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Journal Buddies Jill | February 22, 2023 July 31, 2021 | Writing
55 Great Argumentative Topics
Use these 35 argumentative topics + 20 new BONUS Ideas with your high school class (or other students) to help them learn how to better cut through the noise to find what’s really real—and, of course, to improve their own writing and arguing skills!
See Some Awesome Essay Ideas and Argumentative Topics
By the time teenagers reach high school, they’ve probably written numerous papers and speeches in which they had to form clear, persuasive arguments to convince their audiences of particular viewpoints.
In today’s era of AI writing, “fake news” and poorly-researched Internet reports, it’s more important than ever for students to learn how to think critically about what goes into the arguments and messages they receive from others.
That’s why practicing writing an argumentative essay can be so valuable and educational for teens. You see…
A Few Words About Argumentative Topics and Essays
As students research and prepare their very own arguments, they will be called to evaluate their sources, define their own clear positions, and use all of the things they’ve gathered to bring someone else around to their side.
Whether they’re considering controversial topics like gun control or assessing whether or not companies should be required to pay a living wage, they’ll learn about how deeply biased some arguments are—and how very easy it is for anyone to construe information in support of their own position.
Ok, get to it and…
Use these argumentative essay writing prompts to encourage your students to delve into some hard-hitting topics today. I think you’ll be glad you did.
35 Argumentative Topics to Help High School Students Explore and Define Their Positions
- Does your vote count?
- Does diversity in media matter?
- Does the wage gap really exist?
- What should be done about gun control in the US?
- Does the average citizen need to have the right to own a gun?
- Should marijuana be legalized?
- Should religion have a place in government?
- Should students be allowed to choose their own classes (as they do in college) from a younger age?
- Is net neutrality important?
- Is single-sex education beneficial or harmful to students?
- What should young people be given more credit for?
- Is the widespread increased use of technology good for young children—or does it harm their development?
- How is the President doing at his job?
- Do movements like Black Lives Matter and #MeToo promote inclusiveness and awareness or division and inequality?
- What is the greatest threat to our environment?
- Is the development of technology that automates jobs previously held by real people good or bad for our society?
- Is celebrity culture harmful or harmless? Why?
- What types of restrictions should there be on abortions?
- How involved should the US get in conflicts in other parts of the world?
- Should employers be required to pay a living wage?
- What is the line between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation?
- Do corporations have social responsibilities to their customers?
- Should there be restrictions or laws on what types of bathrooms trans people can use?
- What types of academic requirements should student athletes have to meet in order to maintain their eligibility to compete?
- The Electoral College—effective or outdated?
- Which branch of government is the most important?
- Is homeschooling good for students?
- Should hate speech be protected under free speech?
- Should an employer be able to fire someone if the employer has a problem with the employee’s race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, identity, etc.?
- Are GMO foods good or bad for our country?
- What levels of education do people really need in order to be qualified to enter the workforce?
- Do our schools today adequately prepare students for the real world?
- What is the best way for the average person to make a difference?
- Should people who make more money pay taxes on a higher percentage of their income?
I hope you enjoyed this list of good argumentative essay topics.
Now, check out these…
20 Bonus Prompts Argumentative Topics
- Is it ethical to use an essay writing service?
- Should fast food get taxed like alcohol and cigarettes are taxed?
- Should exotic animals be protected worldwide including banning their hunting of them?
- Are illegal immigrants criminal and should they be treated as such?
- Is healthcare in the United States of America the best in the world? Or, should universal healthcare become the standard?
- How is the rise in obesity a concern for the United States as a nation?
- Should private schools be banned and all students made to attend public schools?
- Should test scores remain the standard of academic achievement, why or why not?
- Should cell phones be banned in public schools?
- Should parents be given a year of paternity leave as well as a year of maternity leave?
- Should term limits be implemented into the American political system?
- Do you think the average annual salary of corporate CEOS should be limited?
- Physical education/gym class in school should be mandatory, optimal, or eliminated altogether because…
- Beauty pageants should/should not be allowed because…
- How much screen time is too much or is there even such a thing?
- Are standardized tests a good measure of the effectiveness of an educational system?
- Year-round school would be a good/bad things because…
- Unpaid internships are…
- A politician having to declare a political party encourages/limits democracy.
