What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Duke University

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

good topics for a college speech

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!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

good topics for a college speech

50 Interesting Informative Speech Topics for College

26 September, 2020

15 minutes read

Author:  Mathieu Johnson

Informative speeches grant speakers a responsible mission of educating people about significant ideas and themes. They’re also about sharing thoughts and opinions on this or that topic, aimed at expanding understanding and providing listeners with relevant insights for further deliberation. Therefore, it’s a particular type of speeches given to put things into sharp focus and offer food for thought. Read up to know which informative speech topics have the most impact.

Informative Speech Topics

What is an informative speech?

As mentioned above, it’s a kind of speech that, well, informs the audience about your topic. Sounds simple enough, but simplicity is deceptive, and there are enough secrets behind this science. Specifically, not all people are fully aware of the fact that the “what” question is a key element that needs to be answered, for with informative speeches, you want to choose a topic most likely to be well received.

Of course, you can speak about something you already know, but you can also talk about the topic which is absolutely new to you. In this case, however, you must make sure that the theme will be relatively easy to research and studied before speech delivery. Another important point worth noticing is that organizational requirements and type of information for informative speech usually intertwines with those for an informative essay, for the latter is often an extension of the first.

How to write an informative speech?

How to write an informative speech

So, now it’s time to move from theory to practice and write an informative speech. But where do you start from?

Although there are many different processes involved in the process, we’ll narrow them to essentials to help you better grasp the idea of how a perfect speech should be tailored.

Stage 1. Research and Brainstorming

Think about the topic.

The first and most crucial step is about choosing the right topic. We’ve mentioned before that it’s vital to select the issue you feel free to talk about. However, there are also cases when professors assign a specific task for you. Either way, the point here is to conduct thorough research based on the given or chosen topic.

If you want to explain the history of some company, band or event, for example, make sure to deliver the message clearly, without going here and there. For this, consider talking about particular points which will cover the whole speech and help the audience quickly digest it. Otherwise, your speech will depart from the topic, and listeners will find it challenging to follow your thoughts.

Gather Evidence

Every scholarly work proves its credibility by the inclusion of relevant sources to show both the audience and the instructor that you’ve put enough effort into the work to sound authoritative. This is a great chance to get a good mark, but more importantly, earn trust from listeners. To cite the evidence correctly, you can search for some facts, stats, or numbers in a variety of sources. These include textbooks, books, and encyclopedias (online ones work as well), scholarly articles, reputable news bureaus, and government documents. If these are hard to find for you, think of alternatives, like online journals and magazines. But be careful and don’t use sources from there if they are not credible and reputable. As an example, use The New York Times, The Guardian, Harvard Business Review, SAJE journals, Forbes, etc.

Also, keep in mind that the evidence you’ll use should depend on the subject of your talk. If it’s about science, check scientific publications. If it’s about medicine – embark upon texts on this specific sphere. Finally, don’t forget to create a works cited page at the end of your speech and put all your sources there. Even if your instructor does not specify such a requirement, create a list anyways. This will help you keep references organized, and you will be able to pick a suitable one from the list.

Generate a Nice Thesis

A thesis is the core of impactful speech that tells listeners about its focal points. It also reveals the purpose of your speech and provides the audience with an insight into what the speech is all about. Notably, your thesis should not exceed the length of one-two sentences and be as precise as possible. More so, thesis, like the speech itself, is not about convincing people to take your topic stance immediately. Rather, it’s about informing listeners about significant events or cases which they could analyze and make relevant conclusions themselves. No need to push them or force to change the perspective, just try to be genuine and honest with people you’re talking to. Considering that it’s a scholarly piece of work, there’s no room for appealing to emotions or subjective claims. So in informative speeches, objectivity is the key player.

How to Start Informative Speech Writing?

Informative speech outline

The outline is a skeleton of your speech that briefly explains each of your points. This is basically a list of short sentences which reveal the meaning of your main speech ideas. Remember that this list is not for the audience; it’s for your own use. So the task here is to write about every point in a way you’ll understand. You can also use notecards instead of paper so that it’ll be much easier for you not to get lost in a sea of ideas and organize the speech properly. Tip: include numbers and capital letters for headings, and bullet points or other figures to mark subheadings.

If you are still unsure on whether you can cope with your task – you are in the right place to get help. Our essay writers will easily answer the to the question “Who can write my speech?”

Stage 2. Writing

Once the sketches are ready and you have a clear understanding of what to speak about, move on straight to writing.

Craft an Engaging Intro

What does engaging stand for in this case? It denotes some speech elements which will be enticing for listeners from the first sentence. It’s a common practice to start speeches with different hooks to call for more people’s attention. There are a plethora of techniques you can use to make an unforgettable first impression: jokes, anecdotes, examples from personal life, interesting statistics, rhetorical questions, quotes of famous people. You can even invent your own attention-grabber which will help you knock down listeners.

Give More Detail in the Main Body

Once you managed to create impact by the introduction and made sure everyone will be eager to listen to you further, you need to expand the explanation of key speech ideas in a well-structured, organized manner. Like in regular life, you start a story from the beginning to the end, while gradually moving from one idea to another. The same goes for informative speech – you need to ensure that the flow of your narration is logical and concise, fully elaborated, and precise. Also, don’t forget about making transitions between sentences. They will make your speech flow naturally, helping the audience to process the information much easier and effortlessly.

Wrap Everything Up in Conclusion

The ending of your informative speech should restate the main idea and the thesis you’ve mentioned in the introduction. There’s no need to say new things that will only confuse your audience. Instead, all the conclusion needs is a nice wrapping of the already stated claims.

So basically you want to review your main points and thereby deliver listeners a message which they will perceive as a major takeaway from what you’ve just told them. However, the introductory part should by no means repeat previous information word by word. It’s just a short restatement that covers up the main points.

Proofread and Edit the Final Version

Once the text is written entirely, it’s a must for you to double check it to avoid possible mistakes. If your informative speech turns out not as informative as expected due to grammatical or lexical errors, you’ll not be taken seriously, which we bet is not the purpose of delivering your talk. So, to prevent casualties from happening, you’ll need to use reliable editing and proofreading tools. Grammarly is an excellent source for this. Its accurate algorithm detects all kinds of mistakes and fixes them on the fly in a matter of seconds. And you can also check the text for plagiarism to make sure that it has no analogs anywhere on the web.

The Writing Process of Informative Speech

Stage 3. Perfecting Speech Delivery

Memorize your speech.

Half work is done – you have a writing piece. Now it’s time to learn it. Of course, it’ll take you time to do this, but with a little patience and enough time, you can memorize it even faster than expected. Besides, it’s not recommended to learn the speech from A to Z, inside out and upside down by heart. If your instructor is indulgent enough, feel free to memorize your talk in a way that allows you to explain your ideas clearly and consistently. To facilitate the process of learning, you can memorize sentence by sentence until you’re confident. And even if you forget something during delivery, you can always count on the outline that’ll give you a hint on what to talk about next.

Practice Reading Speech Aloud

When the final product is finally ready and polished, you need to concentrate on reading it.

Practice the speech in a mirror, to a friend/relative/pet, or record yourself to trace the tone and intonation. This way, you’ll make sure that your informative speech is brilliant and you deliver it just the way you wanted. Besides, this practice can help you critically evaluate the flaws and correct them before the actual delivery. Have enough time for this, because even experienced speakers always rehearse their speeches. Finally, focus on the way you use gestures, the way you stand and look at the audience, and facial expressions.

How to Deliver Informative Speech?

List of informative speech topics

There are lots of easy informative speech topics to choose from, but we offer you to review our topics list with some of the most alluring ones to get you started. Let’s examine pro informative topics that’ll help you write a memorable speech.

Topics for informative speech about music

  • Frank Sinatra – a beloved father of music
  • The drastic evolution of french music
  • Deep house – the most popular music style among youngsters
  • Why did rock and roll became an epitome of popular dance music
  • Why does reggae music most known under the name of Bob Marley
  • The psychological and physical benefits of listening to music
  • Chill, lounge and electronica has market the era of progressive sound
  • The impact of rap music on society at large
  • The art of playing the violin
  • The evolution of jazz music and its connection to historical movements

Informative speech topics about animals

  • Why are so many animals under extinction today and how do we fix it?
  • Why dogs are considered as humans best friend?
  • The history and evolution of polar bears
  • Why does rhinos horn trimming in South Africa still allowed
  • How to properly raise chinchillas
  • The most dangerous types of dogs on the planet
  • Staggering intellectual abilities of elephants baffle even scientists
  • How to keep snakes away and save your life
  • Different types of butterflies
  • The history of bees and their role in the world

Topics for informative speech about global warming

  • Patterns in climate change: rising temperatures and flooding
  • What Effects does Climate Change have on the Earth and its Inhabitants?
  • What are the practical solutions to global warming
  • What is global warming and what causes it?
  • The future of global warming: dismal predictions and statistics
  • Controversial opinions about global warming
  • The greenhouse effect as the top one reason of climate change
  • The global issue of global warming: what’s next?
  • Humans are responsible for the emergence and progress of global warming
  • Sanctions against generation of greenhouses: will they ever take place?

Informative speech ideas about sports

  • How sports improve human physical and psychological health
  • Is golf the game of the past?
  • The real life of sport teams: from trainings to furious games
  • Can roller skating be considered a kind of sport?
  • What’s more dangerous: white water rafting or ice diving?
  • The history of sports: whom do we owe respect?
  • Hockey 101: gear, playing techniques, team spirit
  • Why is boxing the most dangerous type of sports
  • The most unusual kinds of sports humans have invented
  • The importance and potential threat of football for the world 

Interesting speech topics about food and drinks

  • How to bake a cake and not put on weight
  • Why does alcohol bring so much trouble to contemporary youth?
  • There are no superfoods, the study shows
  • Does fast food really cause addiction?
  • The secret ingredient of Coca Cola and why you’ll never want to drink it again
  • If the fruit diet useful for health?
  • Why bananas can save the world
  • Eating vegetables and olive oil is a golden ticket to rejuvenation
  • What’s the difference between natural and processed foods?
  • Why eating pizza is the worst way to get away with cooking

As you can see from the list of topics for speeches, informative speech is a perfect occasion to explore interesting themes in depth and share your knowledge with people who are most likely to learn new things with you. Discovering a variety of topics and writing them on paper is perhaps the most engaging task your instructor has ever assigned you. And if you find it challenging to come with the right idea for a good topic, just send a “ write my speech ” request, and we’ll complete your order in no time.

A life lesson in Romeo and Juliet taught by death

A life lesson in Romeo and Juliet taught by death

Due to human nature, we draw conclusions only when life gives us a lesson since the experience of others is not so effective and powerful. Therefore, when analyzing and sorting out common problems we face, we may trace a parallel with well-known book characters or real historical figures. Moreover, we often compare our situations with […]

Ethical Research Paper Topics

Ethical Research Paper Topics

Writing a research paper on ethics is not an easy task, especially if you do not possess excellent writing skills and do not like to contemplate controversial questions. But an ethics course is obligatory in all higher education institutions, and students have to look for a way out and be creative. When you find an […]

Art Research Paper Topics

Art Research Paper Topics

Students obtaining degrees in fine art and art & design programs most commonly need to write a paper on art topics. However, this subject is becoming more popular in educational institutions for expanding students’ horizons. Thus, both groups of receivers of education: those who are into arts and those who only get acquainted with art […]

PresentationSkills.me

100 Speech Topics For College Students

good topics for a college speech

College won’t be complete without having to deliver a speech in front of the class. From social issues to current events, there are many topics to choose from when it comes to speech topics for college students. With the right topic, you can create an engaging and memorable speech.

Here are some speech topics for college students that can help you get started with your next presentation:

  • The Importance of Mental Health and Self-Care on College Campuses
  • How to Make the Most of Your College Experience
  • Finding Your Passions and Pursuing Your Dreams in College
  • The Benefits of Joining a Student Organization
  • Networking for Success: Making Connections in College
  • Overcoming the Fear of Failure in College
  • Balancing Academics, Social Life, and Extracurricular Activities
  • Time Management Strategies for College Students
  • Exploring Options for Off-Campus Living
  • Learning How to Budget and Manage Finances in College
  • Self-Care Tips for College Students
  • The Benefits of Studying Abroad
  • Developing Healthy Study Habits
  • Navigating the College Social Scene
  • Preparing for Life after College
  • Impact of Social Media on Communication and Relationships
  • Role of Technology in Education and Its Potential to Revolutionize the Way We Learn
  • Importance of Volunteering and Community Service for Personal and Professional Development
  • Impact of Globalization on Cultural Identity
  • Importance of Diversity and Inclusion on College Campuses
  • Challenges and Rewards of Studying Abroad
  • The Role of Activism in Creating Social Change
  • The Impact of Climate Change and What Individuals Can Do to Reduce Their Carbon Footprint
  • The Importance of Financial Literacy and Managing Money in College and Beyond
  • Climate Change and Its Consequences
  • The Importance of Diversity and Inclusion in the College Setting
  • The Challenges and Benefits of Studying Abroad
  • Importance of a College Education
  • The Benefits of Building a Professional Network
  • The Impact of Social Media on College Life
  • How to Balance Education and Social Life on Campus
  • Finding the Right Career Path for You
  • The Benefits of Internships and Apprenticeships
  • Exploring Your Personal Values and Beliefs
  • Mindfulness and Mental Health
  • The Pros and Cons of Student Loans
  • The Impact of Student Debt on Future Generations
  • Dealing With Stress and Anxiety in College
  • Exploring Different Study Strategies and Techniques
  • Exploring Different Career Paths After College
  • The Benefits of Time Management and Organization
  • Navigating the Job Market After Graduation
  • The Benefits of Extracurricular Activities
  • Preparing for Graduate School and Beyond
  • Exploring Different Campus Resources
  • The Impact of Globalization on Education
  • Should College Be Free? Pros and Cons
  • Different Types of Leadership Styles
  • The Benefits of Networking and Mentoring
  • The Challenges of Being a Student Leader
  • Being A Top Student: Tips and Strategies
  • How to Balance Your Social Life With Your Studies
  • The Value of Quality Family Time
  • The Benefits of Having a Supportive Family
  • The Impact of Working Parents on Their Children’s Education
  • Role of Family in Encouraging Academic Achievement
  • How to Cope with Family Pressure During College Years
  • Benefits of Having a Mentor in Your Family
  • Role of Technology in Family Communication
  • Impact of Financial Stress on Family Relationships
  • Changing Dynamics of Family Roles in Society
  • The Benefits of Having a Positive Relationship With Your Siblings
  • The Challenges of Being a First-Generation College Student
  • How to Minimize College Debt
  • The Impact of College Debt on Your Future
  • Managing College Debt: Strategies for Success
  • Student Loans: How to Make the Best Use of Them
  • Is College Debt Worth It?
  • Understanding the Options for Repaying College Debt
  • Overcoming Depression and Low Self-Esteem
  • The Role of Positive Thinking in Mental Health
  • The Benefits of Therapy for Students
  • How to Recognize the Signs of Mental Illness
  • The Role of a Support System for Mental Health
  • The Impact of Stress on Mental Health
  • How to Balance Academics with Social Life in College
  • The Pros and Cons of Living on Campus
  • How to Select a Major that is Right for You
  • Understanding College-Level Expectations and Study Habits
  • Living with Roommates: Tips for Peaceful Coexistence
  • The Transition from High School to College
  • How to Manage Time as a Busy College Student
  • Navigating the College Financial Aid System
  • How to Stay Safe on Campus
  • Getting Involved in Campus Organizations
  • The Advantages of Taking Online Courses
  • Having Fun and Staying Healthy in College
  • Making Friends and Developing Social Networks
  • Adjusting to Life After Graduating from College
  • Coping with Loneliness and Homesickness
  • Dealing with Student Burnout
  • Managing Time and Prioritizing Tasks
  • Building Resilience and Handling Rejection
  • Overcoming Procrastination
  • Creating a Support System
  • Having Difficult Conversations
  • Making Healthy Choices
  • Developing Self-Confidence
  • Learning to Balance Work and Play
  • Taking Responsibility for Your Education

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, college students have a wide variety of speech topics to choose from. Whether it’s a persuasive speech about a current event, an informative speech about a historical figure, or a humorous speech about an interesting topic, there is something for every student’s tastes. These speech topics give college students the opportunity to explore their interests, challenge their beliefs, and develop their communication skills.

