300 Useful Topic Ideas for Your Argumentative Essays (Bonus PDF)

This list of argumentative essay topics was created to help both students and teachers. Here at Prime-Essay.net, we believe this list is a very useful resource and we keep it updated. 

Our list of prompts is divided into categories to make it easier to use and the topics we have included cover every element of modern life, so you are sure to find one that interests you, inspires you or that you feel strongly about. Check out this list of argument essay topics and choose one you want to write about.

To cope easily with this type of writing, feel free to use Argumentative Essay Writing Guide. 

Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco

1. Is there still a tendency among teenagers to drink and drive?
2. Why are young people in the US so prone to binge drinking?
3. Should minors be legally allowed to drink alcohol at home?
4. Is there a case for legalizing marijuana?
5. Should drugs testing be mandatory in schools?
6. How effective is anti-smoking advertising? You can always refer to our professionally written argumentative essay examples for guidance if you are stuck.
7. Is tobacco smoking still an uncontrolled problem among young people?
8. How would you discourage teenagers from smoking?

America and the Dream

1. Do you think it is possible to be born poor in America, work hard, and become rich?
2. Does it matter whether America is the most important country in the world or not?
3. Do you feel you are defined by your neighborhood?
4. How easy or hard is life for poor people in America?

Animal-Related Questions

1. What do you think caused dinosaur extinction?
2. Should people who kick a cat be imprisoned?
3. Is it ever ethical for a zoo to end the life of a healthy animal?
4. Are there any animal species that should be granted some or all of the same legal rights as humans?
5. Should people feel bad about killing ants, spiders and/or other types of bugs?
6. Are humans doing enough to protect endangered species?

Art

1. Could we live without art?
2. Is there ever a case where graffiti can be thought of as art?
3. Should artists and other students taking creative courses be supported by society?
4. Is pop culture a subject that merits serious academic study?
5. Is there a line that separates truth from fiction and where is it?

Bullying

1. How should cyberbullying be addressed in schools?
2. How should cyberbullying be punished?
3. When does prankstering cross the line into bullying?
4. How best can incidents of hazing be dealt with by schools?
5. Is cyberbullying or other bullying a problem in your community or school?

Career and Work

1. Should a student’s SAT scores be made available to a potential employer?
2. Would you prefer to work in an office or at home?
3. Do you consider time spent doing nothing an effective use of your time?
4. Does it concern you that one day a college or potential employer might read your posts on social media?
5. If your employer’s values did not fit with yours, would you leave your job?
6. Would you take a high-earning job you dislike over a low-paid job you love?

Childhood and Parenting

1. Do children get hurt when their parents push them too hard to achieve?
2. Is it right to let children compete on television?
3. What parental discipline is appropriate for children?
4. What level of freedom should children be given?
5. Is childhood being destroyed by modern trends/culture?
6. Are children given too many awards/trophies?
7. Should ‘technology time’ be limited for children?
8. Is it good for children to watch ‘dark’ videos/movies?
9. Does the behavior of teenagers improve for the better using ‘shame and blame’ techniques?
10. Who should teach appropriate behavior to children and how should it be taught?
11. Where is the line between discipline and abuse when dealing with children?
12. What is the youngest age a child should be given a smart phone?
13. Do parents violate the privacy of their children when they upload videos or post photos of them online?
14. Would it make any difference if the images portrayed via Halloween costumes were ‘positive’ ones only?

College-Related Questions

1. How overrated or otherwise is college?
2. Should there be a better way for admitting students to college?
3. Should students be given free college education?
4. Aside from SAT scores/grades, should colleges apply other criteria for admission?
5. Is college attendance necessary or important?
6. How important are college rankings?
7. Is there a ‘right’ number of applications that students should send?
8. Are fraternities responsible for promoting misogyny?
9. Should fraternities be banned in colleges? This is a good topic for an argument essay!
10. How important is it where a student goes to college?
11. Should students taking English courses pay more than students taking engineering courses?
12. What is your view of Affirmative Action in the admissions process?
13. Under what conditions should colleges award scholarships?

Environment and Science Issues

1. Should development be permitted in the vicinity of the Grand Canyon?
2. What can individuals and countries do to combat climate change?
3. How much does climate change worry you?
4. What medical or science project would you embark on if you had sufficient resources?
5. Should legal ‘parenthood’ status be given to fertilized eggs?
6. In what circumstances would it be good to use technology to replace human limbs?
7. In order for humans to live longer, should scientists be allowed to help people beat the aging process?

