A debate looks impressive only if the selected topic is interesting. Are you unsure how to choose a good debate topic? No worries! Read this blog to learn the important tips for choosing a good debate topic. Additionally, from here, get a list of 190 awesome debate topics and ideas.
What is a Debate?
A debate is an activity that involves presenting arguments in support of a viewpoint. It is 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 lives, 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.
Tips for Choosing a Good Debate Topic
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
- be debatable or have argument potential.
- match your interest.
- contain relevant points to make the debate interesting.
- 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 a 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.
Points to Remember When Debating
Choosing a great debate topic is just the start. But to ace a debate, you need to engage in a worthy discussion and strongly present your argument and counterpoints. If you are clueless about how to debate, then following these guidelines might help.
- To be a great debater, you must first understand your debate topic. So, comprehend the main ideas of your argument topic by reading it.
- Next, pick your side. If you choose to adopt a negative viewpoint, begin by investigating the arguments used against your subject. Finally, undertake a study, uncover strong arguments about the subject, and start generating new ones.
- Always remember to investigate your opponent. Make a note of everything including their strengths and areas of weakness and argumentation tactics. Analyzing your competitors will provide you with a clearer picture and help you comprehend their approach.
- One of the most important strategies to think about when getting ready for an argument is emotional control. When debating, never become personal. Additionally, keep in mind not to respond defensively to the points made by your opponent. You are here to convince your opponents of your viewpoint, not to fight them.
- Confidence is one of the most important skills you need to work on if you want to be a good debater. No matter what your situation, remember that you are valuable.
- The debating stage is similar to a research paper. Therefore, use technical vocabulary to show your competence and support your claims in both scenarios.
- In a debate, sticking to your viewpoint will assist you in a variety of ways. First and foremost, it will make your speech more interesting and will also help you better manage your time.
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
To persuade and educate the audience, you can be involved in a discussion about topics that are related to the latest happenings. The following are some debate topics about current affairs that you may choose to argue.
- Ban on Triple Talaq.
- Encourage moonlighting- Yes or No
- Whatsapp Snooping and Data Privacy.
- Decriminalization of homosexuality.
- Should NATO negotiate Ukraine’s membership aspirations with Russia?
- Crypto Currency: A bright future or just a fad?
- Gun Control in America.
- Should China be labeled a ‘currency manipulator’?
- Implications of Ayodhya verdict.
- Are corporate jobs a new form of slavery?
- Ban homework: does homework promote learning?
- How essential is a college education?
- Banning mobile devices (cell phones, smartphones) at schools: yes or no?
- Is it appropriate to allow students to create their curriculum?
- Ban on wearing Hijab
- Ban on plastic bags
- Celebrities must be banned from taking part in the promotion of alcoholic beverages
- Do developed nations have to make organ donation compulsory?
- Ban on same-sex marriage
- Ban on immersion of idols in rivers and lakes
Debate Topics on Education
During the debating session, you may choose to discuss education-based topics and explore the benefits and drawbacks of the academic area. Listed below are some informative topics about education you may consider for your debate.
- Ban assignments and projects
- Which is better – Public Schools or Private Schools?
- Should religion be taught in schools?
- Are school uniforms necessary?
- Ban examinations.
- Is sex education mandatory in schools?
- Is it necessary to privatize education?
- Which is better – Homeschooling or Traditional Schooling?
- Happiness is more important than success.
- Free Education for everyone.
- Which is more important- Arts or Science?
- Should students have a part-time job?
- Who is responsible for students’ performance- teachers or parents?
- Abolish the grading system.
- Should there be more educational institutions?
- Include curricular activity classes in schools mandatorily.
- Should every primary school need to provide mid-day meals to students?
- Ensuring regular check-ups of students’ mental health in schools.
- Is it required to educate students about the LGBTQ community?
- Do you need to have a college degree to get a good job?
- Should there be free college education?
- Is a college degree worth accumulating student loan debt?
- Should all student loan debt be forgiven?
Simple Debate Topics for High School Students
Are you seeking simple debate topics or ideas for your school competitions? Get help from the list uploaded here. In the list, especially, for high school students, we have provided some easy topics to debate.
- Math is the most important school subject.
- Girls face more peer pressure than boys.
- Shorter school day.
