Question: The topic of the essay is up to you. Write about something you feel strongly about. This is a persuasive essay--you must choose a topic that people might disagree with you about (remember your naysayer!). You might consider writing about a societal issue, or an area of debate within your chosen field/major, or you might defend an unpopular opinion or attack a popular one.
Remember: writing a persuasive research paper means setting out to prove something that REQUIRES proof. Your research will be all about looking for sources that back up your claims.
Remember the argument strategies you have at your disposal: emotional appeals, logic and reasoning, style/diction, facts and figures, personal stories, anecdotes, interviews, etc.