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120+ Good Persuasive Essay Topics From Easy to Unique
- DESCRIPTION Book icon With Persuasive Essay Topics Examples
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Writing a persuasive essay helps refine critical thinking skills. As a writer addresses counterarguments and finds evidence to support their position, they develop a strong argument style. Find the perfect persuasive essay prompt with a list of more than 120 ideas.
Easy Persuasive Essay Ideas
Persuasive essays require the writer to convince the reader to see an issue from their side. These topics don’t involve much research, which makes them great for elementary school or as quick persuasive writing assignments for older students.
Persuasive Essay Topics About School
Students are experts on school – especially when it comes to their opinions about school. These persuasive topics about school are great for expressing views about dress codes, bullying, and school schedules.
- What should the punishment for cheating be?
- Should students be allowed to have phones at school?
- What’s the most interesting subject to learn?
- Should homework be required?
- Does your school handle bullying well?
- Are dress codes a good idea for schools?
- Is the school day too long?
- Should students get to choose what they study?
- What school rule would you change?
- Is it a good idea for friends to sit together in class?
- Does school start too early?
- Should students take a self-defense class?
Persuasive Essay Topics About Food
It’s easy to form an opinion on food but not as easy to convince others to agree with it. Try these persuasive prompts that range from junk food to healthy eating.
- What’s better: pizza or hot dogs?
- Should kids learn how to cook their own food?
- Is it more fun to eat in a restaurant or at home?
- What is the best dessert?
- Should healthy food cost less than junk food?
- Is eating meat a good idea?
- Is it better to snack all day or have three set meals?
- Should sugary drinks be allowed at school?
- Should kids have to eat foods they don’t like?
- What is the best food to serve at a party?
Persuasive Essay Topics About Animals
People care a lot about animals. Whether it comes to their favorite animals or where animals should be allowed to go, they’ve got something to say. See if these topics interest you enough to write a persuasive essay.
- If you want an animal to train, what is the best animal to pick?
- Should it be okay to keep wild animals as pets?
- Should pets be allowed in school?
- What animal makes the best pet?
- What animal makes the worst pet?
- Are big dogs better than small dogs?
- Should you adopt your pet from an animal shelter?
Persuasive Essay Topics About Sports and Activities
What’s the best sport? Is it more fun to play or watch an activity? Sports is another area in which people have strong opinions. Check out these sports-themed persuasive writing prompts for your next essay.
- Who is the best athlete in the world?
- What is the easiest hobby to learn?
- What is the best sport to play?
- Should girls be allowed to play on boys’ sports teams?
- Are team sports better than individual sports?
- Is it more fun to play sports or watch them?
- Are summer sports better than winter sports?
- Should students have to stop playing a sport if their grades aren’t high enough?
- Are professional athletes paid too much?
- What’s the best activity to do on a rainy day?
Persuasive Essay Topics About Entertainment
The world of movies, books, and music is an engaging place to be. But what’s the best – and worst – of the entertainment world? Some possible essay topics include:
- What’s the best music to listen to when you’re sad?
- Should music and movies be free?
- Are good guys or bad guys more interesting?
- What is the funniest movie you’ve ever seen?
- Are reality shows better than other shows?
- What is the best book ever written?
- Are scary movies enjoyable to watch?
- Are comedies better than action movies?
- What is the best superpower to have?
- Should audience members be able to film live concerts?
- Is it better to see a movie in the theater or stream it at home?
Challenging Persuasive Essay Ideas
Forming an argument about a more complex issue can be challenging. It involves backing up your stance with evidence while expressing yourself in a convincing way. The following persuasive essay prompts pose questions about politics, education, health, and more.
Persuasive Essay Topics About Social Issues
You probably hear arguments about modern social issues every day. Examine crime and punishment, the consequences of social media, overpopulation policies, and more with these topics on social issues.
- Should wealthy people pay more taxes?
- Are teenagers more impolite than other generations?
- Are people with mental illnesses treated fairly by society?
- Is social media beneficial or harmful?
- Do violent video games make people more violent?
- Is capital punishment ethical?
- Should we give money to homeless people?
- Should countries use a military draft?
- If countries are overpopulated, should the government be able to limit the number of children in each family?
- Are drunk drivers punished appropriately?
Persuasive Essay Topics About Education
Writing about issues in one’s school is less complex than writing about the educational system as a whole. See if these persuasive prompts about education inspire you to write about free college, grading systems, school choice, and online learning, among others.
- How much should parents be involved in their children’s education?
- Should families be able to choose the schools that their children attend?
- Is classroom learning better than online learning?
- Which is better: year-round school or summer vacation ?
- Should teachers use social media to communicate with their students?
- Do students deserve the same rights as adults?
- Should college be free?
- Which is better: letter grading systems or pass/fail?
- Should students have to learn sex education in school?
- Is having a college education required to have a good career?
- Should schools have security guards?
- Are tests the best way to see what students are learning?
Persuasive Essay Topics About History and Government
Perfect for social studies papers, these persuasive topics ask students to consider government policies in the past and present. Some questions may not be as straightforward as they seem.
- Was early European exploration a good thing or a harmful thing?
- Was America’s use of the atomic bomb in World War II necessary?
- Should companies be allowed to donate to political candidates?
- Is democracy the best form of government?
- Should children who are born in another country have citizenship there?
- Are there limits to the freedom of speech?
- Should members of Congress receive a salary during government shutdowns?
- If a felon has completed their sentences, should they be allowed to vote?
- What is the most unjust law in the country?
- Is America the most powerful country in the world?
Persuasive Essay Topics About Science and Technology
The ever-changing world of science and technology brings lots of practical and ethical questions. See what you think about animal testing, genetic engineering, and climate change with these thought-provoking persuasive prompts.
- Should America fund another trip to the moon?
- Is too much screen time harmful to children?
- Is climate change real?
- Should companies be allowed to create pollution if they’re making goods that benefit society?
- What is the most important scientific breakthrough of your lifetime?
- Is it okay for companies to sell their customers’ information?
- Should the government spend time and resources on renewable energy?
- Are clinical trials that use placebos ethical?
- Is animal testing ethical?
- Should parents be able to choose their babies’ traits before they’re born?
Persuasive Essay Topics About Health and Nutrition
Public health is an important issue in any society. But how much should the government be involved? Express your opinion with the following prompts:
- Should schools sell only healthy food?
- Is legalizing marijuana a good idea?
- Should parents be required to vaccinate their children?
- Should doctors and teachers screen teenagers for depression?
- Are genetically modified foods safe?
- Should physical education be required in schools?
- Should schools be allowed to drug test students whenever they want? What about companies and their employees?
- Are professional sports too dangerous?
- Should healthcare be universal?
- How could you convince someone to be more physically active?
- Should healthy people pay less for healthcare?
Unique Persuasive Essay Ideas
If none of the above topics appeal to you, see if these prompts would make an interesting persuasive essay. Remember to choose an issue you care about and one that you can back up with additional information.
- How much should the public know about a celebrity’s personal life?
- Is there ever a good reason for war?
- Is it ethical to train dogs as service animals?
- Is it better to listen to music while working, or to work in silence?
- What is the best career to have?
- Do zoos protect animals or exploit them?
- Is it better to be 2, 12, 22, or 32?
- Should people be allowed to clone themselves?
- What is the worst season?
- Is it better to be a morning person or a night person?
- Is loving your job more important than making a lot of money?
- What is the most important crop to the modern economy?
- Should you make new friends as you get older or focus on keeping the friends you have?
- If aliens came to Earth, should we befriend them?
- Is print news still important in a technological world?
- Is it better to be rich and alone or poor and have friends?
- Should parents teach their children old-fashioned manners?
- Is life better than it was 50 years ago?
- How would you convince your mayor to build a skate park?
Writing a Convincing Argument
Choosing an easy, challenging, or unique topic is the easy part. When you’re ready to build an argument, you’ll need to gather evidence, consider counterarguments, and draft your essay. Check out a template for a basic argumentative or persuasive essay , complete with a sample outline PDF.
Choose Your Test
Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 113 perfect persuasive essay topics for any assignment.
General Education
Do you need to write a persuasive essay but aren’t sure what topic to focus on? Were you thrilled when your teacher said you could write about whatever you wanted but are now overwhelmed by the possibilities? We’re here to help!
Read on for a list of 113 top-notch persuasive essay topics, organized into ten categories. To help get you started, we also discuss what a persuasive essay is, how to choose a great topic, and what tips to keep in mind as you write your persuasive essay.
What Is a Persuasive Essay?
In a persuasive essay, you attempt to convince readers to agree with your point of view on an argument. For example, an essay analyzing changes in Italian art during the Renaissance wouldn’t be a persuasive essay, because there’s no argument, but an essay where you argue that Italian art reached its peak during the Renaissance would be a persuasive essay because you’re trying to get your audience to agree with your viewpoint.
Persuasive and argumentative essays both try to convince readers to agree with the author, but the two essay types have key differences. Argumentative essays show a more balanced view of the issue and discuss both sides. Persuasive essays focus more heavily on the side the author agrees with. They also often include more of the author’s opinion than argumentative essays, which tend to use only facts and data to support their argument.
All persuasive essays have the following:
- Introduction: Introduces the topic, explains why it’s important, and ends with the thesis.
- Thesis: A sentence that sums up what the essay be discussing and what your stance on the issue is.
- Reasons you believe your side of the argument: Why do you support the side you do? Typically each main point will have its own body paragraph.
- Evidence supporting your argument: Facts or examples to back up your main points. Even though your opinion is allowed in persuasive essays more than most other essays, having concrete examples will make a stronger argument than relying on your opinion alone.
- Conclusion: Restatement of thesis, summary of main points, and a recap of why the issue is important.
What Makes a Good Persuasive Essay Topic?
Theoretically, you could write a persuasive essay about any subject under the sun, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should. Certain topics are easier to write a strong persuasive essay on, and below are tips to follow when deciding what you should write about.
It’s a Topic You Care About
Obviously, it’s possible to write an essay about a topic you find completely boring. You’ve probably done it! However, if possible, it’s always better to choose a topic that you care about and are interested in. When this is the case, you’ll find doing the research more enjoyable, writing the essay easier, and your writing will likely be better because you’ll be more passionate about and informed on the topic.
You Have Enough Evidence to Support Your Argument
Just being passionate about a subject isn’t enough to make it a good persuasive essay topic, though. You need to make sure your argument is complex enough to have at least two potential sides to root for, and you need to be able to back up your side with evidence and examples. Even though persuasive essays allow your opinion to feature more than many other essays, you still need concrete evidence to back up your claims, or you’ll end up with a weak essay.
For example, you may passionately believe that mint chocolate chip ice cream is the best ice cream flavor (I agree!), but could you really write an entire essay on this? What would be your reasons for believing mint chocolate chip is the best (besides the fact that it’s delicious)? How would you support your belief? Have enough studies been done on preferred ice cream flavors to support an entire essay? When choosing a persuasive essay idea, you want to find the right balance between something you care about (so you can write well on it) and something the rest of the world cares about (so you can reference evidence to strengthen your position).
It’s a Manageable Topic
Bigger isn’t always better, especially with essay topics. While it may seem like a great idea to choose a huge, complex topic to write about, you’ll likely struggle to sift through all the information and different sides of the issue and winnow them down to one streamlined essay. For example, choosing to write an essay about how WWII impacted American life more than WWI wouldn’t be a great idea because you’d need to analyze all the impacts of both the wars in numerous areas of American life. It’d be a huge undertaking. A better idea would be to choose one impact on American life the wars had (such as changes in female employment) and focus on that. Doing so will make researching and writing your persuasive essay much more feasible.
List of 113 Good Persuasive Essay Topics
Below are over 100 persuasive essay ideas, organized into ten categories. When you find an idea that piques your interest, you’ll choose one side of it to argue for in your essay. For example, if you choose the topic, “should fracking be legal?” you’d decide whether you believe fracking should be legal or illegal, then you’d write an essay arguing all the reasons why your audience should agree with you.