- Climate change
- Religious beliefs vs. medical care
- Promoting environmental responsibility in business
- The use of animals in the research industry
- Any other topic or idea of your own
I hope you enjoyed this list of argumentative topics. Now, be sure to explain your answers/stance in detail, especially when it comes to those more controversial argumentative essay topics.
A Few Closing Thoughts & Some Useful Resources
If you’re looking for good argumentative topics and essay ideas or persuasive essay prompts for kids and teens, we’ve got them. (Check out these argumentative essay topics for middle school students .)
Students can explore topics ranging from immigration and politics, homework and curfews, or celebrities and professional athletes. Sharing their point of view about school uniforms, minimum wage, social media, and gender equality will really challenge classroom participants to analyze their stances on controversial topics.
Here are 35 more essay prompts for High Schoolers .
And see this fabulous writing prompts for High School free resources .
Until next time, keep on writing!
If you enjoyed these Argumentative Topics and Essay Ideas for High School, please share them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest. I appreciate it!
Sincerely, Jill journalbuddies.com creator and curator
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Ideas, Inspiration, and Giveaways for Teachers
We Are Teachers
The Big List of Essay Topics for High School (100+ Ideas!)
Ideas to inspire every young writer!
Writing essays is a big part of high school education, and for good reason. Learning to write clearly, concisely, and persuasively provides big benefits throughout your life. Sometimes, though, the hardest part is just deciding what to write about. If you’re looking for ideas, check out this huge round-up of essay topics for high school. There’s something here for every type of essay, so choose one and start writing!
- Argumentative Essay Topics
- Cause-Effect Essay Topics
- Compare-Contrast Essay Topics
- Descriptive Essay Topics
- Expository Essay Topics
- Humorous Essay Topics
- Narrative Essay Topics
- Persuasive 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.
- The most important challenge our country is currently facing is … (e.g., immigration, gun control, economy)
- Should physical education be part of the standard high school curriculum?
- 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.
- 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?
- 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-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.
- Humans are causing accelerated climate change.
- Fast-food restaurants have made human health worse over the decades.
- 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.
- 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?
- 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.
- 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)
- Public and private schools
- Capitalism vs. communism
- Monarchy or democracy
- Dogs vs. cats as pets
- Paper books or e-books
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 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 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 essay topics to explore.
- 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 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?
- 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.
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.
- 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.
- Invent a wacky new sport, explain the rules, and describe a game or match.
- Explain why it’s important to eat dessert first.
- 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.
Narrative 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. Remember that you don’t necessarily need to write narrative essays from your own point of view. Take inspiration from these narrative 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.
- Write about a time when you or someone you know displayed courage.
- 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.
- Do you think homework should be required, optional, or not given at all?
- 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?
- 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 …
- What is one book that everyone should be required to read?
- Is democracy the best form of government?
- Is capitalism the best form of economy?
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 .
Jill Staake is a Contributing Editor with WeAreTeachers. She has a degree in Secondary English Education and has taught in middle and high school classrooms. She's also done training and curriculum design for a financial institution and been a science museum educator. She currently lives in Tampa, Florida where she often works on her back porch while taking frequent breaks for bird-watching and gardening.
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130 New Prompts for Argumentative Writing
Questions on everything from mental health and sports to video games and dating. Which ones inspire you to take a stand?
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Note: We have an updated version of this list, with 300 new argumentative writing prompts .
What issues do you care most about? What topics do you find yourself discussing passionately, whether online, at the dinner table, in the classroom or with your friends?
In Unit 5 of our free yearlong writing curriculum and related Student Editorial Contest , we invite students to research and write about the issues that matter to them, whether that’s Shakespeare , health care , standardized testing or being messy .
But with so many possibilities, where does one even begin? Try our student writing prompts.
In 2017, we compiled a list of 401 argumentative writing prompts , all drawn from our daily Student Opinion column . Now, we’re rounding up 130 more we’ve published since then ( available here as a PDF ). Each prompt links to a free Times article as well as additional subquestions that can help you think more deeply about it.
You might use this list to inspire your own writing and to find links to reliable resources about the issues that intrigue you. But even if you’re not participating in our contest, you can use these prompts to practice the kind of low-stakes writing that can help you hone your argumentation skills.