Related Posts:

Motivational Speech Topics

Best Speech Topics Logo

  • Choosing Good Topics
  • Controversial
  • Demonstration
  • Extemporaneous
  • Informative
  • School/College
  • Special Occasion
  • Public Speaking Help
  • Writing a Speech
  • Free Sample Speeches
  • Share Your Speech
  • Top 99 College Speech Topics

Ninety-nine emotional, controversial, or relatable speech ideas for college students

good topics for a college speech

Here's my list of 99 college speech topics! They cover all sorts of subjects, and you should be able to find something suitable for whatever type of speech you've been asked to deliver.

To make things easy on yourself, pick a topic that interests you and something you'll be able to speak about with passion!

It will make your research more interesting, and your speech more engaging for your listeners!

Are you returning to college, or just starting your freshman year?

Then check out these tips for time management for college students .

These tips for post-secondary students give you a fighting chance of thriving during your college years because you're capable of so much more than you realize if you schedule things right!

Round 1 - First 50 College Speech Topics

1st Fifty (50) College Speech Topics

  • The death penalty
  • Hazing in fraternities and sororities
  • Succeeding in college
  • What it means to be a hero
  • The dangers of drugs
  • The dangers of smoking
  • The dangers of alcohol
  • How to find a job
  • The dangers of credit cards
  • Staying Christian in college
  • Planning a party
  • How to make money on eBay
  • Tips to save money in college
  • Reality television
  • Today's music
  • Athletes as role models
  • My favorite celebrity
  • My best childhood memory
  • My worst childhood memory
  • The person who most influenced my life
  • My definition of "Family"
  • All about me!
  • My best friend
  • How to change a flat tire
  • How to get a second date
  • How to meet new people
  • My new year's resolution
  • We are living in the end times
  • The life and death of Robin Williams
  • Civil disobedience
  • Sex education
  • Teenage pregnancy
  • Gun control
  • Legalizing marijuana
  • Passing your driving tests
  • Study strategies - WaPo ex. " College Students: They don't know how to study "
  • Caffeine - Check out a sample informative speech - "The Truth About Caffeine"

Round 2 - 49 More College Speech Topics

49 More College Speech Topics

  • The importance of exercise
  • A turning point in my life
  • Gangs or gang violence
  • What type of legacy will you leave behind?
  • A moment that changed my life
  • If I won the lottery…
  • Platonic relationships
  • How to plan a vacation
  • The 'fake news' phenomenon and its dangers
  • Is Ebola a worldwide threat?
  • Energy drinks - useful or dangerous?
  • Practice makes perfect
  • A fair trial
  • What is a tornado?
  • The importance of a good night's sleep
  • Martin Luther King Jr.
  • Cell phones
  • Ideas for spring break trips
  • How to entertain on a budget
  • How to lose weight and keep it off
  • How to stop smoking
  • The media and self-esteem
  • The Kardashians
  • Immigration
  • O.J. Simpson
  • Trump and Twitter
  • Stephen King
  • The history of the internet
  • The invention of the telephone
  • The importance of a college education
  • Don't drop out of school
  • Muhammad Ali
  • Satellite vs. cable television
  • America's Got Talent
  • Should the school year be extended?
  • Teacher pay raises
  • The failure of the public school system
  • What is your credit score?
  • How to buy a car
  • What to look for in a roommate
  • How to reduce your carbon footprint
  • Is there life after death?
  • Life on other planets
  • Scientology

Knockout Your College Speech with a Great Topic

So there you have it - 99 college speech topics on which to base your presentation, or to inspire you to come up with a subject of your own!

Good luck with creating your speech - and if you'd like to share your creation, I'd love to publish it to help inspire others!

Need More Help - Here are a few free speech samples on some more topics that may be appropriate for college students:

Truth About Caffeine

Hybrid Animals

Childhood Obesity

Global Warming

If you like to publish or share, submit your speech here as an example for others to read after completion.

Free email delivery

MASTER INFORMATIVE SPEAKING WITH OUR FREE CHECKLIST!

We are offering you a  FREE   SpeakFlight Informative Speaking Preparation Checklist. This valuable resource is packed with step-by-step guidance to help you create compelling, memorable, and effective informative speeches.

Share this page

Return to the Top of the Page

Recommended pages:

School Speech Topics (Main Page) Speech Topics for Kids Elementary School High School Persuasive Speech Topics for Teens Graduation

Quotes to Use

Positive Quotes for Kids More Quotes for Kids

Sample Speeches

Bullying (persuasive) Student Council Speech (1) Student Council Speech (2) More Sample Speeches

Public Speaking for Kids Time Management for College Students

  • Best Speech Topics
  • School Speech Topics

informative speaking checklist product

Easily search your speech type

Just check out the sitemap for best-speech-topics.com , which lists all the pages on the site, or use the search box below:

Get to Know Us

  • Privacy Policy

Attention Grabbers

  • Positive Quotes for Kids
  • Quotes for Graduation Speeches
  • Poems & Quotes on Death
  • Quotes on Retirement

Most Popular Pages

  • Free Samples
  • Good Speech Topics
  • Hypnotize Your Audience
  • Welcome Speech

Select a Speech Topic

  • Argumentative
  • Commemorative
  • Inspirational
  • Interesting
  • Other Topics

Let Us Help You

  • How To Write a Speech
  • Demonstration Outline
  • Informative Outline
  • Introductions
  • Using a Microphone
  • Speech Help
  • Speeches Made Easy

PrepScholar

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 105 interesting persuasive speech topics for any project.

author image

General Education

feature_persuasivespeech.jpg

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.

body_presentation-1.jpg

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?

body_speechwinner.jpg

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:

Get eBook: 5 Tips for 160+ Points

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

author image

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.

Student and Parent Forum

Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com , allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Ask questions; get answers.

Join the Conversation

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

  • For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

good topics for a college speech

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

100 Persuasive Speech Topics for Students

  • Homework Tips
  • Learning Styles & Skills
  • Study Methods
  • Time Management
  • Private School
  • College Admissions
  • College Life
  • Graduate School
  • Business School
  • Distance Learning
  • M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
  • B.A., History, Armstrong State University

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.
  • Middle School Debate Topics
  • 40 Writing Topics for Argumentative and Persuasive Essays
  • Controversial Speech Topics
  • How to Write and Structure a Persuasive Speech
  • Preparing an Argument Essay: Exploring Both Sides of an Issue
  • 30 Writing Topics: Persuasion
  • 100 Persuasive Essay Topics
  • The Best Summer Plans for High School Students
  • 50 Argumentative Essay Topics
  • 50 Topics for Impromptu Student Speeches
  • Impromptu Speech Activities
  • How Much Damage Do Bad Grades Do?
  • Choosing the Perfect College
  • 20 Tips for Success in High School
  • Great Colleges for Students with "B" Averages
  • Personal Essay Topics
  • Games, topic printables & more
  • The 4 main speech types
  • Example speeches
  • Commemorative
  • Declamation
  • Demonstration
  • Informative
  • Introduction
  • Student Council
  • Speech topics
  • Poems to read aloud
  • How to write a speech
  • Using props/visual aids
  • Acute anxiety help
  • Breathing exercises
  • Letting go - free e-course
  • Using self-hypnosis
  • Delivery overview
  • 4 modes of delivery
  • How to make cue cards
  • How to read a speech
  • 9 vocal aspects
  • Vocal variety
  • Diction/articulation
  • Pronunciation
  • Speaking rate
  • How to use pauses
  • Eye contact
  • Body language
  • Voice image
  • Voice health
  • Public speaking activities and games
  • About me/contact
  • Writing a persuasive speech
  • persuasive speech topics for college

 310 persuasive speech topics for college

 60 education topics, 50 mental health....

By:  Susan Dugdale  

Can you engage, inform, and persuade?  Can you do all three at once?

That’s what a good persuasive speech does. It challenges an audience’s thinking or position on a topic or an issue, asks them to pause, and consider changing their minds.

There are 310 great persuasive speech topics for college students and/or their teachers here. 

  • 50  Mental health persuasive speech topics
  • 60 Education persuasive speech ideas  
  • 50 Family themed persuasive speech topics
  • 50 Friends persuasive speech topic suggestions
  • 50  Animals/Pets themed persuasive topics
  • 50 Society persuasive topic ideas

Plus, how to prepare a speech for a set time allowance and more about choosing a good topic and writing a great persuasive speech.

Label: 310 persuasive speech topics for college

Each of them could make an excellent speech. Whether any of them do, or not, depends on a number of factors. The two main ones are you, and your audience.

What makes a persuasive speech topic good or interesting? (A very quick overview)

 A subject is right for you if:

  • it is about something you are genuinely interested in or passionate about, and
  • it is something you know your audience will relate to and it would be interesting, or beneficial, for them to know about.   

Return to Top

 50 mental health persuasive speech topics

Label: 50 mental health persuasive speech topics

  • that academic pressure causes anxiety and depression in college students
  • that increased use of social media heightens anxiety about physical appearance
  • that poverty and homelessness are often root causes of poor mental health
  • that addictive behaviors are not a sign of poor character
  • that binge drinking can mask depression
  • that typical adolescent angst and teenage depression are not the same
  • that self-harming is a cry for help
  • that living in green cities improves mental health
  • that seeking out positive news stories makes a difference
  • that limiting the consumption of unfiltered social media helps mental well being
  • that learning to objectively scale experiences helps keep them in perspective
  • that understanding family patterns of behaviour is useful for understanding ourselves
  • that being mentally unwell is not proof of incurable insanity
  • that building resilience will guard against becoming mentally unwell
  • that depression and anxiety, like flu, can be contagious
  • that mental health is improved by some form of consistent exercise
  • that everybody needs people who love and understand them
  • that doing kind things for other people improves mental health
  • that monitoring and changing how we habitually talk to ourselves can improve personal mental health
  • that forgiving ourselves, in the same way we would a friend, for minor transgressions is healthy
  • that loneliness contributes to mental health issues
  • that genetic inheritance influences our mental health
  • that eating healthily improves mental health
  • that chronic bullying is a sign of poor mental health
  • that the desire to fit in, to be the same as everyone else, is a sign of insecurity
  • that mental strength is built by being eager to learn new things
  • that mental strength is built by accepting responsibility for our thoughts and actions
  • that mental strength is built by being willing to make mistakes and to be OK about that
  • that mental strength is built by learning not to measure self-worth by comparing ourselves to others and by being OK about who we are
  • that mental strength is built through being genuinely pleased for the success of others
  • that we protect our mental health by knowing when and how to withdraw from situations and people that are not good for us
  • that good mental health is supported by managing our own expectations of ourselves realistically
  • that good mental health is something that has to be worked on everyday
  • that good mental health requires us knowing our own strengths and weaknesses
  • that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ model for good mental health because we are individuals
  • that we have more mental health issues today, because we are more willing to openly discuss them than previous generations
  • that asking for help when you know you need it is a sign of good mental health
  • that learning to be happily alone is good for mental health
  • that learning to set challenging realistic goals and working towards achieving them helps to build and sustain good mental health
  • that being genuinely grateful for the good in our lives helps sustain robust mental health
  • that re-framing problems as challenges or opportunities helps develop mental resilience
  • that keeping a journal promotes good mental health
  • that children need appropriate guidance and discipline to develop good mental health
  • that the foundation for good mental health in adults is built in childhood
  • that our primary influencers (parents, family, teachers, friends...) shape our mental health
  • that mental and physical health are inseparable
  • that mental health issues in children are not necessarily their parents fault
  • that mental health in many sectors of our communities has been severely tested by the pandemic
  • that mental health issues highlighted by the pandemic have forced us to think more creatively about how we meet them
  • that we are often stronger mentally than we think we are     

 60 education persuasive speech topics

Label: 60 education persuasive speech topics

  • that education should be free and freely available to whomever wants it
  • that education systems should be free of bias
  • that all children should have equal educational opportunities
  • that any form of educational segregation (gender, racial, economic, religious...) should be unlawful
  • that education is power
  • that the control of a country’s education system should not be in the hands of politicians or a political party
  • that a vocational education is more useful
  • that the principal role of education is to teach individuals to be stable, strong members of society
  • that a good education is one that teaches a person to take responsibility for themselves financially
  • that there is no time in our lives when we are finished being educated
  • that schools squash creativity and initiative
  • that going to school and being educated are two different things
  • that we learn more outside of a classroom than inside it
  • that lack of formal education is the cause of societal unrest
  • that our current school systems only really work for children from stable backgrounds
  • that one good caring teacher can make all the difference
  • that a teacher has the potential to influence their students’ lives enormously
  • that being a teacher is a privileged position
  • that teachers should be acknowledged and highly valued
  • that the criteria for entering teacher training should be more discriminating
  • that teacher training should be longer and more rigorous
  • that teachers should be tested every five years in order to renew their license to teach
  • that practical education is better than theoretical
  • that the school leaving age should not be raised
  • that the most important lessons at school happen in the playground
  • that enrolling a child in any form of educational institution should be optional
  • that parents should have the right to decide what classes their child attends
  • that homeschooling does not hinder a child in any way
  • that homeschooling is better for a child’s mental health
  • that homeschooling is an option only economically advantaged parents can offer their children
  • that parents who decide to homeschool their children need to feel OK about spending large chunks of time with them
  • that psychological screening should be used to decide what school a student goes to
  • that our grading systems fail to motivate students who struggle
  • that separating a grade given for a piece of schoolwork from one’s self-esteem, or person, is difficult
  • that grading is a frequently misunderstood, misapplied, inexact science
  • that face to face real time learning is more effective than online learning
  • that streaming (grouping students in classes according to their intellectual ability) should be banned
  • that the principal function of education is to teach people to think rationally and creatively
  • that failing at school is never the fault of the student
  • that accelerate classes are elitist
  • that the drive to get more students into higher education is misplaced
  • that school uniforms should be compulsory
  • that all children should have access to extra tuition as it is needed
  • that an education system based on grades and examinations only benefits a small percentage of the children it is supposed to serve
  • that online learning centers like the Kahn Academy   democratize education
  • that teachers should receive financial rewards based on the success of their students
  • that financial literacy should be given similar teaching time as reading and writing
  • that socio-economic factors indicate the likelihood of future educational success
  • that intellectual ability develops best in a safe secure stress-free environment
  • that girls perform better academically in all girl schools
  • that single-sex schooling slows the growth of appropriate social skills
  • that children less than 10 years old should not given graded tests and ranked according to their scores
  • that active community service should be part a school’s curriculum
  • that meditation techniques should be taught in all schools
  • that homework teaches time management and self discipline
  • that developing imagination and creativity is equally important as developing stable work habits and good numeracy and literacy skills
  • that smaller class sizes make it more likely a student will thrive
  • that entrepreneurial skills should be encouraged and taught in schools
  • that all high school students should be assigned or have access to a mentor
  • that weapons of any sort should be banned from school campuses  

