100+ Great Argumentative Essay Topics For Students In 2024

Argumentative Essay Topics

Are you struggling to find a controversial or debatable topic for your next academic essay or research paper? Worry no more because this article lists 100+ potential argumentative essay topics for college students across different subjects like education, science, and technology.

As the name suggests, argumentative essay is derived from ‘argument,’ which means “the act or process of arguing, reasoning, or discussing.” Hence, an argumentative essay is a type of academic writing that presents and defends the writer’s position on a controversial topic.

While writing this kind of paper, you should analyze your topic in detail. Conduct ‘enough’ background research on your subject to collect, generate, and evaluate evidence. Then, establish a position and back it up with data and examples from relevant sources.

Here’s our recipe for establishing whether a topic suits you or not. Let’s get to it.

Finding a Great Argumentative Essay Topic

A skilled writer should be able to differentiate between a good and a bad topic. And it’s not that complicated. Here’s the formula - the four most essential factors to consider before settling on a particular topic, whether writing an essay or preparing for a class debate.

#1 What’s the professor’s direction?

Don’t get blinded by the interestingness of the topic and forget the instructions. Can you find your essay topic, or is a specific one assigned to you? If a topic is preselected, you’d have no option but to stick to it unless you want your paper to fail, which I doubt you do. Either way, conduct sufficient background research to understand the issue before deciding on your essay’s context.

#2 What’s your interest?

Don’t make the mistake of selecting a topic that doesn’t interest you unless you don’t have the freedom to choose one. An exciting topic would appeal more to the audience in a debate, and the discussion would be more lively. Also, if you are writing a persuasive essay, you’d be more willing to explore deeper into a topic that pleases you. More so, it should be relevant to your course. 

#3 Does the argument have potential?

Always find a debatable topic for your argumentative essay or research paper. You can evaluate your argument by considering if the premises provide enough logical support for the conclusion. Are the premises true? Which side has more support and why? What do other authors say?

#4 Availability of materials.

Can you write an outstanding argumentative essay using the available resources – time, money, and skills? What type of sources have information on the topic? Any peer-reviewed articles? What data can you access to defend and justify your position? Is the data or information current and relevant?

Now, which of these factors do you consider the most important?

99+ Great Argumentative Essay Topics

Here are some great essay topics on which you can write your argumentative research paper or persuasive essay. Feel free to select one and twist it to comply with the professor’s instructions or your liking. Consult with the professor if you are unsure of anything.

Best Argumentative Essay Topics in Education

• Are essay writing companies legal or worth it?
• Is plagiarism on the rise?
• Should students have the ability to evaluate their teachers?
• Are extracurricular activities a valuable use of students' time?
• Is private schooling consistently superior to public schooling?
• Should universities eliminate exams or homework?
• Do sports activities impact students' academic performance?
• Should the government cover college tuition fees?
• What is the most effective approach to address cyberbullying in your school?

Debatable Topics in Technology & Social Media

• Can playing more video games actually make you more intelligent?
• Does technology both assist and encourage us to waste time?
• Should Facebook face restrictions on collecting users' data?
• Are electric cars superior to manual cars?
• Is it ethically wrong to replace human workers with machines and robots?
• What should be the appropriate punishment for cybercrime offenders?
• To what extent should online reviews be relied upon and trusted?
• Is cell phone radiation dangerous, and should it be regulated?
• Should Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies be promoted globally?

Best Gender-Based Argumentative Essay Topics

• Why is there a higher proportion of men in leadership positions compared to women?
• Do boys or girls face more societal pressure to attain perfect bodies?
• Do you advocate for equal rights for both men and women in society?
• What measures should communities take to combat violence against women?
• Is the educational system more biased in favor of boys than girls?
• Do you believe same-sex marriage has a positive or negative impact on society?
• Should lawmakers eliminate gender-based baby scanning?
• Why do male victims of domestic violence remain silent about their experiences?
• Do parents hold different aspirations for their daughters compared to their sons?

Persuasive Essay Topics on Health & Fitness

• Is it ethical for doctors to promote pharmaceutical drugs?
• Should physician-assisted suicide be globally prohibited?
• Is there a need for a major overhaul of the American healthcare system?
• Is healthcare fundamentally a human right rather than a mere necessity?
• What drives individuals to seek healthcare services in other countries?
• What is the most effective strategy for addressing belly fat?
• How does corruption impact the delivery of healthcare in Africa?
• Why do governments enforce bans on smoking in public places?
• Do you consider obesity to be a disability?

Great Argumentative Essay Topics on Sports

• Why are co-curricular activities, including sports, important in students' lives?
• Is it responsible for parents to allow their children to play football?
• Should public schools provide financial compensation to college football players?
• Governments should ban sports betting. Why or Why not?
• Is college football a hazardous sport that students should avoid participating in?
• Should college students prioritize academics over sports involvement?
• Should schools allocate more funding to wellness programs rather than sports?
• Should football clubs financially reward their fans?
• Do sports and recreational activities play a role in reducing youth crime rates?

