240+ Synthesis Essay Topics for Every Subject

Technology & Digital Life Synthesis Topics

Examining how technology affects society, behavior, or culture? These topics require synthesizing multiple perspectives on digital issues.

1. How does social media use affect teenage mental health and wellbeing?
2. Should artificial intelligence development be regulated by government oversight?
3. How has remote work changed workplace productivity and company culture?
4. Do smartphones increase social connection or create isolation?
5. Should tech companies be legally responsible for user-generated content?
6. How does excessive screen time affect childhood brain development?
7. Is digital privacy still achievable in the age of data collection?
8. How have dating apps transformed modern relationship formation?
9. Should schools implement total smartphone bans during class hours?
10. How has streaming technology disrupted traditional entertainment industries?
11. What role does algorithm design play in social media addiction?
12. How effective are parental controls in limiting harmful online content?
13. Should facial recognition technology be banned in public spaces?
14. How has e-commerce changed consumer behavior and retail employment?
15. What are the psychological effects of constant digital connectivity?
16. Should internet access be classified as a basic human right?
17. How do video games affect cognitive development and problem-solving skills?
18. What impact does cyberbullying have compared to traditional bullying?
19. Should cryptocurrency become mainstream as a payment method?
20. How has GPS technology changed navigation skills and spatial awareness?
21. What role should the government play in regulating big tech monopolies?
22. How does automation threaten or enhance employment opportunities?
23. Should children under 13 be allowed on social media platforms?
24. How has telehealth changed access to medical care?
25. What are the long term effects of replacing face to face interaction with digital communication?

Synthesis Essay Topics for Education & Learning

Analyzing educational systems, policies, or learning methods? These topics have multiple viewpoints to synthesize.

1. Should college education be free for all students nationwide?
2. Do standardized tests accurately measure student knowledge and potential?
3. How effective is homeschooling compared to traditional classroom education?
4. Should financial literacy be a required course in high schools?
5. How has online learning changed education access and quality?
6. Do school uniforms improve academic performance and reduce bullying?
7. Should letter grades be eliminated in favor of narrative assessment?
8. Is the traditional four-year college degree still worth the cost?
9. How does student loan debt affect career choices and economic mobility?
10. Should high schools start later to accommodate teenage circadian rhythms?
11. What role should technology play in elementary school classrooms?
12. How effective are zero-tolerance discipline policies in schools?
13. Should schools teach cursive writing in the digital age?
14. How does class size affect learning outcomes and student engagement?
15. Should college athletes receive financial compensation beyond scholarships?
16. What impact does homework have on student learning and stress?
17. Should schools eliminate Advanced Placement courses?
18. How does teacher tenure affect education quality?
19. Should sex education be comprehensive or abstinence-based?
20. What role should arts education play in school curriculum?
21. How effective are school voucher programs at improving education?
22. Should students be tracked by ability level or taught in mixed groups?
23. What impact do for-profit colleges have on students and education?
24. Should coding be taught as a core subject like math or English?
25. How does poverty affect educational achievement and opportunity?

Social Issues & Current Events Synthesis Essay Topics

Exploring contemporary social problems? These topics require synthesizing diverse sources and perspectives.

1. How should free speech rights be balanced against preventing hate speech?
2. Does cancel culture improve accountability or suppress honest dialogue?
3. Should minimum wage be raised to meet living wage standards?
4. How does income inequality affect social mobility across generations?
5. Do police body cameras reduce violence and improve accountability?
6. Should drug addiction be treated as criminal justice or public health issue?
7. How has the #MeToo movement changed workplace dynamics permanently?
8. Is affirmative action still necessary in college admissions processes?
9. Should voting be mandatory in democratic elections?
10. How do sanctuary city policies affect local communities and immigration?
11. What causes mass incarceration and how can it be reduced?
12. Should reparations be paid for historical slavery and discrimination?
13. How does gentrification affect longtime residents and neighborhoods?
14. Should sex work be legalized and regulated like other industries?
15. What factors contribute to political polarization in America?
16. How effective are gun control laws at reducing violence?
17. Should the death penalty be abolished nationwide?
18. What role does systemic racism play in criminal justice outcomes?
19. How does media bias affect public opinion and voting behavior?
20. Should hate speech be protected under First Amendment rights?
21. What causes homelessness and what solutions actually work?
22. How do immigration policies affect economic growth and job markets?
23. Should felons automatically regain voting rights after release?
24. What impact does wealth inequality have on democracy?
25. How effective are diversity training programs at changing behavior?

Health & Medicine Synthesis Essay Topics

Examining healthcare, public health, or medical ethics? These topics involve synthesizing scientific, ethical, and policy perspectives.