Arts/Culture
- Should students be required to learn an instrument in school?
- Did the end of Game of Thrones fit with the rest of the series?
- Can music be an effective way to treat mental illness?
- With e-readers so popular, have libraries become obsolete?
- Are the Harry Potter books more popular than they deserve to be?
- Should music with offensive language come with a warning label?
- What’s the best way for museums to get more people to visit?
- Should students be able to substitute an art or music class for a PE class in school?
- Are the Kardashians good or bad role models for young people?
- Should people in higher income brackets pay more taxes?
- Should all high school students be required to take a class on financial literacy?
- Is it possible to achieve the American dream, or is it only a myth?
- Is it better to spend a summer as an unpaid intern at a prestigious company or as a paid worker at a local store/restaurant?
- Should the United States impose more or fewer tariffs?
- Should college graduates have their student loans forgiven?
- Should restaurants eliminate tipping and raise staff wages instead?
- Should students learn cursive writing in school?
- Which is more important: PE class or music class?
- Is it better to have year-round school with shorter breaks throughout the year?
- Should class rank be abolished in schools?
- Should students be taught sex education in school?
- Should students be able to attend public universities for free?
- What’s the most effective way to change the behavior of school bullies?
- Are the SAT and ACT accurate ways to measure intelligence?
- Should students be able to learn sign language instead of a foreign language?
- Do the benefits of Greek life at colleges outweigh the negatives?
- Does doing homework actually help students learn more?
- Why do students in many other countries score higher than American students on math exams?
- Should parents/teachers be able to ban certain books from schools?
- What’s the best way to reduce cheating in school?
- Should colleges take a student’s race into account when making admissions decisions?
- Should there be limits to free speech?
- Should students be required to perform community service to graduate high school?
- Should convicted felons who have completed their sentence be allowed to vote?
- Should gun ownership be more tightly regulated?
- Should recycling be made mandatory?
- Should employers be required to offer paid leave to new parents?
- Are there any circumstances where torture should be allowed?
- Should children under the age of 18 be able to get plastic surgery for cosmetic reasons?
- Should white supremacy groups be allowed to hold rallies in public places?
- Does making abortion illegal make women more or less safe?
- Does foreign aid actually help developing countries?
- Are there times a person’s freedom of speech should be curtailed?
- Should people over a certain age not be allowed to adopt children?
Government/Politics
- Should the minimum voting age be raised/lowered/kept the same?
- Should Puerto Rico be granted statehood?
- Should the United States build a border wall with Mexico?
- Who should be the next person printed on American banknotes?
- Should the United States’ military budget be reduced?
- Did China’s one child policy have overall positive or negative impacts on the country?
- Should DREAMers be granted US citizenship?
- Is national security more important than individual privacy?
- What responsibility does the government have to help homeless people?
- Should the electoral college be abolished?
- Should the US increase or decrease the number of refugees it allows in each year?
- Should privately-run prisons be abolished?
- Who was the most/least effective US president?
- Will Brexit end up helping or harming the UK?
- What’s the best way to reduce the spread of Ebola?
- Is the Keto diet a safe and effective way to lose weight?
- Should the FDA regulate vitamins and supplements more strictly?
- Should public schools require all students who attend to be vaccinated?
- Is eating genetically modified food safe?
- What’s the best way to make health insurance more affordable?
- What’s the best way to lower the teen pregnancy rate?
- Should recreational marijuana be legalized nationwide?
- Should birth control pills be available without a prescription?
- Should pregnant women be forbidden from buying cigarettes and alcohol?
- Why has anxiety increased in adolescents?
- Are low-carb or low-fat diets more effective for weight loss?
- What caused the destruction of the USS Maine?
- Was King Arthur a mythical legend or actual Dark Ages king?
- Was the US justified in dropping atomic bombs during WWII?
- What was the primary cause of the Rwandan genocide?
- What happened to the settlers of the Roanoke colony?
- Was disagreement over slavery the primary cause of the US Civil War?
- What has caused the numerous disappearances in the Bermuda triangle?
- Should nuclear power be banned?
- Is scientific testing on animals necessary?
- Do zoos help or harm animals?
- Should scientists be allowed to clone humans?
- Should animals in circuses be banned?
- Should fracking be legal?
- Should people be allowed to keep exotic animals as pets?
- What’s the best way to reduce illegal poaching in Africa?
- What is the best way to reduce the impact of global warming?
- Should euthanasia be legalized?
- Is there legitimate evidence of extraterrestrial life?
- Should people be banned from owning aggressive dog breeds?
- Should the United States devote more money towards space exploration?
- Should the government subsidize renewable forms of energy?
- Is solar energy worth the cost?
- Should stem cells be used in medicine?
- Is it right for the US to leave the Paris Climate Agreement?
- Should athletes who fail a drug test receive a lifetime ban from the sport?
- Should college athletes receive a salary?
- Should the NFL do more to prevent concussions in players?
- Do PE classes help students stay in shape?
- Should horse racing be banned?
- Should cheerleading be considered a sport?
- Should children younger than 18 be allowed to play tackle football?
- Are the costs of hosting an Olympic Games worth it?
- Can online schools be as effective as traditional schools?
- Do violent video games encourage players to be violent in real life?
- Should facial recognition technology be banned?
- Does excessive social media use lead to depression/anxiety?
- Has the rise of translation technology made knowing multiple languages obsolete?
- Was Steve Jobs a visionary or just a great marketer?
- Should social media be banned for children younger than a certain age?
- Which 21st-century invention has had the largest impact on society?
- Are ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft good or bad for society?
- Should Facebook have done more to protect the privacy of its users?
- Will technology end up increasing or decreasing inequality worldwide?
Tips for Writing a Strong Persuasive Essay
After you’ve chosen the perfect topic for your persuasive essay, your work isn’t over. Follow the three tips below to create a top-notch essay.
Do Your Research
Your argument will fall apart if you don’t fully understand the issue you’re discussing or you overlook an important piece of it. Readers won’t be convinced by someone who doesn’t know the subject, and you likely won’t persuade any of them to begin supporting your viewpoint. Before you begin writing a single word of your essay, research your topic thoroughly. Study different sources, learn about the different sides of the argument, ask anyone who’s an expert on the topic what their opinion is, etc. You might be tempted to start writing right away, but by doing your research, you’ll make the writing process much easier when the time comes.
Make Your Thesis Perfect
Your thesis is the most important sentence in your persuasive essay. Just by reading that single sentence, your audience should know exactly what topic you’ll be discussing and where you stand on the issue. You want your thesis to be crystal clear and to accurately set up the rest of your essay. Asking classmates or your teacher to look it over before you begin writing the rest of your essay can be a big help if you’re not entirely confident in your thesis.
Consider the Other Side
You’ll spend most of your essay focusing on your side of the argument since that’s what you want readers to come away believing. However, don’t think that means you can ignore other sides of the issue. In your essay, be sure to discuss the other side’s argument, as well as why you believe this view is weak or untrue. Researching all the different viewpoints and including them in your essay will increase the quality of your writing by making your essay more complete and nuanced.
Summary: Persuasive Essay Ideas
Good persuasive essay topics can be difficult to come up with, but in this guide we’ve created a list of 113 excellent essay topics for you to browse. The best persuasive essay ideas will be those that you are interested in, have enough evidence to support your argument, and aren’t too complicated to be summarized in an essay.
After you’ve chosen your essay topic, keep these three tips in mind when you begin writing:
- Do your research
- Make your thesis perfect
- Consider the other side
What's Next?
Need ideas for a research paper topic as well? Our guide to research paper topics has over 100 topics in ten categories so you can be sure to find the perfect topic for you.
Thinking about taking an AP English class? Read our guide on AP English classes to learn whether you should take AP English Language or AP English Literature (or both!)
Deciding between the SAT or ACT? Find out for sure which you will do the best on . Also read a detailed comparison between the two tests .
Need more help with this topic? Check out Tutorbase!
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Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.
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75 Persuasive Essay Topic Ideas
The persuasive essay is one type of writing that you will likely come across in your academic career. A persuasive essay, if you're unfamiliar, is one in which you have to make an argument. You need to choose a side and prove why you're correct by using hard evidence and convincing language. The idea is that you want to convince the reader that your argument is the right one, so you'll definitely want to pick a topic that you're passionate about and something that you'll get excited about researching and writing. This exercise is designed so that you can clearly articulate your opinion and understand why it's important to have evidence to back up your claim.
Your teacher or instructor will probably have specific guidelines on what your essay should entail, but you might have a little bit of free reign on what kinds of topics you can explore and argue about in your essay. With so many things to argue about and for, it might be a little overwhelming to come up with a topic on your own. When you feel like you're stuck on brainstorming ideas, take a look at the following list of 75 persuasive essay topics. You may find something you can use, or something you can adapt for the specific guidelines of your paper. Happy writing!
Educational persuasive essay topics
There are so many things that can be discussed when it comes to education. In our country (and globally), there are many different opinions on how education should be handled and what tactics teachers or academic administrators should use. Here are a few topics on education (which could be expanded or changed to fit your teacher's guidelines) that might be of interest to you.
- Should soda be offered in school cafeterias?
- Should schools teach abstinence-only education?
- Why should schools teach financial literacy?
- Do all students need to go to college?
- Should students take a gap year after high school?
- Do all students need to learn a foreign language?
- Is online or homeschool an effective way to learn?
- Should standardized tests determine whether or not you go on to another grade level?
- Should all students be required to participate in the arts?
- Should a college education be free?
- Should high school journalists be protected under the First Amendment?
- Some universities just have pass/fail grades instead of letter grades. How do you feel about this?
- Should teachers/professors be unbiased in the classroom?
- Should you still learn cursive in elementary school? What are the disadvantages/ advantages?
- Many college campuses have speakers come in occasionally. These speakers can range in political opinion and some can be controversial. Should you let speakers come to schools that have controversial rhetoric or ideas to uphold free speech?
Political persuasive essay topics
They say that you should never talk about politics or religion because it's not polite. But in a persuasive essay, that rule is completely extinguished. Politics and religion are hotbed subjects for a reason—because so many people have radically different ideas of how a society and a country should operate. What side of these political persuasive topics are you on? Take a stab at one of these and the paper will likely fly out onto the keyboard.
- Should protesters be allowed to block traffic? Do they pose a threat to public safety?
- Why should you vote?
- Should same-sex marriage be legal?
- What is your opinion on protecting religious liberties?
- What is your opinion on separating church and state?
- Why has the country become so divided politically over the past few years? Can it be fixed?
- Many industries (like coal and manufacturing) are tough to find a job in and many Americans are out of work. How should we solve this problem?
- Should citizens under 18 be able to vote?
- Should a National Voter ID law be passed to avoid voter fraud?
- What does the phrase "fake news" mean?
- Local newspapers are dwindling. What should be done, if anything, about this problem?
- Should local municipalities do more to combat global warming? If so, how?
- How should we reduce the threat of terrorism in the United States?
- Females have traditionally lower participation in politics. Why do you think that is?
- Some people say that the top 1% of earners don't pay enough taxes. How do you feel about this?
- Will a huge wall on the southern border with Mexico solve the United States' immigration problem?
- How should we solve the United States' immigration problem?
- The voter turnout for the 2016 presidential election was less than 60%, which is much lower than in other democratic societies. Why do you think this is and what can be done about it (or should anything be done about it)?
- Millennials are graduating college with a lot of student loan debt. What should be done to avoid a debt crisis?
- Many say that minimum wage jobs are low skill and the workers in them shouldn't be compensated more for their work, but others claim that a minimum wage job isn't enough money to live off of. Which side do you land on?
- What do you think of celebrities who are vocal about environmental issues but who frequently fly on private, and not commercial, jets?
