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Are you struggling to find good persuasive speech topics? It can be hard to find a topic that interests both you and your audience, but in this guide we've done the hard work and created a list of 105 great persuasive speech ideas. They're organized into ten categories and cover a variety of topics, so you're sure to find one that interests you.

In addition to our list, we also go over which factors make good persuasive speech topics and three tips you should follow when researching and writing your persuasive speech.

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

What makes certain persuasive speech topics better than others? There are numerous reasons, but in this section we discuss three of the most important factors of great topics for a persuasive speech.

It's Something You Know About or Are Interested in Learning About

The most important factor in choosing and creating a great persuasive speech is picking a topic you care about and are interested in. You'll need to do a lot of research on this topic, and if it's something you like learning about, that'll make the process much easier and more enjoyable. It'll also help you sound passionate and informed when you talk, both important factors in giving an excellent persuasive speech.

It's a Topic People Care About

In fourth grade, after being told I could give a persuasive speech on any topic I wanted to , I chose to discuss why the Saguaro cactus should be the United State's national plant. Even though I gave an impassioned talk and drew a life-size Saguaro cactus on butcher paper to hang behind me, I doubt anyone enjoyed the speech much.

I'd recently returned from a family vacation to Arizona where I'd seen Saguaro cacti for the first time and decided they were the coolest thing ever. However, most people don't care that much about Saguaro cacti, and most people don't care what our national plant is or if we even have one (for the record, the US has a national flower, and it's the rose).

Spare yourself the smattering of bored applause my nine-old self got at the end of my speech and choose something you think people will be interested in hearing about. This also ties into knowing your audience, which we discuss more in the final section.

It Isn't Overdone

When I was in high school, nearly every persuasive speech my classmates and I were assigned was the exact same topic: should the drinking age be lowered to 18? I got this prompt in English class, on standardized tests, in speech and debate class, etc. I've written and presented about it so often I could probably still rattle off all the main points of my old speeches word-for-word.

You can imagine that everyone's eyes glazed over whenever classmates gave their speeches on this topic. We'd heard about it so many times that, even if it was a topic we cared about, speeches on it just didn't interest us anymore.

The are many potential topics for a persuasive speech. Be wary of choosing one that's cliche or overdone. Even if you give a great speech, it'll be harder to keep your audience interested if they feel like they already know what you're going to say.

An exception to this rule is that if you feel you have a new viewpoint or facts about the topic that currently aren't common knowledge. Including them can make an overdone topic interesting. If you do this, be sure to make it clear early on in your speech that you have unique info or opinions on the topic so your audience knows to expect something new.

105 Topics for a Persuasive Speech

Here's our list of 105 great persuasive speech ideas. We made sure to choose topics that aren't overdone, yet that many people will have an interest in, and we also made a point of choosing topics with multiple viewpoints rather than simplistic topics that have a more obvious right answer (i.e. Is bullying bad?). The topics are organized into ten categories.

Arts/Culture

• Should art and music therapy be covered by health insurance?
• Should all students be required to learn an instrument in school?
• Should all national museums be free to citizens?
• Should graffiti be considered art?
• Should offensive language be removed from works of classic literature?
• Are paper books better than e-books?
• Should all interns be paid for their work?
• Should employees receive bonuses for walking or biking to work?
• Will Brexit hurt or help the UK's economy?
• Should all people over the age of 65 be able to ride the bus for free?
• Should the federal minimum wage be increased?
• Should tipping in restaurants be mandatory?
• Should Black Friday sales be allowed to start on Thanksgiving?
• Should students who bully others be expelled?
• Should all schools require students wear uniforms?
• Should boys and girls be taught in separate classrooms?
• Should students be allowed to listen to music during study hall?
• Should all elementary schools be required to teach a foreign language?
• Should schools include meditation or relaxation breaks during the day?
• Should grades in gym class affect students' GPAs?
• Should teachers get a bonus when their students score well on standardized tests?
• Should children of undocumented immigrants be allowed to attend public schools?
• Should students get paid for getting a certain GPA?
• Should students be allowed to have their cell phones with them during school?
• Should high school students be allowed to leave school during lunch breaks?
• Should Greek life at colleges be abolished?
• Should high school students be required to volunteer a certain number of hours before they can graduate?
• Should schools still teach cursive handwriting?
• What are the best ways for schools to stop bullying?
• Should prostitution be legalized?
• Should people with more than one DUI lose their driver's license?
• Should people be required to shovel snow from the sidewalks in front of their house?
• Should minors be able to drink alcohol in their home if they have their parent's consent?
• Should guns be allowed on college campuses?
• Should flag burning as a form of protest be illegal?
• Should welfare recipients be required to pass a drug test?
• Should white supremacist groups be allowed to hold rallies in public places?
• Should assault weapons be illegal?
• Should the death penalty be abolished?
• Should beauty pageants for children be banned?
• Is it OK to refuse to serve same-sex couples based on religious beliefs?
• Should transgender people be allowed to serve in the military?
• Is it better to live together before marriage or to wait?
• Should affirmative action be allowed?
• Should prisoners be allowed to vote?
• Should Columbus Day be replaced with Indigenous Peoples' Day?

Government/Politics

• Should the government spend more money on developing high-speed rail lines and less on building new roads?
• Should the government be allowed to censor internet content deemed inappropriate?
• Should Puerto Rico become the 51st state?
• Should Scotland declare independence from the United Kingdom?
• Whose face should be on the next new currency printed by the US?
• Should people convicted of drug possession be sent to recovery programs instead of jail?
• Should voting be made compulsory?
• Who was the best American president?
• Should the military budget be reduced?
• Should the President be allowed to serve more than two terms?
• Should a border fence be built between the United States and Mexico?
• Should countries pay ransom to terrorist groups in order to free hostages?
• Should minors be able to purchase birth control without their parent's consent?
• Should hiding or lying about your HIV status with someone you're sleeping with be illegal?
• Should governments tax soda and other sugary drinks and use the revenue for public health?
• Should high schools provide free condoms to students?
• Should the US switch to single-payer health care?
• Should healthy people be required to regularly donate blood?
• Should assisted suicide be legal?
• Should religious organizations be required to pay taxes?
• Should priests be allowed to get married?
• Should the religious slaughter of animals be banned?
• Should the Church of Scientology be exempt from paying taxes?
• Should women be allowed to be priests?
• Should countries be allowed to only accept refugees with certain religious beliefs?
• Should public prayer be allowed in schools?

Science/Environment

• Should human cloning be allowed?
• Should people be allowed to own exotic animals like tigers and monkeys?
• Should "animal selfies" in tourist locations with well-known animal species (like koalas and tigers) be allowed?
• Should genetically modified foods be sold in grocery stores?
• Should people be allowed to own pit bulls?
• Should parents be allowed to choose the sex of their unborn children?
• Should vaccinations be required for students to attend public school?
• What is the best type of renewable energy?
• Should plastic bags be banned in grocery stores?
• Should the United States rejoin the Paris Agreement?
• Should puppy mills be banned?
• Should fracking be legal?
• Should animal testing be illegal?
• Should offshore drilling be allowed in protected marine areas?
• Should the US government increase NASA's budget?
• Should Pluto still be considered a planet?
• Should college athletes be paid for being on a sports team?
• Should all athletes be required to pass regular drug tests?
• Should professional female athletes be paid the same as male athletes in the same sport?
• Are there any cases when athletes should be allowed to use steroids?
• Should college sports teams receive less funding?
• Should boxing be illegal?
• Should schools be required to teach all students how to swim?
• Should cheerleading be considered a sport?
• Should parents let their children play tackle football?
• Will robots reduce or increase human employment opportunities?
• What age should children be allowed to have a cell phone?
• Should libraries be replaced with unlimited access to e-books?
• Overall, has technology helped connect people or isolate them?
• Should self-driving cars be legal?
• Should all new buildings be energy efficient?
• Is Net Neutrality a good thing or a bad thing?
• Do violent video games encourage players to become violent in real life?

3 Bonus Tips for Crafting Your Persuasive Speech

Of course, giving a great persuasive speech requires more than just choosing a good topic. Follow the three tips below to create an outstanding speech that'll interest and impress your audience.

Do Your Research

For a persuasive speech, there's nothing worse than getting an audience question that shows you misunderstood the issue or left an important piece out. It makes your entire speech look weak and unconvincing.

Before you start writing a single word of your speech, be sure to do lots of research on all sides of the topic. Look at different sources and points of view to be sure you're getting the full picture, and if you know any experts on the topic, be sure to ask their opinion too.

Consider All the Angles

Persuasive speech topics are rarely black and white, which means there will be multiple sides and viewpoints on the topic. For example, for the topic "Should people be allowed to own pit bulls?" there are two obvious viewpoints: everyone should be allowed to own a pit bull if they want to, and no one should be allowed to own a pit bull. But there are other options you should also consider: people should only own a pit bull if they pass a dog training class, people should be able to own pit bulls, but only if it's the only dog they own, people should be able to own pi tbulls but only if they live a certain distance from schools, people should be able to own pit bulls only if the dog passes an obedience class, etc.

Thinking about all these angles and including them in your speech will make you seem well-informed on the topic, and it'll increase the quality of your speech by looking at difference nuances of the issue.

Know Your Audience

Whenever you give a speech, it's important to consider your audience, and this is especially true for persuasive speeches when you're trying to convince people to believe a certain viewpoint. When writing your speech, think about what your audience likely already knows about the topic, what they probably need explained, and what aspects of the topic they care about most. Also consider what the audience will be most concerned about for a certain topic, and be sure to address those concerns.

For example, if you're giving a speech to a Catholic organization on why you think priests should be allowed to marry, you don't need to go over the history of Catholicism or its core beliefs (which they probably already know), but you should mention any research or prominent opinions that support your view (which they likely don't know about). They may be concerned that priests who marry won't be as committed to God or their congregations, so be sure to address those concerns and why they shouldn't worry about them as much as they may think. Discussing your topic with people (ideally those with viewpoints similar to those of your future audience) before you give your speech is a good way to get a better understanding of how your audience thinks.

More Resources for Writing Persuasive Speeches

If you need more guidance or just want to check out some examples of great persuasive writing, consider checking out the following books:

• Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History by William Safire—This collection of great speeches throughout history will help you decide how to style your own argument.
• The Essentials of Persuasive Public Speaking by Sims Wyeth—For quick direct tips on public speaking, try this all-purpose guide.
• Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds by Carmine Gallo—This popular book breaks down what makes TED talks work and how you can employ those skills in your own presentations.
• We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Make Good Art by Neil Gaiman—These two recent speeches by contemporary writers offer stellar examples of how to craft a compelling (and engaging) argument.

Conclusion: Persuasive Speech Ideas

Good persuasive speech topics can be difficult to think of, but in this guide we've compiled a list of 105 interesting persuasive speech topics for you to look through.

The best persuasive speech ideas will be on a topic you're interested in, aren't overdone, and will be about something your audience cares about.

After you've chosen your topic, keep these three tips in mind when writing your persuasive speech:

• Do your research
• Consider all the angles
• Know your audience

What's Next?

Now that you have persuasive speech topics, it's time to hone your persuasive speech techniques. Find out what ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos are and how to use them here .

Looking to take your persuasive technique from speech to sheets (of paper)? Get our three key tips on how to write an argumentative essay , or learn by reading through our thorough breakdown of how to build an essay, step by step .

Want a great GPA? Check out our step-by-step guide to getting good grades in high school so you can have a stellar transcript.

Interested in learning about other great extracurricular opportunities? Learn more about job shadowing , community service , and volunteer abroad programs.

Still trying to figure out your courses? Check out our expert guide on which classes you should take in high school.

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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112 Persuasive Speech Topics That Are Actually Engaging

What’s covered:, how to pick an awesome persuasive speech topic, 112 engaging persuasive speech topics, tips for preparing your persuasive speech.

Writing a stellar persuasive speech requires a carefully crafted argument that will resonate with your audience to sway them to your side. This feat can be challenging to accomplish, but an engaging, thought-provoking speech topic is an excellent place to start.

When it comes time to select a topic for your persuasive speech, you may feel overwhelmed by all the options to choose from—or your brain may be drawing a completely blank slate. If you’re having trouble thinking of the perfect topic, don’t worry. We’re here to help!

In this post, we’re sharing how to choose the perfect persuasive speech topic and tips to prepare for your speech. Plus, you’ll find 112 persuasive speech topics that you can take directly from us or use as creative inspiration for your own ideas!

Choose Something You’re Passionate About

It’s much easier to write, research, and deliver a speech about a cause you care about. Even if it’s challenging to find a topic that completely sparks your interest, try to choose a topic that aligns with your passions.

However, keep in mind that not everyone has the same interests as you. Try to choose a general topic to grab the attention of the majority of your audience, but one that’s specific enough to keep them engaged.

For example, suppose you’re giving a persuasive speech about book censorship. In that case, it’s probably too niche to talk about why “To Kill a Mockingbird” shouldn’t be censored (even if it’s your favorite book), and it’s too broad to talk about media censorship in general.

Steer Clear of Cliches

Have you already heard a persuasive speech topic presented dozens of times? If so, it’s probably not an excellent choice for your speech—even if it’s an issue you’re incredibly passionate about.

Although polarizing topics like abortion and climate control are important to discuss, they aren’t great persuasive speech topics. Most people have already formed an opinion on these topics, which will either cause them to tune out or have a negative impression of your speech.

Instead, choose topics that are fresh, unique, and new. If your audience has never heard your idea presented before, they will be more open to your argument and engaged in your speech.

Have a Clear Side of Opposition

For a persuasive speech to be engaging, there must be a clear side of opposition. To help determine the arguability of your topic, ask yourself: “If I presented my viewpoint on this topic to a group of peers, would someone disagree with me?” If the answer is yes, then you’ve chosen a great topic!

Now that we’ve laid the groundwork for what it takes to choose a great persuasive speech topic, here are over one hundred options for you to choose from.

• Should high school athletes get tested for steroids?
• Should schools be required to have physical education courses?
• Should sports grades in school depend on things like athletic ability?
• What sport should be added to or removed from the Olympics?
• Should college athletes be able to make money off of their merchandise?
• Should sports teams be able to recruit young athletes without a college degree?
• Should we consider video gamers as professional athletes?
• Is cheerleading considered a sport?
• Should parents allow their kids to play contact sports?
• Should professional female athletes be paid the same as professional male athletes?
• Should college be free at the undergraduate level?
• Is the traditional college experience obsolete?
• Should you choose a major based on your interests or your potential salary?
• Should high school students have to meet a required number of service hours before graduating?
• Should teachers earn more or less based on how their students perform on standardized tests?
• Are private high schools more effective than public high schools?
• Should there be a minimum number of attendance days required to graduate?
• Are GPAs harmful or helpful?
• Should schools be required to teach about standardized testing?
• Should Greek Life be banned in the United States?
• Should schools offer science classes explicitly about mental health?
• Should students be able to bring their cell phones to school?
• Should all public restrooms be all-gender?
• Should undocumented immigrants have the same employment and education opportunities as citizens?
• Should everyone be paid a living wage regardless of their employment status?
• Should supremacist groups be able to hold public events?
• Should guns be allowed in public places?
• Should the national drinking age be lowered?
• Should prisoners be allowed to vote?
• Should the government raise or lower the retirement age?
• Should the government be able to control the population?
• Is the death penalty ethical?

Environment

• Should stores charge customers for plastic bags?
• Should breeding animals (dogs, cats, etc.) be illegal?
• Is it okay to have exotic animals as pets?
• Should people be fined for not recycling?
• Should compost bins become mandatory for restaurants?
• Should electric vehicles have their own transportation infrastructure?
• Would heavier fining policies reduce corporations’ emissions?
• Should hunting be encouraged or illegal?
• Should reusable diapers replace disposable diapers?

Science & Technology

• Is paper media more reliable than digital news sources?
• Should automated/self-driving cars be legalized?
• Should schools be required to provide laptops to all students?
• Should software companies be able to have pre-downloaded programs and applications on devices?
• Should drones be allowed in military warfare?
• Should scientists invest more or less money into cancer research?
• Should cloning be illegal?
• Should societies colonize other planets?
• Should there be legal oversight over the development of technology?

Social Media

• Should there be an age limit on social media?
• Should cyberbullying have the same repercussions as in-person bullying?
• Are online relationships as valuable as in-person relationships?
• Does “cancel culture” have a positive or negative impact on societies?
• Are social media platforms reliable information or news sources?
• Should social media be censored?
• Does social media create an unrealistic standard of beauty?
• Is regular social media usage damaging to real-life interactions?
• Is social media distorting democracy?
• How many branches of government should there be?
• Who is the best/worst president of all time?
• How long should judges serve in the U.S. Supreme Court?
• Should a more significant portion of the U.S. budget be contributed towards education?
• Should the government invest in rapid transcontinental transportation infrastructure?
• Should airport screening be more or less stringent?
• Should the electoral college be dismantled?
• Should the U.S. have open borders?
• Should the government spend more or less money on space exploration?
• Should students sing Christmas carols, say the pledge of allegiance, or perform other tangentially religious activities?
• Should nuns and priests become genderless roles?
• Should schools and other public buildings have prayer rooms?
• Should animal sacrifice be legal if it occurs in a religious context?
• Should countries be allowed to impose a national religion on their citizens?
• Should the church be separated from the state?
• Does freedom of religion positively or negatively affect societies?

Parenting & Family

• Is it better to have children at a younger or older age?
• Is it better for children to go to daycare or stay home with their parents?
• Does birth order affect personality?
• Should parents or the school system teach their kids about sex?
• Are family traditions important?
• Should parents smoke or drink around young children?
• Should “spanking” children be illegal?
• Should parents use swear words in front of their children?
• Should parents allow their children to play violent video games?

Entertainment

• Should all actors be paid the same regardless of gender or ethnicity?
• Should all award shows be based on popular vote?
• Who should be responsible for paying taxes on prize money, the game show staff or the contestants?
• Should movies and television shows have ethnicity and gender quotas?
• Should newspapers and magazines move to a completely online format?
• Should streaming services like Netflix and Hulu be free for students?
• Is the movie rating system still effective?
• Should celebrities have more privacy rights?

Arts & Humanities

• Are libraries becoming obsolete?
• Should all schools have mandatory art or music courses in their curriculum?
• Should offensive language be censored from classic literary works?
• Is it ethical for museums to keep indigenous artifacts?
• Should digital designs be considered an art form? 
• Should abstract art be considered an art form?
• Is music therapy effective?
• Should tattoos be regarded as “professional dress” for work?
• Should schools place greater emphasis on the arts programs?
• Should euthanasia be allowed in hospitals and other clinical settings?
• Should the government support and implement universal healthcare?
• Would obesity rates lower if the government intervened to make healthy foods more affordable?
• Should teenagers be given access to birth control pills without parental consent?
• Should food allergies be considered a disease?
• Should health insurance cover homeopathic medicine?
• Is using painkillers healthy?
• Should genetically modified foods be banned?
• Should there be a tax on unhealthy foods?
• Should tobacco products be banned from the country?
• Should the birth control pill be free for everyone?

If you need more help brainstorming topics, especially those that are personalized to your interests, you can  use CollegeVine’s free AI tutor, Ivy . Ivy can help you come up with original persuasive speech ideas, and she can also help with the rest of your homework, from math to languages.

Do Your Research

A great persuasive speech is supported with plenty of well-researched facts and evidence. So before you begin the writing process, research both sides of the topic you’re presenting in-depth to gain a well-rounded perspective of the topic.

Understand Your Audience

It’s critical to understand your audience to deliver a great persuasive speech. After all, you are trying to convince them that your viewpoint is correct. Before writing your speech, consider the facts and information that your audience may already know, and think about the beliefs and concerns they may have about your topic. Then, address these concerns in your speech, and be mindful to include fresh, new information.

Have Someone Read Your Speech

Once you have finished writing your speech, have someone read it to check for areas of strength and improvement. You can use CollegeVine’s free essay review tool to get feedback on your speech from a peer!

Practice Makes Perfect

After completing your final draft, the key to success is to practice. Present your speech out loud in front of a mirror, your family, friends, and basically, anyone who will listen. Not only will the feedback of others help you to make your speech better, but you’ll become more confident in your presentation skills and may even be able to commit your speech to memory.

Hopefully, these ideas have inspired you to write a powerful, unique persuasive speech. With the perfect topic, plenty of practice, and a boost of self-confidence, we know you’ll impress your audience with a remarkable speech!

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150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics for Students in 2024

April 1, 2024

Do you know that moment in your favorite film, when the soundtrack begins to swell and the main character stands up and delivers a speech so rousing, so impassioned, it has the entire room either weeping or cheering by the time it concludes? What distinguishes the effectiveness of such a speech is not only the protagonist’s stellar delivery but also the compelling nature of the subject matter at hand. Choosing an effective persuasive speech topic is essential for guaranteeing that your future speech or essay is as moving as these . If this sounds like a tall order, have no fear. Below you’ll find a list of some of the best and most interesting persuasive speech topics for high school students to tackle, from the playful (“Pets for President”) to the serious (“Should We Stop AI from Replacing Human Workers?”).

And if you’re craving more inspiration, feel free to check out this list of Great Debate Topics , which can be used to generate further ideas.

What is a Good Persuasive Speech?

Before we get to the list, we must address the question on everyone’s minds: what is a persuasive speech, and what the heck makes for a good persuasive speech topic? A persuasive speech is a speech that aims to convince its listeners of a particular point of view . At the heart of each persuasive speech is a central conflict . Note: The persuasive speech stands in contrast to a simple informative speech, which is intended purely to convey information. (I.e., an informative speech topic might read: “The History of Making One’s Bed,” while a persuasive speech topic would be: “Why Making One’s Bed is a Waste of Time”—understand?)

And lest you think that persuasive speeches are simply assigned by your teachers as a particularly cruel form of torture, remember that practicing your oratory skills will benefit you in all areas of life—from job interviews, to business negotiations, to your future college career in public policy or international relations . Knowing how to use your voice to enact meaningful change is a valuable skill that can empower you to make a difference in the world.

Components of a Great Persuasive Speech Topic

The ideal persuasive speech topic will inspire the audience to action via both logical arguments and emotional appeals. As such, we can summarize the question “what makes a good persuasive speech topic?” by saying that the topic must possess the following qualities:

• Timeliness and Relevance . Great persuasive speech topics grapple with a contemporary issue that is meaningful to the listener at hand. The topic might be a current news item, or it might be a long-standing social issue. In either case, the topic should be one with real-world implications.
• Complexity . A fruitful persuasive speech topic will have many facets. Topics that are controversial, with some gray area, lend themselves to a high degree of critical thinking. They also offer the speaker an opportunity to consider and refute all counterarguments before making a compelling case for his or her own position.
• Evidence . You want to be able to back up your argument with clear evidence from reputable sources (i.e., not your best friend or dog). The more evidence and data you can gather, the more sound your position will be. In addition, your audience will be more inclined to trust you.
• Personal Connection. Do you feel passionately about the topic you’ve chosen? If not, it may be time to go back to the drawing board. This does not mean you have to support the side you choose; sometimes, arguing for the opposing side of what you personally believe can be an effective exercise in building empathy and perspective. Either way, though, the key is to select a topic that you care deeply about. Your passion will be infectious to the audience.

150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should tech companies regulate the development of AI systems and automation to protect humans’ jobs?
• Should we limit screen time for children?
• Is it ethical for AI models like Dall-E to train themselves on artists’ work without the artists’ permission?
• Should the government regulate the use of personal drones?
• Is mass surveillance ethical? Does its threat to civil liberties outweigh its benefits?
• Are virtual reality experiences a valuable educational tool?
• Do the positive effects of powerful AI systems outweigh the risks?
• Do voice assistants like Siri and Alexa invade individuals’ privacy?
• Are cell phone bans in the classroom effective for improving student learning?
• Does the use of facial recognition technology in public violate individuals’ privacy?
• Should students be allowed to use ChatGPT and other AI tools for writing assignments?
• Should AI-generated art be allowed in art shows or contests?
• Who holds responsibility for accidents caused by self-driving cars: the driver or the car company?

Business and Economy

• Should we do away with the minimum wage? Why or why not?
• Is it ethical for companies to use unpaid internships as a source of labor?
• Does the gig economy benefit or harm workers?
• Is capitalism the best economic system?
• Is it ethical for companies to use sweatshops in developing countries?
• Should the government provide free healthcare for all citizens?
• Should the government regulate prices on pharmaceutical drugs?
• Should the government enact a universal base income?
• Should customers be required to tip a minimum amount in order to ensure food service workers make a living wage?
• Should someone’s tattoos or personal appearance factor into the hiring process?
• Should US workers have more vacation time?
• Is big game hunting beneficial for local communities?
• Should we legalize euthanasia?
• Is it ethical to use animals for medical research?
• Is it ethical to allow access to experimental treatments for terminally ill patients?
• Should we allow genetic engineering in humans?
• Is the death penalty obsolete?
• Should we allow the cloning of humans?
• Is it ethical to allow performance-enhancing drugs in sports?
• Should embryonic stem cell collection be allowed?
• Do frozen IVF embryos have rights?
• Should state and federal investigators be allowed to use DNA from genealogy databases?
• Should the government limit how many children a couple can have?
• Is spanking children an acceptable form of discipline?
• Should we allow parents to choose their children’s physical attributes through genetic engineering?
• Should we require parents to vaccinate their children?
• Should we require companies to give mandatory paternal and maternal leave?
• Should children be allowed to watch violent movies and video games?
• Should parents allow their teenagers to drink before they turn 21?
• Should the government provide childcare?
• Should telling your children about Santa Claus be considered lying?
• Should one parent stay home?
• Should parental consent be required for minors to receive birth control?
• Is it an invasion of privacy for parents to post photographs of their children on social media?

Social Media

• Should social media platforms ban political ads?
• Do the benefits of social media outweigh the downsides?
• Should the government hold social media companies responsible for hate speech on their platforms?
• Is social media making us more or less social?
• Do platforms like TikTok exacerbate mental health issues in teens?
• Should the government regulate social media to protect citizens’ privacy?
• Is it right for parents to monitor their children’s social media accounts?
• Should social media companies enact a minimum user age restriction?
• Should we require social media companies to protect user data?
• Should we hold social media companies responsible for cyberbullying?
• Should schools ban the use of social media from their networks?
• Should we be allowed to record others without their consent?
• Do online crime sleuths help or hurt criminal investigations?

Education – Persuasive Speech Topics 

• Would trade schools and other forms of vocational training benefit a greater number of students than traditional institutions of higher education?
• Should colleges use standardized testing in their admissions processes?
• Is forcing students to say the Pledge a violation of their right to freedom of speech?
• Should school districts offer bilingual education programs for non-native speakers?
• Should schools do away with their physical education requirements?
• Should schools incorporate a remote learning option into their curriculum?
• Should we allow school libraries to ban certain books?
• Should we remove historical figures who owned slaves from school textbooks and other educational materials?
• Should we have mixed-level classrooms or divide students according to ability?
• Should grading on a curve be allowed?
• Should graphic novels be considered literature?
• Should all students have to take financial literacy classes before graduating?
• Should colleges pay student athletes?
• Should we ban violent contact sports like boxing and MMA?
• Should sports leagues require professional athletes to stand during the national anthem?
• Should sports teams ban players like Kyrie Irving when they spread misinformation or hate speech?
• Should high schools require their athletes to maintain a certain GPA?
• Should the Olympic committee allow transgender athletes to compete?
• Should high schools ban football due to its safety risks to players?
• Should all high school students be required to play a team sport?
• Should sports teams be mixed instead of single-gender?
• Should there be different athletic standards for men and women?
• In which renewable energy option would the US do best to invest?
• Should the US prioritize space exploration over domestic initiatives?
• Should companies with a high carbon footprint be punished?
• Should the FDA ban GMOs?
• Would the world be a safer place without nuclear weapons?
• Does AI pose a greater threat to humanity than it does the potential for advancement?
• Who holds the most responsibility for mitigating climate change: individuals or corporations?
• Should we be allowed to resurrect extinct species?
• Are cancer screening programs ethical?

Social Issues – Persuasive Speech Topics

• College education: should the government make it free for all?
• Should we provide free healthcare for undocumented immigrants?
• Is physician-assisted suicide morally justifiable?
• Does social media have a negative impact on democracy?
• Does cancel culture impede free speech?
• Does affirmative action help or hinder minority groups in the workplace?
• Should we hold public figures and celebrities to a higher standard of morality?
• Should abortion be an issue that is decided at the federal or state level?
• Should the sex offender registry be available to the public?
• Should undocumented immigrants have a path to amnesty?
• Do syringe services programs reduce or increase harmful behaviors?
• Should there be a statute of limitations?
• Should those who are convicted of a crime be required to report their criminal history on job and housing applications?

Politics and Government

• Is the Electoral College still an effective way to elect the President of the US?
• Should we allow judges to serve on the Supreme Court indefinitely?
• Should the US establish a national gun registry?
• Countries like Israel and China require all citizens to serve in the military. Is this a good or bad policy?
• Should the police force require all its officers to wear body cameras while on duty?
• Should the US invest in the development of clean meat as a sustainable protein source?
• Should the US adopt ranked-choice voting?
• Should institutions that profited from slavery provide reparations?
• Should the government return land to Native American tribes?
• Should there be term limits for representatives and senators?
• Should there be an age limit for presidential candidates?
• Should women be allowed in special forces units?

