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• Grades 6-12
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101 Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

Use your words to sway the reader.

Persuasive writing is one of those skills that can help students succeed in real life.  Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative , but they rely less on facts and more on emotion to sway the reader. It’s important to know your audience so you can anticipate any counterarguments they might make and try to overcome them. Try reading some mentor texts to show kids great examples of opinion writing. Then use these persuasive essay topics for practice.

School and Education Persuasive Essay Topics

Life and ethics persuasive essay topics, science and technology persuasive essay topics, sports and entertainment persuasive essay topics, just for fun persuasive essay topics.

• Do you think homework should be required, optional, or not given at all?

• Students should/should not be able to use their phones during the school day.
• Should schools have dress codes?
• If I could change one school rule, it would be …
• Is year-round school a good idea?
• Should we stop giving final exams?
• Is it better to be good at academics or good at sports?

• Which is better, private schools or public schools?
• Should every student have to participate in athletics?
• Do you think schools should ban junk food from their cafeterias?
• Should students be required to volunteer in their communities?
• What is the most important school subject?
• Are letter grades helpful, or should we replace them with something else?

• Is it ever OK to cheat on homework or a test?
• Should students get to grade their teachers?
• Do you think college should be free for anyone who wants to attend?
• Should schools be allowed to ban some books from their libraries?
• Which is better, book smarts or street smarts?

• Should all students have to learn a foreign language?
• Are single-gender schools better or worse for students?
• Is it OK to eat animals?
• What animal makes the best pet?
• Visit an animal shelter, choose an animal that needs a home, and write an essay persuading someone to adopt that animal.
• If you find money on the ground, should you try to find the person who lost it, or is it yours to keep?

• Who faces more peer pressure, girls or boys?
• Should all Americans be required to vote?
• Is it better to be kind or truthful?
• Which is better, giving or receiving?
• Is it OK to keep animals in zoos?
• Should we change the minimum driving age in the United States?

• Which is more important, happiness or success?
• Is democracy the best form of government?
• Is social media helpful or harmful?
• Should parents be punished for their children’s mistakes or crimes?
• Should kids have set bedtimes or just go to bed when they’re sleepy?
• Do you think the government should find a way to provide free health care for everyone?

• Is it better to save your allowance or spend it?
• Should we ban plastic bags and bottles?
• Which is better, living in the city or in the country?
• If I could make a new law, it would be …
• Is Pluto a planet?
• Should human cloning be legal?
• Should vaccines be mandatory?
• Is it right for countries to still maintain nuclear weapon arsenals?

• Should testing on animals be made illegal?
• Will expanded use of artificial intelligence be good for humanity?
• Should all people have free Internet access in their homes?
• Is there intelligent life on other planets?
• Does technology create more jobs than it eliminates?
• Should parents use their children’s cell phones to track where they are?
• Should scientists try to develop a way for people to live forever?

• What’s the best type of smartphone: Android or iPhone?
• Which is better, Macs or PCs?
• Do people rely too much on technology in the modern world?
• Should cryptocurrencies replace cash?
• Should there be a minimum age requirement to own a smartphone?
• Is it important to keep spending money on space exploration, or should we use the money for other things?

• Should kids under 13 be allowed to use social media sites?
• Should we ban cigarette smoking and vaping entirely?
• Is it better to be an animal that lives in the water or on land?
• Should kids be allowed to watch TV on school nights?
• Which is better, paper books or e-books?
• Is the current movie rating system (G, PG, PG-13, etc.) effective?
• Are video games better than board games?
• Should we allow little kids to play competitive sports?

• Which is better, reading books or watching TV?
• Does playing violent video games make people more violent in real life?
• Are graphic novels just as valuable as traditional fictional books?
• Should everyone play on the same sports teams, regardless of gender?
• Choose a book that’s been made into a movie. Which was better, the movie or the book?

• Who is the world’s best athlete, present or past?
• Are professional athletes/musicians/actors overpaid?
• Which is better, fiction or nonfiction?
• The best music genre is …
• What is one book that everyone should read?
• What new sport should be added to the Olympics?

• What’s the best video game system?
• Does playing video games make you smarter?
• Does reality TV actually depict real life?
• Should all neighborhoods have free parks and playgrounds?
• What’s the best holiday?
• The very best food of all time is …
• Which is better, artificial Christmas trees or real ones?

• What’s the best season of the year?
• Should you put ketchup on a hot dog?
• Is a taco a sandwich?
• Does fruit count as dessert?
• Should people have to go to school or work on their birthday?
• Are clowns scary or funny?
• Which is more dangerous, werewolves or vampires?

• The best pizza topping is …
• What would be the best superpower to have?
• Should everyone make their bed every day?
• Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
• Should you put pineapple on a pizza?
• Should you eat macaroni and cheese with a spoon or a fork?

• Describe the world’s best ice cream sundae.
• Is Monday the worst day of the week?
• Would you rather travel back in time or forward in time?
• Is it better to be too hot or too cold?
• Are there aliens living among us here on Earth?

What are your favorite persuasive essay topics for students? Come exchange ideas in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out the big list of essay topics for high school (120+ ideas) ..

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The New York Times

The learning network | 301 prompts for argumentative writing.

301 Prompts for Argumentative Writing

Updated, March 2, 2017 | We published an updated version of this list, “401 Prompts for Argumentative Writing,” as well as a companion piece, “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing.”

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and get five new Student Opinion questions delivered to you every week.

If anything ever published on The Learning Network could be said to have “gone viral,” it is last February’s “ 200 Prompts for Argumentative Writing ,” which we created to help teachers and students participate in our inaugural Student Editorial Contest .

We’ve now updated last year’s list with new questions and what we hope is more useful categorization.

So scroll through the 301 prompts below that touch on every aspect of contemporary life — from politics to sports, culture, education and technology — and see which ones most inspire you to take a stand. Each question comes from our daily Student Opinion feature, and each provides links to free Times resources for finding more information.

What issues do you care about most? Find something to write about here, or post a comment if you think we’ve missed a topic you would like to see us cover.

And if these 301 questions aren’t enough, the Room for Debate blog provides many, many more.

• Does Technology Make Us More Alone?

Are You Distracted by Technology?

• Do Apps Help You or Just Waste Your Time?
• Do You Spend Too Much Time on Smartphones Playing ‘Stupid Games’?
• Will Wearable Technology Ever Really Catch On?
• Are Digital Photographs Too Plentiful to Be Meaningful?
• Do You Worry We Are Filming Too Much?
• Would You Want a Pair of Google’s Computer Glasses?
• What Role Will Robots Play in Our Future?
• How Many Text Messages Are Too Many?

Internet and Social Media

• Has Facebook Lost Its Edge?
• Does Facebook Ever Make You Feel Bad?
• Would You Consider Deleting Your Facebook Account?
• Should What You Say on Facebook Be Grounds for Getting Fired?
• Should People Be Allowed to Obscure Their Identities Online?
• How Much Do You Trust Online Reviews?

Technology in Schools

• Are the Web Filters at Your School Too Restrictive?
• Do Your Teachers Use Technology Well?
• Should Tablet Computers Become the Primary Way Students Learn in Class?
• Can Cellphones Be Educational Tools?
• Should Computer Games Be Used for Classroom Instruction?
• Is Online Learning as Good as Face-to-Face Learning?
• How Would You Feel About a Computer Grading Your Essays?

ART, FILM, BOOKS, VIDEO GAMES AND OTHER MEDIA

Are Video Games a Sport?

A look at e-sports, the fast-growing, lucrative world of professional competitive video gaming.

Movies, TV and Theater

• Is TV Stronger Than Ever, or Becoming Obsolete?
• Do TV Shows Like ‘16 and Pregnant’ Promote or Discourage Teenage Pregnancy?
• Does Reality TV Promote Dangerous Stereotypes?
• Does TV Capture the Diversity of America Yet?
• Is TV Too White?
• Why Do We Like to Watch Rich People on TV and in the Movies?
• What Makes a Good TV Show Finale?
• What Makes a Good Commercial?
• Why Did a Cheerios Ad Attract So Many Angry Comments Online?
• What Were the Best Movies You Saw in the Past Year?
• Does Live Theater Offer Something You Just Can’t Get Watching Movies or TV?
• What Can You Predict About the Future of the Music Industry?
• What Current Musicians Do You Think Will Stand the Test of Time?
• What Artists or Bands of Today Are Destined for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
• What Artists Do You Consider ‘Sellouts’?
• What Musician, Actor or Author Should Be a Superstar, but Hasn’t Quite Made It Yet?
• Who Does Hip-Hop Belong To?
• Will Musical Training Make You More Successful?

Video Games

• Should Video Games Be Considered a Sport?
• Should Stores Sell Violent Video Games to Minors?
• Do Violent Video Games Make People More Violent in Real Life?
• When Should You Feel Guilty for Killing Zombies?
• Can a Video Game Be a Work of Art?
• What Game Would You Like to Redesign?
• How Sexist Is the Gaming World?
• Would You Trade Your Paper Books for Digital Versions?
• Does Reading a Book Count More Than Listening to One?
• To What Writer Would You Award a Prize?
• Who Are the Characters That Authors Should Be Writing About?
• Do You Prefer Your Children’s Book Characters Obedient or Contrary?
• Can Graffiti Ever Be Considered Art?
• Do We Need Art in Our Lives?
• Does Pop Culture Deserve Serious Study?
• Where Is the Line Between Truth and Fiction?
• Should Society Support Artists and Others Pursuing Creative Works?

