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At some point, you’re going to be asked to write an argumentative essay. An argumentative essay is exactly what it sounds like—an essay in which you’ll be making an argument, using examples and research to back up your point.

But not all argumentative essay topics are created equal. Not only do you have to structure your essay right to have a good impact on the reader, but even your choice of subject can impact how readers feel about your work.

In this article, we’ll cover the basics of writing argumentative essays, including what argumentative essays are, how to write a good one, and how to pick a topic that works for you. Then check out a list of argumentative essay ideas to help you get started.

What Is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is one that makes an argument through research. These essays take a position and support it through evidence, but, unlike many other kinds of essays, they are interested in expressing a specific argument supported by research and evidence.

A good argumentative essay will be based on established or new research rather than only on your thoughts and feelings. Imagine that you’re trying to get your parents to raise your allowance, and you can offer one of two arguments in your favor:

You should raise my allowance because I want you to.

You should raise my allowance because I’ve been taking on more chores without complaining.

The first argument is based entirely in feelings without any factual backup, whereas the second is based on evidence that can be proven. Your parents are more likely to respond positively to the second argument because it demonstrates that you have done something to earn the increased allowance. Similarly, a well-researched and reasoned argument will show readers that your point has a basis in fact, not just feelings.

The standard five-paragraph essay is common in writing argumentative essays, but it’s not the only way to write one. An argumentative essay is typically written in one of two formats, the Toulmin model or the Rogerian model.

The Toulmin model is the most common, comprised of an introduction with a claim (otherwise known as a thesis), with data to support it. This style of essay will also include rebuttals, helping to strengthen your argument by anticipating counterarguments.

The Rogerian model analyzes two sides of an argument and reaches a conclusion after weighing the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Both essay styles rely on well-reasoned logic and supporting evidence to prove a point, just in two different ways.

The important thing to note about argumentative essays as opposed to other kinds of essays is that they aim to argue a specific point rather than to explain something or to tell a story. While they may have some things in common with analytical essays, the primary difference is in their objective—an argumentative essay aims to convince someone of something, whereas an analytical essay contextualizes a topic with research.

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What Makes a Good Argumentative Essay?

To write an effective argumentative essay, you need to know what a good one looks like. In addition to a solid structure, you’ll need an argument, a strong thesis, and solid research.

An Argument

Unlike other forms of essays, you are trying to convince your reader of something. You’re not just teaching them a concept or demonstrating an idea—you’re constructing an argument to change the readers’ thinking.

You’ll need to develop a good argument, which encompasses not just your main point, but also all the pieces that make it up.

Think beyond what you are saying and include how you’re saying it. How will you take an idea and turn it into a complex and well thought out argument that is capable of changing somebody’s mind?

A Strong Thesis

The thesis is the core of your argument. What specific message are you trying to get across? State that message in one sentence, and that will be your thesis.

This is the foundation on which your essay is built, so it needs to be strong and well-reasoned. You need to be able to expand on it with facts and sources, not just feelings.

A good argumentative essay isn’t just based on your individual thoughts, but research. That can be citing sources and other arguments or it can mean direct research in the field, depending on what your argument is and the context in which you are arguing it.

Be prepared to back your thesis up with reporting from scientific journals, newspapers, or other forms of research. Having well-researched sources will help support your argument better than hearsay or assumptions. If you can’t find enough research to back up your point, it’s worth reconsidering your thesis or conducting original research, if possible.

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How to Come Up With an Argumentative Essay Topic

Sometimes you may find yourself arguing things you don’t necessarily believe. That’s totally fine—you don’t actually have to wholeheartedly believe in what you’re arguing in order to construct a compelling argument.

However, if you have free choice of topic, it’s a good idea to pick something you feel strongly about. There are two key components to a good argumentative essay: a strong stance, and an assortment of evidence. If you’re interested and feel passionate about the topic you choose, you'll have an easier time finding evidence to support it, but it's the evidence that's most important. 

So, to choose a topic, think about things you feel strongly about, whether positively or negatively. You can make a list of ideas and narrow those down to a handful of things, then expand on those ideas with a few potential points you want to hit on.

For example, say you’re trying to decide whether you should write about how your neighborhood should ban weed killer, that your school’s lunch should be free for all students, or that the school day should be cut by one hour. To decide between these ideas, you can make a list of three to five points for each that cover the different evidence you could use to support each point.

For the weed killer ban, you could say that weed killer has been proven to have adverse impacts on bees, that there are simple, natural alternatives, and that weeds aren’t actually bad to have around. For the free lunch idea, you could suggest that some students have to go hungry because they can’t afford lunch, that funds could be diverted from other places to support free lunch, and that other items, like chips or pizza, could be sold to help make up lost revenue. And for the school day length example, you could argue that teenagers generally don’t get enough sleep, that you have too much homework and not enough time to do it, and that teenagers don’t spend enough time with their families.

You might find as you make these lists that some of them are stronger than others. The more evidence you have and the stronger you feel that that evidence is, the better the topic.  Of course, if you feel that one topic may have more evidence but you’d rather not write about it, it’s okay to pick another topic instead. When you’re making arguments, it can be much easier to find strong points and evidence if you feel passionate about our topic than if you don't.

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50 Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas

If you’re struggling to come up with topics on your own, read through this list of argumentative essay topics to help get you started!

  • Should fracking be legal?
  • Should parents be able to modify their unborn children?
  • Do GMOs help or harm people?
  • Should vaccinations be required for students to attend public school?
  • Should world governments get involved in addressing climate change?
  • Should Facebook be allowed to collect data from its users?
  • Should self-driving cars be legal?
  • Is it ethical to replace human workers with automation?
  • Should there be laws against using cell phones while driving?
  • Has the internet positively or negatively impacted human society?

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  • Should college athletes be paid for being on sports teams?
  • Should coaches and players make the same amount of money?
  • Should sports be segregated by gender?
  • Should the concept of designated hitters in baseball be abolished?
  • Should US sports take soccer more seriously?
  • Should religious organizations have to pay taxes?
  • Should religious clubs be allowed in schools?
  • Should “one nation under God” be in the pledge of allegiance?
  • Should religion be taught in schools?
  • Should clergy be allowed to marry?
  • Should minors be able to purchase birth control without parental consent?
  • Should the US switch to single-payer healthcare?
  • Should assisted suicide be legal?
  • Should dietary supplements and weight loss items like teas be allowed to advertise through influencers?
  • Should doctors be allowed to promote medicines?

Government/Politics

  • Is the electoral college an effective system for modern America?
  • Should Puerto Rico become a state?
  • Should voter registration be automatic?
  • Should people in prison be allowed to vote?
  • Should Supreme Court justices be elected?
  • Should sex work be legalized?
  • Should Columbus Day be replaced with Indigenous Peoples’ Day?
  • Should the death penalty be legal?
  • Should animal testing be allowed?
  • Should drug possession be decriminalized?

body_money-23

  • Should unpaid internships be legal?
  • Should minimum wage be increased?
  • Should monopolies be allowed?
  • Is universal basic income a good idea?
  • Should corporations have a higher or lower tax rate?
  • Are school uniforms a good idea?
  • Should PE affect a student’s grades?
  • Should college be free?
  • Should Greek life in colleges be abolished?
  • Should students be taught comprehensive sex ed?

Arts/Culture

  • Should graffiti be considered art or vandalism?
  • Should books with objectionable words be banned?
  • Should content on YouTube be better regulated?
  • Is art education important?
  • Should art and music sharing online be allowed?

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How to Argue Effectively

A strong argument isn’t just about having a good point. If you can’t support that point well, your argument falls apart.

One of the most important things you can do in writing a strong argumentative essay is organizing well. Your essay should have a distinct beginning, middle, and end, better known as the introduction, body and opposition, and conclusion.

This example follows the Toulmin model—if your essay follows the Rogerian model, the same basic premise is true, but your thesis will instead propose two conflicting viewpoints that will be resolved through evidence in the body, with your conclusion choosing the stronger of the two arguments.

Introduction

Your hook should draw the reader’s interest immediately. Questions are a common way of getting interest, as well as evocative language or a strong statistic

Don’t assume that your audience is already familiar with your topic. Give them some background information, such as a brief history of the issue or some additional context.

Your thesis is the crux of your argument. In an argumentative essay, your thesis should be clearly outlined so that readers know exactly what point you’ll be making. Don’t explain all your evidence in the opening, but do take a strong stance and make it clear what you’ll be discussing.

Your claims are the ideas you’ll use to support your thesis. For example, if you’re writing about how your neighborhood shouldn’t use weed killer, your claim might be that it’s bad for the environment. But you can’t just say that on its own—you need evidence to support it.

Evidence is the backbone of your argument. This can be things you glean from scientific studies, newspaper articles, or your own research. You might cite a study that says that weed killer has an adverse effect on bees, or a newspaper article that discusses how one town eliminated weed killer and saw an increase in water quality. These kinds of hard evidence support your point with demonstrable facts, strengthening your argument.

In your essay, you want to think about how the opposition would respond to your claims and respond to them. Don’t pick the weakest arguments, either— figure out what other people are saying and respond to those arguments with clearly reasoned arguments.

Demonstrating that you not only understand the opposition’s point, but that your argument is strong enough to withstand it, is one of the key pieces to a successful argumentative essay.

Conclusions are a place to clearly restate your original point, because doing so will remind readers exactly what you’re arguing and show them how well you’ve argued that point.

Summarize your main claims by restating them, though you don’t need to bring up the evidence again. This helps remind readers of everything you’ve said throughout the essay.

End by suggesting a picture of a world in which your argument and action are ignored. This increases the impact of your argument and leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

A strong argumentative essay is one with good structure and a strong argument , but there are a few other things you can keep in mind to further strengthen your point.

When you’re crafting an argument, it can be easy to get distracted by all the information and complications in your argument. It’s important to stay focused—be clear in your thesis and home in on claims that directly support that thesis.

Be Rational

It’s important that your claims and evidence be based in facts, not just opinion. That’s why it’s important to use reliable sources based in science and reporting—otherwise, it’s easy for people to debunk your arguments.

Don’t rely solely on your feelings about the topic. If you can’t back a claim up with real evidence, it leaves room for counterarguments you may not anticipate. Make sure that you can support everything you say with clear and concrete evidence, and your claims will be a lot stronger!

What’s Next?

No matter what kind of essay you're writing, a strong plan will help you have a bigger impact. This guide to writing a college essay is a great way to get started on your essay organizing journey!

Brushing up on your essay format knowledge to prep for the SAT? Check out this list of SAT essay prompts to help you kickstart your studying!

A bunch of great essay examples can help you aspire to greatness, but bad essays can also be a warning for what not to do. This guide to bad college essays will help you better understand common mistakes to avoid in essay writing!

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Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

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Finding Sources

Primary and secondary sources.

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Knowing the difference between primary and secondary sources will help you determine what types of sources you may need to include in your research essay. In general, primary sources are original works (original historical documents, art works, interviews, etc.), while secondary sources contain others’ insights and writings about those primary works (scholar articles about historical documents, art works, interviews, etc.).

While many scholarly sources are secondary sources, you will sometimes be asked to find primary sources in your research. For this reason, you should understand the differences between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources.

  • Primary sources allow researchers to get as close as possible to original ideas, events, and empirical research as possible. Such sources may include creative works, first hand or contemporary accounts of events, and the publication of the results of empirical observations or research. These include diaries, interviews, speeches, photographs, etc.
  • Secondary sources analyze, review, or summarize information in primary resources or other secondary resources. Even sources presenting facts or descriptions about events are secondary unless they are based on direct participation or observation. These include biographies, journal articles, books, and dissertations.
  • Tertiary sources provide overviews of topics by synthesizing information gathered from other resources. Tertiary resources often provide data in a convenient form or provide information with context by which to interpret it. These are often grouped together with secondary sources. They include encyclopedias and dictionaries.
Types of Sources in Various Disciplines
Art Painting Critical review of the painting Encyclopedia article on the artist
History Civil War diary Book on a Civil War battle List of battle sites
Literature Novel or poem Essay about themes in the work Biography of the author
Political science Geneva Convention Article about prisoners of war Chronology of treaties
Agriculture Conference paper on tobacco genetics Review article on the current state of tobacco research Encyclopedia article on tobacco
Chemistry Chemical patent Book on chemical reactions Table of related reactions
Physics Einstein’s diary Biography on Einstein Dictionary of relativity

Analyze your topic/working thesis to determine the types of sources that can help with support.  For example, if your topic deals with Van Gogh’s use of pale green and what it connotes in his later paintings, you will need to couple evidence from primary sources (images of the paintings themselves) with secondary sources (other scholars’ views, discussions, and logical arguments about the same topic).  If your working thesis deals with the benefits of regular exercise for older adults in their 70s-90s, you may couple evidence from primary sources (uninterpreted data from research studies, interviews with older adults or experts in the field) with secondary sources (interpretations of research studies).  In some cases, you may find that your research is mostly from secondary sources and that’s fine, depending on your topic and working thesis.  Just make sure to consider, consciously, the types of sources that can best be used to support your own ideas.

The following video provides a clear overview of primary and secondary sources.

  • Primary and Secondary Sources. Revision and adaptation of the page What Are Scholarly Articles? at https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-englishcomposition1/chapter/text-intermediate-research-strategies/which is a revision and adaptation of the sources listed below. Authored by : Susan Oaks. Provided by : Empire State College, SUNY OER Services. Project : College Writing. License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
  • What Are Scholarly Articles?. Provided by : Lumen Learning. Project : English Composition I. License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
  • Primary, secondary, and tertiary sources. Provided by : Virginia Tech University Libraries. Located at : http://www.lib.vt.edu/help/research/primary-secondary-tertiary.html . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
  • Secondary Sources in their Natural Habitat. Authored by : Amy Guptill. Provided by : SUNY. Located at : http://pressbooks.opensuny.org/writing-in-college-from-competence-to-excellence/chapter/4/ . Project : Writing in College. License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
  • Walk, Talk, Cook, Eat: A Guide to Using Sources. Authored by : Cynthia R. Haller. Provided by : Saylor. Located at : . Project : Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing Vol. 2. License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
  • Scholarly Sources. Provided by : Boundless. Located at : https://www.boundless.com/writing/textbooks/boundless-writing-textbook/the-research-process-2/understanding-the-academic-context-of-your-topic-261/understanding-the-academic-context-of-your-topic-34-1667 . Project : Boundless Writing. License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
  • image of open book. Authored by : Hermann. Provided by : Pixabay. Located at : https://pixabay.com/en/book-open-pages-library-books-408302 . License : CC0: No Rights Reserved
  • video Understanding Primary & Secondary Sources. Provided by : Imagine Easy Solutions. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmno-Yfetd8 . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License

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  • Primary vs. Secondary Sources | Difference & Examples

Primary vs. Secondary Sources | Difference & Examples

Published on June 20, 2018 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on May 31, 2023.

When you do research, you have to gather information and evidence from a variety of sources.

Primary sources provide raw information and first-hand evidence. Examples include interview transcripts, statistical data, and works of art. Primary research gives you direct access to the subject of your research.

Secondary sources provide second-hand information and commentary from other researchers. Examples include journal articles, reviews, and academic books . Thus, secondary research describes, interprets, or synthesizes primary sources.

Primary sources are more credible as evidence, but good research uses both primary and secondary sources.

Table of contents

What is a primary source, what is a secondary source, primary and secondary source examples, how to tell if a source is primary or secondary, primary vs secondary sources: which is better, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about primary and secondary sources.

A primary source is anything that gives you direct evidence about the people, events, or phenomena that you are researching. Primary sources will usually be the main objects of your analysis.

If you are researching the past, you cannot directly access it yourself, so you need primary sources that were produced at the time by participants or witnesses (e.g. letters, photographs, newspapers ).

If you are researching something current, your primary sources can either be qualitative or quantitative data that you collect yourself (e.g. through interviews , surveys , experiments ) or sources produced by people directly involved in the topic (e.g. official documents or media texts).

Primary sources
Research field Primary source
History
Art and literature
Communication and social studies
Law and politics
Sciences

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A secondary source is anything that describes, interprets, evaluates, or analyzes information from primary sources. Common examples include:

  • Books , articles and documentaries that synthesize information on a topic
  • Synopses and descriptions of artistic works
  • Encyclopedias and textbooks that summarize information and ideas
  • Reviews and essays that evaluate or interpret something

When you cite a secondary source, it’s usually not to analyze it directly. Instead, you’ll probably test its arguments against new evidence or use its ideas to help formulate your own.

