50 Awesome Argumentative Writing Prompts

Mahatma Gandhi once said that honest disagreement is often a sign of good progress. Perhaps it is because of this that even citizens prefer opposition in government to keep the leaders in check as they are held accountable. In the classroom, it is no different and students must learn from an early age to look at issues from different perspectives to avoid entitlement, believing only their views count.

There is no better way to promote open-mindedness than through writing argumentative essays. Given the many issues affecting society, there are various topics you might find interesting to discuss at length. Still, getting a topic that spurs a debate can be challenging; hence, we have come up with 50 awesome argumentative writing prompts in different areas. We also inform you how to cover the topics using different argument models.

Here are some Argumentative Writing Prompts for Various Discussion Areas:

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Arguementative Work Place Writing Prompts

Is the nine-to-five schedule the most productive routine?
Should the working days be four instead of five?
Must you adhere to the 40-hour working schedule?
Should meal breaks be compensated?
Do romantic relationships in the workplace interfere with employee performance?
Should promotions be mandatory after being in employment for a certain period?
Should employees in managerial positions be obligated to take management courses?
Should there be a cap on paid maternity leaves for each female employee within a certain period to save on payroll costs?
Is working from home more effective than working from the office?
Should companies do away with cubicles to promote healthier working relationships?

Argumentative School Writing Prompts

According to The Advocate, some of the argumentative prompts include:

Should students skip the senior high school year?
Are longer school calendars a good idea?
Should summer vacations be canceled?
Do kids need to be involved in gym class?
Is education the key to a successful future?
Should there be free education in all institutions, including private schools?
Do you think good formal education is a prerequisite to landing a good job?
Should school lunches include vegetables even if most kids do not like them?
Is it better to have all schools provide lunch instead of students carrying theirs from home?
Do you suppose the grading system is fair?
Should extracurricular activities be compulsory for all educational institutions beginning with kindergartens?
Are children learning unnecessary stuff in school that is irrelevant to daily life?
Is there a better way, besides tests, to assess a learner’s knowledge retention capacity?
Do examinations encourage unhealthy competition among learners?
Should parents help with school projects?
Should same-sex education be introduced in schools?

Argumentative Relationship Writing Prompts

Should there be a limit on the dating period?
Is a pre-nuptial agreement only about protecting your finances from gold diggers?
Does sex before marriage distract you from the objective of knowing each other better?
Should pre-marital counseling be mandatory for all couples planning to get married?
What do you think makes couples elope?
Do you think contract marriages are better than till-death-do-us-part marriages?
Is social media affecting relationships?

Argumentative Parenting Writing Prompts

Elite Writings gives us a few insights on some argumentative writing prompts such as:

Is it advisable to do sports as a family?
Do older people make better parents?
Should pregnant teenagers keep their babies?
Do you think parents always have a favorite child?
Should abortion be legalized across all nations?
Are children from single-parent families disadvantaged than those from two-parent families?
Is parental counseling important for those considering having kids?
Is it the responsibility of older siblings to babysit younger ones?
Should parents allow their teenagers to have privacy in their rooms?

Argumentative Technology Writing Prompts

Should kids have mobile phones and social media channels?
Should screen time for kids be minimized?
Is technology interfering with family time?
Should parents encourage kids to watch videos on YouTube as a learning method?
Should we embrace remote working and do away with on-site jobs?
Does the internet affect the development of kids?
Has social media proven how inhumane people can be as they chase more followers and likes?
Can we function without technology?

The Importance of Argumentative Writing

Renowned American author, Neale Donald Walsch opined that there is nothing wrong with anything because “wrong” is a relative term. Everything depends on each person’s perspective, and with a sober argument, you might be persuaded to change your perception of something.

That said, argumentative writing prompts are essential, especially in the classroom where teachers need to encourage students to be critical thinkers of certain issues affecting society, such as technology, politics, healthcare, and the environment. You are bound to get opposition, and it is up to you to think of all the differing opinions you might get from your audience and answer their questions in your essay conclusively.

By critically thinking about the given topic, you cover all the bases including anticipating any objections. As Vappingo published, you should expect opposition and be prepared to counter and overcome it. After all, your main objective is to win your argument. So, by foreseeing any hurdles you can determine your chances of failure or success and adjust your argument accordingly.

Research Skills

Argumentative prompts deepen the research skills since you must support your stand with data. Persuading your audience to see where you are coming from demands going deep into statistics, and creating a hypothesis, which you have to prove with credible sources. As a result, it enables students to take the initiative to compile data, synthesize it and present it in a manner that the audience can easily interpret and understand.

