137 Best Debate Topics 2020 + Tips on Debate Speech Writing

Most of the college students feel stressed due to the failure to find good debate topics. To make the education process easier, our academic experts prepared the list of great ideas for good debate topics that will keep your listeners engaged from the very first minute of your speech till its end. Before choosing the best topic for the good debate speech, students should study in detail the types of debates and how to prepare a speech for each of the debate types (like a argumentative essay). 

What is a debate

A debate speech can be characterized as a discussion or a structured contest related to a particular issue or its resolution. When it comes to formal debating, there will be two sides. One side of debate speech is always supporting a resolution, whereas the other side is opposing it. In the context of the classroom, the debate discussion serves as a guide for gaining new knowledge or skills. The core aim of each debate is to convince the audience that takes the opposing position that you are right. A debate goes to a formal close when both debate sides agree on the subject.

Types of the debates 

There are three main types of debate speeches, depending on the speaker's objective. The three main types of debate speeches are:

• A persuasive debate speech. It is a specific type of debate when the speaker aims to convince the audience to accept their point of view. Such speech is arranged in a way to make the audience accept all or some of the presented views.

• A controversial debate speech. A controversial debate is focused on the controversial issue explained as a subject familiar to the listeners. Once the audience has formed personal opinions, a speaker focuses on the opinions which differ from the speaker's ones. 

• An argumentative debate speech. An argumentative debate aims to persuade the audience or listeners' to alter their viewpoints on a particular issue. Such debate speeches concern those topics which are debated by society nowadays.

How to prepare for a debate

To ensure success in debating about a particular topic, students should follow all the necessary steps for preparing a debate with their class. These steps involve:

1.     Step One: Brainstorm ideas
2.     Step Two: Organize ideas.
3.     Step Three: Structure your speech.
4.     Step Four: Prepare your speech.
5.     Step Five: Prepare the rest of your class.

How to write a debate speech. Quick tips 

If you were asked to join class debates, it's time to write your debate speech beforehand. To succeed in speech writing, have a look at some useful tips listed below:

• Take the only stance either affirmative or negative to your debate topic
• Research all the credible information related to your debate topic
• Outline the core arguments to support your position
• Develop key points to the debate issue
• Use own arguments
• Study the techniques of persuasion and use them
• Carefully hone the delivery of your debate speech.

How to choose a great debate topic 

Choosing the best interesting debate topics is rather challenging for many students studying in college. By the way, applying to class debates, you should show that you are open to discussing and having personal opinions regardless of the others' criticism. In other words, it is better to omit choosing topics for debate that are near and dear to your heart. Topics that are too personal may make you feel personally attacked during debate when classmates will speak against your position. To ease the process of preparation and know how to choose debate topic, make sure to follow these rules:

1. Choose just comfortable topics for debate. Preparing for class debates, it is better to choose good debate topics that are comfortable for sharing your own views on it. In other words, you should choose just those topics that you are open to discuss. Also, your debate topic should be the one that allows your opinion to be criticized by other students.
2. Choose a topic that you can frame the best. It is better to choose a debate topic, which is a concrete case rather than debating on a general topic or the same topic in general. Also, debate speech requires a topic that is relevant and has empirical data on it. Such topics could be deeply analyzed and critiqued. We suggest you browse our narrative essay topics to come up with an interesting idea.
3. Choose a topic of your interest. The success of debates depends on the speaker's self-confidence. In case the chosen topic does not interest a speaker, they will not do an in-depth research. Also, interesting topics allow us to provide a structured argument. 

Great ideas for debate topics

We have collected the most relevant ideas for debate topics and create a list to help you cope with your debate speech. 

General debate topics

1. Every American should have the right to own a gun
2.  Human cloning should be banned
3. The government should legalize all drugs
4.  The government should abolish the death penalty
5. Global warming is the biggest threat facing humankind today
6. Animal testing should be legalized
7. Social media has a harmful effect on students and education as a whole
8. College homework should be banned
9. Is it ethical to eat meat?
10. Beauty pageants objectify a woman
11. Cigarettes should be banned from society
12. Social media should balance small businesses

You may always refer to argumentative essay ideas to choose the best topic.

 Controversial debate topics

1. The President of the United States should make healthcare free for everyone
2. War is always unjustified
3. Taxes for rich and poor people should be diverse
4. Marriage is unpopular in modern society
5. Soft drugs should be legal to everyone
6. The use of all narcotic and stimulant drugs should be legalized
7. Smartphones should be accessible just for adults
8. Happiness can be bought for money
9. Everything can be bought with money
10. A woman should take a test before becoming a parent
11. A woman should have equal public and social rights in politics to man's (Consult: women rights essay.)
12. Public education lacks adequate resources and support

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Funny and interesting debate topics

1. Fast food does not affect public health
2. Celebrities deserve less money
3. Everyone has the right to declare a gun
4. The alcohol buying age should be increased to 25
5. Americans should get a basic income
6. Social media ruins society and public health
7. Harry Potter vs. Twilight
8. Should laptops be permitted in classrooms?
9. Is there the next life after death?
10. Is there life on Saturn?
11. Is there life on Mars?

