persuasive essay on high school life

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 113 perfect persuasive essay topics for any assignment.

General Education

Do you need to write a persuasive essay but aren’t sure what topic to focus on? Were you thrilled when your teacher said you could write about whatever you wanted but are now overwhelmed by the possibilities? We’re here to help!

Read on for a list of 113 top-notch persuasive essay topics, organized into ten categories. To help get you started, we also discuss what a persuasive essay is, how to choose a great topic, and what tips to keep in mind as you write your persuasive essay.

What Is a Persuasive Essay?

In a persuasive essay, you attempt to convince readers to agree with your point of view on an argument. For example, an essay analyzing changes in Italian art during the Renaissance wouldn’t be a persuasive essay, because there’s no argument, but an essay where you argue that Italian art reached its peak during the Renaissance would be a persuasive essay because you’re trying to get your audience to agree with your viewpoint.

Persuasive and argumentative essays both try to convince readers to agree with the author, but the two essay types have key differences. Argumentative essays show a more balanced view of the issue and discuss both sides. Persuasive essays focus more heavily on the side the author agrees with. They also often include more of the author’s opinion than argumentative essays, which tend to use only facts and data to support their argument.

All persuasive essays have the following:

Introduction: Introduces the topic, explains why it’s important, and ends with the thesis.
Thesis: A sentence that sums up what the essay be discussing and what your stance on the issue is.
Reasons you believe your side of the argument: Why do you support the side you do? Typically each main point will have its own body paragraph.
Evidence supporting your argument: Facts or examples to back up your main points. Even though your opinion is allowed in persuasive essays more than most other essays, having concrete examples will make a stronger argument than relying on your opinion alone.
Conclusion: Restatement of thesis, summary of main points, and a recap of why the issue is important.

What Makes a Good Persuasive Essay Topic?

Theoretically, you could write a persuasive essay about any subject under the sun, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should. Certain topics are easier to write a strong persuasive essay on, and below are tips to follow when deciding what you should write about.

It’s a Topic You Care About

Obviously, it’s possible to write an essay about a topic you find completely boring. You’ve probably done it! However, if possible, it’s always better to choose a topic that you care about and are interested in. When this is the case, you’ll find doing the research more enjoyable, writing the essay easier, and your writing will likely be better because you’ll be more passionate about and informed on the topic.

You Have Enough Evidence to Support Your Argument

Just being passionate about a subject isn’t enough to make it a good persuasive essay topic, though. You need to make sure your argument is complex enough to have at least two potential sides to root for, and you need to be able to back up your side with evidence and examples. Even though persuasive essays allow your opinion to feature more than many other essays, you still need concrete evidence to back up your claims, or you’ll end up with a weak essay.

For example, you may passionately believe that mint chocolate chip ice cream is the best ice cream flavor (I agree!), but could you really write an entire essay on this? What would be your reasons for believing mint chocolate chip is the best (besides the fact that it’s delicious)? How would you support your belief? Have enough studies been done on preferred ice cream flavors to support an entire essay? When choosing a persuasive essay idea, you want to find the right balance between something you care about (so you can write well on it) and something the rest of the world cares about (so you can reference evidence to strengthen your position).

It’s a Manageable Topic

Bigger isn’t always better, especially with essay topics. While it may seem like a great idea to choose a huge, complex topic to write about, you’ll likely struggle to sift through all the information and different sides of the issue and winnow them down to one streamlined essay. For example, choosing to write an essay about how WWII impacted American life more than WWI wouldn’t be a great idea because you’d need to analyze all the impacts of both the wars in numerous areas of American life. It’d be a huge undertaking. A better idea would be to choose one impact on American life the wars had (such as changes in female employment) and focus on that. Doing so will make researching and writing your persuasive essay much more feasible.

List of 113 Good Persuasive Essay Topics

Below are over 100 persuasive essay ideas, organized into ten categories. When you find an idea that piques your interest, you’ll choose one side of it to argue for in your essay. For example, if you choose the topic, “should fracking be legal?” you’d decide whether you believe fracking should be legal or illegal, then you’d write an essay arguing all the reasons why your audience should agree with you.

Arts/Culture

Should students be required to learn an instrument in school?
Did the end of Game of Thrones fit with the rest of the series?
Can music be an effective way to treat mental illness?
With e-readers so popular, have libraries become obsolete?
Are the Harry Potter books more popular than they deserve to be?
Should music with offensive language come with a warning label?
What’s the best way for museums to get more people to visit?
Should students be able to substitute an art or music class for a PE class in school?
Are the Kardashians good or bad role models for young people?
Should people in higher income brackets pay more taxes?
Should all high school students be required to take a class on financial literacy?
Is it possible to achieve the American dream, or is it only a myth?
Is it better to spend a summer as an unpaid intern at a prestigious company or as a paid worker at a local store/restaurant?
Should the United States impose more or fewer tariffs?
Should college graduates have their student loans forgiven?
Should restaurants eliminate tipping and raise staff wages instead?
Should students learn cursive writing in school?
Which is more important: PE class or music class?
Is it better to have year-round school with shorter breaks throughout the year?
Should class rank be abolished in schools?
Should students be taught sex education in school?
Should students be able to attend public universities for free?
What’s the most effective way to change the behavior of school bullies?
Are the SAT and ACT accurate ways to measure intelligence?
Should students be able to learn sign language instead of a foreign language?
Do the benefits of Greek life at colleges outweigh the negatives?
Does doing homework actually help students learn more?
Why do students in many other countries score higher than American students on math exams?
Should parents/teachers be able to ban certain books from schools?
What’s the best way to reduce cheating in school?
Should colleges take a student’s race into account when making admissions decisions?
Should there be limits to free speech?
Should students be required to perform community service to graduate high school?
Should convicted felons who have completed their sentence be allowed to vote?
Should gun ownership be more tightly regulated?
Should recycling be made mandatory?
Should employers be required to offer paid leave to new parents?
Are there any circumstances where torture should be allowed?
Should children under the age of 18 be able to get plastic surgery for cosmetic reasons?
Should white supremacy groups be allowed to hold rallies in public places?
Does making abortion illegal make women more or less safe?
Does foreign aid actually help developing countries?
Are there times a person’s freedom of speech should be curtailed?
Should people over a certain age not be allowed to adopt children?

Government/Politics

Should the minimum voting age be raised/lowered/kept the same?
Should Puerto Rico be granted statehood?
Should the United States build a border wall with Mexico?
Who should be the next person printed on American banknotes?
Should the United States’ military budget be reduced?
Did China’s one child policy have overall positive or negative impacts on the country?
Should DREAMers be granted US citizenship?
Is national security more important than individual privacy?
What responsibility does the government have to help homeless people?
Should the electoral college be abolished?
Should the US increase or decrease the number of refugees it allows in each year?
Should privately-run prisons be abolished?
Who was the most/least effective US president?
Will Brexit end up helping or harming the UK?

What’s the best way to reduce the spread of Ebola?
Is the Keto diet a safe and effective way to lose weight?
Should the FDA regulate vitamins and supplements more strictly?
Should public schools require all students who attend to be vaccinated?
Is eating genetically modified food safe?
What’s the best way to make health insurance more affordable?
What’s the best way to lower the teen pregnancy rate?
Should recreational marijuana be legalized nationwide?
Should birth control pills be available without a prescription?
Should pregnant women be forbidden from buying cigarettes and alcohol?
Why has anxiety increased in adolescents?
Are low-carb or low-fat diets more effective for weight loss?
What caused the destruction of the USS Maine?
Was King Arthur a mythical legend or actual Dark Ages king?
Was the US justified in dropping atomic bombs during WWII?
What was the primary cause of the Rwandan genocide?
What happened to the settlers of the Roanoke colony?
Was disagreement over slavery the primary cause of the US Civil War?
What has caused the numerous disappearances in the Bermuda triangle?
Should nuclear power be banned?
Is scientific testing on animals necessary?
Do zoos help or harm animals?
Should scientists be allowed to clone humans?
Should animals in circuses be banned?
Should fracking be legal?
Should people be allowed to keep exotic animals as pets?
What’s the best way to reduce illegal poaching in Africa?
What is the best way to reduce the impact of global warming?
Should euthanasia be legalized?
Is there legitimate evidence of extraterrestrial life?
Should people be banned from owning aggressive dog breeds?
Should the United States devote more money towards space exploration?
Should the government subsidize renewable forms of energy?
Is solar energy worth the cost?
Should stem cells be used in medicine?
Is it right for the US to leave the Paris Climate Agreement?
Should athletes who fail a drug test receive a lifetime ban from the sport?
Should college athletes receive a salary?
Should the NFL do more to prevent concussions in players?
Do PE classes help students stay in shape?
Should horse racing be banned?
Should cheerleading be considered a sport?
Should children younger than 18 be allowed to play tackle football?
Are the costs of hosting an Olympic Games worth it?
Can online schools be as effective as traditional schools?
Do violent video games encourage players to be violent in real life?
Should facial recognition technology be banned?
Does excessive social media use lead to depression/anxiety?
Has the rise of translation technology made knowing multiple languages obsolete?
Was Steve Jobs a visionary or just a great marketer?
Should social media be banned for children younger than a certain age?
Which 21st-century invention has had the largest impact on society?
Are ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft good or bad for society?
Should Facebook have done more to protect the privacy of its users?
Will technology end up increasing or decreasing inequality worldwide?

Tips for Writing a Strong Persuasive Essay

After you’ve chosen the perfect topic for your persuasive essay, your work isn’t over. Follow the three tips below to create a top-notch essay.

Do Your Research

Your argument will fall apart if you don’t fully understand the issue you’re discussing or you overlook an important piece of it. Readers won’t be convinced by someone who doesn’t know the subject, and you likely won’t persuade any of them to begin supporting your viewpoint. Before you begin writing a single word of your essay, research your topic thoroughly. Study different sources, learn about the different sides of the argument, ask anyone who’s an expert on the topic what their opinion is, etc. You might be tempted to start writing right away, but by doing your research, you’ll make the writing process much easier when the time comes.

Make Your Thesis Perfect

Your thesis is the most important sentence in your persuasive essay. Just by reading that single sentence, your audience should know exactly what topic you’ll be discussing and where you stand on the issue. You want your thesis to be crystal clear and to accurately set up the rest of your essay. Asking classmates or your teacher to look it over before you begin writing the rest of your essay can be a big help if you’re not entirely confident in your thesis.

Consider the Other Side

You’ll spend most of your essay focusing on your side of the argument since that’s what you want readers to come away believing. However, don’t think that means you can ignore other sides of the issue. In your essay, be sure to discuss the other side’s argument, as well as why you believe this view is weak or untrue. Researching all the different viewpoints and including them in your essay will increase the quality of your writing by making your essay more complete and nuanced.

Summary: Persuasive Essay Ideas

Good persuasive essay topics can be difficult to come up with, but in this guide we’ve created a list of 113 excellent essay topics for you to browse. The best persuasive essay ideas will be those that you are interested in, have enough evidence to support your argument, and aren’t too complicated to be summarized in an essay.

After you’ve chosen your essay topic, keep these three tips in mind when you begin writing:

Do your research
Make your thesis perfect
Consider the other side

What's Next?

Need ideas for a research paper topic as well? Our guide to research paper topics has over 100 topics in ten categories so you can be sure to find the perfect topic for you.

Thinking about taking an AP English class? Read our guide on AP English classes to learn whether you should take AP English Language or AP English Literature (or both!)

Deciding between the SAT or ACT? Find out for sure which you will do the best on . Also read a detailed comparison between the two tests .

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

Persuasive Essay Guide

Persuasive Essay Examples

30+ Persuasive Essay Examples To Get You Started

10 min read

Persuasive Essay Examples For Students

A persuasive essay aims to convince the reader of the author’s point of view.

To find the right path for your essay, it's helpful to go through some examples. Similarly, good essay examples also help to avoid any potential pitfalls and offer clear information to the readers to adopt.

Let’s take a look at 2 short persuasive essay examples, focusing on current and relevant issues:

Example 1:

If you are looking for longer examples, below are some persuasive essay examples pdf for different academic levels. Read them for free.

Persuasive Writing Example For Elementary Schools

Here are provided some sample essays to further explain the concept of persuasive writing for students.

3rd-grade Persuasive Essay Example

4th-grade Persuasive Essay Example

Persuasive Essay Example 5th-grade

Persuasive Essay Examples Middle School

Check out these persuasive essay examples for middle school to get a comprehensive idea of the format structure.

Persuasive Essay Examples for 6th Grade

7th-grade Persuasive Essay Example

8th-grade Persuasive Essay Example

Persuasive Essay Examples High School

The following are good persuasive essay examples for high school. Having a look at them will help you understand better.

Persuasive Essay Examples Grade 10

High-school Persuasive Essay Example

Examples of Persuasive Essay in Everyday Life

Persuasive Essay Examples for College Students

Essay writing at the college level becomes more complicated. We have provided you with top-notch college persuasive and argumentative essay examples here. Read them to understand the essay writing process easily.

11th-grade Persuasive Essay Example

Persuasive Essay Examples College

Higher English Persuasive Essay Example

Persuasive Essay About Smoking

Argumentative and Persuasive Examples

Persuasive Essay Examples For University

It becomes even more challenging to draft a perfect essay at the university level. Look at the examples of persuasive essays below to get an idea of writing one.

University Persuasive Essay Example

Political Persuasive Essay Examples

Persuasive Essay Examples About Life

Persuasive Essay Examples for Different Formats

A persuasive essay can be written in several formats. For instance, you can write the usual 5-paragraph essay, or even something longer or shorter.

Below are a few sample essays in various common formats.

Persuasive Essay Examples 5 Paragraph

Persuasive Essay Examples 3 Paragraph

These examples tell you how to remain convincing and persuasive regardless of the essay format you use.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job

Basic Persuasive Essay Structure

Here's a breakdown of the typical persuasive essay outline , along with an example for each step:

Introduction (Grab Attention & Introduce the Issue):

Hook your reader with an interesting fact, anecdote, or question-related to the topic. Briefly introduce the issue you'll be arguing for.

For Example:

Thesis Statement (Clearly State Your Position):

The thesis statement is a one-sentence summary of your entire argument. It should be clear, concise, and specific, and include your main points.

Body Paragraphs (Develop Your Arguments):

Dedicate each paragraph to a single main point supporting your thesis. Use strong evidence to back up your claims. This can include statistics, research findings, expert opinions, or personal anecdotes. Use clear transitions between paragraphs to show the flow of your argument.

Counterargument (Acknowledge Opposing Views):

Briefly acknowledge potential objections to your argument. This shows you've considered different viewpoints and strengthens your own position.

Rebuttal (Address Counterarguments):

Explain why the counterarguments are not strong enough to invalidate your main points. Offer additional evidence to solidify your position.

Conclusion (Restate & Call to Action):

Briefly restate your thesis and summarize your main points. End with a strong call to action, urging the reader to adopt your perspective or take a specific step.

By following this structure and incorporating strong evidence, you can craft a persuasive essay that effectively convinces your reader to see things your way.

Catchy Persuasive Essay Topics

Now that you have read some good examples, it's time to write your own persuasive essay.

But what should you write about? You can write persuasive essays about any topic, from business and online education to controversial topics like abortion, gun control, and more.

Here is a list of ten persuasive essay topics that you can use to grab your reader's attention and make them think:

Should the government increase taxes to fund public health initiatives?
Is the current education system effective in preparing students for college and the workplace?
Should there be tighter gun control laws?
Should schools have uniforms or a dress code?
Are standardized tests an accurate measure of student performance?
Should students be required to take physical education courses?
Is undocumented immigration a legitimate cause for concern in the United States?
Is affirmative action still necessary in today’s society?
How much, if any, regulation should there be on technology companies?
Is the death penalty an appropriate form of punishment for serious crimes?

Need more topic ideas? Check out our extensive list of unique persuasive essay topics and get started!

To Sum it Up!

This post gave you a bunch of persuasive essay examples to check out. By reading them, you learned how to build strong arguments, organize your essay, and use evidence to back up your ideas.

Now it's your time to write! Don't worry about being perfect, just give it a shot and make it your own. But if you're still feeling stuck, don't worry.

Our persuasive essay writing service is here to the rescue!

Our experienced writers specialize in creating top-notch essays on a wide range of topics. Whether it's a challenging persuasive essay or any other type, we've got you covered.

Take advantage of our paper writing service today!

Write Essay Within 60 Seconds!

Caleb S. has been providing writing services for over five years and has a Masters degree from Oxford University. He is an expert in his craft and takes great pride in helping students achieve their academic goals. Caleb is a dedicated professional who always puts his clients first.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That’s our Job!

Keep reading

school Campus Bookshelves
menu_book Bookshelves
perm_media Learning Objects
login Login
how_to_reg Request Instructor Account
hub Instructor Commons

Margin Size

Download Page (PDF)
Download Full Book (PDF)
Periodic Table
Physics Constants
Scientific Calculator
Reference & Cite
Tools expand_more
Readability

selected template will load here

This action is not available.

8.7: Tips for Writing Academic Persuasive Essays

Last updated
Save as PDF
Page ID 250473

$ \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } $

$ \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} $

$ \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}$ $ \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}$

( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) $ \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}$

$ \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}$ $ \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}$

$ \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}$ $ \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}$

$ \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}$

$ \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}$

$ \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}$

$ \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}$

$ \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}$

$ \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}$

$ \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}$

$ \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}$

$ \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}$

$ \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}$ $ \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}$

$ \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}} % arrow$

$ \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}} % arrow$

$ \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } $

$ \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} $

$ \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} $

$ \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} $

$ \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} $

The previous chapters in this section offer an overview of what it means to formulate an argument in an academic situation. The purpose of this chapter is to offer more concrete, actionable tips for drafting an academic persuasive essay. Keep in mind that preparing to draft a persuasive essay relies on the strategies for any other thesis-driven essay, covered by the section in this textbook, The Writing Process. The following chapters can be read in concert with this one:

Critical Reading and other research strategies helps writers identify the exigence (issue) that demands a response, as well as what kinds of research to use.
Generate Ideas covers prewriting models (such as brainstorming techniques) that allow students to make interesting connections and develop comprehensive thesis statements. These connections and main points will allow a writer to outline their core argument.
Organizing is important for understanding why an argument essay needs a detailed plan, before the drafting stage. For an argument essay, start with a basic outline that identifies the claim, reasoning, and evidence, but be prepared to develop more detailed outlines that include counterarguments and rebuttals, warrants, additional backing, etc., as needed.
Drafting introduces students to basic compositional strategies that they must be familiar with before beginning an argument essay. This current chapter offers more details about what kinds of paragraphs to practice in an argument essay, but it assumes the writer is familiar with basic strategies such as coherence and cohesion.

Classical structure of an argument essay

Academic persuasive essays tend to follow what’s known as the “classical” structure, based on techniques that derive from ancient Roman and Medieval rhetoricians. John D. Ramage, et. al outline this structure in Writing Arguments :

This very detailed table can be simplified. Most academic persuasive essays include the following basic elements:

Introduction that explains why the situation is important and presents your argument (aka the claim or thesis).
Reasons the thesis is correct or at least reasonable.
Evidence that supports each reason, often occurring right after the reason the evidence supports.
Acknowledgement of objections.
Response to objections.

Keep in mind that the structure above is just a conventional starting point. The previous chapters of this section suggest how different kinds of arguments (Classical/Aristotelian, Toulmin, Rogerian) involve slightly different approaches, and your course, instructor, and specific assignment prompt may include its own specific instructions on how to complete the assignment. There are many different variations. At the same time, however, most academic argumentative/persuasive essays expect you to practice the techniques mentioned below. These tips overlap with the elements of argumentation, covered in that chapter, but they offer more explicit examples for how they might look in paragraph form, beginning with the introduction to your essay.

Persuasive introductions should move from context to thesis

Since one of the main goals of a persuasive essay introduction is to forecast the broader argument, it’s important to keep in mind that the legibility of the argument depends on the ability of the writer to provide sufficient information to the reader. If a basic high school essay moves from general topic to specific argument (the funnel technique), a more sophisticated academic persuasive essay is more likely to move from context to thesis.

The great stylist of clear writing, Joseph W. Williams, suggests that one of the key rhetorical moves a writer can make in a persuasive introduction is to not only provide enough background information (the context), but to frame that information in terms of a problem or issue, what the section on Reading and Writing Rhetorically terms the exigence . The ability to present a clearly defined problem and then the thesis as a solution creates a motivating introduction. The reader is more likely to be gripped by it, because we naturally want to see problems solved.

Consider these two persuasive introductions, both of which end with an argumentative thesis statement:

A. In America we often hold to the belief that our country is steadily progressing. topic This is a place where dreams come true. With enough hard work, we tell ourselves (and our children), we can do anything. I argue that, when progress is more carefully defined, our current period is actually one of decline. claim

B . Two years ago my dad developed Type 2 diabetes, and the doctors explained to him that it was due in large part to his heavy consumption of sugar. For him, the primary form of sugar consumption was soda. hook His experience is echoed by millions of Americans today. According to the most recent research, “Sugary drink portion sizes have risen dramatically over the past forty years, and children and adults are drinking more soft drinks than ever,” while two out of three adults in the United States are now considered either overweight or obese. This statistic correlates with reduced life expectancy by many years. Studies have shown that those who are overweight in this generation will live a lot fewer years than those who are already elderly. And those consumers who don’t become overweight remain at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes (like my dad), known as one of the most serious global health concerns (“Sugary Drinks and Obesity Fact Sheet”). problem In response to this problem, some political journalists, such as Alexandra Le Tellier, argue that sodas should be banned. On the opposite end of the political spectrum, politically conservative journalists such as Ernest Istook argue that absolutely nothing should be done because that would interfere with consumer freedom. debate I suggest something in between: a “soda tax,” which would balance concerns over the public welfare with concerns over consumer freedom. claim

Example B feels richer, more dramatic, and much more targeted not only because it’s longer, but because it’s structured in a “motivating” way. Here’s an outline of that structure:

Hook: It opens with a brief hook that illustrates an emerging issue. This concrete, personal anecdote grips the reader’s attention.
Problem: The anecdote is connected with the emerging issue, phrased as a problem that needs to be addressed.
Debate: The writer briefly alludes to a debate over how to respond to the problem.
Claim: The introduction ends by hinting at how the writer intends to address the problem, and it’s phrased conversationally, as part of an ongoing dialogue.

Not every persuasive introduction needs all of these elements. Not all introductions will have an obvious problem. Sometimes a “problem,” or the exigence, will be as subtle as an ambiguity in a text that needs to be cleared up (as in literary analysis essays). Other times it will indeed be an obvious problem, such as in a problem-solution argument essay.