1. Should childhood vaccinations be mandatory for school attendance?
2. Does the US healthcare system need fundamental structural reform?
3. Should physician-assisted suicide be legal in all states?
4. How do prescription drug prices affect healthcare access nationally?
5. Is vaping a safer smoking alternative or a new public health crisis?
6. Should mental health services receive equal insurance coverage as physical health?
7. How has the opioid epidemic changed pain management medical practices?
8. Should CRISPR gene editing be allowed on human embryos?
9. Do alternative medicines deserve equal standing with conventional treatments?
10. How should pandemic response balance public health and personal freedom?
11. Should organ donation be opt-out rather than opt-in?
12. How effective is abstinence-only versus comprehensive sex education?
13. Should marijuana be legalized for medical and recreational use nationwide?
14. What role should government play in regulating food and nutrition?
15. How does the profit motive affect pharmaceutical research priorities?
16. Should healthcare be treated as a right or a commodity?
17. What impact does medical debt have on patients and families?
18. How effective are different addiction treatment approaches?
19. Should cosmetic surgery be covered by insurance in any circumstances?
20. What role does nutrition play in preventing chronic disease?
21. How should scarce medical resources be allocated during crises?
22. Should parents be allowed to refuse medical treatment for children?
23. What impact does health insurance structure have on treatment decisions?
24. How effective is telemedicine compared to in-person care?
25. Should sugary drinks be taxed to discourage consumption?

Environment & Climate Synthesis Essay Topics

Analyzing environmental issues or sustainability? These topics require synthesizing scientific data, economic concerns, and policy debates.

1. Is nuclear energy a viable solution to climate change challenges?
2. Should single-use plastics be banned at the federal level?
3. How effective are individual actions versus systemic policy changes in addressing climate?
4. Should governments subsidize electric vehicle purchases and infrastructure?
5. Can sustainable agriculture scale to feed the global population?
6. How should water rights be allocated during increasing drought conditions?
7. Should companies pay carbon taxes based on their emissions?
8. Is recycling effective or does it create false environmental complacency?
9. How do renewable energy costs compare to fossil fuels economically?
10. Should environmental protection be prioritized over economic development?
11. What role should nuclear power play in clean energy transitions?
12. How effective are carbon offset programs at reducing emissions?
13. Should meat consumption be reduced to combat climate change?
14. What impact does fast fashion have on environment and labor?
15. How should developed nations assist developing countries with climate adaptation?
16. Should fracking be banned due to environmental and health risks?
17. What role can geoengineering play in addressing climate change?
18. How effective are protected areas and national parks at preserving biodiversity?
19. Should plastic producers be held responsible for waste cleanup?
20. What impact does deforestation have on global climate patterns?
21. How can cities reduce their carbon footprint most effectively?
22. Should environmental regulations be loosened to promote economic growth?
23. What role should indigenous knowledge play in conservation efforts?
24. How effective are international climate agreements like the Paris Accord?
25. Should population growth be addressed as part of an environmental strategy?

Synthesis Essay Topics for Business & Economics

Examining market trends, corporate practices, or economic policies? These topics show business concepts through multiple perspectives.

1. How has Amazon disrupted traditional retail business models?
2. Should the gig economy classify workers as employees or contractors?
3. What factors contributed to the 2008 financial crisis?
4. How does minimum wage affect small businesses and employment?
5. Should companies be required to provide paid family leave?
6. What impact does automation have on middle-class employment?
7. How effective are unions at protecting worker rights today?
8. Should corporations prioritize shareholders or stakeholders?
9. What role should the government play in regulating monopolies?
10. How has globalization affected American manufacturing jobs?
11. Should universal basic income be implemented nationwide?
12. What impact does student loan debt have on economic growth?
13. How effective are economic sanctions as foreign policy tools?
14. Should the federal minimum wage be raised to $15/hour?
15. What causes wealth inequality, and how can it be reduced?
16. How do tax cuts affect economic growth and government revenue?
17. Should cryptocurrency be regulated like traditional currency?
18. What impact does income inequality have on social mobility?
19. How effective is trickle-down economics at creating prosperity?
20. Should essential goods like insulin have price controls?
21. What role should the government play in preventing monopolies?
22. How has e-commerce changed consumer behavior and retail employment?
23. Should companies face penalties for moving jobs overseas?
24. What impact do trade agreements have on domestic jobs?
25. How effective are different approaches to reducing poverty?

Good Synthesis Essay Topics for Politics & Government

Examining political systems, policies, or governance? These topics involve synthesizing ideological, practical, and historical perspectives.

