400+ Best Essay Topics and Ideas To Write About

Finding good topics to write an essay on can sometimes be challenging, especially when you lack original ideas. To write a good essay you need to have a strong topic and it needs to be on some point of interest. Therefore, we give here the list of topics which students can use or add some ideas from these given top-notch topics for their own essays.

What is a good essay topic?

A good essay topic should be a broad one that can capture your interest, which you have some information on and have studied about. The best way to choose an essay topic is to identify what interests you most and then find essays related to those topics. Then look at the different arguments provided in the essay, see if they appeal to you or not, and then you can select or reject them. If you need help with the topic, there is no harm in looking for essay topics given below for inspiration.

How to get essay topic ideas

If you have run short of essay ideas and need help to get a good topic to write an essay about, here are 6 ways to get essay topics.

A list of essay topics to write about

There are many occasions when your teacher asks you to write an essay. It might be a quiz or any other school assignment. When we take a look at the whole picture, we can see that essay writing is an integral part of students life and should be taken seriously. Therefore, it is important to know how to choose a good topic for essay. Here are some common topics given below which your teacher might ask you to write on:

Controversial essay topics

What are some good controversial essay topics to write about?

Most controversial essay topics are always intriguing to write about. People have their own views on the subject. Some believe that the topic is bad, while others think it’s acceptable. There are even people who advocate for certain controversial issues. The best thing you can do is weigh in on the debate by making an argument for your position and expressing your ideas and beliefs on the topic. Here are some of the most controversial subjects you can write about:

Top 10 Controversial Essay Topics

Homosexuality
Abortion
Politics
Sex
Education
Religion
War
Crime
Drugs
Poverty

These are just some of the controversial issues that people have been debating on for years. They’re interesting to discuss because they’re still relevant today. Writing an essay about these topics will give you a lot of ideas and provide you with material to support your points and make valid arguments in favor or against certain issues. Make sure to consider all sides of the story before making any assertions and formulating your own personal opinion on each subject.

Interesting essay topics

Interesting essay topics are the essence of writing an essay. If you are not able to come up with interesting subject matter, your essay will turn out boring and you will get very low marks. Many students attempt to write essays without having done enough research or preparation which results in them getting poor grades on their essays.

Students need good essay topics in order to express deep ideas in their papers. Essay topics may vary according to the class level and type of study they are involved in. This article will help students to choose interesting and unique essay topics for their academic papers.

List of 10 Interesting Essay Topics:

Do you think gambling should be legal? What are its pros and cons?
Environmental pollution in India – Use specific examples and details in your paper to discuss the environmental problems in India.
Do you think Facebook has enhanced communication? – Use specific details and examples to support your answer.
What are the advantages of social networking over face-to-face communication? How do people act differently when they are in front of their computers or mobile devices than when they are in person with another individual?
Does technology affect children’s ability to learn new skills, interact with others and behave normally? – Use specific examples and details to back up your answer.
Is there too much violence on TV today? What impact is it having on children? As a parent what can you do about it?
Do you think that crimes against women have increased because the punishment for such crimes has reduced by court rulings in recent years? Use specific examples to support your answer.
Does following fashion have any impact on health? How so? What are the positive and negative impacts of being fashionable on one’s physical, mental and social well-being?
Should there be quotas for government jobs in order to provide equal opportunities for all classes of society? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice. Do you agree or disagree that this has an affect on meritocracy?
What is the future of social media campaigns by politicians in India ? Do you think they bring benefits to the voters or are they just a PR gimmick by them? Use specific reasons and examples from recent political campaign advertisements to back up your argument.
What are some psychological disorders that can affect children today? What are some signs that parents should look for in their children to identify if they are developing any of these diseases?
Who was your favorite character in your favorite childhood book or story and why do you like this character more than the others?

Easy essay topics

Here is a list easy essay topics to write about. These are the topics that every student dreads because they seem to be too simple. However, you should not think of them in this way. They might be considered easy but is does not mean you can simply breeze through it without actually doing any effort. Remember, your success in writing an essay is dependent on how well you studied and researched about your topic.