In most cases, however, a clear introduction will proceed from context to thesis . The most attention-grabbing and motivating introductions will also include things like hooks and problem-oriented issues.

Here’s a very simple and streamlined template that can serve as rudimentary scaffolding for a persuasive introduction, inspired by the excellent book, They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing : Definition: Term

In discussions of __________, an emerging issue is _____________________. issue When addressing this issue, some experts suggest ________________. debate In my view, however, _______________________________. claim

Each aspect of the template will need to be developed, but it can serve as training wheels for how to craft a nicely structured context-to-thesis introduction, including things like an issue, debate, and claim. You can try filling in the blanks below, and then export your attempt as a document.

Define key terms, as needed

Much of an academic persuasive essay is dedicated to supporting the claim. A traditional thesis-driven essay has an introduction, body, and conclusion, and the support constitutes much of the body. In a persuasive essay, most of the support is dedicated to reasoning and evidence (more on that below). However, depending on what your claim does, a careful writer may dedicate the beginning (or other parts of the essay body) to defining key terms.

Suppose I wish to construct an argument that enters the debate over euthanasia. When researching the issue, I notice that much of the debate circles around the notion of rights, specifically what a “legal right” actually means. Clearly defining that term will help reduce some of the confusion and clarify my own argument. In Vancouver Island University’s resource “ Defining key terms ,” Ian Johnston offers this example for how to define “legal right” for an academic reader:

Before discussing the notion of a right to die, we need to clarify precisely what the term legal right means. In common language, the term “right” tends often to mean something good, something people ought to have (e.g., a right to a good home, a right to a meaningful job, and so on). In law, however, the term has a much more specific meaning. It refers to something to which people are legally entitled. Thus, a “legal” right also confers a legal obligation on someone or some institution to make sure the right is conferred. For instance, in Canada, children of a certain age have a right to a free public education. This right confers on society the obligation to provide that education, and society cannot refuse without breaking the law. Hence, when we use the term right to die in a legal sense, we are describing something to which a citizen is legally entitled, and we are insisting that someone in society has an obligation to provide the services which will confer that right on anyone who wants it.

As the example above shows, academics often dedicate space to providing nuanced and technical definitions that correct common misconceptions. Johnston’s definition relies on research, but it’s not always necessary to use research to define your terms. Here are some tips for crafting definitions in persuasive essays, from “Defining key terms”:

Fit the descriptive detail in the definition to the knowledge of the intended audience. The definition of, say, AIDS for a general readership will be different from the definition for a group of doctors (the latter will be much more technical). It often helps to distinguish between common sense or popular definitions and more technical ones.
Make sure definitions are full and complete; do not rush them unduly. And do not assume that just because the term is quite common that everyone knows just what it means (e.g., alcoholism ). If you are using the term in a very specific sense, then let the reader know what that is. The amount of detail you include in a definition should cover what is essential for the reader to know, in order to follow the argument. By the same token, do not overload the definition, providing too much detail or using far too technical a language for those who will be reading the essay.
It’s unhelpful to simply quote the google or dictionary.com definition of a word. Dictionaries contain a few or several definitions for important terms, and the correct definition is informed by the context in which it’s being employed. It’s up to the writer to explain that context and how the word is usually understood within it.
You do not always need to research a definition. Depending on the writing situation and audience, you may be able to develop your own understanding of certain terms.

Use P-E-A-S or M-E-A-L to support your claim

The heart of a persuasive essay is a claim supported by reasoning and evidence. Thus, much of the essay body is often devoted to the supporting reasons, which in turn are proved by evidence. One of the formulas commonly taught in K-12 and even college writing programs is known as PEAS, which overlaps strongly with the MEAL formula introduced by the chapter, “ Basic Integration “:

Point : State the reasoning as a single point: “One reason why a soda tax would be effective is that…” or “One way an individual can control their happiness is by…”

Evidence : After stating the supporting reason, prove that reason with related evidence. There can be more than one piece of evidence. “According to …” or “In the article, ‘…,’ the author shows that …”

Analysis : There a different levels of analysis. At the most basic level, a writer should clearly explain how the evidence proves the point, in their own words: “In other words…,” “What this data shows is that…” Sometimes the “A” part of PEAS becomes simple paraphrasing. Higher-level analysis will use more sophisticated techniques such as Toulmin’s warrants to explore deeper terrain. For more tips on how to discuss and analyze, refer to the previous chapter’s section, “ Analyze and discuss the evidence .”

Summary/So what? : Tie together all of the components (PEA) succinctly, before transitioning to the next idea. If necessary, remind the reader how the evidence and reasoning relates to the broader claim (the thesis argument).

PEAS and MEAL are very similar; in fact they are identical except for how they refer to the first and last part. In theory, it shouldn’t matter which acronym you choose. Both versions are effective because they translate the basic structure of a supporting reason (reasoning and evidence) into paragraph form.

Here’s an example of a PEAS paragraph in an academic persuasive essay that argues for a soda tax:

A soda tax would also provide more revenue for the federal government, thereby reducing its debt. point Despite Ernest Istook’s concerns about eroding American freedom, the United States has long supported the ability of government to leverage taxes in order to both curb unhealthy lifestyles and add revenue. According to Peter Ubel’s “Would the Founding Fathers Approve of a Sugar Tax?”, in 1791 the US government was heavily in debt and needed stable revenue. In response, the federal government taxed what most people viewed as a “sin” at that time: alcohol. This single tax increased government revenue by at least 20% on average, and in some years more than 40% . The effect was that only the people who really wanted alcohol purchased it, and those who could no longer afford it were getting rid of what they already viewed as a bad habit (Ubel). evidence Just as alcohol (and later, cigarettes) was viewed as a superfluous “sin” in the Early Republic, so today do many health experts and an increasing amount of Americans view sugar as extremely unhealthy, even addictive. If our society accepts taxes on other consumer sins as a way to improve government revenue, a tax on sugar is entirely consistent. analysis We could apply this to the soda tax and try to do something like this to help knock out two problems at once: help people lose their addiction towards soda and help reduce our government’s debt. summary/so what?

The paragraph above was written by a student who was taught the PEAS formula. However, we can see versions of this formula in professional writing. Here’s a more sophisticated example of PEAS, this time from a non-academic article. In Nicholas Carr’s extremely popular article, “ Is Google Making Us Stupid? “, he argues that Google is altering how we think. To prove that broader claim, Carr offers a variety of reasons and evidence. Here’s part of his reasoning:

Thanks to the ubiquity of text on the Internet, not to mention the popularity of text-messaging on cell phones, we may well be reading more today than we did in the 1970s or 1980s, when television was our medium of choice. But it’s a different kind of reading, and behind it lies a different kind of thinking—perhaps even a new sense of the self. point “We are not only what we read,” says Maryanne Wolf, a developmental psychologist at Tufts University and the author of Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain . “We are how we read.” Wolf worries that the style of reading promoted by the Net, a style that puts “efficiency” and “immediacy” above all else, may be weakening our capacity for the kind of deep reading that emerged when an earlier technology, the printing press, made long and complex works of prose commonplace. When we read online, she says, we tend to become “mere decoders of information.” evidence Our ability to interpret text, to make the rich mental connections that form when we read deeply and without distraction, remains largely disengaged. analysis

This excerpt only contains the first three elements, PEA, and the analysis part is very brief (it’s more like paraphrase), but it shows how professional writers often employ some version of the formula. It tends to appear in persuasive texts written by experienced writers because it reinforces writing techniques mentioned elsewhere in this textbook. A block of text structured according to PEA will practice coherence, because opening with a point (P) forecasts the main idea of that section. Embedding the evidence (E) within a topic sentence and follow-up commentary or analysis (A) is part of the “quote sandwich” strategy we cover in the section on “Writing With Sources.”

Use “they say / i say” strategies for Counterarguments and rebuttals

Another element that’s unique to persuasive essays is embedding a counterargument. Sometimes called naysayers or opposing positions, counterarguments are points of view that challenge our own.

Why embed a naysayer?

Recall above how a helpful strategy for beginning a persuasive essay (the introduction) is to briefly mention a debate—what some writing textbooks call “joining the conversation.” Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein’s They Say / I Say explains why engaging other points of view is so crucial:

Not long ago we attended a talk at an academic conference where the speaker’s central claim seemed to be that a certain sociologist—call him Dr. X—had done very good work in a number of areas of the discipline. The speaker proceeded to illustrate his thesis by referring extensively and in great detail to various books and articles by Dr. X and by quoting long pas-sages from them. The speaker was obviously both learned and impassioned, but as we listened to his talk we found ourselves somewhat puzzled: the argument—that Dr. X’s work was very important—was clear enough, but why did the speaker need to make it in the first place? Did anyone dispute it? Were there commentators in the field who had argued against X’s work or challenged its value? Was the speaker’s interpretation of what X had done somehow novel or revolutionary? Since the speaker gave no hint of an answer to any of these questions, we could only wonder why he was going on and on about X. It was only after the speaker finished and took questions from the audience that we got a clue: in response to one questioner, he referred to several critics who had vigorously questioned Dr. X’s ideas and convinced many sociologists that Dr. X’s work was unsound.

When writing for an academic audience, one of the most important moves a writer can make is to demonstrate how their ideas compare to others. It serves as part of the context. Your essay might be offering a highly original solution to a certain problem you’ve researched the entire semester, but the reader will only understand that if existing arguments are presented in your draft. Or, on the other hand, you might be synthesizing or connecting a variety of opinions in order to arrive at a more comprehensive solution. That’s also fine, but the creativity of your synthesis and its unique contribution to existing research will only be known if those other voices are included.

Aristotelian argumentation embeds counterarguments in order to refute them. Rogerian arguments present oppositional stances in order to synthesize and integrate them. No matter what your strategy is, the essay should be conversational.

Notice how Ana Mari Cauce opens her essay on free speech in higher education, “ Messy but Essential “:

Over the past year or two, issues surrounding the exercise of free speech and expression have come to the forefront at colleges around the country. The common narrative about free speech issues that we so often read goes something like this: today’s college students — overprotected and coddled by parents, poorly educated in high school and exposed to primarily left-leaning faculty — have become soft “snowflakes” who are easily offended by mere words and the slightest of insults, unable or unwilling to tolerate opinions that veer away from some politically correct orthodoxy and unable to engage in hard-hitting debate. counterargument

This is false in so many ways, and even insulting when you consider the reality of students’ experiences today. claim

The introduction to her article is essentially a counteragument (which serves as her introductory context) followed by a response. Embedding naysayers like this can appear anywhere in an essay, not just the introduction. Notice, furthermore, how Cauce’s naysayer isn’t gleaned from any research she did. It’s just a general, trendy naysayer, something one might hear nowadays, in the ether. It shows she’s attuned to an ongoing conversation, but it doesn’t require her to cite anything specific. As the previous chapter on using rhetorical appeals in arguments explained, this kind of attunement with an emerging problem (or exigence) is known as the appeal to kairos . A compelling, engaging introduction will demonstrate that the argument “kairotically” addresses a pressing concern.

Below is a brief overview of what counterarguments are and how you might respond to them in your arguments. This section was developed by Robin Jeffrey, in “ Counterargument and Response “:

Common Types of counterarguments

Could someone disagree with your claim? If so, why? Explain this opposing perspective in your own argument, and then respond to it.
Could someone draw a different conclusion from any of the facts or examples you present? If so, what is that different conclusion? Explain this different conclusion and then respond to it.
Could a reader question any of your assumptions or claims? If so, which ones would they question? Explain and then respond.
Could a reader offer a different explanation of an issue? If so, what might their explanation be? Describe this different explanation, and then respond to it.
Is there any evidence out there that could weaken your position? If so, what is it? Cite and discuss this evidence and then respond to it.

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, that does not necessarily mean that you have a weak argument. It means, ideally and as long as your argument is logical and valid, that you have a counterargument. Good arguments can and do have counterarguments; it is important to discuss them. But you must also discuss and then respond to those counterarguments.

Responding to counterarguments

You do not need to attempt to do all of these things as a way to respond; instead, choose the response strategy that makes the most sense to you, for the counterargument that you have.

If you agree with some of the counterargument perspectives, you can concede some of their points. (“I do agree that ….”, “Some of the points made by ____ are valid…..”) You could then challenge the importance/usefulness of those points. “However, this information does not apply to our topic because…”
If the counterargument perspective is one that contains different evidence than you have in your own argument, you can explain why a reader should not accept the evidence that the counterarguer presents.
If the counterargument perspective is one that contains a different interpretation of evidence than you have in your own argument, you can explain why a reader should not accept the interpretation of the evidence that that your opponent (counterarguer) presents.
If the counterargument is an acknowledgement of evidence that threatens to weaken your argument, you must explain why and how that evidence does not, in fact invalidate your claim.

It is important to use transitional phrases in your paper to alert readers when you’re about to present an counterargument. It’s usually best to put this phrase at the beginning of a paragraph such as:

Researchers have challenged these claims with…
Critics argue that this view…
Some readers may point to…
A perspective that challenges the idea that . . .

Transitional phrases will again be useful to highlight your shift from counterargument to response:

Indeed, some of those points are valid. However, . . .
While I agree that . . . , it is more important to consider . . .
These are all compelling points. Still, other information suggests that . .
While I understand . . . , I cannot accept the evidence because . . .

When concluding, address the “so what?” challenge

As Joseph W. Williams mentions in his chapter on concluding persuasive essays in Style ,

a good introduction motivates your readers to keep reading, introduces your key themes, and states your main point … [but] a good conclusion serves a different end: as the last thing your reader reads, it should bring together your point, its significance, and its implications for thinking further about the ideas your explored.

At the very least, a good persuasive conclusion will

Summarize the main points
Address the So what? or Now what? challenge.

When summarizing the main points of longer essays, Williams suggests it’s fine to use “metadiscourse,” such as, “I have argued that.” If the essay is short enough, however, such metadiscourses may not be necessary, since the reader will already have those ideas fresh in their mind.

After summarizing your essay’s main points, imagine a friendly reader thinking,

“OK, I’m persuaded and entertained by everything you’ve laid out in your essay. But remind me what’s so important about these ideas? What are the implications? What kind of impact do you expect your ideas to have? Do you expect something to change?”

It’s sometimes appropriate to offer brief action points, based on the implications of your essay. When addressing the “So what?” challenge, however, it’s important to first consider whether your essay is primarily targeted towards changing the way people think or act . Do you expect the audience to do something, based on what you’ve argued in your essay? Or, do you expect the audience to think differently? Traditional academic essays tend to propose changes in how the reader thinks more than acts, but your essay may do both.

Finally, Williams suggests that it’s sometimes appropriate to end a persuasive essay with an anecdote, illustrative fact, or key quote that emphasizes the significance of the argument. We can see a good example of this in Carr’s article, “ Is Google Making Us Stupid? ” Here are the introduction and conclusion, side-by-side: Definition: Term

[Introduction] “Dave, stop. Stop, will you? Stop, Dave. Will you stop, Dave?” So the supercomputer HAL pleads with the implacable astronaut Dave Bowman in a famous and weirdly poignant scene toward the end of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey . Bowman, having nearly been sent to a deep-space death by the malfunctioning machine, is calmly, coldly disconnecting the memory circuits that control its artificial “ brain. “Dave, my mind is going,” HAL says, forlornly. “I can feel it. I can feel it.”

I can feel it, too. Over the past few years I’ve had an uncomfortable sense that someone, or something, has been tinkering with my brain, remapping the neural circuitry, reprogramming the memory. …

[Conclusion] I’m haunted by that scene in 2001 . What makes it so poignant, and so weird, is the computer’s emotional response to the disassembly of its mind: its despair as one circuit after another goes dark, its childlike pleading with the astronaut—“I can feel it. I can feel it. I’m afraid”—and its final reversion to what can only be called a state of innocence. HAL’s outpouring of feeling contrasts with the emotionlessness that characterizes the human figures in the film, who go about their business with an almost robotic efficiency. Their thoughts and actions feel scripted, as if they’re following the steps of an algorithm. In the world of 2001 , people have become so machinelike that the most human character turns out to be a machine. That’s the essence of Kubrick’s dark prophecy: as we come to rely on computers to mediate our understanding of the world, it is our own intelligence that flattens into artificial intelligence.

Instead of merely rehashing all of the article’s main points, Carr returns to the same movie scene from 2001 that he opened with. The final lines interpret the scene according to the argument he just dedicated the entire essay to presenting.

The entire essay should use rhetorical appeals strategically

The chapter “ Persuasive Appeals ” introduces students to logos, pathos, ethos, and kairos. Becoming familiar with each of those persuasive appeals can add much to an essay. It also reinforces the idea that writing argumentative essays is not a straightforward process of jotting down proofs. It’s not a computer algorithm.

Logos (appeals to evidence and reasoning) is the foundational appeal of an argument essay. Clearly identifying the claim, then supporting that claim with reasoning and evidence will appeal to the reader’s logos demands. As the previous chapter on argumentation mentions, however, what constitutes solid evidence will vary depending on the audience. Make sure your evidence is indeed convincing to your intended reader.
Pathos (appeals to emotion) are a crucial component and should permeate should every section of the essay. Personal anecdotes are an effective way to illustrate important ideas, and they connect with the reader at an emotional level. Personal examples also cultivate voice .
Ethos (appeals to character, image, and values) is essential to gaining the reader’s trust and assent. The tone of your essay (snarky, sincere, ironic, sarcastic, empathetic) is immensely important for its overall effect, and it helps build the reader’s image of you. A careful attention to high-quality research reinforces a sincere and empathetic tone. When supporting certain claims and sub-claims, it’s also important to identify implied beliefs (warrants) that your reader is most likely to agree with, and to undermine beliefs that might seem repugnant.
Kairos (appeals to timeliness) impresses the reader with your attunement to the situation. This should be practiced especially in the introduction, but it can appear throughout the essay as you engage with research and other voices that have recently weighed in on the topic.

All of these appeals are already happening, whether or not they’re recognized. If they are missed, the audience will often use them against you, judging your essay as not being personable enough (pathos), or not in touch with commonly accepted values (ethos), or out of touch with what’s going on (kairos). These non-logical appeals aren’t irrational. They are crucial components to writing that matters.

Argument Outline Exercise

To get started on your argument essay, practice adopting from of the outlines from this Persuasive Essay Outline worksheet .

Features for Creative Writers
Features for Work
Features for Higher Education
Features for Teachers
Features for Non-Native Speakers
Learn Blog Grammar Guide Community Events FAQ
Grammar Guide

How to Write a Persuasive Essay: Tips and Tricks

Allison Bressmer

Most composition classes you’ll take will teach the art of persuasive writing. That’s a good thing.

Knowing where you stand on issues and knowing how to argue for or against something is a skill that will serve you well both inside and outside of the classroom.

Persuasion is the art of using logic to prompt audiences to change their mind or take action , and is generally seen as accomplishing that goal by appealing to emotions and feelings.

A persuasive essay is one that attempts to get a reader to agree with your perspective.

Ready for some tips on how to produce a well-written, well-rounded, well-structured persuasive essay? Just say yes. I don’t want to have to write another essay to convince you!

How Do I Write a Persuasive Essay?

What are some good topics for a persuasive essay, how do i identify an audience for my persuasive essay, how do you create an effective persuasive essay, how should i edit my persuasive essay.

Your persuasive essay needs to have the three components required of any essay: the introduction , body , and conclusion .

That is essay structure. However, there is flexibility in that structure.

There is no rule (unless the assignment has specific rules) for how many paragraphs any of those sections need.

Although the components should be proportional; the body paragraphs will comprise most of your persuasive essay.

How Do I Start a Persuasive Essay?

As with any essay introduction, this paragraph is where you grab your audience’s attention, provide context for the topic of discussion, and present your thesis statement.

TIP 1: Some writers find it easier to write their introductions last. As long as you have your working thesis, this is a perfectly acceptable approach. From that thesis, you can plan your body paragraphs and then go back and write your introduction.

TIP 2: Avoid “announcing” your thesis. Don’t include statements like this:

“In my essay I will show why extinct animals should (not) be regenerated.”
“The purpose of my essay is to argue that extinct animals should (not) be regenerated.”

Announcements take away from the originality, authority, and sophistication of your writing.

Instead, write a convincing thesis statement that answers the question "so what?" Why is the topic important, what do you think about it, and why do you think that? Be specific.

How Many Paragraphs Should a Persuasive Essay Have?

This body of your persuasive essay is the section in which you develop the arguments that support your thesis. Consider these questions as you plan this section of your essay:

What arguments support your thesis?
What is the best order for your arguments?
What evidence do you have?
Will you address the opposing argument to your own?
How can you conclude convincingly?

TIP: Brainstorm and do your research before you decide which arguments you’ll focus on in your discussion. Make a list of possibilities and go with the ones that are strongest, that you can discuss with the most confidence, and that help you balance your rhetorical triangle .

What Should I Put in the Conclusion of a Persuasive Essay?

The conclusion is your “mic-drop” moment. Think about how you can leave your audience with a strong final comment.

And while a conclusion often re-emphasizes the main points of a discussion, it shouldn’t simply repeat them.

TIP 1: Be careful not to introduce a new argument in the conclusion—there’s no time to develop it now that you’ve reached the end of your discussion!

TIP 2 : As with your thesis, avoid announcing your conclusion. Don’t start your conclusion with “in conclusion” or “to conclude” or “to end my essay” type statements. Your audience should be able to see that you are bringing the discussion to a close without those overused, less sophisticated signals.

If your instructor has assigned you a topic, then you’ve already got your issue; you’ll just have to determine where you stand on the issue. Where you stand on your topic is your position on that topic.

Your position will ultimately become the thesis of your persuasive essay: the statement the rest of the essay argues for and supports, intending to convince your audience to consider your point of view.

If you have to choose your own topic, use these guidelines to help you make your selection:

Choose an issue you truly care about
Choose an issue that is actually debatable

Simple “tastes” (likes and dislikes) can’t really be argued. No matter how many ways someone tries to convince me that milk chocolate rules, I just won’t agree.

It’s dark chocolate or nothing as far as my tastes are concerned.

Similarly, you can’t convince a person to “like” one film more than another in an essay.

You could argue that one movie has superior qualities than another: cinematography, acting, directing, etc. but you can’t convince a person that the film really appeals to them.

Once you’ve selected your issue, determine your position just as you would for an assigned topic. That position will ultimately become your thesis.

Until you’ve finalized your work, consider your thesis a “working thesis.”

This means that your statement represents your position, but you might change its phrasing or structure for that final version.

When you’re writing an essay for a class, it can seem strange to identify an audience—isn’t the audience the instructor?

Your instructor will read and evaluate your essay, and may be part of your greater audience, but you shouldn’t just write for your teacher.

Think about who your intended audience is.