Crime and legal persuasive essay topics
Crime in any society is an unfortunate inevitability. Why does crime happen and what should be done about it? These are just a few of the things to explore in these crime/legal persuasive essay topics.
- What should we do about a city with a high crime rate like Chicago?
- Should guns be allowed on college campuses?
- Should gun laws be more restrictive?
- Do we have a right to privacy?
- Trends have shown that many recent terrorists have been convicted or accused of domestic violence. What should be done and how do you feel about this?
- Should we have the death penalty? If so, when should it be used?
- Many prisoners are incarcerated for minor drug charges (such as possession of drugs or drug paraphernalia). Should we try to rehabilitate these prisoners or should they serve their full sentences?
- Colorado has legalized marijuana for recreational purposes. What is your opinion of this?
- Do you think marijuana is a gateway drug which leads some users to harder drugs?
- Can criminals be rehabilitated?
- Many prisoners who enter the system are likely to have a high recurrence of criminal activity. What can be done to solve this?
- Many people are starting to use drones for recreational activity. Should there be restrictions on where and how you can use your personal drone?
- Self-driving cars are expected to become increasingly used on city roads. If a self-driving car gets into an accident, whose fault is it? The engineer's?
Health persuasive essay topics
Health is something that we all have to worry about. Whether it's our own health or the health of a loved one, there are many things to think about and research on. What's your opinion on the healthcare system in our country? Should we treat drug addiction like a disease? How should we handle end-of-life care? Try out one of these essay topics to research and gain insight on some of the biggest challenges and questions that our society faces when it comes to health.
- Opioid addiction is at an all-time high in states like Ohio. What should we do to combat this?
- Should healthcare be universal?
- How do you feel about paternity leave?
- Should women get guaranteed maternity leave?
- The state of California requires that you display nutrition facts about menu items in restaurants. Should all states do this?
- Should fast food be "sin taxed" like cigarettes are?
- There is an effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Should we do this or not? If we should, what improvements can be made to a replacement act?
- Many soldiers are coming back from warfare with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. What should we do to help them?
- Many Americans are overweight. What has caused this health crisis and what can be done about it?
- Should vitamins and supplements be more tightly regulated?
- Should health insurance companies provide more financial incentives for subscribers to work out and eat more healthfully?
Women's and gender persuasive essay topics
Are there inherent differences between men and women or is that just a societal myth? Women have gained a lot more rights over the last 100 years in America, but some say they still have a long way to go before they achieve equal rights. How do you feel about this and other women's and gender issues? Explore the following fascinating topics.
- Women have what is known as the "second shift" (meaning that as soon as they get home from work they have additional responsibilities that require their attention immediately). What do you think about this concept and should anything be done about it?
- There are many women's rights and minority rights advocates. Should there be men's rights advocacy groups? What about Caucasian advocacy groups?
- Some people say that gender is a socially constructed norm. What do you think?
- Women who participate in body building competitions are trying to build the "ideal" figure, which some claim is an outdated, sexist idea. But some argue that building muscles is considered a sport and a traditionally "masculine" idea. Which side do you agree with?
- Some people think that beauty pageants are outdated and anti-feminist and shouldn't be televised anymore. How do you feel?
- New wave feminism is the idea that feminism can encompass many different ideas of what it is to be a feminist. It's the idea that you can have choices (whether that's staying at home with children or trying to be a CEO). How do you feel about new wave feminism?
Miscellaneous persuasive essay topics
Of course, there are more categories of essay topics than what are listed above. Here are some additional essay topics if you haven't found one yet that captures your interest.
- Does social media improve or hurt our society?
- Is it important or frivolous to travel the world?
- Many Americans watch a lot of reality TV shows. Why do you think this is?
- With many people reading digital copies of books, are libraries necessary anymore?
- Should anything be done to curb the rise in offensive lyrics in music?
- Should pregnant women be allowed to park in handicapped parking spots?
- Recent studies have shown that pets improve the mental and the physical health of their owners. Should pet-related expenses be tax-deductible?
- What do you think about net neutrality?
- With the rise in selfies and Instagram photo filtering apps, do you think we have become a more self-obsessed society?
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We Are Teachers
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. It’s important to know your audience so you can anticipate any counterarguments they might make and try to overcome them. Try reading some mentor texts to show kids great examples of opinion writing. Then use these persuasive essay topics for practice.
School and Education Persuasive Essay Topics
Life and ethics persuasive essay topics, just for fun persuasive essay topics.
- Do you think homework should be required, optional, or not given at all?
- Students should/should not be able to use their phones during the school day.
- Should schools have dress codes?
- If I could change one school rule, it would be …
- Is year-round school a good idea?
- Should we stop giving final exams?
- Is it better to be good at academics or good at sports?
- Which is better, private schools or public schools?
- Should every student have to participate in athletics?
- Do you think schools should ban junk food from their cafeterias?
- Should students be required to volunteer in their communities?
- What is the most important school subject?
- Are letter grades helpful, or should we replace them with something else?
- Is it ever OK to cheat on homework or a test?
- Should students get to grade their teachers?
- Do you think college should be free for anyone who wants to attend?
- Should schools be allowed to ban some books from their libraries?
- Which is better, book smarts or street smarts?
- Should all students have to learn a foreign language?
- Are single-gender schools better or worse for students?
- Is it OK to eat animals?
- What animal makes the best pet?
- Visit an animal shelter, choose an animal that needs a home, and write an essay persuading someone to adopt that animal.
- Should we allow little kids to play competitive sports?
- Who faces more peer pressure, girls or boys?
- Should all Americans be required to vote?
- Is it better to be kind or truthful?
- Which is better, giving or receiving?
- Is it OK to keep animals in zoos?
- Should we change the minimum driving age in the United States?
- Which is more important, happiness or success?
- Is democracy the best form of government?
- Is social media helpful or harmful?
- Which is better, reading books or watching TV?
- Should kids have set bedtimes or just go to bed when they’re sleepy?
- Do you think the government should find a way to provide free health care for everyone?
- Is it better to save your allowance or spend it?
- Should we ban plastic bags and bottles?
- Which is better, living in the city or in the country?
- If I could make a new law, it would be …
- Choose a book that’s been made into a movie. Which was better, the movie or the book?
- Who is the world’s best athlete, present or past?
- What’s the best holiday?
- Are professional athletes/musicians/actors overpaid?
- Which is better, fiction or nonfiction?
- The very best food of all time is …
- The best music genre is …
- What is one book that everyone should read?
- What new sport should be added to the Olympics?
- Which is better, artificial Christmas trees or real ones?
- What’s the best season of the year?
- Should you put ketchup on a hot dog?
- Is a taco a sandwich?
- Are clowns scary or funny?
- Which is more dangerous, werewolves or vampires?
- The best pizza topping is …
- What would be the best superpower to have?
- Should we still consider Pluto a planet?
- Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
- What’s the best video game system?
What are your favorite persuasive essay topics for students? Come exchange ideas on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .
Plus, check out the big list of essay topics for high school (100+ ideas) ..
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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Good Research Topics about Women’s Movement
Most interesting wine essay topics to write about, simple & easy wellness essay topics, good research topics about weight loss, most interesting walmart essay topics to write about, most interesting w.e.b. du bois essay topics to write about, most interesting volvo essay topics to write about, good research topics about volkswagen, most interesting volcano essay topics to write about, simple & easy vodafone essay topics, 100+ persuasive essay topics.
Are you a student looking for persuasive essay topics? If so, we have you covered. Below you will find a list of the best persuasive essay topics.
Persuasive Essay Topics About School
- What do you think that the punishment for cheating should be?
- Do you think that pupils be allowed to have phones at school?
- What’s the most exciting subject to learn?
- Do you think that homework should be required?
- Do you believe that your school handles bullying well?
- Are dress codes an excellent idea for schools?
- Is the school day too long?
- Do you think that pupils get to choose what they study?
- What school rules would you change?
- Is it a great idea for friends to sit together in class?
- Do you believe that school starts too early?
- Do you think that pupils take a self-defense class?
Persuasive Essay Topics About Food
- What’s best: pizza or hot dogs?
- Do you think that kids learn how to cook their own food?
- Is it more fun to eat in a restaurant or at home?
- What is the best dessert?
- Do you think that healthy food cost less than junk food?
- Is eating meat a great idea?
- Is it best to snack all day or have three set meals?
- Do you think that sugary drinks be allowed at school?
- Do you think that kids have to eat foods they don’t like?
- What is the best food to serve at an event or party?
Persuasive Essay Topics About Animals
- If you decide to train an animal, what is the best animal to pick?
- Do you think that it be okay to keep wild animals as pets?
- Do you think that pets be allowed in school?
- What animal makes the best pet?
- What animal makes the worst pet?
- Are big dogs best than small dogs?
- Do you think that you adopt your pet from an animal shelter?
Persuasive Essay Topics About Sports and Activities
- Who is the best athlete on the planet?
- What is the best hobby to learn?
- What is the best sport to watch?
- Do you think that girls be allowed to play on boys’ sports teams?
- Are team sports best than individual sports?
- Is it funnier to play sports or watch?
- Are summer sports best than winter sports?
- Do you think that pupils have to stop playing a sport if their grades aren’t high enough?
- Are professional athletes paid too much?
- What’s the best thing to do on a rainy day?
Persuasive Essay Topics About Entertainment
- What’s the best genre of music to listen to when you’re unhappy?
- Do you think that music and movies be free?
- Are great guys or bad guys more interesting?
- What is the funniest movie ever made?
- Are reality shows best than other shows?
- What is the best book ever written?
- Are scary movies enjoyable to watch?
- Are comedies best than action movies?
- What is the best superpower to have?
- Do you think that audience members be able to film live concerts?
- Is it best to see a movie in the theater or stream it at home?
Persuasive Essay Topics About Social Issues
- Do you think that wealthy citizens pay more taxes?
- Are teens ruder than other generations?
- Are individuals with mental illnesses treated fairly by society?
- Is social media good or bad?
- Do violent video games make people aggressive?
- Is capital punishment moral?
- Do you think that we give money to homeless people?
- Do you think that countries use a military draft?
- If countries are overpopulated, Do you think that the government should limit the number of kids in each family?
- Are drunk drivers punished appropriately?
Persuasive Essay Topics About Education
- How much do you think that parents be involved in their kids’ education?
- Do you think that families be able to choose the schools that their kids attend?
- Is classroom learning best than online learning?
- Which is best: year-round school or summer vacation?
- Do you think that teachers use social media to communicate with their pupils?
- Do pupils deserve the same rights as adults?
- Do you think that college should be free?
- Which is best: letter grading systems or pass/fail?
- Do you think that pupils have to learn sex education in school?
- Is obtaining a college education required to have a great career?
- Do you think that schools have security guards?
- Are exams the best way to see what pupils are learning?
Persuasive Essay Topics About History and Government
- Was early European exploration a great thing or a bad thing?
- Was America’s use of the atom bomb in World War II ethical?
- Do you think that businesses be allowed to donate to political candidates?
- Is democracy the best form of government?
- Do you think that kids who are born in another nation have citizenship there?
- Should there be limits to the freedom of speech?
- Do you think that members of Congress receive a salary during government shutdowns?
- If a felon has completed their sentences, Do you think that they should be allowed to vote?
- What is the most unfair law in the nation?
- Is America the most powerful nation in the world?
Persuasive Essay Topics About Science and Technology
- Do you think that America will fund another trip to the moon?
- Is too much screen time harmful to kids?
- Is climate change real?
- Do you think that businesses be allowed to create pollution if they’re making greats that benefit society?
- What is the most essential scientific breakthrough of your lifetime?
- Is it okay for businesses to sell their customers’ information?
- Do you think that the government spends time and resources on renewable energy?
- Are clinical trials that use placebos moral?
- Is animal testing moral?
- Do you think that parents be able to choose their babies’ traits before they’re born?
