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Essay Writing Guide

Essay Topics

Last updated on: Dec 19, 2023

Essay Topics: 100+ Best Essay Topics for your Guidance

By: Nova A.

13 min read

Reviewed By: Rylee W.

Published on: Jan 29, 2019

Let’s face it, essay writing can be tedious and boring. Spending hours to write a good essay is difficult, and brainstorming essay topic ideas can be even more confusing.

This is what makes writing essays difficult and time-consuming. Luckily, you can learn essay writing with practice and by following some good examples. But before that, you should know how to choose a good and engaging topic for your essay.

To help you get started, we have categorized a list of a number of different types of essay topic lists.

On this Page

Argumentative Essay Topics

An argumentative essay investigates a topic in great detail, forms an argument over it, and defends it using supporting data.

Below are some good argumentative essay topic ideas to help you draft winning essays.

School students should be allowed to curate their high school curriculum.
The role of physical education in the school system.
Should the death sentence be implemented globally?
It should be illegal to use certain types of animals for experiments and other research purposes.
Should the government do more to improve accessibility for people with physical disabilities?
Do people learn the art of becoming a politician, or are they born with it?
Social media platform owners should monitor and block comments containing hateful language.
Does technology play a role in making people feel more isolated?
Will there ever be a time when there will be no further technological advancements?
It should be illegal to produce and sell tobacco.
Girls should be motivated to take part in sports.
Rape victims should abort their unborn children.
Fathers should get equal paternity leave.
Do teenagers get into trouble because they are bored?
Individuals who have failed at parenting should be punished.
Vaping is less harmful than smoking cigarettes.
Covid-19 vaccination has more cons than pros.
Social media is the real cause of teenage depression.
Is the American education system perfect for society?
Recycling should be made compulsory.

Choosing a strong topic is key to writing a great essay. Have a look at our blog to select good argumentative essay topics to impress the audience.

Persuasive Essay Topics

A persuasive essay is similar to an argumentative paper. However, in it, the writer wants to convince the readers of their point of view. Simple essay topics would make better essays as they help the students stay focused.

Below is a list of some good persuasive essay topics for you:

Energy drinks should be banned in schools and colleges.
Gambling should be banned in the United States.
Should abortions be banned worldwide?
Hunting is an immoral act.
Is it okay to use animals in a circus?
Harmful dogs should be euthanized.
Cell phones should not be allowed in schools.
Teachers should pass a professional exam, just like students.
Schools should reduce the workload on students.
Sex education should be mandatory in high schools.
Vlogging isn’t an actual profession.
Is LinkedIn helpful for finding a job?
Social media has played a big role in increasing business opportunities.
Is Java becoming obsolete?
Should employers go through the candidate’s social media profiles?
Animal testing should be banned.
Violent video games should be banned.
Parents with mental disabilities should not be allowed to adopt children.
Alcohol consumption should be legalized in Muslim countries.
Every person should get Covid-19 vaccination.

For your help, we have gathered a wide range of persuasive essay topics . Give it a read.

Descriptive Essay Topics

A descriptive essay describes a specific thing by using sensory data. It is done to engage the reader’s five senses (taste, touch, smell, hearing, sight).

The following is a list of descriptive essay topic ideas for the students.

The person who is responsible for making a difference in my life.
Describe a smartphone and its benefits to someone from the ‘60s.
The most interesting piece of art I have ever seen.
Describe the experience of falling in love.
What does a place that only exists in your imagination look like?
Describe meeting a famous person.
Describe yourself and your personality to a stranger.
What will life be like in 2050?
An experience that changed my life forever.
Your idea of the perfect day.
My first trip abroad.
The most significant event in American History.
A popular book series that disappointed you.
A look into my daily life.
A day in the life of an ER doctor.
A trip to the museum.
The most interesting movie I watched during my summer vacation.
My favorite childhood memory.
An incident that changed my life.
An incident that restored my faith in humanity.

Here are some more descriptive essay topics to help you find a good idea for your essay.

Discover Captivating Topics in a Click!

Narrative Essay Topics

In a narrative essay, your goal is to share a personal experience by telling a story. This creative form of writing depends on how strong and exciting the theme is. The article topics for students given here are carefully curated and would help the students do good in their essays.

Some examples and topics of narrative topic ideas are presented below.

The experience that taught me how looks could be deceiving.
A week without internet and technology.
The impact your first love had on your life.
How much did your teachers contribute to making you the person you are today?
An experience that made you realize your parents were or weren’t always right.
A moment when someone you didn’t like surprised you with kindness.
The influence technology has had on your hobbies and life.
An achievement outside of academic life?
Which school lesson had the biggest influence on your life?
A day when you fought procrastination.
The time you faced rejection.
The time when you stood against your parents.
An experience that left you helpless.
The time you prayed to be an only child.
An act of kindness you can never forget.
Death of a loved one.
Your biggest pet peeve.
Your definition of a perfect weekend.
The things you regret most in life.
Your first experience of an air trip.

Choosing interesting narrative essay topics is essential to make the content compelling for the readers.

Research Essay Topics

While writing a research essay, the most crucial step is choosing a topic for your essay. Select a topic that is broad enough to compose an entire research essay on it.

Below are some of the best topics for your research essay.

Effects of violent cartoons on children.
Should universities provide accommodations to disabled students?
Events and experiences I agree are causing the increase in terrorism.
How do technology and gadgets affect the studies of children?
Do children who attend preschool do better in school?
Universities are becoming business-driven.
Does college debt affect the future lives of students?
Why has the divorce rate changed in the past decade?
Schools should allow the use of smartphones in school.
Effective ways to decrease depression among our youth.
Analyze the relationship between the United States of America and North Korea.
Why did the UK decide to leave the EU?
Is it true that students learn better in a same-sex school?
How does giving kids different gadgets affect their studies?
Compare the immigration policies of two different countries.
Events that lead to World War I.
Pros and cons of studying abroad.
How has Covid-19 influenced the education system of the world?
Individual acts that lead to Global Warming.
Effectiveness of the policies made to control Covid-19.

Looking for more? We have an extensive range of research essay topics to make the audience fall in love with your work.

Expository Essay Topics

While writing an expository essay, you have to explain and clarify your topic clearly to the readers.

Below is a list of expository essay topics:

Why do teenagers commit suicide?
What is the impact of music on our youth?
What are the consequences of skipping school?
Why do teenagers use drugs?
How can pets make you happy and improve your life?
Consequences of having alcoholic drinks within a school campus.
How does drug use affect relationships?
Is global warming a cause of skin cancer?
Is sodium bad for your health?
What is the line between being overweight and being obese?
Why do you want to pursue your desired career?
Explain how advancements in science improve the quality of life for humans.
What are some unconventional ways of relieving stress?
If you could swap your lives with someone, who would it be and why?
What are some major stress factors in a teenager’s life?
Why is getting a degree important for job life?
Pros and cons of getting financial aid.
How emotional support animals help in treating mental conditions.
How does prostitution influence society?
The environmental causes of smoking.

5StarEssays.com has gathered an additional and extensive list of expository essay topics .

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Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

In a compare and contrast essay, you evaluate and analyze the similarities and differences between the two subjects. Your reader must be able to form an opinion after weighing the pros and cons you have set forth.

Below are some topics for you to choose for your compare and contrast paper:

Extroverts and introverts.
Generation Y Vs. Generation Z.
Traditional Helicopters Vs. Lifesize Drones.
Unemployed students Vs. students with a part-time job.
SAT and TOEFL.
Persuasive and argumentative essays - How are they similar?
How were the causes of World War I different from the causes of World War II?
Education vs. professional career: what is more difficult?
Real-life or spending your time daydreaming.
Consequences of earthquake and tsunami: what’s worse?
Being popular in high school or alone?
Part-time work or studying for a higher degree?
Getting married at an old age or a young age?
Fashion today Vs. twenty years ago.
Donald Trump Vs. Hillary Clinton.
Democracy Vs. Dictatorship
Vietnam War Vs. War on Terror.
Benefits of drinking tea Vs. coffee.
Greek and Roman methodologies - Similarities and differences.
Traditional Vs. distant learning.

Get more interesting compare and contrast essay topics at 5StarEssays.com to impress your instructors.

Cause and Effect Essay Topics

The cause and effect essay explains why something happens and what happens as a result of those happenings. A cause and effect essay is a type of expository essay.

Here are a few topics for your cause and effect essay:

What are the causes of eating disorders?
Effects of climate change and global warming.
The effects of the Feminism movement.
What are the causes of increasing depression among teenagers?
What are the causes of suicidal thoughts?
Is keeping a pet effective in calming your mind?
How does divorce affects children?
Why are men afraid of commitment?
Effects of social media on youth.
Has social media affected relationships among families?
Discuss the effects of homeschooling on children.
Causes of heart diseases.
Causes of sibling rivalry.
Cramming doesn't help improve test scores.
Cause and effect of depression in the workplace.
How do abusive parents influence the mental stability of a child?
Causes and effects of bullying.
Causes of obesity in teenagers.
Effects of taking a balanced diet on health?
Causes and effects of insomnia.

To get more ideas, visit our cause and effect essay topics that are remarkable and well-suited for a great essay.

Controversial Argumentative Essay Topics

Argumentative essay topics are quite popular assignments in universities. If you are a student searching for a captivating argumentative essay topic, here is a list of ideas you can consider.

Third world war should be prevented by the Russian and US governments.
Political policies and practices affecting students.
Is gun control effective in reducing crime?
Same-sex marriage and constitutional law.
Is society over-regulated?
Are leaders born or made?
No one should be above the law.
Monarchy: pros and cons.
Rules on Political Activities by Federal Employees.
The most corrupt countries in the world.
Mercy killing should be legalized in all countries of the world.
Death penalties should be abolished.
Third-world countries should be provided with education plans by the developed countries.
Muslims should not be labeled as terrorists.
Illegal immigrants should be given equal rights.
Abortions should be legalized.
Live-in relationships should be encouraged.
Professional athletes should be allowed to consume steroids.
Should physical punishments be given to children?
Smoking in public should be an offensive crime.

Funny Argumentative Essay Topics

Are you looking for some funny argumentative essay topics for your essay? If so, choose a topic from the following list.

Why do people like watching funny videos?
What your cat is really thinking.
Why spam emails should be your favorite type of email.
Why wearing braces is fun.
School dropouts are the best in our society.
Why I don't like country music.
Types of dates.
A better way to get things done.
What organic food really is.
Things guys do that girls hate.
How to annoy your friend.
Why do women pretend that they enjoy sports?
Things preventing you from completing your homework in time.
Funny things we see in wedding ceremonies.
Why are spam emails more interesting?
Why does Starbucks coffee taste better?
Why are backbenchers smarter than other students?
Clowns are scarier than funny.
Should we be maintaining social distancing even after Covid-19?
Why is watching movies better than reading books?

Informative Essay Topics for Students

Essay writing requires depth. However, you don’t have to choose a complex topic in middle school, high school, or college.

Here is a list of interesting essay topics for middle school, high school, and college students.

Essay Topics for College Students

Virtual classes cannot replace the traditional class system.
Advantages and disadvantages of online classes.
Is there a need to reform the college education system?
Assault weapons should not be legal.
People with a history of mental illness should not be allowed to purchase firearms.
The taxation system needs to be changed around the globe.
Kids should not be the target audience in advertising.
The number of calories should be mentioned with every meal.
Feminists have effectively improved the workforce for women.
Is the death penalty effective?
How to identify fake news?
How to maintain a healthy life?
How to treat PTSD naturally?
Should people be judged on their appearance?
How is technology influencing the work performance of people?
Private Vs. public schools
How to choose majors in high school?
Impact of legalizing drugs on society.
Significance of learning social values.
How to prevent bullying on campus?

Essay Topics for High School

The choice to join the armed forces should be an individual decision.
Listening to music can increase work efficiency.
Being honest has more cons than pros.
People who have been in an accident value life more than others.
Embarrassing moments help boost your confidence.
Kindness is the most valuable personal trait.
Spontaneity can improve your life.
Can hobbies help improve the richness of one’s life?
Dressing properly in the office improves work efficiency
Being organized can help in school as well as the office.
Impact of homosexuality on society.
What is feminism?
How to overcome fears and phobias?
Significance of having leadership skills in job life?
Causes and treatments for bipolar disorder.
Side effects of consuming antidepressants.
How important is mental health in succeeding professionally?
How do teaching methods influence learning abilities?
Should specially-abled people be allowed to work in offices?
Discrimination and racism in the US.

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Essay Topics for Middle School

Every child should have chores at home.
There should not be any summer classes.
Should students continue studying during summer vacation?
Parents should pay attention to the amount of time their children spend watching television.
Favorite family summer vacation.
Sports should be mandatory in every school.
Processed foods should not be part of private and public school lunch.
Do students still use newspapers for research?
Every individual should spend a year doing community service.
The weekend should be 3 days long.

Still need help choosing an essay topic? 5StarEssays is a professional essay writing service that helps you get a high quality essay. We have a team of essay writers who are professionals and can do your essay .

We also have an AI-powered paper writer for you to help you generate an essay in seconds to use as a reference!

As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.

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Essay Topics – List of 500+ Essay Writing Topics and Ideas

List of 500+ essay writing topics and ideas.

Essay topics in English can be difficult to come up with. While writing essays , many college and high school students face writer’s block and have a hard time to think about topics and ideas for an essay. In this article, we will list out many good essay topics from different categories like argumentative essays, essays on technology, environment essays for students from 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th grades. Following list of essay topics are for all – from kids to college students. We have the largest collection of essays. An essay is nothing but a piece of content which is written from the perception of writer or author. Essays are similar to a story, pamphlet, thesis, etc. The best thing about Essay is you can use any type of language – formal or informal. It can biography, the autobiography of anyone. Following is a great list of 100 essay topics. We will be adding 400 more soon!

But Before that you may wanna read some awesome Essay Writing Tips here .

500+ essay topics for students and children

Get the Huge list of 100+ Speech Topics here

Argumentative Essay Topics

Should plastic be banned?
Pollution due to Urbanization
Education should be free
Should Students get limited access to the Internet?
Selling Tobacco should be banned
Smoking in public places should be banned
Facebook should be banned
Students should not be allowed to play PUBG

Essay Topics on Technology

Wonder Of Science
Mobile Phone

Essay Topics on Festivals on Events

Independence Day (15 August)
Teachers Day
Summer Vacation
Children’s Day
Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
Janmashtami
Republic Day

Essay Topics on Education

Education Essay
Importance of Education
Contribution of Technology in Education

Essay Topics on Famous Leaders

Mahatma Gandhi
APJ Abdul Kalam
Jawaharlal Nehru
Swami Vivekananda
Mother Teresa
Rabindranath Tagore
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Subhash Chandra Bose
Abraham Lincoln
Martin Luther King
Lal Bahadur Shashtri

Essay Topics on Animals and Birds

My Favorite Animal

Essays Topics About Yourself

My Best Friend
My Favourite Teacher
My Aim In Life
My Favourite Game – Badminton
My Favourite Game – Essay
My Favourite Book
My Ambition
How I Spent My Summer Vacation
India of My Dreams
My School Life
I Love My Family
My Favourite Subject
My Favourite Game Badminton
My Father My Hero
My School Library
My Favourite Author
My plans for summer vacation

Essay Topics Based on Environment and Nature

Global Warming
Environment
Air Pollution
Environmental Pollution
Water Pollution
Rainy Season
Climate Change
Importance Of Trees
Winter Season
Deforestation
Natural Disasters
Save Environment
Summer Season
Trees Our Best Friend Essay In English

Essay Topics Based on Proverbs

Health Is Wealth
A Stitch in Time Saves Nine
An Apple a Day Keeps Doctor Away
Where there is a will, there is way
Time and Tide wait for none

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Essay Topics for Students from 6th, 7th, 8th Grade

Noise Pollution
Environment Pollution
Women Empowerment
Time and Tide Wait for none
Science and Technology
Importance of Sports
Sports and Games
Time Management
Cleanliness is next to Godliness
Cleanliness
Rome was not Built in a Day
Unemployment
Clean India
Cow Essay In English
Describe Yourself
Festivals Of India
Ganesh Chaturthi
Healthy Food
Importance Of Water
Plastic Pollution
Value of Time
Honesty is the Best Policy
Gandhi Jayanti
Human Rights
Knowledge Is Power
Same Sex Marriage
Childhood Memories
Cyber Crime
Kalpana Chawla
Punctuality
Rani Lakshmi Bai
Spring Season
Unity In Diversity
Artificial Intelligence
Online Shopping
Indian Culture
Healthy Lifestyle
Indian Education System
Disaster Management
Environmental Issues
Freedom Fighters
Grandparents
Save Fuel For Better Environment
Importance Of Newspaper
Lal Bahadur Shastri
Raksha Bandhan
World Environment Day
Narendra Modi
What Is Religion
Charity Begins at Home
A Journey by Train
Ideal student
Save Water Save Earth
Indian Farmer
Safety of Women in India
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
Capital Punishment
College Life
Natural Resources
Peer Pressure
Nature Vs Nurture
Romeo And Juliet
Generation Gap
Makar Sankranti
Constitution of India
Girl Education
Importance of Family
Importance of Independence Day
Brain Drain
A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed
Action Speaks Louder Than Words
All That Glitters Is Not Gold
Bhagat Singh
Demonetization
Agriculture
Importance of Discipline
Population Explosion
Poverty in India
Uses Of Mobile Phones
Water Scarcity
Train Journey
Land Pollution
Environment Protection
Indian Army
Uses of Internet
All that Glitters is not Gold
Balanced Diet
Blood Donation
Digital India
Dussehra Essay
Energy Conservation
National Integration
Railway Station
Sachin Tendulkar
Health And Hygiene
Importance Of Forest
Indira Gandhi
Laughter Is The Best Medicine
Career Goals
Mental Health
Save Water Save Life
International Yoga Day
Winter Vacation
Soil Pollution
Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining
Indian Culture And Tradition
Unity Is Strength
Unity is Diversity
Wildlife Conservation
Cruelty To Animals
Nelson Mandela
Of Mice And Men
Organ Donation
Life in a Big City
Democracy in India
Waste Management
Biodiversity
Afforestation
Female Foeticide
Harmful Effects Of Junk Food
Rain Water Harvesting
Save Electricity
Social Media
Social Networking Sites
Sound Pollution
Procrastination
Life in an Indian Village
Life in Big City
Population Growth
World Population Day
Greenhouse Effect
Statue of Unity
Traffic Jam
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
Importance of Good Manners
Good Manners
Cyber Security
Green Revolution
Health And Fitness
Incredible India
Make In India
Surgical Strike
Triple Talaq
A Good Friend
Importance of Friends in our Life
Should Plastic be Banned
Nationalism
Traffic Rules
Effects of Global Warming
Fundamental Rights
Solar System
National Constitution Day
Good Mother
Importance of Trees in our Life
City Life Vs Village Life
Importance of Communication
Conservation of Nature
Man vs. Machine
Indian Economy
Mothers Love
Importance of National Integration
Black Money
Greenhouse effect
Untouchability
Self Discipline
Global Terrorism
Conservation of Biodiversity
Newspaper and Its Uses
World Health Day
Conservation of Natural Resources
A Picnic with Family
Indian Heritage
Status of Women in India
Child is Father of the Man
Reading is Good Habit
Plastic Bag
Terrorism in India
Library and Its Uses
Life on Mars
Urbanization
Pollution Due to Diwali
National Flag of India
Vocational Education
Importance of Tree Plantation
Summer Camp
Vehicle Pollution
Women Education in India
Seasons in India
Freedom of the Press
Caste System
Environment and Human Health
Mountain Climbing
Depletion of Natural Resources
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Health Education
Effects of Deforestation
Life after School
Starvation in India
Jan Dhan Yojana
Impact of Privatization
Election Commission of India
Election and Democracy
Prevention of Global Warming
Impact of Cinema in Life
Subhas Chandra Bose
Dowry System
Ganesh Chaturthi Festival
Role of Science in Making India
Impact of Global Warming on Oceans
Pollution due to Festivals
Ambedkar Jayanti
Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat
Family Planning in India
Democracy vs Dictatorship
National Festivals of India
Sri Aurobindo
Casteism in India
Organ trafficking
Consequences of Global Warming
Role of Human Activities in Global Warming
Issues and Problems faced by Women in India
Role of Judiciary in the Country Today
Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan
PUBG Mobile Game Addiction
Role of Youths in Nation Building
Value of Oxygen and Water in Life/Earth
Farmer Suicides in India
Start-up India
Pollution Due to Firecrackers
Life of Soldiers
Child Labour
Save Girl Child
Morning Walk
My School Fete
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Essay Writing Guide