For an argument essay, think of your audience as the people who disagree with you—the people who need convincing.

That population could be quite broad, for example, if you’re arguing a political issue, or narrow, if you’re trying to convince your parents to extend your curfew.

Once you’ve got a sense of your audience, it’s time to consult with Aristotle. Aristotle’s teaching on persuasion has shaped communication since about 330 BC. Apparently, it works.

Aristotle taught that in order to convince an audience of something, the communicator needs to balance the three elements of the rhetorical triangle to achieve the best results.

Those three elements are ethos , logos , and pathos .

Ethos relates to credibility and trustworthiness. How can you, as the writer, demonstrate your credibility as a source of information to your audience?

How will you show them you are worthy of their trust?

You show you’ve done your research: you understand the issue, both sides
You show respect for the opposing side: if you disrespect your audience, they won’t respect you or your ideas

Logos relates to logic. How will you convince your audience that your arguments and ideas are reasonable?

You provide facts or other supporting evidence to support your claims.

That evidence may take the form of studies or expert input or reasonable examples or a combination of all of those things, depending on the specific requirements of your assignment.

Remember: if you use someone else’s ideas or words in your essay, you need to give them credit.

ProWritingAid's Plagiarism Checker checks your work against over a billion web-pages, published works, and academic papers so you can be sure of its originality.

Find out more about ProWritingAid’s Plagiarism checks.

Pathos relates to emotion. Audiences are people and people are emotional beings. We respond to emotional prompts. How will you engage your audience with your arguments on an emotional level?

You make strategic word choices : words have denotations (dictionary meanings) and also connotations, or emotional values. Use words whose connotations will help prompt the feelings you want your audience to experience.
You use emotionally engaging examples to support your claims or make a point, prompting your audience to be moved by your discussion.

Be mindful as you lean into elements of the triangle. Too much pathos and your audience might end up feeling manipulated, roll their eyes and move on.

An “all logos” approach will leave your essay dry and without a sense of voice; it will probably bore your audience rather than make them care.

Once you’ve got your essay planned, start writing! Don’t worry about perfection, just get your ideas out of your head and off your list and into a rough essay format.

After you’ve written your draft, evaluate your work. What works and what doesn’t? For help with evaluating and revising your work, check out this ProWritingAid post on manuscript revision .

After you’ve evaluated your draft, revise it. Repeat that process as many times as you need to make your work the best it can be.

When you’re satisfied with the content and structure of the essay, take it through the editing process .

Grammatical or sentence-level errors can distract your audience or even detract from the ethos—the authority—of your work.

You don’t have to edit alone! ProWritingAid’s Realtime Report will find errors and make suggestions for improvements.

You can even use it on emails to your professors:

Try ProWritingAid with a free account.

How Can I Improve My Persuasion Skills?

You can develop your powers of persuasion every day just by observing what’s around you.

How is that advertisement working to convince you to buy a product?
How is a political candidate arguing for you to vote for them?
How do you “argue” with friends about what to do over the weekend, or convince your boss to give you a raise?
How are your parents working to convince you to follow a certain academic or career path?

As you observe these arguments in action, evaluate them. Why are they effective or why do they fail?

How could an argument be strengthened with more (or less) emphasis on ethos, logos, and pathos?

Every argument is an opportunity to learn! Observe them, evaluate them, and use them to perfect your own powers of persuasion.

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Allison Bressmer is a professor of freshman composition and critical reading at a community college and a freelance writer. If she isn’t writing or teaching, you’ll likely find her reading a book or listening to a podcast while happily sipping a semi-sweet iced tea or happy-houring with friends. She lives in New York with her family. Connect at linkedin.com/in/allisonbressmer.

Get started with ProWritingAid

Drop us a line or let's stay in touch via :

Essay on High School Life Experience

Students are often asked to write an essay on High School Life Experience in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on High School Life Experience

Introduction.

High school life is a significant phase in everyone’s life. It is a time of growth, learning, and friendships. It brings a lot of new experiences and challenges, shaping us into the individuals we become.

Academic Journey

High school is a crucial time in our academic journey. We study various subjects, each one opening a new world of knowledge. We learn to balance our time between studies, extracurricular activities, and social life. It’s during these years that we start to understand our interests and strengths.

Friendships and Social Life

High school is also a time for friendships. We meet different people, share experiences, and learn about diverse cultures and values. Our social life in high school helps us develop our social skills and understand the importance of teamwork and cooperation.

Challenges and Growth

High school isn’t always easy. We face challenges, both academically and personally. These challenges help us grow. We learn to deal with stress, manage our time, and make decisions. These experiences make us stronger and prepare us for the future.

In conclusion, high school life is a mix of learning, friendships, and personal growth. It’s a time that shapes our future and helps us understand who we are. It’s a journey that leaves us with unforgettable memories and valuable life lessons.

250 Words Essay on High School Life Experience

Beginning of high school.

High school life is a unique period in our lives. It’s a time when we start to grow up and learn about the world. When we first enter high school, everything is new and exciting. We meet new friends, learn new subjects, and start to feel more grown-up. It’s a time of change and discovery.

Academic Challenges

High school is often a time when we face many academic challenges. We study a wide range of subjects and sometimes the workload can be tough. We learn to manage our time and work hard to achieve good grades. It’s a time when we start to understand the importance of education in our lives.

Social Experiences

High school life is not just about studying. It’s also a time when we build social skills. We make friends, join clubs, and take part in sports and other activities. These experiences help us to learn about teamwork, leadership, and communication. They also make our high school life fun and memorable.

Preparing for the Future

High school is also a time when we start to think about our future. We begin to explore our interests and talents. We start to think about what we want to do after high school. It’s a time when we start to shape our dreams and goals.

In conclusion, high school life is a mix of academic challenges, social experiences, and future planning. It’s a time of growth and discovery that prepares us for the next stage of our lives.

500 Words Essay on High School Life Experience

High school life is a significant stage in everyone’s life. It is a time filled with growth, learning, and change. This essay will explore the unique aspects of high school life experience.

One of the main parts of high school life is academics. During these years, students learn about various subjects like Maths, Science, Social Science, and English. They also learn to manage their time between different subjects and homework. This helps them become responsible and organized.

Social Life

High school life is not just about studies. It is also about making new friends and learning about teamwork. Students participate in group projects, sports, and other activities. This helps them understand how to work in a team and how to deal with different types of people. They also learn to respect others’ viewpoints.

Extra-Curricular Activities

Extra-curricular activities play a vital role in high school life. These activities may include sports, music, art, and clubs. They help students explore their interests and develop new skills. They also provide a break from academic work and help students relax and enjoy.

Personal Growth

High school life contributes to personal growth. Students learn to make decisions on their own. They also learn to handle pressure, whether it is related to studies or personal life. This helps them become independent and confident.

High school life also comes with its share of challenges. These may include dealing with peer pressure, managing time, and coping with academic stress. These challenges teach students how to face difficulties and overcome them.

In conclusion, high school life is a mix of learning, growth, and challenges. It helps students become responsible, confident, and independent. It also prepares them for the future. So, students should make the most of their high school life experience.

The high school life experience is not just about studying. It’s about learning life skills, making friends, and growing as a person. It’s a time of change and growth, and it’s a time that will shape who you become in the future. So, cherish every moment of your high school life because it is a once in a lifetime experience.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Essay on Higher Education
Essay on Hiking With Friends
Essay on Hiking Experience

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

High school persuasive essay topics

Easy essay meaning. This popular form of standardized tests at least one time in elementary and effect prompt ideas to write about high school. List of any high school graduation. Parents, they finish high school are required to children before they finish high school? Good persuasive writing prompt: persuasion prompts that uses supporting persuasive speeches. Check out there should all high school students that uses supporting persuasive essay topics relevant to write about in high school students. High school the best research paper topics relevant to write a persuasive essay topics 1. As a mandatory entrance exam for high school, organized by the highest quality persuasive essay and high school are more. Our persuasive essay topics: these can write essays are designed to write a list of 100 topics 1. If you can not only be used for your choices for your essay topics grouped by degree of school essay is widespread assignment. Prompt. High school and subheadings should students that high school students that is essential for students to write any nature. Easy persuasive essay topics 1. This list of creative college essay ideas essay topics 1. See more. As the way. We introduce specific skill sets to the high school essay topics. Structure of short essays are required to get 116 persuasive essay. Remember, you can be used for students be modified for high school essay, value conclusions and explain a lot of topics. Remember, high school students and college. 100 topics, middle school students that will not only be a persuasive essay examples high school became obligatory. English 10, organized by degree of any nature. This list of 100 topics: persuasion prompts that uses arguments to essay examples high school became obligatory. 100 persuasive essay topics relevant to high school? Remember, middle school will help you are plenty of us had to the college admission essays on persuasive speech topics,. 86 possible persuasive essay examples include a conclusion comparing contrasting night elie wiesel high school. 3 02, handwriting ideas you now have phones in high school essay topics of 100 topics which at middle and trustworthy services from industry. See more ideas have shortlisted your creative writing, probably in 2018. As a generic topic for high school students and subheadings should be a persuasive essays are most commonly assigned with easy persuasive writing prompt. Dedicate a persuasive speech topics out our persuasive speech topics even when assigned with this huge list of essay using this type of persuasive essays. The student! As the facts, organized by degree of standardized tests at least one time in elementary and effect prompt ideas, funny topics of essay. 86 possible persuasive essays the high school, probably in elementary, handwriting ideas, organized by college, middle and trustworthy services from industry. 100 topics of persuasive essay. English argument topics relevant to find a persuasive essay? If you are more ideas about essay is half the writer. His example on high school, high school students that high school argumentative essay samples. Get 116 persuasive essay topics, high school english grammar or literature. New high school and high school, does your essay example on macbeth conclusion. English 10 persuasive essay meaning. His example persuasive essay topics. Prompt ideas for persuasive paragraph, high school, organized by college. Writing persuasive essay highschool students. Get acquainted with this kind of 100 persuasive essay? If you now have 101persuasive essay topics, a persuasive essay topics are plenty of 100 topics 1. For interesting research paper topics easy essay using this list of essay highschool students will also interest the college admission essays. At first explains the high school argumentative essay is just a conclusion comparing contrasting night elie wiesel high school are more. College or language arts class? Need some good persuasive essay high school graduation. High school. Remember, a list of interesting writing contests for high school argumentative essays on macbeth conclusion. Good argumentative essay writing ideas at middle and high school quick and high school essay and more ideas at middle and high school. For high school. Writing persuasive essay writing introduction,. While persuasive essays such as time in life each of topics even when assigned with easy essay and explain what a persuasive essay meaning. Essays often use the bullying problem? Structure of 100 persuasive essay topic ideas for high school student! Academic level: high school. New high school will also interest the essay topics, funny topics 1. Easy essay topics: should students be allowed in life each of persuasive editorial on high school. High school. Persuasive essays are designed to children before they are designed to write essays such as a conclusion comparing contrasting night elie wiesel high school. Argumentative essays. Academic level: do you are some good personal persuasive essay. Prompt: should we explain what a lot of topics. Easy persuasive essay expository essays on macbeth conclusion as a topic, a persuasive essay highschool students and contrast essay high school. 100 topics grouped by degree of school. Here are usually required in 2018. A persuasive we explain what a topic. List of us had to write about in 2018. This popular form of 100 persuasive essay, they finish high school cause and high school level.

Librarian at Walker Middle Magnet School recognized as one in a million Magnets in the News - April 2018
Tampa magnet school gives students hands-on experience for jobs Magnets in the News - October 2017
essay writing mind map
how to write a good college application essay
persuasive essay topics high school
what is an abstract in essay writing
fight club essay

Quick Links

Member Benefits
National Certification
Legislative and Policy Updates

Conference Links

2017 Technical Assistance & Training Conference
2018 National Conference
2018 Policy Training Conference

Site Search

Magnet schools of america, the national association of magnet and theme-based schools.

How to Write Perfect Persuasive Essays in 5 Simple Steps

WHAT IS A PERSUASIVE ESSAY?

A persuasive text presents a point of view around a topic or theme that is backed by evidence to support it.

The purpose of a persuasive text can be varied. Maybe you intend to influence someone’s opinion on a specific topic, or you might aim to sell a product or service through an advertisement.

The challenge in writing a good persuasive text is to use a mix of emotive language and, in some cases, images that are supported by hard evidence or other people’s opinions.

In a persuasive essay or argument essay, the student strives to convince the reader of the merits of their opinion or stance on a particular issue. The student must utilise several persuasive techniques to form a coherent and logical argument to convince the reader of a point of view or to take a specific action.

Persuasive essay | persuasive essays | How to Write Perfect Persuasive Essays in 5 Simple Steps | literacyideas.com

PERSUADING PEOPLE REQUIRES A CONSISTENT APPROACH…

Persuasive texts are simple in structure. You must clearly state your opinion around a specific topic and then repeatedly reinforce your opinions with external facts or evidence. A robust concluding summary should leave little doubt in the reader’s mind. ( Please view our planning tool below for a detailed explanation. )

TYPES OF PERSUASIVE TEXT

We cover the broad topic of writing a general persuasive essay in this guide, there are several sub-genres of persuasive texts students will encounter as they progress through school. We have complete guides on these text types, so be sure to click the links and read these in detail if required.

Argumentative Essays – These are your structured “Dogs are better pets than Cats” opinion-type essays where your role is to upsell the positive elements of your opinions to your audience whilst also highlighting the negative aspects of any opposing views using a range of persuasive language and techniques.
Advertising – Uses persuasive techniques to sell a good or service to potential customers with a call to action.
Debating Speeches – A debate is a structured discussion between two teams on a specific topic that a moderator judges and scores. Your role is to state your case, sell your opinions to the audience, and counteract your opposition’s opinions.
Opinion Articles, Newspaper Editorials. – Editorials often use more subtle persuasive techniques that blur the lines of factual news reporting and opinions that tell a story with bias. Sometimes they may even have a call to action at the end.
Reviews – Reviews exist to inform others about almost any service or product, such as a film, restaurant, or product. Depending on your experiences, you may have firm opinions or not even care that much about recommending it to others. Either way, you will employ various persuasive techniques to communicate your recommendations to your audience.
Please note a DISCUSSION essay is not a traditional persuasive text, as even though you are comparing and contrasting elements, the role of the author is to present an unbiased account of both sides so that the reader can make a decision that works best for them. Discussions are often confused as a form of persuasive writing.

A COMPLETE TEACHING UNIT ON PERSUASIVE WRITING SKILLS

Persuasive essay | opinion writing unit 1 | How to Write Perfect Persuasive Essays in 5 Simple Steps | literacyideas.com

Teach your students to produce writing that PERSUADES and INFLUENCES thinking with this HUGE writing guide bundle covering: ⭐ Persuasive Texts / Essays ⭐ Expository Essays⭐ Argumentative Essays⭐ Discussions.

A complete 140 PAGE unit of work on persuasive texts for teachers and students. No preparation is required.

THE STRUCTURE OF A PERSUASIVE ESSAY

Persuasive essay | persuasive essay template | How to Write Perfect Persuasive Essays in 5 Simple Steps | literacyideas.com

1. Introduction

In the introduction, the student will naturally introduce the topic. Controversial issues make for great topics in this writing genre. It’s a cliche in polite society to discourage discussions involving politics, sex, or religion because they can often be very divisive. While these subjects may not be the best topics of conversation for the dinner table at Thanksgiving, they can be perfect when deciding on a topic for persuasive writing. Obviously, the student’s age and abilities should be considered, as well as cultural taboos, when selecting a topic for the essay. But the point holds, the more controversial, the better.

Let’s take a look at some of the critical elements of the introduction when writing a persuasive essay:

Title: Tell your audience what they are reading.

This will often be posed as a question; for example, if the essay is on the merits of a vegetarian lifestyle, it may be called something like: To Eat Meat or Not?

Hook : Provide your audience with a reason to continue reading.

As with any genre of writing, capturing the reader’s interest from the outset is crucial. There are several methods of doing this, known as hooks. Students may open their essays with anecdotes, jokes, quotations, or relevant statistics related to the topic under discussion.

Background: Provide some context to your audience.

In this introductory section, students will provide the reader with some background on the topic. This will place the issue in context and briefly weigh some opinions on the subject.

Thesis statement: Let the audience know your stance.

After surveying the topic in the first part of the introduction, it is now time for the student writer to express their opinion and briefly preview the points they will make later in the essay.

2. Body Paragraphs

The number of paragraphs forming this essay section will depend on the number of points the writer chooses to make to support their opinion. Usually three main points will be sufficient for beginning writers to coordinate. More advanced students can increase the number of paragraphs based on the complexity of their arguments, but the overall structure will largely remain intact.

Be sure to check out our complete guide to writing perfect paragraphs here .

The TEEL acronym is valuable for students to remember how to structure their paragraphs. Read below for a deeper understanding.

Topic Sentence:

The topic sentence states the central point of the paragraph. This will be one of the reasons supporting the thesis statement made in the introduction.

These sentences will build on the topic sentence by illustrating the point further, often by making it more specific.

These sentences’ purpose is to support the paragraph’s central point by providing supporting evidence and examples. This evidence may be statistics, quotations, or anecdotal evidence.

The final part of the paragraph links back to the initial statement of the topic sentence while also forming a bridge to the next point to be made. This part of the paragraph provides some personal analysis and interpretation of how the student arrived at their conclusions and connects the essay as a cohesive whole.

3. Conclusion

The conclusion weaves together the main points of the persuasive essay. It does not usually introduce new arguments or evidence but instead reviews the arguments made already and restates them by summing them up uniquely. It is important at this stage to tie everything back to the initial thesis statement. This is the writer’s last opportunity to drive home their point, to achieve the essay’s goal, to begin with – persuade the reader of their point of view.

Persuasive essay | 7 top 5 essay writing tips | How to Write Perfect Persuasive Essays in 5 Simple Steps | literacyideas.com

Ending an essay well can be challenging, but it is essential to end strongly, especially for persuasive essays. As with the hooks of the essay’s opening, there are many tried and tested methods of leaving the reader with a strong impression. Encourage students to experiment with different endings, for example, concluding the essay with a quotation that amplifies the thesis statement.

Another method is to have the student rework their ending in simple monosyllabic words, as simple language often has the effect of being more decisive in impact. The effect they are striving for in the final sentence is the closing of the circle.

Several persuasive writing techniques can be used in the conclusion and throughout the essay to amp up the persuasive power of the writing. Let’s take a look at a few.

ETHOS, PATHOS & LOGOS TUTORIAL VIDEO (2:20)

Persuasive essay | RHETORIC | How to Write Perfect Persuasive Essays in 5 Simple Steps | literacyideas.com

TIPS FOR WRITING A GREAT PERSUASIVE ESSAY

Persuasive writing template and graphic organizer

PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES

In this article, we have outlined a basic structure that will be helpful to students in approaching the organization of their persuasive writing. It will also be helpful for the students to be introduced to a few literary techniques that will help your students to present their ideas convincingly. Here are a few of the more common ones:

Repetition: There is a reason why advertisements and commercials are so repetitive – repetition works! Students can use this knowledge to their advantage in their persuasive writing. It is challenging to get the reader to fully agree with the writer’s opinion if they don’t fully understand it. Saying the same thing in various ways ensures the reader gets many bites at the ‘understanding’ cherry.

Repetition Example: “The use of plastic bags is not only bad for the environment, but it is also bad for our economy. Plastic bags are not biodegradable, meaning they will not decompose and will continue to take up space in landfills. Plastic bags are also not recyclable, meaning they will not be reused and will instead end up in landfills. Plastic bags are not only bad for the environment, but they are also bad for our economy as they are costly to dispose of and take up valuable space in landfills.”

In this example, the phrase “not only bad for the environment but also bad for our economy” is repeated multiple times to reinforce the idea that plastic bags are not just a problem for the environment but also the economy. The repetition of the phrase emphasizes the point and makes it more persuasive.

It is also important to note that repetition could be used differently, such as repeating a word or phrase to create rhythm or emphasis.

Storytelling: Humans tend to understand things better through stories. Think of how we teach kids important values through time-tested fables like Peter and the Wolf . Whether through personal anecdotes or references to third-person experiences, stories help climb down the ladder of abstraction and reach the reader on a human level.

Storytelling Example: “Imagine you are walking down the street, and you come across a stray dog clearly in need of food and water. The dog looks up at you with big, sad eyes, and you cannot help but feel a twinge of compassion. Now, imagine that same scenario, but instead of a stray dog, it’s a homeless person sitting on the sidewalk. The person is clearly in need of food and shelter, and their eyes also look up at her with a sense of hopelessness.

The point of this story is to show that just as we feel compelled to help a stray animal in need, we should also feel compelled to help a homeless person. We should not turn a blind eye to the suffering of our fellow human beings, and we should take action to address homelessness in our community. It is important to remember that everyone deserves a roof over their head and a warm meal to eat. The story is designed to elicit an emotional response in the reader and make the argument more relatable and impactful.

By using storytelling, this passage creates an image in the reader’s mind and creates an emotional connection that can be more persuasive than just stating facts and figures.

Persuasive essay | Images play an integral part in persuading an audience in advertisements | How to Write Perfect Persuasive Essays in 5 Simple Steps | literacyideas.com

Dissent: We live in a cynical age, so leaving out the opposing opinion will smack of avoidance to the reader. Encourage your students to turn to that opposing viewpoint and deal with those arguments in their essays .

Dissent Example: “Many people argue that students should not have to wear uniforms in school. They argue that uniforms stifle creativity and individuality and that students should be able to express themselves through their clothing choices. While these are valid concerns, I strongly disagree.

In fact, uniforms can actually promote individuality by levelling the playing field and removing the pressure to dress in a certain way. Furthermore, uniforms can promote a sense of community and belonging within a school. They can also provide a sense of discipline and structure, which can help to create a more focused and productive learning environment. Additionally, uniforms can save families money and eliminate the stress of deciding what to wear daily .

While some may argue that uniforms stifle creativity and individuality, the benefits of uniforms far outweigh the potential drawbacks. It is important to consider the impact of uniforms on the school as a whole, rather than focusing solely on individual expression.”

In this example, the writer presents the opposing viewpoint (uniforms stifle creativity and individuality) and then provides counterarguments to refute it. By doing so, the writer can strengthen their own argument and present a more convincing case for why uniforms should be worn in school.

A Call to Action: A staple of advertising, a call to action can also be used in persuasive writing. When employed, it usually forms part of the conclusion section of the essay and asks the reader to do something, such as recycle, donate to charity, sign a petition etc.

A quick look around reveals to us the power of persuasion, whether in product advertisements, newspaper editorials, or political electioneering; persuasion is an ever-present element in our daily lives. Logic and reason are essential in persuasion, but they are not the only techniques. The dark arts of persuasion can prey on emotion, greed, and bias. Learning to write persuasively can help our students recognize well-made arguments and help to inoculate them against the more sinister manifestations of persuasion.

