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The Big List of Essay Topics for High School (100+ Ideas!)

Ideas to inspire every young writer!

Jill Staake

Writing essays is a big part of high school education, and for good reason. Learning to write clearly, concisely, and persuasively provides big benefits throughout your life. Sometimes, though, the hardest part is just deciding what to write about. If you’re looking for ideas, check out this huge round-up of essay topics for high school. There’s something here for every type of essay, so choose one and start writing!

Argumentative Essay Topics for High School

When writing an argumentative essay, remember to do the research and lay out the facts clearly. Your goal is not necessarily to persuade someone to agree with you, but to encourage your reader to accept your point of view as valid. Here are some possible argumentative topics to try.

Should physical education be part of the standard high school curriculum?

Cause-Effect Essay Topics for High School

A cause-and-effect essay is a type of argumentative essay. Your goal is to show how one specific thing directly influences another specific thing. You’ll likely need to do some research to make your point. Here are some ideas for cause-and-effect essays.

Describe the effects social media has on young adults.

Compare-Contrast Essay Topics for High School

As the name indicates, in compare-and-contrast essays, writers show the similarities and differences between two things. They combine descriptive writing with analysis, making connections and showing dissimilarities. The following ideas work well for compare-contrast essays.

Dogs vs. cats as pets

Descriptive Essay Topics for High School

Bring on the adjectives! Descriptive writing is all about creating a rich picture for the reader. Take readers on a journey to far-off places, help them understand an experience, or introduce them to a new person. Remember: Show, don’t tell. These topics make excellent descriptive essays.

What is your earliest memory?

Expository Essay Topics for High School

Expository essays set out clear explanations of a particular topic. You might be defining a word or phrase or explaining how something works. Expository essays are based on facts, and while you might explore different points of view, you won’t necessarily say which one is “better” or “right.” Remember: Expository essays educate the reader. Here are some expository essay topics to explore.

What does it mean to be a good teacher?

Humorous Essay Topics for High School

Humorous essays can take on any form, like narrative, persuasive, or expository. You might employ sarcasm or satire, or simply tell a story about a funny person or event. Even though these essay topics are lighthearted, they still take some skill to tackle well. Give these ideas a try.

Explain why it's important to eat dessert first.

Narrative Essay Topics for High School

Think of a narrative essay like telling a story. Use some of the same techniques that you would for a descriptive essay, but be sure you have a beginning, middle, and end. Remember that you don’t necessarily need to write narrative essays from your own point of view. Take inspiration from these narrative topics.

Write about a time when you or someone you know displayed courage.

Persuasive Essay Topics for High School

Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative , but they rely less on facts and more on emotion to sway the reader. It’s important to know your audience, so you can anticipate any counterarguments they might make and try to overcome them. Try these topics to persuade someone to come around to your point of view.

What is one book that everyone should be required to read?

What are some of your favorite essay topics for high school? Come share your prompts on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out the ultimate guide to student writing contests .

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Jill Staake is a Contributing Editor with WeAreTeachers. She has a degree in Secondary English Education and has taught in middle and high school classrooms. She's also done training and curriculum design for a financial institution and been a science museum educator. She currently lives in Tampa, Florida where she often works on her back porch while taking frequent breaks for bird-watching and gardening.

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argumentative essay topics junior high

50 Argumentative Essay Topics

Illustration by Catherine Song. ThoughtCo. 

An argumentative essay requires you to decide on a topic and take a position on it. You'll need to back up your viewpoint with well-researched facts and information as well. One of the hardest parts is deciding which topic to write about, but there are plenty of ideas available to get you started.

Choosing a Great Argumentative Essay Topic

Students often find that most of their work on these essays is done before they even start writing. This means that it's best if you have a general interest in your subject, otherwise you might get bored or frustrated while trying to gather information. (You don't need to know everything, though.) Part of what makes this experience rewarding is learning something new.

It's best if you have a general interest in your subject, but the argument you choose doesn't have to be one that you agree with.

The subject you choose may not necessarily be one that you are in full agreement with, either. You may even be asked to write a paper from the opposing point of view. Researching a different viewpoint helps students broaden their perspectives. 

Ideas for Argument Essays

Sometimes, the best ideas are sparked by looking at many different options. Explore this list of possible topics and see if a few pique your interest. Write those down as you come across them, then think about each for a few minutes.

Which would you enjoy researching? Do you have a firm position on a particular subject? Is there a point you would like to make sure to get across? Did the topic give you something new to think about? Can you see why someone else may feel differently?

50 Possible Topics

A number of these topics are rather controversial—that's the point. In an argumentative essay, opinions matter and controversy is based on opinions, which are, hopefully, backed up by facts.   If these topics are a little too controversial or you don't find the right one for you, try browsing through persuasive essay and speech topics  as well.