Essay Topics

A Catalog of 500+ Essay Topics for Students

36 min read

Essay Topics for Kids

The Benefits of Reading Books for Fun
The Most Exciting Adventure I've Ever Had
What Makes a Good Friend?
My Favorite Hobby and Why I Love It
If I Could Visit Any Place in the World, Where Would I Go?
The Importance of Being Kind to Others
My Role Model and Why I Look Up to Them
How I Would Spend a Day Without Technology
My Favorite Season and the Activities I Enjoy During It
The Best Day of My Life and Why It Was Special

Essay Topics for Grade 3

My Favorite Animal
A Day at the Amusement Park
If I Could Fly
My Best Friend
My Favorite Season
A Special Family Tradition
If I Found a Magic Wand
The Importance of Being Kind
My Dream House
A Day in the Life of a Superhero

Essay Topics for Grade 4

My Favorite Book and Why I Love It
The Importance of Saving Money
If I Could Travel Back in Time
A Day Without Electricity
My Favorite Food and How to Prepare It
How I Would Spend a Day on a Deserted Island
The Benefits of Homework and Studying

Essay Topics for Grade 5

My Dream Vacation Destination
The Impact of Technology on My Life
The Importance of Environmental Conservation
My Hobbies and Why They Matter
If I Could Change One Thing About the World
The Role of Friendship in My Life
A Memorable Family Trip
The Power of Imagination
The Benefits of Physical Exercise
A Day in the Life of My Favorite Book Character

Essay Topics for Grade 6

Let’s explore essay topics for middle school students in grade 6 here:

My Personal Hero and Their Influence on Me
The Challenges of Growing Up
The Significance of Volunteering in the Community
The Impact of Social Media on Society
The Value of Setting Goals
If I Could Invent a New Holiday
The Role of Art and Music in My Life
The Benefits of Traveling and Experiencing Different Cultures
A Time I Overcame a Fear
The Importance of Time Management

Essay Topics for Grade 7

The Role of Technology in Education
The Impact of Bullying and How to Prevent It
The Value of a Good Education
The Pros and Cons of Social Networking
The Effects of Peer Pressure
If I Could Change One Thing About My School
The Benefits of Learning a Second Language
The Importance of Financial Literacy
A Time I Faced a Difficult Decision
The Significance of Gender Equality

Essay Topics for Grade 8

The Influence of Role Models in Our Lives
The Impact of Climate Change on the Environment
The Value of Diversity and Inclusion
The Role of Technology in Shaping the Future
The Importance of Critical Thinking Skills
If I Could Travel to Any Period in History
The Ethics of Animal Testing
The Benefits of Team Sports
A Time I Learned a Valuable Life Lesson
The Significance of Freedom of Speech

Essay Topics for Grade 9

The Power of Literature to Change Lives
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Society
The Value of Civic Engagement
The Role of Education in Achieving Success
The Ethics of Genetic Engineering
If I Could Meet Any Historical Figure
The Benefits of a Healthy Lifestyle
The Importance of Financial Responsibility
A Time I Overcame a Personal Challenge
The Significance of Global Citizenship

Essay Topics for Grade 10

The Influence of Media on Public Opinion
The Impact of Climate Change Policies
The Value of Ethical Leadership
The Role of Science in Solving Global Challenges
The Importance of Mental Health Awareness
If I Could Change One Aspect of Society
The Benefits of Learning a Third Language
The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace
A Time I Faced an Ethical Dilemma
The Significance of Cultural Exchange Programs

Essay Topics for Grade 11

The Role of Technology in Shaping the Job Market
The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health
The Value of College Education in Career Development
The Ethics of Bioengineering and Genetic Modification
The Importance of Ethical Business Practices
If I Could Travel to the Future
The Benefits of Entrepreneurship
The Significance of Political Engagement among Youth
A Time I Challenged a Deeply Held Belief
The Role of Art in Social Change

Essay Topics for Grade 12

The Influence of Literature on Social Change
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Employment
The Value of Critical Thinking in Decision-Making
The Ethics of Privacy in the Digital Age
The Importance of Environmental Sustainability
If I Could Leave a Legacy for Future Generations
The Benefits of Internships and Work Experience
The Significance of Advocacy for Human Rights
A Time I Took a Stand for a Cause
The Role of Education in Shaping Values and Beliefs

Essay Topics for High School Students

Have a look at the following topics for high school essays to come up with your own ideas.

Does the fashion industry need to change the way they advertise?
Do beauty pageants carry any benefits for women?
Should women get plastic surgery?
What instigated World War 2?
What do people mean when they say “Fake news?”
Can constant use of drugs cause brain damage?
Can gun control help in regulating crime?
Is summer school designed to help children?
Methods that are used by professionals to get their dream job.
The ways to deal with on-campus violence.

Best College Essay Topics

Role of Modern Media in contributing to eating disorders.
Is technology turning people into zombies?
Is censorship on the internet necessary?
Will there be a 3rd World War?
Should every student have the right to choose the discipline they are interested in?
What does it take to become a politician?
The reasons behind high unemployment rates.
The aftermath of earthquakes.
Which countries have the most corruption?
Should there be a restriction on the sales and production of tobacco?

Essay Topics for University Students

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Job Market.
The Ethical Dilemmas of Human Gene Editing.
The Role of Social Media in Shaping Political Movements.
The Influence of Climate Change on Global Security.
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Online Education.
The Intersection of Technology and Mental Health.
The Economic Implications of Renewable Energy Adoption.
The Future of Space Exploration and Colonization.
The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare.
The Cultural Significance of Contemporary Art Movements.

Essay Topics for Different Types of Essays

For writing an essay, the first step is to decide on the topic.

Here, you can find interesting topics and ideas for different types of essays to help you get started.

Controversial Argumentative Essay Topics

Is Climate Change Primarily Caused by Human Activities?
Should Affirmative Action Policies be Continued in College Admissions?
Is Universal Healthcare a Viable Option for the United States?
Should Euthanasia be Allowed for Severely Disabled Newborns?
Is Genetic Engineering Ethical in Humans?
Should the Voting Age be Lowered to 16?
Is Internet Censorship Necessary to Protect National Security?
Should Hate Speech be Protected as Free Speech?
Does asking someone to reduce weight equate to body shaming?
Should kids be allowed to adopt e-gaming as a progressive career?

Funny Argumentative Essay Topics

Is pizza a proper breakfast food, and why should it be?
Should cats be considered superior to dogs as household pets?
Is it ethical for a sock to vanish in the laundry, and where do they go?
Are aliens avoiding Earth because they fear our reality TV shows?
Can you survive a zombie apocalypse using only office supplies?
Is procrastination an art form, and how can you perfect it?
Should kids' cartoons be considered educational for adults?
Can you convince your boss that napping at work increases productivity?
Is laughter truly the best medicine, and can it cure anything?
Can you convince your roommate that washing dishes is an ancient martial art?

In need of more debatable essay topics? We have a comprehensive list of more excellent argumentative essay topics to assist you.

Persuasive Essay Topics

Should Recycling Be Mandatory in Every Household?
Is Single-Use Plastic a Menace to the Environment, and Should It Be Banned?
Should Schools Implement Uniform Dress Codes to Promote Equality?
Is Standardized Testing an Effective Measure of Student Knowledge?
Is Online Learning as Effective as Traditional Classroom Education?
Should Vaccinations Be Mandatory for All Children to Ensure Public Health?
Is Animal Testing Justified in the Name of Scientific Progress?
Should Governments Impose Higher Taxes on Junk Food and Sugary Drinks?
Is Social Media Detrimental to Mental Health, and Should It Be Regulated?
Should College Athletes Be Paid for Their Participation in Sports?

Read our comprehensive guide to persuasive essay topics to find a trending topic or a good idea for your paper.

Cause and Effect Essay Topics

Causes and Effects of Stress in Modern Society
The Consequences of Bullying on Mental Health
Environmental Pollution: Causes, Effects, and Solutions
The Influence of Parental Divorce on Children's Well-being
The Causes and Effects of Obesity in Developed Countries
The Causes and Effects of Economic Inequality
The Causes and Consequences of Academic Procrastination
The Impact of Social Pressure on Teenagers' Decision-Making
The Causes and Effects of Drug Addiction
The Influence of Early Education on a Child's Future Success

Check out this comprehensive guide on 100+ cause and effect essay topics for more ideas.

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Comparison of High School vs. College Life
Contrast of Traditional Education vs. Online Learning
Comparison of Two Major Religions: Christianity vs. Islam
Contrasting the Novels of Jane Austen vs. Emily Brontë
Comparing Two Art Movements: Renaissance vs. Baroque
Contrasting Classical Music vs. Jazz
Comparing Two Smartphone Brands: iPhone vs. Android
Contrast of Two Political Systems: Democracy vs. Authoritarianism
Comparison of Traditional Medicine vs. Modern Medicine
Comparing the Characters of Romeo and Juliet vs. West Side Story

If you need more ideas, here are some interesting compare contrast essay topics for your help.

Narrative Essay Topics

My First Day of School: A Memorable Experience
The Day I Overcame My Greatest Fear
The Most Important Lesson I Learned from a Family Member
The Time I Achieved a Personal Goal, I Never Thought Possible
The Day I Discovered My Passion for a Hobby or Interest
The Impact of a Life-Altering Event on My Perspective
The Story Behind My Most Prized Possession
My Experience as a Volunteer or in Community Service
The Day I Realized the Power of Kindness
A Special Bond I Share with a Childhood Friend

Need more topics? Check out this extensive blog on narrative essay topics for your next assignment.

Expository Essay Topics

The Impact of Technology on Society: Past, Present, and Future
The Process of Photosynthesis and Its Importance in Nature
The History and Significance of the Industrial Revolution
Understanding the Basics of Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Technology
The Role of Education in Shaping Future Career Success
The Significance of Cultural Diversity in a Globalized World
Exploring the Psychology of Human Behavior and Decision-Making
The Process of How a Bill Becomes a Law in Government
The Role of Renewable Energy Sources in Combating Climate Change
Understanding the History and Culture of a Specific Country or Region

Here are some more intriguing expository essay topics to assist you.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

Evaluating the Persuasive Strategies in a Self-Help Book or Article
Examining the Rhetoric of a Famous Political Campaign Ad
Analyzing the Persuasive Techniques in a TED Talk of Your Choice
Analyzing the Rhetoric of a Controversial News Article
Evaluating the Persuasive Techniques in a Super Bowl Commercial
Examining the Rhetorical Appeals in a Famous Courtroom Speech
Evaluating the Use of Rhetorical Devices in a Political Debate
Analyzing the Persuasive Strategies in a Feminist Manifesto
Evaluating the Rhetorical Appeals in a Social Justice Speech
Examining the Rhetorical Techniques in a Historical Letter or Document

Check out this extensive blog on 100+ rhetorical analysis essay topics for more topics.

Analytical Essay Topics

The impact of Martin Luther King's speech “I have a dream” on modern American politics
The significance of Pablo Picasso's artwork “The Old Guitarist”
Important characteristics of Denzel Washington Speech at the University Of Pennsylvania
Impact of the psychoanalytic theory on modern psychology
The impact of Romeo and Juliet on the modern concept of love
The significance of national security strategy 2018 on great power politics
How does the author's treatment of the subject matter in “The Catcher in the Rye” differ from that in “The Great Gatsby”?
How are the characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird” used to illustrate different aspects of racial prejudice in America during the 1930s?
How is the treatment of love different in Shakespeare's “Romeo and Juliet” and “Othello”?
How does the author use symbolism to develop the theme of good vs. evil in “The Scarlet Letter”?

Explore the blog to get some more ideas about interesting analytical essay topics .

Descriptive Essay Topics

A Walk Through a Peaceful Forest in Autumn
A Vibrant Farmers' Market on a Saturday Morning
A Day at the Beach: Sun, Sand, and Waves
The Serene Beauty of a Starry Night Sky
A Memorable Childhood Christmas Morning
The Sights and Sounds of a Carnival or Fair
The First Day of Spring: Nature's Reawakening
A Visit to a Historical Landmark or Museum
A Gourmet Dining Experience at Your Favorite Restaurant
The Excitement of a Music Concert or Festival

Check out this extensive list of descriptive essay topics ideas for your help.

Informative Essay Topics

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Job Market
The History and Cultural Significance of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics
The Benefits and Risks of Gene Editing Technology
Exploring Renewable Energy Sources: Solar, Wind, and Hydroelectric Power
The Effects of Climate Change on Polar Ice Caps and Wildlife
A Comprehensive Guide to Effective Time Management
Exploring the Role of Nutrition in Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle
The Significance of Space Exploration: Past, Present, and Future
The Origins and Cultural Significance of a Traditional Festival
A Guide to Sustainable Farming and Agriculture Practices

Here’s a comprehensive list of interesting, 100+ informative essay topics .

Definition Essay Topics

The Meaning of "Success" in Modern Society
Defining the Concept of "Love" in All Its Forms
The True Definition of "Friendship"
The Ever-Changing Meaning of "Freedom"
Exploring the Notion of "Happiness"
Defining "Cultural Diversity" and Its Importance
The Multifaceted Definition of "Beauty"
The Various Interpretations of "Justice"
Understanding "Mental Health" and Its Stigma
Defining "Leadership" and Its Qualities
The Meaning of "Sustainability" in Environmental Contexts
Exploring the Concept of "Feminism"
Defining "Social Media" and Its Impact
The True Definition of "Equality"
Exploring the Meaning of "Art" in Contemporary Culture

Problem Solution Essay Topics

How to prevent social media bullying?
How to help a depressed person?
How texting affects face-to-face relationships?
How to prevent injuries in sports?
How can parents teach their children about time management?
How to deal with manipulative and dominating people?
How can schools and colleges be made safer?
How to prevent deaths due to drunk driving?
How to help families with a child with mental illness?
How to stop violence in schools?

Personal Essay Topics

A person you admire the most.
Are you addicted to games?
How did you learn to draw?
What is your life’s goal?
Things you hate the most?
Why do I prefer online shopping?
Your biggest achievement.
What does success mean to you?
What annoys you the most?
Why is volunteering important?

Proposal Essay Topics

Promoting Sustainable Transportation
Enhancing Cybersecurity Education
Implementing Recycling Programs in Schools
Reducing Plastic Waste in the Community
Supporting Small Local Businesses
Improving Mental Health Support in Schools
Implementing Renewable Energy Initiatives
Enhancing Campus Sustainability Efforts
Combating Food Insecurity in Underserved Communities
Promoting Gender Equality in the Workplace

Evaluation Essay Topics

Evaluate the effectiveness of online learning compared to traditional classroom education.
Evaluate the impact of social media on interpersonal relationships and communication.
Assess the quality and impact of a recent movie or television series.
Evaluate the effectiveness of a specific diet or nutrition plan for weight loss.
Assess the environmental impact of electric vehicles compared to traditional gasoline-powered cars.
Evaluate the performance and features of a popular smartphone or electronic gadget.
Assess the impact of a particular social or political policy on society.
Evaluate the effectiveness of a marketing campaign for a well-known brand.
Assess the impact of a recent technological advancement on daily life.
Evaluate the quality and impact of a famous work of literature or art.

Process Analysis Essay Topics

How to Plan and Organize a Successful Study Group.
The Process of Making Homemade Pizza from Scratch.
Steps to Mastering a Musical Instrument.
How to Write a Winning College Application Essay.
The Process of Brewing Your Own Craft Beer.
Steps to Launching a Small Business Online.
How to Effectively Manage Time and Prioritize Tasks.
The Art of DIY Home Renovation.
The Process of Creating a Stunning Piece of Art.
How to Cook a Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner.

Check out some other process analysis essay topics for inspiration!

Illustration Essay Topics

Illustrate the Impact of Technology on Everyday Life.
Illustrate the Traits of a Successful Leader.
The Role of Music in Shaping Emotions and Moods.
Illustrate the Benefits of a Healthy Lifestyle.
The Influence of Social Media on Personal Relationships.
Illustrate the Impact of Cultural Diversity in a Community.
The Importance of Effective Communication in the Workplace.
Illustrate the Evolution of Fashion Trends Over the Decades.
The Characteristics of a Memorable Family Vacation.
Illustrate the Process of Achieving a Personal Goal.

Here’s a list of some more creative and engaging illustration essay topics .

Exploratory Essay Topics

Exploring the Causes and Effects of Climate Change.
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Job Market: An Exploration.
Exploring the Role of Media in Shaping Public Opinion.
The Influence of Nature vs. Nurture on Human Behavior.
An Exploration of the Ethics of Genetic Engineering.
The Effects of Social Media on Mental Health: An In-Depth Examination.
Exploring the Challenges and Benefits of Online Education.
An Exploration of the Implications of Universal Basic Income.
The Dynamics of Family Relationships: An In-Depth Analysis.
Exploring the Impact of Literature and Art on Society.

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Classification Essay Topics

Types of Pet Owners: A Classification.
Classification of Musical Genres: From Classical to Hip-Hop.
Types of Travelers: Exploring the Adventurer, Relaxer, and Culture Enthusiast.
Classifying Different Types of Social Media Users.
Types of Students in a Classroom: From the Overachiever to the Laid-Back.
Classifying Different Styles of Fashion: Bohemian, Classic, and Trendy.
Types of Moviegoers: The Action Lover, Rom-Com Fan, and Film Buff.
Classifying Different Forms of Exercise: Yoga, Weightlifting, and Cardio.
Types of Foodies: From Gourmet Enthusiasts to Fast Food Lovers.
Classifying Various Types of Vehicles: Cars, Motorcycles, and Bicycles

Check out other compelling classification essay topics for more ideas.

Synthesis Essay Topics

The Electoral College as a tool to determine the outcome of Presidential elections.
Predicting animal adaptation by examining various evolutionary theories.
A side-by-side analysis of the theories behind JFK's shooting
Economic and social impacts of proposed legislation by Donald Trump
Comparing plans to attract more visitors and create business opportunities.
Examining crime rates in urban locations and the countryside
Analysis of different theories on the causes of the Great Depression
An account of the American Civil War from historical texts
A synthesis of different theories of motivation to create behavioral change
A unified approach to managing diabetes by examining global research from around the world
The scientific method as a means of acquiring knowledge

Explore the blog for some more synthesis essay topics .

Essay Topics by Subjects

Students are often asked by teachers to write essays on a variety of topics related to a particular subject.

The sheer number of discussion areas can be overwhelming for students, making it difficult to choose a good essay topic.

This list of essay topics by subject can help you narrow down your choices and find a topic that is both interesting and relevant to your studies.

