Essay topic ideas
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Dogukan Duman
- November 8, 2023
If your essay or article does not have a clear subject, the first step is to brainstorm ideas and decide what you want to write about.
In the writing process, generating ideas is the least systematic and most innovative step. Now, let’s continue with the steps you can follow in order to find a topic for your academic essay.
Tips for choosing a topic
Choosing a topic for your essay is way more important. Without choosing and understanding the topic of your essay, you can’t write a catchy essay for the reader.
Let’s continue with these essential questions before choosing the topic.
Questions to ask before deciding on a topic
- Is there any spesific topic subject?
- Is it necessary for you to research your topic?
- What type of sources you are expected to use in your essay?
- Which writing style you are expected to use (formal or informal)?
- Is there any specific essay style to use (argumentative, research, informative, etc)?
Thinking about these questions before you choose your essay topic helps you find the most appropriate one. These questions will also let you keep up with your essay instructions.
Essential steps of choosing an essay topic
Be sure you know the subject
Even if you think you know many things about a topic, you should verify your knowledge from different sources to prevent misinforming. Sometimes your topic background helps you find better sources.Stick to the essay style
Sometimes students want to write about their favorite topic without thinking about how to write their essay. Some topics can't match some essay styles, so make sure your topic matches the correct essay type.Find something interesting and easy to understand
You should choose an interesting topic to impress your teacher. Your topic should also be easy to understand for everyone.Start brainstorming
Create a list of as many ideas as possible and take notes as you go. On the list, you can also group similar ideas together.- Develop a general subject for yourself to write.
- If necessary, set a timer to ensure that you write for at least a few minutes.
- Then, write constantly on a pad of paper or on your computer for two to three minutes.
- Write everything you think of, no matter how ridiculous it may seem, as long as it relates to the initial subject.
- When you’ve finished, make use of a checklist to see whether you’ve come up with some constructive ideas as a result of the exercise.
Essay Types and Topic Examples
Persuasive Essay Topics
Persuasive essays aim to convince. You are expected to state your opinion about a persuasive essay topic that you can justify or prove. It would help if you chose a controversial topic.
- Do crypto curencies have a bright future ?
- Should people adopt meta-verse in future?
- Is killing animals to eat ethically wrong?
- Alcohol is not a bad thing if you are a social drinker.
- Vaccination should be mandatory for all citizens.
- Should people keep reproducing?
- Should abortion be legal in all states?
- Should people buy guns to defend themselves or should the government prevent citizens from buying guns?
- Democracy is useless if the nation is ignorant.
- Social media harms our culture.
- Should stray dogs be euthanized?
- Parents should limit their children when it comes to electronics and technology.
- Should the death penalty still be used in today's world?
- Old people should not do politics.
- Is it possible to find out what is real?
- Do people have to experience bad things to prevent them in the future?
- Is it ethical to determine the religion of a child?
Argumentative Essay Topics
An argumentative essay presents two sides of one topic with proven data and logic. There is no pressure to convince people and both sides are presented and explained by the authors. Argumentative essay topics should contain debatable facts.
- Is competition boosts general academic success in school?
- Are guns necessary for decreasing the crime rate?
- Are people ready for gigantic natural disasters?
- Should students be allowed to use phones during school days?
- Do police have enough authority over people?
- Are video games bad for child development?
- Will we be ready for another pandemic in the future?
- Is it necessary to learn a foreign language?
- Should alimony be mandatory?
Narrative Essay Topics
For narrative essays, feel free to write about anything you have experienced or felt in your life. There is no limit when you choose a narrative essay topic.
- Your favorite book and why you like it?
- What is your biggest fear when you were a child?
- What is the most embarrassing situation you have experienced?
- Are you a dog or a cat person?
- What did you do this summer?
- What is the most debatable idea of you?
- Where is your favorite holiday place and why?
- Do you prefer winter or summer?
- What is your favorite historical event?
- What is your biggest regret?
Research Essay Topics
Research papers are based on academic sources and research. These essays present problems and show their reasons and effects. You should use reliable sources and share your opinion about the research essay topic.
- Work place and people of color.
- Future of reusuble energy sources.
- The connection between poverty and crime.
- The effect of life imprisonment on criminals.
