Top 100 Best Controversial Debate Topics for College Students in 2022

Table of Contents

Top 100 Best Controversial Debate Topics for College Students in 2022. 1

Interesting Debate Topics for Middle School Students. 1

Other Debate Topic Categories. 2

Political Debate Topics. 2

Social Debate Topics. 2

Technology Debate Topics. 3

Health Debate Topics. 4

Environmental Debate Topics. 4

Other Common Debate Topics. 5

Debate Topics for Kids. 6

Sports Debate Topics. 8

ESL Debate topics. 9

How to Choose Good Debate Topics. 9

Choose an Interesting Topic. 9

Select The Most Controversial Debate Topic. 9

Easy to Write About 10

Identify Your Target Audience. 10

How to Write or Present a Debate. 10

Start with A Hook. 10

Highlight Opposing Views. 10

Improve Your Public Speaking Skills. 11

Avoid Emotions. 11

Top 100 Best Controversial Debate Topics for College Students in 2022

We all love watching others debate various issues affecting society, don’t we? When elections time comes, we are glued to our TV sets to watch candidates as they argue and tear into each other. Controversial debate topics are interesting because they test the intellectual capabilities of politicians and excite viewers regardless of whether they have reached voting age. Winning a debate demands a lot, especially having exceptional public speaking skills.

What happens when your professor asks you to participate in a debate or write a paper proving that you are a good debater? Many college students fret and suffer from anxiety when asked to come up with political debate topics. Even when required to create funny debate topics, most college students still feel stuck and lost. If you find yourself in this situation, you need not worry. The article you are about to read contains all the answers to the questions you might have regarding debates, particularly all the debate topics you may be asked to write about.

First, let’s start with political debate topics because they are always controversial and are inevitable in college education. Here now are some examples of political debate topics you will find yourself addressing sooner than you think. We have organized the debate topics in different categories, with each part followed by a brief explanation.

Interesting Debate Topics for Middle School Students

In middle school, the debate topics you are likely to have are not complicated, although you could still struggle to come up with one. If your teacher asks you to write about funny debate topics or any other category, rush here and select any of the following.

1. All schools should adopt online education.
2. Middle school students should be allowed to carry cell phones.
3. Government should ban junk food to protect public health.
4. Illegal immigrants should be deported as quickly as they enter the country.
5. Middle school students should not be taught sex education.
6. The ICE should use force should illegal immigrants resist deportation

Let’s now go through the debate topics and see how you could select any of them and the best approach to writing them.

You may need to consider a few factors when writing for middle school students. Firstly, you must ensure that your language is not complicated. At the middle school level, many students are unfamiliar with complex words that writers often use when writing about debate topics. Secondly, select the most interesting debate topic for your audience. You might have exceptional debate writing skills, but if your intended readers do not find your topic exciting, there is a possibility they will not read it or listen to your presentation. Therefore, always consider the two factors when writing about any of the debate topics mentioned above.

Other Debate Topic Categories

Debates can also be arranged according to subjects or areas they address, such as political debates, medical debates, environmental, social debates, or even work-related debates. In the following section, we will list some of the most interesting and controversial debate topics in various categories.

Political Debate Topics

There is no doubt that political debate topics are the most captivating because we all want to hear how politicians will solve the challenges we face as a society. You can choose to write about any of the following political debate topics.

1. The minimum wage should be abolished.
2. The death penalty should be outlawed.
3. The electoral college should be banned.
4. Gun control should not be passed.
5. Everyone should be allowed to own military-level guns
6. All young people should participate in the military after high school.

Before proceeding to other classes of debates, let’s pause for a moment and see what makes these examples interesting. One, you can see that the political debate topics are controversial. Viewers always want to hear leaders address controversial debate topics because such discussions result in public policy or the enactment of new laws.

Social Debate Topics

You will sometimes want to write about social debate topics. The process of choosing the best debate topic can be daunting when you do not know where to start. We have, therefore, compiled a short list of social debate topics that you can choose if your professor asks you to write a debate.

1. Violent video games contribute to aggressive behaviors among college students.
2. All juveniles should be tried and sentenced as adults.
3. Marriage between members of different races should be banned.
4. People who violate the law should be isolated forever
5. Women should have equal rights in managerial positions
6. Gender-based violence should be treated as a capital offense
7. Corrupt leaders should face a life sentence
8. Sexual offenders should not receive parole
9. Immigrants should work for lower wages than natives.
10. Rogue police officers should be sacked and prosecuted immediately
11. Young girls should receive sex education to prevent teen pregnancy
12. Porn is harming society and should be banned.
13. Peer pressure is a predictor of anti-social behaviors.
14. The government should provide free birth control methods to all young women.
15. Same-sex couples should adopt children.

Like the rest of the debate topics, this list contains some of the most controversial debate topics in society today. When choosing any of the topics, consider society’s attitudes toward the subject. A debate is only exciting if it divides people’s opinions. If you look carefully at the debate topics shared above, you will notice that people disagree on each of them. For example, there is one group that attributes aggressive behaviors among college students to violent video games. In a rebuttal, another faction argues that violent video games have nothing to do with aggression. When you choose a controversial debate topic, you are able to understand and argue each of the opposing views.

Technology Debate Topics

We can also focus on technology debate topics because you will still encounter them when pursuing a college education. Here are some of the most interesting debate topics related to technology.

1. Technology companies should stop producing violent video games
2. Human cloning is dangerous and should be banned
3. Technology causes more harm to society.
4. Genetic engineering is unethical in every aspect.
5. The internet makes people lazy and dumb
6. eBooks will replace paperback books in 20 years’ time.
7. Social networking sites are addictive to college students
8. Artificial intelligence is a threat to humanity
9. Online education is expensive and causes isolation
10. Robots could replace teachers in the future

As you can see from the examples above, each topic is likely to attract varied views. Also, every debate topic is related to technology. So, the main consideration you should make when writing technology debate topics is the technological aspect in it. Most college students confuse social debate topics with technology debate topics. To avoid this confusion, ask yourself this question: is there a technological element in this subject? By posing this question, you ensure that your debate topic will be relevant to the issue being addressed.

Health Debate Topics

You may also find yourself writing about health debates. Some college students worry that they do not have the necessary writing skills to handle a health-related paper or debate. If you feel stuck about the debate topic to write about, choose from any of the following.

1. Doctors could address any mental health issue if well remunerated.
2. Doctors should provide free birth control consultancy to all women from poor backgrounds.
3. Performance enhancing drugs among athletes expose them to heart disease.
4. Cell phones emit radioactive waves that could cause more harm to the brain.
5. Smoking is harming society more than it is benefiting it.
6. All teenagers should receive free birth control to avoid early pregnancies.

The provided examples are all related to health. We have to admit that writing medical debate topics is not always easy for some college students. However, you do not have to fear that handling a medical debate topic is going to be arduous. All you need to do is go through the internet and look for research papers that address your debate topic. Moreover, ensure you write about an important subject that motivates readers to follow your debate.

Environmental Debate Topics

When you are not writing about medical debate topics, political debate topics, or technology debate topics, you will most likely find yourself handling a debate topic related to the environment. You could find yourself stuck or lost and not sure where to start. The good thing about environmental debate topics is that they are not hard to find. Besides relying on this list, you can search for research papers online and select the debate topic that you consider the most interesting. Meanwhile, these are some of the environmental debate topics you can choose.

1. The Paris Agreement is a panacea for increased environmental degradation.
2. Teachers in educational institutions should teach about climate change
3. High school students should petition their parents to be mindful of the environment.
4. Everyone should adopt renewable energy and shun fossil fuels
5. The lack of political will casts doubts on whether the Paris agreement is relevant anymore
6. Space exploration is an excuse to destroy another planet
7. Global warming is on the rise due to heightened pollution.
8. Electric cars are environmentally friendly because they do not run on fossil fuels.
9. Voters should elect only the leaders who support the Paris Agreement
10. Climate change affects all people in society

While the debate topics above appear more direct, they would still elicit opposing views from people who believe that environmental issues are exaggerated. Remember that there are people who consider climate change a hoax. As a result, any of the debate topics highlighted above would raise a contrary viewpoint. Guess what? That is the beauty of a debate. Listeners like it when debaters offer two perspectives on a topic.

Other Common Debate Topics

Sometimes, you will not be asked to choose from any category. Instead, your professor may want you to write for a specific group. These could be private school students, people in a particular organization such as the European Union, or young girls in developing countries. In such a case, you just have to argue your case with the relevant facts and provide a bit of opposing views to ensure your debate paper is balanced. Let’s now look at some of the other common debate topics you will encounter in your college education.

1. The federal voting age should be reduced to accommodate young people’s views.
2. Middle school students should learn about weapons handling.
3. College education should be free for all.
4. College students should wear school uniforms.
5. Animal testing should be abolished.
6. Parents should discourage teens from watching violent video games
7. The government should set tuition fees for private schools
8. All foreign workers should receive the universal basic income
9. Leaders consider student loans exploitative but do not intervene.
10. Illegal immigrants should pay higher taxes instead of being deported
11. High school students should receive self-defense training
12. Young girls who get pregnant should be encouraged to continue learning
13. The media should ignore people who dismiss global warming
14. Research papers help college students improve their class grades
15. Space exploration has subtle environmental effects
16. Congress should enact better laws to protect free speech
17. Law enforcers must defend students against mass shooting suspects
18. ENL students should help international pupils to create ESL debate topics
19. Not all peer pressure leads to negative outcomes
20. Government officials should balance international relations with a country’s interests.
21. Teachers should be in charge of debate topics for kids to ensure decorum
22. A functional society upholds the rule of law and embraces diversity
23. A boarding school should be open to occasional security checks
24. Insurance should cover cosmetic procedures and attract many clients
25. The minimum wage should be increased to motivate workers.

In this exhaustive list, you can see that the debate topics are not organized in any order. From time to time, your teacher will ask you to choose any subject and argue about it. If that happens, you can be sure that any of the debate topics highlighted above can help you. The time you would have spent looking for a good debate topic will be saved, and you will have enough time to rest and do other duties.

Debate Topics for Kids

You may also like to write about debate topics for kids. If you choose to do this, you have to remember that your audience is somewhat younger. Although parents might read your debate, the primary audiences are the children. We have listed several debate topics for kids, which we hope will help you write a good paper if asked to do that. Go through these debate topics for kids and write about any of them.

1. Children should not go to boarding school before reaching 15
2. There should be special schools for all young girls
3. All private schools should accommodate physically-challenged students
4. Teachers should entice young girls with a college degree to motivate their learning
5. Young graduates who fail to secure jobs feel the world is a dystopian society.
6. Children should play with their peers often to learn social skills.
7. Young girls should be discouraged from interacting with boys until they reach 14.
8. Parents should not assign any duties to young children.
9. Children should not be allowed to watch TV for a long time
10. Mothers should be involved in raising boys instead of leaving the duty to fathers

Sports Debate Topics

Besides discussing serious matters related to politics, society, healthy, and law, you might also be required to focus on sports. College students who dislike sports find it strange to come up with exciting sports debate topics, but this challenge is now solved. Sample some of the sports debate topics you could write about.

1. The European Union should expand to have football teams from member states
2. High school students should spend more time learning than playing
3. Sports organizers should introduce a public speaking contest for all college students
4. Students in a boarding school should often play to avoid information overload.
5. Young girls should start playing football to discover their talents early enough.
6. College athletes should not be paid to play for their schools
7. Schools should compensate parents whose students hurt themselves while playing
8. Basketball could become obsolete in American society
9. The Super Bowl is quickly losing its appeal, and soccer will overtake it soon.
10. College students should finish college before engaging in competitive sports.

With the above list, you can now handle any of the sports debate topics with ease. Almost all of the debate topics shared above are easy to write about because many research papers address them exhaustively. Try writing about any of the topics and see how easy it becomes. You will become a real pro when you keep writing about these and the other debate topics shared in this article.

ESL Debate topics

You could also want to write about debates that relate to ESL writers. We have developed a list of ESL debate topics to help you choose from and write your work meticulously. Many times, ESL debate topics are simple and direct. Go through the samples and choose whichever you want.

1. Immigration officers should provide meals should illegal immigrants need some.
2. We risk becoming a dystopian society by deporting illegal immigrants.
3. It is unfair that companies that offer insurance cover cosmetic procedures while uninsured cancer patients die daily.
4. College students should not own cell phones
5. Smoking should be banned.
6. Drunk driving should be punishable by death when it causes untimely deaths.
7. Should teens play violent video games?

The examples provided here will make it possible for you to write for ESL readers if that is your target audience. Keep the language simple and be precise in your arguments.

How to Choose Good Debate Topics

Now that we have kept our promise to give you the top 100 best controversial debate topics, let’s see how you should select your debate topic.

Choose an Interesting Topic.

Whether you are writing a political, social, sports, or any other debate topic, always look for the most interesting. By interesting debate topic, we mean that you choose a subject that is likely to attract the readers. For example, if you are asked to write about an environmental debate topic, you should look for any that addresses global warming, climate change, pollution, or waste management. You will often find that environmental debate topics are not controversial but elicit interest from readers. Therefore, choose the most interesting topic.

Select The Most Controversial Debate Topic

To get a controversial debate topic, you may need to choose from the political, social, or educational categories. Political debate topics are the most controversial because they tend to divide opinions among leaders and citizens alike. For example, the issue of illegal immigrants is always a heated subject that never results in consensus. You can write about such a topic because its readership is high.

Easy to Write About

While controversial debate topics are exciting, they can also prove hard to write due to the amount of evidence needed to convince the readers that your argument is the most compelling. If you are given a choice to select your debate topic, go for the easy ones. Choose something to do with the environment, sports, or kids.

Identify Your Target Audience.

The other critical step is to select your target audience. Interesting debate topics are only exciting if they are directed at the right groups. For example, if you are writing to lawmakers, you should focus on a subject related to the death penalty. In contrast, if you want to argue that college students should not wear school uniforms, your target audience is the teaching staff. Still, funny debate topics should be directed at children. A serious debate, such as one touching on whether the Paris Agreement is relevant anymore, should be written for environmentalists and political leaders. While one might argue that the intended audience will not read the debate, topics for college students often influence policy changes. In fact, some laws have come after debate topics for college students were covered by the media.

How to Write or Present a Debate

Let’s now assume that you have selected several interesting debates and want to write one or more. How do you go about writing the best from among many debate topics for college learners? Once you choose your topic, adhere to the following format.

Start with A Hook

You can have all the most interesting debate topics, but no one will find them exciting if you start your work on a low note. Let your introduction catch the reader’s attention. For example, if you are writing about school uniforms for college students, ensure the first line is as follows: “School uniforms are not for college students.” Such an introduction attracts the readers.

Highlight Opposing Views

Highlighting opposing views portrays you as impartial. If you are writing against animal testing, mention why those who support animal testing do so. Likewise, if you have a problem with human cloning, mention one advantage. The same principle should apply when you write about the electoral college, sex education, and all the other topics for college.

Improve Your Public Speaking Skills

You could be asked to defend one or several debate topics for college. Therefore, master your public speaking skills.

Avoid Emotions

Some education debate topics may elicit emotional responses but remain balanced. Selecting engaging debate topics can be challenging but take time. Debate topics for students are easy to pick because they are always straightforward.

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