Essay Topics on Languages

The change of language over time.
The use of text messages has ruined the modern language: is it true?
How to explore new languages.
Neuro-linguistic programming and how it works.
Physical communication or verbal communication: which is effective?
Explore the ways in which people can communicate.
Benefits of learning a second language.
Explain how learning languages work.
Is learning a new language in high school important?
Why is English important?

Essay Topics on Social Media

Influence of social media on youth.
What are the cons of social media?
Should texting and driving be illegal?
The impact of social media on the life of teenagers.
How does social media affect the relationship between parents and children?
Does social media like Pinterest should be used in the classrooms?
How to handle the problem of being bullied through social media?
What rules should students follow when posting to social media?

Essay Topics on Technology

Technology and the global economy.
The positives and effects of technology.
The role of 3-D printing in Medicine.
What science has to offer to disabled people?
Face detection software and the problem of identity theft.
Adding connectivity to our home devices: is it helpful or not?
Cloud computing and artificial intelligence
How has technology changed our life?
Life without technology
Technology has its own rules

Essay Topics on Current Affairs

The Global Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Lessons Learned.
Climate Change and Its Effects on Biodiversity and Weather Patterns.
The Role of Social Media in Shaping Modern Political Discourse.
Cybersecurity Threats in the Digital Age and Strategies for Protection.
The Influence of Artificial Intelligence on the Future of Work.
The Refugee Crisis: Challenges, Solutions, and Global Responsibility.
Racial and Social Justice Movements in the 21st Century.
The Geopolitical Impact of China's Belt and Road Initiative.
The Rise of Populism and Nationalism in Western Democracies.
The Implications of Space Exploration and Colonization for Humanity.

Essay Topics on Corruption

The Impact of Corruption on Economic Development
The Relationship Between Corruption and Inequality
The Role of the Media in Combating Corruption
The Impact of Corruption on Political Stability
The Relationship Between Corruption and Crime
The Use of Technology in Combating Corruption
International Cooperation in Combating Corruption
The Private Sector and Combating Corruption
Civil Society and Combating Corruption
The Causes of Corruption

Essay Topics on Climate Change

The effects of climate change on human health
The impact of climate change on global food security
The economic impacts of climate change
The role of the media in communicating the risks of climate change
The ethical implications of climate change
The Impacts of Climate Change on Agriculture
The Impacts of Climate Change on Wildlife
The Potential Solutions to Climate Change
The Challenges in Implementing Solutions to Climate Change
The Role of the Individual in Solving Climate Change

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The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health and Well-being.
Social Media's Role in Shaping Political Discourse and Activism.
The Effects of Social Media on Interpersonal Relationships.
Cyberbullying and Online Harassment: Challenges and Solutions.
Privacy Concerns in the Age of Social Media: Balancing Sharing and Security.
Social Media Influencers: Their Influence and Responsibilities.
The Use of Social Media in Education: Pros and Cons.
Social Media Marketing: Strategies, Trends, and Ethics.
Fake News and Misinformation on Social Media: The Role of Fact-Checking.
The Future of Social Media: Emerging Trends and Technologies.

Essay Topics on Democracy

The Evolution of Democracy: From Ancient Greece to Modern Times.
The Challenges to Democracy in the 21st Century.
The Role of Media in Sustaining a Healthy Democracy.
Democracy and Its Implications for Economic Development.
Electoral Systems: Comparing First-Past-The-Post and Proportional Representation.
The Influence of Money in Politics and Its Impact on Democracy.
Direct vs. Representative Democracy: Which Is More Effective?
The Role of Civil Society in Strengthening Democracy.
The Importance of Civic Education in Sustaining Democracy.
Threats to Democracy: Populism, Authoritarianism, and Erosion of Institutions.

Essay Topics on Covid-19

The current COVID-19 pandemic
COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on families
Coronavirus and its medication
How does coronavirus damage a person's health?
How did the world change after the coronavirus?
Negative side effects of Covid-19
Everything you need to know about the coronavirus
How did Covid-19 impact businesses?
What medicines are good for coronavirus?
How does covid-19 lead to cabin fever and anxiety symptoms?

Essay Topics on Social Issues

The Impact of Social Media on Social Isolation and Loneliness.
Homelessness in Urban Centers: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions.
Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice System: Analyzing the Data.
Gender Inequality in the Workplace: Progress and Challenges.
The Opioid Epidemic: Root Causes and Approaches to Combat It.
Environmental Racism: Communities at Risk.
Access to Healthcare: A Basic Human Right or a Privilege?
Bullying in Schools: Strategies for Prevention and Intervention.
Immigration Policies and Their Effects on Society.
Aging Population: Challenges and Opportunities in an Aging Society

Essay Topics on Current Issues

The Global Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned and Future Preparedness.
Climate Change and the Urgency for Sustainable Solutions.
Cybersecurity Threats in the Modern World: Protecting Digital Assets.
Vaccine Hesitancy and Public Health: Addressing Misinformation.
The Role of Big Tech in Shaping the Digital Landscape.
Refugee Crises Around the World: Seeking Global Solutions.
Income Inequality: The Wealth Gap and Its Social Implications.
Political Polarization and Its Impact on Governance.
Food Security: Feeding the World's Growing Population.
The Ethics of AI and Automation in the Workforce.

Essay Topics About Mental Health

The prevalence of mental health disorders in the United States.
The impact of mental health disorders on individuals and society.
The causes of mental health disorders.
The treatments available for mental health disorders.
The challenges faced by individuals with mental health disorders.
CBT for obsessive compulsive disorders
Role of Antidepressants in treating Depression
Impact of noise pollution on mental health
Social media use leads to negative self-esteem
Attachment issues in adults are related to childhood parenting issues

Essay Topics about Music

The Influence of Music on Mood and Emotions.
The Evolution of Hip-Hop Culture.
The Impact of Music on Social Movements.
The Role of Music in Different Cultures.
The Connection Between Music and Memory.
The Influence of Music on Fashion and Style.
Music and Its Effects on Brain Development in Children.
The Significance of Music Festivals in Modern Culture.
Music Therapy: Healing through Sound.
The Impact of Technology on the Music Industry.

Essay Topics About Love

The Different Types of Love: Exploring Romantic, Familial, and Platonic Love.
The Impact of Love on Mental and Physical Health.
Love in Literature: Analyzing Famous Love Stories in Classic Novels.
The Role of Love in Shaping Our Personal Identities.
Unconditional Love: Examining the Bonds Between Parents and Children.
The Evolution of Love in the Digital Age: Online Dating and Relationships.
Love and Self-Esteem: How Our Self-Perception Affects Our Ability to Love.
The Connection Between Love and Empathy in Human Relationships.
Love and Attachment Styles: Understanding How We Form Connections.
The Cultural Variations in Expressing and Experiencing Love.

Essay Topics About Yourself

Introduce yourself in a unique way that captures your reader's attention.
Discuss an accomplishment that you are proud of, and how it has shaped who you are today.
Describe a time when you faced a challenge, and how you overcame it.
Share an experience that has helped to shape your values and beliefs.
What are your hobbies and interests?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
What are your career aspirations?
Describe a time when you faced a challenge and how you coped with it.
Tell us about a time when you were proud of yourself and why.
What are your plans for the future?

Essay Topics About the Environment

The Impact of Climate Change on Global Weather Patterns.
Deforestation and Its Effects on Biodiversity.
The Role of Renewable Energy Sources in Combating Climate Change.
Plastic Pollution: Analyzing the Impact on Marine Ecosystems.
The Importance of Environmental Education in Schools.
Urbanization and Its Environmental Consequences.
Sustainable Agriculture: Balancing Food Production and Environmental Conservation.
The Significance of Wildlife Conservation and Preservation.
The Ethics of Animal Testing in Scientific Research.
Environmental Justice: Addressing Disparities in Environmental Quality.

General Essay Topics

The Impact of Video Games on College Students.
The Importance of Physical Education in Schools.
Social Media Platforms and their Influence.
Negative Impact of Social Media on Students.
Public Schools vs. Private Schools: A Comparative Analysis.
Analyzing College Students' Point of View on Video Game Addiction.
Persuading for Environmental Conservation.
The Role of Social Media in Modern Marketing.
The Impact of Technology on the Job Market.
Analyzing Point of View in a Legal Context.

Tips for Choosing the Best Topic

Choosing the right topic for your essay is a critical step in the essay writing process. It sets the tone for your work and can greatly impact your ability to engage your readers. Here are some tips to help you select the best topic:

Consider Your Interests

Start by thinking about your own interests and passions. Writing about a topic you're enthusiastic about will make the entire process more enjoyable and may result in a more engaging piece.

Narrow or Broad

Decide whether you want a broad or narrow topic. Broad topics allow for a wide range of discussion, while narrow ones allow for deeper exploration of specific aspects. Your choice depends on your assignment and word limit.

Consider the relevance of the topic to your audience and context. Is it something your readers will find interesting or valuable? Is it aligned with the purpose of your essay, whether it's informative, persuasive, or analytical?

Research Availability

Ensure there's enough research material available on the topic. If you're writing a research-based essay, it's crucial to have access to credible sources to support your arguments.

Audience Considerations

Tailor your topic to your target audience. Consider their interests, knowledge level, and preferences when choosing a subject that will resonate with them.

Current Events

If it's appropriate for your essay type, explore current events and trending topics. They can add relevance and timeliness to your writing.

Brainstorming

Spend some time brainstorming ideas. Create lists, mind maps, or free-write to generate a variety of potential topics. Don't censor yourself during this process; just let the ideas flow.

In conclusion, selecting the best topic for your essay is a pivotal decision that can significantly impact the quality and engagement level of your writing.

By considering your interests, you can set yourself up for success in crafting an exceptional essay.

At MyPerfectWords.com, we understand that the journey of essay writing begins with choosing the right topic.

Moreover, our team of experienced writers is here to assist you at every stage of the writing process, from topic selection to the final polished draft. Visit our essay writing service now and take the first step toward academic excellence.

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Nova Allison is a Digital Content Strategist with over eight years of experience. Nova has also worked as a technical and scientific writer. She is majorly involved in developing and reviewing online content plans that engage and resonate with audiences. Nova has a passion for writing that engages and informs her readers.

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Keep reading

101 Great Essay Writing Topics for Students

Before you sit down to write, you need a topic, and these essay writing topics can help you get started.

Writing an essay is an important skill for high school and college students. Essays show a writer’s ability to think through a topic, explore their point of view and persuade or inform others of that. Yet, finding essay writing topics can feel vague.

This list will help students find the right topic for a descriptive essay or argumentative essay. It outlines a number of hot topics that students can delve into in order to express their opinions and showcase their writing skills. You can use these to practice your essay writing skills or as prompts for you or students.

1. Is Climate Change Real?

2. the benefits (or drawbacks) of homework , 3. a funny childhood memory, 4. video game addiction, 5. the role of pets in our lives, 6. my summer vacation, 7. a personal victory or success, 8. what will life be like in 2050, 9. a trip to the museum, 10. describe meeting a famous person, 11. the impact of social media on tweens, 12. importance of school uniforms, 13. extracurricular activities: essential or optional, 14. favorite book and its impact, 15. the influence of celebrities on youth, 16. the significance of recreational activities, 17. if i were the principal of my school, 18. why the sale and production of tobacco should get banned, 19. should every country have the death sentence, 20. is homeschooling better or worse than public school, 21. is the us election process fair, 22. how can we reduce climate change, 23. your responsibility in climate change, 24. are you politically influenced by media, 25. feminism then and now, 26. the impact of immigration on host countries, 27. are environmentalist groups doing the wrong protests, 28. should we cancel cancel culture, 29. is artificial intelligence a boon or bane to society, 30. is genetic engineering ethical, 31. the role of social movements in social change, 32. censorship in media: necessary or suppressive, 33. is technology making education lazy, 34. are we supposed to share culture, 35. why soda should not be on fast food kids meals, 36. illegal immigrants should not be jailed, 37. breastfeeding in public should be considered normal, 38. why gun control is needed, 39. a turning point in your life, 40. should religion be taught in schools, 41. recycling should be compulsory, 42. colleges are becoming business driven, 43. the necessity of art in education, 44. the importance of space exploration, 45. the future of renewable energy, 46. fast fashion’s environmental impact, 47. social media and its influence on body image, 48. the role of social media in interpersonal relationships, 49. the consequences of cyberbullying, 50. the relevance of standardized testing today, 51. the influence of video games on youth behavior, 52. homework vs. class assignments, 53. social media vs. in-person interaction, 54. physical education vs. nutritional education, 55. life before and after the internet, 56. right side vs left side of the brian thinkers, 57. tea vs coffee, 58. fashion today vs 20 years ago, 59. ebooks vs. physical books, 60. urban vs. rural living, 61. traditional vs. digital art, 62. freelance vs. full-time employment, 63. western vs. eastern philosophies, 64. democracy vs. dictatorship, 65. introverts vs. extroverts, 66. working in your country vs. working abroad, 67. science fiction vs. fantasy, 68. public vs. private healthcare, 69. first day of school memories, 70. a memorable act of kindness, 71. your best or worst holiday, 72. an experience with peer pressure, 73. a surprising event or change of fortune., 74. your first teacher, 75. your idea of the perfect day, 76. imagine a week without the internet or technology, 77. a day you overcame rejection, 78. overcoming my fear, 79. the day i lost my first pet, 80. that someone who influenced me, 81. the most embarrassing moment, 82. the time i stood up for what i believe, 83. the invention i wish i had thought of, 84. an unexpected friendship, 85. the day that defined my future, 86. how is global warming changing the environment, 87. the causes of world war ii, 88. what is racism, and how are people sometimes unaware of it, 89. does free will exist, 90. what reading means to me, 91. the role of journalists and the media, 92. animal testing should be banned, 93. why do teenagers commit suicide, 94. the role of the united nations, 95. the history and impact of the internet, 96. why is financial literacy crucial today, 97. the importance of technology in healthcare, 98. the rise of electric vehicles, 99. an analysis of a popular tv show, 100. the value of learning a second language, 101. the stigma around mental health, a final word on the best essay writing topics, what are some topics for a persuasive essay, what are some good topics for an essay, essay writing resources, best essay writing topics for middle school students.

If you are picking an essay for a 7th or 8th-grade student, the topic needs to be something that students in that age range are interested in. This will help them want to do the research and explore their ideas. This age range will often write expository essays or narrative essays, rather than persuasive ones.

Here are some essay topics to consider:

Climate change is a hot topic with middle schoolers, and this essay topic idea lets them explore it. This essay topic can work well for a persuasive, informative, or cause-and-effect essay.

Few middle school students enjoy homework, but this can be a great way to get them to dig into why the education system relies on homework. Students can give their opinions about the need for homework or why homework should be eliminated.

Middle school students who are not ready to write on argumentative essay topics can practice their English essay writing skills by writing about a funny thing that happened as a child. This topic should focus on entertaining, engaging storytelling.

Many young students spend a lot of time playing video games, and this can translate into an essay topic. Exploring the mental health effects of too much video gameplay is a good option. Ask them to write about games they live or spend too much time playing.

Do you have a pet at home that you can’t imagine not being there when you return? How do you treat it, and do you think of your pet as a best friend? Opt for a cause-and-effect essay on the role of pets in our lives to showcase this bond. Then, include the positive effects of owning a pet. Don’t forget to talk about the responsibilities that come with it.

This is a staple choice of teachers everywhere, particularly after the summer break. All younger students can write essays easily enough about how they spent a few weeks off school and where they went. Perhaps it was time with a family member or a best friend? There is a good reason that many elementary and middle school teachers assign this as a writing assignment at the start of school.

A student could start writing this essay by writing about when they felt like all was lost. Then, they could describe how they picked themselves up off the dirt and achieved a victory.

Will we find solutions to the problems we face today, like poverty and homelessness? Will technology enrich our lives further or be the cause of new issues?

Many young students often think about the future, and this topic allows them to let their imaginations run loose.

This way, they can express their ideas on how the world will look like in a few decades. It also gives you insight into the child’s personality. Do they see the positives in everything, or are they a bit more realistic?

As children, we loved going to the museum. Even today, it’s interesting to look at historical art, sculptures, and old vehicles.

This essay topic works exceptionally well right after a school holiday. Maybe the young student just witnessed some of the best historical pieces. Writing about this topic allows them to reconnect with the emotions they felt.

In this essay, ask students what they liked most about visiting the museum, what important lessons they learned, and how they felt in the moment.

We all have favorite celebrities that we’d love to meet. This could be an actor, musician, or athlete.

In this essay topic, ask students to describe what it’s like to meet a famous person. How would they feel, what questions would the student ask them, and what activities would they do together?

By asking your student to write the essay as descriptively as possible, they’ll experience the positive emotions associated with meeting their idol.

For this prompt, your goal is to explore the balance between the good, the bad, and the unknown in social media platforms. As a middle schooler, you know better than anyone how integral social media is in your daily life. Think about it – how many people your age don’t have a phone connected to the internet?

A cause-and-effect essay on this subject will allow you to investigate how social networking systems influence people. Self-reflect and analyze how social media sites affect your feelings, friendships, and even schoolwork.

Have you ever wondered why some schools insist on their students having uniforms? This is despite other schools being more lenient and letting their students wear whatever they want. If you are, then satiate your curiosity via this prompt.

An argumentative essay will help you understand both sides of the debate. You can discuss why schools make uniforms mandatory or optional and investigate how uniforms affect students’ behavior, academic performance, and school pride.

Are you a part of your school’s sports team or another club, or do you prefer to focus your time on academics only? If you have ever wondered what extracurricular activities are for, use this prompt to write an informative essay on the importance of extracurricular activities.

Write about the exact details of the role of extracurricular activities in a student’s overall development. Explore and add the benefits and drawbacks of these activities as well. Through your essay, other students can make informed choices about how they spend their time at school.

Books are all about exploration. When you use books for school, they aim to make you more knowledgeable. But they are also doors to fantasy lands and help you learn more about yourself.

Do you have a favorite book that left a mark on you? For this prompt, write a personal narrative essay sharing that experience. Analyze why the book matters, then add how it has changed or defined you. Your essay might sway others to read your favorite book.

Celebrities and influences are everywhere – so much so that you can’t avoid them no matter how hard you try. They’re in the music you listen to, the streets you drive through, and even the boxes of your favorite cereals. For this prompt, write an argumentative essay about these celebrities and their critical influence on younger people.

Focus on celebrities’ sway on youth’s behavior, values, and aspirations. Argue whether they are positive role models or if they set unrealistic expectations. It’s best to choose celebrities everyone knows, like the Kardashians or the Bangtan Boys.

What do you do when you have time off from school? Aside from the instances you attend family events, do you like swimming, biking, or drawing? This prompt is perfect for a descriptive essay where you can detail your favored recreational activity.

Start with how you discovered the activity and why you got hooked on it. Include its significance to your life. Does it help you relax, meet new people, etc.? You can also talk about the skills you gained by doing this recreational activity regularly.

Have you ever dreamt of calling the shots at school? What about imagining being the principal? In this essay, share ideas on what parts of your school you want to keep or change. Analyze each critically and propose the improvements the school needs. Via this prompt, you can showcase your leadership skills. Remember to express your thoughts respectfully and constructively, and don’t forget to offer rational explanations for each proposed change.

Controversial Essay Writing Topics for Older Students

As they enter high school and college, students should start transitioning from informative essays to persuasive ones. Controversial essay topics are a good way to do this. They help students develop their critical thinking skills and learn how to reason an argument. The below topics the bill well:

Few people would argue about the health benefits of tobacco, yet it remains a top-selling product. This essay will explore the benefits of banning the sale of the product altogether.