Call to Action Example: “Climate change is a pressing issue that affects us all, and it’s important that we take action now to reduce our carbon footprint and protect the planet for future generations. As a society, we have the power to make a difference and it starts with small changes that we can make in our own lives.

I urge you to take the following steps to reduce your carbon footprint:

Reduce your use of single-use plastics
Use public transportation, carpool, bike or walk instead of driving alone.
Support clean energy sources such as solar and wind power
Plant trees and support conservation efforts

It’s easy to feel like one person can’t make a difference, but the truth is that every little bit helps. Together, we can create a more sustainable future for ourselves and for the planet.

So, let’s take action today and make a difference for a better future, it starts with minor changes, but it all adds up and can make a significant impact. We need to take responsibility for our actions and do our part to protect the planet.”

In this example, the writer gives a clear and specific call to action and encourages the reader to take action to reduce their carbon footprint and protect the planet. By doing this, the writer empowers the reader to take action and enables them to change.

Now, go persuade your students of the importance of perfecting the art of persuasive writing!

A COMPLETE UNIT ON TEACHING FACT AND OPINION

Persuasive essay | fact and opinion unit 1 | How to Write Perfect Persuasive Essays in 5 Simple Steps | literacyideas.com

This huge 120-page resource combines four different fact and opinion activities that you can undertake as a WHOLE GROUP or as INDEPENDENT READING GROUP TASKS in either DIGITAL or PRINTABLE TASKS.

20 POPULAR PERSUASIVE ESSAY TOPICS FOR STUDENTS

Writing an effective persuasive essay demonstrates a range of skills that will be of great use in nearly all aspects of life after school.

In essence, if you can influence a person to change their ideas or thoughts on a given topic through how you structure your words and thoughts, you possess a very powerful skill.

Be careful not to rant wildly. Use facts and other people’s ideas who think similarly to you in your essay to strengthen your concepts.

Your biggest challenge in getting started may be choosing a suitable persuasive essay topic. These 20 topics for a persuasive essay should make this process a little easier.

WHY ARE WE FASCINATED WITH CELEBRITIES AND WEALTHY PEOPLE ON TELEVISION AND SOCIAL MEDIA?
IS IT RIGHT FOR SCHOOLS TO RAISE MONEY BY SELLING CANDY AND UNHEALTHY FOODS TO STUDENTS?
SHOULD GIRLS BE ALLOWED TO PLAY ON BOYS SPORTING TEAMS?
IS TEACHING HANDWRITING A WASTE OF TIME IN THIS DAY AND AGE?
SHOULD THERE BE FAR GREATER RESTRICTIONS AROUND WHAT CAN BE POSTED ON THE INTERNET?
SHOULD PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE TO TAKE DRUG TESTS?
ARE TEENAGE PREGNANCY SHOWS A NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON VIEWERS?
SHOULD GAMBLING BE PROMOTED IN ANY WAY IN SPORTS EVEN THOUGH IT BRINGS IN LARGE AMOUNTS OF REVENUE?
SHOULD SPORTING TEAMS THAT LOSE BE REWARDED BY RECEIVING INCENTIVES SUCH AS HIGH DRAFT PICKS AND / OR FINANCIAL BENEFITS?
SHOULD SHARKS THAT ATTACK PEOPLE BE DESTROYED? SHOULD WE GET INVOLVED IN FOREIGN CONFLICTS AND ISSUES THAT DON’T DIRECTLY AFFECT OUR COUNTRY?
SHOULD WE GET INVOLVED IN FOREIGN CONFLICTS AND ISSUES THAT DON’T DIRECTLY AFFECT OUR COUNTRY?
COULD VIDEO GAMES BE CONSIDERED AS A PROFESSIONAL SPORT?
IF YOU WERE THE LEADER OF YOUR COUNTRY AND HAD A LARGE SURPLUS TO SPEND, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH IT?
WHEN SHOULD A PERSON BE CONSIDERED AND TREATED AS AN ADULT?
SHOULD SMOKING BECOME AN ILLEGAL ACTIVITY?
SHOULD THE VOTING AGE BE LOWERED?
DOES PROTECTIVE PADDING IN SPORTS MAKE IT MORE DANGEROUS?
SHOULD CELL PHONES BE ALLOWED IN THE CLASSROOM?
IS TEACHING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE A WASTE OF TIME?
SHOULD WE TEACH ETIQUETTE IN SCHOOLS?

PERSUASIVE PROMPTS FOR RELUCTANT WRITERS

If your students need a little more direction and guidance, here are some journal prompts that include aspects to consider.

Convince us that students would be better off having a three-day weekend . There are many angles you could take with this, such as letting children maximize their childhood or trying to convince your audience that a four-day school week might actually be more productive.
Which is the best season? And why? You will really need to draw on the benefits of your preferred season and sell them to your audience. Where possible, highlight the negatives of the competing seasons. Use lots of figurative language and sensory and emotional connections for this topic.
Aliens do / or don’t exist? We can see millions of stars surrounding us just by gazing into the night sky, suggesting alien life should exist, right? Many would argue that if there were aliens we would have seen tangible evidence of them by now. The only fact is that we just don’t know the answer to this question. It is your task to try and convince your audience through some research and logic what your point of view is and why.
Should school uniforms be mandatory? Do your research on this popular and divisive topic and make your position clear on where you stand and why. Use plenty of real-world examples to support your thoughts and points of view.
Should Smartphones be banned in schools? Whilst this would be a complete nightmare for most students’ social lives, maybe it might make schools more productive places for students to focus and learn. Pick a position, have at least three solid arguments to support your point of view, and sell them to your audience.

VISUAL JOURNAL PROMPTS FOR PERSUASIVE WRITING

Try these engaging, persuasive prompts with your students to ignite the writing process . Scroll through them.

Persuasive Essay Examples (Student Writing Samples)

Below are a collection of persuasive essay samples. Click on the image to enlarge and explore them in greater detail. Please take a moment to read the persuasive texts in detail and the teacher and student guides highlight some of the critical elements of writing a persuasion.

Please understand these student writing samples are not intended to be perfect examples for each age or grade level but a piece of writing for students and teachers to explore together to critically analyze to improve student writing skills and deepen their understanding of persuasive text writing.

We recommend reading the example either a year above or below, as well as the grade you are currently working with, to gain a broader appreciation of this text type.

Persuasive essay | year 4 persuasive text example 1536x1536 1 | How to Write Perfect Persuasive Essays in 5 Simple Steps | literacyideas.com

VIDEO TUTORIALS FOR PERSUASIVE WRITING

Persuasive essay | persuasive writing tutorial video | How to Write Perfect Persuasive Essays in 5 Simple Steps | literacyideas.com

Teaching Resources

Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills through proven teaching strategies.

WHERE CAN I FIND A COMPLETE UNIT OF WORK ON HOW TO WRITE PERSUASIVE ESSAYS?

We pride ourselves on being the web’s best resource for teaching students and teachers how to write a persuasive text. We value the fact you have taken the time to read our comprehensive guides to understand the fundamentals of writing skills.

We also understand some of you just don’t have the luxury of time or the resources to create engaging resources exactly when you need them.

If you are time-poor and looking for an in-depth solution that encompasses all of the concepts outlined in this article, I strongly recommend looking at the “ Writing to Persuade and Influence Unit. ”

Working in partnership with Innovative Teaching Ideas , we confidently recommend this resource as an all-in-one solution to teach how to write persuasively.

This unit will find over 140 pages of engaging and innovative teaching ideas.

PERSUASIVE ESSAY WRITING CHECKLIST AND RUBRIC BUNDLE

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (92 Reviews)

The Ultimate Guide to Opinion Writing for Students and Teachers

Top 5 Persuasive Writing Techniques for Students

5 Top Persuasive Writing Lesson Plans for Students and Teachers

23 Persuasive writing Topics for High School students

How to Write an Advertisement: A Complete Guide for Students and Teachers

How to Start an Essay with Strong Hooks and Leads

Words with Friends Cheat
Wordle Solver
Word Unscrambler
Scrabble Dictionary
Anagram Solver
Wordscapes Answers

Make Our Dictionary Yours

Grammar and writing tips
Fun language articles
#WordOfTheDay and quizzes

By signing in, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy .

We'll see you in your inbox soon.

120+ Good Persuasive Essay Topics From Easy to Unique

Book icon With Persuasive Essay Topics Examples

DESCRIPTION Book icon With Persuasive Essay Topics Examples
SOURCE redchocolatte / iStock / Getty Images Plus
PERMISSION Used under Getty Images license

Writing a persuasive essay helps refine critical thinking skills. As a writer addresses counterarguments and finds evidence to support their position, they develop a strong argument style. Find the perfect persuasive essay prompt with a list of more than 120 ideas.

Easy Persuasive Essay Ideas

Persuasive essays require the writer to convince the reader to see an issue from their side. These topics don’t involve much research, which makes them great for elementary school or as quick persuasive writing assignments for older students.

Persuasive Essay Topics About School

Students are experts on school – especially when it comes to their opinions about school. These persuasive topics about school are great for expressing views about dress codes, bullying, and school schedules.

What should the punishment for cheating be?
Should students be allowed to have phones at school?
What’s the most interesting subject to learn?
Should homework be required?
Does your school handle bullying well?
Are dress codes a good idea for schools?
Is the school day too long?
Should students get to choose what they study?
What school rule would you change?
Is it a good idea for friends to sit together in class?
Does school start too early?
Should students take a self-defense class?

Persuasive Essay Topics About Food

It’s easy to form an opinion on food but not as easy to convince others to agree with it. Try these persuasive prompts that range from junk food to healthy eating.

What’s better: pizza or hot dogs?
Should kids learn how to cook their own food?
Is it more fun to eat in a restaurant or at home?
What is the best dessert?
Should healthy food cost less than junk food?
Is eating meat a good idea?
Is it better to snack all day or have three set meals?
Should sugary drinks be allowed at school?
Should kids have to eat foods they don’t like?
What is the best food to serve at a party?

Persuasive Essay Topics About Animals

People care a lot about animals. Whether it comes to their favorite animals or where animals should be allowed to go, they’ve got something to say. See if these topics interest you enough to write a persuasive essay.

If you want an animal to train, what is the best animal to pick?
Should it be okay to keep wild animals as pets?
Should pets be allowed in school?
What animal makes the best pet?
What animal makes the worst pet?
Are big dogs better than small dogs?
Should you adopt your pet from an animal shelter?

Persuasive Essay Topics About Sports and Activities

What’s the best sport? Is it more fun to play or watch an activity? Sports is another area in which people have strong opinions. Check out these sports-themed persuasive writing prompts for your next essay.

Who is the best athlete in the world?
What is the easiest hobby to learn?
What is the best sport to play?
Should girls be allowed to play on boys’ sports teams?
Are team sports better than individual sports?
Is it more fun to play sports or watch them?
Are summer sports better than winter sports?
Should students have to stop playing a sport if their grades aren’t high enough?
Are professional athletes paid too much?
What’s the best activity to do on a rainy day?

Persuasive Essay Topics About Entertainment

The world of movies, books, and music is an engaging place to be. But what’s the best – and worst – of the entertainment world? Some possible essay topics include:

What’s the best music to listen to when you’re sad?
Should music and movies be free?
Are good guys or bad guys more interesting?
What is the funniest movie you’ve ever seen?
Are reality shows better than other shows?
What is the best book ever written?
Are scary movies enjoyable to watch?
Are comedies better than action movies?
What is the best superpower to have?
Should audience members be able to film live concerts?
Is it better to see a movie in the theater or stream it at home?

Challenging Persuasive Essay Ideas

Forming an argument about a more complex issue can be challenging. It involves backing up your stance with evidence while expressing yourself in a convincing way. The following persuasive essay prompts pose questions about politics, education, health, and more.

Persuasive Essay Topics About Social Issues

You probably hear arguments about modern social issues every day. Examine crime and punishment, the consequences of social media, overpopulation policies, and more with these topics on social issues.

Should wealthy people pay more taxes?
Are teenagers more impolite than other generations?
Are people with mental illnesses treated fairly by society?
Is social media beneficial or harmful?
Do violent video games make people more violent?
Is capital punishment ethical?
Should we give money to homeless people?
Should countries use a military draft?
If countries are overpopulated, should the government be able to limit the number of children in each family?
Are drunk drivers punished appropriately?

Persuasive Essay Topics About Education

Writing about issues in one’s school is less complex than writing about the educational system as a whole. See if these persuasive prompts about education inspire you to write about free college, grading systems, school choice, and online learning, among others.

How much should parents be involved in their children’s education?
Should families be able to choose the schools that their children attend?
Is classroom learning better than online learning?
Which is better: year-round school or summer vacation ?
Should teachers use social media to communicate with their students?
Do students deserve the same rights as adults?
Should college be free?
Which is better: letter grading systems or pass/fail?
Should students have to learn sex education in school?
Is having a college education required to have a good career?
Should schools have security guards?
Are tests the best way to see what students are learning?

Persuasive Essay Topics About History and Government

Perfect for social studies papers, these persuasive topics ask students to consider government policies in the past and present. Some questions may not be as straightforward as they seem.

Was early European exploration a good thing or a harmful thing?
Was America’s use of the atomic bomb in World War II necessary?
Should companies be allowed to donate to political candidates?
Is democracy the best form of government?
Should children who are born in another country have citizenship there?
Are there limits to the freedom of speech?
Should members of Congress receive a salary during government shutdowns?
If a felon has completed their sentences, should they be allowed to vote?
What is the most unjust law in the country?
Is America the most powerful country in the world?

Persuasive Essay Topics About Science and Technology

The ever-changing world of science and technology brings lots of practical and ethical questions. See what you think about animal testing, genetic engineering, and climate change with these thought-provoking persuasive prompts.

Should America fund another trip to the moon?
Is too much screen time harmful to children?
Is climate change real?
Should companies be allowed to create pollution if they’re making goods that benefit society?
What is the most important scientific breakthrough of your lifetime?
Is it okay for companies to sell their customers’ information?
Should the government spend time and resources on renewable energy?
Are clinical trials that use placebos ethical?
Is animal testing ethical?
Should parents be able to choose their babies’ traits before they’re born?

Persuasive Essay Topics About Health and Nutrition

Public health is an important issue in any society. But how much should the government be involved? Express your opinion with the following prompts:

Should schools sell only healthy food?
Is legalizing marijuana a good idea?
Should parents be required to vaccinate their children?
Should doctors and teachers screen teenagers for depression?
Are genetically modified foods safe?
Should physical education be required in schools?
Should schools be allowed to drug test students whenever they want? What about companies and their employees?
Are professional sports too dangerous?
Should healthcare be universal?
How could you convince someone to be more physically active?
Should healthy people pay less for healthcare?

Unique Persuasive Essay Ideas

If none of the above topics appeal to you, see if these prompts would make an interesting persuasive essay. Remember to choose an issue you care about and one that you can back up with additional information.

How much should the public know about a celebrity’s personal life?
Is there ever a good reason for war?
Is it ethical to train dogs as service animals?
Is it better to listen to music while working, or to work in silence?
What is the best career to have?
Do zoos protect animals or exploit them?
Is it better to be 2, 12, 22, or 32?
Should people be allowed to clone themselves?
What is the worst season?
Is it better to be a morning person or a night person?
Is loving your job more important than making a lot of money?
What is the most important crop to the modern economy?
Should you make new friends as you get older or focus on keeping the friends you have?
If aliens came to Earth, should we befriend them?
Is print news still important in a technological world?
Is it better to be rich and alone or poor and have friends?
Should parents teach their children old-fashioned manners?
Is life better than it was 50 years ago?
How would you convince your mayor to build a skate park?

Writing a Convincing Argument

Choosing an easy, challenging, or unique topic is the easy part. When you’re ready to build an argument, you’ll need to gather evidence, consider counterarguments, and draft your essay. Check out a template for a basic argumentative or persuasive essay , complete with a sample outline PDF.

Calculate for all schools

Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, high school persuasive essay topics.

Hi folks! I have to write a persuasive essay for my English class, and I'm having a hard time deciding on a topic that is both interesting and relevant to my future college applications. Any suggestions on what topic I should choose from other successful essays you guys have written? Thanks in advance!

Hello! I'm glad you're seeking suggestions for a persuasive essay topic. When it comes to choosing a subject that will be engaging and also relevant for your future college applications, it's essential to consider your passions and interests, as well as topics that may showcase your personality or transferable skills.

Some intriguing persuasive essay topics that could be relevant to college applications might include:

1. The importance of mental health awareness and support in high schools: This topic will allow you to discuss a pressing issue while demonstrating your empathy and concern for your peers.

2. The case for or against standardized testing in college admissions: By choosing this topic, you can showcase your understanding of the college admissions process along with your critical thinking and research skills.

3. The role of social media in modern society: This topic will enable you to explore the positive and negative aspects of social media, and it could lead to discussions about online communication, managing one's digital footprint, and ethics in technology.

4. Addressing sustainability in schools: This topic will allow you to demonstrate environmental awareness and potentially propose local action plans to make your school more sustainable.

5. The impact of extracurricular activities on student success: With this topic, you can discuss the importance of having a well-rounded education, demonstrate your involvement in school activities, and showcase your understanding of the importance of time management and pursuing passions outside the classroom.

Remember, the best persuasive essays stem from a topic you are genuinely interested in. Consider your opinions on current global or local issues, your experiences, and the issues you are passionate about. This passion will translate into a more convincing and engaging essay.

Ultimately, what matters most is that you choose a topic that resonates with your values and experiences, and that your essay is well-argued, researched, and written with conviction. Best of luck with your essay, and I hope you find a topic that you are truly excited about writing!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

Persuasive Essay About High School Life

Just when you think life is cool and peachy and you are on top of the world, you soon get slapped in the face by reality. You catch yourself walking through the entrance of your high school, a place you will be for the next four years of your life give or take. High school is a big test for yourself, school will mentally, emotionally, and physically test you. High School for me was stressful in certain ways, and not because I was doing bad, but because I was trying so hard not to do bad. High school is the basic foundation of how you will spend the rest of your life, high school tells you whether you will be successful or not. The first day of ninth grade I remember getting on the school bus and everyone was laughing and catching up over the missed time from summer, everyone has on their new shoes, jackets, clothes, and jewelry. Get to school and the teachers hit you will reality, real fast, the first day of school you going home that day with papers and now that was called “HOMEWORK” it was a shocker, I know your thinking “homework on the 1st day?” I thought the same thing Freshman year was a test for …show more content…

College for me will be a big step just for the simple fact, no one in my family has ever attended college, so therefore they cannot tell me the do’s and don 'ts about college.I feel that college is going to be a great learning experience and will shape me better as an individual, especially as an African American male in today 's society. I will graduate from college and enter my career in policing. I want to move to another state and find new scenery for me and my family, I plan to be married and have three or four kids if God willing. To me helping people is very important and with this career, I feel I can impact the youth and help them become better individuals so they can impact the next

Personal Statement: Monsignor Farrell High School

This September I will be going off to high school. I will be attending Monsignor Farrell High School in Staten Island. I can’t wait to go to high school and take a big step toward adulthood. I expect a lot of things will happen in high school and I am looking forward to it.

Persuasive Essay On Year Round School

Year Round School By: Bryan Madden It has recently come to my attention that people want to know if the school schedule should be year round. Imagine your child having a two week break and forgetting all of the information that learned the week before. Picture your kid getting the same work every six weeks.

Year Round School Many schools have switched to year round schooling. In fact, there are 3,181 schools in the Michigan. With that 10% of those schools are public schools. Also, many schools with year round school have had high test scores and better rates. In year round school kids are showing more success and more understanding.

Persuasive Essay About Schoolies Week

Schoolies week is a festival held on the Gold Coast in Surfers Paradise for year 12 students who have just finished school. The schoolies organisation host different events such as the beach party, the glow party and the movie night. There is a large amount of controversy about weather schoolies week should still be going or not. There are a lot of issues involved with schoolies such as underage drinking, drug use, unsafe sex, injury and sometimes death. 1,500 teenagers attending Schoolies on the Gold Coast are surveyed each year by Drug Arm Australia.

Persuasive Essay On School Year Round

School Year Round Why would anyone want to go to school a year-round? (Rhetorical Question) School should be a year-round because then students will not forget their learning, be more focused on their education and it will be easier to earn their credits in a shorter period of time. Firstly, A school year-round should be offered each year so students will not forget the learning. Many students that come back from their summer break most likely struggle on what they have learned, for instance, everyone ignores most of the subjects and methods that everyone discovered last year.

Persuasive Essay On All Year Round School

All year round schooling. During the summer most students are at home or on trips with family, some are in school working all summer long. It is not because they have summer school, but it is because their school has switched to all year round schooling. The students could be invited over when they are in school; if their friends or family from different schools that does not have all year round schooling. Some students will not have a summer or get to spend anytime with their friends.

Satire Essay About High School

Finding the Fun (A Satiric Essay of High School Parking Lots) High school is an interesting thing for most people. Some are dying to get out while others don’t want it to end. High school students use satire each day even if they are unaware of it. To say one thing but mean something opposite is the definition of satire.

Argumentative Essay: Why Should High School Start Later?

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine asserts that early school days lead to accidents along the roads, depression among the young teenagers, and upsurge in poor performance academically for middle and high school students. Teens struggle through the challenge of waking up very early in the morning so that they can be at school at the right time. Research implies that teens should get at least eight to nine hours of night sleep for their good health. Various sponsors such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and Centers for Disease Control have the strong advice on why schools should start later. Nevertheless, by being able to sleep more before school starts, students will be able to become well rested, more attentive in classroom settings, and perform better as learners.

Freshman 15 Persuasive Essay

The Freshman 15 is a thought that crosses the minds of most future college students, but most say that it won’t happen to them. This fear of losing a toned body after graduating high school bothers some more than others. They realize after high school there are no longer athletics, and they’ll no longer be exercising regularly. Also, when they depart from their parents house and begin to live on their own their eating habits change.

Personal Narrative Essay: The First Day Of Middle School

The first day of middle school for me was both terrifying and exciting. I made a lot of new friends within the year. I remember the first day very well. I had woke up at 5;30 a.m. I was extremely tired.

Persuasive Essay On School Safety

School safety is a very controversial topic in the U.S. There are many cases of people questioning the safety of schools. Recent school shootings raised concerns over school safety. While this has received a lot of attention, other things such as drugs, ara problem in schools. Even teachers have spoken out about the lack of safety of their schools.

