Whether you’re writing a paper analysing, sharing personal thoughts, or comparing ideas, you usually focus on one main idea. The topic of an essay is what it’s about. Essay topics can be wide or narrow, easy or complicated; every essay has one. Figuring out your topic is typically the first step in writing an essay.

What is an essay topic?

Essay themes are the big ideas that essays talk about. The aim of an essay topic is to guide your writing. By deciding on your essay topic, you can choose what to write about, how to research it, what points to include (and what not to), and which sources to use to support your main idea.

For instance, you might write an essay arguing why it’s important for all first-year students at your college to take a class on understanding media. This could be the main idea for your essay.

Sometimes your teacher will give you a topic for your essay. In that case, you can start thinking about how to explore the topic and make your main point. Other times, you’ll have to pick your own topic, and your teacher might or might not help you. If you’re choosing your own topic, you can try a few different ways to come up with ideas:

• Let’s start with freewriting. Think about the kind of essay you need to write (like analysing something, comparing things, or sharing your own thoughts), and then just let your mind wander. Write down any questions you have, any thoughts that pop up, or things you notice about those thoughts or questions. Also, jot down any topics that catch your interest.

• Another helpful way to get started is by checking out what other people have to say about the topic. This works well when you have a general idea of what you want to write about. Reading what others have written can give you ideas and maybe even inspire you to share your own thoughts on the topic.

• Next, think about the question you really want to answer. Consider the type of essay you’re writing and what questions you want to tackle in your writing.

• Another approach is to find gaps in what’s already been said about your topic. This means looking at what others have written and figuring out what they haven’t talked about yet. This could be your chance to write something new and interesting about your topic.

You can use these same ideas for other kinds of writing too, like coming up with stories or writing blog posts.

How to come up with an essay topic

Before you start looking into possible essay topics, think about what kind of essay you want to write. Good essay topics vary depending on the type of essay, so keep your essay’s purpose in mind when picking a topic. Remember these tips for each type of essay:

Argumentative

For an argumentative essay, you need evidence to support your points. You also have to address any weaknesses in the opposing argument. When writing an argumentative essay, pick topics with clear “sides” that you can support and defend with specific evidence. Choose an issue where you can provide strong proof, like the effects of changing the legal voting age.

Compare-and-contrast

In a compare-and-contrast essay, you need to show how two things are alike and different. Start by thinking about what you want to compare and contrast, like the themes in two poems. Think about the specific angles you can take on the topics and the similarities you’ll talk about in your writing.

Political

A political essay looks at what’s happening in society and politics right now and suggests solutions. For instance, it might suggest ways to improve housing in the US. When you’re thinking about what to write, think about things that affect you or people you know, as well as stuff that’s happened in the past and what’s going on now. You might have your own ideas about new laws or current problems, or you might just want to add your thoughts to the conversation. Another idea is to check out the news and pick a topic that lots of people are talking about and that you know enough about to write a good essay on.

Analytical

An analytical essay looks closely at different parts of a subject to draw conclusions. For instance, you might write about how online classes have changed education permanently. When picking a topic for your essay, think about what interests or puzzles you. Analyse the topic by asking questions and breaking it down. Choose a subject that lets you delve deeply into it.

Personal

A personal essay is a type of writing where you talk about something from your own life. It’s different from other essays because it’s all about your thoughts and feelings, not just facts or ideas from other people. You don’t have to be neutral or unbiased in a personal essay; think of it as a part of your life story or a page from your journal. When you’re thinking of what to write about, focus on events or moments that really mattered to you.

Persuasive

A convincing essay, similar to an argumentative essay, aims to convince the reader to support a specific action or opinion. The difference lies in that in a convincing essay, the writer’s goal is to get the reader to agree with their viewpoint, while an argumentative essay attempts to show the reader why its main idea is objectively true. Effective persuasive essay topics are ones that are widely debated and controversial, like the advantages of eliminating SAT scores from university admission criteria.

Essay topic vs. thesis statement

A topic for an essay isn’t exactly the same thing as the thesis statement, but they’re closely connected. The thesis statement in an essay shows what the writer thinks about the topic in a straightforward way. It basically focuses the topic into a clear statement, which the writer then looks into, examines, and, depending on the type of essay, supports in the body paragraphs.

Here are some examples of essay topics and their related thesis statements:

Topic: Changing the legal voting age

Thesis statement: Lowering the legal voting age to 16 boosts youth involvement in civic affairs. To tackle low voter turnout among young people, the United States should lower the voting age to sixteen.

Topic: Is exercise necessary if you eat a healthy diet?

Thesis: Studies show that while food is vital for staying healthy and fit, exercising regularly is crucial for making bones and muscles stronger, controlling weight, and reducing the chances of getting sick.

Likewise, an essay topic and title aren’t identical, but they’re related. The topic of an essay should be clear from its title.

30 essay topic examples

Persuasive essay topics

• The Dangers of Disposable Plastic

• Intentional Short Lifespan of Products

• Debate: Pineapple as Pizza Topping

• Improving Neighborhood Relationships

• Tips for Making High School Writing Easier.

Personal essay topics

• My grandma makes delicious meals.

• The dinosaur I love the most.

• A very important trip I took.

• How I felt when I read my own published writing.

• Why won’t I get another pet pig?

Argumentative essay topics

• Should cars be banned from downtown?

• Why do we get hooked on social media?

• Should the library stay open 24/7?

• Should high schools skip summer break?

• Are we too careless about how much data we share?

Analytical essay topics

• Love themes in Frankenstein and the House of Leaves.

• Why good grammar matters in communication.

• Taking notes by hand helps you remember better.

• Dogs as symbols in Wuthering Heights.

• Teaching music in elementary schools.

Political essay topics

• The fairness of the Electoral College in today’s elections

• Helping students by forgiving their debt

• Ways to get more people to vote

• Possible outcomes of changing how we divide up voting areas

• What if we had computers making decisions for us?

Compare and contrast essay topics

• Is it better for the environment to take the train or the bus?

• Comparing diets: vegan vs. vegetarian

• Looking at how Toni Morrison’s writing has changed over time

• Using different kinds of information in sociology

• The Handmaid’s Tale show compared to the book

Essay topics FAQs

What makes a good essay topic?

An essay topic is what your essay is about. It can be a big idea or something more specific.

What’s the point of an essay topic?

An essay topic gives the writer something to write about. It’s the main idea or subject of the essay, guiding the writer on what to explore, analyse, argue, defend, or explain.

How is an essay topic different from a thesis statement?

An essay topic is broader than a thesis statement. A thesis statement specifically states the writer’s perspective on the essay topic or a particular aspect of it.

Can you give examples of strong essay topics?

• Comparing Toni Morrison’s writing styles in her early and later works
• Differences between vegan and vegetarian diets
• Understanding the reasons behind social media addiction.