101 Topics to Launch a Good Debate

Debate essay topics are rooted deep into human nature, which is important to understand for college students. We learn to debate early as children who like to ask countless questions. They drive poor parents crazy with our opinions and failure to understand why something is not the way we think and believe it is. Debating helps people to learn how to differentiate right from wrong and show an opinion on important social or educational matters, as an example.

As a way to help you, I came up with a collection of the different debate topics divided by subject. You can find anything from debate topics for school children and funny debate ideas to controversial, business, and sports topics!

      Before You Start: Here are Some Debate Essays You Can Check Out!

Before we proceed to 100+ evolution essay topics, I want you to check out five actual debate essays on the different topics. These are actual works done by the college students with correct structure, academic format, and all the required information. Sometimes it helps to see an actual essay to get an idea of how it has to be done. Just check out these essay examples before we have fun with all the topics:

• The Pros and Cons of Charter Schools – An example of debates related to the charter schools. You can see how both positive and negative sides are listed to understand how the discussion helps to reveal an opinion of a person behind the writing.
• Global Warming: Fact or Fiction? – A perfect example of debate related to a relevant social topic.
• Racism Paper. Is racism a biological issue or more of a cultural failure that a person learns? Think of whether a blind person can be a racist, for example.
• A debate over the Effect of Class Size on the Effectiveness of Teachers. – A serious debate topic related to education. A good choice for educators. Check out the link to see an actual example.
• Do Higher Income Taxes Solve The Economic and Social Problems. – An example of a complex economic debate that you can check out. As you can see, there is a statement that turns into research. In such a case, strong backing up of the facts is “a must”!

      Debate Topics for Kids

As a school student, you have to learn how to launch a good debate. Even if it may sound annoying to you, think of it as of an exciting game where you can and actually should talk back to your opponents! Here are some interesting ideas for you:

1. Should we use animals to test new products?
2. Do we have a right to bully a bully? Would it only make things worse or actually stop the bully?
3. Are we allowed to use anything as a toy? Think about what can be a toy and what is not a toy. No, we do not think of playing with matches alone!
4. If you were heading to a deserted island, what three things would you take along with you? Think about what you like and what you may not really like, but cannot exist without.
5. Should children be considered their parents’ property or not? A topic more fitting for the parents, but try to think about it, too!
6. Can a blind person be a racist?
7. If you were a crewman on the Titanic, who would you save first?
8. If you were to tell your friends about your most favorite book, which one would it be?
9. Can sports be violent? If yes, should such sports be banned?
10. Should we ban hunting?

Just in case you need even more debate topics for and about children, you can find more good debate topics for kids here.

      Debate Topics for High School Learners and College Students

Here we focus on debate topics that suit high-school students and college students:

1. Are single-sex schools better for students? Why or why not?
2. Should the drinking age be raised? Debate on the topic.
3. Should all people become vegetarians?
4. School uniform is a relic of the past, and it must be abolished. Yes or no?
5. Are progressive tax rates fair or not?
6. Video games promote violence. Hence, they should be abolished. Do you agree?
7. The driving age should be raised. The debate about pros and cons of such statement.
8. Should embryos be considered people, hence given appropriate rights?
9. Is human cloning ethical or not?
10. Should college athletes be screened for doping before every competition?

      Debate Topics for English Learners

I’m sure that most English students will enjoy debating on these particular topics:

1. Marriage equality is a wrong practice. Debate on alternative opinions and refer to history and the different cultures.
2. The death penalty should be abolished in the United States. An old topic, yet worth debating regarding ethics.
3. Military service should be obligatory for men and women. Do you think so too?
4. Marriage is outdated, and most people are happier when they are single.
5. Marijuana should be legalized. Research the health hazards and misconceptions.
6. Software piracy is not a crime. Isn’t it just ruining someone’s business?
7. People do not need religion. A quite complex debate, so be careful and sensitive.
8. Cloning has many benefits and should be promoted.
9. School athletes should be allowed to take steroids. Hmm… like why?
10. Corporal punishment is an acceptable practice that makes students more disciplined.

      Most Controversial Debate Topics

Without a doubt, the most interesting debate topics are most controversial! Just try your talent to persuade people by debating on one of the following topic examples:

1. Should we support Trump’s intention to terminate the Green Card Lottery?
2. Can alternative energy replace fossil fuels?
3. Should parents or caregivers be given the right to ban books from the school library?
4. Should schools teach creationism along with the theory of evolution?
5. Is sexual orientation determined at birth?
6. Should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports?
7. Should felons be given the right to vote?
8. Is it reasonable to increase the federal minimum wage? Should the government legalize prostitution?
9. Are social media sites good for communication between people?

Just remember that when you choose a controversial topic for your debate, it should still be unbiased and sincere. Try to show some care even if your opinion differs and learn to listen to what your opponents may have to say. If some topic is not your cup of tea (or coffee!), avoid it at all costs and let your opponent know that some issues are what you would rather avoid. After all, respect is half of a good debate’s success! Yet, if you want to challenge yourself, even more, there are dozens more controversial topic examples here.

