Controversial Topics to Write About: 200 Ideas

Controversy in academic writing is what engages the audience and sparks curiosity. Finding such topics may be uneasy. But if you succeed, papers that hide controversy lead to fascinating discussions and discoveries.

To get you on track, the experts from our assignment writing service hand-picked 200 top controversial topic ideas.

How to Pick a Perfect Controversial Topic Step by Step

Finding controversial topics for your papers really isn’t that hard. There are plenty of debatable issues, and all you need to do is choose one and take your stance on it. However, the main question is not how to find such topics, but how to select the right one.

So, what makes good controversial topics? They should be:

• Debatable: The issue should have multiple valid points of view.
• Specific: It shouldn’t be too broad, so that you can select a specific angle of argumentation.
• Relevant: A subject should explore a timely and topical issue.
• Researchable: The subject should let you find valid support for your claims.

Additionally, the topic should align with your assignment instructions and be manageable. For a 1-page essay, you need a narrower and simpler topic. But if you’re working on a 1,000-word paper (click here to learn how many pages is 1000 words), you can go for a deeper, more complex subject.

Take these steps to select your perfect controversial topic: 

• Brainstorm subjects that you’re interested in.
• Align topics to your course.
• Talk with your professor to clarify expectations.
• Do research and pick the most viable and relevant subject.

Now, let us give you some ideas for inspiration.

Controversial Essay Topics

Controversial Topics to Write About for Students

1. Do platforms like Instagram and TikTok harm students’ mental well-being?
2. Should political advertisements be banned on social media?
3. Is it right to hold social media companies accountable for cyberbullying?
4. Is it ethical for employers to scan candidates’ social media before hiring?
5. AI in learning: pros and cons
6. Is the activism seen on social media mostly performative?
7. Should the government provide funding for religious institutions?
8. Do websites need to request proof of age?
9. Can cryptocurrencies overtake gold in the future?
10. Is it ethical to have unisex bathrooms in schools?
11. Should public schools include religion in the curriculum?
12. Is expulsion a too rough punishment for academic cheating?
13. Should school and college lunches be free of charge?
14. Is sexual identity something that teachers and administrators should consider in schools?
15. Should advanced math be taught mandatorily?
16. Do we need to teach students financial literacy in school?
17. Should schools prohibit dating among minors?
18. Should the government increase taxes on junk food?
19. Do electric cars benefit the environment?
20. Does AI add bias to the recruitment process?
21. Does capitalism help support economics?
22. Independent contractors vs. employees: which is the right status for gig-economy workers?
23. Should manufacturers be legally obliged to disclose the environmental impact of their products?

Controversial Topics to Write About for College

1. Should Senators and Representatives have term limits?
2. Individual freedom vs. public safety: what is more important in major crises?
3. Do we need a specific age for mandatory cancer screenings?
4. Are short-term digital detoxes irreplaceable for maintaining mental health today?
5. Mandatory vaccination for children: an ethical dilemma or a pivotal public health concern?
6. Should governments make birth control a prescription drug?
7. Do we need stricter laws on how social media platforms can use personal data?
8. Do we need to lower college tuition for students with families?
9. Should teachers allow college students to use AI in the classroom?
10. Do we need to eliminate the existing grading system in schools and colleges?
11. Bars on college campuses: pros and cons
12. Should colleges rely on exam scores more or less in the process of admission?
13. Should college athletes have a lower academic load?
14. Do we need more or less inclusion in the US colleges?
15. Is it ethical to ban certain religious symbols in public spaces?
16. Do we need a higher minimum wage in the US?
17. Is sports betting harmful?
18. Is it ethical for billionaires to fund political candidates?
19. Should all forms of physical punishment toward kids be illegal?
20. Do we need a national firearm registry?
21. Does religion play a big role in war?
22. Does homework harm students’ health?

