180 Engaging Debate Topics and Ideas for Students

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A debate is an activity that involves presenting arguments in support of a viewpoint. It is actually a formal discussion where two sides present opposing viewpoints. The debate will be usually hosted in a specific format, i.e., each side will be given a specific time to speak either for or against the topic. Academic institutes generally conduct debates on any interesting or trending debate topics. Other than that, you can also witness debates in legislative assemblies and public meetings.

In our life, each and every one of us would have argued about any topic by expressing our points or opposing the opponent’s viewpoints with some solid proof. Debating is a part of our life, but to professionally participate in a debate, one must possess extraordinary speaking skills. As a debater, you must know how to structure and present your argument in a way suitable to attract the audience.

Debate Topics

A debate looks impressive only if the selected topic is interesting. Are you confused about how to choose a good debate topic? No worries! Read this blog to know the important tips for choosing a good debate topic. Additionally, from here, get a list of 150+ awesome debate topics and ideas.

Debate Topic Selection Tips

Choosing a debate topic may be tricky, but if you are asked to select a debate topic, then consider the following factors.

The topic you select should

  1. be debatable or have argument potential.
  2. match your interest.
  3. contain relevant points to make the debate interesting.
  4. be relevant to the intellectual level of the audience.

Always select only the topic that satisfies all the above-mentioned factors. While selecting, be sure to pick the top trending debate topics or the topics that have high scope for arguments. The topic can be funny, controversial, or politically aligned. To help you in selecting a perfect topic for debating, here we have listed the best debate topic ideas in various fields.

List of Debate Topics and Ideas

If you need a fresh topic for debate, use the list shared below. In the list, you will find interesting debate topics and ideas on various disciplines.

Debate Topics on Current Affairs

  1. Ban on Triple Talaq.
  2. Encourage moonlighting- Yes or No
  3. Whatsapp Snooping and Data Privacy.
  4. Decriminalization of homosexuality.
  5. Should NATO negotiate Ukraine’s membership aspirations with Russia?
  6. Crypto Currency: A bright future or just a fad?
  7. Gun Control in America.
  8. Should China be labeled a ‘currency manipulator’?
  9. Implications of Ayodhya verdict.
  10. Are corporate jobs a new form of slavery?
  11. Ban homework: does homework promote learning?
  12. How essential is a college education?
  13. Banning mobile devices (cell phones, smartphones) at schools: yes or no?
  14. Is it appropriate to allow students to create their own curriculum?
  15. Ban on wearing Hijab
  16. Ban on plastic bags
  17. Celebrities must be banned to take part in the promotion of alcoholic beverages
  18. Do developed nations have to make organ donation compulsory?
  19. Ban on same-sex marriage
  20. Ban on immersion of idols in rivers and lakes

 

Interesting Debate Topics

Debate Topics on Education

  1. Ban assignments and projects
  2. Which is better – Public Schools or Private Schools?
  3. Should religion be taught in schools?
  4. Are school uniforms necessary?
  5. Ban examinations.
  6. Is sex education mandatory in schools?
  7. Is it necessary to privatize education?
  8. Which is better – Homeschooling or Traditional Schooling?
  9. Happiness is more important than success.
  10. Free Education for everyone.
  11. Which is more important- Arts or Science?
  12. Should students have a part-time job?
  13. Who is responsible for students’ performance- teachers or parents?
  14. Abolish the grading system.
  15. Should there be more educational institutions?
  16. Include curricular activity classes in schools mandatorily.
  17. Should every primary school need to provide mid-day meals to students?
  18. Ensuring regular check-ups of students’ mental health in schools.
  19. Is it required to educate students about the LGBTQ community?
  20. Do you need to have a college degree to get a good job?
  21. Should there be free college education?
  22. Is a college degree worth accumulating student loan debt?
  23. Should all student loan debt be forgiven?

Simple Debate Topics for High School Students

  1. Math is the most important school subject.
  2. Girls face more peer pressure than boys.
  3. Shorter school day.
  4. Reading books is better than watching TV.
  5. It is better to be kind than to be truthful.
  6. Giving is better than receiving.
  7. Democracy is the best form of government.
  8. Religion has no place in schools.
  9. Book smarts are better than street smarts.
  10. Abolish the ranking system.

Political Debate Topics

  1. Does every citizen have to perform national public service?
  2. Is communism a good ideology?
  3. Should all people be given the right to own guns?
  4. Should voting be mandated for all citizens?
  5. Should a country allow more refugees to enter?
  6. Should illegal immigrants be treated as criminals?
  7. Is freedom of speech a necessity in a functional society?
  8. Should dictatorship and monarchy end worldwide?
  9. Abolish the death penalty.
  10. Is democracy the best form of government?
  11. Should the United Nations have a standing army?
  12. Should rich people and large corporations pay more taxes?
  13. Is patriotism destructive to international relations?
  14. Should the church pay taxes?
  15. Should countries be isolationist?
  16. Ban nuclear weapons across the world.
  17. Should every developed nation need to have equal power to make geopolitical decisions?
  18. Religious schools and churches must also be charged with taxes.
  19. Is freedom of speech necessary for a nation to grow?

Debate Topics on Social Issues

  1. Should drug addicts be helped or punished?
  2. Is feminism irrelevant in the 21st century?
  3. Ban abortion.
  4. Is peer pressure a good thing?
  5. Legalize drugs.
  6. Does feminism focus less on men’s rights?
  7. Ban violent video games.
  8. Is privacy important?
  9. Should companies hire 50 % male and 50 % female employees?
  10. Should gay people be allowed to adopt children?
  11. Should sex work be legal?
  12. Ban smoking products.
  13. Should the government provide free birth control?
  14. Should human cloning be legalized?
  15. Is it important to legalize euthanasia?
  16. Is it ethical to allow people of all ages the right to choose death?
  17. Should third-gender people include in the mainstream?