- Reading books is better than watching TV.
- It is better to be kind than to be truthful.
- Giving is better than receiving.
- Democracy is the best form of government.
- Religion has no place in schools.
- Book smarts are better than street smarts.
- Abolish the ranking system.
Political Debate Topics
Politics is a broad discipline that allows you to explore a variety of ideologies and political issues. Some interesting political topics that you may focus on in your debate are listed below.
- Does every citizen have to perform national public service?
- Is communism a good ideology?
- Should all people be given the right to own guns?
- Should voting be mandated for all citizens?
- Should a country allow more refugees to enter?
- Should immigrants without proper papers be treated as criminals?
- Is freedom of speech a necessity in a functional society?
- Should dictatorship and monarchy end worldwide?
- Abolish the death penalty.
- Is democracy the best form of government?
- Should the United Nations have a standing army?
- Should rich people and large corporations pay more taxes?
- Is patriotism destructive to international relations?
- Should the church pay taxes?
- Should countries be isolationist?
- Ban nuclear weapons across the world.
- Should every developed nation need to have equal power to make geopolitical decisions?
- Religious schools and churches must also be charged with taxes.
- Is freedom of speech necessary for a nation to grow?
Debate Topics on Social Issues
In our modern society, various kinds of social problems exist and out of them, some are not discussed. Here, we have suggested a collection of critical debate topics about social problems you may give attention to.
- Should people with substance abuse disorder be helped or punished?
- Is feminism irrelevant in the 21st century?
- Ban abortion.
- Is peer pressure a good thing?
- Legalize drugs.
- Does feminism focus less on men’s rights?
- Ban violent video games.
- Is privacy important?
- Should companies hire 50 % male and 50 % female employees?
- Should gay people be allowed to adopt children?
- Should sex work be legal?
- Ban smoking products.
- Should the government provide free birth control?
- Should human cloning be legalized?
- Is it important to legalize euthanasia?
- Is it ethical to allow people of all ages the right to choose death?
- Should third-gender people be included in the mainstream?
Debate Ideas on Health
Several health-related problems persist in this world. So, for your debate, you may pick any topic or issue that is associated with medicine, nursing, or healthcare. The following are some debate prompts on health you may take into consideration.
- Should cosmetic procedures be covered by health insurance?
- Is it good to self-medicate?
- Is it necessary to legalize the sale of human organs?
- Obesity is a disease or not?
- Is mandatory vaccination a means of ensuring proper health?
- Should all people stay as vegetarian?
- Should healthcare be universal?
- Is boarding school harmful to the mental health of the students?
- Should there be criminal responsibility for medical errors?
- Is it good to have an electronic health record system?
- Is it important to use information and communication technologies in the healthcare system?
- Should physicians and nurses be held liable for medication errors?
- Is it significant to make people aware of the advantages and disadvantages of telemedicine?
- Prohit the production and use of marijuana.
- Ban moral policing
- Is animal testing necessary for medical advancements?
- Should healthcare be free for everyone?
- Is homeopathy effective?
- Ban the use of pedestrian paths for vehicles
- Ban on Tobacco and Cigarettes
Read more topic: Great Nursing Research Topics for Impressive Content
Debate Topics on Technology
Your debate can also be technology-based. Especially, when it comes to debating about technology, you can actively discuss the impact, ethics, and consequences of technological advancements. These are some advanced technology topics you may select for debate competitions.
- Does technology intensify human communication skills?
- Does technology make people smarter?
- Can people save nature using technology?
- Are robots better than humans?
- Can technology replace books?
- Is artificial intelligence a threat to humanity?
- Is cyberbullying a real issue?
- Is the internet a blessing or a curse?
- Does technology increase the crime rate?
- Can anti-surveillance software be trusted?
- Should we purchase electric cars?
- Technology is making people smarter or foolish?
- Are cell phones safe?
- Is online schooling the way of the future?
- Ban or encourage- cryptocurrency?
Debate Topics on Environment
If you are an environment enthusiast, then you may choose to debate ecological issues, sustainability, climate change, conservation, or human impact on the environment. Listed below are some fascinating environment-basted debate topics you may argue on.
- Animals have the same rights as humans.
- Is climate change the greatest threat in human history?
- Is organic farming the future of agriculture?
