But what if I showed you an example?

It would certainly help, right? Check out the video below to learn how to tie an overhand knot.

I’m pretty sure that most of you have tied this knot more than once in your lifetime. But as the video states, you simply didn’t know the official name of the knot you were tying.

So. What does tying knots have to do with writing a persuasive speech?

Admittedly, not much. But it does illustrate that sometimes you have a pretty good sense of how to do something, even if you don’t realize it. You just need an example to remind you how it’s done and to get you moving in the right direction.

That’s exactly the goal of this post: to provide you with two persuasive speech examples that can inspire your own writing.

2 Good Persuasive Speech Examples to Inspire You

In the two speeches below, I’ve included comments on what makes these examples good. I’ve also made note of a few places where the speaker may improve.

TAKE NOTE: Both of these speeches cite sources. If you’re required to turn in your outline or a copy of your speech, check with your teacher (or assignment guidelines) to see if you should include a Works Cited (MLA), a list of references (APA), or a bibliography (Chicago).

For both persuasive speeches, my commentary is marked with “Susan says” speech bubbles. The specific text that I’m discussing from each speech is notated with brackets and corresponding numbers—[#]. For commentary that applies to full paragraphs, you’ll see the following notation at the end of the paragraph(s): *[#].

Persuasive Speech Example #1: A Persuasive Speech on Limiting the Production and Use of Plastic

A Persuasive Speech on Limiting the Production and Use of Plastic

[1] When you hear the term “polluted plastics” I can tell you the exact picture that just popped into about 10 of your heads. This one, right? You have all heard of how plastics are affecting our marine life and “oh, the poor sea turtle”. And that’s great! Really, it is. We have had the idea that “pollution is bad” drilled into our brains since we were about 7. But this little sea turtle is not necessarily the problem. It’s much bigger than him. Plastics are leaving lasting effects on our ecosystems due to the improper disposal. Plastic production also uses up many of our natural resources. It is up to us to make a change in order to maintain sustainability. [2] Today, I want to show you just how destructive these effects are, how big of a dent we are making in our natural resources, and what steps we should take next.

Susan says: 

[1] This opening uses an excellent hook to grab the attention of the audience. The speaker uses the common image of a sea turtle being affected by pollution to make a connection with the audience and get them thinking about how pollution affects the environment.

Susan says:

[2] The speaker ends the opening with a clear thesis statement to let the audience know that the speech isn’t just about sea turtles. The speech will discuss the environmental impact of plastics and how to reduce the use of plastics.

Remember, a thesis statement is like a roadmap to your entire speech, so make sure to include a focused thesis to let your audience know what to expect.

Let’s say you want to throw away one plastic water bottle. Okay, no big deal. It’s just one bottle right? Well, Charleston is a peninsula, meaning that we are entirely surrounded by the ocean. According to Hannah Ellsbury in her article “The Problem with Plastic”, for every six water bottles we use, only one makes it to the recycling bin. The rest are sent to landfills. Or, even worse, they end up as trash on the land and in rivers, lakes, and the ocean. That means that, on average, all of us in this room cumulatively throw away or litter 6,100 water bottles a year. Now, let’s say that about ¼ of these end up in our beautiful Charleston harbor. That’s about 1,525 bottles just floating around outside of Charleston in a year, and that’s strictly from our first year seminar class alone. Pollutants found in the plastic in disposable water bottles deteriorate and leach into the water leaving potential carcinogens in the water we drink daily. Now if all 1,525 water bottles in our harbor are deteriorating, that means your fresh seafood at Hyman’s might be slightly infested with pollutants. *[3]

Susan says:

*[3] Most people use (or have used) plastic water bottles. The speaker knows this and thus uses this example to make another connection with the audience.

The speaker even goes one step further by mentioning the effects of pollution on seafood at a local restaurant.

Using these types of personal and localized examples are excellent ways to convince your audience because the audience can directly relate and see how pollution affects their daily lives.

This section also cites statistics and other information from sources to provide evidence of the claim. Such information further convinces the audience because they realize that the speaker isn’t simply providing a personal opinion. Instead, statements are backed up by experts.

[4] Even worse, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary, the law of biomagnification states that pollutants “increases its concentration in the tissues of organisms as it travels up the food chain”. This means that all of you seafood lovers might have more pollutants in our bodies than we would imagine. Now, I bet you’re wondering what happens to the rest of the actual plastic pieces left in our oceans. Plastic pieces like these? Well, animals are ingesting them. In fact, plastic pieces are being found within birds in the Pacific, meaning that the plastic pieces are literally killing them from the inside out. The plastic found throughout the oceans is a result of improper disposal of our plastics. [5] Even worse, though, is how these plastics are made.

Susan says:

[4] While many teachers frown upon the use of dictionary definitions in essays or speeches, in this case the definition works well because many people wouldn’t understand the phrase “law of biomagnification.”

Susan says:

[5] Notice the importance of the last line of this section. It provides a transition to link ideas together.

Your audience needs a clear path to see the connection between ideas. Transitional words and phrases provide this connection.

You see how far this water bottle is filled? Imagine that it’s not water. Look at that and picture it as oil. That’s how much oil is used in the production of this bottle. According to Catherine Fox from National Geographic, Americans buy more water bottles than any other nation averaging at about 29 billion. In order to make all these bottles, manufacturers use 17 million barrels of crude oil. That’s enough oil to keep a million cars going for twelve months. By investing $10 in a reusable plastic water bottle, you are saving on average, $81.25 per year. You could potentially fill your car, which for us freshman is probably sitting back at home in our driveways, up three times with that money. *[6]

Susan says:

*[6] You need to know your audience in order to effectively convince them. In this case, the speaker is keenly aware of the audience and knows that first-year college students are often strapped for cash. Showing the audience how they can save money while saving the planet is a win-win and certainly goes a long way in persuading listeners.

The Office of Sustainability offers these water bottles to all students. They are made out of tin and are much more durable than any other kind of water bottle.

These bottles were offered for free at our freshman convocation and continue to be offered to all students. Not to mention, Starbucks has an option to purchase a reusable cup for a cheap price. Dining Halls have already enforced a plastic-free environment to dine, however, students are still able to purchase plastic containers from vending machines in education buildings. I believe that the College of Charleston should maintain the same standards they have set for the dining halls throughout campus. Soda dispensers with compostable cups should replace the vending machines currently residing in our education buildings. The Starbucks on campus should charge a small fee for each plastic cup used when ordering cold drinks. There is no reason plastic cups should still be sold on campus, and I propose a small fee should be charged for every purchase involving plastic. *[7]

Susan says:

*[7] The speaker begins to wrap up the speech by offering solutions. This strategy helps the audience become even more interested in the topic and shows them what even small steps can do to reduce the use of plastics.

Now I’m hoping that you’re interested in doing something to help cut down on the pollutants entering, not only your body, but millions of aquatic sea creatures as well. You know the harmful effects of plastic on our environment and you know the dent we put in our planet in the production of these goods. We should all make an effort to use reusable water bottles, however, if we must, to recycle our plastic waste. We must put an end to the era of plastic so this little guy can swim freely, but only our generation can do so. *[8]

Susan says:

*[8] The final section again appeals to the audience as a call to action.

It’s clear that the speaker is referencing a visual when stating “so this little guy can swim freely.” The image more than likely refers back to the opening point about sea turtles and pollution.

Connecting the conclusion to a point made in the introduction is a nice way to tie ideas together. And although the final line is worded a bit awkwardly, the point is still clear.

Persuasive Speech Example #2: A Persuasive Speech on the Topic of Organ Donation

A Persuasive Speech on the Topic of Organ Donation

[1] First of all I would like to thank you the board for inviting me here today, allowing me to be a part of and contributing to this cause that personally means so much to me. When I first contacted your organization, the Executive Director informed me that the greatest need was for a campaign that was tailored toward people between the ages of 18 and 24. The focus was to be on encouraging organ donation and facilitating open communication of the donor’s decision with family members. [2] Overall the campaign was to inform them of our nation’s public health crisis regarding organ donation. *[3]

Susan says:

[1] Rather than speaking to a general audience (or classmates and a teacher), this speaker is directly addressing an audience already aware that they will be listening to a speech about organ donation.

By speaking to a specific audience, this speaker can adjust the main ideas in order to directly appeal to listeners.

Susan says:

[2] Here, the speaker directly mentions the purpose of this speech: to inform the audience of the nation’s health crisis regarding organ donation.

Even though the audience likely knows the subject of the speech, in this thesis statement, the speaker lets the audience know that the focus is on the crisis of organ donation, not simply a general discussion of the topic.

Further, the speech focuses on the idea that this is a crisis. Thus, the speaker is clearly attempting to persuade listeners into seeing just how important it is to increase organ donation.

Susan says:

*[3] This opening paragraph is a solid start to the speech as it effectively presents the topic and appeals to the audience (which increases the likelihood that the speaker will persuade listeners).

That’s right: Organ Donation is a public health crisis.

• According to UNOS, the United Network for Organ Sharing as of this morning there are 90,350 American men, women, and children on the transplant waiting list.
• One person will die needlessly at the end of this hour waiting for organ donation and 10 more people are added to this list every day.
• There are over 250 billion people in our country. *[4]

Susan says:

*[4] Here, the speaker cites powerful statistics to persuade the audience and illustrate just how many people need organ transplants and how many die because they don’t receive the life-saving help they need.

Using startling statistics causes the audience to take notice. Plus, because the numbers are shocking, the audience is more likely to remember the argument made by the speaker and more likely to be convinced.

According to the Department of Health and Human Resources, in 2002, there were 2.5 million deaths, and 106,742 of them were due to accidents. In 2002, 6,190 donor heroes and their families made the decision to donate. When comparing these statistics less than a half percent, not even 1% of these accidental fatalities were used to save or improve the life of another human being. So when I say heroes that is exactly what I mean. *[5]

Figures taken from The Oregon Donor Program website are disheartening. The Oregon population is at 3.5 million and last year only 84 donor heroes and their families chose to donate the gift of life in our state. *[6]

You see the reality is it doesn’t take 90,000 donors to save or improve the lives of these people. For every one organ donor has the potential to help at least 50 individuals with their “Gift of Life”. You see I know this personally because two very special people to me were organ donors who died tragically and unexpectedly. Through my experiences I have gained a greater understanding of what the “Gift of Life” really means. *[7]

Susan says:

*[5–7] In these paragraphs, the speaker again stresses the lack of donors and attempts to persuade the audience to donate by illustrating how many people they can help through organ donation.

This campaign was specifically tailored for the scholars of Southern Oregon University, its alumni and community members who are a truth seeking, compassionate, and educated group of individuals. The campaign goal is to share this information utilizing an information kiosk for SOU students and alumni in the student union. The kiosk would give SOU community members the opportunity to sign up as organ donors and would offer practical useful tools to share their decision with their loved ones. *[8]

Susan says:

*[8] The speaker again appeals to the audience by complimenting them while explaining the campaign to increase organ donation.

By appealing to the audience’s sense of compassion, the speaker increases the chances of listeners believing in the cause.

The two artifacts I have created specifically for this persuasion campaign are:

* A green hospital bracelet will be given to each new organ donor or individuals who can show a driver’s license indicating them as being an organ donor at the kiosk. *[9]

The bracelet itself is an example of symbolic persuasion representing the many lives that have been touched by organ donation. The pictures and names on each bracelet are actual people that have either been the patient waiting, the patient who died waiting, the transplant survivor, or the donor heroes. *[10]

The bracelet then is used as a reminder, and a reinforcing element of their commitment to organ donation. Because the bracelet is worn and not tucked away it encourages vital communication of the donor’s decision with family and peers. *[11]

* My second artifact is a letter that was created to address and personalize the donor’s donation decision. A Gallup poll conducted for the Partnership for Organ Donation showed that 85% of Americans supported organ donation. According to the Organtransplants.org website each year nearly 50% of families decline the opportunity to save lives by donating organs and tissues of deceased loved ones. The truth is even if you have decided to be an organ donor and you yourself know the significance of your choice your family has the final say as to whether or not your commitment is carried out. *[12]

The letter will serve as another reminder of the donor’s commitment to share his donation decision with his family, furthermore solidifying his decision and his intent. *[13]

Susan says:

*[9–13] At the end of the speech, the speaker explains what artifacts will be used to encourage participation in organ donation. The artifacts represent real people, not just abstract numbers. This not only allows the current audience to make a personal connection but also allows them to see how this campaign will impact others.

By looking forward and illustrating how the artifacts will help the cause, the speaker has further convinced the audience to agree with the importance of both organ donation itself and participating in the campaign described in the speech.