Fame and Riches

1. Would you agree or disagree that life can be difficult for child stars?
2. Should the media be banned from reporting on the private lives of people who are rich and famous?

Fashion and Personal Appearance

1. Are you concerned about the health, welfare and safety of those who make your clothes or should you care?
2. Is the term ‘saggy pants’ disrespectful?
3. How much freedom should children have in their choice of clothing?
4. What is your view on cosmetic enhancement/surgery?

Food and Nutrition

1. Do you agree or disagree that breakfast truly is the most essential meal of a person’s day?
2. Does it concern you where the food you eat comes from?
3. Do you count pizza and French fries as vegetables and why?
4. Should we classify pizza sauce and French fries as vegetables and why or why not?
5. Should sugary drink size be limited by the government?
6. Should sugary drink products be taxed?
7. Do you think eating meat is ethical or unethical?
8. Do you think the fight for healthier school lunches is a wasted effort?
9.  Are Tacos better in ‘Appropriated’ form or in ‘Authentic’ form?

Football

1. Should college students who play football receive payment?
2. Should parents encourage their children to play football or discourage them against it?
3. Does the use of native American mascots and names cause offence?
4. Should watching football be allowed if the sport is so dangerous for players?

Gender Questions

1. Are schools designed more for boys than girls or vice versa?
2. Do parents set different standards for sons than daughters and are their hopes for each gender different?
3. Do you feel bad when you see photographs of yourself photoshopped?
4. Is it alright to doctor photos or not?
5. Is it alright for males to comment on females they see on the street or elsewhere?
6. Why are there not more women leaders?
7. Do you have any opinion on the reunion between Rihanna and Chris Brown?
8. How should sexual crime/violence against women be tackled?
9. Are new methods needed to classify sexuality and gender?
10. Is it alright to refuse to serve/attend to same sex couples according to your religious beliefs?
11. Should females be allowed to fight alongside their male counterparts on the front line?
12. Would you say it is true or false that females are better at collaborating and compromising?
13. Can or should boys be allowed to wear a skirt to or at school?
14. Do you think men and women should have equal rights? This is another popular topic for argumentative essays.
15. Is there a reason why more boys seek careers in the fields of science and math than girls?
16. Is the pressure placed on girls to achieve the ‘perfect’ body excessive?
17. Is there much pressure placed on boys to have the ‘perfect’ body?

Generation Matters

1. Does the term “postracial” apply to your generation?
2. Is there an excess of self-esteem in the current generation?

Government-Related Questions

1. Are there any problems in your locality that you believe your Mayor should resolve?
2. As a State Governor, what would you do with any surplus budget?
3. Is it right that the rich should pay more in tax?
4. How much do you trust your current government?
5. Do you think citizen privacy is more important than national security or vice versa?

Gun Law

1. What is your view of guns?
2. Should college campuses permit or ban guns?
3. A newspaper published a list of gun owner addresses. Was this an irresponsible act?
4. What is your stance in respect of unconcealed handguns?
5. If your school was patrolled by armed guards, would you feel any safer?
6. How can mass shootings be prevented in the future?

Health Topics

1. Do you agree or disagree that terminally ill people should be allowed to end their own lives as they see fit?
2. Should every state make texting behind the wheel illegal?
3. How should unvaccinated students be dealt with by schools?
4. Should every state allow medically assisted suicide?

Home and Housekeeping

1. Are people who maintain an untidy desk more or less creative?
2. Is it important to keep your house clean and why?

Immigration

1. Should public school education be made available to children whose parents are illegal immigrants?
2. Should the USA allow millions of undocumented (potentially illegal) immigrants to live in America without fear of deportation

International/Global Relations

1. Should terrorists be paid ransom money to release hostages?
2. Should America spy on countries it views as its friends?
3. Is military force ever justified and, if so, in what circumstances?

Justice System, Policing and Imprisonment

1. What is your opinion of the ‘Stop and Frisk’ tactic used by the police?
2. Should body cameras be part of the police uniform?
3. When should life sentences be handed down to juvenile offenders?
4. Should prisoners be permitted to vote upon release?
5. Is the law more lenient with rich people?
6. Will anything change as a result of events in Ferguson?
7. Should the death penalty be abolished in the USA?