50 family themed persuasive speech topics

Label: 50 family persuasive speech topics

  • that what makes a person a valued family member is not necessarily a blood tie
  • that being one of many children in a family is an advantage
  • that being part of a close multi-generational family has advantages for everyone
  • that only children have more expected of them than children who have siblings
  • that the eldest child in a family carries more responsibility than their siblings
  • that the youngest child in the family is the most spoilt
  • that the middle child in a family has the least favoured position
  • that the order of the birth of siblings has a major impact on their psychological development
  • that older parents are better equipped financially and emotionally to parent well
  • that consciously choosing to have a child makes a positive difference to how a child is parented
  • that it is better to be a loved child in a poor family than an unloved child in a wealthy one
  • that parents should not compare their children
  • that children should obey their parents
  • that a child should not have everything they ask for
  • that children should have regular age-appropriate household tasks to do
  • that children have a right to privacy
  • that children need to know they are loved and supported no matter what happens
  • that parents should not bicker or fight in front of children
  • that a child should never be disciplined by hitting
  • that a parent needs to behave like a parent, not a friend, or a child
  • that parental favouritism damages children
  • that boys and girls should be treated equally
  • that parents should attend classes on parenting before being permitted to have a child
  • that babies and small children are better off at home with their mothers
  • that designer children should be illegal
  • that a woman should have the right to terminate a pregnancy
  • that being a dad is not the same as being a father
  • that parents divorcing causes significant issues for their children
  • that home should always be a safe place
  • that parents are responsible for how their children behave
  • that a child will follow the pattern set by the adults around them
  • that a teenage mother should be fully supported to look after her child and develop herself
  • that taking a child into custody should be the very last resort
  • that divorced parents should always talk respectfully about each other in front of their children
  • that combining families when parents remarry should be handled with great care
  • that children should never witness their parents fighting over them
  • that children should never be played off against each other
  • that parents set behavioral boundaries to keep their children safe
  • that publicly shaming a child is cruel
  • that parents do not always know best
  • that a child has the right to expect that their parents take good care of them
  • that children are never better than each other only different
  • that the demands of family life and work need to be better balanced
  • that children should not be made to kiss or hug people they do not want to
  • that parents should make time to talk with and listened to their children
  • that becoming an adopted relative: grandparent, aunt or uncle is a great way to enrich a child’s life
  • that solo parents need non-judgmental practical support to help raise their children
  • that baby sitters need to be old enough to be responsible as well as known to children before they are left with them
  • that there is no such thing as a bad child
  • that a bullied child needs compassionate support and understanding

50 persuasive speech topic ideas about friends

Label: 50 friends persuasive speech topics

  • that we all need a little help from our friends
  • that everybody needs at least one best friend
  • that a person’s life is influenced by childhood friends
  • that we are defined by those who we are friends with
  • that “liking” media posts is a form of friendship
  • that a true friend is someone who knows your fears, vulnerabilities and weaknesses and loves you just the same
  • that a friend is someone you know you can depend on
  • that the most important relationship a person will ever have is an enduring friendship
  • that true friendship transcends boundaries and overcomes obstacles
  • that we need to be taught how to sustain healthy friendships
  • that a friend helps a person keep themselves in check
  • that a friend is someone we will accept the truth from
  • that a real friend is not possessive about you
  • that in a real friendship the amount of giving and taking are balanced
  • that a real friend encourages the best in you, not the worst
  • that mutual trust is the foundation of a good friendship
  • that a friend is someone who has your best interests at heart
  • that a friend does not gossip cruelly behind your back
  • that a friend is someone you enjoy being with
  • that a friend is someone who doesn’t make you feel anxious about saying or doing the wrong thing
  • that boys are better at being friends than girls are
  • that making new friends as we get older is harder
  • that being a loyal friend does not mean agreeing with everything a friend says or does
  • that getting help to break away from toxic friendships is a healthy thing to do
  • that listening is vitally important in a friendship
  • that a true friend will prioritize and rearrange their schedule in order to be with you
  • that we need a variety of different types of people as good friends
  • that to be a good friend we need to respect boundaries and beliefs
  • that we can disagree with a friend and remain friends
  • that being a friend does not mean accepting poor behavior towards yourself or others you care about
  • that we achieve and become our best selves through the support and love of friends
  • that learning to be a good friend is an essential life skill
  • that friendships can come and go and that’s OK
  • that a good friend will never publicly humiliate you
  • that behaving in certain ways in order to attract or impress friends will not really work
  • that a friend is someone who likes you for who you are, not for what you have, look like or do
  • that apologizing sincerely for your part in a misunderstanding or falling out between friends is essential for the friendship to survive
  • that learning to leave a friendship with grace when it no longer works is a valuable skill to have
  • that men often have mates but few friends
  • that our mental health improves when we have loving caring friends
  • that a real friend is someone you can be away from for years and then resume a deep connection very quickly
  • that there are degrees, and different types, of friendship and all of them are valuable
  • that there can be no such thing as a platonic friendship between a man and a woman
  • that having an imaginary friend as a small child is normal
  • that a true friendship between an older person and a child is something to be encouraged
  • that building genuine friendships with open hearts and minds breaks down prejudice
  • that parents should intervene in their children’s friendships if they see them making poor choices or compromising themselves
  • that there is a fine line between discussing a friend’s problems because you are concerned about them and discussing them because you find them amusing or good for shock value
  • that comparison and competition between friends is inevitable
  • that friendship is one of life’s essentials  

50 society themed persuasive speech ideas

Label: 50 society persuasive speech topics

  • that to fit into the society you live in you must conform
  • that society does not tolerate difference
  • that society reflects the attitudes of the people who live in it
  • that we can not live outside society
  • that the influence of society is totally pervasive
  • that change is the enemy of society
  • that in a capitalist society there will always be winners and losers
  • that there is no such thing as an ideal society
  • that social and economic inequality will force change in society
  • that ruling a society through fear and/or force will never create stability
  • that a society that maintains a rigid class structure is bound to fail
  • that those in charge of society should act in the interests of all its members
  • that the problems a society faces are of its own making
  • that the controls a society puts in place are for the benefit of its members
  • that there will always be some people who have, and some people who do not
  • that the most damaging rules of a society are its unwritten ones
  • that virtual society is replacing older forms of society
  • that the knowledge society is breaking down barriers
  • that western society is losing its influence
  • that high society sustains itself by living off the efforts of those below it
  • that modern society is neither better or worse, just different
  • that an equal society is a worthy aspiration
  • that a progressive society absorbs change for the good of its members
  • that crime is a threat to society
  • that how a society treats its most vulnerable members is a measure of how much it cares
  • that a wealthy society is built on much more than money
  • that a self-made man or woman will always be a hero in a capitalist society
  • that if corporations paid their fair share of taxes, our societies would benefit hugely
  • that compulsory citizenship classes would make us better members of society
  • that a healthy society values the contributions of its members equally
  • that a civilized society is a fiction
  • that the role of education is to enable people to take their places productively in society
  • that the rules of a society are made by the most powerful to keep the weak in their place
  • that, in theory, a socialist society is classless
  • that communism and socialism are not the same thing
  • that a democratic society is protected by every adult who is eligible to vote doing so
  • that what makes a member of society good depends on the society you belong to
  • that a society that can not tolerate criticism is inherently weak
  • that the members of a society often use social sanctions to keep in each other in line
  • than an authoritarian society rules through fear
  • that constant oppression will eventually cause an uprising of people looking to change the society they live in
  • that those who lead societies need to be fully aware of the enormous responsibilities they carry on behalf of the people they serve
  • that modern media escalates the problems we have in society
  • that changes in what society considers to be moral, and normal, sexual behavior is inevitable
  • that we do not immediately go straight to hell if we challenge society’s traditionally held views on abortion
  • that a society that has to imprison or kill its dissenting members in order to keep control is immoral
  • that society provides form and meaning in our lives
  • that living in society’s rat race is inescapable
  • that changes in any society only come about through the willingness of some its members to speak out and act
  • that true heroes are people who know the potential risks of challenging those in power in the societies in which they live and do it anyway   

50 persuasive speech topics about animals

Label: 50 animal persuasive speech topics

  • that pet euthanasia is humane
  • that feeding naturally carnivorous animals a vegetarian diet is wrong
  • that giving a pet to a child to care for teaches responsibility
  • that dogs resemble their owners
  • that battery farming should be banned for health reasons
  • that battery farming should be banned for ethical reasons
  • that keeping dangerous animals as pets should be banned
  • that zoos should be regularly audited to ensure they are meeting the needs of the animals they house
  • that hunting animals for sport is wrong
  • that anthropomorphizing animals is foolhardy
  • that taking an animal or bird from its natural habitat is cruel
  • that animal or bird breeding programs set up for monetary gain are wrong
  • that keeping a large four-legged pet in an apartment is wrong
  • that people need to prove they can look after a pet before they get one
  • that people with pets have better mental health
  • that understanding a pet is easier than understanding a person
  • that training an animal to do tricks to entertain is inhumane
  • that blood sports (cock fighting, dog fights, bear baiting, bull fights, fox hunting...) involving animals should be banned
  • that pets should be neutered or spayed
  • that all animals should be protected
  • that protecting endangered animals is sentimental hogwash
  • that the money spent on saving endangered habitats would be better spent on hospitals and schools
  • that animals are intelligent
  • that animals should not be eaten
  • that animals have rights
  • that keeping endangered animals in zoos ensures their survival
  • that animals can be farmed sustainably
  • that animal breeding programs based on what’s currently fashionable should be banned
  • that there are no ‘bad’ animals, only animals that have become bad as a result of how they have been treated by humans
  • that animals that become pests have a right to be treated humanely
  • that the practice branding animals with a branding iron should be stopped
  • that any form of testing of any substance on any animal should be banned
  • that inter-breeding species to create a hybrid animal is against the laws of nature and should be banned
  • that the companion animals in hospitals, schools and other institutions give meaning to people’s lives
  • that the companion animal programme should be fully supported by state or government funds
  • that the best service animal is a dog
  • that animals have individual personalities and habits, just like people.
  • that wearing clothing made from the skin, bone or any other part of an animal, requiring their death before it can be made, is unethical
  • that owning a dog and taking it for regular walks makes it easier to talk to strangers
  • that all dogs should be on a leash in public places
  • that some breeds of dogs do not make safe family pets
  • that the use of drugs to artificially boost an animal’s growth for meat, or milk production should be banned
  • that a person can only hunt in the wild if they have a license
  • that adopting an animal from a pet shelter is the best way to get a pet
  • that volunteering in an animal shelter is an antidote to depression
  • that pet owners who dress and adorn their animals to display their personal wealth or to create an impression are abusing their animals
  • that we should make a switch from farming cows for milk to goats because they are more environmentally friendly
  • that recycling plastic packaging would protect marine environments
  • that the process of natural selection guarantees the strongest and best adapted species
  • that vivisection (experimentation on live animals) for scientific purposes of any sort should be outlawed

How to prepare a speech for a set time allowance

Here's a three minute speech example to illustrate.

If you speak at an average rate (between 130 to 150 words per minute, a 3 minute speech has approximately 360 – 450 words .

To be effective, you’ll want to allocate your time (and word count) three ways: approximately 70% for the middle or body of your speech and 15% each for the opening and conclusion. The largest portion goes to the body as this is where you lay out your reasoning and evidence to support your topic.

Speaking to time takes practice: lots of it. The only way to accurately know how long your speech will take to deliver is to go through it out loud as if you were actually giving it and time it. This is critical if you're speaking in a competition or if you're being formally assessed. Going over time can result in penalties.

For the approximate number of words-per-minute (wpm) for speeches ranging from 1 minute to 10 minutes long please see: how many words per minute in a speech .

For more about speech rate

More about choosing a good persuasive speech topic and preparing a great speech

For a more in-depth discussion about choosing a good persuasive topic, and crafting a persuasive speech please see:

  • persuasive speech ideas  and read all the notes under the heading “What make a speech topic good?"
  • writing a persuasive speech . You’ll find notes covering:
  • setting a speech goal,
  • audience analysis,
  • evidence and empathy (the need for proof or evidence to back what you’re saying as well as showing you understand, or empathize with, the positions of those for and against your proposal),
  • balance and obstacles (to address points against your proposal, the obstacles, in a fair and balanced way),
  • varying structural patterns (ways to organize you material) and more

And click the link for hundreds more persuasive speech topic suggestions  ☺

speaking out loud 

Subscribe for  FREE weekly alerts about what's new For more see  speaking out loud  

Susan Dugdale - write-out-loud.com - Contact

Top 10 popular pages

  • Welcome speech
  • Demonstration speech topics
  • Impromptu speech topic cards
  • Thank you quotes
  • Impromptu public speaking topics
  • Farewell speeches
  • Phrases for welcome speeches
  • Student council speeches
  • Free sample eulogies

From fear to fun in 28 ways

A complete one stop resource to scuttle fear in the best of all possible ways - with laughter.

Public speaking games ebook cover - write-out-loud.com

Useful pages

  • Search this site
  • About me & Contact
  • Blogging Aloud
  • Free e-course
  • Privacy policy

©Copyright 2006-24 www.write-out-loud.com

Designed and built by Clickstream Designs

good topics for a college speech

My Speech Class

Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

434 Good Persuasive Speech Topics

Photo of author

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.

persuasive speech

Are you struggling to find a good persuasive speech topic ? We know – it can be hard to think of an interesting topic!

We’ve done all  the hard work and created a list of 400+ great persuasive speech ideas for college students, teachers, and anyone interested in public speaking. They’re organized into categories to make it easier for you to find one that that genuinely interests you.