Persuasive Essay Topics About Health and Nutrition
- Do you think that schools sell only healthy food?
- Is legalizing marijuana a great idea?
- Do you think that parents be required to vaccinate their kids?
- Do you think that doctors and teachers screen teenagers for depression?
- Are genetically modified foods safe?
- Do you think that physical education should be required in schools?
- Do you think that schools be allowed to drug test pupils whenever they want? What about businesses and their employees?
- Are professional sports too dangerous?
- Do you think that healthcare should be universal?
- Do you think that healthy people pay less for healthcare?
Unique Persuasive Essay Ideas
- How much do you think that the public knows about a celebrity’s personal life?
- Is there ever an excellent reason for war?
- Is it moral to train dogs as service animals?
- Is it best to listen to music while working, or to work in silence?
- What is the most remarkable career to have?
- Do zoos protect animals or exploit them?
- Is it best to be 2, 12, 22, or 32?
- Do you think that people be allowed to clone themselves?
- What is the worst season?
- Is it best to be a morning person or a night person?
- Is loving your job more essential than making a lot of money?
- What is the most essential crop to the modern economy?
- Do you think that you make new friends as you get older or focus on keeping the friends you have?
- If aliens came to Earth, do you think that we befriend them?
- Is print news still essential in a technological world?
- Is it best to be rich and alone or poor and have friends?
- Do you think that parents teach their kids old-fashioned manners?
- Is life best than it was 30 years ago?
- How would you persuade your mayor to build a skate park?
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Top 257 Good Persuasive Essay Topics [Tips & Prompts]
What if your teacher assigned you to write an essay about anything you like? It would excite you at first. You’d consider endless opportunities to express yourself and show your writing skills…
…But then, you start looking for a good persuasive essay idea, and nothing seems to stand out.
Don’t worry:
We have a list of good persuasive essay topics for you! IvyPanda’s team compiled these great ideas that you can explore in detail. Use them for academic writing or public speaking—they would sound convincing either way. And don’t forget to check out our tips on composing a perfect persuasive essay.
Let’s get started and see if you like anything!
- ✋ What Is a Good Topic?
- 📌 Top-12 Topics
- 🎉 Funny Essay Topics
- 🎈 For Elementary Students
- 👩🏫 For Middle & High School
- 🎓 For College
- 🦉 For Higher English
- 🏈 Sports Topics
- 🩺 Health Topics
- 📲 Social Media Topics
- 🎹 Music Topics
- 💖 Love & Family Topics
- ✔ 60 More Topics
- 💁♀️ 6 Tips on Writing
- 📜 5 Writing Prompts
✋ What is a Good Persuasive Topic?
We can start by understanding what some good persuasive topics ideas are. A lot of people think that persuasive writing is the same thing as the argumentative one. They cannot be more wrong.
Argumentative one is a type of writing that presents arguments without trying to convince anyone. Moreover, it shows both sides of a dispute. There are numerous beautiful essay examples that demonstrate it.
Persuasive writing is a piece of academic writing, which attempts to persuade that the presented viewpoint is more legitimate than any other. The word “persuade” derives from the Latin word “persuadere,” which means “to convince.” This type of essay doesn’t only describe a situation. It takes a stand and delivers a point.
You can use a good persuasive essay topic for both writing and speech preparation. Public speaking can become a lot more engaging when you have a convincing title. Here you can find one that can serve as an exceptional speech idea.
A persuasive topic is good if:
- It serves the purpose. You should be able to develop the topic. Check if there is room for discussion and analysis. For that, make sure there are plenty of primary and secondary sources available. It’s a good idea to check it out before picking your topic.
- It’s engaging for you. Remember that it’s you who will have to write your essay. So, pick something that genuinely interests you. Make sure you will be able to write about it with ease.
- It’s relevant to your readers. Always keep in mind the people who will read your paper. Who is your target audience? Pick a topic that resonates with your audience. Choose something that matters to them.
- It’s unique. One of the best things you can do when coming up with ideas is to stay original and fresh. Of course, it’s quite challenging to find a completely unique topic. However, even if it is more or less common, attempt to find an unusual perspective on the issue.
📌 Top-12 Good Persuasive Essay Ideas
- Is the Internet safe for young kids?
- Should we abolish zoos?
- Can animal testing be ethical?
- Is euthanasia a human right?
- Do public libraries need more funding?
- Is green energy reliable?
- Can we remain anonymous online?
- Is gender a social construct?
- How can debt be relieved for college students?
- Is there a point to political debates?
- Did the 2020 pandemic change the world?
- What is better – high school or middle school?
🎉 Funny Persuasive Essay Topics
Writing about something funny and entertaining is always more pleasant. Not only it puts you in a good mood, but also it helps you to train your sense of humor and stay creative. For your audience, it is even more exciting to read something fun.
This list of funny persuasive essay topics ideas will help you to start your essay. Or it can assist with brainstorming and generating your unique funny ideas.
- Girls do not like gossiping more than boys do. It is a widespread belief, but do you think it depends on gender? Or is it a stereotype that we keep perpetuating? If you ask any man if he gossips, the answer will most probably be negative. However, it is not valid. Men gossip as well. The difference is that they don’t consider their conversations as gossiping.
- Why should people eat less junk food? There are so many good reasons why people should eat less junk food. You can start with listing health benefits, the financial aspects of it. Add data about the inability to check sanitary norms and allergy restrictions. It is a straightforward and exciting topic to write about.
- Everyone should know how to cook.
- Why do smokers have more acquaintances?
- Why parents should stop lying about Santa Claus .
- People should live together before getting married.
- The color of your hair does not affect your IQ. There is a common stereotype that your hair color can somehow determine your IQ. This stereotype has been reinforced by Hollywood movies, magazines, and even by some ordinary people. Can it be true? Find some good scientific explanation for the position you hold.
- Why is social media great for you?
- Regular exercise can help you be happy .
- Netflix can help you grow as an individual.
- Why should homework not be given to kids?
- Overprotection can make your child fail in life . Every parent should allow kids to make mistakes. Unfortunately, that is how we learn. Without this valuable experience, we cannot succeed as adults. We will not be able to make crucial decisions because we will be so afraid of failure. Parents should be able to teach their kids that failure is normal because it is a part of life.
- Physical attractiveness can help you succeed .
😊 Good Persuasive Essay Topics
When you are trying to find a persuasive essay topic, it may not work for you. The task is either too simple or way too hard. This list is arranged based on your academic level. Hopefully, it will help you to navigate and find the topic for a persuasive essay.
🎈 Persuasive Essay Topics for Elementary Students
Being able to persuade others is a vital skill. To do that, we need to learn how to express our thoughts and ideas logically and coherently. Your sentences and words should be straight to the point.
These skills should be trained even at elementary school. This list can help you to come up with the topic for the next elementary school essay.
- School uniform is a good idea . If you disagree with this statement, you can easily change it to be what you agree with. There are plenty of reasons why a school uniform is a great idea. First, it teaches kids to obey authority. They will wear uniforms for the rest of their life no matter what professional path they will use. Second of all, it helps to balance economic differences between kids. Some parents cannot afford expensive clothing, while others can.
- School breaks should be longer.
- Watching TV is good for you.
- Why there should be no homework .
- Eating vegetables is good for your health .
- Why every child should be allowed to have a pet . Having a pet lets you experience what it is to be an adult. It teaches you responsibility. If you have a pet, you can share the lessons you have learned.
- Summer and Winter are the best seasons.
- Kids should be allowed to play computer games.
- I should be able to go to bed when I want to.
- Kids should be able to vote.
- My parents should pay me for doing chores.
- Why having a piggy bank can help you in life. Financial education should start at a very early age. Kids should be able to understand the value of money and what it means to save. If you have a piggy bank, you can share what benefits it has for you.
- Students should be able to give grades to teachers.
- Should we get paid for good grades?
- Having a big family has more benefits than disadvantages.
- Cats are better than dogs.
- Students should be allowed to pick their teachers.
- Using a cell phone at school should be allowed .
- Why learning another language is good for you. Do you like traveling? Or watching movies and cartoons? Learning another language can help you to do so while using a foreign language. It also provides you with a competitive edge and an advantage in the future.
- Everyone should have a hobby.
👩🏫 Persuasive Essay Topics for Middle & High School
Middle and high school is a place where you can learn and train the essential life skills. There is learning how to count, write, and communicate with others. Besides all of this, you can learn how to be convincing and persuasive. Essay writing is a great way to do that.
So, if you can choose your essay topic, try to go for a persuasive essay topic.
- Smoking is bad for you .
- The school day should start later in the day.
- Households should be obliged to recycle .
- Books should be replaced with tablets. Books are the things of the past. Having to carry heavy books is not necessary anymore. A tablet can contain hundreds of books. It is also better for the environment and forest preservation. If you agree with this statement, choose this persuasive essay topic.
- The Internet is the best invention of the 20th century . Pretty much everyone will agree with you. A modern world would be so much more difficult without the Internet. It elevates communication to another level and provides information. Some people disagree with these statements. They think that the Internet is not the best invention of the 20th century.
- Smoking should be banned in all public spaces.
- Why city life is better than country life.
- The Internet should be free for everyone. It is a critical component of modern life. Such things as applying for taxes, looking for a job, working are impossible nowadays without access to the Internet. Even applying to university, or for scholarships to support your studies cannot be done without it. Consequently, it should be free.
- Should tattoos be illegal?
- Women should be allowed to breastfeed in public.
- Eating chocolate is healthy .
- Animal dissection is inhumane.
- Cities should have a free bike-sharing.
- Video games promote violence . Video games are sometimes connected to violent actions. Kids who play video games are more likely to engage in intense activity. Elaborate on this view or argue against it.
- Social Media is bad for your self-image.
- Who do you consider your hero, and why?
- Texting while driving should be illegal.
- Why zoos should be banned . Lots of individuals love going to zoos. However, look at it from an ethical perspective. You will see why zoos should be forbidden for a large number of reasons. In this essay, you can give your personal opinion. For example, tell your reader why keeping animals in cages is inhumane.
- Gender divided schools are bad for kids.
- The benefits of having younger siblings.
🎓 Persuasive Essay Ideas for College
Choosing a persuasive essay idea for the college level is a real challenge. We’ve already done the hardest part for you and created a list of interesting topics. See if anything looks persuasive enough for your next paper or a public talk.
- How should Americans solve the gun violence issue in the United States?
- One policy that should be implemented in the educational sector.
- Why should public universities have free tuition?
- The death penalty is an ineffective way to prosecute .
- Hunting is not an ethical hobby. Many people believe that it is not a decent hobby because it makes animals suffer. Sometimes an animal can survive the shot but later on experience a prolonged and painful death. Find arguments that support this point of view. You can think that there is nothing wrong with hunting. Then highlight that love for animals and this hobby are not two mutually exclusive concepts.
- Vegetarianism does not save animals.
- Mcdonalds should not be an official sponsor of any sporting event.
- The world should have free borders.
- Abstract art is not art.
- Online learning is best for students and teachers .
- The importance of equal representation of genders and races in the police.
- Capital punishment should be abolished .
- Churches should be required to pay taxes. This debate continues for decades. A lot of people believe that churches should be stripped of their tax-exempt charity status. One of the reasons is that the Catholic Church is the wealthiest organization in the world.
- Teachers should be paid more .
- Americans should speak more languages.
- Beauty contests are bad for teenage girls’ self-image. This type of competition degrades women to mere sexual objects. Those who are not able to participate in such contests end up being affected as well. They feel that they are not good enough. Explore some other arguments about why beauty contests are not good for teenagers.
- Standardized tests should be banned.
- Why should there be only one currency in the world?
- Pets should be allowed to join children at school.
- Why cyberbullying should become a crime .
🦉 Persuasive Essay Topics for Higher English
College students majoring in English can use one of these topics for their essays. Writing a persuasive speech or paper starts with picking the right idea.
