150 Strong Argumentative Essay Topics To Help You Ace Your Next Paper

Have you ever been stuck on a project in which you are uncertain about your next step? Of course, you know how that feels. Here’s a little secret: “This happens even to the best of us!” You definitely aren’t alone.

This is a frequent experience amongst students, particularly when they are assigned an argumentative essay. If that’s your situation, there is no need to get anxious. Because luckily for you, help is on the way.

This article was written to assist you with interesting argumentative essay topic ideas to ensure you ace your next paper. Be sure to read through till the end because at the end of this article, you will:

1. Know what an argumentative essay is.
2. Understand the aim of argumentative essay writing.
3. Learn the characteristics of a good argumentative essay.
4. Discover tips on how you can choose a good argumentative essay topic.
5. Be conversant about the factors to help you decide on the topic for your argumentative essay.
6. Have access to 150 great argumentative essay topics to help you ace your next assignment.

What Is An Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is a form of an academic essay you write in a logical pattern with sufficient facts to convince the reader to see an idea in a certain way.

Many students confuse argumentative essays with persuasive essays because they both involve persuasion. However, an argumentative essay is different because you write an argumentative essay essentially with facts and evidence to support these facts. This allows minimal expression of emotions.

Characteristics of a good argumentative essay

A good argumentative essay should have these characteristics:

Evidence:

Every good argumentative essay must contain substantial evidence to back up each claim being made. Your argument is only as good as your evidence. This supporting evidence should contain accurate, up-to-date, and well-researched data. Ensure you get your data from reliable sources, as this is important for a good argument. Your argumentative essay should contain sufficient data to support the thesis statement.

You also need some evidence to refute the claims of counterarguments. Counterarguments are arguments introduced to oppose your stand. When you introduce a piece of logical evidence to counter an opposing claim, you are further strengthening your argument.

Counterarguments are commonplace when writing with the Rogerian argumentative essay structure. The Rogerian structure is used in an essay that provides a middle ground position between the opposing arguments. It is great for an audience of readers who can try to compromise their previous stance.

Basic Structure:

A good argumentative essay should have a logical flow of thought. The popular five-paragraph essay structure can guide you to write an argumentative paper that is easy for your audience to comprehend.

This five-paragraph structure comprises: Introduction, Body, and Conclusion. The thesis statement, which is written in the introductory part of an essay, plays a significant role in adding structure to your paper. The thesis statement is a brief sentence statement that explains the major argument in an essay. It is the most important sentence in an argumentative essay because the goal of your argumentative essay is to support whatever argument you write in your thesis.

In addition, be sure to infuse clear and logical transitions between each part of your structure. This helps your reader to have a logical flow of thought and follow your essay’s argument.

Appeal to the audience

Your essay should appeal to the audience. Ensure you select interesting topics that will appeal to your audience. In addition, it is advisable to use a formal tone when writing academic papers. Write your essay with precise and clear words to keep the interest of your reader and impress your instructor.

Tips for choosing a good argumentative essay topic

One of the most important decisions you should make when writing your argumentative essay is choosing a good topic. We know it’s difficult to find the perfect topic, that’s why we have curated a list of tips for choosing a suitable topic. Whatever topic you decide on, be sure to analyze them using these factors.

Controversial.

You should choose an easily debatable topic. The essence of your essay should be to spark a strong argument. Therefore, look out for controversial argumentative essay topics with different perspectives as these are a great way to begin your argumentation. For example, writing about the effects of stealing on society isn’t debatable. Everyone knows that stealing has a negative effect on society. However, if your topic is: “Should you punish a pickpocket with capital punishment?” This topic will definitely provoke interesting arguments and counterarguments.

Fact-finding.

Your essay is as good as your research. Hence, choose a topic that you can easily research. You should have well-reasoned data to back up every claim in your essay. You can achieve this when you perform enough research. Be sure to get your data from reliable sources and cite them wherever there is a need to do so.

Recent and Relevant.

Whatever topic you choose should be recent and relevant to your audience. This will make your essay more relatable to your instructor and other readers. Pick a relevant topic that easily relates to your instructor and your audience. I suggest you brainstorm ideas related to different fields that are relevant to your audience.

Specific.

Your topic should have a specific message, as this plays a huge role when picking the right topic for your essay.

Some topics are controversial, but they are quite broad and difficult to handle, especially when you’ve got a time limit. Don’t pick such topics. Instead, pick something that is specific and easy for you to find enough data from your research. For example, “Should students have cell phones?” is a wide topic. In order to make it narrow and add some punch to it, you can switch the topic to “Should high school students have cell phones?”. With this, you can channel your research work toward students between 11 years to 19 years.

