For and against essay topics, as the name suggests, are subjects wherein it is possible to make an equally compelling argument for both perspectives. These essays are an opportunity for your tutor to determine your skill set in being analytical, structured, and rational in your discussions. If you’re working on such an essay, it is important to remember that there is no one opinion or conclusion that is superior to the other. As such, the quality of your essay and your grade depends on how well you argue one side of the debate.
You should strive to pick a topic for which you have compelling, factual, empirical data that can be used to strengthen your argument. Remember that your essay is meant to provide a comprehensive picture of your opinion while simultaneously refuting or challenging the opposing viewpoint with the help of actual data. A fact-based narrative is exceedingly more compelling that appealing to the morality of the reader.
The suggested topics below have been selected after considering the availability of empirical, factual data to support each perspective on the argument. Pick one that you’re most comfortable with and remember to write from the mind as well as your heart!
- Are sustainable businesses really a valid solution for environmental protection?
- Is global warming primarily due to human activities or a natural process of the earth’s evolution?
- Is slow fashion sustainable or equally damaging as fast fashion?
- Is learning concepts and theories irrelevant for students when every piece of information is available instantly on the Internet?
- Are universities and traditional degrees relevant in the age of online courses and gig economies?
- Should vertical gardens be encouraged in cities to combat pollution?
- Should video streaming sites be required to censor content to respect cultural and social values?
- Should medically assisted suicide be offered in hospitals for terminally ill patients?
- Would undergraduate degrees add more value if they were pursued after experiencing the workforce?
- In light of the coronavirus pandemic, should governments be forced to offer universal healthcare?
- Has social media and reliance on technology led to a decline in children’s intelligence?
- Should parents be allowed to choose the curriculum taught to their children in schools?
- Should online teaching be encouraged in the formative years of a child’s education even after the end of the pandemic?
- Should standardized test results be eliminated from the admission criteria of universities?
- Should illegal immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers be treated alike in the process of gaining citizenship?
- Should countries be allowed to discriminate against refugees seeking protection for different reasons?
- Should countries be allowed to employ vaccine diplomacy when they have shortages in their country?
- Can the gig economy survive in isolation from traditional business economy?
- Is social media economy a long-term source of employment?
- Should countries be prevented from selling their waste to companies that send it to developing countries where it is not properly disposed?
- Should the global waste trade be treated as a violation of human rights?
- Should companies like Apple help government agencies access consumers’ personal data in criminal situations?
- Should government personalities be allowed to use social media platforms for political campaigning during times of elections?
- Should public spaces like bathrooms, schools, etc. be made entirely gender neutral in order to be inclusive to all members of society?
- Should governments be required to provide housing and essentials to homeless citizens during the pandemic?
- Should religious belief of the doctor be allowed to influence the healthcare alternatives available to the patient?
- Should medical healthcare providers be required to take the healthcare beliefs of patients into consideration while saving their lives in emergency situations?
- Should the medical treatment of children be dictated by the religious beliefs of the state or the parent?
- Does the MeToo movement truly advocate for equal rights for all or is it only for white, cisgender women?
- Should marijuana be legalized for recreational purposes?