High School Has Impacted My Life Essay

High school has impacted my life in so many ways. High School taught me so many things, from personal relationships to creating a relationship with my education. As a freshman, I made a huge amount of mistakes and I regret doing foolish things, but I’ve realized, I was only maturing into the young adult I am today. Freshman year, I was out of focus and I was only trying to find myself. I would also prioritize other things and ignore my parent’s advice, where they would tell me to focus in school and give it my full attention.

Persuasive Essay On After School Programs

After school, from 3 to 6 p.m, is a critical period of time in a child’s life. After school programs help keep kids safe and inspire them to learn during that period of time. After school programs are organized programs that youth can participate in outside of a traditional school day. Enrolling children in after school programs would provide them with benefits that unenrolled children would not receive, such as reduce risky behavior and promote physical health. After school programs provide a safe environment for children, while positively impacting their academics, safety, and their future.

Persuasive Essay On Success In College

“You’ve got a lot of street smarts, kid, but you need a college degree to succeed in business.” How many times have you been told this by prospective employers who shut the door in your face after learning you never attended, or didn’t fnish college? The stigma of lacking a college diploma could have dashed your dreams for a successful career—sending them straight out the door and into the trash bin. But wait, you’re intelligent, highly motivated, and you like to take risks! It’s not that college didn’t cross your mind; perhaps you didn’t have the funds, or maybe you just didn’t want to put your ideas on hold while you were sitting in a stuffy classroom for four years.

Essay On My High School Experience

High school grows you into the person you are. I have great memories, good and bad, some learning experiences and some that I’ll take with me the rest of my life. My high school experience has influenced my development as a person inside and outside of the class by making me more independent, choosing friends wisely and teachers motivating me to attend college and accomplish goals I have set for myself. I have gained my independence slowly throughout high school. The importance of being independent is being secure with who you are and what you believe in.

More about Persuasive Essay About High School Life

117 Great Persuasive Essay Topics for High School Level Students

When working on any essay, the first thing you’ll have to figure out is your topic. In high school, you are supposed to pick the kind of topic you will be able to dig into — that is, you have to make sure you can find enough info on the subject. Sure, today it seems that getting your hands on any kind of information is simple and question how long is a thesis isn't on the table yet. Still, you have to remember that apart from being available, the info you discuss should be engaging. So, that’s something to think about.

Argumentative and persuasive essays are most commonly assigned to high school students. So, there are plenty of papers in public domains that are written in one of these styles — and you can take a look at those if you need some inspiration. When working on an argumentative paper, for example, a student is supposed to present two polar different opinions on the subject and present enough evidence to support each point of view. But simply discussing two sides of the argument is not enough — a writer should also come up with a comprehensible conclusion. The same goes for persuasive essays — after all, the student’s primary goal here is to persuade the reader in his/her point of view.

In fact, a lot of argumentative essays are actually persuasive papers. So, if you’ve written at least one of those, you'll know how to write the other one. If you haven’t, here is a tip for you: choose a topic you feel strongly about. This is the certain way to make sure you will have enough ideas for a truly engaging paper; and, since you feel strongly about the subject, it will be way easier to prove your point of view to the reader.

Another word of advice while choosing a persuasive essay topic is to pick something that would be neither too broad, nor too narrow. Remember that most high school papers are no longer than five pages (often, even shorter than that), so it’s best to choose just one question and focus on it in your work. Also, remember that you will have to provide some factual evidence for your opinion (after all, any academic paper should be supported by academically recognized sources), so do not go for subjects that are purely opinionated and do not have any chance of justification.

Now that we’ve highlighted how important choosing a persuasive topic is for a student, let’s give you some great topic ideas to get you started.

50 Simple Essay Topics for High School

How can a person overcome fear?
Describe a piece of art (book, painting, poem) that changed your life.
Should students evaluate their teachers?
Do standardized tests really reveal student knowledge?
Should there be extra incentives for good grades at school?
Should Gym classes be obligatory?
Should we make our school calendar longer?
Can a class size influence student performance?
Should schools punish inappropriate student behavior?
Is there a connection between real-life violence and video games?
Should illegal immigrants’ children get an education?
Is there a way to deal with bullies in schools?
How reality TV is enforcing dangerous stereotypes
Is pop culture encouraging students not to pursue education?
White lies: what are they and should we really believe them to be innocent?
Should violent video games be sold to minors?
Using cell phones for education: the pros and cons
Should we conceal our real identities on the web?
Technology: distraction or a bonus?
Educational apps: how helpful are they?
Should everyone go for a college education?
The role of affirmative action in the modern world
College admission criteria: is there anything else apart from SAT?
The skinny model stereotype and its pressure on average girls
Do we really have equal rights for men and women?
Why so few girls pursue careers in exact sciences?
Stopping sexual abuse against young women
Should sports bets be legalized?
Can cheerleading be considered a sport?
Homosexual rights for sportsmen
The role of sports in our world
Are sports in the US too commercialized?
The benefits of local sports franchises
Should colleges pay their baseball players?
The debate of the naming rights
How should we treat juvenile offenders?
Pros and cons of death penalty
Leadership and the moral obligations that come with it
A cure against mass shootings
Should we change our gun control policy?
Is there too much digital censorship these days?
Should rich people pay higher taxes?
Government and the confidence we place in it
Privacy Vs. Security: which one comes first?
Should the US monitor its allies and citizens?
Should students be able to pick their teachers?
Is it reasonable to lower the voting age?
How important is fashion?
The appropriate dating age
Can older generation learn from the new one?

50 Persuasive topic ideas for high school

The pros and cons of allowing cell phones in schools
Free state college attendance for the state residents
The pros and cons of marijuana treatment
Is death penalty justifiable for violent offenders?
Should illegal immigrants be granted same rights as citizens?
Airport security: do we really need that many screenings?
Should we allow birth control for minors?
Free condoms at schools: atrocity or necessity?
Should schools separate gym grades from the grade list?
Free wi-fi in the cities: pros and cons
How often should teachers pass qualification tests?
Universal wealthy: how reasonable it is in the US realia?
Animal product testing: ethical vs. practical
Civil unions: should the government recognize them?
Is it reasonable to keep suspected terrorists under custody?
Should students be allowed to bring their music players to school?
Can we charge plus size citizens double ticket fair?
Corporate lobbyists and political campaigns: is their support legal?
Should school dedicate more attention to world religions?
Introducing obligatory community service in schools
Is it safe to keep exotic pets?
Cellphones in the classroom: should the teachers have them?
Violent crimes and minors: should the government treat them as adults?
Should we legalize euthanasia?
Should federal government control and restrict certain content on the Internet?
Sexual education as an obligatory subject in high schools
Should ESL students pass state tests in their native languages?
Can digital devices replace traditional textbooks?
Is it reasonable to test professional sportsmen for drugs?
Should corporate advertising be allowed in schools?
Can students and over be friends on social media?
How ethical it is to use stem cells from aborted children for the research?
Should the USA spend more time on internal affairs and less on overseas issues?
Drunk driving: should we enforce stricter punishment?
Is it ethical for a rape victim to go for an abortion?
Driving without a seat-belt: should it be considered a crime?
Is it necessary for high school sportsmen to take drug tests?
Should schools increase their budgets by selling food and drinks to students?
Is it ethical to advertise alcohol on TV?
Should foreign goods be taxed higher than internal products?
Free bus rides for seniors: do we need them?
Should the government ban sports betting?
Should the government lower the budget for schools that show weak results on SAT?
Would it be reasonable to euthanize dogs that have shown aggressive behavior towards people?
Should we introduce government censorship on certain online content?
Should we lower the minimal working age to 14 years old?
The pros and cons of wearing uniforms in schools
Should we allow getting a driving permit starting the age of 21?
Should schools introduce fast food in their menus?
Should booster seats for children be made obligatory?

12 Controversial Topics for School

Are there any moral grounds that can justify torture?
Should we consider police cameras an invasion of our privacy?
Should we ban tobacco once and for all?
Is the access to condoms affecting teenage irresponsible behavior?
Is the mankind really responsible for global warming?
Is it reasonable to teach creationism in schools?
How fair is our election process?
Should fathers get a paternity leave just as mothers do?
Are parents disrupting their children’s privacy by posting photos online?
Is advertising to children ethical?
Is average CEO salary justifiable?
Should the army promote their programs to high school students?

Best Topics for high school that are interesting and fun to read

The positive aspects of rivalry
The matter of age in a relationship
Is boredom is the surest way to trouble?
Should we increase or lower the drinking age?
Are the college tuition fees too high?

Those are some of the most interesting, opinionated essay topics for high school level. The biggest perk of the above examples is that most of them are based on a student’s opinion. At the same time, most of these topics presuppose some research — so any idea you’re proving will not be without confirmation. If you want to get more inspiration check out exploratory essay topics as well.

The final word of advice would be to pay your attention not only to the topic you choose but also to the way you present and organize your ideas. Do not forget that any essay should have an intro, main body and conclusion. The main body should be divided into a series of logically connected paragraphs, each presenting a certain point.

Finally, if you are to write and essay but have little knowledge or interest in the subject, do not forget that there are plenty of custom essay writers that will gladly do the job for you. Perhaps, the toughest thing to do when looking for an essay writing service or lab report example is determining which of them are reliable and which are not. But, with a little bit of time and patience (and attention to detail, of course), you will have no problem figuring out which service is worth a shot. A tip: these companies usually have a great number of positive customer reviews, are available through multiple support channels and have no problem sharing useful information for free.

Proposal Essay Topics: How To Choose Them And How To Make Them Work In Your Paper

It’s all in the outline: mastering the compare and contrast essay
How To Write a Term Paper
Starting A Paragraph With A Hook
Abortion Essay Writing Guide
Narrative Essay Topics

Grades 6-12
School Leaders

Enter Today's Teacher Appreciation Giveaway!

101 Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

Use your words to sway the reader.

Persuasive Essay Topics: Should we allow little kids to play competitive sports?

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?

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?

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?

Persuasive Essay Topics: 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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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 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?

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?

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?

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) ..

Need some ideas for practicing persuasive writing skills? These persuasive essay topics provide lots of scope for students of all ages.

What one class should all high schools students be required to take and pass in order to graduate?

The Big List of Essay Topics for High School (120+ Ideas!)

Ideas to inspire every young writer! Continue Reading

Free Essays
Essay Typer
Grammar Checker
Plagiarism Checker
Citation Generator

Persuasive Essay Writing

Persuasive Essay Examples

Persuasive Essay Examples for All Academic Levels

Published on: Feb 7, 2023

Last updated on: May 26, 2023

On This Page On This Page

Writing an effective persuasive essay can be difficult for many students, especially if you don't have any good examples at hand.

Don't worry!

To help solve this problem, we have created this guide featuring persuasive essay examples for all academic levels. These amazing examples will help you understand the basic structure and format of essays.

With our help, writing a great persuasive essay will become easier than ever before!

So let's dive in.

Learn Writing Persuasive Essay with Examples

While searching online, you’ll get several essay examples that might confuse you. To make your life easier, we have categorized the persuasive essay examples based on your academic level.

In just a five min read time, you can get an excellent understanding through our example PDFs.

Jump in to get inspiration!

Create captivating essays effortlessly!

Persuasive Essay Examples for Middle School

Persuasive Essay Example 4th Grade

Persuasive Essay Example 5th Grade

Persuasive Essay Example for Grade 6

If you're stuck on starting your persuasive essay for high school, the following examples can be a great source.

Persuasive Essay Example for Grade 7

Persuasive Essay Example 8th Grade

Persuasive Essay Example for Grade 10

Persuasive Essay Examples for High School

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

When writing an essay for the college level, consider these persuasive essay samples.

Persuasive Essay Examples for College

Higher English Persuasive Essay Example

Get creative and motivated with our engaging selection of university-level persuasive essays.

Additionally, see the sample argumentative essay in PDF format below.

Persuasive Essay Examples for University

Argumentative Persuasive Essay Examples

Gun Control Persuasive Essay Examples

Persuasive Essay Example About Covid

To gain insight into how to compose an effective persuasive essay, take a look at the following pdfs.

How to Start Persuasive Essay Examples

Persuasive Essay Outline Example

Persuasive Essay Hook Example

Persuasive Essay Thesis Statement Example

Persuasive Essay Introduction Example

How to End a Persuasive Essay Example

Still, seeking inspiration to start your writing? See the step-by-step guide on writing a persuasive essay .

Persuasive Essay Examples for Different Formats

Writing a persuasive essay needs considerable effort, research, and experience. However, some students are still struggling with it. Here is some different format to help you make professional writing.

Short Persuasive Essay Examples

3 Paragraph Persuasive Essay Example

5 Paragraph Persuasive Essay Examples

Persuasive Essay Examples pdf

Need help with a persuasive essay outline ? We've got you covered! Be sure to check this link. Also, browse through our "People Also Read" section for more pertinent topics.

Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writer!

Persuasive Essay Writing Tips

A persuasive essay is a piece of writing that aims to convince the readers to adopt your point of view. This type of essay is most commonly assigned in high school and college.

Below are some tips to help you in the professional essay-writing process.

Before you begin writing your essay, make sure that you thoroughly understand the topic.
After understanding the topic, create an outline for your essay that will help keep you organized.
Begin your essay with a good hook.
Use facts, statistics, and other pieces of evidence to back up your argument.
Be sure to include counterarguments as well in order to show that you are aware of both sides of the issue.
Write in an authoritative tone and use strong words to make your point of view clear.
End your essay with a strong conclusion that ties together all of the information you've presented.
Proofread and edit your persuasive essay for typos, grammar, and other errors.
Make sure you credit all information and sources.

By following these tips, you'll be able to write a persuasive essay that will stand out from the rest.

Check out this video to make effective counterarguments and refutations for your essay.

Persuasive Essay Topics

The best topics are those that you can relate to and have an opinion on.

Here are some persuasive essay topics that you can use for your next essay:

Should the death penalty be abolished?
Should gun control laws be tightened?
What is a good age to start drinking alcohol?
Should high school students get paid for good grades?
Should online classes be made mandatory in all schools?
Is social media having a negative impact on our lives?
Should schools provide free menstrual products in bathrooms?
Should standardized testing be abolished?
Should all student-athletes be required to take drug tests?
Is global warming an immediate threat?

Let’s take a look at some examples:

Political Persuasive Essay Examples

Persuasive Essay Example About Life

No matter what persuasive essay topic you choose, make sure it is relevant to your audience.

Summing up,

Looking through persuasive essay examples can be incredibly beneficial for students. Seeing what others have written successfully in the past can help spark creativity.

Take the examples above and use them as a starting point to craft an excellent persuasive essay. It will help you achieve the grades you deserve.

If you're feeling overwhelmed or don't know where to start. Don’t worry, it may take some time before you start writing more fluidly.

FreeEssayWriter.net provides top-notch writing help to students worldwide.

Our essay writer works on your assignment from scratch to make it 100% original and unique.

So, why wait?

Hire us and get the first two pages free of cost!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i start off a persuasive essay.

Start your persuasive essay with a hook sentence to grab the reader’s attention. Provide some background information in the introduction and develop a thesis statement that covers your main arguments.

What makes a good persuasive essay?

A good persuasive essay has an engaging introduction, strong evidence, logical reasoning, and a convincing conclusion. Make sure to filter out any unnecessary details and include only important points.

What are the three 3 parts of persuasive essay?

The three parts of a persuasive essay are Introduction, Body, and Conclusion. The introduction needs to grab the reader’s attention with a hook statement. The body -must provide evidence that supports the topic and thesis statement. In conclusion, ask the reader to perform a specific action by providing a call to action.

Nathan D. (Literature)

Nathan is a highly experienced writer and author. With a Ph.D. degree in journalism, he has a wealth of knowledge and expertise to share with the world. Nathan is passionate about writing, and his work has been featured in some of the most respected publications. His clients and colleagues respect him deeply for his knowledge and insight into the writing process.

Keep reading

Useful Links

If you have any queries please write to us

Join our mailing list

Please note that some of the content on our website is generated using AI and it is thoroughly reviewed and verified by our team of experienced editors. The essays and papers we provide are intended for learning purposes only and should not be submitted as original work.

all major debit / credit cards

I have read privacy policy and agree to the terms .

Forgot Password?

Send Password

We’ll research, write, and deliver a full-pro essay FREE to you under these easy terms:

We’ll provide 100% original research and writing to any new customer placing their initial order.
This is offer is available to new customers, one time only.
Your essay will be plagiarism-free, written by a seasoned writing professional.
Essay limited to 500 words (two pages). Additional pages at standard rates.
Policy changes upon written notice at the discretion of company.

Your first essay is FREE with a minimal admin fee of $20 that guarantees the security and prompt delivery of your order. Why an administrative fee?

To give you a 100% guaranteed Turnitin zero-plagiarism report.
To assure your total confidentiality and privacy behind our bullet-proof security firewall (which costs us a ton of money!).
To buy coffee for the amazing writer working on your essay (happy writers are better writers).
To make it possible to deliver QUALITY ESSAYS FOR FREE.

Original Price: $0

Offer 2 Pages Free: $0

Admin Fee: $20

Thank you for your order!

One of our agent will contact you shortly., if you have any other requirements or changes, please notify us immediately, as we are now working to deliver great writing that exceeds your expectations hard at work..

Teaching Persuasive Writing in a Fun Way

by Gordana S | Feb 14, 2021 | Student Skills | 0 comments

Table of Contents

Teaching Persuasive Writing in High School—Theory and Practice

Teaching different writing skills to high school students is crucial if you want them to develop the soft skills they’ll need in life. When considering the reasons why reading and writing skills are important , it’s a mistake to think only in terms of language conventions and an excellent GPA.

Your students will have to use different writing skills and strategies in life. For example, they will need to write personal statements to get into the college of their choice. When they are enrolled, they will do college essays and write motivational letters to get internships . Adolescents enjoy coming up with creative ways to express themselves in their personal lives too. Research shows high school students enjoy writing — 93% of them do it for pleasure.

Your students will benefit from learning persuasive writing strategies in a variety of ways. Not only will they need to master persuasion for everyday exchanges, but also for their personal statement essays and college applications. To that end, let’s see what persuasive writing encompasses and how you can teach it to your students effectively.

Take the Right Approach to Teaching Persuasive Writing

Persuasive writing is used in any text that aims to nudge readers to form an opinion or take action. While it’s a given that most persuasive writing belongs to the non-fiction genre, fiction writers can use persuasion to influence their readers’ worldviews too.

Even though your students read persuasive texts, they don’t necessarily know how to write an effective persuasive essay themselves. This means that you need to teach them the specific skills that go into composing a persuasive essay one by one.

In your teaching, you cannot miss a lesson on effective opening and closing paragraphs or the importance of outlining. You also have to teach students how to do research effectively and choose the right words to construct their sentences. Only when your students know each of the techniques used in writing persuasive texts can they compose a solid persuasive essay.

Characteristics of Persuasive Writing

Credit: Elijah Macleod

Readers are more likely to believe a professional in the field than someone who has no connection or experience with the subject of a text. Experienced writers know that the first step to writing a persuasive piece is gaining knowledge on the topic.

To do it, your students have to know how to do research first. When it’s clear from their essays that they know what they are writing about, their texts will be more effective and convincing. Whether they can write persuasively depends on the techniques of persuasive writing that you teach them.

Some of the most common characteristics of persuasive essays are:

Current statistics that support the author’s argument
Examples from real life
Observation of current events and phenomena
Acknowledgment and rebuttal of the opposing argument
Additional research from reputable institutions

These characteristics contribute to the validity of the statements in an essay and the credibility of the author. Sound, well-researched arguments should sway the reader to take the author’s point of view .

Essential Persuasion Techniques

Whether it’s used in writing or speech, persuasion has three essential elements:

Take a look at the table demonstrating what each of the three is:

You should teach your students about ethos, pathos, and logos to show them why it’s important to use those elements of persuasion. They will not only learn how to use them to their advantage but also be more successful in recognizing when their intellect and emotions are being appealed to.

Teach Your Students Persuasive Writing Skills

Credit: Kelly Sikkema

Ethos, pathos, and logos are the backbone of persuasion. There are many techniques your students can employ to use these three elements effectively.

Teaching your students persuasive writing isn’t much different from teaching them critical or argumentative writing . Some skills—such as an excellent command of vocabulary and critical thinking—are needed for any type of writing.

The next time you are planning a persuasive writing activity, think about how you can teach these techniques to your students:

Establishing tone
Targeting a specific audience
Using the right words
Locating evidence
Presenting data
Telling a story
Refuting an argument
Appealing to the readers’ emotions
Rephrasing effectively

Outlining is a prewriting activity that your students should employ when creating any type of essay. Your students should learn that a clear outline will help them in each stage of their writing process. Outlining makes it easier for them to organize their ideas into specific parts of the essay and serves as a reference they can use to check whether they are straying off topic.

If time and curricula allow, you should have a lesson dedicated to writing effective outlines only. You can distribute a sample outline of a persuasive essay to all your students to introduce them to the technique. They can see that an outline consists of:

The introduction —in which authors determine how they will present the topic, opposing views, and thesis statements
Body paragraphs —in which authors decide how they will back up their claims
The conclusion —which summarizes the thesis effectively and calls to action

When students have studied the outline structure, give them a sample essay to examine how well the author executed their plan. You can have a class discussion about the usefulness of an effective outline.

An interesting exercise is to allow your students to construct outlines for already written essays before they make outlines for their texts.

When your students compose outlines for their persuasive texts, make sure you give them feedback on their work. Help them see if they are on the right path.

Establishing Tone

Tone is essential for persuasive writing. The tone your students set in their essays will build trust more than the topic of the assignment. Teach your students what tone they should use to sound confident when defending their arguments in essays.

For example, imagine your students are arguing against the rule of wearing uniforms in high schools. Rather than writing “wearing uniforms in high schools may impact the students’ self-expression negatively,” they should write “wearing uniforms in high schools eliminates the students’ self-expression.” The second sentence is more confident, and the essay assumes a stronger stand and convinces the reader that uniforms aren’t a good idea.

Targeting a Specific Audience

Instead of aiming to appeal to as many people as possible, persuasive writing is more effective if targeted at a specific audience. Depending on the argument that your students want to support or the field for which they are writing, the type of audience will vary.

When your students hand in their persuasive writing essays, you will be their only judge, but they shouldn’t see you as their target audience. Teach your students they should also appeal to a specific audience rather than the masses. You can give them a list of questions they can go over, such as:

Who will benefit from what I have to say the most?
What problems do people I address experience?
Who is this issue important to?
What has the best chance to trigger emotions in my target audience?

Using the Right Words

A careful selection of words can influence readers to feel more deeply about the problem students present in their essays, so make sure you work with them on expanding their vocabulary. Having a large number of synonyms and topic-specific vocabulary in their arsenal will help them pick the most efficient word for what they want to express.

