Debating is an academic task that needs students to develop convincing arguments on any topic and support them with strong evidence. Learners are divided into two teams: affirmative and negative. The first team needs to uphold the provided resolution. They need to support it by sharing arguments that are backed up with strong facts from credible sources. The other team should attack the resolution by providing arguments that decimate and discredit the points of view of the affirmative team.
Undergraduates need to tackle the confrontation professionally. They should present their viewpoints without attacking opponents. They need to avoid using emotion and attacking their opponents verbally. Instead, they have to present strong evidence to persuade the audience that their point of view is the only correct one. In most cases, a debate topic is disputable and doesn't have a specific solution like an axiom in math, which is true without proving it. Sometimes, learners have to come up with debatable topics by themselves. In case you're an undergraduate who has no ideas in your mind, look no further. Scroll down below and examine the most popular debates topics for college students. They will help you develop a good and arguable resolution with ease.
Controversial Topics for College Students
The best category of subjects for debate has a lot of different points of view that are worth supporting. Due to the absence of a definite opinion in society toward an issue, it's easy to convince the audience that a particular viewpoint is the only correct one. It provides both affirmative and negative teams with equal chances to win a debate. All that every team needs to do, arguing about a controversial issue, is to prepare strong arguments supported by firm evidence to get their standpoint upheld by the audience. Feel free to examine the top controversial debate topics for college students to develop an interesting and engaging subject for public discussion.
Gaming Should Be Considered as Sport
These days, a lot of students play video games on their smartphones, tablets, consoles, and desktops. Some individuals consider gaming as a way to pass spare time and release stress. They are sure that video games bring no benefits. Also, they support the idea that the time people play should be limited because they are addictive. Such individuals will never recognize it as a sport because it involves no physical activity. At the same time, the popularity of esports is growing rapidly. Many people worldwide consider gaming as a sport because there are a lot of teams that compete in leagues. Besides, those who support esports compare it with chess which is recognized as a sport but involves no physical activity.
Importance of Vaccination
Vaccination is one of the most interesting controversial topics for debate. This subject is the most popular these days due to the Covid-19 spread that caused a lot of deaths worldwide. Yet, immunization is the only reliable way to fight different diseases. It helps keep our bodies trained to fight deadly viruses. There are a lot of studies that support the effectiveness of vaccination for people.
On the contrary, there are a lot of individuals who are opposed to immunization. They don't want to make any injections, so governments need to engage them to visit vaccination centers. Immunization critics are sure that vaccines lead to unforeseen health problems like thrombosis. Also, they are afraid that immunization makes the organism weak and makes people dependent on medications.
Sexual Education Has to Be Mandatory
This topic remains controversial even in the 21st century. There are a lot of different standpoints that force individuals to argue. Indeed, most parents agree that students should get sexual education. Some of them state that undergraduates need to get taught at home. School also can become a source of helpful information about sexual life for teenagers. Unfortunately, there is no definite opinion if it should be mandatory in schools. A lot of parents don't want their kids to get sexual education from strangers. Some religious families refuse any type of intimate learning in school. Unfortunately, a lack of corresponding knowledge can lead to serious problems, so students need to know at least the basics of sexual life.
Can We Justify Animal Testing?
Animals are used for testing and experiments. Manufacturers test their new products on animals. Scientists use them to perform experiments to learn more about their organisms. A lot of people consider it cruel and condemn such an attitude. They are 100% confident that animal testing should be banned because it hurts and makes them suffer. In some cases, animals die because of experiments. Unfortunately, there are no alternatives to testing on other creatures. New products and medicine that are not examined on animals can cause a lot of serious health issues and death among people. This argument helps justify it because individuals have a huge demand for reliable drugs and vaccines that will protect our bodies from viruses and diseases effectively and won't lead to unforeseen health issues.
Science Debate Topics
A lot of people are interested in science. They always follow recent news to keep themselves updated about new inventions. Since discoveries shape the world and affect people's lives, the audience will be engaged to listen to a discussion about science. If you want to develop a fascinating subject for a public discussion, scroll down below and find the top science debate topic.
Gene Editing Should Be Banned
Scientists work hard on DNA encoding. After achieving their goal and getting complete access to all the chemicals, they will be able to update DNA. By editing genes, they can change newborn organisms according to particular preferences. For instance, they will be able to eliminate congenital diseases. Scientists will be able to create improved versions of people. A lot of individuals condemn this idea because it comforts nature and evolution. They are afraid that changing the genes can lead to unforeseen issues in the long run. If the problem appears ten generations ahead, there will be poor chances of fixing it.
