100 handpicked analytical essay topics

Analytical essays are expository writing assignments that require you to break a complex idea or notion into small, digestible pieces. If your prompt includes verbs like “analyze”, “dissect” or “break down”, you’re likely facing an analytical essay assignment. They are common across most high school and college classes because they test students’ understanding of the concepts and let professors assess your research and writing skills.

To help you score top marks on this assignment, we created a detailed analytical essay writing guide and made this extensive analytical essay topics list. The former should help you organize your writing process and break it down into bite-sized pieces, while the latter should provide inspiration for picking the perfect topic to tackle if your professor gives out an open-ended prompt.

How to choose an analytical essay topic

The biggest trouble with choosing an essay topic is usually the endless number of options available. Instead of focusing on a single issue, students are crippled by indecision and inability to pick the best topic to research and write about.

If you already have a few ideas for analytical essay topics but don’t know which to choose, use this checklist to assess them and narrow down your options:

• The topic fits with your class syllabus and subject. Use the syllabus or recommended reading materials to get inspired.
• The issue is relevant, not stale. Although rehashing the same stale subjects is easy, your professors will appreciate a fresh perspective.
• The idea fits the scope of the assignment. Narrow it down from a generic idea to a specific topic suitable for a short essay.
• There are enough sources for you to use. Depending on the scope of the task, you should be able to find at least three to five objective and reliable references.
• You are excited to learn more about it. Your interest will drive your research and help you craft a compelling and memorable narrative.
• Your TA or professor approves. Getting approval before wasting time on a poor topic is a sure way to save time and effort, so don’t ignore this step.

Find a great idea among cherry-picked topics for analytical essay

Below is a list of 100 analytical essay ideas the SpeedyPaper writing team developed for your use. They are divided into ten categories for your convenience so you can find the right match for your requirements faster. You can also check out our free essay samples database to search for a suitable title to use. And our rewrite essay service can paraphrase any of the samples, deliver an original piece at a fraction of the price, and help you meet impossible deadlines.

Please note that these ideas may not work for other types of assignments, and we offer additional lists for reflective and argumentative essay topics, as well as other assignment types. You can find the corresponding writing guides and lists on the SpeedyPaper blog.

Popular topics for analytical essay

1. The impact of pandemic-era social distancing on communication skills
2. Analyzing the causes of gender pay gaps across developed economies
3. The potential effects of banning technology in the classroom
4. Assessing the impact of climate change and food waste on global food security
5. Analyzing the mutual influence of mental health and exercise
6. The relationship between socio-economic standing and education level in the US
7. Analyzing the ethics and potential impact of human genetic engineering
8. The relationship between education, environment, and political preferences
9. The effects of professional gaming competitions on videogames perception
10. Analysis of the common causes of procrastination in high school and college students

Analytical essay topics for high school

1. Analyzing the harmful effects of fast fashion on environmental pollution
2. The analysis of controversial advertising campaigns’ impact on consumer behavior
3. Determining the value of physical education and sports in high school curriculum
4. Analyzing the causes of bullying in high school environments
5. The differences in school and parental influence on high school students’ behavior
6. The analysis of the effects of cyberbullying on adolescents’ self-image
7. Analyzing the differences between community colleges and Ivy League schools
8. The impact of standardized test results on college application success rate
9. Cost-effective analysis of high school lunch programs
10. The effect of childhood nutrition on students’ long-term health

Analytical essay topics for college

1. Analyzing the impact of artificial intelligence implementation on job security
2. Comparative analysis of different online learning techniques and methods
3. The effect of technology on subjective perception of loneliness and happiness
4. Analyzing privacy risks and repercussions of uncontrolled technological advances
5. The effect of virtual reality training in medical and engineering fields
6. The impact of wrong urbanistic solutions on current living conditions
7. The relationship between cognitive function, content consumption, and video gaming
8. Analysis of immigration effects on tolerance levels and cultural diversity
9. The effect of video content proliferation on the population’s reading habits
10. Comparative analysis of the effectiveness of renewable energy solutions

 

Political analytical topics for essays

1. The relationship between social media popularity and social polarization
2. The causes of the rise of populistic political movements across the globe
3. Analyzing the differences and similarities across different waves of feminism
4. The potential effects of cyberattacks and artificial intelligence on global political stability
5. Analyzing the potential for escalation of local military engagements in Ukraine and the Middle East
6. The relationship between social media adoption and political activism among Millennials
7. Quantitative analysis of gender representation across political entities in the US
8. Analyzing the extent of government oversight in the private lives of Americans
9. Analysis of the main arguments of pro-life and pro-choice movements
10. The potential of implementing direct democracy through technological advances