GENDER AND RELATIONSHIPS

Gender Issues

• Do Parents Have Different Hopes and Standards for Their Sons Than for Their Daughters?
• Is School Designed More for Girls Than Boys?
• Is There Too Much Pressure on Girls to Have ‘Perfect’ Bodies?
• How Much Pressure Do Boys Face to Have the Perfect Body?
• Do Photoshopped Images Make You Feel Bad About Your Own Looks?
• Doctored Photos: O.K. or Not?
• Is It O.K. for Men and Boys to Comment on Women and Girls on the Street?
• Do We Need New Ways to Identify Gender and Sexuality?
• What Should We Do to Fight Sexual Violence Against Young Women?
• How Do You Feel About Rihanna and Chris Brown Getting Back Together?
• Why Aren’t There More Girls in Leadership Roles?
• Why Aren’t More Girls Choosing to Pursue Careers in Math and Science?
• Should Women Be Allowed to Fight on the Front Lines Alongside Men?
• Do You Believe in Equal Rights for Women and Men?
• Are Women Better at Compromising and Collaborating?
• Do Boys Have Less Intense Friendships Than Girls?
• Can a Boy Wear a Skirt to School?
• Is It O.K. to Refuse to Serve Same-Sex Couples Based on Religious Beliefs?

Dating and Sex

• Should Birth Control Pills Be Available to Teenage Girls Without a Prescription?
• Should the Morning-After Pill Be Sold Over the Counter to People Under 17?
• How Should Children Be Taught About Puberty and Sex?
• Is Dating a Thing of the Past?
• Is Hookup Culture Leaving Your Generation Unhappy and Unprepared for Love?
• Should Couples Live Together Before Marriage?
• Could Following These Directions Make You Fall in Love With a Stranger?
• How Should Educators and Legislators Deal With Minors Who ‘Sext’?
• How Should Parents Address Internet Pornography?

SPORTS AND ATHLETICS

• If Football Is So Dangerous to Players, Should We Be Watching It?
• Should Parents Let Their Children Play Football?
• Should College Football Players Get Paid?
• Is It Offensive for Sports Teams to Use Native American Names and Mascots?

Sportsmanship

• Are Some Youth Sports Too Intense?
• Should There Be Stricter Rules About How Coaches Treat Their Players?
• Do Sports Teams Have a Responsibility to Hold Players to a Standard for Their Personal Conduct?
• Should Athletes Who Dope Have to Forfeit Their Titles and Medals?
• Do Fans Put Too Much Pressure on Their Favorite Professional Athletes?
• Does a Championship Game Always Need to Have a Winner (and a Loser)?
• Should Sports Betting Be Legal Everywhere?
• Should Colleges Fund Wellness Programs Instead of Sports?
• Where Should Colleges and Sports Teams Draw the Line in Selling Naming Rights?

Other Sports

• Has Baseball Lost Its Cool?
• Is Cheerleading a Sport?
• How Big a Deal Is It That an N.B.A. Player Came Out as Gay?
• Would You Want a Bike Share Program for Your Community?
• How Young Is Too Young to Climb Mount Everest?

POLITICS AND POLICY

• Do You Trust Your Government?
• If You Were Governor of Your State, How Would You Spend a Budget Surplus?
• What Local Problems Do You Think Your Mayor Should Try to Solve?
• Should Rich People Have to Pay More Taxes?
• What Is More Important: Our Privacy or National Security?
• California Notice

Leadership and Politics

• Do Leaders Have Moral Obligations?
• Do Great Leaders Have to Be Outgoing?
• Is It Principled, or Irresponsible, for Politicians to Threaten a Shutdown?

International Relations

• Should the U.S. Be Spying on Its Friends?
• When Is the Use of Military Force Justified?
• Should Countries Pay Ransoms to Free Hostages Held by Terrorists?

Police, Prisons and Justice System

• Should the United States Stop Using the Death Penalty?
• When Should Juvenile Offenders Receive Life Sentences?
• What Do You Think of the Police Tactic of Stop-and-Frisk?
• Do Rich People Get Off Easier When They Break the Law?
• Should All Police Officers Wear Body Cameras?
• Will What Happened in Ferguson Change Anything?
• Should Felons Be Allowed to Vote After They Have Served Their Time?
• How Should We Prevent Future Mass Shootings?
• Would You Feel Safer With Armed Guards Patrolling Your School?
• What Is Your Relationship With Guns?
• Where Do You Stand on Unconcealed Handguns?
• Should Guns Be Permitted on College Campuses?
• Did a Newspaper Act Irresponsibly by Publishing the Addresses of Gun Owners?

Immigration

• Should Millions of Undocumented Immigrants Be Allowed to Live in the U.S. Without Fear of Getting Deported?
• Are Children of Illegal Immigrants Entitled to a Public Education?

PARENTS AND FAMILIES

Parenting and Childhood

• How Much Freedom Should Parents Give Their Children?
• How Should Parents Discipline Their Kids?
• When Does Discipline Become Child Abuse?
• Do ‘Shame and Blame’ Work to Change Teenage Behavior?
• Do We Give Children Too Many Trophies?
• Are Adults Hurting Young Children by Pushing Them to Achieve?
• Is Modern Culture Ruining Childhood?
• How, and by Whom, Should Children Be Taught Appropriate Behavior?
• Are ‘Dark’ Movies O.K. for Kids?
• Should Halloween Costumes Portray Only ‘Positive Images’?
• Are Parents Violating Their Children’s Privacy When They Share Photos and Videos of Them Online?
• Should Children Be Allowed to Compete on TV?
• How Young Is Too Young for an iPhone?
• Should Parents Limit How Much Time Children Spend on Tech Devices?

Parents and School

• How Should Parents Handle a Bad Report Card?
• How Important Are Parent-Teacher Conferences?
• Who Should Be Able to See Students’ Records?
• Would You Want to Be Home-Schooled?
• Should All Children Be Able to Go to Preschool?

House and Home

• How Important Is Keeping a Clean House?
• Does Keeping a Messy Desk Make People More Creative?

Millennial Generation

• What Can Older People Learn From Your Generation?
• Does Your Generation Have Too Much Self-Esteem?
• Is Your Generation Really ‘Postracial’?

Becoming an Adult

• When Do You Become an Adult?
• When Should You Be Able to Buy Cigarettes, Drink Alcohol, Vote, Drive and Fight in Wars?
• When You Are Old Enough to Vote, Will You?

CHARACTER AND MORALITY

Personal Character

• Can Money Buy You Happiness?
• Does Buying and Accumulating More and More Stuff Make Us Happier?
• Are We Losing the Art of Listening?
• Do People Complain Too Much?
• Which Is More Important: Talent or Hard Work?
• How Important Is Keeping Your Cool?
• When Should You Compromise?
• Is Your Generation More Self-Centered Than Earlier Generations?

Religion and Spirituality

• Do You Believe That Everything Happens for a Reason?
• How Much Control Do You Think You Have Over Your Fate?
• Can You Be Good Without God?
• How Important Do You Think It Is to Marry Someone With the Same Religion?

Morality and Personal Responsibility

• Does Suffering Make Us Stronger and Lead to Success?
• Do Bystanders Have a Responsibility to Intervene When There is Trouble?
• When Is Looting Morally O.K.?
• Can Kindness Become Cool?

Language and Standards

• Have Curse Words Become So Common They Have Lost Their Shock Value?
• What Words or Phrases Do You Think Are Overused?
• What Words or Phrases Should Be Retired?
• Do Laws That Ban Offensive Words Make the World a Better Place?
• Should Newspapers Reprint Cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad That Some Deem Offensive?
• Is It Wrong for a Newspaper to Publish a Front-Page Photo of a Man About to Die?

Teaching and Learning

• Do Teachers Assign Too Much Homework?
• Does Your Homework Help You Learn?
• What Are You Really Learning at School?
• Does Class Size Matter?
• Do We Need a New Way to Teach Math?
• Does Gym Help Students Perform Better in All Their Classes?
• Should Reading and Math Be Taught in Gym Class Too?
• What Are the Best Ways to Learn About History?
• What Is the Right Amount of Group Work in School?
• What Do You Think of Grouping Students by Ability in Schools?
• How Important Is Arts Education?
• Do Schools Provide Students With Enough Opportunities to Be Creative?
• Does the Way Your Classroom Is Decorated Affect Your Learning?

Discipline and School Rules

• What Are the Best Teaching Methods for Getting Students to Behave Well in Class?
• How Does Your School Deal With Students Who Misbehave?
• Should Schools Be Allowed to Use Corporal Punishment?
• Is Cheating Getting Worse?
• Should Schools Put Tracking Devices in Students’ ID Cards?
• Should Middle School Students Be Drug Tested?
• Should Students Be Barred From Taking Cellphones to School?
• How Big a Problem Is Bullying or Cyberbullying in Your School or Community?
• How Should Schools Address Bullying?
• How Should Schools Address Cyberbullying?
• What Should the Punishment Be for Acts of Cyberbullying?
• When Do Pranks Cross the Line to Become Bullying?
• How Should Schools Respond to Hazing Incidents?

Time in School

Should the School Day Start Later?

• Is Your School Day Too Short?
• Do You Think a Longer School Calendar Is a Good Idea?
• Should the Dropout Age Be Raised?
• Should We Rethink How Long Students Spend in High School?
• Should Students Be Allowed to Skip Senior Year of High School?
• Should Kids Head to College Early?
• Class Time + Substitute = Waste?
• Do Kids Need Recess?
• Should Students Be Able to Grade Their Teachers?
• Does Your School Hand Out Too Many A’s?
• Do Girls Get Better Grades Than Boys in Your School?
• Does Separating Boys and Girls Help Students Perform Better in School?
• Why Do Boys Lag Behind Girls in Reading?
• Should Discomfort Excuse Students From Having to Complete an Assignment?

Standardized Tests

• How Well Do You Think Standardized Tests Measure Your Abilities?
• How Seriously Should We Take Standardized Tests?
• Do You Spend Too Much Time Preparing for Standardized Tests?
• Should Schools Offer Cash Bonuses for Good Test Scores?

School Life

Would You Rather Attend a Public or a Private High School?

• How Much Does It Matter to You Which High School You Attend?
• Are Small Schools More Effective Than Large Schools?
• Should Home-Schoolers Be Allowed to Play Public School Sports?
• Should All Students Get Equal Space in a Yearbook?
• Should School Newspapers Be Subject to Prior Review?
• Is Prom Worth It?
• Is Prom Just an Excuse to Drink?