Are There Any Creatures on Other Planets?
People always strive to find new lands. Since there is no unexplored land on Earth anymore, mankind started to discover new planets in space. After finding ones that can potentially be home for different creatures, the question, "Is there life on other planets?" arose in the minds of scientists. They always explore new worlds, trying to find evidence that other planets are inhabited. Also, scientists assume that a lot of worlds in space can have any signs of live or well-developed creatures. A large number of people support this theory. Unfortunately, there is real evidence that we are not alone in the universe.
Does Behavior Depend on Genes?
The topic is very controversial and forces a lot of scientists to argue. Some scientists state that people's personal traits depend on their genes, so there is no option to correct their behavior. On the other hand, psychologists state that parents, society, and particular circumstances form the behavior. They are sure that it can be corrected. Unfortunately, the mind is not studied well, which makes this science topic debatable. A lot of research supports both sides of the research question. Students can find a lot of evidence that genes and society form personality traits at the same time. This subject offers the ability for both teams to showcase their research and persuading skills.
Is It Possible to Digitize a Human Mind?
With the fast growth of technology and the computing power of machines, a lot of people start thinking about uploading their minds to the Internet. They consider it as reincarnation. By making their personalities digital, they will be able to become immortal. Their memory and minds will be stored on hard drives. This goal seems to be feasible in the near future because of the fast-paced development of artificial intelligence. Scientists have already created chips that can scan the brain and next-gen quantum computers to process tons of data lightning fast. Although, there are a lot of complaints about the process of mind transferring. There is no option to make sure that exactly the same personality is digitized. The major complaint is that a new copy can have different personality traits. Also, some memory cells may be damaged during the transfer.
Technology Debate Topics
In the modern era, people are surrounded by technology. We have a lot of devices and smart gadgets that simplify our lives. Also, we have access to the Internet that makes it simple to find and share any information. Since all individuals cannot imagine their lives without gadgets, any public discussion on technology will keep people engaged. Furthermore, most students are familiar with the recent gadgets and never miss presentations of new devices. Therefore, they will easily research and support particular arguments about technologies.
Does the Internet Improve Human Communication?
It's undeniable that the Internet has reduced the amount of time required to share information significantly. Files of almost any size can be sent to anyone around the world in a few clicks. Messages, images, and short videos are delivered almost instantly. In addition, the Internet foresees the ability to communicate with anyone around the world. However, it reduces the need to speak face-to-face with others. In most cases, people share messages online. They can purchase anything in a few clicks or get a pizza delivered without actually talking to a cashier. Moreover, students can obtain new knowledge by sitting behind their computers at home. They don't have to attend lectures and talk to tutors face-to-face. Consequently, it almost eliminates the need to talk to others.
Should We Be Afraid Of Artificial Intelligence?
Computer algorithms can track the behavior of people and build accurate predictions these days. Suggestions provided by a keyboard on a smartphone are a simple example of how deep smart algorithms are integrated into our lives. The next stage of their development is Artificial Intelligence. It will work autonomously and will be able to learn new skills by itself. A lot of individuals expect the development of AI. It will create a revolution in many industries. With the help of AI, scientists expect to find answers to unresolved issues. On the contrary, a lot of people are aware of Artificial Intelligence. They are afraid that it can become a weapon in future wars or even start fighting humanity autonomously. The potential benefits and drawbacks of AI are some of the best science debate topics for students.
Can Alternative Energy Save the Planet?
The popularity of green energy is growing very fast. Alternative energy is generated by methods that don't need to burn fossil fuel and have zero carbon emissions. In most cases, people get green energy with the help of wind turbines and solar panels. They help generate electricity using the power of wind and heat of sun rays. This way of getting energy produces zero carbon emissions. However, the fiberglass that is the primary component of the blades of wind turbines is non-recyclable. As a result, old and damaged blades are placed in new landfills. In addition, solar panels and batteries need manufacturers to force the extraction of raw materials, which increases carbon emissions and pollution.
Do Technologies Improve Learning?
These days, a lot of students are forced to study at home due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Thanks to the Internet, undergraduates could start learning at home seamlessly. Nevertheless, online education has become popular many years before the pandemic. Remote learning is a new trend that has a lot of benefits over face-to-face learning in classrooms. People can create personal study schedules, learn new skills from any location, and save money on learning. Unfortunately, instant access to any information reduces the need to learn new skills for students. Consequently, the performance of distance learners is lower compared to learners who attend face-to-face lectures.
