Are you a student looking for interesting topics for an argumentative paper? We have you covered! Our comprehensive list contains 50 ideas for argumentative essay topics for students. They will 100% spark your interest. Pick the topic you like and get started on your paper!
What is an argumentative essay?📚
An argumentative paper is a piece of academic writing that implies factual evidence. It should contain logical support to convince readers of a certain way of thinking. This type of essay heavily relies on hard evidence involving other studies and sources to prove the argument.
The purpose of the essay is to present arguments in favor of both sides of the problem and to state your opinion toward it if needed. Such essays require a strong background of evidence, facts, and data as well as logic and strong argumentation.
The paper structure involves three main parts consisting of five paragraphs:
- opening paragraph with a thesis statement,
- three body paragraphs,
- closing lines related to the thesis statement.
There are three main models for representing information in the essay:
- Classical – you write an introduction, and thesis statement. Then, you state arguments and counterarguments and finish an essay with a conclusion.
- Rogerian – you understand and accept both sides of the argument, though you may favor only one of them.
- Toulmin – you choose a side and introduce both arguments and counterarguments. Yet, the latter works for eliminating all superfluous arguments to prove your point of view.
Understanding Argumentative Essays ✍🏻
To write a decent argumentative paper, students would clearly understand its essence. What is the purpose of these assignments? What are the key elements of this piece of writing? How to make a good essay? Let’s clear it out!
What is the purpose of argumentative essays?
Such essays are to persuade readers and logically provide your point of view. The purpose of this task is to make students eligible to express their opinion confidently in public speaking and class debates. What are the key elements of argumentative essays?
☄️Problem statement – a contradiction or some crucial concept used to grab the reader’s attention. It serves to highlight the importance of the study and identify the literature to which the study will apply.
📖 Literature review – highlights the gap in literature you are going to fill in your paper. It is a missing piece of information or theoretical inconsistency which requires extra studies.
🌀 The research focus – an emphasis of the research included in the paper. You can express it in a question, or hypothesis of the research goals or objectives.
📜 Method and methodology – the explanation of the answer to the inquiry. Describe the way you researched, present your conclusions, and explain why these steps are essential for the analysis.
🕯️Evidence – the information regarding your results and ideas you discovered. Arrange your findings according to different methodological concepts, major topics, and theories.
🙋♂️Discussion and conclusion – the summary of the argument and the proof used for it. Often it is followed by the mention of research importance and the implications that result from it.
How to make a good argumentative essay?
Firstly, you need to properly structure your essay. Make an outline you will adhere to when writing an essay – write a hook and a thesis statement, and outline the body part with arguments.
Then, fill the outline with evidence relevant to each argument stated. Carefully pick facts and data you will apply to – they should unambiguously support your arguments and be out of doubt. Finally, work out the conclusion. It should restate the thesis statement and introduce no new ideas.
When you are done with preparation, start writing an argumentative paper. Be consistent and mind the lexis you use – it should correspond to the academic writing style. Also, try to break the templates – present your material in an unconventional way, your readers will appreciate it.
Finally, don’t forget to follow your outline and your essay will hit the point. It will be well-structured, and logical, with a strong background of unbiased evidence.
How to title an argumentative essay?
No matter how short the intro phrase you are asked to write, it is one of the most important parts of writing an essay. You need to present in a single phrase what your essay is about and provide a hook that will motivate your readers to get acquainted with your paper.
What do we recommend you to start with? Firstly, read your thesis statement. If written properly, it can become a good title for argumentative essay. Get the statement down to a sentence and eliminate perfunctory and empty words. Voila! You have a brilliant title for the paper.
If you feel that the essay title lacks catching constructions, try to paraphrase the statement, play with words or use a question without deviating from the topic. After outlining the possible variant, it will be easier for you to set your mind.
How to Choose a Good Topic for an Argumentative Essay
Your success in writing an argumentative essay depends on the topic you choose for the assignment. Let’s understand why it is important to select an interesting argumentative paper topic and how to choose the best one.
✨Why is it important to select an interesting and relevant topic?
You might have noticed that assignments you pass on topics interesting to you are mostly successful and bring you high points, isn't it? Obviously, you are well versed in such topics and have at least a personal opinion regarding them.