History analysis topics for essays

1. Analyzing parallels between the current US-China relationship and the Cold War
2. The impact of religious beliefs and institutions on world history
3. The evolution of Thanksgiving perception in the 21st century
4. The effect of the Civil War on the development of the US democracy
5. Analyzing the impact of the biggest political scandals of the 20th century
6. The political and economic outcome of the American campaigns in Iraq
7. The effect of political tensions on popular culture representation of the Chinese
8. Analyzing the different representations of a historical event across different media
9. The impact of female researchers on the success of NASA’s launches
10. Comparative analysis of Hitler’s and Putin’s ideologies and regimes

 

Art analytical essay topics

1. Analyze the symbols prevalent in Frida Kahlo's self-portraits
2. Comparative analysis of street art and pop art movements
3. Analyze the distinctive features setting Renaissance artists from their predecessors
4. Comparative analysis of Italian and Spanish architectural styles
5. Analyzing the relationship between the art piece and the period of its creation
6. Assessing the subjective nature of art perception and appreciation
7. Analyzing the influence of art and art history classes on worldview
8. Analyze the artistic value of comic books and movie posters
9. Comparative analysis of practical effects and computer graphics in filmmaking
10. Analyzing the effects of different music genres on productivity

Social media analytical essay topics

1. Comparative analysis of social media usage among Gen Z and Millenials
2. Analyzing the impact of social media influencers on the job market
3. The relationships between social media and the gig economy
4. Analyze the impact of the pandemic on social media use cases across generations
5. Analyzing the effects of social media algorithms on social polarization
6. The impact of social media adoption on older people
7. Analyze the relationship between social media and smartphone addiction
8. The psychological effects of social media bullying on adolescents and young adults
9. The risks and benefits of prohibiting social media use for minors
10. The relationship between social media and on-demand adult content creation

Literature analysis essay topics

1. Analyzing the representation of mental health issues in literature
2. Comparative analysis of the representation of aging in literature classics
3. Analyze the depictions of morality in Gothic literary pieces
4. Study the evolution of gender roles in literature in the last century
5. Analyze the effectiveness of Jane Austen’s use of irony in her novels
6. Analyzing the impact of global warfare and other crises on literature
7. Assess the effects of movies and television on literature consumption
8. Victorian-era literature analysis through the lens of social class representation
9. Comparative analysis of foreshadowing in mainstream detective and noir genres
10. Analyze the evaluation criteria when defining the lists of most influential books

Critical analytical essay topics

1. Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of a movie marketing campaign
2. Assessing the representation of professional athletes in popular culture
3. An evaluation of the President’s Office policies and performance
4. Analyzing the artistry of modern music videos
5. Assessment of the latest college or high school policy
6. Critical analysis of a college class syllabus and assigned reading
7. Analyze the effects of wide AI adoption on the job market
8. Evaluate the impact of the writer’s strike on movie and TV show industry
9. Assess the effectiveness of a prominent monologue or speech
10. Critical analysis of the latest movie you saw on a big screen

 

Rhetorical analysis essay ideas

1. Unique and typical rhetoric used by the US Presidents in inaugural speeches
2. Linguistic and discourse approaches to modern rhetorical analysis
3. Comparing the rhetoric of Black Lives Matter and Me Too social movements
4. Rhetorical analysis of research papers for an audience of scientific society
5. Analyzing rhetorical devices used in the most-viewed TED Talks
6. Implementation of social media posts to teach rhetorical analysis
7. The effectiveness of Apple's advertising campaign’s rhetorical devices
8. Analyzing rhetorical devices used in attorneys’ opening and closing speeches
9. A study of rhetoric devices used in pro-life and pro-choice campaigns
10. Rhetorical analysis of the most prominent cancel culture campaigns

Final thoughts

Hopefully, you’ll find the perfect fit for your assignment among the analytical paper topics handpicked by our Speedy Paper writer team. Remember that you are free to use any of the ideas above as is, adjust them to your requirements, or combine a couple of titles into one. If you need help beyond choosing the right topic, whether it’s to write the whole piece, some of its parts, or to engage online paper editing and proofreading services, SpeedyPaper has your back. Contact our support team to learn more about your options, or go straight to the order form to get this task out of the way.