In addition to our collection of speech topic ideas, we also have some tips on selecting a  good topic, as well as researchihng, writing, and delivering your persuasive speech.

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

Crafting a persuasive speech or writing a persuasive essay begins with picking the right topic. What makes a good persuasive speech topic? What are the most important factors that make it or break it when it comes to a good persuasive speech topic?

You are much more likely to be successful with your speech when you choose a topic that interests you, rather than merely picking one from a list.

Talking about something you know or would like to know more about well makes it much easier and fun!

Can We Write Your Speech?

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

Some speech topics have been done to death. They are tired and stale, and are not likely to excite you or your audience (think abortion, gun control, smoking, same-sex marriage). Find a topic that grabs you and your audience, something new and fresh, unique and original.

  • Interesting

A good persuasive speech topic is one that you can use to grab the audience’s attention, inform and persuade, and provide a strong persuasive argument for adopting your point of view.

You want to pick a topic that your audience cares and what to hear about.

How To Select a Good Persuasive Topic

How to narrow down this list of ideas?

First, make a rough inventory:

  • Which of the speech topics are you interested in?
  • What amuses you, makes you move right the way, happy or sad?
  • Which topics do you know something about?
  • Which topics would you like to research?

Review your inventory list and narrow your choices by answering these questions:

  • Do you know global, national, state, community, job or school-related problems and solutions, issues or controversies, related to the persuasive speech ideas?
  • Are you excited about any historical or current events, places, processes, organizations or interesting people?
  • Do you have certain concerns, opinions, or beliefs?
  • Do you think something has to change in the human attitude or social values?
  • Did you see or hear something in the news or read about in library books on any of these topics?
  • Is there a link with personal experiences, professional or personal goals?

All the answers on the questions above help you to find your angle of approach for a conclusive speech. So, select a few specific angles. Those can serve as the basic main points.

Best 10 Persuasive Speech Topics

Don’t have time to read our full list of 400+ topic ideas? Here is our list of 10 best persuasive speech topics.

  • Money can’t buy love or happiness
  • Cooking should be taught in schools
  • The minimum wage should be increased
  • Advertising is a mind game
  • Introverts make great leaders
  • Eating meat is unethical
  • Anyone under 16 should not be allowed to date
  • Sustainable clothes are not really sustainable
  • The penny coin should be phased out

List of Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Constitutional Issues
  • Easy and Simple
  • Environment
  • Food and Drink
  • Funny and Humorous
  • College Students
  • International Relations
  • Motivational
  • National Security
  • Practical Knowledge
  • Relationships

10 Animal Persuasive Speech Topics

Close Up on Cute Dog Nose and Eyes

  • Should more pets be adopted than bought from a breeder?
  • Are pitbulls a vicious breed?
  • Should a dog that has bitten somebody be executed?
  • Should we tame wild animals like lions and sharks.
  • Should battery farming still be legal?
  • Should ‘factory farming’ be banned?
  • Adopting pets is the best choice.
  • How do puppy mills affect us?
  • The benefits of having pets.
  • Why cats make the perfect pet.

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

12 Automotive Persuasive Speech Topics

Old blue American car stopped on the right side of the road

  • Should the public first learn how to drive a manual transmission before obtaining their license?
  • Drivers should have to take three courses before getting a license.
  • Should young children use booster seats in vehicles?
  • Hands-free cell phone use in cars should be promoted.
  • Should the driving age be 14?
  • The danger of texting and driving.
  • Watch out for animals when driving.
  • Why police should not chase a car.
  • Why you should buy a Japanese car.
  • Why sports cars are dangerous.
  • Driving tests should be free.
  • Share the road with bikes.

10 Business Persuasive Speech Topics

Five people discussing in a meeting room

The world of business has so many aspects to it, but at the end of the day they are all about customer relations, about making money and about the relationship between employers and employees.

Below are topics that can be used to persuade your audience on a variety of business topics.

A tongue in cheek topic that can be used is “Hiring a lazy person isn’t always a bad thing”, this could be used to persuade an audience that often lazy people find the quickest solution to get something done, resulting in quickly completed work because they just want to get it over and done with.

  • Advertising has tons of mind games.
  • Advertising standards should be higher.
  • The importance of understanding niche marketing.
  • Why introverts make good leaders.
  • Owning a business means you will lose your friends.
  • Business will harden you.
  • You should never go into business with family members.
  • Just because someone knows you it doesn’t mean you owe them any discounts.
  • To be a business owner you must learn to be well organized.
  • It’s important that a business should have personality.

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

5 Constitutional Issues Persuasive Speech Topics

Abraham Lincoln seated figure at the Lincoln Memorial of Washington DC

  • Do you think it would be fair for the government to detain suspected terrorists without proper trial?
  • Should flag burning as a form of protest be prohibited?
  • Should every day begin with a silent prayer at school?
  • Why alcohol should be illegal.
  • Prayer in schools should not be mandatory.

10 Easy and Simple Persuasive Speech Topics

Black glasses aside of a notebook

Below follow topics that should be easy enough to persuade your audience without going into too much research. There are some which can be used as ‘tongue in cheek’ topics such as ‘The paparazzi are the real stalkers’ and ‘People need to visit the dentist more often’.

  • People should not text while driving.
  • Celebrities who break the law should receive stiffer penalties.
  • Teachers should pass a basic exam every few years to renew their certification.
  • Cities should offer free bike-sharing programs.
  • People should eat less junk food.
  • We should do more to end poverty and world hunger.
  • We should value the elders in our society and learn from their wisdom.
  • Money can’t buy love or happiness.
  • Children should be offered incentives for doing right, rather than punishment for wrongdoing.
  • More recycling should be encouraged.

See this page for a full list of Easy and Simple Persuasive Speech Topics .

9 Economy Persuasive Speech Topics

Stock Exchange electronic board with numbers and indicators

  • Should products manufactured outside the U.S. come with an additional tax?
  • Buy products that are made in the USA.
  • Free trade agreements are bad for workers.
  • The trade deficit with China is dangerous.
  • The minimum wage should be increased.
  • Daylight savings time has many advantages for our economy.
  • The oil companies are to blame for the rising energy prices.
  • In most countries the economy is in the mighty hands of just a few multinational corporations.
  • Hiring cheaper foreign employees hurts our economy.

10 Education Persuasive Speech Topics

Students celebrating and launching their square academic caps in the air

  • Teachers should have to pass a test of basic skills every decade to renew their certifications.
  • Should free college tuition be offered to poor children?
  • Would it be better to introduce a set of skills tests for students, before they graduate high school?
  • Do you believe that students who are responsible for cyberbullying should be expelled from school?
  • Would it be better if high school students completed community service hours to graduate?
  • Do you think elementary and high school students should be allowed to use cell phones at school?
  • Should students have to be on the honor roll in order to play sports?
  • Art and music programs in public schools are an essential part of education.
  • Schools should have the right to search students’ personal property (backpacks, lockers, pockets) to fight drugs in schools.
  • Do you think students should be allowed to listen to music during study hall?

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

10 Environment Persuasive Speech Topics

Sun light through a pine forest

  • Should there be stricter laws for protecting endangered species?
  • Should only native plants be grown in gardens?
  • More people should carpool or use public transportation.
  • Should the U.S. limit the use of natural resources?
  • How pollution is negatively affecting humanity.
  • We should use algae to make oil instead of drilling.
  • Why hydraulic fracturing should be banned.
  • Why we shouldn’t use disposable diapers.
  • Hybrid cars are good for the environment.
  • We should keep our community clean.

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

10 Ethics Persuasive Speech Topics

Six hands holding each others

  • Do you think female construction workers should have the same salary as male construction workers?
  • Should assisted suicide be legal for people who suffer from terminal illnesses?
  • Do you think the death penalty is the best punishment for dangerous criminals?
  • Should you base your perspective of people on stereotypes you have heard?
  • Should product testing on animals or humans be allowed?
  • Why you should not choose your child’s genetics.
  • Are people morally obligated to help the poor?
  • Female genital mutilation should be stopped.
  • Is it ethical to eat meat?
  • Wearing fur is unethical.

10 Family Persuasive Speech Topics

A dad and a mother walking in the grass with their two young kids

  • Should underaged people be allowed to consume alcohol at home, with parental permission?
  • Should children 13 or younger be allowed to watch music videos or music channels like MTV?
  • Do you think those older than 13 should be allowed into R-rated movies?
  • Should teenagers be allowed to purchase violent video games?
  • Is it appropriate for children to watch horror movies?
  • Those under 16 should not be allowed to date.
  • Parental pressure on child actors and athletes is harmful.
  • Why parents should not hit their children.
  • Fairy tales are good for young children.
  • Why kids should not play R rated games.

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

6 Fashion Persuasive Speech Topics

Wardrobe with dark, grey and blue man suits

  • Men should wear pink.
  • Choose an Eco-Fashion Fabrics Wardrobe!
  • Are Sustainable Clothes Really Sustainable?
  • Jewelry: Less Is More.
  • Fashion Reveals Your True Identity.
  • Fashion Is An Expression Of The Character

11 Financial Persuasive Speech Topics

Hands counting and stacking coins

  • Why banks should ban hats and sunglasses to avoid robberies.
  • Student loans should be forgiven.
  • Reservation casinos are only beneficial if managed correctly.
  • National debt is everyones problem.
  • Purchasing a car is smarter than leasing one.
  • The Japanese yen is affected by the weakness of the dollar.
  • The Euro currency will oust the dollar.
  • The Chinese Yuan / Japanese Yen / European Euro will all surpass the Dollar as leading currency.
  • Phase the penny coin out.
  • Severe budget cuts are the only way to maximise good financial results.
  • Keeping a close eye on personal finance is key in achieving something in life.

15 Food and Drink Persuasive Speech Topics

Strawberry cake and cup of coffee

  • Genetically modified foods should be labeled.
  • Do you believe companies who manufacture alcohol should be allowed to advertise on TV?
  • Every child should learn to cook.
  • Cooking should be taught in schools.
  • Should we donate unused food from supermarkets?
  • The history of added sugar in our food.
  • We should all grow our own vegetables.
  • Eat more fruits and vegetables.
  • The promise of genetically engineered food.
  • Why peanuts are amazing.
  • Drink more orange juice.
  • Why people should cook.
  • Farmers’ markets should be increased.
  • Eating organic is good for your health.
  • Get artificial hormones out of food.

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

10 Fun Persuasive Speech Topics

Young man jumping into the Caribbean sea with floating ring

Fun topics are a great way to get people to listen to what you have to say, because when they are entertained they listen more carefully. Fun topics also help the speaker be more at ease, because the topics are more relaxed. Below follow 100 topics that you can have fun with while persuading your audience. .

  • Ghosts are not real.
  • We all need to be childish.
  • Smokers have more acquaintances.
  • Music has the power to heal.
  • Diamonds are a girls best friends.
  • Couples need to live together before getting married.
  • Allow kids to believe in Santa.
  • Pick up lines do work.
  • Cake is not cake if it is dry.
  • Parents must be prepared for the ‘birds and bees’ talk.

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

10 Funny and Humorous Persuasive Speech Topics

Two men with hats laughing together

Humour is a fabulous way to get people’s attention. Below are questions and statement topics that can be used to get your points across on a variety of topics.

It is important to remember that there can be a fine line between funny and insulting. So use wit and make it fun without insulting your audience. This would be important to remember with a title like ‘The most dangerous animal out there is a silent woman’.

  • Blondes are not as dumb as they look.
  • Why funny pick-up lines work.
  • Guys gossip more than girls do.
  • You should not be Facebook friends with your mom.
  • If things go wrong, your horoscope is to blame.
  • Students should not have to do a persuasive speech in front of a large audience.
  • Millennials should stop wearing spandex yoga pants all the time.
  • Dads are more fun than moms.
  • Argumentative essays are pointless.
  • Shoes that don’t fit right are hazardous to your health.

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

16 Government Persuasive Speech Topics

Front view of the White House with gardens and fountains

  • Do you believe there should be stricter federal restrictions regarding content on the internet?
  • Should employers be required to post job opportunities on a government-run website?
  • The government should provide shelter for the homeless.
  • Should the state fund schools run by religions?
  • Whose face should be printed on the newest bank note?
  • Do you believe Puerto Rico should become a state?
  • Our nation’s justice system needs to be improved.
  • Should the government have a say in our diets?
  • The military budget must be decreased.
  • Should people get drug tested for state aid?
  • How policy works in local government.
  • The government should increase funding of Amtrak.
  • Fixing potholes should be a priority of local government.
  • Eminent domain should be used rarely.
  • The war on drugs is a failure.
  • Zoning laws should be common sense.

10 Health Persuasive Speech Topics

Doctor's hands mesuering blood presure of a patient

  • Female minors should be allowed to get birth control without telling their parents.
  • Should stem cell researchers be able to use cells from aborted babies to help cure diseases?
  • Should doctors be allowed to prescribe contraception for girls under 16?
  • Do you think it would be better if the USA had a universal health care system?
  • Do you believe free condoms should be distributed in schools?
  • Regular exercise will improve your health.
  • Restaurants should post all ingredients to prevent allergic reactions.
  • Do you believe fast food should come with a warning label?
  • The use of animals in medical research is a necessary evil.
  • Seat belts ensure all passengers a safer ride.

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

10 School Persuasive Speech Topics

Two kids writing on a school desk

School is a whole new world, where students discover more about themselves and life around them. These are topics that students will most likely have to deal with at some point during their elementary, middle, and high school careers.

  • High school students should be allowed to have cell phones in school.
  • High school students should not have to wear school uniforms.
  • All high school students should learn a foreign language.
  • Girls should be allowed to play on the boys’ sports teams.
  • High school students should be required to do community service.
  • Extracurricular activities are important for your future.
  • Students should be able to stay up late, even on school nights.
  • Peer pressure helps students grow as individuals.
  • Students should have healthy food options.
  • Students should be paid for getting good grades.

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

10 College Students Persuasive Speech Topics

College empty classroom with wood seats

The following topics are for college students and about the many different aspects that they will deal with during their time in college.

  • College textbooks should be replaced by iPads.
  • Mobile phones should be switched off during a lecture.
  • College students shouldn’t skip classes.
  • Students shouldn’t study something that they are not passionate about.
  • Gap years are actually a very good idea.
  • Notes should always be taken in class.
  • Student loans are expensive and students need to understand what they are getting themselves into.
  • Students should get to know other students.
  • It’s smart to get the harder classes out of the way first.
  • Taking summer classes will help students get ahead of schedule.

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

10 Teens Persuasive Speech Topics

Group of four teenager friends

The following topics are aimed at teens and subjects which are important and matter to teens.

  • Teenage girls should be on birth control.
  • Teenage boys are lazier than girls.
  • Teens should have weekend jobs.
  • Homework should not be given.
  • Being popular isn’t a good thing.
  • Teens are obsessed with scary things.
  • Chores shouldn’t be paid for.
  • Sex education must be compulsory.
  • Exchange student programs for all students.
  • Free time gets teens into trouble.