The death sentence is a controversial ethical and social issue. This essay will explore whether or not it is a suitable method of punishment and deterrent for serious crimes and the benefits or drawbacks of adding it to every country across the globe.

Homeschooling is growing in popularity, and this school essay topic will explore the benefits or drawbacks of this particular school choice. It may be pulled from personal experience if the student is homeschooled.

Elections are an essential part of our lives. It gives us the power to determine who will govern our country. However, is the election process fair?

In the essay, your student will get an opportunity to voice their ideas, describe what changes they’d like to see, and how those changes will positively impact the nation.

This essay topic requires more research, and students walk away with knowledge that can help them in the long term.

Climate change is a serious topic that impacts everyone’s life. Sea levels are rising, which makes it difficult for animals like polar bears to survive.

When writing about this essay topic, students will have to research the effect of climate change, what causes it, and how to reduce its impact.

This requires logical thinking and creativity. It’ll encourage students to come up with a plan of action. Maybe they’ll limit the number of carbon emissions released by companies, promote solar power, or decrease the price of energy-efficient appliances.

Climate change has always been a controversial topic. There are many protests about it, but despite the protests, there are still no proper solutions. For this prompt, focus on what you, as a student, can do to help stop or slow down climate change. Identify your personal role in this phenomenon. Examine both your positive and negative contributions. As you write this essay, you can also discover sustainable life changes to add to your life. You can even encourage your future readers to follow your example.

Keeping up to date with world news is easy because we’re connected to the media 24/7. With this in mind, create a cause-and-effect essay and inspect the power of media in shaping your political views.

For instance, have you sided with a viewpoint because of a convincing social media post? For sure, many have experienced this once or twice. Dig deeper via your essay, analyze the media’s role and motivations, and present your findings.

If you plan to create a compare-and-contrast essay, go for this prompt. Analyze the evolution of feminist movements. Then, examine their origins, goals, and the changes they’ve brought about.

Have you ever wondered how the feminism of your grandma’s era differed from today’s? By researching this topic, you’ll not only increase your knowledge – you’ll also be able to educate others.

Are you looking at writing about globally relevant issues? If so, immigration is a complex subject you can explore—research immigration in the news, books, or even movies. You can even ask your teacher for help if you need to. For this prompt, connect your findings to the issues of the countries receiving immigrants. Make sure to differentiate the legal from illegal immigrants to relay your points better.

The environment is a sacred and essential part of our lives. And so it’s easy to understand the movements and the organizations that want to protect it. But do you think their actions will make others appreciate their cause in the long run?

This is why this controversial prompt is perfect for a persuasive essay. Talk about the recent protests. It can be the protestor’s destruction of paintings of legendary artists, glueing their hands on airport runways, or stopping people on the streets. Critique the strategies of environmental activist groups. Are they properly raising awareness? Or are their methods causing more harm than good?

Cancel culture is often based on limited evidence and incites blind hate. As an older student, you’re likely familiar with the term and its implications. In your essay, list cancel culture’s pros and cons and analyze each in depth.

Is cancel culture helpful? Is it only spreading misinformation? Is the hive mentality it encourages good? Share your thoughts on this recent societal development. Then, offer ways on how to better interact with cancel culture. For instance, you can recommend holding off judgment and thoroughly researching the issue first to make up your own mind.

Artificial intelligence is here to stay, but how helpful is it? For this prompt, create an expository essay that analyzes how AI is both a boon and a bane. For example, AI can make companies’ systems more efficient. But at the same time, it takes jobs away from writers, artists, and even tech devs.

Cite recent happenings, like the Texas A&M Commerce professor who failed his entire class to show the issue’s relevancy. As a student, you’re pretty familiar with AI developments. You might even have experienced it first-hand. Stop and think about AI’s broader implications via your essay.

Genetic engineering has always been a controversial subject. Since you’re an older student, you’ve probably had debates about this in class or with friends. To better understand the issue, construct a well-researched, argumentative essay on genetic engineering and the ethics that surround it.

As a student and a general public member, you are not just an observer of what happens in society. You are an active participant in social dynamics. So, for this prompt, opt for a cause-and-effect essay where you analyze how collective actions and thinking shape societies. Support your thoughts with evidence and share your realizations.

For this prompt, start by defining freedom of expression and comparing it with censorship. Then, present cases (preferably recent ones) to explain why censorship is necessary or repressive. This will help you create an informative essay that educates your readers.

In your essay, answer the question: “Is technology helpful or detrimental to education?” As a student, you’re at the center of this revolution. For instance, online classes are more prevalent now than some years ago. Submitting soft copies of papers online wasn’t even a thing then. Write an expository essay about whether technology aids or hampers your learning process.

If you want to write a thought-provoking descriptive essay, consider this prompt: There are unique cultures. But should these cultures remain exclusive? Think about your own culture and what it means to you. Would you like to share your culture? It’s time to share your thoughts and experiences.

In the same essay, you can also mention cultural appreciation versus cultural appropriation. Talk about these ideas’ differences and similarities.

Persuasive Essay Topics for Older Students

Persuasive essays work to convince a reader of the writer’s point of view. These topics lend themselves well to a great essay that focuses on persuasion.

Fast food kids meals target young consumers, and soda is often included. Making junk food a way of life contributes to childhood obesity, and this topic could explore alternatives to soda for these kid-centered meals.

When people enter a country illegally, putting them in jail does not solve the problem. Instead, alternative punishments or even help with attaining legal immigrant status can reduce the strain on an overloaded system while also helping these individuals become part of society.

Babies need breast milk to survive, yet many places in society frown on women feeding their babies in public. This essay will explore why this is an outdated and unhealthy idea.

The best topics for persuasive essays are ones that are a little controversial. Gun control fits the bill well, and it can be a good topic for an essay. Other topics include alcohol, drugs and, in some cases, religion. That said, it depends on the nature of your students and school.

All the students can typically point to an occasion or life event when their worldview or concept changed. Ask them to write about a defining life experience.

This essay topic is for older students and adult learners who can take a thoughtful but critical stance on the role of religion in schools today. Should it be taught or removed from schools, and why?

The average American produces 1,704 pounds of garbage per year. Most of this is thrown in landfills, which can be equally as damaging to the environment as littering. Oceans are also filled with plastic that negatively affects the lives of marine life.

However, if we can recycle all that waste, we won’t damage the environment. This essay topic encourages older students to research recycling and the pros and cons of making it mandatory.

Getting a tertiary education is essential. It allows you to learn a marketable skill that other people pay you for.

However, private colleges are becoming more common, leading people to think that these institutions are more focused on making money.

When writing about this topic, students need to research the cost of college tuition, how this high price negatively impacts their adult lives, and how the government can fix it.

Through this prompt, explore and express the value of creativity and aesthetics in one’s learning. Explain why art is essential. How does it influence your learning and perception of the world? Consider this: art is a medium of expression and critical thinking. To write this essay effectively, identify, describe, and reflect on different art forms. You can also focus on art forms that you’ve experienced.

Have you ever looked at the night sky and wondered what’s out there? Space exploration is all about the curiosity to discover the unknown. In your essay, go beyond rockets or astronauts and highlight man’s thirst for knowledge.

Start with the historical record of space exploration. Mention how it started and how it became possible. You can even include its milestone achievements. Then, move on to experts’ predictions on the future of space exploration. Discuss its benefits to humans, common challenges, and implications for our future.

Let’s now jump to another vital global discourse. Are you aware of the environmental and economic connotations of renewable energy? You may be young now, but you’re not a stranger to the problems of this planet. Through this prompt, you can become a part of the solution. In your essay, define and discuss different types of renewable energy. Underscore their potential, pros, and cons versus traditional energy sources.

Have you ever wondered where your clothes come from and where they end up? Sadly, most of us consume fast fashion. But have you considered fast fashion’s environmental consequences?

In your essay, identify facts about fast fashion. Credible sources should support these facts so readers can realize how detrimental it is to the environment. Review the lifecycle of a typical fast fashion item. Include the environmental cost at each stage. Then, look for ways to promote sustainable fashion choices.

Today, social media dominates our lives. But have you thought about how it affects how you view your body image? This is a sensitive issue, but timely nonetheless.

For this prompt, voice your experiences and insights about social media and the unrealistic body standards it presents. By doing so, you can help others navigate through the maze of internet likes and shares. Talk about how social networking services impact how people view themselves, including their self-esteem. Then, offer ways on how to circumvent these problems.

It’s a fact today that most of our relationships start and are maintained online. But does this virtual connection hamper real-life relationships?

Through your essay, explore the link between social media and interpersonal relationships. You can tell it from your perspective. How have your relationships evolved in the age of social media? Review the dynamics of online friendships, mentioning the blurred lines between the virtual and real world. It would be useful to talk to someone you know who remembers a time before mobile phones and social media, which only became prevalent in recent decades.

Sadly, the rise of social networks also gives bullies more channels to hurt others. Now, they can also hide behind screens. In your essay, define cyberbullying and its effects on the victim’s mental health. You can even include real-life cases for illustration. End your paper by presenting measures to prevent cyberbullying.

The education system needs some updating. If you want to delve into this issue, use a prompt that critiques its current methods. One of the most timely is standardized testing. What’s your take on it? Does it measure intelligence, or is it merely rote learning? List the pros and cons of standardized testing from your perspective as a student. Write as if you want to spark a conversation about educational reform.

At your age, you’ve probably experienced the evolution of video games first-hand. If you’re a gamer, have you ever questioned how it influenced your behavior? What about your peers?

For this prompt, focus on the psychological aspects of gaming. Mention the impact of different gaming genres on mental health and behavior. Don’t just talk about the adverse effects. It’s best to also consider the potential benefits of gaming as a learning tool.

Compare and Contrast Essays for Older Students

This type of essay compares two like or unlike things, drawing ways they are the same or different. It’s useful as it provides a structure for aspiring essayists that they can use to outline a longer work. Some ideas include:

Which has more value, homework or assignments completed in class? This essay topic will explore the contrast between these two types of school assignments. For fun, give it to students to complete in class… and then ask them to revise it at home.

Social media can keep people connected, but the increased push for social media connection can detract from in-person communication. This essay will explore the contrast between the two types of communication.

Both exercise and diet play a role in health. This essay will explore the impact of both through the education system.

Older students and adult learners can remember a time before we spend so much time. Is life any better now that we spend so much time connected to the Internet? This essay explores what it means to be constantly connected.

Right side of the brain thinkers are typically more creative and artistic. The left side of the brain thinkers are analytical and mathematical. What’s more valuable in today’s society? What can each type learn from its counterpart? And are you truly one type exclusively?

Caffeine is a staple for many students and workers. It gives you a boost of energy in the morning, which allows you to get more done. It also helps if you have a test coming up and need to study hard.

However, larger amounts of caffeine are known to cause heart palpitations, anxiety, and increased stress.

In this essay, students look at the benefits and drawbacks of tea and coffee. It empowers them with knowledge on when to limit their consumption.

Fashion is constantly changing. What looked cool 20 years ago might look weird today. Older students will also notice how their fashion choices changed from middle school to high school and from high school to college.

In this essay, students talk about what causes this change and how long it takes for the public to accept a specific style.

You’ve likely used ebooks and physical books for your studies and hobbies. In your essay, use your experience to analyze these different reading mediums. Are you an avid Kindle user? Or do you thrive on the feel of a physical book? Write about relevant aspects like convenience, feel, accessibility, and cost. Always support your arguments with personal anecdotes and factual data.

Do you live in the city or the outskirts? Both have pros and cons. If you’ve always been a city student, maybe you’ve wondered what life is like on the other side. If so, then this prompt lets you delve into these contrasting lifestyles.

Feel free to discuss factors such as access to amenities, social interactions, and lifestyle choices. Try to visualize and put yourself in both scenarios to offer an authentic perspective.

There’s been a divide between traditional and digital art for a long time. In this prompt, uncover the why . Consider aspects like skill set, accessibility, impact, and audience reach. Then, add your thoughts on the issue. Are you drawn to the authenticity of traditional art? Or do you admire the versatility of digital art? Bring in your observations and experiences to make your essay stand out.

You might still be a student, but you’ve thought about what your job will be like in the future, right? Then, have you ever wondered about the benefits of being your boss versus the security of a full-time job? Explore these contrasting work styles. By the end of your essay, you will also better understand what awaits you after graduation.

Talk about job stability, work-life balance, income potential, and personal growth. You can draw on real-life examples from people you know.

For a more intriguing essay, explore different philosophical frameworks. Are you drawn to Western philosophy’s empirical approach? Or do you prefer Eastern thought’s spiritual aspects? Explore themes such as the self, ethics, knowledge, and reality. Then, compare how these philosophies approach these ideas differently. This is your chance to show off your critical thinking skills.

Another complicated but interesting prompt is analyzing two contrasting political systems, democracy and dictatorship. Inspect how each system impacts citizens’ rights, economic development, social equality, and international relations. Don’t shy away from using historical and current examples to solidify your arguments.

Are you an introvert, extrovert, or something in between? Picking this topic will not only give you an exciting essay. You will also learn more about yourself. This encourages you to delve into the psychological aspects of these personality types.

In your essay, analyze how these traits affect one’s social interactions, career choices, and personal well-being. Be critical of stereotypes and delve into the potential benefits and challenges of both.

Have you ever dreamed of living and working abroad? Or do you want to stay where you are now, close to home? Here, you can explore the pros and cons of working or leaving your home country. Mention cultural exposure, career opportunities, and personal growth. Contrast it with the challenges of adapting to a new environment.

Science fiction and fantasy are both popular, even today. Why not when it opens doors to various imaginations? For your essay, dive into why these genres are favored and highlight their unique characteristics. Include their societal implications and why they appeal to certain readers.

Debate has been raging on the implications of public and private healthcare systems. These debates often concern a country’s economy and its citizens’ lives. When writing this essay, you can use your personal experience or rely on secondary research. Discuss aspects like accessibility, cost, quality of care, and efficiency. For this prompt, add real-world examples and facts to strengthen your arguments.

Narrative Essay Topics for Older Students

Sometimes, an everyday life experience can make great essay material, and writing about your own life means less risk of plagiarism. Here are some ideas:

The first day of school in a new school can be the fodder for a number of personal stories about school life and the social aspects of it. Writers can capture those emotions in this type of essay. It’s also a suitable type of essay to write as it can serve as a gateway into other types of writing, like a memoir.

If someone did something for you once that really stood out, transform that into an essay topic. You will enjoy remembering the action while creating your essay.

What you did or didn’t do on your summer vacation as a child can be a great starting point for a narrative essay. Older students can use this essay prompt to write about past experiences and reflect on them beyond simply reporting.

Peer pressure can be positive or negative, but everyone has experienced it. This essay will explore a time when peer pressure made you do something or not do something and what the effect of that decision was.

Was this change in your life for the best or the worst, and how did you respond? Describe in detail.

When you first met your mentor, teacher or guide. How did you respond to them, and what did they have to show you? Similarly, a student could also write an essay about a teacher they shunned or turned away from.

When waking up in the morning, we all strive to have the perfect day. Ask students what their perfect day will look like, what activities they’d do, and with whom.

By being as descriptive as possible, students picture the perfect day in their minds. This improves students’ storytelling skills and helps them structure events in chronological order.

This fun experiment gives students insight into how reliant they are on technology and how their lives will look without it.

By imagining this week in their heads, it’ll give them an idea of what other activities they’ll engage in. This could be working out, socializing, or learning a new skill.

Rejection is something everyone must face at some point. Few things are scarier than rejection. But when you overcome it, you get a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction.

For example, this could be asking that cute guy or girl out on a date or applying for a job at your dream company.

Are you interested in writing an essay while also self-reflecting? When you use this prompt, you also demonstrate your tenacity to overcome obstacles. Think back to any fear you have had. It doesn’t matter if they’re big or small as long as they shape your character.

Begin your essay by describing the fear you had and why. Then, narrate what you did to overcome it. Remember to discuss the aftermath and the personal growth you experienced.

Losing a pet is a personal experience. How you handled your emotions at that time shows your nature. When you write your essay, paint a vivid picture of your pet by describing quirks and traits. Explain how losing a pet changed you; don’t avoid the pain. Then, talk about your grieving process and eventual acceptance.

Did someone come to mind when you read the prompt? It’s unsurprising if they did, considering that every person has that one person who left a significant impact on their life.

For your essay, choose and write about that individual who helps you appreciate life. Give specific details, such as when they made you realize something, and then connect them to how their teachings shaped you. This prompt also allows students to reflect on their character description and development.

For a fun narrative essay, share the moment you felt the most embarrassed. You don’t have to be specific about it; you can instead focus on what you felt then and how you cope during that awkward situation. You can also mention what you think of the memory now that you’re looking back at it. Is it as embarrassing as you’ve thought back then?

Here is a medium to exhibit your ethics and the strength of your convictions. For this prompt, narrate the situation and explain why you must stand up. What were your thoughts during that moment? Talk about your emotions then and the consequences you’ve faced, if any. Mention how the experience shaped your approach to similar situations.

Is there any invention that made you go, “Ah, I wish I thought of that before!” It can be because of the fame that came with it, the profit, or just the sheer genius of its inventor. Select an invention that fascinates you and explain why it interests you. Think of why you wish you’d come up with it. Talk about its impact on the world and how it aligns with your interests or passions.

Friendships often form in the most unexpected places and situations. For this prompt, highlight your openness to diverse experiences and people.

In your essay, describe the circumstances that led to this unexpected friendship. Add why you found it so surprising. Speak about the qualities you appreciate in your friend and include how this relationship has affected your life. Your objective is to encourage others to broaden their social circles.

For this prompt, share a turning point in your life that set your future course. Present a comprehensive account of the event or decision that significantly impacted your future by mentioning factors that influenced it. Add your thoughts and feelings then and how things have unfolded since then.

Informative Essay Topics for Older Students

Sometimes, the goal of an essay is not to persuade but to inform. Informative or expository essay topics need to have a lot of information behind them so students have something to write about. These topics lend themselves well to that:

Global warming has many effects, and this essay will explore those thoroughly. The goal is to inform, not persuade or create change.

Exploring the causes behind a global war, like World War II, can create a long essay. You can spin this essay topic easily enough by picking other historical events.

Racism is a hot topic today, and this essay will explore how it can often hide in someone’s way of thinking.

A popular essay topic in many philosophy and art classes, this is an open-ended subject. A student can use it to explore their personal philosophy and develop their critical thinking skills.

Check out this list for other philosophy questions .

Becoming a better writer means spending a lot of time reading great books. One of the best ways to encourage reading is asking readers and students to reflect on why they love reading what they learned from previous books. It’s good subject matter for an essay too.

Many people are skeptical and or don’t trust news produced by journalists. But are they right? Surely there is a bar between trustworthy and untrustworthy sources? In this essay, explore how to tell good journalism apart from bad journalism.

When testing products to see if it’s safe for humans, scientists will run tests on animals. However, this testing isn’t only cruel but ineffective. Animals don’t get certain diseases that humans do. This includes HIV, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, and certain types of cancers.

In this essay, students must conduct research and present a case for why animal testing is unethical.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for those between the ages of 10 to 24. This is a complex topic since there could be several different factors at play. Some of these include bullying, abuse, and traumatic stress.

When writing this essay, students will be encouraged to dig deeper into the main reasons why teenagers commit suicide and how we can help them as a community. This spreads awareness and gets people to take positive action.

How much do you know about the United Nations? This prompt will test your knowledge of international relations and politics as you have to pen a paper that’s easy to understand. Include the intricacies of global leadership and peacekeeping by explaining the critical functions of the UN. Then, add how it helps society and how its efforts benefit you as a student.

