argument Essay Topics

• Should schools ban the use of technology like ChatGPT?
• Are zoos unethical, or necessary for conservation and education?
• To what degree should we hold parents responsible in the event of a school shooting?
• Should schools offer students a set number of mental health days?
• Should school science curriculums offer a course on combating climate change?
• Should public libraries be allowed to ban certain books? If so, what types?
• What role, if any, should prayer play in public schools?
• Should schools push to abolish homework?
• Are gifted and talented programs in schools more harmful than beneficial due to their exclusionary nature?
• Should universities do away with Greek life?
• Should schools remove artwork, such as murals, that some perceive as offensive?
• Should the government grant parents the right to choose alternative education options for their children and use taxpayer funds to support these options?
• Is homeschooling better than traditional schooling for children’s academic and social development?
• Should we require schools to teach sex education to reduce teen pregnancy rates?
• Should we require schools to provide sex education that includes information about both homosexual and heterosexual relationships?
• Should colleges use affirmative action and other race-conscious policies to address diversity on campus?
• Should public schools remove the line “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance?
• Should college admissions officers be allowed to look at students’ social media accounts?
• Should schools abolish their dress codes, many of which unfairly target girls, LGBTQ students, and students of color?
• Should schools be required to stock free period products in bathrooms?
• Should legacy students receive preferential treatment during the college admissions process?
• Are school “voluntourism” trips ethical?

Government Argumentative Essay Topics

• Should the U.S. decriminalize prostitution?
• Should the U.S. issue migration visas to all eligible applicants?
• Should the federal government cancel all student loan debt?
• Should we lower the minimum voting age? If so, to what?
• Should the federal government abolish all laws penalizing drug production and use?
• Should the U.S. use its military power to deter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan?
• Should the U.S. supply Ukraine with further military intelligence and supplies?
• Should the North and South of the U.S. split up into two regions?
• Should Americans hold up nationalism as a critical value?
• Should we permit Supreme Court justices to hold their positions indefinitely?
• Should Supreme Court justices be democratically elected?
• Is the Electoral College still a productive approach to electing the U.S. president?
• Should the U.S. implement a national firearm registry?
• Is it ethical for countries like China and Israel to mandate compulsory military service for all citizens?
• Should the U.S. government implement a ranked-choice voting system?
• Should institutions that benefited from slavery be required to provide reparations?
• Based on the 1619 project, should history classes change how they teach about the founding of the U.S.?
• Should term limits be imposed on Senators and Representatives? If so, how long?
• Should women be allowed into special forces units?
• Should the federal government implement stronger, universal firearm licensing laws?
• Do public sex offender registries help prevent future sex crimes?
• Should the government be allowed to regulate family size?
• Should all adults legally be considered mandated reporters?
• Should the government fund public universities to make higher education more accessible to low-income students?
• Should the government fund universal preschool to improve children’s readiness for kindergarten?

Health/Bioethics Argumentative Essay Topics

• Should the U.S. government offer its own healthcare plan?
• In the case of highly infectious pandemics, should we focus on individual freedoms or public safety when implementing policies to control the spread?
• Should we legally require parents to vaccinate their children to protect public health?
• Is it ethical for parents to use genetic engineering to create “designer babies” with specific physical and intellectual traits?
• Should the government fund research on embryonic stem cells for medical treatments?
• Should the government legalize assisted suicide for terminally ill patients?
• Should organ donation be mandatory?
• Is cloning animals ethical?
• Should cancer screenings start earlier? If so, what age?
• Is surrogacy ethical?
• Should birth control require a prescription?
• Should minors have access to emergency contraception?
• Should hospitals be for-profit or nonprofit institutions?

Good Argumentative Essay Topics — Continued

Social media argumentative essay topics.

• Should the federal government increase its efforts to minimize the negative impact of social media?
• Do social media and smartphones strengthen one’s relationships?
• Should antitrust regulators take action to limit the size of big tech companies?
• Should social media platforms ban political advertisements?
• Should the federal government hold social media companies accountable for instances of hate speech discovered on their platforms?
• Do apps such as TikTok and Instagram ultimately worsen the mental well-being of teenagers?
• Should governments oversee how social media platforms manage their users’ data?
• Should social media platforms like Facebook enforce a minimum age requirement for users?
• Should social media companies be held responsible for cases of cyberbullying?
• Should the United States ban TikTok?
• Is social media harmful to children?
• Should employers screen applicants’ social media accounts during the hiring process?

Religion Argument Essay Topics

• Should religious institutions be tax-exempt?
• Should religious symbols such as the hijab or crucifix be allowed in public spaces?
• Should religious freedoms be protected, even when they conflict with secular laws?
• Should the government regulate religious practices?
• Should we allow churches to engage in political activities?
• Religion: a force for good or evil in the world?
• Should the government provide funding for religious schools?
• Is it ethical for healthcare providers to deny abortions based on religious beliefs?
• Should religious organizations be allowed to discriminate in their hiring practices?
• Should we allow people to opt out of medical treatments based on their religious beliefs?
• Should the U.S. government hold religious organizations accountable for cases of sexual abuse within their community?
• Should religious beliefs be exempt from anti-discrimination laws?
• Should religious individuals be allowed to refuse services to others based on their beliefs or lifestyles? (As in this famous case .)
• Should the US ban religion-based federal holidays?
• Should public schools be allowed to teach children about religious holidays?

Science Argument Essay Topics

• Would the world be safer if we eliminated nuclear weapons?
• Should scientists bring back extinct animals? If so, which ones?
• Should we hold companies fiscally responsible for their carbon footprint?
• Should we ban pesticides in favor of organic farming methods?
• Should the federal government ban all fossil fuels, despite the potential economic impact on specific industries and communities?
• What renewable energy source should the U.S. invest more money in?
• Should the FDA outlaw GMOs?
• Should we worry about artificial intelligence surpassing human intelligence?
• Should the alternative medicine industry be more stringently regulated?
• Is colonizing Mars a viable option?
• Is the animal testing worth the potential to save human lives?

Sports Argument Essay Topics

• Should colleges compensate student-athletes?
• How should sports teams and leagues address the gender pay gap?
• Should youth sports teams do away with scorekeeping?
• Should we ban aggressive contact sports like boxing and MMA?
• Should professional sports associations mandate that athletes stand during the national anthem?
• Should high schools require their student-athletes to maintain a certain GPA?
• Should transgender athletes compete in sports according to their gender identity?
• Should schools ban football due to the inherent danger it poses to players?
• Should performance-enhancing drugs be allowed in sports?
• Do participation trophies foster entitlement and unrealistic expectations?
• Should sports teams be divided by gender?
• Should professional athletes be allowed to compete in the Olympics?
• Should women be allowed on NFL teams?

Technology Argumentative Essay Topics

• Should sites like DALL-E compensate the artists whose work it was trained on?
• Should the federal government make human exploration of space a more significant priority?
• Is it ethical for the government to use surveillance technology to monitor citizens?
• Should websites require proof of age from their users? If so, what age?
• Should we consider A.I.-generated images and text pieces of art?
• Does the use of facial recognition technology violate individuals’ privacy?
• Is online learning as effective as in-person learning?
• Does computing harm the environment?
• Should buying, sharing, and selling collected personal data be illegal?
• Are electric cars really better for the environment?
• Should car companies be held responsible for self-driving car accidents?
• Should private jets be banned?
• Do violent video games contribute to real-life violence?

Business Argument Essay Topics

• Should the U.S. government phase out the use of paper money in favor of a fully digital currency system?
• Should the federal government abolish its patent and copyright laws?
• Should we replace the Federal Reserve with free-market institutions?
• Is free-market ideology responsible for the U.S. economy’s poor performance over the past decade?
• Will cryptocurrencies overtake natural resources like gold and silver?
• Is capitalism the best economic system? What system would be better?
• Should the U.S. government enact a universal basic income?
• Should we require companies to provide paid parental leave to their employees?
• Should the government raise the minimum wage? If so, to what?
• Should antitrust regulators break up large companies to promote competition?
• Is it ethical for companies to prioritize profits over social responsibility?
• Should gig-economy workers like Uber and Lyft drivers be considered employees or independent contractors?
• Should the federal government regulate the gig economy to ensure fair treatment of workers?
• Should the government require companies to disclose the environmental impact of their products?
• Should companies be allowed to fire employees based on political views or activities?
• Should tipping practices be phased out?
• Should employees who choose not to have children be given the same amount of paid leave as parents?
• Should MLMs (multi-level marketing companies) be illegal?
• Should employers be allowed to factor tattoos and personal appearance into hiring decisions?

In Conclusion – Argument Essay Topics

Using the tips above, you can effectively structure and pen a compelling argumentative essay that will wow your instructor and classmates. Remember to craft a thesis statement that offers readers a roadmap through your essay, draw on your sources wisely to back up any claims, and read through your paper several times before it’s due to catch any last-minute proofreading errors. With time, diligence, and patience, your essay will be the most outstanding assignment you’ve ever turned in…until the next one rolls around.

Looking for more fresh and engaging topics for use in the classroom? You might consider checking out the following:

• 125 Good Debate Topics for High School Students
• 150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics
• 7 Best Places to Study
• Guide to the IB Extended Essay
• How to Write the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay
• AP Lit Reading List
• How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay
• 49 Most Interesting Biology Research Topics
• High School Success

Lauren Green

With a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from Columbia University and an MFA in Fiction from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin, Lauren has been a professional writer for over a decade. She is the author of the chapbook  A Great Dark House  (Poetry Society of America, 2023) and a forthcoming novel (Viking/Penguin).

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September 13, 2023

The Most Popular College Essay Prompts for 2023-2024

With the 2023-2024 college admissions cycle in full swing and now that all of America’s highly selective universities have released their supplemental essay prompts , let’s analyze the most popular types of essay questions asked of applicants to the Class of 2028. So here goes!

Most Common Supplemental Essay Prompts for 2023-2024

While there are many supplemental essay prompts across the highly selective universities for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle, we at Ivy Coach have distinguished four prompts as the ones that pop up the most. These four types of supplemental essays are as follows:

The Why College Essay Prompt

Most of America’s elite universities ask applicants why they wish to attend their institutions. Why do they ask this question? Because America’s elite universities are a tad insecure, and they’re trying to control their yields (or the percentage of accepted students who choose to enroll). Asking students why they wish to attend is a proven way of measuring a student’s Demonstrated Interest — or the likelihood they’ll matriculate.

When students respond to Why College essay prompts and fill their answers with names of professors or classes or generic sentences that can apply to virtually any school in America, they’ve fallen through the trap door of effectively proving to the school that they’d attend if admitted. Admissions officers don’t want to waste offers of admission on students who — no matter how well qualified — have no intention of enrolling. It’s why a student can get into Harvard University but be denied to Cornell University. Harvard, we at Ivy Coach have long argued, is the only school that truly doesn’t care about Demonstrated Interest because Harvard knows students wish to attend. When a school’s yield is over 84% , as it was for the Class of 2027, they have that luxury!

Top Colleges with Why College Essay Prompts

The following elite universities have versions of Why College essay prompts. Some of these prompts are worded differently than others, but they’re all essentially asking the same question:

The Why Major Essay Prompt

Many of America’s top colleges ask why students wish to major in the disciplines they’ve selected on the application. They want to understand the origin story of a student’s chief academic interest. Too often, applicants set this origin story during their childhoods when it would behoove them to set it during their high school years.

Top Colleges with Why Major Essay Prompts

The following elite universities have versions of Why Major essay prompts. Some of these prompts are worded differently than others, but they’re all essentially asking the same question:

The Why College/Why Major Hybrid Essay Prompt

Many of America’s top colleges ask an essay with essentially two parts: Why Major and Why College. Thus, their essay should include the origin story of their interest in their chosen field and specifics about the program at the school that only apply to this particular institution.

Top Colleges with Why College/Why Major Hybrid Essay Prompts

The following elite universities have versions of Why College/Why Major hybrid essay prompts. Some of these prompts are worded differently than others, but they’re all essentially asking the same question:

The Community/Background Essay Prompt

In the wake of the United States Supreme Court’s decision to outlaw Affirmative Action , many of America’s elite universities added this prompt to their supplements this year. The prompt capitalizes on Chief Justice John Roberts ’ own words in the majority opinion banning the consideration of race in admissions decision-making.

In the majority opinion, Chief Justice Roberts wrote, “Nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.”

The schools that ask this prompt offer all applicants a chance to tell their stories. But by focusing on candidates’ backgrounds, it’s also an opportunity for underrepresented minority applicants to write about their race so these schools can continue to admit diverse classes.

Top Colleges with Community/Background Essay Prompts

The following elite universities have versions of Community/Background essay prompts. Some of these prompts are worded differently than others, but they’re all essentially asking the same question:

Two Schools Deserving of Praise for Their Supplemental Essay Prompts

While many elite universities included a community/background question on their supplements this admissions cycle, few included the word “race” in the language of their questions.

After all, with these questions, America’s elite schools are capitalizing on the loophole penned by Chief Justice Roberts in the majority opinion outlawing Affirmative Action. They want to walk a fine line between continuing to admit a diverse class without facing litigation for not obeying the Supreme Court’s decision.

But there are two  highly selective universities that bucked the trend and dared include the word “race” in their community/background questions: Johns Hopkins University and Rice University. In the world of college admissions, for bucking the trend and staring the Supreme Court right in the eyes, these schools are deserving of Profiles in Courage .

A School Deserving of Criticism for a Supplemental Essay Prompt

And while we applaud Johns Hopkins and Rice for daring to include the word “race” in their supplemental essay questions, we wish to shame the University of Virginia for asking what we at Ivy Coach have deemed the most outrageously inappropriate supplemental essay prompt on any of America’s elite college applications this year. That optional prompt is as follows:

If you have a personal or historic connection with UVA, and if you’d like to share how your experience of this connection has prepared you to contribute to the university, please share your thoughts here. Such relationships might include, but are not limited to, being a child of someone who graduated from or works for UVA, a descendant of ancestors who labored at UVA, or a participant in UVA programs.

While UVA’s admissions committee may defend asking this question with the misguided argument that it’s  optional , that’s  nonsense . UVA’s admissions committee is giving more space to mostly privileged students — the children of alumni and students who attended fancy shmancy UVA summer programs . As such, most students will choose not to answer the essay.

But that’s a mistake because any essay that’s optional in elite college admissions should not be considered  optional . Instead, it’s an opportunity for an applicant to make their case for admission, to tell their story. How dare UVA’s admissions committee give extra space for legacy applicants and students who attended fancy shmancy UVA summer programs!

Get with the times, UVA! Legacy admission is on the way out, especially after the SCOTUS ruling outlawing Affirmative Action. Yet, your institution — a public flagship, no less — is seemingly doubling down on legacy status. Your founder, Thomas Jefferson, didn’t write our Declaration of Independence from an aristocracy so you could perpetuate a ruling class in our American meritocracy. Shame on UVA!

All that said, we encourage  every  applicant to respond to this 100-word question. You don’t need to be a legacy. You don’t need to have attended a UVA summer camp. Just fill the essay with Why UVA specifics. Treat it as a typical Why College essay. Regretfully, we just suspect most students will think the essay doesn’t apply to them — through no fault of their own — and leave it blank.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance with College Essays

If you’re looking to optimize your case for admission to America’s highly selective universities by submitting essays that inspire admissions officers to root for you, fill out Ivy Coach ’s free consultation form , and we’ll be in touch to outline our college admissions counseling services for applicants to the Class of 2028.

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Essay Writing Guide

Essay Topics

Last updated on: Jun 28, 2024

Essay Topics: 100+ Best Essay Topics for your Guidance

By: Nova A.

13 min read

Reviewed By: Rylee W.

Published on: Jan 29, 2019

Let’s face it, essay writing can be tedious and boring. Spending hours to write a good essay is difficult, and brainstorming essay topic ideas can be even more confusing.

This is what makes writing essays difficult and time-consuming. Luckily, you can learn  essay writing  with practice and by following some good examples. But before that, you should know how to choose a good and engaging topic for your essay.

To help you get started, we have categorized a list of a number of different types of essay topic lists.

On this Page

Argumentative Essay Topics

An argumentative essay investigates a topic in great detail, forms an argument over it, and defends it using supporting data.

Below are some good argumentative essay topic ideas to help you draft winning essays.

• School students should be allowed to curate their high school curriculum.
• The role of physical education in the school system.
• Should the death sentence be implemented globally?
• It should be illegal to use certain types of animals for experiments and other research purposes.
• Should the government do more to improve accessibility for people with physical disabilities?
• Do people learn the art of becoming a politician, or are they born with it?
• Social media platform owners should monitor and block comments containing hateful language.
• Does technology play a role in making people feel more isolated?
• Will there ever be a time when there will be no further technological advancements?
• It should be illegal to produce and sell tobacco.
• Girls should be motivated to take part in sports.
• Rape victims should abort their unborn children.
• Fathers should get equal paternity leave.
• Do teenagers get into trouble because they are bored?
• Individuals who have failed at parenting should be punished.
• Vaping is less harmful than smoking cigarettes.
• Covid-19 vaccination has more cons than pros.
• Social media is the real cause of teenage depression.
• Is the American education system perfect for society?
• Recycling should be made compulsory.

Choosing a strong topic is key to writing a great essay. Have a look at our blog to select good  argumentative essay topics  to impress the audience.

Persuasive Essay Topics

A persuasive essay is similar to an argumentative paper. However, in it, the writer wants to convince the readers of their point of view. Simple essay topics would make better essays as they help the students stay focused.

Below is a list of some good persuasive essay topics for you:

• Energy drinks should be banned in schools and colleges.
• Gambling should be banned in the United States.
• Should abortions be banned worldwide?
• Hunting is an immoral act.
• Is it okay to use animals in a circus?
• Harmful dogs should be euthanized.
• Cell phones should not be allowed in schools.
• Teachers should pass a professional exam, just like students.
• Schools should reduce the workload on students.
• Sex education should be mandatory in high schools.
• Vlogging isn’t an actual profession.
• Is LinkedIn helpful for finding a job?
• Social media has played a big role in increasing business opportunities.
• Is Java becoming obsolete?
• Should employers go through the candidate’s social media profiles?
• Animal testing should be banned.
• Violent video games should be banned.
• Parents with mental disabilities should not be allowed to adopt children.
• Alcohol consumption should be legalized in Muslim countries.
• Every person should get Covid-19 vaccination.

For your help, we have gathered a wide range of  persuasive essay topics . Give it a read.

Descriptive Essay Topics

A descriptive essay describes a specific thing by using sensory data. It is done to engage the reader’s five senses (taste, touch, smell, hearing, sight).

The following is a list of descriptive essay topic ideas for the students.

• The person who is responsible for making a difference in my life.
• Describe a smartphone and its benefits to someone from the ‘60s.
• The most interesting piece of art I have ever seen.
• Describe the experience of falling in love.
• What does a place that only exists in your imagination look like?
• Describe meeting a famous person.
• Describe yourself and your personality to a stranger.
• What will life be like in 2050?
• An experience that changed my life forever.
• Your idea of the perfect day.
• My first trip abroad.
• The most significant event in American History.
• A popular book series that disappointed you.
• A look into my daily life.
• A day in the life of an ER doctor.
• A trip to the museum.
• The most interesting movie I watched during my summer vacation.
• My favorite childhood memory.
• An incident that changed my life.
• An incident that restored my faith in humanity.

Here are some more  descriptive essay topics  to help you find a good idea for your essay.

Discover Captivating Topics in a Click!

Narrative Essay Topics

In a narrative essay, your goal is to share a personal experience by telling a story. This creative form of writing depends on how strong and exciting the theme is. The article topics for students given here are carefully curated and would help the students do good in their essays.

Some examples and topics of narrative topic ideas are presented below.

• The experience that taught me how looks could be deceiving.
• A week without internet and technology.
• The impact your first love had on your life.
• How much did your teachers contribute to making you the person you are today?
• An experience that made you realize your parents were or weren’t always right.
• A moment when someone you didn’t like surprised you with kindness.
• The influence technology has had on your hobbies and life.
• An achievement outside of academic life?
• Which school lesson had the biggest influence on your life?
• A day when you fought procrastination.
• The time you faced rejection.
• The time when you stood against your parents.
• An experience that left you helpless.
• The time you prayed to be an only child.
• An act of kindness you can never forget.
• Death of a loved one.
• Your biggest pet peeve.
• Your definition of a perfect weekend.
• The things you regret most in life.
• Your first experience of an air trip.

Choosing interesting  narrative essay topics  is essential to make the content compelling for the readers.

Research Essay Topics

While writing a research essay, the most crucial step is choosing a topic for your essay. Select a topic that is broad enough to compose an entire research essay on it.

Below are some of the best topics for your research essay.

• Effects of violent cartoons on children.
• Should universities provide accommodations to disabled students?
• Events and experiences I agree are causing the increase in terrorism.
• How do technology and gadgets affect the studies of children?
• Do children who attend preschool do better in school?
• Universities are becoming business-driven.
• Does college debt affect the future lives of students?
• Why has the divorce rate changed in the past decade?
• Schools should allow the use of smartphones in school.
• Effective ways to decrease depression among our youth.
• Analyze the relationship between the United States of America and North Korea.
• Why did the UK decide to leave the EU?
• Is it true that students learn better in a same-sex school?
• How does giving kids different gadgets affect their studies?
• Compare the immigration policies of two different countries.
• Events that lead to World War I.
• Pros and cons of studying abroad.
• How has Covid-19 influenced the education system of the world?
• Individual acts that lead to Global Warming.
• Effectiveness of the policies made to control Covid-19.

Looking for more? We have an extensive range of  research essay topics  to make the audience fall in love with your work.

Expository Essay Topics

While writing an expository essay, you have to explain and clarify your topic clearly to the readers.

Below is a list of expository essay topics:

• Why do teenagers commit suicide?
• What is the impact of music on our youth?
• What are the consequences of skipping school?
• Why do teenagers use drugs?
• How can pets make you happy and improve your life?
• Consequences of having alcoholic drinks within a school campus.
• How does drug use affect relationships?
• Is global warming a cause of skin cancer?
• Is sodium bad for your health?
• What is the line between being overweight and being obese?
• Why do you want to pursue your desired career?
• Explain how advancements in science improve the quality of life for humans.
• What are some unconventional ways of relieving stress?
• If you could swap your lives with someone, who would it be and why?
• What are some major stress factors in a teenager’s life?
• Why is getting a degree important for job life?
• Pros and cons of getting financial aid.
• How emotional support animals help in treating mental conditions.
• How does prostitution influence society?
• The environmental causes of smoking.

5StarEssays.com has gathered an additional and extensive list of  expository essay topics .

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Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

In a compare and contrast essay, you evaluate and analyze the similarities and differences between the two subjects. Your reader must be able to form an opinion after weighing the pros and cons you have set forth.

Below are some topics for you to choose for your compare and contrast paper:

• Extroverts and introverts.
• Generation Y Vs. Generation Z.
• Traditional Helicopters Vs. Lifesize Drones.
• Unemployed students Vs. students with a part-time job.
• SAT and TOEFL.
• Persuasive and argumentative essays - How are they similar?
• How were the causes of World War I different from the causes of World War II?
• Education vs. professional career: what is more difficult?
• Real-life or spending your time daydreaming.
• Consequences of earthquake and tsunami: what’s worse?
• Being popular in high school or alone?
• Part-time work or studying for a higher degree?
• Getting married at an old age or a young age?
• Fashion today Vs. twenty years ago.
• Donald Trump Vs. Hillary Clinton.
• Democracy Vs. Dictatorship
• Vietnam War Vs. War on Terror.
• Benefits of drinking tea Vs. coffee.
• Greek and Roman methodologies - Similarities and differences.
• Traditional Vs. distant learning.

Get more interesting  compare and contrast essay topics  at 5StarEssays.com to impress your instructors.

Cause and Effect Essay Topics

The cause and effect essay explains why something happens and what happens as a result of those happenings. A cause and effect essay is a type of expository essay.

Here are a few topics for your cause and effect essay:

• What are the causes of eating disorders?
• Effects of climate change and global warming.
• The effects of the Feminism movement.
• What are the causes of increasing depression among teenagers?
• What are the causes of suicidal thoughts?
• Is keeping a pet effective in calming your mind?
• How does divorce affects children?
• Why are men afraid of commitment?
• Effects of social media on youth.
• Has social media affected relationships among families?
• Discuss the effects of homeschooling on children.
• Causes of heart diseases.
• Causes of sibling rivalry.
• Cramming doesn't help improve test scores.
• Cause and effect of depression in the workplace.
• How do abusive parents influence the mental stability of a child?
• Causes and effects of bullying.
• Causes of obesity in teenagers.
• Effects of taking a balanced diet on health?
• Causes and effects of insomnia.

To get more ideas, visit our  cause and effect essay topics  that are remarkable and well-suited for a great essay.

Controversial Argumentative Essay Topics

Argumentative essay topics are quite popular assignments in universities. If you are a student searching for a captivating argumentative essay topic, here is a list of ideas you can consider.

• Third world war should be prevented by the Russian and US governments.
• Political policies and practices affecting students.
• Is gun control effective in reducing crime?
• Same-sex marriage and constitutional law.
• Is society over-regulated?
• Are leaders born or made?
• No one should be above the law.
• Monarchy: pros and cons.
• Rules on Political Activities by Federal Employees.
• The most corrupt countries in the world.
• Mercy killing should be legalized in all countries of the world.
• Death penalties should be abolished.
• Third-world countries should be provided with education plans by the developed countries.
• Muslims should not be labeled as terrorists.
• Illegal immigrants should be given equal rights.
• Abortions should be legalized.
• Live-in relationships should be encouraged.
• Professional athletes should be allowed to consume steroids.
• Should physical punishments be given to children?
• Smoking in public should be an offensive crime.

Funny Argumentative Essay Topics

Are you looking for some funny argumentative essay topics for your essay? If so, choose a topic from the following list.

• Why do people like watching funny videos?
• What your cat is really thinking.
• Why spam emails should be your favorite type of email.
• Why wearing braces is fun.
• School dropouts are the best in our society.
• Why I don't like country music.
• Types of dates.
• A better way to get things done.
• What organic food really is.
• Things guys do that girls hate.
• How to annoy your friend.
• Why do women pretend that they enjoy sports?
• Things preventing you from completing your homework in time.
• Funny things we see in wedding ceremonies.
• Why are spam emails more interesting?
• Why does Starbucks coffee taste better?
• Why are backbenchers smarter than other students?
• Clowns are scarier than funny.
• Should we be maintaining social distancing even after Covid-19?
• Why is watching movies better than reading books?

Informative Essay Topics for Students

Essay writing requires depth. However, you don’t have to choose a complex topic in middle school, high school, or college.

Here is a list of interesting essay topics for middle school, high school, and college students.