Check out this great list of creative and unusual topics for essay writing. Our ideas can help you to deliver an outstanding result that will pleasantly surprise your readers.
- The question of authority is the focus of The Giver by Lois Lowry.
- Why abortions should be allowed.
- People should be charged for racial slurs.
- Guns should not be allowed on College Campuses .
- Elementary schools should focus on teaching how to type, not handwrite.
- Security cameras at a workplace are an invasion of privacy .
- College football should be banned. It is just too dangerous.
- Parents should never lie to their kids. In this essay, you can explain what happens to kids when their parents lie to them. Later in life, it may create a colossal distrust. You can also talk about common lies parents tell their kids such as Santa, dead pet, or swallowing chewing gum.
- Illegal immigration benefits the American economy .
- Do we live in the society predicted by Ray Bradberry in Fahrenheit 451?
- Should priests be allowed to get married?
- Does the government have a right to choose what it censors?
- How the current tax system overburdens middle-class citizens.
- Religious beliefs do not define a person.
- Being egoistic should be encouraged. Being selfish is usually seen as a negative trait. However, psychologists believe that being selfish can make you a better individual. Find arguments that support this point of view. You can claim that being selfish can help you stay healthy or even have better relationships. There are many good arguments you can make that will persuade your readers.
- Sexual desire does not define human behavior.
- Equal rights between men and women are impossible to attain. Elaborate on the topic expressing this or the opposing view. Provide both arguments and counterarguments, striving to convince your reader.
- Women are better at collaborating and executing than men.
- There is a danger in being neutral.
- Should all residents receive free health care?
🎈 Great Persuasive Essay Topics according to Theme
We organized our topics thematically as well. It could help you to search for the right one as you may have to write a persuasive essay for a specific class.
Maybe you have a passion for music, or sports, or a healthy lifestyle. Then, you can go to a theme you like the most. Select a good persuasive essay topic that works.
🏈 Persuasive Essay Topics about Sports
Who does not like sports? Okay, maybe some individuals do not enjoy it. However, most students choose not to write essays about it.
Do you know why?
Mainly because it is hard to find the topic. It is especially problematic when you want to find a good one. This list will give you some fresh persuasive essay ideas.
- Don’t generalize college athletes . There is a common belief that all college athletes are not very smart. In this essay, you should provide reasoning on why this statement is wrong.
- Cheerleading should also be regarded as a sport.
- Only women should be allowed to train female teams.
- Universities should stop spending so much money on sports programs . This essay topic is another debate in American society. A lot of people believe that spending this amount of money on sports does not make sense. We could redirect this money to academics and financial support for students in need. The best schools in the USA do not have large sports programs, explain why.
- Not every sportsperson can be a good coach.
- Every college athlete should get insurance .
- Women should be allowed to compete against men.
- An issue of homophobia in sports.
- Cheerleaders should wear different costumes because the current ones are sexist.
- Why parents should let their kids play extreme sports . Think about why parents should allow their children to participate in such activities. First, you can write about why kids want to do extreme sports. Second, you can elaborate on why parents do not want to let that. You will be surprised at what you might find.
- Fame is the main factor in getting a sports-related career.
- College athletes should get paid as much as the professional ones .
- Chess should become an Olympic sport.
- Sports help with managing depression and anxiety.
- Michael Jordan is the most successful athlete of all time .
🩺 Persuasive Health Topics
This particular section has some ideas of the persuasive essay topics about health. Each section has about five titles.
Let’s see what health topics you can use:
Medical Persuasive Essay Topics
- Everyone should have a right to euthanasia .
- The importance of talking to kids about sex .
- Healthcare should be free. First and foremost, free healthcare can save millions of lives. So, it creates a foundation for a right and just society. Some of the poorest people cannot afford to pay their medical bills. It creates even more inequality in society.
- Talking about childhood cancer is essential to fight it.
- Why marijuana should not be legalized . There is a popular belief that marijuana is not dangerous. However, some scientists disagree with this statement. In this essay, you can persuade your readers not to support the legalization of the drug. Or you can do the opposite. Convince them that it is not harmful and can be beneficial for your health.
Persuasive Essay Topics on Healthy Lifestyle
- Your eating habits affect your personality.
- Seven harmful effects of junk food .
- The vegetarian diet is the healthiest one.
- Unhealthy foods taste so good because it’s a manipulation. This topic is a funny one, but many people probably had the same type of questions. Why do unhealthy foods taste so good? Not only it pleases our taste buds, but it also triggers brain chemicals to start reacting.
- Poor nutrition and life expectancy connection.
Persuasive Essay Topics on Mental Health
- Misuse of ADHD medication among college students.
- Stigma and discrimination affect gay men’s mental health.
- Does playing music during pregnancy increase a baby’s IQ?
- Playing with Barbie dolls can later manifest in eating disorders . Girls who played with Barbie dolls are convinced that their bodies are not perfect. They feel as if they need to diet. An impossible ideal of Barbie creates a disturbance in body image. Society needs to see that playing with skinny dolls does not cause eating disorders. It increases the risks of having low self-esteem. This essay can provide a fresh look at something as innocent as playing with a doll.
- The stigma associated with mental illness has to be eliminated.
Persuasive Essay Topics on Depression
- The connection between perfectionism and anxiety.
- Teenage Depression is more common than you think . Some individuals believe that teenagers nowadays have very unrealistic expectations. They claim the media and Social Media continuously promote a message about “feeling good.” Many people do not teach their kids vital skills on how to manage their lives under pressure. Find some data that can show how regular the issue is. Prove your point with facts and opinions from trustworthy sources.
- Every school should have a mechanism to help students with mental health issues.
- Recognizing the symptoms, signs, and risk factors of OCD is important .
- The reasons why everyone should have a psychologist. There are plenty of reasons why everyone should see a therapist. An essay can discuss some of them and maybe convince people to start therapy.
📲 Social Media Persuasive Essay Topics
Social Media has a considerable impact on the world we live in. Therefore, in the past years, essay topics about it became increasingly popular.
A Social Media persuasive topic should be intriguing, controversial, and relatable.
- The negative effects of Social Media .
- What makes a successful Social Media marketing plan. Some many different tricks and tips help to make a successful social media marketing plan. However, stick to the essential ones. What you are trying to do and what you want to achieve should be the focus. In the world of marketing, it is called S.M.A.R.T. goals.
- The importance of attention getter in writing an Instagram post.
- Don’t forget to live your life, not only to document it for Social Media.
- Teenagers spend too much time on Social Media . In the modern world, almost everyone has a device. People spend a lot of time looking at the screen. Teenagers spend even more. Explain whether it is a problem or how it can be changed. What are the dangers of spending too much time on Social Media?
- A specific purpose of Social Media.
- The positive effects of Social Media.
- Social Media addiction among older people . You might be surprised, but social media addiction exists even among older people. First, talk about what is considered social media addiction. Then talk about how it can be changed. Why should it be changed?
- The reasons why Twitter is popular among celebrities.
- Social Media opened new possibilities for business.
- The world cannot survive without Social Media.
- Social Media promotes cyberbullying.
- Social Media strengthens relationships between people . Despite a lot of negative effects, one thing remains clear: social media helps people to stay in touch. The world we live in today became much smaller because of social media.
- Social Media and Networking Sites are a great help in your professional development.
- Social Media is a social problem.
- Social Comparison caused by Social Media is something we cannot avoid.
- Social Media Influencers are not celebrities.
- The Internet heavily affects News .
- Social Media should not be allowed in the workplace.
🎹 Persuasive Topics on Music
Everyone loves music—both listening to it and reading about it. Imagine how pleasantly surprised your peers will be if you choose a persuasive essay topic on it. Choose an artist or a genre and get creative.
- Hard Rock music is the music of violence.
- Rap music is not music—it’s poetry. A lot of people believe that rap isn’t music but poetry. Do you agree? If you do, then this topic is excellent for you. Look at the history of rap music. You will find some great arguments that support this view. What was the purpose of the first songs?
- Some people have an addiction to music.
- Depressive songs can be triggering for people with mental issues. Sad music usually goes hand-in-hand with depression. If you aren’t feeling well, it is quite reasonable if you choose sad music. However, researchers say that sad music can worsen your condition, so you should be careful. There are a lot of great experiments that demonstrate this idea and prove this point. Your essay can be quite helpful for those battling with their emotions and feelings.
- Music does not always have a positive effect.
- Kids should not listen to death metal.
- Hip hop dancing is a mainstream American culture now.
- Why music talent shows are so popular in America .
- Kids who listen to hip hop music are more rebellious than the rest. Rap music is heavily scrutinized. Kids who listen to rap and hip-hop may be more rebellious than others. It can happen since that such music often advocates violence and rebellion.
- The Negative view of women in hip hop music videos is outdated.
- The similarities between ballet and hip hop .
- The music can influence our behavior .
- The positive aspects of playing a musical instrument.
- Classical music and intelligence.
- The music reflects society and its authenticity.
- The positive effects of Mozart’s music on babies. There are so many advantages when it comes to listening to classical music. That’s why many parents in the United States start playing classical music to kids at a very early age.
- Blacks express themselves through music for centuries.
- Even plants grow better with classical music.
- Jazz is an extinct music genre.
- Reasons why most people do not like country music.
💖 Persuasive Essay Topics about Love & Family
All we need is love. It is a very famous song, and it is so true. Here’s a list of topics about love and family for you to be able to get inspired.
- Love is more than a set of chemical reactions. What is love? A lot of writers, scientists, philosophers, artists tried to answer this question. According to science, love is no more than a set of chemical reactions in the brain. Can it be true? You can argue that love is more sophisticated than any chemical reaction. Finding arguments that support this viewpoint should not be complicated. Or take the opposite stand.
- Everyone needs love.
- Why men do not understand women.
- It is not a good idea to live together before marriage.
- Hitting kids should be a crime. Children cannot make a connection between their actions and physical. Therefore, any form of aggression to children should become illegal. The only thing they feel is pain, so kids should not be physically punished. You can talk about the short-term and long-term effects of childhood traumas caused by caregivers.
- Every parent should talk to kids about sex.
- Why can people be happy only if they have love in their life?
- Love is the only way we can fight racism.
- Why parents should not drink and smoke in front of their children.
- Are marriage bonds are more reliable than any other relationship?
- The concept of love is different from culture to culture .
- The love between Romeo and Juliet was not mature.
- A love of a woman is different .
- Looking beyond imperfections is essential for success in marriage.
- Sacrifice is an element in family life. To build a happy family, we may need to learn the quality of sacrifice. In your essay, you can talk about why it may be necessary. What does it help to achieve? You can include your life examples and show the benefits of sacrifice.
- The changing landscape of love and marriage .
- Love and marriage are incompatible .
- Can parents leave their kids at home alone before 13 years old?
- Teenagers should have more free time.
✔ 60 More Persuasive Essay Topics
In this section, you can find 60 more persuasive essay topics.
1. Persuasive Essay Topics: UK
Choosing a good persuasive essay topic can be difficult. For UK students and students interested in UK culture, finding this section can be such a relief. These ten topics were waiting for you:
- Why Are UK Universities Better than the ones in the USA’s ones? It is a very subjective idea. Though it has a place to exist. If you think that UK universities are better, develop this idea into a persuasive essay.
- Why are UK musicians so famous in America?
- Brexit will help the UK to prosper.
- Why some believe that Shakespeare didn’t write his plays . You have probably heard this point of view before. However, you do not have to agree with it. You could find good arguments to demonstrate this common belief. Explain your position and why people think this way.
- Scotland’s version of UK history is different.
- The UN and International Peace .
- British and English are not synonyms.
- The history of the Northern Ireland crisis.
- Difficult relationships between the United Kingdom and the EU.
2. Persuasive Essay Topics: Philippines
- The effects of globalization on poverty in The Philippines.