Where did the internet come from? How did it develop to be what it is today? In your essay, recall the history of the World Wide Web and its profound impact on our daily lives. As an older student, you’ve lived through some of the internet’s transformative phases. How has that shaped the way you live, work, or study? Answer all of these in your paper.

Many people still get confused about handling their incomes, budgets, and expenses. In your essay, explain why many fumble their finances. Include how understanding one’s finances matters now more than ever.

For a more relatable paper, you can narrate your personal journey towards financial literacy. You can also analyze current financial trends and their implications for the average person.

Technology has revolutionized healthcare, so it’ll always be a timely topic. For this prompt, delve into the impact of technological advancements on health and medicine. It’s a brilliant way to explore subjects like telemedicine or electronic health records. You can even include the role of AI in disease diagnosis.

Have you noticed more electric vehicles on the road recently? In your essay, analyze the surge in popularity of electric vehicles. Add their environmental impact and the technological advances that have made them viable. Don’t forget to include your thoughts on a future dominated by electric vehicles.

If you have a TV show you’re fond of, then you can talk about it in your essay. Explore the show’s central themes, character developments, and narrative techniques. It might even give you an excuse to rewatch your favorite series!

Parlez-vous Français? If you have a second language or are interested in learning one someday, this prompt is for you. Remember to focus your essay on the benefits of bilingualism or multilingualism. If you have any, include your memories of learning a new language. You can also ask others who speak more than one language about their experiences. Add the challenges, triumphs, and doors it has opened for you.

Today, there is the question of whether we’re doing enough to address mental health. In your paper, be open and talk about the stigma around mental health issues. You can opt to share your personal experiences or observations. Then, don’t forget to add the consequences of ignoring mental health. It’s a powerful way to raise awareness and promote empathy.

Whether you are a high school student writing an essay for homework or you are sitting down to write a college essay as you apply for school, procrastination often occurs because you do not know what to write about. Having a list of topics handy will help.

To choose a topic, first, decide what type of essay you need to write. Then, browse this list of writing topics to find one that is interesting to you, or use the list to think of a different, similar topic. Soon, you will have an essay that is engaging and informative and can showcase your writing abilities well.

If you need more inspiration, check out our guide to the 101+ best writing prompts .

FAQs About the Best Essay Writing Topics

Persuasive essays require a controversial topic in order to give the writer the freedom to write in a persuasive manner. Some good topics for these essays include: Soda in fast food meals Breastfeeding in public Using jail to deter illegal immigrants Banning cell phones for young children

Some good topics for an essay include: Gun control Social media Personal experiences Health Social issues A life event

What is a Personal Essay?

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Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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50 Argumentative Essay Topics

Illustration by Catherine Song. ThoughtCo.

M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
B.A., History, Armstrong State University

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

Choosing a Great Argumentative Essay Topic

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

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

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

Ideas for Argument Essays

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

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

50 Possible Topics

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

Is global climate change caused by humans?
Is the death penalty effective?
Is our election process fair?
Is torture ever acceptable?
Should men get paternity leave from work?
Are school uniforms beneficial?
Do we have a fair tax system?
Do curfews keep teens out of trouble?
Is cheating out of control?
Are we too dependent on computers?
Should animals be used for research?
Should cigarette smoking be banned?
Are cell phones dangerous?
Are law enforcement cameras an invasion of privacy?
Do we have a throwaway society?
Is child behavior better or worse than it was years ago?
Should companies market to children?
Should the government have a say in our diets?
Does access to condoms prevent teen pregnancy?
Should members of Congress have term limits?
Are actors and professional athletes paid too much?
Are CEOs paid too much?
Should athletes be held to high moral standards?
Do violent video games cause behavior problems?
Should creationism be taught in public schools?
Are beauty pageants exploitative ?
Should English be the official language of the United States?
Should the racing industry be forced to use biofuels?
Should the alcohol drinking age be increased or decreased?
Should everyone be required to recycle?
Is it okay for prisoners to vote (as they are in some states)?
Is it good that same-sex couples are able to marry?
Are there benefits to attending a single-sex school ?
Does boredom lead to trouble?
Should schools be in session year-round ?
Does religion cause war?
Should the government provide health care?
Should abortion be illegal?
Are girls too mean to each other?
Is homework harmful or helpful?
Is the cost of college too high?
Is college admission too competitive?
Should euthanasia be illegal?
Should the federal government legalize marijuana use nationally ?
Should rich people be required to pay more taxes?
Should schools require foreign language or physical education?
Is affirmative action fair?
Is public prayer okay in schools?
Are schools and teachers responsible for low test scores?
Is greater gun control a good idea?
Preparing an Argument Essay: Exploring Both Sides of an Issue
Controversial Speech Topics
Tips on How to Write an Argumentative Essay
Bad Essay Topics for College Admissions
25 Essay Topics for American Government Classes
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61 General Expository Essay Topic Ideas to Practice Academic Writing
40 Writing Topics for Argumentative and Persuasive Essays
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Writing an Opinion Essay

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 50 great argumentative essay topics for any assignment.

General Education

At some point, you’re going to be asked to write an argumentative essay. An argumentative essay is exactly what it sounds like—an essay in which you’ll be making an argument, using examples and research to back up your point.

But not all argumentative essay topics are created equal. Not only do you have to structure your essay right to have a good impact on the reader, but even your choice of subject can impact how readers feel about your work.

In this article, we’ll cover the basics of writing argumentative essays, including what argumentative essays are, how to write a good one, and how to pick a topic that works for you. Then check out a list of argumentative essay ideas to help you get started.

What Is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is one that makes an argument through research. These essays take a position and support it through evidence, but, unlike many other kinds of essays, they are interested in expressing a specific argument supported by research and evidence.

A good argumentative essay will be based on established or new research rather than only on your thoughts and feelings. Imagine that you’re trying to get your parents to raise your allowance, and you can offer one of two arguments in your favor:

You should raise my allowance because I want you to.

You should raise my allowance because I’ve been taking on more chores without complaining.

The first argument is based entirely in feelings without any factual backup, whereas the second is based on evidence that can be proven. Your parents are more likely to respond positively to the second argument because it demonstrates that you have done something to earn the increased allowance. Similarly, a well-researched and reasoned argument will show readers that your point has a basis in fact, not just feelings.

The standard five-paragraph essay is common in writing argumentative essays, but it’s not the only way to write one. An argumentative essay is typically written in one of two formats, the Toulmin model or the Rogerian model.

The Toulmin model is the most common, comprised of an introduction with a claim (otherwise known as a thesis), with data to support it. This style of essay will also include rebuttals, helping to strengthen your argument by anticipating counterarguments.

The Rogerian model analyzes two sides of an argument and reaches a conclusion after weighing the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Both essay styles rely on well-reasoned logic and supporting evidence to prove a point, just in two different ways.

The important thing to note about argumentative essays as opposed to other kinds of essays is that they aim to argue a specific point rather than to explain something or to tell a story. While they may have some things in common with analytical essays, the primary difference is in their objective—an argumentative essay aims to convince someone of something, whereas an analytical essay contextualizes a topic with research.

What Makes a Good Argumentative Essay?

To write an effective argumentative essay, you need to know what a good one looks like. In addition to a solid structure, you’ll need an argument, a strong thesis, and solid research.

An Argument

Unlike other forms of essays, you are trying to convince your reader of something. You’re not just teaching them a concept or demonstrating an idea—you’re constructing an argument to change the readers’ thinking.

You’ll need to develop a good argument, which encompasses not just your main point, but also all the pieces that make it up.

Think beyond what you are saying and include how you’re saying it. How will you take an idea and turn it into a complex and well thought out argument that is capable of changing somebody’s mind?

A Strong Thesis

The thesis is the core of your argument. What specific message are you trying to get across? State that message in one sentence, and that will be your thesis.

This is the foundation on which your essay is built, so it needs to be strong and well-reasoned. You need to be able to expand on it with facts and sources, not just feelings.

A good argumentative essay isn’t just based on your individual thoughts, but research. That can be citing sources and other arguments or it can mean direct research in the field, depending on what your argument is and the context in which you are arguing it.

Be prepared to back your thesis up with reporting from scientific journals, newspapers, or other forms of research. Having well-researched sources will help support your argument better than hearsay or assumptions. If you can’t find enough research to back up your point, it’s worth reconsidering your thesis or conducting original research, if possible.

How to Come Up With an Argumentative Essay Topic

Sometimes you may find yourself arguing things you don’t necessarily believe. That’s totally fine—you don’t actually have to wholeheartedly believe in what you’re arguing in order to construct a compelling argument.

However, if you have free choice of topic, it’s a good idea to pick something you feel strongly about. There are two key components to a good argumentative essay: a strong stance, and an assortment of evidence. If you’re interested and feel passionate about the topic you choose, you'll have an easier time finding evidence to support it, but it's the evidence that's most important.

So, to choose a topic, think about things you feel strongly about, whether positively or negatively. You can make a list of ideas and narrow those down to a handful of things, then expand on those ideas with a few potential points you want to hit on.

For example, say you’re trying to decide whether you should write about how your neighborhood should ban weed killer, that your school’s lunch should be free for all students, or that the school day should be cut by one hour. To decide between these ideas, you can make a list of three to five points for each that cover the different evidence you could use to support each point.

For the weed killer ban, you could say that weed killer has been proven to have adverse impacts on bees, that there are simple, natural alternatives, and that weeds aren’t actually bad to have around. For the free lunch idea, you could suggest that some students have to go hungry because they can’t afford lunch, that funds could be diverted from other places to support free lunch, and that other items, like chips or pizza, could be sold to help make up lost revenue. And for the school day length example, you could argue that teenagers generally don’t get enough sleep, that you have too much homework and not enough time to do it, and that teenagers don’t spend enough time with their families.

You might find as you make these lists that some of them are stronger than others. The more evidence you have and the stronger you feel that that evidence is, the better the topic. Of course, if you feel that one topic may have more evidence but you’d rather not write about it, it’s okay to pick another topic instead. When you’re making arguments, it can be much easier to find strong points and evidence if you feel passionate about our topic than if you don't.

50 Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas

If you’re struggling to come up with topics on your own, read through this list of argumentative essay topics to help get you started!

Should fracking be legal?
Should parents be able to modify their unborn children?
Do GMOs help or harm people?
Should vaccinations be required for students to attend public school?
Should world governments get involved in addressing climate change?
Should Facebook be allowed to collect data from its users?
Should self-driving cars be legal?
Is it ethical to replace human workers with automation?
Should there be laws against using cell phones while driving?
Has the internet positively or negatively impacted human society?

Should college athletes be paid for being on sports teams?
Should coaches and players make the same amount of money?
Should sports be segregated by gender?
Should the concept of designated hitters in baseball be abolished?
Should US sports take soccer more seriously?
Should religious organizations have to pay taxes?
Should religious clubs be allowed in schools?
Should “one nation under God” be in the pledge of allegiance?
Should religion be taught in schools?
Should clergy be allowed to marry?
Should minors be able to purchase birth control without parental consent?
Should the US switch to single-payer healthcare?
Should assisted suicide be legal?
Should dietary supplements and weight loss items like teas be allowed to advertise through influencers?
Should doctors be allowed to promote medicines?

Government/Politics

Is the electoral college an effective system for modern America?
Should Puerto Rico become a state?
Should voter registration be automatic?
Should people in prison be allowed to vote?
Should Supreme Court justices be elected?
Should sex work be legalized?
Should Columbus Day be replaced with Indigenous Peoples’ Day?
Should the death penalty be legal?
Should animal testing be allowed?
Should drug possession be decriminalized?

Should unpaid internships be legal?
Should minimum wage be increased?
Should monopolies be allowed?
Is universal basic income a good idea?
Should corporations have a higher or lower tax rate?
Are school uniforms a good idea?
Should PE affect a student’s grades?
Should college be free?
Should Greek life in colleges be abolished?
Should students be taught comprehensive sex ed?

Arts/Culture

Should graffiti be considered art or vandalism?
Should books with objectionable words be banned?
Should content on YouTube be better regulated?
Is art education important?
Should art and music sharing online be allowed?

How to Argue Effectively

A strong argument isn’t just about having a good point. If you can’t support that point well, your argument falls apart.

One of the most important things you can do in writing a strong argumentative essay is organizing well. Your essay should have a distinct beginning, middle, and end, better known as the introduction, body and opposition, and conclusion.

This example follows the Toulmin model—if your essay follows the Rogerian model, the same basic premise is true, but your thesis will instead propose two conflicting viewpoints that will be resolved through evidence in the body, with your conclusion choosing the stronger of the two arguments.

Introduction

Your hook should draw the reader’s interest immediately. Questions are a common way of getting interest, as well as evocative language or a strong statistic

Don’t assume that your audience is already familiar with your topic. Give them some background information, such as a brief history of the issue or some additional context.

Your thesis is the crux of your argument. In an argumentative essay, your thesis should be clearly outlined so that readers know exactly what point you’ll be making. Don’t explain all your evidence in the opening, but do take a strong stance and make it clear what you’ll be discussing.

Your claims are the ideas you’ll use to support your thesis. For example, if you’re writing about how your neighborhood shouldn’t use weed killer, your claim might be that it’s bad for the environment. But you can’t just say that on its own—you need evidence to support it.

Evidence is the backbone of your argument. This can be things you glean from scientific studies, newspaper articles, or your own research. You might cite a study that says that weed killer has an adverse effect on bees, or a newspaper article that discusses how one town eliminated weed killer and saw an increase in water quality. These kinds of hard evidence support your point with demonstrable facts, strengthening your argument.

In your essay, you want to think about how the opposition would respond to your claims and respond to them. Don’t pick the weakest arguments, either— figure out what other people are saying and respond to those arguments with clearly reasoned arguments.

Demonstrating that you not only understand the opposition’s point, but that your argument is strong enough to withstand it, is one of the key pieces to a successful argumentative essay.

Conclusions are a place to clearly restate your original point, because doing so will remind readers exactly what you’re arguing and show them how well you’ve argued that point.

Summarize your main claims by restating them, though you don’t need to bring up the evidence again. This helps remind readers of everything you’ve said throughout the essay.

End by suggesting a picture of a world in which your argument and action are ignored. This increases the impact of your argument and leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

A strong argumentative essay is one with good structure and a strong argument , but there are a few other things you can keep in mind to further strengthen your point.

When you’re crafting an argument, it can be easy to get distracted by all the information and complications in your argument. It’s important to stay focused—be clear in your thesis and home in on claims that directly support that thesis.

Be Rational

It’s important that your claims and evidence be based in facts, not just opinion. That’s why it’s important to use reliable sources based in science and reporting—otherwise, it’s easy for people to debunk your arguments.

Don’t rely solely on your feelings about the topic. If you can’t back a claim up with real evidence, it leaves room for counterarguments you may not anticipate. Make sure that you can support everything you say with clear and concrete evidence, and your claims will be a lot stronger!

What’s Next?

No matter what kind of essay you're writing, a strong plan will help you have a bigger impact. This guide to writing a college essay is a great way to get started on your essay organizing journey!

Brushing up on your essay format knowledge to prep for the SAT? Check out this list of SAT essay prompts to help you kickstart your studying!

A bunch of great essay examples can help you aspire to greatness, but bad essays can also be a warning for what not to do. This guide to bad college essays will help you better understand common mistakes to avoid in essay writing!

Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

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52 Argumentative Essay Ideas that are Actually Interesting

What’s covered:, how to pick a good argumentative essay topic, elements of a strong argumentative essay, argumentative essay idea example topics.

Are you having writer’s block? Coming up with an essay topic can be the hardest part of the process. You have very likely encountered argumentative essay writing in high school and have been asked to write your own. If you’re having trouble finding a topic, we’ve created a list of 52 essay ideas to help jumpstart your brainstorming process! In addition, this post will cover strategies for picking a topic and how to make your argument a strong one. Ultimately, the goal is to convince your reader.

An argumentative essay tasks the writer with presenting an assertion and bolstering that assertion with proper research. You’ll present the claim’s authenticity. This means that whatever argument you’re making must be empirically true! Writing an argumentative essay without any evidence will leave you stranded without any facts to back up your claim. When choosing your essay topic, begin by thinking about themes that have been researched before. Readers will be more engaged with an argument that is supported by data.

This isn’t to say that your argumentative essay topic has to be as well-known, like “Gravity: Does it Exist?” but it shouldn’t be so obscure that there isn’t ample evidence. Finding a topic with multiple sources confirming its validity will help you support your thesis throughout your essay. If upon review of these articles you begin to doubt their worth due to small sample sizes, biased funding sources, or scientific disintegrity, don’t be afraid to move on to a different topic. Your ultimate goal should be proving to your audience that your argument is true because the data supports it.

The hardest essays to write are the ones that you don’t care about. If you don’t care about your topic, why should someone else? Topics that are more personal to the reader are immediately more thoughtful and meaningful because the author’s passion shines through. If you are free to choose an argumentative essay topic, find a topic where the papers you read and cite are fun to read. It’s much easier to write when the passion is already inside of you!

However, you won’t always have the choice to pick your topic. You may receive an assignment to write an argumentative essay that you feel is boring. There is still value in writing an argumentative essay on a topic that may not be of interest to you. It will push you to study a new topic, and broaden your ability to write on a variety of topics. Getting good at proving a point thoroughly and effectively will help you to both understand different fields more completely and increase your comfort with scientific writing.

Convincing Thesis Statement

It’s important to remember the general essay structure: an introduction paragraph with a thesis statement, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. A strong thesis statement will set your essay up for success. What is it? A succinct, concise, and pithy sentence found in your first paragraph that summarizes your main point. Pour over this statement to ensure that you can set up your reader to understand your essay. You should also restate your thesis throughout your essay to keep your reader focused on your point.

Ample Research

A typical argumentative essay prompt may look like this: “What has been the most important invention of the 21st century? Support your claim with evidence.” This question is open-ended and gives you flexibility. But that also means it requires research to prove your point convincingly. The strongest essays weave scientific quotes and results into your writing. You can use recent articles, primary sources, or news sources. Maybe you even cite your own research. Remember, this process takes time, so be sure you set aside enough time to dive deep into your topic.

Clear Structure

If the reader can’t follow your argument, all your research could be for nothing! Structure is key to persuading your audience. Below are two common argumentative essay structures that you can use to organize your essays.

The Toulmin argument and the Rogerian argument each contain the four sections mentioned above but executes them in different ways. Be sure to familiarize yourself with both essay structures so that your essay is the most effective it can be.

The Toulmin argument has a straightforward presentation. You begin with your assertion, your thesis statement. You then list the evidence that supports your point and why these are valid sources. The bulk of your essay should be explaining how your sources support your claim. You then end your essay by acknowledging and discussing the problems or flaws that readers may find in your presentation. Then, you should list the solutions to these and alternative perspectives and prove your argument is stronger.

The Rogerian argument has a more complex structure. You begin with a discussion of what opposing sides do right and the validity of their arguments. This is effective because it allows you to piece apart your opponent’s argument. The next section contains your position on the questions. In this section, it is important to list problems with your opponent’s argument that your argument fixes. This way, your position feels much stronger. Your essay ends with suggesting a possible compromise between the two sides. A combination of the two sides could be the most effective solution.

Is the death penalty effective?
Is our election process fair?
Is the electoral college outdated?
Should we have lower taxes?
How many Supreme Court Justices should there be?
Should there be different term limits for elected officials?
Should the drinking age be lowered?
Does religion cause war?
Should the country legalize marijuana?
Should the country have tighter gun control laws?
Should men get paternity leave?
Should maternity leave be longer?
Should smoking be banned?
Should the government have a say in our diet?
Should birth control be free?
Should we increase access to condoms for teens?
Should abortion be legal?
Do school uniforms help educational attainment?
Are kids better or worse students than they were ten years ago?
Should students be allowed to cheat?
Is school too long?
Does school start too early?
Are there benefits to attending a single-sex school?
Is summer break still relevant?
Is college too expensive?

