Blog>
200+ Original Argumentative Essay Topics in 2025
200+ Original Argumentative Essay Topics in 2025
Explore the top 2025 argumentative essay topics, carefully sorted by subject, difficulty level, and originality for easier student access.
Apr 17, 2025
Academic Writing
10 min read
Table of contents
What signs show that the society has become authoritarian? Should AI developers be allowed to apply user-generated data for model training? Are we on the brink of a worldwide systemic collapse?
These topics dominate discussions on social media, in everyday conversations, and in public places like supermarkets and subways. To choose strong argumentative essay topics, listen closely, or simply rely on our prepared list.
In this article, StudyAgent has collected and sorted the most up-to-date 2025 topics by different categories that spark genuine debates.
Characteristics of Good Argumentative Essay Topics
A good argumentative essay is a text that logically, coherently, and smoothly presents opposing viewpoints.
Therefore, good topics for an argumentative essay must deliver this ambiguous take. They should be controversial enough to spark a debate yet data-proven enough to stay reasonable.
What Makes a Good Argumentative Essay?
- Ambiguity: A good argumentative topic must have strong contradictory arguments holding the critique of the other perspective.
- A good articulation: A good topic should be formed well, meaning that the question itself hints at some argumentative points.
- Context consideration: A good argumentative topic acknowledges existing laws, regulations, and norms around the topic and avoids questioning already well-established grounds.
Good Topics Checklist
So, to make the picking process easier before you start with lists, let’s cover a quick “good argumentative topics checklist”:
- The topic presents a clear issue with two or more opposing viewpoints.
- The topic isn’t too broad and can be reasonably covered within your essay.
- There’s enough credible data or expert opinion to support multiple perspectives.
- The topic ties into current trends, events, or discussions from the past 1–2 years.
- It’s not black-and-white — you can explore grey areas and complex arguments.
Learn more: How to write an essay?
The List of the Best Argumentative Essay Topics Sorted by Complexity
Below, you will find the best argumentative essay topics sorted by complexity classification.
Argumentative Essay Topics for High School Students
- Should schools encourage artistic expression over academic performance?
- Should cities create more parks instead of new buildings?
- Should teenagers learn more practical skills than theoretical subjects?
- Should AI tools like ChatGPT be allowed in student writing assignments?
- Is standardized testing still a valid measure of student intelligence?
- Should schools eliminate letter grades in favor of narrative feedback?
- Is social media doing more harm than good for teenagers’ mental health?
- Should students be paid for good grades or academic achievements?
- Is it ethical for schools to use facial recognition or surveillance technologies?
- Can influencer culture replace traditional career aspirations for teens?
Easy Argumentative Essay Topics for Students (Year 1-2)
- Should schools limit screen time during class, even for educational purposes?
- Is learning a second language more important than learning advanced math?
- Should junk food be banned from school cafeterias?
- Can group projects be a fair way to grade students individually?
- Should social media platforms be required to verify users’ real age?
- Is it ethical to use animals in scientific experiments for medicine?
- Should schools allow students to grade their teachers?
- Can AI tools like chatbots help students learn, or do they make studying too easy?
- Should students be allowed to choose some of their own subjects in school?
- Is virtual reality a good tool for education, or just a distraction?
Advanced Argumentative Essay Topics for Students (Year 3-4)
- Should AI surveillance systems be allowed in public spaces for national security?
- Is it ethical to replace human workers with robots in industries like elder care and education?
- Should space exploration be prioritized over solving Earth’s climate crisis?
- Can blockchain technology solve issues of voter fraud and election transparency?
- Should students have the legal right to own and monetize their digital data profiles?
- Is predictive policing based on AI a violation of civil liberties?
- Should biometric data (e.g., fingerprints, face scans) be protected as strictly as medical records?
- Can environmental destruction be considered a form of human rights abuse?
- Should scientific journals be made fully open-access to remove paywall barriers?
- Is universal basic income a sustainable response to automation and job loss?
Argumentative Research Paper Topics (Magister Degree)
- Should central banks adopt digital currencies to ensure financial inclusion and economic transparency?
- Do global ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) metrics genuinely drive sustainable corporate behavior or serve as greenwashing tools?