Argumentative Research Topics on Immigration

• Do you support the Trump administration's efforts to deport illegal immigrants?
• Should countries open borders to promote the free movement of people and goods?
• Do immigrants contribute to increased economic inequality?
• Are undocumented immigrants the primary source of crime in a country?
• Should Americans hold immigrants responsible for drug smuggling in the country?
• Are anti-illegal immigration policies and laws ineffective?
• Has illegal immigration had an impact on job opportunities in your country?
• What are some of the effects and costs associated with illegal immigration?
• Do immigrants make significant contributions to the labor market?

Top Argumentative Essay Topics on Arts & Media

• Is television a realm of endless opportunities? Do you agree?
• Has television successfully combated gender discrimination?
• Why does negative news seem to attract more attention than positive news?
• Who is your favorite CNN host, and what qualities make them stand out?
• What were the top ten movies you watched last year?
• Can having a musical trainer lead to greater success?
• Do video games genuinely enhance one's intelligence and memory?
• Should schools prioritize art education over science education?
• Do you believe YouTube benefits or exploits artists?

Persuasive Essay Topics on Nutrition and Well-Being

• Which types of fats and oils are the healthiest for your diet?
• Is smoking still a prevalent issue among teenagers?
• Are humans naturally inclined to be vegetarians?
• Should the government raise the legal drinking age to 20 years?
• What strategies can be employed to combat childhood obesity effectively?
• Should the punishment for smoking in public places be as severe as life imprisonment?
• Are anti-smoking advertisements truly ineffective in reducing smoking rates?
• Does the FDA adequately protect the public's health?
• What is the most effective approach to address the problem of obesity?

Topics in Personal Character and Morality

• Can money truly buy happiness?
• What are the reasons to ban animal testing?
• Why should marijuana be legalized?
• Should the death penalty be universally legalized?
• Is it morally justifiable for humans to stop consuming animals?
• Is teenage abortion still a significant issue?
• Is the Constitution a violation of human freedom?
• Does sex education expose teenagers to immoral behavior?
• Should parents have the right to modify their unborn children genetically?

Great Science-Related Argumentative Essay Topics

• Is it possible to reverse and slow down the aging process through scientific means?
• Can scientists contribute to extending the human lifespan and conquering the challenges of old age?
• Should we refrain from replacing human limbs with technological prosthetics?
• Whose responsibility is it to address climate change, and to what extent?
• Why should people be encouraged to choose generic medicines over brand-name ones?
• Can marijuana effectively alleviate mental health conditions?
• Should the study of science in high school be optional for students?
• Is it ethically justifiable to provide a liver transplant to an alcoholic?
• Is pedigree breeding an unethical practice when it comes to animals?

Best Topics for Economics and Business Studies

• Is an unpaid internship a form of oppression?
• Should governments lower or raise corporate taxes to stimulate the economy?
• Are regulations on minimum-wage rates effective in addressing income inequality?
• Is the government to blame for high unemployment rates?
• Is income tax a fair representation of a tax on professional success?
• How do tax policies impact the economy in the long term?
• Are there economic benefits to be gained from the practice of demonetization?
• Should tax fraud be considered an act of waging war against the nation?
• Are democracy and capitalism intrinsically connected, representing two sides of the same coin?

Best Argumentative Topics about Sustainability

• How does the transition to renewable energy sources contribute to environmental sustainability?
• What impact does the adoption of eco-friendly transportation, including electric vehicles, have on reducing environmental harm?
• What are the key principles and benefits of a circular economy, and how does it support sustainability?
• Why is the conservation of biodiversity important for environmental sustainability?
• How can society effectively address plastic pollution and promote solutions to reduce its impact?
• What strategies and practices promote sustainable urban development and reduce the environmental footprint of cities?
• How do sustainable farming practices, such as agroecology and organic farming, support both food security and environmental sustainability?
• What are the strategies and policies aimed at adapting to the impacts of climate change, and how do they contribute to sustainability?
• What is the role of environmental education and awareness campaigns in fostering sustainability and driving behavior change to reduce environmental impact?

Conclusion

So, an argumentative essay is a genre of academic paper that presents two sides of an argument and then focuses on persuading or convincing the audience why one side has more weight than the other. While writing one, you should find a controversial topic first.

Then, you should conduct in-depth background research, identify data supporting both sides of the argument, and take a stance based on the data. Before selecting a topic for your argumentative or persuasive essay or debate class, you should:

• Make sure it interests you.
• Consider the availability of materials.
• Confirm if the argument has potential, and
• Analyze the essay instructions.

The article outlines debatable topics on education, technology, social media, gender, health and fitness, sports, and immigration. It also covers other subjects like arts and media, nutrition and well-being, molarity, science and economics, and business studies.