- Connection between inflation and interest rates.
- Drought risk and action to be taken.
- Healt tourism and its branches.
- Divorce rates and their reasons.
- Nuclear energy and safety.
- The obesity rate in the United States.
Informative Essay Topics
You simply inform the reader about a topic with the support of academic sources in informative essays. You should stay away from personal remarks and comments. Informative essay topics should be objective and provable.
- Modernisim and poetry.
- First settlers in America and their lifestyles.
- What is NFT?
- Reasons of The Worl Wars.
- Overpopulation in big cities.
- Online language learning.
- Stock market and psychology of investors.
- Psychological disorders among youth.
- Feminisim and historical events.
- Islamphobia around the world.
Definition Essay Topics
Definition essays aim to explain and define a term to their readers. These terms do not have to have strict definitions. Definition essay topics should be personal and controversial.
- What is happiness for you?
- What is the use of doing drugs?
- How society can accept criminals?
- How do you define success?
- Pros and cons of getting bank loan.
- What does power mean to you?
- How to get rid of addictions?
- What does friendship mean to you?
- How can a hobby change our life?
- Hardwork and its importance in life.
Cause and Effect Essay Topics
Cause and effect essays explain how an event is affected and affects others. In this perspective, you should find a cause and effect essay topic that affects something or emerged from a cause.
- What are the causes of alcohol addiction?
- What are the causes of depression?
- Causes of mental illnesess.
- Childhood experiences have long-term life effects on one’s personality.
- Why is gold is precious?
- The reasons behind people committing hate crimes.
- Being exposed to violence and its long-term effects.
- Causes and effects of insomnia.
- Why do people need to have fun to live longer?
- Organic fruit and vegetable consumption reduces health risks.
Compare and Contrast Essay Topics and Ideas
Compare and contrast essays find differences and similarities between two or more things. There are a lot of compare and constrast essay topics as the concept is pretty standard in today’s world.
- Capitalism vs. Communism
- Tolstoy vs Dostoevsky
- Which one is better when it comes to telling a story; film vs book?
- Would you choose the blue pill or the red pill?
- Which one is better; Kfc vs Popeyes?
- UK English vs. American English: differences and similarities
- Japanese culture vs. Chinese culture
- High school vs college.
- E-books or text books.
- Traditional medicine vs Western medicine.
Research Paper Topics
A research paper is academic writing that provides detailed analysis, interpretation, and argument based on in-depth independent research. Research paper topics must be rational as you are expected to write your paper with the support of proper scholarly research.
- Animal rights and how they are ignored.
- In various cultures, what does it mean to be patriotic?
- What should be done about hate crimes.
- Is population control a viable solution to the problem of global warming?
- Endangered animals and their preservation.
- Alternative medicine vs. traditional medicine.
- How the information about cancer is distributed online.
- Human impacts on forests.
- How gaming sector influence the youth?
- The freedom of speech online.
Scholarship Essay Topics
A scholarship essay is an essay that carries important characteristics and experiences of students. Scholarship essay topics should include personal experiences, academic background, academic qualities, and personal characteristics.
- Communicate the reason why have you selected the courses on your transcript and explain how you succeeded.
- Put your successful professional experiences forward and write small stories about these experiences.
- List your technical qualities such as completed researches/studies, publications, or software you use and give examples.
- As long as you get the consent of them, you can mention the positive thoughts of your professors about you.
- Share something about who you are and what are your positive characteristics.
- There are also more specific topics that can not be classified with essay types. These topics include general and current themes such as; environment, nature, Covid-19, technology, history, etc.
Covid-19 Essay Topics
- Economic breakdown during Covid-19.
- Education during the pandemic.
- Pros and cons of homeworking during the pandemic.
- What did you feel during the Covid-19 quarantine?
- Mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Environment, and Nature Essay Topics
- Global warming and its effects.
- Chemical wastes and their damage to water and soil.
- The threat of nuclear energy.
- Ocean pollution and its effects to ocean biota.
- Are pesticides necessary for growing plants?
Technology Essay Topics
- Would you like to live a life without computers and mobile devices?
- What has changed after the invention of internet?
- How has technology harmed humankind so far?
- Should people discover space?
- What is the most important technological improvement of humankind for you?
