Question

topics for argumentative essays
what is a great topic for an argumentative essay? obviously, it should be an issue that you feel strongly about, know something about, and would like to share your opinion about. what is your opinion, why do you feel this way? can you think of some reasons why people might disagree with you?
when you choose a topic, consider these two questions:

• does the topic have two sides?
• how much do you know about the topic?

look at the list of argumentative topics below. what is your opinion about each topic? are they two sides of each topic?

topics for argument
banning cigarettes banning violent video games
requiring school uniforms using animals for medical research
mandating military service requiring a test for people who want children
lowering the drinking age to 18 banning cell phones in schools
getting rid of zoos requiring a year of study abroad

activity identifying topics for argumentative essays
read these eight topics. put a check mark (✓) next to the ones that could be good topics for argument essays.
______1. the first time i flew in a plane.
______2. university education should be free.
______3. how and why birds fly south for the winter.
______4. high school teachers need a higher salary.
______5. steps needed to get a drivers license.
______6. legalizing gay marriage.
______7. increasing tax on imported food.
______8. how to become a karate master.

can you think of three additional topics that would be excellent for an argumentative essay?

1. ______
2. ______
3. ______

topics for argumentative essays
after you choose a topic, think about what you know about it. what do you know about your side of the argument and what do you know about the opposite side of the argument? a good way to organize your ideas is to use a pro & con t - chart. pro = in favor of thesis statement, con = against thesis statement
if you cannot think of several ideas for one or both sides, you should do more research about that topic or choose a different topic.

Explanation:

An argumentative essay topic should have two - sided debate potential.

1. "The first time I flew in a plane" is a personal experience, not debatable.
2. "University education should be free" has two sides (cost - burden, access to education etc.), so it's good.
3. "How and why birds fly south for the winter" is a scientific fact - finding topic, not debatable.
4. "High school teachers need a higher salary" has two sides (cost to schools, teacher motivation etc.), so it's good.
5. "Steps needed to get a driver's license" is instructional, not debatable.
6. "Legalizing gay marriage" has two sides (equality, traditional views etc.), so it's good.
7. "Increasing tax on imported food" has two sides (protection of local industry, cost to consumers etc.), so it's good.
8. "How to become a karate master" is instructional, not debatable.

For additional topics, they should also be debatable. For example, "Should cities ban plastic bags?", "Is online learning as effective as in - person learning?", "Should the government subsidize renewable energy?"

Answer:

1. University education should be free. (✓)
2. High school teachers need a higher salary. (✓)
3. Legalizing gay marriage. (✓)
4. Increasing tax on imported food. (✓)

Additional topics:

1. Should cities ban plastic bags?
2. Is online learning as effective as in - person learning?
3. Should the government subsidize renewable energy?