- Should algorithmic transparency be legally mandated in public-sector AI decision-making systems?
- Are international patent laws inhibiting equitable access to life-saving medications in low-income countries?
- Does the growing gig economy require a new legal category of worker beyond “employee” and “contractor”?
- Can urban green infrastructure investments be a measurable driver of public health outcomes?
- Should governments subsidize ethical AI research to compete with commercial AI development?
- Are global rankings of higher education institutions reinforcing academic colonialism?
- Should digital platforms be held liable for algorithm-induced polarization in democratic societies?
- Can restorative justice models replace incarceration for non-violent offenses in modern legal systems?
Find more research paper topics.
Do you feel like you won’t be able to write a good essay even though the topic is nice? That’s why an AI writer exists. It’s pre-trained on academic-style texts. It is an AI that actually caters to academic genre specifics.
The List of the Best Argumentative Essay Topics Sorted by Uniqueness
In this compilation, you will find one more classification to pick a truly unique and inspiring topic.
Strong Argumentative Essay Topics
- Should governments implement universal basic income?
- Can nuclear energy be a sustainable solution?
- Is climate change primarily driven by human activities or global planetary changes?
- Is the implementation of a four-day workweek beneficial for employee productivity?
- Is the gig economy creating more job opportunities or promoting job insecurity?
- Are gender norms biological or social constructs?
- Do modern generations face more challenges or possibilities than people of the 20th century?
- Should prisons allow convicts access to comfort?
- Should people know about presidential programs in detail to be allowed to vote?
- Should museums and theaters still exist as they are now in the digital age?
Interesting Argumentative Essay Topics
- Should remote work become the new standard post-pandemic?
- Is the rise of e-sports transforming traditional sports culture?
- Should influencer marketing be regulated to protect consumers?
- Are plant-based diets beneficial for the environment?
- Should telemedicine replace in-person doctor visits for non-emergency care?
- Should governments invest in space tourism initiatives?
- Is the popularity of true crime media desensitizing audiences to violence?
- Should digital art be recognized and valued equally as traditional art forms?
- Should ride-sharing services be subjected to the same regulations as traditional taxis?
- Is the increasing use of drones in delivery services a fast-pacing hype or a new reality?
Unique Argumentative Essay Topics
- Should there be a legal limit on how much personal data companies collect?
- Is the gamification of fitness apps leading to healthier lifestyles, or is it only a marketing trick?
- Should urban areas implement vertical farming? Is it sustainable in the long term?
- Do “smart homes” make individuals more vulnerable to cyberattacks?
- Do digital nomads reshape traditional work cultures?
- Is the integration of AI in mental health therapy effective and ethical?
- Should there be a global digital identity system for internet users?
- Should the media coverage of public figures be so highly restrictive?
- Should people be socially canceled for promoting conspiracy ideas?
- Should memes and emojis be considered new languages?
Controversial Argumentative Essay Topics
- Should religious symbols be allowed in public spaces?
- Should religious institutions receive public funding?
- Should religious organizations pay taxes like businesses?
- Do religious beliefs justify the refusal of medical treatment?
- Should traditional gender roles be preserved in modern family life?
- Is it fair to restrict freedom of speech to protect others’ emotional and cultural sensitivities?
- Is polyamory ethical?
- Should beauty standards be challenged as a form of social oppression or respected as individual preference?
- Is patriotism a unifying value or a source of division in multicultural societies?
- Should deeply personal experiences, like visions or spiritual awakenings, be considered valid?
“I believe that the root of the work of being human is learning how to think. From this, we learn how to love, share, coexist, tolerate, give, create, and so on.” - Brianna Wiest, “101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think”.
The List of the Best Argumentative Essay Topics Sorted by Category
Finally, if you already know the general field you want to write about, check the topic-based lists below.
Science Argumentative Essay Topics
- Should scientists be held legally accountable for the unintended consequences of their discoveries?
- Can quantum computing revolutionize data security without ethical risks?
- Should countries impose global regulations on synthetic biology?
- Is asteroid mining an ethical approach to solving Earth’s resource scarcity?
- Should we prioritize microbiome research over pharmaceutical interventions?
- Can psychedelic-assisted therapy be mainstreamed as a scientific treatment?