Watch Now: How to Choose a Position for an Argument Essay

argumentative essay topics junior high

argumentative essay topics junior high

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85 Unique Argumentative Essay Topics and How to Choose One

argumentative essay topics junior high

Argumentative essays are a means of proving an argument valid, hence turning theory into fact. It is often visible if the writer has spent time developing their argument. Experienced writers build their own set of principles to maximize clear delivery. The validity of any argument relies on its source material. Simple issues may need a more straightforward approach. When you're tackling controversial matters, it's best to use plenty of sources for backup.

What Is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is a type of academic paper that introduces arguments (claims) about both sides of a particular topic. Both teams could be balanced, or one may be dominating. The tone of the paper depends on the writer’s position on the observed issue.

The primary function of an argumentative paper is to introduce a case to the readers in a convincing manner trying to change their opinions if they have a position different from the writer’s. The idea is to show the full picture.

argumentative essay topics junior high

Experts tend to highlight three models of argumentative writing:

This paper will need an intro with a thesis statement followed by background information supported by the evidence collected from sources. A writer will have to list the reasons to support the central argument & rebuttals.

Unlike the previous one, this model of argumentative paper requires weighing both alternatives, listing the pros & cons of each, and providing a piece of advice after in-depth evaluation.

The writer has to introduce the issue, offer a personal solution, and make an attempt to persuade the audience that this particular solution is the correct one. The idea is to make the readers care about the suggested topic.

If you are having difficulty writing an essay, you can ask us ' do my essay ' and we will fulfill all your requirements. Also, to broaden your horizons, we recommend reading the article about cause and effect essay structure , perhaps it will be useful to you.

How to Pick Out the Good Argumentative Essay Topics

Finding good topics for an argumentative essay isn’t finding a needle in a haystack - as long as you take care to follow a few core principles.

Many controversial argumentative essay topics are prone to prejudice. They often have an unconscious aim to prove already assumed facts. When writing an essay, it is always crucial to understand both sides. Try picking a neutral topic to which you are mostly indifferent.

argumentative essay topics junior high

The basic tips to follow while selecting the ideas to discuss in your work are:

Tip from EssayPro Expert: “It is recommended that a writer should possess an interest in the subject they cover, but the argument should not be one that they accept as the truth.”

Be sure to read the article on argumentative essay structure .

Easy Argumentative Essay Topics

There are topics that are discussed and debated daily. It is not uncommon that most of them are banned from classrooms being cliche. If you believe you have some fresh insights on the matter, try to convince your teacher into letting you do it.

Middle School

Teachers engage middle-schoolers in the debate to give them an insight into high-school level writing. These middle school argumentative essay topics often discuss the fairness of school rules and alternative curriculums.

High School

Argumentative essays are most rewarding in high school and are a lesson in seeing all sides of the spectrum. Here are some common argumentative essay topics for high school.

Argumentative Essay Topics for College

Did you know that Barack Obama only finished paying his student loans in the second year of his presidency? The value of college degrees is being questioned now more than ever. Argumentative essay topics for college require attention to details of contemporary life.

Argumentative Essay Topics by Category

We have listed some topics from popular fields of study. Feel free to tackle any subject on the list - or even better - use this list as inspiration and find your topic of interest. If you need more guidance, we have hundreds of essay writers online and ready to help you out.

Need an Argumentative Essay Written?

If you want to ask us ' write a research paper for me ', just pick a topic, give us your requirements and get a plagiarism-free paper fast.

Social Media

While some may find social media a necessary component of daily life, others struggle with procrastination as a direct result. It has arguably influenced critical political decisions and has made social media a significant and relevant field of study.

TV, Movies, Video Games

Hollywood produces heaps of content. It is no surprise that lots of it don’t undergo extensive evaluation before release. This results in students questioning the industry’s promotion of harmful stereotypes. Here you can find plenty of unique essay topics.

Music, Literature, Art

Has digitization degraded music into a mere form of entertainment? Music argumentative essay topics have plenty of room for discussion. They touch on issues of authenticity which can also be relevant in the fields of literature and art.

Health Argumentative Essay Topics

Abstaining from eating sugar or drinking alcohol can feel like a significant accomplishment. Some people find great pride in living a healthy lifestyle. Online health blogs and web stores take advantage of this trend, so let's check out health care argumentative essay topics.

Science and Technology

Space exploration has historically led to significant developments in technology. Did you know that velcro and microwaves were invented during the Moon Landing programs? Here are some science and technology argumentative essay topics relevant to daily life.

Animal testing has led to many developments in fields such as medicine and cosmetics. However, this method is often questioned from a moral standpoint. Argumentative essays about animals and their rights touch on various ethical issues.

Sports are crucial to adult development. Young people need to be inspired to exercise and maintain their health. Here are some interesting sports argumentative essay topics for inspiration:

Argumentative writing and speech are crucial skills to develop if you’re determined to keep the balance in this tumultuous world. Issues of poverty, democracy, infrastructure, foreign policy are among the most discussed in the field. In our times, it would be especially relevant to delve into argumentative essay topics on immigration.