COLLEGE AND CAREER

• How Necessary Is a College Education?
• Is College Overrated?
• Should a College Education be Free?
• What Is the Perfect Number of College Applications to Send?
• Should Colleges Find a Better Way to Admit Students?
• Should Colleges Use Admissions Criteria Other Than SAT Scores and Grades?
• Do You Support Affirmative Action in College Admissions?
• Does It Matter Where You Go to College?
• Do College Rankings Matter?
• What Criteria Should Be Used in Awarding Scholarships for College?
• Should Engineers Pay Less for College Than English Majors?
• Do Fraternities Promote Misogyny?
• Should Colleges Ban Fraternities?

Jobs and Careers

• Would You Quit if Your Values Did Not Match Your Employer’s?
• Should Employers Be Able to Review Job Applicants’ SAT Scores?
• Do You Worry Colleges or Employers Might Read Your Social Media Posts Someday?
• Would You Rather Work From Home or in an Office?
• Is ‘Doing Nothing’ a Good Use of Your Time?

HEALTH AND NUTRITION

Drugs, Cigarettes and Alcohol

• Is Smoking Still a Problem Among Teenagers?
• Are Antismoking Ads Effective?
• Is Drinking and Driving Still a Problem for Teenagers?
• Should Marijuana Be Legal?
• Should Students Be Required to Take Drug Tests?
• Why Is Binge Drinking So Common Among Young People in the United States?

Nutrition and Food

• Do You Think a Healthier School Lunch Program Is a Lost Cause?
• Should French Fries and Pizza Sauce Count as Vegetables?
• How Concerned Are You About Where Your Food Comes From?
• Is It Ethical to Eat Meat?
• Is Breakfast Really the Most Important Meal of the Day?
• Do You Prefer Your Tacos ‘Authentic’ or ‘Appropriated’?
• Should Sugary Drinks Be Taxed?
• Should the Government Limit the Size of Sugary Drinks?

Health Issues

• How Should Schools Handle Unvaccinated Students?
• Should Physician-Assisted Suicide Be Legal in Every State?
• Should Texting While Driving Be Illegal in Every State?
• Should Terminally Ill Patients Be Allowed to Die on Their Own Terms?

Appearance and Fashion

• Should Children Be Allowed to Wear Whatever They Want?
• What Are Your Opinions on Cosmetic Surgery?
• Do ‘Saggy Pants’ Mean Disrespect?
• Should You Care About the Health and Safety of Those Making Your Clothing?

SCIENCE TOPICS

Science and the Environment

• How Concerned Are You About Climate Change?
• How Should Nations and Individuals Address Climate Change?
• Should Developers Be Allowed to Build in and Near the Grand Canyon?
• Should Scientists Try to Help People Beat Old Age So We Can Live Longer Lives?
• Given Unlimited Resources, What Scientific or Medical Problem Would You Investigate?
• When Is It O.K. to Replace Human Limbs With Technology?
• Should Fertilized Eggs Be Given Legal ‘Personhood’?

Outer Space

• Do You Think Life Exists — or Has Ever Existed — Somewhere Besides Earth?
• Do You Believe in Intelligent Alien Life?
• Will Humans Live on Mars Someday?
• Would You Want to Be a Space Tourist?
• Should Certain Animals Have Some of the Same Legal Rights As People?
• Is It Unethical for a Zoo to Kill a Healthy Giraffe?
• Should You Go to Jail for Kicking a Cat?
• Should You Feel Guilty About Killing Spiders, Ants or Other Bugs?
• How Do You Think Dinosaurs Went Extinct?

MISCELLANEOUS

Rich and Famous

• Should the Private Lives of Famous People Be Off Limits?
• Do You Think Child Stars Have It Rough?

American Dream

• Should the United States Care That It’s Not No. 1?
• Is It Possible to Start Out Poor in This Country, Work Hard and Become Well-Off?
• Do Poor People ‘Have It Easy’?
• How Much Does Your Neighborhood Define Who You Are?

Charity and Philanthropy

• Should Charities Focus More on America?
• What Causes Should Philanthropic Groups Finance?
• Is Teenage ‘Voluntourism’ Wrong?
• Do You Shop at Locally Owned Businesses?
• Is Amazon Becoming Too Powerful?
• Should Companies Collect Information About You?
• What Time Should Black Friday Sales Start?
• How Long Is It O.K. to Linger in a Cafe or Restaurant?

Comments are no longer being accepted.

This is an awesome list! Is there a way to print it as a PDF like some of the other lists you have posted?

Liza B, Thank you for your comment. We can try to get a PDF of the list on the website next week some time. So stop by again by the end of the week. – Michael

The ‘argumentative’ writing prompts are so on point! Unreal! I am going to present them to the members of my future workshops for especially women and girls. Please do share a PDF list — that would be so helpful.

Thank you. We will try to publish a PDF by the end of next week. Please stay tuned. – Michael

Hi! I was wondering, is it too late to update the list? I think a good topic would be environmental problems. For example, global warming, or tourism on the Galapagos islands.

Hi Sidney — The list is of questions we’ve already asked, so we can’t add more now, but we’ll keep the tourism question in mind (and for our contest, you’re welcome to write about whatever you like!). We’ve asked about global warming many times, however — for instance: How Concerned Are You About Climate Change? and How Should Nations and Individuals Address Climate Change? — Katherine

I would like to see information on Euthanasia.

Great list. But you really should use the term “global warming” rather than “climate change,” which was dreamed up by a PR guy for the oil companies because it sounded more neutral.

You should get some about girls ice hockey.

The evolution of the of our society has resulted in the immense amount of opportunities being made especially in school attendance. New York Times’ article, Affluent, Born Abroad and Choosing New York’s Public Schools by Kirk Semple and the passage Benefits of Private Education presented by the Council of Private Education discuss opposing sides on private verse public school benefits for a student in their school years. Public schools today presents a more favorable academic career in comparison to what private schools offer a student. Public schools have developed into a chance for a steady and high education with a more realistic approach on the process of their schooling. An education, although revolved around academics, can also have an actuality and real life sense playing a key role in decision making; for many parents have chosen public schools over private schools because of its authentic fortuity. For instance, in Semple’s article an instance described by conclusive mother, Miriam Rengier explained the cafeteria of the private school they were viewing. With the option of seven different meals for lunch, some being as decorative as sushi, gives an availability to a learning child that is not accessible in real life deterring her away from it’s education. The accessibility private schools offer to convey themselves as superior gives its students an unrealistic sense of what life offers evidently not preparing them for what comes in their lives. Additionally, amplifying the realistic approach public schools offer, the diversity is a favorable quality. In the article, Lynn Bollen states, “When they go to public school, they’re in a whole new world, a whole world of different people and different values, which is what the world is like.” By placing a growing person in a scenario in which brings challenges or change with mixture it is expected that they will learn to adapt and grow to diversity, just like needed in real life. According to other belief’s, private schools are beneficial because of their higher academics offered. Essentially, the passage states that their surpassing scores on standardized test and more challenging graduation requirements lead to a excelling and successful student for the future. However, the future of a student is not specifically dictated by grades and test scores, which is a main quality that private schools take pride in. Academic careers are a time for children to flourish into young adults ready to combat real life, and public schools offer the setting of just that. That is the reason for the exponentially increasing amount of parents choosing public schools, proven by the evidence given by Semple, “73 percent of native-born couples and 76 percent of foreign-born couples send their children only to public school.”

Work Cited- “CAPE | Council for American Private Education.” CAPE. Council for American Education, n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2015. < //www.capenet.org/benefits.html>.

Semple, Kirk. “Affluent, Born Abroad and Choosing New York?s Public Schools.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 14 Feb. 2012. Web. 02 Mar. 2015. < //www.nytimes.com/2012/02/15/nyregion/foreign-parents-in-new-york-prefer-public-schools.html>.

Does Technology Make Us More Alone? Many people agree that technology has made long distance communication easier for society. In the passage “Disruptions: More Connected, Yet More Alone?” by Nick Bilton and in the passage “Does Social Media Cause a More Isolated Society” by Yukio Strachan discusses the effects of technology on our social lives. Technology is separating us from each other rather than connecting us through social media. Technology has taken a turn in our social lives, creating separation between face to face communications. In the passage by Nick Bilton, he talks about a YouTube video the he had encounter called “I Forgot My Phone” and it describes the negative effects of technology on our lives. In the passage by Nick Bilton it states that an actor in the film, Ms. deGuzman, goes through a day of people ignoring her due to the distraction of them being on their phones during lunch, at a concert, while bowling and at a birthday party. This demonstrates how people are more into their phones than they are to actual stepping back from the technology and watching reality go bye. In the passage by Yukio Strachan, it talks about Sherry Tukle’s perception on our social networks. In the passage by Yukio Strachan it states that parents text and email at breakfast and at dinner while their children complain about not having their parents’ full attention. This means that technology is taking away a person attention to something of greater importance than their text messages and emails. I have noticed that while I’m with a group of my friends, everyone would have their attention towards their phone screens instead of to the people around them. This is a perfect example of how technology is making us more alone. Another example is when I was at the movies with my friends and they were all on their phones while the movie was playing. Technology is taking away our ability to be social with the people around us and it’s taking our attentions away from the present moments in life that shouldn’t be interrupted by technology. On the other hand, technology still gives people the ability to communicate with someone who is far away. Technology has come a long way. The new advancements in technology now allow people to talk to each other face to face on front facing camera phones. Now phones allow us to text, take pictures, and go on social media networks and more. Even though technology has made long distance communication easier, this advancement is still separating us from the reality of face to face communication with our peers. //bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/01/disruptions-more-connected-yet-more-alone/?_r=0

Sex and puberty are among topics that are often swept under the rug until it starts to be questioned. Today, how kids or teens learn about body changes or sex is what they see or hear from friends, technology, and even music. While some of this information can be reliable, it can also set false or unrealistic ideas of the subject. At a time where technology is ruling the world, kids and teens shouldn’t have to rely on it as much for information that they can get from their parents. Questions such as “How does it happen?” or “What should I do?” should be answered by their parents or even by a school program. If parents or the school address the subject earlier rather than later, it can help educate the child about what will happen when puberty hits, or even when they are questioning sex. Often more than not, I hear people cross the topic as “it” when referring to sex and even whispering the word as if it was some unlawful or secretive act. Sex shouldn’t be a hush-hush matter as it can often lead to consequences if one isn’t sure of it. When puberty hits, there are many changes happening on the inside and outside of the body. As this happens, teens are usually made fun of for those occurrences. Therefore schools and parents must take the responsibility to teach their children that it’s nothing to make fun or to be afraid of, that it is all perfectly normal. Books such as “The Care and Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls” can help inform girls going through changes of what is happening. KJ Dell ’Antonia, explained that instead of handing the body informational books over to her kids and leaving them to it, she would instead “…sit down and turn some pages together, and maybe that’s the best thing to do with my younger son as well.” The Complete Guide to Baby and Child Care, exclaims that by “Giving a child facts about reproduction, including details about intercourse, does not rob him of innocence.” This is one reason why most parents are afraid to start a conversation about these areas, although they shouldn’t be because it’s only the body’s natural functioning.