Logical Reasoning

Additionally, it encourages logical reasoning. Many times, students have been asked to remove emotions from their essays and provide logic. Feeling strongly about a certain subject does not mean everyone should feel the same way unless there is logic in your stance. By showing your reasons for supporting a particular motion, you eliminate emotion to create a sober argument, providing coherent analysis and conclusions.

According to Pen & the Pad, argumentative writing goes beyond any writing assignment as it enables learners to make compelling arguments. Through an essay, you can arrange your ideas and make them flow such that there is a beginning, middle, and conclusion. Each paragraph relates to the previous and the next ones cohesively to bring the point home. You have to stay on topic and use the provided space to outline your argument, ensuring that the reader has gained enough knowledge about the topic to make an independent conclusion.

Types of Argumentative Writing

There are three main styles of argumentative writing.

Classical Argument

It is also called Aristotelian because it was developed by Aristotle, the famous Greek philosopher. It aims to convince your audience to see the issue from your perspective using a few strategies. Therefore, the first order of business when writing a classical argument is to know your audience. You can develop strategies to persuade them to adopt your way of looking at an issue. Also, brainstorm ideas of how you will convince the reader and do extensive research to support each angle so that you have credible sources.

You will have to look at both sides of the argument and analyze each one to know which one has the best chance of convincing readers. Once you have decided, delve deeply into researching your preferred side. Your aim in classical arguments is not to prove that either side is right or wrong but to persuade your audience to agree with your chosen side. Therefore, in classical arguments, start by introducing your topic, and at the end of the introduction, you can present the idea you will be digging deeply into throughout your essay.

Present Your Case

After the introduction, present your case, going into detail with reasons why you are adopting your side of the argument. Of course, since this is the meat of your essay, it will take a few paragraphs to convince your readers. Once done with arguments for the issue, also discuss why some people can oppose your perspective and refute each point, emphatically with proof. Your evidence should mount up to show that indeed the opposition has no other option but to agree with you.

Conclude by once again reminding the reader of your main points, summarizing the key points, and even calling for action if need be so that the reader is challenged to take a stand – your stand. You can even go ahead and shed light on how the change can be implemented if your topic demands such action.

Rogerian Argument

Unlike Classical argument where you are tasked with ensuring that the reader agrees with you, Rogerian is about finding a middle ground, and by the time you conclude, the reader does not have to agree with you. According to Pressbooks, this model was inspired by Carl Rogers, a psychologist who believed that issues could be solved if opposing parties found a common ground. Although it is not commonly used in academics, it is applied in everyday life when parties seek to find a mutually beneficial solution, unlike Classical which is all about one side winning.

As always you begin your argumentative essay by introducing your issue, enlightening the reader that the purpose of the argument is to make a compromise. Consequently, you should not include your problem statement at this point. Instead, it is best to build on it as you go and let the reader be aware of it in your conclusion.

Discuss the Opposing Side

Unlike in Classical arguments, in Rogerian, you begin by discussing the opposing side’s view. As a psychologist, Rogers opined that it is necessary to induce empathetic listening even in arguments by first considering the other party’s point of view. You prepare them to be accepting of the proposition you are about to make by making them realize that you are ready to consider their opinions.

Next, without dismissing the opposing side, respectfully present your case for the issue at hand but limit it to only a few paragraphs. In this model, the meat of the essay is in the next part – the middle ground where you should provide detailed benefits of taking the common stance. Show your good faith to the opposition by admitting that indeed they have a point before allowing both sides to start making steps to the middle ground. Finally, make your conclusion detailing the compromise you find best suitable, given the circumstances, and tell the reader how both sides benefit.

Toulmin Argument

This model was developed by Stephen Toulmin, a British rhetorician and according to Blinn College, it focuses on identifying the main parts of an argument. While some classify the main parts as only three: claim, data, and warrant, others believe that Toulmin identified six main parts of an argument. They include a claim, data, warrant, backing, qualifier, and rebuttal. However, in both cases, the first three are the fundamental parts.

The claim is the main part of your problem statement as all else you discuss will be based on it. It is the idea you want the reader to accept as true. Next, support your claim by providing data that should be relevant, credible, and reliable. The warrant then shows the reader how the data and claim are connected, and it can be explicit or implied.

It can be hard to convince the reader of your claim, especially with an implied warrant. So, go ahead and provide more support by backing it. Still, do not expect your claim to be universally accepted as the gospel truth. So, make it more credible using quantifiers such as “most,” “sometimes,” and “often.” In advertisements using qualifiers protects businesses against liability. Finally, there is the rebuttal part, where you address the opposing opinions.

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