Easy Controversial Topics to Write About

1. Do ghosts and paranormal activity exist, or is it just a myth?
2. Are school sports an important part of character building and socialization or a distraction from learning?
3. Is it ethical when parents choose their child's religion?
4. Should there be a phone ban in schools?
5. Junk food in schools’ vending machines: does it belong there?
6. Does social media prevent face-to-face communication?
7. Should uniforms be mandatory in schools?
8. What is the best way to spend money, on material things or on experiences?
9. Cats vs. dogs: who makes the best pets?
10. Should schools and colleges provide free and unrestricted internet access?
11. Is it ethical to make animals perform in circuses?
12. Do video games contribute to violence in society?
13. Do all students need to engage in music or other arts while in school?
14. Should we abolish standardized testing?
15. Homework in school: do we still need it?
16. Should sex education become an integral part of every academic curriculum, or is it unnecessary?
17. Books vs. movies: which one is better?
18. Can you buy true happiness with money, or is happiness priceless?
19. Going to college vs. starting a career: Is it still important to earn a degree these days?
20. Should schools and colleges have shorter days?
21. Should wealthy people be responsible for supporting the poor?
22. Is physical education necessary in schools?

Interesting Controversial Topics to Write About

1. Is climate change real?
2. Should student-athletes receive a salary?
3. Do schools need to adopt hybrid learning models?
4. Is animal testing essential for scientific development?
5. Does censorship protect society?
6. Should gaming be considered a full-fledged sport?
7. Does the government need to regulate AI development?
8. Is cryptocurrency the future?
9. Immigration policy: should it be stricter?
10. Should the legal drinking age be lowered?
11. Are self-driving cars fully safe?
12. Men vs. women: who makes better parents?
13. Is it ethical to ban certain dog breeds?
14. Is assisted suicide ethical?
15. Can insects become a good source of protein for people?
16. Is remote education better than in-class?
17. Can limiting domestic flights help us address climate change?
18. Should the voting age be lowered?
19. Is it important for schools to personalize learning programs?
20. Is the death penalty ethical?
21. Can public prayer be considered a norm?
22. Should racial profiling be considered a hate crime?

Controversial Topics by Essay Type

Controversial Topics to Write an Argumentative Essay

1. Should certain forms of speech be officially banned?
2. Are zoos ethical?
3. Is the existing election procedure in the US fair?
4. Do we need stricter gun control?
5. Can teachers be allowed to have weapons?
6. Do we need stricter regulation of steroid use in sports?
7. Is globalization the cause of income inequality?
8. Does social media shape beauty standards?
9. Is surveillance technology a threat to personal privacy?
10. Genetic editing: is it ethical?
11. Is space tourism a reality in the foreseeable future?
12. Should voting be mandatory?
13. Is technology harmful to mental health?
14. Cosmetic surgery in adolescents: pros and cons
15. Is cultural appropriation in the media ethical?
16. Can AI replace teachers?
17. Should influencers be accountable for their advice?
18. Is lobbying beneficial in government?
19. Do we still need an electoral college?
20. Should prostitution be legalized everywhere?
21. Do we need a lower drinking age?
22. Is it ethical to market to minors?

Controversial Topics for Research Papers

1. Should addiction to social media be considered a public health issue?
2. Do governments have to implement stricter policies concerning industrial pollution?
3. Should the media and influencers bear responsibility for misinformation?
4. Does the US immigration policy need to be reformed?
5. Do countries need a shared ban on single-use plastic goods?
6. Does the fast fashion industry negatively affect the environment?
7. Do we need to consider deforestation a global crime?
8. Should stem cell research be considered non-ethical?
9. Gold vs. silver: which is the best option to back currency?
10. Does marijuana consumption have more health benefits than risks?
11. Should fathers have a legal right to influence the abortion decision?
12. Should the law require social media influencers to explicitly disclose all paid promotions?
13. Can mandatory body cameras help prevent police brutality?
14. Are wars inevitable? An analysis of historical patterns
15. Does nuclear armament help support peace in the world?
16. Should academic institutions have strict bans against AI use?
17. Do schools need to implement mental health days for students?
18. Should the federal government regulate the cost of college to reduce student debt?
19. Do we need a more transparent and democratic election process to select Supreme Court justices?
20. Should mandating compulsory military service be considered ethically right?
21. Can restorative justice be more efficient than prison sentences?
22. Do we need to apply antitrust regulations to large tech corporations?

