Writing Topics for High School
- A cause and effect topic focuses on how something creates a certain effect, whether positive or negative. Possible topics in this category can include how video games affect behavior in children, how climate change affects sea levels and how extracurricular activities affect student performance in school.
- An expository topic is designed to define, explain or inform the reader of the topic chosen by the author. Possible topics of this type can include your favorite book or movie, the role music plays in your culture or your own life, what you think makes a great leader, improvements you think your school could make or why you believe a certain decision you made in your life was a good one.
- A persuasive topic is meant to convince the reader of the author's point of view. Some topics that can be chosen for a persuasive paper are whether or not global warming is true, if democrats or republicans are better politicians, if creationism should be taught in public schools, if marijuana should be legalized or if the drinking age should be lowered or raised.
- How-to topics explain how to perform a certain task. For this type of writing, the author should choose a topic that he is familiar with to insure credibility. Possible topics to choose from are how to play a musical instrument, how to cook a meal, how to perform a particular exercise, how to match colors together for an outfit or how to drive a car.
- A narrative is used to tell a story about the writer's life and explain how it has affected her in some way, or to teach a moral to the reader. For this type of prompt, chose something that has happened in your life that has either taught you a lesson, made you grow as a person or posed a challenge to you. Write the story using specific details so the reader can easily follow your story.