[several paragraphs omitted]

In conclusion, the facts remain that:

• 90,350 people are waiting…for a life-saving transplant
• 19 people die every day because of the lack of organ donation.
• Last year 6,529 people died …waiting for a life saving transplant.
• In 2004 there were 7,151 donors and their families who chose to share the “gift of life”.
• According to the Department of Health and Human Resources in 2004, 27,036 people received a lifesaving organ transplant.*[14]

Organ donation is based on altruism in our culture. That is according to Mr. Webster an unselfish concern for or dedication to the interests or welfare of others. My final plea to this audience of truth seeking, compassionate, educated individuals would be to take a look at the facts, take a look at the need then take a look at what you can and will do to help fill the gap for Alex, Christopher, Amy, Fletcher, Mike, Katy, Jim, Jonah, Kim, Crystal, Gloria, Darcy, Chuck, Nikolette, Caleb, Don, Zachary, Joshua, Isabella, Mark, Kennedy, Alicia, Jerry, Ashton, Gary and Nona. *[15]

[16] Organ donation costs nothing, yet could mean everything!

Susan says:

*[14–15] Though the speaker might choose a more effective phrase than “in conclusion,” the end of this speech provides a clear push to persuade the audience. By citing shocking statistics and again making the information personal by adding names (rather than only statistics), the speaker is more likely to persuade the audience.

Susan says:

[16] The final line is also a call to action. This strategy is effective because it asks listeners to personally get involved and make a difference.

Now That You’re Inspired

Now that you’re inspired by the two persuasive speech examples above, it’s time to get creative and write your own speech.

Before you do, take a look at these resources to help get your speech rolling:

• 49 Persuasive Speech Topics You’ll Actually Want to Talk About
• How to Write a Persuasive Speech (On Just About Anything)
• This Persuasive Speech Outline Will Help You Write Faster

After you’ve written your speech, don’t forget that Kibin editors are here to help. Our expertise isn’t limited to essays, either. We have oodles of experience editing speeches too, and we’re ready to help you with yours.

I get it. If you’re not a fan of outlines, it can be pretty tedious to sort out where to put an “A,” a “1,” or a “b.” The mere thought of it is enough to drive you mad.

In all reality, though, outlining isn’t that bad, and it’s important to realize that there are some things in life that we just have to do—simply because they’re good for us.

When you’re a student, sometimes writing a formal outline is one of those things.

Even if you don’t find writing an outline that painful, there can be times when you need a little help getting your ideas together in the right format.

Whether you love (or hate) outlines, here’s how you can develop an outline to help you write your persuasive speech faster.

Before You Start Your Persuasive Speech Outline

Before you start outlining, you will, of course, need a topic for your persuasive speech. If you don’t already have one, this list of 49 speech topics or this one of 33 socially conscious persuasive topics should give you at least a little inspiration.

Even if you already have a topic, don’t immediately jump into outlining unless you’ve spent at least a little time pondering your topic. You need time to sort out your thoughts.

If your assignment requires research, make sure you also do a preliminary search to gather ideas and potential sources.

If you haven’t done either of these yet, take a brainstorming break now to do some research if needed.

Don’t worry, I’ll be here when you return. I’ll just grab a cup of coffee and wait.

How to Write a Persuasive Speech Outline

Have you pondered your topic? Spent a little time perusing sources? Excellent. Let’s talk outlines.

Even if you have a love/hate relationship with outlines, they’re excellent prewriting tools that will enable you to organize your thoughts and lay out the details of your speech.

They actually save a lot of time too. Once you put your ideas in outline form, you can write the actual speech in no time flat.

Another bonus of writing a detailed outline:

Your teacher may allow you to use only your outline when you deliver your speech. Having a well-written and concise outline means you’ll have your talking points in order (and you won’t fill the dead air with “…ummm” until you can think of something to say).

Where should you start?

The finished outline will contain all the usual sections: introduction, body, and conclusion.

That doesn’t mean that you have to start with the introduction and work, step by step, until you reach the conclusion, though.

You might start with a working thesis statement to help you establish the focus for your speech and then develop your main ideas. You can always go back and fill in the introduction and conclusion once you have a solid direction for your speech.

Of course, if you’re the type of person who needs to start at the introduction, that’s fine too. Do whatever works for you.

In my persuasive speech outline for this post, I’m going to start with the introduction and provide a step-by-step outline to help you get started on your own.

Here’s the topic for my persuasive speech outline: why adults should get a flu shot.

Persuasive speech introduction

The introduction needs to hook your audience, provide background and context for your topic, and contain a thesis statement to focus your speech.

Attention grabber

Begin the introduction by grabbing the attention of your audience with a clever or shocking hook.

Think about all those boring lectures you’ve sat through as a student. You don’t want to be that speaker. You don’t want your audience to tune you out and think about where they’re going to dinner instead of listening to your speech.

Instead, you want them on the edge of their seats, eager to hear what you have to say.

To grab the attention of my audience, I would start my introduction with this shocking statistic:

In the 2017–2018 flu season, 61,000 Americans died from the flu. It was one of the most severe flu seasons in history (CDC.gov).

This statistic hits home and shows the audience just how dangerous the flu can be.

Background/context

This section includes information that helps the audience understand the context of your topic and provides any background they may need to know to fully understand your key points.

You’ll also want to consider your audience as you develop your outline (and speech). If you’re speaking to senior citizens, for instance, the information you’ll include here (and throughout your speech) would likely be different than if you’re speaking to seniors in high school.

In my example, I’m trying to convince a general audience that they should get a flu shot, so I’d briefly explain a little bit about the shot and again stress how important a flu shot is to one’s health.

Thesis statement

Wrap up your opening with a clear thesis statement to let your audience know your stance on the topic.

My thesis statement would be something like this:

Adults should get a flu shot each year because it can be a life-saving vaccine.

This thesis statement clearly indicates that my topic will be flu shots, and because I’m writing a persuasive outline, my thesis presents my stance on the topic: that people need a flu shot because it can save lives.

Persuasive speech body

The body will be the majority of your speech. A basic outline will contain at least three main ideas to support your thesis.

Develop each idea in at least one paragraph. Unless you’re writing an extremely short speech, the body of your speech should be a minimum of three paragraphs. You may include more main ideas (and thus more paragraphs), of course, depending on your assignment.

Each main idea needs evidence to support your claim. (A claim is essentially the argument presented in your speech.)

If you’re citing sources, look for statistics, examples, and expert opinions to support your claims. Use paraphrases, summaries, and quotes to integrate the information into your speech.

Remember: Evidence from sources should support your claims, not make up the bulk of your writing. In other words, resist the urge to copy and paste large chunks of content into your outline. Write the speech in your own words and use sources as supporting evidence for your claims.

If research isn’t required for your persuasive speech, include personal examples and your own knowledge of the topic to support your claims.

Example body paragraph

 Here’s an example of how one of my body paragraphs would be structured:

Claim: Getting the flu shot helps with herd immunity.

Evidence: “Once enough people are vaccinated, the flu can’t spread quickly because it encounters people who are protected against it. The flu virus runs into a dead end” (Lynch).

Analysis/Commentary: Essentially, if everyone gets a flu shot, the virus can’t easily spread because everyone is protected against it. This also means that people who aren’t able to be vaccinated (such as the very young) are less likely to get the flu because fewer adults around them will become infected.

This example presents a solid claim and provides a quote from a reliable website to support the fact that getting a flu shot helps keep everyone safe. (You may wish to include more than one piece of evidence to support each claim.)

It also includes my own analysis and commentary to not only discuss the topic of herd immunity but also further explain (using my source as evidence) why adults should get an annual flu shot.

As you develop your main ideas, keep in mind that you want to appeal to your audience, and you want to use solid arguments.

To learn more about appeals and logic, check out these two posts:

• Ethos, Pathos, and Logos: Be More Persuasive in Your Next Essay
• 10 Logical Fallacies That Will Kill Your Argument

Counterargument and rebuttal

A counterargument is the opposing view to your claim. While you may not be required to include a counterargument in your speech, anticipating and addressing opposing views is a smart way to make your argument more convincing.

In my example, I’m arguing that people should get a flu shot because it can save lives. The opposing view might argue that vaccines are dangerous and getting a flu shot can actually cause someone to get sick.

A rebuttal is your reply to the opposing view. In other words, you’re adding more evidence to support your claim (while also illustrating why your claim is stronger than the claims of the opposition).

In my example, I could point to evidence that indicates that a flu shot doesn’t really cause people to get the flu. People who get the flu after receiving the shot were likely already exposed to the virus.

How you incorporate the counterargument and rebuttal will depend on your assignment (and, in some cases, personal preference).

Your teacher might require you to include a counterargument and rebuttal as a separate paragraph before the conclusion, or you may be allowed to incorporate a counterargument and rebuttal into one of your main body paragraphs.

Conclusion

The conclusion is your last chance to convince the audience of your claims.

To convince them, restate your key ideas and emphasize again why they should be convinced by your arguments.

Because I’m trying to convince my audience how important it is to get a flu shot, in my conclusion, I’ll remind them how miserable it feels to be sick. I’ll stress that if they take the time to get a flu shot, they not only can avoid the misery of the flu but also can prevent more serious illness and even protect others.

The Final Outline

If the mere thought of creating a persuasive speech outline still leaves you feeling a little under the weather, drink some soothing tea, and remember, outlining isn’t all that bad.

To make outlining even easier, here’s the skeleton of the persuasive speech outline we just created. You can use this as a guide to help you build your own outline by filling in your topic, claim, and supporting evidence.

1. Introduction

a. Hook/Attention grabber
b. Background and context
c. Thesis statement

2. Body: Evidence to support your thesis

a. Claim 1

i. Evidence from source(s) to support claim
ii. Analysis/Commentary

b. Claim 2

i. Evidence from source(s) to support claim
ii. Analysis/Commentary

c. Claim 3

i. Evidence from source(s) to support claim
ii. Analysis/Commentary

3. Body: Counterargument and Rebuttal

a. Counterargument
b. Evidence from source to illustrate counterargument
c. Refutation of argument and evidence

4. Conclusion

a. Restate key ideas and stress the importance of your claim
b. Emphasize why readers should be convinced by your arguments

Looking for an example outline before you tackle your own? Take a look at these outlines:

• A Speech Outline Regarding the Lowering of Athlete Salaries
• Outline of a Speech on How Helmets Reduce Injuries in Motorcycle Accidents

Ready to get started but need a shot in the arm to convince you to get moving?

Download this persuasive speech outline template to help you put your ideas in place.

If you have your outline finished but want a pair of expert eyes to provide some feedback before you step behind the podium, send it to the editors at Kibin. We can polish your outlines, essays, and just about any writing project your teachers can dream up.

Older siblings can be pretty persuasive, and if you’ve ever fallen victim to this persuasion (as I may have done once or twice), you already have a good understanding of what it takes to convince an audience.

How do you translate your experiences of being persuaded into being persuasive in your upcoming persuasive speech?

Here’s what you need to know to write a persuasive speech on just about anything.

The Art of Persuasion

Before you get started on your speech, it’s a smart idea to take the time to review a variety of techniques you can use to persuade your audience.

Thus, before we start the “how to” of how to write a persuasive speech, take a look at these articles:

• Use These Persuasive Techniques to Be More Convincing
• Ethos, Pathos, Logos: Be More Persuasive in Your Next Essay
• One Persuasive Writing Technique You Can’t Write Without

Ready to move on to learning how to write a persuasive speech? Excellent. Let’s start with topic selection.

Step 1: Choose a Topic for Your Persuasive Speech

Choosing the right topic for your persuasive speech is just as important as choosing the right topic for a persuasive essay.

One of the first steps of topic selection is to understand your assignment.

You need to know, for instance, if there are any guidelines (or prohibitions) on topics. For example, can your speech attempt to convince your classmates to buy you lunch, or can you attempt to convince your teacher to not assign any more homework this year?

Does your speech need to be about a more serious topic like texting and driving or cyberbullying? If so, does it need to include research?

Once you understand the parameters of your assignment, think about your own interests and whether you can be convincing while speaking about a given topic.

Let’s say your BFF suggests you speak about whether fast food should be served in public high schools. If it doesn’t matter to you what schools serve because you think it all tastes awful, this probably isn’t the best topic for you.

Exhausted your mental resources and can’t think of the perfect topic for your persuasive speech? Here are 137 ideas:

• 49 Persuasive Speech Topics You’ll Actually Want to Talk About 
• 33 Persuasive Essay Ideas That Make an Impact
• 40 Persuasive Essay Topics to Get You Started
• 15 Excellent Topics for Persuasive Essays

I’ve decided that my speech (for example purposes in this article) will focus on aliens.

Step 2: Develop a Focus for Your Persuasive Speech

Once you have a topic for your speech, you’ll need to narrow it appropriately.

If you want to write about graffiti, for instance, you can’t just start writing everything you know about the topic. (If you do, you’ll end up with lots of content, and you’ll be able to meet the time requirements—but trust me, you won’t end up with a good persuasive speech.)