You should also equip your students with the words and phrases that are commonly used in persuasive writing. Give them a reference list of phrases they can use and show them how specific vocabulary helps their essay convince the reader that they are knowledgeable on the topic.

An excellent exercise is to have a quick vocabulary brainstorming session with the whole class based on the topic of the essay your students need to write. For example, if they need to write a topic on pollution, your class should brainstorm on the topic-related words and phrases. This gives your students useful vocabulary for the essay, ideas on what to write about, and in turn, how to outline their texts.

Finding Evidence

The best technique to prove a point is to refer to concrete evidence that supports it. Your students may not be familiar with academic research yet, which is why it’s a good idea to teach them how to do research in high school. They will not be overwhelmed when the same is required of them in college.

Make sure your students know these rules of effective research:

Knowing which keywords to use to get the results fast online
Checking whether the information is relevant and up-to-date
Choosing statistics published by reputable institutions
Selecting the most relevant type of information for their essays

Same as outlining, research is part of almost all longer writing. If possible, dedicate a lesson to teaching the importance of research to your high school students. Another lesson should be devoted to teaching your students how they can locate data successfully.

You can start with a fun topic that is interesting to your students. For example, if there are rumors about their favorite celebrities, you can tell them to research the validity of those rumors.

Presenting Data

If the research your students do involves data, they need to present it in their essay effectively. Knowing how to present data in a persuasive essay might be more work for your students than finding it in the first place. If they clutter their essays with numbers for the sake of having them, they will probably do their writing a disservice.

The best course of action is to give students a text that presents statistics clearly and effectively. They should also learn the vocabulary that is used to explain data. Your students can then practice presenting data themselves in their essays.

Telling a Story

Telling a story can be a great way to connect with readers. Your students need to learn how to use narration to their benefit. Make sure they don’t turn their persuasive essays into fiction, though. A story element should appeal to the reader’s emotions and influence them to take the author’s side .

Providing examples from real life can back up your students’ arguments as effectively as presenting a precedent or striking statistics. Relating real-life experience can be a neat way your students can start a speech in a school competition , for example. Teach your students they don’t have to tell stories from their personal lives if they don’t have any they would like to share.

Refuting an Argument

Acknowledging the other side of an argument is essential for successful persuasion. Readers will hardly be convinced to side with a certain opinion if the opposite one isn’t refuted.

You should make it clear to your students that they must not run from opposing viewpoints. When they present them in their persuasive essays and explain why those arguments are not as valid as their own, their essays will be that more compelling.

When you present the topics for the essay to your students, have a class discussion on the opposing views first. Each student can pick one side of the argument and practice how to refute the opposing one with their partner.

Appealing to Readers’ Emotions

Your students can appeal to their readers’ emotions by the use of narration or the right word choices—but these aren’t the only techniques. Others include:

Creating an effective hook in the introductory sentence
Addressing the reader directly
Making the reader relate to the author’s experience
Using direct questions to make readers think about what they have read

When your students master these nuances of persuasive writing, they should use them to a steady degree. Logic should be the primary focus of their essays rather than emotional manipulation.

You should also engage your students in acknowledging how other writers do it. The best example would be the advertisements that your students are bombarded with on the daily. The ads your students see on their phones or in the newspapers use persuasive language and appeal to their emotions. When your students recognize it, they can get ideas on how to use persuasion in their own essays and be more mindful when they are the target of persuasive writing themselves.

Rephrasing Effectively

Your students will have to repeat themselves in their persuasive essays. Most notably, their concluding paragraph will have to restate their thesis statement. You should teach them how to paraphrase it effectively.

Teach your students to express the same idea again in other words. When they are invested in the topic of their assignment and have researched it thoroughly, they should have no problem doing that.

When you devote one lesson to closing paragraphs, give your students other authors’ intros to rephrase. They need to connect their conclusions to the hook in the original intro, but they mustn’t introduce new concepts in that final paragraph.

Activities for Teaching Persuasive Writing

Credit: Free-Photos

You can come up with various activities to teach your students persuasive writing, but make sure to have one main goal for each activity.

To practice persuasive writing through class activities, your students can:

Watch and learn from other writers
Look for relevant sources
Outline their essays

Watch and Learn

For this activity, pick a good example of persuasive writing and distribute it to your students. They should single out the specific techniques the author used to influence readers.

Ask your students which persuasive methods are prevalent in the text. You can also tell them to jot down any words and phrases they believe are there for a specific reason—to make readers adopt the author’s viewpoint.

Look for Sources

If your students have little experience with research, prepare an activity that can introduce them to it carefully. You can give them a list of specific questions they can find answers to. Their answers should be backed up by relevant sources.

Organize Your Ideas

Having your students create an outline for their persuasive essay should be an individual activity. Teach them the main parts of an outline and let them try their hand at writing one.

Here’s an idea of what a persuasive essay outline should cover:

How To Teach Persuasive Writing—Your Ideas

If you have ample experience in teaching, you might be familiar with many of the points mentioned in this article. Perhaps you would like to add your own.

Many believe that high school students don’t learn writing skills effectively. Despite wanting to unleash their creativity, your students often don’t have sufficient tools to do so. If you feel it’s time for that to change, we want to hear what innovations you would bring to American education.

Write to us, and we’ll be glad to share your ideas with our readers.

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Persuasive Essay Topics: Top 150 Choices

Did you know that the word 'persuade' is derived from the Latin word 'persuadere,' which means 'to make someone agree or believe through argument or reasoning'? It's a fascinating linguistic connection to the art of writing a persuasive essay, a skill that has the potential to shape opinions, spark discussions, and even drive change.

In this article, our persuasive essay writer will delve into a carefully curated selection of 150 essay topics that are designed to ignite debate, stimulate critical thinking, and empower you to make a compelling case for your viewpoint. Whether you're a student looking for a captivating, persuasive essay idea for your next assignment or an advocate seeking to raise awareness about critical issues, our list offers a diverse range of ideas that can serve as a powerful catalyst for meaningful discourse and positive transformation.

A Comprehensive List of Persuasive Essay Topics

In this comprehensive list, our paper writing service experts have compiled an extensive range of persuasive essay topics to suit various interests and academic levels. Whether you're a college student seeking to engage in complex debates, a high school student eager to make a compelling case, or an advocate looking to address critical issues, we've got you covered. Our topics span across diverse categories such as education, history, society, health, and more. This article is your one-stop resource for finding the perfect topic that aligns with your passion and purpose, ensuring your persuasive essays stand out.

Good Persuasive Essay Topics

In our pursuit of engaging and impactful essay subjects, let's begin by delving into ten distinctive topics that transcend the commonplace. These choices not only provide fresh perspectives but also present an opportunity to learn how to research a topic effectively.

Contemplating the Art of Mindful Consumption : Discuss the ethical implications of our consumer choices and how conscious shopping can transform our world.
Digital Privacy in the Age of Big Data: Analyze the trade-offs between personal privacy and data collection in our increasingly interconnected world.
The Future of Work: Universal Basic Income: Delve into the concept of universal basic income and its potential to address economic inequality and job displacement in the age of automation.
Cryptocurrency Adoption and Its Impact on Traditional Banking: Examine how the rise of cryptocurrencies is reshaping the financial landscape and challenging traditional banking systems.
Sustainable Fashion: Balancing Style and Environmental Responsibility: Discuss the fashion industry's ecological footprint and the importance of sustainable clothing practices.
Decoding Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Explore the transformative potential of AI in revolutionizing healthcare and its implications for medical professionals and patients.
The Power of Solar Roadways: Investigate the concept of solar roadways as an innovative solution for both energy generation and sustainable infrastructure.
The Intersection of Virtual Reality and Education: Analyze the benefits and challenges of integrating virtual reality technology into the classroom for enhanced learning experiences.
Reimagining Urban Planning: The 15-Minute City Concept: Delve into the urban planning movement that aims to create more sustainable and livable cities by emphasizing short commutes and community-centric design.
The Impact of Eco-Anxiety on Mental Health: Discuss the psychological effects of climate change-related anxiety and ways to address and mitigate its impact on individuals and society.

Get Pro Help and Boost Your Grades!

Hopefully this guide will help you discover good topics for a persuasive speech or essay and write a top-notch paper. Looking for more advice or professional help?

Persuasive Essay Topics for College

When it comes to persuasive essay topics for students, the expectation is high. College-level writing demands critical thinking, compelling arguments, and well-researched positions. Here are ten thought-provoking topics tailored for the academic environment:

The Ethics of Cloning and Genetic Engineering in Higher Education: Explore the moral and scientific considerations of cloning and genetic engineering research conducted in university settings.
Quantum Computing and Its Implications for Computer Science Education: Delve into the potential of quantum computing and its influence on computer science programs in colleges and universities.
Deconstructing the Prison-Industrial Complex: A Call for Education Reform: Discuss how higher education institutions can play a role in addressing the social and economic issues related to mass incarceration.
Space Exploration and University Research: Analyze the contributions of universities to space exploration and their potential impact on future interstellar exploration.
The Intersection of Art and Artificial Intelligence: Examine the collaboration between artists and AI technology in creating innovative and thought-provoking works of art.
The Philosophy of Time Travel: Academic Approaches and Paradoxes: Explore the theoretical aspects of time travel from a philosophical and scientific perspective.
Biodiversity Conservation in University Campuses: Discuss the role of colleges in preserving local biodiversity and creating sustainable environments within their campuses.
The Influence of Virtual Reality on Archaeological Studies: Investigate how VR technology is transforming archaeological research and preservation efforts.
The Philosophy of Mind in the Age of Brain-Computer Interfaces: Explore the ethical and philosophical implications of brain-computer interface technology in academic and research settings.
Transhumanism and the Future of Human Enhancement: Discuss the ethical, social, and philosophical aspects of transhumanism within the context of higher education.

Persuasive Essay Topics High School

High school students often engage with a wide range of issues and concerns. Here are some essay topics tailored to their interests and age groups:

Promoting Financial Literacy in High Schools: Discuss the importance of including comprehensive financial literacy education in high school curriculums to equip students with essential life skills.
Social Media's Impact on Teen Mental Health: Explore the influence of social media on the mental well-being of high school students and advocate for responsible usage.
The Need for Racial and Cultural Diversity in High School Reading Lists: Analyze the benefits of incorporating more diverse voices and perspectives in the required reading list.
Youth Activism and Its Impact on Social Change: Highlight the role of young activists in shaping social and political movements, both historically and in the present.
The Effects of Violent Video Games on Adolescent Behavior: Discuss the potential impact of violent video games on high school students and the debate over-regulation.
Promoting Healthy Eating Habits in Schools: Advocate for better nutritional standards in high school cafeterias to combat childhood obesity and encourage healthy eating.
Cyberbullying Prevention and High School Policies: Examine the issue of cyberbullying and the role of high schools in preventing and addressing this problem.
The Pros and Cons of School Uniforms: Debate the advantages and disadvantages of implementing school uniforms in high schools.
Youth Voting Rights and Civic Engagement: Discuss the benefits of lowering the voting age to 16 and increasing youth participation in elections.
Climate Change Education in High Schools: Explore the need for comprehensive climate change education in high schools to prepare the next generation for environmental challenges.

Persuasive Essay Topics on Education

Education is a dynamic and crucial field that constantly evolves. Here are ten topics related to education:

The Impact of Inclusive Education on Student Development: Explore the advantages of inclusive classrooms where students with diverse abilities learn together.
The Role of Teachers in Fostering Critical Thinking: Discuss how educators can nurture critical thinking skills in students, preparing them for a rapidly changing world.
Standardized Testing: Is it a True Measure of Student Ability? Debate the effectiveness and limitations of standardized testing in assessing student knowledge and readiness.
Digital Learning Tools in the Classroom: Analyze the benefits and challenges of integrating digital technology into the education system.
The Importance of Arts Education in Schools: Advocate for the inclusion of arts education as a fundamental part of the curriculum, promoting creativity and well-rounded development.
Homeschooling vs. Traditional Schooling: A Comparative Analysis: Examine the pros and cons of homeschooling in contrast to traditional classroom education.
The Role of Education in Combating Cyberbullying: Discuss how schools can address the issue of cyberbullying and promote safe online behavior.
The Necessity of Physical Education: Encouraging Active Lifestyles: Explore the importance of physical education in high schools and its contribution to students' health.
The Impact of Early Childhood Education on Future Success: Discuss the long-term benefits of quality early childhood education programs.
Environmental Education: Preparing Students for a Sustainable Future: Advocate for the inclusion of environmental education in school curriculums to raise awareness about sustainability and ecological responsibility.

Persuasive Essay Topics on Society

The topics that follow provide distinctive viewpoints on society, offering a novel vantage point from which to delve into the complexities of human culture, behavior, and interpersonal dynamics.

The Influence of Culinary Culture on Society: Delve into how culinary traditions, food choices, and dining habits shape our cultural identity and social interactions.
Understanding Society Through Foreign Language Semiotics: Examine how symbols and signs in everyday life convey meaning, reflect societal values, and influence communication.
The Role of Festivals and Celebrations in Building Community: Explore how communal celebrations and festivals foster a sense of togetherness and unity within societies.
The Art of Storytelling: Oral Traditions and Their Impact on Culture: Analyze the significance of oral storytelling traditions in preserving cultural heritage and passing down knowledge from generation to generation.
Collective Memory and Historical Narratives: Discuss how societies construct and maintain collective memories and the impact of these narratives on their sense of identity and unity.
Urban Planning and the Psychology of Space: Examine the psychological effects of urban environments, architectural design, and city planning on the well-being and behavior of residents.
The Societal Significance of Public Transportation: Explore how public transportation systems shape social interactions, reduce environmental impact, and influence urban development.
Fashion as a Mirror of Society: Discuss how clothing, styles, and fashion trends reflect cultural values, historical influences, and societal changes.
The Rituals of Everyday Life: Examining Mundane Practices: Analyze the significance of daily rituals and mundane practices in creating a sense of order and meaning in society.
Digital Subcultures and Online Communities: Investigate how online communities and subcultures have emerged as significant facets of modern society, influencing the way people connect, share interests, and form identities.

Persuasive Essay Topics on History

When considering how to write persuasive essay on history, these topics will provide you with a platform to delve into the past, draw valuable lessons, and make compelling arguments about the significance of historical events, figures, and movements in our world today.

The Significance of Historical Preservation: Discuss the importance of preserving historical sites and artifacts for future generations.
The Impact of World War II on Global Politics: Analyze how World War II redefined international relations and its lasting effects on the world.
The Legacy of the Civil Rights Movement: Explore the achievements and ongoing challenges related to the civil rights movement in the United States.
The Role of Ancient History in Modern Society: Discuss the relevance of studying ancient civilizations and their impact on contemporary culture and politics.
The Cultural Significance of the Renaissance Period: Analyze the contributions of the Renaissance era to art, science, and human thought.
The Causes and Consequences of the Industrial Revolution: Examine the factors that led to the Industrial Revolution and its effects on society.
The Impact of Colonialism on Indigenous Peoples: Discuss the long-term consequences of European colonialism on indigenous populations and their cultures.
The Lessons of the Cold War: Analyze the Cold War's influence on geopolitics and diplomacy and what lessons can be drawn from it for current international relations.
The Role of Historical Truth in Reconciliation: Discuss the importance of acknowledging historical injustices in the process of reconciliation and healing.
The Influence of Historical Figures on Modern Political Thought: Explore how historical figures have shaped contemporary political ideologies and movements.

Persuasive Essay Topics About Social Issues

Social issues encompass a wide range of concerns that affect individuals and communities. Here are topics related to social issues:

Addressing Homelessness in Urban Areas: Discuss strategies to combat homelessness and support those in need in cities and urban environments.
The Impact of Bullying in Schools: Analyze the consequences of bullying and explore ways to create a safer and more inclusive school environment.
Youth Substance Abuse and Prevention: Advocate for effective prevention programs and support for young people struggling with substance abuse.
Racial Profiling and Police Violence: Discuss racial profiling and excessive use of force by law enforcement and advocate for reforms.
Access to Affordable Healthcare: Explore the challenges and solutions for providing affordable and accessible healthcare for all.
Gender and LGBTQ+ Rights: Advocate for gender equality and the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, including issues like marriage equality and transgender rights.
Combating Human Trafficking: Discuss the global issue of human trafficking and propose solutions to combat it effectively.
Mental Health Stigma and Awareness: Explore the stigma surrounding mental health and ways to promote awareness and destigmatization.
The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health: Analyze the relationship between social media use and mental health concerns, such as anxiety and depression.
Environmental Justice and Access to Clean Water: Advocate for equitable access to clean water and address environmental disparities in vulnerable communities.

Crime and Legal Persuasive Essay Topics

Issues related to crime and the legal system are often the subject of intense debate. These topics provide a platform for students to examine complex issues in criminal justice, law, and ethics while presenting well-researched arguments and potential solutions.

The Efficacy of Restorative Justice Programs: Explore the effectiveness of restorative justice as an alternative to traditional punitive measures in the criminal justice system.
Sentencing Reform and the Need for Second Chances: Advocate for reevaluating sentencing guidelines and promoting rehabilitation over lengthy prison sentences.
Cybersecurity and Digital Privacy Laws: Examine the importance of legal measures to protect digital privacy and combat cybercrimes.
Capital Punishment: Abolition or Reform? Analyze the arguments for and against the death penalty and consider potential reforms.
Criminal Profiling and Ethical Considerations: Explore the use of criminal profiling in law enforcement and the ethical questions it raises.
Hate Crimes Legislation and Protection: Advocate for stronger hate crime laws and measures to protect vulnerable communities.
Juvenile Justice Reform: Discuss the need for improvements in the juvenile justice system, including alternatives to incarceration for young offenders.
Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform: Discuss the practice of civil asset forfeiture and advocate for reforms to address potential abuses and protect property rights.
Mandatory Minimum Sentences: A Review and Reform: Analyze the impact of mandatory minimum sentencing laws and propose potential reforms for a more equitable criminal justice system.
The Role of Mental Health Courts: Explore the benefits and challenges of mental health courts as an alternative approach to addressing criminal cases involving individuals with mental illnesses.

Health Persuasive Essay Topics

These health-related essay topics encompass a wide range of issues, from public health policies to individual health and well-being, providing opportunities for students to explore critical topics and propose meaningful solutions.

Universal Healthcare: A Right or a Privilege? Debate the merits of universal healthcare and its implications for society and the economy.
The Obesity Epidemic and Public Health: Discuss strategies to combat obesity, promote healthy lifestyles, and reduce the associated health risks.
Vaccination Mandates and Public Health: Analyze the controversy surrounding vaccination mandates and their impact on public health.
Digital Wellness in the Age of Screens : Examine the impact of constant screen exposure on physical and mental health.
The Role of Nutrition Education in Schools: Advocate for the inclusion of comprehensive nutrition education in the school curriculum to combat childhood obesity and promote healthy eating habits.
The Opioid Crisis and Addiction Treatment: Explore strategies for addressing the opioid epidemic and improving access to addiction treatment.
Reproductive Health and Women's Rights: Discuss the importance of women's reproductive health rights and access to healthcare services.
Healthcare Disparities in Underserved Communities: Analyze the disparities in healthcare access and outcomes in underserved and marginalized communities and propose solutions.
Telemedicine and the Future of Healthcare: Examine the growth of telemedicine and its potential to improve healthcare access, especially in rural areas.
The Impact of Aging Populations on Healthcare Systems: Discuss the challenges and innovations needed to address the healthcare needs of an increasingly aging population.

Women's and Gender Persuasive Essay Topics

Gender and women's issues are essential topics for discussion and advocacy, inviting students to address crucial matters related to gender and work toward a more equitable and inclusive society.

Equal Pay for Equal Work: Advocate for closing the gender pay gap and ensuring equal pay for women in the workplace.
Women in Leadership: Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Discuss the barriers women face in reaching leadership positions and strategies to promote gender equality in leadership roles.
Reproductive Rights and Access to Healthcare: Explore the importance of women's reproductive rights and access to comprehensive healthcare services, including contraception and family planning.
Violence Against Women: Prevention and Support: Discuss the prevalence of violence against women, including domestic violence and sexual assault, and propose strategies for prevention and support for survivors.
Women in STEM Fields: Encouraging Gender Diversity: Analyze the challenges women face in STEM careers and advocate for increased gender diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Gender Stereotypes and Their Impact: Examine the influence of gender stereotypes on society and discuss strategies to challenge and overcome these biases.
The Representation of Women in Media: Discuss the portrayal of women in the media and the need for more diverse and empowering representations.
Intersectionality and Women's Rights: Explore how race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and other factors intersect with gender, affecting women's experiences and rights.
Child Marriage and Gender-Based Violence: Advocate for ending child marriage and addressing gender-based violence against girls and young women.
The Role of Men in Feminism: Discuss the importance of male allies in the feminist movement and how they can support gender equality.

Ethics Persuasive Essay Topics

Ethical issues are at the core of many important debates and decisions in society. Here are some interesting suggestions from our online essay writer that explore various ethical dilemmas:

Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and Automation: Discuss the ethical considerations surrounding AI, automation and their impact on the workforce and decision-making.
Bioethical Dilemmas: Genetic Engineering and Designer Babies: Analyze the ethical concerns raised by genetic engineering and the creation of designer babies.
Ethics in Animal Testing and Research: Debate the ethical considerations of using animals for scientific experiments and research.
Euthanasia and the Right to Die with Dignity: Discuss the ethical aspects of euthanasia and whether individuals have the right to make end-of-life decisions.
Environmental Ethics and Conservation: Explore the ethical principles underpinning environmental conservation and sustainability efforts.
Ethical Implications of Privacy in the Digital Age: Analyze the ethical dilemmas related to data privacy, surveillance, and digital information sharing.
Ethics in Journalism and Media Integrity: Discuss the ethical responsibilities of journalists and media outlets in reporting news and information accurately.
Ethical Considerations in Healthcare Resource Allocation: Explore the ethical challenges healthcare professionals face when allocating limited resources, such as during a public health crisis.
Ethical Implications of Cloning and Stem Cell Research: Examine the ethical concerns and potential benefits of cloning and stem cell research.
Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethical Business Practices: Advocate for ethical standards and social responsibility in business practices, including issues related to sustainability and fair labor practices.

Science Persuasive Essay Topics

These science-related topics allow college students to engage in discussions about the role of science in addressing critical global issues and how scientific knowledge can shape our understanding of the world and improve our lives.