- Death penalty laws in The Philippines are cruel.
- Critical issues in the Philippines should be resolved immediately.
- Benefits of a nationwide smoking ban in the Philippines.
- The quality of education in the Philippines should be higher.
3. Persuasive Essay Topics: Canada
- The impact of immigration on the geography of Canada is exceptional. Did you know that Canada receives more than 200.000 immigrants per year? Discuss how it affects economic geography in Canada. Where do most immigrants decide to reside? What happens to the job market?
- Canadian immigration is marked with a history of discrimination.
- Democratic racism in Canada is apparent.
- Canada is in denial about the issue of gender inequality .
- The most famous Canadian women and their achievements are underappreciated.
4. Persuasive Essay Topics: Social Science
- There is a connection between mental illness and aging.
- There are effects of violent movies on psychology. Absolutely everything that people see and watch affects their psychology. It affects us in one way or the other. Unfortunately, nowadays, violence is one of the most common forms of entertainment. This essay can persuade people to watch less violent movies.
- We have to deal with the social issues of families in poverty .
- Technology positively impacts society.
- There are negative consequences of individualism .
5. LGBT+ Persuasive Essay Topics
- Social problems in relation to the LGBT population is still an issue.
- LGBT labor and employment discrimination issues . Unfortunately, the LGBT community still faces discrimination. Besides showing the state of affairs, try to change your reader’s attitude. Make them see it as a social issue.
- The effects of cyberbullying on the LGBT community are significant.
- There is a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender discrimination in the Hispanic community.
- The causes of homosexual discrimination in American society .
6. Emotional Persuasive Essay Topics
- The importance of the use of ethos, pathos, logos in essay writing.
- The reasons why we should protect the environment.
- Should older people be allowed to drive?
- Is access to the internet a human right?
- The American dream is no longer attainable.
7. Deep Persuasive Essay Topics
- Should graffiti be considered a form of art?
- Stereotypes of American citizens .
- Why the debate over free education for all students should be over.
- Why is it important to teach Shakespeare in school?
- Art and music therapy should be covered by health insurance.
8. Harry Potter: Persuasive Essay Topics
- Does the sorting hat know more than humans?
- Is there a deeper meaning in Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone?
- A theme of love and betrayal in J.K.Rowling’s books is prominent. A lot of critics believe that Harry Potter is not about magic but love. It is a recurring theme in the whole series.
- Hogwarts: a home away from home.
- We should discuss the symbolism of deathly hallows more.
9. Fashion: Persuasive Essay Topics
- Eco-friendly clothing is the next type of fashion.
- Why is a style more important than fashion?
- What does your choice of dress tell about you?
- Fashion photography is a form of art, as well.
- What are the concepts of beauty in the fashion industry?
10. Domestic Violence: Persuasive Essay Topics
- We have to take into account a cross-cultural perspective on domestic abuse. Different cultures approach domestic violence with varying levels of tolerance. In multicultural families, it can be a challenging problem to address. In your essay, you should try to explain why, in some places, people tolerate domestic violence. Elaborate on why, in other areas, it is forbidden.
- Domestic violence against women is a prominent problem.
- Domestic abuse against men exists too. Not everyone understands, but domestic violence against men is an issue. However, people discuss it less commonly, and men do not like to share their experiences. Why? They prefer to maintain their sharp facade. However, domestic abuse is damaging to everyone.
- There is significant emotional abuse in low-income families.
- Child abuse is still a problem .
11. Persuasive Agriculture Topics
- How urban agriculture affects the economy .
- The agricultural effects on wild animals.
- Should GMO organisms in farming be allowed?
- The issue of agricultural modernization in third world countries .
- Organic farming should be the only type of farming.
👩🏫 6 Tips on Writing a Persuasive Essay
A persuasive essay is one of the most common types of academic writing. You, as a student, will be required to master it. The goal is to present a distinct opinion on a topic and illustrate it with arguments and evidence. Hopefully, by the end of this section, you will be able to write a good persuasive essay.
As you already can guess from the name, in the essay, you have to is to persuade (convince) others. Attempts to make people feel and think a certain way. To be able to do that, you need to have a good grasp of logos, pathos, and ethos.
Even heard of it?
A Greek philosopher Aristotle discovered this theory. A good speech that can convince others depends on three elements, which are:
- Logos refers to the part responsible for logical persuasion;
- Pathos refers to the part responsible for emotional appeal;
- Ethos refers to the extent readers are willing to trust the writer.
So, you should determine and implement logos, pathos, and ethos in your essay. You might not be able to use the third one, though. It deals with your social status and reputation.
Now let’s understand what makes a persuasive essay so great:
- Your distinctive position supported by both arguments and counterarguments.
- A compelling style that influences your reader.
- An adequate organization that ensures the natural progression of your argumentation.
📜 5 Persuasive Writing Prompts
In this section, we will give you some good ideas for using both logos and pathos. It is essential to remember about these components if you are writing a persuasive essay. These five persuasive writing prompts will help you to start:
- Immigrants are not a threat to American society. This is such a familiar debate. Some politicians and regular people see immigrants as a threat to American society. Present several facts that argue against the idea. Elaborate on the increase in human capital, innovation, science. Appeal to the fact that America is a country that was built by immigrants.
- The immoral aspect of eating animals. Have you ever heard about the Animal Rights movement? It exists, and it states that causing suffering to animals is immoral. You can argue for or against it. You can say that humans were created to eat meat. Or claim that the Bible says we should be vegetarians. There are many logos and pathos arguments that you can make if you decide to choose this topic.
- Having a lot of friends is impossible. A lot of times, people confuse who is their friend and who is their acquaintance. In this essay, try to find a good definition of who you would call a friend. Friendship requires a lot of time and effort. Is it possible to maintain a lot of friendship relationships?
- Sexual orientation is determined in childhood. A lot of people believe that sexual orientation is determined later in life. However, most LGBTQ+ persons state that it is not valid. They say that their sexual orientation became evident to them even when they were kids. You can develop this argument and include some personal stories of people you know.
- Capital punishment is a crime. In this essay, you can give your opinion about capital punishment. Choose the position you genuinely believe in and support it with evidence. One thing is clear; capital punishment is a susceptible subject. No matter what view you have, you will most probably meet some opposition. Stick to logical arguments and try not to appeal too much to pathos.
Thank you for reading this article! Do not hesitate to share our persuasive essay topics with your friends and fellow students. And leave a comment below—we’d be happy to learn your opinion.
🔗 References
- 100 Persuasive Essay Topics: Grace Fleming, ThoughtCo
- Writing Resources: Writing Center Handouts, Hamilton College
- Ten Timeless Persuasive Writing Techniques: Brian Clark, Copyblogger
- How to Write a Good Argumentative Essay, Easy Step-by-Step Guide: Malcolm Gladwell, MasterClass
- Persuasive Essay, Examples and Definition of Persuasive Essay: Literary Devices, Definition and Examples of literary Items
- Persuasive Essay Outline: HCC Learning Web
- How To Write A Persuasive Essay: Writing Guides, Ultius
- Tips To Write An Effective Persuasive Essay: Melissa Burns, The College Puzzle
- Tips for Organizing an Argumentative Essay: Judith L. Beumer Writing Center
- Counterargument: Gordon Harvey (adapted from The Academic Essay: A Brief Anatomy), for the Writing Center at Harvard University
- 60 Persuasive Essay and Speech Topics: K12 Reader
- 434 Good Persuasive Topics for Speech or Essay: My Speech Class
- How to Write Persuasive Essays: Matrix Education
- 31 Powerful Persuasive Writing Techniques: Writtent
- A CS Research Topic Generator or How To pick A Worthy Topic In 10 Seconds: Purdue University
- Topic Ideas Generator: Online Research Library Questia
- English Grammar, Grammar Rules and Tips: Grammarist, English Grammar, Usage, and Style Blog
- How Do I Cite Sources: Plagiarism.org
- Writing Essays: Learning Development, Plymouth University
- Citation Style and Reference Formats: C. Rodkin, Association for Computing Machinery
- Effective Writing Grammar Rules: Grammar Book
- Effective Persuasion Presentation: Purdue Writing Lab, College of Liberal Arts, Purdue University
- The Basics of Essay Writing: UNSW Current Students
- Writing Paragraphs: The Writing Centre, University of Ottawa
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100 Persuasive Essay Topics
- M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
- B.A., History, Armstrong State University
Persuasive essays are a bit like argument essays and persuasive speeches , but they tend to be a little kinder and gentler. Argument essays require you to discuss and to attack an alternate view, while persuasive essays are attempts to convince the reader that you have a believable argument. In other words, you are an advocate, not an adversary.
A Persuasive Essay Has 3 Components
- Introduction : This is the opening paragraph of your essay. It contains the hook, which is used to grab the reader's attention, and the thesis, or argument, which you'll explain in the next section.
- Body : This is the heart of your essay, usually three to five paragraphs in length. Each paragraph examines one theme or issue used to support your thesis.
- Conclusion : This is the final paragraph of your essay. In it, you'll sum up the main points of the body and connect them to your thesis. Persuasive essays often use the conclusion as a last appeal to the audience.
Learning how to write a persuasive essay is an essential skill that people use every day in fields from business to law to media and entertainment. English students can begin writing a persuasive essay at any skill level. You're sure to find a sample topic or two from the list of 100 persuasive essays below, sorted by degree of difficulty.
Watch Now: 12 Ideas for Great Persuasive Essay Topics
- Kids should get paid for good grades.
- Students should have less homework.
- Snow days are great for family time.
- Penmanship is important.
- Short hair is better than long hair.
- We should all grow our own vegetables.
- We need more holidays.
- Aliens probably exist.
- Gym class is more important than music class.
- Kids should be able to vote.
- Kids should get paid for extra activities like sports.
- School should take place in the evenings.
- Country life is better than city life.
- City life is better than country life.
- We can change the world.
- Skateboard helmets should be mandatory.
- We should provide food for the poor.
- Children should be paid for doing chores.
- We should populate the moon .
- Dogs make better pets than cats.
Intermediate
- The government should impose household trash limits.
- Nuclear weapons are an effective deterrent against foreign attack.
- Teens should be required to take parenting classes.
- We should teach etiquette in schools.
- School uniform laws are unconstitutional.
- All students should wear uniforms.
- Too much money is a bad thing.
- High schools should offer specialized degrees in arts or sciences.
- Magazine advertisements send unhealthy signals to young women.
- Robocalling should be outlawed.
- Age 12 is too young to babysit.
- Children should be required to read more.
- All students should be given the opportunity to study abroad.
- Yearly driving tests should be mandatory past age 65.
- Cell phones should never be used while driving.
- All schools should implement bullying awareness programs.
- Bullies should be kicked out of school.
- Parents of bullies should have to pay a fine.
- The school year should be longer.
- School days should start later.
- Teens should be able to choose their bedtime.
- There should be a mandatory entrance exam for high school.
- Public transit should be privatized.
- We should allow pets in school.
- The voting age should be lowered to 16.
- Beauty contests are bad for body image.
- Every American should learn to speak Spanish.
- Every immigrant should learn to speak English.
- Video games can be educational.
- College athletes should be paid for their services.
- We need a military draft .
- Professional sports should eliminate cheerleaders.
- Teens should be able to start driving at 14 instead of 16.
- Year-round school is a bad idea.
- High school campuses should be guarded by police officers.
- The legal drinking age should be lowered to 19.
- Kids under 15 shouldn't have Facebook pages.
- Standardized testing should be eliminated.
- Teachers should be paid more.
- There should be one world currency.
- Domestic surveillance without a warrant should be legal.
- Letter grades should be replaced with a pass or fail.
- Every family should have a natural disaster survival plan.
- Parents should talk to kids about drugs at a young age.
- Racial slurs should be illegal.
- Gun ownership should be tightly regulated.
- Puerto Rico should be granted statehood.
- People should go to jail when they abandon their pets.