Essay Topics for College Students

• Virtual classes cannot replace the traditional class system.
• Advantages and disadvantages of online classes.
• Is there a need to reform the college education system?
• Assault weapons should not be legal.
• People with a history of mental illness should not be allowed to purchase firearms.
• The taxation system needs to be changed around the globe.
• Kids should not be the target audience in advertising.
• The number of calories should be mentioned with every meal.
• Feminists have effectively improved the workforce for women.
• Is the death penalty effective?
• How to identify fake news?
• How to maintain a healthy life?
• How to treat PTSD naturally?
• Should people be judged on their appearance?
• How is technology influencing the work performance of people?
• Private Vs. public schools
• How to choose majors in high school?
• Impact of legalizing drugs on society.
• Significance of learning social values.
• How to prevent bullying on campus?

Essay Topics for High School

• The choice to join the armed forces should be an individual decision.
• Listening to music can increase work efficiency.
• Being honest has more cons than pros.
• People who have been in an accident value life more than others.
• Embarrassing moments help boost your confidence.
• Kindness is the most valuable personal trait.
• Spontaneity can improve your life.
• Can hobbies help improve the richness of one’s life?
• Dressing properly in the office improves work efficiency
• Being organized can help in school as well as the office.
• Impact of homosexuality on society.
• What is feminism?
• How to overcome fears and phobias?
• Significance of having leadership skills in job life?
• Causes and treatments for bipolar disorder.
• Side effects of consuming antidepressants.
• How important is mental health in succeeding professionally?
• How do teaching methods influence learning abilities?
• Should specially-abled people be allowed to work in offices?
• Discrimination and racism in the US.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

Essay Topics for Middle School

• Every child should have chores at home.
• There should not be any summer classes.
• Should students continue studying during summer vacation?
• Parents should pay attention to the amount of time their children spend watching television.
• Favorite family summer vacation.
• Sports should be mandatory in every school.
• Processed foods should not be part of private and public school lunch.
• Do students still use newspapers for research?
• Every individual should spend a year doing community service.
• The weekend should be 3 days long.

Still need help choosing an essay topic? 5StarEssays is a professional  essay writing service  that helps you get a high quality essay. We have a team of essay writers who are professionals and can do your essay . 

We also have an AI-powered paper writer  for you to help you generate an essay in seconds to use as a reference!

As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.

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• Sep 27, 2023

New Essay Topics for 2023—and How to Approach Them

After years of relative consistency in their essay prompts, US colleges began shaking up their essay prompts in 2020—and this year, that trend has continued, with many schools introducing brand-new essay prompts for 2023. We’ve noticed a few trends in how colleges are changing their essay prompts; here’s our take on the new developments.

Diversity and Flexibility

This year’s essay changes tend to boil down to three themes: flexibility, diversity, and community engagement. Colleges are showing a greater interest than ever in how students’ life experiences have shaped what they’ll contribute to the class—and in the interest of learning that, they’re offering broader essay prompts that allow more room for creative topics. 

Princeton is a great case study for this. This year, they’ve removed their essay prompt about difficult conversations and replaced it with this one:

Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. As a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. What lessons have you learned in life thus far? What will your classmates learn from you? In short, how has your lived experience shaped you? (500 words or fewer)

Provided the student frames their story correctly and pays attention to the second half of the prompt (what classmates will learn from them), there are very few topics that cannot be discussed for this question. We love that it gives students the freedom to share their favorite life experience or elaborate on the community they grew up in—and to do so in 500 words of detail. Choosing your best life experience (that you didn’t write about in the Common App personal statement) means you can draw on material from other applications, expanding your best essay from another school rather than writing a new one from scratch. This means the question may require less time to answer than its predecessor, even though the word count is longer. 

Many other schools have introduced shorter versions of this prompt: For instance, UVA has added:

What about your background, perspective, or experience will serve as a source of strength for you or those around you at UVA? (300 words)

While these prompts are shorter than Princeton’s, they are fundamentally similar. You have a lot of freedom to tell your best story to admission officers, but you should also explicitly discuss how other students will benefit when you share your experience with them. 

Community Engagement

Another popular new essay topic is community engagement: Colleges seem particularly interested in students who are active in their communities and seek not just to succeed personally, but make a broader impact on society. This has been true for years, but many schools are now introducing essays on this topic (some mandatory). Here are some examples:

Tell us about a community that you have been part of where your participation helped to change or shape the community for the better. (Emory) 

Reflect on a social or community issue that deeply resonates with you. Why is it important to you, and how have you been involved in addressing or raising awareness about it? (Boston University)

We recommend approaching this topic with a personal touch. Reflect on community issues that have touched you or someone close to you—for example, issues facing particular racial and cultural communities, genders, or sexual orientations. This gives you an opportunity to not just recap a service or activism activity, but also share a bit about your personal life outside of school and extracurriculars. 

Don’t be afraid to define “social or community issue” broadly. Many students will focus on communities related to racial, cultural, or sexual identities, but workplaces, school clubs, religious congregations, towns, geographic regions, and families are also communities. You can also think bigger—issues like environmental sustainability affect the entire global community, and this is also a valid way to approach a community prompt. Having a story that’s interesting, original, and deeply reflective is the key to succeeding on these prompts—and that’s possible with any community.

With so many schools changing their requirements, this is a tumultuous year for college admissions, with many unknowns. However, one thing is certain: Essays will be more important than ever as schools stop looking at factors like SAT scores, race, and legacy status.

At College Choice Counseling®, our counselors and tutors are here to help you with college counseling , college essay and application help , test prep tutoring , and academic subject tutoring .

Reach out to us to discuss how we can help your essay shine!

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Ultimate Argumentative Essay Topics List

26 July, 2020

18 minutes read

Author:  Elizabeth Brown

One of the most difficult assignments is one where you are given total freedom over the topic and subject. Where do you even begin looking for topics for an argumentative essay? Truly, the possibilities are endless – and usually, a little overwhelming. Doubts start to pour in. Is the topic right, good enough or even argumentative? Here is some advice on how to find the ultimate argumentative essay topic.

First of all, the best place to start is with the assignment and type of essay – remind yourself what the purpose of an argumentative essay is.

The purpose of this specific essay is to pose a question and answer it with compelling evidence. At its core, this essay type works to champion a specific viewpoint. The key, however, is that the topic of the argumentative essay has multiple sides. The audience can explain, weigh and judge these sides using relevant sources.

And secondly, choose something that you care about. Still, need some help to get those creative juices flowing? Here are some prompts to help you find that awesome title for an argumentative essay.

What makes a good topic for an argumentative essay

The key to choose a good topic for an argumentative essay is to pick a subject where there is a lot of debates on topics or stances. Selecting a debatable topic where there are no clear answers or even perspectives that are hundred percent correct gives you a lot of grey areas to work in, and a lot of sources to juxtapose against each to create your own viewpoint.

So, here is a short checklist on how to choose interesting argumentative topics:

If you can answer yes to all of these questions , then you have a great topic to write about.

If you’re having hard times choosing this topic yourself, consider our custom essay writing service. Surely, we guarantee quality and transparency of the process!

Need an explanation of how to write an argumentative essay and just find a topic for it? Check out our complete guide to this subject. We’ve got it all covered!

How to choose academic argumentative essay topics

There are three easy ways to create an argumentative essay title (if argumentative essay topics for gun control is juicy but not quite what you are looking for here):

Where to find argumentative essay topics

Argumentative essay topics are easy to find. They are happening around us every day in every walk of life.

If you turn on the television, you’ll find topics on the news as politicians argue about amendments to Medicare Bills, Space exploration, Video games, Pop culture, or the Death penalty.

• Local newspapers. First of all, local newspaper papers can be a good place to find interesting argumentative essay topics. They will have smaller stories on how the overdevelopment of small town to combat homelessness is putting a strain on local infrastructure, whether local law enforcement is doing enough to tackle crime, and whether the government does enough to support the development of the arts programs for local youths.
• Television. Secondly, television programs themselves will content argumentative subjects around issues like feminism, ethnicity, and poverty. Even more, by just watching the Discovery channel you can find great argumentative paper topics about animals. Various TV programs can be the subject of debate. Thus, you can talk about issues around Netflix’s Iron-Fist, the death of Lexa on 100, or the hotly debated topic of whether James Bond has to be white?
• Internet. Finally, the Internet is a good source to find psychology argumentative topics. Websites, where there are debates between people, are also a good place to pick up some interesting argumentative topics. Besides, Quora holds some surprising questions that turn academic quickly. A thread on whether the Hulk was scared in Avengers: Infinity War turned into a debate on French Theory surrounding Roland Barthes essay ‘The Death of the Author’ and the Russo brother’s statement that the Hulk was not scared but annoyed since Bruce Banner used him. It involved a lot of different perspectives the most interesting was whether Barthes viewpoint is still relevant in Tweet-savvy society. So, forums and message boards can be an excellent way to find good argumentative paper topics presented in a new light and debates that you won’t encounter in academic circles.

Related Post: How to write a Persuasive essay

Besides, music and literature are also a good way to find argument essay topics. Moreover, topics to write an argumentative essay on exist in every kind of industry possible – law, medicine, politics, religion, history, etc . The list is truly endless.  Trust us, everything that happens around you has a different perspective, a deeper and different viewpoint. So, just discover those – and you’ll find a debatable topic.

However, if you don’t feel like spending a sleepless night working on an essay, you can buy argumentative essay tasks here.

Argumentative essay topics list

Luckily, we’ve prepared an extensive list of good ideas. So, here are a few lists of some argumentative essay topics ideas to help get those creative juices flowing.

Easy Argumentative Essay topics

These topics for argumentative essays are easy to debate as there is a lot of information and sources available to support a stance on the issue:

• Do violent video games make people more violent in real life?
• Do the media put too much pressure on girls to have the perfect body?
• Should marijuana be more diverse in their casting?
• Should people be allowed to hunt purely for entertainment?
• Should governments legalize prostitution?
• How important is the education in the arts?
• Should the state provide healthcare?
• Is testing on animals really necessary?
• Should the government control TV Shows and Movies?

Argumentative essay topics on relationships

We can’t but mention these topics as well:

• Does the increase in social media make us lonelier?
• Should women wear less revealing clothing to curb unwanted attention from men?
• Traditional families, with high moral standards, never raise children that are criminals.
• ‘Culture makes people understand each other better. And if they understand each other better in their soul, it is easier to over the economic and political barriers.’ Paulo Coelho. Discuss this quote in relation to cultural appropriation.

Pop culture argumentative essay topics

• Does television have an impact on intelligence level?
• Video games are replacing literature movies as the new cultural forum for debate.
• Should the government regulate the media?
• Does the government need to introduce greater restriction and penalties on companies like Facebook that misuse our personal data?
• Do the paparazzi violate the privacy of celebrities?

Related Post: Compare&Contrast Essay topics | Research Paper topics

Animal rights argumentative essay topics

• How ethical is it to eat meat?
• Fox hunting is good for the environment.
• Horse / Greyhound racing treat the animals unethically and should be illegal. Discuss.

Cell phone argumentative essay topics

• Do cell phones make families closer?
• Should cell phones be prohibited at schools?
• What laws will prevent drivers from using cell phones while driving?
• Which is better – a smartphone or a smartwatch?
• Cell phones are an important tool for education.

Nutrition argumentative essay topics

• Schools should provide healthier food for children.
• Should vegetarian parents give their children meat?
• Can GMO food help prevent world hunger?
• Would a sugar tax help tackle obesity?
• ‘Steroids, when used correctly, will not only make you stronger and sexier, they will also make you healthier.’ – Jose Canseco. Should doping be allowed in professional sports?

Argumentative essay topics for college

These are great topics for college students:

• Are all documentaries biased and have an agenda?
• How is the #metoo campaign affecting the relationship between genders in the workplace?
• What does it mean to be a feminist? What are the best ways to be a feminist?
• Is caffeine more addictive than cannabis? Should it be banned?
• Do the news media create moral panics for ratings? Should there be greater control over the media?
• Is the increasing amount of student debts deterring people from further education? Is a free college education program the best solution?
• How does the gender segregation in chess highlight gender equality in society?
• Is the monetization of random loot caches in mobile games gambling?
• Do humans have the right to colonize other planets considering the current condition of the Earth?

Meanwhile, finding interesting essay topics is not enough. You should also know how to craft a compelling piece. If you are looking for examples of argumentative essays, here is a sample to help you out!

Argumentative essay topics for middle school

Some ideas for argumentative topics for middle school students could be:

• Should there be harsher punishments for bullying?
• Should school sports be mandatory?
• Newspapers aren’t needed anymore.
• The world should have one language.
• The media shouldn’t depict violent scenes.
• Are athletes being paid too much?
• Video games can be considered a piece of art.
• Should space exploration receive more funding?
• School uniforms improve students’ achievement.
• Should recycle become mandatory?

Argumentative essay topics for high school

Here are some argumentative topic prompts for high school students:

• Is prison the best way to reform criminal behavior?
• Should we legalize human cloning?
• Do social media have a positive or negative impact on teenagers?
• Should public schools teach religion?
• Restriction of the Internet policies in high school impact grades.
• It is ethically wrong to keep exotic animals as pets.
• Learning to write with a pen from a young age is impotent.
• A minimum wage boost would be detrimental to the economy.
• iPads and online resources should replace textbooks at schools.

Controversial argumentative essay topics

Some topics that are controversial to debate and evoke strong opinions:

• Should prostitution be legalized?
• Would greater gun control lower the violent crime rate in the U.S?
• Are there greater benefits from legalizing controlled substances as opposed to outlawing them and creating a black market?
• Do terminally ill patients have the right to euthanasia treatments?
• Should the government give more rights to immigrants?
• Is religion the cause of all wars?
• Should the state impose limits on family sizes to stop overpopulation?
• Should hate speeches be protected under the freedom of speech?

By the way, you should also take a look at our complete essay format guide. You don’t want to lose grades due to incorrect essay format. So, learn how to do it right with us!

Funny argumentative essay topics

These are funny and fun essays to write on:

• Should students be allowed to grade their peers?
• Can graffiti ever be considered art?
• Should we classify video games as a sport?
• Infomercials are a great source for facts.
• What goes on in the mind of a cat?
• Does smoking pot make you a better essay writer ?
• Scientists should use plain English.
• Cute cat videos are the secret to world peace.
• Is Hell endothermic or exothermic?
• Should police officers provide rewards to safe drivers?

Social argumentative essay topics

While still on the subject, these argumentative titles revolve around social issues in society:

• The police force should reflect the community they serve both racially and culturally.
• Are beauty contests for young girls a positive or negative issue?
• The Internet is destroying art and creativity as it impinges on the rights of artists.
• How important is it that we encourage minority groups to join law enforcement?
• Are teenagers being pressured into college?
• How is the increasing amount of camera used by the police creating a society where privacy has been eroded?
• Is teenage pregnancy really a problem for society?
• What role does creationism play in education? Should any educational institute be governed by religion?
• Is humanity good or evil by its nature?

Moral social argumentative topics

These are some argumentative essay topics based on ethical questions:

• When, if ever, is it morally right to tell lies?
• ‘Killing someone is the ultimate crime, while on the other hand, killing someone in uniform is the fulfillment of duty.’ – Ramman Kenoun. Is killing someone every justified? Discuss in relation to Euthanasia, the Death Penalty, and War.
• Drug use is a product of society’s ills and not an individual’s weakness.
• The main impact of society becoming more secular is the decrease in moral fiber and integrity of its populace.
• Torture is a necessary evil for the protection of the state. Discuss.
• Is there any justification for war?
• By buying products for countries that endorse child labor are we supporting the process?
• Are nude photographs and portraits appropriate artwork for museums?
• Does the preservation of a country’s culture take precedence over the rights of its new immigrants to conserve their old way of life on new soil?

Argumentative essays based on quotes

Quotes are a great way to give an argumentative essay title a great kick and focus:

• ‘ The greatest destroyer of peace is abortion because if a mother can kill her own child, what is left for me to kill you and you to kill me? There is nothing between.’ – Mother Teresa. Does abortion really destroy peace?
• ‘So what if I’m smokin’ weed onstage and doing what I gotta do? It’s not me shooting nobody, stabbing nobody, killing nobody. It’s a peaceful gesture, and they have to respect that and appreciate that.’ – Snoop Dogg. Discuss the relationship between drugs and violent crime in relation to the quote.
• ‘Peace is not made at the council table or by treaties, but in the hearts of men.’ – Herbert Hoover. Discuss this quote in line with US international politics.
• ‘So you think that money is the root of all evil. Have you ever asked what is the root of all money?’ Is money a source of evil in society?
• ‘Non-cooperation with evil is as much a duty as is cooperation with good.’ – Mahatma Gandhi
• ‘Do countries with strong gun control laws have lower murder rates? Only if you cherry-pick the data.’ If argumentative and persuasive essays cherry pick the data to strengthen their position, does research obscure the facts rather than inform? Discuss.
• ‘We have our own culture, our own community. A lot of people don’t realize that. They just assume that deaf people are very unfortunate, very disabled, but no.’ – Nyle DiMarco. Media and society often stigmatize groups through stereotypical and general presentations which have the detrimental impact on their identity. Should the media remain silent on disabilities? Discuss.
• ‘ You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture just get people to stop reading them.’ – Ray Bradbury. Has the invention Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube lead to a cultural decline?
• ‘We seldom realize, for example, that our most private thoughts and emotions are not actually our own. For we think in terms of languages and images which we did not invent, but which were given to us by society.’ – Alan W Watts. Discuss.
• ‘I always felt the ‘X-Men,’ in a subtle way, often touched upon the subject of racism and inequality, and I believe that subject has come up in other titles, too.’ – Stan Lee. Comic books are always striving to be at the forefront of equality often changing the ethnicity, and sexuality of their characters. Do these changes suggest that ethnicity, gender, and sexuality have no impact on personal identity only social perception?

Sports argumentative essay topics

Meanwhile, sports are popular choices for discussion:

• We should ban boxing and violent sports.
• Performance enhancing drugs are becoming more prevalent in sports. What can we do to combat the problem?
• Is cheerleading a sport too?
• Football is too dangerous for the player, especially children, and schools should ban it.
• Controlled substances should not be advertised at sports events.
• Sports involving cars should use more environmentally friendly biofuel.
• Schools focus too much of their budget on sports and not enough on arts.
• There is no advantage in going first in chess.
• There is no need to separate sports by gender.

Finally, now that you’re ready to work on your paper, we want to remind you of t he importance of proper essay structure . Remember to compose an essay that consists of an introduction with a strong thesis statement, at least three main body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

The correct structure will only make your essay more compelling. So, choose one of our argumentative essay topics, and get down to business!

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• Choosing Your College Essay Topic | Ideas & Examples

Choosing Your College Essay Topic | Ideas & Examples

Published on October 25, 2021 by Kirsten Courault . Revised on July 3, 2023.

A strong essay topic sets you up to write a unique, memorable college application essay . Your topic should be personal, original, and specific. Take time to brainstorm the right topic for you.

Table of contents

What makes a good topic, brainstorming questions to get started, discover the best topic for you, how to make a common topic compelling, frequently asked questions about college application essays, other interesting articles.

Here are some guidelines for a good essay topic:

• It’s focused on you and your experience
• It shares something different from the rest of your application
• It’s specific and original (not many students could write a similar essay)
• It affords the opportunity to share your positive stories and qualities

In most cases, avoid topics that

• Reflect poorly on your character and behavior
• Deal with a challenge or traumatic experience without a lesson learned or positive outlook

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Spend time reflecting on and writing out answers to the following questions. After doing this exercise, you should be able to identify a few strong topics for your college essay.

Writing about yourself can be difficult. If you’re struggling to identify your topic, try these two strategies.

Start with your qualities

After identifying your positive qualities or values, brainstorm stories that demonstrate these qualities.

Start with a story

If you already have some memorable stories in mind that you’d like to write about, think about which qualities and values you can demonstrate with those stories.

Talk it through

To make sure you choose the right topic, ask for advice from trusted friends or family members who know you well. They can help you brainstorm ideas and remember stories, and they can give you feedback on your potential essay topics.

You can also work with a guidance counselor, teacher, or other mentor to discuss which ideas are most promising. If you plan ahead , you can even workshop multiple draft essays to see which topic works best.

If you do choose a common topic, ensure you have the following to craft a unique essay:

• Surprising or unexpected story arcs
• Interesting insight or connections
• An advanced writing style

Here are a few examples of how to craft strong essays from cliché topics.

Here’s a checklist you can use to confirm that your college essay topic is right for you.

College essay topic checklist

My topic is focused on me, not on someone else.

My topic shares something different from the rest of my application.

My topic is specific and original (not many students could write a similar essay).

My topic reflects positively on my character and behavior.

If I chose to write about a traumatic or challenging experience, my essay will focus on how I overcame it or gained insight.

If I chose a common topic, my essay will have a surprising story arc, interesting insight, and/or an advanced writing style.

Good topic!

It looks like your topic is a good choice. It's specific, it avoids clichés, and it reflects positively on you.

There are no foolproof college essay topics —whatever your topic, the key is to write about it effectively. However, a good topic

• Is meaningful, specific, and personal to you
• Focuses on you and your experiences
• Reveals something beyond your test scores, grades, and extracurriculars
• Is creative and original

Yes—admissions officers don’t expect everyone to have a totally unique college essay topic . But you must differentiate your essay from others by having a surprising story arc, an interesting insight, and/or an advanced writing style .

To decide on a good college essay topic , spend time thoughtfully answering brainstorming questions. If you still have trouble identifying topics, try the following two strategies:

• Identify your qualities → Brainstorm stories that demonstrate these qualities
• Identify memorable stories → Connect your qualities to these stories

You can also ask family, friends, or mentors to help you brainstorm topics, give feedback on your potential essay topics, or recall key stories that showcase your qualities.

Most topics are acceptable for college essays if you can use them to demonstrate personal growth or a lesson learned. However, there are a few difficult topics for college essays that should be avoided. Avoid topics that are:

• Overly personal (e.g. graphic details of illness or injury, romantic or sexual relationships)
• Not personal enough (e.g. broad solutions to world problems, inspiring people or things)
• Too negative (e.g. an in-depth look at your flaws, put-downs of others, criticizing the need for a college essay)
• Too boring (e.g. a resume of your academic achievements and extracurriculars)
• Inappropriate for a college essay (e.g. illegal activities, offensive humor, false accounts of yourself, bragging about privilege)

Here’s a brief list of college essay topics that may be considered cliché:

• Extracurriculars, especially sports
• Role models
• Dealing with a personal tragedy or death in the family
• Struggling with new life situations (immigrant stories, moving homes, parents’ divorce)
• Becoming a better person after community service, traveling, or summer camp
• Overcoming a difficult class
• Using a common object as an extended metaphor

It’s easier to write a standout essay with a unique topic. However, it’s possible to make a common topic compelling with interesting story arcs, uncommon connections, and an advanced writing style.

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

• Writing process
• Transition words
• Passive voice
• Paraphrasing

 Communication

• How to end an email
• Ms, mrs, miss
• How to start an email
• I hope this email finds you well
• Hope you are doing well

 Parts of speech

• Personal pronouns
• Conjunctions

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12 College Essay Prompts and Topics 2023

These fun and funky essay prompts are meant to challenge students and make the college admissions process a little more enjoyable. After all, students love to write about what matters to them. However, because many of these prompts are so out-of-the-box, many students might struggle with how to address these quirky essay prompts. It’s important for students to get creative and seek feedback when they need it.

2023 Quirky College Essay Prompts

Here are some of our favorite quirky college application essay prompts from the 2023-24 college admissions season:

Chapman University: What song should we be listening to while reading your application?

Colgate University: My favorite food is…

Dartmouth College: Celebrate your nerdy side.

Emory University: Reflection is a central tenant of Emory University’s values. Craft a personal email providing advice to yourself in your first year of high school.

Occidental College :  What is the first song you would play for your Oxy roommate on move-in day?

Pomona College:  At Pomona, we celebrate and identify with the number 47. Share with us one of your quirky personal, family, or community traditions and why you hold on to it.

Princeton University: What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

Stanford University:  What historical moment or event do you wish you could have witnessed?

University of Chicago:  A jellyfish is not a fish. Cat burglars don’t burgle cats. Rhode Island is not an island. Write an essay about some other misnomer, and either come up with and defend a new name for it or explain why its inaccurate name should be kept.

University of Richmond: Tell us about a time you learned something unexpected. What did you learn, and what happened next?

University of Vermont: Established in Burlington, VT, Ben & Jerry’s is synonymous with both ice cream and social change. The “Save Our Swirled” flavor raises awareness of climate change, and “I Dough, I Dough” celebrates marriage equality. If you worked alongside Ben & Jerry, what charitable flavor would you develop and why?

Wake Forest University :  Give us your Top Ten list.

Supplemental essay prompts and short answer questions are just as important as your personal statement, so take some time to carefully brainstorm, draft, and edit your responses. Don’t just rush through these because they seem easy! Be thoughtful and try to reveal something new about yourself.

Now that you know the quirky essay topics, here comes the next challenge – what to write. Head to our piece on how to answer college essay questions .

Related Topics

Related posts.

• 6 Tips For Recording a College Application Video Essay
• When to Use a Comma to Separate Phrases — and Other Comma Questions
• How to Write the NYU Supplemental Essay
• Stanford University Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide 2023-24
• 2024-25 Common App Essay Prompts
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Home » IvyWise College Admissions Blog » College Admission Advice » College Essays » 12 College Essay Prompts and Topics 2023

Persuasive Essay Writing

Persuasive Essay Topics

Easy and Unique Persuasive Essay Topics with Tips

15 min read

Published on: Jan 4, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 29, 2024

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You're staring at a blank screen, trying to come up with a topic for your persuasive essay. You know you need to pick something interesting, but you're unsure where to start. 

It's hard to get motivated when it feels like everything has already been said on the topic you're considering. You are wondering how can you make your essay stand out.

The good news is that CollegeEssay.org  is here to help. 

We have compiled a list of potential persuasive essay topics to get your creative juices flowing. Whether you are looking for something controversial, humorous, or informative – we have it all. 

Take a look at our list of persuasive essay topics below to get started.

On This Page On This Page -->

Unique Persuasive Essay Topics for Students

Writing a persuasive essay can be quite an interesting task for students. It allows them to showcase their research and analytic skills and present their thoughts orderly. 

Choosing the right topic is key to making the writing process more enjoyable. 

Here are some great ideas that you can use for your essay: 

Persuasive Essay Topics for Middle School 

• Should students be required to wear uniforms in school? 
• What are the benefits of a longer school day? 
• How can technology help improve student engagement and learning? 
• Is it important for all schools to have equal access to resources? 
• Should physical education be mandatory in all schools? 
• How can schools better prepare students for entering the job market?
• Should a student’s grade be based solely on test performance?
• Is it important to limit screen time, or should there not be restrictions? 
• Should recess time be increased or decreased in school? 
• Is it beneficial for students to take part in after-school activities?

