Finding a good topic for a persuasive essay should be no more difficult that opening the evening paper or simply turning on the news. Every day people argue different points in the media and divisive subjects continually come up. In fact, it wouldn’t be news if there weren’t controversy. You just need to be aware or what is going on in the world and spend time learning enough about the subject that you could write a compelling paper.
Getting the right topic may also depend on why you are writing the essay. If you are in grade school and need to write a paper to pass a class, the subject matter that may be most pertinent to you may be something related to school, sports, or your community. For example, if a new shopping center is being built in your community, you may choose to write an essay explaining why it is a good thing, or why it will may hurt local existing businesses.
If you are required to write a persuasive essay as part of an entrance exam or as a requirement for college or other form of higher education, then world events may provide the best inspiration. Topics such as abortion are trite, but other subjects such as feminism, racial equality and military actions may be appropriate. To provide another example, subjects such as alcohol legislation, the rights or states over the federal government or the appropriate of countries such as the US to provide world aid may all be appropriate.
As you move through your education will you will continually have tasked with finding good topics to write persuasive essays. These requirements may seem cumbersome while they are assignments for a grade, but this is a skill that you will take with you throughout your professional life. Regardless of the field that you choose to enter, the ability to write a compelling paper will be required whenever you are tasked with working on a project, creating new ideas or drafting presentations to be shared with your peers. Even everyday communication such as email will rely on the writing skills that you are developing now.
Beyond business, if you choose to go into a highly professional field such as Law or Medicine, your ability to write effectively will be the primary skill that determines your success as a professional. Lawyers write briefs, proposals and communications each and every day and must be persuasive in order to be successful. The ability to argue in print actually differentiates successful lawyers from those that are less successful. As another example doctors must publish their work and their research. They must be able to document and explain why they chose a specific course of therapy for their patients and must provide cogent and rational notes. Their skills rely on the investment that they made in their writing education in their youth.
Back to the topic of good topics for persuasive essays, after you graduate you will never have a shortage of appropriate subjects. However, for now, simply open the news and pick a topic that you know something about and feel that you can write own. If it is newsworthy, chances are it is controversial. Choose the topic and begin researching the different views and why they are appropriate.
Researching Essay Topics
Once you have found a topic that you like begin your research. Thanks to the internet, you no longer need to spend hours in the stacks at the library to get good information. However, if your primary source of research is online, treat each source with a dose of skepticism. The great advantage of the net is that there is no shortage of information, but given the billions of volumes of data available, determining what is factual and what is just hearsay can be a challenge. Whenever you write my essay online, always strive to get factual data and if your data source is not first hand, you must verify it before referencing it.
The net is a great tool for research and scholarly resources such as google scholar and pub med give you direct access to factual information that you can rely on when developing the data to write your paper. In addition, most municipalities and the federal government provide online access to census data and public records, all of which can be invaluable to your chosen subject. Finally, newspapers, online media and the evening news now provide archives that are accessible online. Once again providing instant access to data without the wasted hours of walking through library stacks, reading through microfiche and trying to uncover bits of data that may be pertinent to your paper.
50 Topics For Persuasive Essays
Below are fifty different topics for persuasive essays. Each have been used extensively and have enough information readily available online to quickly create a compelling paper with very little effort.
To use the list of topics, simply choose one, determine your position, then do a simple google search on the topic; including the phrase “arguments for”, “pros and cons” or “arguments against.” Use the information that you returned to form your own supporting argument for your essay, then create your outline and being writing.
Here is the list of compelling topic
- Should schools have a voucher program?
- Should in-state tuition be lower than out of state?
- Does standardized testing work?
- Is America losing its technological edge?
- Should state colleges be free to attend?
- Should illicit drugs be legal?
- Should marijuana be legal?
- Should the legal drinking age be reduced to 18?
- Should all Americans be required to serve in the military?
- Should the legal driving age be raised to 18?
- Should classes be segregated by gender?
