Persuasive Essay Definition
A persuasive essay is one of the essay types that is given as an assignment at the school and college levels. It is a piece of writing in which the writer employs logic and reason to demonstrate that their idea or point of view is superior to others. They back up their arguments with solid facts and logic and present their points. In short, a persuasive essay endeavors to persuade or convince readers to agree with your point of view on an issue.
For instance, an essay analyzing changes in Italian art during the Renaissance is not an example of a persuasive essay as there is no argument. However, an essay arguing that Italian art reached its peak during the Renaissance would be a persuasive essay as the writer attempts to persuade the reader to agree with their POV.
Persuasive Essay vs. Argumentative Essay
Most students often use persuasive and argumentative interchangeably as both essays try to persuade or convince readers to agree with the writer’s view. However, please remember that both essay types have some crucial differences.
Argumentative essays take a more balanced approach to the subject and examine both perspectives. In comparison, persuasive essays provide a greater emphasis on the author’s point of view. Furthermore, they also feature more of the author’s viewpoint than argumentative essays, which typically rely solely on facts and statistics to support their position.
Components Of A Persuasive Essay
A well-structured persuasive essay usually has a clear and logical framework. It is 5 to 6 paragraphs long and has all the vital components in place.
This essay type follows the typical essay structure, which contains an excellent introduction, the body, which covers the key ideas with supporting arguments, and a logical conclusion. Let’s have a more in-depth look at each of the three essay components:
- Introduction: This is the first paragraph of any essay. Readers are most likely to see this first; as such, it must be captivating and very clear. Furthermore, the introduction should have a hook – an exciting fact, remark, or argument – to pique readers’ interest. The introduction must also include a powerful thesis statement expressing the main idea, which shall be discussed in the following section (body).
- The body: An essay’s body is the central and essential part and consists of 3-4 paragraphs. And each of these paragraphs reflects a particular idea or thought which is backed up by sufficient facts or evidence.
- Conclusion: The conclusion or closing part of your essay summarizes the essential ideas addressed in the main body and ties them to the thesis statement in the introduction. You can use the conclusion in persuasive writing to increase the overall persuasive effect of the essay.
In addition to the essential components above, there are two other vital elements which are given below:
- Reasons to believe your side of the argument: Why do you believe your argument/opinion? Each significant point will typically have its own body paragraph.
- Evidence to back up your claim: Back up your key claims with facts or examples. Having actual examples will build a stronger argument than relying solely on your opinion.
Excellent Persuasive Essay Topics For High School
- Is college education a necessity?
- Is it time to lower the voting age?
- Should high school students take a year gap?
- Is it necessary to lower the drinking age?
- Cyberbullying is a significant problem in high school
- Students should be allowed to wear anything they want
- Grades are not the ultimate way to know the students’ knowledge in a subject
- The benefits of free college education
- Couples expecting a child should receive parenting instruction
- The impact of social media on younger generations
Persuasive Speech Topics For College
- Are college relationships long-lasting?
- Students should be prohibited from bringing children to college classes.
- Is the usage of campus drugs and alcohol a harmless experiment or a real problem?
- On-campus housing should be provided at no cost
- Are student loans beneficial or harmful?
- Fraternities’ negative impact on student performance and behavior gap
- When is a good time to start a new year?
- Standardized exams should be banned
- College athletes should be given more advantages in their academic lives
- Most university programs are really obsolete and are irrelevant to today’s scenario
Science Persuasive Essay Topics
- Are new technologies hazardous to our health?
- Investing in space exploration has great potential to improve life on the earth
- With the benefits of genetic engineering and its impact on the world, colleges should invest more in scientific programs
- Women must be encouraged to join Science streams
- How do new scientific discoveries affect our daily lives?
- Animals should not be used in scientific/pharmaceutical research
- Innovation in science and technology is the way forward
- The science behind medical marijuana’s curing effect
- Genetically modified food: is it good or bad?
- Why should everyone study science?