Primary and secondary source examples
Primary source Secondary source
Novel Article analyzing the novel
Painting Exhibition catalog explaining the painting
Letters and diaries written by a historical figure Biography of the historical figure
by a philosopher Textbook summarizing the philosopher’s ideas
Photographs of a historical event Documentary about the historical event
Government documents about a new policy Newspaper article about the new policy
Music recordings Academic book about the musical style
Results of an opinion poll Blog post interpreting the results of the poll
Empirical study that cites the study

Examples of sources that can be primary or secondary

A secondary source can become a primary source depending on your research question . If the person, context, or technique that produced the source is the main focus of your research, it becomes a primary source.

Documentaries

If you are researching the causes of World War II, a recent documentary about the war is a secondary source . But if you are researching the filmmaking techniques used in historical documentaries, the documentary is a primary source .

Reviews and essays

If your paper is about the novels of Toni Morrison, a magazine review of one of her novels is a secondary source . But if your paper is about the critical reception of Toni Morrison’s work, the review is a primary source .

Newspaper articles

If your aim is to analyze the government’s economic policy, a newspaper article about a new policy is a secondary source . But if your aim is to analyze media coverage of economic issues, the newspaper article is a primary source .

To determine if something can be used as a primary or secondary source in your research, there are some simple questions you can ask yourself:

  • Does this source come from someone directly involved in the events I’m studying (primary) or from another researcher (secondary)?
  • Am I interested in evaluating the source itself (primary) or only using it for background information (secondary)?
  • Does the source provide original information (primary) or does it comment upon information from other sources (secondary)?

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Most research uses both primary and secondary sources. They complement each other to help you build a convincing argument. Primary sources are more credible as evidence, but secondary sources show how your work relates to existing research. Tertiary sources are often used in the first, exploratory stage of research.

What do you use primary sources for?

Primary sources are the foundation of original research. They allow you to:

  • Make new discoveries
  • Provide credible evidence for your arguments
  • Give authoritative information about your topic

If you don’t use any primary sources, your research may be considered unoriginal or unreliable.

What do you use secondary sources for?

Secondary sources are good for gaining a full overview of your topic and understanding how other researchers have approached it. They often synthesize a large number of primary sources that would be difficult and time-consuming to gather by yourself. They allow you to:

  • Gain background information on the topic
  • Support or contrast your arguments with other researchers’ ideas
  • Gather information from primary sources that you can’t access directly (e.g. private letters or physical documents located elsewhere)

When you conduct a literature review or meta analysis, you can consult secondary sources to gain a thorough overview of your topic. If you want to mention a paper or study that you find cited in a secondary source, seek out the original source and cite it directly.

Remember that all primary and secondary sources must be cited to avoid plagiarism . You can use Scribbr’s free citation generator to do so!

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

  • ChatGPT vs human editor
  • ChatGPT citations
  • Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
  • Using ChatGPT for your studies
  • What is ChatGPT?
  • Chicago style
  • Paraphrasing

 Plagiarism

  • Types of plagiarism
  • Self-plagiarism
  • Avoiding plagiarism
  • Academic integrity
  • Consequences of plagiarism
  • Common knowledge

Common examples of primary sources include interview transcripts , photographs, novels, paintings, films, historical documents, and official statistics.

Anything you directly analyze or use as first-hand evidence can be a primary source, including qualitative or quantitative data that you collected yourself.

Common examples of secondary sources include academic books, journal articles , reviews, essays , and textbooks.

Anything that summarizes, evaluates or interprets primary sources can be a secondary source. If a source gives you an overview of background information or presents another researcher’s ideas on your topic, it is probably a secondary source.

To determine if a source is primary or secondary, ask yourself:

  • Was the source created by someone directly involved in the events you’re studying (primary), or by another researcher (secondary)?
  • Does the source provide original information (primary), or does it summarize information from other sources (secondary)?
  • Are you directly analyzing the source itself (primary), or only using it for background information (secondary)?

Some types of source are nearly always primary: works of art and literature, raw statistical data, official documents and records, and personal communications (e.g. letters, interviews ). If you use one of these in your research, it is probably a primary source.

Primary sources are often considered the most credible in terms of providing evidence for your argument, as they give you direct evidence of what you are researching. However, it’s up to you to ensure the information they provide is reliable and accurate.

Always make sure to properly cite your sources to avoid plagiarism .

A fictional movie is usually a primary source. A documentary can be either primary or secondary depending on the context.

If you are directly analyzing some aspect of the movie itself – for example, the cinematography, narrative techniques, or social context – the movie is a primary source.

If you use the movie for background information or analysis about your topic – for example, to learn about a historical event or a scientific discovery – the movie is a secondary source.

Whether it’s primary or secondary, always properly cite the movie in the citation style you are using. Learn how to create an MLA movie citation or an APA movie citation .

Articles in newspapers and magazines can be primary or secondary depending on the focus of your research.

In historical studies, old articles are used as primary sources that give direct evidence about the time period. In social and communication studies, articles are used as primary sources to analyze language and social relations (for example, by conducting content analysis or discourse analysis ).

If you are not analyzing the article itself, but only using it for background information or facts about your topic, then the article is a secondary source.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Streefkerk, R. (2023, May 31). Primary vs. Secondary Sources | Difference & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved June 22, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/primary-and-secondary-sources/

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Praxis Core Writing

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primary source essay topics

Source-based essay (30 minutes)

  • insightfully explains why the concerns are important, supporting the explanation with effective links between the two sources and well-chosen reasons, examples, or details
  • incorporates information from both sources to identify and explain important concerns regarding the issue discussed in the sources
  • organizes and develops ideas logically
  • displays effective sentence variety
  • clearly displays facility in the use of language
  • is generally free from errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics
  • cites both sources when paraphrasing or quoting
  • clearly explains why the concerns are important, supporting the explanation with clear links between the two sources and relevant reasons, examples, or details
  • organizes and develops ideas clearly
  • displays some sentence variety
  • displays facility in the use of language
  • adequately explains why the concerns are important, supporting the explanation with some links between the two sources and adequate reasons, examples, or details
  • shows control in the organization and development of ideas
  • displays adequate use of language
  • shows control of grammar, usage, and mechanics, but may display errors
  • limited in explaining why the concerns are important
  • incorporates only one source to identify and explain concerns regarding the issue discussed in the sources, or incorporates two sources inadequately
  • limited in supporting the explanation (establishes only a weak link between the sources and/or offers inadequate reasons, examples, or details)
  • limited control in the organization and development of ideas
  • an accumulation of errors in the use of language
  • an accumulation of errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics
  • cites sources when paraphrasing or quoting
  • fails to explain why the concerns are important
  • incorporates only one source weakly or fails to identify concerns regarding the issue discussed in the sources
  • offers weak support for the explanation (no link between the sources and/or few or no relevant reasons, examples, or details)
  • weak organization or very little development
  • frequent serious errors in the use of language
  • frequent serious errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics
  • fails to cite any sources when paraphrasing or quoting
  • contains serious and persistent writing errors or
  • is incoherent or
  • is undeveloped or
  • is off-topic

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Program Teachers

Getting started with primary sources.

primary source essay topics

What are primary sources?

Primary sources are the raw materials of history — original documents and objects that were created at the time under study. They are different from secondary sources, accounts that retell, analyze, or interpret events, usually at a distance of time or place.

Why teach with primary sources?

Bringing young people into close contact with these unique, often profoundly personal, documents and objects can give them a sense of what it was like to be alive during a long-past era. Helping students analyze primary sources can also prompt curiosity and improve critical thinking and analysis skills.

Primary sources expose students to multiple perspectives on significant issues of the past and present. In analyzing primary sources, students move from concrete observations and facts to questioning and making inferences about the materials. Interacting with primary sources engages students in asking questions, evaluating information, making inferences, and developing reasoned explanations and interpretations of events and issues.

Before you begin

Successful student interactions with primary sources require careful primary source selections and lesson planning.

  • Select one or more primary sources that support the learning objectives and are accessible to students. Consider your students' needs and interests and any logistical factors for using the item, such as legibility or copyright status. The Library of Congress Primary Source Sets for educators are a good place to start and the Free to Use and Reuse sets for more general audiences are another.
  • Consider whether students will be able to identify point of view, put the items into historical context, and compare these items to other primary and secondary sources.
  • Plan instruction, including activity types, time required, and whether students will work individually, in small groups, or as a whole class. Use the Primary Source Analysis Tool from the Library of Congress and select guiding questions from the teacher's guide to support students in analyzing the primary sources.

Engage students with primary sources

Primary sources help students relate in a personal way to events of the past and promote a deeper understanding of history as a series of human events. Because primary sources are incomplete snippets of history, each one represents a mystery that students can only explore further by finding new pieces of evidence.

Ask students to observe each primary source.

  • Where does your eye go first?
  • What do you see that you didn’t expect?
  • What powerful words and ideas are expressed?

Encourage students to think about their response to the source.

  • What feelings and thoughts does the primary source trigger in you?
  • What questions does it raise?

Promote student inquiry

Inquiry into primary sources encourages students to wrestle with contradictions and compare multiple sources that represent differing points of view, confronting the complexity of the past.

Encourage students to speculate about each source, its creator, and its context.

  • What was happening during this time period?
  • What was the creator’s purpose in making this primary source?
  • What does the creator do to get his or her point across?
  • What was this primary source’s audience?
  • What biases or stereotypes do you see?

Ask if this source agrees with other primary sources, or with what the students already know.

Assess how students apply critical thinking and analysis skills to primary sources

Primary sources are often incomplete and have little context. Students must use prior knowledge and work with multiple resources to find patterns and construct knowledge.

Questions of creator bias, purpose, and point of view may challenge students’ assumptions.

  • Ask students to test their assumptions about the past.
  • Ask students to find other primary or secondary sources that offer support or contradiction.
  • Ask for reasons and specific evidence to support their conclusions.
  • Help students identify questions for further investigation and develop strategies for how they might answer them.

Offer students opportunities to demonstrate their learning by writing an essay, delivering a speech taking a stand on an issue in the primary sources, or creating a museum display about a historical topic. For more follow-up activity ideas, take a look at the general or format-specific teacher's guides .

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160 Good Argumentative Essay Topics for Students in 2024

April 3, 2024

The skill of writing an excellent argumentative essay is a crucial one for every high school or college student to master. In sum, argumentative essays teach students how to organize their thoughts logically and present them in a convincing way. This skill is helpful not only for those pursuing degrees in law , international relations , or public policy , but for any student who wishes to develop their critical thinking faculties. In this article, we’ll cover what makes a good argument essay and offer several argumentative essay topics for high school and college students. Let’s begin!

What is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is an essay that uses research to present a reasoned argument on a particular subject . As with the persuasive essay , the purpose of an argumentative essay is to sway the reader to the writer’s position. However, a strong persuasive essay makes its point through diligent research and emotion while a strong argumentative essay should be based solely on facts, not feelings.

Moreover, each fact should be supported by clear evidence from credible sources . Furthermore, a good argumentative essay will have an easy-to-follow structure. When organizing your argumentative essay, use this format as a guide:

  • Introduction
  • Supporting body paragraphs
  • Paragraph(s) addressing common counterarguments

Argumentative Essay Format

In the introduction , the writer presents their position and thesis statement —a sentence that summarizes the paper’s main points. The body paragraphs then draw upon supporting evidence to back up this initial statement, with each paragraph focusing on its own point. The length of your paper will determine the amount of examples you need. In general, you’ll likely need at least two to three. Additionally, your examples should be as detailed as possible, citing specific research, case studies, statistics, or anecdotes.

In the counterargument paragraph , the writer acknowledges and refutes opposing viewpoints. Finally, in the conclusion , the writer restates the main argument made in the thesis statement and summarizes the points of the essay. Additionally, the conclusion may offer a final proposal to persuade the reader of the essay’s position.

How to Write an Effective Argumentative Essay, Step by Step

  • Choose your topic. Use the list below to help you pick a topic. Ideally, a good argumentative essay topic will be meaningful to you—writing is always stronger when you are interested in the subject matter. In addition, the topic should be complex with plenty of “pro” and “con” arguments. Avoid choosing a topic that is either widely accepted as fact or too narrow. For example, “Is the earth round?” would not be a solid choice.
  • Research. Use the library, the web, and any other resources to gather information about your argumentative essay topic. Research widely but smartly. As you go, take organized notes, marking the source of every quote and where it may fit in the scheme of your larger essay. Moreover, remember to look for (and research) possible counterarguments.
  • Outline . Using the argument essay format above, create an outline for your essay. Then, brainstorm a thesis statement covering your argument’s main points, and begin to put your examples in order, focusing on logical flow. It’s often best to place your strongest example last.
  • Write . Draw on your research and outline to create a first draft. Remember, your first draft doesn’t need to be perfect. (As Voltaire says, “Perfect is the enemy of good.”) Accordingly, just focus on getting the words down on paper.
  • Does my thesis statement need to be adjusted?
  • Which examples feel strongest? Weakest?
  • Do the transitions flow smoothly?
  • Do I have a strong opening paragraph?
  • Does the conclusion reinforce my argument?

Tips for Revising an Argument Essay

Evaluating your own work can be difficult, so you might consider the following strategies:

  • Read your work aloud to yourself.
  • Record yourself reading your paper, and listen to the recording.
  • Reverse outline your paper. Firstly, next to each paragraph, write a short summary of that paragraph’s main points/idea. Then, read through your reverse outline. Does it have a logical flow? If not, where should you adjust?
  • Print out your paper and cut it into paragraphs. What happens when you rearrange the paragraphs?

Good Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School, High School, and College Students

Family argumentative essay topics.

  • Should the government provide financial incentives for families to have children to address the declining birth rate?
  • Should we require parents to provide their children with a certain level of nutrition and physical activity to prevent childhood obesity?
  • Should parents implement limits on how much time their children spend playing video games?
  • Should cell phones be banned from family/holiday gatherings?
  • Should we hold parents legally responsible for their children’s actions?
  • Should children have the right to sue their parents for neglect?
  • Should parents have the right to choose their child’s religion?
  • Are spanking and other forms of physical punishment an effective method of discipline?
  • Should courts allow children to choose where they live in cases of divorce?
  • Should parents have the right to monitor teens’ activity on social media?
  • Should parents control their child’s medical treatment, even if it goes against the child’s wishes?
  • Should parents be allowed to post pictures of their children on social media without their consent?
  • Should fathers have a legal say in whether their partners do or do not receive an abortion?
  • Can television have positive developmental benefits on children?
  • Should the driving age be raised to prevent teen car accidents?
  • Should adult children be legally required to care for their aging parents?

Education Argument Essay Topics

  • Should schools ban the use of technology like ChatGPT?
  • Are zoos unethical, or necessary for conservation and education?
  • To what degree should we hold parents responsible in the event of a school shooting?
  • Should schools offer students a set number of mental health days?
  • Should school science curriculums offer a course on combating climate change?
  • Should public libraries be allowed to ban certain books? If so, what types?
  • What role, if any, should prayer play in public schools?
  • Should schools push to abolish homework?
  • Are gifted and talented programs in schools more harmful than beneficial due to their exclusionary nature?
  • Should universities do away with Greek life?
  • Should schools remove artwork, such as murals, that some perceive as offensive?
  • Should the government grant parents the right to choose alternative education options for their children and use taxpayer funds to support these options?
  • Is homeschooling better than traditional schooling for children’s academic and social development?
  • Should we require schools to teach sex education to reduce teen pregnancy rates?
  • Should we require schools to provide sex education that includes information about both homosexual and heterosexual relationships?
  • Should colleges use affirmative action and other race-conscious policies to address diversity on campus?
  • Should public schools remove the line “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance?
  • Should college admissions officers be allowed to look at students’ social media accounts?
  • Should schools abolish their dress codes, many of which unfairly target girls, LGBTQ students, and students of color?
  • Should schools be required to stock free period products in bathrooms?
  • Should legacy students receive preferential treatment during the college admissions process?
  • Are school “voluntourism” trips ethical?

Government Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should the U.S. decriminalize prostitution?
  • Should the U.S. issue migration visas to all eligible applicants?
  • Should the federal government cancel all student loan debt?
  • Should we lower the minimum voting age? If so, to what?
  • Should the federal government abolish all laws penalizing drug production and use?
  • Should the U.S. use its military power to deter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan?
  • Should the U.S. supply Ukraine with further military intelligence and supplies?
  • Should the North and South of the U.S. split up into two regions?
  • Should Americans hold up nationalism as a critical value?
  • Should we permit Supreme Court justices to hold their positions indefinitely?
  • Should Supreme Court justices be democratically elected?
  • Is the Electoral College still a productive approach to electing the U.S. president?
  • Should the U.S. implement a national firearm registry?
  • Is it ethical for countries like China and Israel to mandate compulsory military service for all citizens?
  • Should the U.S. government implement a ranked-choice voting system?
  • Should institutions that benefited from slavery be required to provide reparations?
  • Based on the 1619 project, should history classes change how they teach about the founding of the U.S.?
  • Should term limits be imposed on Senators and Representatives? If so, how long?
  • Should women be allowed into special forces units?
  • Should the federal government implement stronger, universal firearm licensing laws?
  • Do public sex offender registries help prevent future sex crimes?
  • Should the government be allowed to regulate family size?
  • Should all adults legally be considered mandated reporters?
  • Should the government fund public universities to make higher education more accessible to low-income students?
  • Should the government fund universal preschool to improve children’s readiness for kindergarten?