While parents and schools shouldn’t dump all this information at once on to a child, they should ease into it and just make sure their child is getting all the right information they need, and to not be afraid of what comes with it. By interacting with the child about sex and puberty, their questions can be answered and they can feel more rested about the subject. Learning these things from my parents and from my school helped me feel more comfortable and confident about talking about this with anyone.

Works cited: Gonchar, Michael. “How Should Children Be Taught About Puberty and Sex?” The Learning Network How Should Children Be Taught About Puberty and Sex Comments. 27 Feb. 2013. Web. 3 Mar. 2015. < //learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/27/how-should-children-be-taught-about-puberty-and-sex/comment-page-2/>.

“Talking About Sex and Puberty.” Focus on the Family. Web. 3 Mar. 2015. < //www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/schoolage-children/talking-about-sex-and-puberty/talking-about-sex-and-puberty>.

Plastic surgery has become fairly commonplace within today’s society. Men and women see procedures as easy fixes to curing whatever part of their bodies they seem to find unsatisfying. The plastic surgery work field is growing tremendously because more and more people are becoming comfortable with the fact that money can buy the physical appearance that they want. What seems to be the problem is the fact that people who get altering procedures done, especially when their reasoning is solely based on a negative personal body image, usually are not satisfied for long with the procedure they have done. This in turn, motivates more procedures to be performed. Plastic surgery that is not brought on because of a medical reason, is usually the misled solution for those who suffer from a distorted mental image of their bodies, and therefore try to “fix” things about themselves that there is nothing wrong with. While there are justified reasons for having cosmetic surgeries performed, the sad reality is that more often than not the surgeries are performed with skewed intentions.

The New York Times article What Are Your Opinions on Cosmetic Surgery? by Katherine Schulten explores the views of various writers who answer the question of aging. One writer Cindy Jackson says that “Plastic surgery is simply a symptom. Ageism in our country, specifically against women, has gone too far.” While both men and women abuse their ability to have a cosmetic procedure done for any reason, women seem to be more commonly observed doing so. In reality, society owes a lot of credit for the value that women place on themselves to celebrities and how the media portrays them. In Mark Shallenberger’s article “The Psychology of Cosmetic Surgery” he speaks of how public figures that are scrutinized at a higher magnitude such as actors, models, and on air spokes people are more likely to get procedures done in order to increase their chances of getting hired in certain fields if they have a more youthful appearance. What ends up happening is that the women in society see the cosmetic altered and airbrushed models and stars and aspire to look like them. This is usually the beginning of the downward spiral that is plastic surgery. Under some circumstances, cosmetic surgery is justified and well needed for different purposes. A prime example of such a circumstance would be a woman who had to have a double mastectomy. In order to bring normalcy back into her life, an appropriate size breast implant would be helpful. This kind of cosmetic procedure is called reconstructive surgery. It is used to improve the function of body parts, or to attempt to approximate a normal appearance. In some parts of the world, cosmetic surgery is termed as elective surgery or nonessential surgery, while the term plastic surgery is used to mean surgery used to reconstruct or improve appearance after injury or illness. Unless there is a viable reason for the procedure, cosmetic surgery is not needed and essentially harmful to the human body. In this instance, the question of what a “viable reason” is might come up. A sustainable reasoning for getting procedures done would be in order to revert to normality after an illness has caused undesirable physical appearance , to fix injuries, or to make a body part function with more ease.

Dawson Stage P.#4

Many people are pushed towards getting a good education because they think that it will help them in life. Grade school is pretty much a necessity for getting anywhere in life, but what if you want to go further? An education is one thing, but a college education can help you go that extra distance that you need and the articles “How necessary is a College Education” from the New York Times and “How Important is a College Education” from Education Portal will show you that. A college education is becoming more of a necessity in today’s world than it was several years ago. Unemployment rate are high and millions of people are fighting to try and get regular jobs. What separate a college graduate from a regular person in the workforce? The answer is the extra experience and knowledge that college graduates have. Getting a job is much easier with a college degree than it is with a high school diploma. “College graduates have an unemployment rate half that of people with only high school degrees,” (NYT Article). That extra four years in college makes your life much easier and much better in the long run. A college education is becoming more of a necessity each year and has many perks, but it also has its downsides. Going to college takes away years of your life that you could spend in the workforce making money. College is also expensive and with today’s economy people are stuck paying their student loans debt back for years. Instead of spending tens of thousands of dollars to get a college degree people can join the workforce with a high school diploma and start making money while college students are entering debt. The extra money that college students make versus a regular working person is probably evened out when they have to pay back their student loans. College students also do not just gain a higher education than high school graduates, they also develop better life skills. “During their classes, college students often develop the reasoning skills needed to make life decisions, ranging from buying a house to helping their children choose their own college” (Education-Portal). “In fact, college graduates are more likely to have children who also complete a college education” (Education-Portal). All in all, a college education is becoming more and more of a necessity in everyday life and having that college education can allow people to have a better life with less things to worry about. Having a college educations makes life easier and makes life something that you can enjoy. In today’s world, a college education is the icing on the cake.

Works Cited “How Important Is a College Education?” Education Portal, n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2015. B, Frank. “How Necessary Is a College Education?” The Learning Network How Necessary Is a College Education Comments. The New York Times, 30 Apr. 2012. Web. 03 Mar. 2015.

Please post more prompts! Am writing for school and cant find a good one for me!

Although none of us want to admit to it, we are all distracted by technology. There are many places where we are susceptible to the distraction of technology. The most popular being at school and in the car. However, the effect of these distractions most significantly affect our relationships and productiveness.

“With the red thumb no-texting campaign sponsored by Nissan, many of us are putting our cell phones in our glove box or our trunk as we drive” (Graham). We all know better than to text or talk while driving because not eliminating this distraction could potentially lead to a life-or-death situation. According to The Daily Mail, “cell phone use while driving is a contributing factor to more than one-in-four car accidents across the country” (Gorman). This is only one example of how technology distracts us.

The Common Sense project surveyed 685 teachers on how technology affects students (Richtel). About 60 percent said technology impeded students’ ability to communicate face to face, and almost half said it hurt their ability to do homework. As a junior in high-school I have first-hand experience of how technology affects my school work. I’ve found that technology is both a gift and curse. Because of technology, it is not a lot easier for me to complete and turn in homework online as well as contact my teachers. However, before my school restricted the use of “Airdrop” on our school-issued iPads, I was constantly receiving notes and pictures from my peers during class.

Two weeks ago my parents took away my cell phone because they believed it was a distraction that hindered both my productiveness and my relationships. At first I strongly believed that because of how the world is today, not being able to access the internet at my convenience would serve as a severe disability. My parents then challenged my to go one whole week without using technology for reasons other than educational. As a result, my grades significantly increased and I noticed I was able to be more productive in getting my work done. Also, I noticed a change in my relationship with my friends and family. I was forced to communicate face-to-face with them and valued the time I had to talk with them more than when I could just text them instead. Now I almost don’t want to ask for my phone back!

I encourage everyone to think about how different their lives would be if they didn’t have technology. If you think, “I cannot live without my iPhone”, you may be in need of a priority change. This world has so much more to offer than what you can see on a screen.

Gorman, Ryan. “One in Four Car Accidents Caused by Cell Phone Use While Driving… but Only Five per Cent Blamed on Texting.” Mail Online. The Daily Mail, 27 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Mar. 2015.

Graham, Stedman. “Relationships Matter: The Importance of Social Intelligence.”Technology Distractions. The Huffington Post, 26 Dec. 2014. Web. 7 Mar. 2015. .

Richtel, Matt. “Technology Changing How Students Learn, Teachers Say.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 31 Oct. 2012. Web. 07 Mar. 2015. < //www.nytimes.com/2012/11/01/education/technology-is-changing-how-students-learn-teachers-say.html>.

Art, Impacting our World “Art is the desire of a man to express himself, to record the reactions of his personality to the world he lives in,” said by Amy Lowell; a nineteenth century poet. Art is all around us, and impacts every aspect of who we are. Art is anything from Eminem, to Beethoven, the Mona Lisa, to graffiti. Art has been a part of mankind before we could even speak; charcoal paintings in cave walls and design covered pottery have shown us this. Art is a critical part of humanity. Artists Jeroen Koolhaas and Dre Urhahn tell us an amazing story of Vila Cruzeiro in Rio, a community of violence and poverty. Koolhaas and Urbahn got the idea to transform Vila Cruzeiro into a great big piece of art. They re-painted buildings, and turned a concrete path for mudslides into a detailed painting of carp jumping in a river. People heard about the transformation and impact art made on this community. From “North Philly, which is one of the poorest neighborhoods in the United States,” a request was sent asking if they could repaint their community like they had done in Rio. Community volunteers, “were trained as painters, and together they transformed their own neighborhood” “into a giant patchwork of color.” Through community involvement of transforming their neighborhood through art, it not only created unity for the project, it painted a bridge of understanding and cooperation that still exists today. The art project brought the community closer together than ever imagined. “Life without the collective resources of our libraries, museums, theaters and galleries, or without the personal expression of literature, music and art, would be static and sterile- no creative arguments about the past, no diverse and stimulating present, and no dreams of the future,” from The Value of Arts and Culture to People and Society, by the England Arts council. If we didn’t have art in our lives, then we wouldn’t have lives. Art is a crucial part of humanity that has led the human race through inspiration and has posed as a stress relief for many. Art surrounds us and makes us who we are, giving us a way to express ourselves. Every single person is involved in art whether they recognize or acknowledge it. Another example of art impacting lives is Bittersweet farms, an assisted living facility for autistic adults. Upset patients get sent to professional artist Valerie French. She works with patients to express themselves through art. They are given a voice through art and are provided a way to relieve stress in a healthy way. Art is everywhere, and without it, we would not be nearly as advanced nor humane as we are.