Easy Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should schools have uniforms?
• Can video games improve problem-solving skills?
• Are online classes as effective as in-person classes?
• Should companies implement a four-day work week?
• Co-ed learning versus single-sex: which is more effective?
• Should the school day start later?
• Is homework an effective teaching tool?
• Are electric cars really better for the environment?
• Should schools require all students to study a foreign language?
• Do professional athletes get paid too much money?

Fun Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should we allow pets to run for public office?
• Does pineapple belong on pizza?
• Would students benefit from schools swapping out desks with more comfortable seating arrangements (i.e., bean bag chairs and couches)?
• Is procrastination the key to success?
• Should Americans adopt British accents to sound more intelligent?
• The age-old dilemma: cats or dogs?
• Should meme creators receive royalties when their memes go viral?
• Should there be a minimum drinking age for coffee?
• Are people who make their beds every day more successful than those who don’t?

Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics

• Is the movie ranking system an effective way to evaluate the appropriateness of films?
• Should the government place a “health tax” on junk food?
• Is it ethical to create artificial life forms that are capable of complex emotions?
• Should parents let children choose their own names?
• Creating clones of ourselves to serve as organ donors: ethical or not?
• Is it ethical to engineer humans to be better and more optimized than nature intended?
• Should we adopt a universal language to communicate with people from all countries?
• Should there be a penalty for people who don’t vote?
• Should calories be printed on menus?
• Does tourism positively or negatively impact local communities?
• When used by non-Natives, are dreamcatchers cultural appropriation?
• Should companies require their employees to specify pronouns in their signature line?
• Should commercial fishing be banned?
• Are cemeteries sustainable?
• Is it okay to change the race, culture, and/or gender of historical figures in movies or TV shows?

I’ve Chosen My Topic, Now What?

Once you’ve selected your topic, it’s time to get to work crafting your argument. Preparation for a persuasive speech or essay involves some key steps, which we’ve outlined for you below.

How to Create a Successful Persuasive Speech, Step by Step

• Research your topic. Read widely and smartly. Stick to credible sources, such as peer-reviewed articles, published books, government reports, textbooks, and news articles. The right sources and data will be necessary to help you establish your authority. As you go, take notes on the details and nuances of your topic as well as potential counterarguments. Research the counterarguments, too.
• Choose an angle. For example, if you chose the topic “Should we limit screen time for children?” your speech should come down firmly on one side of that debate. If your topic is frequently debated, such as abortion, capital punishment, gun control, social media, etc. try to find a niche angle or new research. For example, instead of “Should abortion be legal?” you might consider “Should you be able to order abortion pills online?” Another example: “Should the death penalty be banned?” might become “How long is it ethical for someone to stay on death row?” If you do some digging, even the most cliche topics have incredibly interesting and relatively unexplored sub-topics.
• Create an outline. Your outline should include an introduction with a thesis statement, a body that uses evidence to elaborate and support your position while refuting any counterarguments, and a conclusion. The conclusion will both summarize the points made earlier and serve as your final chance to persuade your audience.
• Write your speech. Use your outline to help you as well as the data you’ve collected. Remember: this is not dry writing; this writing has a point of view, and that point of view is yours . Accordingly, use anecdotes and examples to back up your argument. The essential components of this speech are logos (logic), ethos (credibility), and pathos (emotion) . The ideal speech will use all three of these functions to engage the audience.

How to Practice and Deliver a Persuasive Speech

• Talk to yourself in the mirror, record yourself, and/or hold a practice speech for family or friends. If you’ll be using visual cues, a slide deck, or notecards, practice incorporating them seamlessly into your speech. You should practice until your speech feels very familiar, at least 5-10 times.
• Practice body language. Are you making eye contact with your audience, or looking at the ground? Crossing your arms over your chest or walking back and forth across the room? Playing with your hair, cracking your knuckles, or picking at your clothes? Practicing what to do with your body, face, and hands will help you feel more confident on speech day.
• Take it slow. It’s common to talk quickly while delivering a speech—most of us want to get it over with! However, your audience will be able to connect with you much more effectively if you speak at a moderate pace, breathe, and pause when appropriate.
• Give yourself grace. How you recover from a mistake is much more important than the mistake itself. Typically, the best approach is to good-naturedly shrug off a blip and move on. 99% of the time, your audience won’t even notice!

Good Persuasive Speech Topics—Final Thoughts

The art of persuasive speaking is a tricky one, but the tips and tricks laid out here will help you craft a compelling argument that will sway even the most dubious audience to your side. Mastering this art takes both time and practice, so don’t fret if it doesn’t come to you right away. Remember to draw upon your sources, speak with authority, and have fun. Once you have the skill of persuasive speaking down, go out there and use your voice to impact change!

Looking for some hot-button topics in college admissions? You might consider checking out the following:

• Do Colleges Look at Social Media?
• Should I Apply Test-Optional to College?
• Should I Waive My Right to See Letters of Recommendation?
• Should I Use the Common App Additional Information Section?
• High School Success

Lauren Green

With a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from Columbia University and an MFA in Fiction from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin, Lauren has been a professional writer for over a decade. She is the author of the chapbook  A Great Dark House  (Poetry Society of America, 2023) and a forthcoming novel (Viking/Penguin).

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75 Persuasive Speech Topics and Ideas

October 4, 2018 - Gini Beqiri

To write a captivating and persuasive speech you must first decide on a topic that will engage, inform and also persuade the audience. We have discussed how to choose a topic and we have provided a list of speech ideas covering a wide range of categories.

What is persuasive speech?

The aim of a persuasive speech is to inform, educate and convince or motivate an audience to do something. You are essentially trying to sway the audience to adopt your own viewpoint.

The best persuasive speech topics are thought-provoking, daring and have a clear opinion. You should speak about something you are knowledgeable about and can argue your opinion for, as well as objectively discuss counter-arguments.

How to choose a topic for your speech

It’s not easy picking a topic for your speech as there are many options so consider the following factors when deciding.

Familiarity

Topics that you’re familiar with will make it easier to prepare for the speech.

It’s best if you decide on a topic in which you have a genuine interest in because you’ll be doing lots of research on it and if it’s something you enjoy the process will be significantly easier and more enjoyable. The audience will also see this enthusiasm when you’re presenting which will make the speech more persuasive.

The audience’s interest

The audience must care about the topic. You don’t want to lose their attention so choose something you think they’ll be interested in hearing about.

Consider choosing a topic that allows you to be more descriptive because this allows the audience to visualize which consequently helps persuade them.

Not overdone

When people have heard about a topic repeatedly they’re less likely to listen to you as it doesn’t interest them anymore. Avoid cliché or overdone topics as it’s difficult to maintain your audience’s attention because they feel like they’ve heard it all before.

An exception to this would be if you had new viewpoints or new facts to share. If this is the case then ensure you clarify early in your speech that you have unique views or information on the topic.

Emotional topics

Emotions are motivators so the audience is more likely to be persuaded and act on your requests if you present an emotional topic.

People like hearing about issues that affect them or their community, country etc. They find these topics more relatable which means they find them more interesting. Look at local issues and news to discover these topics.

Desired outcome

What do you want your audience to do as a result of your speech? Use this as a guide to choosing your topic, for example, maybe you want people to recycle more so you present a speech on the effect of microplastics in the ocean.

Persuasive speech topics

Lots of timely persuasive topics can be found using social media, the radio, TV and newspapers. We have compiled a list of 75 persuasive speech topic ideas covering a wide range of categories.

Some of the topics also fall into other categories and we have posed the topics as questions so they can be easily adapted into statements to suit your own viewpoint.

• Should pets be adopted rather than bought from a breeder?
• Should wild animals be tamed?
• Should people be allowed to own exotic animals like monkeys?
• Should all zoos and aquariums be closed?

Arts/Culture

• Should art and music therapy be covered by health insurance?
• Should graffiti be considered art?
• Should all students be required to learn an instrument in school?
• Should automobile drivers be required to take a test every three years?
• Are sports cars dangerous?
• Should bicycles share the roads with cars?
• Should bicycle riders be required by law to always wear helmets?

Business and economy

• Do introverts make great leaders?
• Does owning a business leave you feeling isolated?
• What is to blame for the rise in energy prices?
• Does hiring cheaper foreign employees hurt the economy?
• Should interns be paid for their work?
• Should employees receive bonuses for walking or biking to work?
• Should tipping in restaurants be mandatory?
• Should boys and girls should be taught in separate classrooms?
• Should schools include meditation breaks during the day?
• Should students be allowed to have their mobile phones with them during school?
• Should teachers have to pass a test every decade to renew their certifications?
• Should online teaching be given equal importance as the regular form of teaching?
• Is higher education over-rated?
• What are the best ways to stop bullying?
• Should people with more than one DUI lose their drivers’ licenses?
• Should prostitution be legalised?
• Should guns be illegal in the US?
• Should cannabis be legalised for medical reasons?
• Is equality a myth?
• Does what is “right” and “wrong” change from generation to generation?
• Is there never a good enough reason to declare war?
• Should governments tax sugary drinks and use the revenue for public health?
• Has cosmetic surgery risen to a level that exceeds good sense?
• Is the fast-food industry legally accountable for obesity?
• Should school cafeterias only offer healthy food options?
• Is acupuncture a valid medical technique?
• Should assisted suicide be legal?
• Does consuming meat affect health?
• Is dieting a good way to lose weight?

Law and politics

• Should voting be made compulsory?
• Should the President (or similar position) be allowed to serve more than two terms?
• Would poverty reduce by fixing housing?
• Should drug addicts be sent for treatment in hospitals instead of prisons?
• Would it be fair for the government to detain suspected terrorists without proper trial?
• Is torture acceptable when used for national security?
• Should celebrities who break the law receive stiffer penalties?
• Should the government completely ban all cigarettes and tobacco products
• Is it wrong for the media to promote a certain beauty standard?
• Is the media responsible for the moral degradation of teenagers?
• Should advertising be aimed at children?
• Has freedom of press gone too far?
• Should prayer be allowed in public schools?
• Does religion have a place in government?
• How do cults differ from religion?

Science and the environment

• Should recycling be mandatory?
• Should genetically modified foods be sold in supermarkets?
• Should parents be allowed to choose the sex of their unborn children?
• Should selling plastic bags be completely banned in shops?
• Should smoking in public places be banned?
• Should professional female athletes be paid the same as male athletes in the same sport?
• Should doping be allowed in professional sports?
• Should schools be required to teach all students how to swim?
• How does parental pressure affect young athletes?
• Will technology reduce or increase human employment opportunities?
• What age should children be allowed to have mobile phones?
• Should libraries be replaced with unlimited access to e-books?
• Should we recognize Bitcoin as a legal currency?
• Should bloggers and vloggers be treated as journalists and punished for indiscretions?
• Has technology helped connect people or isolate them?
• Should mobile phone use in public places be regulated?
• Do violent video games make people more violent?

World peace

• What is the safest country in the world?
• Is planetary nuclear disarmament possible?
• Is the idea of peace on earth naive?

These topics are just suggestions so you need to assess whether they would be suitable for your particular audience. You can easily adapt the topics to suit your interests and audience, for example, you could substitute “meat” in the topic “Does consuming meat affect health?” for many possibilities, such as “processed foods”, “mainly vegan food”, “dairy” and so on.

After choosing your topic

After you’ve chosen your topic it’s important to do the following:

• Research thoroughly
• Think about all of the different viewpoints
• Tailor to your audience – discussing your topic with others is a helpful way to gain an understanding of your audience.
• How involved are you with this topic – are you a key character?
• Have you contributed to this area, perhaps through blogs, books, papers and products.
• How qualified are you to speak on this topic?
• Do you have personal experience in it? How many years?
• How long have you been interested in the area?

While it may be difficult to choose from such a variety of persuasive speech topics, think about which of the above you have the most knowledge of and can argue your opinion on.

For advice about how to deliver your persuasive speech, check out our blog  Persuasive Speech Outline and Ideas .

100 Persuasive Speech Topics for Students

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There is a small but important difference between planning a persuasive speech and writing a persuasive essay. First, if you are planning a persuasive speech, you should think about a topic that can engage your audience. For this reason, you may want to consider a few topics before settling on the one that allows you to be more descriptive and entertaining.

Another important factor when picking a persuasive speech topic is to choose one that can provoke your audience. If you stir up a little emotion in your audience members, you'll keep their attention. The list below is provided to help you brainstorm. Choose a topic from this list or use the list to generate an idea of your own.

• Studying martial arts is good for mind and health.
• Competitive sports can teach us about life.
• Reality shows are exploiting people.
• Community service should be a graduation requirement for all high school students.
• The characteristics that make a person a hero.
• It's important to grow things in a garden.
• Violent video games are dangerous.
• Lyrics in a song can impact our lives.
• Traveling and studying abroad are positive experiences.
• Journal writing is therapeutic.
• You should spend time with your grandparents.
• A laptop is better than a tablet.
• Religion and science can go hand in hand.
• School uniforms are good.
• All-female colleges and all-male colleges are bad.
• Multiple choice tests are better than essay tests .
• We should not spend money on space exploration.
• Open-book tests are as effective as closed-book tests.
• Security cameras keep us safer.
• Parents should have access to students' grades.
• Small classes are better than big classes.
• You need to start saving for retirement now.
• Credit cards are harmful to college students.
• We should have a royal family.
• We should protect endangered animals.
• Texting while driving is dangerous.
• You can write a novel.
• Recycling should be required in the U.S.
• State colleges are better than private colleges.
• Private colleges are better than state colleges.
• We should do away with penny coins.
• Fast food containers hurt the environment.
• Plastic straws are harmful to the environment.
• You can eat and enjoy healthy snacks.
• You can become a millionaire.
• Dogs are better pets than cats.
• You should own a bird.
• It's unethical to keep birds in cages.
• Liberal arts degrees prepare graduates to be better workers than other degrees.
• Hunting animals should be banned.
• Football is a dangerous sport.
• School days should start later.
• Night school is better than day school.
• Technical training is better than a college degree.
• Immigration laws should be more lenient.
• Students should be able to choose their schools.
• Everyone should learn to play a musical instrument.
• Grass lawns should be prohibited.
• Sharks should be protected.
• We should do away with cars and go back to horse and carriage for transportation.
• We should use more wind power.
• We should pay more taxes.
• We should do away with taxes.
• Teachers should be tested like students.
• We should not interfere in the affairs of other countries.
• Every student should join a club.
• Homeschooling is better than traditional schooling.
• People should stay married for life.
• Smoking in public should be illegal.
• College students should live on campus .
• Parents should let students fail.
• Giving to charity is good.
• Education makes us happier people.
• T​he ​ death penalty should be outlawed.
• Bigfoot is real.
• We should increase train travel to save the environment.
• We should read more classic books.
• Fame is bad for young children.
• Athletes should stay loyal to teams.
• We should reform our prisons.
• Juvenile offenders should not go to boot camps.
• Abraham Lincoln was the best president.
• Abraham Lincoln gets too much credit.
• Students should be allowed to have cell phones in elementary, middle, and high school.
• College student-athletes should be paid for playing.
• Elderly citizens on fixed income should receive free public transportation.
• Colleges and universities should be free to attend.
• All American citizens should complete one year of community service.
• Students should be required to take Spanish classes.
• Every student should be required to learn at least one foreign language .
• Marijuana should be legal for recreational use nationwide.
• Commercial testing of products on animals should no longer be allowed.
• High school students should be required to participate in at least one team sport.
• The drinking age in the U.S. should be 25.
• Replacing fossil fuels with cheaper alternative energy options should be mandated.
• Churches need to contribute their share of taxes.
• The Cuba embargo should be maintained by the U.S.
• America should replace income taxes with a nationwide flat tax.
• Once they reach the age of 18, all U.S. citizens should be automatically registered to vote .
• Doctor-assisted suicide should be legal.
• Spammers—people who bombard the internet with unsolicited email—should be banned from sending junk mail.
• Every automobile driver should be required to take a new driver's test every three years.
• Electroshock treatment is not a humane form of therapy.
• Global warming is not real.
• Single-parent adoption should be encouraged and promoted.
• Gun companies should be held accountable for gun crimes.
• Human cloning is not moral.
• Religion does not belong in public education.
• Juveniles should not be tried as adults.
• American workers should be guaranteed a three-day weekend by law.
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191 best persuasive speech topics: give an amazing speech.

Does the thought of public speaking make you cringe?

While almost everyone experiences some stage fright speaking in front of an audience, there are ways to tame this debilitating fear.

Half the battle of giving a speech is selecting a topic that engages your audience.

For any speech, whether informative or persuasive, your speech idea should meet these criteria:

• Well-researched with solid examples and evidence
• Broad enough to be universal, narrow enough to be original
• Meaningful and customized to your audience

Additionally, you should possess a measure of expertise on your topic.

Understanding the nuances of what you are speaking about is a sure way to ease those jitters. This is how you come up with the best speech idea.

When choosing a persuasive speech topic, all of the above criteria apply, along with a few additional requirements.

Click above to watch a video on Speech Topics.

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

While an informative speech merely presents factual information, a good informative speech topic goes a step further.

• The goal of a persuasive speech is to convince the audience that your perspective is valid.

This does not mean that the audience will agree with every opinion you present, but a good persuasive speech makes the audience think* .

A great persuasive speech makes an audience act.

As transcendentalist writer Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.”

Therefore, a strong persuasive speaker will:

• Present a clear and sincere perspective. The audience should not be questioning your stance on an issue.
• Exhibit passion that inspires others to think or act.
• Be confident in both your perspective and topic.

Not all persuasive speeches need to be deeply controversial, but there should be some gray area in your chosen topic.

Political , social and ethical issues make compelling persuasive speech topics for this reason.

The persuasive speech should address a burning question that incites intellectual debate:

• Should strict gun control laws be implemented?
• Is it possible to be an animal lover and a carnivore?
• Is the government at fault for the increasing homeless population?

Such questions may seem divisive, but, in a civilized society, they are essential to ask.

Posing such questions directly to your audience during your speech engages a group in the Socratic Method of critical thinking.

Furthermore, if a topic isn’t inherently controversial, then it might not make the most powerful speech.

Your job as a persuasive speaker is to argue your point, which is not necessary to do on topics that most people agree on.

In that vein, here are a handful of topics that would not make for good persuasive speeches.

• Learning a foreign language is important.
• Fighting in overseas wars can be dangerous.
• Social Security income is not sufficient for many retired Americans.
• Technical skills are crucial in the 21st-century job market.
• Cardiovascular fitness improves longevity.

…And you get the picture. So, what does make a good persuasive speech topic? Well, there are at least 191 answers to that question.

Get personalized advice!

191 best persuasive speech topics.

Before we reveal the 191 best persuasive speech topics, let’s preview each of the categories:

• Politics and law : This topic revolves around pressing issues including voting, Supreme Court decisions, political leadership, and criminal justice.
• Environmental activism : Climate change, offshore oil drilling, and green technology are just a few of the hot-button issues you’ll discover in this category.
• Social justice : Covering all issues of equality, social justice topics invite debate – and demand solid supporting facts or powerhouse emotional appeals .
• Ethics : Comprising our basic morals and values that drive our behaviors, the ethics category examines how to deal with issues like animal abuse, abortion, and stem cell research.
• Health : Regarding important issues like our food supply, how should we best protect and promote human health in the 21 st century?
• Potpourri : And now we come to the miscellaneous category of “everything else.” You’ll find engaging or even entertaining ideas related to music, movies, curriculum, and more.

Take a deep breath and read on!

Politics and Law

• Alternative political parties (i.e., Green Party, Libertarian Party, etc.)
• Declaring “Independent” or “No Party Affiliation” on voter registration.
• Should voters with no party affiliation be allowed to vote in primary elections?
• Are newly proposed voter registration laws discriminatory?
• How many terms should politicians be allowed to serve?
• Popular vote vs. Electoral College
• Are women underrepresented in Congress?
• Swing states (i.e., Florida and Ohio)
• Do current proposed abortion laws violate Roe v. Wade?
• Political correctness versus freedom of speech
• Terrorist watch lists – safety precaution or blatant prejudice?
• Corporate lobbyists and campaign contributions
• Are laws too lenient on violent criminals?
• Tax responsibility: income tax, property tax, sales tax.
• Should the voting age be increased or decreased?
• Capital punishment: right or wrong?
• DNA evidence in criminal cases: is it enough?
• Should criminal minors be prosecuted and sentenced as adults?
• How to deal with the issue of illegal immigration
• Should cigarettes be taken off the market and made illegal?
• Legalization of Marijuana
• Should health insurance be mandatory by law?
• Is the death penalty obsolete?
• Private vs. Public Prisons
• Should politicians be allowed to use private donations to campaign?
• Is it right for the government to fund partisan organizations?
• Appointment of Supreme Court Justice
• How can the mass shooting crisis be solved?
• Minimum wage: should it exist or be forgotten?
• Should citizens be required to serve in the military for a period of time?
• Gun rights on school campuses: is it safe?
• Military members and income tax

Environmental Activism

• Hybrid and electric cars on the road
• Oil spills and world wildlife
• Saving rainforests and their indigenous species
• Palm oil: should it be outlawed?
• Make all bills and business correspondence paperless.
• Dangers of drilling for oil
• Replacing plastic with glass and cardboard
• Trophy hunting: should the penalties be harsher?
• Banning disposable diapers in favor of cloth diapers
• Benefits of public transportation, biking, walking, or carpooling
• Conserving water in our everyday lives
• Wildfires on the rise in California
• Greenhouse gas emissions in Asia
• Global climate change and increased severity of storms
• Growing food as a homesteader
• Impact of big box stores on the environment
• Impact of online retailers’ packaging and shipping on the environment
• Turning the practice of recycling into a law punishable by hefty fines
• Overfishing and dwindling populations of marine wildlife
• Factory farms and greenhouse gas emissions
• Controlling E. Coli and other food borne illnesses
• Are is worth it to ban plastic straws?
• Drones and the environment
• Should hunting be outlawed in national parks to protect its wildlife?
• Hair care and air quality
• Better education for at home waste management
• Should it be illegal to flush certain things into the sewage system?
• Is it right to cut down a tree for the holidays?
• How do marijuana farms affect the surrounding area’s environment?
• Water contamination: What preventative measures can be taken?
• How to reduce your carbon footprint
• Should new homes support solar energy only?
• Organic farming practices

Social Justice

• Do you agree with the research on equal pay between men and women?
• Should government employees go without pay during a shutdown?
• Police brutality and shootings (in general or a specific case in the news such as Philando Castile in Minnesota)
• Should all policemen wear body cameras?
• Is racial discrimination on the rise? Why or why not?
• Scholarship opportunities for minority students
• The benefits (or challenges) of a multicultural society
• Should bullies be expelled from school?
• What can be done about anonymous online bullying?
• Unrealistic beauty/body standards and self-image
• How to create a strong community
• Welfare, SNAP, and other social assistance programs
• The 40-hour work week is too long.
• Comparing the work week in Europe to the work week in the United States
• Caring for an aging population: are Social Security and Medicare enough?
• Civil lawsuits should not receive so much attention in the media.
• Racial and ethnic profiling (including FBI criminal profiling)
• Being a foster or adoptive parent
• Buying local builds up the community.
• Refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance
• Battling stereotypes and making them obsolete
• Mandatory community service for all U.S. citizens
• Is common law marriage outdated?
• Should companies be allowed to deny service to anyone?
• Changing gender on a driver’s license
• Affirmative Action today
• DACA DREAMers Movement
• Legalization of gay marriage
• Should individuals be allowed to adopt?
• Re-sentencing for crimes involving marijuana in states where it is now legal
• Unlimited Paid Time Off vs Accrued time off
• License revoking for older drivers: is it against their rights?
• Wearing fur or using fur for any profit
• Mistreatment of farm animals: what is the solution?
• How do we address the increasing problem of homelessness?
• Tithing – how much should each person give?
• Euthanasia for terminally ill individuals
• Was it right for Dr. Kevorkian (assisted suicide physician) to be imprisoned?
• Pet shops and breeders versus shelters
• Returning or rehoming pets: is it right?
• Preselecting the gender and other aspects of an unborn baby
• Abortion: pro-choice or pro-life?
• Product testing on animals in labs
• Stem cell research
• Protecting children from inappropriate websites
• When should a child be allowed to have a smartphone?
• Should children be allowed into an R-rated movie even with a guardian?
• Should violent movies and video games be banned?
• Do zoos and circuses abuse animals?
• Arranged marriage: a cultural tradition or outdated practice?
• Raising children without being married
• How to impart ethical behavior to the next generation
• Ethics as a mandatory high school class
• Do parents deceive children by telling tales of Santa Claus?
• Should pharmaceutical patents be removed so affordable generics can be made?
• 13 Reasons Why: Did it glorify suicide?
• Wrongful termination case study
• Is the borrowing limit for student loans too high?
• Pay for play in college athletics
• Performance enhancing steroids in competitive sports
• Is it right to own a gun for personal protection?
• Mandated reporting (Mandated reporters are individuals who are required to report any information they receive about abuse, suicidal ideation, etc.)
• Can an influencer be held responsible if they promote a harmful product unknowingly?
• Conventional versus organic produce
• Food additives, preservatives, and cancer rates
• Meat consumption and its effects on life expectancy
• Dangers of sitting at a desk all day
• Fast food industry and obesity rates
• Medical marijuana to treat chronic conditions
• GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) in foods: to label or not to label?
• Mandatory CPR and First Aid training for new parents
• School cafeteria food and children’s health
• Alternative uses of oral contraceptives
• Restaurant responsibility with peanut, gluten, and other allergies
• Everyday products that could be dangerous: deodorant, toothpaste, etc.
• Teaching yoga and meditation in public schools
• Moving from the “medical model” to holistic health
• Massages as necessities rather than luxuries
• Which vitamin supplements are worthless and should go off the market?
• The mind-body connection and its influence on health
• Social media and mental health
• The cumulative effects of poor sleep (and how electronics impact our sleep)
• IVF (Invitro fertilization): Should becoming a parent be covered?
• Should there be more physical education in schools?
• Is diabetes reversible?
• Doctors and insurance: should they accept all insurance?
• Do detox diets really work?
• Is binge-watching Netflix bad for our health?
• Keto vs Paleo vs Vegan: which is better?
• Should a patient be allowed to deny medical care?
• Pre-existing conditions and insurance rates
• Employers should offer mental health days without question
• Alternative sex education (not abstinence-only and inclusive of LGBT lifestyle)
• Mind-body fitness versus traditional Western sports
• Best genre and time period of music
• Healthiest world cuisine
• Uneven distribution of wealth: the top 1% versus everyone else
• Cost of living versus average salaries
• What to do about cults, gangs, and similar groups
• How to get accepted into an Ivy League school
• Religion versus spiritualism
• Survival skills should be taught in school.
• Benefits of forest schools for children
• The best U.S. President in history
• The most influential leader or figure in history
• Most effective ways to manage stress
• Obscure movies that people should watch
• Multitasking: fact or fiction?
• Buying a house versus renting an apartment
• Most exciting travel destination
• How to ace any test
• Overcoming social anxiety
• How our phones are hurting our eyes
• Are multi-level marketing companies really pyramid schemes?
• Protests: are they effective?
• Is a wedding reception worth the price tag?
• Should catfishing be a criminal offense?
• Mandatory study abroad semester in college
• Student loan borrowing: should it ever be forgiven?
• Responsible credit card strategies
• Living with parents to save money
• Can someone find true love on The Bachelor?
• Telemarketers and Harassment
• Marvel vs DC

And there you have it – 100+ unique topics to stoke your imagination and help you identify your passion.

Feel free to go beyond these springboard ideas or customize them to your perspective.

Advice from Persuasive Speech Experts

To help you out even more, we asked the experts on the best tips for giving a persuasive speech.

From Melora Kordos, visiting assistant professor of theatre arts at Sweet Briar College:

When selecting a persuasive speech topic, a student should first look to her own interests and passions. If she chooses something that she cares deeply about or has great interest in, then she will be able to more easily identify the best three points that support her argument and focus on those in her speech. If she is not already engaged in the topic, it will be much harder to persuade others to agree with her point of view. She should use both logical and emotional appeals throughout her speech, giving her a better chance of resonating with a larger percentage of her audience.

From Dr. Allison Beltramini, associate professor of communications at Waubonsee Community College:

When doing a persuasive  speech , it’s helpful to choose a topic that you personally believe in or support. It’s much easier to speak on something that you have a connection to. The next tip is to do your homework. This includes exploring the opposite side of the issue. Your audience needs to know that you are well-versed in the topic. Incorporate this research to support the claims you are making. Curate your sources carefully. Know who/what organizations are behind the sources you are using. And please, verbally cite your sources. Using research without the verbal citations in your  speech  is plagiarism. Persuasion is incremental. You can’t just tell someone something and expect they will believe you. You have to set up the issue, show how the problem effect people, talk about what will help or fix the problem and show why the solutions will work. All of these steps are vital. Finally – practice is essential. Your  speech  should be prepared but conversational. Reading to an audience word for word is not a good idea.

From Nate Masterson, HR manager of Maple Holistics :

The key to giving a persuasive  speech  is to engage your audience, and there are several ways to do this. Firstly, make eye contact with different people in the audience, but make sure to scan the whole room and not just focus on one area. Also, research the group of people you will be addressing so that you better know their priorities, cultural norms, inside jokes, etc. To make sure that your speech is sufficiently compelling, stick to just a few main talking points or objectives. This will ensure that your speech stays focused and that you can spend adequate time and energy backing up these main points without boring your audience.

