Argumentative Essay Topics

If you have to write an argumentative essay and you have no idea where to start, let us help you! Here is a great list of argumentative essay topics you can use to write your essay!

Grading in Schools

1. Did your school award an excessive amount of ‘As?’
2. In the school you attend, do boys or girls get higher grades?
3. Do you think boys and girls fare better when they are taught separately?
4. What do you think makes girls better readers than boys?
5. Should students be able to grade their teachers?
6. Do you think discomfort is a valid enough reason for excusing students from assignments?

Growing Up: Controversial Essay Topics

1. When you reach legal age, will you (or did you)  exercise your right to vote?
2. What do you think the legal age should be for buying tobacco and alcohol and to vote or join the military?
3. At what age do children reach adulthood?
4. At what age should children be allowed to define their gender?
5. Should legal age match the age of consent? 

Gun Crime Argumentative Topics

1. Should guns be allowed or banned on college campuses?
2. What measures can be taken to prevent mass gun killings in the future?
3. What is your stance on guns?
4. What do you think of the carrying of unconcealed weapons?
5. Would you feel more secure if there were armed guards patrolling your school/college campus?
6. Was it responsible or irresponsible for a newspaper to publish a list of the addresses of gun owners?

Health-Related Topics

1. Should medically-assisted suicide be permitted in every US state?
2. Should people who are terminally ill be permitted to die in a manner of their own choosing?
3. How should schools deal with students who have not been vaccinated?
4. Should texting while driving be made illegal in every US state?
5. Being a vegetarian: Compare and contrast changes before and after.

Around the House and Home

1. How and why is it important for people to keep their homes clean?
2. Is it true that an untidy desk is the sign of a more creative person?

Interesting Ideas for Immigration Argumentative Essay

1. Is it right that the US allows millions of undocumented and possibly illegal immigrants to live in the country without them fearing deportation?
2. Should the children of illegal immigrants be entitled to free to public schooling?

International Relations

1. Should the USA spy on countries it classifies as friends?
2. In what circumstances is military force justifiable or is such intervention ever justifiable?
3. Should the ransom demands of terrorists be paid to secure hostage release?

The Internet and Social Media

Everyone uses the Internet and at least one social media website, so these are some topics for an argumentative essay that you should be familiar with:

1. Is Facebook retaining its competitive edge?
2. Do you always get a feel-good factor using Facebook?
3. Do you think it is all right for online users to be able to conceal their identities?
4. Can or should one trust online reviews?
5. Have you ever considered closing your social media accounts?
6. Should people be able to get fired because of their Facebook posts?

Leadership and Politics Argumentative Essay Topics

1. Does moral responsibility come with leadership?
2. Do successful leaders need to be extroverts?
3. Are politicians acting in a good or bad way when they threaten shutdowns

Argumentative Topics for Literature Essay

1. Would you rather read or listen to a book and which method do you think is the best?
2. Of the two children’s book characters Obedient and Contrary, which do you like best?
3. What writer do you think deserves a prize? Why?
4. Would you replace your paper book collection in favor of a digital one?
5. In your opinion, what characters do you think merit being written about?

Morality and Being Responsible

1. Are there any situations where looting can be condoned?
2. Have newspapers a moral duty not to publish cartoon images that are deemed offensive by others e.g. the Prophet Muhammad?
3. Is it right for newspapers to publish images of someone who is dying?
4. Have by-standers a moral responsibility to get involved in troublesome situations?
5. Where offensive language is prohibited, is the world made a better place?
6. Do you think there are some words and phrases that should be abolished?
7. Does suffering and/or hardship make people more successful and/or stronger?
8. Are there any words or phrases you think are over-used?
9. Have some offensive words lost their shock value because they are over-used?
10. Is it possible to be “cool” by performing an act of kindness?

Music

1. Which present day artists do you think will stay the course?
2. Are there any current artists you think of as “sellouts?”
3. What current artists – groups or individual musicians – do you think are destined for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
4. Can you name any artist (musician, actor or author) you think is destined to be a super star but has not quite made it yet?
5. What do you think the future holds for music and the music industry?
6. Who founded hip-hop?
7. Can the right training make you a more successful musician?