- Should cloning endangered species be encouraged to prevent extinction?
- Is there a moral responsibility to de-extinct long-lost species?
- Are digital twins in science ethical representations of human biology?
- Should science journals be required to publish all trial results, including failures?
Education Argumentative Essay Topics
- Should AI-generated content with citations be permitted in student assignments?
- Is gamified learning reducing student attention span?
- Should universities abolish traditional grading systems?
- Can AI tutoring replace human teaching in underserved areas?
- Should public school curricula be crowdsourced from communities?
- Do wearable devices belong in classroom learning environments?
- Is banning smartphones in school effective or outdated?
- Should teachers be required to pass psychological evaluations annually?
- Is student surveillance software in online learning ethical?
- Should peer review be a formal part of the school assessment system?
Technology Argumentative Essay Topics
- Should social credit systems be globally banned?
- Is the digital divide a human rights issue?
- Should governments require tech companies to include ethics boards?
- Can blockchain fully replace traditional legal contracts?
- Should companies be forced to disclose the carbon footprint of their digital infrastructure?
- Is it time to regulate “deepfake” creation tools under copyright law?
- Should smart home devices be banned in households with children?
- Is biometric surveillance compatible with democratic societies?
- Can automation in agriculture cause long-term food security risks?
- Should AI companions for emotional support be regulated like pharmaceuticals?
Data Science Argumentative Essay Topics
- Should users have the right to completely opt out of algorithmic profiling?
- Are smart cities putting marginalized communities at risk of algorithmic bias?
- Should health insurers have access to wearable device data?
- Can predictive policing based on data science be reformed ethically?
- Should digital twins of individuals be considered personal property?
- Is data philanthropy a solution or a risk for global inequality?
- Should platforms label AI-curated newsfeeds to prevent misinformation?
- Can AI-generated insights be used as valid legal evidence?
- Should data scientists take a Hippocratic oath?
- Is sentiment analysis an ethical tool in employee performance reviews?
Mental Health Argumentative Essay Topics
- Should employers be obliged to provide mental health days?
- Should health insurance cover gym membership ?
- Should schools require a mental health education curriculum?
- Can social media platforms do something differently to address teenage mental well-being?
- Should domestic violence prevention receive increased public funding?
- Should socially accepted addictions such as overworking be addressed as a mental health issue?
- Should mental health screening be mandatory for employment?
- Can the deteriorating mental health statistics be a direct consequence of any particular reasons?
- Should workplaces be legally required to accommodate the needs of people with ADHD?
- Should people with high-functioning mental health issues receive social funding support?
Health Argumentative Essay Topics
- Is universal healthcare a basic human right?
- Should fast food advertising targeting children be restricted?
- Should the government mandate remote work as an option for employee well-being?
- Should pharmaceutical companies or the government be responsible for drug pricing?
- Are there any valuable cases where alternative medicine practices deserve medical recognition?
- Should gender and cultural diversity be an essential criterion in medical treatment?
- Is legal marijuana beneficial for public health?
- Should assisted suicide be permitted for the terminally ill?
- Does telemedicine access improve healthcare quality?
- What vaccines should be mandatory for public school attendance?
Environmental Argumentative Essay Topics
- Is climate change primarily caused by human activity?
- Should single-use plastics be banned worldwide?
- Can humanity actually combat climate change at this point?
- Is renewable energy investment sufficient to address global warming?
- Is nuclear energy a viable solution for environmental sustainability?
- Should corporations be obliged to prioritize environmental impact over profit?
- Does genetic engineering of crops benefit or threaten sustainability?
- Do developing countries need different climate change responsibilities, or should these be globally unified?
- Should natural resources be internationally regulated?
- Should urban green spaces be mandatory for any new building plans?
Social Media Argumentative Essay Topics
- Do social media platforms provide more inspiring or brain-rot content?
- What is the healthy use of social media?
- Does social media negatively impact teenage mental health?
- Should we leave social media to protest against billionaire’s political intervention?
- Should social media companies carry social responsibility for their addictive products?
- Do background checks effectively prevent gun violence?
- Should social media companies have larger access to underage users' personal data to prevent online harassment?
- Is it the responsibility of the platform or the content creator to prevent misinformation?