Koolhass, Jeroen and Urhahn, Dre. “How Painting Can Transform Communities.” TED. Oct. 2014. Lecture England Arts Council. “The Values of Arts and Culture to People and Society.” Valerie French

The Scripture to Love “Would you like to go to church with us today honey?” This is the persistent question my mom asks my dad on Sunday mornings before loading up into the Chevy, spouseless. But, no matter how much she asks she always gets the same response: “No.” I could tell you she is used to it by now, but I know it still hurts to have her husband not believe in the one thing she devotes her whole life to-God-if it didn’t she wouldn’t squirm or get emotional whenever our pastor talks about how “It is important to have your spouse in your walk with god.” Of course, I think it is extremely important for couples to have the same religion but, at the same time we can’t always help that we fall in love with the Christian, or a Muslim, or even the bad boy that believes “God is bull crap.” Naomi Schaffer Riley states many interfaith couples may be “Unaware or unwilling to acknowledge that religion can be a serious dividing in a marriage.” She may be right. Religion is all around us it’s a part of our daily lives but that doesn’t mean everyone has to believe in the same god, or the same entity, or a higher power, or anything at all for that matter. After all, people tell you all the time that love is blind when it comes to height, race, color, and weight but have we ever considered that love is blind to religion? Maria Peyer, the wife in an interfaith relationship even says that she “can love you and think you’re wrong” just like how her husband Mike Bixby can love her and think she is wrong. Or even Erika Seamon, a woman who studies and teaches religion and interfaith relationships at Georgetown University, who says “couples find common ground on love, ethics, and even spirituality while maintaining very different religious identities.” Interfaith marriage is defined as the occurring between persons of a different religion. This type of marriage is up to a whopping 42 percent. My mom has made it clear to me that my father has never judged her being a Christian and that she has never judged him for being an atheist. But, that will not stop her from being an example of Christ in his life. In interfaith relationships there can be big obstacles to jump over, but not impossible ones. We need to be informed that even though a “Rocky road may lie ahead” we can always remember that “Love conquers all.”   Works cited Chideya, Farai. “Finding Love of a Different Faith.” Interview. Audio blog post. Npr.org. N.p., 30 July 2007. Web. 25 Feb. 2015. < //www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12348757>. Fish, Stanley. “Marrying Out of the Faith.” New York Times 1 Apr. 2013: n. pag. Web. 25 Feb. 2015. “”Making Marrriage Work When Only One Spouse Believes in God”” Interview by Deena Prichep. Audio blog post. Npr.org. N.p., 17 Jan. 2013. Web. 25 Feb. 2015. < //www.npr.org/2013/01/17/168954402/making-marriage-work-when-only-one-spouse-believes-in-god>.

THE ART OF TRYING Why Critically Acclaimed Video Games have always been Art

By: Emma Rogers

Games are just a form of interactive art. Video games that appeal to all who play them usually have an amazing music score, fantastic and creative visuals, as well as an emotionally resonant story. A great example of a phenomenal game is Ōkami. Originally released in 2006 for SONY’s PlayStation 2, and published by Capcom, IGN gave it a score of 9.1/10, and Metacritic a 4.5/5 for the re-released version on the Nintendo Wii (2008). In 2007, it was nominated and later won BAFTA’s (The British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Academy Video Game Award for best artistic achievement, as well as their award for best original score (also in the gaming category).

What makes up a great game is exactly what makes up a great anything—only there is more of it, because a great game has to be great in all aspects. Roger Ebert, a famous film critic, claims “no one in or out of the field has ever been able to cite a game worthy of comparison with the great dramatists, poets, filmmakers, novelists and composers.” Ebert has never played a video game, and never will. And you can tell.

Having played Ōkami myself, I can attest to its visual beauty, in the form of a gorgeous art style, laden with thick, inky-black brush strokes as outlines. The characters move with natural fluidity, and the atmosphere—with music and art style combined—is magical. By the end of my near 50-hour endeavor, I was sad to see the adventure come to a close. But isn’t that the same feeling you get from a good film, or book? No matter how long you have spent with those beloved characters, there is still a craving for more to chow on. The fact that this game can invoke such emotion in me that I let a few tears drop over a digital wolf (did I forget to mention that the main protagonist is not only a glorified mutt, but a sun goddess?) is simply astounding. Tom Bissel, a journalist, critic, and writer, even wrote a book on games being art, titled Why Video Games Matter. He claims that video games are “ambitious works of narrative fiction,” and can be compared with even the most engaging of books. Perhaps gaming was simply ahead of Ebert’s time, but in the end, it wouldn’t have hurt to dip a toe into the vast ocean of wonderful experiences you can find in the ever-changing market of gaming. Perhaps mindless shooters will always dominate, but hidden gems will always surface every once in a while—just to keep it fresh.

Works Cited:

Ebert, Roger. “Video Games Can Never Be Art.” Rogerebert. Roger Ebert, 16 Apr. 2010. Web.

Staff. “2007 UK BAFTA Game Award Winners Led By Nintendo.” Gamustra. UBM Tech, 24 Oct. 2007. Web

Schulten, Katherine. “Can a Video Game Be a Work of Art?” Learning.blogs.nytimes. The Learning Network/The New York Times, 25 June 2010. Web

Should schools offer cash bonuses for good test scores?

Would you study more for a good test score and a cash bonus? Those who score a high test score would get rewarded with a hundred dollar bonus, and the teacher would get a raise on his/her salary. For instance, Mr. Nystrom from South High had 43 of his students pass the exam this year, far above his target, he will add a $7,300 check to his $72,000 salary. This financial incentives is “making it cool for boys with low-slung jeans who idolize rappers like Lil Wayne to take the hardest classes.” If students knew that they were getting a cash bonus for a good test score, then they would obviously study more and try in their classes so they can get a good score on their next test, and their teachers would also want their students to do really good because they are also getting paid for their students good test score. A cash bonus can really help students get a higher test scores and let them attempts to take harder classes, and help teachers get more students in their classes, classes that are out of students comfort zone. At UChicago-led, students gained a 10 percentile increase in their score with incentives. this piece of evidence supports my claim because it shows students get better grades and scores with incentives. Another piece of evidence is from the NY-times, a teacher at South High, Mr. Nystrom teaches A.P. statistics to eight times as many students as he used to teach. in other words, this shows that if there is money involved students become more interested in school. Even though financial incentives sound great there could be some reasons why schools shouldn’t use them. The teachers might be able to receive the money from the school, but maybe not the students. In a New York City’s spark program, now going into their second year they reward fourth-graders and seventh-graders for high achievement. A fourth grader can earn up to $250 a year and a seventh grader up to $500. Therefore, that shows thats students are allowed to receive money from the schools. How is the school going to provide all the money they promised? Well, the school can host fundraisers for the money, and the schools can’t afford to give the students incentives to work harder, than they can reward what ever sound suitable for them. I realized that, it is a lot of money but its for students who need a push in their education. This idea also helps the students who are struggling in school to want to try harder, it would be like giving an extra push. At lake Hamilton High, Mr. Leonardo had a “quintessential average rural students: always wearing camo clothing.” That same kid took A.P. Statistics, Mr. Leonardo worked with him and he ended up passing his exam. Surely, This explains that anyone with a little push can succeed. Further more, South High had a reputation with two students which led to murder. The school holds underachieve students, but in 2009, 46 students enrolled in a class that would help them achieve greatness, and out if those 46 students 22 earned qualifying scores on exams in may 2010. Knowing the reputation of the school and their students, and hearing that out of those 46 students, 22 passes exams surprised me in a good way. I can not argue, thats cash incentives help students tremendously. Therefore, with incentives students thats are not doing so well in school are going to want to study harder and pay attention in their class, which later would benefit themselves. Dillon, Sam. “Incentives for Advanced Work Let Pupils and Teachers Cash In.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 02 Oct. 2011. Web. 06 Mar. 2015. Medina, Jennifer. “Next Question: Can Students Be Paid to Excel?” The New York Times. The New York Times, 04 Mar. 2008. Web. 08 Mar. 2015. “Student Performance Improves When Teachers given Incentives Upfront.” Student Performance Improves When Teachers given Incentives Upfront. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2015. “Cash for Good Grades? Some Schools Give It a Try.” GreatSchools. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Mar. 2015.

Why Disney Princesses are Evolving

2013 was the year that Disney released its most popular blockbuster yet. Similar to many other thirteen year old girls at the time, Frozen earned a spot on my favorite movies of all time, for one reason that stood out above the others. It wasn’t the movie’s comic relief in the form of a talking snowman. It also wasn’t the catchy songs, although “Let it Go” will certainly be stuck in our heads as long as we live. Ultimately, Frozen incorporated an independent female character that’s just not available in male dominated films. Surprisingly, I didn’t see independence in the main character at all, but in her sister, Elsa. According to a study by San Diego State University, only thirteen percent of 2013’s top 100 films featured an equal number of male and female characters. In a world I previously believed to be sexism-free, a statistic like this confuses me. Why, in a world half occupied by women, are men dominating by eighty-seven percent in the film business? Perhaps it’s the lack of awareness in females. There is the idea that “women will go see films for men, but men will not see films for women”. This unfortunately seems to ring true, once you look at movies like Indiana Jones, Batman, and the infamous Star Wars. I don’t say “infamous” because of a negative audience reaction, but because of a point made by Colin Stokes in “The Hidden Meaning in Kids Movies,” observing that “there are only boys in the universe except for… [Princess Leia], who…waits around for most of the movie so she can award the hero with a medal and a wink.” Although many women have noticed it before, Stokes seems to be the first man to mention it. His observation leads into a theory much more bizarre, but possibly just as true. Instead of women fighting sexism alone, perhaps men should be taught to take a battle stance too. In Manohla Dargis’ words, “while individual men struggle in the industry, women struggle as a group”. Although this observation is true, it doesn’t have to be. Elsa proved she could do anything without the help of a man, however I now realize she could’ve been even more powerful and made a bigger impact if she worked together with a man as an equal part of a team. Men must be taught to respect and listen to women while they’re young. There are so many advancements happening right now, not only in film, but in technology, education, and politics, and women missing out on them may be putting their good ideas to waste. Only by working together as a team can we finally say “Let it Go” to sexism.