If you are looking for easy topics for your essay, then check out our list of subjects below.

Biography – People love hearing stories especially those of inspiring individuals who made a difference in this world.
Why Tobacco should be banned.
Types of Myths – There are too many to count but some examples include Ancient Greek mythology etc.
The success rate of e-commerce websites.
Why you should stop using Facebook.
Top ten influential artists
Discuss about the influences of this movie on our society today.
Why a person’s success depends on their family background.
The success rate of online dating sites.
How different social media websites can help in promoting a business .
Legalizing euthanasia
You might also be interested in: Easy research paper topics list
Types of food available in your country.

Argumentative essay topics

When writing an argumentative essay, choosing a good topic is the most important factor in making your point with clarity and precision. While there are hundreds of possible topics for argumentative essays, some are better than others because they are more interesting or provocative or timely, which will make it easier to write a great essay. If you find yourself stuck with no idea what topic to use, here is a list of interesting argumentative essay topics that might inspire you:

Should schools be drug-free?
Is violence in the media causing more violence in children?
Do uniforms help with discipline at school?
Has technology made our life better or worse?
Are teens under a lot of pressure to have sex?
Are video games psychologically dangerous for young people?
Which is the bigger problem: too much TV or too many gadgets?
Should parents monitor what their children do on the Internet and social networks more closely?
Do you think people can find love online?
Did prohibition work in the US?
Is there too much violence on TV news?
Do kids have more freedom today or are they being babysat all the time by adults worrying about them too much?
Does having tons of information at one’s fingertips cause people to be more informed or less informed?
Is it ok for children to drink alcohol when they are with their parents at home?
Are students taught enough about how to save money and spend money responsibly in high school?
How can you tell real news from fake news online?
Should teenagers be allowed to use Facebook if their parents haven’t yet put them on their friends list?
Would banning social networks for young people increase their productivity?
Do teenagers spend too much time on the Internet?
Are smartphones making people more anti-social?
Would it be better for kids to read books printed on paper or electronically in tablets and eBooks?
Are video games psychologically dangerous for young people?
Do you agree that there’s no such thing as excessive screen time if screen time means social media activity, playing mobile games, etc.?

Persuasive essay topics

Persuasive essay writing tasks come in all shapes and sizes. The best persuasive essays present a strong argument, backed up by facts and convincing evidence. A good argument can be made for just about anything, and there are countless persuasive essay topics to choose from.

Some of the most popular persuasive essay topics include:

The Death Penalty
Animal Testing
Gay Marriage
Abortion
Gun Control
Water Fluoridation
Vaccinations
Texting While Driving
Cell Phones in Schools
Legalizing Marijuana
Online Education
Global Warming
Climate Change

This list is not exhaustive; it only serves as an example of the number of possible persuasive essay topics that students can explore when writing their essays. The bottom line is that any topic can become a persuasive essay subject when supported with compelling arguments and relevant information. Read more on persuasive research paper topics that you can write about.

Compare and contrast essay topics

When writing a compare and contrast essay, it is usually best to write about two objects that are similar in some ways but different in others. This combination of similarity and difference provides your essay with balance, making it more effective at demonstrating clear differences between the objects being compared. However, sometimes you just have to compare and contrast items that are very different from one another. In this case, using an example from one category paired with a counter-example from the other proves to be successful.

Here is a list of compare and contrast essay topics to write about:

Two famous people who achieved their goals.
A city and a natural setting.
Popular fashion trends from the past and present.
College sports teams and professional sports teams.
Old technologies, such as record players, etc., vs modern technology, such as computers, etc.
The same event or topic that has been written about from two different perspectives (i.e., Republican vs Democrat).
People from two different generations (grandparent vs grandchild or parent vs child).
A famous historical figure and a current or public figure.
Inventions or discoveries from two different time periods.
Two celebrities who have been in the spotlight for similar reasons (i.e., scandal, etc.).
An invention and its modern day equivalent.
Celebrities and their fans.
Good Samaritan stories about an individual helping someone vs a group of people helping someone.
Differences between traditional fairy tales and more modern ones told to children today.
Differences between urban legends and the myths that were prevalent in ancient Greece or Rome.
Animals found in nature vs those found at zoos, aquariums, etc.