Nutrition and Food Argumentative Essay Topics

1. It is claimed that breakfast is the most important meal of every person’s day – do you agree or disagree?
2. Do you think that sugary drinks should be subject to taxation?
3. Thinking of the foods you eat, do you worry where they come from?
4. Should French fries and pizza sauce be classified as vegetable products and, if so, why?
5. Would you classify French fires and pizza as vegetable products and, if so, why?
6. Do you think the size of sugary drinks should be limited?
7. Should we continue to fight for healthier school meals or are these efforts in vain?
8. Do you think the ‘Authentic’ form of Tacos or the ‘Appropriated’ form is better?
9. Is it right or wrong for people to eat meat?

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Parenting and Child Rearing

Parenting is a wide-ranging subject with lots of issues. Therefore, here are some argumentative essay topics that any parent might well identify with:

1. Do ‘shame and blame’ techniques help improve teenage behavior?
2. How should children be taught good behavior and who should teach them?
3. When does discipline cross the line to abuse when trying to manage child behavior?
4. Are we now giving too many trophies and/or awards to youngsters?
5. Should young children be allowed to take part in television competitions?
6. If Halloween costumes were to portray ‘positive only’ images, would it make any or much difference?
7. What level of discipline is it appropriate for parents to hand out to their children?
8. Do children suffer when they are pushed too much to achieve?
9. Should parents limit the amount of time their child has access to technology?
10. Is child privacy breached when parents upload video clips or photos of them online?
11. How much freedom should be given to children?
12. At what age should children be allowed a smart phone – what age is too young?
13. Is present day culture having a destructive effect on childhood?
14. Are ‘dark’ movies and/or videos good or bad for children?

Parenting and School

1. How and why are parent-teacher conferences useful/important?
2. Who should be able to view student records?
3. Should all children be required to attend pre-school?
4. What is the best way for parents to handle unsatisfactory report cards?
5. How would you feel about being home-schooled?

Personal Grooming and Fashion

1. Should children be given free rein to choose their own clothes?
2. Thinking about cosmetic surgery, do you think it is a good or bad thing?
3. In terms of the clothes you wear, do you feel any concern for the health, safety and welfare of those who make them?
4. Do you think it is disrespectful to use such terms as “saggy pants?”

Policing, Imprisonment and the Justice System Argumentative Essay Topics

1. Should all police personnel wear body cameras?
2. Does the law act more favorably towards the rich?
3. Do you think ‘Stop and Frisk’ police tactics are right or justified?
4. In your opinion, should the USA abolish the death penalty?
5. On their release, should prisoners be allowed to vote?
6. In what circumstances should juveniles be given life sentences?
7. Will the events in Ferguson change anything?

Argumentative Topics on Religion and Spiritual Matters

1. Do people have any control over what happens to them – if so, how much?
2. Is inter-faith marriage important?
3. Do you believe that things happen for a reason?
4. Do you think people can live good lives without God or any type of religion?

School in General

1. Would you rather attend a public or private school?
2. Should public school sporting activities be available to home-schooled children?
3. Would you say larger schools are better or worse than smaller ones?
4. How much importance would you attach to which school someone attends?
5. Do you think school or college newspapers should be subject to prior review?
6. Is Prom worthwhile?
7. Do you think Prom has any purpose other than an occasion for drinking?

School Rules and Disciplinary Matters

1. Do you think schools should allow or ban cell phones?
2. How does your school deal with bad behavior?
3. Should a tracking mechanism be fitted to every student’s ID card?
4. Do you think corporal punishment should be prohibited or allowed in schools?
5. Should middle school students be subjected to drugs testing?
6. Would you say cheating is a large or small problem?
7. What are the best ways of managing classroom behavior?

School Times

1. In your opinion, how much class time is wasted?
2. Do school children need recess?
3. Should the dropout age be increased?
4. Is it all right for students to skip senior year in high school?
5. Do you think students should go to school earlier?
6. Should the school day begin later?
7. Is it time to review the number of years a student spends in high school?
8. Should the school year be longer or shorter?
9. Is the school day too short, long or the right length?

Shopping Matters

1. Do you buy goods and services from local businesses/shops?
2. Is it ok for businesses to gather information about customers?
3. Do you think Amazon has become overly powerful?
4. Should trading start later or earlier on Black Friday?