Art / Culture

How can you reform copyright law?
What was the best decade for music?
Do video games cause students to be more violent?
Should content online be more harshly regulated?
Should graffiti be considered art or vandalism?
Should schools ban books?
How important is art education?
Should music be taught in school?
Are music-sharing services helpful to artists?
What is the best way to teach science in a religious school?
Should fracking be legal?
Should parents be allowed to modify their unborn children?
Should vaccinations be required for attending school?
Are GMOs helpful or harmful?
Are we too dependent on our phones?
Should everyone have internet access?
Should internet access be free?
Should the police force be required to wear body cams?
Should social media companies be allowed to collect data from their users?
How has the internet impacted human society?
Should self-driving cars be allowed on the streets?
Should athletes be held to high moral standards?
Are professional athletes paid too much?
Should the U.S. have more professional sports teams?
Should sports be separated by gender?
Should college athletes be paid?
What are the best ways to increase safety in sports?

Where to Get More Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas

If you need more help brainstorming topics, especially those that are personalized to your interests, you can use CollegeVine’s free AI tutor, Ivy . Ivy can help you come up with original argumentative essay ideas, and she can also help with the rest of your homework, from math to languages.

130 New Prompts for Argumentative Writing

Questions on everything from mental health and sports to video games and dating. Which ones inspire you to take a stand?

By The Learning Network

Note: We have an updated version of this list, with 300 new argumentative writing prompts .

What issues do you care most about? What topics do you find yourself discussing passionately, whether online, at the dinner table, in the classroom or with your friends?

In Unit 5 of our free yearlong writing curriculum and related Student Editorial Contest , we invite students to research and write about the issues that matter to them, whether that’s Shakespeare , health care , standardized testing or being messy .

But with so many possibilities, where does one even begin? Try our student writing prompts.

In 2017, we compiled a list of 401 argumentative writing prompts , all drawn from our daily Student Opinion column . Now, we’re rounding up 130 more we’ve published since then ( available here as a PDF ). Each prompt links to a free Times article as well as additional subquestions that can help you think more deeply about it.

You might use this list to inspire your own writing and to find links to reliable resources about the issues that intrigue you. But even if you’re not participating in our contest, you can use these prompts to practice the kind of low-stakes writing that can help you hone your argumentation skills.

So scroll through the list below with questions on everything from sports and mental health to dating and video games and see which ones inspire you to take a stand.

Please note: Many of these prompts are still open to comment by students 13 and up.

Technology & Social Media

1. Do Memes Make the Internet a Better Place? 2. Does Online Public Shaming Prevent Us From Being Able to Grow and Change? 3. How Young Is Too Young to Use Social Media? 4. Should the Adults in Your Life Be Worried by How Much You Use Your Phone? 5. Is Your Phone Love Hurting Your Relationships? 6. Should Kids Be Social Media Influencers? 7. Does Grammar Still Matter in the Age of Twitter? 8. Should Texting While Driving Be Treated Like Drunken Driving? 9. How Do You Think Technology Affects Dating?

10. Are Straight A’s Always a Good Thing? 11. Should Schools Teach You How to Be Happy? 12. How Do You Think American Education Could Be Improved? 13. Should Schools Test Their Students for Nicotine and Drug Use? 14. Can Social Media Be a Tool for Learning and Growth in Schools? 15. Should Facial Recognition Technology Be Used in Schools? 16. Should Your School Day Start Later? 17. How Should Senior Year in High School Be Spent? 18. Should Teachers Be Armed With Guns? 19. Is School a Place for Self-Expression? 20. Should Students Be Punished for Not Having Lunch Money? 21. Is Live-Streaming Classrooms a Good Idea? 22. Should Gifted and Talented Education Be Eliminated? 23. What Are the Most Important Things Students Should Learn in School? 24. Should Schools Be Allowed to Censor Student Newspapers? 25. Do You Feel Your School and Teachers Welcome Both Conservative and Liberal Points of View? 26. Should Teachers and Professors Ban Student Use of Laptops in Class? 27. Should Schools Teach About Climate Change? 28. Should All Schools Offer Music Programs? 29. Does Your School Need More Money? 30. Should All Schools Teach Cursive? 31. What Role Should Textbooks Play in Education? 32. Do Kids Need Recess?

College & Career

33. What Is Your Reaction to the College Admissions Cheating Scandal? 34. Is the College Admissions Process Fair? 35. Should Everyone Go to College? 36. Should College Be Free? 37. Are Lavish Amenities on College Campuses Useful or Frivolous? 38. Should ‘Despised Dissenters’ Be Allowed to Speak on College Campuses? 39. How Should the Problem of Sexual Assault on Campuses Be Addressed? 40. Should Fraternities Be Abolished? 41. Is Student Debt Worth It?

Mental & Physical Health

42. Should Students Get Mental Health Days Off From School? 43. Is Struggle Essential to Happiness? 44. Does Every Country Need a ‘Loneliness Minister’? 45. Should Schools Teach Mindfulness? 46. Should All Children Be Vaccinated? 47. What Do You Think About Vegetarianism? 48. Do We Worry Too Much About Germs? 49. What Advice Should Parents and Counselors Give Teenagers About Sexting? 50. Do You Think Porn Influences the Way Teenagers Think About Sex?

Race & Gender

51. How Should Parents Teach Their Children About Race and Racism? 52. Is America ‘Backsliding’ on Race? 53. Should All Americans Receive Anti-Bias Education? 54. Should All Companies Require Anti-Bias Training for Employees? 55. Should Columbus Day Be Replaced With Indigenous Peoples Day? 56. Is Fear of ‘The Other’ Poisoning Public Life? 57. Should the Boy Scouts Be Coed? 58. What Is Hard About Being a Boy?

59. Can You Separate Art From the Artist? 60. Are There Subjects That Should Be Off-Limits to Artists, or to Certain Artists in Particular? 61. Should Art Come With Trigger Warnings? 62. Should Graffiti Be Protected? 63. Is the Digital Era Improving or Ruining the Experience of Art? 64. Are Museums Still Important in the Digital Age? 65. In the Age of Digital Streaming, Are Movie Theaters Still Relevant? 66. Is Hollywood Becoming More Diverse? 67. What Stereotypical Characters Make You Cringe? 68. Do We Need More Female Superheroes? 69. Do Video Games Deserve the Bad Rap They Often Get? 70. Should Musicians Be Allowed to Copy or Borrow From Other Artists? 71. Is Listening to a Book Just as Good as Reading It? 72. Is There Any Benefit to Reading Books You Hate?

73. Should Girls and Boys Sports Teams Compete in the Same League? 74. Should College Athletes Be Paid? 75. Are Youth Sports Too Competitive? 76. Is It Selfish to Pursue Risky Sports Like Extreme Mountain Climbing? 77. How Should We Punish Sports Cheaters? 78. Should Technology in Sports Be Limited? 79. Should Blowouts Be Allowed in Youth Sports? 80. Is It Offensive for Sports Teams and Their Fans to Use Native American Names, Imagery and Gestures?

81. Is It Wrong to Focus on Animal Welfare When Humans Are Suffering? 82. Should Extinct Animals Be Resurrected? If So, Which Ones? 83. Are Emotional-Support Animals a Scam? 84. Is Animal Testing Ever Justified? 85. Should We Be Concerned With Where We Get Our Pets? 86. Is This Exhibit Animal Cruelty or Art?

Parenting & Childhood

87. Who Should Decide Whether a Teenager Can Get a Tattoo or Piercing? 88. Is It Harder to Grow Up in the 21st Century Than It Was in the Past? 89. Should Parents Track Their Teenager’s Location? 90. Is Childhood Today Over-Supervised? 91. How Should Parents Talk to Their Children About Drugs? 92. What Should We Call Your Generation? 93. Do Other People Care Too Much About Your Post-High School Plans? 94. Do Parents Ever Cross a Line by Helping Too Much With Schoolwork? 95. What’s the Best Way to Discipline Children? 96. What Are Your Thoughts on ‘Snowplow Parents’? 97. Should Stay-at-Home Parents Be Paid? 98. When Do You Become an Adult?

Ethics & Morality

99. Why Do Bystanders Sometimes Fail to Help When They See Someone in Danger? 100. Is It Ethical to Create Genetically Edited Humans? 101. Should Reporters Ever Help the People They Are Covering? 102. Is It O.K. to Use Family Connections to Get a Job? 103. Is $1 Billion Too Much Money for Any One Person to Have? 104. Are We Being Bad Citizens If We Don’t Keep Up With the News? 105. Should Prisons Offer Incarcerated People Education Opportunities? 106. Should Law Enforcement Be Able to Use DNA Data From Genealogy Websites for Criminal Investigations? 107. Should We Treat Robots Like People?

Government & Politics

108. Does the United States Owe Reparations to the Descendants of Enslaved People? 109. Do You Think It Is Important for Teenagers to Participate in Political Activism? 110. Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? 111. What Should Lawmakers Do About Guns and Gun Violence? 112. Should Confederate Statues Be Removed or Remain in Place? 113. Does the U.S. Constitution Need an Equal Rights Amendment? 114. Should National Monuments Be Protected by the Government? 115. Should Free Speech Protections Include Self Expression That Discriminates? 116. How Important Is Freedom of the Press? 117. Should Ex-Felons Have the Right to Vote? 118. Should Marijuana Be Legal? 119. Should the United States Abolish Daylight Saving Time? 120. Should We Abolish the Death Penalty? 121. Should the U.S. Ban Military-Style Semiautomatic Weapons? 122. Should the U.S. Get Rid of the Electoral College? 123. What Do You Think of President Trump’s Use of Twitter? 124. Should Celebrities Weigh In on Politics? 125. Why Is It Important for People With Different Political Beliefs to Talk to Each Other?

WEEKLY WRITING PROMPTS

Join (probably?) the world's largest writing contest. Flex those creative muscles with weekly writing prompts.

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Heavenly bodies, set your story in a world where astrology and the movements of celestial bodies deeply impact the lives of inhabitants..

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People have gathered to witness a once-in-a-lifetime natural phenomenon, but what happens next is not what they expected.

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Imagine an origin myth that somebody might use to explain an eclipse, or some other celestial event.

Write a story in which a character navigates using the stars..

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Set your story during a total eclipse — either natural, or man-made.

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Begin or end your story with a character taking a selfie.

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Write a story about a character who wakes up in space., write a story from the point of view of a non-human character., write a story with a strong sense of place. how is the setting of your world the same as, but different to, our own, write a story imagining 'what if' one historic invention had never happened. how would our world be different now, start or end your story with a character who gets trapped inside a museum overnight., write about two characters who meet and/or fall in love in a museum., write about an art thief who is struggling to commit the perfect heist., write about someone who accidentally destroys a museum’s most valuable artifact., write about a gallery whose paintings come alive at night., win $250 in our short story competition 🏆.

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Creative Writing Prompts

When the idea to start a weekly newsletter with writing inspiration first came to us, we decided that we wanted to do more than provide people with topics to write about. We wanted to try and help authors form a regular writing habit and also give them a place to proudly display their work. So we started the weekly Creative Writing Prompts newsletter. Since then, Prompts has grown to a community of more than 450,000 authors, complete with its own literary magazine, Prompted .

Here's how our contest works: every Friday, we send out a newsletter containing five creative writing prompts. Each week, the story ideas center around a different theme. Authors then have one week — until the following Friday — to submit a short story based on one of our prompts. A winner is picked each week to win $250 and is highlighted on our Reedsy Prompts page.

Interested in participating in our short story contest? Sign up here for more information! Or you can check out our full Terms of Use and our FAQ page .

Why we love creative writing prompts

If you've ever sat in front of a computer or notebook and felt the urge to start creating worlds, characters, and storylines — all the while finding yourself unable to do so — then you've met the author's age-old foe: writer's block. There's nothing more frustrating than finding the time but not the words to be creative. Enter our directory! If you're ready to kick writer's block to the curb and finally get started on your short story or novel, these unique story ideas might just be your ticket.

This list of 1800+ creative writing prompts has been created by the Reedsy team to help you develop a rock-solid writing routine. As all aspiring authors know, this is the #1 challenge — and solution! — for reaching your literary goals. Feel free to filter through different genres, which include...

Dramatic — If you want to make people laugh and cry within the same story, this might be your genre.

Funny — Whether satire or slapstick, this is an opportunity to write with your funny bone.

Romance — One of the most popular commercial genres out there. Check out these story ideas out if you love writing about love.

Fantasy — The beauty of this genre is that the possibilities are as endless as your imagination.

Dystopian – Explore the shadowy side of human nature and contemporary technology in dark speculative fiction.

Mystery — From whodunnits to cozy mysteries, it's time to bring out your inner detective.

Thriller and Suspense — There's nothing like a page-turner that elicits a gasp of surprise at the end.

High School — Encourage teens to let their imaginations run free.

Want to submit your own story ideas to help inspire fellow writers? Send them to us here.

After you find the perfect story idea

Finding inspiration is just one piece of the puzzle. Next, you need to refine your craft skills — and then display them to the world. We've worked hard to create resources that help you do just that! Check them out:

How to Write a Short Story That Gets Published — a free, ten-day course by Laura Mae Isaacman, a full-time editor who runs a book editing company in Brooklyn.
Best Literary Magazines of 2023 — a directory of 100+ reputable magazines that accept unsolicited submissions.
Writing Contests in 2023 — the finest contests of 2021 for fiction and non-fiction authors of short stories, poetry, essays, and more.

Beyond creative writing prompts: how to build a writing routine

While writing prompts are a great tactic to spark your creative sessions, a writer generally needs a couple more tools in their toolbelt when it comes to developing a rock-solid writing routine . To that end, here are a few more additional tips for incorporating your craft into your everyday life.

NNWT. Or, as book coach Kevin Johns calls it , “Non-Negotiable Writing Time.” This time should be scheduled into your routine, whether that’s once a day or once a week. Treat it as a serious commitment, and don’t schedule anything else during your NNWT unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Set word count goals. And make them realistic! Don’t start out with lofty goals you’re unlikely to achieve. Give some thought to how many words you think you can write a week, and start there. If you find you’re hitting your weekly or daily goals easily, keep upping the stakes as your craft time becomes more ingrained in your routine.
Talk to friends and family about the project you’re working on. Doing so means that those close to you are likely to check in about the status of your piece — which in turn keeps you more accountable.

Arm yourself against writer’s block. Writer’s block will inevitably come, no matter how much story ideas initially inspire you. So it’s best to be prepared with tips and tricks you can use to keep yourself on track before the block hits. You can find 20 solid tips here — including how to establish a relationship with your inner critic and apps that can help you defeat procrastination or lack of motivation.

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Sharpen Your Writing Skills

Regardless of your job, rank, or industry, written communication is a skill that can set you apart from your peers. Here’s a three-step framework to help you level up as a writer—whether you’re writing an email, a formal document, a social post, or something else. First, determine the purpose of what you’re writing. What result […]

Source: This tip is adapted from “How to Take Your Business Writing From ‘Average’ to ‘Great,’” by Elizabeth Danziger

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The War at Stanford

I didn’t know that college would be a factory of unreason.

collage of stanford university architecture and students protesting

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ne of the section leaders for my computer-science class, Hamza El Boudali, believes that President Joe Biden should be killed. “I’m not calling for a civilian to do it, but I think a military should,” the 23-year-old Stanford University student told a small group of protesters last month. “I’d be happy if Biden was dead.” He thinks that Stanford is complicit in what he calls the genocide of Palestinians, and that Biden is not only complicit but responsible for it. “I’m not calling for a vigilante to do it,” he later clarified, “but I’m saying he is guilty of mass murder and should be treated in the same way that a terrorist with darker skin would be (and we all know terrorists with dark skin are typically bombed and drone striked by American planes).” El Boudali has also said that he believes that Hamas’s October 7 attack was a justifiable act of resistance, and that he would actually prefer Hamas rule America in place of its current government (though he clarified later that he “doesn’t mean Hamas is perfect”). When you ask him what his cause is, he answers: “Peace.”

I switched to a different computer-science section.

Israel is 7,500 miles away from Stanford’s campus, where I am a sophomore. But the Hamas invasion and the Israeli counterinvasion have fractured my university, a place typically less focused on geopolitics than on venture-capital funding for the latest dorm-based tech start-up. Few students would call for Biden’s head—I think—but many of the same young people who say they want peace in Gaza don’t seem to realize that they are in fact advocating for violence. Extremism has swept through classrooms and dorms, and it is becoming normal for students to be harassed and intimidated for their faith, heritage, or appearance—they have been called perpetrators of genocide for wearing kippahs, and accused of supporting terrorism for wearing keffiyehs. The extremism and anti-Semitism at Ivy League universities on the East Coast have attracted so much media and congressional attention that two Ivy presidents have lost their jobs. But few people seem to have noticed the culture war that has taken over our California campus.

For four months, two rival groups of protesters, separated by a narrow bike path, faced off on Stanford’s palm-covered grounds. The “Sit-In to Stop Genocide” encampment was erected by students in mid-October, even before Israeli troops had crossed into Gaza, to demand that the university divest from Israel and condemn its behavior. Posters were hung equating Hamas with Ukraine and Nelson Mandela. Across from the sit-in, a rival group of pro-Israel students eventually set up the “Blue and White Tent” to provide, as one activist put it, a “safe space” to “be a proud Jew on campus.” Soon it became the center of its own cluster of tents, with photos of Hamas’s victims sitting opposite the rubble-ridden images of Gaza and a long (and incomplete) list of the names of slain Palestinians displayed by the students at the sit-in.

Some days the dueling encampments would host only a few people each, but on a sunny weekday afternoon, there could be dozens. Most of the time, the groups tolerated each other. But not always. Students on both sides were reportedly spit on and yelled at, and had their belongings destroyed. (The perpetrators in many cases seemed to be adults who weren’t affiliated with Stanford, a security guard told me.) The university put in place round-the-clock security, but when something actually happened, no one quite knew what to do.

Conor Friedersdorf: How October 7 changed America’s free speech culture

Stanford has a policy barring overnight camping, but for months didn’t enforce it, “out of a desire to support the peaceful expression of free speech in the ways that students choose to exercise that expression”—and, the administration told alumni, because the university feared that confronting the students would only make the conflict worse. When the school finally said the tents had to go last month, enormous protests against the university administration, and against Israel, followed.

“We don’t want no two states! We want all of ’48!” students chanted, a slogan advocating that Israel be dismantled and replaced by a single Arab nation. Palestinian flags flew alongside bright “Welcome!” banners left over from new-student orientation. A young woman gave a speech that seemed to capture the sense of urgency and power that so many students here feel. “We are Stanford University!” she shouted. “We control things!”

“W e’ve had protests in the past,” Richard Saller, the university’s interim president, told me in November—about the environment, and apartheid, and Vietnam. But they didn’t pit “students against each other” the way that this conflict has.

I’ve spoken with Saller, a scholar of Roman history, a few times over the past six months in my capacity as a student journalist. We first met in September, a few weeks into his tenure. His predecessor, Marc Tessier-Lavigne, had resigned as president after my reporting for The Stanford Daily exposed misconduct in his academic research. (Tessier-Lavigne had failed to retract papers with faked data over the course of 20 years. In his resignation statement , he denied allegations of fraud and misconduct; a Stanford investigation determined that he had not personally manipulated data or ordered any manipulation but that he had repeatedly “failed to decisively and forthrightly correct mistakes” from his lab.)