Informative essay topics

Informative essay assignments are presented to the students with the purpose of helping them write good essays. A student is expected to choose an area that he or she will then go ahead and develop into an informative speech, written as an essay, sharing knowledge on the subject matter chosen. The topic should be something new; not too broad; nor too narrow; it should be within the student’s scope of interest, studies or experience (what they know about).

Here is a list of good essay topics for informative paper writing:

Describe your best friend’s personality. In 500 words, give 3 positive traits and 3 negative traits of your friend
Describe a dream you have had. Include the setting, characters, plot and what happened in it
What is love? Give 2-3 different kinds of love with a definition for each one. Describe how each kind of love affects people
You are given a million dollars with these conditions: You cannot tell anyone about the money or use any part of it for yourself. You can split the money with as many people as you want, but only 10% of it. How will you split up the money and what will you do with it?
In 500 words or more, describe a person, place or thing that you hate
You’ve been given a time machine. Where/when would you go and why? What would you accomplish while there and how would be your best to affect history positively
What is your dream job? Do some research on it. Now write about the steps needed to achieve this goal and the pros and cons of having such a career
If we lived in an ideal world where everything works out perfectly, describe what everyday life would be like
Describe how your day was yesterday, in 500 words or more
In 500 words or more, describe a historical event you find fascinating
Describe the most significant moment in your life so far and why. Tell what happened and how it has changed you and why it was important to you
What is the most valuable thing in your life? What is its value and why does it hold such importance for you?
Write about one of your favorite character from a movie, book or TV show. In 500 words or more tell us who this person is, what makes them interesting/special, any defining traits etc.
Name 3 fictional characters that you would like to meet and briefly describe why. How would these characters affect your life if they were real people?
You can also make an informative essay topic out of a current or recent news story. Just pick an angle and write about it; keeping in mind the 5Ws- what, who, where, when, why as well as how (and sometimes “how many”).
Top 10 best restaurants in Los Angeles

Informative essay topics should be interesting to the reader as well as relevant to them. Avoid writing on something that you don’t know much about; avoid picking topics that you are not interested in. The better informed you are about a topic and the more eager you are to write on it, the easier it will be for you to do so.

Remember- you can always choose your own informative essay topics if none of these appeal to you!

Cause and effect essay topics

In cause and effect essay writing, the writer must first determine the effect and then discuss the cause.

For each topic, you will need to explain both the effect and what caused it.

Here are 10 college cause and effect essay topics to help you get started:

The more choices we have, the less happy we are.
More often than not, video games make people violent.
Do violent movies and TV shows make people more aggressive?
Never let a fight go to voicemail.
Reality television is making us all lazy and superficial.
With every new technology comes moral decay.
Have social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter ruined real-life relationships?
Is email really that bad of a thing?
With every new generation comes a decline in morals and values: Discuss:
What don’t teenagers understand about being adults.

Narrative essay topics

Choosing a good topics for your narrative essay assignment is probably one of the most important tasks in your academic career. This is due to the fact that a good topic ensures you have a chance to accomplish the main goal of writing a narrative essay – telling a story in a clear and interesting manner. Don’t worry, we have plenty of fresh narrative essay topics and ideas you can pick from!

A personal experience that changed my life
The day I stopped caring about people’s opinions of me and started living my own life
Things that had to be put behind after high school but will always remain in the memory
How i found my dream job (and what it taught me)
Why going to college is the best decision i ever made
Why it’s time for me to leave my comfort zone and grow as a person
How my experience with bullying inspired me to reach out to people in need
The one day that was the last straw for me – when everything went to hell but still turned out right
Making friends in a new town, school and country
An unexpected trip that changed my life
What birthday parties were like when i was young vs. Nowadays
Dealing with disappointment every day of your life – the struggle is so real!
An adventure at sea
How i met my dream boyfriend
How i managed to get out of the friend zone
The adventure that changed who i am
When my ex-boyfriend crossed the line – why it was time to let go
A typical day in my life vs. A typical day when nothing goes as planned
10 things that happen to everyone at least once! What were yours?
Navigating new life of college – how much do you really know about your major?

