How to Pick Up a Good Topic for a Persuasive Essay

A good topic choice is at least half of success of your persuasive essay. Even a writing genius cannot produce a strong argument on a subject that is boring or unimportant. Take the following steps to pick up your best topic:

Look for controversy.

A good topic should be the one that gives rise to a heated debate where both sides have strong arguments. Remember if there was anything on which you and your peers argued desperately during class. Was it euthanasia, censorship on the Internet, or the proper age to start dating? Any issue which people are eager to discuss and on which they have opposite opinions can make a great topic.

Look for personal appeal.

A good topic for a persuasive essay is the one you really care about. If it does not make any difference to you whether abortion is permitted or not, do not take this topic even if your friends strongly recommend it. Think of what you would most like to change in the society if you had the power to. Would it be environmental policies, school assessments, or representation of your ethnical group in the media? Explore this problem in your persuasive essay. Explain why it is necessary to change the situation and how it can be done.

Look for interesting aspects.

There are no persuasive essay topics that should be rejected for being too generic or overused. You just need to find a right angle to look at them. For example, you may not take any stance in the debate between pro-lifers and pro-choicers but offer a compromise.

Look for a balanced argument.

Before you make your final choice, see if you can easily find enough material on this topic. Pick at least a few academically appropriate sources to be used. Remember that your persuasive essay should not only present your personal view on the problem but convince other people to take it. To persuade your readers, you need relevant facts and statistics.

Here are few examples of good persuasive essay topics:

- Should a prayer be part of public school routine?

- Should governments prohibit sugary and otherwise unhealthy foods?

- Should voting age be raised or lowered?

- Should college athletes be paid for good performance?

- Should students be paid for high scores on tests?

- Should there be more effort to promote alternative energetics?

- Should the use of sex in advertising be banned?

- Has the political correctness in language gone too far?