Instead of just randomly writing about the topic, develop a persuasive focus.

If you were writing about graffiti, for instance, you could write about why graffiti is actually art rather than vandalism or why graffiti needs to be cleaned up in a specific neighborhood.

In my example, I chose aliens as my broad topic, and I’m going to narrow my topic to the existence of aliens. That is, I hope to persuade my audience to believe that aliens exist. But I could be even more specific and try to persuade my audience that television and movie aliens are based on real aliens already on Earth. (Who’s to say Spock isn’t an actual extraterrestrial on our planet?)

Once you’ve nailed down your focus, It’s time to start developing the nuts and bolts of the speech.

Step 3: Outline the Main Ideas of Your Persuasive Speech

After you’ve narrowed your topic, outline the main ideas.

When developing the main ideas of your speech, first consider whether you’re required to complete research. If you need to cite sources, make sure to locate credible resources.

Don’t forget to check to see what types of sources you can use too. You might be able to cite all websites, but you may be required to cite more scholarly resources, such as books or journals.

Creating the outline

So about that outline.

Unless a formal outline is required, you can jot down ideas in any outline format that works for you. You can also try a graphic organizer to visualize ideas.

You can also simply write a few notes to help get your ideas rolling.

For example, I might list the following as my main ideas about the existence of aliens:

• Water is necessary for life, and water is present on a number of planets.
• Astronauts (who are trusted experts) have reported UFOs.
• Scientists have established the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute.

These ideas give me a starting point for each of my main body paragraphs and function much like topic sentences because they give me a direction for each paragraph.

Supporting your claims

Next, I’ll need to fill in the rest of the paragraph with evidence to support my claims.

In my case, I’d need evidence from the experts to help me explain the following:

• where (besides Earth) water is present in the universe, and why this means that aliens could exist;
• which astronauts reported UFOs, what they reported, and why this is credible evidence of the existence of aliens; and
• details about the SETI Institute, its origins, and its purpose, and why the mere fact that the institute exists means that scientists believe there is life beyond Earth.

After sketching out these rough ideas, I’m ready to write a draft of my speech (and cite my sources according to my assignment guidelines).

I would, of course, start my assignment early enough so that I would have time to revise and edit. (Revision is important, so make sure you leave enough time to revise and edit your speech too.)

Be Persuasive and Appeal to Your Audience

As you write your persuasive speech, remember that you’re trying to convince your audience, so you need to think about who makes up your audience and what they believe.

Think about writing a persuasive speech as being like creating an ad campaign.

If you were advertising casual tennis shoes to teens, you’d have to think about what matters to them. Teens want style. While cost can play a factor, for the most part, as long as the shoe is trendy, you’ve appealed to their basic requirement.

Now think about creating an ad campaign for casual tennis shoes for older adults. While style may play a role, older adults are more concerned with cost, durability, and comfort. If you can convince older adults that a tennis shoe is comfortable, you’ve hooked them. Even if your shoe is a little more expensive, they’ll be willing to hand over their hard-earned cash in exchange for some comfy kicks.

See how using the right language and the right type of appeal (such as ethos, pathos, or logos) is necessary in order to convince your audience?

How to appeal to your specific audience

Given the above, it’s important to keep your audience in mind and think about what matters to them as you draft your speech.

For instance, if you’re trying to convince your teacher and classmates, consider how you can appeal to a general audience.

If your teacher has assigned an audience for your speech, you may have to pretend you’re speaking to parents, teens, or members of the school board (and thus consider what types of arguments you’ll use to convince them).

If your teacher allows some flexibility with your speech, you might choose your own audience. For example, if you’re writing about aliens, you could ask the class to pretend they’re aliens and try to convince them to take you to their home planet.

The takeaway: Know your audience. If you know how they think and what they believe, you’ll be able to appeal to them and be more convincing.

Additional Resources to Help You Write a Persuasive Speech

If you have a pretty good sense of what you want to write about and how you’ll put your speech together but are still looking for a little more help, check out these additional resources:

• How to Control the Tone of an Essay
• 20 Ways to Improve Your Academic Writing
• 10 Essay Writing Rules to Throw Out the Window

If you’d like to read an example or two of a persuasive speech before you get to work on your own, check out these speeches from our library:

• A Persuasive Speech on Pitbulls As a Non-Violent Breed of Dog
• A Persuasive Speech on Limiting the Production and Use of Plastic

One final piece of wisdom regarding speeches: Take a few deep breaths, and relax.

We all get nervous speaking in front of people (especially when our grade depends on it), but being prepared before you step foot behind the podium can make the entire process of delivering your speech a little less stressful.

Want to make sure your speech is in tip-top shape before you put yourself out there? Let the editors at Kibin help. While we can’t necessarily help you calm your nerves in front of an audience, we can help you prepare a terrific speech (on just about anything).

Live long and prosper.

Would free passes seal the deal?

If you’re a big fan of waterparks, you’d probably jump at the chance for free passes. Those of you who aren’t fans might not be so easily convinced. I’d have to work much harder to persuade you to spend a day at the park.

While my ability to convince you to visit a waterpark could be a fine topic for a persuasive essay, it’s not one of those topics that creates much of an impact in the grand social consciousness of the planet.

So if you’re assigned to (or just want to) write a persuasive essay about a topic that makes an impact, writing about things like why someone should visit a waterpark isn’t going to have quite the effect you’re looking for.

If you’re looking for ideas that might be a little more socially conscious, try one of the 33 persuasive essay ideas below on for size.

But first…

The Persuasive Essay: A Quick Refresher

Before we talk topics, let’s dip our toes in the water, splash around a bit, and pause for a quick persuasive essay refresher.

It’s pretty easy to figure out that the goal of a persuasive essay is to persuade someone.

Like with any writing, though, there are tips and tricks that can help you write a fantastic essay, such as using appeals (like ethos, pathos, and logos) and avoiding logical fallacies.

To learn more about the finer points of the persuasive essay, read these posts:

• What Is a Persuasive Essay, and How Can You Make Yours Good?
• How to Write a Persuasive Essay That’s Convincing
• Persuasive Essay Writing Made Simple (Infographic)

Feeling refreshed? Good. Let’s dive into finding a meaningful topic for your persuasive essay.

33 Persuasive Essay Ideas That Make an Impact

An important component of any essay is the audience. You want to keep your audience in mind as you write and include evidence that will be most convincing to your specific audience.

For instance, if you want to take a day off work, it’s easy to spout off a list of reasons that you deserve a day off. Your friend probably feels the same way about days off, so if you’re trying to persuade her, it won’t take much to make a convincing case.

Convincing your boss (who just happens to be your dad), on the other hand, is an entirely different story. You’ll need to come up with a totally different list of reasons that you need the day off if you want to convince him.

With the importance of audience in mind, I’ve grouped this list of persuasive essay ideas by target audience.

Remember, though: you can easily switch audiences, or you can write about any of the topics for a general audience as well.

For added inspiration, I’ve also linked these persuasive essay ideas to related essays in our essay library.

9 topics to persuade teachers and school administrators

#1: Eliminate gendered dress codes

Many feel that females are dress-coded more frequently than males and are often subjected to stricter dress-code requirements because codes are more apt to mention female attire (such as jewelry, skirts, heels, or low-cut shirts). Persuade school administrators to revise the school dress code to make it equal for everyone.

#2: Improve the school’s recycling program and educate students about recycling

One of the best ways to educate students is to get them involved. Convince school officials that students need to be better informed about the benefits of recycling and need to actively participate in the program.

#3: Offer healthier options for school meals

While pizza, burgers, and chicken nuggets are popular among students, many argue that schools don’t do enough to promote healthy eating. Persuade administrators to include healthier options—such as salads, whole grains, and vegetarian meals—on the menu.

#4: Allow students to use phones in class

If your school allows smartphones but one teacher insists on no phones in class, persuade him or her that having your phone is necessary for safety and explain how it can assist with coursework.

#5: Start school at a later time

Do a little research, and present the administration with clear, authoritative evidence as to why a later start time will benefit students’ health and grades.

#6: Eliminate the requirement of community service

Many feel that required community service is beneficial for both the community and students. However, you might take the opposite approach. You could argue that requiring community service is actually the wrong approach as students volunteer because they’re forced, rather than because they want to help.

#7: Strengthen or eliminate internet filters in high schools

While some internet filters may be necessary for those in elementary and middle school, you might argue that high school students already have access to the internet on their phones or other devices. Thus, internet filters are wasteful and don’t serve their intended purpose of protecting students.

On the other hand, you may argue that stronger filters need to be in place to keep students safe from cyberbullying and to keep them focused on school.

#8: Allow or prohibit guns on school campuses

If your school is considering arming teachers, convince your administration that only armed security or police should carry guns.

If, on the other hand, you believe that additional guns equal additional protection, persuade officials to train teachers and permit them to carry guns.

#9: Offer increased opportunities for bilingual education

Explain the benefits of bilingual education and how it can improve the community and enhance students’ learning experiences to persuade school administrators to offer additional language-learning opportunities.

7 topics to persuade peers

#1: Don’t start vaping

Persuade your friends that vaping is dangerous and can actually lead to people smoking.

#2: Register to vote (and actually vote)

Persuade your friends that one vote really can make a difference. You might even include historical evidence to help explain why voting is their civic duty.

#3: Participate in volunteer activities

Volunteering doesn’t have to feel like required drudgery (like cleaning your room when you were a kid). Convince your friends that helping others can be a rewarding experience.

#4: Suggest a cruelty-free product

If your friend or girlfriend is a makeup diva, explain that animals are used as test subjects for many products and that cruelty-free makeup can be a better alternative.

#5: Enjoy a screen-free day

Persuade your friends that a screen-free day can reduce stress and explain how socializing in person is actually important to our well-being. (Offer examples of what they can do instead of stare at a screen if they’re addicted to their phones.)

#6: Limit social media exposure

Explain how social media can be harmful and can often make people less social to persuade your friends to cut back on their Instagram binges.

#7: Become an organ donor

Though people don’t like to think of the end of their own lives, illustrate how becoming an organ donor can save the lives of eight others.

5 topics to persuade government officials

#1: Argue for a livable wage (increase in minimum wage)

Offer solid evidence to government officials to persuade them that minimum wage must be increased in order for it to be a livable wage.

#2: Offer additional financial aid (and reduce student loan debt)

Explain how loan debt is crushing students and how increased financial aid is necessary to alleviate this burden.

#3: Do more to support renewable energy

Convince local politicians to support proposals to increase funding for renewable energy. (Support your case with articles that illustrate the negative impact of global climate change.)

#4: Regulate prescription drug prices

This would be a good time to bust out your interview skills and present real-life examples of people who are affected by the high cost of prescription drugs. For more accessible health supplements and medicine, check this post explaining how delta 8 is safe.

#5: Improve health care/mental health care for veterans

Here’s another perfect opportunity to conduct interviews to help illustrate the need for improved care for veterans as you can illustrate the problems by sharing veterans’ stories.

7 topics to persuade your community

#1: Develop a community garden

To help convince your audience of the value of a community garden, try comparing and contrasting both the costs and nutritional values of junk food and home-grown vegetables.

#2: Organize community policing

Convince your neighbors that community policing is beneficial for the entire community and can also help improve relations between police and citizens.

#3: Help to deter speeders in your neighborhood

Including solid statistics of how many pedestrians are injured or killed while walking in their own neighborhoods can help people see the dangers of their driving habits.

#4: Start a local clean-up program

Take the time to research other local clean-up programs, and then draft a plan for your own community clean-up day or regular clean-up program. This can go a long way in convincing readers of the viability and importance of a program.

#5: Require childhood vaccinations

Appealing to parents’ love for their children can help convince your audience of the importance of childhood vaccinations. Be careful, though, not to rely entirely on emotional appeals. You’ll also need credible sources to support your claims.

#6: Take steps to prevent cyberbullying

Some parents may not be aware of what their children are doing online. By presenting specific examples of websites, social media sites, and apps that can contribute to bullying, parents can become better educated and take action to prevent cyberbullying.

#7: Offer additional health education programs in the community

You may need to do a little legwork here, but by gathering resources of healthcare providers willing to work with communities, you may be able to convince others to join your cause and establish community-wide health programs.

5 topics to persuade corporations or local businesses

#1: Stop using plastic bags

Persuade a local business to stop using plastic bags. Support your argument with information about pollution, and suggest alternatives to plastic bags.

#2: Improve the working environment to improve workers’ health, happiness, and productivity

You might write this essay directly to your boss (or future boss). Consider what specific aspects of your work environment could be improved, such as equipment, safety, vacation time, dress codes, etc.

#3: Use more locally sourced foods in area restaurants

Convince one or more local restaurants of the benefits of including more locally sourced foods on their menus. Include the contact information of local growers (with their permission, of course) to help persuade restaurant owners.