Research essay topics for college students

Writing a research essay can be a challenging task for many students. And this is especially true since most students spend more time on completing other academic tasks such as coursework and exams. But, the good news is that there are some effective ways on how to choose a research paper topic effectively.

Here are current and interesting research essay topics for college students to write about:

Federal trade commission and privacy.
The effects of media on the behavior of teenagers
How does advertising affect consumer buying behavior?
Should privacy matters be left to the discretion of companies?
The impact of cellular phones on family relationships
Is texting hurting students’ ability to learn and communicate with each other?
Impact of computers and social media on modern day romantic relationships.
How has technology changed the meaning of interpersonal communication?
Does technology help or hinder personal development among adolescents?
The effects of new age music on people’s behavior.
How do popular kids’ television shows such as Sesame Street and Barney affect the learning behaviors of young children?
The impact of video games on children and teenagers.

Expository essay topics

In expository essay writing, the author explains a topic or concept that is not well understood. Below are good expository essay topics that you can write a great essay on.

Describe someone who has positively influenced you in your life.
Do video games have a positive or negative effect on today’s youth? Support your argument using examples from personal experience, the media, research studies, etc., to back up your claim.
Are cell phones dangerous or helpful? Use specific reasons and details to explain your position.
What is the best way for young people to spend their time? Provide reasons for your answer and include examples that support your opinion .
Argue for or against an education system that allows students to dropout of high school after completing junior year instead of requiring them to graduate with their peers.
Explain the importance of voting in a democracy. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Is homework necessary for students? Make an argument to support your opinion .
What are some common misconceptions about cloning? Provide reasons to support your claim.
Do you think college athletes should be paid for their participation on a school’s team? Provide specific details and examples from personal experience, research studies, or media reports to support your argument .
Which is more important: happiness or success? Use specific reasons and details to explain why one is more important than the other .
Are video games a positive form of entertainment for children today? Argue for or against this statement using specific details and examples from your life, personal experience, research studies, or observations .
What are common misconceptions people have about poverty? Provide reasons to support your argument.
Do you think that education is the key to success? Use specific details and examples from your life, personal experience, research studies, or observations to explain why you agree or disagree with this statement.
Discuss the benefits of social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. What are their advantages over other forms of communication like face-to-face conversation?
Why is literacy an important skill in today’s society? Use information from specific examples to develop your argument.
What are some most effective ways for parents to discipline children without humiliating them in public? Make a detailed argument with good reasons and examples.

Definition essay topics

In a definition essay, you are asked to provide a definition for some term. Typically, the term is one that would be difficult or impossible to define accurately in just a few words. For example, if you were given the definition essay topic “happiness,” it might be difficult to do more than list some of the things that make people happy. However, if you were given the definition essay topics on “justice,” it would probably be easier to define justice than happiness.

Note: While there is nothing particularly challenging about writing a definition essay, your instructor may still assign one as an assessment task so that he or she can get an idea of how well you understand the concept you are defining.

Here are some good definition essay topics:

What is justice?
Is Greed good?
What is evil?
What is a hero?
What is a good friend?
Is beauty in the eye of the beholder?
What is forgiveness?
Can evil be good?
Is there such thing as true love?
What is happiness?
Explain the proverb, “it never rains but it pours.”
Is man inherently good or evil?
Is poverty a state of mind?
Is man made or born to be like this?
What is beauty?
Can true love last forever?
Define the word hero.
What is life without dreams?

Descriptive essay topics

Choosing interesting descriptive essay topics is essential to writing a successful academic essay.

Many students have difficulties in picking descriptive essay topics which they can effectively develop in an interesting way. When you are not good at choosing the right topic, the entire process of writing becomes harder since you will be wasting your time on something that is not interesting for you – and this is why many people prefer to hire professional essay writers who also offer descriptive essay help for students interested in writing quality essays.