1. Should the Electoral College be abolished in favor of popular vote?
2. Are term limits necessary for Congress to ensure effective governance?
3. How has social media changed political campaigns and voter engagement?
4. Should lobbying and campaign contributions face stricter regulations?
5. Is universal basic income a viable long-term economic policy?
6. How effective is the United Nations at maintaining international peace?
7. Should the voting age be lowered to 16 nationwide?
8. Is the death penalty justifiable in modern criminal justice?
9. How should national security be balanced against civil liberties?
10. Should felons automatically regain voting rights after serving sentences?
11. What role should money play in political campaigns?
12. How effective is the Supreme Court appointment process?
13. Should Puerto Rico become the 51st state?
14. What impact does gerrymandering have on democratic representation?
15. Should the filibuster be eliminated in the Senate?
16. How effective are voter ID laws at preventing fraud versus suppressing votes?
17. Should Supreme Court justices face term limits?
18. What role should executive orders play in governance?
19. How effective is Congress at providing checks and balances?
20. Should the two-party system be reformed to allow more parties?
21. What impact does dark money have on election outcomes?
22. Should judges be elected or appointed?
23. How effective are different approaches to campaign finance reform?
24. Should Washington DC become a state?
25. What role should referendums play in direct democracy?

Synthesis Essay Topics for Different Academic Levels

Easy Synthesis Essay Topics for High School

New to synthesis essays? These topics are straightforward with accessible sources.

1. How does social media affect teenage friendships and social life?
2. Should schools provide free lunch to all students?
3. Do video games cause violent behavior in teenagers?
4. How does music affect mood and mental health?
5. Should students be required to wear school uniforms?
6. What impact does homework have on student stress and learning?
7. How do after-school jobs affect academic performance?
8. Should cell phones be banned in classrooms?
9. What causes teenage anxiety and depression?
10. How does sleep deprivation affect high school students?
11. Should schools teach life skills like cooking and budgeting?
12. What impact does social media have on body image?
13. How effective are anti-bullying programs in schools?
14. Should students have mental health days off from school?
15. What role should parents play in monitoring internet use?
16. How does peer pressure affect teenage decision-making?
17. Should schools eliminate letter grades?
18. What impact do sports have on academic success?
19. How does advertising target and influence teenagers?
20. Should sex education be taught in middle school?

Synthesis Essay Topics for College Students

Need something more challenging? These topics require deeper analysis and academic sources.

1. How does intersectionality affect experiences of discrimination and privilege?
2. What factors contribute to the mental health crisis on college campuses?
3. Should college admissions be race-conscious or race-blind?
4. How effective are different approaches to criminal justice reform?
5. What role does confirmation bias play in political polarization?
6. How has neoliberalism shaped modern economic policy globally?
7. Should reparations be paid for slavery and systemic discrimination?
8. What factors contribute to vaccine hesitancy across demographics?
9. How effective are restorative justice programs compared to punitive approaches?
10. What impact does algorithmic bias have on marginalized communities?
11. How has surveillance capitalism transformed personal privacy?
12. Should artificial intelligence systems be required to be explainable?
13. What role does patriarchy play in modern workplace dynamics?
14. How effective are different models of universal healthcare?
15. What factors contribute to democratic backsliding globally?
16. How does food insecurity affect college student academic success?
17. Should higher education be treated as public good or private investment?
18. What impact does precarious labor have on economic security?
19. How effective are land acknowledgments at addressing colonial harm?
20. What role should universities play in addressing historical injustices?

AP Lang Synthesis Essay Topics

Practicing for the AP Lang exam? These topics mirror the exam format, requiring synthesis of provided sources.

1. The role of automation in transforming the future workforce
2. Privacy concerns in the age of digital surveillance technology
3. The value of space exploration versus domestic spending priorities
4. Artificial intelligence's impact on creative industries and human artistry
5. The effectiveness of economic sanctions as foreign policy tools
6. Social media's influence on political polarization and discourse
7. The changing role of public libraries in the digital age
8. Consumerism's environmental and social impacts on society
9. The ethics of genetic engineering and designer babies
10. How mapping technology has changed navigation and spatial reasoning
11. The effectiveness of standardized testing in measuring student ability
12. The impact of fast food on public health and food culture
13. How advertising shapes consumer behavior and cultural values
14. The role of sports in education and student development
15. The effectiveness of community service requirements for students
16. How technology affects family relationships and communication
17. The value of preserving endangered languages and cultures
18. The impact of celebrity culture on society and youth
19. How news media bias affects public opinion formation
20. The effectiveness of public transportation in reducing emissions

Tips to Choose the Best Synthesis Essay Topics

Here are some tips to help you select the best topics for a synthesis essay in no time.

• The topic should be of your audience’s interest.
• Pick a topic that is debatable and can be easily explored from different perspectives.
• The topic should be unique and fresh, and not have been studied excessively.
• It should be negotiable, and the readers take more interest in these types of essays.
• Research on the topic as much as possible and then select it for your essay.

Bottom Line

The best synthesis essay topic is one you actually care about and one where you can find multiple quality sources with different perspectives. Pick something that sparks your curiosity, and the synthesis will come easier. If you need guidance on connecting your sources and structuring your ideas, check out our synthesis essay guide, and if it still feels tricky, we’re here to help.