Class 8 Essay Writing Topics
Rosalie Checca
In addition to other generative artificial intelligence (AI) models, it is expected to change the world. In academia, students and professors are preparing for the ways that ChatGPT will shape education, and especially how it will impact a fundamental element of any course: the academic essay.
Students can use ChatGPT to generate full essays based on a few simple prompts. But can AI actually produce high quality work, or is the technology just not there yet to deliver on its promise? Students may also be asking themselves if they should use AI to write their essays for them and what they might be losing out on if they did.
Writing an essay involves communicating an idea clearly to your audience, structuring an argument that a reader can follow, and making a conclusion that challenges them to think differently about a subject. Effective and clear communication is necessary in every industry.
Engaging with the topic, conducting your own research, and developing original arguments allows you to really learn about a subject you may not have encountered before. Maybe a simple essay assignment around a work of literature, historical time period, or scientific study will spark a passion that can lead you to a new major or career.
While there are many rewards to writing your essays yourself, the act of writing an essay can still be challenging, and the process may come easier for some students than others. But essay writing is a skill that you can hone, and students at Harvard Summer School have access to a number of on-campus and online resources to assist them.
Harvard Summer School offers more than 400 courses for all Summer School students in more than 60 different subject areas. Our courses are offered in a variety of flexible formats, so you can find the option that works best with your busy schedule.
As the name indicates, in compare-and-contrast essays, writers show the similarities and differences between two things. They combine descriptive writing with analysis, making connections and showing dissimilarities. The following ideas work well for compare-contrast essays. (Find 80+ compare-contrast essay topics for all ages here.)
Humorous essays can take on any form, like narrative, persuasive, or expository. You might employ sarcasm or satire, or simply tell a story about a funny person or event. Even though these essay topics are lighthearted, they still take some skill to tackle well. Give these ideas a try.
Literary essays analyze a piece of writing, like a book or a play. In high school, students usually write literary essays about the works they study in class. These literary essay topic ideas focus on books students often read in high school, but many of them can be tweaked to fit other works as well.
One of the easiest and most heartbreaking traps I see AP students, even strong ones, fall into is arguing what the prompt already implies is true, missing the nuances of what the prompt was really asking, because they rushed this step.
So review with students the most salient examples of both, one then the other. This scaffolds students in two ways. First, it prevents them from getting derailed by arguing that both existed equally, which honestly is just summarizing, because you have reminded students that this is already true and known.
And with their at-a-glance graphic organizer in their hands, students should now have a gut reaction answer. If not, they have their sheet to help them decide. Even if a lower-level student has just a few items listed, they can still decide one side or the other.
If you want students to include a counterclaim (and I highly recommend you do so!) in their essays, the clearest way to support them is by teaching it as its own paragraph. Meaning, if a student is arguing the late 1800s was a time of opportunity, their counterclaim paragraph might be on the plight of farmers.
After students label each body paragraph spot on their outline form with its category, I have them next write their topic sentences. Their thinking for choosing those topics is fresh in their mind and this clarity makes the next step even easier.
To recap, by this stage students have very little written in their outline form. Two words of position at the top and three body paragraph topic sentences. But the heavy thinking is done, and a clear path has been laid.
With precise topic sentences written, students now can much more easily select their evidence for each body paragraph. Provide space on your outline form for however many examples you want them to use.
Since writing in social studies is the process of thinking, the thesis is much more the finale than the beginning. Strong and emerging writers alike benefit from this reversed approach, which also allows for better scaffolding through multiple micro decisions.
In the online Common Application Writing Supplement for those applying for Fall 2025 entry, please respond to both the Cornell University essay question and the essay prompt that corresponds to the undergraduate college or school to which you are applying.
Remember that this essay is about you and your lived experience. Define community in the way that is most meaningful to you. Some examples of community you might choose from are: family, school, shared interest, virtual, local, global, cultural. (350 word limit)
Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected and specifically, why do you want to pursue this major at Cornell CALS? You should share how your current interests, related experiences, and/or goals influenced your choice. (500-word limit)
Instructions: The optional short-answer questions invite you to share additional information about your background, interests, and experiences as they relate to aspects of the Cornell CALS mission.
Optional: At Cornell CALS, we aim to leave the world better than we found it, so we seek out those who are passionate about serving the public good. Please elaborate on an experience where you were able to have a meaningful impact on people, a community, and/or an environment of importance to you. (100-word limit)
Optional: Given Cornell CALS' agricultural history and commitment to educating the next generation of agriculturalists, please share if you have a background or interest in agriculture, regardless of your intended major. An "agricultural entity" for the purpose of this question is defined as cultivating soil, growing crops, and raising livestock (e.g., farm, ranch, greenhouse, vineyard, etc.).
How do your interests directly connect with your intended major at the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP)? Why architecture (B.Arch), art (BFA), or urban and regional studies (URS)? B. Arch applicants, please provide an example of how a creative project or passion sparks your motivation to pursue a 5-year professional degree program. BFA applicants may want to to consider how they could integrate a range of interests and available resources at Cornell into a coherent art practice. URS students may want to emphasize their enthusiasm and depth of interest in the study of urban and regional issues. (650 word limit)
At the College of Arts and Sciences, curiosity will be your guide. Discuss how your passion for learning is shaping your academic journey, and what areas of study or majors excite you and why. Your response should convey how your interests align with the College, and how you would take advantage of the opportunities and curriculum in Arts and Sciences. (650 word limit)
Why are you drawn to studying public policy? Drawing on your experiences, tell us about why you are interested in your chosen major and how attending the Brooks School will help you achieve your life goals. (650 word limit)
What kind of a business student are you? Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should convey how your interests align with the school to which you are applying within the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business (Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management or the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration). (650 word limit)
Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you. Your response should show us that your interests align with the ILR School. (650 word limit)
Essay writing is the process of composing short pieces of non-fiction writing called essays. An essay generally expressed a view of a single topic or subject based on the writer's perspective, and essays can be formal or informal in style and tone. You often must conduct research in one form or another to develop your understanding of the subject before you can effectively write an essay. Formal essays often revolve around a thesis statement that serves as the central idea you're writing about, while informal essays are less rigid in structure.
A thorough grasp of essay writing techniques is beneficial to anybody whose career involves writing of any sort because the skills that essay writing requires can also help you write a good email, business proposal, or academic report. The research involved in writing essays gives you a stronger base of knowledge while using good grammar and writing skills helps you to communicate more effectively in every area of your life. Essay writing can also help you process the things that you learn and explain them to others.
If you have proficiency in essay writing, you'll be able to use your skill in various communications careers, as well as in the general business world. You can work as a journalist, editor, freelance writer, advertising copywriter, or communications director and apply essay writing skills directly on a daily basis. Essay writing gives you a set of skills that can also benefit you in many other careers. If you need to write a speech, grant proposal, company blog post, or any other piece of writing, you'll be able to call on the skills that essay writing has allowed you to develop.
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