Funny Argumentative Essay Topics

The point of the exercise is to practice persuasive writing — therefore it is not necessary to write about something fun. However, let’s face it — some of these topics can be pretty dull to research. A solution would be picking a borderline humorous topic to light up the mood of your readers or audience. Here are some funny argumentative essay topics from our admission essay writing service that will get your audience hooked merely out of curiosity.

Give Us Your Task

You are staring at a blank page, not knowing where to start? The essay services EssayPro boasts numerous professional essay writers who are masters in a variety of academic fields. Send us your request whether you're looking for essay ideas or aim to buy argumentative essay .

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33 Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School

Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School Students . Bonus! Many of these ideas are also GREAT for students and writers of all ages.

Middle School Argumentative Essay Ideas

Good Grades in Essay Writing this School Year

Argumentative essays tend to require a little more research and logic than their cousin, the persuasive essay—but your middle school students will enjoy the opportunity to argue convincingly to readers all the same.

More importantly, as students research their papers, gather evidence, and form their positions and arguments, they’ll be learning and practicing a number of important writing and critical thinking skills.

The way to good grades for every student is to practice. Yes, some students will have to practice their essay writing skills more than others. It is the exploration and understanding of the essay writing process that lead to good writing.

This is why to support your students, we offer you…

Good Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas (and Free, too!)

With these 33 new argumentative essay topics for middle school students, you can help your students learn more about what makes a good argument and how to evaluate and decipher so-called “evidence.”

As they explore topics like the ways in which schools handle bullying and whether or not the Pledge of Allegiance should be required in schools, they’ll have the chance to see how biased some sources may be—and how those sources can be construed to support a particular side of an argument. 

Whether students choose to argue for or against a given topic, you can be sure they’ll learn plenty about the components of an excellent argument either way.

You can help your writers form a point of view on topics they are interested in by using our ideas for your next homework assignment.

So get to it and…

Use these argumentative essay topics today to teach your middle-schoolers all about the process of delivering well-researched, evidence-based arguments to their peers. I’m sure you’ll be glad you did.

33 Middler Schooler Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas

Middle School Argumentative Essay Writing Ideas

I hope you enjoyed these argumentative essay topics for middle school writers.

Now, in case your students need more ideas, here are…

13 More Argumentative Research Paper Topic Ideas

A few of these topics are deep and may be better suited for more advanced writers. Of course, they may also be reworked and simplified for writers of all skill levels if needed.

Ok, in case more writing prompt ideas are needed. Check out the resources listed below.

174 More Essay Writing Topics

Until next time, keep on writing!

If you enjoyed these Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle Schoolers, please share them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest. I appreciate it!

Sincerely, Jill journalbuddies.com creator and curator

Argumentative Essay Writing Ideas for Middle School Writers

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Spring Writing Prompts

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  1. 60 Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

    60 Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics for Kids and Teens. Use your words to sway the reader. Persuasive writing is one of those skills that can help students succeed in real life. Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative, but they rely less on facts and more on emotion to sway the reader.

  2. 100+ Essay Topics for High School Students - We Are Teachers

    Argumentative Essay Topics for High School When writing an argumentative essay, remember to do the research and lay out the facts clearly. Your goal is not necessarily to persuade someone to agree with you, but to encourage your reader to accept your point of view as valid.

  3. 55 Great Argumentative Topics • JournalBuddies.com

    35 Argumentative Topics to Help High School Students Explore and Define Their Positions Does your vote count? Does diversity in media matter? Does the wage gap really exist? What should be done about gun control in the US? Does the average citizen need to have the right to own a gun? Should marijuana be legalized?

  4. 200 Prompts for Argumentative Writing - The New York Times

    200 Prompts for Argumentative Writing Education 1. Is cheating getting worse? 2. Should students be able to grade their teachers? 3. Does your school hand out too many a’s? 4. Should middle school students be drug tested? 5. Should reading and math be taught in gym class too? 6. How seriously should we take standardized tests? 7.

  5. 50 Compelling Argumentative Essay Topics - ThoughtCo

    In an argumentative essay, opinions matter and controversy is based on opinions, which are, hopefully, backed up by facts. If these topics are a little too controversial or you don't find the right one for you, try browsing through persuasive essay and speech topics as well. Is global climate change caused by humans? Is the death penalty effective?

  6. 85 Unique Argumentative Essay Topics: How to Pick Out One ...

    Here are some common argumentative essay topics for high school. Are High School Students Over-Supervised? Banning Classical Literature Containing Offensive Language in School. What Is The Greatest Invention of All Time? Should Clothes Define Who You Are? Should Teachers Observe Students While They Take Online Tests?

  7. 33 Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School

    33 Middler Schooler Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas Do people have a right to Internet access? Do violent video games make people more likely to be violent in real life? Is it ever fair for minorities to receive special treatment or consideration? Does the average American have a healthy diet?

  8. 125 Strong Argumentative Essay Topics For Your Next Paper

    There are three key elements of a good argumentative essay: a strong argument, thesis and comprehensive research. Strong argument To write a compelling essay that persuades your reader, start with a strong argument. Start with a topic that you feel strongly about and construct an argument with reasons and proof.