From Jeffrey Davis, executive speech coach at Speak Clear Communications :

First, the best speakers build their argument emotionally as well as logically. Every point has a complelling story attached to it. Second, they make arguments that are novel and innovative. The “how” of the argument is as important as the “why.” Lastly, great speakers do not hold back on hand gestures!  Gesturing is scientifically proven to enhance a speaker’s impression with the audience.

From Bridgett McGowen, CEO of BMcTALKS :

While it’s important your audience has a memorable experience during your presentation and that it learns something new or gains a new perspective on something it already knew, it is equally important to move the audience to actually do something with what you shared … something that will inspire or change their lives, professions, or communities … because you are there to persuade! Remember any time you present, consistently think to yourself “In what difference-making endeavor do I want my audience to join?” or “Now that everyone has heard this, now what?” Give them the answers to those questions to further your persuasive message.

From Martha Krejci, business coaching leader :

Don’t write everything out! The last thing you want to do is look like you’re reading a speech verbatim. You want to illuminate your authority in the field you are speaking about. Reading does not do that….at all. So, here’s what I do. I think about the end goal of what I’m trying to communicate. Then, reverse engineer the points that take us there. Write the points out on a notecard if you need it, or if you’re lucky enough to have a teleprompter, use that. And finally, above all…tell stories! Don’t just have a bunch of dry information that anyone with a wifi signal could google. Tell stories that bring your audience into your problem, but also your solution you propose. If you can master storytelling, you may just be surprised by how good you can get at public speaking.

From Neil Thompson, founder of Teach the Geek :

Telling an easy-to-follow story is crucial in being persuasive. If people have to think too hard to understand what you’re talking about, they’re less likely to listen. If they don’t listen, you won’t have a chance to persuade them. If there are studies, surveys, or other types of data that can vouch for what you’re saying, that’ll also go a long way to persuading others. Lastly, you have to believe what you’re talking about. If you truly believe your message, it’ll shine through and people will be inclined to believe you, too.

From Adam Cole, expert writer and author:

Number one is the invitation to listen. It ensures that the listener has a context in which to understand what you are presenting so that everyone is on the same page when the important information comes. The invitation may contain relevant humorous anecdotes to break the tension and present the speaker as appealing, and it must be accessible enough that the listener will at least know what the topic is and why they should care. Number two is the topic. Depending on the complexity of the topic, it should be structured for maximum clarity. While humor and anecdotes can be used to illustrate the point, they should not distract from it or become the focus (unless the task is to highlight the speaker, rather than the topic, which is ok). Number three is the follow-through. If the listener has learned something, a good summation will help them retain the most important points from the learning so that they can remember it and follow up with more learning (perhaps from the speaker’s books, videos, or other appearances!) Taking the topic and framing it in terms of an action step for the audience may be a powerful way for them to keep the presentation (and the speaker) in their heads.

Conclusion: Best Persuasive Speech Topics

Remember, your passion and expertise on the topic will translate to audience engagement – and hopefully a good grade!

• Delivering a persuasive speech doesn’t have to be a nerve-wracking experience if you’re prepared and passionate.

In the words of Cicero: “A good orator is pointed and impassioned.”

To follow the advice of the great Roman orator, find your passion and then express it through your persuasive speech.

The skills you develop now in this area will benefit you throughout your professional and personal life.

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• Writing Tips

50 Topics for a Persuasive Speech

• 5-minute read
• 13th January 2023

Some find writing a persuasive speech to be intimidating, but it’s an opportunity to share your position on a topic you care about and to invite listeners to support (or at least appreciate) your way of thinking. You’ll benefit from a clear position, credible evidence, and careful consideration of your audience.

Your first step is to pick a topic. Whether you’re a teacher creating an assignment or a student deciding what to speak about, our list of 50 suggested persuasive speech topics and tips are a good starting place.

Choosing a Topic

●  It’s more enjoyable to research and write a speech about a topic that genuinely holds your interest. It’ll make for better delivery, too. Passion is contagious! On the other hand, boredom and a lack of enthusiasm come through easily in vocal tone.

●  Avoid tired, overdone issues. If you’ve heard it all before, there’s a good chance your audience has, too. Pick something current and relevant to your listeners . If you go with a popular topic, try to approach it from a fresh angle.

●  Issues that contain multiple viewpoints are preferable to simplistic good/bad debates. Most reasonable people would agree that “bullying is bad.” But they might learn something new if you share recent research on bullying and offer different approaches to tackling it.

Let’s look at some interesting speech topics, categorized by subject.

Should free speech on the internet be restricted?

At what age should children have access to smartphones?

Does texting hinder interpersonal skills?

Should parents limit their children’s screen time?

Should laws prohibit using devices while driving?

Is there a link between device usage and decreased mental health?

Should the number of US Supreme Court Justices be increased?

Should voting be compulsory?

Should Election Day in the US change from Tuesday to the weekend?

Should the electoral college system be abolished?

Should election procedures be standardized in all states?

Should the Senate filibuster be abolished?

Should the death penalty be legal?

Should states be allowed to have different abortion laws?

Should the legal age to own an assault rifle be raised?

Should the US conduct a voluntary gun buyback program?

Are governments doing enough to address climate change?

Is student loan forgiveness fair?

Should the US invest in high-speed rail similar to those in Japan and Europe?

Should plastic bags be banned in grocery stores?

What is the greatest threat to international stability?

What can be done to prevent cyber threats?

Is the two-party political system of the US failing?

Should the US adopt a single-payer universal health care system?

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Should minimum wage be a factor in the cost of health care?

Is healthcare a human right?

Should access to abortion be required by healthcare providers?

Do school shooter drills damage students’ mental health?

Should vaccinations be required for students to attend public school?

Should employers offer incentives and bonuses to employees who bike or walk to work?

Do school uniforms offer any advantages?

Are school dress codes gender biased?

Are standardized test scores given too much importance in schools?

Do college entrance exams privilege those with higher socio-economic status?

Should teachers be allowed to keep firearms in their classrooms as protection against active shooters?

Should indigenous languages be taught in schools?

Should immigrants have access to free language classes?

Should books ever be banned in schools?

Should elementary schools be required to teach a foreign language?

Should schools be cellphone free?

Should volunteering before graduation be compulsory?

Should school cafeterias serve more plant-based foods?

Should parents let their children play tackle football?

Should college sports teams receive less money?

Should there be more female priests or pastors of churches?

Should churches and other religious organizations pay taxes?

Should all priests be allowed to marry?

Should prayer be permitted in public schools?

On balance, does religion create more conflict or foster peace?

Should there be exceptions to the freedom to practice any religion?

Persuasion Isn’t All or Nothing

People often think persuasion means getting others to agree with you, but persuasion is more nuanced than that. You might persuade someone to go beyond sympathy and act. You might highlight the gray areas of a typically black and white debate.

When total agreement is out of reach, you can settle for agreement in part. Consider your audience thoughtfully when you decide on your goals and remember that you have options.

Step Up with Confidence

We hope these suggested persuasive speech topics have the wheels of your mind turning. Whether it’s for a speech or an argumentative essay , getting your ideas on paper and editing them is a necessary part of the process. Our editors are here to help you confidently put out your best work. Submit a free sample today .

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237 Easy Persuasive Speech Topics and Guide

A persuasive speech is a speech written and delivered to convince people of the speaker’s viewpoint. It uses words to make the audience ‘see’ the speaker’s point of view and to ‘sway’ them into agreeing with it.

It is not a simple matter of presenting gathered facts and evidence. More than just seeing why the speaker thinks that way, a persuasive speech tries to persuade the audience in accepting that line of thought and make it the way they, too, think.

To jump to the persuasive speech topic section, click here .

This is where it differs from an argument. The difference between an argumentative and persuasive speech is that one tries to prove a point while the other tries to affect the listener’s perspective.

• Informative Speech Topics and Ideas
• Toastmasters Project 9: Persuade With Power

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Some examples of a persuasive speech are sales pitch, the speech of politicians, the speech of environmentalists, the speech of feminists, the speech of animal activists, etc.

In the above examples, you must have noticed that all these kind of speech has a goal. A sales pitch is to get you to buy something, politicians give speeches to get you to vote for them, and environmentalists, feminists, and animal activists have a cause to advocate. They all want you to ‘do’ something.

Action is a persuasive speech’s end goal. Ultimately, the speaker wants to persuade you to do something. And why would you do that?

Say, an environmentalist wants people to re-cycle because they think or know that it is good for the environment. Now, it is the people who need to know and think recycling is good for the environment. Only then they would recycle.

Therefore, a more complete definition of a persuasive speech would be “Speech that convinces the audience of a certain idea to inspire them into the desired action.”

Art of Persuasion

Persuasive speech is an art form.

Take an example of a man who was begging in the street. He had a hat in front of him and a sign that said “I am blind, please help” He got a few coins. Then, a lady came along, turned the sign around, and wrote something. A lot more people started to give the man money. His hat was filled with coins. What did that lady write? What persuaded people to give?

“Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it.”

The second line got him more money because it ‘affected’ people, it appealed to their emotions more than the straightforward “I am blind, please help.” This is called pathos.

According to Aristotle, there are three components of or modes to affect people. They are Ethos, Pathos, and Logos.

Ethos in layman’s terms is credibility or authority. The dictionary defines it as “the character or disposition of a community, group, person, etc.” So, you need to have that disposition that makes you a reliable or trustable person.

For example, a woman talking about women’s problems is more likely to have an effect on the audience than a male speaker. The principal comes into the class and tells you ‘Tomorrow is a holiday and no questions will be asked. But if your teacher says so, you will investigate first. You will be more eager to listen to a popular person in the field than to a newbie.

It is having an effect on people by your person so that they would be more receiving of you.

Pathos in Greek means ‘suffering’ or ‘experience’. It is generally defined as an appeal to people’s emotions. Like in the story of the blind boy above, Pathos is to tap into people’s experience of suffering in order to move them towards a certain action.

Of course, those people have not experienced blindness but they can imagine losing the privilege of sight that they now possess. In simple words, it is to evoke feelings of pity, fear, anger, and such.

Logos is the logical appeal. This is to persuade by the means of reasoning. If the speaker makes a claim such as ‘polythene bags should be banned, then he should give a reason as to ‘why’ like ‘polythene bags do not biodegrade and continue to pollute the environment or facts like ‘Thousands of bags are produced every week and are dumped somewhere after use’ or ‘every bag produced since 19_ still exists somewhere on earth today.’

Presentation- Monroe’s motivated sequence

Presentation is very important. It is the backbone. How you perform your speech, how you deliver the words have the maximum effect on people. Therefore, a speech needs to be organized.

Monroe’s motivated sequence is a technique for organizing persuasive speech. It consists of the following steps.

Grab their attention. Start with a startling statement, an intriguing story, a dramatic action, anything that will make the audience take notice of you. This is also the introduction part. Hook them. Build their interest.

Now, convince the people that there is a problem. More than that, convince them that action needs to be taken against the problem, that it will not go away by itself. Tap into their imagination to show how this problem affects them. Use reasons and facts to support your claims and to impress upon them the need for change.

The audience should be looking forward to the ‘solution’ to the problem. They should want to know what they can do. In this step, introduce your solution. Demonstrate or give examples to make the audience understand how it works and how it solves the problem. Use testimonials or statistics to prove the effectiveness of that solution.

Paint a world where nothing was done and how it affected them. Also, paint a world where they did as you suggested and how it changed the situation for the better. Use vivid imagery to make them ‘feel’ the troubles and relief of not doing and doing as you said. Create a viable scenario. It should be relatable and believable.

Call to action. Strike when the iron is hot. It should be something that they can readily do and immediately. More the time passes less they are likely to follow with it as other things in life take precedence and the feeling of urgency is lost. Make it easy too. Do most of the handiwork so they have to put the least effort.

This is a classic technique developed by Alan Monroe in the mid-1930s. It is still the most effective basis for many persuasive speeches.

Some people are born with the skill of persuasion while others can build on it by applying such techniques and practicing. Here are some Persuasive Speech Topics that you can practice with.

Take a look at the video below. It explains how to write an introduction for a persuasive speech.

Below are 6 sample videos of persuasive speeches.

• Why homeschooling is good and should be promoted. (School)

Some students do better in a group with a healthy competition to keep them motivated. Some children are better off studying on their own, continuing at their own fast or slow pace which is hindered when moving along with other children.

• Students should get minimum of 45 minutes tiffin break. (School)

All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. Keeping children cooped up in a room for a long is not good. They need regular refreshing breaks to revitalize, to talk with their friends…

• Is it racism to ban Marijuana when smoking tobacco is legal? (Funny)

Everybody knows cigarettes are harmful and addictive. Yet, there are big industries manufacturing these drugs on a large scale. Then there is Marijuana that is less harmful, less addictive, and has dozens of use; is it not racism to ban it?

• Some juveniles needs to be prosecuted as adults. (School?)

More and more teenagers are committing heinous crimes. They know they will get off easy, that they will not face serious consequences. According to the level of savagery committed, juveniles should at times be prosecuted as adults.

• Are pretty or handsome students really dumber? (School)

This is just a stereotype, just like saying women are less logical and others. Or. That appears to hold true in most cases. As time is limited, people who spend more time on appearance spend less time learning and those who spend time learning fails to look after their appearance.

• Proficiency in academics is not the only measure of intelligence. (School)

Are grades everything? Different people possess different types of intelligence but grades measure only a few kinds. Is it not like judging a fish on its ability to climb a tree?

• What is the right age to start owing a mobile phone? (Parenting)

Most parents believe that the right age to own mobile is when children can pay for it so that they can be aware of their expenditure. Else, they might engage in long, unnecessary conversation and…

• Should children be bought a mobile phone for emergencies? (Parenting)

Mobiles or cell phones are the fastest means of communication. Should children, therefore, be allowed to owe mobiles so that they can contact their guardians in case of emergency?

• Homework should be banned. (School)

Children spend most of their waking hours in school. They have only a few hours at the home to do things other than academics. But homework is the tag along with that…

• Should men pay child support even if pregnancy was a one sided decision? (Feminism)

If a woman decides to bear a child despite her partner’s protest, is he still obligated to provide monetary support upon divorce for the same reason?

• Laws should not be based on religion.

There are many religions. Their ideas vary. But the law should be uniform. Basing laws on certain religions is like forcing the ideas of that religion on every citizen.

• Birth controls should be free and easily available. (Feminism?)

If teen pregnancy is to be avoided, birth controls should be free and easily available with no parental permission required. Imagine asking your parents if you can have sex or parents permitting it. It is the same as unavailability of the contraceptives which takes us back to square one.

• Honking unnecessarily should be punishable.

Honking during a traffic jam is not going to clear it up. It only disturbs and aggravates everyone else. Honking at girls is offensive. Honking to bully is wrong. Honking unnecessarily like this should be considered criminal and punished.

• Divorced and happy parents is better for the children than living in a conflicted home.

Some parents stay together for the sake of their children but fail to get along. This creates a very tense environment and that is not how a home should be.

• Hiding your HIV status in a relationship should be punishable by law.

HIV is a serious disease with no cure available. If a person is aware of his/her HIV positivity, withholding the information and therefore transmitting it to the unsuspecting partner in the process is criminal.

• Legalization of prostitution has more positive effects than negative.

Stopping prostitution is impossible. They will continue to operate underground where they face many problems. Girls get trafficked, tricked, or forced into it. Making it legal will at least ensure safety and justice to the sex workers and will also help control forced labor.

• Schools should take bullying more seriously. / Why bullying is a serious offense. (School)

Bullying is very damaging to the victim and can take a very dangerous turn. But it is dismissed as children’s play in most cases. We don’t realize its seriousness until it is too late…

• Partial Birth Abortion is a sin.

In this method of abortion, a living baby is pulled out from the womb feet first. The base of the skull is punctured and the brain is removed with a powerful suction machine. This is no different from murder. It is usually allowed by law only in order to save the mother’s life but many healthy mothers’ babies are aborted this way every year…

• All institutions like schools, colleges and offices should start only after 10.

When such institutions start early, people need to wake up earlier for preparation. Waking up feeling unrested can make a person inactive, irritable, and unproductive. Scientists say that a person’s mind is not fully awake until 10 in the morning…

• Sexual relationship before marriage is not a crime.

Sex is a biological need and a healthy sex life has a lot of mental and physical benefits. If the partners involved are adults and there is mutual consent…

• School and teachers should stay away from student’s personal life. (School?)

Every institution has some rule. This rule should govern the members within the institution. But some schools like to take this beyond the school grounds and have control over what students do and do not in their personal time.

• Energy drinks should be considered borderline medicines. (Health)

Energy drinks provide added energy. So, it should only be consumed when your body lacks energy, in a weakened state, like medicine. Plus, it contains a lot of caffeine that does more harm than good…

• Parents should properly answer their children’s curiosities. (Parenting)

‘How does a baby come?’ children ask and parents tell them about gods and storks. This raises more questions and does nothing but confuse the child. Try to give an anatomically correct answer without being graphic. Never try to dismiss any of their questions or scold them…

• Euthanasia, is it ethical?

A person should get to choose whether they want to live or die in dire conditions. Or. Euthanasia is no different from suicide. Supporting euthanasia is like supporting suicide.

• Prospective parent(s) should get a psychiatric approval before adoption. (Parenting)

We want to find a home for every orphaned child but we want a happy home. There are many sick people out there who want to adopt a child only to abuse them or for some other kind of personal gain…

• Cigarettes should be illegal.

Cigarettes are like drugs and they should be illegal just like drugs are. It has adverse health effects on the smoker as well as people around him…

• Smoking in public places should be fined.

Cigarettes are very harmful and their harmful smoke does not affect the smoker alone. It affects the surrounding people as well. Not all people are suicidal that way. Why should they suffer? When one’s action harms the other, it is an offense.

• Are uniforms necessary?

Uniform brings uniformity. It eliminates frivolous fashion competition which is not what school is for… Or. Clothes are a form of expression. Students spend most of their time in school. They should be comfortable with what they wear…

• Number of children one can have should be limited and children with previous partner(s) counts.

Four from two, eight from four; population multiplies that way. Already, the earth has become so crowded. If this is to continue, we will rid this world of ourselves.

• Would it be ethical to genetically design babies? (Technology?)

Yes. Why not use science to cure diseases and eradicate the possibility of a child’s suffering? Or. This method can be misused to alter more than just a threat of diseases and that will disturb the diversity in the gene pool…

• ‘Living together’ relationships, good or bad?

Marriage cannot keep together those who want to go their separate ways and those who want to together do not need such a constitution.

• ‘Early to sleep, early to rise’ benefits.

They say ‘Early to sleep and early to rise makes a man healthy and wise.’ This was not said without a reason. Going to bed early and waking up early the next day have many benefits, for both our mind and body.

• Every property should compulsorily have trees. (Environment)

Trees produce oxygen and filters air. We need more trees. But the population is increasing. We are cutting down trees to erect concrete buildings instead…

• Fast foods are overpriced.

Fast foods like French fries, burgers, pizza, etc. cost way more than they actually should. The restaurants are ripping us off. Take fries for example…

• Using animals as test subjects is cruel and unfair. (Animal rights)

For you, it is one animal among many. But for that particular animal, one life is all it has and you have no right to play with it.

• Why Gay Marriage should be legalized. (Gay rights)

Homosexuality is not a disease. It is how people are. They want to marry their partner for the same reasons heterosexual couples do. Not legalizing gay marriage is discrimination…

• Marriage is not about procreation. (Gay rights)

One, almost logical, reason people give against gay marriage is that they cannot bear kids because of which it is definitely not natural/ biological or ‘how god intended’. But marriage is not about procreation. It is about you and your comfort or happiness, about who you want to spend the rest of your life with.

• Electronics are stealing childhood.

These days, children spend a lot of time on mobile phones, computers, or other electronic devices instead of running around, going out, and playing as a child should.

• Teens cannot be good parents. (School/ Parenting)

Some teens decide to start a family when the female partner gets pregnant. While this is seen as an admirable option against abortion, are teen parents really good for the kid?

• Ads should be tested for sexist messages before being aired. (Feminism)

Not only children but everyone learns from what they see and hear. The subliminal sexist messages in ads impart gender roles on their minds, undoing a lot of feminists’ efforts. But mostly, it brainwashes the coming generation and we should not allow that.

• Protection and breeding of white tigers is illogical; why hinder natural selection? (Environment/ Animal rights)

White tigers do not fare well in the wild due to their color. It was a case of mutation that would have naturally been eliminated if humans had not interfered. I am not saying all living white tigers must be killed but why are people breeding it in captivity instead of letting it die out? Just because they’re pretty and we like pretty?

• Exotic pets are not pets. (Animal rights)

Exotic animals belong in the wild. They need to be with their own kind, living in their natural habitat. They should not be isolated in people’s homes where their mobility is limited.

• Feminism should be made a compulsory subject in high school and college. (Feminism)

Feminism is an eye-opener. It is something every man and woman should know of. Thus, it should be a compulsory and common subject instead of being exclusive to Arts or few other faculty.

• Age 16 is not juvenile. (School?)

Are 16-year-olds really kids? Can they not be expected to know the difference between right and wrong? Maybe they do not know it is a crime to download songs and movies but what about rape and murder? If 16 is old enough to drive in most countries, it is old enough to be tried as an adult.

• Playing Video games for few hours does good. (School/ parenting?)

It has been found out that playing a few hours of video game help improve people’s hand-eye coordination and enhances cognitive power. Also, games based on real history or science can impart knowledge…

• Read before agreeing to sites and applications.

We download apps and software and signup on different sites. Each of these requires us to click ‘I agree’. We click this ‘I agree’ without actually reading the agreement. This can later cause problems…

• Is death penalty ethical?

It is not ethical to eliminate people like we try to eliminate diseases. What about human rights? Or. What kind of rights for the person who does not respect others’ rights and freedom? It is a befitting punishment.

• Send drug dealers to prison but addicts for rehabilitation.

Drug Addicts are victims too. They need rehabilitation, not prison. Dealers are the real criminals.

• Parents should cook tastier option instead of making children eat the healthy foods they don’t want.

If not meat then milk and pulses. There is a range of choices for the required nutrition. So why should children have to eat something they don’t like? Just give them a tastier option.

• If girls can wear pants, boys can wear skirts. (Funny?)

Is all equality fighting for girls only? What about boys’ rights? When girls can wear boys’ clothes why can boys not wear that of girls?

• Being slim is not just about looks but health too. (Health?)

Beauties were those who were plum. Now, skinny is the fashion. But to those who want to be ‘comfortable’ in their size, know that a slim body is more than just looks.

• There should be one holiday in the middle of workdays.

Saturday and Sunday’s rest do not keep us charged up to Friday. This makes people less productive by Thursday and Friday. A break in the middle would be wonderfully refreshing…

• Considering the real meaning behind Nursery Rhymes, should they be taught to children? (School)

The fun nursery rhyme “Ring around the Rosie” is actually about the bubonic plague that killed nearly 15% of the country. This is only an example among many. Consider the lyrics of “Three blind mice” that goes “… Who cut off their tails, With a carving knife.” Is it okay to teach these to the children?

• Countries should provide free Wi-Fi in tourist destinations.

Doing this will help tourists as they will be able to contact their people without wandering around confused in a foreign land. This will definitely increase the flow of both national and international tourists. It will be most helpful to students from abroad.

• Know the woes of genetically modified Chickens.

To meet the demand of the growing population, chickens are fed hormones and other drugs to make them grow faster and fat, especially the meat in the breast area. Because of this, the chickens cripple under their own weight. They suffer terribly…

• Children should be allowed to use electronics like mobile, notebooks etc. during breaks. (Students)

Using electronics during class is certainly bad and for a number of reasons. But break times belong to the students. Breaks are for recreation. If students choose to enjoy electronics, what is wrong with that?

• Teachers, too, should keep their mobiles in silent during class.

Class time is for teaching and learning. Students should keep their mobile in silence so as to not disturb the class. But, so should the teacher. They shouldn’t pick up their call during class.

• Humans are consuming way more salt than necessary. (Health)

Sodium is important. But the larger amount of sodium intake has often been associated with an increase in blood pressure that leads to strokes. 1500 to 2300mg is the maximum amount per day.

• Benefits of donating blood.

Donating blood is the right thing to do. It saves lives. There are a few moral reasons as such to donate blood but do you know that you are not losing anything either? Donating blood is good for your own health too…

• Why become an organ donor?

Perfectly healthy people die when trying to donate their organs to their loved ones. Even if they survive, they may have to face complications and they are now, somehow, deficient. If an organ could be got…

• Original organic fruits taste better than the hybrids.

Hybrid fruits are larger and juicer but it lacks in terms of taste. The taste tastes diluted…

• Why people who have should give.

Many people suffer from poverty. They have a hard time meeting basic needs like food, shelter, and clothes.

• Why suicide over ‘love troubles’ is stupid. (Students)

Life moves on. Time heals. Things will happen if you continue to live. But the exaggerated fictional idea of love that the movies market has…

• Why women should earn irrespective of their husband’s economic status. (Feminism)

Be independent. Money is power. Do not let anyone have an upper hand and be vulnerable to possible abuse…

• Recycle e-waste. (Environment)

E-waste contains many recoverable materials such as aluminum, copper, gold, silver etc. Reusing this will take a load off of natural resources. E-waste also contains toxins like mercury, lead, beryllium, and others that will inevitably infuse into soil and water.

• Do not tolerate abuse, speak out. (Feminism)

Certainly, nobody enjoys abuse? Then why do women continue to stay in abusive relationship despite being educated and holding a good job? Why do they tolerate other kinds of abuse as well? There are many reasons for this…

• Every citizen should be required to, at least, pass high school. (School)

Up to high school, the education is basic. Imagine needing to stop ocean pollution. An educated person would be more easily persuaded or would know why ocean pollution is bad. Or. There are good and bad people. Education will teach the good how to be good and may persuade the bad…

• Hostels, is it good or bad for children? (Parenting)

Hostels teach children independence. They learn to do a lot in their own. Or. No one can take better care of children than their parents. Children need parents’ love and support. Away in the hostel, surrounded by children no wiser than themselves…

• Teachers should discuss among themselves to avoid giving too much homework. (School)

After studying for hours in school, spending all the hours in-home doing homework will mentally tire the student. Homework should be very light. But light homework of all the teachers added will take up all of the students’ time. So…

• Importance of clubs in school or colleges. (School)

School and college clubs are the best way to learn different valuable skills in. In school and college-level clubs, the eligibility for membership is less strict and one gets to learn from the more skilled seniors.

• Should plastic surgery be so commercial?

Everyone wants to look good. When accidents or attacks disfigure us, we can turn to plastic surgery to try and gain back our lost selves. But intentionally altering ourselves to…

• Online piracy should be monitored more strictly.

People have a right to their intellectual property. It is so easy to find and download pirated materials that it seems non-criminal…

• Are single-sex schools better than coed? (School)

According to research done in Korea, students from single-sex schools scored better than those from coed and had more chances of pursuing college-level education. However, this is from a general viewpoint. When considering students at an individual level, it really depends on what kind of environment that particular student does better in.

• Spaying or neutering pets is good or bad? (Animal right)

Some say that neutering or spaying pets have a lot of benefits, both for the animal and the owner. Others say that neutering or spaying does not change much but only invites diseases upon the poor animal.

• Are master’s degree or doctorate really necessary? (Students)

High School teaches us the basics and a bachelor is more career-oriented. We can get a good job after bachelor and hone our skills for a better position. Is a master’s and higher degree really important when we can learn more in the field?

• Who is more responsible for poaching? Poachers or buyers? (Animal right)

This may be an ‘egg first or chicken question. Scientists have now found out that chickens come first but the question ‘Poacher or buyers’ remains.

• What kind of food should school or college canteen offer? (Student)

From unhealthy commercial food items to unappetizing bland gibberish; can school or college canteens not offer an in-between option? What would be best for the students?

• What age is proper to talk about the birds and the bees? (Parenting)

From the time a child starts asking about sex is the time from when to start talking about the birds and the bees. Children as young as 4-5 years old are curious about where a baby comes from. Answer them truthfully but avoid being graphic. Also, answer only what they ask.

• Fee for facilities aside, the tuition fee should be fixed by the government. (Student)

Schools and colleges take a ridiculous amount of tuition fees. It is understandable that according to the facilities provided, the fee may be less or more but the tuition fee, at least, should be a fixed amount that greedy schools cannot increase as they wish.

• How long should a drunk driver lose his license for?

Drinking and driving can be fatal to both the driver and an innocent passerby. But people do not take it seriously. They think they can handle their liquor and end up causing accidents. This is absolute carelessness.

• The amount of water one should drink per day. (Health)

About 60% of the human body is water. We continually lose this water through skin and urine. This causes dehydration…

• Aliens exist. (Paranormal)

There have been many UFO sightings and stories of alien abduction. Even in the old age paintings, cave paintings, Sanskrit scrolls, the extraterrestrial life form is evident. Scientists have found other habitable planets. An intelligent life form somewhere other than Earth is no longer an idea of a fantasist…

• White meat over red meat or the other way around? (Health)

White meat is less fatty but red meat contains more vitamins like zinc, iron, and B vitamins…

• Why religion and science should go hand in hand. / Why religion should evolve with scientific discoveries. (Philosophy)

Science explores the universe for answers while religion makes claims about it. Science is open to change, it acknowledges that it can err and backs its claims with evidence. Religion on the other hand is a ‘belief’ system

• Should astrologers, mediums and the likes be arrested for fraud? (Paranormal)

Do heavenly bodies really affect our personality or future? Do dead ones really become spirits and can be contacted through mediums? Or are these all just a big hoax?