Persuasive Essay Topics for Grade 6 

• Should school lunch prices be lowered to make it more accessible for all students? 
• Is there an argument for allowing cell phone usage in the classroom? 
• Should schools offer a wider variety of electives? 
• Is there a persuasive case for requiring physical education classes in elementary and middle schools? 
• Should students be allowed to opt-out of standardized testing? 
• Is the current homework load for elementary and middle school students too much? 
• Should school provide free breakfast and lunch to all students, regardless of financial status?
• Should sixth-grade classes have more field trips and outdoor activities? 
• Should students have access to more technology in the classroom? 
• Is there an argument for making recess mandatory for all grade levels? 

Persuasive Essay Topics for Grade 7

• Should schools have a dress code? 
• Should students be required to do community service projects to graduate? 
• Is it necessary for all student-athletes to take mandatory drug tests? 
• Are the current laws on gun control sufficient enough? 
• Should same-sex marriage be legal? 
• Should teenage drivers be allowed to have passengers in their cars? 
• Is standardized testing an effective measure of student success?
• Should homework be abolished in schools? 
• Should young children be allowed to use mobile phones or tablets at school? 
• Are video games too violent for young children?

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Persuasive Essay Topics for High School 

• Should physical education classes be mandatory in high school?
• Is a strict dress code necessary for student success?
• Are standardized tests an effective measure of student achievement?
• Does social media have a positive or negative impact on teenagers?
• Should students be allowed to grade their teachers? 
• Should cell phones be prohibited in the classroom?
• Should schools offer fast food options like McDonald's or Taco Bell?
• Is competitive sports necessary for a well-rounded education? 
• Are after-school activities essential to a student’s development?
• Should students be allowed to choose their classes?

Persuasive Essay Topics for College 

• Should universities require all students to take at least one course in diversity studies? 
• Should universities implement free speech zones on campuses? 
• Should college athletes be paid for their performance? 
• Is it ethical for employers to ask about an applicant’s criminal history during the hiring process? 
• Should college students be required to take a foreign language course? 
• Should the US government provide free tuition for all qualifying students? 
• Is it ethical to use animals in scientific research? 
• Are standardized tests an adequate measure of academic aptitude and ability? 
• Should paper textbooks be replaced with e-books? 
• Should all students be required to learn coding and computer science in school? 

Persuasive Essay Topics for University 

• Should universities offer free tuition to all students?
• Are special scholarships beneficial for university students?
• Should college athletes be paid for their services?
• Is it important for universities to provide mental health resources to their students? 
• How can universities help prevent cheating and plagiarism among students?
• Should universities be required to provide online courses?
• Are university degree requirements outdated and irrelevant?
• Is it necessary for university students to take physical education classes? 
• Does the presence of social media in academia positively or negatively impact learning? 
• Should universities prioritize research over teaching?

Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics from Different Fields 

When choosing essay topics, there is no shortage of interesting persuasive essay topics from different fields available.

Here are some examples of interesting persuasive essay topics from different fields:

Arts & Culture 

• Should museums be more inclusive of diverse cultures?
• Should the government fund public art programs?
• Are comic books an important form of literature?
• Does graffiti have any value as an art form?
• Is the traditional concept of beauty outdated in today’s society? 
• Is it important for the public to have access to art galleries and museums?
• Do modern movies have any real artistic value?
• Are video games a form of art?
• Should government funding be given to the performing arts?
• Does the music industry put too much emphasis on image rather than talent?
• Should governments guarantee a minimum wage?
• Should the government subsidize green energy projects?
• Is it necessary to introduce higher taxes on wealthy people?
• Are free trade agreements beneficial or detrimental to developing countries?
• Can economic growth be sustained without harming the environment?
• Is immigration beneficial or detrimental to a country’s economic growth?
• Should governments limit the size of banks and financial institutions?
• Is it necessary for countries to regulate their currency markets?
• Should governments invest in renewable energy sources instead of fossil fuels?
• Should high officials pay more taxes?
• Should students be required to complete a certain number of community service hours to graduate?
• Should school uniforms be mandatory for all public schools?
• Are textbooks becoming obsolete due to technological advances?
• Should the education system focus more on practical subjects such as coding and programming?
• Is the current grading system in public schools fair and effective?
• Is homeschooling a viable alternative to traditional schooling?
• Should standardized testing be abolished from the education system?
• Should teachers receive bonuses for good performance in the classroom?
• Are students more likely to succeed if they attend a private school or university?
• Should all students have access to free college tuition?
• Is using animals in medical research ethical?
• Should parents be allowed to choose their child’s gender?
• Should companies be held responsible for the pollution they create? 
• Are businesses obligated to act ethically when conducting business abroad? 
• Is it ethical to censor content on the internet?
• Should the government enforce stricter regulations on genetically modified food?
• Is it ethical to use artificial intelligence in decision-making processes?
• Should corporations be allowed to have their own private security forces? 
• Are restrictions on freedom of speech necessary for public safety? 
• Do companies have an ethical responsibility to pay fair wages?

Government and Politics 

• Should the government regulate social media?
• Should term limits be placed on members of Congress?
• Are taxes too high in the United States?
• Should voting be mandatory for all citizens?
• Is the Electoral College still relevant today?
• Does the death penalty serve as a deterrent to crime?
• Should the US switch to a single-payer health care system?
• Should there be limits on campaign spending?
• Should the United States adopt a flat tax system?
• Is it time to repeal the Second Amendment?
• Is legalizing marijuana an ethical practice?
• Should parents be allowed to choose the gender of their child? 
• Is it ethical to test medicines on animals? 
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of genetic engineering? 
• Are there any health risks associated with using digital screens too often? 
• Should physical education be mandatory in every school? 
• Is the healthcare system in your country adequate for your needs? 
• Are there any benefits to eating organic food? 
• How does mental health affect physical health? 
• Should vaccinations be mandatory for all children? 
• Was the Spanish Inquisition justified? 
• Were the American Colonists justified in rebelling against Great Britain? 
• Did Christopher Columbus’ discoveries benefit or harm indigenous populations? 
• What effect did Genghis Khan have on world history? 
• Did World War I significantly change the course of history? 
• Was the Treaty of Versailles fair to Germany? 
• Did Napoleon Bonaparte’s rule bring about positive or negative changes for France and Europe? 
• Should the United States annexed the Philippines in 1898? 
• How did the Great Depression shape world history? 
• Is there any validity to the theory of a “clash of civilizations”? 
• Should artificial intelligence be regulated?
• Should autonomous vehicles be allowed on public roads?
• Is the internet making us less social?
• Should research into cloning be banned?
• Are there moral issues related to genetic engineering?
• Should governments fund space exploration programs?
• Are smart home devices making us more vulnerable to cyberattacks?
• Should the government regulate social media use?
• Are robots taking away jobs from humans?
• Should nuclear energy be used as an alternative to fossil fuels?
• Should professional athletes be drug tested?
• Is there a gender gap in sports?
• Should college athletes be paid for their performances?
• Does skill or luck decide the outcome of sports competitions?
• Are sporting events becoming too commercialized? 
• Is it necessary to increase public funding for sporting events?
• Is the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports cheating or fair?
• Should college students be able to choose their own sports teams?
• Do professional sports hurt young people?
• Should parents allow children to play violent video games?
• Should schools replace textbooks with tablets?
• Are algorithms replacing human decision-making in the workplace?
• Is it time to regulate the use of facial recognition technology?
• Can artificial intelligence and robots be used to improve healthcare outcomes?
• Should autonomous vehicles be allowed on public roads? 
• Should Internet access be a basic human right?
• Should social media platforms do more to protect user privacy?
• Is blockchain technology the future of banking and finance? 
• Are virtual assistants such as Siri and Alexa invading privacy? 
• Can we trust that autonomous weapons system will make ethical decisions in war?

Social Media

Here are a few social media persuasive essay topics. Take a look at them.

• Is social media a positive or negative influence on society?
• Should employers be able to access an employee's social media accounts?
• Should people be allowed to post anonymously online?
• How can parents protect their children from the risks of using social media?
• Does the spread of fake news on social media hurt society?
• Should governments regulate online speech on social media?
• Should employers be allowed to conduct background checks using social media?
• Is the personal data of individuals safe from exploitation by corporate interests on social media platforms?
• Are people spending too much time on their digital devices?
• Is the use of social media by young people making them more isolated?

Controversial Persuasive Essay Topics 

• Should the death penalty be reinstated in all states?
• Should gun control laws be stricter? 
• Is global warming a real threat? 
• Are vaccinations safe for children? 
• Should prostitution be legalized? 
• Should marijuana be made legal? 
• Does school uniform violate personal freedom? 
• Should genetically modified foods be allowed in the market? 
• Should sex education in school be mandatory? 
• Should animal testing be banned?

Fun Persuasive Essay Topics 

• Should cats be allowed to go to school?
• Should people have a minimum number of friends before they can graduate?
• Is it okay to laugh at your own jokes?
• Should parents be required to take parenting classes?
• Are video games the best way to spend free time?
• Should kids be allowed to wear pajamas in public places?
• Should students have to pass a test before they can drive a car?
• Are cell phones essential for teenagers or should they be limited?
• Should everyone learn how to cook their meals?
• Would it be better if all schools had the same uniform?

Argumentative Persuasive Essay Topics 

• Should the electoral college be abolished? 
• Is it ethical to eat meat? 
• Should the internet have censorship? 
• Are genetically modified foods safe for human consumption? 
• Is social media good or bad for society? 
• Should the drinking age be lowered or raised? 
• Should school attendance be mandatory for students? 
• Are video games too violent and negatively influencing children?  
• Should religious education be banned from public schools?

How to Choose a Good Persuasive Essay Topic? 

Choosing a writing topic for your persuasive essay writing is essential. 

The right topic will let you draft an exceptional and well-written essay. Selecting a persuasive essay topic might sound easy, but it can be challenging. 

You cannot randomly start writing a persuasive essay about any topic and expect your essay to be brilliant. 

To select the best topic for your essay, take these essential steps:

1. Know your Interests -   You can only draft an effective essay if you are writing about something that interests you. When you write something you are passionate about, the enthusiasm helps to persuade the readers.

2. Narrow Down Ideas - Make a rough list of the topic of your interest. Then, analyze all the issues and identify topics you think you can present well.

3. Pick your Stance - Now that you know the information is sufficient on a topic, decide your stance. Pick a side to support with evidence and logic. 

4. Controversy is the Best Policy - People love to read about controversial stuff. It is more likely that the readers will go through the entire essay to ease their curiosity. 

After passing your ideas through these filters, you will have a strong and arguable topic to draft an essay on.

Tips for Writing a Compelling Persuasive Essay 

Whether you are in school, college, or university, crafting an effective persuasive essay can be difficult.

Fortunately, with a few tips and tricks, you can create a compelling, persuasive essay that will make your readers take notice. 

Here are six tips to help you write a compelling, persuasive essay:

1. Choose Your Topic Carefully

You need to select a relevant and interesting topic for your audience. Make sure you feel passionate about it and can present it logically and convincingly.

2. Do Extensive Research

Before beginning your essay, research your topic as much as possible. So you can present both sides of the argument in an informed, balanced way.

3. Identify Your Audience

 Before writing your persuasive essay, consider who will be reading it and their interests. 

This will help you write in a language that resonates with them and ensure that your arguments suit their understanding.

4. Use Logical Arguments

It is important to provide logical and compelling arguments to be persuasive. Make sure you use facts, statistics, and other evidence to make your points more convincing.

5. Structure Your Essay Well

An effective persuasive essay should be well-organized. Divide it into an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. 

Pay attention to the structure of your essay, as it can help you make your points more effectively.

Learn how to make a perfect persuasive essay outline with the help of our blog. 

6. Make It Engaging

An engaging, persuasive essay will capture your audience’s attention from beginning to end. 

Use various techniques to make your essay interesting and engaging, such as using examples, analogies, and persuasive language.

We hope you are inspired by our comprehensive list of topics. Pick up a topic that entices you and start working on it. By following these amazing tips and tricks, you can surely compose an essay that will wow your professor.

Still not sure how to draft a perfect essay? Well, leave it to us. Our essay writing service helps you craft your argument in the most effective way possible to get the desired results.

 Don't let yourself get overwhelmed with the process! Trust our professional persuasive essay writer. 

Let CollegeEssay.org's best essay writing service guide you on your journey and take your writing to the next level. 

Take the stress out of writing persuasive essays and get the results you need with our expert essay writer AI .

Frequently Asked Questions

How can i choose a good persuasive essay topic.

When selecting a persuasive essay topic, consider an issue that is interesting to you and has two or more opposing viewpoints. Research various resources about the topic to gain a better perspective

What strategies can I use for writing a persuasive essay?

When writing a persuasive essay, establish facts from reliable sources to support your argument. Be concise but thorough, and use persuasive language to strengthen your argument.

How can I make my persuasive essay stand out?

To make your persuasive essay stand out, use vivid language and strong, specific evidence to support each point. Make sure all sources are current and relevant to the argument being made. With these elements, your persuasive essay will stand out from the rest!

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Best college essay topics for 2023-2024

The best college essay topics for 2023-2024.

Bonus Material: To check out 30 real examples of essays that worked to get students into schools like Princeton, click the link: Download 30 College Essays That Worked

If you’re getting started on your college application essays, you’re probably looking around for the perfect topic to write about. What isn’t cliche? What will make you stand out? What will get you into your dream school?

PrepMaven’s college essay coaches have helped countless students choose their topics and craft compelling personal statements for the college application process. While we love making our resources freely available on this blog, we always recommend getting personalized help from one of our essay experts . 

In this guide, we break down what you need to know about choosing a college essay topic, and we’ll also cover some topics that you might want to consider–and some you’ll likely want to avoid. 

Download 30 College Essays That Worked

Jump to section: What makes a good college essay topic? So, what kinds of topics work best for college essays? Essay topics to avoid Next steps

What makes a good college essay topic?

While it’s true that a really good writer can write a great essay about anything, it definitely helps to have an interesting and unique topic for college admissions essays. 

College admissions officers will read essays from thousands of other applicants. That means even if you write an incredible essay about a cliche topic, you’re going to risk losing the admissions committee’s attention before you can win them over with your great writing. 

So, how do you decide what makes a good college essay topic? While there’s no objective set of rules, there are guidelines that are backed up by years of experience working with all sorts of student essays. 

Below, check out our list of 7 Qualities of a Great College Essay Topic. 

The best college essay topics should: 

• This is always tricky. You don’t have to be a child prodigy to have something interesting to write about. What we really mean here is you should avoid an essay topic if you think it’s likely lots of other people have written about it in the same way. 
• Remember: the point of this essay is to show how you’ve become the kind of mature, self-aware person who’s ready for college. The specific story you tell only matters insofar as it lets you show the admissions committee how you became that person. 
• Colleges want students who are passionate! Whatever you write about, it should be something that presents you to college admission officers as someone with interests, passions, and goals. 
• Don’t overlook this! If you pick a topic just because it seems like what you should write about, odds are you’ll be bored by it. And if you’re bored by it, how could someone else find it interesting?

• People often forget about this, but there’s a reason college essays are also often called “personal essays” or “personal statements.” These essays aren’t meant to prove that you’re smart, or that you’re qualified for a particular job. They’re about what kind of person you are, how you view the world, and what kind of member you’d be of the college community. 
• There are exceptions to this, but you should generally refrain from writing about something that happened in the distant past. The simple reason for that is that college admissions officers want to see who you are now , and most things that happened in early childhood won’t really help them do that. 
• Naturally, you want to come off well! But students often try too hard to impress, listing their accomplishments or rattling off resume points. Remember that the colleges already have all that info–putting it in your essay will make it seem like you’re a little bit too obsessed with what you’ve already done. 

For our guide on how to brainstorm the best topic for you, check out our post on the Diamond Strategy here. 

So, what kinds of topics work best for college essays?

Because you’re unique, your best college application essay topic likely will be too. We’re not going to list out all the topics of the best essays we’ve seen, precisely because these topics are specific to the people who wrote about them. If you haven’t had to, say, renovate a home by yourself or invent a machine with your father, it won’t help you much to hear that other people wrote great essays on those topics. 

But there are certain kinds of topics that lend themselves much better to strong essays. Here, we’ll list a few of those, though of course you might come up with something totally different for yourself. 

So, what kinds of topics usually work best?

• This can be a number of things. Many great essays have been written about the experiences of growing up a member of a marginalized or minority community. Others have been written about students’ familial or religious backgrounds. The key in either case: show how experiences linked to this identity have helped you understand some aspect of the world. 

• Do you fly planes recreationally? Spend hours each week creating sculptures? Do research in a particular field? Anything of this sort makes for a great essay topic: it’s unusual and lets you explore how this activity helped shape who you are. 
• Experiences with discrimination, financial difficulties, and even some family problems can be really effective topics. The key: these must be serious problems that were not caused by you, and that you have made some progress in overcoming. Avoid anything that may pose a red flag for admissions committees. 
• Note: there are lots of obstacles you shouldn’t write about We’ll include a list of these in the section on Internal Link to “Essay topics to avoid” 
• That’s a bit general, but it has to be, since this looks so different for everyone. But if there was an experience that truly, profoundly changed you for the better, it’s likely to be a great topic (so long as it isn’t in our list of Topics to avoid below). 

Below, we’ve linked a free collection of 30 college essays that worked to get students into schools like Princeton. Read through those, and note how the topics chosen by the students relate to the broad categories we’ve outlined above. 

Essay topics to avoid

While there’s likely a way to write about almost anything successfully, there are some topics that–generally–aren’t worth the risk. 

What makes a topic risky?

Well, think about it this way: your college admissions application is really an attempt to convince a room full of adults that you’ll not only be a good community member and student, but also that you won’t cause problems for the university. Problems can include anything from being someone who ignores rules to being someone who drops out or takes time off from school (remember that universities are always trying to keep their 4-year graduation rates high). 

But something else that can make a college essay topic risky is just that it’s boring! If you write about something cliche or typical, it’ll be much, much harder for you to say something original or interesting about it. And if you can’t say anything original or interesting, then your college admissions essay won’t help you get into that school.

With that in mind, here’s a list of college essay topics that should almost always be avoided :

• We know: this is a real bummer for any student athlete who’s really poured their heart into their game. But the reality of it is this: successful essays on sports are extremely rare . It’s just too hard to say anything original about something that so many people have written about. 
• Another topic to avoid almost always. Why? While the attitudes around this are changing somewhat, revealing a mental health issue will raise a red flag for many admissions officers, who may view it as a risk to your ability to navigate college life. 
• What we mean by this is any type of essay that recounts an experience you had with a less fortunate group of people–people in poorer countries or communities, people with disabilities, the homeless, etc.–just to say that seeing their struggles helped you understand “how lucky you are.” 
• Exception: if you’ve actually done specific work in this kind of community and that has shaped how you view your future goals, your academic pursuits, or social issues, that’s different. The key is: did you actually do something meaningful to help this group, and/or will you continue to do so?
• While heartbreak and fights with friends are a normal and often important part of life, they don’t make good college admissions essays. Not only will it come off as immature, but it’s also the kind of topic that’s cliche and boring. 
• It might seem clever at first, but writing the essay about how you’re writing the college essay, or directly addressing the admissions committee, or writing about how you don’t want to address one of the prompts–all of these have been done before, and are now almost guaranteed to annoy admissions committees. 

• Don’t write an angry essay, period. Did a coach unfairly ruin your chances of playing on the team? Did a teacher arbitrarily deduct points because he hated you? That’s a shame, but leave it out of your essay. 

While all the above are controversial topics you’re better off avoiding, some of them can be made to work with the right kind of essay. But the risks are high, and it’ll be much tougher to write a successful college essay on one of these topics. 

Though everyone would benefit from working with an essay expert, if you’re considering writing on a topic you think might be risky, you would especially benefit by getting a second opinion from a writing expert who’s helped many other students craft compelling essays. 

In the meantime, check out our collection of 30 successful college application essays and note what kinds of topics those students focused on as you prepare to write your own. 

After you review the sample essays we’ve provided here, start thinking about what personal experiences from your own life might work as a topic for your college application essay. 

As you get started with the college admissions process, check out our other linked posts below, which cover everything from brainstorming to proofreading!

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335 Unique Essay Topics for College Students [2024 Update]

The success of any college essay depends on the topic choice. If you want to impress your instructors, your essay needs to be interesting and unique. Don’t know what to write about? We are here to help you!

In this article by our Custom-Writing.org team, you will find 335 interesting essay topics for college students. We’ve also included some helpful tips on choosing a topic that will make your essay stand out.

• 🔝 Top 10 College Essay Topics
• 📋 How to Choose a Topic
• 🧑 Personal Essay Topics
• 🖌️ Descriptive Topics
• 🏺 Narrative Topics: History
• 🔮 Creative Writing Topics
• 🎓 Topics for Various Fields
• ✍️ Topics for Different Essay Types
• 🚫 Topics to Avoid

🔗 References

🔝 top 10 essay topics for college students.

📋 How to Pick a College Essay Topic

There is no universal advice on picking a great essay topic. However, the tips below will surely help you avoid choosing a mediocre one. Just follow these steps:

STEP #1: Start with brainstorming.

Relax and write down everything that comes to mind. It can be related to your personal life or areas of interest.

STEP#2: Use outside sources.

If you need additional inspiration, find a list of essay topic suggestions. Pick several options that appeal to you.

STEP#3: Select a topic.

Once you have your list of possible topics, do the following:

• Review the essay instructions or prompt, if you have one.
• Exclude ideas that are not suitable or compelling enough.
• Decide which of the remaining topics you want to write about. It might be the one you are interested in or understand best.

College Essay Topics: Fields & Disciplines

Now that you know how to choose a theme for your assignment, let’s examine this list of college essay ideas. These exceptional topics are arranged by subject, so you can go right to the section that interests you the most.

🧑 Personal Essay Topics for College

• Your perfect date.
• Settling an argument.
• What’s usually in your bag.
• Your most memorable purchase.
• What your upbringing was like.
• One quote that inspired you the most.
• What you do to make the world better.
• Where you want to spend your life.
• When the effort was worth the result.
• An unusual feeling you’ve experienced.
• A life-changing adventure. There are many ways to write about adventure in an essay. You can describe an interesting situation from your own life or one experienced by another individual, perhaps a famous figure.
• Positive and negative leadership examples. Typically, essays on leadership describe a specific person or a situation. A more interesting perspective on this subject is highlighting episodes of disastrous leadership. Some examples include the expansion of fascism after World War I or exploitation under European colonialism.
• Decision making. Both mundane and monumental, earth-shattering decisions make great essay topics. You can choose a situation and describe what the decision-maker did correctly or incorrectly.
• Deciding what to wear today. This might be the most mundane decision that everyone makes daily. However, just because it’s so ordinary, it might yield a fascinating college essay if explored thoughtfully.
• President Truman’s decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan. This decision may have been the most significant of human history. It marked the introduction of a technology that could annihilate the human race. This decision may have been the most significant of human history. It marked the introduction of a technology that could annihilate the human race.
• Purchasing decisions in the supermarket. Similarly, everyone decides what to eat several times every day. In an essay on this subject, focus on the most interesting factors influencing grocery shopping decisions.
• Picking a book to read. According to The Atlantic, an average modern American reads fewer books than at any earlier time in history. With this in mind, consider writing an essay on selecting a book to read. This is particularly interesting when you recognize that more books are being published nowadays than ever before.
• Childhood experiences as behavioral drives. An analysis of childhood experiences can help interpret individual character traits. Any challenge and achievement play a part in the formation of behavioral drives. You can discuss them in the context of one’s mental development .
• Parenting styles and motives. Everyone knows that the role of parents in children’s lives is crucial. For your essay, you can choose to evaluate specific approaches to interacting with a child. Obtain reliable data about a child’s habits and find correlations with social adaptation principles.
• Problem-solving skills in everyday life. Problem-solving skills allow a person to overcome challenges. You may assess these skills from your perspective. This essay can also highlight the traits that enable you to cope with difficulties.
• Negotiation skills and conflict resolution attainments. The ability to compromise is a valuable personal quality. It can be helpful in different areas of interpersonal communication. In your paper, analyze ways to enhance this skill for successful conflict resolution.
• Bill Gates’ initiative to create Microsoft and change the world. Thanks to Bill Gates, computer technologies became available to everyone. Assessing his career path can help identify specific components of success. What valuable lessons can we learn from him?

🖌️ Descriptive Essay Topics for College Students

• What your hometown is like.
• What you dislike about the Internet.
• If emotions were personified.
• How you experience art.
• Holiday season and nostalgia.
• Your personal teaching experience.
• How regular workout makes you feel.
• The impact of music on your body.
• National holidays in different countries.
• Traditions you observed around the world.
• Marriage: then and now. In bygone eras, most children were born within wedlock. In the contemporary world, fewer marriages take place than before. What are the reasons behind it?
• Pressure on women to marry. In the past, women were coerced into marriage more forcefully than men. Unfortunately, this tendency remains in many societies even today. You can choose this topic to investigate sexism in everyday life.
• Sports in your life. Everywhere in the world, fans fervently adore sports . It’s a spectacular subject for an essay, no matter if your tone is serious or lighthearted.
• Football: pros and cons. An essay about this popular American sport will surely spark your readers’ interest. For instance, you may explore the long-term health risks associated with concussions.
• Basketball as a global sport. After soccer, basketball is the most rapidly growing sport globally. Your basketball essay could delve into the geopolitical implications of this newly globalized sport.
• What is love? It is the quintessential human emotion , and that’s why it’s a timeless topic for any writing assignment.
• Happiness and how to achieve it. Love and happiness go together, so it is no surprise that happiness is a fruitful writing topic. You can choose to concentrate on pursuing happiness, simply being happy, or anything else.
• The 19 th century origins of Christmas carols . You could write about the origins of Christmas carols, most of which date back to the 19 th century. Before that, Christmas songs were restricted to church hymns.
• Christmas carols around the world. Every country with a significant population of Christians celebrates Christmas uniquely, making the global diversity of Christmas carols one of the more interesting essay topics.
• Personal feelings evoked by Christmas carols. Once again, you can focus on your personal experience. Simply describe how Christmas carols make you feel. feel.