#4: Provide additional family-leave time

This might be another essay that could be addressed directly to your employer. Your discussion might include not only maternal leave but also paternal leave.

#5: Reduce food waste at local restaurants

Convince restaurant owners that reducing food waste not only saves them money but also helps the planet. (You might also consider providing contact information to local charities who accept fresh food.)

From Essay Ideas to Completed Essay

Found the perfect persuasive essay idea, and ready to call it a day? While you could simply lounge poolside and hope your paper writes itself, the harsh reality is that you’ll need to write the paper sooner or later.

Once you’re ready to put your ideas into an actual essay, take a look at these helpful posts to get you started:

• 6 Prewriting Strategies to Get Your Essay Rolling
• How to Create a Persuasive Essay Outline
• 30 Persuasive Thesis Statement Examples That Are…Persuasive

Worried that your essay isn’t persuasive enough? Thinking that your audience won’t be convinced by your arguments? Get help from a professional editor.

We’re available 24/7 to help you with any step of the writing process.

Stuck on Your Persuasive Essay?

check out these example essays

Yes! Show me examples.

Sometimes it’s a given that you’ll never be able to convince your parents. It’s almost impossible to convince them of any rather pricey endeavors, like building an indoor pool. You might, however, be just good enough to convince them that you need a retro superhero comic book collection for your birthday.

My point here is that, no matter how many times you’ve used your amazing powers of persuasion to convince your parents (or someone else), you already know lots of persuasive techniques.

In order to write persuasively, you simply need to transfer your powers of persuasion into the written word.

So put on your superhero attire, and let’s learn more about persuasive writing techniques.

The Art of Persuasion

Think that persuasive techniques are used only in persuasive essays? Think again.

When you write a persuasive essay, the entire point is to convince your audience. But persuasive techniques appear in all types of writing, including cover letters, business proposals, advertising, op-eds, and other types of essays (think argumentative essays, opinion essays, and often literary analysis essays).

Persuasive writing techniques even appear in those emails you send to your prof when you need to score some extra credit to improve your grade.

See? Persuasive writing is everywhere. Persuasive techniques are important tools, whether you’re trying to convince an employer to hire you or your prof to give you a chance to improve your grade.

Now that you’re (hopefully) convinced that persuasion is an important technique in many forms of writing, let’s hone your superpowers of persuasion and look at a few specific techniques to help make your writing more convincing.

Persuasive Techniques to Make Your Writing More Convincing

Even if you have the powers of persuasion at your fingertips at all times, it’s always good to have a few more techniques in your arsenal. You know, just in case you have to fight off an evil villain with a few clever and persuasive words (or in case you need to persuade a particularly hard-to-impress professor.)

Appeals

Superman always sought to appeal to truth and justice, and you can too. But you might also choose to appeal to emotion or logic to help make your case.

Be careful, though, because not all appeals are appropriate for all types of writing.

For instance, if you’re writing an argumentative essay about pesticides harming the environment, your goal is to present reasoned, logical arguments to support your stance. In other words, don’t paint a picture of dying trees, a land without butterflies, a world with no more bees, and a crying child who can no longer enjoy nature. This type of emotional appeal is way over the top for the context.

Instead, write a factual, logical argument about the implications of the declining numbers of butterflies and bees. Use evidence from sources to explain the causes (and maybe even solutions) of their declining numbers.

Save emotional appeals for narrative essays, opinion pieces, or maybe advertising campaigns for soup.

Want to learn more about appeals? Go read Ethos Pathos and Logos: Be More Persuasive in Your Next Essay.

Connotation

When you define a word, you can define it by its literal or dictionary definition (called denotation), or you can define a word by its implied or cultural definition (called connotation).

Denotation: The word “house” can be defined as “a building for human habitation.”

Connotation: Think about other words that mean a place where people live: shack, home, mansion, crib, or residence. While all of these could fit the dictionary definition of “house,” they imply different meanings.

For example, you wouldn’t find legal documents that use the word “crib” to describe someone’s residence to be very persuasive. And you wouldn’t use the word “shack” to describe a friend’s house (unless, of course, you wanted to offend your friend).

Words are powerful. Choosing the right word for the right situation can make all the difference in building up your credibility and persuading your readers.

Counterarguments

Counterarguments strengthen your own argument. By acknowledging another point of view, you give yourself an opportunity to refute opposing claims and thus be more likely to convince your audience.

Learn more about counterarguments by reading What Is A Counterargument in an Argumentative Essay?

You can also learn how to refute arguments by reading What Is a Rebuttal, and How Do You Write an Effective One?

Metaphors and similes

Metaphors and similes: they’re not just for literary analysis essays.

Drawing comparisons can create powerful images to help your audience see things in a different light.

Consider this example: Let’s say you write a descriptive essay in which you simply write that your mom does a lot during the day. You could list any number of different tasks to illustrate what she does. But if you use a metaphor or simile, you can create a more vivid picture.

Instead of just listing what your mom does, compare her to a superhero who is able to tackle everything, from taking care of children to managing her karate studio.

The superhero comparison brings to mind someone who is strong, powerful, and invincible, right? So by using a metaphor or simile, you make it easier for your audience to see why Mom is so amazing.

Rhetorical questions

If you ask a rhetorical question, you’re not actually hoping for an answer. You’re asking a question that has a fairly obvious answer. Thus, you can use this persuasive technique to lead an audience to a specific conclusion.

For instance, if you’re arguing for better security on campus, you might write something like this: “Increased security would create a safer campus. Isn’t this what every student wants?”

By asking this rhetorical question, you’re assuming that everyone wants a safe environment, yet you’re leading readers to further consider the topic and relate to it on a personal level.

Storytelling

When you think of storytelling, you probably think of narrative essays. If you’re not writing a narrative essay, it can be hard to imagine telling a story smack in the middle of, say, an argument essay, but it’s actually the perfect place to tell a story.

In most cases, if you’re writing a research paper, you won’t include your own personal stories. But that doesn’t mean you can’t tell someone else’s story.

Here’s what I mean. Imagine writing a research paper about the need for art and other creative programs for children. If you write a basic description of how art classes can spur creativity in young children and bolster confidence, it gets the point across, but now imagine telling a story within that description.

Imagine writing about a program at a local school and telling the story of a young, shy boy who wouldn’t talk to anyone and had trouble making friends.

When he was introduced to art and theater class, his entire demeanor changed. Suddenly, he was able to express himself through painting and was more than willing to play Superman in the class play. He even became friends with a boy who loved Superman just as much as he did.

This example of storytelling is persuasive because it uses an emotional appeal and helps readers make a connection with the story of another person. That furthers your goal of helping readers understand the importance of art and other creative programs in schools.

It is, of course, important that you carefully choose your stories. Don’t just make up hypothetical stories because they’ll sound persuasive. Use actual stories from personal interviews or from a credible research source to help persuade your audience.

Convinced?

Hopefully, I’ve successfully used my own powers of persuasion to persuade you that using persuasive techniques can improve your writing and make it more convincing.

Looking for additional help honing your essay skills? Check out these posts to help you improve your writing even more:

• 15 Rhetorical Devices That Will Spice Up Your Essays
• The Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Word Choice for Your Essay

In need of a quick persuasion refresher? Check out these helpful posts:

• Persuasive Essay Writing Made Simple (Infographic)
• How to Write a Persuasive Essay That’s Convincing
• How to Create a Persuasive Essay Outline

For an example (or two) of persuasive techniques in action, read The Problem of Student College Debt and Proposed Solutions and The Various Ways in Which Advertisement Targets Consumers.

Have you tried out a few persuasive techniques but still aren’t sure that your writing is convincing? Get the professional opinion of a Kibin editor.

Global climate change has been debated for many years.

Do you think this is a persuasive thesis statement? (HINT: Say “no”!)    

• NO: The thesis statement is a fact. It is not persuasive and not debatable.

If you answered “yes” and felt the thesis was persuasive, or if you answered “no” but couldn’t explain why the thesis isn’t effective, you might want to take time to review the basics of a thesis statement.

If you answered “no” and understand exactly why the above thesis isn’t persuasive, it’s probably a good idea to review thesis statements anyway. (After all, a little review never hurt anyone, right?)

If you just need a brief refresher on the finer points of a thesis statement, here are a few quick facts:

30 Persuasive Thesis Statement Examples

Now that you’ve reviewed thesis statement basics, let’s look at the examples. In this post, I’ve provided 30 persuasive essay topics and corresponding persuasive thesis statement examples.

I’ve also included links to example essays to provide a bit of writing inspiration. (If you’d like to see the information in table format, click the link at the end of this list.)

As you review these topics and persuasive thesis statement examples, keep this in mind: when you’re writing a persuasive essay, your thesis statement should attempt to convince your audience of your point of view.

Trying to persuade? Your thesis statement should convince your audience of your point of view.
Click To Tweet

In other words, it needs to be debatable. So as you write your own thesis statement, consider your stance on the subject and how you might craft a thesis statement that’s appropriate for your own essay.

Now on to those 30 persuasive thesis statement examples I promised!

1. Is a college education necessary?

A college education is not the right choice for everyone, as many students graduate with a large amount of student debt and limited job opportunities.

2. Does Facebook (or other forms of social media) create isolation?

College students who overuse Facebook may have interactive online lives, but in reality, they are more isolated than ever because they are missing out on true face-to-face interaction with their peers.

3. Should guns be permitted on college campuses?

Guns should not be permitted on college campuses due to the increased likelihood of violence and criminal activity.

4. Do kids benefit if everyone on the team receives a trophy?

Handing out trophies to everyone on a team has created a generation of children who feel entitled.

5. Is society too dependent on technology?

Due to increasing over-dependence on technology, many people struggle to think for themselves.

6. Should all high school students be required to complete parenting classes?

In order to both educate teens about life as a parent and to help prevent teenage pregnancy, high school students should be required to complete parenting classes.

7. Does the school day start too early?

Starting the school day at a later time will help increase students’ attentiveness because they will get more sleep and be more alert and focused in class.

8. Should the minimum wage be increased?

With the cost of living continually rising, minimum wage must be raised to help workers out of poverty.

9. Should elementary schools teach cursive handwriting?

Though many elementary schools no longer teach cursive handwriting, it is still an essential form of communication that should be taught in schools.

10. Should childhood vaccinations be mandatory?

Childhood vaccinations should be mandatory, as they are safe, reduce the risk of illness, and protect other people from contagious diseases.

11. Are security cameras an invasion of privacy?

Though security cameras are a necessary and valued part of society, strict regulations need to be mandated in order to maintain citizens’ rights to privacy.

12. Should citizens be allowed to keep exotic pets?

People should not be allowed to keep exotic pets, as it is unhealthy for the animal, dangerous for the owner, and dangerous for the community.

13. Should a relaxed dress code be allowed in the workplace?

A relaxed dress code is not appropriate in many business offices because it creates a relaxed and casual atmosphere that may cause customers to lose confidence in the business.

14. Is it ethical to sentence juveniles as adults?

Adolescents’ brains are not fully developed, and they are not yet capable of making adult decisions; thus, adolescents should not be sentenced as adults.

15. Should corporations be allowed to advertise in schools?  

Advertising should not be allowed in public schools as it perpetuates a perceived importance on materialism.

16. Should public transportation be free for all residents of a city?

Free public transportation is a key step in reducing unemployment rates.

17. Is professional football too dangerous for players?

Due to recent discoveries about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the rules of professional football need to change in order to protect players’ health.

18. Should minors be allowed to get tattoos (if they have parental permission)?

Even with parental permission, minors should not be allowed to get tattoos, as minors are likely to later regret the choice as adults.

19. Should fracking be banned?

Due to the environmental damage it causes, fracking should be banned.

20. Should a college education be free for everyone?

Though some argue that free college education will increase graduation rates, in actuality, free tuition will have little impact on the present rates of graduation.

21. Should all violence be banned from children’s programming?

Evidence indicates that children mimic and internalize television programming, and because viewing violence can affect their emotional health, children’s programming should not contain any form of violence.

22. Should the paparazzi be required to give celebrities some amount of privacy?

Though the paparazzi should be allowed to photograph celebrities in public places, they should respect the right of celebrities not to be filmed on private property.

23. Does the US welfare system need to be reformed?

Due to the rampant abuse of welfare benefits by recipients, welfare needs to be reformed to create temporary, rather than permanent, assistance programs for those in need.

24. Should bilingual education be implemented in more schools across the US?

In order to help children learn English yet value their native languages, bilingual education should be implemented in schools across the United States.

25. Should students be required to volunteer in their communities in order to graduate from high school?

Though some students claim they do not have time to volunteer, being a volunteer teaches students compassion, empathy, and the importance of civic engagement, and should be required for high school graduation.

26. Is the fast food industry to blame for childhood obesity?

Though fast food is often high in calories and low in nutritional content, people cannot blame obesity on the fast food industry; individuals must be responsible for their own diets.