See this page for a full list of Great Speech Topics for Teens .

5 History Persuasive Speech Topics

Gladiator helmet laid on an ancient stone bench

  • Did the U.S. Army provide their soldiers drugs during the Vietnam war?
  • African- American achievements should be celebrated.
  • Why Lincoln was the best President.
  • Revisionist history is dangerous.
  • The moon landing was a lie.

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

10 Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics

Back of a man staring at a wall covered by paper notes and draws

Interesting topics will always have an audience glued to every word, even when they may disagree with your point of view. Ultimately it is your job to persuade them that your view is in fact correct.

These topics have a mix of simpler speeches such as “Pick up lines do work” here both humour and a few examples of pick up lines have worked will get you going in the right direction. For a speech with a bit more research put into it there are topics such as “Stem cell research in murder”.

  • The standards of beauty are never the same.
  • Princess Diana was killed.
  • Energy drinks are dangerous.
  • School day needs to involve less sitting and more exercise.
  • No credit cards for under 25.
  • Healthy relationships require conflicts.
  • Everyone needs medical insurance.
  • Tooth whitening is out of control.
  • In future air planes won’t crash.
  • Business should hire more apprentices.

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

13 International Relations Persuasive Speech Topics

World map with pined color flags

  • Do you think it is time for the United States to suspend overseas military operations?
  • The U.S. should cut off all foreign aid to dictatorships.
  • Why you should volunteer in a developing country.
  • Should Scotland be a country of its own?
  • China will be the next superpower.
  • Is any nation truly independent?
  • Should women drive in Saudi Arabia?
  • Foreign oil dependence is dangerous.
  • Weapons disarmament should be increased.
  • The war in Iraq was a mistake.
  • The United Nations is important in defusing international crises.
  • Human rights should be advanced all over the world.
  • China will be the almighty economic superpower by 2025.

10 Law Persuasive Speech Topics

Close view of a gavel and its sound block

  • Should those who are caught driving after consuming alcohol lose their driver’s license for one year?
  • Should it be illegal to drive while talking on the phone?
  • Should illegal music and movie downloads be prosecuted?
  • Do you believe illegal immigrants should be allowed to apply for a driver’s license?
  • Should motorcyclists have to wear a helmet?
  • People over 65 should be required to take a bi-annual driver’s test.
  • Should the driving age be raised to 21?
  • Should assault weapons be legal?
  • Should known gang members be prohibited from public parks?
  • Do you think it should be illegal for people to curse on TV during daytime?

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

3 Literature Persuasive Speech Topics

Two opened books stacked

  • Why reading is more beneficial than watching television.
  • Why it is a good idea to read Fifty Shades of Grey.
  • Why people need to read more books.

17 Media Persuasive Speech Topics

Screen with thumbnails of different medias

  • Why it’s wrong for the media to promote a certain beauty standard.
  • Is the media responsible for the moral degradation of teens?
  • Do magazines marketed to teenagers send the wrong message?
  • Why Disney should not be making Star Wars movies.
  • Why you should study photography.
  • Should certain T.V. shows have age restrictions?
  • Why the media is to blame for eating disorders.
  • The media does not force us to worship false icons.
  • Why the Russian should have beat Rocky.
  • Television is harmful to children.
  • Why comic books are good to read.
  • Some TV shows are educational.
  • Make TV more educational.
  • We need more funding for public television and radio.
  • Violence on television should be regulated.
  • Cable TV monopolies destroy competition.
  • Katniss Everdeen would alienate Harry Potter.

10 Motivational Persuasive Speech Topics

Woman rising up fists in the air

  • School leaders must shape high-achieving learning curricula for students.
  • Set a clear goal and devote all your positive energy toward reaching it.
  • What to do for people who have no motivation to live a happy life.
  • The art of moral imagination is the key to intellectual and spiritual development.
  • Why it is hard to follow your dream.
  • What keep most of us from following the voice of your heart when it comes to love or even discovery travelling?
  • Overcome your stage fright and fear of public speaking.
  • Begin with forming a moral tool set when children are young and build further when they are at least 18 years old.
  • Aim straightforward in whatever project you undertake, and emphasize and evaluate what you want to achieve often in between the completed parts of the total planning.
  • Prudence is an effort you can turn non-believers into believers in your plans.

See this page for a full list of Speech Topics For Motivational Speaking .

6 Music Persuasive Speech Topics

Young woman listening to music with phone and headset

  • Why the French horn should be played more.
  • Should schools allow uncensored songs at school dances?
  • How listening to music could improve your day.
  • Why music is beneficial to society.
  • MP3 music should be free.
  • Rock music is better than Country & Western.

6 National Security Persuasive Speech Topics

Soldier standing in front of the American flag

  • Are intensive security screenings essential for those who travel in airplanes?
  • Negotiating with terrorists is sometimes justifiable.
  • Should police carry firearms?
  • Homosexuals belong in the military.
  • Women benefit the military in many ways.
  • Should police carry toy guns?

10 Politics Persuasive Speech Topics

Voted stickers for American poll

  • Should it be legal for politicians to accept campaign contributions from corporate lobbyists?
  • Why you should vote.
  • Ban abusive language in elections.
  • Why you should know Bernie Sanders.
  • Term limits need to be respected.
  • Give Kurdistan back to the Kurds.
  • Zimbabwe is the next drama in world politics.
  • Central Asian states could become a threat.
  • America is not the world’s policeman.
  • Globalization pays off.

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

3 Practical Knowledge Persuasive Speech Topics

Gloved hands lighting up a wood fire with a striker

  • Basic survival skills are important to know.
  • Basic camping skills everyone should know.
  • Personal hygiene is important for professional success.

7 Psychology Persuasive Speech Topics

Dummy head with draws and notes on it

  • Intelligence depends more on the environment than genetics.
  • Human development depends primarily on environmental factors.
  • Why we should not see psychologists.
  • Why do we need to love and to be loved?
  • Can money give you happiness?
  • Why introverts make the best public speakers.
  • Verbal abuse can be much more destructive than physical.

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

23 Relationships Persuasive Speech Topics

Man and woman holding their hand and walking on the beach at dawn

  • Should young people have internet relationships?
  • Men and women speak a different language of love.
  • Long distance relationships are possible.
  • Why it is important to live together before marriage.
  • Teens should live with their friends once a week.
  • Jealousy can be a disease.
  • Most people say they will break up with a cheating partner, but in the end most people do not.
  • Counseling is the solution for working through relationship problems.
  • Intimacy is the key to a successful relationship.
  • Women cheat more than men do.
  • Interreligious Relationships – Love between two people can never be forbidden.
  • Arranged marriages must be outlawed.
  • Asking someone to wear a condom shows a lack of trust.
  • Celibacy is outdated.
  • Cheating isn’t wrong if you do it well.
  • Co-workers should never date.
  • Dating behavior rules are simple for girls: No means No, not Yes.
  • Living together before marriage will lower the divorce rate.
  • Men and women speak different languages in love matters.
  • People only need one good friend.
  • Polygamy should be allowed.
  • You will learn most from friends that are different from you.
  • Romance works best the old fashioned way.

8 Religion Persuasive Speech Topics

Praying hands in front of an altar enlighten with candles

  • Should public schools teach world religions?
  • Students should be allowed to pray in school.
  • Women should be priests.
  • Religious conflict must be avoided.
  • Why Islam is a peaceful religion.
  • Islamic fundamentalism is not true Islam.
  • Religious cults are dangerous.
  • Faith in God should be protected.

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

10 Science Persuasive Speech Topics

Gloved hand shaking a flask in a laboratory

  • Do you think the United States government should spend more on space programs?
  • Why should we be aware of what is happening in outer space?
  • Why Pluto should still be considered a planet.
  • Mars was the same as Earth in the past.
  • Why you should donate your body to science.
  • We need more scientific advancements.
  • Qualitative research is more preferable than quantitative research.
  • Religion and science do not mix. (Or: they do.)
  • Scientists have the duty to translate their findings in normal language.
  • Theories are useless if they can not be transformed into strategies.

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

11 Self-Help Persuasive Speech Topics

Dark silhouette offering an helping hand

  • Art is a stress reliever and can reduce depression.
  • With hardwork and determination anyone can be successful.
  • Why we should live life spontaneously.
  • Improve your time management.
  • Embarrassing moments make you stronger.
  • Be true to yourself.
  • Dress for success.
  • How to continue your personal growth.
  • The importance of self- confidence.
  • If you don’t give up, you’ll make it.
  • Talking to yourself can be beneficial.

10 Society Persuasive Speech Topics

People crossing a city street

  • Should larger passengers be obliged to purchase two plane tickets, or two movie tickets?
  • Should American families have no more than two children, in order to control population growth?
  • Should property owners be obliged to clean the snow from sidewalks on their property?
  • Should there be a cop in every bar to make sure people do not drink and drive?
  • Do you believe that older people should receive free bus rides?
  • Should all citizens of the USA complete one year of community service?
  • Do you believe it is time for America to use the metric system?
  • Why it should be mandatory for all students to stand for the pledge.
  • Do you believe that cities should provide free wireless internet?
  • Why living in the country is better than the city.

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

10 Sport Persuasive Speech Topics

US Football player diving with the ball

Some sports topics can quickly turn into an argument between fans so keep in mind that special care should be taken with some of the suggested topics.

The term soccer was used to distinguished between soccer and American football, feel free to use the term football for those countries that do not use the term soccer.

  • Should some musical groups, such as marching band and show choir, be considered a sport?
  • Do you think cities should have a bike sharing system?
  • Should college athletes be paid?
  • Why baseball players should take drug tests before playing.
  • High school football programs should receive less funding.
  • Female sports should be given equal coverage by the media.
  • Should drug tests be mandatory for professional athletes?
  • Should athletes be paid less?
  • Should drug tests be mandatory for school athletes?
  • Winning is not as important as trying your best.

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

28 Technology Persuasive Speech Topics

Server's rack of hard drives with LEDs

  • Google and other search engines will be the death of libraries.
  • Make sure to backup your computer files several times a day.
  • What kind of influence will technology have on our future?
  • Printing photos is better than keeping them on a computer.
  • Do you believe internet censorship is inappropriate?
  • Should nuclear power be used?
  • How technology will change our lives.
  • Internet could do more to free deaf people from their social isolation.
  • Should screen time also be limited for adults?
  • Why the government should regulate technology.
  • Technology is making people less creative.
  • Technology has made life better.
  • Why Microsoft Word products should be free.
  • Why you should not buy an iPhone.
  • Anti-piracy software does not work.
  • Internet chatrooms are not safe.
  • The amount of spam you see in your mailbox is just the tip of the iceberg.
  • We are addicted to the internet.
  • Put down your phone and connect with people.
  • Electronics are making kids lazy.
  • How does a search engine work?
  • Apple music should be free.
  • The importance of the internet.
  • Internet gambling needs more regulation.
  • Computer literacy should be increased.
  • The importance of internet fraud awareness.
  • Why selfies are a thing of the past.
  • People who say they do not need or want to use the world wide web are insane.

12 Travel Persuasive Speech Topics

Hand holding a small world globe

  • Why you should go to Bermuda.
  • Why airline tickets should be cheaper.
  • Traveling makes you more open-minded.
  • Always report travel complaints as soon as possible when back home.
  • Backpacking means every day unexpected adventures if you are open for it
  • If there was no tourism there would be much more poverty.
  • Support eco-tourism.
  • Tourism ruins historical sites and there should be placed warning signs to awake them.
  • Extreme air turbulence can be fatal.
  • Fly First Class at least once in your lifetime.
  • The best way to travel is in a guided group.
  • Antarctica should be closed for tourists and scientists

8 Workplace Persuasive Speech Topics

Desk with notes, papers, coffee and laptop

  • Should large corporations hire a number of minorities that are proportionate to the population?
  • Do you think 14 year olds should be allowed to hold jobs?
  • Why you should choose a high paying job over a fun job.
  • Why everyone should work retail once in their life.
  • Tipping should be mandatory in restaurants.
  • Women make better managers than men.
  • The importance of office parties.
  • Labor unions should be protected.

Our list of topics is by far the best list you will find online – both in terms of quantity and quality. We add and remove ideas weekly to keep the list up-to-date.

Many timely persuasive speech topics can be found on radio, TV, your local newspaper, or your Facebook and Twitter feeds. We also have Argumentative (which is a type of persuasive speech on a controversial issue) and Policy topics . If you know of a cool topic, please send it to us and we will publish it on our page with fresh topics.

For persuasive essay topic ideas have a look at our list of Interesting Research Paper topics : these can be easily adapted for persuasive speeches.

Write a Gripping Personal Narrative Essay Using Our Cheat Guide

Vote of Thanks Examples

50 thoughts on “434 Good Persuasive Speech Topics”

Thank You! 🙂 Very helpful and inspiring and you get a good laugh out of these topics, wish me luck on my test.

That was some awesome topics for my college presentation thanks for the help 🙂

Thank you so much i got a 82 on my speech! I talked about how women don’t have rights, and that they should be in the kitchen. Thank you again!!!

These topics are good I like give speech. Speech good for speaking. thank for topics

Why smoking can help you make friends

These topic are good. Thank you so much..

Really helpful, I pro-formed a speech outlining why exactly unfaithful thots should be be vanquished from our society. Got a 69.

Thanks so much! I did a speech on the unfaithful thots of our society and the plague being wrought upon the population. We need a solution. Some might say a final, solution.

These topics are great. Thank you

OMG thank you sooooo mush you literally saved my life.

Thankkkk youuuuuuuuuuuuu sooooo much these topics are amazing and thank you for saving my life my speech was why airlines should be cheeper and i got a 99

Great topics but there is no R rating for video games. (Family, Topic 10)

Thank you so much this was really helpful!!!!

these are good topics because im in 5th grade in my class right now and we are starting pursasive right now

Why sex education important

Are pitbulls a vicious breed

Germany is the best

Does Lightning McQueen have Life Insurance or Car Insurance ?

Correction: why cats make the purrfect pet.

thank you this is a very helpful and inspiring topics

These were good and helpful. This was exactly what I needed for my speech. Thanks to whoever came up with all of these.

Thank you so much. My speech on getting Belle Delphine banned got 69%

Thank you so much, this was inspiring and helpful.

ok, so I know im the only one that did this but its actually 414 speech topics so!!!!!11

This was v helpful- thank you! i did that Princess Diana was murdered and was very easy to be passionate about it – thx again!

very nice. help alot.me like moon landing one. thought was funny.

i love ThiS website SO MUCH it helped me with my speech endlessly and will be forever greatful xxx <3 <3

Why water causes cancer

Why Sped kids should have more special attention in schools?