🏺 Narrative Essay Topics for College Students: History

• The life of Socrates.
• Nero and the Roman Empire.
• Everyday life of Puritans.
• Events of Mexican-American War.
• Life during the Great Depression.
• Women in Trojan War.
• The start of the Nuclear Age.
• Heroes of the Space Race.
• Pearl Harbor through the eyes of a witness.
• The fall of the Sumer civilization.
• Local heroes. You can write a fantastic college essay on a historical personality who is highly appraised in your state. What is this person’s contribution, and what makes them outstanding?
• Real-life villains. The Ivy League essays often include an analysis of notorious people’s deeds or personalities. You can write about Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot, Josef Mengele, H. H. Holmes, Caligula, and many others.
• Influential people in any area. Your college essay can focus on some notable figures in politics, finance, science, literature, architecture, visual arts, music, sports, or pop culture.
• The most influential women. You can write about women who achieved a lot in the “men’s world.” Choose between Elizabeth I , Margaret Thatcher , Indira Gandhi, and many other renowned figures.
• Scientists who changed the world. You may write a great college essay about the contributions of Nikola Tesla, Charles Darwin, Thomas Edison, and other scientists. What areas of our lives have changed thanks to these people?
• Great conquerors and their power. Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan , Attila, and other commanders were outstanding people of their time. They expanded their territories thanks to successful military campaigns. Your essay may focus on one of these great conquerors.
• Hitler’s decision to unleash World War II . Adolph Hitler’s personality is often explored in academic works. Your paper can explore what prompted the German leader to popularize Nazism in Europe. Understanding it may help prevent the repetition of such events.
• Religious figures. Explore individuals who developed essential doctrines and spiritual teachings. Your essay may include the key ideas of people such as Thomas Aquinas and Joseph Smith Jr.
• Fighters for justice and equality. Democratic societies were significantly influenced by those who struggled for human rights. Freedom of people around the world was their primary goal. Your essay can assess the roles of Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, or Martin Luther King Jr.
• Voyagers and discoverers. Thanks to the great explorers of the past, the world as we know it today was shaped. You can write about Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, and others in your paper.
• Roman emperors. Ancient Rome was the greatest civilization of its time. Throughout its history, individual emperors have contributed to its prosperity. Julius Caesar , Nero, and other rulers can be the focus of your essay.

🔮 Creative Writing Topics for College Students

• A conversation with yourself from the past.
• What would life be like on a rogue planet?
• If you were an ancient conqueror.
• A children’s fairy tale.
• What if there is no money in the world?
• A new perspective on a famous story.
• If you lived in another era.
• What are animals thinking?
• A perfect world as you see it.
• A horror story in the style of Kafka.
• Detective stories. Suspense is often the key to interesting essays. You can write a unique story about a murder in a castle, a theft in your college dorm, or fraud in a famous (or fictional) company.
• The world of your fantasy. Write an outstanding college essay that describes a brave new (or beautiful) world. Your dreams, books, films, or even news you’ve heard can be the source of your inspiration.
• Stream of consciousness . It can be the most straightforward task you have ever completed. Just write about your thought, dreams, and ideas. Whatever comes to your mind! Make sure to edit it afterward.

• Description of a dystopian world. Come up with a dystopian scenario to assess contemporary vices and problems. Use descriptive words to make your essay stand out.
• A new look at traditional values. For a creative essay, try rethinking traditional values. For instance, you may provide new perspectives on compassion, charity, respect, and other essential components of a civilized society.
• A short movie script. One of the ideas is to write a short film script on any topic. This task will allow you to showcase your storytelling skills.
• The future as you imagine it. You can pay particular attention to social issues and their development. Will the situation improve in the future?
• Reporter experience. Conduct an investigation and report your findings in a creative essay. This work may include interviews, illustrations, and the analysis of issues. This approach allows moving away from traditional forms of essay writing.
• On behalf of another person. Take an opportunity to explore an issue from someone else’s perspective. For instance, you can assess the difficulties faced by people of the opposite sex. It can help analyze the problems of interpersonal communication.

🎓 College Essay Topics for Various Fields

College life essay topics.

• Making a choice. You can write your college essay about making a decision. For example, how did you choose your college? Are you happy with your choice?
• Good and bad habits . Write about the patterns that affect your academic life. How can you get rid of the unproductive ones?
• Major challenges . In your college experience essay, you can describe the major issues you have faced during your school years. How did you handle them?
• Time-management practices. College studies are often stressful. That’s why multitasking is an important skill. In your essay, explore the topic of time management. Analyze the algorithms for competent task distribution.
• Memorable events. Did you ever have a life-changing experience? You can write a perfect college essay about it.
• University life: expectations vs. reality. You can also try to imagine your future and write an essay on your expectations related to university life.
• Interaction with classmates. An interesting topic for a college life essay is building relationships with classmates. It can be helpful to study the basics of teamwork. Conflict resolution practices are also important factors of interpersonal peer communication.
• Freshman experience. You can describe it in anecdotes or conduct some research. For instance, assess the challenges and barriers that first-year students face. Then, determine optimal mechanisms to overcome them.
• Teamwork and group activities. Describe appropriate ways to communicate with people in groups. Or, you can focus on the crucial features of effective teamwork.
• Research work experience. College education involves conducting many kinds of research. They refer to theoretical training and the practical study of subjects. In this regard, you can describe your personal research experience.
• The importance of self-education. Students often face the need to study some subjects on their own. Self-education and its aspects can be an exciting topic to explore. Focus on honing individual skills and overcoming academic challenges.
• A comparison of high school and college. For many high school students, the idea of college study is different from reality. You can describe the distinctions between the two levels of education. Give personal views on the learning process and common pitfalls.

Health Topics for College Students

• Healthy eating. In the wealthiest and poorest countries on Earth, healthy eating has very different meanings. Focusing on cultural variations of healthy eating has plenty of potential.
• Fast food and its popularity. People have never eaten so much fast food as they do now. Consider writing about this interesting trend and its health implications.
• Childhood obesity as a global health issue. Because of all the high-calorie foods available today, many children in industrialized countries have weight problems. This issue has some extraordinary potential for persuasive writing.
• The problem of alcoholism . Substance abuse problems such as alcoholism have been an exemplary subject of writing for a long time. You can contemplate the implications of this problem in your college essay.
• Teen pregnancy: risk factors . In many regions of the world, teen pregnancy rates are higher than ever . The phenomenon is often associated with poverty and lower levels of education.
• Smoking in public. Should it be outlawed? Is it a public health hazard or just fundamental liberty that the government is unjustified to control or even regulate?

• Why do people smoke ? All smokers have their initial justifications for starting to smoke, so perhaps use your essay to explore one or several reasons.
• Quitting smoking. Some people use tobacco substitutes like candies or even nicotine gum. Whatever the methods are, everyone struggles when trying to overcome an addiction.
• Smoking should be banned . This is an extremely strong stance, but these are often the most entertaining essays to write.
• Smoking and mood. Studying the linkage between smoking and mood is undeniably intriguing, especially if you smoke or know a smoker.
• Dangers of secondhand smoke. When a person smokes, nearby people also breathe in many of the toxins. You could write about the moral implications or the societal and health impacts of this phenomenon.
• Smoking and cancer. Everyone understands that tobacco use is linked to cancer, so attempt to take a novel perspective if you choose this topic.
• Smoking and cardiovascular disease. Long-term smoking has been linked to heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD.) Try to convince your reader of these very clear dangers in your essay.
• Peer pressure and tobacco use. The vast majority of smokers develop this habit at a young age because their friends or acquaintances are already smoking.
• Smoking in pop culture. In the past, movies and TV shows often depicted smoking. Your essay could explore how this pattern has evolved.
• Acquiring bad habits from family members. As pointed out by a famous public service announcement from the 1980s, addictions such as smoking can run in families. You could explain the implications of it.

Ideas for College Essay on Ethics and Society

• Abortion as a controversy. You could use this topic for an abortion debate essay. Rather than taking one position, try to do your best to present different perspectives.
• The case against abortion. In writing a pro-life essay, you need to offer various reasons to oppose abortion.
• The case for access to abortion. You may also consider a pro-choice essay . In this type of abortion persuasive essay, you need to emphasize the costs to individuals and society when women are denied access to abortions.
• Shoplifting and its consequences. Your essay could explore the motivation for this practice, methods of discouraging it, or even its implications to retail businesses. Maybe you can even detail a personal story about a friend who has shoplifted.
• Domestic violence in developed countries. Violence against women and children is frequent in all societies, so you can use your essay as an opportunity to explore domestic violence.
• Types of animal cruelty. Another woefully widespread form of abuse is animal cruelty. It can range from dog fights to factory farming and everything in-between.
• Capital punishment: pros and cons. The vast majority of governments have banned this barbaric practice. When judicial systems have the authority to take lives as punishment for crimes, there are profound social implications.
• Current events analysis. If you have difficulty picking a topic, open up a newspaper or go to your favorite news website. Your next essay can be on the first article you read that captures your attention.
• History of child labor. Under this subject, you could survey the decline of child labor over time. You might also want to consider atypical counterexamples of this trend.
• Child labor laws. Child labor doesn’t occur on a larger scale because it is banned by law. Take some time to research the effectiveness of these laws.
• Child labor across the world. In this essay, try to evaluate how child labor practices vary from one geographic region to another.
• Unemployment and child labor. Sometimes, there aren’t enough jobs even for the adults in a nation, not to mention children. Consider exploring why this happens.

Environmental Issues Essay Topics for College

• Local environmental issues . Success in college essay writing largely depends on one factor: you should pick a problem you are interested in or know a lot about. For example, describe what environmental issues you and your community face.
• The most urgent ecological problems. Burning issues such as pollution, deforestation, biodiversity loss , and scarcity of natural resources can jeopardize the existence of the human race if solutions are not found. You can come up with a perfect essay on any of these challenges.
• Solutions to environmental problems. Winning college essays often include describing and analyzing efficient or inefficient solutions. You can write about emissions restrictions, the use of renewable energy sources, and so on. Why are some solutions ineffective?
• Renewable energy. Solar energy, windmills, electric vehicles, and many other solutions are implemented every year, but environmental issues persist. Your essay can answer the following questions: Why is renewable energy underused? Why is the production of electric vehicles in its infancy, although it started at the beginning of the 20th century?
• Global and political perspectives on sustainability. Some countries, especially in Western Europe, are making significant progress in developing sustainable practices. However, some states focus on gaining economic well-being or supremacy, especially in the developing world. Will the US be one of the global polluters in the future?
• Global warming and how to stop it. This is an urgent contemporary issue that deserves particular attention. An essay on a climate catastrophe may prompt readers to discuss the problem. Describe the ways to avoid adverse consequences for nature and humanity.
• Water and air pollution. Write about the impact of pollution on individual spheres of life. For example, focus on the correlation between contamination and economy.
• The depletion of natural resources. Ecological issues are often connected with natural resources. They’re essential in industrialized societies. You can discuss the depletion of these resources in your college essay.
• The issues of waste disposal. Environmental activists are concerned about severe soil pollution . They also address the negative impact of landfills on ecology. All of this shows that waste disposal is an urgent issue. Study how much of a threat it poses for humanity.
• The dangers of animal extinction. Over the past few decades, many species have become endangered. You can review this problem as a consequence of industrial development.
• Deforestation’s consequences. This topic is closely related to the issue of mass extinction. Forests are a habitat for countless species of animals and plants. What adverse effects does deforestation entail?
• The economic impact of environmental problems. Focus on financial aspects and budget spending on pollution control. You can also highlight the importance of addressing challenges associated with climate change.

Topics for Funny College Essays

• Humorous stories and personal experiences. University essay writing can be enjoyable and even entertaining. Describe some of your adventures or make up a funny story for your assignment. Be creative !
• Interesting historical facts. You can find tons of funny stories if you dig deeper into history. Many entertaining events are well-documented. Choose one and write an essay about it.
• Funny and awkward situations. All students know what it’s like to be in an uncomfortable situation. Try to describe such an event in a comical way. It will allow you to look at it from a different perspective.
• Dealing with unexpected tests. Sometimes professors don’t warn their students about upcoming tests. Did it ever happen to you? You probably didn’t enjoy these experiences. Still, why not describe them in a humorous essay?
• Your personal teaching experience . This topic is suitable for student teachers. Have you tried teaching a whole classroom of noisy children? Successful or not, these experiences make great anecdotes.
• Excessive efforts. Some students put too much effort into education. Sometimes it pays off, and other times it’s all in vain. Does it sound familiar to you? Write an essay about it!
• Poor time management. Delays, late deadlines, and other time management catastrophes can form the basis of this essay.
• Jokes on classmates. Innocent pranks help maintain a friendly environment and even serve as team building . Describe the memories of such humorous situations in your essay.
• Your professors’ jokes. Not only students but also teachers are often inclined towards humor. Occasional jokes on their part can be a good essay topic for college. Such gags can contribute to maintaining interest in a learning environment.
• Least favorite lessons. Describe the most boring or unpleasant class you can remember in a humorous manner.
• Making friends with other students. Awkward and funny situations often accompany these experiences. They can serve as a topic for a great essay.
• Unexpected praise. It’s always a pleasure to receive unexpected recognition from teachers. It’s especially gratifying when you do something well by accident or without even trying. Did anything like that ever happen to you? Then write a short story about it!

Best College Essay Topics on Gender Issues

• Machismo: what is it? How was the term coined? What are areas of life negatively affected by this phenomenon? Think about sports, politics, or popular culture.
• Gender roles in modern societies. Many Harvard essays provide answers to the following questions. How are gender roles distributed in your country, community, family? What factors led to this distribution?
• Famous feminists. Explore the contributions of Lucrezia Marinella, Anne Bradstreet, Emmeline Pankhurst, Eleanor Roosevelt, Marlene Dietrich, Alice Walker, Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, and many other renowned women.
• Men’s views on gender. Writing a good college essay involves an analysis of different perspectives. It can be fascinating to examine men’s attitudes towards gender issues .
• Matriarchy as a social system. You can write about modern societies such as Bribri or Garo. Or, you can find examples of matriarchy in the past. What about Neolithic Ages or Bronze Age ?
• Biological differences between sexes. It can be an eye-opening experience to explore physical differences between men and women. Are they that different?
• Patriarchal society in today’s world. Assessing patriarchy as a trend can help identify key stereotypes and stigmas. How can we facilitate women empowerment?
• Workplace gender discrimination . Even today, many women struggle to get promoted due to gender stereotypes. Biased attitudes are unacceptable in modern organizations. Where do they originate from, and what should be done about it?
• Conflicts between boys and girls at school. The foundations of interpersonal interaction are laid in a collective environment. Analyze students’ behavior patterns related to interactions between boys and girls. What are the most common causes of conflicts?
• Family violence from a gender perspective. Family violence is a grave social problem. In your paper, identify the underlying determinants of domestic abuse.
• The role of women in science. Assess the contribution of women scientists from different eras. You can focus on their specific achievements and auxiliary work. Both the humanities and the sciences are suitable for analysis.
• Individual duties in parenting. The roles of fathers and mothers in families are often separated. In your essay, analyze stereotypes and behavioral patterns related to parenthood. You can use specific variables such as the time spent with children.
• Women in male-dominated occupations. Assess the performance of women in positions usually occupied by men. You can study female CEOs, firefighters, or filmmakers. What are the career prospects for women in these fields?

Titles for College Essays on Diversity

• Cultural diversity’s importance. Many Stanford essays explore issues associated with cultural diversity and how it can affect individuals, workplaces, and societies. Many Stanford essays explore issues associated with cultural diversity and how it can affect individuals, workplaces, and societies.
• Ethnic diversity in different countries. The US is one of the most conventional examples of a melting pot. How do people of different cultural backgrounds co-exist there? What challenges do they face? How do they solve conflicts?
• Variety of religious beliefs. Religion is one of the most interesting subjects to write an essay on. You can concentrate on Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and dozens of other religions. Scientology or Happy Science can also be excellent essay subjects.
• Diversity related to sexual identity. You can write an outstanding argumentative essay on same-sex marriages or the inclusion of issues such as transgender identity in the K-12 curriculum.
• Personal contribution to diversity development. Address the promotion of diversity as an important social phenomenon. Your essay will raise awareness of this practice.
• Children’s and adults’ views on diversity and ethnicity. This essay can highlight crucial aspects of interpersonal communication. You can pose questions from a child’s perspective. Do other people’s ethnic backgrounds play an essential role for children compared to adults?
• Cross-cultural management in modern organizations. Leaders of various companies promote this valuable practice. It’s highly relevant in today’s business environment. The trend of globalization is one of its crucial factors.
• Gender diversity in the management field. Issues related to the distribution of leadership roles are often discussed in the context of gender. In your paper, evaluate the perception of male and female managers. This analysis may reveal the existing trends and views on the issue of diversity.
• Gender diversity from a criminological perspective . You can evaluate the current situation in the legal field. Assess offenses committed by people of different genders. The proportion of female prisoners, the severity of crimes, and other essential aspects can be used as criteria for comparison. This work may help assess potential bias.
• Gender diversity in the army. Attitudes towards women in military service are interesting to discuss. In an essay, you can present distinctive opinions. Mention the importance of involving people of all genders.

Short Essay Topics for College

• Teenagers’ concerns. You can write a simple essay on the appropriate age to vote or the proper age to buy alcohol. You may also want to examine major reasons for misunderstanding between teenage children and their parents.
• Best something ever. An excellent way to start a college essay is to write about something you admire, such as your favorite movie. What can you learn from it?
• Someone inspirational. For example, why not write an essay about your favorite teacher? How did this person change your life?
• Political issues in the US. Many short college essays are concerned with political life. You can write a winning essay about Electoral College or the flaws in the US voting system.
• An abstract concept. You can define an idea in your short essay. For instance, write about consumerism and the existing definitions of this term. Which one is the most appropriate? Why?
• Modern social values. The topic refers to the shift in moral values. For example, you can discuss the roles of wealth and personal beliefs. Compare them with the values of past eras to highlight the changes.
• Contemporary addictions and methods to deal with them. Explore excessive smartphone use, gaming , and other new addictions. Include the ways of dealing with these problems.
• A management theory overview. This paper can summarize individual findings related to management. Alternatively, you can present one of the theories of business development.
• Proposal of a legal act. This topic is perfect for a law essay. For example, discuss the document’s purpose, stakeholders, and industry-specific implications. The intersection with other regulations is optional.
• A geographic location. A short essay format is convenient for a description of a specific place. You can start by providing the basic facts about it. Include its population, area, resources, and several other parameters.
• Definition of an economic term. In this short essay, analyze a term of your choice. For instance, discuss inflation, capital, clearing, or any other definition. Explain the term you’ve chosen in simple words.
• A science to study. Choosing a science to learn is a potentially daunting task. In your essay, assess any field of study you like. Describe their benefits and pitfalls. You can also mention career prospects.

Great College Essay Ideas in Visual Arts

• Historical periods in art. Your paper can dwell upon a specific era. Why did the Renaissance occur? What are the central peculiarities of Postmodernism ?
• Artists and their personalities. Countless Cornell essays on art provide insight into artists’ legacy. Your essay writing can become a fascinating process if you focus on Leonardo, Paul Gauguin, Claude Monet, Andy Warhol, Artemisia Gentileschi, or Barbara Kruger.
• Prospects of artistic forms. You can use your imagination and think of the world in the 2100s. Try to predict the movements that will become popular in 100 years.
• Masterpieces. Essay writing practice is associated with the ability to narrow topics down. You can choose a specific work for your analysis from the following list: The Birth of Venice , The Scream , Starry Night , and Girl with a Pearl Earring .
• Different genres and styles in visual art. Many distinctive genres characterize visual arts. They differ in style, period, and other aspects. In your essay, you can describe impressionism, surrealism , cubism, abstract art, and other genres.
• Mediums in visual arts. Every art form is distinguished by the use of materials. Explore the peculiarities of oil paintings, prints, or watercolors.
• Art galleries to visit around the world. You may want to choose one art gallery and describe its history. Your essay will be even more interesting if you add the descriptions of the most famous artworks found in the museum.
• How auction houses work. Numerous art pieces and collectibles are sold at auctions. One of the world’s most famous auction houses is Sotheby’s. In your paper, present the workings of an auction of your choice. Add individual examples of profitable deals from its history.
• The most expensive art objects. The cost of many classical paintings is enormous. The prices are usually estimated by qualified experts. Explore this topic in your essay and include information on the most expensive art objects.
• The comparison of classical and contemporary art forms. Art is a dynamic environment that is constantly evolving. New genres and forms of expression appear regularly. In your paper, compare classical canvases with modern means of creative expression such as graffiti . What influences the emergence of new art forms?
• Rescued artworks and their history. History knows examples of great artworks that were found centuries after their disappearance. Your essay can study several art objects saved during wars.

Conspiracy-Related College Essay Topics That Stand Out

• Space exploration . If your essay requirements concerning the topic are not too strict, you can try to answer some of the following questions. Did “a giant leap for mankind” really occur? Why was the Moon project shut down? Is there life on Mars ?
• Wealth distribution. An excellent essay for college students can focus on the allocation of resources. Is there a league of people who own or control all the resources ? How did the world’s wealthiest people earn their money?
• Secret societies of the past and present. Does the Illuminati exist? Can such a secret society persist in the modern world?
• Catastrophes and reasons behind them. Why did Titanic drown? Was the curse of the Pharaoh real? Was the Chernobyl nuclear disaster an accident, or was it an unsuccessful experiment of KGB?
• JFK’s assassination. Who killed the most loved president? Why was the investigation so inadequate? Were any other countries’ agents involved?
• Aliens among us. Does Area 51 exist? What do governments hide? With questions like these, essay writing for college students can be exciting!
• Did Adolf Hitler escape after World War II? One of the most mysterious conspiracy theories is the possible escape of Adolf Hitler. Some people believe that the Nazi leader moved to Argentina after World War II. Your essay may discuss whether his suicide was staged.
• Is HIV an experimental biological weapon against humanity? The end of the 20th century was a difficult time. During this period, a suspicion arose that HIV was a biological weapon. Pharmaceutical companies and governments were blamed for this. What caused this conspiracy?
• Did Elvis Presley fake his death? Elvis Presley , the idol of millions, passed away long ago. However, many fans don’t believe in this outcome. A conspiracy theory was born that the musician faked his death. You can explore its implications and determine what it says about American pop culture.
• 5G cell towers exposure and accusations against Bill Gates . Explore the public fears related to the potential exposure to 5G cell towers. Include the experts’ opinions and assess the role of Bill Gates as one of the promoters of fast Internet.
• Flat Earth theory and its followers. In recent years, many flat Earth proponents have emerged worldwide. In your essay, compare their arguments with officially existing data. Why is this conspiracy so widespread?
• COVID-19 conspiracy theory. Certain groups of people doubt the threat of the pandemic. They believe that the coronavirus is a fictional problem. Your essay might focus on the evidence for the virus’s existence.

Other College Essay Topics

• Personal reasons to become a nurse
• US women’s rights movements in 1850-1900
• The importance of the “knowledge utilization” concept
• Ethical responsibilities to children
• Work-life balance in employed women
• The environmental impacts of the food and hospitality industry
• Personal time management challenges
• Conspiracy theories and distrust of experts
• Brazilian business from personal experience
• Panathenaic festival: personal experience
• Social stratification in the United States
• Leadership and personal philosophy of management
• Trends in atmospheric carbon concentration over 150 years
• How business organizations value diversity
• Personal experience: how being bullied shaped me
• Automation of insurance industry: personal reflection
• Environmental trends showing improvement
• Food processor description and how to use it
• Catharanthus roseus: description and its benefits
• Racial identity based on personal experiences
• Tap dance: history and personal attitude
• How educational institutions value diversity
• National Association of Social Workers code of ethics
• Continental mountain ranges and ocean lifecycle
• Personal experiences and social imagination
• Personal ethical framework – decision-making
• Creating personal business plan
• Sustainability and waste management
• Gun violence as the social justice issue
• Ethical theory and personal morals
• Reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases
• Arts and crafts movement in Melbourne
• Energy management and nuclear power plants development
• A personal code of ethics
• What’s significant about Mesopotamia geography?
• Personal budget planning: saving, investing, and donating
• Intersectionality of personal identities
• “Not so new” New World Order. Conspiracy theories
• Picture exchange communication system research
• Urbanisation impact on streams and rivers
• Savoring and flow in personal experience
• Personal leadership portrait: leadership reflections
• Researching of personal health recorder
• The notion of race through the prism of personal experience
• Students’ life in college: classes, exams, courses
• Spatial and social mobility: barriers and restrictions
• Air quality and pollution: solution measures
• Why understanding personal biases is important
• Human condition to adapt: factors
• Project management process description
• Criminal justice and workforce diversity
• The art style of Mueller analysis
• Quality measures description
• Haiti and Japan’s earthquake comparative analysis
• Ethical relativism and freedom of speech
• Common patterns of social behaviors
• Racial discrimination regarding attraction and romance
• Theory of caritative caring by K. Eriksson: description and main concepts
• Unfair treatment experience based on cultural diversity
• Madeline Leininger’s theory of culture care diversity and universality
• DNA fingerprinting technology: description and use
• Gloucester City community description
• Violence against queer community and construction of gender
• American nation’s changes after the Civil Rights Movement
• Positive things to learn from Medieval culture
• Racial tensions and immigration in California
• Solar energy: advantages and disadvantages
• The Salem Witch Trials history
• Nuclear accidents danger analysis
• Risk, expatiating on its types, classifications and methods of control
• The impact of individualism, ethnic nationalism, and class rule on society
• Television, movies, and games’ relationships with culture
• Catastrophic organizational failure in examples
• Thermal power generating plant – impact
• Racial inequality, immigration, and healthcare in the US
• Scenario investigation of waste management in Australia
• Environmental science: main principles
• The important steps that are involved in the processing of images
• COVID-19 conspiracy: critical thinking
• Climate disruption: understanding the problem and its significance

✍️ Topics for Different College Essay Types

Below you’ll find writing prompts for problem solution, cause and effect, and definition essays. There’s also a section with personal statement essay topics. Check them out!

• In a problem-solution essay , you need to introduce an issue and suggest several ways to fight it. Usually, each body paragraph describes a different solution. This essay aims to convince the audience that these scenarios are the best ways to eliminate the problem.
• In a cause and effect essay , you need to discuss a problem, its reasons, and possible consequences. It’s better to pay attention to topics that involve multiple studies of the issue (you can read our cause and effect essay guide to learn more.)
• In a definition essay , you need to explain a term, concept, or idea. Sometimes a definition is only a part of a more extensive research paper. It’s crucial to study the topic from different perspectives to provide an extended definition. Before you start working on your essay, make sure that the meaning of the word you’ve chosen is not too simple.
• In a personal statement , you write about yourself. Writing a personal statement or a transfer essay is crucial when applying to college. How do you make it a winning paper? Read our personal statement guide .