Space Travel/Exploration

1. Have you any ambitions/plans to undertake any space travel?
2. Do you think humans will ever live on Mars?
3. Do you think that life currently exists or has ever existed anywhere else except on earth?
4. Do you believe in alien life or that any intelligent form exists?

Sports (General)

1. Would a bike-sharing program be beneficial in your neighborhood?
2. How important do you think it is that an NBA player announced they were gay?
3. Should a minimum legal age be set to climb difficult mountains like Everest?
4. In your opinion, is cheerleading a sport?
5. Would you say baseball is retaining its label for being “cool?”

Sports and Sporting Matters

1. Do clubs and managers have a responsibility to ensure players uphold certain standards in terms of personal conduct?
2. Are some sports too demanding for children?
3. Do fans put too much expectation and/or pressure on professional sportspersons and athletes?
4. Do you think sports betting should be legally permitted everywhere?
5. Do you think colleges would do better to fund wellness programs instead of sports programs?
6. Should the rules relating to how coaches deal with players be stricter?
7. Does every championship competition or game need a winner and indeed a loser?

Standardized Tests in Schools

1. Should students who achieve high scores be given bonuses or cash prizes?
2. Do school tests measure ability effectively?
3. How seriously should students treat standardized tests?
4. How long do you spend getting ready for school tests?
5. What study advice would you give to students about to take tests?

Teaching and Learning

1. Do schools need new methods for teaching mathematics?
2. Does class size matter?
3. How important is it that schools teach the Arts?
4. What is the best way to teach history?
5. What proportion of the school day should be devoted to group work?
6. Does the décor of a classroom affect learning?
7. What is the real value of homework – do students learn much from it?
8. What does your school really teach you?
9. Is it right that students are grouped according to their ability?
10. Does gym class lead to improved all-round performance?
11. Should reading and math be catered for in gym class too?
12. Do students get too much homework to do?
13. Do you think students are given enough chance to explore or use their creative talents?

Technology Argumentative Essay Topics

1. Do you think technology gives users a feeling of being alone?
2. Do you have Google glasses or do you plan on getting a pair?
3. Do you find technology annoying/distracting?
4. Is there any amount of texting you would describe as too much?
5. Do you think the trend for wearable technology will ever properly catch on?
6. Does cell phone technology have any educational value?
7. Do you play games on your smart phone and, if so, how much of your time to you spend on this activity?
8. Being so accessible, has digital photography diminished conventional photography?
9. Will robots have much impact on our futures?
10. Do people do an excessive amount of filming because of the availability of technology?

Television, Theatre and the Movies

1. What would you consider a good television show finale?
2. Does television adequately portray American diversity?
3. Why did a Cheerios advertisement provoke such an angry response from online users?
4. Is reality television guilty of dangerous stereotyping?
5. What makes a good television or movie commercial?
6. Name the best movies you saw in the last year?
7. Would you say television is overly ‘white?’
8. Do television programs such as ’16 and Pregnant’ discourage teenagers against pregnancy or does it encourage them?
9. Would you agree that a live stage show offers something special that just is not available in a move or television show?
10. What is it about rich people that so fascinates TV and movie audiences?

Video Gaming

1. Do you think sexism applies to the gaming world?
2. Would you describe a video game as a work of art?
3. Would you describe video gaming as a sport?
4. Should violent games be sold to minors?
5. Would you say that playing video or online games makes people more violent in the real world?
6. Have you ever played any games you wanted to remake/redesign?
7. Should players ever feel remorse when they kill zombies?

Wealth and Fame

1. How much scope should the media be given in terms of reporting on the private lives of the rich and famous or should such media intrusion be banned?
2. Do you think the life of child stars is difficult?
3. Would you like to accumulate a lot of wealth in life?

Work and Career Essay Topics

1. Does it bother you that a prospective employer or college might one day read your social media posts?
2. Would you quit your job if an employer’s values differed from yours?
3. Do you think that doing nothing is a good use of one’s time?
4. Should prospective employers be able to view the SAT scores of job applicants?
5. Which would you accept – a badly paid job you really liked or a highly paid job you did not like?
6. What is your preferred mode of employment – would you rather be home-based or office-based?
7. What is your ideal career?

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