In that first conversation, Saller told me that everyone was “eager to move on” from the Tessier-Lavigne scandal. He was cheerful and upbeat. He knew he wasn’t staying in the job long; he hadn’t even bothered to move into the recently vacated presidential manor. In any case, campus, at that time, was serene. Then, a week later, came October 7.

The attack was as clear a litmus test as one could imagine for the Middle East conflict. Hamas insurgents raided homes and a music festival with the goal of slaughtering as many civilians as possible. Some victims were raped and mutilated, several independent investigations found. Hundreds of hostages were taken into Gaza and many have been tortured.

This, of course, was bad. Saying this was bad does not negate or marginalize the abuses and suffering Palestinians have experienced in Gaza and elsewhere. Everyone, of every ideology, should be able to say that this was bad. But much of this campus failed that simple test.

Two days after the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, Stanford released milquetoast statements marking the “moment of intense emotion” and declaring “deep concern” over “the crisis in Israel and Palestine.” The official statements did not use the words Hamas or violence .

The absence of a clear institutional response led some teachers to take matters into their own hands. During a mandatory freshman seminar on October 10, a lecturer named Ameer Loggins tossed out his lesson plan to tell students that the actions of the Palestinian “military force” had been justified, that Israelis were colonizers, and that the Holocaust had been overemphasized, according to interviews I conducted with students in the class. Loggins then asked the Jewish students to identify themselves. He instructed one of them to “stand up, face the window, and he kind of kicked away his chair,” a witness told me. Loggins described this as an effort to demonstrate Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. (Loggins did not reply to a request for comment; a spokesperson for Stanford said that there were “different recollections of the details regarding what happened” in the class.)

“We’re only in our third week of college, and we’re afraid to be here,” three students in the class wrote in an email that night to administrators. “This isn’t what Stanford was supposed to be.” The class Loggins taught is called COLLEGE, short for “Civic, Liberal, and Global Education,” and it is billed as an effort to develop “the skills that empower and enable us to live together.”

Loggins was suspended from teaching duties and an investigation was opened; this angered pro-Palestine activists, who organized a petition that garnered more than 1,700 signatures contesting the suspension. A pamphlet from the petitioners argued that Loggins’s behavior had not been out of bounds.

The day after the class, Stanford put out a statement written by Saller and Jenny Martinez, the university provost, more forcefully condemning the Hamas attack. Immediately, this new statement generated backlash.

Pro-Palestine activists complained about it during an event held the same day, the first of several “teach-ins” about the conflict. Students gathered in one of Stanford’s dorms to “bear witness to the struggles of decolonization.” The grievances and pain shared by Palestinian students were real. They told of discrimination and violence, of frightened family members subjected to harsh conditions. But the most raucous reaction from the crowd was in response to a young woman who said, “You ask us, do we condemn Hamas? Fuck you!” She added that she was “so proud of my resistance.”

David Palumbo-Liu, a professor of comparative literature with a focus on postcolonial studies, also spoke at the teach-in, explaining to the crowd that “European settlers” had come to “replace” Palestine’s “native population.”

Palumbo-Liu is known as an intelligent and supportive professor, and is popular among students, who call him by his initials, DPL. I wanted to ask him about his involvement in the teach-in, so we met one day in a café a few hundred feet away from the tents. I asked if he could elaborate on what he’d said at the event about Palestine’s native population. He was happy to expand: This was “one of those discussions that could go on forever. Like, who is actually native? At what point does nativism lapse, right? Well, you haven’t been native for X number of years, so …” In the end, he said, “you have two people who both feel they have a claim to the land,” and “they have to live together. Both sides have to cede something.”

The struggle at Stanford, he told me, “is to find a way in which open discussions can be had that allow people to disagree.” It’s true that Stanford has utterly failed in its efforts to encourage productive dialogue. But I still found it hard to reconcile DPL’s words with his public statements on Israel, which he’d recently said on Facebook should be “the most hated nation in the world.” He also wrote: “When Zionists say they don’t feel ‘safe’ on campus, I’ve come to see that as they no longer feel immune to criticism of Israel.” He continued: “Well as the saying goes, get used to it.”

Z ionists, and indeed Jewish students of all political beliefs, have been given good reason to fear for their safety. They’ve been followed, harassed, and called derogatory racial epithets. At least one was told he was a “dirty Jew.” At least twice, mezuzahs have been ripped from students’ doors, and swastikas have been drawn in dorms. Arab and Muslim students also face alarming threats. The computer-science section leader, El Boudali, a pro-Palestine activist, told me he felt “safe personally,” but knew others who did not: “Some people have reported feeling like they’re followed, especially women who wear the hijab.”

In a remarkably short period of time, aggression and abuse have become commonplace, an accepted part of campus activism. In January, Jewish students organized an event dedicated to ameliorating anti-Semitism. It marked one of Saller’s first public appearances in the new year. Its topic seemed uncontroversial, and I thought it would generate little backlash.

Protests began before the panel discussion even started, with activists lining the stairs leading to the auditorium. During the event they drowned out the panelists, one of whom was Israel’s special envoy for combatting anti-Semitism, by demanding a cease-fire. After participants began cycling out into the dark, things got ugly.

Activists, their faces covered by keffiyehs or medical masks, confronted attendees. “Go back to Brooklyn!” a young woman shouted at Jewish students. One protester, who emerged as the leader of the group, said that she and her compatriots would “take all of your places and ensure Israel falls.” She told attendees to get “off our fucking campus” and launched into conspiracy theories about Jews being involved in “child trafficking.” As a rabbi tried to leave the event, protesters pursued him, chanting, “There is only one solution! Intifada revolution!”

At one point, some members of the group turned on a few Stanford employees, including another rabbi, an imam, and a chaplain, telling them, “We know your names and we know where you work.” The ringleader added: “And we’ll soon find out where you live.” The religious leaders formed a protective barrier in front of the Jewish students. The rabbi and the imam appeared to be crying.

scenes from student protest; row of tents at Stanford

S aller avoided the protest by leaving through another door. Early that morning, his private residence had been vandalized. Protesters frequently tell him he “can’t hide” and shout him down. “We charge you with genocide!” they chant, demanding that Stanford divest from Israel. (When asked whether Stanford actually invested in Israel, a spokesperson replied that, beyond small exposures from passive funds that track indexes such as the S&P 500, the university’s endowment “has no direct holdings in Israeli companies, or direct holdings in defense contractors.”)

When the university finally said the protest tents had to be removed, students responded by accusing Saller of suppressing their right to free speech. This is probably the last charge he expected to face. Saller once served as provost at the University of Chicago, which is known for holding itself to a position of strict institutional neutrality so that its students can freely explore ideas for themselves. Saller has a lifelong belief in First Amendment rights. But that conviction in impartial college governance does not align with Stanford’s behavior in recent years. Despite the fact that many students seemed largely uninterested in the headlines before this year, Stanford’s administrative leadership has often taken positions on political issues and events, such as the Paris climate conference and the murder of George Floyd. After Russia invaded Ukraine, Stanford’s Hoover Tower was lit up in blue and yellow, and the school released a statement in solidarity.

Thomas Chatterton Williams: Let the activists have their loathsome rallies

When we first met, a week before October 7, I asked Saller about this. Did Stanford have a moral duty to denounce the war in Ukraine, for example, or the ethnic cleansing of Uyghur Muslims in China? “On international political issues, no,” he said. “That’s not a responsibility for the university as a whole, as an institution.”

But when Saller tried to apply his convictions on neutrality for the first time as president, dozens of faculty members condemned the response, many pro-Israel alumni were outraged, donors had private discussions about pulling funding, and an Israeli university sent an open letter to Saller and Martinez saying, “Stanford’s administration has failed us.” The initial statement had tried to make clear that the school’s policy was not Israel-specific: It noted that the university would not take a position on the turmoil in Nagorno-Karabakh (where Armenians are undergoing ethnic cleansing) either. But the message didn’t get through.

Saller had to beat an awkward retreat or risk the exact sort of public humiliation that he, as caretaker president, had presumably been hired to avoid. He came up with a compromise that landed somewhere in the middle: an unequivocal condemnation of Hamas’s “intolerable atrocities” paired with a statement making clear that Stanford would commit to institutional neutrality going forward.

“The events in Israel and Gaza this week have affected and engaged large numbers of students on our campus in ways that many other events have not,” the statement read. “This is why we feel compelled to both address the impact of these events on our campus and to explain why our general policy of not issuing statements about news events not directly connected to campus has limited the breadth of our comments thus far, and why you should not expect frequent commentary from us in the future.”

I asked Saller why he had changed tack on Israel and not on Nagorno-Karabakh. “We don’t feel as if we should be making statements on every war crime and atrocity,” he told me. This felt like a statement in and of itself.

In making such decisions, Saller works closely with Martinez, Stanford’s provost. I happened to interview her, too, a few days before October 7, not long after she’d been appointed. When I asked about her hopes for the job, she said that a “priority is ensuring an environment in which free speech and academic freedom are preserved.”

We talked about the so-called Leonard Law—a provision unique to California that requires private universities to be governed by the same First Amendment protections as public ones. This restricts what Stanford can do in terms of penalizing speech, putting it in a stricter bind than Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, or any of the other elite private institutions that have more latitude to set the standards for their campus (whether or not they have done so).

So I was surprised when, in December, the university announced that abstract calls for genocide “clearly violate Stanford’s Fundamental Standard, the code of conduct for all students at the university.” The statement was a response to the outrage following the congressional testimony of three university presidents—outrage that eventually led to the resignation of two of them, Harvard’s Claudine Gay and Penn’s Liz Magill. Gay and Magill, who had both previously held positions at Stanford, did not commit to punishing calls for the genocide of Jews.

Experts told me that Stanford’s policy is impossible to enforce—and Saller himself acknowledged as much in our March interview.

“Liz Magill is a good friend,” Saller told me, adding, “Having watched what happened at Harvard and Penn, it seemed prudent” to publicly state that Stanford rejected calls for genocide. But saying that those calls violate the code of conduct “is not the same thing as to say that we could actually punish it.”

Stanford’s leaders seem to be trying their best while adapting to the situation in real time. But the muddled messaging has created a policy of neutrality that does not feel neutral at all.

When we met back in November, I tried to get Saller to open up about his experience running an institution in turmoil. What’s it like to know that so many students seem to believe that he—a mild-mannered 71-year-old classicist who swing-dances with his anthropologist wife—is a warmonger? Saller was more candid than I expected—perhaps more candid than any prominent university president has been yet. We sat in the same conference room as we had in September. The weather hadn’t really changed. Yet I felt like I was sitting in front of a different person. He was hunched over and looked exhausted, and his voice broke when he talked about the loss of life in Gaza and Israel and “the fact that we’re caught up in it.” A capable administrator with decades of experience, Saller seemed almost at a loss. “It’s been a kind of roller coaster, to be honest.”

He said he hadn’t anticipated the deluge of the emails “blaming me for lack of moral courage.” Anything the university says seems bound to be wrong: “If I say that our position is that we grieve over the loss of innocent lives, that in itself will draw some hostile reactions.”

“I find that really difficult to navigate,” he said with a sigh.

By March, it seemed that his views had solidified. He said he knew he was “a target,” but he was not going to be pushed into issuing any more statements. The continuing crisis seems to have granted him new insight. “I am certain that whatever I say will not have any material effect on the war in Gaza.” It’s hard to argue with that.

P eople tend to blame the campus wars on two villains: dithering administrators and radical student activists. But colleges have always had dithering administrators and radical student activists. To my mind, it’s the average students who have changed.

Elite universities attract a certain kind of student: the overachieving striver who has won all the right accolades for all the right activities. Is it such a surprise that the kids who are trained in the constant pursuit of perfect scores think they have to look at the world like a series of multiple-choice questions, with clearly right or wrong answers? Or that they think they can gamify a political cause in the same way they ace a standardized test?

Everyone knows that the only reliable way to get into a school like Stanford is to be really good at looking really good. Now that they’re here, students know that one easy way to keep looking good is to side with the majority of protesters, and condemn Israel.

It’s not that there isn’t real anger and anxiety over what is happening in Gaza—there is, and justifiably so. I know that among the protesters are many people who are deeply connected to this issue. But they are not the majority. What really activates the crowds now seems less a principled devotion to Palestine or to pacifism than a desire for collective action, to fit in by embracing the fashionable cause of the moment—as if a centuries-old conflict in which both sides have stolen and killed could ever be a simple matter of right and wrong. In their haste to exhibit moral righteousness, many of the least informed protesters end up being the loudest and most uncompromising.

Today’s students grew up in the Trump era, in which violent rhetoric has become a normal part of political discourse and activism is as easy as reposting an infographic. Many young people have come to feel that being angry is enough to foment change. Furious at the world’s injustices and desperate for a simple way to express that fury, they don’t seem interested in any form of engagement more nuanced than backing a pure protagonist and denouncing an evil enemy. They don’t, always, seem that concerned with the truth.

At the protest last month to prevent the removal of the sit-in, an activist in a pink Women’s March “pussy hat” shouted that no rape was committed by Hamas on October 7. “There hasn’t been proof of these rape accusations,” a student told me in a separate conversation, criticizing the Blue and White Tent for spreading what he considered to be misinformation about sexual violence. (In March, a United Nations report found “reasonable grounds to believe that conflict-related sexual violence,” including “rape and gang rape,” occurred in multiple locations on October 7, as well as “clear and convincing information” on the “rape and sexualized torture” of hostages.) “The level of propaganda” surrounding Hamas, he told me, “is just unbelievable.”

The real story at Stanford is not about the malicious actors who endorse sexual assault and murder as forms of resistance, but about those who passively enable them because they believe their side can do no wrong. You don’t have to understand what you’re arguing for in order to argue for it. You don’t have to be able to name the river or the sea under discussion to chant “From the river to the sea.” This kind of obliviousness explains how one of my friends, a gay activist, can justify Hamas’s actions, even though it would have the two of us—an outspoken queer person and a Jewish reporter—killed in a heartbeat. A similar mentality can exist on the other side: I have heard students insist on the absolute righteousness of Israel yet seem uninterested in learning anything about what life is like in Gaza.

I’m familiar with the pull of achievement culture—after all, I’m a product of the same system. I fell in love with Stanford as a 7-year-old, lying on the floor of an East Coast library and picturing all the cool technology those West Coast geniuses were dreaming up. I cried when I was accepted; I spent the next few months scrolling through the course catalog, giddy with anticipation. I wanted to learn everything.

I learned more than I expected. Within my first week here, someone asked me: “Why are all Jews so rich?” In 2016, when Stanford’s undergraduate senate had debated a resolution against anti-Semitism, one of its members argued that the idea of “Jews controlling the media, economy, government, and other societal institutions” represented “a very valid discussion.” (He apologized, and the resolution passed.) In my dorm last year, a student discussed being Jewish and awoke the next day to swastikas and a portrait of Hitler affixed to his door.

David Frum: There is no right to bully and harass

I grew up secularly, with no strong affiliation to Jewish culture. When I found out as a teenager that some of my ancestors had hidden their identity from their children and that dozens of my relatives had died in the Holocaust (something no living member of my family had known), I felt the barest tremor of identity. After I saw so many people I know cheering after October 7, I felt something stronger stir. I know others have experienced something similar. Even a professor texted me to say that she felt Jewish in a way she never had before.

But my frustration with the conflict on campus has little to do with my own identity. Across the many conversations and hours of formal interviews I conducted for this article, I’ve encountered a persistent anti-intellectual streak. I’ve watched many of my classmates treat death so cavalierly that they can protest as a pregame to a party. Indeed, two parties at Stanford were reported to the university this fall for allegedly making people say “Fuck Israel” or “Free Palestine” to get in the door. A spokesperson for the university said it was “unable to confirm the facts of what occurred,” but that it had “met with students involved in both parties to make clear that Stanford’s nondiscrimination policy applies to parties.” As a friend emailed me not long ago: “A place that was supposed to be a sanctuary from such unreason has become a factory for it.”

Readers may be tempted to discount the conduct displayed at Stanford. After all, the thinking goes, these are privileged kids doing what they always do: embracing faux-radicalism in college before taking jobs in fintech or consulting. These students, some might say, aren’t representative of America.

And yet they are representative of something: of the conduct many of the most accomplished students in my generation have accepted as tolerable, and what that means for the future of our country. I admire activism. We need people willing to protest what they see as wrong and take on entrenched systems of repression. But we also need to read, learn, discuss, accept the existence of nuance, embrace diversity of thought, and hold our own allies to high standards. More than ever, we need universities to teach young people how to do all of this.

F or so long , Stanford’s physical standoff seemed intractable. Then, in early February, a storm swept in, and the natural world dictated its own conclusion.

Heavy rains flooded campus. For hours, the students battled to save their tents. The sit-in activists used sandbags and anything else they could find to hold back the water—at one point, David Palumbo-Liu, the professor, told me he stood in the lashing downpour to anchor one of the sit-in’s tents with his own body. When the storm hit, many of the Jewish activists had been attending a discussion on anti-Semitism. They raced back and struggled to salvage the Blue and White Tent, but it was too late—the wind had ripped it out of the ground.

The next day, the weary Jewish protesters returned to discover that their space had been taken.

A new collection of tents had been set up by El Boudali, the pro-Palestine activist, and a dozen friends. He said they were there to protest Islamophobia and to teach about Islam and jihad, and that they were a separate entity from the Sit-In to Stop Genocide, though I observed students cycling between the tents. Palestinian flags now flew from the bookstore to the quad.

Administrators told me they’d quickly informed El Boudali and his allies that the space had been reserved by the Jewish advocates, and offered to help move them to a different location. But the protesters told me they had no intention of going. (El Boudali later said that they did not take over the entire space, and would have been “happy to exist side by side, but they wanted to kick us off entirely from that lawn.”)

When it was clear that the area where they’d set up their tents would not be ceded back to the pro-Israel group willingly, Stanford changed course and decided to clear everyone out in one fell swoop. On February 8, school officials ordered all students to vacate the plaza overnight. The university was finally going to enforce its rule prohibiting people from sleeping outside on campus and requiring the removal of belongings from the plaza between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. The order cited the danger posed by the storm as a justification for changing course and, probably hoping to avoid allegations of bias, described the decision as “viewpoint-neutral.”

That didn’t work.

About a week of protests, led by the sit-in organizers, followed. Chants were chanted. More demands for a “river to the sea” solution to the Israel problem were made. A friend boasted to me about her willingness to be arrested. Stanford sent a handful of staff members, who stood near balloons left over from an event earlier in the day. They were there, one of them told me, to “make students feel supported and safe.”

In the end, Saller and Martinez agreed to talk with the leaders of the sit-in about their demands to divest the university and condemn Israel, under the proviso that the activists comply with Stanford’s anti-camping guidelines “regardless of the outcome of discussions.” Eight days after they were first instructed to leave, 120 days after setting up camp, the sit-in protesters slept in their own beds. In defiance of the university’s instructions, they left behind their tents. But sometime in the very early hours of the morning, law-enforcement officers confiscated the structures. The area was cordoned off without any violence and the plaza filled once more with electric skateboards and farmers’ markets.

The conflict continues in its own way. Saller was just shouted down by protesters chanting “No peace on stolen land” at a Family Weekend event, and protesters later displayed an effigy of him covered in blood. Students still feel tense; Saller still seems worried. He told me that the university is planning to change all manner of things—residential-assistant training, new-student orientation, even the acceptance letters that students receive—in hopes of fostering a culture of greater tolerance. But no campus edict or panel discussion can address a problem that is so much bigger than our university.