Problem Solution Essay Topics for College Students

• How can students contribute to educational system changes in the United States? Discuss student communities and their impact on college life. Do students need to have more power and control over changes in the educational system?
• Ensuring access to clean water in developing African countries. Describe the achievements of charities that aim to help countries such as Ethiopia. You may also write about the costs of technologies that filter water. What are the possible solutions with a limited budget?
• How can you help make energy cleaner? Try to think about what you can do on campus that will enable clean energy access. Decide whether it should be a part of your curriculum.
• Ways of reducing plastic waste in oceans. Research the current efforts of environmental organizations and big businesses. Then, evaluate them and find the best solution.
• Healthy eating habits among children. Think about the right age to start educating children on healthy eating. Find several possible ways to develop the proper habits without forcing children.
• How can students address sustainability and climate change? Describe your participation in ecological projects, communities, etc. You can also discuss the possible things you and other students can do without spending too much time and money.
• Ways of stopping healthcare rising costs in the United States. Highlight the current problems of the healthcare model. What measures does the government take to solve them? Try to find the best way to optimize the resources.
• Psychological support for children who suffered from violence. Research the techniques specialists use when working with children. What do you find more preferable: therapy or medication? Suggest how we can protect children from further offenses.
• How can we provide equal chances to children who want to receive an education? For this essay, find as much information as possible about financial aid , including grants, loans, and other projects. What’s the best way to make education accessible to everyone?
• Reducing homelessness in the United States. Study the factors that make people homeless and what the government does to fight it. Then try to come up with an action plan.

Cause and Effect Essay Topics for College Students

• The effects of regular alcohol consumption on women’s health. Everyone knows that excessive alcohol consumption has highly adverse effects. In your essay, you can discuss the causes of alcoholism in women. Try to find specific information about diseases, psychological problems, and lifestyle changes related to them.
• What causes bullying among preschool children? Children might get violent due to many factors. Describe what beliefs and behavioral patterns influence their actions at preschool age.
• What are the economic effects of the 2020 lockdown? Write about the changes in the labor market, remote jobs, and new opportunities. How did small businesses manage to survive in extreme circumstances?
• Lack of education in African countries: causes and effects. Discuss why children in some African countries don’t have access to education. Then, explain how it affects labor markets and economies. Make sure to choose only one country as a research subject.
• What will be the effects of implementing higher taxes on tobacco? Will it inspire people to quit smoking or buy fewer tobacco products? Study the previous cases of such measures and predict the outcomes.
• How does social media affect communication in families? For this essay, research the impact of social media on family relationships. Do social media users communicate more or less with their closest relatives? on family relationships. Do social media users communicate more or less with their closest relatives?
• The causes and effects of glacier melting . Global warming, ozone depletion, and many other factors contribute to this process. Discuss how this issue influences people and animals.
• What would happen if everyone started using electric cars? Study the benefits and drawbacks of electric vehicles. You might discuss the CO2 emissions and safety.
• What are the effects of animal hunting in the United States. We can call hunting a hobby, a sport, and even an illegal activity. In your essay, describe the current laws and why people want to hunt. How do these activities influence animals’ populations?
• The causes and effects of chemical pollution in China. China is the biggest manufacturer of goods in the world. However, the waste that the factories produce becomes dangerous for its ecology. In your essay, research how chemical pollution affects the everyday life and health of the Chinese people.

Definition Essay Topics for College

• Behaviorism in psychology and philosophy. Consider writing your essay on behaviorism as a psychological movement at the beginning of the 20 th century. Additionally, you can provide a broader definition by researching behaviorism in philosophy. century. Additionally, you can provide a broader definition by researching behaviorism in philosophy.
• How can we define egoism? People interpret human behavior and character traits in different ways. Someone who seems to be an egoist to you can seem like someone with a sense of self-worth to another person. You can provide your own viewpoint on this issue.
• What is the definition of evil? Some people believe in eternal evil, while others see evil even in the littlest bad things that happen to them. In your opinion, what makes someone or something evil?
• Does the term “commodification” only apply to goods? In the modern world, everything has value. Discuss the moral aspects of commodification and the limits of its application.
• What is your definition of the word “endurance”? You can compare the physical abilities of athletes and non-athletes. Don’t forget to mention mental stamina that involves dealing with psychological pressure and overcoming difficulties.
• Does the word “ambition” have a positive or negative meaning? Naturally, you can’t give a single answer to this question. Instead, you can discuss both sides of this concept in your paper.
• How can you define the word “dualism”? Describe all the meanings of the word “dualism” in philosophy and daily life. Don’t forget to provide your understanding of the concept. You may also explain why this term is controversial.
• What does the word “identity” make you think of? Cover all the meanings of this word. Begin with a set of qualities that defines a person. Also, you may include a psychological interpretation of the term.
• What is your interpretation of the word “justice”? Discuss the legal definition of this concept. Also, you can write about the moral aspects and the subjective meaning of the term. Describe how justice is related to rewards and punishments and its place in the modern world.
• What are your thoughts about realism? This term is used in many disciplines. For example, it’s prominent in literature and art. In your essay, you may describe realism as a philosophical concept and its different forms and perceptions.

Themes for Your Personal Statement Essay

• Your academic credentials. When writing about your academic achievements, it is appropriate to mention the major things like your degree or courses you’ve had. It’s better to focus on the moral lessons you’ve learned rather than your grades and certificates.
• Your personality traits. A successful acceptance essay will reveal your character. Admission officers want to know who the applicants are. Every university has its specific culture, so they should make sure you can fit in.
• An event that changed your life. Of course, your college entry essay can’t be just an enumeration of character traits. Describe some circumstances where your personal qualities manifested themselves. Again, it’s best to focus on the lessons you’ve learned!
• Commitment as your character trait. Your college admittance essay should also show your dedication. Why do you want to study there? Why do you want to take the course you’ve chosen? What are you ready to do for your alma mater?
• Humor in your life. Even Harvard personal statement essays are often characterized by humor. Write about your failures in a funny way, and admission officers will see your ability to stand up and fight.
• Academic goals and ways to achieve them. Choosing a field to study is a responsible step. You can describe this process in a personal statement. Justify your choice and mention the academic skills necessary for this particular field.
• Creative writing . When applying to a course in English, it can be effective to write a poem rather than a typical description of your educational background.
• Views on society and contemporary values. You can impress the committee by discussing your opinions. One convenient approach is to focus on modern society and its values. Analyze the foundations of a particular cultural environment and assess interaction gaps.
• Professional objectives you want to achieve. Without mentioning professional goals, a personal statement will be incomplete. One effective strategy is to evaluate the desired prospects you want to achieve. They can be related to education as well as work. Pay attention to relevant resources needed to acquire optimal skills.
• Cultural background from an ethnic perspective. A personal statement can be focused not only on your academic experience but also on your cultural background . Include the basic facts about your ethnicity, parents, beliefs, family values, and other information. This way, you’ll present yourself comprehensively and impartially.
• Self-evaluation over time: personal strengths and skills.  Both short- and long-term perspectives are worth mentioning. Assessing individual development and career growth can provide you with a helpful timeline.

🚫 College Essay Topics to Avoid

When it comes to college essays, some topics might produce a wrong impression or offend your audience. That is why you need to know what kind of content is not suitable for your academic writing.

Here are the most common examples of the topics that you should avoid:

• Your personal life. Better leave the stories about your breakups aside. For a successful application essay, you can focus on the other areas of your life. Try to choose a topic that will show how well you are suited for the college.
• Inappropriate humor. Provocative, mean, or cruel jokes are not suitable for college essays. Your audience probably won’t consider such humor clever or funny. If you are unsure if a joke fits your task, don’t hesitate to ask your professor.
• Tragic stories. This trope is critical to avoid when writing essays about yourself. It’s okay to mention tragic events, but it’s best to avoid making a pessimistic narrative out of your paper. Instead, you can describe such occurrences as challenges to overcome and focus on the positives.
• Sensitive or controversial topics. Avoid them if you know that they may offend your readers. Politics, religion, abortions, and cruelty are not the best topics for college essays. If your assignment requires writing an essay on one of those topics, make sure you don’t make bold statements or provoke your audience.
• Cliché topics. It’s better to avoid writing about your academic achievements, volunteering, or winning a sports competition. Admissions officers and professors have read similar essays thousands of times.
• Overly narrow topics . It’s good to choose a topic that stands out because it’s not cliché. However, it becomes harder to find enough relevant information if it’s too obscure or limited. Choose a topic like this only if you are sure you will have enough data to research.
• Insulting someone. Offensiveness is a wrong approach to your assignment that creates a negative impression. It’s crucial to stay objective and professional when it comes to academic writing.
• Fancy words. Avoid overcomplicating your essay’s title and its contents. It’s also not a great idea to begin your essay with a trite quote. Instead, it’s best to prioritize logic and clear structure during writing.
• Vague topics . It will likely make your essay lack a focus, which will come off as unprofessional. Make sure to always narrow your topic down to a particular issue.
• Untrue and unrealistic topics. It might be interesting to fantasize about impossible scenarios and get creative. Still, remember that you need to support your statements with solid evidence. It’s much harder to do when you deal with unrealistic topics.

We hope these college essay topics helped you make a great choice. If you need more proposal argument essay topics, feel free to use our topic generator . Let us know in the comments what topic you’ve chosen!

This might be interesting for you:

• College Essay Writing 101—the Comprehensive Guide
• How to Write a Creative Essay: Tips, Topics and Techniques
• Descriptive Writing Exercises to Boost Your Imagination
• Terrific Essay Tools for Fast and Simple Writing
• How to Use the Right Gender-Neutral Pronouns
• How to Write an Outline That Will Earn an A+ Grade

✏️ College Essay Topic FAQ

Think about something that makes you genuinely interested. You will need to research the subject. So if you are bored from the outset, you won’t be able to do a good job and impress your readers.

A good topic doesn’t have to be very serious. It means that the subject under study should fascinate you. Then you would be able to make it enjoyable for others, too. Study something connected with your hobby, favorite author, or even a country.

To choose a good topic, you need to think about your assignment. Different issues are appropriate for argumentative, persuasive, and other types of essays. The main thing is that the subject should interest you. Your essay would be more exciting for the readers if you have fun writing it.

If you are lucky enough to choose a topic for yourself, you can have fun writing the essay. Don’t waste this opportunity! To figure out the best subject, think about your favorite things. If you want to share something with others, write an essay about it.

• Writing Tips: Thesis Statements: Writers Workshop, The Center for Writing Studies, Illinois
• Essay Introductions: UMGC, the University System of Maryland
• How to Read an Assignment: William C. Rice, for the Writing Center at Harvard University
• Thesis Statements: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Essay Writing: University of Wollongong
• How to Write High-Quality Papers and Essays More Quickly: Ransom Patterson, College Info Geek
• Essay Tips from Andrew K. Strickler, Dean of Admission and Financial Aid: Connecticut College
• Essays that Worked: Hamilton College
• Popular Application Essay Topics: The Princeton Review
• Women’s Health Topics: US Food & Drug Administration
• Essay Topics: Yale College Undergraduate Admissions
• Essay Topics and Tips: College of Arts and Sciences, Lewis & Clark
• Essay Prompts: Seattle Pacific University
• Essay Questions, Undergraduate Admissions: University of Michigan
• Writing the College Essay: Babson College
• The Essay: NYS Higher Education Services Corporation
• Over 1,000 Writing Prompts for Students: The New York Times
• How to Write a College Essay: Sofia Tokar, Southern New Hampshire University
• Personal Essay Topics and Prompts: ThoughtCo
• Who’s the Most Significant Historical Figure?: The Guardian
• The Dos and Don’ts of Campus Life: CollegeXpress
• Climate Change: National Geographic
• 4 Types of Parenting Styles and Their Effect on Kids: Very Well Family
• Campus Life: What to Expect: My Future
• Gender Equality and Women Empowerment: United Nations
• 100 Creative Writing Prompts for Writers: Writer’s Digest
• 13 Benefits and Challenges of Cultural Diversity at Workplace: Hult International Business School
• 7 Benefits of Gender Diversity at Workplace: Workplace.com
• Artists: The Art History
• Art Movements: Artyfactory
• 36 of the Most Popular Conspiracy Theories in the US: Insider
• Personal Statements: University of Connecticut
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Social studies is an integrated research field. It includes a range of topics on social science and humanities, such as history, culture, geography, sociology, education, etc. A social studies essay might be assigned to any middle school, high school, or college student. It might seem like a daunting task, but...

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190+ Fun & Interesting Argumentative Essay Topics 2023

You might be wondering what are great argumentative essay topics. If so, then you are at the right place. A great argumentative essay is one that sparks your interest and offers some room for persuasive writing. On the other hand, understanding how to write an argumentative essay is essential for developing your writing and grammar. As a result, this will increase your analytical thinking, which will further help you in your professional career. 

In this blog, we will be discussing 190+ fun & interesting argumentative essay topics that will help you write an effective essay. Let’s first know what an argumentative essay is, and then we move to their essay topics. 

However, if you have any pending assignment that you can’t complete due to its tight deadline, then don’t worry you can get the best assignment help from us. Our team of dedicated experts will help in completing your assignment on time.

What is An Argumentative Essay?

Table of Contents

It is the genre of writing in which students require to investigate a topic; collect, evaluate, and generate evidence, and establish a position on the particular topic in a concise manner. Moreover, in a good argumentative essay, a writer attempts to persuade readers to understand and then support their point of view about the topic by providing evidence to back it up.

On the other hand, argumentative essay writing is the most common assignment that is given to high school and college students. Generally, argumentative essay topics are related to health care, technology, politics, and science. After this, you might wonder how you can write an effective argumentative essay. Don’t worry; Here are some tips for you provided by academic experts from professional essay writing service .

Types Of Argumentative Essay

In this section we will discuss types of argumentative essays: 

1. Opinion/Claim Essay

In this type of essay, you express your opinion or claim about a specific topic. You provide reasons and evidence to support your viewpoint and convince the reader that your opinion is valid.

2. Persuasive Essay

Like an opinion essay, a persuasive essay aims to convince the reader to agree with your viewpoint. You present arguments, facts, and logical reasoning to persuade readers to adopt your perspective.

3. Counterargument Essay

In this type of essay, you acknowledge and address the opposing viewpoints or arguments. You present the opposing side’s arguments and explain why they are not valid or why your viewpoint is stronger.

4. Problem-Solution Essay

This type of essay discusses a particular problem and proposes effective solutions. You present evidence and arguments to explain the problem’s significance and then provide feasible solutions supported by evidence and reasoning.

5. Cause and Effect Essay

This essay explores the relationship between events or situations where one event (the cause) leads to another (the effect). You analyze the causes and effects of a specific topic and present arguments to support your claims.

6. Comparative Essay

In a comparative essay, you compare and contrast two or more subjects, highlighting their similarities and differences. You present arguments and evidence to support your comparisons and draw conclusions based on your analysis.

How to Write a Good Argumentative Essay

Always use a simple and straightforward structure to write an argumentative essay. On the other hand, an argumentative essay’s main point is to clearly outline a point of view, evidence, and reasoning. Use this type of structure to write a good argumentative essay. 

• The first step of your essay should outline the main topics and provide the background information necessary to understand your argument. 
• The thesis statement is the first part of your paragraph. However, it is a concise and one-sentence summary of your main point.
• Next, you have to add the body part, which comprises three or more paragraphs that explain why you support your thesis statement. Moreover, each sentence and paragraph should contain or cover different ideas of evidence and contain a topic sentence that clearly explains why the reader should agree with your position. 
• Lastly, we must add a conclusion to write a good argumentative essay. 

Pro-tip for you to write a good conclusion:

Do not write or introduce new facts to the reader. However, you can write a good conclusion that will affect the reader’s emotions in a good way. In some cases, the writer uses a personal story to affect them. 

190+ Fun & Interesting Argumentative Essay Topics 2023

If you are a student looking for argumentative essay topics? Then you are at the right place, here are 190+ Fun & Interesting Argumentative Essay Topics for you.

General Argumentative Essay Topics For 2023

• Is the death penalty a just punishment?
• What can people do to stop human trafficking?
• Should illegal immigrants be granted residency?
• Do you think that animal testing should be banned or made illegal?
• Is the #metoo movement a great thing?
• Is there a fake news problem? What is the source?
• Do you believe manufacturers are liable for the impact of the chemicals used in their products?
• Do you believe abortion should be illegal?
• Is genetic cloning banned due to moral concerns?

Argumentative Essay Topics: Hot Topics

• Is the death penalty fair?
• Should abortion be prohibited?
• Is the #metoo movement beneficial?
• Should animal testing be discontinued?
• Should illegal immigrants be granted legal status?
• Is there a problem with fake news? What is the origin?
• Is “big pharma” looking out for people’s best interests?
• Is there a moral case for making genetic cloning illegal?
• What should people do to put an end to human trafficking?
• Should manufacturers be held accountable for the consequences of the chemicals used in manufacturing their products?

Argumentative Essay Topics For Kids

• Should students be allowed to choose their teachers?
• Giving homework should be banned
• Are GMO foods bad for our country?
• Is it important to invest in space exploration?
• Does the #MeToo movement promote awareness?
• Should smoking be banned?
• Is single-sex education beneficial for students?
• Should religious biases be part of politics?
• Should gun control be stopped in the USA?
• Why should we not have a school uniform?
• Can students allow to take their pets to school?
• Should we grow our fruits and vegetables?
• Gym classes should be held regularly.
• Littering should be an offensive crime.
• Should Children be allowed to use social media?
• Should Children have the freedom to watch TV alone?

Argumentative Essay Topics For High School Students

• Why should we all vote?
• Should gun control be stopped in the United States?
• Should people who earn well pay more taxes?

Argumentative Essay Topics For Middle School Students

• Should Photoshop be banned?
• Are all Americans eating a healthy or balanced diet?
• Do violent video games influence underage minds?
• Should parents allot specific screen time for kids?
• Are traditional education techniques helpful in educating children?
• Should class representatives be given consideration and special treatment?
• Can you download copyrighted content without buying it?
• Is it moral to intervene in a public figure’s privacy?
• Should students be taught other languages in schools?
• Is Global Warming Real?

Argumentative Essay Topics For College Students

• Should the sale of alcohol and tobacco be illegalized?
• Should there be an age limit to vote?
• What is the perfect age to start drinking?
• Should the death penalty be legalized in all parts of the world?
• Should drinking be banned?
• Is smoking around children immoral?
• Is there justice for all in our country?
• The mass media is highly biased.
• Helping others should be objective in life.
• Do external factors affect the decision-making of the government?
• Should energy boosters be banned?
• Why should court proceedings be shown on television?

Argumentative Essay Topics Based on Politics

• Which political party belongs to the correct ideology?
• Is reducing the US deficit the most pressing problem of our time?
• Do you think the Fed should cease printing money because it creates an unsustainable bubble?
• Is capitalism the most efficient economic system?
• Is socialism the best economic system?
• Is the United States of America ready for a female president?
• Do you believe that an elected leader represents the interests of their political party, or do you believe it is best to try to compromise?
• What current political choice has had the most impact?
• Do you think campaign finance reform will work?

Argumentative Essay Topics for University Students

• Not every house is a home.
• Failed marriages result in failed generations.
• Toxic behaviors need to be called out.
• Can abusive marriages destroy the mental health of children?
• Recycling should be encouraged at every level.

Health Argumentative Essay Topics

• What McDonald’s Does to Public Health
• Should Vaccinations be Mandatory for All?
• Stigma about mental health and how it affects care
• The Legalization of Marijuana for Medicinal Purposes
• The Role of Government in Regulating Sugar Consumption

Science Argumentative Essay Topics

• The Ethics of Genetic Engineering and Human Enhancement
• Climate Change: Natural or Human-Induced?
• The Benefits and Risks of Artificial Intelligence Development
• Evolution versus Creationism: Debating the Origins of Life
• The Pros and Cons of Nuclear Energy as a Sustainable Solution

Argumentative Essay Topics Based On Mental Healthcare

• What is the source of the mental health stigma?
• Examine the impact of physical activity on the mental health of a person.
• Is there a link between social media use and mental health issues?
• Should cannabis be used to treat patients suffering from mental illnesses?
• Discuss the relationship between insufficient access to mental health services and veteran suicide rates.

Argumentative Essay Topics Based on Economic

• Should corporations have a lower, higher, or fixed tax rate?
• Should monopolies be allowed?
• Is universal basic income a good idea?
• Should unpaid internships be legal?
• Should the minimum wage be increased?

Argumentative Essay Topics Based on Art 

• Should books with objectionable words be banned?
• Should content on YouTube be better regulated?
• Should art and music sharing online be allowed?
• Is art education important?
• Should graffiti be considered art or vandalism?

Argumentative Essay Topics Based on Technology

• Has the internet improved society?
• Is technology becoming too isolating?
• Should cell phones be prohibited in vehicles?
• Should parents limit their children’s screen time?
• Should everyone get free internet access?
• Should cyberbullying have legal consequences?
• Should social media platforms be prohibited from gathering data from their users?
• Should businesses hire human labor instead of using self-driving cars?

Argumentative Essay Topics Based on Ethics

• Are social protests effective?
• Should religion be taught in schools?
• Should clergy be allowed to marry?
• Should fur coats be illegal?
• Should drug possession be decriminalized?
• Should public video surveillance be illegal?
• Should people be fined for not recycling?
• Are children too coddled?
• Should marketing designed for kids be illegal?
• Should violent video games be illegal?
• Should the death penalty be legal?
• Should animal testing be allowed?
• Are beauty pageants dangerous for the participants?
• Should drugs be legal?
• Is affirmative action effective?
• Is cloning unethical?

Argumentative Essay Topics Based on Religion

• Should religious organizations have to pay taxes?
• Should religious clubs be allowed in schools?

Argumentative Essay Topics Based on Depression

• Is social media the main reason for depression?
• Can animal emotional support help with depression?
• Is depression a possible cause of other diseases?
• Can children suffer from depression?
• Can poor eating habits lead to depression?
• The effect of divorce on a child’s mental health
• Can sleep habits contribute to depression?
• Is it important for a parent’s mental health to raise a healthy baby?
• Is therapy the only option for dealing with depression and anxiety?
• How can educational institutions contribute to student mental health instability?

Argumentative Essay Topics Based on Government 

• Should unpaid internships be illegal?
• Should the government increase the federal minimum wage?
• Should the government provide everyone with a common basic income?
• Should corporations pay more taxes?
• Should the government regulate what we eat?
• Should the government impose term limits on Congresspeople?
• Should the United States have an official language?
• Should the drinking age in the US be lowered to 18 years?
• Should personal ownership of guns be illegal?
• Should military service be compulsory in the USA ( United States of America )?
• Should climate change be a governmental issue?
• Would America function better without the electoral college?
• Should America automate voter registration?
• Should smoking in public be illegal?

Argumentative Essay Topics Based on Coronavirus

• The effectiveness of lockdown measures in controlling the spread of COVID-19.
• The ethical implications of mandatory vaccination against COVID-19.
• The impact of remote learning on the education system during the pandemic.
• The role of government in managing and responding to the COVID-19 crisis.
• The economic consequences of prolonged lockdowns and business closures.
• Mental Health issues during the pandemic.
• The responsibility of social media platforms in combating COVID-19 misinformation.
• The long-term effects of COVID-19 on global healthcare systems.
• The role of scientific research and innovation in developing vaccines and treatments for COVID-19.
• The disparities in healthcare access and outcomes exposed by the pandemic.

Funny Argumentative Essay Topics

• Cats vs. dogs: The never-ending debate of who makes a better pet.
• The art of eating cereal for every meal: A guide to a balanced and crunchy lifestyle.
• The hidden benefits of being addicted to video games: How gaming can enhance problem-solving skills.
• The scientific evidence behind the superiority of the toilet paper roll orientation (over or under).
• The perks of living in your pajamas: Exploring the fashion revolution of loungewear.
• The true value of procrastination: How delaying tasks can lead to bursts of creativity.
• The art of perfecting the art of sleeping: How to excel in the world of napping and snoozing.
• The importance of taking “selfies”: Unraveling the psychological benefits of capturing your best angles.
• The eternal dilemma: Crunchy or smooth peanut butter? A case study on peanut butter preferences.
• The compelling argument for the existence of a hidden realm ruled by cats, according to conspiracy theorists.

Unique Discursive Essay Topics

• Social media’s influence on interpersonal communication and relationships.
• The ethical implications of gene editing and its impact on future generations.
• The nature of time: Is it a human construct or an inherent aspect of the universe?
• Artificial intelligence and its effects on the future of work and employment.
• Examining the role of advertising in society: Does it encourage consumerism or drive positive change?
• The pros and cons of implementing a universal basic income.
• Virtual reality technology and its implications for human experiences and perceptions of reality.
• Balancing artistic expression and censorship: Where should the line be drawn?
• The relationship between automation, income inequality, and the workforce of tomorrow.
• Evaluating the morality of animal testing: Weighing scientific progress against animal welfare.

History Argumentative Essay Topics

• The impact of World War II on the global balance of power and the birth of the Cold War.
• The significance of the Renaissance in shaping modern society and culture.
• The causes and consequences of the American Civil War: Was it primarily about slavery or states’ rights?
• The role of women in the suffrage movement and the fight for gender equality.
• The debate over the historical accuracy of Christopher Columbus’s “discovery” of America.
• The impact of colonialism on the development and underdevelopment of nations.
• The reasons behind the rise and fall of ancient civilizations, such as the Roman Empire or the Mayans.
• The legacy and controversy surrounding historical figures, such as Napoleon Bonaparte or Cleopatra.
• The implications of the Industrial Revolution on society, economy, and labor conditions.
• The historiographical debate surrounding the causes and consequences of the French Revolution.

Argumentative Essay Topics About Society & Culture

• The influence of virtual reality on empathy and social interactions.
• The impact of language on shaping cultural identity and perceptions.
• Exploring the rise of plant-based diets: Is veganism a sustainable solution?
• The role of art in challenging societal norms and promoting social change.
• Examining the phenomenon of “cancel culture” and its implications for free speech.
• The effects of urbanization on mental health and well-being.
• Analyzing the ethical considerations of cultural appropriation in the fashion industry.
• The portrayal of gender roles in children’s toys: Breaking stereotypes and promoting inclusivity.
• The significance of cultural heritage preservation in the face of globalization.
• Exploring the benefits and challenges of multiculturalism in contemporary society.

Argument Writing vs. Opinion Writing

Tips for Choosing Good Argumentative Essay Topics

If you are looking for which idea, I should choose among those argumentative essay topics. Theoretically speaking, then the sky is the limit. On the other hand, you should follow this guideline to choose good argumentative essay topics. 

• Avoid using pure facts because the main purpose of your assignment is to express an opinion regarding the idea you have chosen. 
• If you are looking to write a good argumentative essay, don’t be biased in your assignment.
• Do not write anything in your assignment; always back up yourself with a supportive piece of evidence. 
• It should be interesting, and the idea of your writing should be subject to debate. In simpler words, the topic you choose for your assignment should be debatable so that it makes some interest between the two and others who are reading or listing that assignment. 
• Lastly, the topic you choose should be unique and special. Don’t be scared to choose a unique topic, properly calculated risk is the key to success.