When you choose descriptive essay topics or another suitable topic for your own, make sure it fits the assignment requirements, does not go beyond the given number of words and fulfills other essential requirements which are specific for each paper.

Here is a list of interesting descriptive essay topics for college and high school students:

Your favorite pet
The best vacation you’ve ever had (describe it in detail)
Describe your dream house and tell why this place is perfect for you.
Tell about the most important possession of yours and write a short story about its history.
Describe an interesting city or town where you have never been before (include several tourist attractions).
Pick one person from the past who will be your traveling companion through time. Write what other people, places and events he/she would like to visit during his/her lifetime.
If you could choose between being blind and deaf which one would you pick and why?
Describe your favorite historical period (include impressive events, people and inventions).
Tell about the most unusual conversation with one of your friends.
If you had to write a brief history of your life, what kind of story would you like to tell?
The most alert teacher.
A time when everyone was honest.
A stranger on a train.
Describe the first day of school.
When you were a celebrity for a day!
An embarrassing moment.
Your favorite birthday.
Your first car.
How music affects your mood?
Are teenagers obsessed with social media?
In my opinion, the most important invention is.
Parents have no time for anything else but their children.
Do you think that travelling will become extinct soon.
My favourite season.
Do you prefer reading books or watching movies?

Personal essay topics

Writing a personal essay is a great way to write about yourself. You have to find some interesting things in your own life and transform them into something bigger, so people can read about it.

One of the most popular personal essay topics is yourself – who am I essay. Why not write about who you are – what makes you tick? What are your motivations? What are your dreams for the future? And why do all these things inspire you to live life at full force? The more personal an essay topic, the easier it will be for readers to connect with it. Your experience might make their lives more interesting too.

Here are some great personal essay topics to write about:

Write about your first love
The first time you stood up for yourself
How your parents influenced who you are as a person
Your first job and how it taught you to appreciate hard work
How being unable to have kids changed something inside of you
Your experience as an exchange student or a foreign country
What was the best day of your life, so far? Why is it the best? And why do you think it happened?
What is an important life lesson you learned too late? And how would you live differently if you learned it sooner?
The worst thing that ever happened to you and how you learnt from your mistake.
Describe a painful experience in your life, what was it all about and what made the pain so hard to deal with? Why should everyone go through it at least once?
If you could change one thing about yourself – what would it be? What are three other things about yourself that make this personality trait not seem so bad anymore?
Why are relationships important for people who are just starting their lives out on their own? Why are they not as important for older generations, who’ve already set up their entire life?
Your experience as a parent, what is the biggest challenge you’ve had so far and how did you come out of it? What do you wish you could tell your parents at this moment and why does it seem like they would never take your advice?
One morning, you wake up and realize that everything around you has changed – the world seems different to you now. It’s as if you woken up in a new place and time, one that is completely different from your usual routine. What happened last night?
If there was something that made everyone on Earth agree upon – no matter their culture or beliefs – what would that be?
Describe the day that changed everything for you – how did it happen, what happened before and after that moment? What do you wish could have been different?
If you were able to meet yourself in 5 years from now, what would your expectations be of the person who’s standing in front of you? What are three things about them that make today feel like a good idea – when yesterday felt completely wrong?

Problem solution essay topics are

Problem solution essays are excellent examples of the classic five paragraph essay. A problem solution essay uses a question or situation as its topic, then creates an argument-driven thesis statement to help solve the problem presented in the introduction paragraphs. A strong argument helps make these types of essays very effective.

Problem solution essay topics include:

How to deal with relationship problems
How to not procrastinate
How to go on a diet
How to deal with being bullied at school
How to learn how to drive a car safely
How to get a job
How to get the grades you deserve in school
How to break bad habits and start new ones
How to win friends and influence people
How to save for a rainy day
How to become a leader in school or at work

While the list goes on, any one of these problem solution essay topics could easily become an excellent five paragraph essay. The key is to create a strong argument for whatever problem you choose.