- Are social media harmful to society more than they are beneficial?
- Is social media harmful or beneficial to democratic discourse?
Social Issues Argumentative Essay Topics
- Do violent video games influence human behavior?
- Should gun control laws focus on citizens’ self-defense rights or gun violence prevention?
- Does cultural appropriation harm or promote the achievements of marginalized communities?
- Are democratic systems inherently linked with wealth inequality gaps?
- Should fossil fuels be heavily taxed?
- Should immigration policies apply to children of immigrants born in a host country?
- Does systemic racism prevalent in the criminal justice system negatively affect white people as well?
- Should gig economy workers receive traditional employment benefits?
- Should teachers be armed to increase school safety?
- Should abortion access be a fundamental right?
Ethics Argumentative Essay Topics
- Should the death penalty be abolished worldwide?
- Does cancel culture threaten free speech?
- Is euthanasia ethical for terminally ill patients?
- Can hate speech be justified in any situation, as for sexual assault of war victims using it against their abusers?
- Who can be trusted to develop ethical guidelines for human cloning?
- Should the family members have a say in allowing assisted suicide?
- Will human cloning mean creating a new personality or duplicating the cloned one?
- Should legal marijuana be commonly accepted and taxed as alcohol and tobacco?
- Is human gene editing ethical?
- Should personal responsibility extend to environmental impact?
Get more proficient in academics: How to cite a blog post in APA?
How to Choose a Strong Topic
Choosing an argumentative essay can be hard sometimes. You want something that clicks with you, grabs your audience, and is doable.
Here's how to help yourself:
- Make it matter: Think about what's relevant. Does it connect to current events, field of study, or something people are generally thinking about? People are likelier to tune in if your topic feels timely or offers a fresh perspective.
- Care about it (but have a point): Your excitement comes through. Pick something you genuinely find interesting. But also, make sure it fits the reason you're presenting. If you're supposed to inform, pick something you're curious to research and share.
- Zoom in: Get specific! Narrow it down to one particular angle or question. That focus makes your argument way clearer and harder-hitting.
- Do a reality check: Before you dive in, quickly check: Is there enough good info out there? Can you find solid facts, examples, or visuals to back yourself up? You need enough material to work with but not so much that you get lost.
Before you settle on it, ask yourself:
- Can I realistically explain this well in the time I have?
- Does it tackle a real question or problem people care about?
- Will it give the audience something to chew on afterward?
Sum Up
Good argumentative essay topics are those topics that have three key components:
- A clear, debatable issue
- Sufficient confirming data for different perspectives
- An up-to-date, inspiring, or trending topic.
To pick such a topic for your essay, you only need to listen to your interests, choose a topic from the list, and start collecting data to define your specific perspective on a topic.
Frequently asked questions
Here are 5 interesting essay topics for 2025:
- Should self-driving cars be allowed on public roads?
- Should plastic containers be illegal to produce and sell?
- Are gender norms biological or social constructs?
- Should influencer marketing be regulated to protect consumers?
- Should remote work become the new standard post-pandemic?
Check the lists of such topics in free access, and write down the ones that deeply resonated with you. Make a quick 30-minute research to find the topics with the best data availability.
The 5 argumentative essay rules are as follows:
- You cannot change the position mid-essay. You can either start with one solid perspective or choose to stay neutral from the beginning.
- Your thesis statement must be supported with the following body paragraphs.
- The structure for body paragraphs includes a thesis, an argument, an example, and a conclusion.
- An argumentative essay should coherently narrate one point of view and provide the arguments to dismiss the opposite position,
- Argumentative essays should use persuasion, logic, and good structure to convey the point.
Sources:
- Argumentative essays. Argumentative Essays - Purdue OWL® - Purdue University. (n.d.). https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/generalwriting/academicwriting/essaywriting/argumentativeessays.html
- Brianna Wiest. (2016). 101 essays that will change the way you think. Thought Catalog Books.
- University of California, Berkeley. (n.d.). Suggestions for developing argumentative essays. Suggestions for Developing Argumentative Essays | Student Learning Center. https://slc.berkeley.edu/writing-worksheets-and-other-writing-resources/suggestions-developing-argumentative-essays