27. Can schools prevent cyber bullying?

Even though schools can educate children and regulate technology within the school, children and teens have access to technology outside of the classroom, making it almost impossible for the education system to truly stop cyber bullying.

28. Is an online education as good as a traditional education?

An online education is just as valuable as a traditional education, as online courses include the same content as traditional classes and have the added advantage of teaching students the importance of time management.

29. Should stem cell research be permitted?

Because of the enormous potential to both treat disease and save lives, embryonic stem cell research should not only be permitted but should also receive additional funding.

30. Should pet stores be required to sell rescue animals?

In order to stop the inhumane practices of breeders and reduce overcrowding in animal shelters, pet stores should be required to sell cats and dogs from adoption centers or shelters.

Click here to download this list of persuasive thesis statements as a PDF table.

Time to Write!

You’ve reviewed thesis statements. You’ve reviewed persuasive essays and persuasive essay topics. You’ve even reviewed persuasive thesis statement examples (and maybe even read some additional thesis examples).

Now the only things left are to choose your topic, craft your thesis, and begin prewriting and drafting.

If you need additional thesis statement help before you begin writing, check out these resources:

• How to Make a Thesis Statement the Easy Way (Infographic)
• 5 Tips for Writing an Effective Thesis Statement
• How to Write an Effective Thesis Statement (video)

Remember: Kibin editors are always willing to review your paper (and your thesis statement).

Stuck On Your Essay?

Try the Thesis Statement Builder

Try it now. It's free!

Are you asking, “What’s in it for me?”

What if I promised that by reading this you’ll learn more about how to write an effective persuasive essay?

What if I promised that by reading this you’ll learn 40 persuasive essay topics to help you get started writing your persuasive essay—and that you’ll even learn some tips about how to choose a persuasive essay topic?

If you’re still reading, then I’ve achieved my goal. I’ve written a persuasive opening. And if you’re assigned to write a persuasive essay, you should definitely keep reading, as you can find solutions to manage stress for this, like the use of CBD vape carts which are great to feel better and more relax while you work.

The Persuasive Essay Defined

The goal of a persuasive essay is to convince readers.

The goal of a persuasive essay is to convince readers.
Click To Tweet

When writing the essay, you’ll first need to state your own opinion, then develop evidence to support that opinion.

These reasons and examples (evidence) should convince readers to believe your argument.

I know this quick definition gives you the basics, but you should know more about persuasive writing before you attempt to write your own essay.

It may seem tempting to skip past the additional information and go directly to the list of persuasive essay topics. But don’t do it.

Take the time now to read more about persuasive writing. (It’s all about persuasion. Are you clicking the links below yet?)

• Persuasive Essay Writing Made Simple (Infographic)
• How to Create a Persuasive Essay Outline
• What Is a Persuasive Essay and How Can You Make Yours Good?

I’ll trust that I’ve persuaded you to read all three of the above articles. And now that you know how to write a persuasive essay, here are 40 persuasive essay topics to help you get started.

40 Persuasive Essay Topics to Help You Get Started

1. Does Facebook (or other forms of social media) create isolation?

Facebook lets people stay connected and meet new friends, yet some argue people spend so much time on social media that they lose contact with real life and may even become addicted.

2. Should guns be permitted on college campuses?  

With recent school massacres permeating the news, people feel as though they should be able to protect themselves by carrying guns in all public spaces. Others, however, feel as though allowing guns on campuses will only increase crime and the death toll.

3. Do kids benefit if everyone on the team receives a trophy?

If everyone on the team receives a trophy (even for participation), kids may feel like part of the team and feel as though their efforts matter. Others believe handing out trophies to all kids on the team simply makes them feel entitled.

4. Is society too dependent on technology?  

Technology creates great opportunities, yet some feel people can no longer function without a smartphone by their sides at all times.

5. Should all high school students be required to complete parenting classes?

Parents often believe sexuality, family planning, and parenting should be taught at home. But many don’t believe parents sufficiently educate their children about these topics and feel the school should provide teens with training for adulthood and require parenting classes.

6. Does the school day start too early?

While some simply say kids should go to bed earlier in order to be alert during the school day, others argue teens require more sleep and need to sleep later to function properly.

7. Should the minimum wage be increased?

Many business owners argue that raising the minimum wage would only cause hardship and cause them to raise their prices. But many workers argue raising the minimum wage is necessary to help low-income workers dig out of poverty.

8. Should elementary schools teach handwriting?

If no one knows how to write or read cursive handwriting, the form of communication will be lost, some believe. Others, however, believe handwriting is antiquated, and kids would be better served learning keyboarding.

9. Should childhood vaccinations be mandatory?

Though vaccinations can prevent a number of childhood illnesses, some believe mandatory vaccination violates individual rights and can actually do more harm than good.

10. Are security cameras an invasion of privacy?

Security cameras are in place to protect both businesses and the general public. But some argue cameras have gone too far and actually invade privacy because people are constantly under surveillance.

11. Should citizens be allowed to keep exotic pets?

People feel they should be allowed to keep exotic pets as they are capable of caring for the animals. They feel it is their right to keep such pets. However, others feel keeping such pets creates a danger to other people and is harmful to the animals.

12. Should a relaxed dress code be allowed in the workplace?

Some argue that a more relaxed dress code has created more relaxed and less productive workers. Others argue the more relaxed dress code creates a more casual, friendly, and creative workplace.

13. Is it ethical to sentence juveniles as adults?

The old cliche is, “If you do the crime, you should do the time.” But many believe it isn’t ethical to charge a juvenile as an adult as a child’s brain isn’t yet fully developed.

14. Should corporations be allowed to advertise in schools?

Some think schools should embrace corporate advertising as budgets are very limited. But others believe kids shouldn’t be bombarded with corporate persuasion. Instead, they think kids should focus on learning.

15. Should public transportation be free for all residents of a city?

While some say free public transportation would help the environment and reduce traffic, others think free public transportation is too expensive. They argue that the government can’t afford to pay for it.

16. Is professional football too dangerous for players?

Because of recent discoveries about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), many believe football is too dangerous and that rules need to change. Those on the other side of the argument believe football players know the risks and thus should be allowed to play.

17. Should minors be allowed to get tattoos (if they have parental permission)?

Some feel parents should be allowed to give permission for their minor children to get tattoos as they are making the decision for their own children. On the other hand, because tattoos are essentially permanent, some feel only adults should be able to get tattoos.

18. Should fracking be banned?  

Some people argue fracking is an effective way to extract natural gas, but others argue it is too dangerous and is harmful to the environment.

19. Should a college education be free for everyone?  

Some people believe education is a right and will make society, on the whole, a better place for everyone. But others feel there is no true way to offer a free college education as colleges would still need to be funded (likely through tax dollars).

20. Should the US assist developing countries with immunization efforts?

Immunizations have been critical to eradicating diseases such as polio and measles in the United States, so some argue that it’s important to distribute immunizations to developing countries where people are still dying from these types of diseases. Others may argue that this type of effort would be too costly or ineffective.

21. Does corporal punishment help children?

If you’ve ever been spanked by your parents, I’m sure you weren’t in favor of corporal punishment. But does it actually help discipline children, or does it promote violence?

22. Does the welfare system need to be revised?

There are many people who clearly need the additional assistance welfare services provide. There are others, however, who take advantage of the system. Because of this, many feel the program should be revised to create alternate or stricter requirements.

23. Is learning a skilled trade more valuable than earning a college degree?

Many companies state they have numerous job openings but cannot find skilled employees. Given the current economy, some feel that it may be more advantageous for people to learn a trade.

24. Should cigarettes be illegal?

Given the trend of legalizing marijuana, it seems that it would be impossible to ban cigarettes, but some believe that cigarettes should be illegal because of the health risks they pose which is also one of the reasons people now use cbd vape cartridges.

25. Should organ donors be financially compensated?

While some feel that people should donate their organs on a strictly volunteer basis, others argue that donations would increase if people were financially compensated.

26. Do laws promote racial discrimination?

Justice is supposed to be blind, though many argue that laws are designed to discriminate against minorities.

27. Do dual-parent households benefit children more than single-parent households?

A dual-parent household may have an advantage of a higher household income and the benefit of one parent who may able to spend more time with children. But many argue that a high income alone doesn’t make a happy home and that quality time spent with children is far more important than simply being present.

28. Is it acceptable for parents to lie to their children?

Most people would probably agree that the small lies parents tell their children in order to protect them or motivate them are harmless (and perhaps even helpful). But others feel that, if parents lie, they are only teaching their children to lie.

29. Are teens unfairly stereotyped?

Teens are often stereotyped as lazy and entitled. Specific groups of teens, such as skaters, are often seen as criminals and addicts. Are these classifications true, or are they unfair stereotypes?

30. Is reality television actually real?

Reality TV is supposed to follow the lives of real people. But are the shows scripted or staged to create more drama?

31. Does illegal immigration harm the U.S. economy?

While some feel that even illegal immigrants contribute to the economy through spending their wages in local economies, others feel that they don’t pay their fair share of taxes, which harms the economy.

32. Should high schools distribute birth control?

Though some claim that the distribution of birth control encourages sexual behavior, others claim that it actually protects teens who are already sexually active.

33.

36. Should colleges and universities do more to help incoming freshman transition to college life?

Though most colleges offer orientation programs, many students feel that the college itself does not do enough to prepare them for the realities of college life.

37. Has the No Child Left Behind Act helped students?

The No Child Left Behind Act was designed to help all students succeed, but many people believe that it has been an unsuccessful program.

38. Should team names deemed to be offensive be banned?

Some feel that team names such as “Redskins” or “Chiefs” are racially insensitive and are racial slurs. However, others argue that these names are steeped in tradition and should not be banned.

39. Fast-food meals are high in calories and are often not as healthy as other options.

Thus, these restaurants are to blame for increased obesity rates. Others argue that it’s the individual’s responsibility to consume these foods in moderation and that society cannot blame fast-food restaurants for obesity rates.

40. Do modern gender roles harm women?

Though women are generally no longer expected to be stay-at-home moms, many argue that gender roles today continue to harm women. Some argue that media continues to sexualize women and thus perpetuates the classic gender roles of males being dominant over females.

Dos and Don’ts of Choosing Persuasive Essay Topics

After reading this list, I’m sure at least a few topics appeal to you. But how do you know which one of these great ideas to choose for your own paper?  Here are a few tips.

Do choose a topic that:

• You care about. It’s easier to write about something that interests you.
• Other people care about too. Why would you write about a topic that no one cares about?
• You are willing to examine from multiple viewpoints. Looking at both sides of the issue shows that you’re educated about your topic.
• You can research effectively in the allotted time. If  you can’t find enough evidence to support your viewpoint, you might need to switch topics.

Don’t choose a topic that:

• You don’t care about. If you don’t care about the topic, it will be difficult to persuade others.
• You are extremely passionate about. While passion is important, if you’re so passionate about the topic that you aren’t willing to learn new information or see additional viewpoints, it will be difficult to write an effective paper.
• Can’t be researched effectively. In other words, don’t try to research a topic like the meaning of the universe or why people usually wear matching socks.

In Summary

In this blog post, you’ve learned how to write a persuasive essay, examined a variety of persuasive essay topics, and learned the dos and don’ts of selecting and narrowing a topic.

So what are you waiting for? Start researching, and start writing!

What? None of these topics are working for you? Try this list of 15 topics or these additional 15 topics.

Need a few pointers to get started with research? Check out 5 Best Resources to Help With Writing a Research Paper and How to Write a Research Paper: A Step-by-Step Guide.

Looking for even more help? I recommend reading this study guide about persuasive and argumentative essays.

Want to make sure you’re writing is convincing? Why not have one of our Kibin editors review your paper?

Stuck on Your Persuasive Essay?

check out these example essays

Yes! Show me examples.

Add up the number of hours you spend each week on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and other social media sites.

Now add to that the number of hours each week you spend surfing the web, playing video games, or completing some other online task on your laptop, tablet, or phone.

Are you afraid to add up all those hours because your answer might be, “More hours than I’d ever care to admit”? If so, you’re not alone. Many people seem to be addicted to tech. Others, however, say that technology addiction isn’t a real addiction.

It’s a rather recent but ongoing debate. And because it’s such a relevant and debatable topic, technology addiction makes a fine topic for a persuasive essay.

Now that you’ve chosen to write about technology addiction, it’s time to do your research! This post contains 20 technology addiction articles to support your persuasive essay.

Choosing the Right Technology Addiction Articles to Support Your Persuasive Essay

Finding articles to support your persuasive essay is easy. Finding the right articles to support your persuasive essay is a bit more challenging.

It can be tempting to simply use the first five results from your “technology addiction” Google search, but the first few sources in a list of search results aren’t always the best.

The top five results may be good sources, but you don’t know until you take the time to evaluate them. Read How to Apply the CRAAP Test to Your Essay Sources to learn how to tell whether a source is credible and appropriate for your persuasive essay.

