For a college-level class, you could write a persuasive essay about why vegetarianism is a healthy, sustainable alternative to omnivorous eating habits. With this argument, it is important to consider your sources. For example, while PETA has great statistics about the benefits of a meatless diet, a source like The Vegetarian Society is less controversial. Organize your paper according to different concepts, such as sustainability, animal health, and the health benefits to humans.
You could write a persuasive essay on the necessity of tax reform in the United States. You could use the opportunity to argue for any type of tax reform you want, including the implementation of a flat tax or higher tax rates for incomes exceeding $1 million. To conduct research, look at current economic experts, including people like Chris Matthews, writers for magazines and newspapers like Forbes and The Wall Street Journal, and politicians. Look at previous tax rates to enhance your argument, especially the rates during the Eisenhower administration, when the highest tax bracket paid 92 percent of their annual income in taxes.
If you're writing a persuasive essay, you could consider writing about the importance of protecting free speech rights in the United States. Look at Supreme Court cases, especially the Snyder v. Phelps case wherein the U.S. Supreme Court decided that Westboro Baptist Church, which pickets military protests, had a legitimate claim to their actions. You could look at free speech in a modern perspective or in the context of movements like the Civil Rights movement.
You could consider mandatory helmet laws for motorcyclists for your persuasive essay topic. You could argue that the law is an unnecessary infringement upon the rights of motorists in private vehicles. Ensure that you specify that you are not opposed to individuals wearing helmets, just to the mandates. Argue that, instead, the enforcement of helmet usage should fall to individual motorists and insurance companies. Alternatively, you could suggest that, instead, insurance companies offer higher rates for motorists who do not want to wear helmets, leaving the market economy to regulate safety.