- Free speech should have limitations.
- Members of Congress should be subject to term limits.
- Recycling should be mandatory for everyone.
- High-speed internet access should be regulated like a public utility.
- Yearly driving tests should be mandatory for the first five years after getting a license.
- Recreational marijuana should be made legal nationwide.
- Legal marijuana should be taxed and regulated like tobacco or alcohol.
- Child support dodgers should go to jail.
- Students should be allowed to pray in school.
- All Americans have a constitutional right to health care.
- Internet access should be free for everyone.
- Social Security should be privatized.
- Pregnant couples should receive parenting lessons.
- We shouldn't use products made from animals.
- Celebrities should have more privacy rights.
- Professional football is too violent and should be banned.
- We need better sex education in schools.
- School testing is not effective.
- The United States should build a border wall with Mexico and with Canada.
- Life is better than it was 50 years ago.
- Eating meat is unethical.
- A vegan diet is the only diet people should follow.
- Medical testing on animals should be illegal.
- The Electoral College is outdated.
- Medical testing on animals is necessary.
- Public safety is more important than an individual's right to privacy.
- Single-sex colleges provide a better education.
- Books should never be banned.
- Violent video games can cause people to act violently in real life.
- Freedom of religion has limitations.
- Nuclear power should be illegal.
- Climate change should be the president's primary political concern.
- Arizona State University Writing Center staff. " Persuasive Essay Structure ." ASU.edu, June 2012.
- Collins, Jen, and Polak, Adam. " Persuasive Essays ." Hamilton.edu.
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100 Persuasive Writing Prompts for Writers aged 8 to 18
Home » Blog » 100 Persuasive Writing Prompts for Writers aged 8 to 18
Being able to state your ideas and offer evidence for your arguments is an excellent skill to have! If you can convince people that you are right, you will be able to achieve so much more within your job, with your friends and new people that you meet.
Persuasive writing is about trying to get the reader to agree with your opinion or ideas. To be able to express what you want and what you believe to be true, we at Summer Boarding Courses have put together these 100 persuasive writing prompts to help you exercise your tactics!
Persuasive Writing Prompts for Writers
We have 25 fun writing prompts for each age group below that we teach at Summer Boarding Courses in the UK.
Present your arguments like a pro, build upon your critical thinking skills and communicate seamlessly through your writing with these opinion writing prompts.
But first, before you begin to write, you must consider the following…
Which audience are you trying to persuade?
Who are your trying to persuade? Is it your friends, your teachers, the manager of a company or the whole community that you live within? Different groups of people have different wishes, ideas, needs and wants. Think carefully about what appeals to the group you are trying to convince.
For example, if you are student arguing that school break times should be longer to your student friends, they may be easier to persuade than the teachers!
Students love to hang out with their friends, go outside, do sport and eat delicious food.
However, if you are trying to convince the teachers at your school that break times should be longer, they may feel stressed and unsure about this. They have lessons that they need to deliver to you, work goals to meet, and your education and learning is at the forefront of their minds.
If you can convince them that you can complete your learning is less time, they might just agree that longer break times are a good idea!
Always try and appeal to each person’s perspective so that you can convince as best as you can.
Be kind and respectful
We can all have different ideas about what is right, wrong, correct and unusual. Be respectful and kind when arguing in your speech or writing about what you are standing for. We are all entitled to our opinion, and for many issues, there are pros and cons for each side that we take.
Here are some key phrases that you can use to help yourself get your point across clearly and politely:
‘In my opinion…’
‘I feel that…’
‘Others must agree that…’
‘It seems to me that…’
‘Some people believe that…’
‘For this reason…’
‘I agree that…’
‘On the other hand…’
Firstly…Secondly….’
Introduce your argument in the first paragraph
Start your piece with an introductory paragraph that states your argument. This paragraph will clearly tell the reader what your opinion is and what you are standing for.
Support your argument with at least three pieces of evidence
Most people will not be convinced of your ideas unless you can show them evidence. This evidence can be qualitative or quantitative.
Qualitative evidence
Qualitative evidence is descriptive information that can come from a personal story, an interview, a drawing or a photograph. You can find this information from personally talking to people about their experiences.
Quantitative evidence
Quantitative evidence is about numbers, statistics and concrete data. This information can come from surveys, official records and experiments which carefully follow methods to try and ensure accurate information. Many people prefer to see quantitative evidence, as personal stories collected for qualitative evidence can sometimes be inaccurate.
Show that you understand the different sides to your argument
A clear and coherent writer who is putting their argument forward will have taken the time to consider other points of view different to their own. Show the reader that you understand and can see what else people may argue. Try and have a good answer back to these thoughts.
If you have evidence to support your counterargument, even better!
Ask questions
Ask your reader questions to get them to think about what you are arguing. This way, you can challenge their point of view.
They will start thinking about other perspectives that they may not have considered before.
If you’re stuck: think about a time where you did convince someone
Has there been a time in the past where you did successfully manage to persuade someone to see your point of view? Think about this time carefully.
How did you manage to convince the person? What strategies and language did you use?
Has there been a time where you were persuaded by someone?
Channel these techniques into your writing to put forward the best argument you can.
Finish your argument with a strong closing statement
Summarise your ideas and reinforce your argument so that readers are reminded about why your argument is valid. This is your last chance to sway their opinion!
Find below our 100 essay writing prompts to help you practice your persuasive skills.
25 Persuasive Young Kids Writing Prompts
Are you looking for 4th grade and 5th grade writing prompts? Or prompts for ages a little younger or older for kids? Here are our 20 writing persuasive prompts for students aged 8 to 12!
I should be able to go to bed when I want.
All classrooms should have a class pet.
There needs to a be a non-school uniform day every week.
You can only eat apples or oranges for the next week. Which one will you eat? Why?
I should be allowed to stay home alone.
There should be no homework at school.
Break times at school should be longer.
People should be fined for dropping litter.
I should be allowed to eat ice cream every day.
All students should learn how to cook.
Persuade your family to let you open a birthday present the day before your birthday.
Persuade your family to give you twice as much pocket money.
If you could have any pet, what would it be? Convince your family why you should care for it.
Convince your friend to swap their packed lunch with yours.
Students should be allowed to pick their own seats in class.
Persuade your family to watch the film you want to watch.
Dogs are better than cats.
School holidays should be longer.
Imagine in the future, you can live on land or underwater. Which one would you choose? Why?
You have to live in another country. Which one do you choose? Why?
Convince your family to let you watch your favourite TV programme.
Students should be allowed to choose their teacher.
Students should have 3-day weekends.
You can only play one sport for the next month. What is it? Why?
Students who are late to school should do a chore for their class.
You can choose one superhero power to help others: fly or stop time. Which one do you choose? Why?
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25 Prompts for Persuasive Writing for Older Kids
Here are 25 writing persuasive prompts for students aged 11 to 15. If you’re looking for 7th grade and 8th grade writing prompts particularly, these are for you!
Mobile phones should be allowed to be used in the classroom.
It should be made mandatory to eat vegetables every day at school.
The school day should start later and end later in the day.
There should be a computer game room at school.
All students should learn at least 2 languages in school.
Students should be able to wear whatever they want at school.
Students should be taught only how to type; not write with pen and paper.
The first lesson of school every day should be exercise.
Facebook states that you must be at least 13 years old to have a Facebook account. Is this fair?
Persuade your brother/sister to do your house chores for one week.
Smoking should be banned in all public areas.
Teachers must wear a uniform to school. What is the uniform? Why?
Family should only give pocket money if chores are completed.
Persuade your teacher to let you eat your favourite snacks in class.
We should all learn how to grow our own fruit and vegetables.
Persuade your family to take you on holiday to a destination you want to go to.
Persuade your friend who doesn’t like sports to play your favourite sport with you.
Fast food like chips and pizza should be served everyday in the school canteen. Yes or no?
Persuade your family to let you stay at your friend’s house.
Teachers should not be allowed to have their cell phone in the classroom.
There should be one day per week where the whole nation must be vegetarian.
Fizzy drinks should be banned from school.
Students should be paid for getting good grades.
Is it better to have enough money, or too much money?
I should decide what time my bedtime is.
25 Ideas for Argumentative Writing Prompts for Teenagers
These writing prompts are great for students aged 13 to 16!
Teenagers should not do any chores at home.
All students should teach one lesson to their class each term.
Students should be allowed to use their mobile phones at any time in school.
All students should volunteer in their community once every week.
Persuade your friend to help you with your homework.
Imagine you can create a new class to be taught in your school. What subject would it be? Why should it be taught?
Students who commit cyber-bullying should be suspended from school. Yes or no? Why?
The voting age should be lowered to age 13.
Persuade your teacher to have their lessons outside in the Summer.
Persuade your family to let you redecorate your bedroom.
Imagine that you have been granted a ticket to live on Mars. If you go, you are not allowed to come back to Earth. Would you go? Why?
Textbooks should be replaced by tablets or e-readers.
Persuade your teacher to end their class 10 minutes early.
Persuade your teacher to let your class have a party.
Imagine that you are given 1 million pounds to improve your neighbourhood. What would you do with the money? Why are your ideas the right thing to do?
Persuade your teacher to not set your class homework for the next month.
Everyone under the age of 17 should have to stay in after 9pm.
People should only be allowed to drive their cars 4 days a week to minimise pollution.
Country life is better than city life.
All students should be allowed to study abroad once per year.
Teenagers under the age of 15 should not be allowed to have a Facebook page.
The internet should be free for everyone.
Everyone should eat vegan food one day per week.
All school classes should be outdoors in the forest.
25 Young Adult Persuasive Essay Prompts
These quick writing prompts for students aged 15 to 17 will have you scribbling away to get your point across!
All students should learn how to make YouTube videos.
People should pay extra tax when they buy drinks in plastic bottles.
Humans are living longer, to the point where we may become immortal in the future. Would living forever be a good? Argue your point of view.
Students should be allowed to listen to their own music on headphones when working in class. Argue your viewpoint.
Teenagers around the world should not be allowed to drive until they are 18.
You have been given money to hold a major event in your hometown. What would the event be about or for? Why should people come?
Imagine you want to be the next president of your country. Why should people vote for you?
Convince your friend to lend you something special of theirs.
Persuade your family to let you study overseas at a Summer School next year.
Imagine that you have been given the chance to interview for your dream job. Convince the boss that you are the person they should choose.
Persuade your family to watch a movie on Netflix that you want to watch.
You have just started a new business making a phone better than the iPhone. Explain what features your phone has, that makes it much better than Apple’s.
Persuade a friend to come to a new activity group with you that they are feeling anxious about.
Aliens exist. True or false? Argue your point of view.
All young adults should be required by law to volunteer in their community once every week. Yes or no?
Mathematics class is more important than music class. Yes or no? Why?
City life is better than country life.
Driving tests should be mandatory every year after you are 65 years old.
Students who bully others should be suspended from school.
There should be one currency for the whole world.
Recycling should be a legal requirement for every household.
Life is better than it was 10 years ago.
Girls and boys should study separately in school.
You can choose to put one celebrity on your country’s highest-value banknote. Who is the celebrity? Why should they be placed on the note?
Life is better without a computer.
Are you ready to improve your persuasive writing?
We hope you have enjoyed these free writing prompts! This is your chance to change the world in which we live through your thoughts!
If you want to work on your writing in English, try and aim to make these your daily writing prompts! We also recommend using pictures as writing prompts. Looking at pictures with writing prompts, rather than just seeing a sentence, can help you create your arguments and ideas if you are a visual learner .
And if you are ready to fully immerse yourself in a thriving and educational setting, come and study with us this Summer!
At Summer Boarding Courses, we run many courses for all international students aged 8 to 17 years old and would love for you to join us. We can help you improve your ESL writing as well as your English speaking, listening and reading skills with many other nationalities.