Challenges That Students Face While Doing Argumentative Essays

Argumentative essays can pose several challenges for students, requiring them to navigate complexities in research, critical thinking, and persuasive writing within a set framework. These challenges often demand meticulous planning, careful consideration of opposing viewpoints, and a clear presentation of arguments to support their stance.

Here are some challenges that students face while doing argumentative essays:

• Selecting an Appropriate Topic: Students often struggle to choose a topic that balances personal interest, relevance, and controversy.
• Conducting Extensive Research: Finding credible sources and gathering substantial evidence to support arguments can be time-consuming and challenging.
• Developing a Strong Thesis Statement: Crafting a clear, concise thesis that encapsulates the essay’s main argument while guiding the content proves difficult for many students.
• Balancing Multiple Perspectives: It presents a significant challenge to juggle various viewpoints and integrate counterarguments without losing the coherence of one’s own argument.
• Effective Essay Structure: Organizing thoughts cohesively into an introduction, body paragraphs, and a compelling conclusion can be a daunting task.
• Using Proper Evidence and Citations: Understanding when and how to incorporate evidence effectively while adhering to citation guidelines poses challenges, especially for those new to academic writing.
• Refining Critical Thinking and Analytical Skills: Developing the ability to critically evaluate sources, analyze information, and present logical reasoning requires practice and guidance.

Students may face these challenges to navigate the complexities of argumentative essays, highlighting the need for support, guidance, and practice to excel in academic writing.

Final Words

This is the end of the 190+ Fun & Interesting Argumentative Essay Topics blog. If you use these tips given above in your exams or writing tasks, you will get the grades of your dreams. On the other hand, this blog will cover everything from the definition of an argumentative essay to how you can write a good argumentative essay. If you have any suggestions or queries, let us know in the comment section given below. I hope you get what you asked for. Good Luck with your exam. 

Q1. What are some good argumentative essay topics in 2023?

Here are some great argumentative essay topics for 2023: 1. Problems of youth. 2. Advantages and Disadvantages in the issue of distance learning and work. 3. What body language hides? 4. Questions in the life of a teenager about religion. 5. Choosing a future profession. 6. Patriotism in the United States. 7. How the format of distance learning has changed during a pandemic? 8. Global changes during a pandemic.

Q2. What are controversial topics for an essay?

Here are some good controversial topics for an essay: 1. History is repeating itself. 2. Marijuana should be a legal drug. 3. Privacy issues between parents and children  4. Does your vote make a difference? 5. Will we ever get rid of terrorism? 6. Racism is a matter of one’s upbringing.

Q3. Suggest some transition words for argumentative essay.

Transition words are words that connect two paragraphs and two connections with each other in argumentative essay. Examples of transition words :  However In other words In addition Moreover Consequently, Furthermore To begin With In contrast For instance Conversely Likewise

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Home ➔ Essay Topics ➔ Argumentative Essay Topics

Argumentative Essay Topics and Ideas for Writing

Welcome to a deep-dive exploration into the world of topics and ideas for argumentative essays. We’ve journeyed through countless argumentative papers and assisted students in weaving their thoughts and ideas into compelling narratives. We’re here to share the fruit of that journey with you, from understanding the basics to choosing the best topic for your argumentative essay.

An argumentative essay , as the name suggests, is all about arguments. But it isn’t merely about disputes or quarrels; instead, it’s a carefully crafted piece of writing that presents a particular point of view on a debatable issue and backs it up with sound reasoning and strong evidence. Picture yourself as a lawyer standing in a courtroom, arguing a case before a jury. Just like that lawyer, you’re expected to take a stand on an issue, present your case (your thesis), and provide evidence to convince your reader (the jury) that your position is the right one.

It’s an academic dialogue that revolves around a debatable topic, where you aim to convince your readers that your perspective is worth considering, if not entirely correct. The focus is on logic, facts, and in-depth research, so every claim you make needs to be substantiated with credible evidence.

The Importance of Choosing a Good Topic for Argumentative Essays

The choice of topic for your argumentative essay isn’t just about picking a random controversial issue. It’s about selecting a topic that resonates with you personally, aligns with your knowledge, sparks your interest, and invites your audience to participate in a thoughtful discussion.

Why is this important, you ask? The answer is twofold. Firstly, your passion for the topic at hand will shine through your writing, making your arguments more compelling and your essay more engaging to read. Secondly, an interesting topic will make the research and writing process far less strenuous and far more enjoyable.

In the following sections, we’ll delve deeper into how to choose the right topic and provide some exciting argumentative essay topics across various categories for your inspiration. Let’s explore further, shall we?

Characteristics of a Good Argumentative Essay Topic

In your quest to select the perfect topic for your argumentative essay, there are several crucial characteristics to consider. Think of these as your guiding stars, helping to navigate the vast universe of possible essay topics and pinpoint the one that will make your essay shine.

Controversial and Debatable

An effective argumentative essay thrives on controversy. This means the topic you choose should inherently invite debate, presenting multiple perspectives for you to explore. The crux of your essay will be your argument versus a counterargument, and for that, you need a topic that doesn’t have a universally agreed-upon answer.

For example, “the sky is blue” won’t make for an exciting argumentative essay because it’s a widely accepted fact. However, “climate change policies are ineffective” is a topic rife with controversy, offering plenty of room for argument and counterargument.

Relevant and Current

A great argumentative essay is timely and relevant. It’s important to choose a topic that not only interests you but also resonates with your readers and is pertinent to the present time. Current topics have the advantage of being in the public eye, so your audience is likely already curious or opinionated about them.

Choosing a relevant topic also ensures there is enough recent research and source material available for you to reference, thereby strengthening your arguments.

Researchable and Supportable

While an argumentative essay is rooted in your perspective, it cannot rely on personal opinion alone. It must be underpinned by concrete evidence and supported by credible research. Therefore, a good argumentative essay topic needs to be one that you can thoroughly research, gathering enough factual evidence to build a solid case for your viewpoint.

A topic like “aliens exist” might seem like a good idea initially, but unless you have reliable evidence to support this claim, it would be hard to construct a persuasive argument.

Interesting and Engaging

Lastly, your chosen topic should be engaging – something that piques your interest and sparks curiosity in your readers. When you write about a topic you are passionate about, your enthusiasm shines through your words, making your argumentative essay more compelling.

An engaging topic also helps you connect with your audience. When readers see that a topic isn’t just a random choice but a subject you genuinely care about, they are more likely to invest their time and attention in your essay.

Choosing the right topic is a significant first step in writing an impactful argumentative essay . It can be a challenging process, but with these characteristics as your guide, you’re on the path to crafting an essay that’s thought-provoking, compelling, and persuasive.

Categories of Argumentative Essay Topics

Education, the fundamental pillar of any society, is constantly evolving. Consequently, it’s a rich source of topics for an argumentative essay. From school policies to new teaching methods and technology integration in classrooms, there’s an ongoing debate about what education should look like in the modern world.

School Policies and Rules

• The effect of zero-tolerance policies on the learning environment.
• Schools should encourage the use of lockers over carrying backpacks.
• Is mandatory homework beneficial for student learning?
• The necessity of physical education in all educational stages.
• Banning cell phones in classrooms can enhance student focus.

Educational Technology

• Implementing artificial intelligence in classrooms: A game-changer or a risk?
• The role of social media in shaping educational outcomes.
• Digital textbooks are more practical than their physical counterparts.
• Is online learning as effective as face-to-face learning?
• The emergence of virtual reality in educational practices.

Teaching Methods

• The efficacy of the Montessori method in early education.
• Incorporating project-based learning enhances students’ skills.
• Traditional classroom teaching vs. flipped classroom model.
• Is rote learning harming creativity in students?
• The benefits of a holistic approach in teaching.

Higher Education Issues

• The necessity of making higher education tuition-free for all.
• Are university admissions processes inherently biased?
• Examining the value of internship programs in higher education.
• The growing importance of international exchange programs.
• Reducing student stress should be a top priority in universities.

Early Childhood Education

• The importance of play-based learning in early years.
• Does early childhood education contribute to better future academic performance?
• The influence of parental involvement in early education.
• The significance of teaching emotional intelligence in early education.
• Early exposure to a second language boosts cognitive development.

Special Needs Education

• Inclusion vs. special schools: Which is better for children with special needs?
• Implementing individualized education programs for special needs students.
• The need for specialized training for teachers in special needs education.
• Assistive technology is revolutionizing education for special needs students.
• Should learning sign language be mandatory in schools for inclusivity?

Social Issues

When it comes to social issues, opinions are often strongly polarized. This makes it a fertile ground for argumentative essay topics. Social issues cover a broad range of topics, from gender equality to immigration and climate change.

Gender Equality

• The role of media in promoting gender stereotypes.
• Women still face a glass ceiling in the corporate sector.
• Gender-neutral parenting: A step towards real equality.
• Are single-gender schools more effective than co-ed schools?
• The impact of gender bias on mental health.

Racial and Ethnic Issues

• How racial profiling in law enforcement affects society.
• The impact of language barriers on immigrants’ integration.
• Ethnicity representation in Hollywood: A long way to go.
• The need to include more ethnic histories in school curricula.
• The hidden curriculum: Unmasking racial bias in education.

Immigration and Migration

• The economic implications of immigration: Benefit or burden?
• Multicultural societies are more vibrant and innovative.
• The human rights crisis at borders requires immediate attention.
• The impact of climate change on global migration patterns.
• The right to asylum should be universally recognized.

Poverty and Social Class

• Wealth inequality is a threat to democratic societies.
• The role of education in breaking the cycle of poverty.
• Can Universal Basic Income solve poverty?
• Homelessness: A reflection of societal failure.
• The socio-psychological impact of living in poverty.

Crime and Justice

• The death penalty: An outdated form of punishment.
• Is prison the best solution for crime prevention?
• Cybercrime: The unseen threat of the digital age.
• The impact of community policing on reducing crime rates.
• A restorative justice approach is more effective than punitive justice.

Climate Change and Environment

• Climate change denial is a threat to global security.
• Individual actions can significantly impact climate change.
• The role of renewable energy in combating climate change.
• Urgent reforms are needed in global plastic policies.
• Biodiversity loss: An overlooked environmental crisis.

Health and Medicine

Health and medicine have always been subjects of intense debate. With the advent of new technologies and practices, the medical field is continually changing and growing, leading to a multitude of potential argumentative essay topics.

Mental Health

• The impact of social media on adolescents’ mental health.
• Workplace stress is a significant health concern.
• Mental health education should be incorporated into school curricula.
• The stigma associated with mental health hampers treatment.
• Mindfulness can contribute to better mental health.

Healthcare Policies

• Universal healthcare is a fundamental human right.
• Does preventive care reduce healthcare costs?
• The role of telemedicine in improving healthcare access.
• The impact of pharmaceutical pricing on public health.
• The necessity of mental health coverage in insurance plans.

Medical Ethics

• The ethical considerations of gene editing.
• Physician-assisted suicide: A matter of personal autonomy?
• The implications of data privacy in medical research.
• The right to refuse treatment is integral to patient autonomy.
• Animal testing in medical research: Ethical or outdated?

Diet and Nutrition

• Veganism: A healthier lifestyle or a trendy fad?
• The impact of fast food on public health.
• The sugar tax can reduce obesity rates.
• The nutritional value of organic food outweighs the cost.
• Food deserts contribute to nutrition inequality.

Advances in Medicine

• Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing healthcare.
• The potential of personalized medicine in improving healthcare.
• Stem cell research: The future of regenerative medicine?
• The role of nanotechnology in disease detection and prevention.
• Antibiotic resistance: A looming global health crisis.

Pandemics and Public Health

• Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic for future public health crises.
• Vaccination should be mandatory to ensure public health.
• The impact of pandemics on mental health.
• Pandemics exacerbate health inequalities.
• The need for a global unified response to pandemics.

Politics and Government

Politics and government are wide-ranging and constantly changing, making it a fascinating area for argumentative essay writing. Whether the topics relate to international relations, policy decisions, or the intricate dynamics of political ideologies, there’s always room for debate.

International Relations

• The impact of Brexit on the European Union’s unity.
• The importance of diplomatic dialogue in North Korea-US relations.
• Global cooperation is essential to address climate change.
• The role of the UN in maintaining international peace.
• How international trade agreements affect local economies.

Political Ideologies

• Democracy vs. authoritarianism: A comparative analysis.
• The influence of political ideology on social policy.
• Socialism in the 21st century: Outdated or relevant?
• Political ideology shapes foreign policy.
• The impact of populism on political discourse.

Government Policies

• Gun control policies can reduce crime rates.
• The impact of immigration policies on social cohesion.
• Universal Basic Income: A solution to unemployment or an economic risk?
• The need for comprehensive reforms in drug policies.
• Climate policy should be a priority for all governments.

Elections and Voting

• Compulsory voting can strengthen democracy.
• Electoral college vs. popular vote: What’s the better system?
• The role of campaign financing in election outcomes.
• Online voting: A convenience or a threat to security?
• Political ads on social media influence voting behavior.

Civil Rights and Liberties

• Internet censorship infringes on freedom of expression.
• The importance of protecting whistleblower rights.
• Police body cameras can protect civil rights.
• The LGBTQ+ community still faces significant legal challenges.
• The necessity of reforms in criminal justice to ensure civil liberties.

Political Corruption

• Strict anti-corruption laws can ensure government transparency.
• The impact of political corruption on economic development.
• Whistleblowers are crucial in combating political corruption.
• Political corruption erodes public trust in government.
• How can technology help in reducing political corruption?

Science and Technology

In the age of innovation, science, and technology is at the forefront of some of the most heated debates. The rapid advancements in these fields are dramatically changing our world and raising significant ethical, practical, and philosophical questions.

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics

• The integration of AI in daily life: Convenience or concern?
• The ethical considerations of autonomous cars.
• Robotics in healthcare: A step forward in patient care.
• AI can transform the educational landscape.
• The impact of AI on employment: More jobs or more joblessness?

Space Exploration

• The potential of extraterrestrial life: A scientific fact or fiction?
• The benefits of space exploration outweigh the costs.
• Should space tourism be regulated?
• The colonization of Mars is an achievable goal.
• Space exploration can offer solutions to Earth’s problems.

Genetic Engineering

• The ethical dilemmas of human genetic engineering.
• Genetic engineering in agriculture can improve food security.
• The potential of gene therapy in curing genetic disorders.
• Genetic engineering can contribute to biodiversity loss.
• Designer babies: A step too far in genetic engineering?

Climate Change and Renewable Energy

• Fossil fuels vs. renewable energy: A comparative analysis.
• The role of nuclear energy in a sustainable future.
• Electric vehicles are key to reducing carbon emissions.
• Geoengineering: A viable solution to climate change?
• Solar energy can boost economic development in impoverished regions.

Internet and Social Media

• Cyberbullying: An under-addressed issue.
• The impact of social media on youth’s self-esteem.
• Social media platforms should be held accountable for user content.
• The Internet facilitates democratic participation.
• Digital literacy should be a fundamental component of modern education.

Cybersecurity and Privacy

• The need for robust cybersecurity in an interconnected world.
• Personal data privacy: A fundamental right?
• The implications of facial recognition technology on privacy.
• The role of encryption in maintaining internet privacy.
• Cybersecurity measures are essential for online banking.

Literature is a mirror of society and a powerful tool for exploring human nature, making it a compelling subject for argumentative essays. Literary argument topics can cover a range of areas, from the evolution of different genres to the portrayal of various identities in literature.

Literary Genres

• Science fiction literature encourages scientific imagination.
• The literary value of graphic novels.
• Young adult literature shapes adolescent worldview.
• The mystery genre: An exploration of human curiosity.
• Romance novels can perpetuate unrealistic expectations of love.

Representation in Literature

• The importance of diverse representation in children’s literature.
• Female characters in literature have evolved over time.
• LGBTQ+ representation in literature promotes inclusivity.
• Postcolonial literature challenges Western narratives.
• Disability representation in literature is often stereotyped.

Classic vs. Contemporary Works

• Modern literature cannot replace the classics.
• Contemporary literature reflects current societal issues.
• Adaptations of classic works for contemporary audiences.
• The timeless relevance of Shakespeare’s works.
• Postmodern literature challenges traditional narrative structures.

Literature and Society

• Dystopian literature: A reflection of societal fears.
• Literature can play a pivotal role in social change.
• The influence of societal norms on literary themes.
• The impact of war on literature.
• Literature’s role in promoting environmental awareness.

Role of Authors and Readers

• The author’s intent vs. reader’s interpretation: What matters more?
• Fan fiction: A creative extension or a breach of copyright?
• The role of authors in promoting social issues.
• Readers play an active role in constructing meaning.
• The impact of celebrity authors on literary merit.

The Big List of Essay Topics for High School (120+ Ideas!)

Ideas to inspire every young writer!

High school students generally do a lot of writing, learning to use language clearly, concisely, and persuasively. When it’s time to choose an essay topic, though, it’s easy to come up blank. If that’s the case, check out this huge round-up of essay topics for high school. You’ll find choices for every subject and writing style.

• Argumentative Essay Topics
• Cause-and-Effect Essay Topics
• Compare-Contrast Essay Topics
• Descriptive Essay Topics
• Expository and Informative Essay Topics
• Humorous Essay Topics

Literary Essay Topics

• Narrative and Personal Essay Topics
• Personal Essay Topics
• Persuasive Essay Topics

Research Essay Topics

Argumentative essay topics for high school.

When writing an argumentative essay, remember to do the research and lay out the facts clearly. Your goal is not necessarily to persuade someone to agree with you, but to encourage your reader to accept your point of view as valid. Here are some possible argumentative topics to try. ( Here are 100 more compelling argumentative essay topics. )

• The most important challenge our country is currently facing is … (e.g., immigration, gun control, economy)
• The government should provide free internet access for every citizen.
• All drugs should be legalized, regulated, and taxed.
• Vaping is less harmful than smoking tobacco.
• The best country in the world is …
• Parents should be punished for their minor children’s crimes.
• Should all students have the ability to attend college for free?
• Should physical education be part of the standard high school curriculum?

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• Schools should require recommended vaccines for all students, with very limited exceptions.
• Is it acceptable to use animals for experiments and research?
• Does social media do more harm than good?
• Capital punishment does/does not deter crime.
• What one class should all high schools students be required to take and pass in order to graduate?
• Do we really learn anything from history, or does it just repeat itself over and over?
• Are men and women treated equally?

Cause-and-Effect Essay Topics for High School

A cause-and-effect essay is a type of argumentative essay. Your goal is to show how one specific thing directly influences another specific thing. You’ll likely need to do some research to make your point. Here are some ideas for cause-and-effect essays. ( Get a big list of 100 cause-and-effect essay topics here. )

• Humans are causing accelerated climate change.
• Fast-food restaurants have made human health worse over the decades.
• What caused World War II? (Choose any conflict for this one.)
• Describe the effects social media has on young adults.

• How does playing sports affect people?
• What are the effects of loving to read?
• Being an only/oldest/youngest/middle child makes you …
• What effect does violence in movies or video games have on kids?
• Traveling to new places opens people’s minds to new ideas.
• Racism is caused by …

Compare-Contrast Essay Topics for High School

As the name indicates, in compare-and-contrast essays, writers show the similarities and differences between two things. They combine descriptive writing with analysis, making connections and showing dissimilarities. The following ideas work well for compare-contrast essays. ( Find 80+ compare-contrast essay topics for all ages here. )

• Public and private schools
• Capitalism vs. communism
• Monarchy or democracy
• Dogs vs. cats as pets

• Paper books or e-books
• Two political candidates in a current race
• Going to college vs. starting work full-time
• Working your way through college as you go or taking out student loans
• iPhone or Android
• Instagram vs. Twitter (or choose any other two social media platforms)

Descriptive Essay Topics for High School

Bring on the adjectives! Descriptive writing is all about creating a rich picture for the reader. Take readers on a journey to far-off places, help them understand an experience, or introduce them to a new person. Remember: Show, don’t tell. These topics make excellent descriptive essays.

• Who is the funniest person you know?
• What is your happiest memory?
• Tell about the most inspirational person in your life.
• Write about your favorite place.
• When you were little, what was your favorite thing to do?
• Choose a piece of art or music and explain how it makes you feel.
• What is your earliest memory?

• What’s the best/worst vacation you’ve ever taken?
• Describe your favorite pet.
• What is the most important item in the world to you?
• Give a tour of your bedroom (or another favorite room in your home).
• Describe yourself to someone who has never met you.
• Lay out your perfect day from start to finish.
• Explain what it’s like to move to a new town or start a new school.
• Tell what it would be like to live on the moon.

Expository and Informative Essay Topics for High School

Expository essays set out clear explanations of a particular topic. You might be defining a word or phrase or explaining how something works. Expository or informative essays are based on facts, and while you might explore different points of view, you won’t necessarily say which one is “better” or “right.” Remember: Expository essays educate the reader. Here are some expository and informative essay topics to explore. ( See 70+ expository and informative essay topics here. )

• What makes a good leader?
• Explain why a given school subject (math, history, science, etc.) is important for students to learn.
• What is the “glass ceiling” and how does it affect society?
• Describe how the internet changed the world.
• What does it mean to be a good teacher?

• Explain how we could colonize the moon or another planet.
• Discuss why mental health is just as important as physical health.
• Describe a healthy lifestyle for a teenager.
• Choose an American president and explain how their time in office affected the country.
• What does “financial responsibility” mean?

Humorous Essay Topics for High School

Humorous essays can take on any form, like narrative, persuasive, or expository. You might employ sarcasm or satire, or simply tell a story about a funny person or event. Even though these essay topics are lighthearted, they still take some skill to tackle well. Give these ideas a try.

• What would happen if cats (or any other animal) ruled the world?
• What do newborn babies wish their parents knew?
• Explain the best ways to be annoying on social media.
• Invent a wacky new sport, explain the rules, and describe a game or match.

• Imagine a discussion between two historic figures from very different times, like Cleopatra and Queen Elizabeth I.
• Retell a familiar story in tweets or other social media posts.
• Describe present-day Earth from an alien’s point of view.
• Choose a fictional character and explain why they should be the next president.
• Describe a day when kids are in charge of everything, at school and at home.

Literary essays analyze a piece of writing, like a book or a play. In high school, students usually write literary essays about the works they study in class. These literary essay topic ideas focus on books students often read in high school, but many of them can be tweaked to fit other works as well.

• Discuss the portrayal of women in Shakespeare’s Othello .
• Explore the symbolism used in The Scarlet Letter .
• Explain the importance of dreams in Of Mice and Men .
• Compare and contrast the romantic relationships in Pride and Prejudice .

• Dissect the allegory of Animal Farm and its relation to contemporary events.
• Interpret the author’s take on society and class structure in The Great Gatsby .
• Explore the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia.
• Discuss whether Shakespeare’s portrayal of young love in Romeo and Juliet is accurate.
• Explain the imagery used in Beowulf .

Narrative and Personal Essay Topics for High School

Think of a narrative essay like telling a story. Use some of the same techniques that you would for a descriptive essay, but be sure you have a beginning, middle, and end. A narrative essay doesn’t necessarily need to be personal, but they often are. Take inspiration from these narrative and personal essay topics.

• Describe a performance or sporting event you took part in.
• Explain the process of cooking and eating your favorite meal.
• Write about meeting your best friend for the first time and how your relationship developed.
• Tell about learning to ride a bike or drive a car.
• Describe a time in your life when you’ve been scared.

• Share the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you.
• Tell about a time when you overcame a big challenge.
• Tell the story of how you learned an important life lesson.
• Describe a time when you or someone you know experienced prejudice or oppression.
• Explain a family tradition, how it developed, and its importance today.
• What is your favorite holiday? How does your family celebrate it?
• Retell a familiar story from the point of view of a different character.
• Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision.
• Tell about your proudest moment.

Persuasive Essay Topics for High School

Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative , but they rely less on facts and more on emotion to sway the reader. It’s important to know your audience, so you can anticipate any counterarguments they might make and try to overcome them. Try these topics to persuade someone to come around to your point of view. ( Discover 60 more intriguing persuasive essay topics here. )

• Do you think homework should be required, optional, or not given at all?
• Everyone should be vegetarian or vegan.
• What animal makes the best pet?
• Visit an animal shelter, choose an animal that needs a home, and write an essay persuading someone to adopt that animal.
• Who is the world’s best athlete, present or past?
• Should little kids be allowed to play competitive sports?
• Are professional athletes/musicians/actors overpaid?
• The best music genre is …

• Is democracy the best form of government?
• Is capitalism the best form of economy?
• Students should/should not be able to use their phones during the school day.
• Should schools have dress codes?
• If I could change one school rule, it would be …
• Is year-round school a good idea?

A research essay is a classic high school assignment. These papers require deep research into primary source documents, with lots of supporting facts and evidence that’s properly cited. Research essays can be in any of the styles shown above. Here are some possible topics, across a variety of subjects.

• Which country’s style of government is best for the people who live there?
• Choose a country and analyze its development from founding to present day.
• Describe the causes and effects of a specific war.
• Formulate an ideal economic plan for our country.
• What scientific discovery has had the biggest impact on life today?

• Analyze the way mental health is viewed and treated in this country.
• Explore the ways systemic racism impacts people in all walks of life.
• Defend the importance of teaching music and the arts in public schools.
• Choose one animal from the endangered species list, and propose a realistic plan to protect it.

What are some of your favorite essay topics for high school? Come share your prompts on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out the ultimate guide to student writing contests .

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IELTS Preparation with Liz: Free IELTS Tips and Lessons, 2024

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New IELTS Essay Topics for 2023

Below are new IELTS essay topics in 2023 for Writing Task 2. I’ve also included useful ideas for each topic so that you can prepare for your test more quickly.

The majority of essay questions you will get in IELTS writing task 2 will be recycled topics from previous years. This is because there are so many common topics to choose from. However, occasionally new topics are introduced which reflect our changing world and new current issues in society. I haven’t put the precise wording for the essay questions as IELTS often rephrase their essay questions using different wording.

To prepare fully for your test, you must also prepare ALL common essay questions. Please click here: 100 IELTS Essay Questions

In addition, please note that all the topics below can also appear in the speaking test as well (part 3).

2023 New IELTS Essay Topics with Useful Ideas 

These essay questions could appear in both the IELTS Academic and GT writing task 2 test. Please remember, these are topics with ideas so that you can use them and adapt them to the question in the test because questions will usually be paraphrased and tasks will vary from test to test.