-Tax the freaking pants off the 1%

-Only highly education education specialists should make laws regarding education

-Schools should implement standards that require more recess and P.E. and no homework

did a speach on koalas being nuclearly reactive thx sm

please tell kate to stop trying to help with my academics in writing thanks xx

Should kids be allowed to kick their parents out of the house when they get caught doing bad things

cheating isnt wrong if you do it well

i personally think that this website helped a lot i think you should add a kpop section just for who is interester ^0^ thank you 🙂

I made a speech explaining why toothbrushing should be mandatory and it got a 69

thanks so much i got a 69 on my speech about free robux

thanks bro i got a 69% on my speech about how i would eat henrique all night

Couldn’t find a topic but site was amazing! Henrique on the other hand

thanks got me a 100

Those were so helpful wish me luck on my test

henrique is kind of annoying but a good website

i’m thinking a speech on the flash sounds perfect.

Thank youuu so muchhh!!!!!! This was so helpful and rly helped me find new perspectives to look from. I wrote my speech on how men are animals, have no rights, and should be locked in mines and milked for their semen. I also found out im pregnant guys!!!! Time to find out if it’s a girl or an abortion!!!!!

I got the best speech topic.thank goodness.I only got an hour to finish.

why can’t we make toast in the bath

Why teens shouldn’t have sex before marriage.

I laughed so hard at “students should not have to do a persuasive speech in front of public audiences”

is this the real life, or is it just a fantasy?

this site was so good i found nothing! thank goodness i got a 0% my grades are rising

Leave a Comment

I accept the Privacy Policy

Reach out to us for sponsorship opportunities

Vivamus integer non suscipit taciti mus etiam at primis tempor sagittis euismod libero facilisi.

© 2024 My Speech Class

227 Amazing College Persuasive Essay Topics [Free Ideas]

good topics for a college speech

Ever wondered what a persuasive essay is? Are you struggling to differentiate it from an argumentative one? Do you think it’s impossible to find original persuasive speech topics for college students?

If you have answered yes to any question, you’ve come to the right place. Our team can help you!

A persuasive essay is a piece of academic writing that convinces readers to accept the author’s position and agree with their ideas. Through clear arguments and examples, the writer demonstrates the legitimacy of their point of view.

Below, we have provided a list of the most interesting and unique college persuasive essay topics. So, don’t waste any more of your time searching for the right title. Use our ideas and create an outstanding persuasive essay!

  • 👉 How to Choose?
  • ✨ Best Speech Topics
  • 🎓 Ideas on Education
  • 📜 Topics on History
  • ⚖ Ideas on Politics
  • 👍 Topics on Sociology
  • 💰 Ideas on Economics
  • 🚌 Transportation
  • 🌿 Environment
  • ⚙ Technology
  • 🌍 Traveling
  • ✌ Lifestyle
  • 🏫 Teenagers
  • 📚 Literature
  • 🖐 25 More Topics

👉 How to Choose a Persuasive Essay Topic for College?

The main secret of the successful persuasive essay is a compelling topic. Therefore, when choosing the right persuasive topic, follow these few simple pieces of advice:

  • Re-read the assignment . The task that you’ve received from your tutor can be of great assistance. You just have to read it correctly. Unfortunately, college students tend to underestimate the power of the question. Don’t make this mistake. Read your assignment carefully because it can provide clues on the topic to look for.
  • Brainstorm ideas. Before writing any paper, college students have to research. It will ensure the argumentative part of the persuasive essay. To understand what to examine, have an ideation session, and consider a variety of ideas. Picking the most appropriate one, you’ll see where to start your research. Try to find as many topics as you can. Free college essays collection is a good place to check out as a part of your session. You’ll be able to see what topics are already covered, and what you can expand upon. It will make your investigation and writing processes easier!
  • Don’t pick an idea if it’s too broad . You may think that in this case, you’ll have plenty of things to argue about. Well, maybe a bit too many. In your essay, you should cover an entire topic so that it sounds convincing. When the idea is too broad, you can’t fit every argument in one paper. So, specify your title. For instance, you want to persuade your readers to stay healthy. Then don’t investigate all the aspects of maintaining health. Focus on one specific issue. For example, explore the positive influence of sport on the general health condition of a human being.
  • Ensure that you have credible sources. In some colleges, even the smallest essays may require a list of references. Thus, make sure you have materials to research and later list as your sources. Remember: Good persuasive paper topics for college have to offer a wide variety of sources to investigate. So, if you are not confident in your materials, better change the title. It will prevent you from a lack of evidence to support your arguments.
  • Choose a topic of personal interest. We’re not compelling you to write something that you enjoy when it contradicts the assignment. But try to select an idea that doesn’t bore you from reading it out loud. It is always more pleasurable to write on a topic you are passionate about. Don’t miss your chance to make turn your essay writing process into an exciting activity.
  • Select something you have an opinion about, but open to debate. Your tutors can disagree with your position. Nevertheless, it is not a reason to give up. It’s the right time to show your critical thinking skills. State your position clearly and provide convincing arguments to support it. Show your readers that you can change your position if you see some compelling data. It can give you some extra credit. The best persuasion topics for college create an environment for debates and discussions.
  • Be unique! In colleges, the amount of papers done daily is enormous. Don’t make your professors read about the importance of waste sorting, for example, yet again. The topic of environmental protection is undoubtedly extremely significant. However: It is way too overused. The professors are tired of reading essays on the same issues again and again. Surprise them and stand out.

Finding an original topic for a persuasive essay is tricky.

✨ 12 Best Persuasive Speech Topics for College Students

  • How important is mental health?
  • Is online school more effective?
  • Are GMO products good?
  • Is social media dangerous?
  • What’s wrong with the education system?
  • Does recycling work?
  • Is veganism bad for the environment?
  • Should foreign policy be feminist?
  • Is marriage an obsolete institution?
  • Can protests and demonstrations bring change?
  • Can alternative medicine actually work?
  • Is modern advertising unethical?

🔑 Essential College Persuasive Essay Topics

We bet, every college student at least once had an assignment to write a persuasive essay. Haven’t you had yet? The best is yet to come! Thus, you have to be prepared to face all the challenges of a persuasive essay composing.

Searching for interesting persuasive essay topics is a complicated issue. However, you don’t have to worry about it. Our team of experts gathered the most popular and effective ideas in one place.

Don’t stress out about the topic:

Take a look at our list of persuasive essay topics for college students. We divided our ideas into sections so that you can find the most appropriate one. So, you can easily navigate throughout our page for a more effective search.

🎓 College Persuasive Essay Ideas on Education

  • An educational system should encourage creativity .
  • Student diversity should be present in a school classroom .
  • Why should college students care about their mental and physical health?
  • Why should we stop girls’ discrimination in the modern educational system?
  • Why should computer science programs be taught in colleges and universities?
  • Why should parents take part in their children’s education?

Parents should participate in their children's studying for numerous reasons.

  • Why reading performance of students with learning disabilities should be improved?
  • Studying abroad results in better education.
  • Homework does not help in the learning process.
  • The costs of higher education should be reduced.
  • A grade does not show a student’s knowledge.
  • The Internet overuse blocks the mental development of a modern teenager.
  • Education should not depend on technologies.
  • Essay writing develops the critical thinking skills of students.
  • Foreign language learning should be mandatory in school . Conduct research on how foreign languages influence children and teenagers. What are the positive sides of such education? Then, persuade your readers that foreign languages are essential in the school core curriculum.
  • Art classes should be a priority in middle school . Elaborate on the importance of the development of the sense of art for children and teenagers. Why should art classes be higher in the list of priorities than technical or science courses? How can the right perception of art help pupils in future life?
  • The core curriculum of the high school should not be too broad. Why do we have to narrow down our focus in high school? Explain how teenagers will benefit from studying particular subjects instead of getting general knowledge. Convince your readers about the importance of focusing on a specific field in high school.
  • A gap year before entering the university is beneficial. Give persuading evidence why students should take a gap year. What are the advantages? Make your readers debate whether a gap year is worth considering. Finally, convince them that it is worth it.
  • Mobile phones should not be allowed in school. State your position regarding the usage of smartphones during the learning process. What adverse ramifications do the mobile phones have on the academic results of pupils? Persuade your readers to prohibit phone usage in school.
  • Traditional education is more effective than remote learning . How the benefits of the conventional way of learning outweigh the advantages of remote education? Compare the aspects of remote learning for different age groups: 1st grade age, 6th grade age, and a college student.

📜 College Persuasive Essay Topics on History

  • The American Revolution was a turning point in USA history.
  • The year 1763 is crucial in US history.
  • The media played a crucial role in promoting the Vietnam War .
  • We shouldn’t underestimate the significance of African-American social reform.
  • Technological advancement of the 17th century was a new era in world history.
  • Without Enlightenment and Romantic Age , the European culture wouldn’t be so progressive nowadays.

Enlightenment took over the period of the 17th and 18th centuries.

  • People should’ve stopped the propaganda of Adolf Hitler and Jim Jones before the intensive development.
  • The historical influence of Abraham Lincoln should become a role model for modern political figures.
  • Americans should have abolished slavery in the United States way earlier.
  • The four voyages by Christopher Columbus are crucial in the progress of world history.
  • Cultural exchanges in the medieval period significantly impacted the civilizations.
  • Protestant reformation was the most influential Christian movement.
  • Japanese women in the Middle Ages should have been more powerful.
  • The world war should never happen again.
  • The age of exploration . Who are the key figures? How did they impact world history formation? Convince your readers of the importance of the age of exploration.
  • The Mayan calendar system did not predict the end of the world . Investigate the Mayan calendar system. What is your explanation of the fact that the calendar system ended in the year 2012? Persuade your readers that the suggestions about the end of the world in 2012 are false.
  • Racial discrimination in America violated human rights to a great extend . Give a brief overview of racial discrimination in the USA. Persuade the readers to perceive racial discrimination as an act of human rights violation.
  • Apollo 11 – the first spaceflight that landed people on the Moon . Discuss the importance of this event. Convince your readers about the significance of the Moon exploration.
  • History studying should become the top priority for students. The knowledge of history may help to prevent mistakes from the past. So, persuade your readers to explore historical events.
  • Holocaust should not be justified and denied . What are the horrible consequences of holocaust tragedy? Analyze an opinion regarding the denial of the holocaust. Persuade the readers not to support this idea.

⚖ College Persuasive Essay Ideas on Politics

  • Civil rights of black Americans should not be limited.
  • Migration should not be restricted because it has certain benefits to modern countries .
  • In the battle of socialism vs. democracy , the second one should win.

Why is socialism becoming so popular in democratic states?

  • Nationalism in international relations should be accepted.
  • E-government should become transparent and accountable for the citizens .
  • Celebrities should stay aside from political activities.
  • The laws for each state of America should become common.
  • A voting system should be transparent.
  • Ordinary people should not be allowed to own guns.
  • The federal tax return process should become more manageable.
  • Individual rights versus the common good . Express your position regarding the issue. What do you support: individual rights or common good? Persuade the readers to follow your ideas.
  • Gay marriage should be allowed . If you don’t agree with the topic, express the opposing opinion. Elaborate on your arguments and provide counterarguments. Exclude harsh comments and offensive language from the narrative.
  • The death penalty cannot be justified . Why do you think so? Give clear arguments to support your opinion. If you believe that the death penalty is justifiable, prove your position.
  • Electronic voting in the United States should not be banned . Present the positive sides of this way of voting and convince the readers in your rightness. Don’t you agree with this opinion? Then, provide counterarguments.
  • Abortion should be legal . Provide clear arguments to express your position. Or provide counterarguments to contradict the idea of abortion legalization.

👍 College Persuasive Essay Topics on Sociology

  • Community services should be provided for mentally disabled people .
  • Equality and diversity are the main social issues .
  • Interpersonal communication skills are crucial in modern society.
  • Gender inequalities in the 21st century should be overcome .
  • Should the Canadian government legalize prostitution?
  • Max Weber’s rationality theory should be accepted by society .
  • China should take specific steps to overcome the overpopulation problem .
  • Gender stereotypes in a family should be dismantled.

Present studies aim to fill a gap in the literature on gender role attitudes and family dynamics.

  • Abusive relationships in a family should not be hidden.
  • Implementing more tough punishments on the lawbreakers should reduce the crime rates of the USA.
  • Does family promote or limit mobility? Choose one side of the issue and provide clear arguments to support your ideas.
  • Divorce has negative effects on children . Do you agree with this statement? Convince the readers to accept your point of view by stating your position clearly and powerfully.
  • Birth control should be monitored on a governmental level. Express your opinion regarding birth control in modern society. Conduct a study on the cultural, religious, and political aspects of the birth control issue.
  • Is there the right age to get married? Decide if there are any age suggestions to create a family or no? Support your choice with bright ideas and appropriate examples.
  • To resolve the conflict, we need to know the nature of the conflict . Do you agree or disagree with this idea? Provide strong arguments to make people believe in your point of view. How do you think psychology works while resolving the conflict?

💰 College Persuasive Essay Ideas on Economics

  • Competing theories are the core of economic development.
  • We have to consider John Locke’s and Karl Marx’s economic ideas nowadays.
  • Demand and supply correlation in the market matters a lot.
  • Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” concept can improve modern economics .
  • If we want to stabilize the economy, we have to implement the monetary policy .
  • Should big banks be broken up?
  • We should consider the relationship between money supply and inflation while preventing the high level of inflation.
  • We shouldn’t take the Keynesian explanation of the recession too seriously.
  • Industrialization plays a significant role in economic development.
  • Small business owners should receive financial support during the period of crisis.

As an example or evidence for this persuasive topic, talk about the COVID-19 crisis.

  • The governments should reduce monopoly power.
  • The role of understanding the goals of human resource management in the context of human capital theory . Explain the significance of effective HR management for a business flourishing. Persuade your readers to invest enough resources in human capital.
  • Exchange regimes have a significant impact on macroeconomic performance . Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Provide well-developed arguments to prove your point of view. Persuade your readers to accept your position.
  • Consumer behavior is different in every country. If you agree, develop this idea by providing strong arguments. If you don’t, state your position. Either way, support your arguments with supporting evidence. Make your readers follow your opinion.
  • The understanding of the basic concepts of economics is essential for every person . Explain how the knowledge of economics can help people to manage their money wisely. How to survive during the crisis? How to lead a business successfully, etc. Persuade your readers to study the basics of economics.

💡 Interesting College Persuasive Essay Topics

Are you already impressed with a diversity of topics our team collected for you? But don’t think that’s all we have to offer for you. Since our mission is to help you, we have more persuasive essay ideas for college to share.

Below, you can find more fascinating ideas for your assignments. For your convenience, we divided persuasive essay topics for college into several sections. Investigate our ideas and don’t hesitate to use them.

🚌 Transportation Persuasive Essay Topics

  • Planes should newer take off if weather conditions are inappropriate .
  • Never drive a car if you are under the alcohol or drug effect .
  • Hybrid cars are environmentally friendly, so they should become the future of the transportation industry .
  • Why should people study driving?
  • The usage of alternative energy resources should reshape the global transportation infrastructure .
  • The governments should invest enough money in public transport advancement .
  • Cars usage should be regulated .
  • A school bus should be checked at least once a month to ensure the safety of pupils.
  • The reserves of petroleum should be replenished to provide a proper transportation industry operation.
  • The shipping of essential goods during the state of emergency (quarantine, dangerous natural conditions, etc.) should be free.
  • We should use public transport instead of private cars to save the environment.
  • Hybrid engine vs. standard engine . Examine the positive and negative aspects of both of them. Which one would you prefer? Persuade your readers to support your opinion by giving clear arguments.
  • Information technology influences the logistics industry to a great extent . Provide appropriate examples of the IT impact on logistics. Convince your readers of the importance of your opinion.
  • The role of transportation in the development of tourism . Prove your audience that transportation progress has a direct impact on tourism opportunities.