• Cats or dogs?

Are you a cat person or a dog person? Say why a dog is better than a cat as a pet or that cat makes a better pet.

• Benefits of eating fruit over drinking its juice. (Health)

There is a whole fruit and we throw away more than half of the substance when choosing to drink its juice even though eating the fruit itself is healthier because of the fiber it contains.

• Women shouldn’t have to change their last name after marriage. (Feminism)

Having to change our last name after marriage is sexist. It confirms the power males hold over the women in our patriarchal society.

• Internet promotes communication, not kill it.

Social networks like Facebook, Twitter, messenger, and others keep us in contact with many friends that we would otherwise have forgotten. It is an easy means of communication…

• Does pressure build or break a person?

Pressure is healthy. It drives us. Or. Yes. Pressure drives us. It drives us nuts.

• Hiring volunteers on zero pay is cruel.

Volunteers are those who want to donate labor. They need not be paid for their work but what about their expenses like transportation and others? These kinds of expenses, at least, should be covered.

• Learning multiple language widens our perception of the world.

There are always those words that cannot be exactly translated to another language. This is because that way of thinking does not exist in that other language. It is like the egg of Cristopher. We discover a new way of expressing ourselves, one we couldn’t think of in the limitation of our own language.

• Oceans are not trash bins. (Environment)

Tons of human waste are thrown into the ocean. This is creating a big problem in the ocean ecosystem…

• Killing for fun is inhuman, hunting is inhuman. (Animal rights)

How to have fun with animals? By playing with them, baby talking to them, watching them in their weird but fun action. Not by chasing them down and killing them.

• Cigarette, alcohol or drugs are not the answer for stress or other problems in life.

People tend to depend on harmful substances like cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs when faced with a problem or when under stress. These substances do not cure stress but could be a self-harming method of coping with problems. People under stress tend to show more unhealthy behaviors such as these…

• Music heals.

On hearing good music, the brain releases dopamine. Dopamine is an essential chemical that plays a number of important roles in the brain and body. Music has also proven effective against stress…

• Why breakfast is the important meal of the day. (Health)

Breakfast is the first meal after a long gap during the night. It provides us with vital nutrients like calcium, vitamins, minerals, and energy…

• Fairytales should be re-written for the next generation children.

Fairytales often star a damsel in distress who not only ‘waits’ for a handsome rescuer but also possesses subjugating qualities like obedience, daintiness, etc. It imparts sexist values in young minds…

• How a time table can help manage our daily lives.

People do not realize how time table can make our day-to-day lives much more manageable and therefore fruitful or efficient. Some find it tedious and some pretentious…

• Everyone should learn swimming.

Swimming is not just for fun like cycling. It could save someone’s life. It is an important survival skill that everyone should know of.

• Good thoughts lead to good actions.

Our actions result from our thoughts. Action is a mind’s reflection…

• Benefits of meditation. (Health)

Meditation has a lot of benefits, both on body and mind. It reduces stress, improves concentration, reduces irritability, increases perseverance, etc…

• Zoos are not big enough for wild animals. (Animal rights)

How large can you make a zoo? And how can it mimic nature when different animals are confined separately. Wild animals belong in the wild.

Some more Persuasive Speech Topics:

• Why is adopting a pet better than buying one?
• How does having a pet better your everyday life?
• Having a snake as a pet is as cool as it sounds
• Should you get rid of a pet that harms another person?
• Is breeding pets for sale unethical?
• Selfies with animals in tourist locations should be made equal
• A dog is the perfect pet
• Why a pet is essential for a growing child
• Owning a pet makes you healthier
• Slaughterhouses are unethical
• Animals are facing extinction, we should do something about it
• Why wild animals should be left in the wild
• Petting exotic animals should be made illegal
• Why dolphin farming is horrific
• The Yulin Dog festival displays one of the worst sides of humans
• Why neutering your pets is wrong
• Advantages of owning a horse(besides looking fantastic)
• People need to stop fueling pug markets.
• Is animal slaughter for religious purposes ethical?
• Manual drivers are unnecessarily aggressive about their cars
• Why you should not drive without a kid seat
• Why sports cars are not worth it
• If you can’t call while driving, then why is there a hands-free mode?
• New ideas for lessons drivers have to take before getting a license
• Should you charge people for driving tests?
• Why cycling is cooler than driving
• Why traffic rules are designed against bike rides
• Driving licenses should need a renewal every 5 years
• Why co-ed education is the best way to teach
• GPA isn’t everything
• 9.30 is too early
• Why teachers need to be recertified
• Listening to music during exams should be allowed
• Should sports and arts be mandatory?
• Does our school curriculum need obligatory life skill classes?
• Phones in classes are beneficial and convenient
• Every student should be encouraged to take a gap year
• Cyber-bullying should be punished the same as bullying
• Why art classes are just as important as science
• School canteens need to serve healthier alternatives
• More institutes should promote nternational exchange programs
• Curriculums should be designed with the job market in mind
• Textbooks are overpriced and should be replaced with digital alternatives
• Should religion be taught in schools?
• Is repeating classes beneficial for underperforming students?
• Students should not have to ask to use the restroom
• Is having a handwriting class beneficial?
• Is there a point to giving homework?
• Education needs to be available in prisons
• We are being overcharged for education
• Online learning should be held to equal importance as schools
• Are teachers paid enough?
• Is there room for commercial advertisement in schools?
• Are study halls still relevant?
• Are our children safe at school?
• School trips are a waste of money
• Educational institutes should be more welcoming to technological changes
• Schools should teach multiple languages
• Public schools are better than private schools
• Why meditation should be included in the daily curriculum
• Are scholarships reaching the right people?
• Current environmental laws are insufficient
• Green energy is the future
• The environmental impact of palm oil
• The environmental impact of single-use bags
• Fishing restrictions need to be stricter
• Oil spills are deadly to marine life
• Leaving fossil fuels behind
• Pollution has reached alarming levels
• Garden owners should be allowed to grow exotic plants
• Switch to hybrid cars to help the environment
• Rainforests are going extinct at an alarming rate
• Why natural resources are quickly going extinct
• Alternative energy sources should be pushed by governments
• Euthanasia should be legalized
• Why eating meat does not make me a bad person
• Can true equality ever really be achieved?
• Is messing with unborn children’s genetics ethical?
• Stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason
• Animal testing is a necessary part of production
• Why we need to stop producing and buying fur
• Prostitution should be legalized
• Doping and it’s place in sports 
• Why workplace relationships should be avoided
• Is religion a cult?
• Should prayers be included in schools?
• Parents should not be able to choose the sex of their unborn child
• Donating to charities is a scam
• Aborting fetuses with birth defects is not immoral
• Wars have positive consequences as well
• Why genital mutilation in infants needs to be stopped
• Conventional beauty standards are misleading
• China’s One-child policy was a good idea for population control
• Animal testing and why it is immoral
• Why banning cigarettes and alcohol from advertisements is not effective
• Sugar is added to everything we eat
• Children should be taught to cook
• Why growing your own food will help both you and the environment
• Peanuts: The secret superfood
• We should be more open to genetically engineered food products
• The proper way to dispose your food waste
• The loopholes in labelling laws
• Keto goes against the natural human evolution
• Artificial chemicals in our food products is harming us
• The legal age for contraceptive treatment should be lowered
• Fast food is slowly killing you
• How positive thinking can change your life
• Breakfast isn’t the most important meal of the day
• Stomach stapling should not be normalized
• If you don’t wear a seat belt, you are putting yourself at great risk
• How diabetes can affect your work
• How daily exercise can change your life
• Stress as the leading cause of teen suicide
• Diet pills are a scam
• Body shaming is putting lives at risk
• Contraceptive education is an effective solution for teen pregnancy
• There is such a thing as too much soda
• Free condom distribution at schools is better than teaching about abstinence
• The toothpick you pick matters
• Surrogacy should be more widely accepted
• Why insomnia should be taken as a more serious health concern
• Helmets and seatbeat save lives
• Restaurants need to be more vigilant about handling allergies
• How Big Pharma is controlling your life
• The medical field is criminally underfunded
• We are eating too much salt
• Organ donation should be an opt-out system
• The dangers of an anti-vaxxers movement
• Why fire drills are ineffective
• Why you need to take that vacation
• Good sleep is underrated
• Why vaping is not a better alternative
• Your stress is killing you
• It is not healthy for children to be vegetarians
• Parents don’t need to be informed about underage abortions
• Donating blood should be encouraged early
• How much do you know about what’s in your food

I hope you find the tips for persuasive speech and persuasive speech topics useful. Let me what you think of them by commenting below.

My Speech Class

Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

509 Informative Speech Ideas and Topics

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

How to Choose the Right Informative Topic

Half the battle of presenting a speech or writing an essay is choosing the right topic. Choosing a good informative speech topic or informative essay topic can keep your audience entertained, your reader interested, and your own work process more enjoyable. Here are a few tips to help you choose a topic:

Know your audience or reader: Your informative presentation – whether through speech or essay – should cover a subject not already well known to your audience, but still relevant to them. If you do choose a topic they’re familiar with, then present new and exciting information. Consider the age, knowledge level, and interests of your audience when preparing your informational speech or essay.

Consider your own interests: Think of your own passions and areas of expertise that you think people could benefit from learning more about. Choosing a topic you care about will help your speech or essay be better received. Your passion will keep them engaged and curious to learn more.

Consider length requirements : How much time are you allotted for your informative speech? What is the page requirement for your informative essay? You should be able to thoroughly cover the topic in the amount of time you are given. If you don’t think you have enough knowledge or personal interest to talk about illegal drug use among teens, saving money as a college student, or another informative topic for 20 minutes, you may need to consider a different subject.

The good news is that there are countless options available. Below are lists of informative topics for speeches and essays. Remember that, in order to choose the best informative topic for you, you need to consider your audience, your interests, and your time and length requirements. Then, customize the central idea to suit your situation.

Best 10 Informative Speech Topics

Don’t have time to read our full list of 500+ topic ideas? Here is our list of 10 best informative speech topics.

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Get your audience blown away with help from a professional speechwriter. Free proofreading and copy-editing included.

• How to adopt a dog
• The history of motorcycles
• The best sales tactics
• The differences between male and female communication
• America’s fastest growing cities
• The importance of education for the economy
• Different stages of poverty
• How to cook vegetarian
• How to keep your skin looking young and wrinkle free
• The different types of poetry

List of Informative Speech Topics

• Communication
• Current Events
• Environment
• Food and Drink
• International Relations
• National Security

Relationships

• Supernatural
• Demonstration
• Easy / Simple
• Interesting
• Legislation
• Pop Culture

10 Animal Informative Speech Topics

• The role of cats throughout history.
• Caring for hermit crabs.
• What are the best pets?
• The lives of ants.
• The different types of tropical fish.
• The different exotic breeds of cats.
• How to raise rabbits.
• The beauty of wolves.
• How to adopt a dog.
• Raising pet snakes.

See this page for a full list of Speech Topics About Animals .

10 Automotive Informative Speech Topics

• Is it better to buy or lease a car?
• How to choose the right tires for your car.
• How to make your car run better.
• What to look for in a new car.
• How to change your car’s oil.
• Dirt bike riding safety tips.
• How to drive a stick shift.
• The history of motorcycles.
• How to change a flat tire.
• The best muscle cars.

14 Business Informative Speech Topics

• Taking your brand to the next level with three easy steps: promoting, advertising and marketing.
• How business owners’ personal characteristics impact their business.
• What is the impact of training and development on employee job performance?
• Leadership styles and their effects on employee productivity.
• Engaged employees result in high retention.
• Developing personal power in an organization.
• Impacts of incentives on employee performance.
• Psychological tactics in marketing.
• How to create a successful brand.
• The importance of accounting research.
• The benefits of enterprise resource planning.
• The benefits of multilevel marketing.
• The best sales tactics.
• How to nail the negotiation in your first meeting.

See this page for a full list of Informative Speech Topics for Business .

8 Communication Informative Speech Topics

• How deaf people talk with emotion.
• The differences between male and female communication.
• How to be a persuasive speaker.
• How to improve your conversation skills.
• Some simple conversation tips.
• What is neural linguistic programming (NLP)?
• Why smiles are contagious.
• How to manage communicative disorders.

4 Current Events Informative Speech Topics

• America’s fastest growing cities.
• The Occupy Wall Street movement.
• Poverty in New York City.
• What is the national happiness rate?

6 Economy Informative Speech Topics

• The history of taxes on carbon dioxide emissions.
• What would be the impact on economic growth if everyone produced their own food?
• The impact of progressive taxation on the provision of social services.
• Economic growth of the People’s Republic of China.
• The effects of price and demand of agricultural products.
• The importance of education for the economy.

10 Education Informative Speech Topics

• How EFL teachers can use the internet as a classroom aid.
• Should teachers and students be friends on social networks?
• Why is our education system only based on theory and not practical knowledge?
• Should students be permitted to eat during classes?
• The importance of formal education for building a successful career.
• The pros and cons of teaching students three languages in school.
• What materials work best in a sandbag for blocking floodwaters?
• Hypnosis: its misconceptions and common uses.
• Learning disabilities and their effects on learning in college.
• Are test scores a good indication of a school’s competency?

See this page for a full list of Informative Persuasive Speech Topics .

10 Environment Informative Speech Topics

• Should politicians bring more pollution to our country?
• What would happen if finite resources were not used wisely?
• Four main reasons for generating genetically modified crops.
• The effect of organic and inorganic fertilizer on maize.
• Are we going to lose the rainforest?
• The best ways to protect the environment.
• Commercial crops and their effect on the water table.
• The environmental impact of a meat based diet.
• Recycling helps mitigate the greenhouse effect.
• Why we should stop global warming.

See this page for a full list of Environmental Informative Speech Topics .

3 Ethics Informative Speech Topics

• Is it sometimes better to tell a lie than to tell the truth?
• Is tolerance the same as love?
• Is hunting morally acceptable?

10 Family Informative Speech Topics

• Adopted children should always have the option to see their biological parents.
• The impact of single parenting and its effects on children.
• The appropriate penalties for parental negligence.
• What it is like being the youngest of a family of 19 kids.
• The importance of the parent-child relationship.
• My father is my hero.
• How to pick a name for your children.
• Cases of domestic violence against men.
• The importance of family.
• The history of foster care.

See this page for a full list of Family Informative Speech Topics . We also have a page with Speech Topics for Kids .

18 Financial Informative Speech Topics

• How banks are getting paid twice for your mortgage.
• How to save money in college.
• How to build credit.
• How to save money on your income taxes.
• How to apply for a credit card.
• The basics of financial aid.
• The importance of saving money.
• How to recognize stock market trends.
• The process of buying a house.
• The basics of internet banking safety.
• The best investment strategies.
• How to live on $5 a day/ Eating well on $5 a day.
• Tips on how do deal with money problems.
• The history of our currency.
• How the US Dollar affects the Euro.
• Debt relief programs.
• Does China have a serious stock market?

9 Food and Drink Informative Speech Topics

• The difference between Gatorade and Powerade.
• How to cook a delicious dinner.
• How to grow your own food.
• The different types of coffee.
• How to cook vegetarian.
• How to make a cocktail.
• The best types of cheese.
• The best exotic fruits.
• How to make Chinese food.

See this page for a full list of Speech Topic Ideas On Food, Drink, and Cooking .

11 Fun Informative Speech Topics

• The history of Valentine’s Day, the celebrations in different cultures.
• Some laugh, but there are many courageous people who overcome stuttering.
• Funny Saint Patricks Day parades, pub decorating, Irish fun runs.
• Differences between apes and monkeys, monkeys in space programs, how they live in groups in the zoo.
• Your hand: what your signature, handwriting and your hand palm lines say about your character.
• Amphibian vehicles – search for information about those rare car-boat vehicles, and you have lots of fun informative speech topics to talk about!
• Cartoons in relation to our Freedom of Speech and Expression principles.
• Show the listeners to your public speaking speech some flags of unknown countries, ask them what nation you mean and explain colors and symbols.
• The extraterrestrial life stories and future theories from French author Jules Verne.
• Etiquette and manners, how to cope with special situations, how to behave at official ceremonies you see enough public speaking speeches spicing humor.
• Fashion styles and dress codes at parties and ceremonies.

See this page for a full list of Fun Informative Speech Topics .

5 Geography Informative Speech Topics

• The antipodes – Places on Earth which are diametrically opposite to each other.
• Cartography – How terrestrial globe spheres are crafted.
• Climatology – Patterns in climate change, like rising temperatures and flooding.
• Coasts – Types of coasts, deltas, sea cliffs and beaches.
• What does the continental drift theory mean in vulcanology?

See this page for a full list of Speech Topics On Geography .

9 Government Informative Speech Topics

• The role of accounting in the control of public expenditures in Nigeria.
• What factors affect community participation in public meetings?
• How difficult is it to run a country of 1.2 billion people?
• Speeding cameras are meant to provide government money.
• Should the President be paid while being in office?
• The Federal government’s separation of powers.
• Journalism is our weapon against corruption.
• How a bill passes in state government.
• The best city planning practices.

10 Health Informative Speech Topics

• Steroids, antibiotics, sprays: are these things hurting us?
• The effects of dissociative identity disorder or multiple personality disorder.
• Bigger isn’t always better: the effect fast food has on America.
• The importance of proper stretching before a workout.
• How to keep your skin looking young and wrinkle free.
• The different types of insomnia.
• The causes and effects of Alzheimer’s disease.
• The psychosocial aspects of organ transplantation.
• Controversial ideas about whooping cough vaccines.
• The reasons why stress and depression should be taken seriously.

See this page for a full list of Informative Speech Topics on Health and Fitness . We also have a page with Medical Topics and Psychology topics.

10 History Informative Speech Topics

• The beauty of ancient Egyptian art.
• The most beautiful paintings in history.
• The history of fashion.
• The history of high heels.
• The history of cosmetic makeup.
• The history of Tibetan burial practices.
• What Olympic events did ancient Greece have?
• The history of swear words and their impact on society.
• Words and their meanings that have changed with time.
• Why dragons perform in Chinese New Year celebrations.

See this page for a full list of History Speech Topics .

16 International Relations Informative Speech Topics

• Economic development and the role of the private sector in reducing poverty in Lesotho.
• Tourism and remittances are the solutions for Tonga’s economic growth.
• The military of the Philippines.
• Is South Africa ready for a female president?
• Can democracy bring stability to Pakistan?
• South Africa is an amazing country.
• The impact of U.S drone strikes.
• The discovery of oil in Equatorial Guinea.
• How to help refugees.
• Why everyone should live in China.
• The status of trade relations in East Africa.
• The effects of the Dowry system in India.
• Sri Lanka after thirty years of war.
• Why Africa is underdeveloped.
• The political system of India.
• The purpose of the United Nations.

2 Language Informative Speech Topics

• English is a link language for many parts of the world.
• The origins of cliches.

6 Literature Informative Speech Topics

• Inside the mind of Edgar Allen Poe.
• How to write a book.
• The three trials of Oscar Wilde.
• The meaning of The House on Mango Street.
• The history of vampires in literature.
• The different types of poetry.

21 Media Informative Speech Topics

• What steps are involved in creating a movie or television show?
• How Spotify hurts new artists.
• The benefits of watching less TV.
• How the media has hurt our body image.
• Books that were turned into terrible movies.
• The benefits of reading a newspaper.
• The basics of photography.
• The history of the Titanic movie.
• Some famous advertising campaigns.
• The effects of misleading advertisements.
• Some important women in the media.
• The best foreign TV shows.
• The benefits of satellite radio.
• The best TV sitcoms.
• Al Jazeera, the largest Arabic news channel is the Middle East.
• How Disney produces and distributes short animated films.
• The amazing stage performance of Christina Aguilera.
• The love life of Jennifer Aniston,
• The story of CNN International reporter, Christiane Amanpour.
• The ten actors who played James Bond.
• Top three worst Woody Allen movies.

9 Music Informative Speech Topics

• The different types of marching bands.
• The history of french horns.
• The history of house music.
• The evolution of rock and roll.
• The beauty of reggae music.
• Music as a “lifestyle”.
• The best electronic dance music.
• How to play the kazoo.
• The beauty of Haitian music.

4 National Security Informative Speech Topics

• How illegal things are smuggled into the country.
• The United States military branches.
• The importance of the Air Force.
• The branches of the military.

10 Politics Informative Speech Topics

• Should the U.S. restrict immigration?
• The benefits of communism.
• The most important women in politics.
• Define the term foreign policy and offer current examples.
• The delicate position of women and children in war torn societies and countries on the globe.
• How issues on oil in Nigeria lift the oil prices worldwide.
• How a free trade agreement works.
• The major environmental problems in Australia.
• National gun control statistics compared to the statistics of other countries.
• The function of the Federal Reserve Board in maintaining a stable financial system.

See this page for a full list of Speech Topics about Politics .

10 Psychology Informative Speech Topics

• The benefits of greeting people.
• Positive thinking is the key to peaceful living.
• The meaning of dreams.
• How to explain child geniuses.
• Difference between empathy and sympathy.
• How to be more sensitive for an emotionally insensitive person.
• How to know a person’s true personality when we are so good at disguise nowadays.
• Secrets about quiet people.
• How to respond or take a compliment.
• Why do people lie and how to deal with that.

See this page for a full list of Psychology Speech Topics .

12 Relationships Informative Speech Topics

• How marriages today differ from marriages from the 60’s.
• The secrets of happy and successful relationships.
• How to choose the right relationship.
• How to get along with your roommate.
• The guidelines for military marriages.
• How to make long distance relationships work.
• The average age to get married.
• How to talk to people when you have nothing to say.
• How to recognize toxic friends.
• Your Brain Falls in Love Not Only Your Heart.
• Who Was and Is Cupid and Co.
• All You Wanted to Know About Engagement.

10 Religion Informative Speech Topics

• A comparison of Genesis and Revelation in the Bible.
• Modern values are violating religious values.
• How Christ is present in our world.
• What percentage of the world’s population are Christians?
• Why worshipping Satan isn’t a bad thing.
• Why the bunny symbolizes Easter.
• God helps those who help themselves.
• A comparison of different religions.
• The history of the Christian church.
• The main principles of Christianity.

See this page for a full list of Speech Topics on Religion and Spirituality .

10 Science Informative Speech Topics

• The difference between an alligator and a crocodile.
• Why whales should not be hunted for food.
• Transhumanism and the evolution of the human race.
• How we can create geniuses.
• Falabella horses are the smallest in the world.
• Why is the colonization of Mars important?
• Albert Einstein’s contributions to science.
• The isolation of nicotinic acid from tobacco.
• The journey to becoming a nuclear physicist.
• Some interesting facts about the human brain.

See this page for a full list of Informative Science Speech Topics .

31 Self-Help Informative Speech Topics

• The difference between boundaries and limits.
• The benefits of affirmation.
• Three goals to strive for in life.
• How to present yourself with confidence.
• Why it’s important to be yourself.
• How to manage your anger.
• How to make a good first impression.
• How to prepare for a job interview.
• Your actions determine your future.
• How to set goals and achieve them.
• How to enhance your public speaking skills.
• How to increase your motivation.
• What makes life meaningful?
• How to take your next big step in life.
• How to construct an argument.
• How to boost your self-esteem.
• How to be happy being single.
• How to avoid procrastination.
• How to improve your manners.
• How to be a good leader.
• The importance of a good attitude.
• How to be more romantic.
• How to break bad habits.
• How to overcome conflict.
• Happiness: The thing we all look for but never really understand.
• What it’s like to be falling in love.
• What is love and what’s not.
• The secret to resolving conflicts.
• Dancing is your secret weapon for happiness and health.
• Things to remember if you don’t want to die with any regrets.

10 School Informative Speech Topics

• Schools should not make money by selling unhealthy candy and soft drinks to students.
• Music with foul language in it should not be allowed at school dances.
• Students should be able to listen to their MP3 players during class.
• Students who commit cyberbullying should be suspended or expelled from school.
• Boys and girls should be taught in separate classrooms.
• Homeschooling produces better results than public schools.
• High School will be the best time of your life.
• Boys are lazier than girls.
• All students should wear school uniform.
• It is possible to Ace your way through High School.

See this page for a full list of School Speech Topics for All Grades .

10 Society Informative Speech Topics

• Why it is bad to judge people by their appearance.
• The lives of isolated indigenous people.
• How to tell someone they are annoying you without being rude.
• How human behavior affects society.
• Left handed people: the underrepresented minority group.
• Is the military a fulfilling career choice for women?
• The effects of discrimination.
• The importance of newspapers in our daily life.
• Do actors and athletes make too much money?
• Why I’m optimistic about our nation’s future.

See this page for a full list of Informative Society Speech Topics .

10 Sport Informative Speech Topics

• Should female students be allowed to play on male sports teams?
• How to do a walking handstand or a cartwheel into the splits.
• Is netball or hockey more dangerous?
• The benefits of sports for all ages.
• Why the spelling bee shouldn’t be on ESPN.
• The worst professional sports teams.
• The importance of sports and games.
• What you should have in your golf bag.
• The history of professional fighting.
• The worst trades in sports history.

See this page for a full list of Informative Sports Speech Topics .

3 Supernatural Informative Speech Topics

• The mystery of the Bermuda triangle.
• The evidence that bigfoot exists.
• The existence of telepathy.

41 Technology Informative Speech Topics

• How roads are built.
• Is wind energy cheap, effective, and practical?
• Why college students should be careful about what they put on social media.
• The uses for artificial intelligence computer networks.
• The danger of putting too much personal information on social networks.
• Modes of communication are constantly changing.
• How has social media impacted our daily lives?
• The line between the human brain and a computer.
• Why technology is a bad thing for growing minds.
• How technology has destroyed human interaction.
• How is text messaging affecting teen literacy?
• The advantages and disadvantages of social media.
• The effects of violent video games on children.
• The decline of interpersonal communication due to technology.
• The difference between hardware and software.
• Antivirus software: beware of malware functions.
• The history of programming languages.
• How voice over IP works.
• What would we do without electricity?
• The benefits of 3D printing.
• The major technological changes since 1990.
• The negative effects of cellphones.
• How to avoid computer viruses.
• The evolution of the internet.
• Computers through the decades.
• How airport biometrics systems work.
• Robots now and in the future.
• How satellites help communication.
• How a water plant operates.
• How watches work.
• The evolution of video games.
• How cellular phones work.
• The evolution of the iPhone.
• How to build a computer.
• How nuclear power works.
• How search engines work.
• How air pressure works.
• The best new technologies.
• The future of electric cars.
• How to practice cyber safety.
• A guide to different social media sites.

15 Travel Informative Speech Topics

• How students can find great vacation bargains.
• The best cruise vacations.
• Famous parliament buildings
• How to test the quality of water when traveling.
• Interesting underground railroad systems in capital cities.
• Investigation shipwrecks at the bottom of the sea.
• The benefits of wind tunnels on transport.
• The discovery of the famous temples in the Maya culture.
• The influence of global warming on Alpine skiing.
• The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
• The Wright Brother’s first flight.
• Totem poles and obelisks are symbols of unity, tradition, and pride.
• What you need to know about the Principality of Andorra.
• Why is there a Titanic replica?
• Why the unsinkable and invincible Titanic sank.

9 Workplace Informative Speech Topics

• The benefits of break time for nursing mothers in the workplace.
• The prevalence of dangerous chemicals in the workplace.
• How to survive working in a restaurant.
• Why underwater welding is dangerous.
• How it is to work in the fast food industry.
• How to get a great internship.
• How to become a comedian.
• The most dangerous jobs.
• What are the fastest growing careers?

List of Informative Essay Topics

14 college informative essay topics.

• Benefits of a college degree
• Crimes on college campuses
• Healthiest foods in the campus cafeteria
• How students can stay safe on a college campus
• How students can use eLibrary Curriculum Edition for research
• How to beat senioritis
• How to find cheap textbooks
• How to pick a major
• How to study for and pass a test
• Saving money as a college student
• The story of how your school was founded
• Ways of preventing college dropout
• Whether binge drinking is a problem on your college campus
• Your favorite club or organization on campus

5 Demonstration Informative Essay Topics

• How to bake a cake
• How to knit a scarf
• How to organize a closet
• How to swing a golf club
• How to train your dog

7 Easy / Simple Informative Essay Topics

• A genre of music
• America’s fastest growing cities
• Breeds of dogs
• How a computer works
• Interesting cultures
• Lesser known presidents
• Natural disasters

9 Education Informative Essay Topics

• How to choose a persuasive speech topic
• How to deliver a funny informative speech
• How to deliver a persuasive speech
• How to maintain audience attention during a speech
• How to win your audience with descriptive speech
• How to write a persuasive essay
• How to write an argumentative essay
• How to write an expository essay
• The difference between a thesis statement and a topic sentence

10 Fun Informative Essay Topics

• An impressive world record
• Fun games to play at the beach.
• The history of ice cream
• The revolution of the selfie
• Ways different cultures celebrate Valentine’s Day
• What do people do when they win the lottery?
• What people don’t know about Disneyland
• What you can learn from grade K students
• What your horoscope means
• Why people get tattoos

6 Funny Informative Essay Topics

• Everything you need to know about skinny jeans
• Funny St. Patrick’s Day parades
• How to be nice to people you don’t like
• How to cheat in poker
• How to look attentive when you’re actually not
• Things you can learn from your pet

See this page for a full list of Funny Informative Speech Topics .