- Ban live animal export.
- Is tourism beneficial to the environment?
- Ban Plastic bottles.
- Is solar power the energy of the future?
- Is it essential to ban zoos?
- Is leather good for the environment?
- Ban leather goods.
- Should governments invest more in renewable energy sources?
- Is individual action enough to combat climate change?
- Is nuclear power a viable alternative to fossil fuels?
- Should governments prioritize economic growth over environmental protection?
- Is recycling effective in reducing waste and promoting sustainability?
- Should governments impose a carbon tax to reduce emissions?
- Should communities prioritize developing green spaces over new housing projects?
Read more: Key concepts on ecology research topics that will ensure Your shining
Debate Topics on Sports
Sport is a good subject for debate because it sparks passion, raises ethical questions, and also has broad appeal. If you have a strong knowledge of sports, then you may debate on any of the below-listed topics.
- Are the Olympics important?
- Should women compete against men in sports?
- Are bullfights good?
- Is paintball a true sport?
- Is it good to have sports in the school curriculum?
- Are competitive sports doing more harm than good?
- Is bodybuilding a real sport?
- Are athletes good role models?
- Which is more important- sports or arts?
- Do sports stars get a high pay?
Debate Ideas on Social Media
If you need trending debate ideas related to social media, make use of the list uploaded here. Debating on social media will help you foster critical thinking, promote digital literacy, and encourage informed online discourse and citizenship.
- Do social media make people less socially active?
- Are social media doing more harm than good?
- Do social media impede or improve communication?
- Should a person’s social media be considered for police investigations?
- Is social media spoiling the lives of teenagers?
- Is social media causing depression among the youth?
- Is social media good for society?
- Should schools block social media sites on their computers?
- Do social media play an important role in business growth?
- Is social media addiction worse than drug addiction?
Read more: Interesting Social Media Essay Topics
Popular Debate Ideas
Here, we have provided a collection of popular debate topics and ideas for you to get started. But when you deal with a commonly discussed topic in a debate, analyze the topics from different viewpoints and creatively present your arguments with unique evidence or examples.
- Ban junk food in the school canteen.
- Should police be allowed to use lethal force?
- Ban energy drinks.
- Which is better- classroom education or online education?
- Should alcohol be sold on weekends?
- Debate on telecasting advertisements on kids’ channels.
- Should pharmacists be allowed to prescribe medicines?
- Who is stronger – men or women?
- Is marriage necessary?
- Which is necessary to live- money or morals?
- Which one is better- eat to live or live to eat?
- Is patriotism a good or a bad thing?
- Is taxation good or bad?
- Are reality television shows harming society?
- Make unpaid internships illegal.
- Is censorship necessary for the media?
- Is peer pressure different from bullying?
- Is abortion murder?
- Is racial profiling a new form of discrimination?
- Which is better- having a single kid or multiple kids?
Informative Debate Topics
Give attention to informative debate topics rather than concentrating on topics with less scope of discussion. Remember, you can help your readers strengthen their knowledge only when you debate on a topic with an educational value. These are some informative debate prompts you may deal with.
- Authorize Marijuana for its application in therapeutics.
- Social media’s effects on adolescents and high school pupils.
- Violent cartoons affect a child’s mental development.
- More than any other non-celebrity, celebrities use their influence to get away with crimes.
- The present system of higher education is superior to the old one.
- Beauty pageants absurdly raise society’s expectations.
- Due to parents’ lack of parental supervision, childhood obesity is on the rise.
- Video games will spoil the health of kids.
- Why is it that males can date younger women but not vice versa?
- Term limits for US senators and congressmen are more detrimental than beneficial.
Final Words
Debate is one of the powerful ways that speakers choose to promote engaging discussion and refine their argumentative skills. If you wish to participate in lively debates and broaden your perspectives, then from the diverse debate topics suggested in this blog, choose any topic that matches your field of interest and knowledge. Once you have identified the right topic for debate, gather your thoughts, and begin debating. Remember, debating is not just about winning or losing, but about exchanging ideas, listening to opposing views, and gaining a deeper understanding of the world around us. Furthermore, while participating in debates, confidently present your arguments on the topic with valid supporting evidence and examples. If needed, get guidance from experienced speechwriters from our team to improve your debating skills.