Transportation plays a vital role in tourism.

  • We have to reduce the use of crude oil in the transportation industry . What are the possible adverse ramifications of such oil usage? Persuade your readers to limit applying this type of fuel. If you don’t agree with the idea, express the opposing opinion. Elaborate on your arguments and provide counterarguments.

🌿 Environmental Persuasive Essay Topics

  • The government should control the overpopulation to prevent consequences for the environment .
  • Human activity should be limited to preserve biodiversity .
  • We have to examine an ecologically sustainable approach .
  • Alternative energy sources are essential for saving the planet .
  • We should try our best to live a zero-waste lifestyle .
  • Saving endangered species must be a top priority issue for environmental organizations.
  • Solar energy can save the environment.
  • Hunting sports should be banned because they harm biodiversity.
  • The conservation of global resources is necessary for maintaining the lifecycle of the planet.
  • Waste sorting should be mandatory all around the world.
  • Stopping deforestation will prevent the loss of natural habitat for animals.
  • Tourism negatively affects wildlife. Comment no the negative consequences of traveling on nature. If you believe that tourism does not harm wildlife, provide counterarguments to claim your position.
  • Farming has to be wise. Explain how intensive farming damages nature. Convince your readers about the importance of following the farming rules. They can help to prevent intensive farming’s adverse ramifications.
  • The Prime Days on Amazon should be banned . Explain how the incredibly low prices on items during the Prime Days result in extremely high costs for the environment. Persuade your readers to resist the desire to buy unnecessary goods from Amazon.
  • Without rainforests, our planet will suffocate . Prove the significance of the preservation of the rainforests for the environment.

Tropical forests are responsible for around 34 percent of photosynthesis occurring on land.

⚙ Technology Persuasive Essay Ideas

  • Globalization influences computer technologies to a great extent .
  • The government should implement Internet censorship .
  • Cloud computing is an innovative era in computer science .
  • Cyberbullying should be controlled to prevent a negative influence on youth .
  • Dependency on computers is a considerable threat to human well-being .
  • Data and information security should be a top concern of every internet user .
  • Investing money in developing information technology systems is profitable for companies.
  • The internet blocks the development of human intelligence.
  • To prevent the development of serious illnesses, we should use genetic technology.
  • Technological advancement should focus on the improvement of the health sector.
  • We have to use technology wisely to make people smarter.
  • A scientific revolution started the technological advancement. Convince your readers about the importance of the scientific revolution in technological development. If you don’t agree with the topic, express the opposing opinion, providing counterarguments.
  • E-books or audiobooks will never replace paper books. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? State your position clearly and make your readers accept it.
  • Nowadays, society is too dependent on computer technologies . Comment on its negative and positive sides in the life of modern people. Persuade the readers not to overuse technology in everyday life.
  • Technology and science complement each other. Provide clear arguments to prove this idea or counterarguments to disprove it.

😃 Easy College Persuasive Topics

Do you think that persuasive essays have to cover only serious or global issues? Do you feel as if you have to be overwhelmed with the complexity of the subject? You are mistaken. A paper won’t become less successful if it explores even everyday life topics.

That’s why:

We prepared the next section of the article for you. Here you can find simple persuasive essay ideas for college students. Select a fascinating topic and compose an outstanding essay.

🎶 Persuasive Essay Ideas for College about Music

  • Music has a significant impact on culture .
  • Music preferences depend on personality type .
  • Music can influence our behavior .

Research suggests music can influence us a lot. It can impact illness, depression, spending, productivity, and our perception of the world.

  • Songs with lyrics that promote violent behavior should be banned.
  • A musician is not just a job; it is a vocation.
  • Medical workers should investigate the positive effect of music on mental illnesses’ treatment.
  • Music can be helpful in the learning process.
  • Good song lyrics can inspire people . Provide a sample of inspiring verses. How can it motivate listeners? Persuade the readers to pay attention to the song lyrics while listening to music.
  • A guitar is always a good idea for friendly gatherings . Prove to your readers that several songs played on a guitar can create a warm and cozy atmosphere.
  • Rap reflects violence. This is a generally accepted opinion. Do you agree or disagree with it? Prove your point of view by providing well-developed arguments.

🌍 Persuasive Topics for College on Traveling

  • While traveling, health and safety issues should be a top priority .
  • Tourism should be sustainable .
  • A trip to India will make you see the world from the other side.
  • Summer will become more memorable and fascinating if you travel.
  • Traveling broadens people’s minds.
  • Traveling with family or friends is an essential part of a happy life.
  • Spending a holiday on a trip is always more pleasurable than in front of a TV or computer.
  • Every person should visit Europe at least once in life. Explain why Europe is a must-see destination for every tourist.
  • People should travel as much as they want. Persuade people not to resist the desire to explore new places by listing the advantages of traveling.
  • Traveling is affordable for everyone. Persuade people to visit various countries, even with a limited budget.

Give some useful tips to persuade your reader to travel more.

✌ Persuasive Essay Ideas for College about Lifestyle

  • Parents should be responsible for their children’s obesity .
  • Proper nutrition and positive behavior prevent cancer .
  • A healthy lifestyle prevents aging .
  • Weight management programs and hypnotherapy are useful in maintaining good shape and a healthy organism .
  • An active way of life should replace a sedentary lifestyle to prevent heart diseases.
  • You should plan your weight loss process wisely.
  • Well-balanced nutrition is a way to a healthy and beautiful body.
  • Regular yoga and fitness will help you to maintain mental and physical wellness.
  • Regular physical activities and enough sleep can help students to study better.
  • Media influences the development of eating disorders . Explain the mechanisms media’s effect on eating disorders. Persuade your readers to pay enough attention to the information on social media.

📺 Persuasive Topics for College about Media

  • The role of mass media in modern society shouldn’t be underestimated .
  • Media affects the way people look at society .

Dr. Pamela Rutledge says about the media's influence on society.

  • TV shows have a negative influence on children .
  • Parents should control the effects of mass media advertising on teenagers .
  • Professional psychologists should review every cartoon before being released on television.
  • The information on the internet should be filtered to avoid the spreading of fake news.
  • Censorship is a must-have for modern television.
  • Old cartoons are more insightful than modern ones. Compare and contrast old and new animated films. Prove the usefulness of old ones. Convince the audience to make their children familiar with old cartoons.
  • Social media develops an inferiority complex among teenagers . How pictures of luxurious life in social networking sites influence adolescents’ self-esteem? Persuade the readers to filter the information seen in social media.
  • Mass media in the 1950s was more ethical than contemporary mass media. Analyze the ethical issues that are present in modern media. Why is following the ethical rules while sharing the information through the mass media vital?

🏫 Persuasive Essay Ideas for College on Teens

  • Both abstinence and sex education should be taught in high schools .
  • Professional psychologists or psychiatrists should treat anxiety disorders in children and adolescents .
  • Cheating in schools should be strictly punished.
  • Understanding teen depression is a crucial step in overcoming it.
  • The federal government should enact anti-bullying laws .
  • Bullying in school should be the main issue to deal with for the headteacher.
  • The teenage period requires constant monitoring of children’s behavior by parents and teachers.
  • Parents should have access to teenagers’ academic results.
  • The mental health of teens is precarious. Convince the readers to monitor and maintain adolescents’ mental health.
  • Parents should control social media usage by teenagers. Why should parents monitor the social networking accounts of their children? Explain why it is useful to teach teens how to behave on social media.

Persuade the parents to keep track of kids’ social networking activity.

📚 Persuasive Topics for College on Literature

  • Literature studying should be mandatory in schools.
  • Literature teaches us how to live a worthy life.
  • Robin Hood should become an example to follow.
  • You have to read some books several times throughout life to get the idea.
  • Lyric poetry may help in dealing with inner conflicts.
  • William Shakespeare is an outstanding figure of English literature that should always be appreciated.
  • Every person should have one book that will always remain their favorite one.
  • The theme of Romeo and Juliet will always remain relatable. Support this idea by providing compelling arguments and examples from the play. If you don’t agree with the statement, present clear counterarguments to prove your point of view.
  • The parents should read fairy tales to their children from early childhood. Persuade your audience to make their kids familiar with the fairy tales. Explain the importance of positive aspects of this genre of literature.
  • Dorian Gray and Oscar Wilde are connected. Describe Oscar Wilde’s background. Analyze how the author reflected his personality in the character of Dorian Gray. Convince your readers to accept your point of view. Propose examples from the book and the author’s biography.

🖐 25 More Topics to Persuade College Students

Here you can find a pleasant bonus from our team—25 more ideas to write about. You can use them not only for essays but also as persuasive speech topics for college.

So, take the benefit of our list of topics. Show an outstanding academic performance in the college.

College Persuasive Essay Topics: Family

  • A happy relationship should be based on trust and honesty.
  • In small and big families, parents should treat their children equally.
  • After giving birth, motherhood should become the primary concern of a woman’s life.
  • Parents should be the most significant support for their kids when they are sad, confused, or lost in life.
  • Children should take their retired parents to their home instead of the nursing home.

Support your position by providing strong arguments.

College Persuasive Essay Topics: Health

  • Physical activity is an effective way to prevent heart diseases.
  • People should quit smoking .
  • Mental health is not less important than physical health.
  • Well-balanced nutrition is key to a healthy body.
  • Taking care of general wellness should be everyone’s primary concern.

College Persuasive Essay Topics: Medicine

  • Strong pain killers should be sold by prescription only.
  • Drug prices should be set ethically .
  • Herbal medications are the safest.
  • Self-medication is extremely dangerous, even in the case of a simple cold or an allergy.
  • Differentiating various forms of medicines is essential . What is the working principle of a capsule, pill, syrup, etc.? Prove that the inappropriate application will not have an appropriate effect.

College Persuasive Essay Topics: Sports

  • Visiting a gym is extremely useful for our health .
  • Physical education should be mandatory in high school.
  • Extreme sports are only for professional athletes.
  • The governments should invest enough money in the development of sports schools.
  • Football is not only for boys. Women can create a successful football team, as well.

College Persuasive Essay Topics: Religion

  • Discrimination by religion or culture should not be acceptable in modern society.
  • Every person should have a right to choose a god or goddess to worship.
  • The representatives of different religions should be tolerant of each other.
  • The attitude towards wealth in Christianity differs from the perception of wealth in Islam.
  • Any other religious representatives should not criticize the central beliefs of Judaism .

Select a persuasive topic on a touchy subject with care.

Thank you for visiting our page! We hope the information was useful to you. Don’t forget to leave your comments and share the article with other students.

🔗 References

  • Persuasive Essays, Writing Resources, Hamilton College
  • Persuasive Essay Outline: HCC Learning Web, Houston Community College
  • Choosing a Topic for Your College Essay: Essay Writing Center, International Student
  • Choosing College Essay Topics: Accepted
  • 35 College Essay Prompts and Topics: Kayla Rutledge, SignUpGenius
  • How to Write a College Essay: Kelly Mae Ross, Devon Haynie, and Josh Moody for U.S. News
  • How To Answer the 2022-23 Common App Essay Prompts: College Essay Advisors
  • Writing a Political Science Essay: Charles King, Georgetown University
  • Writing a Paper about an Environmental Issue: Frederic Beaudry, ThoughtCo
  • Evidence: The Writing Center, the University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill
  • Introducing Quotations and Paraphrases: UNSW Current Students
  • How Do I Write an Intro, Conclusion, & Body Paragraph: College of Literature, Science, and Arts, University of Michigan
  • Essay Writing Guide for Psychology Students: Saul McLeod, Simply Psychology
  • How to Write a Persuasive Essay: Writing Guides, Ultius
  • Share via Facebook
  • Share via Twitter
  • Share via LinkedIn
  • Share via email

You might also like

Top 257 Good Persuasive Essay Topics [Tips & Prompts]

Top 257 Good Persuasive Essay Topics [Tips & Prompts]

150 Strong History Dissertation Topics to Write about

150 Strong History Dissertation Topics to Write about

110 Original History Essay Questions: Examples and Topics

110 Original History Essay Questions: Examples and Topics

virtualspeech-logo

Improve your practice.

Enhance your soft skills with a range of award-winning courses.

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.

Jamie Oliver persuasive speech

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 .

Frantically Speaking

70+ Popular Extempore Speech Topics for College Students

Hrideep barot.

  • Communication , Public Speaking

Person speaking confidently into a microphone during an extempore session.

Extempore speaking is an essential skill that every college student should strive to master. Being able to confidently speak spontaneously in front of an audience can open up numerous opportunities for personal and professional growth. However, coming up with engaging and impactful speech topics on the spot can be a daunting task. To help you navigate the world of extempore speaking, this article provides a list of seven popular speech topics for college students. From current events to societal issues, these topics are sure to captivate your audience and showcase your speaking abilities. Extensive public speaking is a pivotal skill that college students should cultivate. Engaging in extemporaneous speaking not only sharpens communication abilities but also prepares students for impromptu situations. So, read on to discover how you can excel in the art of extempore speaking!

The Benefits of Extempore Speaking in College

Mastering the art of extempore speaking offers numerous advantages for college students .

  • Critical Thinking : Firstly, it enhances your critical thinking skills, as you have to quickly organize your thoughts and articulate them on the spot. This skill will prove invaluable in your academic pursuits and future professional endeavors.
  • Confidence : Extempore speaking also helps boost your confidence . By regularly practicing spontaneous speaking, you become more comfortable in front of an audience and develop the ability to think on your feet. This newfound confidence extends beyond public speaking and can positively impact your overall self-assurance.
  • Communication Skills : Moreover, extempore speaking allows you to improve your communication skills. It teaches you how to convey complex ideas concisely and engage with your audience effectively. These communication skills will prove beneficial in various settings, including job interviews, networking events, and team collaborations.

In conclusion, incorporating extempore speaking into your college experience can have a profound impact on your personal and professional growth. So, don’t shy away from embracing this skill and reaping the numerous benefits it offers. Stay tuned for more valuable insights on mastering the art of extempore speaking in the upcoming sections!

Developing Confidence Through Extempore Speaking

Developing confidence through extempore speaking is one of the key benefits that college students can experience. The ability to speak spontaneously in front of an audience not only helps to overcome the fear of public speaking but also boosts self-confidence in various aspects of life.

When you engage in extempore speaking regularly, you become more comfortable with being put on the spot and delivering your thoughts without prior preparation. This newfound confidence in your speaking abilities extends beyond the stage and can be applied to everyday situations. Whether it’s presenting in a class, voicing your opinions in a group discussion, or communicating with colleagues in a professional setting, the confidence gained from extempore speaking will help you shine.

