Top 15 Argumentative Essay Topics To Make Your Paper Shine


In secondary school and college, you will have to write several argumentative essays. An argumentative essay is a particular type of writing, in which you put forward a case for a particular stance on an issue. It’s essentially a form of persuasive writing. It’s important to be able to write an effective argumentative essay, because it demonstrates critical thinking, as well as the ability to support your opinions with evidence. These cognitive skills are useful across a wide range of subjects and professions, from quantum physics to tax law. No matter what you decide to do for a living, your training in argumentative writing will pay off.

Planning and your Argumentative Essay

This type of paper requires that you take a stance on an issue, then defend that stance using a solid, fact-based argument. Here are some tips for planning the paper itself:

  • Pick a good topic. As long as you have free reign to choose your own topic, pick an issue you’re interested in or passionate about. It doesn’t necessarily have to pertain to a “serious” social or political issue. For example, you could argue that symphonic black metal is more musically complex than punk rock (not that this is a difficult argument to defend). The more genuine interest you have in the topic, the more of your time and energy you’ll invest in your paper, and the better your writing will be.
  • Examine both sides of an issue before choosing a stance. You may think you already know how you feel, but are you sure? It’s important to always call your own beliefs into question. Be sure to look into the opposing side’s reasoning before dismissing it out of hand. You might be surprised to find that it makes more sense than you thought it would.
  • Gather evidence that supports your position. Whatever your opinion may be, you will need to present evidence to support it. Do some research, and find the evidence that supports your claims.

15 Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas

Here are a few general topics that you can consider for your paper:

  • Is torture ever acceptable?
  • Are high SAT and ACT scores really a good predictor of college success?
  • Is social media harming young people’s social skills?
  • Are parents today too overprotective of their children?
  • Is the rise of video games and other indoor activities, and the decline of playing outside, contributing to the high rates of childhood obesity?
  • Should the government be able to pass laws to try to change or influence people’s dietary choices, such as soda taxes?
  • Should the legal age for drinking alcohol be lowered to 18?
  • Is greyhound racing inhumane?
  • Are schools too stringent when dealing with bullying, or too lenient?
  • Are science and engineering degrees a better choice than social science or humanities degrees?
  • Are Silicon Valley startups frequently overvalued?
  • Should the government raise the minimum wage?
  • Do violent video games contribute to aggressive behavior?
  • Do CEOs pay too little in taxes, relative to the capital they bring in?

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