• Essay Topic: Poor concentration due to social media
• Short attention spans can affect us by not focusing on detail and poor performance at school or work
• Pop up ads are intrusive and interrupt our focus
• Temptation to chat on social media cuts into people’s concentration
• Social media encourages a shorter attention spam with short punchy media, such as on TikTok and Instagram
• Note: I’ll post a page with useful language for the topic of concentration in a few weeks as this topic is very common in the speaking test. 

2. Essay Topic: Children learn how to grow vegetables or farming

• Growing vegetables and caring for livestock is part of essential life skills for a healthy future
• As a species we should never forget our basic life skills for future survival
• Homegrown vegetables have more nutrition which children should learn about
• Vegetables can be grown on balconies as well as patios
• It allows children to reconnect to nature which is important in a world where they are so focused on gadgets
• This might encourage children to also take an interest in cooking, which is another essential life skill

3. Essay Topic: Taking risks in personal and professional life

• “to keep people on their toes” – idiom – keep people alert and prepared for potential problems (an idiom suitable for WT2)
• + Risks help us grow and learn new skills
• + Life is always changing and full of risks so people should embrace this aspect of life rather than try to avoid it
• – Risk can lead to negative consequences for individuals and families
• – It is better to be safe than sorry
• (note: this topic is very similar to the topic about “people who like change vs people who do not like change in their life” – that topic has been used for years by IELTS

4. Essay Topic: Streaming Films Online vs cinema

• Streaming online is cheaper and more accessible
• Streaming online is more enjoyable at home
• Streaming online offers a wider choice of options
• Cinema has better sound systems and bigger screens
• Cinema allows you to share emotional responses with an audience
• Cinema is a special experience for groups and couples

5.  Essay Topic: Children & active or passive leisure activities

• Active activities: sport, photography, hiking, camping
• These activities help children get fresh air, build physical health, learn new skills and engage in socialising with others face to face.
• Passive activities: reading, watching TV, social media
• These activities help children gain insight, can be educational or inspirational, help children develop creativity and technological skills.

6. Essay Topic: Men’s and women’s sports shown on TV and social media

• Traditionally most sports were male based so audiences are historically more attracted to male sports
• Women’s sports are just as exciting as male sports
• Women’s sports don’t often get the same amount of sponsoring from companies which impacts their sport
• Women’s football already has large followings on social media

7. Essay Topic: Truth in people’s communication is most important

• + Truth helps people develop honest, meaningful relationships
• + Truth develops open communication instead of repressed relationships
• + Without truth, there is only deceit which is toxic to relationships and erodes trust
• + Truth leads to trust
• – Social media encourages people to present a version of truth rather than the whole truth in order to impress others and create a particular impression – this can lead to misconception and lead others in the wrong direction
• – Sometimes the truth can be hurtful and needs to be approached step by step rather than directly
• – Some people are not ready to hear the whole truth
• – Truth may be something that needs time to emerge in cases such as abuse or where someone may be at risk
• – Truth sometimes has to be edited for children

8. Essay Topic: Sense of Community

• + People used to know their neighbours well and have a sense of community
• + Community meant that people took care of each other and looked out for one another
• +/- Doctors and teachers used to live in the community and become leaders of the community but now they often live in other areas and play little part in the community as a whole
• – Social media does not encourage relationships with neighbours but rather between people at a distance
• Note: a similar essay topic is one such as “adults should be required to do obligatory community service for a period of time”. That essay leans towards the benefits of community service vs time and obligation.

9. Essay topic: Graffiti on city walls

• + Freedom of expression
• + Some graffiti can be a work of art
• + It creates a colourful environment in a drab urban setting (drab = dreary, dull, lifeless)
• + Graffiti can stimulate creativity in others
• + Graffiti can be cultural which benefits society
• – It is often unregulated art
• – Graffiti could contain indecent or violent images or words
• – It could incite racism, hatred or political unrest

10. Vaping and Children (Predicted Topic)

• Vaping was originally introduced to help smokers quit, but now vaping is becoming popular amongst people who never previously smoked.
• Vaping can be addictive and their use has grown dramatically in the last five years, particularly in high school children
• E-cigarettes are less harmful than normal cigarettes, but they do still contain harmful ingredients such as nicotine, flavourings and other chemicals
• Vaping could lead to increase in asthma
• While this is only a predicted topic, it is something you can easily introduce into essays or into your speaking test as it is a current world issue

11. Organised Tours to Remote Places (Tourism)

• + Travellers get to see places that are largely untouched by the modern world
• + Remote places are steeped in culture and interest
• + Remote places can benefit from a boost in their economy
• – The culture in such places will be altered by so many tourists
• – Such tourism can have a negative impact on the local eco system
• With tourism comes the threat of pollution

12. Museums should focus on local works of art

• + Focusing on local art exhibits means local artists are supported and encouraged
• + Part of the task of a museum is conserving local history and culture so this should be their primary goal
• + This is a way of promoting local culture and history to tourists which could benefit the economy of the country
• – Many museums have international collections of art that people travel from around the world to see
• – The history of some countries is interconnected with other countries and other cultures – history is not always confined within a boarder
• – We now live in a global world and museums should reflect that

13. Values from family and parents play a greater role in future success than skills and knowledge from schools

• + from parents we can learn discipline and the meaning of hard work which are vital for future success
• + from family we can learn the value of determination and never giving up
• – schools provide the building blocks of knowledge upon which our future hangs, such as reading, writing, comprehension, maths etc
• – without education, most people would be reduced to menial work and success would be much harder to attain
• – some careers require specific education and training without which success would be impossible

Useful Links:

Click Below:

Writing Task 2 Model Essays and Tips

Writing Task 1: Model Answers and Tips

Note: IELTS do not use topics based on religion or politics because IELTS is non-political and non-religious . IELTS tests tend to aim for topics that reflect the world we live in by focusing on social issues and everyday issues that are more familiar and less emotional for people to write or speak about. So, please pay attention to which resources you use online when you prepare for your test and make sure you aren’t wasting your time preparing for topics that definitely won’t appear.

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Hi, Liz I am so glad to tell you I have got 6.5 in writing even though it’s not a high score…

about the writing , i’d like to share some contents below.

writing 1 it is a line graph talking about air pollutants in the UK from 1995 to 2005 there are three lines, including the total one, households, industry, transport.

writing 2 some people think it is a waste of time to read newspaper and watch tv news, to what extent do you agree or disagree?

But I want to say that is mainly thanks to your website, I have actually only learned about writing part in this website at about 4 month. Thank you so much!!! your kindness and learning skills you shared really help us so much!!! Big thanks!!

Well done with your score! And thanks for sharing your topics 🙂

I had posted a comment regarding GT Writing Task2, few minutes back. Earlier it was mentioned that it is awaiting moderation. But now, I don’t see it at all. Has it been unapproved? If yes, can you please explain why?

To explain why your comment was waiting in moderation: 1) your first comment arrived at 6.30am UK time. I would be asleep. 2) your second comment arrived at 8am. I still hadn’t started work. As I work part time, I work alone and I’m sick, I don’t work every day. On top of that there are over 26,000 comments waiting in moderation, it is not humanly possible for a sick person or even a healthy person to read and answer them all. I do by best to help people for free, but I am not superwoman – I’m just a teacher who tries her best with the time I have.

You asked about personal experiences for an IELTS essay. This isn’t about you, your family or friends because those examples are generally informal and IELTS essays are formal in tone and content. It’s about your experience of the world and your opinions. This means you don’t refer to “a person I know does not own a car”, you write “although most people are car owners, a number of people still do not own cars”. That is how you phrase your knowledge and experience.

Regarding addressing parts of the essay question and ideas, part of your preparation is to prepare ideas for topics. This is the reason I created an e-book called Ideas for IELTS Essay Topics. The more topics you prepare for, the better. There is a list of over 100 essay topics on the main writing task 2 page of this website and I also published a list of potential topics for 2024 which you should also use for your preparation. Look through the lists and find the ones you know nothing about, then educate yourself. Obviously my e-books helps a lot with that process because it contains ideas and vocabulary for over 150 common essay topics. But the rest of the work, you must do yourself.

One of the marking criterion for writing task 2 is Task Response, which counts for 25% of your marks for writing task 2. This is your ability to address everything in the essay question, have a highly focused essay, have relevant ideas that are well developed and understand the issues given. So, if you haven’t prepared enough and you fail to address part of the essay question, or if part of your essay is irrelevant because you misunderstood it, then your score in Task Response will be lower. The band score descriptors published by IELTS for your benefit show that for a band score 5 in TR, “the main parts of the prompts are not addressed”. So, to fail in addressing the issues or including irrelevant information will hold you at around band 5 or band 6 depending at how poorly you do at this. For that reason, you need to prepare ideas for topics and also ensure that you are following current world issues, such as global warming, early education, international aid etc etc. All this information is explained on various pages of my website. This website is extensive and contains well over 200 pages of advice, tips, topics, examples, information and model answers. It is your task to use all the free information I have already provided to learn.

Thank you for providing such a comprehensive reply. Kudos to you !

You’re welcome

Hello Liz, Greetings from India. Hope you are doing well now. Thank you for uploading such wonderful material. I was hoping if you could help with the “include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience” part in GT Writing Part2. What phrases are suitable for mentioning personal experience in a formal essay? Moreover, if a topic is such that I don’t have any relevant experiences or ideas, then is it okay to skip over this part of the essay?

could you please rate my Essay and give me tips how to improve? I have sat the IELTS twice but always fail to achieve Bandscore 8.0. I always end up with Bandscore 7,5 in writing, but need a 8. My next test is in a few weeks and I am getting anxious now. I am having issues with developing paragraphs well as I should not write much more than 300 words, but I do not know how to fully develop an argument in just 250 words (or a bit more). Thank you in Advance, Cheers, Tara

There is a lot of pressure on young people today to succeed academically. As a result, some people believe that non-academic subjects, such as physical education and cookery, should be removed from the school syllabus so that children can concentrate on academic work. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Some people argue, that non-vital subjects such as sports or cooking lessons should be banned from the curriculum in order to facilitate students to focus on exam relevant courses. Personally, I support the idea of maintaining extracurricular activities in school as it benefits childrens health and supports them in developing life skills.

First and foremost, students who undergo physical training during school hours and learn how to cook meals from scratch are best equipped for life. To be more precise, even though such classes seem to be irrelevant at first sight, they prove to be essential to teach pupils how to keep themselves fit, how to nourish and nurture their bodies and overall how to lead a healthy lifestyle. Students who regularly attend sports classes do not only gain muscles, accelerate their endurance and develop their stamina. They also improve on skills to succeed in academic life and in everyday’s life, such as motivation, resilience, persistence, agility, strength and motivation

Furthermore, they develop core skills such as self-awareness and confidence, which may in turn not only help strengthen their mental health but also to gain invaluable skills, such as for presenting in front of an audience.

However, there might be some students who do not lead a healthy lifestyle at all and are in favour of getting low-nutritional meal options at the next available food stall, in order to gain more time to focus on their studies. Alternatively, they would rather buy take-away meals or frozen food in the supermarket, that they can simply reheat or prepare at home in a short period of time.

To conclude, I strongly support the idea of keeping subjects such as physical training and cookery courses in the curriculum, in order to allow students to develop an understanding of how to lead a healthy lifestyle, which in turn raises their chance to succeed academically as well.

It looks like you haven’t read the band score descriptors. If your body paragraphs are not equally developed, you won’t get a high score in Coherence and Cohesion. It’s a very simple thing to learn and to do, but so many people don’t pay attention to it and it costs them a good band score. You’ve also got two body paragraphs where you don’t even mention the school curriculum or subjects. If your sentences are not fully written and fully connected to the topic given, you will get a lower score. Just because you’ve connected the points in your head, doesn’t mean it works in IELTS essays. For example, your second body paragraph is about awareness and confidence – who are you referring to? which subject are you referring to? how does this connect to the school curriculum and the balance of subjects? Not one single mention is given to explain anything in that body paragraph. You do a similar thing in the third body paragraph. In your introduction, you also completely change the essay topic by writing about extra-curricular activities. This topic is not about such activities, it’s about subjects such as cookery and physical education which form part of the curriculum – they are each a valid subject. Each time you paraphrase be very careful because if you paraphrase incorrectly or use the wrong words, you might completely go off topic. And that’s what you’ve done here. Finally, you’ve completely ignored the fact that the essay topic is about comparing these subjects with academic subjects (such as science, maths, literature etc) – you’ve failed to tackle that in your essay. I see many issues with the way you are writing and forming your essay. Even though your level of English is strong, Task Response and Coherence & Cohesion together form 50% of your marks and you are struggling with them both. You need to know what to aim at otherwise your score will be unpredictable. I suggest you get my advanced lessons and also my Grammar E-book which also contains information about linking, referring and much more: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/ . An IELTS essay is not just an essay. It an IELTS essay with specific requirements for higher band scores and you need to know what it’s all about.

Thanks,your informations are very useful )))

Hello Dear Liz. I wrote my test yesterday on the 30th. Waiting task 1 I wrote more than 150 words and the task 2 I wrote more than 250 words. Would that affect my score?

What a strange question to ask. Your task is to write more than 150 words in task 1 and to write more than 250 words in task 2. Did you get confused about the task? The word count task has remained the same for many years.

Hi Liz, this essay topic is a bit confusing. How do you advise to handle this? Many people think that more money will make them happier. How important is money for happiness?

You need to decide if money can make people happier or if there is anything else that can. If you think there are other things that can make people happy, you write one paragraph about how money affects people and then one or two other body paragraphs about the other factors of happiness.

Liz! My scores are in S8 L8.5 R9.0 W7. 5. We did it!!!

Excellent!! Very well done to you 🙂

The cultures of many countries around the world becomes more similar than they used to be. What are the reasons for this trend? Is it positive or negative? Hey Liz! How do I answer a double question essay

You would give a direct answer in your thesis statement in the introduction to both questions. Then, each body paragraph would tackle one question with a clear main point and explanation. Always remember to keep the organisation of your essay very logical for a high score.

Hello Liz, Thank you so much for providing us with a treasure store for IELTS preparation materials. I tried to pay for some e-books from the website, but it didn’t work. I have booked my exam on November 19, so I thought it would be beneficial to buy those books.

Could you please guide me?

All the payments at the moment for my advanced lessons and e-books go through paypal. Some countries can’t use paypal unfortunately, but you can always ask a friend to make the payments for you. If you use paypal, but you struggle to make a payment, check your paypal settings – you might need to ensure that they are set to allow for international payments. To purchase something, go to my store, click on the item you wish to purchase (CLICK HERE) and then click (BUY NOW). Contact me if you continue to have problems: [email protected] and this is a link to my online store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

DEAR LIZ Where can we get information of updated writing topics of september and october 2023

The writing topics and questions are changed with each test – there is not one set of topics for certain months.

I just went for the exam last week. Academic sample October 2023 Writing task 1- table on male and female of 6 different sectors for 3 different period. Writing task 2 – more people are moving into mega-cities: with 20 billion population, is this a negative or positive development?

For task 1 – I panicked and could not summarized as well I would normally do. For task 2 – completed but locked out no time to check.

I got my score for my compute based and got 6.5 for writing, i need to re sit for writing alone. Feeling demotivated,

Sorry to hear of your struggle. Tables can be challenging because there is so much information in them. You need to spend a lot of time just looking at tables and writing overviews. Once you have mastered the overview, you then need to look at lots of tables and simply decide what information to group together in which body paragraphs. It’s all about learning to select information. For writing task 2, planning should only take 5 mins and the introduction should be written very quickly because all introductions are similar – paraphrase and then state your position/main points. Only the body paragraphs take time to write, but you can only succeed in the body paragraphs if you have done enough planning before you start writing. All your sentences (information for each sentence) should have been planned before you start writing. Think carefully about how you prepare. You need to develop skills and strategies for both task 1 and task 2. I’m sure you can nail this. Just see it as another challenge that you will succeed in. Never let your emotions deter you. Your brain is a powerful tool and I have faith in you!! Good luck next time!!

Thank you Liz, will try again and re-sit soon with this strategies in mind.

hi mam, i am Nitharshini from srilanka. i am going to write exam coming December. so can you tell what are the topics expecting? please tell some tips and technic for eassy writing

The essay topics vary with each test. They are not seasonal. So, just stick with all the topics above and my 100 essay questions which cover a large range of topics that appear most years and can easily appear this year and next year: https://ieltsliz.com/100-ielts-essay-questions/

People’s shopping habits depend more on the age group that they belong to then other factors. To what extent do you agree or disagree? I was asked this on my test yesterday. Good luck for your exam!

It’s an interesting essay question. Thanks for sharing. Hope your test went well 🙂

Hi, Liz! Voraciously consuming your page in preparation for my 2nd attempt. Thank you for the easy-to-follow IELTS content. Indeed, very helpful! Would like to share the question I got last week on Task 2:

Nowadays public transport prices are rapidly increasing. Why do you think it is happening? How can this problem be solved?

For the first question, it does require an opinion, right? I mistook the question as only asking for causes and solutions and failed to express/give my opinion. In retrospect, I regretted not analyzing the question very carefully before answering. Hoping to get my desired band next time.

Your task asks you for causes and solutions. You could easily say “I think the main reason that X is happening is because …” or you could write “The main reason X is happening is because …”. Both are fine. In this case it doesn’t matter. You’ve chosen your ideas and presented them. The problem with IELTS essays only comes when you are asked to choose and to present a clear position, but you fail to give any position at all. Failure to choose when you are asked to choose is the problem. So, don’t worry with cause solution essays – present them as you wish.

Thank you, Liz! I reviewed your tips carefully and focused on writing task 2 essays for a week before trying out again. From 6.5 on my 1st attempt to 7.5 on my next. The next topic I got was about children’s freedom nowadays, whether it is a positive or negative development. Thank you very much! I will keep recommending your page to my friends who will take IELTS.

I pray that just as we’ve claimed victory over IELTS, you will emerge victorious in your fight against your disease. May God heal you and bless you!

Great to hear your news!! It’s wonderful to see someone push their writing score up like that. Very well done 🙂 And thanks for your support in my fight to win my health back – much appreciated.

Hello Liz , Thank you so much for sharing the new topic for IELTS. Hope , it Will help us. Get well Soon.

Glad it’s useful. Thanks 🙂

Hey liz, my task 2 qn was: constructing bigger roads may help to prevent traffic problems. what is your opinion?

May i know what type of qn is this..i approached this as agree/ disagree type. In my answer i made it clear that even though i consider constructing bigger roads help to tackle the issue , people should be encouraged to use public transport. Is this the correct strategy.

unfortunately, my writing score decreased from 7 to 6.5 this time. I don’t know the reason but i was sure that i wrote it better than my 1st attempt by following most of your suggestions.

It is an Opinion Essay. An opinion essay is the same as an agree disagree essay. Don’t get confused by the way teachers name essays. An opinion essay is one where IELTS present you with an opinion such as “some people think that constructing bigger roads may help to prevent traffic problems”. Your task is to decide if you agree, disagree or partially agree with the opinion given. You might have your own specific opinion. If you partially agree as you did, you would have one paragraph explaining the benefits of constructing bigger roads. Then you would have another paragraph explaining that bigger roads is only one solution and more public transport is needed as well. Both ideas would need a separate paragraph and full explanation. IELTS essays are not just about what ideas you have, they are also about how you present them, how you connect them and how you explain them. Another possible issue with your essay is your choice of ideas. If bigger roads will reduce traffic congestion, encouraging people to use public transport probably isn’t of vital importance because you no longer have congestion. This doesn’t mean you can’t use this idea, but it does mean you need to address this. Having ideas isn’t enough for a high score. You need to think your ideas through and address them in a way that makes sense. So, you might want to address the point that even widening roads won’t be effective enough and needs to be in conjunction with improving public transport, and encouraging people to use it. The higher the band score, the more you have properly thought through your ideas. I’ll post a model answer for this essay shortly so you can compare it to your own. And don’t forget that your overall writing score also includes task 1 which is one of the main reasons people struggle to push their score above band 7. Many people think that because task 1 is only 33% of their marks, they won’t focus on it. But 33% can actually have a huge effect on your overall score.

Huge thanks Liz for your reply and effort to put a model answer for the qn.

I got a letter qn asking to address the manager of the company to tell him about the how the employees felt about the foreign language course given by the company to them. Also asked to request for more such classes and suggest the available time to join them. In a rush i concluded it with the designation yours sincerely (bcz my salutation was Dear Mr, Robert Peterson). I thought that i addressed the manager by name then it could be considered as an informal letter. Should i have written yours faithfully instead? I worry it might affected my band score bcz i have framed my essay structure as that you have stated above.

You used the correct sign off. We use “Yours sincerely” when we know the name of the person we are writing to, for example “Dear Mr Smith”. We use “Yours faithfully” when we don’t know they name and in which case we might start “Dear Sir”. An informal letter is usually to a friend. We might start “Dear John” or “Hi John” and sign off “All the best” or “Take care” – something friendly and informal. Just because you knew the manager’s name “Mr Robert” does not mean it is informal. He is your manager, not your friend. It is a work related letter, not a letter related to a social party. So, relax, you did it right. Here’s a link for others to my essential tips for letter writing for IELTS General Training Writing Task 1: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-letter-writing-essential-tips/ Good luck with your results!

Extremely I’m grateful to you.I hope i’ld be able to get my desired band score in the next attempt.

Really praying for your health and happiness. Be blessed ❤️

I’m really pleased for you. Well done 🙂

Thank you so much

Madam,You are the best mentor i have ever seen Despite being ill ,you are keen on helping students .I appreciate your dedication and mentor .Get well soon.Love from India 🇮🇳.

You’re welcome 🙂

Dear Liz Today I had IELTS general training test, so I would like to share topic of writing task 2 for your useful website, if possible please post a sample answer for the below topic

Fast food is a part of life in many place. Some people think this has bad effects in lifestyle and diet. Do you agree or disagree?

Hi Liz, Thank you for the topics and the outline. You really make writing task 2 seem easy.

Thanks for sharing 🙂 Hope your test went well 🙂

Just now wrote this; please liz guide me on this. As I am going have my GT Ielts on coming weekend, InshAllah. Many modern societies have normalized the concept of fast food. Mostly, people eat fast food as their routine diet. In this essay I will write my view point regarding negative impact of fast food in lifestyle and diet.

I strongly believe that fast food is a reason of bad eating habit. As it is instantly ordered or cooked food with unmeasurable quantity of unhealthy ingredients, people usually don’t need to hustle or think before eating. This results in nonserious behavior towards the healthy eating style.

Secondly, fast food also influences the unwell way of living. For instant, if an irregular food is being eaten on a frequent basis will consequently result in illness and suffering. Therefore, people tend to end up in hospitals and so their lifestyle gets disturbed and miserable.

On the contrast, many people argue that fast food is good and easy to eat. They think like eating fast food is a part of modern era and brings them a social status. As far as I am concerned, I think they are unaware that this easiness and modernization will ultimately cause them illness and laziness. Because, they have become so much habitual of eating such type of edibles that they cannot think or realize further.

In conclusion, fast food makes a person unhealthy and ruins their lifestyle. In a way that people start to possess wrong eating choices and start to have health conditions after eating swiftly made food. In my opinion awareness of balanced diet should be encouraged across the globe.

Please review all my free lessons and tips for writing task 2 on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ . If you need training in each type of essay, get my advanced lessons which you can find in my online store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/ . Make sure you aim for between 270-290 words more or less. Try not to write such short essays and please review your paragraphing and linking words.

Are these the ways that Essays are sent in IELTS exams ,the bullet points under the main topic are we to use them to develop points that is paraphrasing them?

These are essay topics, not questions. If you go to the links I provided to the 100 essay questions, you’ll see examples of questions for most topics. Essay questions are great to practice with at home: https://ieltsliz.com/100-ielts-essay-questions/ . But you can’t possibly practice so many essay questions in full. Instead, you practice with as many questions as you can and the rest you tackle as just topics by preparing useful ideas you can use. Above, I have provided some of the new topics that have appeared in the test this year and provided you with ideas you can use in your essays. You will adapt those ideas depending on how the essay question is rephrased and depending on the task given. As I explained on the page, IELTS like to change the task and change the wording which is why your preparation needs to be flexible. If you wish to see model essays for different types of tasks for writing task 2, see this page for model essays and more tips: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hi liz , can we write “a survey conducted by the department the UK depicted that 45 % of people fo not respect their elders ” in task 2 of writing module

The examiner has no interest in data or numbers in writing task 2 essays and no interest in studies or research. None of that will boost your score. Instead, explain your points and illustrate them using a range of good language: “the majority of younger people nowadays seem to lack respect for their elders compared to previous generations”. “the majority” is better English than “75%”. Alternatively, “almost half of all young people” is better English than “45%”. Writing task 1 is about data in the academic test, but task 2 is not. Also expand your sentence by adding comparatives to previous generations to show the examiner more language skills.

thank you so much dear

Grateful to you 🙏 appreciate your efforts 😊 bless you dear ❣️

Hello, Thank you for your lesson. I would like to learn the vocabulary that you published (very useful material, for me) concerning crimes, punishments, etc .. but the page is protected. If it’s possible, please, to give me the permission to copy that page? For free or with a paiement? Thank you very much for your answer! Best regards, Andreia ,

Sorry, my website doesn’t allow coping. The act of making notes is part of language learning. The more you use the language both in writing and speaking, the quicker you will learn it.

Thank you very much mam . Your lessons have inspired and encouraged me to take the IELTS test . But I have a problem, I can’t really figure out how to create a link in task 2 general writing.

I don’t understand what you mean by create a link. Do you mean using linking words? You can find linking words for task 2 on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/linking-words-for-writing/

Such a wonderful topics, thank you so much dear Liz

I got my IELTS GT score today, and I wanted to thank you. I am so grateful for your website. While I had practiced Listening and Reading tests before, I ended up havinvg barely 1 day to prepare for the Writing (including familiarising myself with the format for GT) and Speaking owing to my sudden work demands. Your platform was instrumental in supporting me, especially with the Writing. During Speaking, I became a tad nervous, and I thought that had messed up, but that was just the post-exam fear.

My IELTS GT result: Overall 8.5 (L8.5, R8.5, W8.0 and S8.5). I had taken IELTS Academic back in 2019 but my Writing and Speaking bands back then were lower (Overall 8 with L9, D9, W7 and S7.5).

I currently reside in Australia, and I wanted to add the topics I had in my writing in case they may help someone else. – Task 1 was a formal letter to a teacher asking for reference. Prompts included why I’m writing to this particular teacher, the details of the job and why I think I’m fit for the role. -Task 2 was a two-question essay. It suggested that nowadays different generations in a family spend less time doing activities together. What is/are the reason(s)? Is this a positive or negative development?