Health/Bioethics Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should the U.S. government offer its own healthcare plan?
  • In the case of highly infectious pandemics, should we focus on individual freedoms or public safety when implementing policies to control the spread?
  • Should we legally require parents to vaccinate their children to protect public health?
  • Is it ethical for parents to use genetic engineering to create “designer babies” with specific physical and intellectual traits?
  • Should the government fund research on embryonic stem cells for medical treatments?
  • Should the government legalize assisted suicide for terminally ill patients?
  • Should organ donation be mandatory?
  • Is cloning animals ethical?
  • Should cancer screenings start earlier? If so, what age?
  • Is surrogacy ethical?
  • Should birth control require a prescription?
  • Should minors have access to emergency contraception?
  • Should hospitals be for-profit or nonprofit institutions?

Good Argumentative Essay Topics — Continued

Social media argumentative essay topics.

  • Should the federal government increase its efforts to minimize the negative impact of social media?
  • Do social media and smartphones strengthen one’s relationships?
  • Should antitrust regulators take action to limit the size of big tech companies?
  • Should social media platforms ban political advertisements?
  • Should the federal government hold social media companies accountable for instances of hate speech discovered on their platforms?
  • Do apps such as TikTok and Instagram ultimately worsen the mental well-being of teenagers?
  • Should governments oversee how social media platforms manage their users’ data?
  • Should social media platforms like Facebook enforce a minimum age requirement for users?
  • Should social media companies be held responsible for cases of cyberbullying?
  • Should the United States ban TikTok?
  • Is social media harmful to children?
  • Should employers screen applicants’ social media accounts during the hiring process?

Religion Argument Essay Topics

  • Should religious institutions be tax-exempt?
  • Should religious symbols such as the hijab or crucifix be allowed in public spaces?
  • Should religious freedoms be protected, even when they conflict with secular laws?
  • Should the government regulate religious practices?
  • Should we allow churches to engage in political activities?
  • Religion: a force for good or evil in the world?
  • Should the government provide funding for religious schools?
  • Is it ethical for healthcare providers to deny abortions based on religious beliefs?
  • Should religious organizations be allowed to discriminate in their hiring practices?
  • Should we allow people to opt out of medical treatments based on their religious beliefs?
  • Should the U.S. government hold religious organizations accountable for cases of sexual abuse within their community?
  • Should religious beliefs be exempt from anti-discrimination laws?
  • Should religious individuals be allowed to refuse services to others based on their beliefs or lifestyles? (As in this famous case .)
  • Should the US ban religion-based federal holidays?
  • Should public schools be allowed to teach children about religious holidays?

Science Argument Essay Topics

  • Would the world be safer if we eliminated nuclear weapons?
  • Should scientists bring back extinct animals? If so, which ones?
  • Should we hold companies fiscally responsible for their carbon footprint?
  • Should we ban pesticides in favor of organic farming methods?
  • Should the federal government ban all fossil fuels, despite the potential economic impact on specific industries and communities?
  • What renewable energy source should the U.S. invest more money in?
  • Should the FDA outlaw GMOs?
  • Should we worry about artificial intelligence surpassing human intelligence?
  • Should the alternative medicine industry be more stringently regulated?
  • Is colonizing Mars a viable option?
  • Is the animal testing worth the potential to save human lives?

Sports Argument Essay Topics

  • Should colleges compensate student-athletes?
  • How should sports teams and leagues address the gender pay gap?
  • Should youth sports teams do away with scorekeeping?
  • Should we ban aggressive contact sports like boxing and MMA?
  • Should professional sports associations mandate that athletes stand during the national anthem?
  • Should high schools require their student-athletes to maintain a certain GPA?
  • Should transgender athletes compete in sports according to their gender identity?
  • Should schools ban football due to the inherent danger it poses to players?
  • Should performance-enhancing drugs be allowed in sports?
  • Do participation trophies foster entitlement and unrealistic expectations?
  • Should sports teams be divided by gender?
  • Should professional athletes be allowed to compete in the Olympics?
  • Should women be allowed on NFL teams?

Technology Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should sites like DALL-E compensate the artists whose work it was trained on?
  • Should the federal government make human exploration of space a more significant priority?
  • Is it ethical for the government to use surveillance technology to monitor citizens?
  • Should websites require proof of age from their users? If so, what age?
  • Should we consider A.I.-generated images and text pieces of art?
  • Does the use of facial recognition technology violate individuals’ privacy?
  • Is online learning as effective as in-person learning?
  • Does computing harm the environment?
  • Should buying, sharing, and selling collected personal data be illegal?
  • Are electric cars really better for the environment?
  • Should car companies be held responsible for self-driving car accidents?
  • Should private jets be banned?
  • Do violent video games contribute to real-life violence?

Business Argument Essay Topics

  • Should the U.S. government phase out the use of paper money in favor of a fully digital currency system?
  • Should the federal government abolish its patent and copyright laws?
  • Should we replace the Federal Reserve with free-market institutions?
  • Is free-market ideology responsible for the U.S. economy’s poor performance over the past decade?
  • Will cryptocurrencies overtake natural resources like gold and silver?
  • Is capitalism the best economic system? What system would be better?
  • Should the U.S. government enact a universal basic income?
  • Should we require companies to provide paid parental leave to their employees?
  • Should the government raise the minimum wage? If so, to what?
  • Should antitrust regulators break up large companies to promote competition?
  • Is it ethical for companies to prioritize profits over social responsibility?
  • Should gig-economy workers like Uber and Lyft drivers be considered employees or independent contractors?
  • Should the federal government regulate the gig economy to ensure fair treatment of workers?
  • Should the government require companies to disclose the environmental impact of their products?
  • Should companies be allowed to fire employees based on political views or activities?
  • Should tipping practices be phased out?
  • Should employees who choose not to have children be given the same amount of paid leave as parents?
  • Should MLMs (multi-level marketing companies) be illegal?
  • Should employers be allowed to factor tattoos and personal appearance into hiring decisions?

In Conclusion – Argument Essay Topics

Using the tips above, you can effectively structure and pen a compelling argumentative essay that will wow your instructor and classmates. Remember to craft a thesis statement that offers readers a roadmap through your essay, draw on your sources wisely to back up any claims, and read through your paper several times before it’s due to catch any last-minute proofreading errors. With time, diligence, and patience, your essay will be the most outstanding assignment you’ve ever turned in…until the next one rolls around.

Looking for more fresh and engaging topics for use in the classroom? You might consider checking out the following:

  • 125 Good Debate Topics for High School Students
  • 150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics
  • 7 Best Places to Study
  • Guide to the IB Extended Essay
  • How to Write the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay
  • AP Lit Reading List
  • How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay
  • 49 Most Interesting Biology Research Topics
  • High School Success

Lauren Green

With a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from Columbia University and an MFA in Fiction from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin, Lauren has been a professional writer for over a decade. She is the author of the chapbook  A Great Dark House  (Poetry Society of America, 2023) and a forthcoming novel (Viking/Penguin).

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What Is a Primary Source?

Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms - Definition and Examples

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In research and academics, a primary source refers to information collected from sources that witnessed or experienced an event firsthand. These can be historical documents , literary texts, artistic works, experiments, journal entries, surveys, and interviews. A primary source, which is very different from a secondary source , is also called primary data.

The Library of Congress defines primary sources as "the raw materials of history—original documents and objects which were created at the time under study," in contrast to secondary sources , which are "accounts or interpretations of events created by someone without firsthand experience," ("Using Primary Sources").

Secondary sources are often meant to describe or analyze a primary source and do not give firsthand accounts; primary sources tend to provide more accurate depictions of history but are much harder to come by.

Characteristics of Primary Sources

There are a couple of factors that can qualify an artifact as a primary source. The chief characteristics of a primary source, according to Natalie Sproull, are: "(1) [B]eing present during the experience, event or time and (2) consequently being close in time with the data. This does not mean that data from primary sources are always the best data."

Sproull then goes on to remind readers that primary sources are not always more reliable than secondary sources. "Data from human sources are subject to many types of distortion because of such factors as selective recall, selective perceptions, and purposeful or nonpurposeful omission or addition of information. Thus data from primary sources are not necessarily accurate data even though they come from firsthand sources," (Sproull 1988).

Original Sources

Primary sources are often called original sources, but this is not the most accurate description because you're not always going to be dealing with original copies of primary artifacts. For this reason, "primary sources" and "original sources" should be considered separate. Here's what the authors of "Undertaking Historical Research in Literacy," from Handbook of Reading Research , have to say about this:

"The distinction also needs to be made between primary and original sources . It is by no means always necessary, and all too often it is not possible, to deal only with original sources. Printed copies of original sources, provided they have been undertaken with scrupulous care (such as the published letters of the Founding Fathers), are usually an acceptable substitute for their handwritten originals." (E. J. Monaghan and D. K. Hartman, "Undertaking Historical Research in Literacy," in Handbook of Reading Research , ed. by P. D. Pearson et al. Erlbaum, 2000)

When to Use Primary Sources

Primary sources tend to be most useful toward the beginning of your research into a topic and at the end of a claim as evidence, as Wayne Booth et al. explain in the following passage. "[Primary sources] provide the 'raw data' that you use first to test the working hypothesis and then as evidence to support your claim . In history, for example, primary sources include documents from the period or person you are studying, objects, maps, even clothing; in literature or philosophy, your main primary source is usually the text you are studying, and your data are the words on the page. In such fields, you can rarely write a research paper  without using primary sources," (Booth et al. 2008).

When to Use Secondary Sources

There is certainly a time and place for secondary sources and many situations in which these point to relevant primary sources. Secondary sources are an excellent place to start. Alison Hoagland and Gray Fitzsimmons write: "By identifying basic facts, such as year of construction, secondary sources can point the researcher to the best primary sources , such as the right tax books. In addition, a careful reading of the bibliography in a secondary source can reveal important sources the researcher might otherwise have missed," (Hoagland and Fitzsimmons 2004).

Finding and Accessing Primary Sources

As you might expect, primary sources can prove difficult to find. To find the best ones, take advantage of resources such as libraries and historical societies. "This one is entirely dependent on the assignment given and your local resources; but when included, always emphasize quality. ... Keep in mind that there are many institutions such as the Library of Congress that make primary source material freely available on the Web," (Kitchens 2012).

Methods of Collecting Primary Data

Sometimes in your research, you'll run into the problem of not being able to track down primary sources at all. When this happens, you'll want to know how to collect your own primary data; Dan O'Hair et all tell you how: "If the information you need is unavailable or hasn't yet been gathered, you'll have to gather it yourself. Four basic methods of collecting primary data are field research, content analysis, survey research, and experiments. Other methods of gathering primary data include historical research, analysis of existing statistics, ... and various forms of direct observation," (O'Hair et al. 2001).

  • Booth, Wayne C., et al. The Craft of Research . 3rd ed., University of Chicago Press, 2008.
  • Hoagland, Alison, and Gray Fitzsimmons. "History."  Recording Historic Structures. 2nd. ed., John Wiley & Sons, 2004.
  • Kitchens, Joel D. Librarians, Historians, and New Opportunities for Discourse: A Guide for Clio's Helpers . ABC-CLIO, 2012.
  • Monaghan, E. Jennifer, and Douglas K. Hartman. "Undertaking Historical Research in Literacy." Handbook of Reading Research. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2002.
  • O'Hair, Dan, et al. Business Communication: A Framework for Success . South-Western College Pub., 2001.
  • Sproull, Natalie L. Handbook of Research Methods: A Guide for Practitioners and Students in the Social Sciences. 2nd ed. Scarecrow Press, 1988.
  • "Using Primary Sources." Library of Congress .
  • Secondary Sources in Research
  • Primary and Secondary Sources in History
  • How to Prove Your Family Tree Connections
  • Five Steps to Verifying Online Genealogy Sources
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  • Understanding Secondary Data and How to Use It in Research
  • What Is a Research Paper?
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  • 6 Skills Students Need to Succeed in Social Studies Classes
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I have to write a research paper using primary sources. where do i start.

  • What is the difference between Primary and Secondary sources?
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Primary sources are created by individuals who participated in or witnessed an event and recorded that event during or immediately after the event.

Explanation:

A student activist during the war writing about protest activities has created a memoir. This would be a primary source because the information is based on her own involvement in the events she describes. Similarly, an antiwar speech is a primary source. So is the arrest record of student protesters. A newspaper editorial or article, reporting on a student demonstration is also a primary source.

Deeds, wills, court documents, military records, tax records, census records, diaries, journals, letters, account books, advertisements, newspapers, photographs, and maps are primary sources.

Secondary sources are created by someone who was either not present when the event occurred or removed from it in time. We use secondary sources for overview information, and to help familiarize ourselves with a topic and compare that topic with other events in history.

History books, encyclopedias, historical dictionaries, and academic articles are secondary sources.

If you've never written a research paper using primary sources, it is important to understand that the process is different from using only secondary sources. Many students discover that finding and gaining access to primary source documents can be difficult. The Library website has a valuable guide to locating primary source documents. Follow the link below to be redirected to that guide:

https://libguides.furman.edu/resources/primary-sources

  • Students are encouraged to seek help from the Special Collections Librarian or Research Librarians to aid in their research projects. Librarians will be able to aid students in a variety of ways including helping to locate primary source materials.

After locating appropriate primary sources, it is necessary for students to analyze and interpret them. To many students, this task can seem arduous, if not overwhelming. There are many resources available in the library as well as online, which are helpful. The National Archives website has very useful analysis worksheets that can help students to determine the significance of primary source documents. Links to PDF files of these worksheets are listed below:

Written Document | Artifact | Cartoon | Map | Motion Picture | Photograph | Poster | Sound Recording

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The Big List of Essay Topics for High School (120+ Ideas!)

Ideas to inspire every young writer!

What one class should all high schools students be required to take and pass in order to graduate?

High school students generally do a lot of writing, learning to use language clearly, concisely, and persuasively. When it’s time to choose an essay topic, though, it’s easy to come up blank. If that’s the case, check out this huge round-up of essay topics for high school. You’ll find choices for every subject and writing style.

  • Argumentative Essay Topics
  • Cause-and-Effect Essay Topics
  • Compare-Contrast Essay Topics
  • Descriptive Essay Topics
  • Expository and Informative Essay Topics
  • Humorous Essay Topics

Literary Essay Topics

  • Narrative and Personal Essay Topics
  • Personal Essay Topics
  • Persuasive Essay Topics

Research Essay Topics

Argumentative essay topics for high school.

When writing an argumentative essay, remember to do the research and lay out the facts clearly. Your goal is not necessarily to persuade someone to agree with you, but to encourage your reader to accept your point of view as valid. Here are some possible argumentative topics to try. ( Here are 100 more compelling argumentative essay topics. )

  • The most important challenge our country is currently facing is … (e.g., immigration, gun control, economy)
  • The government should provide free internet access for every citizen.
  • All drugs should be legalized, regulated, and taxed.
  • Vaping is less harmful than smoking tobacco.
  • The best country in the world is …
  • Parents should be punished for their minor children’s crimes.
  • Should all students have the ability to attend college for free?
  • Should physical education be part of the standard high school curriculum?

Should physical education be part of the standard high school curriculum?

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  • Schools should require recommended vaccines for all students, with very limited exceptions.
  • Is it acceptable to use animals for experiments and research?
  • Does social media do more harm than good?
  • Capital punishment does/does not deter crime.
  • What one class should all high schools students be required to take and pass in order to graduate?
  • Do we really learn anything from history, or does it just repeat itself over and over?
  • Are men and women treated equally?

Cause-and-Effect Essay Topics for High School

A cause-and-effect essay is a type of argumentative essay. Your goal is to show how one specific thing directly influences another specific thing. You’ll likely need to do some research to make your point. Here are some ideas for cause-and-effect essays. ( Get a big list of 100 cause-and-effect essay topics here. )

  • Humans are causing accelerated climate change.
  • Fast-food restaurants have made human health worse over the decades.
  • What caused World War II? (Choose any conflict for this one.)
  • Describe the effects social media has on young adults.

Describe the effects social media has on young adults.