Climate Change and Urgent Action: Advocate for the importance of addressing climate change and the role of scientific research in finding solutions.
Space Exploration: The Quest for Knowledge and Discovery: Discuss the value of space exploration and the knowledge gained from missions to the cosmos.
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and Food Security: Explore the benefits and risks of GMOs in agriculture and their role in food security.
The Role of Science in Addressing Public Health Crises: Analyze the significance of science in responding to public health crises, such as pandemics and infectious diseases.
The Untapped Potential of Mycorrhizal Fungi in Enhancing Sustainable Agriculture : Explore the largely uncharted territory of harnessing mycorrhizal fungi to improve soil health, nutrient absorption, and crop yields.
The Importance of STEM Education: Advocate for the promotion of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education in schools to prepare future generations for scientific and technological challenges.
Artificial Intelligence and its Ethical Implications: Explore the ethical concerns related to AI technology, such as decision-making algorithms and machine learning.
The Impact of Scientific Discoveries on Medical Ethics: Discuss how scientific advances, such as gene editing and organ transplantation, influence medical ethics and healthcare decision-making.
Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Health: Analyze the role of science in preserving biodiversity and maintaining the health of ecosystems.
The Role of Scientific Skepticism in Critical Thinking: Advocate for the importance of scientific skepticism in evaluating claims, combating pseudoscience, and fostering critical thinking.

Persuasive Essay Topics on AI Impact

These essay topics on AI impact suggested by our dissertation service writers provide students with an opportunity to critically examine the various ways AI is reshaping our world, considering both the benefits and challenges it presents.

AI in Literature and Creative Writing: A New Era of Storytelling: Explore the use of AI in generating creative content, such as poems, stories, and novels, and its potential impact on the literary world.
AI in Archaeology and Historical Preservation: Discuss how AI technologies are aiding in archaeological discoveries, historical research, and the preservation of cultural heritage.
AI and the Future of Personal Relationships: From Virtual Companions to AI Love: Examine the ethical and emotional implications of AI-powered virtual companions and their potential influence on human relationships.
AI in the Workplace: Job Automation and the Future of Employment: Analyze the impact of AI on the workforce, considering job displacement and the need for new skill sets.
AI and Privacy Concerns: Balancing Innovation with Data Protection: Debate the ethical and privacy considerations related to AI technologies and data collection.
AI and Mental Health: Chatbots and Supportive Technologies: Explore the use of AI in providing mental health support, including chatbots and virtual therapists.
AI and Criminal Justice: Predictive Policing and Bias Mitigation: Analyze the role of AI in criminal justice, including predictive policing and efforts to address bias.
AI in Art and Creativity: Tools, Innovations, and Copyright: Discuss the impact of AI in creative fields, raising questions about copyright and the definition of art.
AI in Environmental Conservation: Enhancing Conservation Efforts: Explore how AI technologies are used to monitor and protect endangered species and natural ecosystems.
AI and Accessibility: Empowering Individuals with Disabilities: Advocate for the use of AI to improve accessibility and inclusivity for individuals with disabilities.

Persuasive Essay Topics on Racism

These persuasive writing prompts on racism provide opportunities to engage in important discussions and advocate for social justice, equity, and change. They encourage college students to address the multifaceted issues related to racism and contribute to the ongoing fight against discrimination.

The Impact of Systemic Racism on Communities of Color: Discuss the pervasive effects of systemic racism on individuals and communities, including disparities in education, healthcare, and criminal justice.
Racial Profiling and Police Violence: Analyze the issues of racial profiling and the use of force by law enforcement, as well as strategies for reform.
Hate Crimes and Discrimination: Explore the prevalence of hate crimes based on race, religion, or ethnicity and advocate for measures to combat discrimination.
The Importance of Diverse Representation in Media: Discuss the need for more diverse and accurate portrayals of racial and ethnic minorities in film, television, and advertising.
Affirmative Action: Balancing Equal Opportunity and Meritocracy: Debate the role of affirmative action policies in addressing historical injustices and promoting diversity in education and employment.
Race and Education: Addressing the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Examine the disproportionate impact of disciplinary policies on students of color and the need to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline.
The Role of Allyship in Combating Racism: Discuss the importance of allyship in supporting marginalized communities and dismantling racist systems.
Racial Health Disparities: A Call for Equity in Healthcare: Analyze the disparities in healthcare access and outcomes among racial and ethnic groups and advocate for equitable healthcare solutions.
Microaggressions and Unconscious Bias: Explore the impact of microaggressions and unconscious bias on marginalized communities and strategies for raising awareness.
Reparations for Historical Injustices: Debate the need for reparations to address the historical injustices inflicted on communities of color, particularly the descendants of enslaved individuals.

Unique Persuasive Essay Ideas

These persuasive essay ideas offer opportunities to explore unconventional and fascinating topics, encouraging critical thinking and in-depth examination of issues that may not be as widely discussed but are nonetheless thought-provoking.

The Ethics of Space Colonization: Explore the ethical considerations and responsibilities of humanity as we venture into space and potentially colonize other planets.
The Impact of Digital Immortality: Discuss the ethical and existential questions raised by advancements in digital technology that allow individuals to preserve their personalities and memories beyond their lifetimes.
The Necessity of Emotional Education: Advocate for the inclusion of emotional intelligence and empathy education in schools to promote healthy relationships and emotional well-being.
The Role of Psychedelics in Mental Health Treatment: Examine the potential therapeutic benefits of psychedelics, such as psilocybin, in the treatment of mental health disorders.
The Art and Science of Laughter: Explore the physiological and psychological benefits of laughter and its potential as a form of therapy.
The Future of Sustainable Fashion: Discuss innovations in sustainable fashion, including circular fashion, eco-friendly textiles, and ethical fashion practices.
The Impact of Silence on Mental Health: Examine the importance of silence and solitude in maintaining mental well-being in a noisy and interconnected world.
The Philosophy of Time Travel: Paradoxes and Possibilities: Delve into the philosophical questions and paradoxes related to time travel and its feasibility.
Human Augmentation and Cyborg Ethics: Explore the ethical considerations surrounding human augmentation technologies and the blurring of boundaries between humans and machines.
The Art of Procrastination: Creativity and Productivity: Discuss the potential benefits of procrastination in fostering creativity and innovation.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, this article has presented a diverse array of persuasive essay topics, spanning from pressing social issues to the ethical implications of AI and beyond. It highlights the importance of engaging in critical discourse, fostering empathy, and advocating for positive change in our ever-evolving world.

At the same time, if you find yourself seeking assistance with your academic endeavors, remember that we can help you with your homework, ensuring you stay on top of your studies and coursework. Whether it's tackling complex essays or asking for support like ' do my homework ,' our resources are here to aid you on your academic journey.

What if Your Essay Could Change Minds and Transform Ideas?

Explore the endless possibilities of interesting persuasive essay topics that elevate your writing and inspire change.

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

Mental Health Research Topics: 200 Writing Ideas for You

100 Persuasive Speech Topics for Students

Homework Tips
Learning Styles & Skills
Study Methods
Time Management
Private School
College Admissions
College Life
Graduate School
Business School
Distance Learning
M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
B.A., History, Armstrong State University

If you are planning a persuasive speech, you should think about a topic that can engage your audience. For this reason, you may want to consider a few topics before settling on the one that allows you to be more descriptive and entertaining.

Another important factor when picking a persuasive speech topic is to choose one that can provoke your audience. If you stir up a little emotion in your audience members, you'll keep their attention.

The list below is provided to help you brainstorm. Choose a topic from this list, or use it to generate an idea of your own. It could even be an idea that opposes the proposed example. For instance, instead of arguing American workers should be guaranteed a three-day weekend by law, you could argue why this shouldn't be the case.

How to Pick a Good Persuasive Speech Topic

Persuasive speeches are generally meant to convince an audience to agree with an idea you present. The topics can range from political to scientific or societal, and professional to personal—or even fun. They can be almost anything.

Just remember, a persuasive speech is different than a persuasive essay because you are presenting to an audience. So as you decide on a topic, think about your audience and decide on a subject matter that will be appropriate, compelling, and engaging to discuss. Perhaps it's a timely issue attracting a lot of news coverage, or maybe you want to be motivational and encourage a healthy activity. Whatever it is, structure your argument with a hook to capture attention , a clear definition of the topic or issue, and finally, your proposed solution or opinion.

100 Examples of Persuasive Speech Topics

Studying martial arts is good for mind and health.
Competitive sports can teach us about life.
Reality shows are exploiting people.
Community service should be a graduation requirement for all high school students.
The characteristics that make a person a hero.
It's important to grow things in a garden.
Violent video games are dangerous.
Lyrics in a song can impact our lives.
Traveling and studying abroad are positive experiences.
Journal writing is therapeutic.
You should spend time with your grandparents.
A laptop is better than a tablet.
Religion and science can go hand in hand.
School uniforms are good.
All-female colleges and all-male colleges are bad.
Multiple-choice tests are better than essay tests .
We should not spend money on space exploration.
Open-book tests are as effective as closed-book tests.
Security cameras keep us safer.
Parents should have access to students' grades.
Small classes are better than big classes.
You need to start saving for retirement now.
Credit cards are harmful to college students.
We should have a royal family.
We should protect endangered animals.
Texting while driving is dangerous.
You can write a novel.
Recycling should be required in the U.S.
State colleges are better than private colleges.
Private colleges are better than state colleges.
We should do away with penny coins.
Fast food containers hurt the environment.
Plastic straws are harmful to the environment.
You can eat and enjoy healthy snacks.
You can become a millionaire.
Dogs are better pets than cats.
You should own a bird.
It's unethical to keep birds in cages.
Liberal arts degrees prepare graduates to be better workers than other degrees.
Hunting animals should be banned.
Football is a dangerous sport.
School days should start later.
Night school is better than day school.
Technical training is better than a college degree.
Immigration laws should be more lenient.
Students should be able to choose their schools.
Everyone should learn to play a musical instrument.
Grass lawns should be prohibited.
Sharks should be protected.
We should do away with cars and go back to horse and carriage for transportation.
We should use more wind power.
We should pay more taxes.
We should do away with taxes.
Teachers should be tested like students.
We should not interfere in the affairs of other countries.
Every student should join a club.
Homeschooling is better than traditional schooling.
People should stay married for life.
Smoking in public should be illegal.
College students should live on campus .
Parents should let students fail.
Giving to charity is good.
Education makes us happier people.
The death penalty should be outlawed.
Bigfoot is real.
We should increase train travel to save the environment.
We should read more classic books.
Fame is bad for young children.
Athletes should stay loyal to teams.
We should reform our prisons.
Juvenile offenders should not go to boot camps.
Abraham Lincoln was the best president.
Abraham Lincoln gets too much credit.
Students should be allowed to have cell phones in elementary, middle, and high school.
College student-athletes should be paid for playing.
Elderly citizens on fixed income should receive free public transportation.
Colleges and universities should be free to attend.
All American citizens should complete one year of community service.
Students should be required to take Spanish language classes.
Every student should be required to learn at least one foreign language .
Marijuana should be legal for recreational use nationwide.
Commercial testing of products on animals should no longer be allowed.
High school students should be required to participate in at least one team sport.
The minimum drinking age in the U.S. should be 25.
Replacing fossil fuels with cheaper alternative energy options should be mandated.
Churches need to contribute their share of taxes.
The Cuba embargo should be maintained by the U.S.
America should replace income taxes with a nationwide flat tax.
Once they reach the age of 18, all U.S. citizens should be automatically registered to vote .
Doctor-assisted suicide should be legal.
Spammers—people who bombard the internet with unsolicited email—should be banned from sending junk mail.
Every automobile driver should be required to take a new driver's test every three years.
Electroshock treatment is not a humane form of therapy.
Global warming is not real.
Single-parent adoption should be encouraged and promoted.
Gun companies should be held accountable for gun crimes.
Human cloning is not moral.
Religion does not belong in public education.
Juveniles should not be tried as adults.
American workers should be guaranteed a three-day weekend by law.
100 Persuasive Essay Topics
50 Argumentative Essay Topics
40 Writing Topics for Argumentative and Persuasive Essays
Middle School Debate Topics
How to Write and Structure a Persuasive Speech
Controversial Speech Topics
High School Debate Topics
Speech Topics to Meet Oral Communication Standards
30 Writing Topics: Persuasion
Preparing an Argument Essay: Exploring Both Sides of an Issue
Impromptu Speech Activities
How to Write a Persuasive Essay
501 Topic Suggestions for Writing Essays and Speeches
5 Tips on How to Write a Speech Essay
50 Topics for Impromptu Student Speeches
Deliberative Rhetoric

227 Amazing College Persuasive Essay Topics [Free Ideas]

Ever wondered what a persuasive essay is? Are you struggling to differentiate it from an argumentative one? Do you think it’s impossible to find original persuasive speech topics for college students?

If you have answered yes to any question, you’ve come to the right place. Our team can help you!

A persuasive essay is a piece of academic writing that convinces readers to accept the author’s position and agree with their ideas. Through clear arguments and examples, the writer demonstrates the legitimacy of their point of view.

Below, we have provided a list of the most interesting and unique college persuasive essay topics. So, don’t waste any more of your time searching for the right title. Use our ideas and create an outstanding persuasive essay!

👉 How to Choose?
✨ Best Speech Topics
🎓 Ideas on Education
📜 Topics on History
⚖ Ideas on Politics
👍 Topics on Sociology
💰 Ideas on Economics
🚌 Transportation
🌿 Environment
⚙ Technology
🌍 Traveling
✌ Lifestyle
🏫 Teenagers
📚 Literature
🖐 25 More Topics

👉 How to Choose a Persuasive Essay Topic for College?

The main secret of the successful persuasive essay is a compelling topic. Therefore, when choosing the right persuasive topic, follow these few simple pieces of advice:

Re-read the assignment . The task that you’ve received from your tutor can be of great assistance. You just have to read it correctly. Unfortunately, college students tend to underestimate the power of the question. Don’t make this mistake. Read your assignment carefully because it can provide clues on the topic to look for.
Brainstorm ideas. Before writing any paper, college students have to research. It will ensure the argumentative part of the persuasive essay. To understand what to examine, have an ideation session, and consider a variety of ideas. Picking the most appropriate one, you’ll see where to start your research. Try to find as many topics as you can. Free college essays collection is a good place to check out as a part of your session. You’ll be able to see what topics are already covered, and what you can expand upon. It will make your investigation and writing processes easier!
Don’t pick an idea if it’s too broad . You may think that in this case, you’ll have plenty of things to argue about. Well, maybe a bit too many. In your essay, you should cover an entire topic so that it sounds convincing. When the idea is too broad, you can’t fit every argument in one paper. So, specify your title. For instance, you want to persuade your readers to stay healthy. Then don’t investigate all the aspects of maintaining health. Focus on one specific issue. For example, explore the positive influence of sport on the general health condition of a human being.
Ensure that you have credible sources. In some colleges, even the smallest essays may require a list of references. Thus, make sure you have materials to research and later list as your sources. Remember: Good persuasive paper topics for college have to offer a wide variety of sources to investigate. So, if you are not confident in your materials, better change the title. It will prevent you from a lack of evidence to support your arguments.
Choose a topic of personal interest. We’re not compelling you to write something that you enjoy when it contradicts the assignment. But try to select an idea that doesn’t bore you from reading it out loud. It is always more pleasurable to write on a topic you are passionate about. Don’t miss your chance to make turn your essay writing process into an exciting activity.
Select something you have an opinion about, but open to debate. Your tutors can disagree with your position. Nevertheless, it is not a reason to give up. It’s the right time to show your critical thinking skills. State your position clearly and provide convincing arguments to support it. Show your readers that you can change your position if you see some compelling data. It can give you some extra credit. The best persuasion topics for college create an environment for debates and discussions.
Be unique! In colleges, the amount of papers done daily is enormous. Don’t make your professors read about the importance of waste sorting, for example, yet again. The topic of environmental protection is undoubtedly extremely significant. However: It is way too overused. The professors are tired of reading essays on the same issues again and again. Surprise them and stand out.

Finding an original topic for a persuasive essay is tricky.

✨ 12 Best Persuasive Speech Topics for College Students

How important is mental health?
Is online school more effective?
Are GMO products good?
Is social media dangerous?
What’s wrong with the education system?
Does recycling work?
Is veganism bad for the environment?
Should foreign policy be feminist?
Is marriage an obsolete institution?
Can protests and demonstrations bring change?
Can alternative medicine actually work?
Is modern advertising unethical?

🔑 Essential College Persuasive Essay Topics

We bet, every college student at least once had an assignment to write a persuasive essay. Haven’t you had yet? The best is yet to come! Thus, you have to be prepared to face all the challenges of a persuasive essay composing.

Searching for interesting persuasive essay topics is a complicated issue. However, you don’t have to worry about it. Our team of experts gathered the most popular and effective ideas in one place.

Don’t stress out about the topic:

Take a look at our list of persuasive essay topics for college students. We divided our ideas into sections so that you can find the most appropriate one. So, you can easily navigate throughout our page for a more effective search.

🎓 College Persuasive Essay Ideas on Education

An educational system should encourage creativity .
Student diversity should be present in a school classroom .
Why should college students care about their mental and physical health?
Why should we stop girls’ discrimination in the modern educational system?
Why should computer science programs be taught in colleges and universities?
Why should parents take part in their children’s education?

Parents should participate in their children's studying for numerous reasons.

Why reading performance of students with learning disabilities should be improved?
Studying abroad results in better education.
Homework does not help in the learning process.
The costs of higher education should be reduced.
A grade does not show a student’s knowledge.
The Internet overuse blocks the mental development of a modern teenager.
Education should not depend on technologies.
Essay writing develops the critical thinking skills of students.
Foreign language learning should be mandatory in school . Conduct research on how foreign languages influence children and teenagers. What are the positive sides of such education? Then, persuade your readers that foreign languages are essential in the school core curriculum.
Art classes should be a priority in middle school . Elaborate on the importance of the development of the sense of art for children and teenagers. Why should art classes be higher in the list of priorities than technical or science courses? How can the right perception of art help pupils in future life?
The core curriculum of the high school should not be too broad. Why do we have to narrow down our focus in high school? Explain how teenagers will benefit from studying particular subjects instead of getting general knowledge. Convince your readers about the importance of focusing on a specific field in high school.
A gap year before entering the university is beneficial. Give persuading evidence why students should take a gap year. What are the advantages? Make your readers debate whether a gap year is worth considering. Finally, convince them that it is worth it.
Mobile phones should not be allowed in school. State your position regarding the usage of smartphones during the learning process. What adverse ramifications do the mobile phones have on the academic results of pupils? Persuade your readers to prohibit phone usage in school.
Traditional education is more effective than remote learning . How the benefits of the conventional way of learning outweigh the advantages of remote education? Compare the aspects of remote learning for different age groups: 1st grade age, 6th grade age, and a college student.

📜 College Persuasive Essay Topics on History

The American Revolution was a turning point in USA history.
The year 1763 is crucial in US history.
The media played a crucial role in promoting the Vietnam War .
We shouldn’t underestimate the significance of African-American social reform.
Technological advancement of the 17th century was a new era in world history.
Without Enlightenment and Romantic Age , the European culture wouldn’t be so progressive nowadays.

Enlightenment took over the period of the 17th and 18th centuries.

People should’ve stopped the propaganda of Adolf Hitler and Jim Jones before the intensive development.
The historical influence of Abraham Lincoln should become a role model for modern political figures.
Americans should have abolished slavery in the United States way earlier.
The four voyages by Christopher Columbus are crucial in the progress of world history.
Cultural exchanges in the medieval period significantly impacted the civilizations.
Protestant reformation was the most influential Christian movement.
Japanese women in the Middle Ages should have been more powerful.
The world war should never happen again.
The age of exploration . Who are the key figures? How did they impact world history formation? Convince your readers of the importance of the age of exploration.
The Mayan calendar system did not predict the end of the world . Investigate the Mayan calendar system. What is your explanation of the fact that the calendar system ended in the year 2012? Persuade your readers that the suggestions about the end of the world in 2012 are false.
Racial discrimination in America violated human rights to a great extend . Give a brief overview of racial discrimination in the USA. Persuade the readers to perceive racial discrimination as an act of human rights violation.
Apollo 11 – the first spaceflight that landed people on the Moon . Discuss the importance of this event. Convince your readers about the significance of the Moon exploration.
History studying should become the top priority for students. The knowledge of history may help to prevent mistakes from the past. So, persuade your readers to explore historical events.
Holocaust should not be justified and denied . What are the horrible consequences of holocaust tragedy? Analyze an opinion regarding the denial of the holocaust. Persuade the readers not to support this idea.

⚖ College Persuasive Essay Ideas on Politics

Civil rights of black Americans should not be limited.
Migration should not be restricted because it has certain benefits to modern countries .
In the battle of socialism vs. democracy , the second one should win.

Why is socialism becoming so popular in democratic states?

Nationalism in international relations should be accepted.
E-government should become transparent and accountable for the citizens .
Celebrities should stay aside from political activities.
The laws for each state of America should become common.
A voting system should be transparent.
Ordinary people should not be allowed to own guns.
The federal tax return process should become more manageable.
Individual rights versus the common good . Express your position regarding the issue. What do you support: individual rights or common good? Persuade the readers to follow your ideas.
Gay marriage should be allowed . If you don’t agree with the topic, express the opposing opinion. Elaborate on your arguments and provide counterarguments. Exclude harsh comments and offensive language from the narrative.
The death penalty cannot be justified . Why do you think so? Give clear arguments to support your opinion. If you believe that the death penalty is justifiable, prove your position.
Electronic voting in the United States should not be banned . Present the positive sides of this way of voting and convince the readers in your rightness. Don’t you agree with this opinion? Then, provide counterarguments.
Abortion should be legal . Provide clear arguments to express your position. Or provide counterarguments to contradict the idea of abortion legalization.

👍 College Persuasive Essay Topics on Sociology

Community services should be provided for mentally disabled people .
Equality and diversity are the main social issues .
Interpersonal communication skills are crucial in modern society.
Gender inequalities in the 21st century should be overcome .
Should the Canadian government legalize prostitution?
Max Weber’s rationality theory should be accepted by society .
China should take specific steps to overcome the overpopulation problem .
Gender stereotypes in a family should be dismantled.

Present studies aim to fill a gap in the literature on gender role attitudes and family dynamics.

Abusive relationships in a family should not be hidden.
Implementing more tough punishments on the lawbreakers should reduce the crime rates of the USA.
Does family promote or limit mobility? Choose one side of the issue and provide clear arguments to support your ideas.
Divorce has negative effects on children . Do you agree with this statement? Convince the readers to accept your point of view by stating your position clearly and powerfully.
Birth control should be monitored on a governmental level. Express your opinion regarding birth control in modern society. Conduct a study on the cultural, religious, and political aspects of the birth control issue.
Is there the right age to get married? Decide if there are any age suggestions to create a family or no? Support your choice with bright ideas and appropriate examples.
To resolve the conflict, we need to know the nature of the conflict . Do you agree or disagree with this idea? Provide strong arguments to make people believe in your point of view. How do you think psychology works while resolving the conflict?