Must Read:  Top 120 Sociology Research Topics

Debate Ideas on Health

  1. Should cosmetic procedures be covered by health insurance?
  2. Is it good to self-medicate?
  3. Should the sale of human organs be legalized?
  4. Obesity is a disease or not?
  5. Is mandatory vaccination a means of ensuring proper health?
  6. Should all people stay as vegetarian?
  7. Should healthcare be universal?
  8. Is boarding school harmful to the mental health of the students?
  9. Should there be criminal responsibility for medical errors?
  10. Is it good to have an electronic health record system?
  11. Is it important to use information and communication technologies in the healthcare system?
  12. Should physicians and nurses hold liable for medication errors?
  13. Is it significant to make people aware of the advantages and disadvantages of telemedicine?
  14. Prohit the production and use of marijuana.
  15. Ban moral policing
  16. Ban the use of pedestrian paths for vehicles
  17. Ban on Tobacco and Cigarettes

Interesting Debate Topics

Read more topic: Great Nursing Research Topics for Impressive Content

Debate Topics on Technology

  1. Does technology intensify human communication skills?
  2. Does technology make people smarter?
  3. Can people save nature using technology?
  4. Are robots better than humans?
  5. Can technology replace books?
  6. Is artificial intelligence a threat to humanity?
  7. Is cyberbullying a real issue?
  8. Is the internet a blessing or a curse?
  9. Does technology increase the crime rate?
  10. Can anti-surveillance software be trusted?
  11. Should we purchase electric cars?
  12. Technology is making people smarter or dumber?
  13. Are cell phones safe?
  14. Is online schooling the way of the future?
  15. Ban or encourage- cryptocurrency?

Debate Topics on Environment

  1. Animals have the same right as humans.
  2. Is climate change the greatest threat in human history?
  3. Is organic farming the future of agriculture?
  4. Ban live animal export.
  5. Is tourism beneficial to the environment?
  6. Ban Plastic bottles.
  7. Is solar power the energy of the future?
  8. Is it essential to ban zoos?
  9. Is leather good for the environment?
  10. Ban leather goods.

Read more: Key concepts on ecology research topics that will ensure Your shining

Debate Topics on Sports

  1. Are the Olympics important?
  2. Should women compete against men in sports?
  3. Are bullfights good?
  4. Is paintball a true sport?
  5. Is it good to have sports in the school curriculum?
  6. Are competitive sports doing more harm than good?
  7. Is bodybuilding a real sport?
  8. Are athletes good role models?
  9. Which is more important- sports or arts?
  10. Are sports stars paid too much?

Debate Ideas on Social Media

  1. Do social media make people less socially active?
  2. Are social media doing more harm than good?
  3. Do social media impede or improve communication?
  4. Should a person’s social media be considered for police investigations?
  5. Is social media spoiling the life of teenagers?
  6. Is social media causing depression among the youth?
  7. Is social media good for society?
  8. Should schools block social media sites on their computers?
  9. Do social media play an important role in business growth?
  10. Is social media addiction worse than drug addiction?

Read more: Interesting Social Media Essay Topics

  1. Ban junk food in the school canteen.
  2. Should police be allowed to use lethal force?
  3. Ban energy drinks.
  4. Which is better- classroom education or online education?
  5. Should alcohol be sold on weekends?
  6. Debate on telecasting advertisements on kids’ channels.
  7. Should pharmacists be allowed to prescribe medicines?
  8. Who is stronger – men or women?
  9. Is marriage necessary?
  10. Which is necessary to live- money or morals?
  11. Which one is better- eat to live or live to eat?
  12. Is patriotism a good or a bad thing?
  13. Is taxation good or bad?
  14. Are reality television shows harming society?
  15. Make unpaid internships illegal.
  16. Is censorship necessary for the media?
  17. Is peer pressure different from bullying?
  18. Is abortion murder?
  19. Is racial profiling a new form of discrimination?
  20. Which is better- having a single kid or multiple kids?

Miscellaneous Debate Ideas

  1. Authorize Marijuana for its application in therapeutics.
  2. Social media’s effects on adolescents and high school pupils.
  3. Violent cartoons affect a child’s mental development.
  4. More than any other non-celebrity, celebrities use their influence to get away with crimes.
  5. The present system of higher education is superior to the old one.
  6. Beauty pageants absurdly raise society’s expectations.
  7. Due to parents’ lack of parental supervision, childhood obesity is on the rise.
  8. Video games will spoil the health of kids.
  9. Why is it that males can date younger women but not vice versa?
  10. Term limits for US senators and congressmen are more detrimental than beneficial.

Wrapping Up

From the list of interesting debate topic ideas mentioned in this post, pick any topic of your interest. Remember, choosing a good topic alone is not enough; you need to prepare well for your debate to attract the audience. When you prepare for a debate, first read and understand the evidence available for the selected topic, then identify all the counterpoints for your opponent’s arguments, and then practice your entire speech confidently within a given time frame.

Debating is one of the effective ways to fine-tune public speaking skills. Most importantly, you can become a good debater only if you prepare an interesting speech after doing complete research on the topic that you have selected and then practice continuously. In case, you need help with preparing a debate speech, utilize our assignment help service online. We have academic experts to help you with your debate preparation as per your needs.

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