10 Health Informative Essay Topics

• All about gluten
• Cause-and-effect relationship of air pollution
• Causes of cancer
• How caffeine works
• How stress affects your body
• How to make exercise a habit
• How to quit smoking
• Symptoms of Alzheimer Disease
• Symptoms of depression
• How to get rid of bad habits

6 Hobbies Informative Essay Topics

• Best places for scuba diving
• Choosing your next book to read
• Peace lily care tips
• Professional baseball stadiums
• The history of your favorite sport
• Types of tropical fish

9 Interesting Informative Essay Topics

• Effects of global warming
• Exotic pets
• How to perform an attention-getting first dance at your wedding
• Near-death experiences
• Places to see in northern Nevada
• The biography of Clyde Tombaugh
• The history of a cliche marriage ritual
• What is your dog actually thinking?
• What your handwriting says about you

See this page for a full list of Informative Interesting Speech Topics .

7 Life Informative Essay Topics

• How to drive a stick-shift
• How to pay off your student loans in under 10 years
• How to succeed in multi-level marketing
• The process of buying a car
• Tips for being an effective networker
• Traveling the world for cheap
• Why people lie

7 Legislation Informative Essay Topics

• Fees and taxes for an electric car
• Minimum wage laws
• The history of drinking age rules
• What dogs are affected by breed specific legislation?
• Anti-trust crimes.
• Benefits of pleading guilty.
• Felony penalties for aggravated stalking.

See this page for a full list of Legal Speech Topics .

10 Pop Culture Informative Essay Topics

• A biography of your favorite celebrity
• All about your favorite author
• All about your favorite television show
• Former childhood stars
• History of your favorite product brand
• Instances where the movie is better than the book
• The Miss America pageant
• The pop art movement during the 20th century and the changes it brought about
• What makes a pop sensation
• Your favorite form of public broadcasting

7 Relationships Informative Essay Topics

How to be a good friend

• How to choose your friends
• How to get along with your in-laws
• How to make a marriage work
• How to survive a blind date gone wrong
• The different types of friendships
• The history of online dating

Picking Your Topic

At first glance, an informative speech may seem like the simplest type of presentation . The basis of an informative speech is to introduce a topic to the audience and then describe or explain it . It sounds fairly straightforward, but special care must be given to selecting a topic or the entire speech may not be well received.

Informative speeches can easily become boring for an audience for several reasons. First, the speaker should be sure not to present a topic which is already well known, or the audience will quickly lose interest. The topic should be something the audience has never encountered, or at least include new and exciting information on a familiar topic. Speakers should remember, when preparing the speech, that their own level of interest will become apparent during delivery of the presentation. In other words, if the speaker is bored by the topic, the audience will feel bored as well.

Knowing the audience is a primary factor in choosing an informative speech topic. The speaker should consider the age, knowledge level, subculture, and other demographics of his listeners when preparing the speech. It is important to present information which is neither too elementary nor too difficult for the audience to comprehend. The chosen topic should reflect the interests of the audience, and should be intriguing to them without rehashing information they already know. For example, college students may be interested in a topic on alcohol use, but they are already very familiar with a topic like the dangers of drinking and driving. In this case the speaker might concentrate his topic on the health benefits of red wine. This way, he has chosen a topic which interests the audience, but is likely to present new information which will not bore his listeners.

Finally, speakers should consider time limits when choosing an informative speech topic. A topic should be covered thoroughly enough that the audience feels as if most of their questions on the topic have been answered. On the other hand, a tight time restriction may prevent the speaker from adequately covering a very intricate topic. When time is limited, a subject which requires lengthy explanation should be avoided. The audience should leave an informative speech feeling as if they’ve gained new insight on a topic. It is good if they are interested in doing their own research to learn more about the subject, but they should never leave the presentation feeling confused or unclear about what they have just heard.

Informative Speech Idea In 5 Steps

1. step one – make a list.

Make a short list of your personal interests and informative speech topic ideas. To help you determine your interests on an informative speech topic, think about your favorite objects, products, people, animals, events, places, processes, procedures, concepts, policies, theories, and so on. Answer these important questions:

• Is there something you love to talk about, always have wanted to research?
• What interests you very much, or do you like or love at first glance?
• Do you have developed special skills in personal or professional life?
• What interesting informative topics do you know a lot of or want to know more about?
• What are some personal or professional experiences and skills in certain situations related to your favorite subjects?
• Can you reveal hidden secrets, new perspectives or insights on some topics?

2. Step Two – Analyze Your Audience

Determine the interests and needs of your audience. What do they want to learn? Can you teach them on a subject you like?

3. Step Three – Check Your Interests

Review the short list of your interests and make a decision. Choose the informative speech topic that is also interesting to your audience. Take care of their interests, questions and needs.

4. Step Four – Research and Write

Research  just one new single aspect  of that informative speech idea. Look for valuable or amazing information that surprises your listeners. Fresh data, facts, intelligence, and advice will catch their attention immediately! To help you researching: look for new facts, figures, stories, statistics, surveys, personal experiences, professional experiences, quotations, comparisons and contrasts.

5. Step Five – Add Help Props

Demonstrate steps, stages, pros and cons, and remarkable effects by the use of public speaking software or other visual aids , that display the material you want them to be understood or remembered.

Informative Speeches FAQ

1. Speeches About Objects 2. Speeches About Processes 3. Speeches About Events 4. Speeches About Concepts

An informative speech is one that provides information and educates the audience on a specific topic. An informative speech should help your audience learn, understand, and remember information you are presenting.

1. Know your audience or reader 2. Consider your interests 3. Consider length requirements

You can see this page with speech examples .

Vote of Thanks Examples

613 Original Argumentative Speech Topics Ideas

15 thoughts on “509 Informative Speech Ideas and Topics”

Demonic Possession

Creativity is the Mother of Invention.

1-How to be a good friend: you have to do everything to make them happy, don’t snatch on them

2-How to choose your friends: Choose friends with similar values Choose friends with common goals

3-How to get along with your in-laws:1-Get to know them. … 2-Know your limits. … 3-Keep things cordial. … 4-Put your relationship first

4-How to make a marriage work

5-How to survive a blind date gone wrong 1-Ask open-ended questions. … 2-Tell a funny anecdote. … 3-Let your date talk. … 4-Answer questions fully. … 5-Listen to them carefully.

6-The different types of friendships

7-The history of online dating

the evolution of humans

school doesn’t need to exist

Nice compilations this is helpful

Hamburgers vs hotdogs

Chocolate Caffeine Grass is Greener on the other side April Fools Why teens should have a part time job or not

History of Tobacco

Effects of anxiety on teenage students.

how depression affects people and others around them

peer pressure and its effects on students

Different ways kids handle peer pressure.

depression and how it can effect a students mindset

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125+ Persuasive Speech Topics To Amaze Your Audience

Reviewed by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 12/15/23

This article provides a comprehensive list of persuasive speech topics and answers to some of your frequently asked questions about speech topics. 

Persuasive writing is hard, and it’s even harder to try to come up with an engaging topic that interests you and your audience. 

Not only do you have to convince your audience to take your side on subjects that are often pretty divisive, you also have to persuade them to take your side of the argument. The first step to making a successful persuasive speech that will amaze your audience is having a strong topic.  

Keep reading for 125+ persuasive speech topics. 

125+ Topics for a Persuasive Speech

Persuasive speech ideas are harder to come up with than you may think. There is a fine balance between interesting your audience, interesting to you, unique and fresh, all while being thought-provoking without being outright offensive. 

Here is a breakdown of various topics for persuasive speeches, organized by categories, to inspire you. 

1. Arts & Culture

Art and culture are always hot topics amongst individuals and groups. There are many interesting arguments and stances on both topics, and many people have strong opinions when it comes to the subject matter. 

See below for prompts for persuasive speeches about art and culture: 

• Is graffiti art? 
• Should art classes be mandatory for all students?
• Should we keep reading classic literature that is offensive? 
• Should there be a distinction between ‘high’ and ‘low’ literature?
• Are romcoms and erotica series like Fifty Shades of Grey empowering for women?
• Is reading actually more beneficial than watching TV or playing video games?
• Is there any benefit or relevance to teaching high school students Shakespeare?
• Should video games be considered a high form of entertainment?
• Are biographical movies of deceased musicians and artists ethical?
• Is modern music really worse than older music?
• Should paparazzi be banned and unable to sell their photos?

Topics in arts and culture are always fun to debate and discuss because you have the opportunity to talk about your favorite pieces of media!

2. Economics

Economics is a hotly debated topic. There is no shortage of compelling, engaging arguments involving economics. 

Here are some good persuasive speech ideas on the topic of economics: 

• Is capitalism a functional, ethical economic system? 
• Should everyone, despite their income, be taxed at the same rate?
• Can we introduce another economic system to our society? 
• Should each state, the federal government, or individual companies be responsible for setting a living wage?
• Should minimum wage be doubled?
• Should everyone adapt to the four-day work week?
• Should people who make under a certain amount per year not be taxed at all?
• Should governments encourage and reward people for shopping locally? 
• Should advertisements be banned during TV and media programming aimed at kids?
• Has modern consumerism gone too far?

Economics is a great topic for a persuasive speech because it affects our everyday lives in so many ways. There are tons of research and perspectives to help support your argument. 

3. Education

Many people feel strongly about education and there are many sides and perspectives that come into play: teachers, parents, students, student athletes, and more. 

Here is a list of some engaging topics to write a persuasive speech on:

• Should post-secondary education be free?
• Should taking a year off between high school and college be mandatory?
• Is it fair to take cell phones away from kids in middle/high school while they are in class?
• Should school uniforms be mandatory in all high schools?
• Should cursive writing still be taught in schools?
• Do frats and sororities actually serve their purpose? 
• Should programming and coding be introduced to young students?
• Should school lunches be free?
• Is college/university necessary anymore?
• Does the education system prepare students for adult life?
• Should gyms be mandatory for all students?
• Do schools need to do a better job at teaching students a second language?
• Should schools teach sign language?
• What age should students be taught sex ed?
• Should distant learning be encouraged, or avoided at all costs?

Education is another great topic to write a speech about because it intersects with economics, culture , and politics . These topics will guarantee an engaged audience. This is a popular topic for high school students who are learning about tuition and scholarships at their top colleges! 

4. Environment

Since the release of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” and Greta Thunberg’s unapologetic activism, climate change has been at the forefront of many political, economic, and cultural conversations. 

If environmental issues spark your interest, consider writing on one of the topics below:

• Can we ever live in a truly ‘green’ and environmentally friendly society?
• Should water bottles be banned?
• Are businesses responsible for implementing environmentally friendly production and products?
• Should there be a carbon tax?
• Should electric cars be mandatory in the near future?
• Should we switch over to entirely renewable energy?
• Do low-income families have the same duties to be eco-conscious as high-income families do? Should plastic bags and single use plastic be completely banned?
• Should car racing be banned?
• Should fast fashion be banned?

The environment and climate change are becoming, if not already, some of the most pressing issues of our day. 

Ethics may be one of the most difficult topics to write a persuasive speech about because the topics tend to cover sensitive subject matter. However, ethics are also some of the most compelling and complex topics to explore. 

Here are some potential topics for a persuasive speech about ethics:

• Is animal testing ethical?
• Is drinking coffee unethical?
• Are animal shelters that allow euthanization ethical?
• Should more people try to adopt a vegetarian/vegan diet?
• Is the death penalty ethical? 
• Can racism ever truly be eliminated?
• Can the prison system genuinely contribute to the improvement and rehabilitation of individuals?
• Should justice systems and incarceration facilities focus on rehabilitation over punishment? 
• Should cosmetic plastic surgery be covered by insurance?
• Are morals objective or subjective?
• Should zoos and circuses be banned?
• Should fur coats be illegal?
• Are censorship laws ethical?
• Is it ethical to genetically modify an embryo? 
• How should we, and who is responsible, for addressing the homelessness crisis? 
• Should minors who commit violent crimes be charged and tried as adults?

Tackling a persuasive speech on ethics is a challenge, as many of these topics are complex and sensitive. It can also be difficult to wrap up a speech on such huge ethical debates. 

However, these topics also provide some of the most riveting and energizing debates - if you’re up to the challenge, you should definitely try to tackle one of these topics. 

From fitness to food prices to economic privilege, there are tons of debatable topics regarding health. Here are just some of the potential topics you can write a speech on:

• Are individuals solely responsible for their own health?
• Should prescription medications be free?
• Should sugary drinks like pop be taxed at higher rates?
• Should Starbucks be allowed to advertise their high-calories and high sugar drinks?
• Should the government regulate the prices of fruits and vegetables?
• Should fast food restaurants regulate and reduce their portions?
• Should gym memberships be free?
• Should the government change and restructure the work week to reduce stress?
• Should nurses be paid more?
• Should smoking be banned?
• Should insurance companies fully cover rehabilitation stays for health issues like eating disorders?

People have varying opinions and understanding of health, which makes these topics very engaging and interesting to write about.

7. Politics

It goes without saying that almost every political issue is debatable. 

• Do we actually live in a truly democratic society?
• Should there be a minimum wage or a living wage?
• Should the legal voting age be decreased?
• Does the pay gap exist?
• Are younger politicians more effective?
• Should there be stricter gun laws?
• Should Presidents be able to serve more than two terms?
• Should everyone get the day off work to go vote?
• Should political party funding be regulated?
• Should political smear campaigns be banned?
• Is there a political bias in mainstream media?
• Should you date someone with opposing political views? 
• Is the government spending too much on the military sector?

Politics are all about persuading people to take a side, which makes it a strategic topic for delivering a moving persuasive speech. 

Sports is another big topic that people care a lot about. There are sports related matters that are questioned everywhere: sports on TV, the Olympics, college sports and athletics, and athletic sponsorships . 

Below is a list of captivating sports topics for a persuasive speech: 

• Should the pay for professional teams be based on audience viewership? 
• Are professional sports getting too violent? 
• Are athletes overpaid?
• Is cheerleading empowering or exploitative? 
• Should children be allowed to compete in competitive sports?
• Should we continue spending millions of dollars on the Olympic Games?
• Do people put too much importance on high school and college football?
• Should alcohol and tobacco ads be banned during sports?
• Is betting on sports teams ethical?
• Should high school and college athletes be paid?

Sports is a topic that people don’t often think of as controversial. However, your audience is bound to be engaged and contemplating your argument as you present your speech. 

9. Technology

As the world increasingly moves to online spaces, and technology advances faster than ever before, technology is another hot topic that people have a lot of thoughts and opinions on. 

• Should all workplaces offer hybrid/remote work?
• Should we pursue Artificial Intelligence?
• Do we need to put resources into travelling to space?
• Should parents monitor their children’s online activity?
• Is it okay for phones to use facial recognition and fingerprint technology?
• Is technology actually addicting?
• Can we blame technology for increased stress and anxiety?
• Are security cameras and body cameras an invasion of privacy? 
• Should the internet be surveilled or managed?
• Should video game chats be surveilled or even banned?
• Are machines replacing human labor? 
• Should cloning be outlawed/banned?

As technology continues to advance and expand into our personal lives, it is a great topic to write a unique persuasive speech on. 

Having a unique and creative speech topic discussing one of your interests can make it stand out more! Think about extracurriculars you participate in, podcasts you enjoy, or fascinating facts you’ve learned. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. 

• What makes a hero?
• Are we headed towards World War 3?
• Did humans really land on the moon?
• Are serial killers born or made?
• Can good and evil be separated neatly?
• Is cancel culture a positive or negative thing?
• Can money buy happiness?
• How to become a millionaire
• How to become more confident
• How to live to be 100
• How to survive an apocalypse
• Do extraterrestrial beings exist?
• Why students should start investing at 16
• The true history of… (event of your choice, such as the Chernobyl disaster, the Black Plague, Salem Witch Trials, etc.)

Exploring these kinds of diverse and intriguing topics will not only capture your audience's attention but will also allow you to share your passions with your peers! 

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

The best persuasive speech topics are topics that are not overdone, and topics that the speaker is genuinely passionate and knowledgeable about. 

Persuasive speech topics should also be a bit controversial (this does not mean offensive) because the topic and speech itself should be thought-provoking. The more people are emotionally invested in the topic, the better. 

For example, while you can try to persuade your audience that strawberry ice cream is better than chocolate ice cream, it’s unlikely that many people have a strong emotional investment in that topic. Without an emotional investment, audiences will be sitting listening to your speech thinking: “so what?” 

On the other hand, a topic like “Should government’s set limits on how many children a family can have in overpopulated countries?” is emotionally charged and truly matters to people. 

FAQs: Persuasive Speech Topics

After reading through all the possible topics you can write a persuasive speech on, you may still have some questions before you get going. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about persuasive speech topics. 

1. What Are Some Easy Persuasive Topics?

Any persuasive topic can be easy to write about if you are passionate about your stance. The more passionate and knowledgeable you are about your topic, the easier it will be to research and write. 

There are also easy persuasive topics that are more lighthearted than controversial, which some people may find easier to debate and write about. Some easy persuasive topics include: 

• Should everyone have a three-day weekend?
• Should every public place have free Wi-Fi?
• Does social media do more harm than good?
• Should kids get paid for getting high grades?
• Do we need more holidays?

These topics are all fun to debate, which makes it easy to write a persuasive speech or essay. Whereas some persuasive topics can be complex and sensitive, the topics listed above are pretty straightforward, which makes them easier to discuss than more complex topics. 

2. What Is a Good Persuasive Speech Topic For School?

A good start to finding a good speech topic for school is looking for a topic that involves something related to school. For example, you can look into talking about school uniforms, class sizes, tuition and scholarships, and school sports, just to name a few. 

Having a speech topic related to school is a good idea for school because your audience (teachers and peers) are directly in that environment as well. This means they will likely be more engaged as the topic, whether they agree or disagree, is relevant to their everyday lives. 

3. What are Three Examples of a Persuasive Speech Topic?

Any of the above topics listed in this article are examples of persuasive speech topics. Three specific examples that have not been listed are:

• Is social media to blame for the rates of depression and anxiety amongst youth?
• Do young adult romance novels encourage harmful and toxic relationships to their target audience?
• Should children under 18 have total control over medical decisions made about their bodies?

These topics are examples of persuasive speech topics because you need to take a clear stance in order to answer the question. The point of a persuasive speech is to convince or persuade the audience that your side of the argument is valid and should be considered, so the topic needs the individual to take a specific stance. 

As briefly touched upon before, your topic needs to interest your audience for a successful persuasive speech. While you should make sure your topic isn’t overdone, you don’t want to go with something too ‘safe’ as that will most likely bore your audience. 

Final Thoughts

Coming up with a topic for a persuasive speech may be the most difficult part of the writing process. 

Read over our list of topics and pick out a few topics that genuinely interest you. From there, do some preliminary research on each topic and see which one has the strongest evidence to support your argument. Then, you’ll be good to start writing your persuasive speech that will amaze your audience!

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60 Interesting Public Speaking Topics to Engage Your Audience

If you’re the type of person who gets head spinningly, palms-sweaty nervous when asked to make a public speech, you’re certainly not alone. As intimating and intimidating as it may seem, it’s true that having the ability to confidently stand in front of an audience and deliver a speech can be a super useful tool. Not only could it bring you better marks in school, it’ll also come in handy in future job applications, leadership positions, and even in everyday conversation. Now that you’re serious about conquering public speaking , the next step is knowing what to say. We’ve got your back on this one. Here’s a list of 60 interesting public speaking topics which promise to keep your audience engaged and eager to hear what you have to say. Customize them however you please, add more information and ideas of your own, and let your ideas do the talking! Let’s get going!

Interesting Public Speaking Topics

Public speaking provides a unique opportunity for speakers to share their opinions, experiences, and knowledge in an interesting way. Interesting public speaking topics can range from controversial to informative, from historical to present day, from fun to serious. When selecting a topic , it’s important to consider the interests of your audience as well as what you can provide appropriate supporting information on. Controversial or opinion-based topics can be engaging, but it’s important that all sides of the argument are presented fairly and no one in the audience is disparaged or excluded. Additionally, providing both sides of an argument here helps inform your audience and may even expose them to different perspectives. Informative topics are great for teaching audiences about specific subjects or movements, while delivering the information in an entertaining and interesting way. Explain how each piece fits into the bigger picture and build suspense throughout your talk. Additionally, if you have personal stories associated with the topic, by all means include them; these stories help make your presentation more memorable and engaging for your audience. Historical topics provide excellent fodder for a public speaking engagement; beyond teaching about specific events that occurred in our past, you can also shed light on important dates in history or major events of the past century. Providing context helps bring to life lessons from those points in time that still influence us today. Current events are also great platforms for public speaking – highlighting what is happening now provides a powerful connection between speaker and audience as everyone is probably equally (or almost equally) knowledgeable about it—and if not? You get to teach them! When presenting current events as your topic, make sure you use up-to-date sources and highlight any compliance changes or other political matters that could affect your audience directly. Now let’s move on to discuss current events as an interesting public speaking topic…

Current Events

When it comes to public speaking, current events make for a highly engaging topics. Depending on the agenda and purpose of the speech, current events can be used either to inform and educate the audience or to galvanize support and motivate action. When dealing with current events, speakers should strive to remain impartial while bringing forth both sides of the argument. For example, if the event is to discuss international trade policy in light of recent tariffs disputes between major trading partners, speakers should present both advantages and disadvantages of increased tariffs. Understanding the core issue at hand without commenting on the efficacy of each side’s policies is key in order to maintain an impartial outlook. Similarly, when addressing a complex social issue like discrimination against minority groups or income equality, it is important to provide a sober and nuanced overview of the issue while ensuring that all sides are properly represented. Naturally, as certain issues become particularly salient in the public debate , more detailed analysis may be necessary in order to provide a full account of the situation. With that said, presenters must always exercise caution when discussing hot-button topics so as not to alienate any portion of their audience. Finally, speakers may choose to conclude their discussion by proposing a plan for action or connecting their topic with wider implications for society. As such, choosing current events as one’s topic allows for an opportunity to create real change that can have tangible benefits for members of their audience. With this potential impact in mind, let us now explore creative ideas that are just as interesting but offer a different approach.

10 Current Events Topics

• COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on society, economy, and healthcare systems
• Climate change and environmental issues, including wildfires, hurricanes, and rising sea levels
• Global politics and international relations, including tensions between countries and geopolitical conflicts
• Technological advancements, such as artificial intelligence, automation, and the future of work
• Social justice movements, including Black Lives Matter and #MeToo, and their impact on society
• Mental health and wellbeing, including the effects of the pandemic on mental health and access to mental health services
• Education and the challenges of remote learning and hybrid learning models
• Immigration and refugee crises, including the global response and the impact on individuals and communities
• Economic inequality and the wealth gap, including the effects of the pandemic on job losses and income disparities
• The role of media and technology in shaping public opinion and discourse, including issues of censorship and misinformation.

Fun Public Speaking Topics

Public speaking can be an incredibly effective method of communication and expressing ideas to an audience. When selecting a topic for a public speaking event, it is important to choose one that will be engaging, exciting and entertaining . Fun public speaking topics are a great way to captivate your audience’s attention. Some fun topics popular today include conspiracy theories, humorous anecdotes and weird trivia questions. In addition to topics that can evoke laughter, you could opt for a conversation-like approach by selecting topics tailored towards discussing or debating current events or pop culture trends. This type of discussion creates a sense of involvement amongst your listeners, as they are likely to have their own opinions on the subject matter at hand. Knowing the interests of your audience makes it easier to pick one of these types of interesting conversation starters. Yet another type of enjoyable public speaking topic is one related to personal experience. By sharing stories from your own life you can create a connection with your audience because they realize you are not only knowledgeable about academic subjects but also about human experiences. For example, you could talk about how traveling abroad changed your perspective or how volunteer work with animals opened up new opportunities in your life. No matter what route you take, having a fun element in each speech encourages conversations , making it more engaging for the listener.

Here are 10 fun topics for public speaking:

• The science of laughter and how it can improve mental and physical health
• The history of popular board games and how they have evolved over time
• The art of cake decorating and how to create beautiful and delicious desserts
• The world of cosplay and the art of creating intricate costumes
• The benefits of travel and tips for planning the perfect vacation
• The world of online gaming and the rise of esports
• The history of memes and how they have impacted popular culture
• The art of mixology and how to make creative cocktails at home
• The joys and challenges of pet ownership and the benefits of having a furry friend
• The world of improv comedy and how to master the art of improvisation.

These fun public speaking topics spark imagination and interest from all those involved in the discussion. While brainstorming ideas, it is important to keep in mind that the topic should contain enough material to elaborate upon while maintaining a lighthearted spirit; balance is key!

Controversial Public Speaking Topics

Controversial public speaking topics can be excellent ways to engage your audience and spark a lively discussion. It is best to keep the language used respectful, as well as being mindful of the makeup of the audience you are presenting to. Popular controversial public speaking topics range from opinions about current events and politics, religion, gender roles and LGBTQ issues, amongst other things. When debating each side of the argument, it is important to make sure that one doesn’t invalidate or insult the opposing views.

Here are 10 controversial public speaking topics:

• Gun control and the right to bear arms
• Abortion and reproductive rights
• Capital punishment and the death penalty
• Immigration policy and border control
• Affirmative action and equal opportunity employment
• LGBTQ+ rights and marriage equality
• The legalization of marijuana and other drugs
• Animal rights and animal testing
• Freedom of speech and hate speech laws
• Climate change and the role of humans in causing and combating it.

No matter which topic you decide to explore, controversial public speaking topics provide a great opportunity for learning experiences. With great research beforehand, ambitious speakers can use these occasions to inform their audiences in meaningful ways. Moving on to the next section, motivational public speaking topics have become increasingly popular within the last several years. This type of speech aims to inspire its audience by inciting positive feelings and emotions while promoting an inspiring idea or action plan.

Key Points to Remember

Controversial public speaking topics can be engaging to an audience, but the language used should remain respectful regardless of opinions held. Popular topics include current events, politics, religion, gender roles, and LGBTQ issues. When debating both sides of a controversial argument, it is important not to insult or invalidate another viewpoint. Controversial public speaking gives speakers a great opportunity to enhance learning experiences with thorough research and information .

Motivational Public Speaking Topics

Motivation is a powerful tool that can influence and inspire people to realize their potential and reach unseen levels of success. When applied effectively, motivational public speaking topics can be incredibly impactful and help an audience take action on ideas they can implement in their daily life. The key to delivering an effective motivational talk is to focus on the idea of progress. Talk about how something good can be accomplished over time if dedication and hard work are continually applied. Present stories of real-life successes, as well as struggles, to illustrate these points and increase the audience’s engagement level. Make sure to inject positive energy into your speech by outlining strategies the audience can use to stay motivated while achieving their goals. By presenting topics in a motivational manner, you can help ensure that members of your audience feel encouraged, empowered, and inspired. If you are debating a controversial topic, make sure to present both sides of the argument within the same motivating framework.

Here are 10 motivational public speaking topics:

• Overcoming obstacles and achieving success
• Finding purpose and meaning in life
• Building self-confidence and self-esteem
• The power of perseverance and determination
• Mindfulness and living in the present moment
• Overcoming fear and taking risks
• The importance of setting and achieving goals
• Turning setbacks into opportunities for growth
• Developing a positive mindset and attitude
• The benefits of gratitude and appreciation in life.

Keeping these important principles in mind will allow you to deliver a compelling motivational presentation that helps your audience believe in themselves and develop clear directions for taking action. Taking the right steps today will bring better results tomorrow — this is a concept worth discussing during your talk.

Historical Topics for Public Speaking

History is a rich and complex tapestry of events, ideas, and movements that have shaped the world we live in today. Exploring historical topics can help us gain a deeper understanding of our collective past, and shed light on the challenges and triumphs of human experience. From the fall of the Roman Empire to the Civil Rights Movement, there are countless historical topics that continue to fascinate and inspire us. In this list, we explore ten historical topics that offer a glimpse into the great events and movements that have shaped our world.

Here are 10 historical topics to talk about:

• The fall of the Roman Empire and its impact on European civilization
• The French Revolution and the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte
• The Industrial Revolution and its impact on society, economy, and technology
• The American Revolution and the birth of the United States of America
• The Renaissance and its impact on art, science, and culture
• The colonization of the Americas and the impact on indigenous populations
• The World Wars and their impact on global politics and international relations
• The Age of Exploration and the impact of European colonization on the world
• The Civil Rights Movement and the fight for racial equality in the United States
• The Cold War and the global tension between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Persuasive Speech Topics

Persuasive speeches are designed to convince the audience to take a particular action, adopt a certain viewpoint, or support a specific idea. These speeches can be powerful tools for effecting change and promoting important causes. From protecting the environment to advocating for social justice, persuasive speech topics cover a wide range of issues that are relevant to our world today. In this list, we explore ten persuasive speech topics that can inspire and motivate audiences to take action and make a positive impact on the world around us.

