Common Essay Topics and How to Approach Them

While you cannot predict the exact questions that will appear in your Section B, the LNAT draws from a consistent range of topic areas. Familiarising yourself with these areas and developing a repertoire of approaches will give you confidence regardless of which questions you face.

This lesson covers the most common topic categories, typical question styles, and sample outlines to show how you might approach each one.

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Topic Area 1: Ethics and Morality

Typical Questions

• "Is it ever morally justifiable to break the law?"
• "Should we prioritise the welfare of the majority over the rights of the individual?"
• "Does the end justify the means?"

How to Approach Ethics Questions

Ethics questions require you to engage with fundamental moral principles. The key is to avoid purely emotional responses and instead ground your argument in reasoning.

Sample outline — "Is it ever morally justifiable to break the law?"

Section	Content
Thesis	Breaking the law is morally justifiable when the law itself is unjust, provided that the act of disobedience is proportionate, non-violent, and intended to provoke democratic change.
Point 1	Civil disobedience has a distinguished moral history — Rosa Parks, the Suffragettes, Gandhi's salt march. These illegal acts are now recognised as morally correct.
Point 2	Legal positivism (the idea that law equals morality) is intellectually untenable. Many historical laws — slavery, apartheid — were legal but profoundly immoral.
Counterargument	Allowing individuals to decide which laws to obey risks undermining the rule of law, which is the foundation of a stable society.
Rebuttal	This concern is addressed by the requirement that civil disobedience be public, non-violent, and accepted with the willingness to face legal consequences — distinguishing it from mere lawlessness.
Conclusion	The law is a tool, not a moral authority. When the tool produces injustice, those who resist it stand on firm moral ground.

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Topic Area 2: Politics and Governance

Typical Questions

• "Is democracy the best form of government?"
• "Should voting be compulsory?"
• "Should politicians be required to have relevant qualifications?"

How to Approach Politics Questions

Politics questions test your ability to reason about systems and institutions. Avoid party-political arguments. Focus on principles — representation, accountability, legitimacy, efficiency.

Sample outline — "Should voting be compulsory?"

Section	Content
Thesis	Compulsory voting should be introduced, because low turnout undermines democratic legitimacy and disproportionately disadvantages marginalised communities.
Point 1	Low turnout means governments are elected by a minority of the population, weakening their mandate. In recent UK elections, turnout has fallen below 70%.
Point 2	Non-voters are disproportionately young, poor, and from ethnic minorities. Compulsory voting would ensure that policy reflects the full electorate, not just the most motivated.
Counterargument	Compulsion violates individual freedom — the right not to vote is as important as the right to vote.
Rebuttal	Democratic societies already impose civic obligations (jury duty, taxation). Voting is a minimal burden with significant collective benefit. A "none of the above" option preserves individual expression.
Conclusion	Compulsory voting is a modest civic obligation that would produce a more representative and legitimate democracy.

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Topic Area 3: Technology and Society

Typical Questions

• "Does technology do more to unite or divide society?"
• "Should social media companies be held responsible for content posted by users?"
• "Is artificial intelligence a threat to humanity?"

How to Approach Technology Questions

Technology questions often require you to weigh benefits against risks. Avoid extreme positions (technology is entirely good or entirely bad). Show that you understand the nuances.

Sample outline — "Should social media companies be held responsible for content posted by users?"

Section	Content
Thesis	Social media companies should bear a degree of responsibility for content on their platforms, because their algorithms actively amplify harmful content for commercial gain.
Point 1	Platforms are not neutral hosts — their algorithms promote content that generates engagement, which disproportionately rewards outrage, misinformation, and extremism.
Point 2	Self-regulation has consistently failed. Internal documents from multiple companies reveal awareness of harms coupled with inaction.
Counterargument	Imposing liability could stifle free expression and make companies over-censor content out of caution.
Rebuttal	Responsibility can be targeted — requiring transparency in algorithmic decision-making and accountability for amplification rather than blanket content liability.
Conclusion	The distinction between hosting and amplifying is critical. Companies that profit from amplifying harmful content must bear responsibility for the consequences.

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Topic Area 4: Education

Typical Questions

• "Should university education be free?"
• "Does the current education system prepare young people for the modern world?"
• "Should schools teach students how to think rather than what to think?"

How to Approach Education Questions

Education questions allow you to draw on your own experience, but be careful to support personal observations with broader reasoning. The strongest essays connect specific educational issues to wider principles such as equality of opportunity, social mobility, and the purpose of education.

Sample outline — "Should university education be free?"