  • How does playing sports affect people?
  • What are the effects of loving to read?
  • Being an only/oldest/youngest/middle child makes you …
  • What effect does violence in movies or video games have on kids?
  • Traveling to new places opens people’s minds to new ideas.
  • Racism is caused by …

Compare-Contrast Essay Topics for High School

As the name indicates, in compare-and-contrast essays, writers show the similarities and differences between two things. They combine descriptive writing with analysis, making connections and showing dissimilarities. The following ideas work well for compare-contrast essays. ( Find 80+ compare-contrast essay topics for all ages here. )

  • Public and private schools
  • Capitalism vs. communism
  • Monarchy or democracy
  • Dogs vs. cats as pets

Dogs vs. cats as pets

  • Paper books or e-books
  • Two political candidates in a current race
  • Going to college vs. starting work full-time
  • Working your way through college as you go or taking out student loans
  • iPhone or Android
  • Instagram vs. Twitter (or choose any other two social media platforms)

Descriptive Essay Topics for High School

Bring on the adjectives! Descriptive writing is all about creating a rich picture for the reader. Take readers on a journey to far-off places, help them understand an experience, or introduce them to a new person. Remember: Show, don’t tell. These topics make excellent descriptive essays.

  • Who is the funniest person you know?
  • What is your happiest memory?
  • Tell about the most inspirational person in your life.
  • Write about your favorite place.
  • When you were little, what was your favorite thing to do?
  • Choose a piece of art or music and explain how it makes you feel.
  • What is your earliest memory?

What is your earliest memory?

  • What’s the best/worst vacation you’ve ever taken?
  • Describe your favorite pet.
  • What is the most important item in the world to you?
  • Give a tour of your bedroom (or another favorite room in your home).
  • Describe yourself to someone who has never met you.
  • Lay out your perfect day from start to finish.
  • Explain what it’s like to move to a new town or start a new school.
  • Tell what it would be like to live on the moon.

Expository and Informative Essay Topics for High School

Expository essays set out clear explanations of a particular topic. You might be defining a word or phrase or explaining how something works. Expository or informative essays are based on facts, and while you might explore different points of view, you won’t necessarily say which one is “better” or “right.” Remember: Expository essays educate the reader. Here are some expository and informative essay topics to explore. ( See 70+ expository and informative essay topics here. )

  • What makes a good leader?
  • Explain why a given school subject (math, history, science, etc.) is important for students to learn.
  • What is the “glass ceiling” and how does it affect society?
  • Describe how the internet changed the world.
  • What does it mean to be a good teacher?

What does it mean to be a good teacher?

  • Explain how we could colonize the moon or another planet.
  • Discuss why mental health is just as important as physical health.
  • Describe a healthy lifestyle for a teenager.
  • Choose an American president and explain how their time in office affected the country.
  • What does “financial responsibility” mean?

Humorous Essay Topics for High School

Humorous essays can take on any form, like narrative, persuasive, or expository. You might employ sarcasm or satire, or simply tell a story about a funny person or event. Even though these essay topics are lighthearted, they still take some skill to tackle well. Give these ideas a try.

  • What would happen if cats (or any other animal) ruled the world?
  • What do newborn babies wish their parents knew?
  • Explain the best ways to be annoying on social media.
  • Invent a wacky new sport, explain the rules, and describe a game or match.

Explain why it's important to eat dessert first.

  • Imagine a discussion between two historic figures from very different times, like Cleopatra and Queen Elizabeth I.
  • Retell a familiar story in tweets or other social media posts.
  • Describe present-day Earth from an alien’s point of view.
  • Choose a fictional character and explain why they should be the next president.
  • Describe a day when kids are in charge of everything, at school and at home.

Literary essays analyze a piece of writing, like a book or a play. In high school, students usually write literary essays about the works they study in class. These literary essay topic ideas focus on books students often read in high school, but many of them can be tweaked to fit other works as well.

  • Discuss the portrayal of women in Shakespeare’s Othello .
  • Explore the symbolism used in The Scarlet Letter .
  • Explain the importance of dreams in Of Mice and Men .
  • Compare and contrast the romantic relationships in Pride and Prejudice .

Analyze the role of the witches in Macbeth.

  • Dissect the allegory of Animal Farm and its relation to contemporary events.
  • Interpret the author’s take on society and class structure in The Great Gatsby .
  • Explore the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia.
  • Discuss whether Shakespeare’s portrayal of young love in Romeo and Juliet is accurate.
  • Explain the imagery used in Beowulf .

Narrative and Personal Essay Topics for High School

Think of a narrative essay like telling a story. Use some of the same techniques that you would for a descriptive essay, but be sure you have a beginning, middle, and end. A narrative essay doesn’t necessarily need to be personal, but they often are. Take inspiration from these narrative and personal essay topics.

  • Describe a performance or sporting event you took part in.
  • Explain the process of cooking and eating your favorite meal.
  • Write about meeting your best friend for the first time and how your relationship developed.
  • Tell about learning to ride a bike or drive a car.
  • Describe a time in your life when you’ve been scared.

Write about a time when you or someone you know displayed courage.

  • Share the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you.
  • Tell about a time when you overcame a big challenge.
  • Tell the story of how you learned an important life lesson.
  • Describe a time when you or someone you know experienced prejudice or oppression.
  • Explain a family tradition, how it developed, and its importance today.
  • What is your favorite holiday? How does your family celebrate it?
  • Retell a familiar story from the point of view of a different character.
  • Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision.
  • Tell about your proudest moment.

Persuasive Essay Topics for High School

Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative , but they rely less on facts and more on emotion to sway the reader. It’s important to know your audience, so you can anticipate any counterarguments they might make and try to overcome them. Try these topics to persuade someone to come around to your point of view. ( Discover 60 more intriguing persuasive essay topics here. )

  • Do you think homework should be required, optional, or not given at all?
  • Everyone should be vegetarian or vegan.
  • What animal makes the best pet?
  • Visit an animal shelter, choose an animal that needs a home, and write an essay persuading someone to adopt that animal.
  • Who is the world’s best athlete, present or past?
  • Should little kids be allowed to play competitive sports?
  • Are professional athletes/musicians/actors overpaid?
  • The best music genre is …

What is one book that everyone should be required to read?

  • Is democracy the best form of government?
  • Is capitalism the best form of economy?
  • Students should/should not be able to use their phones during the school day.
  • Should schools have dress codes?
  • If I could change one school rule, it would be …
  • Is year-round school a good idea?

A research essay is a classic high school assignment. These papers require deep research into primary source documents, with lots of supporting facts and evidence that’s properly cited. Research essays can be in any of the styles shown above. Here are some possible topics, across a variety of subjects.

  • Which country’s style of government is best for the people who live there?
  • Choose a country and analyze its development from founding to present day.
  • Describe the causes and effects of a specific war.
  • Formulate an ideal economic plan for our country.
  • What scientific discovery has had the biggest impact on life today?

Tell the story of the development of artificial intelligence so far, and describe its impacts along the way.

  • Analyze the way mental health is viewed and treated in this country.
  • Explore the ways systemic racism impacts people in all walks of life.
  • Defend the importance of teaching music and the arts in public schools.
  • Choose one animal from the endangered species list, and propose a realistic plan to protect it.

What are some of your favorite essay topics for high school? Come share your prompts on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out the ultimate guide to student writing contests .

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primary source essay topics

Essay Topics: 450+ Awesome Picks

primary source essay topics

Selecting the right topic for your essay can be tough but essential. A good topic not only makes writing more enjoyable but also hooks the reader from the beginning. Whether you're a student tackling a school project or a writer seeking inspiration, having a diverse range of essay topics can be incredibly useful. 

This article offers over 450 essay topics for students spanning various categories to ignite your imagination and help you discover the ideal subject for your next piece. Our extensive list covers topics suitable for all types of essays, from persuasive and argumentative to narrative and descriptive. Each category is carefully organized to present you with a broad array of options, ensuring there's something for everyone.

Struggling to find the perfect essay topic? EssayPro offers a plethora of choices to spark your creativity. From academic to personal, we have topics that will ignite your writing passion and help you produce exceptional essays.

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Topics for Technology Essay

As the advancements in technology shape human civilization, choosing great essay topics in this field gives you plenty to write about. Let's check out some recommendations by our custom essay writing experts.

  • How has technology helped connect the world and make global interactions easier?
  • Has technology made it harder for young people to talk and connect with each other?
  • Do we depend too much on technology in today's world?
  • How does information technology affect the way businesses operate?
  • How can camera technology help in the manufacturing process?
  • Can violent video games be seen as a type of art?
  • Do smartphones negatively affect children's thinking and social skills?
  • Is technology making the gap between rich and poor bigger?
  • Should social media sites help stop online bullying?
  • How does information technology manage computer systems and software applications?
  • How has fast technology growth changed our daily lives?
  • Why is it important for schools to use iPads, Smart Boards, social media, and other new technologies in teaching?
  • Does using advanced technology in the economy help increase the population?
  • Does using computers harm our health, and if so, how?
  • How are drones an example of the latest technology?
  • How can blockchain technology be used in supply chains?
  • How has the technology used by 911 dispatchers helped lower healthcare costs?
  • Proposal for a technology solution for Trusty Carpets.
  • How does internet technology help with software upkeep and development?
  • How could cryptocurrencies change the financial markets?
  • How can we use genetic engineering on plants to produce biofuels?
  • Why are radiology and imaging crucial for diagnosing and treating medical conditions?
  • Can information technology help patients get their prescriptions through video and audio calls?
  • How technology is deeply connected to our lives and generally benefits us.
  • How has the internet changed activism by making it easier to share and spread information quickly?

Cause and Effect Essay Ideas

To write a cause and effect essay, first, find a situation where an action has consequences. Then, describe what happened. If you're stuck for ideas, check out this list for inspiration.

  • The Effects of Immigration on Local Economies
  • The Causes and Consequences of Urbanization
  • How Smoking Leads to Respiratory Diseases
  • The Effect of Technology on Children's Learning
  • Why Do People Experience Burnout at Work?
  • How Poverty Influences Education Outcomes
  • The Impact of Fast Food on Obesity Rates
  • The Effects of Regular Exercise on Mental Health
  • What Causes Stress in High School Students?
  • The Impact of Social Media on Teen Mental Health
  • How Does Deforestation Affect Global Warming?
  • The Effects of Music on Concentration
  • Why Do Students Drop Out of College?
  • How Does Peer Pressure Influence Teen Behavior?
  • The Impact of Online Shopping on Traditional Retail Stores
  • What Are the Effects of Sleep Deprivation?
  • The Consequences of Bullying in Schools
  • How Does Volunteering Affect Community Development?
  • Why Does Plastic Pollution Harm Marine Life?
  • How Climate Change Affects Wildlife Habitats
  • How Does Parental Divorce Impact Children?
  • The Causes and Effects of Cyberbullying
  • How Does Globalization Influence Local Cultures?
  • The Impact of Video Games on Youth Behavior
  • Why Does Air Pollution Increase Respiratory Problems?
  • The Effects of Social Isolation on the Elderly
  • How Does Gender Inequality Affect Workplace Dynamics?
  • What Are the Consequences of Student Loan Debt?
  • How Does Television Influence Family Relationships?
  • The Effects of Unemployment on Mental Health

Problem Solution Essay Topics

In a problem-solution essay you simply state the problem, talk about why it matters, suggest a solution, and explain why it's the best choice. Our  essay writer can assist you by providing a list of topics to explore in your writing.

  • How Can We Reduce Plastic Waste?
  • 5 Ways to Improve Public Transportation
  • How to Combat Cyberbullying in Schools
  • Solutions to Reduce Childhood Obesity
  • How Can We Address Homelessness?
  • What Can Be Done to Prevent Teen Pregnancy?
  • How to Improve Literacy Rates in Developing Countries
  • Ways to Mitigate Climate Change Effects
  • How Can We Make College More Affordable?
  • Solutions for Reducing Air Pollution
  • How to Tackle the Issue of Fake News
  • Ways to Increase Voter Turnout
  • How to Prevent Drug Abuse Among Teens
  • What Can Be Done to Improve Mental Health Services?
  • Solutions to the Problem of Domestic Violence
  • How Can We Reduce Traffic Congestion?
  • Ways to Support Single-Parent Families
  • How to Enhance Cybersecurity for Individuals
  • Solutions for Improving Water Quality
  • How to Address the Wage Gap Between Genders
  • Ways to Reduce Food Waste
  • How Can We Improve Prison Rehabilitation Programs?
  • Solutions to End Animal Cruelty
  • How to Combat Racial Discrimination
  • Ways to Support Small Businesses
  • How Can We Reduce Energy Consumption?
  • Solutions for Protecting Endangered Species
  • How to Address the Opioid Crisis
  • Ways to Improve Online Education
  • How Can We Promote Renewable Energy Sources?

Informative Essay Topics

Let's look at some essay topic ideas that allow you to demonstrate your knowledge without attempting to convince or express an opinion.

  • How Smart Home Devices Are Making Life Easier
  • The Future of Space Exploration
  • The Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation
  • How Cryptocurrency is Changing the Financial World
  • The Rise of Remote Work: Pros and Cons
  • The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
  • How 5G Technology Will Impact Communication
  • The History and Evolution of Electric Cars
  • How to Start a Successful YouTube Channel
  • The Impact of Social Media Influencers on Consumer Behavior
  • How Telemedicine is Revolutionizing Healthcare
  • The Science Behind Climate Change
  • How Renewable Energy Sources Are Shaping the Future
  • The Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet
  • How Virtual Reality is Transforming Education
  • The Importance of Cybersecurity in the Digital Age
  • How Blockchain Technology Works
  • The Evolution of E-Commerce During the Pandemic
  • The Role of Genetic Engineering in Modern Medicine
  • How Streaming Services Have Changed the Entertainment Industry
  • The Benefits and Drawbacks of Online Learning
  • How Mental Health Awareness is Increasing in Society
  • The Impact of Fast Fashion on the Environment
  • How DNA Ancestry Tests Work
  • The Importance of Sustainable Agriculture
  • How the Recent Pandemic Has Changed Global Travel
  • The Benefits of Learning a Second Language
  • How Esports is Becoming a Major Industry
  • The Role of Big Data in Business Decision Making
  • How Mobile Banking is Transforming Financial Services

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Research Essay Topics

When it comes to delivering research papers on time, it could leave you feeling overloaded and drained. Thankfully, our dissertation writing help provided you with excellent research essay topics for students.

  • The Socioeconomic Impact of Universal Basic Income
  • How Gene Editing Technology Could Cure Genetic Diseases
  • The Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Cities
  • How AI is Revolutionizing Customer Service
  • The Role of Social Media in Political Campaigns
  • How Renewable Energy Can Help Mitigate Climate Change
  • The Effects of Remote Learning on Student Performance
  • How Quantum Computing Could Transform Technology
  • The Impact of Urban Farming on Food Security
  • How Electric Vehicles Are Changing the Auto Industry
  • The Role of Mental Health Services in Schools
  • How Blockchain Could Revolutionize Voting Systems
  • The Effects of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health
  • How 3D Printing is Innovating Manufacturing
  • The Impact of Telecommuting on Urban Development
  • How the Gig Economy is Reshaping Employment
  • The Role of Virtual Reality in Medical Training
  • How Wearable Technology is Influencing Health Monitoring
  • The Effects of Plastic Pollution on Marine Life
  • How Climate Policies Affect Global Trade
  • The Role of Technology in Modern Education
  • How Globalization is Impacting Local Cultures
  • The Impact of Automation on Job Markets
  • How Ethical Hacking Helps Improve Cybersecurity
  • The Effects of Streaming Services on Traditional TV
  • How Advances in Biotechnology Can Address Food Shortages
  • The Role of Big Data in Predicting Consumer Trends
  • How the Legalization of Illegal Substances is Affecting Crime Rates
  • The Impact of 5G Technology on Internet of Things (IoT)
  • How Augmented Reality is Enhancing Retail Experiences

Education Essay Topics

Certain themes always seem to come up while writing an essay on education. To assist you in your quest for knowledge, we have compiled a list of ideas below.

Good College Essay Topics

  • How Did Overcoming Academic Challenges Shape My Perspective?
  • What Sparked My Interest in Astrophotography?
  • What Lessons Did I Learn from My Knitting Hobby?
  • What Hidden Family Stories Did I Discover in Old Journals?
  • How Do I Maintain My Cultural Heritage While Studying Abroad?
  • What Did I Learn from My Hiking Adventures?
  • Why Am I Fascinated by the Tiny Details in Nature?
  • How Did Learning Spanish Open Doors for Me?
  • What Did I Experience Navigating Different Workplace Cultures?
  • How Did Volunteering at an Animal Shelter Build My Empathy?
  • What Was It Like Living in a Foreign Country for a Year?
  • How Has Painting Shaped My Identity?
  • Why Do I Find Beauty in Everyday Objects Through Drawing?
  • How Is Traveling a Cultural Experience for Me?
  • What Draws Me to History and Storytelling?