Education Debate Topic
Learning takes an important place in the lives of learners. They spend a lot of time listening to tutors in lectures and doing homework. Since their lives spin around studying, any topic on education will engage the audience, especially during in-class debates. Learners will be interested in any public speaking related to education. Also, they know all the ins and outs of the learning system. Students will easily generate a lot of ideas to justify or condemn studying methods.
Should Homework Be Eliminated?
It's hard to find students who like doing homework. Nevertheless, tutors still provide a lot of assignments. By doing particular academic tasks at home, they explore different materials and learn a lot of new skills by themselves. Assignments submitted by undergraduates help tutors examine the writing skills of undergraduates. Unfortunately, a lot of learners don't have enough spare time to work on their assignments after lectures at college. Most of them work part-time or have side hustles. Consequently, they have to compromise on night's sleep and their health to maintain a high college score. In exceptional cases, they reach skilled writers on the Internet and request assistance to get their papers submitted on time. Unfortunately, it forces students to spend the extra money and doesn't help them learn new skills.
Do People Need a Degree to Get Hired?
A high education diploma is a certificate that proves that a person has a particular set of skills in a specific industry. Almost all employers request applicants to provide their diplomas. The need to submit a diploma is an obstacle that prevents gifted and skilled individuals from getting a job. These days, there are a lot of tests that help examine the skills of applicants. In addition, with the rise of technologies and e-learning, there are a lot of self-taught experts in different niches. Therefore, a higher-education diploma is a discriminating factor that doesn't allow people to earn money and showcase their skills.
Education Should Be Free for Everyone
In the US, undergraduates need to pay for higher education. In some cases, tuition bills can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars. Even though universities provide financial aid, higher education is still not affordable for a large number of people. Due to lack of money, they cannot obtain new skills in top colleges. Consequently, they have fewer chances to succeed in a chosen profession. Therefore, free education can help many individuals learn the required skills and achieve great results. On the contrary, free education won't allow universities to keep a high level of education and provide learners with the best facilities. Also, tuition-free learning can attract a lot of students, so colleges won't be able to teach all of them, keeping the high quality of education.
Business Debate Topics
Business is an irreplaceable part of any economy. Companies help people earn money by offering products and services. In addition, they pay taxes to the government to operate. Thus, the lives of individuals are closely tied with business. Nevertheless, the subjects below are a perfect pick for a business school. If you're an undergraduate looking for a relevant subject on entrepreneurship and business and cannot develop good ideas, scroll down below and find great topics for a debate.
Should International Businesses Be Regulated?
It's easy to communicate with people and ship products all around the world in the digital era. Consequently, a lot of international business appeared for the last 20 years. They provide services and offer products in different countries. Profits gained on external markets help the economy to grow. At the same time, the companies represent the country of origin worldwide. The largest international businesses are US-based. They are:
- Apple.
- Amazon.
- Alphabet.
- Microsoft.
- Facebook.
They can provide access to particular technologies to the governments of other countries and support unfriendly regimes by paying taxes locally. Therefore, the government should monitor and regulate international businesses to keep leading positions in the industry and achieve political goals.
Businesses Have to Pay Scalable Capital Taxes
Small businesses experience a lot of problems. Large taxes shouldn't burden them. Small taxes can help them grow fast, which will lead to new jobs and large business development in the future. However, big companies that earn millions of dollars have to pay large taxes to help the government support unemployed people and small businesses. Also, large scalable capital taxes can help invest a lot of money into innovations, infrastructure, and education for young specialists. On the other hand, by paying most of their profits as taxes, some companies may consider it unprofitable to run a business. They may consider keeping their business small or move it to another country. They won't have enough money to invest in innovations. Consequently, they may lose leading positions in the long run because their competitors can overcome them, spending more money on innovations.
Government Should Support Startups
A lot of startups are launched every year. Unfortunately, most of them fail in the first three years because of the lack of financial support. By showcasing no successful results, they can hardly get support from venture capitalists. However, if they get funded by the government, they could achieve great results and turn into successful companies paying taxes and creating jobs. In contrast, a lot of startups have bad business ideas and have poor chances to achieve success. Therefore, governmental support can lead to a waste of money.
Social and Political Topics to Debate
People live in a society that is managed by politics. Therefore, only a low number of people in the US are not interested in subjects about social problems and politics. Also, these subjects for a debate will keep everyone interested so that the audience will listen to your public speaking attentively. The list of the topics for group discussion for college students below can help you get an engaging subject for a debate with ease.
