By high school, students should be able to craft a detailed argumentative essay if they have the right topic. These ideas will get high school students inspired.
- Should people be allowed to burn the flag?
- Should parents get in trouble for truancy if kids don’t go to school?
- Is social media bad for relationships?
- Should companies be required to hire a diverse staff?
- Are women and men treated equally in your society?
- Should the minimum wage be raised?
- Should every student go to college?
- Is climate change a real threat?
- Are wind farms a benefit to the environment and economy?
- Should people be allowed to wear fur coats?
- Is it a bad idea to sample your DNA for genealogy?
- Should parents be able to say they don’t want medical treatment for their kids?
- Is the United States falling behind other countries in terms of education?
- Do the actions of a country’s leader influence the actions of the people?
- Should the electoral college be abolished?
- Should schools be required to offer art courses?
- Should all new cars be electric?
- Will artificial intelligence help the world or hurt it?
- Should high school students work during the school year?
- Are there forms of personal expression that shouldn’t be allowed in schools?
What is an Argumentative Essay?
The purpose of an argumentative essay is to organize and present your well-reasoned conclusions in order to persuade the audience to accept—or at least seriously consider—your point of view.
Begin at the End!
A “well-reasoned conclusion” is one that is arrived at step by step, guiding the reader through your logic with illustrations and explanations, until your conclusion seems inevitable.
Think Before You Write
Make your reasoning clear to yourself BEFORE you write your final draft.
State your ideas step by step before trying to draw the conclusion.
There has to be evidence for each premise (step) and an explanation of how you arrived at your conclusion.
Profile Your Audience
This is not “profiling” with intent to discriminate against anyone.
Instead, you are making sure you reach your audience without offending them!