100 Good Argumentative Essay Topics to Spark Important Conversations

June 2022

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Article by Elizabeth Bankston

Elizabeth Bankston is our staff blog contributor and the mastermind behind our content marketing efforts. Having spent 6 years at the University of Richmond, she now puts to practice her leadership skills and humanities knowledge to show students how to study more effectively and successfully.

Easy Argumentative Essay Topics

For the warm-up, let’s start with the more accessible topics. They are not particularly challenging, with a lot of material available for research. Still, they raise important questions.

Is it better to live in the country or in the urban environment?
Should we ban phones at the table?
Does violent content lead to violent behavior?
Which schools are better: private or public?
Which is more effective: homeschooling or public education?
Should college education be made mandatory?
Do you think zoos should be banned?
Which are better: summer holidays or winter holidays?
Are libraries obsolete in the digital age?
Should sport hunting be banned completely?

Fun Argumentative Essay Topics

Want some funny argumentative essay topics to practice your eloquence and have a great time while at it? These are just what you are looking for!

Which are better: apples or oranges?
Is astrology real? Prove your stance.
They used to make better movies fifty years ago. Agree or disagree?
Eighties fashion is GOAT. Change my mind!
Should we ban makeup for ID photos?
Should people with no ear for music be legally banned from singing in public?
Cockroaches make the best pets ever. Prove this point of view.
Who shot first: Greedo or Han?
Which Hogwarts house is the best? Prove your point.
Who has the best chance of survival in the case of a zombie apocalypse? Why?

Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School

These prompts are suitable for tweens and allow learning the argumentative essay format with ease. They can also double as simpler topics for students in high school and college.

Should homework be banned?
Which animal makes the best pet?
Should school be taught remotely even after the pandemic ends?
Should your school adopt/drop uniforms?
Should your school ditch the grading system? If so, what system would you suggest to encourage students/track academic progress?
Do you think children under 13 should be allowed to be on social media? What minimum age would you set for unrestricted Internet access (if any)?
Do you think kid-shaming content is funny or cruel? (for example, viral videos of toddler meltdowns, fails, shaming plaques, etc.)
Do you think child beauty pageants should be banned?
Do you agree that peer pressure is a form of bullying? If not, what is the difference?
Do you think a foreign language should be compulsory for all students? Why or why not?

Argumentative Essay Topics for High School

High schoolers can handle more challenging topics. In fact, they do it with enthusiasm, especially if the issues raised concern their life and interests.

Should the legal drinking age be lowered?
Should underage marriage be banned in your state?
Should the voting age be lowered in your state?
Is it right to group students into classes based on age? Wouldn’t it be better to group them based on their aptitude and academic achievement?
Which subject would you add to the curriculum, and why do you think it’s important?
Should religion be practiced in public schools?
What measures should be taken to protect students from mass shootings? (arming teachers, reinforcing security, restricting access to guns, educating people, monitoring mental health, and offering timely help to those at risk of perpetrating, etc.)?
Do you think college education should be made free?
In your opinion, what can be done to reduce income inequality?
Which economic system is the best (capitalism, socialism, or communism)?

Argumentative Essay Topics College

College argumentative essay topics are considerably more sophisticated and require research discipline and careful consideration of all the evidence.

Which modern political decision was the most impactful, in your opinion? Why?
Whom would you nominate for the next Nobel Peace Prize?
Should wealthy people pay higher taxes than poor people?
Should minimum wages be raised in your state?
What issue, in your opinion, isn’t discussed often or openly enough in our society? Why talking about it is essential?
Should all drug use be decriminalized?
Should we ban junk-food advertisements that target children?
Should sports betting be legal in your state?
Should psychedelics be legal?
Do you believe mandatory vaccination is constitutional?

Controversial Argumentative Topics

These are argumentative essay topics for students who aren’t afraid to ask and answer difficult questions. Such issues are often polarizing, making addressing and discussing them even more important.