All People Need to Have Guns
Even though it's quite easy to buy a gun in the US, a lot of people are not permitted to purchase and own weapons. A handgun or a rifle is a tool that can help individuals protect their lives, property and fight usurpers. When someone doesn't have the right to own and carry a gun, they cannot keep their lives and property safe. When all people have guns, there is no discrimination. Conversely, weapons can be used for killing a large number of individuals. Everyone has the right to live. Therefore, all the risk of violating this right by other people should be minimized.
Minimum Wage Should Be Doubled
All people want to earn more. However, employers frequently offer the minimum wage. Therefore, a lot of individuals may not get paid enough to maintain a high quality of living. The doubled minimum wage will allow all people to earn enough to provide for their families and make savings. Also, they will have more money to invest in the economy. Unfortunately, if the minimum wage increases twice, the government will need to spend more money on salaries. As a result, some businesses may get closed, so many individuals can potentially lose their jobs. Otherwise, businesses will be forced to raise prices to cover increased expenses.
Healthcare Has to Be Free for All People
Unfortunately, people get ill sometimes and need professional treatment. In the worst cases, they need surgery. In the US, individuals have to pay for medical services. Hospital bills are covered by health insurance. However, those who don't have insurance get large bills. They ought to work a lot to pay them out. People won't be bothered by the need to pay for health insurance or get loans for paying out large bills, having free medical treatment. Contrariwise, being supported by the government only, hospitals may not have enough money to provide top-quality medical services. Also, clinics won't be able to hire a lot of professional staff.
Roads Should Be Made of Plastic
There are tons of plastic waste around the globe, so people can collect it and build roads from this material. Plastic is durable, water-resistant, and can withstand extreme environments. By building roads from this material, we'll be able to solve the problem of plastic waste and get a lot of top-quality roads that won't be required to be maintained and replaced regularly. Unfortunately, this idea may not be successful because plastic is toxic and can pollute the ground and water being used as roads.
Top Debating Topics for Students
In case you're not looking for a debating topic in a particular niche, look no further. Down below, you will find the best subjects for a public discussion for learners. The topics below are simple and evoke thoughts in all people. Moreover, they foresee the ability to develop a lot of fascinating arguments that support and argue a provided standpoint.
Plastic Should Be Banned
Plastic is the largest polluter in the world. It may need up to 500 years to degrade. These days, there are a lot of islands of plastic waste floating in the oceans. A lot of landfills around the world are filled with this material. Therefore, people have to stop using this material immediately. Unfortunately, it's very hard to replace plastic with other materials. Alternative materials like wood and metal are in shortage and need to be saved. Also, it has unique peculiarities that make it useful in many industries. Therefore, the ban of this material can lead to economic and environmental problems.
Do Students Depend on Gadgets?
It's an undeniable fact that undergraduates spend a lot of time staring at their smartphones. They do almost anything by using their gadgets. Undergraduates communicate using their gadgets, get entertained, find new information, or order food. They also use them as a wallet, navigator, and a music player. Undergraduates cannot live a day without their devices, so a lot of students carry a charger or a power bank with them. Such dependence on a device is wrong because the entire life can ruin because of a smartphone's drained battery. Will young people be able to solve everyday problems and tackle routine tasks without their smartphones? It's a good question to debate in a class.
Death Penalties Should Be Banned
Unfortunately, some criminals do horrible things. They murder a lot of innocent individuals or act cruelly to others. The death penalty is the most serious punishment they deserve to get. Therefore, some people get executed in the US in the modern era. Unfortunately, there is no option to get a person back alive or pay compensation if the court was unfair and a person is not guilty. Also, the death penalty can potentially become a method to murder someone if a usurper rules a country. Therefore it should be banned forever.
Smoking Has to Be Prohibited in Public Places
It is a very controversial topic that can become a source of a large number of arguments that support and argue the statement. People have the right to do what they want, including smoking. In most cases, it's forbidden to smoke inside. Therefore, they need to go outside to smoke. In the meantime, they release smoke that can be harmful to the health of other people. Some of them may have allergic reactions. Also, they promote smoking that harms the health of individuals.
Primary Characteristics of Good Debate Topics
There are a lot of great debate topics, so you may experience issues with choosing the best one. If so, you should learn how to define a good subject for your debate. For starters, you need to know that the majority chooses a winner. Consequently, you have to pick a theme that is interesting for most people in a class. It needs to keep them engaged and reflect in the lives of the listeners. Finally, it will help you draw the attention of the audience to your public discussion.
The reviewed problem should have flip sides that different individuals support. In addition, it has to be informative. The discussion has to deliver a lot of helpful information to the audience in the form of arguments supported by firm evidence. In addition, the subject needs to be relevant and focused on modern-day problems.