Essay On School

  • ​​How Can Schools Foster Critical Thinking and Independent Thought?
  • What Are Effective Alternatives to Traditional Grading Methods in Education?
  • How Does School Architecture Affect Learning and Creativity?
  • What Are the Psychological Factors Behind Bullying, and How Can It Be Prevented?
  • How Can Schools Teach Digital Citizenship and Online Responsibility?

Student Life Essay

  • What Impact Do Student-Teacher Relationships Have on Academic Success?
  • How Can Students Balance Study, Work, and Social Life Effectively?
  • How Can Campus Diversity Be Navigated to Foster Inclusivity?
  • How Do Student Mentorship Programs Shape Future Careers?
  • How Is Technology Changing the Way Students Learn and Socialize?
  • What Strategies Can Help Freshmen Overcome Anxiety and Adjust to College Life?
  • What Are the Pros and Cons of Living Off-Campus vs. On-Campus Housing?
  • How Can Student Activism Lead to Social and Political Change?
  • What Role Do Student Clubs and Organizations Play in Learning Beyond the Classroom?
  • How Can Students Prioritize Mental and Physical Well-Being in Their Lives?

Personal Essay Topics

In your personal essay, readers will gain insight into your most private life events and thoughts from this kind of paper. The secret is to try to merge viewpoints and storytelling. The ideas listed below might serve as inspiration:

Essay About Yourself

  • Describe a defining moment in your life that shaped who you are today.
  • How have your cultural background and family traditions influenced your identity?
  • Recount an experience where you overcame a significant challenge and what you learned from it.
  • What personal values do you hold most dear, and how do they impact your daily decisions?
  • Reflect on a time when you had to make a difficult decision and the outcome it led to.
  • In what ways have your hobbies and interests contributed to your personal growth?
  • Tell a story about a travel experience that changed your perspective on life.
  • How has your education shaped your goals and aspirations for the future?
  • Share an experience where you helped someone in need and how it affected you.
  • What role does your personality play in your interactions with others and how you view the world?

My Hobby Essay

  • How has your hobby influenced your career choices or academic pursuits?
  • What skills have you developed through your hobby, and how have they benefited other areas of your life?
  • How does your hobby reflect your personality and passions?
  • Describe the journey of how you discovered your favorite hobby and its impact on your life.
  • How does your hobby help you cope with stress and enhance your well-being?
  • Recount a memorable experience or achievement related to your hobby.
  • Share a story about a friendship or community you've built through your hobby.
  • Describe a time when your hobby led to an unexpected opportunity or adventure.
  • What challenges have you faced while pursuing your hobby, and how have you overcome them?
  • Tell about a project or creation you made through your hobby that you're particularly proud of.

Childhood Memories

  • Describe a vivid memory from your childhood that still resonates with you today.
  • How did a particular childhood experience shape your values or beliefs?
  • Recount a favorite family tradition or holiday celebration from your childhood.
  • What was your favorite place to go as a child, and why did it hold special meaning for you?
  • Share a story about a childhood friend who had a significant impact on your early years.
  • How did your childhood environment (home, neighborhood, school) influence who you are today?
  • Tell about a time when you got into trouble as a child and what you learned from the experience.
  • What role did imagination and play have in your childhood, and how did they shape your creativity?
  • Describe a memorable adventure or outing you had with your family during your childhood.
  • How did your relationships with siblings or other family members affect your childhood experiences?

My Best Friend Essay

  • In what ways has your best friend made a positive impact on your life and outlook?
  • Describe the first time you met your best friend and how your friendship began.
  • What qualities do you value most in your best friend, and how do they complement your own personality?
  • Recount a memorable adventure or experience you shared with your best friend.
  • How has your best friend influenced your personal growth and development?
  • Share a story about a time when your best friend helped you through a difficult situation.
  • What common interests and activities have strengthened your bond with your best friend?
  • Describe a funny or embarrassing moment you've shared with your best friend.
  • How do you and your best friend handle disagreements or conflicts in your relationship?
  • Tell about a tradition or routine you have with your best friend that holds special meaning for you.

Ideas for an Opinion Essay

A good opinion essay poses an issue, formulates a question, and then makes a statement. Below are some inspirational opinion topic examples. 

  • Can we grow organic food on a polluted planet?
  • How does environmental damage impact female farmers?
  • Can we stop wildfires?
  • What do athletes do after they retire?
  • Are major sports achievements worth serious injuries?
  • Should athletes follow higher moral standards?
  • Good mentors build strong teams.
  • How does the internet influence global fashion trends?
  • Should culture be part of early childhood education?
  • Why are monuments important for preserving cultural values?
  • Is factory-farmed chicken healthy?
  • Pros and cons of American patriotism.
  • How does the movie industry preserve societal memories?
  • Is cheerleading a sport?
  • Should ethics matter in close friendships?
  • Can solar batteries solve air pollution?
  • Why were the Sons of Liberty significant in American history?
  • How does global warming impact human health?
  • Should recycling be mandatory worldwide?
  • Is America truly "the land of opportunities"?

While you’re still on the lookout for a perfect topic, check out our guide on different types of sentences . They’ll surely come in handy during your essay writing process. 

Ideas for Nature Essay

Nature essays may examine how human activity affects the environment or how nature affects people. There are several directions that nature essays might go in. 

Ones that describe how beautiful nature is might motivate readers. On the other hand, an essay on pollution can be thought-provoking and encourage one to act. 

You may also use an informative essay on environmental pollution to explain how people harm the environment. Below you’ll find ample nature essay topics for students that allow for interesting exploration. 

Environment Essay

  • How climate change impacts vulnerable communities.
  • Harm caused by plastic pollution to wildlife.
  • How to reduce your carbon footprint.
  • Views on capturing and storing carbon from the air.
  • How to improve air quality in cities.
  • Green building practices worldwide or in a specific region.
  • Current and future waste management solutions.
  • Using environmental sensors: techniques and benefits.
  • Long-term energy storage for a sustainable economy.
  • Using drones in organic farming: best practices and benefits.
  • Technologies and practices to reduce methane emissions.
  • Can graphene save the Earth and humankind?
  • Ways to combat ocean acidification.
  • Freshwater scarcity and conservation efforts.
  • Impact of sea level rise on coastal communities.
  • Reducing water usage in agriculture.
  • Will we use only renewable energy by the end of the 21st century?
  • How forests communicate and support each other.
  • Effects of light pollution on nighttime environments.
  • The "Wood Wide Web" and its impact on forest health.

Essay on Deforestation

  • How Indigenous communities combat deforestation.
  • The impacts of deforestation in the Amazon.
  • The connection between forest loss and agriculture.
  • Hidden consequences of urbanization and deforestation.
  • How to tackle illegal logging and deforestation.
  • Environmental costs of palm oil production in Southeast Asia.
  • The role of forests in protecting watersheds.
  • Potential of reforestation initiatives.
  • Lessons from Indigenous people on sustainable forest management.
  • How deforestation affects animals.

Pollution Essay

  • Health Effects of Air Pollution
  • Is Marine Life Threatened by Plastic Pollution?
  • Hidden Effects of Noise Pollution
  • Soil Contamination's Impact on Agriculture
  • How Light Pollution Affects Wildlife and Astronomy
  • Long-Term Effects of Radioactive Pollution
  • How Toxins Enter Our Food
  • Notable Environmental Disaster Case Studies
  • The Global Problem of Electronic Waste
  • Effects of Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals on the Environment

Water Pollution Essay

  • Industrial Effluents Affecting Aquatic Life and Water Quality
  • Tracing Water Pollution in Rivers from Source to Sea
  • The Role of Agriculture in Water Pollution
  • Water Pollution in Developing Countries and Its Health Effects
  • Effects of Oxygen-Depleted Ocean Waters
  • Hormonal Effects of Water Pollution
  • Groundwater Pollution: Sources, Contamination, and Remedies
  • Lessons from the Flint Water Crisis on Drinking Water Contamination and Public Health
  • Environmental Concerns of Microplastics in Water
  • New Technologies for Treating and Controlling Water Pollution

My Favorite Season

  • Why Spring is special to me
  • Enjoyable summertime travels
  • The beauty of changing leaves in Autumn
  • How do I enjoy the warm and cozy winter
  • Which season is my favorite and why
  • What attracts me to my favorite season
  • Enjoying Summer's flavors and culinary traditions
  • How to retain the spirit of Spring
  • Activities I enjoy in my favorite season
  • Memories and experiences that make my favorite season the best

A Raining Day Essay

  • How peaceful rainy days improve my mood
  • Why should we appreciate beauty in rain-soaked moments
  • How do I find cozy comfort on rainy days
  • My favorite indoor activities for rainy day adventures
  • Discovering the benefits of a refreshing rainy day

Psychology Topics for Essay

  • Benefits of journaling for emotional health.
  • Role of genetics in mental illness.
  • Influence of media on body image.
  • How meditation reduces stress.
  • Effects of divorce on mental health.
  • Impact of workplace stress on job performance.
  • How trauma affects brain development.
  • Role of attachment styles in romantic relationships.
  • Influence of exercise on ADHD symptoms.
  • Effects of poverty on mental health.
  • How childhood neglect affects adult behavior.
  • Effects of exercise on mood.
  • Role of diet in mental well-being.
  • Impact of bullying on self-esteem.
  • How music therapy helps PTSD.
  • Relationship between stress and physical health.
  • Influence of culture on parenting styles.
  • Effects of chronic illness on mental health.
  • Role of peer pressure in adolescent behavior.
  • Impact of loneliness on the elderly.
  • How perfectionism affects productivity.
  • Effects of social media on teen self-esteem.
  • How sleep deprivation impacts memory.
  • Benefits of mindfulness for anxiety.
  • Role of childhood trauma in adult relationships.
  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression.
  • Impact of parental divorce on child development.
  • Social anxiety disorder in adolescents.
  • Influence of birth order on personality.
  • How gratitude improves mental health.

Gender Equality Essay

There are many different concerns in the field of gender studies, such as the salary gap, the bias against women in the classroom, women empowerment, etc. Here are a few pointers that may help you choose an excellent topic.

  • Impact of gender stereotypes in STEM education.
  • Gender equality in sports: challenges and progress.
  • Role of media in shaping gender perceptions.
  • Gender pay gap in different industries.
  • Representation of women in politics.
  • Gender bias in healthcare and medical research.
  • Impact of paternity leave on gender equality.
  • Women’s rights in developing countries.
  • Gender diversity in corporate leadership.
  • Effects of gender-based violence on communities.
  • Role of education in promoting gender equality.
  • Impact of social media movements on gender issues.
  • Gender equality in the entertainment industry.
  • Challenges faced by transgender individuals in the workplace.
  • Gender equality in military roles.
  • Role of men in promoting gender equality.
  • Gender equality in tech companies.
  • Impact of cultural norms on gender roles.
  • Gender equality in access to education.
  • Women’s participation in peacebuilding and conflict resolution.

Process Analysis Essay Topics

Process essay topics allow you to format your piece effectively and offer your ideas to the target audience in a way they can grasp. Let's go through the list for inspiration:

  • How to start a successful small business.
  • Steps to reduce personal plastic use.
  • How to write a compelling college application essay.
  • The process of recycling paper at home.
  • How to plan a sustainable garden.
  • Steps to create a budget and stick to it.
  • How to conduct a scientific experiment.
  • The process of training for a marathon.
  • How to bake a perfect sourdough bread.
  • Steps to organize a cluttered workspace.
  • How to build a basic website from scratch.
  • The process of composting kitchen waste.
  • How to improve public speaking skills.
  • Steps to prepare for a job interview.
  • How to create a family emergency plan.
  • The process of learning a new language.
  • How to develop a personal fitness routine.
  • Steps to create a digital marketing strategy.
  • How to sew a simple piece of clothing.
  • The process of adopting a pet from a shelter.

Essay Ideas on Stereotypes

Because stereotypes are such a pervasive societal problem, educators often encourage students to reflect on them. Here are some great topic examples for your essay:

  • How do stereotypes affect workplace dynamics?
  • Tracing the origins of gender stereotypes.
  • Are all stereotypes harmful?
  • How do stereotypes influence educational outcomes?
  • Stereotypes in media: portrayal and impact.
  • Can stereotypes shape our perceptions of others?
  • Stereotypes in sports: breaking barriers.
  • The role of stereotypes in shaping cultural identity.
  • How do stereotypes affect mental health?
  • Stereotypes and their impact on interracial relationships.
  • Are stereotypes based on truth or fiction?
  • Stereotypes in the context of disabilities.
  • The common stereotypes surrounding aging.
  • How do stereotypes influence consumer behavior?
  • Stereotypes in the criminal justice system.
  • The impact of stereotypes on self-esteem.
  • How stereotypes affect access to healthcare.
  • Stereotypes in the context of religious beliefs.
  • The role of stereotypes in shaping political views.
  • Can education help break down stereotypes?

Ideas on Essay about COVID-19

The Coronavirus has overrun the planet, which has kept us indoors. Life, as we know it, has transformed. As a result, leaving us with far more questions than solutions. As the epidemic has affected practically every aspect of our lives, it is crucial to comprehend it by composing interesting essay topics on this matter:

  • How has COVID-19 affected global travel?
  • What were the psychological impacts of quarantine?
  • Did remote work become the new norm post-COVID?
  • The economic consequences of the pandemic on small businesses.
  • How effective were the different COVID-19 vaccines?
  • The role of misinformation in the spread of COVID-19.
  • How has the pandemic affected mental health stigma?
  • What was the major impact of COVID-19 on education?
  • Can we learn valuable lessons from the pandemic?
  • The role of technology in combating COVID-19.
  • How has the pandemic changed our perceptions of healthcare systems?
  • Disparities in COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
  • The long-term effects of the pandemic on respiratory health.
  • How has the pandemic affected social interactions and relationships?
  • The cultural implications of the pandemic.
  • The impact of COVID-19 on global supply chains.
  • How did the pandemic accelerate the transition to remote learning?
  • The environmental impacts of COVID-19 lockdowns.
  • How has the pandemic reshaped the future of tourism?
  • The ethical dilemmas surrounding COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

Topics for Essay Based on Proverbs

Proverbs are a powerful tool for writing that may increase the impact of your points and assist your readers in believing you when you employ them. Let's examine some sayings that will make powerful topics for essays:

  • Can "A penny saved is a penny earned" still be applied in today's economy?
  • What is the wisdom behind "All that glitters is not gold" in the age of social media?
  • How does "The grass is always greener on the other side" influence our perceptions of success?
  • The cultural significance of "Birds of a feather flock together" in diverse societies.
  • Reflect on the universal truth conveyed by "Honesty is the best policy" through historical and contemporary examples.

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

If you've been assigned to write a compare and contrast essay, you should seek engaging topics. So, take a look at some related essay questions examples created by our essay help platform:

  • Urban legends vs. historical myths.
  • Traditional farming methods vs. modern agricultural practices.
  • Eastern philosophy vs. Western philosophy.
  • Traditional art vs. digital art.
  • Nuclear families vs. extended families.
  • Introverts vs. extroverts in social settings.
  • Indigenous religions vs. organized religions.
  • Renewable energy sources vs. fossil fuels.
  • Traditional cuisines vs. fusion cuisines.
  • Early morning vs. late-night productivity.
  • Science fiction literature vs. fantasy literature.
  • Indigenous languages vs. dominant world languages.
  • Urban decay vs. urban revitalization efforts.
  • Eastern medicine vs. Western medicine philosophies.
  • Traditional wedding ceremonies vs. modern wedding ceremonies.
  • Fictional dystopias vs. real-world historical dictatorships.
  • Traditional board games vs. modern video games.
  • Self-publishing vs. traditional publishing in the literary world.
  • Natural childbirth vs. medicalized childbirth practices.
  • Classical ballet vs. contemporary dance styles.

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How to Choose a Topic for an Essay

If you're still searching for the right topic and prefer brainstorming on your own, our college paper writing service is here to assist you in making your writing stand out. 

choose topics for an essay

  • Stay Updated : Keep abreast of current affairs and choose a topic that relates to contemporary issues or ongoing debates. This not only makes your essay timely but also demonstrates your awareness of the world around you.
  • Think Outside the Box : Approach common topics from unconventional angles to find fresh perspectives or unique aspects that haven't been explored extensively. Unexpected twists can transform a standard essay into something extraordinary.
  • Draw from Personal Experiences : Reflect on your own experiences and observations to find a personal story or moment that connects with your essay's theme. Sharing your perspective adds authenticity and depth to your writing, making it more relatable to your audience.
  • Understand Your Audience : Consider your target audience and what matters to them. Choosing a topic that resonates with your readers creates an immediate connection, enhancing the impact of your essay.
  • Test Your Ideas : Before committing to a topic, test it out by writing a brief outline or paragraph. This preliminary step helps you gauge your interest and ensures you have enough material to develop a great essay.