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100+ Good Persuasive Essay Topics For College
Want to learn to choose a persuasive essay topic that makes you stand out from others? Don’t worry! Here we give you the complete guide on choosing good persuasive essay topics for college assignments and some examples of the topics.
Essay writing is one of the tasks that students get during their academic tenure. Persuasive essay writing is one of them. Convincing someone on a point is not an easy task seems like an effort to self-drive people towards your point. Try to make a persuasive argument depending on your opinions. Yes, it isn’t easy, but I don’t think it is impossible. To make an effective persuasive essay, you must choose the topic on which you can put your opinion effectively.
“If you would persuade, you must appeal to interest rather than intellect.” -Benjamin Franklin, founding father of the United States.
What do you understand by A persuasive essay?
Table of Contents
A persuasive essay describes a particular topic. A writer tries to explain to the audience that his or her point of view is the most knowledgeable, practical, and valid relation to the topic. It is also considered an argumentative essay. Your persuasive essay must include your opinions or give a clear argument about the topic. Try to present your points and ideas logically to inspire the reader in a way or some other way.
Points To Remember
The main aim is to convince your readers to agree with your perspective, no matter what type of persuasive speech essay topic you choose to write.
Important factors in writing an adequate persuasive essay
- Research your topic and have enough knowledge regarding it.
- Prepare your thesis statement
- Weaken the opposite argument by presenting contradictory evidence.
- Maintain your position with proof
How to choose an effective persuasive essay topic?
These are the following steps to choose an effective persuasive essay topic.
It is important to select Good Persuasive Essay Topics For College when college students are expected to produce a persuasive essay during their academic time to engage people. We recommend using your experience and expertise while choosing a topic and prefer to write on a subject you are familiar with.
Remember that your main aim is to convince your readers and make them agree with your point. Here we mentioned some points that you have to keep in mind while choosing good persuasive essay topics for college-
Step 1:- Do brainstorming
Brainstorm your thoughts about the upcoming persuasive essay before you start. Please pick a subject you are passionate about, such as good persuasive essay topics for college on democracy, animal experiments, rights of men and women, education problems, parents and children, life and death, narcotics, literature, music, friends, relationships with family and community, law, military or driving. Try to search for relevant information related to your topic and mention a valid argument to support your point.
Step 2:- Try to enhance your reach
There are many good persuasive essay topics for college, such as recycling, the death penalty, global warming, abortion, media, and social abuse, eating habits, marijuana and young people, global climate change, etc. Pay attention to something more interesting to raise the number of readers interested in your article.
Step 3:- Be precise and give information to the audience with details.
Use only information from accurate sources and aim to include facts and explanations to make your essay meaningful for individuals. Try to be precise: for example, instead of writing about the poor quality of the education system in your country’s or state’s schools, discuss why teachers should get more pay for their hard work.
Step 4:- Pick a topic on which you can research effectively.
Avoid the good persuasive essay topics for college on which finding the information and analyzing it are tough. You can only write about half a page, but not longer. For example, it is a poor choice to write about why it is unethical to use Facebook.
Step 5:- The topic must be debatable.
Do not hesitate to check it out if you have selected an argumentative topic with different viewpoints. It would help if you left discussions on whether it is unsafe to leave children without parents in the car because every person knows about it, and it does not need any debate.
While choosing good persuasive essay topics for college, you must follow the abovementioned steps.
What are some good persuasive essay topics for college?
For college students, the most common task is writing a persuasive essay. Success in writing these essays will help in their academics to get extra credit. College students also have a lot of tension because they face difficulty finding an essay’s good topic. And a lot of time is wasted in this process.
Don’t worry! Here is a perfect solution to the problem. Stop overthinking and try to select the compelling essay subjects which you are passionate about. If you don’t have a lot of experience or are either searching for new ideas, here is a list of some good persuasive essay topics for college-
Persuasive Essay Topics Related To Music
These are good persuasive essay topics for college related to music.
Educational Persuasive Essay Topics
Here are the following best educational, Good Persuasive Essay Topics For College.
Persuasive Essay Topics About Sports
These are Good Persuasive Essay Topics For College about sports.
Persuasive Essay Topics Regarding Animals
Follow the below-given topics to know the Good Persuasive Essay Topics For College regarding animals.
Persuasive Essay Topics On Food
These are the persuasive essay topics on food.
Persuasive Essay Topics On Technology
Here are the following best technology persuasive essay topics.
Persuasive Essay Topics Regarding Science
Here are the following Good Persuasive Essay Topics For College regarding science.
Persuasive Essay Topics On Health And Nutrition
Let’s know the persuasive essay topics on health and nutrition.
Persuasive Essay Topics On the Environment
These are the best Persuasive essay topics on the environment.
Persuasive Essay Topics Regarding Immigration
These are the following persuasive essay topics about immigration.
Argumentative Persuasive Essay Topics
Let’s know the argumentative persuasive essay topics.
These are some examples of persuasive essay topics for college. You can choose it as per your interest and make sure you will convince your audience from your perspective.
Educational persuasive essay topics
When it comes to education, there are so many things that can be discussed. There are several different views in our country (and globally) about how education should be done and what strategies teachers or academic administrators should use. Here are a few education topics (which could be extended or modified to fit your teacher’s guidelines) that might be of interest to you.
- In school cafeterias, should fast food be offered?
- Will schools teach abstinence-only education?
- Why should schools teach financial education?
- Is there a need for all students to go to college?
- Under the First Amendment, should high school journalists be protected?
Bonus tips for creating your persuasive essay impressive
- Understanding your position in college means which stream you are pursuing.
- Understand to whom you will present your essay.
- Mention strong evidence in your essay to prove your point.
Wrap up (Persuasive Essay Topics)
From the above discussion, now you know about good persuasive essay topics for college and how to select them. Keep all the steps in mind mentioned above while choosing persuasive essay topics. A list of some topics is also mentioned so you can get some idea about them.
Every student has insufficient writing abilities to write a strong persuasive essay. Also, they have to simultaneously manage many tasks, such as attending lectures, managing part-time jobs, etc. Sometimes they do not know what to mention in the essay, so it becomes interesting. Don’t panic! Students can take online essay help from experts. You have to search for a reliable essay-writing provider and get help. You can take persuasive essay help from us. Our experts are always available for your help 24*7.
Frequently asked questions
What is a persuasive essay.
A persuasive essay describes a particular topic. A writer tries to explain to the audience that his or her point of view is the most knowledgeable, practical, and valid.
What is the aim of writing a persuasive essay?
Persuasive essay writing allows us to study the topics or a particular point of a topic. It helps us to know how we can convince the audience of a particular point.
What makes a persuasive essay topic good?
The topic in which you can explain a point better and convince the audience of your viewpoint is a good persuasive essay topic.
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15 Awesome Persuasive Writing Prompts
Whether you are working on a persuasive unit or preparing your students for assessment, these writing prompts can serve as a starting point for building persuasive (argument) essays. Encourage students to use the PAST strategy to analyze the prompts, and share six strategies for writing arguments to help them do their best work.
Beginning Persuasive Prompts (Grades 4–5)
Share these prompts with students who are beginning to write essays.
1. What Season Is Best?
Some people love hot summers at the beach or pool. Others love cold winters with sleds and snowmen. Maybe you like crackling fall leaves or tender spring flowers. Write an essay that names your favorite season and gives reasons why it is best.
2. My Pet of Choice
If you could have any pet, what pet would you choose? Dog? Cat? Snake? Tarantula? Write a letter to your parent or guardian naming the pet you would most like to have and giving reasons why you should get to have this pet.
3. Time for a Vacation
What vacation would you like most? Hiking in a state park? Visiting Grandma? Going to an amusement park? Write an essay to your parent or guardian naming what would be a perfect vacation and giving reasons you would like to take it.
4. A Change I'd Make
Think of a problem at your school. What causes the problem? What bad things happen because of it? What should be done to fix the problem? As a concerned student, write a persuasive essay noting the problem, suggesting a solution, and convincing your principal to take action.
5. Valuing a Second Language
Many schools require students to take foreign language courses. Does your school? Do you think it's a good idea for students to learn a second language? Why or why not? In an essay, make a case why it is (or is not) important to learn a foreign language.
Intermediate Persuasive Prompts (Grades 6–8)
Share these prompts with students who regularly write essays.
6. What's My Age Again?
Is it better to be a child, a teenager, or an adult? What are the benefits of each age? What are the drawbacks? Choose the period of life that you think is best and write an essay arguing why it is the best time of life. Support your position with anecdotes from your own life as well as facts and details drawn from the lives of others.
7. Preparedness vs. Overplanning
John Lennon once observed, “Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans.” If that is true, is it better to live life without a plan, to carefully follow a precise plan, or to somehow balance planning and spontaneity? Write an essay arguing for how a person should plan (or not plan) life. Support your claim using examples from your life and the lives of other students.
8. Future President
Some day, you and your classmates will be the adults in charge of running the world. Is that thought exciting or terrifying? Which of your classmates would make the best president of the United States? Write an editorial announcing a presidential bid by a classmate of yours (or yourself). Tell why the person would make an excellent president, provide the person’s qualifications, and urge readers to vote for the candidate.
9. What Is Music For?
Archeologists have uncovered ancient flutes carved from bird bones and mammoth ivory, showing that music has been with us for a very long time. Even so, what is music for? It doesn’t provide food or shelter. It doesn’t cure disease or solve problems. What does music do? Write an essay that tells what music does for human beings and argues for its value in our lives.
10. New Class Offerings
Think about a class not currently available that you would like your school to offer. Now write an editorial to your school newspaper that identifies the new class and provides strong reasons for including it in your school’s curriculum.
Advanced Persuasive Prompts (Grades 9–12)
Share these prompts with high-school level writers. Refer them to the 7 C's for Building a Rock-Solid Argument infographic to review the key parts of an effective argument.
11. Drug Testing for All?
The Supreme Court ruled that random drug testing is constitutional for high school students involved in athletics and other extracurricular activities. Write an essay that argues for or against random drug testing of all students.
12. Would You Eat Test Tube Meat?
Some 9 billion animals are killed and used for food each year in the United States. The animal waste produced by factory farms causes water and air pollution. Yet the demand for meat grows stronger. In an attempt to curb the use of factory farms while satisfying the population’s demand for meat, food scientists have begun producing in vitro meat —muscle tissue that’s cultured from animal cells and grown in a laboratory. How comfortable would you be eating test-tube meat? Write an essay that argues for or against in vitro meat.
13. Tests, Tests, Tests
Standardized tests are used as a measuring stick for student performance. Your test scores decide, in part, whether you are admitted to certain colleges. They are also used to measure readiness for certain careers, such as law and medicine. Test scores impact the funding that public schools receive from the federal government. Write an essay that evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of standardized tests. In your essay, decide if standardized tests are the proper measuring stick for student performance. If, in your opinion, they are not, describe alternatives that could be used to measure achievement.
14. Should the Internet be Copyright Free?
In 2011, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) bill was introduced to the United States House of Representatives. Among other things, SOPA would expand criminal laws to include unauthorized streaming of copyrighted movies, music, and television. Many free-content sites such as Wikipedia and Reddit boycotted the bill as a threat to free speech. A draft of the bill was postponed in 2012, and it remains tabled today. Write an essay that weighs the interests of copyright holders such as recording artists and movie producers against the rights of users of the free Web. Should sites be able to host copyrighted material free of charge? Is it ethically right to stream pirated music and movies? Provide reasons for your response.
15. Tackling National Debt
In last 40 years the United States federal government has accumulated unprecedented debt, meaning that it has spent more money than it has collected in revenue. In fact, the national debt is approaching $20 trillion and rising by the day . The debt crisis is a complex problem that could eventually cost citizens and weaken the U.S.'s standing in the global community. In a problem-solution essay, explore the causes and effects of the national debt problem. Then outline possible solutions and recommend how the federal government should act to solve the crisis.
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