Hence, it is always good to find the topic that touches your heart, you need to rely on the task. The topic should correlate with the subject you are writing the essay for and be based on the teacher’s requirements. It should be relevant and interesting not only to you but to your teacher or other readers as well. We recommend you select unique topics insufficiently covered by other students and scientists. Remember that the topic for argumentative essay should be disputable enough for you to present both sides of the issue.
💭Tips on how to make the selection process easier
Leave your worries behind, choosing an easy topic for an argumentative essay is not as challenging as you might think. Follow the tips given below to make the right choice:
- The topic should be catching and presume a deep study.
- It should be narrow and precise.
- Avoid using pure stats.
- Do not be biased, state only impartial considerations.
- Develop a strong background of evidence.
- Try to avoid extremely easy topics for argumentative essays.
- Venture to take topics others will never dare to.
✅ Check-list: What factors to consider when choosing a topic?
Try to answer the following questions to make sure you select an appropriate topic for an argumentative essay.
- Does the topic correlate with the subject you are writing the assignment for?
- Does it meet your interests?
- Do you have enough considerations regarding the specified topic?
- Is the topic controversial enough to cover both sides of the issue?
- Can you find strong evidence for each argument you provide?
- Do you have a personal opinion on this topic?
- Can you convince your readers of your considerations?
If you answer YES on each of the questions stated, it is great! You can be sure you have an interesting argumentative assignment topic that will help you show your best.
The list of 50 top argumentative topics for students 👁️
If you are still in doubt about which topic to choose, you are welcome! Let’s get to know the best topics for argumentative essays that will come to your liking. Everything is at your disposal – from politics to family!
Politics
- Do military events always have a political background?
- Should prisoners be allowed to vote?
- What actions should be taken by the government to reduce income inequality?
- Should the death penalty be legal in your country?
- What modern political decision has produced the largest impact on our society?
Society & Culture
- Do you consider making smoking illegal?
- What actions should be taken to reduce excessive alcohol consumption?
- Is there an urge to decrease the juvenile delinquency rate in your state?
- Do you think it is a good idea for people to have the right to own guns?
- Is globalization a good shift in modern society?
History
- Do you consider history to repeat itself?
- Did lower socio-economic classes have more opportunities during the past decade?
- How did slavery contribute to the significant changes in the American nations?
- What factors led to the rise of Nazism in Germany and to the Holocaust?
- Did the US Civil War make the nation better or worse?
Psychology
- How do emotions affect our actions and behavior?
- Why does the sense of humor differ from culture to culture?
- How is cyberbullying harmful to a personality?
- Why do children learn to play musical instruments faster?
- How bad experiences can lead to nightmares?
Law
- Should the House of Lords have veto power over the House of Commons?
- Should Congress abolish birthright citizenship?
- Does the Supreme Court of the USA have too much power over other branches of the government?
- Should judges rely solely on laws or make decisions for the sake of society's benefit?
- Does the Second Amendment make ordinary citizens eligible to host firearms?
Healthcare
- Is healthcare a fundamental human right?
- Is it ethical to perform medical experiments on animals?
- Is it crucial to make vaccinations mandatory for children?
- Should everyone be entitled to free health care?
- How does physical activity affect mental health?
Family
- What are the benefits of reading books to children?
- What negative long-term effects can corporal punishment have on children?
- Is physical discipline a proper way to raise children?
- How does divorce affect small children in the long term?
- Does helicopter parenting help and hurt children?
Education
- Should colleges be free to everyone?
- Do high school graduates need a gap year before rushing into higher education?
- Do standardized tests efficiently measure students’ intelligence?
- Which system is better: teacher-centered or student-centered?
- Is classical education a relic of the past or a secure foundation for modern education?
Sports
- Do you think the IOC has strict rules for the use of biologically active supplements and medicaments?
- Should the use of dope be punished with a life-long suspension at Olympic Games?
- Should sports disciplines be segregated according to the gender of the athletes?
- Should college athletes be supported financially?
- Should sports betting be legal?
Social Media
- Does social media bring us closer or pull us apart?
- What is the right age for children to have personal accounts on social media accounts?
- Should social media be controlled and audited by governmental bodies?
- How do international social media trends affect our life and the way we behave?
- Are social media pranks dangerous?
Conclusion 🌟
These are the unique argumentative essays topics you are free to choose from or use as a reference for your assignments. Use these ideas for argumentative essays as you like. Write a brilliant essay backed up with profound research and strong arguments. Such an approach will leave no one indifferent to issues you arise in your paper!