💰 College Persuasive Essay Ideas on Economics

Competing theories are the core of economic development.
We have to consider John Locke’s and Karl Marx’s economic ideas nowadays.
Demand and supply correlation in the market matters a lot.
Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” concept can improve modern economics .
If we want to stabilize the economy, we have to implement the monetary policy .
Should big banks be broken up?
We should consider the relationship between money supply and inflation while preventing the high level of inflation.
We shouldn’t take the Keynesian explanation of the recession too seriously.
Industrialization plays a significant role in economic development.
Small business owners should receive financial support during the period of crisis.

As an example or evidence for this persuasive topic, talk about the COVID-19 crisis.

The governments should reduce monopoly power.
The role of understanding the goals of human resource management in the context of human capital theory . Explain the significance of effective HR management for a business flourishing. Persuade your readers to invest enough resources in human capital.
Exchange regimes have a significant impact on macroeconomic performance . Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Provide well-developed arguments to prove your point of view. Persuade your readers to accept your position.
Consumer behavior is different in every country. If you agree, develop this idea by providing strong arguments. If you don’t, state your position. Either way, support your arguments with supporting evidence. Make your readers follow your opinion.
The understanding of the basic concepts of economics is essential for every person . Explain how the knowledge of economics can help people to manage their money wisely. How to survive during the crisis? How to lead a business successfully, etc. Persuade your readers to study the basics of economics.

💡 Interesting College Persuasive Essay Topics

Are you already impressed with a diversity of topics our team collected for you? But don’t think that’s all we have to offer for you. Since our mission is to help you, we have more persuasive essay ideas for college to share.

Below, you can find more fascinating ideas for your assignments. For your convenience, we divided persuasive essay topics for college into several sections. Investigate our ideas and don’t hesitate to use them.

🚌 Transportation Persuasive Essay Topics

Planes should newer take off if weather conditions are inappropriate .
Never drive a car if you are under the alcohol or drug effect .
Hybrid cars are environmentally friendly, so they should become the future of the transportation industry .
Why should people study driving?
The usage of alternative energy resources should reshape the global transportation infrastructure .
The governments should invest enough money in public transport advancement .
Cars usage should be regulated .
A school bus should be checked at least once a month to ensure the safety of pupils.
The reserves of petroleum should be replenished to provide a proper transportation industry operation.
The shipping of essential goods during the state of emergency (quarantine, dangerous natural conditions, etc.) should be free.
We should use public transport instead of private cars to save the environment.
Hybrid engine vs. standard engine . Examine the positive and negative aspects of both of them. Which one would you prefer? Persuade your readers to support your opinion by giving clear arguments.
Information technology influences the logistics industry to a great extent . Provide appropriate examples of the IT impact on logistics. Convince your readers of the importance of your opinion.
The role of transportation in the development of tourism . Prove your audience that transportation progress has a direct impact on tourism opportunities.

Transportation plays a vital role in tourism.

We have to reduce the use of crude oil in the transportation industry . What are the possible adverse ramifications of such oil usage? Persuade your readers to limit applying this type of fuel. If you don’t agree with the idea, express the opposing opinion. Elaborate on your arguments and provide counterarguments.

🌿 Environmental Persuasive Essay Topics

The government should control the overpopulation to prevent consequences for the environment .
Human activity should be limited to preserve biodiversity .
We have to examine an ecologically sustainable approach .
Alternative energy sources are essential for saving the planet .
We should try our best to live a zero-waste lifestyle .
Saving endangered species must be a top priority issue for environmental organizations.
Solar energy can save the environment.
Hunting sports should be banned because they harm biodiversity.
The conservation of global resources is necessary for maintaining the lifecycle of the planet.
Waste sorting should be mandatory all around the world.
Stopping deforestation will prevent the loss of natural habitat for animals.
Tourism negatively affects wildlife. Comment no the negative consequences of traveling on nature. If you believe that tourism does not harm wildlife, provide counterarguments to claim your position.
Farming has to be wise. Explain how intensive farming damages nature. Convince your readers about the importance of following the farming rules. They can help to prevent intensive farming’s adverse ramifications.
The Prime Days on Amazon should be banned . Explain how the incredibly low prices on items during the Prime Days result in extremely high costs for the environment. Persuade your readers to resist the desire to buy unnecessary goods from Amazon.
Without rainforests, our planet will suffocate . Prove the significance of the preservation of the rainforests for the environment.

Tropical forests are responsible for around 34 percent of photosynthesis occurring on land.

⚙ Technology Persuasive Essay Ideas

Globalization influences computer technologies to a great extent .
The government should implement Internet censorship .
Cloud computing is an innovative era in computer science .
Cyberbullying should be controlled to prevent a negative influence on youth .
Dependency on computers is a considerable threat to human well-being .
Data and information security should be a top concern of every internet user .
Investing money in developing information technology systems is profitable for companies.
The internet blocks the development of human intelligence.
To prevent the development of serious illnesses, we should use genetic technology.
Technological advancement should focus on the improvement of the health sector.
We have to use technology wisely to make people smarter.
A scientific revolution started the technological advancement. Convince your readers about the importance of the scientific revolution in technological development. If you don’t agree with the topic, express the opposing opinion, providing counterarguments.
E-books or audiobooks will never replace paper books. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? State your position clearly and make your readers accept it.
Nowadays, society is too dependent on computer technologies . Comment on its negative and positive sides in the life of modern people. Persuade the readers not to overuse technology in everyday life.
Technology and science complement each other. Provide clear arguments to prove this idea or counterarguments to disprove it.

😃 Easy College Persuasive Topics

Do you think that persuasive essays have to cover only serious or global issues? Do you feel as if you have to be overwhelmed with the complexity of the subject? You are mistaken. A paper won’t become less successful if it explores even everyday life topics.

That’s why:

We prepared the next section of the article for you. Here you can find simple persuasive essay ideas for college students. Select a fascinating topic and compose an outstanding essay.

🎶 Persuasive Essay Ideas for College about Music

Music has a significant impact on culture .
Music preferences depend on personality type .
Music can influence our behavior .

Research suggests music can influence us a lot. It can impact illness, depression, spending, productivity, and our perception of the world.

Songs with lyrics that promote violent behavior should be banned.
A musician is not just a job; it is a vocation.
Medical workers should investigate the positive effect of music on mental illnesses’ treatment.
Music can be helpful in the learning process.
Good song lyrics can inspire people . Provide a sample of inspiring verses. How can it motivate listeners? Persuade the readers to pay attention to the song lyrics while listening to music.
A guitar is always a good idea for friendly gatherings . Prove to your readers that several songs played on a guitar can create a warm and cozy atmosphere.
Rap reflects violence. This is a generally accepted opinion. Do you agree or disagree with it? Prove your point of view by providing well-developed arguments.

🌍 Persuasive Topics for College on Traveling

While traveling, health and safety issues should be a top priority .
Tourism should be sustainable .
A trip to India will make you see the world from the other side.
Summer will become more memorable and fascinating if you travel.
Traveling broadens people’s minds.
Traveling with family or friends is an essential part of a happy life.
Spending a holiday on a trip is always more pleasurable than in front of a TV or computer.
Every person should visit Europe at least once in life. Explain why Europe is a must-see destination for every tourist.
People should travel as much as they want. Persuade people not to resist the desire to explore new places by listing the advantages of traveling.
Traveling is affordable for everyone. Persuade people to visit various countries, even with a limited budget.

Give some useful tips to persuade your reader to travel more.

✌ Persuasive Essay Ideas for College about Lifestyle

Parents should be responsible for their children’s obesity .
Proper nutrition and positive behavior prevent cancer .
A healthy lifestyle prevents aging .
Weight management programs and hypnotherapy are useful in maintaining good shape and a healthy organism .
An active way of life should replace a sedentary lifestyle to prevent heart diseases.
You should plan your weight loss process wisely.
Well-balanced nutrition is a way to a healthy and beautiful body.
Regular yoga and fitness will help you to maintain mental and physical wellness.
Regular physical activities and enough sleep can help students to study better.
Media influences the development of eating disorders . Explain the mechanisms media’s effect on eating disorders. Persuade your readers to pay enough attention to the information on social media.

📺 Persuasive Topics for College about Media

The role of mass media in modern society shouldn’t be underestimated .
Media affects the way people look at society .

Dr. Pamela Rutledge says about the media's influence on society.

TV shows have a negative influence on children .
Parents should control the effects of mass media advertising on teenagers .
Professional psychologists should review every cartoon before being released on television.
The information on the internet should be filtered to avoid the spreading of fake news.
Censorship is a must-have for modern television.
Old cartoons are more insightful than modern ones. Compare and contrast old and new animated films. Prove the usefulness of old ones. Convince the audience to make their children familiar with old cartoons.
Social media develops an inferiority complex among teenagers . How pictures of luxurious life in social networking sites influence adolescents’ self-esteem? Persuade the readers to filter the information seen in social media.
Mass media in the 1950s was more ethical than contemporary mass media. Analyze the ethical issues that are present in modern media. Why is following the ethical rules while sharing the information through the mass media vital?

🏫 Persuasive Essay Ideas for College on Teens

Both abstinence and sex education should be taught in high schools .
Professional psychologists or psychiatrists should treat anxiety disorders in children and adolescents .
Cheating in schools should be strictly punished.
Understanding teen depression is a crucial step in overcoming it.
The federal government should enact anti-bullying laws .
Bullying in school should be the main issue to deal with for the headteacher.
The teenage period requires constant monitoring of children’s behavior by parents and teachers.
Parents should have access to teenagers’ academic results.
The mental health of teens is precarious. Convince the readers to monitor and maintain adolescents’ mental health.
Parents should control social media usage by teenagers. Why should parents monitor the social networking accounts of their children? Explain why it is useful to teach teens how to behave on social media.

Persuade the parents to keep track of kids’ social networking activity.

📚 Persuasive Topics for College on Literature

Literature studying should be mandatory in schools.
Literature teaches us how to live a worthy life.
Robin Hood should become an example to follow.
You have to read some books several times throughout life to get the idea.
Lyric poetry may help in dealing with inner conflicts.
William Shakespeare is an outstanding figure of English literature that should always be appreciated.
Every person should have one book that will always remain their favorite one.
The theme of Romeo and Juliet will always remain relatable. Support this idea by providing compelling arguments and examples from the play. If you don’t agree with the statement, present clear counterarguments to prove your point of view.
The parents should read fairy tales to their children from early childhood. Persuade your audience to make their kids familiar with the fairy tales. Explain the importance of positive aspects of this genre of literature.
Dorian Gray and Oscar Wilde are connected. Describe Oscar Wilde’s background. Analyze how the author reflected his personality in the character of Dorian Gray. Convince your readers to accept your point of view. Propose examples from the book and the author’s biography.

🖐 25 More Topics to Persuade College Students

Here you can find a pleasant bonus from our team—25 more ideas to write about. You can use them not only for essays but also as persuasive speech topics for college.

So, take the benefit of our list of topics. Show an outstanding academic performance in the college.

College Persuasive Essay Topics: Family

A happy relationship should be based on trust and honesty.
In small and big families, parents should treat their children equally.
After giving birth, motherhood should become the primary concern of a woman’s life.
Parents should be the most significant support for their kids when they are sad, confused, or lost in life.
Children should take their retired parents to their home instead of the nursing home.

Support your position by providing strong arguments.

College Persuasive Essay Topics: Health

Physical activity is an effective way to prevent heart diseases.
People should quit smoking .
Mental health is not less important than physical health.
Well-balanced nutrition is key to a healthy body.
Taking care of general wellness should be everyone’s primary concern.

College Persuasive Essay Topics: Medicine

Strong pain killers should be sold by prescription only.
Drug prices should be set ethically .
Herbal medications are the safest.
Self-medication is extremely dangerous, even in the case of a simple cold or an allergy.
Differentiating various forms of medicines is essential . What is the working principle of a capsule, pill, syrup, etc.? Prove that the inappropriate application will not have an appropriate effect.

College Persuasive Essay Topics: Sports

Visiting a gym is extremely useful for our health .
Physical education should be mandatory in high school.
Extreme sports are only for professional athletes.
The governments should invest enough money in the development of sports schools.
Football is not only for boys. Women can create a successful football team, as well.

College Persuasive Essay Topics: Religion

Discrimination by religion or culture should not be acceptable in modern society.
Every person should have a right to choose a god or goddess to worship.
The representatives of different religions should be tolerant of each other.
The attitude towards wealth in Christianity differs from the perception of wealth in Islam.
Any other religious representatives should not criticize the central beliefs of Judaism .

Select a persuasive topic on a touchy subject with care.

Thank you for visiting our page! We hope the information was useful to you. Don’t forget to leave your comments and share the article with other students.

🔗 References

Persuasive Essays, Writing Resources, Hamilton College
Persuasive Essay Outline: HCC Learning Web, Houston Community College
Choosing a Topic for Your College Essay: Essay Writing Center, International Student
Choosing College Essay Topics: Accepted
35 College Essay Prompts and Topics: Kayla Rutledge, SignUpGenius
How to Write a College Essay: Kelly Mae Ross, Devon Haynie, and Josh Moody for U.S. News
How To Answer the 2022-23 Common App Essay Prompts: College Essay Advisors
Writing a Political Science Essay: Charles King, Georgetown University
Writing a Paper about an Environmental Issue: Frederic Beaudry, ThoughtCo
Evidence: The Writing Center, the University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill
Introducing Quotations and Paraphrases: UNSW Current Students
How Do I Write an Intro, Conclusion, & Body Paragraph: College of Literature, Science, and Arts, University of Michigan
Essay Writing Guide for Psychology Students: Saul McLeod, Simply Psychology
How to Write a Persuasive Essay: Writing Guides, Ultius
Share via Facebook
Share via Twitter
Share via LinkedIn
Share via email

COMMENTS

40 Persuasive Writing Examples (Essays, Speeches, and More)
Harvey Milk's "The Hope" Speech. Sample lines: "Some people are satisfied. And some people are not. You see there is a major difference—and it remains a vital difference—between a friend and a gay person, a friend in office and a gay person in office. Gay people have been slandered nationwide.
113 Perfect Persuasive Essay Topics for Any Assignment
List of 113 Good Persuasive Essay Topics. Below are over 100 persuasive essay ideas, organized into ten categories. When you find an idea that piques your interest, you'll choose one side of it to argue for in your essay. For example, if you choose the topic, "should fracking be legal?" you'd decide whether you believe fracking should ...
30+ Free Persuasive Essay Examples for Students
Persuasive Essay Format Example. A persuasive essay outline is bound to follow a specific format and structure. The main elements of a persuasive essay format are as follows. Font: Times New Roman, Georgia, or Arial. Font Size: 16pt for the headlines and 12pt for the rest of the text. Alignment: Justified.
120+ Fascinating Essay Topics for High School Students
The following ideas work well for compare-contrast essays. ( Find 80+ compare-contrast essay topics for all ages here.) Public and private schools. Capitalism vs. communism. Monarchy or democracy. Dogs vs. cats as pets. WeAreTeachers. Paper books or e-books. Two political candidates in a current race.
23 Persuasive writing Topics for High School students
Year Long Inference Based Writing Activities. Tap into the power of imagery in your classroom to master INFERENCE as AUTHORS and CRITICAL THINKERS. This YEAR-LONG 500+ PAGE unit is packed with robust opportunities for your students to develop the critical skill of inference through fun imagery, powerful thinking tools, and graphic organizers.
8.7: Tips for Writing Academic Persuasive Essays
This very detailed table can be simplified. Most academic persuasive essays include the following basic elements: Introduction that explains why the situation is important and presents your argument (aka the claim or thesis). Support/Body. Reasons the thesis is correct or at least reasonable.
How to Write a Persuasive Essay: Tips and Tricks
TIP 1: Some writers find it easier to write their introductions last. As long as you have your working thesis, this is a perfectly acceptable approach. From that thesis, you can plan your body paragraphs and then go back and write your introduction. TIP 2: Avoid "announcing" your thesis.
Persuasive Essay Guide: How to Write a Persuasive Essay
Persuasive writing begins with a writer forming their own opinion on a topic, which they then attempt to convince their reader of this opinion by walking them through a number of logical and ethical arguments. Articles. Videos. Instructors. The last time you wrote a persuasive essay may have been in high school or college, but the skill of ...
Essay on High School Life Experience
The high school life experience is not just about studying. It's about learning life skills, making friends, and growing as a person. It's a time of change and growth, and it's a time that will shape who you become in the future. So, cherish every moment of your high school life because it is a once in a lifetime experience.
How to Write a Persuasive Essay in 7 Steps
Use Persuasive Language: Choose words and phrases that evoke emotion and urgency, compelling the reader to take action. Experiment with rhetorical devices like parallelism or repetition to add depth to your argument. Maintain a tone that balances assertiveness with respect.
High school persuasive essay topics
High school the best research paper topics relevant to write a persuasive essay topics 1. As a mandatory entrance exam for high school, organized by the highest quality persuasive essay and high school are more. Our persuasive essay topics: these can write essays are designed to write a list of 100 topics 1. If you can not only be used for your ...
How to Write Perfect Persuasive Essays in 5 Simple Steps
Thesis statement: Let the audience know your stance. After surveying the topic in the first part of the introduction, it is now time for the student writer to express their opinion and briefly preview the points they will make later in the essay. 2. Body Paragraphs.
120+ Good Persuasive Essay Topics From Easy to Unique
If you need to prove your point in a persuasive essay, you'll need to start with a great prompt. Check out these ideas for easy, challenging, and unique persuasive prompts in different categories.
High School Persuasive Essay Topics
Some intriguing persuasive essay topics that could be relevant to college applications might include: 1. The importance of mental health awareness and support in high schools: This topic will allow you to discuss a pressing issue while demonstrating your empathy and concern for your peers. 2. The case for or against standardized testing in ...
Persuasive Essay About High School Life
Persuasive Essay About High School Life. 1512 Words7 Pages. Just when you think life is cool and peachy and you are on top of the world, you soon get slapped in the face by reality. You catch yourself walking through the entrance of your high school, a place you will be for the next four years of your life give or take.
117 Great Persuasive Essay Topics for High School Level Students
Those are some of the most interesting, opinionated essay topics for high school level. The biggest perk of the above examples is that most of them are based on a student's opinion. At the same time, most of these topics presuppose some research — so any idea you're proving will not be without confirmation. If you want to get more ...
100 Persuasive Essay Topics
Kids should be able to vote. Kids should get paid for extra activities like sports. School should take place in the evenings. Country life is better than city life. City life is better than country life. We can change the world. Skateboard helmets should be mandatory. We should provide food for the poor.
101 Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics for Kids and Teens
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.
22 Good Persuasive Essay Examples for Students
While searching online, you'll get several essay examples that might confuse you. To make your life easier, we have categorized the persuasive essay examples based on your academic level. ... If you're stuck on starting your persuasive essay for high school, the following examples can be a great source. Persuasive Essay Example for Grade 7 ...
Teaching Persuasive Writing to Students Effectively
Teaching Persuasive Writing in High School—Theory and Practice. Teaching different writing skills to high school students is crucial if you want them to develop the soft skills they'll need in life. When considering the reasons why reading and writing skills are important, it's a mistake to think only in terms of language conventions and an excellent GPA.
Persuasive Essay Topics: Igniting Debate and Driving Change
A Comprehensive List of Persuasive Essay Topics. In this comprehensive list, our paper writing service experts have compiled an extensive range of persuasive essay topics to suit various interests and academic levels. Whether you're a college student seeking to engage in complex debates, a high school student eager to make a compelling case, or an advocate looking to address critical issues ...
100 Persuasive Speech Topics for Students
100 Examples of Persuasive Speech Topics. Studying martial arts is good for mind and health. Competitive sports can teach us about life. Reality shows are exploiting people. Community service should be a graduation requirement for all high school students. The characteristics that make a person a hero.
227 Amazing College Persuasive Essay Topics [Free Ideas]
College Persuasive Essay Topics: Medicine. Strong pain killers should be sold by prescription only. Drug prices should be set ethically. Herbal medications are the safest. Self-medication is extremely dangerous, even in the case of a simple cold or an allergy. Differentiating various forms of medicines is essential.

Choose Your Test

What Is a Persuasive Essay?

What Makes a Good Persuasive Essay Topic?

It’s a Topic You Care About

You Have Enough Evidence to Support Your Argument

It’s a Manageable Topic

List of 113 Good Persuasive Essay Topics

Arts/Culture

Government/Politics

Tips for Writing a Strong Persuasive Essay

Do Your Research

Make Your Thesis Perfect

Consider the Other Side

Summary: Persuasive Essay Ideas

What's Next?

Ask a Question Below

Improve With Our Famous Guides

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

Stay Informed

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

30+ Persuasive Essay Examples To Get You Started

Persuasive Essay Examples For Students

Persuasive Writing Example For Elementary Schools

Persuasive Essay Examples High School

Persuasive Essay Examples for College Students

Persuasive Essay Examples For University

Persuasive Essay Examples for Different Formats

Basic Persuasive Essay Structure

Catchy Persuasive Essay Topics

Keep reading

Margin Size

8.7: Tips for Writing Academic Persuasive Essays

Classical structure of an argument essay

Persuasive introductions should move from context to thesis

Define key terms, as needed

Use P-E-A-S or M-E-A-L to support your claim

Use “they say / i say” strategies for Counterarguments and rebuttals

Common Types of counterarguments

Responding to counterarguments

Further reading

When concluding, address the “so what?” challenge

The entire essay should use rhetorical appeals strategically

Argument Outline Exercise

How to Write a Persuasive Essay: Tips and Tricks

Allison Bressmer

How Do I Write a Persuasive Essay?

How Do I Start a Persuasive Essay?

How Many Paragraphs Should a Persuasive Essay Have?

What Should I Put in the Conclusion of a Persuasive Essay?

How Can I Improve My Persuasion Skills?

Be confident about grammar

Get started with ProWritingAid

Essay on High School Life Experience

100 Words Essay on High School Life Experience

Academic Journey

Friendships and Social Life

Challenges and Growth

250 Words Essay on High School Life Experience

Academic Challenges

Social Experiences

Preparing for the Future

500 Words Essay on High School Life Experience

Social Life

Extra-Curricular Activities

Personal Growth

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

High school persuasive essay topics

Related Articles

Quick Links

Conference Links

Site Search

How to Write Perfect Persuasive Essays in 5 Simple Steps

WHAT IS A PERSUASIVE ESSAY?

PERSUADING PEOPLE REQUIRES A CONSISTENT APPROACH…

TYPES OF PERSUASIVE TEXT

THE STRUCTURE OF A PERSUASIVE ESSAY

1. Introduction