So scroll through the list below with questions on everything from sports and mental health to dating and video games and see which ones inspire you to take a stand.
Please note: Many of these prompts are still open to comment by students 13 and up.
Technology & Social Media
1. Do Memes Make the Internet a Better Place? 2. Does Online Public Shaming Prevent Us From Being Able to Grow and Change? 3. How Young Is Too Young to Use Social Media? 4. Should the Adults in Your Life Be Worried by How Much You Use Your Phone? 5. Is Your Phone Love Hurting Your Relationships? 6. Should Kids Be Social Media Influencers? 7. Does Grammar Still Matter in the Age of Twitter? 8. Should Texting While Driving Be Treated Like Drunken Driving? 9. How Do You Think Technology Affects Dating?
10. Are Straight A’s Always a Good Thing? 11. Should Schools Teach You How to Be Happy? 12. How Do You Think American Education Could Be Improved? 13. Should Schools Test Their Students for Nicotine and Drug Use? 14. Can Social Media Be a Tool for Learning and Growth in Schools? 15. Should Facial Recognition Technology Be Used in Schools? 16. Should Your School Day Start Later? 17. How Should Senior Year in High School Be Spent? 18. Should Teachers Be Armed With Guns? 19. Is School a Place for Self-Expression? 20. Should Students Be Punished for Not Having Lunch Money? 21. Is Live-Streaming Classrooms a Good Idea? 22. Should Gifted and Talented Education Be Eliminated? 23. What Are the Most Important Things Students Should Learn in School? 24. Should Schools Be Allowed to Censor Student Newspapers? 25. Do You Feel Your School and Teachers Welcome Both Conservative and Liberal Points of View? 26. Should Teachers and Professors Ban Student Use of Laptops in Class? 27. Should Schools Teach About Climate Change? 28. Should All Schools Offer Music Programs? 29. Does Your School Need More Money? 30. Should All Schools Teach Cursive? 31. What Role Should Textbooks Play in Education? 32. Do Kids Need Recess?
College & Career
33. What Is Your Reaction to the College Admissions Cheating Scandal? 34. Is the College Admissions Process Fair? 35. Should Everyone Go to College? 36. Should College Be Free? 37. Are Lavish Amenities on College Campuses Useful or Frivolous? 38. Should ‘Despised Dissenters’ Be Allowed to Speak on College Campuses? 39. How Should the Problem of Sexual Assault on Campuses Be Addressed? 40. Should Fraternities Be Abolished? 41. Is Student Debt Worth It?
Mental & Physical Health
42. Should Students Get Mental Health Days Off From School? 43. Is Struggle Essential to Happiness? 44. Does Every Country Need a ‘Loneliness Minister’? 45. Should Schools Teach Mindfulness? 46. Should All Children Be Vaccinated? 47. What Do You Think About Vegetarianism? 48. Do We Worry Too Much About Germs? 49. What Advice Should Parents and Counselors Give Teenagers About Sexting? 50. Do You Think Porn Influences the Way Teenagers Think About Sex?
Race & Gender
51. How Should Parents Teach Their Children About Race and Racism? 52. Is America ‘Backsliding’ on Race? 53. Should All Americans Receive Anti-Bias Education? 54. Should All Companies Require Anti-Bias Training for Employees? 55. Should Columbus Day Be Replaced With Indigenous Peoples Day? 56. Is Fear of ‘The Other’ Poisoning Public Life? 57. Should the Boy Scouts Be Coed? 58. What Is Hard About Being a Boy?
59. Can You Separate Art From the Artist? 60. Are There Subjects That Should Be Off-Limits to Artists, or to Certain Artists in Particular? 61. Should Art Come With Trigger Warnings? 62. Should Graffiti Be Protected? 63. Is the Digital Era Improving or Ruining the Experience of Art? 64. Are Museums Still Important in the Digital Age? 65. In the Age of Digital Streaming, Are Movie Theaters Still Relevant? 66. Is Hollywood Becoming More Diverse? 67. What Stereotypical Characters Make You Cringe? 68. Do We Need More Female Superheroes? 69. Do Video Games Deserve the Bad Rap They Often Get? 70. Should Musicians Be Allowed to Copy or Borrow From Other Artists? 71. Is Listening to a Book Just as Good as Reading It? 72. Is There Any Benefit to Reading Books You Hate?