Learning and Teaching

1. How important is class size?
2. What is the best method of learning history?
3. Is a new method needed for teaching math?
4. Is it important the Arts be taught in school?
5. What do you really learn about at school?
6. Should students be grouped by ability?
7. Is your learning ability impacted by classroom décor?
8. Do you learn much or more by doing homework?
9. How much group work should students be obliged to do?
10. Are students given an excessive amount of homework?
11. Are students given sufficient opportunity to explore their creative side?
12. Should gym classes cater for math and reading as well?
13. Do students perform better overall as a result of gym?

Literature

1. Is there any writer you would nominate for a prize and why?
2. In terms of characters from children’s books, which do you prefer – Contrary or Obedient?
3. What characters should be written about? Feel free to contact Prime-Essay.net if you need any examples of argumentative essays to help you along.
4. Is it better to read a book than listen to one?
5. Would you swap your paper book collection for a digital version?

Music

1. What does the future hold for music and the industry in general?
2. Which artists would you consider to be “sellouts?”
3. In the current music scene, what artist(s) do you think will achieve longevity?
4. Is there any artist – actor, musician or writer – you think is destined for superstardom but is not quite there yet?
5. Can you become more successful with the right music training?
6. Who “owns” hip-hop?
7. What current artists or groups will make it to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Personal Matters

1. How good are people at listening – are we getting better or worse?
2. Is it better to work hard or be talented?
3. Can happiness be bought?
4. In what circumstances is it appropriate to compromise?
5. Is the present generation more self-obsessed than previous generations?
6. Do consumers complain too little or too much?
7. Is remaining cool important and why?
8. Are people happier the more items they buy and/or accumulate?

Philanthropy and Charity

1. Is ‘volunteerism’ right or wrong in the case of teenagers?
2. Which causes should be financed by philanthropic groups?
3. Should charity organizations focus more on home issues?

Politics and Leadership

1. Is it necessary to be extrovert to be a great leader?
2. When politicians threaten a shutdown, are they acting on principle or being irresponsible?
3. Does leadership come with moral obligation?

Responsibility and Morality

1. Is the world a better and nicer place where offensive words are prohibited?
2. Are there any circumstances where looting is morally acceptable?
3. Have by-passers a duty to intervene in situations of trouble?
4. Should newspapers display cartoon images of the Prophet Muhammad when some view these as offensive?
5. Are there any words and/or phrases that should be made obsolete?
6. Is it ethical for newspapers to print images of a dying man?
7. Are some swear words now so commonplace they fail to shock?
8. List some words and/or phrases you feel are used too much?
9. Can being kind also be considered ‘cool?’
10. Are people made stronger and more successful as a result of suffering?

Sex and Dating

1. Is dating becoming outdated?
2. What is the best way to teach young people about sex and puberty?
3. Is it sensible for couples to cohabit before getting married?
4. How should minors who ‘sex-text’ be dealt with by legislators and educators?
5. Is a whole generation being left unhappy and unready for love because of the current hookup trend?
6. How should Internet pornography be handled by parents? Ask us for a sample argumentative essay if you need any pointers.
7. Could a person made to fall in love with a stranger from a set of instructions?
8. Should those under 17 be able to buy the morning-after pill over the counter?
9. Should teenage girls be able to obtain the pill without a doctor’s prescription?

School Attendance in General

1. Do you think smaller schools are more or less effective than larger ones?
2. Should equal cover be given to all students in a Yearbook?
3. Should prior review apply to school/college newspapers?
4. Should students who are schooled at home be permitted to participate in public school sports events?
5. Is there any purpose to Prom other than an opportunity to drink?
6. How worthwhile is Prom?
7. Would you prefer to go to a private or public high school?
8. How important is which high school a student goes to?

School and Parents

1. Should pre-school be obligatory for all children?
2. To whom should student records be made available?
3. Are parent-teacher conferences important and, if so, how?
4. Would you be happy to be schooled at home?
5. What should parents do about a bad report card?

School Discipline and Rules

1. How much of a problem is cheating?
2. Should cell phones be banned in schools?
3. What methods are best for controlling student behavior in the classroom?
4. Should drugs testing be undertaken in middle school? This is another good option for anyone looking for controversial topics for argumentative essays.
5. Should corporal punishment be permitted in schools?
6. Should student ID cards be fitted with tracking devices?
7. How is misbehavior dealt with in your school?

School Grading

1. In your school, which group gets the better grades – boys or girls?
2. Why do you think girls are better at reading than boys?
3. Do girls and boys do better when they are separated?
4. Should students be excused from completing assignments because of discomfort?
5. Are too many A grades awarded in your school?
6. Should teachers be subject to student grading?