- Should students have access to contraceptives without parental knowledge?
- Should teens be allowed to play violent video games?
- Does violence on TV and in the medial contribute to more violent crimes?
- Should music classes be required for students?
- Should students be required to pass a standard test in order to graduate high school?
- Should tablet computers replace text books?
- Should schools required students to wear uniforms?
- Should genetically modified organisms be allowed to be sold as food?
- Should there be requirements, associated with fines, for people that don’t recycle?
- Should people be allowed to keep potentially dangerous animals as pets?
- Should the government regulate the consumption of candy and fast food?
- Should the 2nd amendment cover all types of armament?
- Should people be allowed to freely access and share copyrighted work?
- Should there be tougher government oversight on internet content?
- Should all internet commerce be taxed?
- Should cyber-bullies face suspension and possible legal action?
- Is it appropriate for teachers and students to be Facebook friends?
- Should high school athletes be forced to take drug tests?
- Should performance enhancing steroids be legal for use?
- Should students 10 and over be allowed to view R rated movies?
- Should all students be required to be fully fluent in English as a requirement for public education?
- Should assisted suicide be legal in the case of people with terminal diseases?
- Should students be required to contribute community service hours are part of their education?
- Should alcohol manufacturers be banned from advertising on TV?
- Should there be tighter controls on the use of alcohol?
- Should businesses be required to hire a per-capita number of minority employees?
- Should there be minimum jail times for specific offenses?
- Should betting on sports be illegal?
- Should gambling be illegal?
- Should women earn the same amount as men?
- Should the US put tariffs on imports from other countries?
- Should world religion be taught in schools?
- Should the pledge of allegiance be required for public school students?
- Should minors that commit violent crimes be tried as adults?
- Does the justice system remediate criminals?
- Should talking or texting while driving be legal?
- Should the state be allowed to euthanize any animal that bites someone?
- Should teaches be required to wear uniforms?
- Should the US be allowed to imprison suspected terrorists without due process?
If none of these topics suit your needs, there are a number of different resources and guides online that can provide you with an essay topic that will meet your interests. Here is an additional list of 101 topics that may help you.
Persuasive Essay Outline
As you collect your data and organize your research you should give some thought to how you are going to outline your paper to develop the most compelling argument. The general format for an outline is an opening paragraph that states your position, with an overview of supporting reasons. The paper should then include paragraph after paragraph of supporting evidence and rationale as to why the position of the paper is the most correct and rational. Upon completing the various arguments and establishing your position, close the paper by re-stating your primary position and summarizing the primary points.
It is much easier to develop the outline while you are researching the topic simply because it limits the additional step of taking notes. Develop the flow of your paper by documenting the primary theme then as each argument is discovered, list it as a supporting paragraph, list the supporting points that you want to include in the paragraphs and reference the source of your information. Do this for every point that you feel is pertinent to the paper; including the data that supports the counter argument.
Once you feel that you have sufficient data to support your position and have listed those various points as part of your outline, go through your list and prioritize which data will most support your argument. Those points should be introduced during the first part of the paper, with the less pertinent arguments listed later. Organize each thought into a basic outline which you can use to draft your final essay.
After you have completed your outline and feel that you have a good handle on the subject matter along with the arguments for and against your position, it is time to put pen to paper. Choose a place where you will not be distracted, open your computer, or break out a sheet of paper and begin to write. Strive to get your opening paragraph and your first few arguments drafted in the same session to ensure a congruent introduction. From there write the paper as you feel appropriate.
When your essay is complete, set it aside for a couple of days if you have the time. Set aside a time when you can read through it and make changes or improvements to the document. You may also choose to have a friend, parent or colleague proof read it to check for mistakes and provide and initial critique. At this point the amount of time you spend perfecting the essay is dependent on why it was written in the first place. If it is for a grade you may not need to go through it with a fine tooth comb. However, if you are writing for a college entrance exam then the time you spend will be well worth it.