      Funny Debate Topics

Now is the time to break down some tension that I can feel in you, so let’s have some fun with the topics! Just imagine debating on these topics:

1. Are blackberries tastier than blueberries? Let’s find out!
2. Are magic balls more reliable than tarot cards? No, the blasters are more powerful!
3. Are cats better than dogs? Hmm…
4. Should people be allowed to take pets wherever they like? Actually, no, but a good debate!
5. Is fall better than winter? Well, summer is better!
6. Do penguins have knees?
7. Is pizza tastier than pasta?
8. Is the fish submerged in the water aware it is wet? Doubt that we can ever find out!
9. Are clowns funny? Actually, they are frightening for some!
10. Are you afraid of the ghosts? No, I’m more afraid of the homework deadlines!

Did you like the idea? You can find even more funny debate topics here.

      Public Forum Debate Topics

Okay, getting serious here! Time to choose among these pretty serious public forum debate topics:

1. Should the United States abolish the capital gains tax?
2. Should Spain grant Catalonia its independence?
3. Do the benefits of the Internet of Things outweigh the harms of decreased personal privacy?
4. Should the United States withdraw its military presence from Okinawa?
5. Will single-gender classroom improve academic accomplishments in the U.S. schools?
6. Should development assistance be prioritized over military aid in the Sahel region?
7. Does the continuation of U.S. anti-drug policies in Latin America bring more harm than good?
8. Should the United States suspend all assistance to Pakistan?
9. Should cyberbullying be considered a criminal offense?
10. Has the constitutional right for freedom of religion involved freedom from religion?

      Sports Debate Topic

Consider public forum topics to be overly harsh and complicated? Are you an athlete who wants to talk about one of his or her passions? Let us examine some of these sports debate topics:

1. Should college athletes get paid? Sure! But why and how much?
2. Is it reasonable to screen college athletes for doping?
3. Should there be a distinction between male and female sports?
4. Should girls be allowed to play violent sports?
5. Should fighting be allowed in hockey? Better not! Do you agree?
6. Should Show Choir be considered a sport?
7. Is F1 a sport? Yes!
8. Is football a dangerous game? No, only when your team fails to win!
9. Is cricket better than netball?
10. What is the best sport?

Even more sports debate topics for your inspiration can be found here.

      History Debate Topics

Many people like to debate on historical topics. Keeping the fact in mind, I came up with a list of challenging debate topics that you can freely discuss as a college or a high school student.

1. Can the Middle Ages in Europe be considered the Dark Ages?
2. Was Hiroshima a War Crime? Seriously, it was, and a very terrible crime!
3. Did the United States have a moral right to drop the atomic bombs on Japan? See above.
4. Was Winston Churchill a political genius or a sum of several minds in his team?
5. Who were the most important figures in British Socialism?
6. Did the peacemakers cause the WWII?
7. Was anti-Semitism a bad idea or an only way to defend the interests of particular groups?
8. Who was the greatest American in the nation’s history?
9. Missionaries: goodwill ambassadors or cold-blooded invaders of the foreign territories?
10. Is there a difference between revolution and a coup? Actually, there is, but think why!

      Business Debate Topics

Without a doubt, it is not possible to imagine modern life without debates related to business. The hot business ideas can be found below:

1. Do multinationals cause more harm than good?
2. Should recruiters be allowed to ask questions about an applicant’s marital status, age, religion, or immigration status?
3. Should maternity leave be increased?
4. Are casual dress codes beneficial for the company?
5. Which is better: open floor plans or cubicle farms?
6. Is MBA degree worth its cost?
7. Should men be given more time off for paternity leave?
8. Do we need laws to regulate the unpredictability of part-time schedules?
9. Should we strive for an equal representation of male and female leaders in the workplace?
10. Should companies be forced to provide healthcare service to the full-time employees?

Just in case your business topics hunger is still there, check out even more hot business ideas here.

      Best Debate Topics in 2018:

As a conclusion, here is a list of the hottest debate topics for 2018 that have generated the most interest among search queries and the questions we have received from high-school and the college students. Here they are:

1. Should we ban animal testing?
2. Should cloning be allowed?
3. Should we consider embryos as people?
4. Should same-sex marriage be legalized?
5. Is euthanasia justified?
6. Should we increase the drinking age to reduce the rate of binge drinking among young people?
7. Should computer tablets be allowed at school?
8. Should prostitution be legalized in the country?
9. Will legalization of drugs reduce the level of organized crimes?
10. Can religion make people happy?

…And the last, 101st debate topic for your consideration: “Does online tutoring enhance your academic performance?” Hopefully, your answer is an unconditionally affirmative! If you are still unsure, just add your task below and see how it works in practice!

A totally safe, fast, convenient, and confidential online student-collaboration platform where you can turn with both new and already existing (half-finished) tasks that you want to get polished. Imagine entering a debate with a professional in your future major to get your future paper finished and delivered just in time. The possibilities are endless just like the topic ideas for debates!

I hope that my guide has helped you to choose a compelling topic for debates. If not, you can always ask for help, and our specialists will help you to choose a topic according to your future major and true passions!