What Is a Debatable Topic?
A debatable topic reflects any subject, event or phenomenon that can be discussed. Only complexed topics that normally have two or more possible ways of being interpreted or evaluated are good for debates.
It’s also important to understand that debates are normally very emotional and conflictual. That’s why the debatable topic shall cause an emotional answer from your readers or listeners.
A good debatable topic shall have some general features:
● it’s understandable and interesting to your target auditory;
● it causes controversial emotions and can be explained from more than one point of view;
● it’s trending and can be connected to the current situation.
How to Choose a Good Debatable Topic
Choosing a good debatable topic is an interesting task. However, it can also appear difficult for those students who have little experience in this.
We’ve prepared a short list of qualities that help you to understand whether the chosen topic is good for debates. The list will also help you to come up with an idea about an interesting theme for your further discussion.
● Personal Interest
It’s always better to choose a topic that is interesting and understandable for you. It’s quite difficult to work with those themes that don’t cause interest from you. It will be even more difficult to protect the expressed idea if you feel no passion about that.
● Current Relevance
The topic shall be connected to current situations and trending issues. You can come up with an idea about a topic after watching the news or reading some popular articles in fresh magazines or newspapers.
● Inner Conflict
The topic you choose shall be controversial and shall include some conflict issues.
● Available for Criticism
Normally, debatable topics shall stimulate people to developing different ideas and conclusions. Choose a topic that can be criticized and can cause different reactions from different people.
What Are Some Good Debate Topics
It’s difficult to give some universal examples for a good debatable topic. Choice of a subject to speak about shall always correlate with the situation, target auditory, situation and the grade of a student who prepares the topic.
That’s why we’ve created a huge list of possible topics that can be used for debates or can serve as an inspiration for creating your own unique topic. We’ve separated the topics into several groups according to the field they belong to.
Controversial Debate Topics
1. Is abortion a violation of a right for life?
2. Is the activity of humans the main reason that causes global warming?
3. Is there an extra risk for a human’s health if medicine and cosmetics won’t be tested on animals?
4. What are the reasons to ban selling water in plastic bottles and cans?
5. How euthanasia differs from suicide and shall it be legal?
6. Shall death penalty be banned?
7. Is there a legal reason to use steroids in sports?
8. Shall homosexual and heterosexual families have equal rights for adopting children?
9. How marijuana can become a legal medical treatment: reasons and conditions of use?
10. How the USA can help in solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict without starting a new war?
11. Shall people who buy milk be warned that it can be dangerous to their health by the milk producers?
Funny Debate Topics
1. Ten reasons why pizza is healthier than salad.
2. The negative influence of homework at students.
3. Is it legal to start Black Friday sales on Thursday?
4. Shall computer games be included in depression therapy?
5. Why taking a nap during a class shall be allowed?
6. Which job is the easiest and funniest?
7. Shall fast-food become another symbol of the generation?
8. How to make the academic life more enjoyable?
9. How to get the daily amount of laugh for good health?
10. 5 reasons to invite your professor for a students’ party.
Middle School Debate Topics
1. Why wearing a school can be useful?
2. Is it necessary to ban fast food and potentially unhealthy food among middle school students?
3. Which changes are necessary for the modern educative system?
4. Shall paper books be replaced by electronic books and internet information sources?
5. Which legal measures can be applied to stop bullying among middle school pupils?
6. How school education can influence the life values of the students?
7. Shall a teacher be a role model for the students or the only important function of a teacher is to give knowledge?
8. Which measures can be taken in school to reduce the number of suicides among young students?
9. How the educational system can stimulate students to take better care about their health?
10. Ways to motivate students to study better.
Debate Topics for High School
1. What is the optimal amount of students for a class to be effective?
2. Is there a reason to organize separate classes for male and female? Can it help to concentrate on education better?
3. Is it important to include physical education classes in an academic program of a high school?
4. How wearing a school uniform can violate a student’s right?
5. How educative computer games can help to study better?
6. Shall obligatory homework be banned in order to teach students being more responsible and independent?
7. Shall students have less days-off and shorter summer holidays to reduce the number of classes daily?
8. Shall students be encouraged for having a day-off if they feel depressed or tired?
9. Reasons to make each student meet a psychologist weekly.
10. How to reduce the level of stress for students?
Good Debate Topics
1. Can voting machines make the process fairer?
2. How TV programs can stimulate people to being more aggressive?
3. Is vegetarianism the future of humans?
4. Why academic tests are not working for checking the level of a student’s knowledge anymore?
5. Can social sites help people not to feel lonely?
6. Shall people be legally obliged to make a medical check yearly?
7. How the legalization of prostitution can reduce the number of sexual crimes?
8. How children can be protected from parents’ aggression?
9. Ten reasons to call Bill Clinton a good president.
10. How can the problem of obesity be solved on a national level?
11. Why gun control laws are not effective in the USA?
Public Forum Debate Topics
1. Why a number of issued credit cards shall be reduced?
2. Shall there be an age limit for using a cell-phone?
3. How to make society less dependent on technologies?
4. Shall anti-drug policy in sports be stricter?
5. How TV can be useful for growing the new generation more thoughtful and goal-oriented?
6. Which measures can be taken to prevent a family from divorce?
7. Shall young mothers be regularly tested by psychiatrist and psychologist in order to prevent kids from being in danger?
8. Is traditional marriage an outdated social habit?
9. How religious organizations can reduce the level of crime?
10. How to make people care about the environment more?
Debate Topics for College Students
1. Possible consequences of lowering the age of drinking soft alcohol beverages?
2. Is college education a must for building a successful career in the future?
3. The possible negative impact of living in college campuses?
4. How electronic devices can make an educational process more effective?
5. How a ban on use of cell phones can help the educational process?
6. How to reduce the level of aggression among students?
7. Ways of making college education more comfortable for disabled people?
8. How international cross-cultural exchange programs can make the study process more effective?
9. What is the most problematic issue of the modern education system?
10. Shall teachers and students spend more time having social activities together?
Political Debate Topics
1. Shall a president be elected for more than two terms?
2. Which changes shall be implemented to the legislation to reduce the number of crimes in the USA?
3. What does make the biggest impact on the image of the country on an international level?
4. Ways to improve national security?
5. What are the most important changes the next president shall make?
6. Why it’s necessary to help other countries and which benefits it can bring?
7. What are the main positive changes in the economy of the USA that happened in the lastest decade?
8. How the better understanding of policy among citizens can influence the economy of a country?
9. Is it necessary to pay attention to the personal qualities of a president?
10. What are the possible ways to make presidential elections more transparent?
Interesting Debate Topics
1. How art classes can help in reducing the cases of suicides among schoolchildren?
2. Who is the best role model for kids today?
3. How an after-school job can influence the life of a pupil?
4. Is there still some signs of gender discrimination among younger schoolchildren?
5. Do teachers who have their own kids understand the needs of today’s students better?
6. Should kids be allowed to study online instead of visiting a school?
7. Which age is the best to start study?
8. What can serve as proof that life after death exists?
9. How taking care of animals can influence the individual development of a person?
10. Which age children shall be told that animals are killed for food?