Argumentative Essay
People love to argue, don't they? It is a universal truth that we are all different and believe in different things. When you meet someone who does not share your views, you immediately feel a temptation to try to convince them. Moreover, recent psychological research showed that some people feel the same spectrum of emotions as being robbed when arguing with an opponent. What is the secret of winning in an argument? Does one exist at all? Some say that you need to study psychology to be able to read people's characters and adjust your argumentative strategy according to it. You will know when to present undeniable testimonials and when to underline the emotional reasoning. Others believe that it does not matter how good your point might be, it is simply impossible to convince people to take your side and admit that they were wrong. However, it is important to highlight that there is a big difference between trying to prove your viewpoint verbally and via writing. You are going to use different strategies to do that. Using the format of writing allows you to structure your arguments in the best possible way. At the same time, there are many challenges to writing a stellar argumentative essay. Let's consider some of them.
Argumentative Essay Topics: a Tough Choice
Challenge 1: the abundance of argumentative essay topics. Some might say that it is not a challenge at all as you have a lot of options to choose from, right? On one hand, it is a benefit. On the other, the process of choosing is tricky as it is easy to make a mistake. Let's suppose you've made a decision and start writing. After working on your essay for some time, you realize that the arguments you've found are not as convincing as you expected them to be. Alternatively, you might realize that the section of counter-arguments looks more interesting and impressive. Should you change your point of view because of that? Or should you change the topic and start all over again? These questions can become a real problem during the process. Therefore, one of the tips that can help you is to do a research study first and then decide upon the side you choose.
Challenge 2: the lack of relevant facts and figures. Students often choose topics that seem rather easy to discuss at first sight. However, as they start working on the research study, they realize that oddly enough there is not enough information they can use in their argument base. If the topic is too narrow, it might be challenging to find the facts you need as well. It may also happen that you can find a lot of information that is not up-to-date or does not have references to reliable sources. The only thing left to do is to choose another topic and start again. It is also possible to face the opposite situation when you can't stop the research process because you keep finding new facts. It is similar to quicksand in that the more actions you make, the more difficult it becomes to set yourself free and get out of this mess. The tip here can be the option of asking your teacher for a piece of advice before you commit to one of the topics. The teacher will tell you if it is a good topic to discuss in terms of this particular assignment.
Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School
What age is suitable for kids to start schooling?
Should students be allowed to evaluate their teachers?
Metal music should be banned due to its violent lyrics.
What is the biggest challenge faced by students today?
What are the pros and cons of making friends virtually?
Which genre of music helps students in studying?
Can we conserve energy as a society?
Does playing violent video games contribute to making a person violent in real life too?
How close is reality TV to real life?
Do girls face more societal pressure than guys?
Should there be cash rewards for getting a good score on standardized tests?
The rich should pay more taxes than the poor.
Cotton gin effects on the economy.
Cartoons are better than movies.
Teachers Vs. Parents: who plays a bigger role in shaping a child?
American History Argumentative Essay Topics
What was the impact of European colonization on Native Americans?
What was the role of women in the movement toward revolution?
What were the key causes of the American Revolution?
The key issues that caused conflict between North and South and lead to the civil war?
The effects of the Great Depression on the banking industry in America.
Civil rights movement.
The political situation in America after 9/11
Post world war II, how did America grow?
21st-century American foreign policy.
Is Barack Obama the first American president who made history?
R Nixon the first American forced to resign.
The American media coverage of the Vietnam War.
History of racism and discrimination in America.
The best presidential decision in America in the 19th century.
Significance of the measures taken by the US to control terrorism after 9/11.
33 Middler Schooler Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas
Do people have a right to Internet access?
Do violent video games make people more likely to be violent in real life?
Is it ever fair for minorities to receive special treatment or consideration?
Does the average American have a healthy diet?
Should students have a greater say in what they learn?
Do girls or boys face more societal pressure—or do they face equal amounts?
Do schools do enough to prevent bullying?
Does reality television accurately depict real life?
Does nature or nurture play a bigger role in who we are?
Do athletes, celebrities, and CEOs deserve to make more money than the average person?
Is arts education as important as other types of curriculum?
What is the greatest challenge today’s students face?
What responsibilities do people have to help one another out?
What one thing should all households be doing to conserve energy?
Is Common Core good for students?
Society
1. How winning the lottery can change the life of a person?
2. Why is the death penalty such a controversial issue in the contemporary society?
3. What is the role of fashion nowadays?
4. Why do so many people decide to be atheists?
5. Pros and cons of gun control.
6. The key reasons to become a member of the fraternity or sorority at the college.
7. What are the possible drawbacks of the democracy?
8. Why living forever is boring?
9. What are the benefits of the highly competitive environment?
10. Should the working mothers have some privileges?
11. Should the government of different countries make the control of refuges stricter?
12. The concept of cultural shock: Why it is so hard to accept the culture of other people?
13. Abortion as an ethical concept.
14. Should the government improve the antiracist policies?
15. Why is the sexual orientation still a burning issue in the contemporary tolerant society?
Argumentative Essay Video Tutorials
How to Write an Argumentative Essay
Manual: How to Write an Argumentative Essay
Argumentative Essay Example
One important feature of this type of essay is that it addresses opposing arguments in one of the paragraphs.