Still looking for a source of inspiration for your technology addiction persuasive paper? Keep reading!

20 Technology Addiction Articles to Support Your Persuasive Essay

I’ve included a summary of each article and MLA 8 and APA citations you can use on your Works Cited or References page, respectively. (Don’t forget to cite articles using in-text citations too!)

I’ve also included links to a few example essays so that you can see what other writers have written about the topic.

Are We Addicted to Technology?

1. Are You Addicted to Technology?

This article provides a broad overview of varied forms of technology addiction, how people become addicted, and how people might treat an addiction to technology.

This article is published on the website Everyday Health, which is certified by Health on the Net (HON), a nonprofit Swiss organization that reviews online medical information.

Because the article is not only reviewed by an MD but also certified by HON, the information can be considered credible.

MLA 8 Citation

Scott, Jennifer A. “Are You Addicted to Technology?” EverydayHealth.com, 9 Oct. 2014, www.everydayhealth.com/news/are-you-addicted-technology/.

APA Citation

Scott, J. A. (2014). Are you addicted to technology? Retrieved from http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/are-you-addicted-technology/

2. Technology Addiction Test

If you’re not sure if you’re addicted to technology, you can take this quick 10-question quiz to assess your technology use and possible addiction.

This quiz is useful not only to see if you’re addicted to technology but also to possibly inspire you to conduct your own original research about technology addiction to support your persuasive essay.

Learn more about writing survey questions by reading How to Write Perfect Survey Questions for Your Paper.

MLA 8 Citation

“Technology Addiction Test.” Nightingale Hospital, www.nightingalehospital.co.uk/test/technology-addiction-test/.

APA Citation

Technology addiction test. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nightingalehospital.co.uk/test/technology-addiction-test/

3. Late-Night Screen Time Puts Teens’ Sleep and Mental Health at Risk

Approximately 50% of teens report being addicted to their smartphones and end up putting their mental health at risk due to excessive use of technology.

This article, published by CBS News, suggests that parents teach children good technology habits and lead by example to help children establish technology boundaries.

MLA 8 Citation

“Late-night Screen Time Puts Teens’ Sleep and Mental Health at Risk.” CBS News, 3 July 2017, www.cbsnews.com/news/late-night-cell-phone-screen-time-teens-mental-health-sleep/.

APA Citation

Late-night screen time puts teens’ sleep and mental health at rIsk. (2017). Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/late-night-cell-phone-screen-time-teens-mental-health-sleep/

4. Hooked on Your Phone?

Published by the well-respected CBS News and a 60 Minutes broadcast, this article and corresponding video discuss people’s addictions to cellphones and the anxiety they feel when they’re away from their phones.

Reporter Anderson Cooper also examines his own cellphone use.

Check out the example essay, The Factors Contributing to the Addiction to Technology to read more about why some people may become addicted to technology.

MLA 8 Citation

McCandless, Brit. “Hooked on Your Phone?” CBS News, 11 June 2017, www.cbsnews.com/news/hooked-on-phones/.

APA Citation

McCandless, B. (2017). Hooked on your phone? Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hooked-on-phones/

A relevant and debatable topic, technology addiction is the perfect topic for a persuasive essay.
Click To Tweet

5. What Does It Mean to Have a Technology or Video Game Addiction?

Contained in this Healthline article are several sections to help readers identify and define technology addiction (and different types of tech addiction). It also includes a list of symptoms of tech addiction and ways to treat addiction.

The end of the article includes a variety of resources for those suffering from addiction. If you’re writing an essay to try to persuade someone to break an addiction, including some of these resources might prove to be a key point of your paper.

Note: When you’re analyzing a source to determine whether it’s appropriate for your paper, always check to see if the article cites its sources. This article increases its credibility by including a list of resources.

Healthline also uses a professional medical review board to review all articles for accuracy, which gives the site’s content even more credibility.

MLA 8 Citation

“What Does It Mean to Have a Technology or Video Game Addiction?” Healthline, www.healthline.com/health/addiction/gaming-and-technology#overview1.

APA Citation

What does it mean to have a technology or video game addiction? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.healthline.com/health/addiction/gaming-and-technology#overview1

Stuck on Your Persuasive Essay?

Check out these example persuasive essays.

Yes! Show me examples.

6. Is Internet Addiction a Real Thing?

This article provides an overview of Marc Potenza’s work on Internet addiction.

Potenza, a psychiatrist at Yale and the director of the school’s Program for Research on Impulsivity and Impulse Control Disorders, has studied and treated various forms of addiction for over 20 years.

MLA 8 Citation

Konnikova, Maria. “Is Internet Addiction a Real Thing?” The New Yorker,  Condé Nast, 26 Nov. 2014, www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/internet-addiction-real-thing.

APA Citation

Konnikova, M. (2014, November 26). Is Internet addiction a real thing? The New Yorker. Retrieved from http://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/internet-addiction-real-thing

7. What Is “Brain Hacking”? Tech Insiders on Why You Should Care

In this 60 Minutes transcript, Anderson Cooper interviews a former Google project manager who explains the ways in which companies design technology to keep people addicted to their phones.

MLA 8 Citation

Cooper, Anderson. “What Is ‘Brain Hacking’? Tech Insiders on Why You Should Care.” CBS News, 9 April 2017, www.cbsnews.com/news/brain-hacking-tech-insiders-60-minutes/.

APA Citation

Cooper, A. (2017). What is “brain hacking”? Tech insiders on why you should care. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/brain-hacking-tech-insiders-60-minutes/

The Evidence and Cost of Technology Addiction

8. Confessions of a Technology Addict

This article reports the results of a study of 200 University of Maryland students who were asked to abstain from social media for 24 hours. Students reported feeling isolated and as though the situation was unbearable. They also admitted to being addicted to their devices.

The author also alludes to his own technology addictions and suggests that people take a break from technology to actually enjoy the world for awhile (sans screens).

Interested in other ways in which people are affected by excessive use of technology? Check out this example paper about Internet addiction.

MLA 8 Citation

Kinchlow, Caleb. “Confessions of a Technology Addict.” HuffPost, 5 July 2016, www.huffingtonpost.com/caleb-kinchlow/confessions-of-a-technolo_b_10823314.html.

APA Citation

Kinchlow, C. (2016). Confessions of a technology addict. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/caleb-kinchlow/confessions-of-a-technolo_b_10823314.html

9. We’re Losing a Whole Generation of Young Men to Video Games

If you’ve ever participated in a marathon gaming session, you might be able relate to this timely New York Post article. It examines excessive video game playing, how it turns into addiction, and how it can have detrimental effects on people’s careers and personal lives.

MLA 8 Citation

Smith, Kyle. “We’re Losing a Whole Generation of Young Men to Video Games.” New York Post, NYP Holdings, 8 July 2017,  www.nypost.com/2017/07/08/were-losing-a-whole-generation-of-young-men-to-video-games/amp/.

APA Citation

Smith, K. (2017, July 8). We’re losing a whole generation of young men to video games. New York Post. Retrieved from http:/www.nypost.com/2017/07/08/were-losing-a-whole-generation-of-young-men-to-video-games/amp/

10. Our Addiction to Technology Is Like A Drug High—But We Can Fix It

Writer Travis Murdock states, “We are a nation of ‘digiholics,’ and the chaos and confusion that have permeated our lives as a result of our technology addiction is debilitating and disruptive to our professional and personal well-being.”

Murdock also states that businesses lose productivity due to distracted workers and that people experience what amounts to drug highs through constant technology interaction.

This article offers several suggestions to help people “detox” from technology and interact in healthier ways (both on- and offline).

Read the example essay The Negative Effects of Information Overload in Humans to learn more about how people are affected by technology overload.

MLA 8 Citation

Murdock, Travis. “Our Addiction to Technology Is Like A Drug High—But We Can Fix It.” Business Insider, 13 April 2016, www.businessinsider.com/the-cost-of-technology-addiction-2016-4.

APA Citation

Murdock, T. (2016). Our addiction to technology is like a drug high—but we can fix it. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/the-cost-of-technology-addiction-2016-4

11. Excessive Playing of Candy Crush Ruptures Man’s Tendon, Fuels Addiction Concerns

Though brief, this article describes a seemingly clear-cut case of gaming addiction and discusses the case of a 29-year-old man who required surgery on his thumb after he spent 6–8 weeks constantly playing Candy Crush.

The article also includes five warning signs of gaming and Internet addiction.

MLA 8 Citation

Mason, Lacey. “Excessive Playing of Candy Crush Ruptures Man’s Tendon, Fuels Addiction Concerns.” WTOP, 14 April 2015, www.wtop.com/tech/2015/04/excessive-playing-of-candy-crush-ruptures-mans-tendon-fuels-addiction-concerns/.

APA Citation

Mason, L. (2015). Excessive playing of Candy Crush ruptures man’s tendon, fuels addiction concerns. Retrieved from http://www.wtop.com/tech/2015/04/excessive-playing-of-candy-crush-ruptures-mans-tendon-fuels-addiction-concerns/

12. Student “Addiction” to Technology “Similar to Drug Cravings,” Study Finds

Though this article is a bit older, it reports the results of a study of 17- to 23-year-old students where “nearly four in five students had significant mental and physical distress, panic, confusion and extreme isolation when forced to unplug from technology for an entire day.”

Students reported (among other things) feeling depressed, lonely, anxious, and even paranoid. They also struggled to go 24 hours without media.

The article also links to several articles related to technology addiction.

MLA 8 Citation

Hough, Andrew. “Student ‘Addiction’ to Technology ‘Similar to Drug Cravings,’ Study Finds.” The Telegraph, 8 April 2011, www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8436831/Student-addiction-to-technology-similar-to-drug-cravings-study-finds.html.

APA Citation

Hough, A. (2011, April 8). Student “addiction” to technology “similar to drug cravings,” study finds. The Telegraph. Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8436831/Student-addiction-to-technology-similar-to-drug-cravings-study-finds.html

Stuck on Your Persuasive Essay?

Check out these example persuasive essays.

Yes! Show me examples.

13. Tech Expert Sherry Turkle Says Smartphone Addiction Makes Us Want to Talk Less

Turkle argues that people have difficulty being alone with their thoughts due to the constant “always on” of cellphones. She states that people continually check their phones to stay connected with others and often focus more on media than their current surroundings.

Turkle’s research even found that college students often show less empathy as they’re used to communicating digitally rather than face to face.

One student stated (in regard to real conversation), “I’ll tell you what’s wrong with conversation,” he said. “It happens in real time, and you can’t control what you’re going to say. And there’s no app for that.”

MLA 8 Citation

Cho, Janet H. “Tech Expert Sherry Turkle Says Smartphone Addiction Makes Us Want to Talk Less.” Cleveland.com, Advance Ohio, 16 March 2015, www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2015/04/how_smartphones_make _us_flee_from_conversations_and_want_to_talk_less_according_to _technology_expert_sherry_turkle.html.

APA Citation

Cho, J. H. (2015). Tech expert Sherry Turkle says smartphone addiction makes us want to talk less. Retrieved from http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2015/04/how_smartphones _make_us_flee_from_conversations_and_want_to_talk_less _according_to_technology_expert_sherry_turkle.html

14. Digital Addiction: The Social Cost of Constant Mobile Connection

This article reports that people feel excitement and anticipation when checking digital communications. It also warns that this behavior can become habit forming, ultimately distracting users from other, more important tasks.

The Irish Times was first published in 1859, and this established news source is still considered a trustworthy newspaper.

MLA 8 Citation

Holden, John. “Digital Addiction: The Social Cost of Constant Mobile Connection.” The Irish Times, 16 April 2015, www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/digital-addiction-the-social-cost-of-constant-mobile-connection-1.2176986.

APA Citation

Holden, J. (2015, April 16). Digital addiction: The social cost of constant mobile connection. The Irish Times. Retrieved from http://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/digital-addiction-the-social-cost-of-constant-mobile-connection-1.2176986

15. We Spend More Time Watching Netflix Than With Our Friends

As the title of this article indicates, people spend more time with streaming media than socializing with people.

According to the article, “A new data analysis suggests we spend more time watching Netflix in a day than we do socializing, exercising and reading combined. The technology website Cord Cutting analyzed reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ American Time Use survey and from Netflix about its user behavior. Among the discoveries: Americans spend, on average, over an hour more per day with the streaming service than doing other leisure activities.”

MLA 8 Citation

Holmes, Lindsay. “We Spend More Time Watching Netflix Than With Our Friends.” HuffPost, 17 May, 2016, www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/netflix-time-use-data_us_573a03bce4b077d4d6f39e4e.

APA Citation

Holmes, L. (2016). We spend more time watching Netflix than with our friends. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/netflix-time-use-data_us_573a03bce4b077d4d6f39e4e

16. Smartphone Addiction

“Nomophobia—fear of being without your smartphone—affects 40% of the population.”

