The art of persuasion is a valuable commodity whether you’re negotiating your curfew with your parents or telling your boss why you deserve a raise. For students, persuasive writing is an important skill that requires some strategic thinking and the use of logic. It’s easiest to write a good persuasive argument when you choose a good topic.

So how do you go about choosing the right topic? What are the components of a good topic, and what topics make the most effective arguments for persuasion? Follow these guidelines to help you uncover a topic that will work for you:

1. Pick a topic you care about, and ideally pick a topic you know something about. The more you know about a subject, the easier it will be to write opinions designed to convince others to think the same way you do. Be cautious using this rule, however. In addition to being a topic of interest to you, your topic should also follow some of the rules below.
2. Pick a controversial topic. If you select a topic that is already controversial, such as evolution, euthanasia, or pet breeding, you’ll have a better chance of developing arguments or quoting opinions about the topic that will convince others of your point of view.
3. Pick a topic that is evident in a current event. If a historically controversial topic doesn’t appeal to your sense of originality, find a newsworthy topic that is current upon which you can base an opinion. Current events are simple to find. Turn on your television news or jump on the internet to see what’s current at the moment. Whenever you can pepper your argument with specific examples from current events, your audience will be more likely to be persuaded by your writing.

Once you’ve picked your topic, it’s time to “test market” it for interest and ease of persuasion. It’s easy with a little research.

Go online and read the arguments for or against the topic. Consider both sides of the story. Oftentimes it’s best to write your persuasive argument based on the evidence that already exists for a particular point of view.

No matter how you go about finding your topic, keep in mind that making a good case for an issue is the purpose of your assignment, so pick a topic that gives you a high probability of success.

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