Easy Persuasive Speech Topics
- Celebrities should not be teenage role models
- Obsession with dieting can result in a variety of eating disorders and health issues
- The friendship between men and women is natural
- Vegetarianism is not a healthy lifestyle
- To date, democracy is the most rational government system
- GMO foods are not as dangerous as we thought
- Good sleep is the answer to many physical ailments
- Junk food should be banned from school lunch menus
- Horror movies can harm mental health
- Alcohol consumption has a negative impact on not only health but also other aspects of life
Fun Persuasive Speech Topics
- Students should take nine months off and only take three months of classes
- Participating in sports can help you change your life
- Lying is an essential component of a healthy relationship
- The presence of Aliens is very much real
- Homeschooling: The best alternative to traditional education
- Colleges should have medical rooms to assist students in dealing with stress and depression
- Journal writing is a fun way to deal with stress
- Renting a home is more affordable than buying one
- You can learn essential life skills from video games
- Having a pet can help you relieve stress and become happier
Environmental Persuasive Essay Topics
- Why should countries invest significantly in environmental conservation programs?
- The current environmental laws are ineffective to prevent human encroachment and habitat destruction
- Human encroachment endangers the lives of plants and animals
- The developed worlds are the primary cause of global warming
- Current farming methods must be modified to prevent environmental degradation
- The most significant air and water pollutants are agricultural chemicals and industrial waste
- Climate change must be addressed as a priority
- Overpopulation is to blame for urban pollution
- Vegetarianism has a better environmental impact
- We must protect our global resources
Controversial Persuasive Essay Topics
- Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice Abortion
- Is racial profiling still permissible in the modern world?
- We should make euthanasia legal for terminally ill patients
- Is Joe Biden’s presidency a bad or good thing for the United States and the rest of the world?
- Organized religion is the cause of some major problems in the world
- Homosexual couples should have a legal marriage across all countries
- Higher education should be free or must cost less for all
- Death penalties: Do they have a place in the twenty-first century?
- The advantages of medical marijuana legalization
- Technology is causing more harm than good
Persuasive Essay Topics On Medicine
- Everyone should have access to free healthcare
- It is probable to find a universal cure for AIDS?
- Pros and Cons of alternative medicine
- Concussion’s negative effects
- Is Coronavirus as dangerous as the media makes it out to be?
- Are electronic cigarettes safer than tobacco?
- Art therapy is seen to be beneficial for many health issues
- Is 3D printing useful in medicine?
- Cancer can be treated using nanotechnology
- How can stem cells be used to reduce heart attack death rates?
Persuasive Essay Topics On Music
- Music is an effective treatment for psychological issues
- Hard rock has a negative impact on the behavior of teenagers
- You can find music in nature if you listen carefully
- Billie Eilish is not your average teenage pop star
- Celtic music can help you relax
- The majority of twenty-first-century music is commercial and not artistic
- Rap music incites violence
- Music has a positive impact on the human brain
- Classical music can help you have a better pregnancy
- Music can help college students perform better academically
Persuasive Essay Topics On Sports
- Girls should be equally encouraged to participate in sports along with studying
- College athletes should get paid
- Injuries have a significant impact on an athlete’s mental health
- Benefits of hosting the Olympic games on countries and its economic and social impact
- The media’s portrayal of female athletes remains sexist
- Women must not have restrictions to compete against men in sports
- Sports are the best way to relax and soothe the mind and body
- Athletes are frequently affected by eating disorders
- Rough sports can encourage violent behavior
- Colleges and schools should place a more significant emphasis on physical education
Environmental Persuasive Essay Topics
- Why should countries invest significantly in environmental conservation programs?
- The current environmental laws are ineffective to prevent human encroachment and habitat destruction
- Human encroachment endangers the lives of plants and animals
- The developed worlds are the primary cause of global warming
- Current farming methods must be modified to prevent environmental degradation
- The most significant air and water pollutants are agricultural chemicals and industrial waste
- Climate change must be addressed as a priority
- Overpopulation is to blame for urban pollution
- Vegetarianism has a better environmental impact
- We must protect our global resources
Controversial Persuasive Essay Topics
- Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice Abortion
- Is racial profiling still permissible in the modern world?