Once you've settled on a topic, consider the following to ensure it fits both your interests and the requirements of your assignment:

  • Am I genuinely interested in this topic?
  • Is the topic suitable for my audience?
  • What is my purpose in writing about this topic?
  • Can I adequately research and develop this topic within the assignment's time frame and word limit?
  • Is the topic's scope narrow or broad enough to meet the assignment's requirements?
  • Will I have access to sufficient sources to research this topic thoroughly?

Ideas for Essay by Category

Academic writing encompasses various essay types, but let's focus on four common categories that you're likely to encounter during your undergraduate studies:

topics ideas

  • In persuasive essays , your mission is clear: persuade your reader. Unlike expository essays that rely on facts, persuasive essays thrive on opinion-based writing. Here, you craft arguments to convince others, relying on compelling rhetoric rather than specific facts.
  • Expository essays prioritize facts. They require you to research, analyze a topic, and present a position based solely on factual data, without injecting personal opinions. Expository essay topics provide a platform for showcasing your logical thinking and engagement with scientific articles.
  • Descriptive writing is about painting a vivid picture with words. When working on descriptive essays, you immerse yourself in the subject, employing abundant descriptive language. Whether describing a person, place, event, or feeling, the goal is to convey it vividly without using first-person language.
  • Narrative essays are for those who love storytelling. They aim to captivate readers by weaving personal experiences into a narrative structure. Following the standard essay format of introduction, body, and conclusion, narrative essay topics introduce characters, describe actions, and explore central themes.

What Are Good Essay Topics?

What are some good argumentative essay topics, what college essay topics to avoid.

Daniel Parker

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

primary source essay topics

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

  • Updated each category with new topics, worded more clearly 
  • Added more discussion and tips for choosing an essay topic
  • Choosing and Narrowing an Essay Topic Choosing the topic . (n.d.). https://www.stcloudstate.edu/writeplace/_files/documents/writing%20process/choosing-and-narrowing-an-essay-topic.pdf  
  • ‌ How to Choose an Essay Topic - Pre-writing, Writing and Revising . (n.d.). Gallaudet University. Retrieved June 4, 2024, from https://gallaudet.edu/student-success/tutorial-center/english-center/writing/pre-writing-writing-and-revising/how-to-choose-an-essay-topic/  

Best Persuasive Speech Topics: 210 Engaging Ideas

Primary Sources Essay Writing Guide. Where to Find Good Essay Sources?

  • 🔑 What Do You Need to Know about Essay Sources
  • 🔢 Examples of Primary, Secondary, & Tertiary Sources
  • 🧱 Why Does Everyone Need Credible Sources?

5️⃣ Types of Primary Sources

  • ✍️ How to Write a Primary Source Essay
  • 🔎 Looking for Good Essay Sources? Check This

We will help you understand how to cite primary sources and write an excellent essay. Stay with us to find it out!

🔑 Essay Sources Explained

Once you’ve chosen the topic for your essay , you need to start thinking about writing it. A list of credible sources is what you are going to need in the first place.

So, we suggest you look into different types of academic sources existing out there!

6 Reasons to Make a List of Solid Sources in Your Essay

An essay is not exactly an academic genre. It’s not so strict-ruled and rigid. Still, the use of reliable and secure sources makes your piece wholesome.

Here are the reasons why it’s essential:

  • Reliable sources back up your opinion. Readers tend to take your point of view if it’s well-grounded.
  • A variety of literature provides you with other points, perspectives, and ideas: you are not alone in your opinion.
  • Cited statements make your readers consider and discuss them as a part of the essay.
  • Figures and data from credible sources add validity to your source essay.
  • By reading all that literature , you make an impression of a researcher and analyst.
  • Share the information with your readers so that they can read about the issues themselves.

Primary, Secondary, Tertiary Sources

There is an endless variety of information, both online and offline. How to find what you need? The answer is simple: you just need to know precisely what to search for.

Various sources can fit different purposes and types of works. Let’s dig deeper into their specification!

I. Primary Sources

A primary source is direct, original data designed for further study and analysis. Such sources provide firsthand, authentic information related to an event, phenomenon, or any other subject.

Examples of primary sources are:

  • Literary works
  • Artworks: drawings, sketches
  • Interviews or speeches
  • Original letters or manuscripts
  • Authentic documents of legislation or government
  • Photographs or video recordings

These materials serve as a fundamental base for diverse types of researches. Primary sources are of wide use in historical or literary analysis. Scientific studies and critical commentaries also need primary sources.

There’s a wide range of purposes for which various primary sources serve:

  • For instance, opinion poll findings can be inserted into sociological research.
  • Or let’s take documentary archives: they are essential for an excellent historical monography.
  • For a good essay about a famous person, you will need their lifetime recordings and interviews.

II. Secondary Sources

Secondary sources are on the second level of the authenticity hierarchy. It means someone has already processed the data, analyzed, or critiqued it.

That doesn’t make secondary sources worse or less valid, though. Let’s have a closer look at the examples:

  • Scholarly articles and books
  • Any type of criticism ( literary, music, or cinematography critique )
  • Commentaries and reviews
  • Interpretations, analysis, and synthesis
  • Famous people’s biographies
  • Textbooks (may be tertiary)

Secondary sources are usually interpretive. They tend to analyze already existing information pieces. That’s why one can find them in all sorts of scholarly works, surveys, and articles.

  • For example, original scientific articles excerpted from journals are suitable for the literature review.
  • Critical analyses of Malevich’s Manifesto will fit into the art history dissertation.
  • Marylin Monro’s biography can become a part of a famous 50-s actress encyclopedia, as well.

So, secondary sources are directly related to the primary sources – they use them.

III. Tertiary Sources

Tertiary sources can be defined as a compilation of both primary and secondary sources together. It includes a thorough summary of organized information and its background.

Look at the examples to grasp the idea:

  • Handbooks & textbooks
  • Biographies or compilation of them
  • Dictionaries & encyclopedias
  • Card indexes and catalogs

A tertiary source lets you get easy and fast access to a large amount of data. They are accommodating for extensive surveys and researches.

  • Let’s take an essay on the abortion issue. You’re going to need figures and statistics from the birth rate data reports to write it.
  • Another example is a scholarly work studying American poets of the late 40s. More likely, you’ll need a catalog with specific names, so you can understand what to search.
  • Or, you’re studying psychiatry and are about to write a term paper on addictions affecting people’s lives. In that case, a guidebook on different types of addictions will be of great value for you.

🔢 Primary, Secondary, Tertiary… It’s All Relative

Any document or piece of information can be primary, secondary, or tertiary.

It depends on the way you treat it.

Your exact question and a research focus play a decisive role while identifying the sources.

Let’s get a more precise understanding of this with the help of some good examples.

If you’re exploring the effects of the Civil War, the to work with are documentaries dedicated to it. If you research how the effects are presented in the documentaries, these films become the
If your essay focuses on Walter Whitman’s poetry, the reviews and interpretations of his works are the . But if you study how the critics accepted his poetry, those reviews serve as the .
Catalogs and indexes in any data analysis refer to It may be that your goal is to analyze the book heritage of a particular library. In that case, the catalog of the books stored in the library is your
If your research question is about the life and art of , a biopic about Rockwell is the , while a Wikipedia article is the . But if you are exploring how artists’ biographies are presented on the Internet, Wikipedia may become your .
Let’s imagine that the research has to explore how different countries display their birth and death statistics. Such an approach makes databases and statistical compendiums your , though usually they are considered .

🧱 Why Finding Credible Sources Is a Must?

We hope you are now more confident with primary, secondary, and tertiary sources.

Now let’s get to the rules of defining a list of credible sources.

It’s essential to be picky and attentive when it comes to source selection! Don’t fall upon any text you encounter online, especially if the website isn’t reliable enough.

How to Find Credible Sources?

We suggest you a checklist for recognizing the most valid sources:

  • H-index: check out a publication’s authority according to the Hirsch index . It’s one of the most reliable ways to prove article validity.
  • Make sure the domain is safe . Websites with suspicious domains tend to provide dubious information.
  • Look for some extra information: if you find some relevant source, try to look for references in other sources.

Anyway, the best way to make your paper decent and solid is to double-check all the data you use. Take as a rule analyzing and reflecting upon everything you read.

Now you know the very fundamentals of working with the sources, it’s time to move on.

The following section is about the types of primary sources.

Are you excited enough to find out what types of primary sources exist there?

5 Common Types of Primary Sources

We offer a list of five types of primary sources that are used pretty often. However, there are many more primary sources out there to study.

Cultural products

  • Items produced within the cultural development of humanity.
  • Different pieces of art and media: paintings, statues, movie tapes, clothing, or jewelry.
  • Such physical evidence evokes imagination and facilitates research capacity. They demand a very consistent approach and have to be treated carefully.

Accounts on people/events/ideas

  • Sources that transfer memories about specific phenomena, people, or occasions.
  • Such items as memoirs, newspapers, chronicles, diaries comprise this scope.
  • These pieces are like time machines that can reconstruct the picture of the past quickly.

Demographic data

  • The information about the population of a particular place or time.
  • Demographic data includes birth and death records and censuses.
  • It has great value because it lets a researcher survey phenomena and processes related to the population.

Organizations’ records

  • These documents disclose the peculiarities of the work process of an institution.
  • It can be various kinds of archives, databases, church registers.
  • They preserve complex information about employees, transactions, contracts, and other factual data.

Places’ records

  • These are tools containing broad information about geographical locations.
  • Maps, atlases, travel guides, or photographs.
  • They also contribute to a more vivid and detailed picture of the whole situation for the research. All this delivers facts about a definite place, which makes analysis precise and accurate.

✍️ Writing a Primary Source Essay

Is it time to write a primary source essay yet?

Let’s learn how to deal with the primary sources analysis essay in this section.

Keep on reading what we have prepared to master writing essays with reliable sources!

1. What Is a Primary Source Essay?

A primary source essay is writing where you widely and frequently cite primary sources. You have to reflect upon them, analyze, and use them as a foundation for your arguments. For example, it can be an analysis essay studying the logic of literary devices used in the Iliad.

Here are the examples we’ve prepared for you for a better understanding:

  • Topic: “Analysis of Clyde Griffiths’ character in Theodore Dreiser’s American Tragedy.” Concept: Look for descriptions of Clyde’s character in the book first. Then cite these extracts in your essay while solidifying your opinion. Primary sources: The primary source which you are going to use is the novel itself.
  • Topic: “Analysis of the reasons for low birth rate in Northern countries.” Concept: Get down to searching sociological articles dedicated to this issue. Find the information that reveals particular reasons and use it as supporting arguments. Primary sources: birth statistics, value surveys, and other data about economic and well-being factors.
  • Topic: “The peculiarities of female writers’ acceptance in the 1950s.” Concept: There must be a lot of criticism written in those years. Search for the most exciting and worth citing pieces, draw the quotations to your writing. Primary sources: book reviews, interpretations, newspaper articles of that period
  • Topic: “Analysis of major turning points of WWII.” Concept: You’ll have to look for the sources containing the information on the critical WWII events. Refer to the views of different authors to prove the event was significant. Primary sources: books of authoritative historians and memoirs of war participants.
  • Topic: “How modern female singers are presented in online media”? Concept: Head for digital sources dedicated to famous people’s lives, find articles, pictures, and interviews. Primary sources: online magazines, journals, and articles.

2. Primary Source Analysis Essay: Writing Guide

You already understand how to use primary sources in your writing. It’s time to comprehend the whole process of writing a primary source essay format in detail.

Are you ready?

Working with the Source

To ensure that a source is reliable and meets all the demands, you should conduct preliminary analysis . Any piece of information and external factors are worth your attention here.

Use this checklist to make yourself sure about source credibility:

  • Learn about the author of the source. Where do they come from, what are their characteristics – social and demographic?
  • Analyze the way the author tries to deliver the message: the style, language, tone. Does it have signs of prejudice or bias? Does the narrative show the author’s full awareness of the issue?
  • Evaluate and describe the context of the document or whatever the source is.
  • Try to find out the exact circumstances and time when the source first appeared.

Introducing the Key Ideas

Are you most likely to have a keen desire to sound persuasive to the audience? Let the readers comprehend the primary focus of research. Give a brief description of the main idea, state a thesis and your opinion before going into details.

Analyzing the Meaning

We have approached the central and the most supplemented part of the essay – its body.

It’s time to go all-in now.

In the central part of the analysis, you should use meticulous details and a thorough description of the essence.

Observe the fundamental points:

  • You aim to prove the significance of the source for the work. Show the value the document or object carries and what questions it answers.
  • Are there other viewpoints on the subject in question? Analyze different approaches and interpretations as well.
  • Also, consider the points where this source isn’t helpful: answers on which questions it fails to give?

Concluding the Analysis

It’s the right moment to wind up with your primary source essay.

The process doesn’t differ much from that of any other type of essay. The peculiarities of the conclusion may vary depending on the research question.

  • Comprise and sum up all your ideas and thoughts.
  • Draw a consistent summary based on everything you’ve discussed in your writing.
  • Repeat the value and novelty of using your primary sources one more time.

3. How to Cite a Primary Source?

The final step is to cite primary sources properly. There can be a great variety of them. For instance, you may have to cite primary sources from a book or website.

It may happen that you’ll have to cite sources both inside the text and in the bibliography list:

We’ll give you examples of how to cite a book or refer to a picture you use in the text.

How to Cite Primary Sources in Text

The citation appears right in the text.

Frank Cowperwood, even at ten, was a natural-born leader. (Dreiser 1912, 3)
These thoughts were in my mind as I gazed on the legendary figure of Ubertino. (Eco, 1980/1992)*
*The citation includes both the year it was and .

(image)
Matisse, Henri. Goldfish. 1911. Pushkin Museum, Moscow, Russia.

How to Cite Primary Sources in Bibliography

Let’s see how to cite a source in the bibliography list now.

🔎 Where to Find Good Essay Sources?

If you are at this point, you know how to write an excellent primary source analysis essay. You definitely got an idea of how to cite primary sources for it.

It’s a good deal of work!

Now you wonder where to find good sources, do you?

No worries, we’ve prepared a list of reliable and trustworthy websites for you:

Academic Sources: Search Engines and Individual Publishers

Scholar.google.com Directory of Open Access Journals Aosis Open Journals Taylor & Francis Copernicus Publications F1000Research Highwire free online full-text articles Hindawi Publishing Corporation Open Book Publishers Open Edition PeerJ Public Library of Science Sage The Company of Biologists

University Libraries with Open Access Policies

MIT Libraries Harvard Library Databases Yale Digital Collections Center University of Hawaii Library Columbia University Libraries

Open Access to Academic Sources – Full-Text Articles

Dovepress Academic Journals Open Library (JSTOR’s project) National Agricultural Library AGRIS Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations Arachne (Archaeology, Art History database) Arnetminer (Computer Science database) arXiv Cornell University Library

Hopefully, you’ll have no problem accessing the academic sources you need.

And that takes us to the final checklist. Go through this list and figure your strong and weak sides.

  • You clearly understand the differences between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources. You know when to use each of them.
  • You know how to detect credible sources, where to find them, and how to evaluate them.
  • You exactly know which type of primary sources you need for your essay topic.
  • You’ve conducted a preliminary analysis with these sources and gathered the basic info about the author, date, and place of creation, as well as analyzed discussion, critique, etc.
  • You’ve sufficiently applied the data from the primary sources in your essay.
  • You’ve followed all rules of citing primary sources: they are cited correctly both in text and bibliography.

We wish you lots of inspiration and good luck 🍀

Research Paper Analysis: How to Analyze a Research Article + Example

Film analysis: example, format, and outline + topics & prompts.

  • Primary Sources
  • Definitions
  • Documents - Printed & Published
  • Objects and Artifacts
  • Sound Recordings
  • Visual Materials
  • Digitized Sources
  • Locating Sources
  • Sources By Subject
  • Evaluating Sources
  • Documenting Sources / Copyright
  • Research Tips
  • Using Archives This link opens in a new window

Primary Sources Definition

What are primary sources .

Primary sources enable the researcher to get as close as possible to the truth of what actually happened during an historical event or time period. Primary source is a term used in a number of disciplines to describe source material that is closest to the person, information, period, or idea being studied.  A primary source (also called original source ) is a document, recording, artifact, or other source of information that was created at the time under study, usually by a source with direct personal knowledge of the events being described. It serves as an original source of information about the topic.

Similar definitions are used in library science , and other areas of scholarship. In journalism, a primary source can be a person with direct knowledge of a situation, or a document created by such a person. Primary sources are distinguished from secondary sources , which cite, comment on, or build upon primary sources, though the distinction is not a sharp one.