At one rally last fall, a speaker expressed disillusionment about the power of “peaceful resistance” on college campuses. “What is there left to do but to take up arms?” The crowd cheered as he said Israel must be destroyed. But what would happen to its citizens? I’d prefer to believe that most protesters chanting “Palestine is Arab” and shouting that we must “smash the Zionist settler state” don’t actually think Jews should be killed en masse. But can one truly be so ignorant as to advocate widespread violence in the name of peace?

When the world is rendered in black-and-white—portrayed as a simple fight between colonizer and colonized—the answer is yes. Solutions, by this logic, are absolute: Israel or Palestine, nothing in between. Either you support liberation of the oppressed or you support genocide. Either Stanford is all good or all bad; all in favor of free speech or all authoritarian; all anti-Semitic or all Islamophobic.

At January’s anti-anti-Semitism event, I watched an exchange between a Jewish attendee and a protester from a few feet away. “Are you pro-Palestine?” the protester asked.

“Yes,” the attendee responded, and he went on to describe his disgust with the human-rights abuses Palestinians have faced for years.

“But are you a Zionist?”

“Then we are enemies.”

What does it take to write well? Author Steve…

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Subscriber only, what does it take to write well author steve almond has a few ideas., in this excerpt from his new book on the craft of writing, the author says to embrace doubt.

“We live with mystery,” the poet Mark Strand notes, “but we don’t like the feeling. I think we should get used to it.”

I never met Strand, though I saw him read back in 1999. That was the year I spent making deliriously bad poetry. I didn’t realize how bad it was at the time. I only knew that prose had become an insufficient vehicle for my genius; this was why my short stories kept getting rejected.

I was depressed and lonely, scrambling between adjunct teaching gigs driving a pale green Tercel with a rusted undercarriage that would eventually shed a wheel in traffic. Every Thursday, I drove to a hipster bar and abused the open mic. I haunted local readings, vibrating with angst and stabbing insights onto a napkin because I couldn’t be bothered to buy a notebook.

That was when I was feeling ambitious. Mostly, I got stoned and watched movies at the second-run theater in Davis Square. I’d coat my arteries in Milk Duds, then walk outside into the silence of who I was.

How wretched was my poetry, really?

Owed to Water

It is said the ocean forgets everything

forgets the lash of lightning and the stones

it grinds to sand and the planks it swallows

without joy or renunciation

I wasn’t ready to write about what was actually happening in my life. So I ravaged Roget’s Thesaurus and bound the resulting dreck into a manuscript titled, unpretentiously, “Seven Essential Dreams.”

My dad suggested therapy. I hated him for it, then went to see a psychiatrist who reminded me, a little, of my mother (also a psychiatrist) and who informed me, after our first session, that she didn’t have room for me in her schedule. I staggered onto the sidewalk and burst into tears. As if in a dream, or a bad poem, one of my students appeared. We both had to pretend it wasn’t happening, that she would not now race back to campus to inform the rest of the class.

Around this time, my mother flew to Boston for a series of interviews that represented the final exam of her psychoanalytic training. At dinner one night, I mentioned that I’d been writing poetry. “I once dated a poet,” she murmured. “A million years ago, at Antioch. Do you know Mark Strand?”

“Mark Strand,” I said. “Oh my God! Are you serious? I just saw him read.” And so on.

I had long since renounced the practice of showing her my pain. For years, I’d been playing the role of her charming youngest son, the one trying to be a writer across the country. But having her in town, right across the table, awakened an ancient desperation. I wanted her to comfort me. My brain has spared me a reliable memory of that meal. I remember only that I started to cry.

“I’m sorry you’re struggling, Stevie,” she said. “But I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

I hate telling you this. I hate that it happened. My mother was the person I loved most in the world. She was the person whose devotion to literature had become my own. She was also tired of caring for needy, self-absorbed men. The point isn’t that she was a bad mom. The point is that we had no idea, in that particular moment of torment, how to reach each other. We were lost in private orbits of doubt.

That’s my central feeling when I begin writing: doubt. I haven’t quite worked out what the story is about. I have, at most, a few stray associations, a fragment of dialogue, the faint outlines of a plot.

Even as I learn more about my characters, as their dreams and fears begin to coalesce, I often conceal this data from the reader because I experience this withholding as a form of authority.

A reader mired in doubt, after all, is in no position to judge me.

There are, of course, other reasons that I foist doubt upon the reader. I forget that the reader isn’t me, doesn’t have access to my memories, hasn’t been along for the journey of discovery. I’m wary of the pain I might encounter and concerned about exposing my private tribulations, or those of my beloveds. Whatever the reasons, the result is the same: I mire the reader in my confusion, rather than that of my characters.

I’m not the only one making this category error. As the fiction editor of a literary magazine, I rejected 90 percent of our submissions for the simple reason that they were needlessly confusing.

To be clear: the stories we tell (if they are honest) should be full of doubt. We, as a species, are full of doubt. In fact, our deepest stories arise from our bewilderment. They represent a productive engagement with that bewilderment — a creative struggle to understand and make meaning from our destructive impulses, our disappointments and delusions, our unresolved traumas, the vaults of mayhem we calmly drag around.

In ninth grade, my English teacher, a brilliant ham by the name of Jim Farrell, read us the first chapter of “The Catcher in the Rye.” I was hypnotized by the voice of Holden Caulfield, at once sly and bereft.

Mostly, I loved how honest Holden was about his own confusion. He wasn’t on some epic quest to process his nervous breakdown. He was simply having it, on the page, hurtling through his lost weekend in New York City, offending the phonies, fretting over the ducks in Central Park, sobbing before his little sister.

To write so openly about doubt struck me as a revolutionary act. I had spent years hiding my own, mistaking uncertainty for weakness.

We’re all the same way. We present to the world a version of ourselves brimming with assurance, free of anguish, in control. We know it’s a lie, but we see everyone else participating in that lie; the result is a vast and insoluble loneliness.

As writers, we have to allow our characters to stumble, to fail, to wander off the trail and into bewilderment. We have to stop regarding our own misspent years as personal failures.

Yes, we were drinking too much, ruining friendships, hurling our bodies before our hearts. Yes, we were unable to get out of bed. Yes, we got fired, got dumped, got arrested, got hospitalized. Yes, we needed help. But we were also, in the midst of all that, deeply alive. Pathetic as we might have seemed from the outside, we were working to change, to grow, to forgive.

I see that now: all the work I was doing during my year of bad poetry. I was sad and isolated and creatively confused. But I wrote every day.

Years later, I would convert some of my bad poems into extremely short stories, which they had been, all along. Hiding behind even the worst of my poems was a true story I wasn’t ready to tell yet, usually a story about how confused I was, how ashamed, how lost.

We always turn away from unbearable feelings. We want to feel sure of ourselves. We want to skip the part of the story where the hero falls apart. But that’s the story the reader wants to hear, the one only another human being in pain can tell them.

Excerpt from “Truth is the Arrow, Mercy is the Bow: A DIY Manual for the Construction of Stories,” by Steve Almond. Copyright @2024 by Steven Almond. Used by permission of Zando, zandoprojects.com. All rights reserved.

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GRANT WRITING PROGRAM AUTUMN 2024

Grant writing.

The next opportunity for the grant writing course is scheduled to begin on September 11, 2024. It is a 12-week Grant Writing Program tailored for junior faculty in the upcoming fall semester. Similar to previous iterations, the aim is to enroll precisely 16 participants, primarily targeting junior faculty or postdocs. Upon completion of this 12-week course, participants are expected to have drafted a comprehensive grant proposal ready for submission to a funding organization. The course will cover both investigator-initiated grants (resembling R-type grants to NIH) and career-development grants (similar to K-type grants).

Cost: $3,300 per enrollee (A limited number of matching funds will be available from ITHS)

Application Requirements:

A paragraph listing the objectives of the grant
An LOI from your mentor to two efforts of work this fall
Selected applicants will be interviewed

Application Deadline: June 1, 2024

Program Dates: Sept. 11, 2024 -Nov. 27, 2024

For more information on application submission, please email [email protected]

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Warner Bros. is heading back into The Matrix , and this time Drew Goddard is leading the charge.

Goddard, the fan-favorite writer-director whose credits include The Martian, The Cabin in the Woods and World War Z, has been tapped to write and direct a new Matrix feature for the studio, Warners announced Wednesday.

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Other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about writing an essay, an appeal to the senses: the development of the braille system in nineteenth-century france.

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

Lack of access to reading and writing put blind people at a serious disadvantage in nineteenth-century society. Text was one of the primary methods through which people engaged with culture, communicated with others, and accessed information; without a well-developed reading system that did not rely on sight, blind people were excluded from social participation (Weygand, 2009). While disabled people in general suffered from discrimination, blindness was widely viewed as the worst disability, and it was commonly believed that blind people were incapable of pursuing a profession or improving themselves through culture (Weygand, 2009). This demonstrates the importance of reading and writing to social status at the time: without access to text, it was considered impossible to fully participate in society. Blind people were excluded from the sighted world, but also entirely dependent on sighted people for information and education.

In France, debates about how to deal with disability led to the adoption of different strategies over time. While people with temporary difficulties were able to access public welfare, the most common response to people with long-term disabilities, such as hearing or vision loss, was to group them together in institutions (Tombs, 1996). At first, a joint institute for the blind and deaf was created, and although the partnership was motivated more by financial considerations than by the well-being of the residents, the institute aimed to help people develop skills valuable to society (Weygand, 2009). Eventually blind institutions were separated from deaf institutions, and the focus shifted towards education of the blind, as was the case for the Royal Institute for Blind Youth, which Louis Braille attended (Jimenez et al, 2009). The growing acknowledgement of the uniqueness of different disabilities led to more targeted education strategies, fostering an environment in which the benefits of a specifically blind education could be more widely recognized.

Several different systems of tactile reading can be seen as forerunners to the method Louis Braille developed, but these systems were all developed based on the sighted system. The Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris taught the students to read embossed roman letters, a method created by the school’s founder, Valentin Hauy (Jimenez et al., 2009). Reading this way proved to be a rather arduous task, as the letters were difficult to distinguish by touch. The embossed letter method was based on the reading system of sighted people, with minimal adaptation for those with vision loss. As a result, this method did not gain significant success among blind students.

Louis Braille was bound to be influenced by his school’s founder, but the most influential pre-Braille tactile reading system was Charles Barbier’s night writing. A soldier in Napoleon’s army, Barbier developed a system in 1819 that used 12 dots with a five line musical staff (Kersten, 1997). His intention was to develop a system that would allow the military to communicate at night without the need for light (Herron, 2009). The code developed by Barbier was phonetic (Jimenez et al., 2009); in other words, the code was designed for sighted people and was based on the sounds of words, not on an actual alphabet. Barbier discovered that variants of raised dots within a square were the easiest method of reading by touch (Jimenez et al., 2009). This system proved effective for the transmission of short messages between military personnel, but the symbols were too large for the fingertip, greatly reducing the speed at which a message could be read (Herron, 2009). For this reason, it was unsuitable for daily use and was not widely adopted in the blind community.

Nevertheless, Barbier’s military dot system was more efficient than Hauy’s embossed letters, and it provided the framework within which Louis Braille developed his method. Barbier’s system, with its dashes and dots, could form over 4000 combinations (Jimenez et al., 2009). Compared to the 26 letters of the Latin alphabet, this was an absurdly high number. Braille kept the raised dot form, but developed a more manageable system that would reflect the sighted alphabet. He replaced Barbier’s dashes and dots with just six dots in a rectangular configuration (Jimenez et al., 2009). The result was that the blind population in France had a tactile reading system using dots (like Barbier’s) that was based on the structure of the sighted alphabet (like Hauy’s); crucially, this system was the first developed specifically for the purposes of the blind.

While the Braille system gained immediate popularity with the blind students at the Institute in Paris, it had to gain acceptance among the sighted before its adoption throughout France. This support was necessary because sighted teachers and leaders had ultimate control over the propagation of Braille resources. Many of the teachers at the Royal Institute for Blind Youth resisted learning Braille’s system because they found the tactile method of reading difficult to learn (Bullock & Galst, 2009). This resistance was symptomatic of the prevalent attitude that the blind population had to adapt to the sighted world rather than develop their own tools and methods. Over time, however, with the increasing impetus to make social contribution possible for all, teachers began to appreciate the usefulness of Braille’s system (Bullock & Galst, 2009), realizing that access to reading could help improve the productivity and integration of people with vision loss. It took approximately 30 years, but the French government eventually approved the Braille system, and it was established throughout the country (Bullock & Galst, 2009).

Although Blind people remained marginalized throughout the nineteenth century, the Braille system granted them growing opportunities for social participation. Most obviously, Braille allowed people with vision loss to read the same alphabet used by sighted people (Bullock & Galst, 2009), allowing them to participate in certain cultural experiences previously unavailable to them. Written works, such as books and poetry, had previously been inaccessible to the blind population without the aid of a reader, limiting their autonomy. As books began to be distributed in Braille, this barrier was reduced, enabling people with vision loss to access information autonomously. The closing of the gap between the abilities of blind and the sighted contributed to a gradual shift in blind people’s status, lessening the cultural perception of the blind as essentially different and facilitating greater social integration.

The Braille system also had important cultural effects beyond the sphere of written culture. Its invention later led to the development of a music notation system for the blind, although Louis Braille did not develop this system himself (Jimenez, et al., 2009). This development helped remove a cultural obstacle that had been introduced by the popularization of written musical notation in the early 1500s. While music had previously been an arena in which the blind could participate on equal footing, the transition from memory-based performance to notation-based performance meant that blind musicians were no longer able to compete with sighted musicians (Kersten, 1997). As a result, a tactile musical notation system became necessary for professional equality between blind and sighted musicians (Kersten, 1997).

Braille paved the way for dramatic cultural changes in the way blind people were treated and the opportunities available to them. Louis Braille’s innovation was to reimagine existing reading systems from a blind perspective, and the success of this invention required sighted teachers to adapt to their students’ reality instead of the other way around. In this sense, Braille helped drive broader social changes in the status of blindness. New accessibility tools provide practical advantages to those who need them, but they can also change the perspectives and attitudes of those who do not.

Bullock, J. D., & Galst, J. M. (2009). The Story of Louis Braille. Archives of Ophthalmology , 127(11), 1532. https://doi.org/10.1001/archophthalmol.2009.286.

Herron, M. (2009, May 6). Blind visionary. Retrieved from https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2009/05/blind-visionary/.

Jiménez, J., Olea, J., Torres, J., Alonso, I., Harder, D., & Fischer, K. (2009). Biography of Louis Braille and Invention of the Braille Alphabet. Survey of Ophthalmology , 54(1), 142–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.survophthal.2008.10.006.

Kersten, F.G. (1997). The history and development of Braille music methodology. The Bulletin of Historical Research in Music Education , 18(2). Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/40214926.

Mellor, C.M. (2006). Louis Braille: A touch of genius . Boston: National Braille Press.

Tombs, R. (1996). France: 1814-1914 . London: Pearson Education Ltd.

Weygand, Z. (2009). The blind in French society from the Middle Ages to the century of Louis Braille . Stanford: Stanford University Press.

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An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates.

In high school, you may have to write many different types of essays to develop your writing skills.

Academic essays at college level are usually argumentative : you develop a clear thesis about your topic and make a case for your position using evidence, analysis and interpretation.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

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Bryson, S. (2023, July 23). Example of a Great Essay | Explanations, Tips & Tricks. Scribbr. Retrieved April 2, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/example-essay-structure/

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AI writing, illustration emits hundreds of times less carbon than humans, study finds

While energy use is much lower, tech should not replace humans, authors argue.

With the evolution of artificial intelligence comes discussion of the technology's environmental impact. A new study has found that for the tasks of writing and illustrating, AI emits hundreds of times less carbon than humans performing the same tasks. That does not mean, however, that AI can or should replace human writers and illustrators, the study's authors argue.

Andrew Torrance, Paul E. Wilson Distinguished Professor of Law at KU, is co-author of a study that compared established systems such as ChatGPT, Bloom AI, DALL-E2 and others completing writing and illustrating to that of humans.

Like cryptocurrency, AI has been subject to debate about the amount of energy it uses and its contributions to climate change. Human emissions and environmental impact have long been studied, but comparisons between the two have been scant. The authors conducted a comparison and found that AI systems emit between 130 and 1,500 times less CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) per page of text generated than human writers and illustration systems between 310 and 2,900 times less CO2e per image than humans.

"I like to think of myself as driven by data, not just what I feel is true. We've had discussions about something that appears to be true in terms of AI emissions, but we wanted to look at the data and see if it truly is more efficient," Torrance said. "When we did it, the results were kind of astonishing. Even by conservative estimates, AI is extremely less wasteful."

The study, co-written with Bill Tomlinson, Rebecca Black and Donald Patterson of the University of California-Irvine, was published in the journal Nature .

To calculate the carbon footprint of a person writing, the researchers consulted the Energy Budget, a measure that considers the amount of energy used in certain tasks for a set period of time. For example, it is well established how much energy a computer with word processing software uses per hour. When multiplied by the average time it takes a person to write a page of text, on average, 250 words, an estimate can be arrived at. Using the same amount of energy used by the CPUs that operate AI such as ChatGPT, which can produce text much faster, produces an estimate for AI.

Researchers also considered per capita emissions of individuals in the United States and India. Residents of the former have approximate annual emissions of 15 metric tons CO2e per year, while the latter is an average of 1.9 metric tons. The two nations were chosen as they have the highest and lowest respective per capita environmental impact of countries with population higher than 300 million, and to provide a look at different levels of emissions in different parts of the world in comparison to AI.

Results showed that Bloom is 1,400 times less impactful than a U.S. resident writing a page of text and 180 times less impactful than a resident of India.

In terms of illustration, results showed that DALL-E2 emits approximately 2,500 times less CO2e than a human artist and 310 times less than an India-based artist. Figures for Midjourney were 2,900 times less for the former and 370 times less for the latter.

As technologies improve and societies evolve, those figures are almost certain to change as well, Torrance said.

The authors wrote that carbon emissions are only one factor to consider when comparing AI production to human output. As the technologies exist now, they are often not capable of producing the quality of writing or art that a human can. As they improve, they hold the potential to both eliminate existing jobs and create new ones. Loss of employment has potential for substantial economic, societal and other forms of destabilization. For those and other reasons, the authors wrote, the best path forward is likely a collaboration between AI and human efforts, or a system in which people can use AI to be more efficient in their work and retain control of final products.

Legal issues such as the use of copyrighted material in training sets for AI must be considered, the authors wrote, as does the potential for an increase in artificially produced material to result in an increase in the energy it uses and resulting emissions. Collaboration between the two is the most beneficial use of both AI and human labor, the authors wrote.

"We don't say AI is inherently good or that it is empirically better, just that when we looked at it in these instances, it was less energy consumptive," Torrance said.

The research was conducted to improve understanding of AI and its environmental impact and to address the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals of ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns and taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts, the researchers wrote.

For their part, the authors have begun to use AI as an aid in producing drafts for some of their writing, but they also agree on the necessity of carefully editing, and adding to, such drafts manually.

"This is not a curse, it's a boon," Torrance said of AI. "I think this will help make good writers great, mediocre writers good and democratize writing. It can make people more productive and can be an empowerment of human potential. I'm hugely optimistic that technology is getting better in most respects and lightening the effects we have on the Earth. We hope this is just the beginning and that people continue to dig into this issue further."

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Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Kansas . Original written by Mike Krings. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

Bill Tomlinson, Rebecca W. Black, Donald J. Patterson, Andrew W. Torrance. The carbon emissions of writing and illustrating are lower for AI than for humans . Scientific Reports , 2024; 14 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54271-x

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