Opinion Essay Topics: 60 Ideas You Can Actually Argue

What makes an opinion topic easy to argue

• Two sides a reasonable person could take.
• A view you genuinely hold.
• Evidence you can find for both sides.

It is narrow enough to cover. If your topic has only one sensible answer, it is closer to an explainer, so try the expository essay topics list instead.

60 opinion essay topics by theme

Technology

• Should social media have a minimum age of 16
• Is remote work better than office work
• Should AI tools be allowed in exams
• Do smartphones belong in classrooms
• Should facial recognition be banned in public
• Is online privacy already a lost cause
• Should gig workers get full employee rights
• Are video games blamed unfairly for violence
• Should coding be a core school subject
• Is screen time overblown as a health worry

Education

• Should university be free
• Are exams a fair way to measure ability
• Should attendance be compulsory at university
• Is a degree still worth the cost
• Should students grade their lecturers
• Are group projects useful or unfair
• Should homework be scrapped
• Is a gap year a good idea
• Should coursework count more than exams
• Should referencing rules be simpler

Society

• Should voting be compulsory
• Is a four day week good for the economy
• Should public transport be free
• Should the voting age be lowered to 16
• Should fast fashion be taxed
• Is city living better than country living
• Should junk food advertising be banned
• Should zoos still exist
• Is volunteering better than donating money
• Should libraries stay free forever

Environment

• Should single use plastics be banned
• Is nuclear power the answer to clean energy
• Should short domestic flights be discouraged
• Should meat carry a climate tax
• Is individual action pointless against climate change
• Should new petrol cars be banned sooner
• Is recycling doing enough
• Should companies pay for their carbon
• Should national parks limit visitor numbers
• Should fast delivery be slowed to cut emissions

Health

• Should sugary drinks cost more
• Is a plant based diet better for everyone
• Should mental health days be a work right
• Should gyms be free on the NHS
• Is calorie labelling on menus helpful
• Should vaping be regulated like smoking
• Should sport be compulsory at school
• Is eight hours of sleep a myth
• Should fitness trackers be trusted
• Should junk food shops be banned near schools

Media and culture

• Should influencers declare every paid post
• Is reality TV harmful
• Should streaming replace cinemas
• Are book bans ever justified
• Should museums return artefacts
• Is celebrity culture out of control
• Should news be free to read
• Are film remakes a lazy trend
• Should ticket prices for live events be capped
• Is nostalgia holding culture back

How to pick one and plan your argument

1. Pick a topic where you lean one way but can see the other side.

2. Write a one line thesis: your view in plain words.

3. List three reasons, each with evidence.

4. Name the strongest counter argument and your response to it.

5. Plan your paragraphs. The 1500 word essay plan gives a worked split you can copy.

Before you submit

Reference every piece of evidence in your required style. If you are not sure which one to use, see referencing styles explained.

Before you submit, run your draft through Plag Check for a Turnitin similarity and AI report in about 15 minutes. Your draft is not stored in Turnitin’s database, so it will not come back as a match when you hand in.

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Frequently Ask Questions

What is an opinion essay?

An essay that states your view on a topic and supports it with reasons and evidence.

How is it different from an argumentative essay?

They overlap. An argumentative essay leans harder on formal evidence and weighs both sides. An opinion essay can be a little more personal, but both take a clear position.

Can I use the word I in an opinion essay?

Often yes, since you are giving a view. Check the brief, as some tutors still want a formal third person tone.

How do I avoid just ranting?

Give a reason and evidence for each point, and respond to the other side. That turns a rant into an argument.