Newspaper Research

  • Historical Newspapers (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window Includes the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, LA Times, Christian Science Monitor, and more. Newspapers are in PDF format and provide a visual representation of the newspaper.
  • ProQuest Central This link opens in a new window Includes both newspapers and scholarly journals
  • Historical Newspapers The Guardian and The Observer Search The Guardian (1821-2003) and its sister paper, The Observer (1791-2003)
  • New York Newspaper Archive This link opens in a new window Access New York Newspaper Archives and discover stories of the past with NewspaperArchive.com. The archive covers New York history from 1753-2023, with lots of content from smaller, local newspapers. Articles have been scanned as PDFs and include images and advertisements, and are full text searchable.
  • America's Historical Newspapers This link opens in a new window America's Historical Newspapers includes articles from local and regional American and Hispanic American newspapers from all 50 states. Coverage dates from 1690 to the early 20th century. Articles have been scanned as PDFs and include images and advertisements, and are full text searchable.
  • American Periodicals Series Online This link opens in a new window includes digitized images of the pages of American magazines and journals published from colonial days to the dawn of the 20th century, 1740-1940.
  • Times Digital Archive (London) This link opens in a new window Provides full-text access to back issues of The Times newspaper. Dates of coverage: 1785 to 2006.
  • Hispanic American Newspapers, 1808-1980 This link opens in a new window Hispanic American Newspapers, 1808-1980 provides access to searchable digitized copies of newspapers printed in the U.S. during the 19th and 20th centuries for a Hispanic readership. It features hundreds of monolingual and bilingual newspapers in Spanish and English, including many obscure titles from the 19th century.
  • Global Newsstream This link opens in a new window Full text of 300+ U.S. and international news sources. Includes coverage of 150+ major U.S. and international newspapers such as The New York Times and the Times of London, plus hundreds of other news sources and news wires.
  • Gale Newspaper Sources This link opens in a new window The Gale NewsVault is a portal to several historical collections of British newspapers and periodicals. It enables full-text searching across several titles simultaneously, including the Times of London, Financial Times, and Times Literary Supplement, along with aggregate newspaper and periodical collections covering the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
  • Access World News This link opens in a new window Access World News provides the html full text and, for some titles, the pdf "as printed" visual representation, of articles from a variety of national and international news sources, including newspapers, digital-native news websites, television and radio transcripts, blogs, college and university newspapers, journals, magazines, and some audio and video. Most international titles are English language. Dates of coverage vary from title to title, but primarily span the late 20th century to present.

The Billy Rose Theatre Collection

TITLE: [Scene from Othello with Paul Robeson as Othello and Uta Hagen as Desdemona, Theatre Guild Production, Broadway, 1943-44]   http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Robeson_Hagen_Othello.jpg SOURCE:Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540

The Billy Rose Theatre Collection of The New York Public Library is one of the largest and most comprehensive archives devoted to the theatrical arts. This image is a work of an employee of the United States Farm Security Administration or Office of War Information domestic photographic units, created during the course of the person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain.

  • Billy Rose Collection NYPL The Billy Rose Theatre Division of The New York Public Library is one of the largest and most comprehensive archives devoted to the theatrical arts.
  • New York Public Library Archives & Manuscripts On this site, you can search The New York Public Library's vast holdings, initiate a research visit, submit a query to an archivist, and access digitized material. Most Broadway shows can be viewed in the special collections. You will need a NYPL library card to view them.
  • ArchiveGrid This link opens in a new window Thousands of libraries, museums, and archives have contributed nearly a million collection descriptions to ArchiveGrid.
  • WorldCat - FirstSearch (OCLC) This link opens in a new window Search for books and more in libraries in the U.S. and around the world. Indicates when NYU Libraries holds a copy of a book and shows you nearby libraries with holdings.
  • Internet Archive Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library offering free universal access to books, movies & music, as well as 456 billion archived web pages.
  • Archives Unbound This link opens in a new window NYU is currently subscribing 14 collections:African America, Communists, and the National Negro Congress; Federal Response to Radicalism; Federal Surveillance of African Americans; Feminism in Cuba - 19th through 20th century archival document; Global Missions and Theology; India from Crown Rule to Republic; Testaments to the Holocaust (Documents and Rare Printed Materials from the Wiener Library, London); The Hindu Conspiracy Cases (Activities of the Indian Independence Movement in the U.S., 1908-1933); The Indian Army and Colonial Warfare on the Frontiers of India; The International Women’s Movement (The Pan Pacific Southeast Asia Women’s Association of the USA, 1950-1985); The Middle East Online - Arab-Israeli Relations; The Middle East Online - Iraq; U.S. and Iraqi Relations: U.S. Technical Aid; and, Witchcraft in Europe.

Historical Databases

An advert for P.T. Barnum's "Feejee Mermaid" in 1842 or thereabout. Author: P. T. Barnum or an employee, Source: Newspaper advert commons.wikimedia.org/ wiki/File:Barnum_mermai... This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.

  • America: History and Life with Full Text This link opens in a new window ndexes literature covering the history and culture of the United States and Canada, from prehistory to the present. The database indexes 1,700 journals and also includes citations and links to book and media reviews. Strong English-language journal coverage is balanced by an international perspective on topics and events, including abstracts in English of articles published in more than 40 languages. Publication dates of coverage: 1964 to present.
  • Historical Abstracts with Full Text (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window Covers the history of the world (excluding the United States and Canada) from 1450 to the present, including world history, military history, women's history, history of education, and more. Indexes more than 1,700 academic historical journals in over 40 languages. Publication dates of coverage: 1955 to present.
  • Theatre in Context Collection This link opens in a new window O’Dell’s Annals of the New York Stage, the Oxford University Press Companion series, and Greenwood’s American Theatre Companies series are just a few of the many in-copyright sources included in the Theatre in Context Collection. Placed alongside thousands of playbills, posters, photographs, and related theatrical ephemera, users will be able to paint a more comprehensive picture of the life and evolution of dramatic works.
  • Shakespeare Collection This link opens in a new window The Shakespeare Collection provides access to general reference data, full-text scholarly periodicals, reprinted criticism, facsimile primary source material and the full-text annotated works from The Arden Shakespeare. Users can view page images of the First Folio, key Quartos, and major editions and adaptations of Shakespeare's works, plus works by Shakespeare's contemporaries and promptbooks from the 17th to the 20th century.
  • Black Thought and Culture This link opens in a new window Contains 1297 sources with 1100 authors, covering the non-fiction published works of leading African-Americans. Particular care has been taken to index this material so that it can be searched more thoroughly than ever before. Where possible the complete published non-fiction works are included, as well as interviews, journal articles, speeches, essays, pamphlets, letters and other fugitive material.
  • Periodicals Archive Online This link opens in a new window Provides full-text and full-image access to hundreds of journals published in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and areas of general popular interest. Each periodical is covered back to its first issue, regardless of when it began publication. International in scope, PAO covers periodicals in a number of Western languages.
  • Accessible Archives This link opens in a new window Includes the following collections: African American Newspapers, The Civil War Part I. A Newspaper Perspective, The Pennsylvania Genealogical Catalog, Pennsylvania Newspaper Record, South Carolina Newspapers, and The Liberator. ** Within these collections are papers such as The Charleston Mercury, The Christian Recorder, The Colored American, Douglass Monthly, Frederick, Douglass Paper, Freedom's Journal, Godey's Lady's Book, The Liberator, The National Era, The New York Herald, The North Star, The Pennsylvania Gazette, The Pennsylvania Packet, The Maryland Gazette, Provincial Freeman, Richmond Enquirer, The South Carolina Gazette, The Gazette of the State of South Carolina, The South Carolina Gazette and Country Journal, The South Carolina and American General Gazette, Weekly Advocate.
  • Early English Books Online (EEBO) This link opens in a new window Early English Books Online (EEBO) contains digital facsimile page images of virtually every work printed in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and British North America and works in English printed elsewhere from 1473-1700. Searchable full text is also available for a subset of the collection.
  • Eighteenth Century Journals This link opens in a new window Eighteenth Century Journals brings together rare journals printed between 1685 and 1835, primarily in the British Isles (with some publications from India, the Caribbean, and Europe). Users can view and download page images and search transcribed full text for all journals in the collection.
  • C19: The 19th Century Index This link opens in a new window C19: The 19th Century Index provides bibliographic coverage of nineteenth-century books, periodicals, official documents, newspapers and archives from the English-speaking world. This database includes the Wellesley Index to Victorian Periodicals (1824-1900), Poole's Index to Periodical Literature, Palmer's Index to The Times, the Nineteenth Century Short Title Catalogue, and more.
  • Sixties: Primary Documents and Personal Narratives 1960 - 1974 This link opens in a new window This resource consists of diaries, letters, autobiographies and other memoirs, written and oral histories, manifestos, government documents, memorabilia, and scholarly commentary. With 150,000 pages of material at completion, this searchable collection is a resource for students and scholars researching this period in American history, culture, and politics.
  • African American Archives (via Fold3) This link opens in a new window This full text resource offers access to original documents that reveal a side of the African American story that few have seen before.
  • African American Experience This link opens in a new window Full-text digital resource exploring the history and culture of African Americans, as well as the greater Black Diaspora. Features access to full-text content from more than 400 titles, 3,000 slave narratives, over 2000 images, 5,000 primary sources, and 250 vetted Web sites.

Letters & Diaries /Oral Histories

  • Oral History Online This link opens in a new window Provides in-depth indexing to more than 2,700 collections of Oral History in English from around the world. The collection provides keyword searching of almost 281,000 pages of full-text by close to 10,000 individuals from all walks of life.
  • American Civil War: Letters and Diaries This link opens in a new window This database contains 2,009 authors and approximately 100,000 pages of diaries, letters and memoirs. Includes 4,000 pages of previously unpublished manuscripts such as the letters of Amos Wood and his wife and the diary of Maryland Planter William Claytor. The collection also includes biographies, an extensive bibliography of the sources in the database, and material licensed from The Civil War Day-by-Day by E.B. Long.
  • British and Irish Women's Letters and Diaries This link opens in a new window Includes 10,000 pages of diaries and letters revealing the experiences of approximately 500 women. The collection now includes primary materials spanning more than 300 years. The collection also includes biographies and an extensive annotated bibliography of the sources in the database.
  • North American Immigrant Letters, Diaries and Oral Histories This link opens in a new window North American Immigrant Letters, Diaries and Oral Histories includes 2,162 authors and approximately 100,000 pages of information, so providing a unique and personal view of what it meant to immigrate to America and Canada between 1800 and 1950. Contains contemporaneous letters, diaries, oral histories, interviews, and other personal narratives.
  • North American Women's Letters and Diaries This link opens in a new window North American Women's Letters and Diaries includes the immediate experiences of 1,325 women and 150,000 pages of diaries and letters.

Gale Primary Sources

  • Gale Primary Sources This link opens in a new window Gale Artemis is a groundbreaking research environment that integrates formerly disparate digital collections to enable innovative research. Gale Artemis provides an unprecedented, seamless research experience that helps students find a starting point, search across a wide array of materials and points in time, and discover new ways to analyze information.

Victorian Popular Culture

  • Victorian Popular Culture This link opens in a new window An essential resource for the study of popular entertainment in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This innovative portal invites users into the darkened halls, small backrooms and travelling venues that hosted everything from spectacular shows and bawdy burlesque, to the world of magic and spiritualist séances. ** The resource is divided into four self-contained sections: Moving Pictures, Optical Entertainments and the Advent of Cinema; Music Hall, Theatre and Popular Entertainment; Circuses, Sideshows and Freaks; Spiritualism, Sensation and Magic

Historical Image Collections

commons.wikimedia.org/ wiki/File:Cushman_in_Ha... , The American actress Charlotte Cushman advertised in William Shakespeare's Hamlet at the Washington Theater in 1861.  Author:Washington Theater, SOURCE:Public Library of Congress. this image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.

  • American Broadsides and Ephemera This link opens in a new window American Broadsides and Ephemera offers fully searchable images of approximately 15,000 broadsides printed between 1820 and 1900 and 15,000 pieces of ephemera printed between 1760 and 1900. The remarkably diverse subjects of these broadsides range from contemporary accounts of the Civil War, unusual occurrences and natural disasters to official government proclamations, tax bills and town meeting reports. Featuring many rare items, the pieces of ephemera include clipper ship sailing cards, early trade cards, bill heads, theater and music programs, stock certificates, menus and invitations documenting civic, political and private celebrations.
  • Early American Imprints, Series I. Evans, 1639-1800 This link opens in a new window Search or browse the books, pamphlets, broadsides and other imprints listed in the renowned bibliography by Charles Evans.
  • Early American Imprints, Series II. Shaw-Shoemaker, 1801-1819 This link opens in a new window Search or browse the books, pamphlets, broadsides and other imprints listed in the distinguished bibliography by Ralph R. Shaw and Richard H. Shoemaker. 1801-1819
  • American Antiquarian Society (AAS) Historical Periodicals Collection (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window Provide digital access to the most comprehensive collection of American periodicals published between 1691 and 1877. Included digitized images of American magazines and journals never before available outside the walls of the American Antiquarian Society. The collection is available in five series: Series 1 (1691-1820) - Series 2 (1821-1837) - Series 3 (1838-1852) - Series 4 (1853-1865) - Series 5 (1866-1877)

Link to Bobst Special Collections

  • NYU Special Collections Bobst Library's Special Collections department houses significant archival resources including materials from the Downtown Collection, which documents New York City's downtown arts scene from the 1970s through the early 1990s. Maria Irene Fornés and Richard Foreman are among the many artists whose materials are housed in the Downtown Collection.
  • Fales It is especially strong in English literature from the middle of the 18th century to the present, documenting developments in the novel. The Downtown Collection documents the downtown New York art, performance, and literary scenes from 1975 to the present and is extremely rich in archival holdings, including extensive film and video objects.
  • Tamiment One of the finest research collections in the country documenting the history of radical politics: socialism, communism, anarchism, utopian experiments, the cultural left, the New Left, and the struggle for civil rights and civil liberties.

Guide to International Collections

  • SIBMAS International Directory of Performing Arts Collections and Institutions

Books Containing Primary Source Documents

""

  • The mediaeval stage by Chambers, E. K. (Edmund Kerchever), 1866-1954 Call Number: Online versions avail.
  • The Elizabethan stage by Chambers, E. K. (Edmund Kerchever), 1866-1954 Call Number: PN2589 .C4 1965 4 vol. plus online version avail
  • The diary of Samuel Pepys by Pepys, Samuel, 1633-1703 Call Number: Avail. online
  • A history of theatrical art in ancient and modern times. by Mantzius, Karl, 1860-1921 Call Number: PN2106 .M313 1970 4 vol. also internet access
  • Ben Jonson by Ben Jonson Call Number: online access
  • << Previous: Visual Materials
  • Next: Digitized Sources >>
  • Last Updated: Jun 13, 2024 8:37 AM
  • URL: https://guides.nyu.edu/primary

Essay Topics – List of 500+ Essay Writing Topics and Ideas

List of 500+ essay writing topics and ideas.

Essay topics in English can be difficult to come up with. While writing essays , many college and high school students face writer’s block and have a hard time to think about topics and ideas for an essay. In this article, we will list out many good essay topics from different categories like argumentative essays, essays on technology, environment essays for students from 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th grades. Following list of essay topics are for all – from kids to college students. We have the largest collection of essays. An essay is nothing but a piece of content which is written from the perception of writer or author. Essays are similar to a story, pamphlet, thesis, etc. The best thing about Essay is you can use any type of language – formal or informal. It can biography, the autobiography of anyone. Following is a great list of 100 essay topics. We will be adding 400 more soon!

But Before that you may wanna read some awesome Essay Writing Tips here .