This Psychology Today article reports that many people are almost always within a few feet of their smartphones and feel panic, fear, and other withdrawal symptoms when separated from their phones.

Some individuals seemingly cannot be away from the technology and report using their phones during sex, in the shower, and while driving.

Included in the article are warning signs of smartphone addiction and ways to help break the addiction.

MLA 8 Citation

Archer, Dale. “Smartphone Addiction.” Psychology Today, Sussex, 25 July 2013, www.psychologytoday.com/blog/reading-between-the-headlines/201307/smartphone-addiction.

APA Citation

Archer, D. (2013, July 25). Smartphone addiction [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/reading-between-the-headlines/201307/smartphone-addiction

17. Looking Through the Screen

This article is written by a 17-year-old high school student, so it may not be appropriate if only scholarly research articles are required for your paper.

The article does, however, provide a teen’s perspective on smartphone addiction and, thus, offers a unique insight into the problem.

MLA 8 Citation

Barlas, Meral. “Looking Through the Screen.” HuffPost, 8 Oct. 2014, www.huffingtonpost.com/meral-barlas/technology-addiction_b_5646566.html.

APA Citation

Barlas, M. (2014). Looking through the screen. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/meral-barlas/technology-addiction_b_5646566.html

18. Cellphone Vibration Syndrome and Other Signs of Tech Addiction

This article examines cellphone vibration syndrome (the feeling that your phone is vibrating in your pocket when you haven’t received a text or call). The syndrome is increasingly common, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that anyone who experiences it is a tech addict.

The article uses a Q&A format to examine a variety of concerns about what constitutes addiction to technology and how to lessen technology’s hold on people’s lives.

MLA 8 Citation

Thibodeau, Patrick. “Cellphone Vibration Syndrome and Other Signs of Tech Addiction.” Computerworld, IDG Communications, 24 May 2012, www.computerworld.com/article/2504472/smartphones/cellphone-vibration-syndrome-and-other-signs-of-tech-addiction.html.

APA Citation

Thibodeau, P. (2012). Cellphone vibration syndrome and other signs of tech addiction. Retrieved from  http://www.computerworld.com/article/2504472/smartphones/cellphone-vibration-syndrome-and-other-signs-of-tech-addiction.html

Treating Technology Addiction

19. What Parents Need to Know About Technology Addiction

Published by Common Sense Media, this article highlights key findings of the site’s recent study about technology addiction. Results indicate that almost half of teens polled felt they were addicted to their mobile devices.

The article also explains that excessive use of technology can be harmful and provides parents with tips to help their teens manage technology.

MLA 8 Citation

Robb, Michael. “What Parents Need to Know About Technology Addiction.” Common Sense Media, 2 May 2016, www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/what-parents-need-to-know-about-technology-addiction.

APA Citation

Robb, M. (2016, May 2). What parents need to know about technology addiction [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/what-parents-need-to-know-about-technology-addiction

20. Technology Addiction—Detection, Treatment, and Control

As described in the title, this article offers a list for parents to help them identify whether their child is addicted to technology, suggestions to control technology use, and tips for treatment.

MLA 8 Citation

“Technology Addiction—Detection, Treatment, and Control.” NoBullying.com, 22 Dec. 2015, nobullying.com/technology-addiction-detection-treatment-and-control/.

APA Citation

Technology addiction—detection, treatment, and control. (2015). Retreived from http://nobullying.com/technology-addiction-detection-treatment-and-control/

Looking for Even More Information for Your Technology Addiction Essay?

Even though this is a pretty detailed list of technology addiction articles, you may not find all the information you need for your paper in these 20 sources.

If you’re looking for information that you just can’t find in the sources I’ve included, you’ll need to do more research. I know that sounds dreadful, but you don’t have to leave your desk (or your couch) to do so. That eases the pain of research just a little bit, doesn’t it?

So how do you complete more research from your couch? Read 5 Best Sources to Help with Writing a Research Paper to learn how.

Completed your research but need more help with writing the essay? Take a look at these helpful resources:

• How to Write a Persuasive Essay That’s Convincing
• 2 Persuasive Essay Examples That Pack a Punch
• 6 Prewriting Strategies to Get Your Essay Rolling

Need even more inspiration? Check out these additional example essays on technology addiction.

Use these technology addiction articles, and any other sources you find, and you’ll be on your way to a top-notch persuasive paper.

After you write your persuasive essay, don’t forget to have one of our Kibin editors help you with the finishing touches!

Stuck on Your Persuasive Essay?

check out these example essays

Yes! Show me examples.

The core, or the “guts,” of your essay should come from your own thoughts and views on the issue. To really make an impact, though, you should support your arguments with citations from credible outside sources.

What Makes a Source Credible?

Good question. Credibility (aka “believability”) can come from one of several factors:

• The source is a person or organization that is an authority on the issue. For our purposes, this could be school administrators, educators, psychologists, and so forth.

• The source is an established commentator. This could be a well-known opinion columnist, for example, or a newspaper byline. Such sources don’t have to be experts in a related field so much as having established authority and objectivity in the past.

• The source is someone with direct experience with the issue. This could easily be, for example, someone who has experienced cyber bullying first hand. (Check with your prof on this one, though. He might not accept an interview with your roommate as a credible research source. Your prof is more likely to prefer you summarize someone’s experiences as printed in an already published source.)

• The source is a person or organization that will be directly involved in this issue, now or in the future—for example, law enforcement or legislators.

Still not sure what I mean?  Let me give you some examples of what is not a credible source:

• Random Internet bloggers.
• People with obvious political biases or agendas (even if they’re major media figures).
• People with ulterior motives (thus lacking objectivity).
• Anyone who does not have a demonstrated authority to make credible statements.

Note: It’s acceptable to use non-authoritative sources that are highly persuasive, but it’s sort of like starting a campfire with gasoline. It might work, but it might blow up in your face.

Want a little more help determining whether sources are credible? Read How to Apply the CRAAP Test to Essay Sources.

If you have a pretty good sense of what makes a source credible but aren’t sure where to find credible outside sources, I’ve done a little bit of research for you. Here are 12 cyber bullying articles that you can use in your persuasive essay.

Check out these 12 cyber bullying articles that you can use in your persuasive essay.
Click To Tweet

I’ve also included MLA 8 citations and APA citations for your convenience. (If you’re citing in APA format, remember to change the current date of access to the date you accessed the source, if relevant.)

3 Cyber Bullying Articles on the Definition of Cyber Bullying

So what the heck is cyber bullying? Is it being mean to computers? The following sources are important for establishing your definition of this phenomenon.

Cyber bullying article #1: Cyberbullying

This article not only contains a definition of cyber bullying, but also includes a discussion of its effects, signs of cyber bullying, and tips for parents to help their children who may be suffering from cyber bullying. Additionally, the article links to additional resources for parents, children, and teens.

The information in this article is published by The Nemours Center for Children’s Health Media. It’s part of The Nemours Foundation, “a nonprofit organization created by philanthropist Alfred I. duPont in 1936 and devoted to improving the health of children.”

MLA 8 Citation

“Cyberbullying.” KidsHealth. The Nemours Foundation, 2014, kidshealth.org/en/parents/cyberbullying.html.

APA Citation

Cyberbullying. (2014). Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/en/parents /cyberbullying.html

Stuck On Your Essay?

Check Out These Example Cyber Bullying Essays

Yes! Show Me Examples.

Cyber bullying article #2: What Is Cyberbullying?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides a concise definition of the term: “Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place using electronic technology.”

It goes on to explain exactly what is meant by “electronic technology,” as well as gives a very good overview of the issue, including ideas for action. Much of the government’s concern is that bullying, in general, often involves illegal or criminal behavior. So definitions of such behavior are very important.

MLA 8 Citation

“What Is Cyberbullying.” StopBullying.gov. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/what-is-it/.

APA Citation

What is cyberbullying. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.stopbullying.gov /cyberbullying/what-is-it/

Cyber bullying article #3: What Is Cyberbullying?

This article, published by the National Crime Prevention Council, defines cyber bullying, discusses the effects of cyber bullying, and offers resources for parents and teens.

MLA 8 Citation

“What Is Cyberbullying?” National Crime Prevention Council, www.ncpc.org/topics/cyberbullying/what-is-cyberbullying.

APA Citation

What is cyberbullying? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ncpc.org/topics /cyberbullying/what-is-cyberbullying

3 Cyber Bullying Articles on Why People Cyber Bully

The reason it’s so important to understand the causes of cyber bullying in writing your persuasive essay is that you will need to decide whether to recommend treating its causes or its effects.

For instance, do you recommend counseling for potential bullies or for their eventual victims? Do you recommend social sanctions or punishment? The following articles will help you answer these questions.

Cyber bullying article #4: 8 Reasons Why Kids Cyberbully Others

The author, Sherri Gordon, gives a succinct list of reasons that cyber bullying takes place. Most noticeable is that the person who bullies others is trying to fit in.

Ever since our caveman days, bullying has reinforced one’s sense of “belonging” by ganging up on “outsiders.” And “belonging” is something that teenagers, in particular, desperately want.

Gordon also mentions a lack of empathy on the part of many cyber bullies. Empathy is something that, in general, develops relatively late in adolescents.

MLA 8 Citation

Gordon, Sherri. “8 Factors That Motivate Cyberbullies to Lash Out at Others.” Verywell, 30 Dec. 2016, www.verywell.com/reasons-why-kids-cyberbully-others-460553.

APA Citation

Gordon, S. (2016). 8 factors that motivate cyberbullies to lash out at others. Retrieved from https://www.verywell.com/reasons-why-kids-cyberbully-others-460553

Cyber bullying article #5: Why Do People Cyberbully?

DeleteCyberbullying.org is a website that describes itself as “A Stop Online Harassment Project.” It’s devoted to finding both the origins of and the cure for cyber bullying.

In addition to mentioning some of the same causes of the problem as Gordon, above, the website mentions the anonymity of the Internet as a causal factor. Tied in with anonymity is the lack of any threat of retaliation, which encourages many cyber bullies—underlining the fact that bullying is a cowardly act.

MLA 8 Citation

“Why Do People Cyberbully?” DeleteCyberbullying.org, www.deletecyberbullying.org/why-do-people-cyberbully/.

APA Citation

Why do people cyberbully? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.deletecyberbullying.org/why-do-people-cyberbully/

Cyber bullying article #6: Why Do Kids Cyberbully Each Other?

This brief article examines the reasons kids cyber bully, such as anger, revenge, boredom, or frustration.

The STOP Cyberbullying website also links to a variety of additional articles that provide advice for dealing with bullies and advice on how to take a stand against cyber bullying.

MLA 8 Citation

“STOP Cyberbullying: Why Do Kids Cyberbully Each Other?” StopCyberbulling.org, WiredSafety.org, www.stopcyberbullying.org /why_do_kids_cyberbully_each_other.html.

APA Citation

STOP cyberbullying: Why do kids cyberbully each other? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/why_do_kids_cyberbully_each_other.html

3 Cyber Bullying Articles on Treatments for Cyber Bullying

All of the following articles point out that, when recommending treatment for cyber bullying, it’s once again a matter of definition: what kind of treatment, and for whom?

Should the treatment focus on prevention or on dealing with the damage? In your persuasive essay, you’ll need to decide on your stance on these issues.

Cyber bullying article #7: Cyberbullying “Causes Suicidal Thoughts in Kids More Than Traditional Bullying”

David McNamee, a frequent contributor to Medical News Today, calls attention to one frightening aspect of cyber bullying: its victims are highly prone to having suicidal thoughts.

He quotes a study done in the Netherlands. The authors of the study speculated that the increased power of cyber bullying to make its victims suicidal was due to the widespread nature of the Internet.

Unlike traditional face-to-face bullying, cyber bullying material can be stored on a variety of online media, causing the victim to relive the experience again and again. This suggests that any treatment of cyber bullying should include monitoring the significant risk it creates of suicidal thoughts and actions in victims.

MLA 8 Citation

McNamee, Dave. “Cyberbullying ‘Causes Suicidal Thoughts in Kids More than Traditional Bullying.’” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 11 Mar. 2014, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/273788.php.

APA Citation

McNamee, D. (2014, March 11). Cyberbullying “causes suicidal thoughts in kids more than traditional bullying.” Medical News Today. Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/273788.php

Cyber bullying article #8: Bullying and Cyberbullying: History, Statistics, Law, Prevention and Analysis

Bullying has been in existence for many years, and this journal article examines the history of the problem and how bullying expanded to include cyber bullying as technologies changed. It also includes suggestions for preventing cyber bullying.

MLA 8 Citation

Donegan, Richard. “Bullying and Cyberbullying: History, Statistics, Law, Prevention and Analysis.” The Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 33–42. www.elon.edu/docs/e-web/academics/communications/research/vol3no1/ 04doneganejspring12.pdf.