List of 150 controversial argumentative essay topic ideas

We’ve come up with a list of argumentative essay ideas in different areas that you’ll find interesting. Also, make sure you go through the list to pick a topic that works for you.

Argumentative Essay Topics on Politics and Legal system

1. Should all states decriminalize the possession of certain drugs like marijuana?
2. Should all states abolish gun control laws?
3. Should capital punishment be administered to sex offenders?
4. Is the UK ready for a prime minister of foreign descent?
5. Was Brexit an excellent decision for Britain?
6. Should the US support Taiwan against China?
7. Is democracy the best system of governance?
8. Should the president, being an elected leader, place the interest of the country above that of his political party?
9. Should aspiring politicians finance their campaigns, or should political parties handle financing?
10. Should the US halt its green card immigration process?
11. Should Catalonia become an independent state?
12. Should electoral college votes be abolished?
13. Should dual citizens be allowed to vote in any of their countries of citizenship?
14. Should prisoners be allowed to vote?
15. Should dual citizens be allowed to contest for political positions?
16. Should the government have access to their citizens’ personal conversations?
17. Should abortion be banned in all states in the US?
18. Can the government ban the use of cryptocurrency?

Topics about History

1. Should we use results from Nazi research during the second world war in medicine?
2. With changes in human patterns and behavior, do you think history repeats itself?
3. Thomas Jefferson made laudable contributions to the founding of America. Which of his contributions is the most commendable? The composition of the Declaration of Independence or the purchase of Louisiana from France.
4. Plague vs. Covid-19, which of these diseases changed the course of history?

Argumentative Essay Topics about Education

1. Given the amount of coursework to be done, do students need to employ an essay writing service?
2. Should high school students have cell phones?
3. Should elementary school students have reduced playtime during the school week?
4. Do homeschool students perform better than their counterparts who go to conventional schools?
5. Should international students receive student loans?
6. Are Ivy League colleges better than community colleges?
7. Are online college degrees better than brick-and-mortar college degrees?
8. Is college tuition very expensive?
9. Is the present grading system in universities effective?
10. Should high school students work on weekends?
11. Should high schools have security surveillance on the school premises?
12. Should there be a minimum age requirement for admission into college?
13. Should students caught cheating during examinations be dismissed from school?
14. Should the government continue to grant loans to college students?
15. Should teachers use their cell phones during classes?

Topics on Social media

1. Should the minimum age to access TikTok be 18 years of age?
2. Should social media influencers pay tax?
3. Are social media influencers a positive influence on children and teens?
4. Does social media have a positive influence on the life of adults living in Canada?
5. Does social media influence political campaigns?
6. Should employees access their social media accounts during work hours?
7. Is it advisable to physically meet up with friends and followers from social media platforms?
8. Does social media have an influence on the mental health of people?
9. Do social media platforms strengthen interpersonal relationships?
10. Does social media help in the spread of violence?
11. Does social media reduce the productivity of undergraduates?
12. With the wide spread of hate speech on social media networks, should content on social media be censored?
13. Has social media increased the spread of cyberbullying?
14. Does the use of social media promote sex-related crimes?
15. Do relationships which start on social media networks last longer?
16. Is social media influencing a viable business?
17. Should social media platforms be regulated by the government?

Argumentative Essay Topics on Health

1. Should COVID-19 vaccination be compulsory?
2. Should children’s vaccination be compulsory?
3. Is robotic surgery safer than regular surgery?
4. Should contraceptives be administered to teenagers without the approval of their parents?
5. Should life-saving medical procedures be free in Canada?
6. Should cannabis be administered to patients for pain management?
7. Should euthanasia be legalized in the US?
8. Should homeless people enjoy free healthcare?
9. Should animals be used for medical research?
10. Are traditional medicines effective in the management of diabetes?
11. Are traditional medicines effective in the management of hypertension?
12. Are people who enjoy more sleep healthier than those who don’t?
13. Do competitive sports adversely affect women’s health?

Argumentative Essay Topics on Sports

1. Is soccer players’ revenue very high?
2. Should cheerleading be considered as a sport?
3. Should sport betting be legalized?
4. Should athletes who use steroids in tournaments give up their trophies and titles?
5. Should violent sports like martial arts be considered as a sport?
6. Should gay athletes take part in sporting activities?
7. Should sportswomen earn the same revenue as their male counterparts?
8. Should unhealthy food brands sponsor sporting activities?
9. Is this dress code for female athletes revealing?
10. Should women take part in violent sports such as boxing?
11. Does participation in sports among teenagers keep them away from trouble?