Here are 10 persuasive speech topics:

• The importance of recycling and reducing waste to protect the environment
• The benefits of meditation and mindfulness for mental health and well-being
• The need for stricter gun control laws to reduce gun violence
• The importance of early childhood education for future success
• The benefits of a plant-based diet for health and the environment
• The need to address income inequality through progressive taxation
• The importance of access to affordable healthcare for all individuals
• The need for comprehensive sex education in schools
• The benefits of renewable energy sources for a sustainable future
• The need for increased support for mental health resources and services

Public speaking is not always an easy task. Whether you are presenting a persuasive or informative speech, it can be difficult to keep your audience interested and engaged. In order to do this, it is essential to choose the appropriate public speaking topics. The fifty-plus interesting public speakings topics suggested in this article can provide plenty of inspiration and help you deliver a powerful message to your audience. Whether you take a light-hearted approach or focus on a more serious subject matter, picking the right public speaking topics can make all the difference. Larger philosophical questions may prove intimidating and impractical as public speaking topics, while trivial conversation starters may bore your audience before they even start listening. To get the most out of your speeches, it is important to pick a topic that walks the line between engaging your listeners without making them uncomfortable or unsure of how to respond. It is also imperative that you develop solid argumentation and presentation skills if you want to succeed in public speaking. An entertaining speech must still provide solid facts and evidence while at the same time grabbing the attention of your listeners. A good balance between interesting content and persuasive rhetoric should help make any speech successful.

Responses to Frequently Asked Questions

What are some creative public speaking topics.

Creative public speaking topics can range from the exploration of current trends, to unique takes on traditional topics. For example, if discussing the current state of education, one could focus on the trend of more expensive tuition for higher education and dive into the implications this has for students and the job market, or discuss emergent strategies for providing greater access to educational opportunities in economically disadvantaged areas. Additionally, one could explore the current technology landscape and how it will shape future generations, or investigate developments in artificial intelligence that are redefining our understanding of what “intelligence” means. One could also take a more artful approach to public speaking and open up a dialogue about the power of creativity in solving problems or elicit discussion around empathy as a form of communication. Ultimately, creative public speaking topics are limited only by creative thought and provide an exciting opportunity for speakers to present inspiring ideas in entertaining ways.

What are some tips for choosing public speaking topics?

Some tips for choosing public speaking topics include: 1. Choose topics that are relevant to your audience. Make sure the topic is of interest to them and will keep their attention. 2. Research the topic thoroughly before speaking. Knowing the subject matter well will make it easier to engage your audience. 3. Select a topic that is both challenging and interesting. While choosing a subject that people might be familiar with can be safe, make sure it is still engaging and stimulating. 4. Avoid topics that are too controversial or sensitive. Refrain from such topics as they could lead to arguments or displeasing reactions amongst the audience members. 5. Expand on popular material but don’t plagiarize other speakers’ ideas. People like new concepts and appreciate hearing new information so challenge yourself to come up with something original!

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Persuasive Speech Topics: The Best 150 Ideas

Plus, a step-by-step guide for writing and delivering your speech.

Persuasive speech topics can inspire an audience and influence change in your community, town, or city. Whether you are giving a presentation at a large conference or converting a college essay into a speech to be given at your high school's auditorium, delivering a persuasive speech is not an easy task. We are here to guide you through this difficult process and provide you with 150 persuasive speech topics that can help you prepare your own inspirational presentation.

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Article Contents 13 min read

The art of persuasion.

The art of oratory is one of the oldest and most compelling persuasion tactics in human history. The power of speech has been used for centuries by men and women to negotiate peace, start revolutions, and inspire generations. At the source of change, we often witness a great speaker or speech that affected people’s worldviews. King Solomon, Socrates, Cicero, Elizabeth I, Napoleon, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, were all powerful speakers who changed the course of human history.  

Luckily, not every persuasive speech happens on such a grand scale. You do not have to become Napoleon to change the lives of people who hear what you have to say. You might have experienced this yourself – perhaps you have had a teacher who instilled in you a great passion for the study of physics during his lectures? Or you happened to attend a political, grassroots gathering where you heard a speech that changed your attitude towards homelessness or poverty. Or maybe your classmate's presentation revealed something about a novel you were reading in class that made you reflect on your own life and the people in it.

The power of a speech lies in your conviction and delivery of the topic you choose to discuss. A persuasive speech topic can be anything you are passionate about. Yes, it is true; whether you want to discuss the repercussions of the Cuban Revolution or analyze the power of K-pop in popular culture, it is up to you to enthrall the audience with your topic. The key to any successful speech is your confidence and enthusiasm. So, let’s start by examining what makes a speech persuasive.

To deliver a speech takes a lot of guts – not everybody is comfortable with public speaking. But to deliver a good speech takes conviction. Think of it like this: you must believe in the importance of your speech topic to discuss it. This must be something you care about and believe in; otherwise, your topic must be something that drives your curiosity, and you believe that it must be examined further.

Conviction stirs your desire to share this topic with others – you are convinced that other people will similarly find this topic fascinating! Whether it is the importance of recycling or bike lanes, the conviction is what will become the backbone of a successful and persuasive topic choice, as well as drive your desire to give a speech in the first place.

With conviction comes passion. These two elements of a successful speech are intimately intertwined. If you believe in the importance of something, you will be passionate about sharing it with the public.

If we look at some of the most famous speeches in human history, you will notice that conviction and passion are the driving force that makes these speeches legendary. Whether it's Cicero's defense of the Republic in the Roman Senate or Martin Luther King's speech in the defense of civil rights almost two millennia later, both these speakers believed in the importance of their convictions and were passionate about sharing their beliefs. In these cases, even despite the threats of death.

Unbiased Expertise

Conviction and passion should also drive your need to know everything there is to know about your topic. To give a persuasive speech, you must not only show confidence and excitement but demonstrate that you are an expert in the topic of your choice. Granted, if you are a high school student or an undergraduate who's been assigned to deliver a speech in less than 2 weeks, you are not going to become a world-renowned expert in your subject matter. However, as I pointed out, your speech topic should be something you are already passionate about, so you must have done some research and have some knowledge of your topic.

A persuasive speech should be based on facts. It should deliver arguments and counterarguments to show many sides of the issue you choose to discuss. For example, if you choose to discuss the importance of bike lanes, you can present several arguments in support of creating more bike lanes in your town or city, such as safety, decrease in traffic, environmental benefits, etc. However, make sure to include arguments that also show the other side of the issue, such as having to close down several major streets in your city to reconstruct the roads to fit in the new bike lanes and the side-effects of construction for businesses. Presenting both sides of the issue will show your comprehensive knowledge of the topic and demonstrate your professionalism.

Using the bike lanes topic as an example, I want to emphasize that showing unbiased research and knowledge of your topic can win the audience’s favor. You can, and should, still have your own opinion on the matter and defend your conviction in the speech but presenting the audience with both sides of the story is a tactic that will make them trust you.

Additionally, knowing both sides of the coin shows that you have come to your conviction after long and thorough research. You are not just presenting an uneducated opinion.

Taking care of the substance of your speech is the first step. While learning how to properly deliver your speech may seem less important, even the most well-researched and factually based speech will seem weak if the orator does not engage the public.

Though they certainly help your confidence, conviction and passion do not always result in strong delivery. This is understandable since public speaking is not everyone’s forte. While you may be animated and absorbing when you speak of your topic with friends, gripping an audience full of strangers is different.

There are three potential goals of any persuasive speech:

To familiarize your audience with a topic they have never considered before and inspire them to research it on their own. "}]" code="timeline1">

When you think about it, these objectives are pretty ambitious. Delivery plays a huge part in achieving these goals. It will be hard to move your audience to pursue any of these goals without clear articulation, professionalism, and charisma.

Strong delivery can be developed. Yes, there are those to whom oratory skills come more naturally, but this is rather an exception than the rule. Many successful orators were terrified of public speaking but worked hard to overcome their fears. A good example of this is King George VI of England. Before taking the throne in 1936, he was already an infamously bad speaker. The King trained to keep his speech impediment and nerves at bay once he was crowned and delivered one of the most inspiring speeches against Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich at the beginning of World War II.

Now that you know what makes a speech topic persuasive, let's go over a step-by-step formula that will help you choose the right topic for you. 

• Brainstorm where your convictions lie and what you are passionate about. You must reflect on what interests, hobbies, news, events, individuals, and activities of yours could be developed into a persuasive, strong narrative. 
• Narrow these down to 2 or 3 topics that are particularly important or riveting to you. 
• Now comes the practical side of the brainstorming process: take a moment to think whether preparing a comprehensive and compelling speech on this topic is feasible in the amount of time you have available. Consider the following questions: Are the topics of your choice well researched by you? Do you know these topics well? If you are not well-versed in the topic of your choice, do you have enough time to do research to present a comprehensive and complete narrative? Do you have enough time to form a well-developed stance about this topic? A thesis? Will you be able to cover several sides of this topic in the amount of time you have available?
• If you have answered “No” to these questions regarding each of the topics you had in mind, you must go back to the drawing board. 
• If you have come up with a topic that results in a positive response to all the questions mentioned in step 3, you might have found the winner.
• Start by developing a thesis, i.e., the main message of your speech. Without a thesis, you will not have a strong speech. 
• Develop arguments that endorse your thesis and support them with facts. Remember, a strong speech must be based on facts, rather than opinions and unsubstantiated statements.
• Research counterarguments to your thesis. While you may not personally support these, you must present a well-rounded picture of the issue you are discussing. 
• You can finish off your speech by responding to the counterarguments in a way that reinforces your thesis. Don't forget to re-emphasize your main message in the closing paragraphs of your speech.

Know your audience

It is always a good idea to know who your audience is. Whether you are giving a speech in your high school, or traveling to attend an undergraduate conference, reflect on who will be listening to your speech. Before you sit down to write it, consider whether you can give yourself the freedom to use technical language, jargon, or make inside jokes on the matter. In general, I would advise you to avoid overly technical or niche language. It is never a good tactic for making a persuasive speech – this might alienate a large part of your audience.

However, if you are delivering a speech to a like-minded audience, you may use "industry lingo". For example, if you are delivering a speech at a video game convention, it is likely that many, if not most, attendees will be familiar with the terms and vocabulary you use. You will be able to strengthen your speech by using language that unites you with your audience. In this case, you are encouraged to engage the public by making inside jokes, using niche terminology, and creating a relatable experience with your speech.

Knowing your audience will allow you to develop a language for your speech. It will also allow you to gauge how deep you can delve into the topic of your choice. For example, if you are a young physics aficionado who is giving a lecture on black holes to your sophomore classmates, you might want to consider the fact that many of them have never studied physics in depth. This may help you shape your speech into something accessible and interesting for others.

If you are unsure about who your audience might be, try researching it. It is always good practice to know whom you will be addressing. Not only will it help you prepare the speech, but it will also ease your anxiety about the day of your speech delivery.

Hook the audience

Your opening sentences can hook the audience and guarantee their attention. While it will be the substance of your speech that keeps them listening to you, the opening must be captivating for your speech to have a chance for success.

So, what do I mean by hooking the audience with your opening? For example, you can state a shocking statistic about your topic. It will be especially impactful if it is related to your audience’s experiences, geographical area, community, or hot-topic issue. Here’s an example for an opening sentence for a speech about the importance of bike lanes:

“Last year, the city of Toronto recorded 715 serious accidents involving cyclists, with over 5% of these accidents resulting in a fatality."

Now, if I was living in Toronto, I would be surprised to hear such information; especially, if I have never thought about this before. I am saddened by this statistic and would like to learn how we can help prevent these accidents.

Let’s examine another opening. This time, we will consider a speech topic involving a historical event. For example, if you are captivated by the mystery of Princess Anastasia of the Russian royal family, the House of Romanov, you might start your speech thusly:

“The question of whether the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova survived the brutal execution of her entire family by the Bolsheviks is one of the greatest mysteries of the 20th century.”

This sentence performs several tasks:

The opening sentence is your chance to establish yourself as the expert! You will seem like the authority on this topic, especially if you can pronounce the Princess's name without mistakes. "}]" code="timeline2">

Coming up with a strong opening sentence is not easy, but very worthwhile for delivering a persuasive speech. If you are having trouble finding the right opening sentence, you do not need to wait to start writing your speech. If you are stuck, move on to the main body of your speech and return to creating a captivating opening later.

To be persuasive, your speech must have a thesis. A thesis is the main argument you are trying to convince your audience of, or simply put, the purpose of you giving the speech. Without a thesis, your speech will be aimless, chaotic, and most likely, unengaging.

And while you can write your introduction after the main body of your speech is ready, you cannot write your speech without a thesis. It will be the landmark, the leading light, of your speech. Everything you say and every fact and argument you include in your essay must support your thesis. Certainly, you will be able to bring up alternative points of view later in the speech, but as we already discussed, your objective is to persuade the audience that your thesis is the correct one.

Let’s return to our bike lanes example. If you are a proponent of bike lanes, your thesis should be more than “Bike lanes are good”. While this can be considered a thesis, it is pretty thin. Instead, find a way to make your thesis compelling, include a supporting statistic, or a benefit of having bike lanes. For example: 

“Having more bike lanes in our city will not only reduce traffic by X% but also allow our city to be at the forefront of the environmentally friendly initiatives happening all over our country.” 

This thesis is clear and introduces the audience to some of the main points of the speech. The listeners get a concise prelude to what the speech is about and what it stands for.

Research and Arguments

Research is always conducted before you sit down to write. While you may have some general knowledge about your topic, remember that you are trying to be as persuasive as you possibly can be. This means that you need the latest statistics, the most up-to-date information, and the strongest support from experts in the field. 

Tip: keep in mind your thesis as you are writing. All your arguments and facts must be in support of the main purpose of your essay. While you should present alternative points of view in your speech to make it well-rounded and unbiased, a strong speech must contain arguments that make it clear that your thesis is the correct one.

Concluding your speech has a twofold purpose. In addition to persuading the audience of your thesis, you must complete your narrative. Give the audience some closure about the topic. On the other hand, you must leave them even more interested in learning about your research. In other words, they must be compelled to explore on their own.

Tip: your conclusion cannot be a dry summary of your thesis and arguments. While you must restate your thesis in the conclusion, you are strongly encouraged to incite an emotional response from your audience. For example:

“More bike lanes will alleviate the heavy traffic and relieve our city from car fumes and soot. It is our responsibility to start making our city more eco-friendly. These small steps will inspire even more initiatives across our hometown and lead to a brighter, greener, future."

In this example, the audience is not only reminded of the main purpose of the speech but is also encouraged to think of other green initiatives that can help their town. The author does a good job of invoking responsibility for the future to encourage their audience to act. 

Want to learn how to choose persuasive speech topics? Check out our infographic:

Now, let’s go over 150 persuasive speech topics that can inspire your own essay and presentation! Note that these are questions that should help you form ideas, arguments, and most importantly, theses. Rather than giving you the thesis upfront, we are encouraging you to come up with your own opinion and answers to these questions.

Your speech should be between 15 to 20 minutes long. Anything longer may lose your audience's attention. If applicable, don't forget to factor in some time after your presentation for questions from the audience.

The best way to approach the choice of topic is to reflect on your convictions and passions. If you are truly interested in a topic, your excitement will be felt by the audience.

Of course, you must be interested in your topic, first and foremost. Secondly, your speech must demonstrate a level of expertise and knowledge that will allow the audience to believe that you know what you are talking about. Thirdly, your delivery will have a great effect on whether you succeed in persuading the audience. Even a well-researched speech will suffer from poor delivery.

Firstly, only practice can really help you improve. Once you have written your speech, read it over several times. Do not memorize it, but rather, remember the structure, the flow of your arguments, your main points. Then start practicing pronouncing your entire speech in front of the mirror. Do this until you are quite confident with the content of the essay. Then, you can start practicing with family members, your friends, and classmates. Ask for their feedback: can they hear you well? Are you being articulate? Does your speech have a logical flow? Did they understand your thesis? Their feedback can help you modify not only your content, but also your presentation.

Your speech should take the form of an academic essay: introduction, main body, and conclusion.

Your speech must have a thesis, otherwise it will be meandering and pointless. A thesis will guide you and keep your essay/presentation well-structured. A thesis is what you will be arguing for (or against, if it's a negatively stated thesis) throughout your speech. And while you can include some alternative points of view in your speech, your thesis will inform every argument you make in the speech.

Typically, you should avoid using overly technical language. Even if you are presenting at a professional conference in front of peers, there is a chance that some of your audience will be unfamiliar with the professional terminology. To be inclusive, you should avoid niche language.

To be frank, there is no such thing. You can make a great speech on any topic of your choosing! Your research, your delivery, and your passion will determine whether your speech is successful.

Acknowledging opposing views and presence of debate will demonstrate your thorough knowledge of the topic. Additionally, you will demonstrate that you came to your conclusion/thesis after researching the topic, rather than simply forming an uneducated opinion.

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English Speech Topics for Students

• Updated on  
• Apr 2, 2024

Writing an exciting and thoughtful speech requires selecting a good topic, researching it thoroughly, and forming individual opinions to express the same. School students are usually asked to speak on a contemporary topic to help them become good public speakers as well as learn the art of expressing oneself in front of an audience. While many speech competitions often allot topics beforehand, you might also have heard of extempore where topics are given on the spot for speech. This blog brings you a list of common English speech topics as well as some helpful tips and tricks that can assist you in effectively expressing your thoughts and opinions in front of an audience. Let’s begin!

Checkout our 200+ Essay Topics for Students in English

This Blog Includes:

List of best english speech topics for students, 1-minute speech topics, 2-minute speech topics, 3-minute speech topics, easy topics for speech in english, english speech topics on environment, english speech topics on technology, english speech topics on independence day, english speech topics on diwali, english speech topics on corruption, english speech topics on feminism, english speech topics on mother’s day, english speaking topics on capitalism, engish speech topics on gandhi jayanti, english speech topics on reading, english speech topics on communism, english speech topics on deforestation, english speech topics on social issues, english speech topics on important days & events, english speech topics on greatest leaders in india & around the world, english speech topics on indian culture, english speech topics on proverbs, english speech topics on human rights, english speech topics on education, english speech topics on the importance of water, miscellaneous speech topics, types of persuasive speech topics, tips for writing and speaking a speech.

Speeches are all about one’s thoughts. It should not be copied from somewhere. It is all about what the speaker thinks of any given topic. However, take a look at the following list of English Speech Topics on different contemporary issues as well as concepts.

• The Best Day of My Life
• Social Media: Bane or Boon?
• Pros and Cons of Online Learning
• Benefits of Yoga
• If I had a Superpower
• I wish I were ______
• Human Rights
• Environment Conservation
• Women Should Rule the World!
• The Best Lesson I Have Learned
• Paperbacks vs E-books
• How to Tackle a Bad Habit
• My Favorite Pastime/Hobby
• Why should every citizen vote?
• Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): Is it real or not?
• Importance of Reading
• Importance of Books in Our Life
• My Favorite Fictional Character
• Introverts vs Extroverts
• Lessons to Learn from Sports
• Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Quick Read: English Speaking Books

Quick Read: Essay on Peer Pressure

Quick Read: Essay on Health and Fitness for Students

• I mportance of Kindness
• Is there Value in Homework?
• Things I learned in Lockdown
• How can food be recycled?
• Should Art be a part of the school curriculum?
• Should schools teach sign language?
• Women make better presidents/prime ministers
• Why books are better than movies?
• Life was better when technology was simple
• Impact of technology on our health
• Should children’s reality shows be banned?
• Learning in the Wake of COVID-19
• Hard Work vs Smart Work
• What Makes Learning Fun?
• The Coolest Inventions You’ve Seen
• Nuclear Energy
• Importance of AI in Education
• Importance of Extracurricular Activities
• Should exams be banned?
• How to Tackle Bullying in Schools?

• Speech about dreams
• Speech about life
• Speech on time
• Speech on discipline
• Speech on happiness
• Speech on kindness
• Speech on value of time
• Speech on health and fitness
• Speech on Doctor
• Speech on Nurse
• Graduation Day Speech
• World Health Day Speech
• Sex Education Speech
• Importance of Education
• Is it beneficial to learn a Second Language?
• Music has healing power
• Success in life
• Self Confidence
• 18th birthday
• Love is more powerful than hate
• Social Impact of Covid-19
• How can Online Learning be Fun?
• Make Public Transport Free
• Should violent video games be banned?
• Speech on Learning

Exploring English Speech Topics? You must also take a look at Extempore Topics !

• Climate Change
• Ozone Layer Depletion
• Reducing Water Levels
• Deforestation
• Global Warming
• Waste Management
• Water-Saving Techniques
• Reducing the Green Cover of Earth
• Endangered species need protection
• Importance of fishing regulations
• Importance of investing in alternative fuels
• Impact of ocean acidification on marine organisms
• The misuse of the term “sustainable development” by environmentalists
• Microbial benefits
• E-Waste Management
• Natural Disasters and their impact on economic growth
• Energy alternatives – Only solution to the environmental damage
• Extinction of rare species
• World Environment Day
• Disaster Management
• Over and Improper Use of Natural Resources
• Air, Water and Soil Pollution
• Efficiency of Recycling

Also Read: How to Write Dialogue: Format, Tips and Examples

• Technology and Mental Health
• Privacy in the Digital Age: Navigating the Challenges of Data Collection and Surveillance
• The Impact of Technology on Society
• Artificial Intelligence: The New Normal
• The Role of Social Media in Communication and Social Interactions
• Sustainable Technology: Innovations for a Greener Future
• The Rise of E-commerce
• Gaming Technology: Entertainment, ESports and Interactive Experiences
• The Digital Divide: Bridging the Gap for Equal Access to Technology
• The Ethical Dilemmas of Emerging Technologies

Also Read: English Vocabulary: Meaning, Types, Tips to Improve

• The Journey of Independence Day
• The Significance of Independence Day
• Indian Independence Day
• Remembering the Founding Fathers
• The Spirit of Independence
• Independence Day and Volunteering
• Independence Day Speeches
• India’s Road to Freedom
• Independence Day and National Identity
• Independence Day in the Digital Age
• Independence Day and Women’s Empowerment
• Diwali: The Festival of Lights and Its Significance in Hindu Culture
• Diwali and the Victory of Good Over Evil
• Diwali and the Art of Giving
• Diwali and the Spirit of Forgiveness
• Diwali and Cultural Exchanges
• Diwali and the Essence of Joy
• Diwali and Social Responsibility
• Diwali and Artistic Expressions
• The Rituals and Traditions of Diwali
• Diwali and the Symbolism of Light
• The Economic Consequence of Corruption
• Corruption and International Aid
• Media and Corruption
• Fighting Corruption
• Corruption in Politics
• The Role of Transparency and Accountability in Curbing Corruption
• The Role of Technology in Combating Corruption
• Whistleblowing and Protecting Mechanism
• Corruption in Business and Corporate Practices
• Understanding Feminism
• The Future of Feminism
• Feminism and Parenting
• Feminism and Online Activism
• Feminism and Environmental Activism
• Feminism and Reproductive Rights
• The Gender Pay Gap: Examining Inequalities in the Workplace
• Feminism and its Evolution
• Feminism and Body Positivity
• Feminism and Media Representation: Encouraging Authentic and Diverse Portrayals of Women
• Expressing Gratitude and Love to Mothers
• The Influence of Mothers in Shaping Our Values and Beliefs
• Motherhood and Education
• Mother’s Day and Volunteerism
• Mother-Daughter Relationship
• The Role of Mothers in Shaping Society
• Mother’s Day Crafts and DIY Gifts
• Learned Lessons from Mothers
• Mother’s Day Around the World: Cultural Traditions and Celebrations
• Capitalism: An Introduction to the Economic System and its Principles
• The Future of Capitalism
• Pros and Cons of Capitalism
• Capitalism and Globalisation
• Capitalism and Consumerism
• Capitalism and Financial Crisis: Undertaking the Risk and Mitigation Measures
• Capitalism and Environmental Sustainability
• Capitalism and the Role of Government
• Corporate Social Responsibility in Capitalism
• Capitalism and the Digital Economy
• Mahatma Gandhi: The Father of the Nation and His Ideals
• Remembering Gandhi: Reflecting On His Life and Legacy
• Gandhi’s Influence on the Indian Independence Movement
• Satyagraha: The Power of Truth and Nonviolent Resistance
• Gandhi’s Philosophy of Swaraj
• The Role of Women in Gandhi’s Freedom Struggle
• Gandhi’s Teaching on Education and Moral Values
• Gandhi’s Lasting Legacy
• Gandhi’s Vision for a Just and Inclusive Society
• The Relevance of Gandhi’s Principles in Today’s World
• The Influence of Reading on Emotional Intelligence and Empathy
• Reading and Mental Health
• Benefits of Reading
• Reading and Empowerment
• The Role of Reading in Academic Success and Lifelong Learning
• Promoting a Reading Culture: Encouraging Reading Habits in Society
• Reading Biographies and Memoirs
• Reading and Social Connections
• The Joy of Reading: Escaping Into the Different Worlds and Characters
• Reading and Personal Identity
• The Current State of Communism
• Communism: An Introduction to the Ideology and Its Historical Context
• The Evolution of Communist Movements
• The Role of the State in a Communist Society
• The Fall of Communist Regimes
• Communism and Religious Freedom
• Communism and Gender Equality
• Communism and Workers’ Rights
• The Criticisms of Communism
• Deforestation: Causes, Consequences and Global Impact
• Deforestation and Climate Change
• Deforestation and Carbon Sequestration
• Deforestation and Individual Actions
• Deforestation and Wildlife Trafficking
• Deforestation and Sustainable Development
• Deforestation and Indigenous Communities
• Deforestation and Biodiversity Loss
• Deforestation and Forest Fires
• The Importance of Forests

Quick Read: Speech on Nuclear Energy

• Women Empowerment
• Education of Girl Child
• Unemployment
• Casteism 
• Reservation
• Importance of Maintaining Hygiene
• Child Labour
• Social Distancing
• Organ Donation
• Importance of the Right to Education
• Child Trafficking
• Cultural Diversity
• Struggles of Immigrants
• Impact of Globalisation
• Adult education
• Independence Day
• Mother’s Day
• World Cancer Day
• World Population Day
• World Health Day
• Ambedkar Jayanti
• Gandhi Jayanti
• Human Rights Day
• Zero Discrimination Day
• Women’s Day
• Thanksgiving
• Anti-Terrorism Day
• Hindi Diwas 

Check out this list of all the important national and international days in 202 4 !

• Mahatma Gandhi
• Jawaharlal Nehru
• Raja Rammohan Roy
• George Washington
• Albert Einstein
• APJ Abdul Kalam
• Nelson Mandela
• Kailash Satyarthi
• Diversity in India
• Speech on Holi
• The Role of Yoga and Meditation in Indian Culture and Its Global Impact
• The Importance of Traditional Indian Clothing
• Indian Folklore
• Indian Festivals
• The Art of Indian Dance
• Traditional Indian Medicine (Ayurveda)
• Indian Epics and Mythology
• Social Customs and Etiquettes in Indian Society
• Indian Sports and Games

Also Read: Speech on Indian Culture

• Honesty is the best policy
• When there’s a will, there is a way
• Actions speak louder than words
• Knowledge is Power
• Ignorance is Bliss
• Don’t judge a book by its cover
• Hard work is the key to success

Explore these proverbs & their meanings through this blog on Difficult Phrases !

• The Role of International Organisations in Promoting and Protecting Human Rights
• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: A Milestone in Human History
• Gender Equality: Breaking Barriers and Empowering Women
• Ensuring a Safe and Sustainable Environment for the Next Generation
• The Right to Education: Empowering Minds
• Bridging the Gap Between the Rich and Poor
• Human Rights and Armed Conflicts
• Global Fight to Combat Human Trafficking
• Human Rights and Climate Change
• Religious Freedom: Tolerance and Coexistence in a Diverse Society

To know what to mention in such speech topics, explore the Great Personalities in the World !

• Importance of teacher in your life
• SAT scores for college application
• Student bullies should be expelled
• Consequences of cheating in exams
• Homeschooling is better than normal schooling
• Importance of value education
• Importance of sports and physical exercises
• Schools vs colleges
• What is the difference between a school, college and university in the USA?

Check Out: Synonyms List

• The Water-Energy Nexus
• The Essence of Water: Exploring the Live-giving Properties of H2O
• Water as a Driver of Economic Growth and Prosperity
• Water Security: Ensuring Equal Access and Quality for All
• Water and Agriculture
• The Role of Water in Ecosystems
• Water and Blue Economy
• Water Diplomacy: Promoting Collaboration for Transboundary Water Management
• Water and Cultural Significance: Exploring Symbolisms and Rituals
• Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH): Foundational for Human Health and Dignity
• Article 370
• Women rights
• The Constitution of India
• Youth of India
• Culture of India
• Importance of Unity
• Generation Gap
• Importance of Value Education
• Old Age Homes
• Family Values
• Leadership skills
• Rise of Smart Classes
• Grading System
• Importance of Practical Education
• Benefits of Co-Education
• Importance of Co-Curricular Activities
• The uselessness of Power-Point Presentations
• Rise of Technology
• Excessive usage of the Internet
• Speech on Fear
• Speech on Dependence on Technology
• Importance of Social Media
• Speech on India of My Dreams
• Indian Education System
• Speech on My India

While exploring persuasive English speech topics, you must make sure that they are stimulating, engaging, concise and clear. There are three main types of Persuasive Speech topics which are:

1. Factual Persuasive Speech : These topics include facts, figures and statistics to thoroughly analyse the given topic and assess whether it’s true or false.