APA Citation

Donegan, R. (2012). Bullying and cyberbullying: History, statistics, law, prevention and analysis. The Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications, 3(1), 33-42. Retrieved from https://www.elon.edu/docs/ e-web/academics/communications/research/vol3no1/ 04doneganejspring12.pdf

Stuck On Your Essay?

Check Out These Example Cyber Bullying Essays

Yes! Show Me Examples.

Cyber bullying article #9: Social Media Cyber Bullying Linked to Teen Depression

This article is published by Scientific American, “the longest continuously published magazine in the U.S.” It highlights the fact that both those who cyberbully and those who are cyberbullied often experience higher rates of depression.

The article reviews several studies and stresses that these studies alone cannot prove that cyber bullying causes depression. It does, however, suggest that teens who suffer from depression are more likely to become victims of bullying than those who are not depressed.

MLA 8 Citation

Pappas, Stephanie. “Social Media Cyber Bullying Linked to Teen Depression.” Scientific American, 23 June 2015, www.scientificamerican.com/article /social-media-cyber-bullying-linked-to-teen-depression/.

APA Citation

Pappas, S. (2015, June 23). Social media cyber bullying linked to teen depression. Scientific American. Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/social-media-cyber-bullying-linked-to-teen-depression/

3 Cyber Bullying Articles on the Prevention of Cyber Bullying

Can we stop cyber bullying from happening in the first place? The following articles are helpful for defining a call to action. What should readers do about cyber bullying? How can they prevent it from happening?

Cyber bullying article #10: Cyberbullying: Intervention and Prevention Strategies

The authors of this article, Ted Feinberg and Nicole Robey, recommend a number of strategies to reduce the incidence and, particularly, the recurrence of cyber bullying.

For victims and parents of victims, the authors recommend recording the offending material, enlisting the help of authorities, contacting the attacker directly, and importantly, having an open environment in the home regarding computer and Internet use.

For educators, the authors recommend that a threat assessment be done and that anti-cyber bullying education be made a regular part of the curriculum.

MLA Citation

Feinberg, Ted, and Nicole Robey. “Cyberbullying: Intervention and Prevention Strategies” (Handout no. S4H15-1). Helping Children at Home and School III – Handouts for Families and Educators, edited by Andrea Canter et al., National Association of School Psychologists. Semantic Scholar, Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, pdfs.semanticscholar.org/d27d /47c9add136150ec0f96edcf08ade223e3d2b.pdf.

APA Citation

Feinbert, T., & Robey, N. (n.d.). Cyberbullying: Intervention and prevention strategies (Handout no. S4H15-1). In A. Canter, L. Paige, & S. Shaw, Helping Children at Home and School III – Handouts for Families and Educators. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org /d27d/47c9add136150ec0f96edcf08ade223e3d2b.pdf

Cyber bullying article #11: Bullying and Cyberbullying Prevention Strategies and Resources

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is a famous and long-established organization that originally combated anti-Semitism. It has since expanded its reach to include opposing all forms of discrimination and defamation.

This website presents a collection of useful articles, many of which focus on preventative actions, such as Bullying Prevention and Intervention Tips for Schools and What Can be Done About Name-Calling and Bullying.

While many of these resources are aimed at preventing “traditional” bullying, the advice can be applied to cyber bullying as well. Below are citations for both the list of sources on the URL as a whole and an example with one of the articles available there.

MLA Citation (URL with list of resources)

“Bullying and Cyberbullying Prevention Strategies and Resources.” Anti-Defamation League, www.adl.org/education-outreach/bullying-cyberbullying/c/strategies-and-resources.html.

APA Citation (URL with list of resources)

Bullying and cyberbullying prevention strategies and resources. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.adl.org/education-outreach/bullying-cyberbullying/c/strategies-and-resources.html

MLA Citation (example PDF resource)

“Bullying Prevention and Intervention Tips for Schools.” Anti-Defamation League, www.adl.org/sites/default/files/documents/assets/pdf/education-outreach/Bullying-Prevention-and-Intervention-Tips-for-Schools-Institutions.pdf.

APA Citation (example PDF resource)

Bullying prevention and intervention tips for schools. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.adl.org/sites/default/files/documents/assets/pdf/education-outreach/Bullying-Prevention-and-Intervention-Tips-for-Schools-Institutions.pdf

Cyber bullying article #12: Cyberbullying: Resources for Intervention and Prevention

Published in the Universal Journal of Education Research, this article discusses cyber bullying and ways to combat it. It also includes an overview of prevention and intervention programs and the role schools play in preventing cyber bullying.

MLA Citation

Notar, Charles E., et al. “Cyberbullying: Resources for Intervention and Prevention.” Universal Journal of Educational Research, vol. 1, no. 3, 2013, pp. 133–45. ERIC Institute of Education Sciences, doi:10.13189/ujer.2013.010301.

APA Citation

Notar, C. E., Padgett, S., & Roden, J. (2013). Cyberbullying: Resources for intervention and prevention. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 1(3), 133-145. doi:10.13189/ujer.2013.010301

Putting It All Together

I’ve barely scratched the surface here. My goal was to give you a starting point for your own research. There are about 43 gazillion articles and websites out there on this topic. So I strongly suggest you make your search terms as specific as possible.

Once you dive in, remember that persuasive essays recommend action(s), and that to do so, you need to take into account, as well as point out, three things:

1. What is the cost—in terms of money, effort, and time?
2. Is it worth the effort? Will it solve or at least mitigate the problem, to an extent that justifies those costs?
3. What about opportunity cost—the fact that, whatever we do, we could have been doing something else potentially useful instead (should resources spent combating cyber bullying be used elsewhere)?

If you need more help getting your arms around writing your persuasive essay, I recommend reading How to Create a Persuasive Essay Outline and checking out Persuasive Essay Writing Made Simple (Infographic).

If you need a little more help with finding resources, check out 5 Best Resources to Help with Writing a Research Paper.

Looking at these cyber bullying articles but need to write something other than a persuasive essay? Here are a few examples of other types of papers about the topic:

• Cause and effect essay: The Social Problem and Consequences of Cyberbullying
• Personal experience essay: Cyberbullying and My Experience with Bullying
• Problem/solution essay: A Study on Cyberbullying: The Role of Social Media Sites, Effects, Solutions, and Treatments

Looking for even more help? Why not send your paper to a Kibin editor for a little revision expertise?

Good luck!

Stuck On Your Essay?

Check Out These Example Cyber Bullying Essays

Yes! Show Me Examples.

I hear ya. This is a long-debated topic and one that can be challenging to write about because it can seem like there’s nothing new to say.

But if you do decide to write about the death penalty, or if your professor has already decided that for you, here’s how to write a death penalty essay the smart way.

But First … The Not-So-Smart Way of Writing a Death Penalty Essay

Avoid these ineffective writing strategies that will waste your time and likely earn you a poor grade.

Cliches

Cliches are tired, old expressions that are overused and don’t add anything new or original to your writing.

For example, if you’re arguing in favor of the death penalty, don’t simply state that someone should be executed because that person took a life. In other words, don’t argue “an eye for an eye.”

If you’re arguing against the death penalty, on the other hand, don’t say “two wrongs don’t make a right” or “you can’t stop violence with more violence.”

These expressions aren’t actual evidence. They just take up space and weaken your credibility because readers will think you don’t have any specific evidence to support your arguments.

Arguments based solely on religion

Unless you’re in a religious studies course or you’re specifically assigned to write about the death penalty from a religious point of view, you should generally steer clear of faith-based arguments.

Most professors want to see statistical, research-based evidence from scholarly sources rather than evidence from religious texts.

Biased language

The death penalty is an emotionally charged topic, and we all have our own opinions about whether it should be legal. Your goal is not to present an angry rant about the legalities of capital punishment.

Remember, you’re writing an academic essay. Pay attention to the tone of your writing.

Okay, so that’s what you shouldn’t do. Time to move on to what you should do.

How to Write a Death Penalty Essay the Smart Way

Step #1: Know the basics about your assignment

Before you begin, make sure you understand your assignment. Are you supposed to write an opinion essay, an argument essay, a pros and cons essay, or some other type of paper?

Do you need to use sources, and if so, what types of sources are acceptable? Can you use Wikipedia, or do you have to use peer-reviewed journal articles?

If you need sources, what type of citation style is required? Should you use MLA citations or APA citations?

These are all basic components, but they’re important. Getting one of them wrong could turn your A paper into a D paper.

Think about it. If you’re supposed to write a research-based argument essay using only scholarly sources and you turn in a pros and cons paper citing only websites like Wikipedia, what do you think your grade will be?

(I’m sure it won’t be the A you were hoping for.)

Step #2: Decide your focus and thesis

If you’re writing about the death penalty, your first thought is probably to write an argument essay about why the death penalty should or should not be legal. This is certainly an appropriate topic and focus (especially if that’s what you have to write about). But if you have some leeway, why not choose a more original focus?

Liven up your death penalty essay with a more original focus–for example, the appeals process.
Click To Tweet

Here are a few suggestions:

Informative Death Penalty Essay Ideas

• Laws governing capital punishment in varying states (or other countries)
• Forms of execution (in the US or other countries)
• Types of drugs used in lethal injection
• Appeals process in death penalty cases

Argument Death Penalty Essay Ideas

• Constitutionality of the death penalty
• Whether the death penalty deters crime
• Race (or income level) as a factor in the sentencing of the death penalty
• Physician participation in executions

With your topic firmly in place, write a thesis statement that identifies the specific focus of your topic.

Keep in mind that if you’re writing an argumentative paper, your thesis will be argumentative too. It should let readers know on which side of the argument your paper stands.

In other words, don’t write something like this:

“It has long been debated as to whether the death penalty deters crime.”

This thesis statement not only starts with a cliche, but also makes a general statement about the death penalty. It’s not argumentative.

Instead, do write something like this:

“Even though proponents of capital punishment argue that it deters violent crime, in reality, evidence illustrates that capital punishment has little to no effect in deterring violence.”

This thesis is much more specific and provides a clear argument.

Step #3: Find appropriate (and credible) sources

I’m not positive, but I’m guessing that if you have to use sources for your death penalty essay, you aren’t allowed to use the dictionary definition of “capital punishment” or a Wikipedia article about anything.

This means you’ll need to complete at least some amount of research.

Here are a few credible death penalty news articles to get you started:

• How Much Do You Know About the Death Penalty in the U.S.? This is a short and informative quiz about the death penalty that also links to several other resources.
• The Death Penalty Is Largely Driven by a Small Number of Overzealous Prosecutors. Just as the title indicates, this article discusses how a few prosecutors are responsible for sentencing large numbers of inmates to death.
• Arizona Scraps Use of Sedative for Lethal Injections This brief article highlights the fact that Arizona must use other drug combinations for lethal injection as its supply of midazolam has expired.
• Democratic Party Endorses Abolishing The Death Penalty — Breaking With Hillary Clinton. This article, as the title states, explains that the Democratic Party platform endorses abolishing the death penalty, while Hillary Clinton has previously indicated that she is not in favor of abolishing the death penalty.

If you’re looking for a few more basic online news articles, try these death penalty articles. This list of 50 facts about the death penalty from the Death Penalty Information Center might help spark some ideas too.

If you’re not allowed to use websites, then it’s time to find something a bit more academic. Check out the 5 Best Resources to Help With Writing a Research Paper.

Not sure whether your sources are credible? Apply the CRAAP Test!

Step #4: Organize and prewrite

You have a topic, focus, thesis, and sources. Now comes the fun (and I use that term loosely) part: organizing all that information into an effective essay.

To begin, look through your sources again, and take some notes to highlight key ideas. Then start to sketch out what you think might be the main points of your paper.

Then, use an outline to put your ideas into place.

If outlining isn’t your thing, try another form of prewriting, such as listing or clustering.

The Home Stretch

With topic selection, researching, and organizing behind you, you can move into the final steps of the writing process—actually writing the paper!

Step #5: Draft

Don’t worry if you can’t think of a catchy introduction right away. Skip it. You can always write the introduction last.

You might want to start writing the body and the key arguments of your paper. If you’re not sure what type of information to include, read 3 Types of Essay Support That Prove You Know Your Stuff.

Don’t forget to wrap up your ideas with a killer conclusion!

Need a few essay ideas for inspiration? Check out these sample papers:

• An Analysis of Capital Punishment
• Crime and the Punishment of Death
• The Main Pros and Cons of Capital Punishment

Step #6: Let our Kibin editors help with revision

Even a well-written draft is just that—a draft—and a draft can usually be improved. That’s where we come in.

Have one of our editors review your death penalty essay to make sure you’re not guilty of any writing crimes!

Good luck!

Stuck On Your Death Penalty Essay?

Check Out These Example Death Penalty Essays

Yes! Show Me Examples.