- We should make euthanasia legal for terminally ill patients
- Is Joe Biden’s presidency a bad or good thing for the United States and the rest of the world?
- Organized religion is the cause of some major problems in the world
- Homosexual couples should have a legal marriage across all countries
- Higher education should be free or must cost less for all
- Death penalties: Do they have a place in the twenty-first century?
- The advantages of medical marijuana legalization
- Technology is causing more harm than good
Persuasive Essay Topics On Medicine
- Everyone should have access to free healthcare
- It is probable to find a universal cure for AIDS?
- Pros and Cons of alternative medicine
- Concussion’s negative effects
- Is Coronavirus as dangerous as the media makes it out to be?
- Are electronic cigarettes safer than tobacco?
- Art therapy is seen to be beneficial for many health issues
- Is 3D printing useful in medicine?
- Cancer can be treated using nanotechnology
- How can stem cells be used to reduce heart attack death rates?
Persuasive Essay Topics On Music
- Music is an effective treatment for psychological issues
- Hard rock has a negative impact on the behavior of teenagers
- You can find music in nature if you listen carefully
- Billie Eilish is not your average teenage pop star
- Celtic music can help you relax
- The majority of twenty-first-century music is commercial and not artistic
- Rap music incites violence
- Music has a positive impact on the human brain
- Classical music can help you have a better pregnancy
- Music can help college students perform better academically
Persuasive Essay Topics On Sports
- Girls should be equally encouraged to participate in sports along with studying
- College athletes should get paid
- Injuries have a significant impact on an athlete’s mental health
- Benefits of hosting the Olympic games on countries and its economic and social impact
- The media’s portrayal of female athletes remains sexist
- Women must not have restrictions to compete against men in sports
- Sports are the best way to relax and soothe the mind and body
- Athletes are frequently affected by eating disorders
- Rough sports can encourage violent behavior
- Colleges and schools should place a more significant emphasis on physical education
Persuasive Essay Topics About Food
- Pizza vs. hot dogs: Which is best?
- Should children learn to cook for themselves?
- Is it more fun to eat in a restaurant or at home?
- Which dessert is the best?
- Should nutritious food cost less than junk food?
- Is it healthy to eat meat?
- Is it better to snack or have three main meals throughout the day?
- Should sugary drinks be allowed at school?
- Should children be forced to eat things they dislike?
- What is the best meal to serve during a party?
Persuasive Essay Topics About Arts
- The role of art is crucial in the development of the world
- Students engaged in arts perform better academically
- Everyone should take art classes in school
- Digital art lacks soul, unlike regular art
- Is art really required for humankind?
- How does children’s art express their inner fears?
- Art therapy aids in the treatment of mental illness
- How has the image of women in art changed over the centuries?
- The birthplace of most branches of art is ancient Greece
- The meaning of art
Persuasive Essay Topics About Economics
- Should those with higher incomes pay more taxes?
- Should financial literacy classes be obligatory for all high school students?
- Is it feasible to realize the American ideal, or is it a myth?
- Is it better to work as an unpaid intern at a prominent corporation or as a paid employee at a local store/restaurant over the summer?
- Should the US impose higher or lower tariffs?
- Should college graduates have their student loans forgiven?
- Should restaurants remove tipping and enhance staff compensation instead?
Conclusion
Writing a persuasive essay is pretty easy, provided you have your topic and arguments ready. Choosing the best essay topic and idea can be confusing for novice writers and students. However, we hope this article will help you find an interesting topic that you can write about.
Conduct proper research and curate enough evidence that backs up the argument once you select the topic. As with any kind of writing, composing a professional persuasive essay takes time and effort. Therefore, keep the practice going, and you’ll succeed with time.