2. Policy Persuasive Speech : Discussing policies, laws and reforms, these speech topics critically examine the advantages and disadvantages of the given policy or law and suggest the improvements that can be made.

3. Value Persuasive Speech : Mainly focusing on social or political issues, these speech topics present the critique and argument of whether certain actions are morally right or not.

While speaking on a particular topic, there are certain things that you must keep in mind to make your speech expressive and effective. Let’s take a look at some useful topics that help you in acing any topic you are speaking on.

• Always research the topic. If you are participating in an extempore, then make sure to go through the common and popular topics as well as the unconventional ones that you might get. Preparation is the key to delivering an impressive speech.
• Whether you are given a topic on the spot or you are prepared for the speech, it is always pivotal that you seem interested in speaking about it. Relate the given issues to your own life and this will help you in giving it your twist.
• Pay extra attention to your body language and enunciation. While a gesticulative approach will make you seem outward, having timid body language can cause a wrong impression.
• Ponder upon the different viewpoints on a topic . Try to present a holistic view of the given topic but don’t forget to present your opinion on it as well. Along with this, don’t try to take sides unless the topic demands you to.
• Involve your audience, if possible. This way, you will be able to interact with the people and it will also be useful in fighting the fear of public speaking.
• Don’t mug up a speech. It becomes evident when someone just speaks on a topic continuously and the audience might realise that you have memorized it or you might forget a certain part which will let the whole speech fade away from your brain.
• Instead, make notes about the topic in your mind, remember certain keywords and try to maintain a particular flow in your speech.
• Incorporate humour in your speech in a way that you do not offend anyone or overdo it but get a positive reaction from the audience. Humour is a great way of lightening the mood as well as ensuring the whole speech is interactive and engaging.
• When you need more specialized assistance, a  US essay writing service  can be a valuable resource for crafting your speech.

While preparing for English Speech topics, you must also check out IELTS Speaking Topics !

Juvenile delinquency is acceptable. Prostitution should be legal. Underage driving should be punishable by law. Beauty pageants for children should be banned. Prisoner’s right to vote. Voting rights should not be universal. Guns should be banned from college campuses.

A three-minute speech is undoubtedly a wonderful starting point for public speaking. This is because you need to communicate with your audience more effectively when you just have a short amount of time. In addition, the speech ought to be concise, pertinent, and clear.

Life is the gift of God in the form of trust that we will make it meaningful in whatever we can. We are all unique individuals. No one is born like you and no one will ever be, so cherish your individuality. Many times, I come across people accusing God of things that they don’t have. They always cursing their lives.

 2-minute speeches are  short and crisp speeches of about 260-350 words .

Related Reads

Thus, we hope that this list helps you in preparing for different English speech topics. Gearing up for IELTS ? Sign up for an online demo session with our experts at Leverage Edu and we will assist you in preparing for its different sections as well as improving your reading, listening, speaking and writing skills to ensure that you ace the exam with flying colours!

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14 comments

I take english speaking classes, please provide me sone more material to help student’s.

Here are some articles on books and study material that will help your students- https://leverageedu.com/blog/english-speaking-books/ https://leverageedu.com/blog/books-by-charles-dickens/ https://leverageedu.com/blog/best-books-by-george-orwell/

I want topic on students and online classes

It is helpful for my school homework thanks 😸

Glad we could help!

Nice advise 👍

Thank you, Pragya!

Not good topics 🤔🤔

Thanks for the suggestion. We will update the blog!

Helpful for students . So I like it

Thanks for reading! Also, read: Daily Used English Words Speech on Importance of English Reach us at 1800 57 2000 for study-abroad related matters!

You people are giving great contribution in internet learning and it is for all….

Hi, thank you for your valuable feedback.

Awesome! Its really awesome article, I have got much clear idea concerning from this post.

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International Edition

'A good speech': Biden praises Schumer's blistering criticism of Netanayhu

WASHINGTON ― President Joe Biden on Friday praised a speech by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in which the New York Democrat called for Israel to hold elections to replace Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu five months into Israel's war with Hamas.

Biden told reporters that Schumer contacted senior White House staff in advance that he planned to deliver Thursday's speech, in which Schumer from the Senate floor blasted Netanyahu as an obstacle to peace in the Middle East, saying he has "lost his way" by putting "political survival" ahead of the best interests of Israel.

"I'm not going to elaborate on the speech," Biden said. "He made a good speech, and I think he expressed serious concern shared not only by him, but by many Americans."

Schumer, a close ally of Biden and the highest-ranking elected Jewish official in U.S. history, said Thursday that "it has become clear to me: The Netanyahu coalition no longer fits the needs of Israel after Oct. 7."

“Nobody expects Prime Minister Netanyahu to do the things that must be done to break the cycle of violence, preserve Israel’s credibility on the world stage and work toward a two-state solution," Schumer said.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

Schumer called a new election in Israel "the only way to allow for a healthy and open decision-making process about the future of Israel."

The White House stopped short of endorsing Schumer's push for new elections in Israel. John Kirby, the White House's spokesman for the National Security Council, said, "That's going to be up for the Israeli people to decide," when asked whether Biden supports new elections to replace Netanyahu.

Kirby said Biden was speaking to "the passion with which Leader Schumer made that speech," adding that Biden knows Schumer's remarks "resonate with many Americans."

"For our part, we're going to keep supporting Israel in their fight against Hamas," Kirby said, declining to elaborate further on Biden's views on Schumer's position. "I'll leave it at the president's comments."

The Biden administration has become increasingly at odds with Netanyahu over Israel's refusal to scale back the war in Gaza and its efforts to get humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians. Biden has faced increasing pressure from progressives and Arab-Americans for his unwavering support of Israel in the months since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

Netanyahu has refused Biden's demand for a two-state solution to the Middle East crisis and has pledged to continue the war in Gaza until Hamas is crushed.

Last week, top White House officials including Vice President Kamala Harris met with Benny Gantz, a member of Israel’s wartime Cabinet and a centrist political rival of Netanyahu, who did not authorize Gantz's trip to Washington. Gantz is widely considered to be Netanyahu's most likely election opponent.

After Biden's State of the Union address last week, Biden was caught on a hot microphone saying he's going to need a "come to Jesus meeting" with Netanyahu.

Reach Joey Garrison on X, formerly Twitter, @Joeygarrison.

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Interesting speech topics for students

180 unique speech topic ideas from 5 broad areas

By:  Susan Dugdale  | Last modified: 09-07-2022

What are the most interesting and unique speech topics for students? Or for yourself? How, and where do you find them?

Let's answer those questions, and more.

On this page you'll find:

Return to Top

So what are the best GOOD original speech ideas?

3 essential elements of interesting speeches.

Interesting speech topics become that way because they fulfill three essential requirements:

• your personal enthusiasm for the subject, (You love the topic and want to find out more about it.),
• the subject's appeal or relevance to your audience, and,
• the twist, angle, or perspective you bring to it.

If the subject you choose ticks off all three your speech is much more likely to be interesting for yourself and everybody listening.

Put your spin on these interesting speech topics

The five topic areas below are broad. I have suggested some potentially good speech ideas in each of them. You'll find those under the area's introductory overview.

Use my suggestions as a beginning point: a trigger to get  your own creative juices going. With luck you'll find exactly the topic you need to inspire you. (I sincerely hope so!)

Social media themed topics

Online social media like Facebook (recently re-branded as Meta Platforms), Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Whatsapp, and Tik Tok have been with us a comparatively short time. Yet their growth has been astronomical!

Facebook, the first of them, made its public debut in 2004, 17 years ago, and according to its Wikipedia page , has 2.85 billion monthly active users, as of 31 March 2021 .  Its use as a vehicle to reach people all over the world is extraordinary. The power and influence Facebook users have been able to exert is unparalleled. As a society we've never seen this before.

Twitter, Pinterest,  Instagram,  Whatsapp and Tik Tok although newer players share, to a lesser degree, similar capacities.

Older electronic media, TV and radio, couldn't reach into the personal private lives in the same intimate one to one, person to person way. Neither could print.

What do these changes mean for society?  What will happen to old-fashioned face-to-face communication skills?

Look over these topics carefully. What aspects of them you'd find interesting to explore?

Our increasing reliance on varying forms of online communication is new and our scientists, psychologists, and doctors are only beginning to understand its impact on our behavior.

50 interesting social media speech topics

• Social media kills face to face conversation skills.
• Texting is necessary for social survival.
• An online friend can be just as real as an offline one.
• Social media breaks down real-time relationships.
• How did people build and maintain networks BEFORE  social media?
• What is the real value of social media? Three points.
• How to avoid being cyber bullied.
• Rules for forming online friendships.
• Spelling skills are dead. Long live txt speak!
• What will be the next major social media development?
• Rules for using social media responsibly.
• Publicly "liking" or "not liking" a person's posts can cause anxiety.
• What is real news and what is false? How do you know?
• Three excellent community building uses of social media.
• Social media is addictive.
• Social media encourages and supports racialism.
• Social media companies are not responsible for how people use them.
• Social media dissolves social, economic and cultural barriers.
• How private is personal information on social media?
• Fake personas and social media.
• There is not enough fact checking on social media.
• It is too easy to post without thinking on social media.
• There is too much content on social media. It overwhelms.
• What is the impact of social media on business?
• Having an opinion does not make a person an expert.
• Social media makes it easy to help someone immediately.
• Social media brings people with similar interests together.
• Social media encourages the need for instant gratification.
• Some social media challenges should never be accepted.
• There should be an user age limit on social media platforms.
• Getting news from social media is unreliable.
• Censorship is impossible on social media.
• How do politicians use social media?
• What is a social media echo chamber?
• How can social media undermine democracy?
• Social media can be, and is, used for mass surveillance.
• Social media can be a time waster.
• Social media makes people dissatisfied with their lives.
• The rise of cancel culture: what it is, how it works.
• Why people share things they shouldn't.
• How using emoticons is replacing using words.
• How social media is used in hiring and firing people.
• How social media stunts personal creativity.
• How social media allows a person to find their voice.
• Using social media improves fine motor skills.
• How social media is used in peer-support programs.
• Should social media companies be held accountable? 
• What is the impact of not being social media?
• How to become an influencer.
• Outline the main differences between two or three social media platforms.

Visiting yesterday: historical speech topics

The importance of history is frequently debated. Those against digging around in their own or anybody else's past often use the saying "Life is best lived looking forward" to explain their stance.

What they want to avoid is becoming stuck in history, bogged down by old traditions or beliefs that inhibit a person in some way. "That was then, this is now", they say.

Crimes against humanity: ethnic cleansing, genocide, state sanctioned terrorism, racial discrimination, and religious persecution are all examples of attitudes and events people often want to leave in the past.

The main reason for that is because untangling them, acknowledging and accepting responsibility where required, and finding an equitable way to move forward can be exceedingly difficult for all concerned.

And yet, if we don't examine and learn from the past, surely we'll do similar things over and over again.

Those who believe that understanding and knowing our history is important say, to use the words of Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, that "Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."

They argue that to know who we are, what we are doing, where we are going, and how our actions may impact on other people, other communities, countries, or the world, we need to thoroughly understand our past. That means looking carefully at the lives and times of our ancestors. 

I believe understanding our "yesterdays" helps us build better "todays" - richer futures for everyone. 

Attitudes change and as they do, so too does what society accepts as "normal". 

A brief shorts story

To illustrate here's a simple and these days, non-controversial example.

Something as ordinary as a woman wearing shorts was quite extraordinary in the 1940s and 50s. Women who wore them were considered fast: very unladylike.

And some American city councils actually went so far as to ban women from wearing them in public.

The  United States Golf Association went further. They decreed neither men nor women could wear them while participating in tournaments: a rule that remained until the 1980s.

(In my family, my  Grandmother was forbidden to leave the house in them.)

Can you imagine what life would be like for women if we'd held on to that? 

Today we have moved on. A woman wearing a pair of shorts is no longer a disgrace or committing a crime. *

(Click this National Public Radio link  When wearing shorts was taboo  to find out more. It's a fascinating peek into the past.)

* I am fortunate to live in a country where women are free to wear what they choose. However there are many places in the world where they are not.

This 2020 study from Washington Pew Research Center is interesting reading:  Women in many countries face harassment for clothing deemed too religious – or too secular .

Family focused and community speech topics

The topics here are focused around the history of family and community life.

Dive into them and you may just find them compelling - really interesting. They'll give you new insights and maybe, an appreciation, of what went before, and what you have now. 

45 interesting historical speech topics

• What Grandma/Grandpa did for fun and recreation 50 years ago.
• What Grandma/Grandpa did to earn a living when they finished their schooling.
• At the same age as I am now my parents were doing XXX and my grandparents were doing XXX (compare and contrast across 3 generations).
• Were there differences between education for boys and for girls 50 + years ago? If so, what were they? 
• Our town's history - why it was built where it is, who lived there.
• What type of jobs did men and women typically do 50+ years ago?
• The biggest manmade or natural disaster in our local history.
• Headline stories from our local newspapers 50+ years ago.
• How festivals and important events (birthdays, weddings, Christmas, Easter...) were celebrated in my family many years ago.
• Food fads or food fashions - how have they changed over the years? TV dinner anyone? What about a smoothie?
• Prepare a typical 1950s desert as a demonstration speech.
• How has food preparation changed over the last 25 years? Over the last 100 years?
• Check out the family photographs. How has clothing changed through the years? For babies? For girls? For boys? For adults?
• Ask your grandparents about what household chores they did on a regular basis. How does that compare with what you do?
• Did your grandparents get an allowance? If so, how much was it, and what did they do with it?
• What are differences between the house or apartment that your grandparents grew up in and the one you live in?
• What household items held pride of place 50+ years ago?  
• The history of my first and last name - where it came from, what it means and how it's changed over the years.
• A walk through a typical 1950s/1960s/1970s school day. Were they really "the best days of our lives"?
• How has classroom discipline changed over the last 100 years?
• How have the subjects taught in schools changed over the last 50+ years?
• What school activities and sports were common 50+ years ago? 
• Word fashion (the current slang) - what's in, what's out. Examples from bygone eras and present day.
• The origin of local place names - how places get their names, why they stick, or change.
• What jobs are no longer needed in your area because of modern technology?
• How has going shopping changed over the last 3 decades?
• Have attitudes around money and possessions changed over the last 50 + years in your community?  
• How did the area you live in cope with the 1918 Spanish Flu Epidemic? How does that compare with the current Covid Pandemic?
• What is the predominant cultural background of the community you live in?
• What languages are part of the linguistic history of your area? In what ways are they seen and heard today?
• What traditions have been passed down the generations in your family or community?
• What service organizations were active in the community 50 + years ago? What did they do? How did they help?
• What religions were practiced in your community 50 + years ago?  Has that changed? How?
• What were attitudes in your community towards people who were seen as 'different' 50 + years ago?
• What were the most common ways of meeting new people and socializing 50 + years ago in your community?
• Tell the history of an local historic building or monument. 
• What was the latest music 20/50/100 years ago?
• What were the biggest social issues 50 + years ago in your area? Have things changed?
• How have historical events directly affected your family and community?
• What were the commonest methods of transport 50 + years ago in the area. What changes have there been?
• Tell the story of a local character or hero.
• What were the major natural features of the landscape in your area before towns and cities were built?
• What were the native animals, birds, trees and other plants in the area  a long time ago? Has that changed? 
• How have people changed the local natural landscape? For better? Or for worse? 
• This day in history - a slice of major events from around the world for the date you are giving your speech.

Just plain weird: unusual speech topics

Things, natural or man-made, are often labeled weird or strange because we have never seen, considered or experienced them before. These "new" things become objects of fascination triggering responses varying from awe to disgust. Either way, "good" or "bad" weird jolts a person out their accepted ordinary/normal world, challenging them to consider something different.

Weird things, old and new, can be really interesting and stimulating!

61 weird speech topic suggestions

Quirky clothing/body adornment fashions : some very old, some much newer!

Show and tell the story behind:

• powdered wigs - why men and women wore them
• bustles - Why did women wear especially shaped padding ( bustles ) to hold out their skirts at the back?
• crinolines - Why would a woman want to wear a steel-hooped cage under her dress?
• panniers - Why did women in the 18th century broaden their skirts at the sides with panniers? 
• chopines - The first platform shoes, popular in 16th & 17th century. Were they worn to avoid the dirt in the streets or for prestige?
• lotus shoes - tiny jeweled slippers to fit the bound feet of Chinese women. Find out more: The consequence of foot binding . 
• cod pieces - a male garment originally worn to conceal and protect genitals dating from the 15th century that became something so much more  
• corsets - a garment worn by men and women to support and shape the body. In the 19th century their wide-spread use by women caused them major health issues.
• bombasts - a 16th century practice of wearing padded clothing to enhance/exaggerate the body's natural shape
• the cockade - a symbol of freedom - originally worn by French soldiers
• ruffs - a detachable collar that grew larger and more elaborate
• winkle picker shoes - Who were the men who wore them?   The history of winkle pickers 
• body piercings - the different types of piercings, and their origin
• tattoos -trace its history across cultures, its meanings, the wide spread use of tattoos, how to remove a tattoo
• statement jewelry - the history of jewelry to show status  - wedding rings, engagement rings, crowns, chains of office, the use of precious stones

Are they hoarders or collectors? Why do some people collect things like: unopened bottles of coca cola, album covers, newspapers, playing cards, cigarette packets, menus, garden ornaments, old pens, comics, paper table napkins, autographs, branded memorabilia eg. McDonalds happy toys, Barbie dolls, hair clips, salt and pepper shakers ...

Find out. Do an interview. Take some photos.

Weird beliefs - research and present one or two beliefs you find the strangest. Who believed them?  When were they believed? Where? What country? Can you explain the reason why? 

• that cigarettes were good for health
• that the earth was flat and you could fall off its edge
• that trains went so fast they literally rattled people's brains, making them insane
• that washing hands before surgery was unnecessary
• that some races and cultures are superior to others
• that eugenics (controlled breeding in humans) is an acceptable way to eliminate inheritable characteristics seen as undesirable 
• that disease was spread by smell
• that the sun was the center of the universe
• that seatbelts in cars were unnecessary
• that a woman's role in life is to make her husband happy

Very strange animals, birds, fish or insects - what are the weirdest, where do they live, what do they eat? 

Here's ten remarkable creatures to get you started.

• axolotls (Mexican Walking Fish)
• flightless cormorants
• long wattled umbrella birds
• assassin bugs
• stick insects
• shoebill storks

Weird inventions - What was it? Who invented it? When, where and why?

Some inventions are truly weird. They were when they were thought up and made, and they still are now. Others were thought weird at first but today are regarded as impossible to live without. 

Investigate any of these:

• The bicycle - It was considered a dangerous fad.
• Talkies - talking in the movies. That was thought a gimmick.
• Mono-wheeled motorbikes
• Automobiles
• The saluting device for perfect salutations
• The hug me pillow and other clever devices, like hairy stockings
• Electric lamps or light bulbs
• Personal computers
• Vaccinations

Strange sports : where are they played, when, by whom, and how. For example:

• wife carrying
• egg and cheese rolling (two separate sports)

(The oddness of a sport is often a matter of perspective. If you've never heard of it, or seen it played before, then it may seem weird to you. However to the people involved, either as participants or observers, the sport is accepted as normal, frequently without question.)  

• Fact or fiction? Choose an interesting true story to retell that seems unbelievable.
• Trivia: little bits of often useless information. Why does it fascinate? 
• Research and present little known awe inspiring facts about the functioning of our bodies. 
• Urban myths - what are they, examples, how are they spread and why are they believed?
• Weird people. Find out about famous eccentrics: people who have decided to live life on their own terms. 
• Why do records like the largest man in the world, the longest fingernails, or the greatest number of pies eaten in an hour fascinate people?
• How many other people share your name? Where are they in the world and what do they do?
• Weird coincidences - Is it fate, the super-natural at work, or is it really a series of freak coincidences? 
• Weird professions - passed and present. For example being employed as a rat catcher, chimney sweep, mud lark, lamp lighter, bicycle courier, doula, video game tester, mobile app developer 
• Weird buildings - For example, the basket building in USA,  the egg shaped office building in India, or the bubble house in France.

Trading places

Age old wisdom says there would be fewer misunderstandings and arguments if we learned to see the world from the each others perspectives. We would be less quick to judge, more tolerant and more understanding if we saw and felt how it was to walk in the shoes of another person.

Looking from a different perspective broadens and deepens our thinking.

The 5 topic suggestions below span personal through to major world events. Ask yourself, how would it be if I was there or, if this person was me? What would I think? What would I feel?

5 from another perspective speech topics 

• In XXX {insert the name of a country eg Japan, Samoa, Chile} in XXX {insert the year or century eg the 19th century} a day in the life of a person my age would be ...
• A day in my Mother's/Father's life at the same age I am now. Where did your parents live? Town or country? In a house or an apartment? How did they get to school? What did they study? What chores did they have to do daily?  
• Retell an historical event as if you were there and part of it. Choose an event you find interesting eg. the fall of the Berlin Wall, granting women the right to vote, the death of Martin Luther King ...
• Tell how a major invention or medical break-through changed lives as if you were there. Eg. the development of the smart phone, bionic prosthesis, laser surgery ...  
• If I was {insert a word of your choice - eg. homeless, physically disabled in some way - blind, deaf, reliant on a mobility scooter ...} my experience of the world would be changed. How? What issues would you face? How would you meet them?

What were the beginnings or the origins of...?

There is a story behind everything and some of them are really interesting!

For instance the Christmas tradition of kissing under mistletoe (a plant that grows on trees) dates way back to the time of the Druids who thought it had mystical powers. It was supposed to bring good luck and keep evil spirits away.

In Norse mythology it signified love and friendship, hence the kissing! And, dear reader, of course there is more to find out. Enough to prepare an interesting, entertaining speech.

The same applies to all the other topic suggestions below.

19 speech topics exploring origins

• Christmas celebrations or any aspect of them eg. cards, carols, gift giving, special food ...
• Easter celebrations (or any other widely observed customary celebration)
• Table manners or eating etiquette. How do "good" table manners vary from culture to culture? Why were they developed in the first place? 
• Common sayings eg. "to be born with a silver spoon in one's mouth" or "the salt of the earth"
• Types of music eg. rock and roll, jazz, hip hop ...
• Types of art eg. folk art, sculpture, pottery, theater ...
• Postal stamps or money
• Softball, grid iron or any other sport
• The current governmental system
• Zodiac signs
• Beauty Queen pageants
• Modern warfare
• Education - schooling in your country or your area
• Card or board games 
• Advertising
• Television soaps. What's the story behind those long running TV serials?
• Print - books, newspapers
• Journalism - where did it start?
• Language - how does it develop?

Avoiding the procrastination trap

The time is now! 

Having looked through all these potentially  good speech  topics  please don't fall into the  procrastination trap!

Make yourself a  short list  of at least  three possibilities  and thinking about your audience, the main purpose of your speech and your personal interest or enthusiasm for each of them, whittle your list down to the best one.

Points you'll want to consider as part of your decision making are:

• the time you have to prepare your speech
• how much you know about the topic already. Do you need to do lots of research, or some? Is the research easy to do?
• the angle you intend to use - is it persuasive, informative, humorous, unconventional, potentially shocking or upsetting, quirky? How does that fit with your audience's needs and if your speech is for a classroom assignment, the guidelines you have been given?

More places to find interesting speech topics

If you really are stuck for a topic that resonates with you check these sources out.

• magazines for specialist opinion pieces
• the top news sites, blogs - for commentary on political events, natural disasters, social issues
• radio - community, country and world news plus commentary and analysis
• television for documentaries and indepth reportage
• bulletin boards in your own community - for current topical events eg a meeting to discuss the implication of closing the local mine or the impact of raising the cost of public transport
• your family and friends
• Listening to the conversations around you and observing closely what you see.
• This site! Click this link - speech topics - to find many more pages full of interesting speech ideas.

How to get better grades for your speech

What does your teacher long to hear.

I taught high-school level English for many years and over that time listened to hundreds of speeches.

Those students I gave an A grade to got them because their:

• topic was interesting. They'd either found an original angle to present known material or found a "new" topic.
• speech was tailored for the audience. It was relevant to them and personalized.
• presentation was well structured. It had a good opening, body and conclusion.
• delivery had been rehearsed. They knew their speech. The use of props or additional material was appropriate and well integrated into the flow of the speech.
• audience listened and enjoyed what they heard.

You are welcome to use my  speech evaluation checklist  as a guide to help you prepare an A grade speech of your own.

To prepare, structure & deliver your speech use these pages:

• how to write a speech  You'll find full explanations and examples of the step by step process needed to get you safely from choosing your topic to presenting the speech itself.
• voice image   Did you know your voice is an important part of giving your speech? The quality of your voice can make the difference between being listened to and not. Go to the  voice image   page. Read and follow the links to find out how you can optimize your vocal delivery.

• vocal variety Use tone, pitch, pause and pace to deliver your speech effectively. An interesting speech topic is a great start. It would be shame to waste it and the work you've done through weak delivery!
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Beyoncé delivers moving speech about innovators after being honored by Stevie Wonder

Beyoncé accepted The Innovator Award at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards and shared what the honor meant to her.

Stevie Wonder presented the award to the music superstar on Monday, praising her for her long list of achievements in and out of the music industry before touching on the cultural impact of her latest album, "Cowboy Carter."

"Now Beyoncé is once again changing music and culture, climbing in the saddle as a bona fide country music sensation with her latest masterpiece 'Cowboy Carter,' which may end up being the most talked about album in this century," he shared.

MORE: Beyoncé's country-inspired album 'Cowboy Carter' has finally arrived

"And when she's not changing music, she's changing the world, fighting the good fight with her BeyGOOD foundation," he added.

The singer then took the stage and hugged Wonder before expressing her gratitude for him. "Thank you so much Stevie, I love you. I love you and I honor you," she said. "I want to thank you for making a way for all of us."

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She added, "I'm honored to receive this recognition from you, Stevie Wonder. Whenever anyone asks me if there's anyone I can listen to for the rest of my life, it's always you. So thank you, God bless you."

MORE: Beyonce opens up about criticism she faced entering country music in moving post

"I just want to thank you for motivating the world to become a better place," he replied, before Beyoncé thanked him for playing the harmonica on her cover of "Jolene" on "Cowboy Carter."

Beyoncé then spoke more of what being an innovator means to her.

"Innovation starts with a dream," she said. "But then you have to execute that dream, and that road can be very bumpy."

She continued, "Being an innovator is seeing what everyone believes is impossible. Being an innovator often means being criticized, which often will test your mental strength. Being an innovator is leaning on faith and trusting that God will catch you and guide you."

"So, to all the record labels, every radio station, every award show, my hope is that we're more open to the joy and liberation that comes from enjoying art with no preconceived notions," she added.

The singer then shared that she was dedicating the award to "all the innovators who have dedicated their lives and their art to creating shifts," and commended them for their "sacrifices," their "powerful voices" and their "dauntless spirits."

She praised innovators who came before her, sharing, "Thank you to Rosetta Tharpe, Miss Tracy Chapman, Linda Martell, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Andre 3000, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson and so many more who defied any label placed upon them."

MORE: Dolly Parton reacts to Beyoncé's 'Jolene' cover on 'Cowboy Carter'

She also thanked her family, including her husband Jay-Z, who she called her "rock" and her "best friend," as well as her three children .

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Ronna McDaniel, TV News and the Trump Problem

The former republican national committee chairwoman was hired by nbc and then let go after an outcry..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Michael Barbaro. This is “The Daily.”

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Today, the saga of Ronna McDaniel and NBC and what it reveals about the state of television news headed into the 2024 presidential race. Jim Rutenberg, a “Times” writer at large, is our guest.

It’s Monday, April 1.

Jim, NBC News just went through a very public, a very searing drama over the past week, that we wanted you to make sense of in your unique capacity as a longtime media and political reporter at “The Times.” This is your sweet spot. You were, I believe, born to dissect this story for us.

Oh, brother.

Well, on the one hand, this is a very small moment for a major network like NBC. They hire, as a contributor, not an anchor, not a correspondent, as a contributor, Ronna McDaniel, the former RNC chairwoman. It blows up in a mini scandal at the network.

But to me, it represents a much larger issue that’s been there since that moment Donald J. Trump took his shiny gold escalator down to announce his presidential run in 2015. This struggle by the news media to figure out, especially on television, how do we capture him, cover him for all of his lies, all the challenges he poses to Democratic norms, yet not alienate some 74, 75 million American voters who still follow him, still believe in him, and still want to hear his reality reflected in the news that they’re listening to?

Right. Which is about as gnarly a conundrum as anyone has ever dealt with in the news media.

Well, it’s proven so far unsolvable.

Well, let’s use the story of what actually happened with Ronna McDaniel and NBC to illustrate your point. And I think that means describing precisely what happened in this situation.

The story starts out so simply. It’s such a basic thing that television networks do. As elections get underway, they want people who will reflect the two parties.

They want talking heads. They want insiders. They want them on their payroll so they can rely on them whenever they need them. And they want them to be high level so they can speak with great knowledge about the two major candidates.