School Hours

1. Do you think the school day is too long or short?
2. How much school/class time do you think is wasted?
3. Is recess necessary for children?
4. Do you agree or disagree that the school calendar should be longer?
5. Should students go to college/school early?
6. Should the age for dropping out be increased?
7. Should the number of years spent in high school be reviewed?
8. Should schools start later in the day?
9. Is it right to allow students to skip high school senior year?

Shopping Matters

1. Should businesses be allowed to collect information about their customers?
2. Do you buy from local shops/businesses?
3. Should Black Friday trading start earlier or later?
4. Has Amazon grown into an overly powerful entity?

Social Media and the Internet

1. Is it right that people are allowed to hide their online identities?
2. Can online/Internet reviews be trusted?
3. Does Facebook always make you feel good?
4. Is Facebook maintaining its edge?
5. Should the things you post on Facebook cause you to get fired?
6. Do you ever thinking about closing your Facebook account?

Space Exploration

1. What is your view on alien life – do you believe there is any intelligent form?
2. Do you believe that life exists anywhere other than on earth or that that it has ever existed?
3. Would you like to travel into space?
4. Will humans ever live on Mars?

Spirituality and Religion

1. Can a person be good without religion or God?
2. Do you think there is a reason why things happen?
3. How important is inter-faith marriage?
4. Can people control their fate and, if so, to what extent?

Sports - Ethics and Sportsmanship

1. Should stricter rules apply to the way coaches treat players?
2. Is it right that athletes found taking drugs should lose their medals and/or titles?
3.  Are some young people’s sports too demanding?
4. Do some professional athletes face too much pressure from their fans?
5. Do sports managers/clubs have an onus to set personal conduct standards for players to uphold?
6. Should betting on sports be legalized everywhere?
7. Does there always need to be a winner and even loser in a championship game/competition?
8. Should stricter rules apply to the way sports teams and colleges handle the sale of naming rights?
9. Would it be better for colleges to fund wellness programs rather that sporting activities?

Sports in General

1. Should a minimum legal age be imposed for climbing Mount Everest?
2. How important or significant is it that an NBA player made it known they were gay?
3. Is baseball maintaining or losing its ‘cool?’
4. Do you think your community or neighborhood would benefit from a bike-sharing scheme?
5. Would you classify cheerleading as a sport?

Standardized School Tests

1. How much time do you spend preparing for tests?
2. Should good scores be rewarded with cash prizes/bonuses?
3. Should standardized tests be taken seriously?
4. How effectively is student ability measured by school tests?

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Television, Theatre and Movies

1. Is teenage pregnancy encouraged or discouraged by such TV programs as ’16 and Pregnant?’
2. Is American diversity adequately portrayed on television?
3. What are the components of a good TV/movie commercial?
4. What makes for a good finale on a TV show?
5. Are dangerous stereotypes promoted by reality television?
6. Why are viewers so fascinated with movies and TV shows about rich people?
7. Is television guilty of being too white? This is a good choice too if you are looking for interesting argumentative essay topics to impress your teacher. 
8. What caused so many online users to react angrily to a Cheerios advertisement?
9. Is there something special about a live theatre show that just is not there in a TV show or movie?
10. What are the best movies you watched in the last 12 months?

Technology

1. Does technology distract you?
2. Are technology users made to feel more alone?
3. Do you think technology makes people film excessively?
4. How much time do you spend playing smart phone games?
5. Is there such thing as too much texting?
6. Do you want or own a pair of Google glasses?
7. Has the meaningfulness of photography been diminished by the abundance of digital photography?
8. How will our futures be affected by robots?
9. Will we ever really catch on to wearable technologies?
10. (Technology in Education) How effectively do the teachers at your school use technology?
11. Is there any educational benefit to cell phones?
12. Is your school too strict in the way it applies web filtering?
13. Would you be happy for your essays to be graded by a computer?
14. Which learning method is better – face-to-face or online?
15. Are computer/Internet games an effective form of classroom teaching?
16. Do you agree or disagree that tablet devices should be the main tool for classroom learning?

The Maturing Process

1. When do children turn into adults?
2. Will you vote when you are legally entitled to?
3. At what age should a person be allowed to vote, buy alcohol and tobacco, and fight in warzones?

Video Games

1. Should minors be able to buy violent video games in stores?
2. Is there a time when players should feel guilty about killing zombies?
3. Do you consider video gaming to be a sport?
4. Do people become more violent in real life as a result of playing violent video/online games?
5. Is the games world sexist?
6. Is there any game you want to redesign?
7. Can a video game be likened to an artwork?