Works Cited Stokes, Colin. “The Hidden Meanings in Kids’ Movies.” TED. Dec. 2012. Lecture. Dockterman, Eliana. “Lena Dunham has a Point: New Research Documents Hollywood’s Sexism.” Time. Time, 11 March. 2014. Web. 3 March 2015. Dargis, Manohla. “Lights, Camera, Taking Action.” New York Times, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2015. Web. 3 March 2015.

Brandon Alter What grade should we give? Ever since 1860 students have been given letter grades by their teachers, is it time for students to be able to grade their teachers? The answer is yes. Most school systems decide on how well a teacher is doing by seeing how well the students did on a standardized test. “On most measures, Ms. Campbell and her fellow teachers at the Aspire Lionel Wilson Preparatory Academy were scoring at or above the average for Aspire, a charter system that runs more than a dozen schools in California and Tennessee. But the survey, conducted by a tech start-up called Panorama Education, also indicated that her students did not believe she was connecting with them” (Manjoo). This quote shows that although the students are doing well, they don’t think the teacher is teaching the right way. Most students would need a tutor or spend hours studying to do well on these standardized tests. Part of the problem is that schools spend too much time focusing on standardized tests. Most students in public schools do not have a teacher they can trust and talk to. Finally students usually have no voice on how good a teacher is, and this will give students more of a voice in their future of education.

Works Cited Bluemle, Stefanie. N.p.: n.p., 2002. 1. Web. 8 Mar. 2015. < //www.augustana.edu/x21668.xml>. Manjoo, Farhad. New York, NY, U.S.A: New York Times, n.d. N. pag. Web. 8 Mar. 2015. < //www.nytimes.com/2014/09/04/technology/students-grade-teachers-and-a-start-up-harnesses-the-data.html

“The Ironies of Reality TV” It has been said Americans spend ⅓ of their free time watching television and about ⅔ of that time is watching Reality TV according to Word Press Blog. And a reasonable question to have is does this consuming form of media affect our values? The 10th season of Keeping up with the Kardashians will premiere on E! network on March 15th! The Kardashian-Jenner family has been in the limelight since their Reality TV show first aired in 2007. The show has become increasingly popular and has made way to become extremely prominent through the years producing several spin-off shows, which is common for thriving reality television. The show follows the family known as the “Kardashian Klan”. The family is recognized for their glamorous, high spending lifestyle and ways, but the real question is; do families like the Kardashians affect our values in society and has viewers? It is called Reality TV, but unfortunately it is unrealistic and misleading to those who are ignorant towards the fact that it is merely there for the purpose of entertainment. According to The New York Times Article, “Yes, They’re Sleazy, but not Originals”, “Reality shows are staged, scripted and heavily edited”. Reality shows like “Buckwild” require hours of filming scenes and incidents in order for the producers to get the raging drama viewers are looking for. What we call “reality television” bluntly contradicts the real world. The truth is, everyday people can be harmed by the unrealistic lifestyles and open vulgarity which grasps the attention of consumers when viewed on reality television. Although you may think Reality Television is harmless, think again. According to a recent study by Bryan Gibson, a psychologist at Central Michigan University, people are more likely to act and think aggressively after watching these kinds of shows on television . Gibson also advises parents to take caution in what they allow their children to view through this form of media because it may appear harmless but can be damaging towards youth eyes. So how can we protect ourselves from bad influence? Instead of observing shows like “The Real Housewives” or “Jersey Shore” try options like “Cake Boss” where we see Buddy Valastro make magnificent desserts or “So You Think You Can Dance”where we get to watch individuals dance their heart out with amazing talent. Shows like such are where we can see everyday people doing amazing things we could never do ourselves. These are better options than viewing the same celebrities that are “famous for being famous” as Alessandra Stanley states from the New York Times. If we are not careful, reality television will influence our society for the worse rather than the better. Works Cited: Curtis, Mary. “In ‘Buckwild’ death, another case of a too real ‘reality’show.” The Washington Post. The Washington Post, 2 April 2013. Web. 24 February 2015. “Reality Television: Creating a World Where No One is Real.” Word Press. Word Press, Web. 8 March 2015. Stanley, Alessandra. “Yes, They’re Sleazy, but Not Originals.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 20 Aug. 2010. Web. 24 February 2015. “Viewer Beware: Watching Reality Tv Can Impact Real-Life Behavior.” NPR. NPR. 24 August 2014. General OneFile. Web. 24 February 2015.`

Connected Yet Isolated Five years ago, when a friend would ask to hang out, I assumed we would play outside, talk, or play board games, yet in current times, it is impossible to make these same assumptions. Current technology distracts us from each other, and attaches our eyes to the screen. Should we still call it hanging out if we are only paying attention to our phones?

Many teenagers today would rather be on their phones than be with friends or family. In a recent Pew internet survey, thirteen percent of people with cellphones were reported to have pretended to use their phones in order to avoid social interaction. Technology has its benefits: staying connected with people, making plans, and rediscovering old friends. However, its constant use can cause problems. Despite the benefits that technology brings, my generation often relies on it too much, resulting in our social isolation.

When I am hanging out with my friends, I feel like we are not necessarily hanging out. Most of my friends have smartphones which they can easily play games on or go to Instagram or Twitter. When we sit down at someone’s house, we don’t engage in as much conversation as I would like to. The person conversing is usually projecting their voice into their phone rather than everyone else. I catch myself doing this also. I find myself on my phone instead of engaging in conversation with my peers, which was the reason we decided to get together in the first place. Even though we are together, I feel as if we are all in our own worlds of the little screens on our phones.

Teenagers are not the only age group affected by technology. According to New York Times article, Disruptions: More Connected, Yet More Alone, “Momofuku Ko and Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare, have prohibited people from photographing their food.” These restaurants did a smart thing, in my opinion. They understand how some people are on their phones during dinner rather than socializing with the people they are eating with. In Sherry Turkle’s TED Talk, she mentions how “parents text and do email at breakfast and at dinner while the children complain about not having their parents’ full attention.” Parents are even isolating themselves from their own families.

Technology can overtake our social lives, but we have to fix that now or it could be harder to later. We can stop using technology all the time and spend time with others around us. We can pick a book up or actually converse instead of expressing our thoughts through hashtags.. Technology is great, but sometimes we have to put it aside for a little bit and enjoy the world as it is.

Bilton, Nick. “Disruptions: More Connected, Yet More Alone.” New York Times. New York Times, 1 Sep. 2013. Web. 25 Feb. 2015. “Does the Internet Make You More– Or Less– Connected?” NPR. NPR. 24 August 2011. NPR. Web. 25 February 2015. Turkle, Sherry. “Connected, but alone?” TED. Feb. 2012. Lecture.

How Is The Pressure for Girls to Be Perfect Affecting Them? A young girl stares at the bright screen in her hand. She is on Tumblr when she sees the photos of a young Victoria Secret model. As she looks at the photos, she begins to notice the difference between the model and herself. The model had a smaller waist and was tall and blonde and her skin looked flawless. She compared herself to the photos and said “I need to look like that.” Our media today flashes with airbrushed pictures of women constantly, showing up on our T.V.s and cell phones. Victoria Secret models, famous actresses and singers, even fast food commercials have began to show half naked woman eating their food.Yes, this is all for advertising but do they know what it is doing the girls’ self esteem? Girls are looking at these photos and comparing their body to them, I myself have done it many times. Several girls do not realize the images they are seeing are unattainable and are airbrushed or fake. Many girls go to extremes to try and become that image. According to 2004 survey published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal, 29% of girls ages 10-14 at a healthy weight, are trying to lose weight. Being that I am in that age group, I know the pressures of trying to meet the ‘perfect body’ image. This is the age that middle school ends and high school starts, and so do reputations, and no one wants to be the girl that looks different. Even celebrities like Mary Kate Olsen fell into the pressure of having a perfect body and suffered from an eating disorder. Many girls suffer from them everyday trying to become what they think is the acceptable and attractive weight. I think the media should show woman for how they really are and not the fake images shown now. Even models struggle with body image. I feel like if I was a model and saw the airbrushed pictures of myself, I would be disappointed when I looked in the mirror. For all women to feel more confident and feel like their body is the perfect body, woman should be shown for how they actually look. No airbrush or filters should mess with the pictures and not all, but a lot of pressure would be lifted off girls. The pressure that is left should be turned into pressure that they should be themselves. Pressure to be the beautiful individuals that girls are now trying to hide.

Works Cited: Wulff, Jennifer, Allison Adato, KC Baker, Mark Dagostino, Kathy Ehrich, Debbie Seaman, Tom Cunneff, Sean Daly, Alison SIngh Gee, Kwala Mandel, Brenda Rodriguez, Giovanna Brue, Kelly Williams, Wendy Grossman, and Sara Hammel. “Pressure To Be Perfect.” People 26 July 2004: 72-78. Academic Search Premier. Web. 24 Feb. 2015 Hartocollis, Anemona. “City Unveils Campaign to Improve Girls’ Self-Esteem.” The New York TImes 1 Oct. 2013: A22. Print.. Khadaroo, Stacy Teicher. “Sexy Halloween Costumes for Girls? Study Backs Up Concerned Parents.” Christian Science Monitor. N.p., 31 Oct. 2014. Web. 24 Feb. 2015.

Has Baseball Lost It’s Cool?