Debate topics for high school

1. Is global warming a global problem? (Take as an example our global warming essay.)
2. Laptops should be allowed in classrooms
3. Cell phones should be used during classes
4. Drug testing of athletes is unjustified
5. Schools should provide daycare services for students who have children
6. Does a school uniform make learning more effective at school?
7. Should the grading system in high schools be improved?
8. School detention does much good in high schools
9. School attendance should be voluntary in high school
10. Should education be entirely privatized?
11. Private schools are better than public schools
12. Should school buses have an option of assigned seats?

Middle school debate topics

1. The current education system does not prepare children for the needs of the 21st century
2. The role of the teacher in education should be minimized
3. Should the learning environment be entertaining?
4. Should standardized testing be refused in judging academic performance?
5. Should blended learning be applied in every school
6. Education should be free
7. Modern education should be remote due to technology progress
8. There should be more charter school with free education
9. Ability grouping increases the effectiveness of the education system
10. Are alternative sources of energy justified?
11. Is the uniform really required in middle school?

 Debate topics for college

1. College education should be free for everyone
2. Should lunchtime in college be cut to 8-10 minutes?
3. Should students pay for college on their own?
4. Should parents choose a college for their children?
5. Should students attend classes in the afternoon?
6. Does early education help during the study in college?
7. Does college education affect the financial success of the student after graduation?
8. Should students be excluded from college because of plagiarism issues? 
9. Students should have an after-school internship
10. Grades should be a major source of motivation in college
11. Should parents control their child's academic performance?
12. How should the obesity problem be applied: as a personal problem or public concern?

Education debate topics

1. Should homework for children be banned?
2. Should public prayer be allowed in public schools?
3. School uniforms should be optional.
4. Should standardized testing be abolished?
5. Should high schools block external websites on their computers?
6. Should detention be abolished?
7. Should religion be taught in schools?
8. Should students be in session year-round?
9. School athletes need to follow up drug test
10. Should all schools be private?
11. Violence in video games affects child's mental health and education outcome
12. Should parents control the time spent playing video games?

Health debate topics

1. Good healthcare should be free
2. Healthcare should be universal.
3. People should be vegetarians
4. Health insurance should cover cosmetic procedures
5. Euthanasia should be legalized
6. The drinking age should be lowered to 15
7. Should vaping be banned?
8. Should smoking be banned in public places?
9. CAR T-cell therapy should be free
10. Nutrition should be mandatory at school 
11. Can mental pain be fatal?
12. The government should regulate fast-food chains

Science and technology debate topics

1. Artificial intelligence should be banned as this technology is a threat to humans
2. De-extinction is not worth the cost
3. De-extinction can lead to competitive exclusion of living species
4. Should people depend on fossil fuels?
5. Should renewable energy take place in our world?
6. Are vaccines risky or safe?
7. Is botox useful or harmful?
8. Should prayer have the power to heal?
9. Should NASA be funded by the government?
10. Can good technology make people isolated?

Law and politics debate topics

1. Race is a label in politics and education
2. The concept of race in science
3. Should guns be in the hands of mentally ill people?
4. Who should make a decision regarding the survivability of newborns?
5. Accessibility is a dream
6. Will higher taxes make health care reform possible?
7. Should physicians be involved in military interrogations?
8. Should there be gross generalizations?
9. Incomplete theories in politics are not completely wrong
10. Personal attacks should be banned in politics
11. Should laws protect dangerous animals?
12. Public relations have much impact on social media

Environmental debate topics

1. Should animals be equal in rights with humans?
2. Should people ban fracking?
3. Should everyone be vegetarian?
4. Should citizens sue over climate change?
5. How much solar energy costs to the environment?
6. Should a new wave of the virtuous fast food be supported?
7. Can people live without a global climate treaty?
8. Can the global market stave off climate changes such as global warming?
9. Should the effects of climate change be addressed in developing countries?
10. Are natural disasters the act of God?

Debate topics on historical issues

1. Did King Arthur exist?
2. Was the Roman Empire good or bad concerning the trajectory of humanity?
3. Should the US have entered World War I?
4. How much regulation is needed for capitalism to function?
5. How much regulation is needed for education to function effectively?
6. Should high school students study world history?
7. Should students be allowed to skip history in their educational programs?
8. Student debate topics should not cover historical issues
9. Gender expectations during the WWI differ from the expectations after the war
10. National Day of Commemoration should reflect its national importance but not political propaganda
11. Is social media good for history?

Need help with your debate speech? 

Once you get a task to prepare a school debate speech, you should be aware of debate types and the proper preparation process to start choosing the best topic among numerous debate topics. In case this process takes you a lot of time, you may check a list of the most incredible ideas great for the college debate speech topic, school debate topics, and middle school debate topics, and other speech topics in history, public education, science, society, technology, and social media. If it still does not help you to handle this assignment on time, do not hesitate to get academic help and present the best debate speech ever. 

Our academic experts will impress you with the great student debate topics and the top quality of the interesting debate speech itself! You will spend less time for preparation and win over the audience with your convincing speech.