Right. And rather than needing to beg these people to come on their show at 6 o’clock, when they might be busy and it’s not their full-time job, they go off and they basically put them on retainer for a bunch of money.

Yeah. And in this case, here’s this perfect scenario because quite recently, Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee through the Trump era, most of it, is now out on the market. She’s actually recently been forced out of the party. And all the networks are interested because here’s the consummate insider from Trump world ready to get snatched up under contract for the next election and can really represent this movement that they’ve been trying to capture.

So NBC’S key news executives move pretty aggressively, pretty swiftly, and they sign her up for a $300,000 a year contributor’s contract.

Nice money if you can get it.

Not at millions of dollars that they pay their anchors, but a very nice contract. I’ll take it. You’ll take it. In the eyes of NBC execs she was perfect because she can be on “Meet the Press” as a panelist. She can help as they figure out some of their coverage. They have 24 hours a day to fill and here’s an official from the RNC. You can almost imagine the question that would be asked to her. It’s 10:00 PM on election night. Ronna, what are the Trump people thinking right now? They’re looking at the same numbers you are.

That was good, but that’s exactly it. And we all know it, right? This is television in our current era.

So last Friday, NBC makes what should be a routine announcement, but one they’re very proud of, that they’ve hired Ronna McDaniel. And in a statement, they say it couldn’t be a more important moment to have a voice like Ronna’s on the team. So all’s good, right? Except for there’s a fly in the ointment.

Because it turns out that Ronna McDaniel has been slated to appear on “Meet the Press,” not as a paid NBC contributor, but as a former recently ousted RNC chair with the “Meet The Press” host, Kristen Welker, who’s preparing to have a real tough interview with Ronna McDaniel. Because of course, Ronna McDaniel was chair of the party and at Trump’s side as he tried to refuse his election loss. So this was supposed to be a showdown interview.

From NBC News in Washington, the longest-running show in television history. This is “Meet The Press” with Kristen Welker.

And here, all of a sudden, Kristin Welker is thrown for a loop.

In full disclosure to our viewers, this interview was scheduled weeks before it was announced that McDaniel would become a paid NBC News contributor.

Because now, she’s actually interviewing a member of the family who’s on the same payroll.

Right. Suddenly, she’s interviewing a colleague.

This will be a news interview, and I was not involved in her hiring.

So what happens during the interview?

So Welker is prepared for a tough interview, and that’s exactly what she does.

Can you say, as you sit here today, did Joe Biden win the election fair and square?

He won. He’s the legitimate president.

Did he win fair and square?

Fair and square, he won. It’s certified. It’s done.

She presses her on the key question that a lot of Republicans get asked these days — do you accept Joe Biden was the winner of the election?

But, I do think, Kristen —

Ronna, why has it taken you until now to say that? Why has it taken you until now to be able to say that?

I’m going to push back a little.

McDaniel gets defensive at times.

Because I do think it’s fair to say there were problems in 2020. And to say that does not mean he’s not the legitimate president.

But, Ronna, when you say that, it suggests that there was something wrong with the election. And you know that the election was the most heavily scrutinized. Chris Krebs —

It’s a really combative interview.

I want to turn now to your actions in the aftermath of the 2020 election.

And Welker actually really does go deeply into McDaniel’s record in those weeks before January 6.

On November 17, you and Donald Trump were recorded pushing two Republican Michigan election officials not to certify the results of the election. And on the call —

For instance, she presses McDaniel on McDaniel’s role in an attempt to convince a couple county commissioner level canvassers in Michigan to not certify Biden’s victory.

Our call that night was to say, are you OK? Vote your conscience. Not pushing them to do anything.

McDaniel says, look, I was just telling them to vote their conscience. They should do whatever they think is right.

But you said, do not sign it. If you can go home tonight, do not sign it. How can people read that as anything other than a pressure campaign?

And Welker’s not going to just let her off the hook. Welker presses her on Trump’s own comments about January 6 and Trump’s efforts recently to gloss over some of the violence, and to say that those who have been arrested, he’ll free them.

Do you support that?

I want to be very clear. The violence that happened on January 6 is unacceptable.

And this is a frankly fascinating moment because you can hear McDaniel starting to, if not quite reverse some of her positions, though in some cases she does that, at least really soften her language. It’s almost as if she’s switching uniforms from the RNC one to an NBC one or almost like breaking from a role she was playing.

Ronna, why not speak out earlier? Why just speak out about that now?

When you’re the RNC chair, you kind of take one for the whole team, right? Now, I get to be a little bit more myself.

She says, hey, you know what? Sometimes as RNC chair, you just have to take it for the team sometimes.

Right. What she’s really saying is I did things as chairwoman of the Republican National committee that now that I no longer have that job, I can candidly say, I wished I hadn’t done, which is very honest. But it’s also another way of saying I’m two faced, or I was playing a part.

Ronna McDaniel, thank you very much for being here this morning.

Then something extraordinary happens. And I have to say, I’ve never seen a moment like this in decades of watching television news and covering television news.

Welcome back. The panel is here. Chuck Todd, NBC News chief political analyst.

Welker brings her regular panel on, including Chuck Todd, now the senior NBC political analyst.

Chuck, let’s dive right in. What were your takeaways?

And he launches right into what he calls —

Look, let me deal with the elephant in the room.

The elephant being this hiring of McDaniel.

I think our bosses owe you an apology for putting you in this situation.

And he proceeds, on NBC’S air, to lace into management for, as he describes it, putting Welker in this crazy awkward position.

Because I don’t know what to believe. She is now a paid contributor by NBC News. I have no idea whether any answer she gave to you was because she didn’t want to mess up her contract.

And Todd is very hung up on this idea that when she was speaking for the party, she would say one thing. And now that she’s on the payroll at NBC, she’s saying another thing.

She has credibility issues that she still has to deal with. Is she speaking for herself, or is she speaking on behalf of who’s paying her?

Todd is basically saying, how are we supposed to know which one to believe.

What can we believe?

It is important for this network and for always to have a wide aperture. Having ideological diversity on this panel is something I prided myself on.

And what he’s effectively saying is that his bosses should have never hired her in this capacity.

I understand the motivation, but this execution, I think, was poor.

Someone said to me last night we live in complicated times. Thank you guys for being here. I really appreciate it.

Now, let’s just note here, this isn’t just any player at NBC. Chuck Todd is obviously a major news name at the network. And him doing this appears to just open the floodgates across the entire NBC News brand, especially on its sister cable network, MSNBC.

And where I said I’d never seen anything like what I saw on “Meet the Press” that morning, I’d never seen anything like this either. Because now, the entire MSNBC lineup is in open rebellion. I mean, from the minute that the sun comes up. There is Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski.

We weren’t asked our opinion of the hiring. But if we were, we would have strongly objected to it.

They’re on fire over this.

believe NBC News should seek out conservative Republican voices, but it should be conservative Republicans, not a person who used her position of power to be an anti-democracy election denier.

But it rolls out across the entire schedule.

Because Ronna McDaniel has been a major peddler of the big lie.

The fact that Ms. McDaniel is on the payroll at NBC News, to me that is inexplicable. I mean, you wouldn’t hire a mobster to work at a DA’s office.

Rachel Maddow devotes an entire half hour.

It’s not about just being associated with Donald Trump and his time in the Republican Party. It’s not even about lying or not lying. It’s about our system of government.

Thumbing their noses at our bosses and basically accusing them of abetting a traitorous figure in American history. I mean, just extraordinary stuff. It’s television history.

And let’s face it, we journalists, our bosses, we can be seen as crybabies, and we’re paid complaining. Yeah, that’s what we’re paid to do. But in this case, the NBC executives cannot ignore this, because in the outcry, there’s a very clear point that they’re all making. Ronna McDaniel is not just a voice from the other side. She was a fundamental part of Trump’s efforts to deny his election loss.

This is not inviting the other side. This is someone who’s on the wrong side —

Of history.

Of history, of these moments that we’ve covered and are still covering.

And I think it’s fair to say that at this point, everyone understands that Ronna McDaniel’s time at NBC News is going to be very short lived. Yeah, basically, after all this, the executives at NBC have to face facts it’s over. And on Tuesday night, they release a statement to the staff saying as much.

They don’t cite the questions about red lines or what Ronna McDaniel represented or didn’t represent. They just say we need to have a unified newsroom. We want cohesion. This isn’t working.

I think in the end, she was a paid contributor for four days.

Yeah, one of the shortest tenures in television news history. And look, in one respect, by their standards, this is kind of a pretty small contract, a few hundred thousand dollars they may have to pay out. But it was way more costly because they hired her. They brought her on board because they wanted to appeal to these tens of millions of Americans who still love Donald J. Trump.

And what happens now is that this entire thing is blown up in their face, and those very same people now see a network that, in their view, in the view of Republicans across the country, this network will not accept any Republicans. So it becomes more about that. And Fox News, NBC’S longtime rival, goes wall to wall with this.

Now, NBC News just caved to the breathless demands from their far left, frankly, emotionally unhinged host.

I mean, I had it on my desk all day. And every minute I looked at that screen, it was pounding on these liberals at NBC News driving this Republican out.

It’s the shortest tenure in TV history, I think. But why? Well, because she supports Donald Trump, period.

So in a way, this leaves NBC worse off with that Trump Republican audience they had wanted to court than maybe even they were before. It’s like a boomerang with a grenade on it.

Yeah, it completely explodes in their face. And that’s why to me, the whole episode is so representative of this eight-year conundrum for the news media, especially on television. They still haven’t been able to crack the code for how to handle the Trump movement, the Trump candidacy, and what it has wrought on the American political system and American journalism.

We’ll be right back.

Jim, put into context this painful episode of NBC into that larger conundrum you just diagnosed that the media has faced when it comes to Trump.

Well, Michael, it’s been there from the very beginning, from the very beginning of his political rise. The media was on this kind of seesaw. They go back and forth over how to cover him. Sometimes they want to cover him quite aggressively because he’s such a challenging candidate. He was bursting so many norms.

But at other times, there was this instinct to understand his appeal, for the same reason. He’s such an unusual candidate. So there was a great desire to really understand his voters. And frankly, to speak to his voters, because they’re part of the audience. And we all lived it, right?

But just let me take you back anyway because everything’s fresh again with perspective. And so if you go back, let’s look at when he first ran. The networks, if you recall, saw him as almost like a novelty candidate.

He was going to spice up what was expected to be a boring campaign between the usual suspects. And he was a ratings magnet. And the networks, they just couldn’t get enough of it. And they allowed him, at times, to really shatter their own norms.

Welcome back to “Meet the Press,” sir.

Good morning, Chuck.

Good morning. Let me start —

He was able to just call into the studio and riff with the likes of George Stephanopoulos and Chuck Todd.

What does it have to do with Hillary?

She can’t talk about me because nobody respects women more than Donald Trump.

And CNN gave him a lot of unmitigated airtime, if you recall during the campaign. They would run the press conferences.

It’s the largest winery on the East Coast. I own it 100 percent.

And let him promote his Trump steaks and his Trump wine.

Trump steaks. Where are the steaks? Do we have steaks?

I mean, it got that crazy. But again, the ratings were huge. And then he wins. And because they had previously given him all that airtime, they’ve, in retrospect, sort of given him a political gift, and more than that now have a journalistic imperative to really address him in a different way, to cover him as they would have covered any other candidate, which, let’s face it, they weren’t doing initially. So there’s this extra motivation to make up for lost ground and maybe for some journalistic omissions.

Right. Kind of correct for the lack of a rigorous journalistic filter in the campaign.

Exactly. And the big thing that this will be remembered for is we’re going to call a lie a lie.

I don’t want to sugarcoat this because facts matter, and the fact is President Trump lies.

Trump lies. We’re going to say it’s a lie.

And I think we can’t just mince around it because they are lies. And so we need to call them what they are.

We’re no longer going to use euphemisms or looser language we’re. Going to call it for what it is.

Trump lies in tweets. He spreads false information at rallies. He lies when he doesn’t need to. He lies when the truth is more than enough for him.

CNN was running chyrons. They would fact check Trump and call lies lies on the screen while Trump is talking. They were challenging Trump to his face —

One of the statements that you made in the tail end of the campaign in the midterms that —

Here we go.

That — well, if you don’t mind, Mr. President, that this caravan was an invasion.

— in these crazy press conferences —

They’re are hundreds of miles away, though. They’re hundreds and hundreds of miles away. That’s not an invasion.

Honestly, I think you should let me run the country. You run CNN. And if you did it well, your ratings —

Well, let me ask — if I may ask one other question. Mr. President, if I may ask another question. Are you worried —

That’s enough. That’s enough.

And Trump is giving it right back.

I tell you what, CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude, terrible person. You shouldn’t be working for CNN.

Very combative.

So this was this incredibly fraught moment for the American press. You’ve got tens of millions of Trump supporters seeing what’s really basic fact checking. These look like attacks to Trump supporters. Trump, in turn, is calling the press, the reporters are enemies of the people. So it’s a terrible dynamic.

And when January 6 happens, it’s so obviously out of control. And what the traditional press that follows, traditional journalistic rules has to do is make it clear that the claims that Trump is making about a stolen election are just so abjectly false that they don’t warrant a single minute of real consideration once the reporting has been done to show how false they are. And I think that American journalism really emerged from that feeling strongly about its own values and its own place in society.

But then there’s still tens of millions of Trump voters, and they don’t feel so good about the coverage. And they don’t agree that January 6 was an insurrection. And so we enter yet another period, where the press is going to have to now maybe rethink some things.

In what way?

Well, there’s a kind of quiet period after January 6. Trump is off of social media. The smoke is literally dissipating from the air in Washington. And news executives are kind of standing there on the proverbial battlefield, taking a new look at their situation.

And they’re seeing that in this clearer light, they’ve got some new problems, perhaps none more important for their entire business models than that their ratings are quickly crashing. And part of that diminishment is that a huge part of the country, that Trump-loving part of the audience, is really now severed from him from their coverage.

They see the press as actually, in some cases, being complicit in stealing an election. And so these news executives, again, especially on television, which is so ratings dependent, they’ve got a problem. So after presumably learning all these lessons about journalism and how to confront power, there’s a first subtle and then much less subtle rethinking.

Maybe we need to pull back from that approach. And maybe we need to take some new lessons and switch it up a little bit and reverse some of what we did. And one of the best examples of this is none other than CNN.

It had come under new management, was being led by a guy named Chris Licht, a veteran of cable news, but also Stephen Colbert’s late night show in his last job. And his new job under this new management is we’re going to recalibrate a little bit. So Chris Licht proceeds to try to bring the network back to the center.

And how does he do that?

Well, we see some key personalities who represented the Trump combat era start losing air time and some of them lose their jobs. There’s talk of, we want more Republicans on the air. There was a famous magazine article about Chris Licht’s balancing act here.

And Chris Licht says to a reporter, Tim Alberta of the “Atlantic” magazine, look, a lot in the media, including at his own network, quote unquote, “put on a jersey, took a side.” They took a side. And he says, I think we understand that jersey cannot go back on him. Because he says in the end of the day, by the way, it didn’t even work. We didn’t change anyone’s mind.

He’s saying that confrontational approach that defined the four years Trump was in office, that was a reaction to the feeling that TV news had failed to properly treat Trump with sufficient skepticism, that that actually was a failure both of journalism and of the TV news business. Is that what he’s saying?

Yeah. On the business side, it’s easier call, right? You want a bigger audience, and you’re not getting the bigger audience. But he’s making a journalistic argument as well that if the job is to convey the truth and take it to the people, and they take that into account as they make their own voting decisions and formulate their own opinions about American politics, if tens of millions of people who do believe that election was stolen are completely tuning you out because now they see you as a political combatant, you’re not achieving your ultimate goal as a journalist.

And what does Licht’s “don’t put a jersey back on” approach look like on CNN for its viewers?

Well, It didn’t look good. People might remember this, but the most glaring example —

Please welcome, the front runner for the Republican nomination for president, Donald Trump.

— was when he held a town hall meeting featuring Donald J. Trump, now candidate Trump, before an audience packed with Trump’s fans.

You look at what happened during that election. Unless you’re a very stupid person, you see what happens. A lot of the people —

Trump let loose a string of falsehoods.

Most people understand what happened. It was a rigged election.

The audience is pro-Trump audience, was cheering him on.

Are you ready? Are you ready? Can I talk?

Yeah, what’s your answer?

Can I? Do you mind?

I would like for you to answer the question.

OK. It’s very simple to answer.

That’s why I asked it.

It’s very simple. You’re a nasty person, I’ll tell you that.

And during, the CNN anchor hosting this, Kaitlan Collins, on CNN’s own air, it was a disaster.

It felt like a callback to the unlearned lessons of 2016.

Yeah. And in this case, CNN’s staff was up in arms.

Big shakeup in the cable news industry as CNN makes another change at the top.

Chris Licht is officially out at CNN after a chaotic run as chairman and CEO.

And Chris Licht didn’t survive it.

The chief executive’s departure comes as he faced criticism in recent weeks after the network hosted a town hall with Donald Trump and the network’s ratings started to drop.

But I want to say that the CNN leadership still, even after that, as they brought new leadership in, said, this is still the path we’re going to go on. Maybe that didn’t work out, but we’re still here. This is still what we have to do.

Right. And this idea is very much in the water of TV news, that this is the right overall direction.

Yeah. This is, by no means, isolated to CNN. This is throughout the traditional news business. These conversations are happening everywhere. But CNN was living it at that point.

And this, of course, is how we get to NBC deciding to hire Ronna McDaniel.

Right. Because they’re picking up — right where that conversation leaves off, they’re having the same conversation. But for NBC, you could argue this tension between journalistic values and audience. It’s even more pressing. Because even though MSNBC is a niche cable network, NBC News is part of an old-fashioned broadcast network. It’s on television stations throughout the country.

And in fact, those networks, they still have 6:30 newscasts. And believe it or not, millions of people still watch those every night. Maybe not as many as they used to, but there’s still some six or seven million people tuning in to nightly news. That’s important.

Right. We should say that kind of number is sometimes double or triple that of the cable news prime time shows that get all the attention.

On their best nights. So this is big business still. And that business is based on broad — it’s called broadcast for a reason. That’s based on broad audiences. So NBC had a business imperative, and they argue they had a journalistic imperative.

So given all of that, Jim, I think the big messy question here is, when it comes to NBC, did they make a tactical error around hiring the wrong Republican which blew up? Or did they make an even larger error in thinking that the way you handle Trump and his supporters is to work this hard to reach them, when they might not even be reachable?

The best way to answer that question is to tell you what they’re saying right now, NBC management. What the management saying is, yes, this was a tactical error. This was clearly the wrong Republican. We get it.

But they’re saying, we are going to — and they said this in their statement, announcing that they were severing ties with McDaniel. They said, we’re going to redouble our efforts to represent a broad spectrum of the American votership. And that’s what they meant was that we’re going to still try to reach these Trump voters with people who can relate to them and they can relate to.

But the question is, how do you even do that when so many of his supporters believe a lie? How is NBC, how is CNN, how are any of these TV networks, if they have decided that this is their mission, how are they supposed to speak to people who believe something fundamentally untrue as a core part of their political identity?

That’s the catch-22. How do you get that Trump movement person who’s also an insider, when the litmus test to be an insider in the Trump movement is to believe in the denialism or at least say you do? So that’s a real journalistic problem. And the thing that we haven’t really touched here is, what are these networks doing day in and day out?

They’re not producing reported pieces, which I think it’s a little easier. You just report the news. You go out into the world. You talk to people, and then you present it to the world as a nuanced portrait of the country. This thing is true. This thing is false. Again, in many cases, pretty straightforward. But their bread and butter is talking heads. It’s live. It’s not edited. It’s not that much reported.

So their whole business model especially, again, on cable, which has 24 hours to fill, is talking heads. And if you want the perspective from the Trump movement, journalistically, especially when it comes to denialism, but when it comes to some other major subjects in American life, you’re walking into a place where they’re going to say things that aren’t true, that don’t pass your journalistic standards, the most basic standards of journalism.

Right. So you’re saying if TV sticks with this model, the kind of low cost, lots of talk approach to news, then they are going to have to solve the riddle of who to bring on, who represents Trump’s America if they want that audience. And now they’ve got this red line that they’ve established, that that person can’t be someone who denies the 2020 election reality. But like you just said, that’s the litmus test for being in Trump’s orbit.

So this doesn’t really look like a conundrum. This looks like a bit of a crisis for TV news because it may end up meaning that they can’t hire that person that they need for this model, which means that perhaps a network like NBC does need to wave goodbye to a big segment of these viewers and these eyeballs who support Trump.

I mean, on the one hand, they are not ready to do that, and they would never concede that that’s something they’re ready to do. The problem is barring some kind of change in their news model, there’s no solution to this.

But why bar changes to their news model, I guess, is the question. Because over the years, it’s gotten more and more expensive to produce news, the news that I’m talking about, like recorded packages and what we refer to as reporting. Just go out and report the news.

Don’t gab about it. Just what’s going on, what’s true, what’s false. That’s actually very expensive in television. And they don’t have the kind of money they used to have. So the talking heads is their way to do programming at a level where they can afford it.

They do some packages. “60 Minutes” still does incredible work. NBC does packages, but the lion’s share of what they do is what we’re talking about. And that’s not going to change because the economics aren’t there.

So then a final option, of course, to borrow something Chris Licht said, is that a network like NBC perhaps doesn’t put a jersey on, but accepts the reality that a lot of the world sees them wearing a jersey.

Yeah. I mean, nobody wants to be seen as wearing a jersey in our business. No one wants to be wearing a jersey on our business. But maybe what they really have to accept is that we’re just sticking to the true facts, and that may look like we’re wearing a jersey, but we’re not. And that may, at times, look like it’s lining up more with the Democrats, but we’re not.

If Trump is lying about a stolen election, that’s not siding against him. That’s siding for the truth, and that’s what we’re doing. Easier said than done. And I don’t think any of these concepts are new.

I think there have been attempts to do that, but it’s the world they’re in. And it’s the only option they really have. We’re going to tell you the truth, even if it means that we’re going to lose a big part of the country.

Well, Jim, thank you very much.

Thank you, Michael.

Here’s what else you need to know today.

[PROTESTERS CHANTING]

Over the weekend, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in some of the largest domestic demonstrations against the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since Israel invaded Gaza in the fall.

[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

Some of the protesters called on Netanyahu to reach a cease fire deal that would free the hostages taken by Hamas on October 7. Others called for early elections that would remove Netanyahu from office.

During a news conference on Sunday, Netanyahu rejected calls for early elections, saying they would paralyze his government at a crucial moment in the war.

Today’s episode was produced by Rob Szypko, Rikki Novetsky, and Alex Stern, with help from Stella Tan.

It was edited by Brendan Klinkenberg with help from Rachel Quester and Paige Cowett. Contains original music by Marion Lozano, Dan Powell, and Rowan Niemisto and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Michael Barbaro. See you tomorrow.

• April 2, 2024   •   29:32 Kids Are Missing School at an Alarming Rate
• April 1, 2024   •   36:14 Ronna McDaniel, TV News and the Trump Problem
• March 29, 2024   •   48:42 Hamas Took Her, and Still Has Her Husband
• March 28, 2024   •   33:40 The Newest Tech Start-Up Billionaire? Donald Trump.
• March 27, 2024   •   28:06 Democrats’ Plan to Save the Republican House Speaker
• March 26, 2024   •   29:13 The United States vs. the iPhone
• March 25, 2024   •   25:59 A Terrorist Attack in Russia
• March 24, 2024   •   21:39 The Sunday Read: ‘My Goldendoodle Spent a Week at Some Luxury Dog ‘Hotels.’ I Tagged Along.’
• March 22, 2024   •   35:30 Chuck Schumer on His Campaign to Oust Israel’s Leader
• March 21, 2024   •   27:18 The Caitlin Clark Phenomenon
• March 20, 2024   •   25:58 The Bombshell Case That Will Transform the Housing Market
• March 19, 2024   •   27:29 Trump’s Plan to Take Away Biden’s Biggest Advantage

Hosted by Michael Barbaro

Featuring Jim Rutenberg

Produced by Rob Szypko ,  Rikki Novetsky and Alex Stern

With Stella Tan

Edited by Brendan Klinkenberg ,  Rachel Quester and Paige Cowett

Original music by Marion Lozano ,  Dan Powell and Rowan Niemisto

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music

Ronna McDaniel’s time at NBC was short. The former Republican National Committee chairwoman was hired as an on-air political commentator but released just days later after an on-air revolt by the network’s leading stars.

Jim Rutenberg, a writer at large for The Times, discusses the saga and what it might reveal about the state of television news heading into the 2024 presidential race.

On today’s episode

Jim Rutenberg , a writer at large for The New York Times.

Background reading

Ms. McDaniel’s appointment had been immediately criticized by reporters at the network and by viewers on social media.

The former Republican Party leader tried to downplay her role in efforts to overturn the 2020 election. A review of the record shows she was involved in some key episodes .

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Jim Rutenberg is a writer at large for The Times and The New York Times Magazine and writes most often about media and politics. More about Jim Rutenberg

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Powell Talks Rates, Inflation, and More

Follow live coverage and analysis of the fed chair's talk in san francisco..

Last Updated: 

The Conversation

Fed Chair Jerome Powell spoke at the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank’s Macroeconomics and Monetary Policy Conference today.

The conversation, moderated by Marketplace’s Kai Ryssdal, began with a question on inflation . The conference appearance came on the heels of February's PCE report .

The highlights:

Powell Says February Inflation Report Was Good. But More Data Is Needed.

Interest Rates Will Probably Settle Higher

Don’t expect the fed to declare victory, powell wants to avoid ‘disruptive’ quantitative tightening, powell says february inflation report was good. but more data is needed before rate cuts., a ‘steady hand’ on rate cuts is key, powell notes, with inflation down from its peak, the fed is prioritizing its dual mandate more, recession is unlikely this year, fed won't make decisions based on politics, powell responds to critics demanding rate cuts, interest rates, inflation, and what else could come up in powell's speech, latest updates.

Updated 3 days ago

Megan Leonhardt

Powell’s first thought when he saw the February PCE inflation report Friday morning was that the data were “pretty much in-line with our expectations.”

Core PCE, which excludes food and energy prices, was up 2.8% on a 12-month basis. Headline inflation was 2.5% year over year.

“That's what we were expecting and it's good to see something coming in, in line with expectations,” Powell said.

Powell called attention to the very high inflation reading in January and that February's reading was lower. "It's not as low as most of the good readings we got in the second half of last year. But it's definitely more along the lines of what we want to see,” Powell said.

“We expect inflation to move down to 2%—but on a path that is sometimes bumpy," Powell noted later in the conference. "The question then is, are those just bumps or are they something more than bumps? ... We're just going to have to let the data tell us that. There isn't anybody who knows,” Powell said.

The timing of rate cuts hinges on the data. “We don't see it as likely to be appropriate that we would begin to reduce interest rates until the Federal Open Market Committee is confident that inflation is moving down to 2% on a sustained basis,” Powell said, noting that the confidence would come from "more good inflation readings like the ones we were getting last year."

The U.S. economy is growing at a solid pace and the labor market is resilient. That gives the Fed a chance to take its time to gain additional confidence that inflation is cooling before taking the important step of cutting rates.

Powell said to expect policymakers to take that time. “We're not going to take that step [to cut rates] until we are confident.”

Banks Are in a Good Place, but Supervisors Shouldn't Be Afraid to be Forceful

Although last year’s banking crisis seemed to catch regulators off-guard, Powell said he believes the U.S. system is now sound and there are lessons that can be applied.

“I would say the banking system is in a good place now,” Powell said. “I think things have settled down significantly.”

While there are some concerns that commercial real estate losses could impact smaller and regional banks, Powell said the banking system, as a whole, is in a good place. “The commercial real estate problem will be with us for some years,” he said, adding that there are only some banks caught in those headwinds. He said the Fed is working with those banks to ensure they have enough capital and can work through the challenges.

One of the lessons of Silicon Valley Bank's failure was that there are situations where bank supervisors need to be “forceful” when appropriate, Powell said.

“Bank supervision can tend to be pretty process oriented,” Powell said. There's a playbook, a checklist, and Powell said that can be a good thing because the process should be transparent so banks know what's expected and can do what's expected.

But that process can be slow when it needs to be fast. The art of bank supervision is balancing when to jump on things and when to take the time to be process-oriented.

“What's important is that the banks are well-capitalized, that they understand their risks, and manage them,” Powell said. “The more the banks take that on themselves and do a great job at it without us pushing them, the less we need to push.”

Powell said that when determining the path of monetary policy, the central bank’s “hand is a steady hand.” That's key when it comes to weighing economic data, particularly to measure the trajectory of inflation.

“We've been saying all through last year and this year that we're making progress. We've noted that progress, we haven't overreacted to it,” Powell said.

Powell noted that it’s important to be nimble and flexible. “We always have to be humble,” he said, particularly given the outlook is “always much more uncertain than most people think.”

The economy “can and often has recently performed in unexpected ways,” Powell said. But he believes the Fed is ready for that if that's what happens. “It's important to get this right,” Powell added.

There’s been some speculation on what would happen if the Fed cut rates and then had to reverse course. Marketplace’s Ryssdal asked Powell about it: “Would it be terrible if you reduce interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point and then the data changes and you have to change your mind?”

“It wouldn't need to be terrible,” Powell said. If that happens, he said the central bank would react and adjust.

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