The school day should start a few hours later. 7:10 is way too early for students to start school. That leaves kids not getting enough sleep. Many people say that teens should get 8-10 hours of sleep every night, but getting up at 5:30-6:00, maybe even earlier, it barely leaves them getting eight hours of sleep. Many teens go to bed later than 10:30. I’m sure most adults think they should just go to bed earlier but they don’t seem to fall asleep that early. This may help kids do better mentally and physically. Not only in school, but in everything else as well. If school would start at 8:30 then that would put the ending around 3:30, leaving it okay for after school activities to not end too late. Teachers get mad at students because they fall asleep in class. That is because they have to get up so early and they’re not getting enough sleep. After a day of school and sports I am wore out. Maybe those few more hours of sleep at night would help.

Should the school day start later? Does the school day start too early for kids? Most teens say they don’t like school just because it starts to early. Some teens say they wouldn’t mind going to school if it didn’t start at seven in the morning. For me I would love for the school days to start later in the day. It would give the kids brains time to start working. The kids can’t think right if they are tired. Kids don’t like to wake up so early because they don’t go to sleep till late at night. If the day started later the kids can stay up late and get enough sleep. Kids need their sleep so they can work good and focus. You should let them start later in the day, there is a study saying kids brains don’t actually start working till being three hours awake. So really they aren’t learning anything till ten in the morning anyway. The kids know that if it started later it would end later , but if you cut the hours test scores might actually go up some. Why do you think that a lot of kids like to be home schooled. It is because they don’t have to wake up so early and get ready for school. Nobody in their right mind wants to be trapped in a building for eight hours just to get screamed at all day. So in my opinion that is why the school day should start later in the day than it does. Kids hate school and I don’t see why parents don’t see it. They should do what would make the kids happy and start the day later, and then maybe kids will actually show up and not hate it as much. It wouldn’t surprise me if they did start the school day later and kids showed up more than what they do now.

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Lolita Essay Topics & Writing Assignments

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the publication history of Lolita, controversies after its publication, the banning of the novel, and the criticism, biography, and works of author Vladimir Nabokov. Where did Nabokov choose to first have Lolita published? Why? How did critics respond to the controversial subject matter of the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the genre of Lolita. What genre is the novel traditionally grouped into and how did Nabokov respond to this grouping? What genre did Nabokov feel Lolita fit best into? Why? Do you agree?

Essay Topic 3

Define “narrative point of view” and analyze the narrative perspective of Lolita. How does the novel’s Foreword establish who the narrator of Part 1 will be? Does H.H. relate his story in the present or past tense? How reliable a narrator is Humbert Humbert?

Essay Topic 4

Discuss the author’s use of literary allusion in the novel. What does the...

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• How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips

How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

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Table of contents

When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.

In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.

• Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
• Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by evidence from sources.
• Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.
• Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least effective, and why.
• Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.
• Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

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An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:

• Make a claim
• Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
• Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
• Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:

• Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better spent on other approaches
• Cite data to support your claim
• Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
• Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

• Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
• Highlight the problems with this position
• Present your own position , showing how it addresses these problems
• Suggest a possible compromise —what elements of your position would proponents of the opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

• Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia
• Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
• Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
• Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

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An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

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An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

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 .

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

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Debate Topics

Need to write an argumentative essay? Preparing for an upcoming debate? ProCon.org has over 100 topics complete with pro and con arguments, quotes and statistics from experts, historical information, and other pertinent research.

Abortion – Should abortion be legal?

Alternative Energy – Can alternative energy effectively replace fossil fuels?

American Socialism – Should the U.S. become socialist?

Animal Dissection – Should K-12 students dissect animals in science classrooms?

Animal Testing – Should animals be used for scientific or commercial testing?

Artificial Intelligence – Is artificial intelligence good for society?

Banned Books – Should parents or other adults be able to ban books from schools and libraries?

Binge-Watching – Is binge-watching good for you?

Cancel Culture – Is cancel culture (or callout culture) good for society?

CBD for Pets – Is CBD good for pets?

Cell Phone Radiation – Is cell phone radiation safe?

Cheerleading – Is cheerleading a sport?

Churches & Taxes – Should churches (including mosques, synagogues, etc.) remain tax-exempt?

College Education – Is a college education worth it?

Congressional Term Limits  – Should term limits be imposed on U.S. Senators and Representatives?

Constitutional Carry of Handguns – Should permitless, “constitutional carry” of guns be legal?

Corporal Punishment – Should corporal punishment be used in K-12 schools?

Corporate Tax Rate – Should the federal corporate income tax rate be raised?

Cuba Embargo – Should the United States maintain its embargo against Cuba?

DACA & Dreamers – Are DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and the DREAM Act good for America?

Daylight Saving Time – Should the United States keep daylight saving time?

DC AND Puerto Rico Statehood – Should Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico be granted U.S. statehood?

Death Penalty – Should the death penalty be legal?

Defund the Police – Should police departments be defunded, if not abolished?

Dress Codes – Should dress codes be implemented and enforced?

Drinking Age – Should the drinking age be lowered from 21 to a younger age?

Drone Strikes – Should the United States continue its use of drone strikes abroad?

Drug Use in Sports – Should performance-enhancing drugs be accepted in sports?

Election Day National Holiday – Should the election day be made a national holiday?

Electoral College – Should the United States use the electoral college in presidential elections?

Employer Vaccine Mandates – Should employers be able to mandate vaccinations?

Felon Voting – Should people who have completed felony sentences be allowed to vote?

Fighting in Hockey – Should fighting be allowed in hockey?

Filibuster – Should the U.S. Senate keep the filibuster?

Fracking – Should the United States continue fracking

Free College – Should public college be tuition-free?

Fur Clothing Bans – Should fur clothing be banned?

GMOS – Should genetically modified organisms (GMOs) be grown?

Gold Standard – Should the United States return to a gold standard?

Golf – Is golf a sport and are golfers athletes?

Gun Control – Should more gun control laws be enacted?

Historic Statue Removal – Should historic statues be taken down?

Homework – Is homework beneficial?

Illegal Immigration – Should the U.S. government provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants?

Internet – Is the internet “making us stupid?”

Kneeling during the National Anthem – Is kneeling during the national anthem an appropriate form of protest?

Mandatory National Service – Should the United States have mandatory national service?

Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) – Should medical aid in dying be legal?

Medical Marijuana – Should medical marijuana be legal?

Milk – Should humans consume dairy milk?

Minimum Wage – Should the federal minimum wage be increased?

Net Neutrality – Should the U.S. have net neutrality laws?

Obesity – Is obesity a disease?

Olympics – Are the Olympic games an overall benefit for their host countries and cities?

OTC Birth Control Pills – Should birth control pills be available over-the-counter (OTC)?

Penny – Should the penny stay in circulation?

Pit Bull Bans – Should breed-specific legislation (“pit bull bans”) be enacted?

Pokémon – Is Pokémon Go good for our society?

Police Body Cameras – Should police officers wear body cameras?

Prescription Drug Costs – Should the U.S. federal government regulate prescription drug prices?

Presidential Election, 2024 – 2024 Presidential Election Site

Private Prisons – Should prisons be privatized?

Recreational Marijuana – Should recreational marijuana be legal?

Reparations for Slavery – Should the federal government pay reparations to the descendants of slaves?

Right to Healthcare – Should all Americans have the right (be entitled) to health care?

Sanctuary Cities – Should sanctuary cities receive federal funding?

Santa Claus – Is there really a Santa Claus?

Saturday Halloween – Should Halloween be moved permanently to Saturday?

School Uniforms – Should students have to wear school uniforms?

Single-use Plastics Ban – Should single-use plastics be banned?

Social Media & Digital Addiction – Does social media spur digital addiction and other social ills?

Social Security Privatization – Should social security be privatized?

Space Colonization – Should humans colonize space?

Standardized Tests – Do standardized tests improve education in America?

Student Loan Debt – Should student loan debt be eliminated via forgiveness or bankruptcy?

TikTok Bans – Should TikTok be banned?

Uber & Lyft – Are ride-sharing companies a benefit to society?

Universal Basic Income (UBI) – Should the United States implement a universal basic income?

U.S. Supreme Court Packing – Should packing the U.S. Supreme Court ever be considered?

Vaccines for Kids – Should states be allowed to mandate vaccines for school attendance??

Vaping E-Cigarettes – Is vaping e-cigarettes safe?

Vegetarianism – Should people become vegetarian?

Video Games & Violence – Do violent video games contribute to youth violence?

Voting Age – Should the voting age be lowered to 16?

Voting Machines – Are electronic voting machines the best method for voting?

Zoos – Should zoos exist?

Archived Topics

Please note that ProCon no longer updates these debates.

ACLU – Is the ACLU good for America?

Big Three Bailout – Should the big three car manufacturers be bailed out by the U.S. government?

Born Gay – Is sexual orientation determined at birth?

Climate Change – Is human activity primarily responsible for global climate change?

College Football Playoffs – Should college football replace the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) with a playoff system?

Dakota Access Pipeline – Should the Dakota Access Pipeline be completed?

D.A.R.E. – Is the D.A.R.E. program good for America’s kids (K-12)?

Gay Marriage – Should gay marriage be legal?

Congressional Insider Trading – Should insider trading by Congress be allowed?

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict – What are the solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

Obamacare – Is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) good for America?

Paying College Athletes – Should colleges and universities pay college athletes?

President Bill Clinton – Was Bill Clinton a good president?

President Ronald Reagan – Was Ronald Reagan a good president?

Presidential Election, 2008 – Which candidate would make the best U.S. president?

Presidential Election, 2012 – Which candidate should be U.S. president in 2012?

Presidential Election, 2016 – The candidates and where they stand on the issues

Presidential Election, 2020 – 2020 Presidential Election Site

Prostitution – Should prostitution be legal?

School Vouchers – Should states have school voucher programs?

Tablets v. Textbooks -Should tablets replace textbooks in K-12 schools?

Teacher Tenure – Should teachers get tenure?

Under God in the Pledge – Should the words “under god” be in the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance?

U.S. Drone Shot down by Iran – Was the U.S. drone shot down by Iran over international waters?