73. Should Girls and Boys Sports Teams Compete in the Same League? 74. Should College Athletes Be Paid? 75. Are Youth Sports Too Competitive? 76. Is It Selfish to Pursue Risky Sports Like Extreme Mountain Climbing? 77. How Should We Punish Sports Cheaters? 78. Should Technology in Sports Be Limited? 79. Should Blowouts Be Allowed in Youth Sports? 80. Is It Offensive for Sports Teams and Their Fans to Use Native American Names, Imagery and Gestures?
81. Is It Wrong to Focus on Animal Welfare When Humans Are Suffering? 82. Should Extinct Animals Be Resurrected? If So, Which Ones? 83. Are Emotional-Support Animals a Scam? 84. Is Animal Testing Ever Justified? 85. Should We Be Concerned With Where We Get Our Pets? 86. Is This Exhibit Animal Cruelty or Art?
Parenting & Childhood
87. Who Should Decide Whether a Teenager Can Get a Tattoo or Piercing? 88. Is It Harder to Grow Up in the 21st Century Than It Was in the Past? 89. Should Parents Track Their Teenager’s Location? 90. Is Childhood Today Over-Supervised? 91. How Should Parents Talk to Their Children About Drugs? 92. What Should We Call Your Generation? 93. Do Other People Care Too Much About Your Post-High School Plans? 94. Do Parents Ever Cross a Line by Helping Too Much With Schoolwork? 95. What’s the Best Way to Discipline Children? 96. What Are Your Thoughts on ‘Snowplow Parents’? 97. Should Stay-at-Home Parents Be Paid? 98. When Do You Become an Adult?
Ethics & Morality
99. Why Do Bystanders Sometimes Fail to Help When They See Someone in Danger? 100. Is It Ethical to Create Genetically Edited Humans? 101. Should Reporters Ever Help the People They Are Covering? 102. Is It O.K. to Use Family Connections to Get a Job? 103. Is $1 Billion Too Much Money for Any One Person to Have? 104. Are We Being Bad Citizens If We Don’t Keep Up With the News? 105. Should Prisons Offer Incarcerated People Education Opportunities? 106. Should Law Enforcement Be Able to Use DNA Data From Genealogy Websites for Criminal Investigations? 107. Should We Treat Robots Like People?
Government & Politics
108. Does the United States Owe Reparations to the Descendants of Enslaved People? 109. Do You Think It Is Important for Teenagers to Participate in Political Activism? 110. Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? 111. What Should Lawmakers Do About Guns and Gun Violence? 112. Should Confederate Statues Be Removed or Remain in Place? 113. Does the U.S. Constitution Need an Equal Rights Amendment? 114. Should National Monuments Be Protected by the Government? 115. Should Free Speech Protections Include Self Expression That Discriminates? 116. How Important Is Freedom of the Press? 117. Should Ex-Felons Have the Right to Vote? 118. Should Marijuana Be Legal? 119. Should the United States Abolish Daylight Saving Time? 120. Should We Abolish the Death Penalty? 121. Should the U.S. Ban Military-Style Semiautomatic Weapons? 122. Should the U.S. Get Rid of the Electoral College? 123. What Do You Think of President Trump’s Use of Twitter? 124. Should Celebrities Weigh In on Politics? 125. Why Is It Important for People With Different Political Beliefs to Talk to Each Other?
Other Questions
126. Should the Week Be Four Days Instead of Five? 127. Should Public Transit Be Free? 128. How Important Is Knowing a Foreign Language? 129. Is There a ‘Right Way’ to Be a Tourist? 130. Should Your Significant Other Be Your Best Friend?
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35 Argumentative Topics to Help High School Students Explore and Define Their Positions Does your vote count? Does diversity in media matter? Does the wage gap really exist? What should be done about gun control in the US? Does the average citizen need to have the right to own a gun? Should marijuana be legalized?
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 is a high school argumentative essay topic list: Is there life after demise? How much is too much homework? Does television influence your intellect? Thus, to write some top-drawer essays and term papers, you must select or note down some of the topics mentioned above for the essays and term papers.