Best Argumentative Essay Topics & Ideas For Students

December 23, 2022 Martha Simons
argumentative essay topics

Table of Contents

While studying in high school or college, students will have to write an argumentative essay at some point. Compared to other essay types, it is difficult and research-intensive. Suffice it to say that without a proper guide and extensive practice, it is hard to write a solid argumentative essay.

In this blog, we will take a look at the definition and scope of argumentative essays, the elements that make an argumentative essay, and a list of topics that students can write their essays on. Also, we have covered the structure and mechanics of the argumentative research paper topics so that they can know what to write and how to write.

Argumentative Essay Writing

In simple terms, an argumentative essay is a piece of writing where students need to investigate a topic through primary, credible sources and collect evidence in its favor before establishing their position on it. When compared to other essay genres and types, it is different in terms of the quality of content. Where writers can cover their opinions and suggestions in narrative and descriptive essays, the argumentative essay should deal with scientific evidence and empirical findings.

Many students confuse an argumentative essay with an expository essay. In reality, the two are similar in many cases but different at the core. The former deals with only a single argument whereas expository essays can have multiple.

The purpose of writing an argumentative essay is to investigate a matter and convince the readers through immutable evidence and findings.

Elements of An Argumentative Essay

It is easy to understand a thing based on its constituents. When we are covering an argumentative essay, it is necessary to understand things that make it what it is. These elements are essential building blocks as there will be no argumentative essay without them. The best essays and argumentative papers balance these elements according to the scope and demand of the topic. In this section, we will discuss the elements or building blocks of argumentative essays.
Thesis Statement
A thesis statement is the summation of the whole essay. In the case of argumentative essays, a thesis statement explains the stance or main argument of the writer in simple and compact terms. It is the most important building block of the essay as no essay is complete without it. The best place to put down a thesis is the closing lines of the introduction.
Audience
While writing an argumentative essay, writers need to keep their target audience in mind. In schools and colleges, the target audience is the teaching staff of the alma mater. Later in the academic stages, the target audience becomes other scholars and researchers. It is necessary to understand the psychographics of the audience.
Exigence
When it comes to the literal meaning of exigence, it is a state of urgency. But when we cover it in the terms of argumentative essay writing, exigence is about creating a conducive environment by providing context and background information for the main argument. Exigence can also be defined in the terms of rhetoric so that writers can have a favorable space to take forward their findings.
Support
The support for an argument comes in many disguises. The most common type is mathematical logic to ensure that everything is right on the mark. When a writer makes a claim, it should cover the bases and then provide the claim with the necessary backing. This is what makes an argumentative essay what it is. Anything less and it will become a personal opinion piece.
Reasoning
The rationale behind writing an argumentative essay is to convince the readers that the stance of the writer is at least one version of the truth. Apart from the references and citations, the reasoning and logic behind the stance should be solid. There are many ways to do that, but the most effective reasoning is the one that is embedded in mathematical logic.
Counterclaims
Other academics and some readers may not agree with the stance of the writer and he should anticipate that. To address those rebuttals and counterclaims, he should provide the evidence necessary to ensure that the counterclaims are dealt with. This is not only about putting down the counterclaims but to further strengthen the main argument. This is another important element of an argumentative essay.

Excellent Topics For Argumentative Essays

Now that you have understood the elements of argumentative essay writing, it is time to get to the finish line with the help of a solid topic. Topic selection is the first step of the process because everything else depends on it. Before getting started, writers should zero in on a topic and research relevant information in writing the essay.

This section is dedicated to some of the best argumentative essay topics and ideas. Students can pick them as is or experiment with the topic to come up with a unique premise.

  • What is the legality of fracking in the modern world?
  • Should parents be enabled to modify the gender of their unborn child?
  • Can GMOs save the population of the world from starving?
  • Vaccinations should be made mandatory in public schools.
  • Climate change and the role of world governments.
  • Why Facebook should not be allowed to collect users’ information?
  • The legality behind autonomous vehicles in urban areas.
  • The ethical issues behind replacing humans with machines in industries.
  • Use of mobile phones during driving.
  • Role of the internet in the development of society.

These were some of the most important topics that students can explore in their argumentative essays. Some of them can be controversial but it is not bad for an argumentative essay to be far-fetching and intruding.

Structure of An Argumentative Essay

There is a structure and symmetry in argumentative essays. Writers cannot flush out random ideas and thoughts on the paper while covering the main stance or premise of the essay. In that spirit, we have dedicated this section to ensure that everything is covered in a symmetrical and quantifiable fashion. But many students may not know the major sections and how they stack up against one another. Before we move on to the frequently asked questions, let us cover the major sections of an argumentative essay.

Introduction

The opening of an argumentative essay is a very important section. The best writers capture the imagination of the writers through hooks and other tactics. They can be questions, statements, and statistics to get them interested in the discourse. Once they are in, they provide some information or background on the topic under consideration before moving on to the thesis statement in the closing lines. A thesis, in turn, eases into the main body.

Main Body

When it comes to any essay, including argumentative essays, this is where all the action takes place. It is the meat and bones of the essay in terms of word count as three out of five paragraphs are allotted for the main body. The writer should put the main argument in the opening lines and then defend it through reasoning, logic, and references in the succeeding lines. The main body leads to the conclusion of the essay.

Conclusion

Like the introduction, it is important to spend some time and effort composing and devising a conclusion. Instead of just winging it, a well-researched conclusion can further strengthen the main argument and the whole essay. Experts believe that a conclusion should stand on its own, with its opening, main body, and conclusion. The best way to sign off an essay is by using catchy lines and phrases to make the text more memorable for the readers.

F.A.Q

What are good topics for argumentative essays?

The good topics in argumentative essays have the following merits:

  • They are open to debate and not given in terms of stance
  • There is always a need or vacuum for investigation
  • The position of the writer should become clear and justified 
  • The topics and titles should not reveal too much or hide much

What are 3 good topics for an essay?

Depending on the scale and scope of the essay, the best three topics for an essay are as follows:

  • Should sex workers be allowed to operate with the necessary licensing?
  • Elections of supreme court justices in the US.
  • The future of legal trade and use of cannabis in the world.

How do I choose the best topic for my argumentative essay?

Choosing the right topic is the first and most important step in writing an argumentative essay. While choosing one, students should keep in mind that the topic is relevant and trendy in terms of relevance. Also, they must check whether relevant information and data are available for a given topic. Otherwise, it will be too difficult to write the whole essay.


What are some good argumentative essay topics in 2022?

If you are looking for some great argumentative essay topics to write on in 2022, we have highlighted a bunch in the blog. The topics are diverse and varying in terms of their application, relevance, and scope. You can pick one and write on it without any change or you can experiment with it a little to further your thesis and focus.


What are good argumentative topics for high school?

High school students are not adept in writing, whether it is a research paper or an argumentative essay. They should be vigilant in covering topics for argumentative essays because they might not write on a chosen one, especially when it is out of their level. Students should cover the scope, depth, and reach of a topic before commencing to write on one.


What is an argumentative essay with examples?

An argumentative essay is a piece of writing where a writer takes a stance and then prove it using reasoning, logic, and references from leading publications. It has a structure similar to other essays, however, the elements are different from others except for the thesis statement.


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