500+ essay topics for students and children

Get the Huge list of 100+ Speech Topics here

Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should plastic be banned?
  • Pollution due to Urbanization
  • Education should be free
  • Should Students get limited access to the Internet?
  • Selling Tobacco should be banned
  • Smoking in public places should be banned
  • Facebook should be banned
  • Students should not be allowed to play PUBG

Essay Topics on Technology

  • Wonder Of Science
  • Mobile Phone

Essay Topics on Festivals on Events

  • Independence Day (15 August)
  • Teachers Day
  • Summer Vacation
  • Children’s Day
  • Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
  • Janmashtami
  • Republic Day

Essay Topics on Education

  • Education Essay
  • Importance of Education
  • Contribution of Technology in Education

primary source essay topics

Essay Topics on Famous Leaders

  • Mahatma Gandhi
  • APJ Abdul Kalam
  • Jawaharlal Nehru
  • Swami Vivekananda
  • Mother Teresa
  • Rabindranath Tagore
  • Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
  • Subhash Chandra Bose
  • Abraham Lincoln
  • Martin Luther King
  • Lal Bahadur Shashtri

Essay Topics on Animals and Birds

  • My Favorite Animal

Essays Topics About Yourself

  • My Best Friend
  • My Favourite Teacher
  • My Aim In Life
  • My Favourite Game – Badminton
  • My Favourite Game – Essay
  • My Favourite Book
  • My Ambition
  • How I Spent My Summer Vacation
  • India of My Dreams
  • My School Life
  • I Love My Family
  • My Favourite Subject
  • My Favourite Game Badminton
  • My Father My Hero
  • My School Library
  • My Favourite Author
  • My plans for summer vacation

Essay Topics Based on Environment and Nature

  • Global Warming
  • Environment
  • Air Pollution
  • Environmental Pollution
  • Water Pollution
  • Rainy Season
  • Climate Change
  • Importance Of Trees
  • Winter Season
  • Deforestation
  • Natural Disasters
  • Save Environment
  • Summer Season
  • Trees Our Best Friend Essay In English

Essay Topics Based on Proverbs

  • Health Is Wealth
  • A Stitch in Time Saves Nine
  • An Apple a Day Keeps Doctor Away
  • Where there is a will, there is way
  • Time and Tide wait for none

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Essay Topics for Students from 6th, 7th, 8th Grade

  • Noise Pollution
  • Environment Pollution
  • Women Empowerment
  • Time and Tide Wait for none
  • Science and Technology
  • Importance of Sports
  • Sports and Games
  • Time Management
  • Cleanliness is next to Godliness
  • Cleanliness
  • Rome was not Built in a Day
  • Unemployment
  • Clean India
  • Cow Essay In English
  • Describe Yourself
  • Festivals Of India
  • Ganesh Chaturthi
  • Healthy Food
  • Importance Of Water
  • Plastic Pollution
  • Value of Time
  • Honesty is the Best Policy
  • Gandhi Jayanti
  • Human Rights
  • Knowledge Is Power
  • Same Sex Marriage
  • Childhood Memories
  • Cyber Crime
  • Kalpana Chawla
  • Punctuality
  • Rani Lakshmi Bai
  • Spring Season
  • Unity In Diversity
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Online Shopping
  • Indian Culture
  • Healthy Lifestyle
  • Indian Education System
  • Disaster Management
  • Environmental Issues
  • Freedom Fighters
  • Grandparents
  • Save Fuel For Better Environment
  • Importance Of Newspaper
  • Lal Bahadur Shastri
  • Raksha Bandhan
  • World Environment Day
  • Narendra Modi
  • What Is Religion
  • Charity Begins at Home
  • A Journey by Train
  • Ideal student
  • Save Water Save Earth
  • Indian Farmer
  • Safety of Women in India
  • Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
  • Capital Punishment
  • College Life
  • Natural Resources
  • Peer Pressure
  • Nature Vs Nurture
  • Romeo And Juliet
  • Generation Gap
  • Makar Sankranti
  • Constitution of India
  • Girl Education
  • Importance of Family
  • Importance of Independence Day
  • Brain Drain
  • A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed
  • Action Speaks Louder Than Words
  • All That Glitters Is Not Gold
  • Bhagat Singh
  • Demonetization
  • Agriculture
  • Importance of Discipline
  • Population Explosion
  • Poverty in India
  • Uses Of Mobile Phones
  • Water Scarcity
  • Train Journey
  • Land Pollution
  • Environment Protection
  • Indian Army
  • Uses of Internet
  • All that Glitters is not Gold
  • Balanced Diet
  • Blood Donation
  • Digital India
  • Dussehra Essay
  • Energy Conservation
  • National Integration
  • Railway Station
  • Sachin Tendulkar
  • Health And Hygiene
  • Importance Of Forest
  • Indira Gandhi
  • Laughter Is The Best Medicine
  • Career Goals
  • Mental Health
  • Save Water Save Life
  • International Yoga Day
  • Winter Vacation
  • Soil Pollution
  • Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining
  • Indian Culture And Tradition
  • Unity Is Strength
  • Unity is Diversity
  • Wildlife Conservation
  • Cruelty To Animals
  • Nelson Mandela
  • Of Mice And Men
  • Organ Donation
  • Life in a Big City
  • Democracy in India
  • Waste Management
  • Biodiversity
  • Afforestation
  • Female Foeticide
  • Harmful Effects Of Junk Food
  • Rain Water Harvesting
  • Save Electricity
  • Social Media
  • Social Networking Sites
  • Sound Pollution
  • Procrastination
  • Life in an Indian Village
  • Life in Big City
  • Population Growth
  • World Population Day
  • Greenhouse Effect
  • Statue of Unity
  • Traffic Jam
  • Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
  • Importance of Good Manners
  • Good Manners
  • Cyber Security
  • Green Revolution
  • Health And Fitness
  • Incredible India
  • Make In India
  • Surgical Strike
  • Triple Talaq
  • A Good Friend
  • Importance of Friends in our Life
  • Should Plastic be Banned
  • Nationalism
  • Traffic Rules
  • Effects of Global Warming
  • Fundamental Rights
  • Solar System
  • National Constitution Day
  • Good Mother
  • Importance of Trees in our Life
  • City Life Vs Village Life
  • Importance of Communication
  • Conservation of Nature
  • Man vs. Machine
  • Indian Economy
  • Mothers Love
  • Importance of National Integration
  • Black Money
  • Greenhouse effect
  • Untouchability
  • Self Discipline
  • Global Terrorism
  • Conservation of Biodiversity
  • Newspaper and Its Uses
  • World Health Day
  • Conservation of Natural Resources
  • A Picnic with Family
  • Indian Heritage
  • Status of Women in India
  • Child is Father of the Man
  • Reading is Good Habit
  • Plastic Bag
  • Terrorism in India
  • Library and Its Uses
  • Life on Mars
  • Urbanization
  • Pollution Due to Diwali
  • National Flag of India
  • Vocational Education
  • Importance of Tree Plantation
  • Summer Camp
  • Vehicle Pollution
  • Women Education in India
  • Seasons in India
  • Freedom of the Press
  • Caste System
  • Environment and Human Health
  • Mountain Climbing
  • Depletion of Natural Resources
  • Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
  • Health Education
  • Effects of Deforestation
  • Life after School
  • Starvation in India
  • Jan Dhan Yojana
  • Impact of Privatization
  • Election Commission of India
  • Election and Democracy
  • Prevention of Global Warming
  • Impact of Cinema in Life
  • Subhas Chandra Bose
  • Dowry System
  • Ganesh Chaturthi Festival
  • Role of Science in Making India
  • Impact of Global Warming on Oceans
  • Pollution due to Festivals
  • Ambedkar Jayanti
  • Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat
  • Family Planning in India
  • Democracy vs Dictatorship
  • National Festivals of India
  • Sri Aurobindo
  • Casteism in India
  • Organ trafficking
  • Consequences of Global Warming
  • Role of Human Activities in Global Warming
  • Issues and Problems faced by Women in India
  • Role of Judiciary in the Country Today
  • Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan
  • PUBG Mobile Game Addiction
  • Role of Youths in Nation Building
  • Value of Oxygen and Water in Life/Earth
  • Farmer Suicides in India
  • Start-up India
  • Pollution Due to Firecrackers
  • Life of Soldiers
  • Child Labour
  • Save Girl Child
  • Morning Walk
  • My School Fete
  • Essay on Financial Literacy
  • Essay On Sustainable Development
  • Essay On Punjab
  • Essay On Travel
  • My Home Essay
  • Child Marriage Essay
  • Importance Of English Language Essay
  • Essay On Mass Media
  • Essay On Horse
  • Essay On Police
  • Essay On Eid
  • Essay On Solar Energy
  • Animal Essay
  • Essay On Mango
  • Gender Discrimination Essay
  • Essay On Advertisement
  • My First Day At School Essay
  • My Neighborhood Essay
  • True Friendship Essay
  • Work Is Worship Essay
  • Essay On Self Confidence
  • Essay On Superstition
  • Essay On Bangalore
  • Sex Vs Gender Essay
  • Essay On Social Issues
  • Time Is Money Essay
  • Essay About Grandmothers
  • Essay On Hard Work
  • First Day Of School Essay
  • Flowers Essay
  • My Favorite Food Essay
  • Essay on Birds
  • Essay on Humanity
  • Essay on Sun
  • Essay on Kargil War
  • Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining Essay
  • Francis Bacon Essays
  • Importance of Cleanliness Essay
  • My Sister Essay
  • Self Introduction Essay
  • Solar Energy Essay
  • Sports Day Essa
  • Value Of Education Essay
  • Essay On Isro
  • Essay On Balance Is Beneficial
  • Essay On Reservation In India
  • Essay On Water Management
  • Essay On Smoking
  • Essay On Stress Management
  • Essay On William Shakespeare
  • Essay on Apple
  • Essay On Albert Einstein
  • Essay On Feminism
  • Essay On Kindness
  • Essay On Domestic Violence
  • Essay on English as a Global Language
  • Essay On Co-Education
  • Importance Of Exercise Essay
  • Overpopulation Essay
  • Smartphone Essay
  • Essay on River
  • Essay on Cyclone
  • Essay On Facebook
  • Essay On Science In Everyday Life
  • Essay On Women Rights
  • Essay On Right To Education
  • Essay on Quotes
  • Essay On Peace
  • Essay On Drawing
  • Essay On Bicycle
  • Essay On Sexual Harassment
  • Essay On Hospital
  • Essay On Srinivasa Ramanujan
  • Essay On Golden Temple
  • Essay On Art
  • Essay On Ruskin Bond
  • Essay On Moon
  • Birthday Essay
  • Dont Judge A Book By Its Cover Essay
  • Draught Essay
  • Gratitude Essay
  • Indian Politics Essay
  • Who am I Essay
  • Essay on Positive Thinking
  • Essay on Dance
  • Essay on Navratri
  • Essay on Onam
  • Essay on New Education Policy 2020
  • Esasy on Thank you Coronavirus Helpers
  • Essay on Coronavirus and Coronavirus Symptoms
  • Essay on Baseball
  • Essay on coronavirus vaccine
  • Fitness beats pandemic essay
  • Essay on coronavirus tips
  • Essay on coronavirus prevention
  • Essay on coronavirus treatment
  • Essay on essay on trees
  • Essay on television
  • Gender inequality essay
  • Water conservation essay
  • Essay on Gurpurab
  • Essay on Types of sports
  • Essay on road safety
  • Essay on my favourite season
  • My pet essay
  • Student life essay
  • Essay on Railway station
  • Essay on earth
  • Essay on knowledge is power
  • Essay on favourite personality
  • Essay on memorable day of my life
  • My parents essay
  • Our country essay
  • Picnic essay
  • Travelling essay

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COMMENTS

  1. 113 Perfect Persuasive Essay Topics for Any Assignment

    List of 113 Good Persuasive Essay Topics. Below are over 100 persuasive essay ideas, organized into ten categories. When you find an idea that piques your interest, you'll choose one side of it to argue for in your essay. For example, if you choose the topic, "should fracking be legal?" you'd decide whether you believe fracking should ...

  2. 50 Great Argumentative Essay Topics for Any Assignment

    Check out our helpful list of argumentative essay topics, plus tips on picking the best one for you. Call Direct: 1 (866) 811-5546 Sign In Start Free Trial. SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips ... Having well-researched sources will help support your argument better than hearsay or assumptions.

  3. 50 Compelling Argumentative Essay Topics

    50 Argumentative Essay Topics. Illustration by Catherine Song. ThoughtCo. An argumentative essay requires you to decide on a topic and argue for or against it. You'll need to back up your viewpoint with well-researched facts and information as well. One of the hardest parts is deciding which topic to write about, but there are plenty of ideas ...

  4. Guidelines for the Primary Source Paper

    It is meant to be a beefed-up version of the essay you turned in on Feb 2 nd. The parameters of the paper assignment are: choose a topic in U.S. history that falls between the years 1890s-1920s; find a handful of primary documents relevant to this topic that you can analyze;

  5. Primary and Secondary Sources: Understanding the Difference

    A primary source refers to original, firsthand accounts or data that provide unique insights into a particular event or topic. These sources can include letters, diaries, photographs, interviews, surveys, or raw data. They are invaluable because they offer a direct connection to the subject matter, giving researchers the opportunity to analyze ...

  6. Generate Topic Ideas For an Essay or Paper

    This prompt gives us a very general subject. It doesn't ask for a specific type of essay, but the word explain suggests that an expository essay is the most appropriate response. Example: Argumentative essay prompt What was the most important invention of the 20th century, and why? Support your argument with evidence from a range of sources.

  7. Choosing Your College Essay Topic

    Give a brief snapshot of your role model's positive character and their influence on you. Maintain focus throughout the rest of the essay, giving examples of your own new actions, outlook, and goals. A traumatic experience or death in the family. Negative and may seem like you're trying to win sympathy points.

  8. Primary and Secondary Sources

    Analyze your topic/working thesis to determine the types of sources that can help with support. For example, if your topic deals with Van Gogh's use of pale green and what it connotes in his later paintings, you will need to couple evidence from primary sources (images of the paintings themselves) with secondary sources (other scholars' views, discussions, and logical arguments about the ...

  9. Primary vs. Secondary Sources

    What is a secondary source? A secondary source is anything that describes, interprets, evaluates, or analyzes information from primary sources. Common examples include: Books, articles and documentaries that synthesize information on a topic; Synopses and descriptions of artistic works; Encyclopedias and textbooks that summarize information and ideas; Reviews and essays that evaluate or ...

  10. Source-based essay

    3 years ago. Would love to have six to ten source-based essay prompts for practice! It is easy to find lots of argumentative essay prompts in random places online, but the source-based version is rather scarce. Thanks so much! I rocked the Math and Reading PRAXIS with the help of Khan! Just have the Writing left to take this week...

  11. Getting Started with Primary Sources

    Engage students with primary sources. Primary sources help students relate in a personal way to events of the past and promote a deeper understanding of history as a series of human events. Because primary sources are incomplete snippets of history, each one represents a mystery that students can only explore further by finding new pieces of ...

  12. 160 Good Argumentative Essay Topics for Students in 2024

    April 3, 2024. The skill of writing an excellent argumentative essay is a crucial one for every high school or college student to master. In sum, argumentative essays teach students how to organize their thoughts logically and present them in a convincing way. This skill is helpful not only for those pursuing degrees in law, international ...

  13. Definition and Examples of Primary Sources in Research

    In history, for example, primary sources include documents from the period or person you are studying, objects, maps, even clothing; in literature or philosophy, your main primary source is usually the text you are studying, and your data are the words on the page. In such fields, you can rarely write a research paper without using primary ...

  14. Primary Sources Essays: Examples, Topics, & Outlines

    Examples of primary sources are: diaries, speeches, interviews, official records, relics of art, creative works, etc. A secondary source, however, interprets and analyzes primary sources -- they are at least one, if not more, steps removed from the event. They are usually the compilation of many primary sources, but can also have quotes ...

  15. I have to write a research paper using primary sources. Where do I

    This would be a primary source because the information is based on her own involvement in the events she describes. Similarly, an antiwar speech is a primary source. So is the arrest record of student protesters. A newspaper editorial or article, reporting on a student demonstration is also a primary source.

  16. 120+ Fascinating Essay Topics for High School Students

    Research Essay Topics. A research essay is a classic high school assignment. These papers require deep research into primary source documents, with lots of supporting facts and evidence that's properly cited. Research essays can be in any of the styles shown above. Here are some possible topics, across a variety of subjects.

  17. Essay Topics and Ideas for Top-Notch Writing

    Psychology Topics for Essay. Psychology has multiple subfields, so if you need ideas, have a look at the following topics: Benefits of journaling for emotional health. Role of genetics in mental illness. Influence of media on body image. How meditation reduces stress. Effects of divorce on mental health.

  18. Essay Sources: Where to Find & How to Cite? Primary Sources Essay

    Topic: "Analysis of Clyde Griffiths' character in Theodore Dreiser's American Tragedy.". Concept: Look for descriptions of Clyde's character in the book first. Then cite these extracts in your essay while solidifying your opinion. Primary sources: The primary source which you are going to use is the novel itself.

  19. 120+ Strong Argumentative Essay Topics

    Choosing between argumentative essay topics can be hard; especially when you don't know where to start looking. Luckily, you can find over 120 topic ideas here, including our top 10 hot topics. ... logical arguments backed up by credible sources. Should abortion be banned? Should animal testing be stopped? Is the #metoo movement a good thing?

  20. Primary Sources

    Primary sources enable the researcher to get as close as possible to the truth of what actually happened during an historical event or time period. Primary source is a term used in a number of disciplines to describe source material that is closest to the person, information, period, or idea being studied. A primary source (also called original ...

  21. Essay Topics

    Find 500+ Essay writing topics for students, college students, kids and students from grade 6, 7, 8. We have the largest collection of essay topics and ideas. Find 500+ Essay writing topics for students, college students, kids and students from grade 6, 7, 8. Learn. CBSE. Class 5 to 12. Physics. Difference Between in Physics;