Your tips on introduction paragraph writing and paragraph structuring helped me immensely. I established technology as the reason and took my stance on this gap causing a negative impact. In paragraph 1, I talked about how technology causes this from the older generations perspective. In paragraph 2, I used smart phones and social media as the technology advancements to suggest how gaps arise from the younger generations’ side. In paragraph 3, I establish how it negatively affects the development families and the community as a whole. Finished it up with the conclusion starting with “to conclude” just like you’ve recommended. If I hadn’t watched your content, I would’ve tried to be unnecessarily fancy, and lost points.

Again, I am truly grateful for your website, and all the work you’ve put into it.

Great results!! And I’m so pleased to see how you’ve improved. I’m glad you kept your essay focused – this is what IELTS writing task 2 is all about – focused and relevant sentences, each one serving a purpose. Thanks for sharing your writing tasks, it’s always useful to keep up-to-date. Wishing you all the best in your future 🙂

Hi Akash , I’m about to take my IELTS GT test please it would be of great help to me if you could help me with some questions and guidance

Thank you Liz,ur teachings are more easier and understandable 🙏

I’m glad it’s all useful 🙂

it seems that these topics do not have the task

Tasks can be altered in the same way that essay questions can be recorded. Don’t expect questions and task to appear the same in the test. This is the reason you need to prepare ideas for topics which you then adapt to the question and task.

Thank you mam for helping us ,from my bottom of heart your lessons give me more confidence to prepare my ielts exam…

welcome back Liz. Hope you are feeling much better now. Happy to see you back again. waiting for more videos . ❤️❤️😍

Thanks. I’m still struggling but I’m going to try and post up posts more regularly if possible. Fingers crossed 🙂 It’ll take me longer to make videos though.

helpful website

Thank you very much Liz. for those topics. I hope you are fine and strong again.

Thank you Liz,this email is so helpful.

Thank you very much.

Hi Liz , could you make video on music , history and comedy movie topics for IELTS speaking test ( part 2) ? How to tackle these topics ? Thanks Shazia

Sure, I’ll add them to my list of videos to make but as I’m still sick, it’ll be a while before I can make videos again. I do intend to get back to video making whenever I can.

Hi liz, Am very happy to be one of your student.May God bless you and your family for the good heart.Thanks Thanks

Much appreciated Liz. Your ideas are really helpful in opening up one’s mind

just thank thankful to you

Madam you are hope and inspiration of many of us.

Thank u madam

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10 Essays To Read Again in 2023

A list of our staff’s favorite essays from the past year.

Hello, New Lines readers,

We hope you’re enjoying a much-needed holiday break. We have a lot in store for 2023, particularly the launch of our print edition. In the meantime, as has become tradition, we wanted to share with you a list of our staff’s favorite essays from the past year. We hope you’ll find something of interest in this eclectic collection of stories.

Wishing you a Happy New Year from the New Lines team!

The Day My Wartime Cat Went Missing, by Rasha Elass

Riada asimovic akyol, strategic initiatives editor.

Many of my close friends tell me that, despite my irrational fear of cats, I’d be a perfect “cat person,” once I dared to confront those fears. I’ve acknowledged the joy and glow in their eyes, when my friends speak of their pets. I’ve observed such bonds curiously and in a more mindful way in the last few years, especially after becoming a mother, responsible for someone else’s life. 

The essay “The Day My Wartime Cat Went Missing” was published early in 2022, and was an instant classic. Our Editorial Director, Rasha Elass, writes masterfully about her adventures with adopted cats Pumpkin and Gremlin, whom she first met in Abu Dhabi. She beautifully depicts how they survived a tough war, and the different challenges they’ve been through in the Middle East and the United States. She shares her genuine love and nurturing care, as well as her dread at the possibility of losing them, whether in peacetime or war. 

The essay is a gorgeous reminder of the bonds that matter. Check it out for yourself.

How I Survived a Syrian Gulag, by Jaber Baker

Rasha al aqeedi, middle east deputy editor.

The terms “dictatorship,” “fascism,” “authoritarianism” and “totalitarianism” are thrown around today to describe various ruling systems in the world to such an extent that they have lost their actual meaning. Inconveniences such as losing access to a social media platform are compared to the conditions that led to the Holocaust, while wearing a pandemic-imposed mask is akin to living in a gulag. 

The Syrian author Jaber Baker takes us on a dark journey through his time in an actual gulag run by Bashar al-Assad’s Baath Party. For me personally, the essay is a masterclass in storytelling and struck more chords and triggered more memories of my childhood and adolescence in Saddam Hussein’s Iraq than I wish it had. The true experiences and traumas of dictatorship face the threat of being drowned out by the noises of victimhood culture. While no one has a monopoly on trauma, Syrians have the right to tell the stories of their torture and suffering. It is a reminder that not all injustices are created equal. 

The Last of the Bougainvillea Years, by Zeina Hashem Beck

Erin clare brown, north africa editor.

When faced with an impending move to Paris from Dubai in search of more stability for her family, poet Zeina Hashem Beck is suddenly filled with the pangs of loss — not for the Emirates, where she’d lived since 2006, but for her home in Lebanon. She explores this abstract sense of displacement and longing in her gorgeously crafted essay, written in a pitch-perfect prose that carries the music of poetry through her attempts to sort her belongings, prepare her children, and reassure herself that the displacement is the right call. Through it all Hashem Beck mourns the impending loss of her bougainvillea vines, whose clouds of pink blossoms and wicked thorns come to symbolize in turns her beloved hometown, her Mediterranean identity and in ways, the author herself. 

It’s a beautiful meditation on loss and longing, displacement and belonging that reminds us that when we are the right amount of thirsty, we blossom.

What Ukraine Means for Lithuanians Haunted by Soviet Past, by Inga Rudzinskaite-Colman

Amie ferris-rotman, global news editor.

When reading this essay, one feels that an entire generation of Eastern Europeans is speaking, in a single, defiant voice, suddenly with renewed urgency. The globe is so focused on Russia’s horrific assault on Ukraine, and the grim atrocities the Russian military commits practically every day, that we often forget, or perhaps do not realize, the impact the war has on Moscow’s previous victims. In this essay, the analyst Inga Rudzinskaite-Colman, who was born and raised in Vilnius, dives into complicated issues like collective trauma and self-identity. She tells us, in poignant detail, how she and her fellow countrymen and women strived for decades to disassociate themselves from Russia and their Soviet past. But belonging to the Western “club” has also meant uncomfortable compromises, like being “Russiasplained” to. Read this beautifully written essay to peer into the new realities facing the Baltics, Poland and other countries once in Russia’s orbit, who are now finding themselves united by survival. 

Rushdie Is India’s Forgotten Child of Midnight, by Pratik Kanjilal

Surbhi gupta, south asia editor.

Earlier this year, when Salman Rushdie was attacked before his talk in western New York, his supposed safe haven, much of the discussion in the media and reports in the news cycle focused on the politics of that infamous fatwa by the Ayatollah Khomeini calling for the writer’s death and its repercussions on the Muslim world. Yet, despite the fact Rushdie has roots in India and the subcontinent has been a constant source of inspiration for his writing, I could find no essay that delved into this relationship and work with South Asia — before this one.

While many were focused on the backlash against Rushdie’s novel, “The Satanic Verses,” the South Asian connection in the story was being overlooked. The first protests against the book happened not in Iran but in Pakistan, and this prompted the Indian government to ban its import from the U.K. It was, indeed, in a review in an Indian magazine that the Ayatollah is said to have first learned of the book. That’s why I loved this essay by Pratik Kanjilal, a veteran journalist and books editor in India, who has followed Rushdie’s journey closely through the years and was the best person to write it. He packs a lot into this essay: He writes about Rushdie, critiques his work, discusses what his Booker Prize wins meant for English writing in India, his relationship with India and Pakistan, and the irony of the attack, coinciding as it did with the 75th Independence Day celebrations in India. 

Faith and Vengeance: the Islamic State’s War in Afghanistan, by Fazelminallah Qazizai and Chris Sands

Tam hussein, associate editor.

This piece tells the story of the rise of the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP), and its fall and rebirth, told through the character of Abu Omar Khorasani, “the most feared and despised prisoner in Directorate 40.” It takes you on a journey from the Afghan Jihad in the 1980s all the way to the present. I love deep dives and investigations. This particular piece is very original and will no doubt populate the citations of many books on the topic for years to come. To produce an essay of such quality requires a supportive editorial team and journalists willing to follow the story all the way. For me, that is embodied in this investigation. When I read it, I can almost see the legwork and local knowledge put in by Fazelminallah Qazizai. I see the crisp writing style of Qazizai’s co-author Chris Sands, the beautiful artwork of Joanna Andreasson and the background work that the editorial team puts in months before publication. And so it’s not just an enjoyable and interesting read, it’s what our managing editor Ola Salem says the best essays are — a work of art.

When Uganda Expelled Its Asian Population in 1972, Britain Tried to Exclude Them, by Saima Nasar

Kwangu liwewe, africa editor.

When I read this essay, it reminded me of the writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s The Danger of a Single Story. For five decades, the narrative about the expulsion of Uganda’s Asians has been that they went to Britain, were welcomed there and lived as refugees, then successfully assimilated into society and have contributed to all spheres of British life.

This essay puts the spotlight on how the narrative changed from unwanted Asian immigrants to one of a humanitarian response, when the plight of Asians became international news and Britain feared a backlash. The writer Saima Nasar lifts the lid on this narrative and tells the story of how, in actual fact, the Asians were British passport holders and were initially not welcome in Britain.

Nasar writes, “While Ugandan Asians have no doubt shaped Britain’s economic, political and socio-cultural landscapes, it is important to avoid celebratory narratives that overlook histories of struggle and discrimination.” 

It is an important essay that challenges society to re-examine historical narratives.

A Film Critic Reflects on the Artistic Journeys and Vision of the Late French Director Jean-Luc Godard, by Jonathan Rosenbaum

Danny postel, politics editor.

When I saw the news on Sept. 13 that the legendary filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard had died, I immediately called Jonathan Rosenbaum, the longtime film critic for my local alt-weekly newspaper, the Chicago Reader, and the author of multiple books on world cinema. Rosenbaum had written extensively about Godard’s films over the years and had interviewed the grand poobah of French cinema’s New Wave movement on more than one occasion. I was thrilled that Rosenbaum agreed to write for us, despite being unfamiliar with New Lines (he later informed me that Sight and Sound, the magazine of the British Film Institute, also asked him to write something on Godard but we got to him first). 

In the essay, he discusses several of Godard’s films — “Breathless” (1960), “Alphaville” (1965), “Tout Va Bien” (1972), “Every Man for Himself” (1980), “Passion” (1982), “Nouvelle Vague” (1990) and “Histoire(s) du Cinéma,” an eight-part experimental video series made between 1988 and 1998 — but it’s far from a survey of the late director’s filmography. Instead, it’s a deeply personal meditation on his poetic vision and colossal global influence, and on the relationship between art and commercial success and failure. “Marketplace value has little or nothing to do with the love of art,” Rosenbaum writes, and “there’s no way of gauging the latter via the former, especially insofar as the intensity of the love and the qualities of the audience experiencing and expressing it aren’t even remotely quantifiable.” Godard once said to Rosenbaum: “I like to think of myself as an airplane, not an airport.” Reflecting on that quip, Rosenbaum writes that “vehicles that take us places, and the destinations of those who make them don’t have to be the same as the destinations of those who climb into those vehicles.”

Between Two Rivers, Between Two Myths, by Sophus Helle

Lydia wilson, culture editor.

I wanted to choose a history essay for two reasons: It’s one of the genres that we do particularly well and, second, this type of long-form history is not given much space in other outlets. Our history essays are always deep-dive explorations of stories from the past from experts on the subject, showing us something new about the world, whether a new perspective on a familiar topic or a previously hidden gem. 

“Between Two Rivers,” by the Mesopotamian scholar Sophus Helle, exemplifies what we’re trying to do. It is based on deep expertise, exploring the identities of societies going back millennia in the territory now called Iraq. Helle looks at the labels these cultures gave themselves and were given by later invaders or historians. But it does not only tell the story of the historical material. Crucially, it explains why these facts, controversies and debates about old identities are relevant today, and the obfuscation of the past realities on the ground in Iraq does not serve its present inhabitants. History matters, and this essay brings that home. 

An Exile Returns to Find Syria Changed Forever, by Nizar Kinaan

Faisal al yafai, international editor.

It’s been a year of war — as too many of the past few years have been — this time dominated in Europe by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. At the magazine, we’ve certainly published a lot about the Ukraine war, but we’ve also kept a close eye on other conflicts.

This essay by Nizar Kinaan, a pseudonym for obvious reasons, is one of those, revisiting the still-simmering Syrian conflict. The author returned to the coastal city of Latakia after years away and found a city, and country, drastically changed by the war. We called the essay “No Country for Young Men” because of the profound changes in gender roles wrought by the war.

“‘Where are the young men?’ I asked my friends in the cafe bar we were drinking in. ‘They are dead, in the army or they left like I should have done.’”

“The taboos against women working in certain specific jobs have definitely been broken,” wrote Kinaan, quoting a Syrian woman who said, “I am not saying all taboos have been completely shattered … but things have definitely shifted. Now women can work in most jobs, stay out late, and be a little bit more independent.”

Many will applaud that change, but the reasons that brought it about have destabilized the entire society. This is what makes Kinaan’s encounter with Latakia so interesting; he doesn’t judge what has happened by any moral standard except that of Syria itself. He doesn’t applaud changes in isolation without understanding what it took to make them change.

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A film about a goatherding indian migrant sparks a gulf controversy, what a beauty pageant reveals about identity in postapartheid south africa, preserving iraqi memories through immersive virtual reality, edward said’s cultural universalism and love of opera, ‘a round of applause’ finds the funny side of despondency, sign up to our newsletter.

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Research Paper Topics for 2024: Explore Ideas Across Various Fields

When you start writing a research paper, it’s like diving into a big pool of exploration and analysis. A good research paper goes beyond just gathering facts. It’s more about exploring a topic, asking the right questions, and coming up with thoughtful answers. Whether you're looking at historical events, scientific discoveries, or cultural trends, the trick is to find interesting research topics that catch your interest and keep you motivated throughout the process.

This article is here to help with that sometimes tricky job of picking a topic. We’ll cover a variety of interesting research topics from different areas, making it easier for you to find one that not only fits your assignment but also grabs your attention.

But let’s be honest, picking the right topic isn’t always easy. If you’re still unsure after reading this article, EssayService is a great place to turn for help, whether you need assistance choosing a topic or writing the entire paper.

How to Pick a Topic for a Research Paper

Choosing the right topic can make or break your research paper. Here's how to make it easier:

• Start with your interests: Pick a few areas or subjects that genuinely interest you. Narrow it down to the one that excites you the most. If you’re interested, it’ll show in your writing.
• Check for resources: Before committing, do a quick search to ensure there are enough references available. You’ll want a topic that’s well-discussed so you have plenty of material to work with.
• Stick to guidelines: Make sure your topic fits within any guidelines your teacher has set. Whether it's avoiding certain subjects or meeting specific requirements, this step is crucial for getting your paper off to a good start.

If you’re looking for easy research paper topics, keep these tips in mind to ensure you choose one that’s both manageable and engaging.

What Are Good Research Topics?

Choosing a successful research topic isn’t just about what sounds interesting — it’s about finding a topic that will help you produce a strong, insightful paper. Good research topic ideas should tick a few key boxes to ensure they’re both impactful and manageable.

Best Research Paper Topics for 2024

In 2024, new challenges and innovations are shaping the world around us, making it an exciting time to dive into research. Here are 15 detailed and highly relevant topics that will keep your paper ahead of the curve:

• The impact of remote work on urban development in major U.S. cities.
• Ethical implications of AI-driven decision-making in healthcare.
• The role of social media algorithms in shaping public opinion during elections.
• Effects of climate change on global food security and crop yields.
• The influence of blockchain technology on supply chain transparency.
• Mental health outcomes related to long-term social media use among teenagers.
• Renewable energy adoption in emerging economies and its impact on local communities.
• The rise of electric vehicles and its effect on traditional automotive industries.
• Privacy concerns surrounding the use of biometric data in consumer devices.
• The evolution of cybersecurity threats in the age of quantum computing.
• Gender disparities in STEM education and their long-term effects on the workforce.
• The economic impact of climate migration on coastal regions.
• Implications of CRISPR technology in human genetic modification.
• The effectiveness of universal basic income trials in reducing poverty.
• The role of telemedicine in improving access to healthcare in rural areas.

College Research Paper Topics

These topics explore some of the most relevant and intriguing issues facing college students today, offering plenty of angles to explore in your research:

• How student loan debt shapes career paths and financial stability after graduation.
• Comparing online learning to traditional classrooms: What works best for today’s college students?
• Social media’s influence on mental health and academic success among college students.
• Diversity and inclusion: How initiatives are changing campus life and student experiences.
• University sustainability efforts: How climate change is driving new campus policies.
• The rise of esports: Transforming college athletics and student engagement.
• Campus housing: How living arrangements affect academic success and student retention.
• Balancing part-time jobs with academics: The impact on college students’ grades and well-being.
• Navigating controversial topics: The importance of academic freedom in college debates.
• Digital vs. traditional libraries: How technology is reshaping student research habits.
• Study abroad programs: Enhancing global awareness and boosting future career opportunities.
• Evaluating campus mental health services: Are they meeting students’ needs?
• Fraternities and sororities: Examining their influence on college culture and student life.
• Free college tuition: Exploring the economic and social outcomes in different countries.
• Standardized testing: How it’s affecting college admissions and the diversity of student bodies.

Research Paper Topics By Subject

Choosing a good research topic that aligns with your academic focus can make your work more relevant and engaging. Below, you’ll find topics organized by subject to help you get started.

Research Paper Topics on Health

Health is a dynamic field with ongoing developments and challenges, making it a rich area for research. These topics cover a range of health-related issues, from public health policies to advancements in medical technology:

• How COVID-19 has changed the approach to mental health care.
• Adoption rates of telemedicine among different age groups.
• Antibiotic-resistant bacteria: Exploring new treatment options.
• Barriers to healthcare access in low-income neighborhoods.
• Ethical dilemmas in using genetic testing for personalized treatments.
• Success rates of mental health programs in high schools.
• Comparing dietary patterns in managing type 2 diabetes across cultures.
• Teen vaping trends and their connection to lung health issues.
• Strategies for supporting healthcare needs in rapidly aging populations.
• Tracking climate-related health issues in coastal communities.
• Innovations in vaccine development for emerging diseases.
• Social isolation during pandemics and its link to anxiety disorders.
• Recent changes in U.S. healthcare laws and their influence on patient choices.
• Exploring how traditional beliefs shape approaches to medical treatment.
• Evaluating progress in global vaccination campaigns against childhood diseases.

Research Paper Topics on Medicine

Medicine is a vast field with plenty of areas to explore. Here are some specific topics that focus on medical advancements, practices, and challenges:

• New techniques in minimally invasive surgery for heart conditions.
• Developments in gene therapy for treating inherited diseases.
• Challenges in diagnosing and treating rare diseases.
• The role of AI in improving diagnostic accuracy in radiology.
• Progress in personalized cancer treatments based on genetic profiling.
• The rise of antibiotic alternatives in treating infections.
• Stem cell research advancements for spinal cord injuries.
• Managing chronic pain: Exploring non-opioid treatment options.
• Trends in telemedicine for rural healthcare delivery.
• Breakthroughs in vaccine technology for emerging viruses.
• Long-term outcomes of organ transplants in pediatric patients.
• Advances in robotic surgery and their impact on patient recovery.
• New approaches to treating drug-resistant tuberculosis.
• Innovations in prenatal care and fetal surgery techniques.
• The future of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.

Research Paper Topics on Media

Explore the ever-changing world of media with these fresh and relevant topics. Each one dives into the trends and challenges shaping how we consume and create content today.

• Analyze the impact of TikTok on modern marketing strategies.
• Investigate the role of influencers in shaping public opinion during elections.
• Explore the effects of streaming services on traditional cable TV viewership.
• Examine how social media platforms handle misinformation and its consequences.
• Study the rise of podcasts and their influence on news consumption.
• Compare the portrayal of mental health in TV shows across different cultures.
• Track the evolution of digital journalism and its impact on print media.
• Look into the ethics of deepfake technology in video production.
• Research the effects of binge-watching on viewer behavior and mental health.
• Explore the relationship between video game streaming and the gaming industry.
• Analyze the shift from traditional news outlets to social media for breaking news.
• Investigate how algorithms curate personalized content and influence user behavior.
• Study the changing landscape of advertising in the age of ad-blockers.
• Examine the role of memes in political discourse and cultural commentary.
• Explore the use of virtual reality in media and entertainment.

Research Paper Topics on Politics

Politics is a field that’s constantly evolving, with new issues and debates emerging all the time. Whether you're interested in global dynamics, domestic policies, or the role of technology in politics, there’s no shortage of interesting topics to explore:

• How social media is influencing voter behavior in recent elections.
• The rise and impact of grassroots movements on political change.
• Fake news and its role in shaping public perception of political events.
• The effects of immigration policies on relationships between countries.
• Populism’s growth in global politics and what it means for the future.
• How economic inequality contributes to political instability.
• The power of political lobbying in creating and shaping laws.
• Challenges faced by democracies under authoritarian regimes.
• Youth activism and its growing influence in modern politics.
• How climate change policies are impacting national security.
• The role of technology in improving election security and voter turnout.
• Government approval ratings and their connection to pandemic responses.
• Influence of international organizations on a country’s domestic policies.
• Shifts in global trade agreements and their effects on international relations.
• The impact of gerrymandering on election results and fairness.

Research Paper Ideas on Technology

Technology is rapidly transforming our world, offering endless opportunities for research. Here are some intriguing ideas to explore:

• The ethics of artificial intelligence in decision-making processes.
• How blockchain technology is revolutionizing financial transactions.
• The role of 5G networks in shaping the future of communication.
• Cybersecurity challenges in the era of smart homes and IoT devices.
• The environmental impact of cryptocurrency mining.
• Virtual reality’s influence on education and training programs.
• How autonomous vehicles are changing urban planning and infrastructure.
• The potential of quantum computing in solving complex global problems.
• Social media algorithms and their impact on public discourse.
• The digital divide: Access to technology in rural versus urban areas.
• How wearable tech is transforming personal health management.
• The implications of deepfake technology in media and politics.
• The future of remote work and its long-term effects on productivity.
• Advancements in drone technology for disaster management and rescue operations.
• The role of big data in personalizing online shopping experiences.

Research Topic Ideas on Culture

Whether you’re interested in examining specific cultural practices or looking at how modern trends reshape traditional customs, these research topics will provide you with a focused and detailed starting point:

• Adoption of traditional Japanese tea ceremonies in contemporary urban settings.
• Practices of food preservation among Inuit communities in the Arctic.
• The revival of Celtic languages in Wales and Ireland through education programs.
• Depiction of queer relationships in Netflix original series from 2015 to 2024.
• Evolution of traditional African hairstyles in Black communities across the U.S.
• Transformation of street art in Berlin post-German reunification.
• Cultural significance of Día de los Muertos celebrations in Mexican-American neighborhoods.
• Popularity of Korean skincare routines among Western beauty bloggers.
• Modern interpretations of Norse mythology in Scandinavian literature.
• Changes in wedding rituals among Indian diaspora in the UK.
• Resurgence of indigenous Australian painting techniques in contemporary art.
• Representation of disability in children’s books published in the last decade.
• Use of traditional Māori patterns in New Zealand’s fashion industry.
• Changes in burial customs in urbanized areas of Southeast Asia.
• Incorporation of First Nations symbols in Canadian public architecture.

Research Paper Topics on Math

If you're looking to explore the depth and applications of math, these research topics are both specific and engaging:

• Applications of fractal geometry in modeling natural phenomena.
• Mathematical approaches to solving complex optimization problems in logistics.
• Development of new algorithms for large-scale data encryption.
• Mathematical modeling of population dynamics in ecology.
• The use of game theory in economic decision-making processes.
• Exploring the mathematics behind machine learning algorithms.
• Advancements in numerical methods for solving partial differential equations.
• Topological data analysis and its applications in computational biology.
• Mathematical analysis of voting systems and fairness.
• The role of number theory in modern cryptography.
• Predictive models for financial markets using stochastic calculus.
• Mathematical foundations of quantum computing and quantum algorithms.
• Applications of chaos theory in weather prediction.
• Geometry of space-time in the context of general relativity.
• Mathematical techniques for analyzing big data in social networks.

Research Paper Topics on Art

Art is full of fascinating details and stories waiting to be explored. If you’re into art research, here are some research topics that might catch your interest:

• How Caravaggio used light and shadow in his religious paintings.
• The way Cubism shaped Picasso’s "Les Demoiselles d’Avignon."
• Gustav Klimt’s "The Kiss" and its ties to Viennese culture.
• Hokusai’s woodblock techniques in "The Great Wave off Kanagawa."
• Bauhaus principles that still influence graphic design today.
• Emotions and color in Mark Rothko’s abstract paintings.
• Leonora Carrington’s role in the Surrealist movement.
• Gaudí’s architectural genius in designing La Sagrada Familia.
• Industrial scenes captured in Charles Sheeler’s Precisionist art.
• Jean-Michel Basquiat’s take on graffiti and cultural identity.
• Frida Kahlo’s evolving self-portraits through her life.
• Claude Monet’s unique use of light in his Impressionist works.
• Diego Rivera’s murals as powerful political statements.
• The simplicity and impact of Donald Judd’s minimalist sculptures.
• How African art influenced Henri Matisse during his Fauvist period.

Research Topics on Sports

Sports offer a wide range of topics that are both intriguing and highly relevant. Here are some specific research ideas to consider if you're looking to explore the world of sports:

• The biomechanics behind sprinting techniques in elite athletes.
• The psychological effects of team sports on adolescent development.
• Injury prevention strategies in professional football (soccer).
• The impact of altitude training on endurance performance in marathon runners.
• Gender equity in sports: The evolution of women’s participation in the Olympics.
• The role of nutrition in recovery and performance for endurance athletes.
• How advanced analytics are changing strategies in basketball.
• The effects of early specialization in youth sports on long-term athletic development.
• The influence of sports media coverage on public perceptions of athletes.
• Technology in sports: The use of wearable devices to monitor athlete performance.
• Doping scandals and their long-term impact on athletes' careers.
• Mental health challenges faced by retired professional athletes.
• The economics of hosting major sporting events like the World Cup or Olympics.
• How climate change is affecting outdoor sports events and training schedules.
• The evolution of sports science in enhancing athlete training programs.

In 2024, some of the most popular research topics include the impact of technology on sports, the psychological aspects of team dynamics, and the evolution of gender equity in athletics. 

If you’re still unsure about which topic to choose or need help with your essay, EssayService is a great option. Our research paper writing service can assist with everything from selecting the perfect topic to crafting a well-written paper, making the whole process a lot easier.

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