Should genetic engineering of humans be allowed?
Do you agree with the statement “You can never ban abortion; you can only ban safe abortions”? Explain.
Does the state have a moral right to involuntary termination of parental rights? What are your views on licensing of parenthood?
Should the US government make reparations to Native American tribes?
Should the USA change its gun control policies to prevent mass shootings and other gun-related deaths?
Is affirmative action constitutional?
Should there be a minimum legal age for gender transition?
Should prostitution be made legal?
Should recreational marijuana be legal in your state?
Should incest remain a crime under the law even if it involves consenting adults?

Philosophy and Ethics Argumentative Topics

Eternal questions and ethical dilemmas make quite challenging topics. Care to test your persuasive powers with these tough nuts to crack?

Are humans inherently good or evil?
Can a war be justified?
Does the common good outweigh individual rights? If so, to which extent?
Does capital punishment have a place in a civilized society?
Is euthanasia an assisted suicide or murder?
How would you resolve the paradox of tolerance?
Is the use of lab animals for research morally and ethically justified?
Should parents be allowed to select the sex of their future babies when it becomes technologically possible?
Psychological and neuroscience research tells that morality has evolutionary roots. Do you agree or disagree? Prove your point.
Do you think philosophers and ethicists should be consulted during AI development?

Argumentative Topics About Environment

When you discuss environmental challenges, you contribute to our shared future. Want to influence the world we’ll be living in tomorrow? Have your say on one of these:

Is climate change a real threat or an overblown problem?
Which anti-global warming initiative should be implemented in your community? Why do you think it will be the most efficient?
Do you believe the environmental impact of fast fashion should be the brand’s or consumer’s responsibility?
Do you think fracking should be made illegal?
Which measures should be taken to counteract the adverse environmental effects of over-tourism?
Is banning plastic going to have positive environmental outcomes?
Should we ban glitter use in cosmetics and foods since it contributes to the plastification of the ocean?
Should we ban cars and trucks from the cities?
Do you believe people have no moral right to colonize other planets until they learn to use Earth’s resources sustainably?
Should federal and state governments encourage environmental initiatives and green practices?

Argumentative Topics About Technology

Technology became the primary way for humanity to shape the world around us and make sense of it. However, understanding technology is a challenge in itself. Care to look deeper?

Is it necessary for a political leader to be present on social media?
Do you think technology makes us more disconnected or promotes community life?
Should algorithmic recommendations for children be banned?
Should facial recognition technology be restricted or banned completely?
Do “smart” video surveillance networks create a safer environment or a dystopian nightmare?
Should bitcoin be legal?
When hacking is ethical, should it be made legal?
Do you believe it is possible to solve a problem with technology without creating another problem?
Do you think the singularity will be the “point of no return” for humanity?
Which technology, in your opinion, has the highest odds of destroying human civilization in the next 100 years? How can we prevent things from going badly?

Argumentative Topics About Popular Culture

The academic environment is often dismissive of pop culture, preferring high-brow literature and art. Still, popular culture enjoys widespread and powerful influence that can’t be ignored. Explore some of the complicated cultural topics with these suggestions:

Should celebrity influencers be held responsible for the harm caused by their advice or the products they promote?
Do you think original historical costumes and other sartorial artifacts should be allowed to wear for any purpose?
Do you think maturity ratings for media content are outdated and should be revised?
Which sci-fi movie/series has the best science? Explain.
Should we hold rap artists accountable for harmful messages they broadcast in their lyrics? (derogatory terms, dehumanization, homophobia, misogyny, etc.)?
Do comedy tropes in media help start a discussion or harm by stereotyping?
Which genre addresses the issues of modern teenagers the best? (pick anything: standup comedy, memes, TikTok challenges, YA dystopia, commercials, music, etc.)
Is cultural exchange possible without appropriation?
Do you believe problematic/challenged books, films, and other works of art should be banned/removed from libraries?
Do you think superhero movies have a more positive or negative influence on children and teenagers?

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