Controversial Persuasive Essay Topics

1. Should parents take responsibility for their children’s crimes?
2. Cancel culture: Is it truly effective in terms of making people accountable for their actions?
3. Do more guns in households help prevent crime?
4. Should beauty pageants be banned for being exploitative?
5. Is it ethically justifiable for the government to gain access to citizens’ personal data?
6. Should excessive carbon emissions be subject to taxation?
7. Do we need to ban sports that are too violent?
8. Foster care vs. orphanages: which one is better?
9. Should the driving age be increased?
10. Does the government need to make utilities free of charge?
11. Strength training vs cardio: what is best for health?
12. Is democracy the optimal form of government?
13. Should fathers have paternity leave?
14. Is the current taxation system in the US fair?
15. Does sex education help prevent teen pregnancies?
16. Should schools make second language learning mandatory?
17. Do we need stricter regulations on recycling?
18. Do we need to grant greater rights to animals?
19. Should all drivers be obliged to retake their tests every once in a while?
20. Can license revocation be justified in elderly drivers?
21. Education in single-sex schools: pros and cons
22. Is it okay to give some prisoners the right to vote?
23. Should healthcare be free of charge?

Controversial Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

1. Compare and contrast gun control and gun rights.
2. Compare and contrast censorship and freedom of speech.
3. Compare and contrast spirituality and religion.
4. Compare and contrast life imprisonment and the death penalty.
5. Compare and contrast Democrats and Republicans.
6. Compare and contrast the presidency and the monarchy.
7. Compare and contrast human intelligence and AI.
8. Compare and contrast traditional and alternative medicine.
9. Compare and contrast socialism and capitalism.
10. Compare and contrast nihilism and existentialism.
11. Compare and contrast dictatorship and libertarianism.
12. Compare and contrast privatized and universal healthcare.
13. Compare and contrast homeschooling and traditional education.
14. Compare and contrast Christianity and Judaism.
15. Compare and contrast border control and immigration reform.
16. Compare and contrast nationalism and globalization.
17. Compare and contrast gender fluidity and traditional roles.
18. Compare and contrast humanistic and positive psychology.
19. Compare and contrast explanatory and exploratory research.
20. Compare and contrast WWI and WWII.
21. Compare and contrast backend and frontend development.
22. Compare and contrast natural birth and cesarean section.

Controversial Science Topics to Write About

1. Should we implement uniform environmental standards across all countries?
2. Is human cloning ethical?
3. Should students start taking science classes earlier?
4. Can a pesticide ban be beneficial?
5. Do we need to ban all fossil fuels?
6. Should governments regulate alternative medicine more strictly?
7. Is Mars colonization a real perspective?
8. Can animal testing potentially save human lives?
9. Can AI really surpass human intelligence?
10. Can space tourism become a threat to the environment?
11. Is it worth bringing back extinct species?
12. Does 3D printing have the potential to solve the organ transplant shortage problem?
13. Can federal weight limits help combat obesity?
14. Is fast-paced technological development a threat?
15. Are nuclear power plants safe enough?
16. Clean energy vs. waste disposal: what do we need more of?
17. Are GMOs safe in the long term?
18. Religion vs. evolution: are they completely contradictory?
19. Should scientific exploration be the primary national focus?
20. Is it safe to use nanomaterials in cosmetics?
21. Do we need a ban on trans fats?
22. Does vegetarianism help the environment?

Don’t Be Afraid of Controversy 

Controversial topics may look scary and challenge your mind. However, they are the best to spark interest and make your papers truly stand out, which is why you should never avoid controversy in your writing.

As you now know, picking the right topic may not be easy. Luckily, if you’re struggling to find the right topic ideas, we’re here to help! In our blog, you can find many helpful topic guides for all types of papers and subjects. So, whether you’re looking for controversial topics or biology research topics, use our guides to inspire your writing and create top-notch papers. And if you need extra help with outlining your papers, don’t hesitate to try our AI writer. We made the AI paper writer free and accessible to everyone to support your academic success!