One Step Closer

Original Expository Essay Topics for College Students 

What is an Expository Essay

The expository essay asks students to investigate a topic, an idea, or a concept, and then write an essay proving why they are right about this concept or idea through evidence gathered from your own experience or knowledge or through research into the idea.

Expository Essay Components

All essays are chiefly argumentative, when you think about it. In all essays worth writing, you are trying to convince your reader of something. You are convincing them and persuading them that your point of view is right.

The only essays that are not argumentative are “how to do something” articles and personal experience essays, and even there you’re trying to prove why this experience was transformative for you.

Expository essays seek to prove that your ideas are correct about an issue, topic, or concept. Your point of view on this issue is what is ultimately important. Here, you are being a little more soft about your argument—it is not a Take a Stand or a Call to Action type of essay—but more of an analysis about a topic from your point of view.

You might think of it as an Explanatory Essay explaining why you are right about something.

Great Topics for Expository Essays

  1. 1. Why is it important for college students to be exposed to many kinds of subjects before they declare a major?
  2. 2. Does a humanities (English, history, art history, music) have any monetary value today?
  3. 3. Do you believe that people should major in something even if the job market is poor.
  4. 4. What is honor?
  5. 5. What is the importance of friends in life.
  6. 6. What is more important, seeking knowledge or seeking love?
  7. 7. Why is education so important today?
  8. 8. Is a college degree necessary in today’s job market?
  9. 9. What are the effects on the family at large if a member is an addict or mentally ill?
  10. 10. Some animals mate for life—should humans do this too? Or should they seek a multitude of people and experiences – even in love?
  11. 11. In the light of HIV, HPV, and other sexually transmitted diseases, why are ` teenagers still so sexually active?
  12. 12. What has been your major epiphany in life so far?
  13. 13. Do you think Earth is doomed because of global warming and other factors? Explain.
  14. 14. Explain why sports figures should not make such huge incomes?
  15. 15. Explain how free download music sites have affected musical artists.
  16. 16. Explain why capital punishment is right/wrong.
  17. 17. Explain how the too-swiftly-moving world of technology affects us as humans.
  18. 18. Does technology have a positive or negative impact on humans?
  19. 19. Explain why dogs are smarter than our apian ancestors.
  20. 20. Explain why having a pet is a life-transforming experience.

Essay Tips And Hints

© All rights reserved.