Proposal essay topics

Proposal essays are actually the kinds of essays that are made by an individual to describe some plans, ideas or plans for future tasks. This kind of essay is frequently written in business communities. The writer includes some ingredients within the article so it might be valuable for other folks.

Here is a list of good proposal essay topics to write about:

How to improve our schools
What is your advice for staying optimistic despite the high competition
Whom do you think deserve the right to be admitted into college or university according to merit
People are always put in a same basket if they are rich. What problems will this create on future generations?
How can social media sites affect young people psychologically
How can we handle the problem of school violence from a student’s point of view
What do you think is necessary for children to study at home so as to perform well in school
What are your views on drug addiction? How can we prevent it or what can we do if our loved ones become victims of this vice
Is there a perfect way of parenting
What will you do if your friend is physically and emotionally abused by his or her parents
If you were assigned to create a new toy, what kind of toy would you like to design
How can we encourage more students to study STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects
How can we improve our country through tourism
What are some problems caused by social networking sites to you and your friends
How can change yourself for the better

Evaluation essay topics

Choosing a good essay topic for an evaluation essay is very difficult. In an evaluative essay, it is expected of you to show your judgement on a certain topic. In fact, the more personal judgement you make the better the grade will be. This means that even if someone already wrote an essay on a topic related to yours, this does not mean that your paper too will not get a good grade. In this article, we offer you an extensive list of evaluation essay topics for high school and college students.

In this section, you will find a list of topic ideas for your evaluation essay:

Abortion is a crime or a right? What kind of punishment should be given to people who had an abortion?
To what extent is drug addiction a mental disorder or a personal choice? Is there such thing as casual drug users?
Should homosexual relationships be banned and punished with imprisonment, fines and/or death penalty? What makes people define the difference between homosexuality and heterosexuality: nature or culture?
Is it true that ‘the truth will set you free’?
Is it ok to punish a criminal with the death penalty in order to make society a safer place?
What is the most effective punishment for a murderer: life imprisonment or death penalty?
People addicted to drugs should be treated as criminals, not patients. What is your opinion on this statement?
The government’s role is to protect citizens’ health. Adults have the right to smoke tobacco despite it being harmful. Discuss both arguments and give your point of view.
The death penalty is better than life imprisonment because guards are paid less per prisoner, they physically abuse prisoners more often, prison overcrowding is worse in countries that don’t use the death penalty.
People who go to university are set up for a better future. Is it fair that only people from wealthy families can afford going to university?
Prisons should focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment. What do you think about this policy? Write an essay convincing your audience of your point of view.

More: A list of evaluation essay topics to write an essay on.

These are some great essay ideas that have been used by many high school, and college students. We hope they help you get started with your own essay writing. Below is a link of other related topics for different types of academic essays:

Opinion essay topics
Process analysis essay topics
Process essay topics
Analytical essay topics
Comparison essay topics
Psychology essay topics
Rhetorical analysis essay topics
Synthesis essay topics
Definition argument essay topics
Explanatory essay topics
Exploratory essay topics
How to essay topics
Illustration essay topics
Satire essay topics
Racism essay topics
Causal analysis essay topics
Exemplification essay topics
Extended essay topics
Education essay topics
Debate essay topics
Concept essay topics
Climate change essay topics

Other resources include:

Struggling to Come Up With a Good Essay Topic?

If you are struggling to come up with a good topic for your essay, you can always get in touch with our essay writing service and pay for essay topic assistance. There are many reliable essay writers online there who will be happy to assist you with your essay topic selection. Just make sure you do a bit of research so that you find a tutor who is providing academic writing help at a fair price.

Can I pay someone to write my essay for me cheap on any of the essay topics listed above?

Yes, you can pay someone to write your college essay on any of the above topics. Just let the writer know what topic you need. Prices vary depending on difficulty level, word count and academic level (high school, college or university).

What are your thoughts on our list of essay topics for college students? You can also use the form here to share more interesting essay topics and ideas.

Essay Topics & Ideas