Argumentative Essay Topics on Family

1. Should children request parental consent when they need to access their devices?
2. Should a parent limit his child’s use of social media?
3. Does divorce have a negative effect on children?
4. Do children from divorced families have a higher chance of divorcing their spouses?
5. Do children from single parents fare better than adults than children from both parents?
6. Should gay adults be allowed to adopt children?
7. Are families with children happier than families without children?
8. Should a parent be allowed to spank his children?
9. Should a parent pay his child an allowance for work done at home?
10. Is it right for a parent to monitor his child’s internet use?
11. Should a mother be encouraged to breastfeed her baby in public places?
12. Should fathers be granted paternity leave at their workplaces?
13. Should a parent limit his children’s screen time?
14. Should children be encouraged to read books on the LGBTQ community?
15. Should adoptive parents be given leave to take care of their adopted babies?

Argumentative Essay Topics on Society

1. Should people be allowed to smoke cigarettes in public places?
2. Should curfew be implemented for minors?
3. Since COVID-19 vaccines have been introduced, should nose masks be mandatory in public places?
4. Are ex-convicts treated fairly after completing their term?
5. Should drinking of alcohol in public places be banned?
6. Should public display of affection among adults be discouraged?
7. Are same-sex marriages healthy for the society?
8. Should torture be introduced while investigating criminal offences?
9. Should people be prosecuted for crimes they committed as juveniles?
10. Should juveniles be convicted of crimes?
11. Should adults be allowed to wear revealing clothes in public places?
12. Have changes in human behavior and pattern improved life expectancy?

Argumentative Essay Topics on Economy

1. Are remote workers more productive than those who work at the office?
2. Should illegal immigrants be allowed to work in the country that live in?
3. Is the US restriction on goods that originate from Russia justified?
4. Should companies in the US continue to produce in China?
5. Should children be allowed to work to support their families?
6. Should the government tax waiters on their tips?
7. Has the American economy performed better in the Biden administration than in Trump’s administration?
8. Has the Russian economy performed better since its invasion of Ukraine?
9. Should companies sanction their employees in possession of certain drugs like cannabis during work hours?
10. Should OPEC be allowed to continue to determine production capacity for oil-producing countries?
11. Many people think cryptocurrency helps in the growth of a country’s economy. How true is that?
12. Should pregnant women be allowed to resume new positions in the workplace? 
13. Should each government regulate cryptocurrency in their country?

Argumentative Essay Topics on Environment

1. Can the influx of electric vehicles curb air pollution?
2. Should companies be sanctioned for the effects of the chemicals used in their production plants?
3. Are human beings the principal cause of climate change?
4. Should the use of fossil fuels in manufacturing industries be abolished?
5. Does crypto mining have a negative effect on the environment?
6. Does fishing have a negative effect on the environment?
7. Are hybrid vehicles environmentally friendly?
8. Does the use of plastic bags affect the environment negatively?
9. Should recycling be mandatory for all Americans?
10. Is nuclear energy an environmentally friendly energy source?
11. Can human beings rely only on environmentally friendly energy sources?
12. Is it possible for oil and gas exploration activities to be stopped globally?
13. Is wind energy a viable energy source?

Argumentative Essay Topics on Science and Technology

1. Is genetically modified food safe for human consumption?
2. Can humans live on the planet Mars?
3. Are all the articles written in scientific journals accurate?
4. Is organic food healthier than genetically modified food?
5. Will robots take over human jobs?
6. Has scientific advancements adversely affected the quality of life of humans?
7. Is 5G technology safe to use?

Argumentative Essay Topics on Mass Media

1. Should media houses censor violent videos?
2. Should advertising houses stop showing images of scantily dressed people?
3. Should media houses censor videos with obscene language?
4. Has social media completely taken over mass media?
5. Do news networks focus on bad news?
6. Is the newspaper still a relevant form of mass communication?
7. Do print adverts still capture the attention of consumers?
8. Does mass media have any effect on consumer spending?
9. Should tabloids and gossip magazines be regulated?
10. Should the confidential lives of celebrities and popular people get published without their consent?
11. Should cigarettes be advertised on television?
12. Should each government influence mass media in their country?

Now you’ve got all you need to pick an interesting argumentative essay topic, impress your instructor and ace your paper! If you need help with your essay, be sure to drop a message below.