U.S.-Iraq War – Should the U.S. have attacked Iraq?

WTC Muslim Center – Is it appropriate to build a muslim community center (aka the ”ground zero mosque”) near the World Trade Center site?

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Natalie Leppard Managing Editor [email protected]

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401 Prompts for Argumentative Writing

By Michael Gonchar

• March 1, 2017

Note: We have 310 new argumentative writing prompts to add to this list.

Of all the resources we publish on The Learning Network, perhaps it’s our vast collection of writing prompts that is our most widely used resource for teaching and learning with The Times.

This list of 401 prompts ( available here in PDF ) is now our third iteration of what originally started as 200 prompts for argumentative writing, and it’s intended as a companion resource to help teachers and students participate in our annual Student Editorial Contest .

So scroll through the hundreds of prompts below that touch on every aspect of contemporary life — from social media to sports, politics, gender issues and school — and see which ones most inspire you to take a stand. Each question comes from our daily Student Opinion feature, and each provides links to free Times resources for finding more information. And for even more in-depth student discussions on pressing issues like immigration , guns , climate change and race , please visit our fall 2016 Civil Conversation Challenge .

What’s your favorite question on this list? What questions should we ask, but haven’t yet? Tell us in the comments.

And visit our related list as well: 650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing .

Social Media and Smartphones

1. Does Technology Make Us More Alone? 2. Is Social Media Making Us More Narcissistic? 3. Will Social Media Help or Hurt Your College and Career Goals? 4. Would You Consider Deleting Your Facebook Account? 5. Does Facebook Need a ‘Dislike’ Button? 6. Has Facebook Lost Its Edge? 7. Should What You Say on Facebook Be Grounds for Getting Fired? 8. Would You Be Willing to Pay for Facebook or Google in Exchange for Your Privacy? 9. Are Anonymous Social Media Networks Dangerous? 10. Should People Be Allowed to Obscure Their Identities Online? 11. Is Our Culture of Online Shaming Out of Control? 12. Is Snapchat a Revolutionary Form of Social Media? 13. Do Apps Help You or Just Waste Your Time? 14. Do You Spend Too Much Time on Smartphones Playing ‘Stupid Games’? 15. Is Pokémon Go a Positive Cultural Force? Or Is it Just Another Excuse for People to Stare at Their Phones? 16. Are Digital Photographs Too Plentiful to Be Meaningful? 17. Do You Worry We Are Filming Too Much? 18. How Many Text Messages Are Too Many? 19. Does Punctuation in Text Messages Matter? 20. Can a GIF Work Better Than Words?

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Argumentative Essay – Outline, Form, and Examples

What is an argumentative essay.

An argumentative essay requires the writer to investigate a specific topic by collecting and evaluating evidence to establish a position on the subject matter.

When preparing to compose a good argumentative essay, utilize the following steps:

Step 1: Select a topic.

Step 2: Identify a position.

Step 3: Locate appropriate resources.

Step 4: Identify evidence supporting the position. ( NOTE: If there is little evidence in support of the claim, consider re-examining the main argument.)

When gathering evidence, use credible sources . To determine the credibility of the source, consider authority, currency, accuracy, and objectivity:

Who is the author ? Are they an expert in the field? Has a reputable publisher published the work?

How current is the information in the source? Does the currency of the source matter? Does the age of the source impact the content? Is there newer information that disproves the source’s information?

Can other sources verify the accuracy of the information? Does the information contradict that found in other commonly accepted sources?

Is there any evidence of bias, or is the source objective ? Is the research sponsored by an organization that may skew the information?

The following are typically recognized as providing appropriate, credible research material:

Peer-reviewed journals/research papers

Government agencies

Professional organizations

Library databases

Reference books

Writers should avoid using the following sources:

Social media posts

Out-of-date materials

Step 5: Utilize the research to determine a thesis statement that identifies the topic, position, and support(s).

Step 6: Use the evidence to construct an outline, detailing the main supports and relevant evidence.

Argumentative essay outline

After gathering all of the necessary research, the next step in composing an argumentative essay focuses on organizing the information through the use of an outline:

Introduction

Attention Grabber/Hook

Background Information: Include any background information pertinent to the topic that the reader needs to know to understand the argument.

Thesis: State the position in connection to the main topic and identify the supports that will help prove the argument.

Topic sentence

Identify evidence in support of the claim in the topic sentence

Explain how the evidence supports the argument

Evidence 3 (Continue as needed)

Support 2 (Continue as needed)

Restate thesis

Review main supports

Concluding statement

Invite the audience to take a specific action.

Identify the overall importance of the topic and position.

How to write an argumentative essay

Regardless of the writer’s topic or point of view, an argumentative essay should include an introductory paragraph, body paragraphs, a conclusion, and works cited.

Background information

Body Paragraphs

Analysis of evidence

Rephrased thesis

Review of main ideas

Call to action

Works Cited

Argumentative essay introduction

The introduction sets the tone for the entire paper and introduces the argument. In general, the first paragraph(s) should attract the reader’s attention, provide relevant context, and conclude with a thesis statement.

To attract the reader's attention , start with an introductory device. There are several attention-grabbing techniques, the most common of which consist of the following:

The writer can emphasize the topic’s importance by explaining the current interest in the topic or indicating that the subject is influential.

Pertinent statistics give the paper an air of authority.

There are many reasons for a stimulating statement to surprise a reader. Sometimes it is joyful; sometimes it is shocking; sometimes it is surprising because of who said it.

An interesting incident or anecdote can act as a teaser to lure the reader into the remainder of the essay. Be sure that the device is appropriate for the subject and focus of what follows.

Provide the reader with relevant context and background information necessary to understand the topic.

Conclude with a thesis statement that identifies the overall purpose of the essay (topic and position). Writers can also include their support directly in the thesis, which outlines the structure of the essay for the reader.

Avoid the following when writing the introduction to argumentative writing:

Starting with dictionary definitions is too overdone and unappealing.

Do not make an announcement of the topic like “In this paper I will…” or “The purpose of this essay is to….”

Evidence supporting or developing the thesis should be in the body paragraphs, not the introduction.

Beginning the essay with general or absolute statements such as “throughout history...” or “as human beings we always...” or similar statements suggest the writer knows all of history or that all people behave or think in the same way.

Argumentative essay thesis

The thesis statement is the single, specific claim the writer sets out to prove and is typically positioned as the last sentence of the introduction . It is the controlling idea of the entire argument that identifies the topic, position, and reasoning.

When constructing a thesis for an argumentative paper, make sure it contains a side of the argument, not simply a topic. An argumentative thesis identifies the writer’s position on a given topic. If a position cannot be taken, then it is not argumentative thesis:

Topic: Capital punishment is practiced in many states.

Thesis: Capital punishment should be illegal.

While not always required, the thesis statement can include the supports the writer will use to prove the main claim. Therefore, a thesis statement can be structured as follows:

TOPIC + POSITION (+ SUPPORTS)

No Supports: College athletes (TOPIC) should be financially compensated (POSITION).

Supports: College athletes (TOPIC) should be financially compensated (POSITION) because they sacrifice their minds and bodies (SUPPORT 1), cannot hold

Argumentative essay body paragraphs

Body paragraphs can be of varying lengths, but they must present a coherent argument unified under a single topic. They are rarely ever longer than one page, double-spaced; usually they are much shorter.

Lengthy paragraphs indicate a lack of structure. Identify the main ideas of a lengthy paragraph to determine if they make more sense as separate topics in separate paragraphs.

Shorter paragraphs usually indicate a lack of substance; there is not enough evidence or analysis to prove the argument. Develop the ideas more or integrate the information into another paragraph.

The structure of an argumentative paragraph should include a topic sentence, evidence, and a transition.

The topic sentence is the thesis of the paragraph that identifies the arguable point in support of the main argument. The reader should know exactly what the writer is trying to prove within the paragraph by reading the first sentence.

The supporting evidence and analysis provide information to support the claim. There should be a balance between the evidence (facts, quotations, summary of events/plot, etc.) and analysis (interpretation of evidence). If the paragraph is evidence-heavy, there is not much of an argument; if it is analysis-heavy, there is not enough evidence in support of the claim.

The transition can be at the beginning or the end of a paragraph. However, it is much easier to combine the transition with the concluding observation to help the paragraphs flow into one another. Transitions in academic writing should tell the reader where you were, where you are going, and relate to the thesis.

Some essays may benefit from the inclusion of rebuttals to potential counterarguments of the writer’s position.

Argumentative essay conclusion

The conclusion should make readers glad they read the paper. It can suggest broader implications that will not only interest readers but also enrich their understanding in some way. There are three aspects to follow when constructing the conclusion: rephrase the thesis, synthesize information, and call the reader to action.

Rephrased the thesis in the first sentence of the conclusion. It must be in different words; do not simply write it verbatim.

Synthesize the argument by showing how the paper's main points support the argument.

Propose a course of action or a solution to an issue. This can redirect the reader's thought process to apply the ideas to their life or to see the broader implications of the topic.

Avoid the following when constructing the conclusion:

Beginning with an unnecessary, overused phrase such as "in conclusion," "in summary," or "in closing;" although these phrases can work in speeches, they come across as trite in writing

Introducing a new idea or subtopic in the conclusion

Making sentimental, emotional appeals that are out of character with the rest of the paper

Including evidence (quotations, statistics, etc.) that should be in the body of the paper

Argumentative essay examples

Examples of argumentative essays vary depending upon the type:

Academic essays differ based upon the topic and position. These essays follow a more traditional structure and are typically assigned in high school or college. Examples of academic argumentative essay topics include the following:

Advantages or disadvantages of social media

Animal testing

Art education

Benefit or detriment of homework

Capital punishment

Class warfare

Immigration

School uniforms

Universal healthcare

Violence in video games

Argumentative literary essays are typically more informal and do not follow the same structure as an academic essay. The following are popular examples of argumentative literary essays:

“Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Death of the Moth” by Virginia Woolf

“Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell

“Thoughts for the Times on War and Death” by Sigmund Freud

“Does the Truth Matter? Science, Pseudoscience, and Civilization” by Carl Sagan

“Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson