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Plus tips for choosing a good debate or essay topic
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This article was co-authored by Alison Betts and by wikiHow staff writer, Sophie Burkholder, BA. Alison Betts is a trivia expert and Jeopardy! contestant based in Los Angeles, CA. As a lifelong fan of Jeopardy!, Alison was the first player in Season 40 to become a 5-game champion and secure a spot in the Tournament of Champions. She also appeared on two other game shows, Bullsh*t The Game Show in 2022 and 25 or Words or Less in 2019, on which she won $250,000 and $10,000 respectively. Alison has a degree in Film and Media Studies from Arizona State University and works as a writer and creative executive. She has written pilot scripts, consulted on numerous television series, and served as the head speechwriter and communications director for a U.S. Senate Campaign.
There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
This article has been viewed 1,594 times.
If you want to stir the pot with your friends, play devil’s advocate with your family, or come up with some great debate topics for students, we’ve got the ultimate list of controversial questions to kick things off. From lighthearted topics to more serious subjects like ethics and education, you’ll find a discussion-starting question in every area you could imagine.
Top 5 Most Controversial Questions for Discussion
- How should we decide who receives organ transplants?
- Is nature or nurture more important to a person’s development?
- Should convicted felons be allowed to vote after serving their time in prison?
- Is universal government-sponsored healthcare a good idea?
- Are standardized tests effective in measuring a student’s abilities?
Steps
Section 12 of 12:
How to Choose a Topic for a Debate or Persuasive Paper
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1Brainstorm some general topics and issues that interest you. Consider what types of subjects you find naturally interesting or that you might be inclined to research for fun. Let’s say you love animals, for instance. In that case, an environmental subject around animal rights or veganism could be a great fit. Try to come up with at least five controversial questions or debate topics and jot them down before you forget.[16]
- If you’re a teacher, try to choose topics that are relevant to your students’ lives and futures (e.g., technology, education, pop culture, or social issues).
- English and creative writing teacher Celena Hathaway explains that, “whenever [her] class does argumentative essays, [she] provide[s] them with a question that begins with ‘should.’ For example, ‘Should we get rid of the death penalty?’”[17]
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2Narrow down your broader topic to a specific and interesting question. Once you’ve come up with your general subject area, choose a question that has clear sides of “for” and “against,” and that’s also narrow enough to be concisely researched and answered. You may also want to consider the objective of your argument, as well as its intended audience. Think about what you want your audience to take away from the debate or paper, as well as who your audience is and whether or not your topic will appeal to them.[18]
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3Avoid questions that are too popular, dull, insignificant, or complicated. Some debate questions are too popular, and the arguments are so well-known that they won’t be interesting to readers or listeners. If the average person has a well-developed opinion on the topic without doing much research, it’s probably best to skip it. The same is true for boring or unimportant topics—in other words, topics that are boring to you or unrelatable to most people. If you’re not interested in the subject or can’t connect to it, you’re less likely to do a sufficient job researching and presenting it (and your audience is less likely to care!).[19]
- You should also avoid topics that are too difficult to research—i.e., there haven’t been enough studies to develop a proper argument.
- Similarly, be wary of topics that are either too narrow or too broad. For example, a narrow topic like “Is reality television real?” is pretty easy to answer and hard to debate—it’s fairly common knowledge that most (if not all) reality TV is scripted.
- On the other hand, some topics are too broad. Something like, “Does the U.S. have good diplomatic relations with all countries?” will take ages to both research and argue.
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References
- ↑ Alison Betts. Trivia Expert and Jeopardy! Contestant. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://www.weareteachers.com/funny-debate-topics/
- ↑ Suzanna Mathews. Dating & Relationship Coach. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://www.weareteachers.com/funny-debate-topics/
- ↑ Alison Betts. Trivia Expert and Jeopardy! Contestant. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://www.nwabr.org/sites/default/files/EthicalQuestions.pdf
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201304/top-10-list-psychology-s-big-questions-and-the-answers
- ↑ Alison Betts. Trivia Expert and Jeopardy! Contestant. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/educational-resources/supreme-court-landmarks/supreme-court-activity/discussion-questions-supreme-court-activity
- ↑ https://www.pbs.org/healthcarecrisis/tough_questn.htm
- ↑ https://www.weareteachers.com/controversial-debate-topics/
- ↑ https://www.marriage.com/advice/relationship/controversial-relationship-questions/
- ↑ https://billofrightsinstitute.org/ttv/debates
- ↑ https://subjecttoclimate.org/teacher-guides/climate-change-debate-topics
- ↑ https://www.boredteachers.com/post/debate-topics
- ↑ https://libguides.umflint.edu/topics/overview
- ↑ Celena Hathaway. English & Creative Writing Teacher. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://libguides.umflint.edu/topics/overview
- ↑ https://libguides.umflint.edu/topics/overview
About This Article
Trivia Expert and Jeopardy! Contestant
This article was co-authored by Alison Betts and by wikiHow staff writer, Sophie Burkholder, BA. Alison Betts is a trivia expert and Jeopardy! contestant based in Los Angeles, CA. As a lifelong fan of Jeopardy!, Alison was the first player in Season 40 to become a 5-game champion and secure a spot in the Tournament of Champions. She also appeared on two other game shows, Bullsh*t The Game Show in 2022 and 25 or Words or Less in 2019, on which she won $250,000 and $10,000 respectively. Alison has a degree in Film and Media Studies from Arizona State University and works as a writer and creative executive. She has written pilot scripts, consulted on numerous television series, and served as the head speechwriter and communications director for a U.S. Senate Campaign. This article has been viewed 1,594 times.
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Co-authors: 4
Updated: September 3, 2025
Views: 1,594
Categories: Asking Questions
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