Additionally, being able to think on your feet and articulate your ideas in a spontaneous manner provides you with the assurance that you can handle unexpected situations effectively. The ability to remain calm and composed under pressure is a valuable skill that can greatly enhance your personal and professional life.

In the next section, we will explore some popular speech topics that college students can use to practice their extempore speaking skills and further develop their confidence.

Choosing the Right Extempore Topics

Choosing an extempore topic that resonates with you and your audience is key. Some things to consider:

  • Your interests and hobbies: Speaking about familiar subjects will make you sound more confident and engaged. If you enjoy travel or gaming, for example, consider related topics like “The Benefits of Virtual Reality” or “How to Pack Light for Any Trip.”
  • Controversial vs. non-controversial: While debating controversial topics can be engaging, also have some non-controversial topics ready in case the audience or event calls for something lighter. Specific vs. broad Have a mix of focused topics as well as some broad ones that I give you more flexibility in the direction you can take the speech. For example, “The Pros and Cons of Artificial Intelligence” is broad while “How Self-Driving Cars Will Change Our Lives” is more specific.
  • Humor and creativity: Don’t be afraid to choose a quirky or lighthearted topic to make your speech memorable, as long as it’s still appropriate for the situation. For example, “Lessons We Can Learn From Our Pets” or “The Lost Art of Handwriting”
  • Your knowledge and experience: Choose subjects you are well-informed about from your studies, work experience, or areas of expertise Your passion and depth of knowledge will shine through. If you’re a nursing student, for instance, consider “The Importance of Vaccines” or “Common Health Myths Debunked.” With some preparation and practice, any of these kinds of topics can make for an engaging extempore speech . The most important thing is to choose a subject. feel personally connected to! That way, your enthusiasm will inspire your audience.

70 Extempore Speech Topics

Personal development.

  • Overcoming self-doubt in the pursuit of success
  • The power of positive affirmations in daily life
  • Embracing failure as a stepping stone to growth
  • Cultivating resilience in the face of adversity

Society and Politics

  • The impact of social media on modern activism
  • Exploring the challenges of global migration
  • The role of youth in shaping the future of politics
  • Addressing income inequality in contemporary society

Technology and Innovation

  • The ethical implications of artificial intelligence
  • Harnessing renewable energy for a sustainable future
  • The potential of cryptocurrency in reshaping the economy
  • The dark side of technological dependence in the digital age

Environment and Conservation

  • The urgency of combating climate change on a global scale
  • The importance of preserving biodiversity in the modern world
  • Reducing plastic pollution for a cleaner planet
  • Sustainable living: small changes for a greener future

Education and Learning

  • Rethinking traditional education for the 21st century
  • The value of Interdisciplinary Studies in higher education
  • Nurturing creativity and innovation in academic environments
  • The role of technology in transforming the learning experience

Health and Well-being

  • The impact of mental health awareness campaigns
  • The need for holistic approaches to healthcare
  • Tackling the stigma surrounding chronic illnesses
  • Promoting healthy lifestyles in a fast-paced society

Arts and Culture

  • The influence of social media on contemporary art
  • Celebrating diversity in cultural expressions
  • Reimagining the role of museums in the digital age
  • Exploring the connection between art and emotional well-being

Global Perspectives

  • The power of cross-cultural communication in a globalized world
  • The importance of international cooperation in addressing crises
  • Navigating cultural differences in a connected world
  • The impact of globalization on local economies

Ethics and Morality

  • The role of empathy in ethical decision-making
  • Balancing individual freedoms with societal responsibilities
  • The ethical implications of genetic engineering
  • Exploring ethical considerations in animal testing

Relationships and Communication

  • Cultivating empathy in personal relationships
  • The art of active listening in effective communication
  • Navigating conflict resolution in diverse social settings
  • The impact of social media on interpersonal relationships

Work and Career

  • The future of remote work in a post-pandemic world
  • Embracing innovation in entrepreneurial endeavors
  • Navigating workplace diversity and inclusion
  • The importance of continuous learning in professional growth

Science and Exploration

  • The potential of space exploration in understanding the universe
  • The ethical implications of genetic modification in humans
  • The impact of quantum computing on modern technology
  • Nurturing scientific curiosity in younger generations

Media and Entertainment

  • The influence of celebrity culture on societal norms
  • Exploring the impact of virtual reality on entertainment
  • The portrayal of gender roles in contemporary media
  • Navigating the balance between freedom of expression and media responsibility

Current Affairs and Hot Topics

  • The future of global healthcare post-pandemic
  • Addressing misinformation in the era of fake news
  • Exploring the impact of social justice movements on policy-making
  • The role of technology in shaping the future of democracy

Lifestyle and Leisure

  • The pursuit of work-life balance in contemporary society
  • The power of hobbies in nurturing mental well-being
  • Exploring the cultural significance of traditional cuisines
  • The impact of social media influencers on lifestyle trends

Innovation and Creativity

  • The intersection of art and technology in creative expression
  • Embracing failure as a catalyst for innovation
  • Nurturing a culture of creativity in organizational settings
  • The potential of interdisciplinary collaboration in driving innovation

Societal Challenges

  • Addressing the rise of mental health issues in youth
  • Combating cyberbullying in the digital age
  • The impact of homelessness on urban communities
  • Navigating the challenges of aging populations

Global Citizenship

  • The role of education in shaping global citizenship
  • The power of grassroots movements in driving social change

Preparing for an Extempore Speech

Preparing for an extempore speech requires careful planning and practice . While extempore speaking is all about improvisation, that doesn’t mean you should go into it completely unprepared. Here are some tips to help you prepare for an extempore speech:

1. Stay updated

Stay informed about current events and trending topics. Read newspapers, follow news websites, and keep yourself updated on the latest happenings. This will help you have a well-rounded understanding of various subjects and give you a broad range of ideas to speak on. It is important to gather relevant information on the topic beforehand so that you have a solid foundation to build upon.

2. Practice impromptu speaking

Practice speaking on different topics without any prior preparation. Set a timer and give yourself a few minutes to gather your thoughts before speaking. This will help you get comfortable with thinking on your feet and formulating coherent thoughts quickly. These activities will help you become more comfortable with speaking spontaneously and enhance your ability to respond to unexpected questions or challenges.

3. Develop a structure

Additionally, it is crucial to organize your thoughts and structure your speech in a logical manner. This will help you deliver your points effectively and ensure that your speech flows smoothly. While extempore speeches are spontaneous, having a basic structure can help you stay organized. Start with an attention-grabbing introduction, present your main points, and end with a strong conclusion. This will help your speech flow smoothly and make it easier for your audience to follow along.

4. Rehearsing your delivery

Another important aspect of preparing for an extempore speech is rehearsing your delivery. Practice speaking in front of a mirror or recording yourself to identify areas where you can improve your tone, pace, and body language. It is also beneficial to seek feedback from others, as they can provide valuable insights and suggestions for improvement. By dedicating time to preparation and practice, you can boost your confidence and deliver a compelling extempore speech.

These extempore speech topics offer college students a plethora of themes to delve into, enabling them to enhance their oratory skills while engaging with diverse and intellectually stimulating subjects. By exploring these topics, students can cultivate their abilities to think critically, articulate their thoughts effectively, and contribute meaningfully to discussions on a wide range of issues. So there you have it, 70 extempore speech topics to get you started. With this variety of subjects, you’re sure to find one that sparks your interest and creativity.

Remember, the key to a good extempore speech is choosing a topic you’re passionate about. Speak from the heart, be authentic, make eye contact, use hand gestures, and have fun with it An extempore speech is meant to be an engaging conversation with your audience. If you get nervous , focus on connecting with a few friendly faces in the crowd. Take a deep breath and be fully present in the moment. You’ve got this! Go ahead and choose a topic, do a little research to get inspired, and start crafting your speech. We look forward to hearing what you have to say!

Remember, the more you practice, the more confident you will become in delivering extempore speeches. So, set aside some time each day to practice impromptu speaking and watch your skills improve over time. Happy speaking!

Check out our communication coaching to get more tips on the same.

Hrideep Barot

Enroll in our transformative 1:1 Coaching Program

Schedule a call with our expert communication coach to know if this program would be the right fit for you

good topics for a college speech

How to Negotiate: The Art of Getting What You Want

10 Hand Gestures That Will Make You More Confident and Efficient

10 Hand Gestures That Will Make You More Confident and Efficient

Interrupted while Speaking: 8 Ways to Prevent and Manage Interruptions

Interrupted while Speaking: 8 Ways to Prevent and Manage Interruptions

good topics for a college speech

Get our latest tips and tricks in your inbox always

Copyright © 2023 Frantically Speaking All rights reserved

Kindly drop your contact details so that we can arrange call back

Select Country Afghanistan Albania Algeria AmericanSamoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Rwanda Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Tajikistan Thailand Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Wallis and Futuna Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe land Islands Antarctica Bolivia, Plurinational State of Brunei Darussalam Cocos (Keeling) Islands Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Cote d'Ivoire Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Guernsey Holy See (Vatican City State) Hong Kong Iran, Islamic Republic of Isle of Man Jersey Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Lao People's Democratic Republic Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Macao Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Mozambique Palestinian Territory, Occupied Pitcairn Réunion Russia Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan Da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Sao Tome and Principe Somalia Svalbard and Jan Mayen Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tanzania, United Republic of Timor-Leste Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S.

  • Link to facebook
  • Link to linkedin
  • Link to twitter
  • Link to youtube
  • Writing Tips

50 Topics for a Persuasive Speech

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?

Find this useful?

Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

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 .

Share this article:

Post A New Comment

Got content that needs a quick turnaround? Let us polish your work. Explore our editorial business services.

3-minute read

What Is a Content Editor?

Are you interested in learning more about the role of a content editor and the...

4-minute read

The Benefits of Using an Online Proofreading Service

Proofreading is important to ensure your writing is clear and concise for your readers. Whether...

2-minute read

6 Online AI Presentation Maker Tools

Creating presentations can be time-consuming and frustrating. Trying to construct a visually appealing and informative...

What Is Market Research?

No matter your industry, conducting market research helps you keep up to date with shifting...

8 Press Release Distribution Services for Your Business

In a world where you need to stand out, press releases are key to being...

How to Get a Patent

In the United States, the US Patent and Trademarks Office issues patents. In the United...

Logo Harvard University

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

  • Success Stories
  • AI Scholar Program
  • Startup Internship Program
  • Research Scholar Program
  • GOALS Academic Support Program
  • Test Prep Program
  • Passion Project Program
  • For Families
  • For Schools
  • For Employers
  • Partnerships
  • Content Guides
  • News And Awards
  • College Admissions
  • Events and Webinars
  • Applications
  • Extracurricular(s)

Good Persuasive Speech Topics for Students Who Don’t Lose

Julia de Raadt

Julia de Raadt

Head of research and lead admissions expert, table of contents, how to come up with good persuasive speech topics in the first place, no matter what, don’t freak out – empowerly can help, the ultimate struggle.

  • Wondering Where You Should Begin? Read On. 

Keep Your Personality in Mind as You Craft Your Argument

This should be something you feel strongly about, it’s simple – be passionate, where to look for persuasive speech topics, keep in mind that you will have to provide evidence, consider your audience, facing a heated audience, matching the level of education of your audience, good topics for persuasive speech are often controversial.

  •  A Place to Begin

Check Us Out

Stay up-to-date on the latest research and college admissions trends with our blog team.

Good Persuasive Speech Topics for Students Who Don’t Lose

Preparing a persuasive speech but need an inspiring topic? Our blog presents a list of good persuasive speech topics specifically curated for students who want to make an impact. Explore a range of thought-provoking subjects, from environmental issues to social justice, and learn how to craft compelling arguments that engage your audience. Whether you’re a seasoned public speaker or just starting, our blog offers valuable tips and topic suggestions to help you deliver a persuasive speech that leaves a lasting impression. Discover your voice and tackle important topics with confidence using our guide to good persuasive speech topics for students.

Coming up with a solid persuasive speech topic isn’t always easy. Perhaps the stress has been building up for days. You’ve been trying to come up with a topic, but you keep coming up short. You’ve been racking your brain for something, anything interesting to persuade a willing (or unwilling) audience. 

If coming up with an argument for a persuasive speech topic is stressing you out, don’t worry. You are in good hands: Empowerly is here to help. 

Coming up with a solid persuasive speech topic or even a passable persuasive college admissions essay topic can be a struggle. This can be true even for straight-A students who may or may not have a penchant for argument. Coming up with a topic is a whole different ball game than arguing a fact that comes up in daily conversation. Don’t fret – we have you covered in terms of good persuasive speech topics, where to find them, and where to even begin a successful argument. 

Wondering Where You Should Begin? Read On. 

Persuasive speech topics range from the minute to the monumental. There are several different routes you can take when deciding on a persuasive speech topic. Above all else, consider your audience and the message you are trying to convey. We will discuss this more later on in this article. For now, brainstorm a few ideas that you’d be willing to convince a room of stubborn people you’re right about. 

When choosing persuasive speech topics, you should also consider your own personality and beliefs. Think about what drives you, what grinds your gears, or what really gets under your skin. If your argument doesn’t feel like “you” then you won’t be able to convince anyone that you actually believe what you are saying. 

Remember that your persuasive speech is about a topic on which you are trying to convince your audience to change their mind. This shouldn’t be something you feel lukewarm about, and it certainly shouldn’t be something you are not willing to research. Research is arguably the most important part of this process, and it isn’t something you should take lightly. Later, we’ll talk more about the research aspect of creating a good persuasive speech topic. 

It is undoubtedly more difficult to come up with a solid persuasive argument if you aren’t passionate about something, and it can be nearly impossible to do so if you don’t believe in the cause at all. On the other hand, if you are passionate about something, it is likely that convincing someone you are right about it will come naturally. 

Good topics for persuasive speech events are abundant, you simply have to know where to start looking. If you can’t find anything that really catches your eye, don’t worry. We’ll give you a few ideas below. You can also look in today’s news headlines, in your history book, or for an opinion piece that you disagree with. Just remember that no matter where you find your persuasive speech topic, you have to be prepared or nobody will take you seriously. Get out there and start looking (after you finish reading all of our exceptional hints, tips, and tricks relating to good persuasive speech topics, of course). 

It should be noted that good persuasive speech topics should typically be well-researched and documented. Find evidence linked to them that you can use to craft a strong, solid argument. Hopefully, there are a few key points that you can focus on in your argument. Knowing what those key points are will help you know where to start your research. If one point comes up sparse in the search engine, move on to the next. Eventually, you will find a key point or two that you can latch onto and use to craft a very compelling argument. 

As we mentioned before, when coming up with a good persuasive speech topic, you must consider your audience. Take into account your audience’s beliefs, demographics, and level of education. These factors all play a role in the way in which you craft your incredibly effective persuasive speech. 

If you know before walking into this that your audience feels heated and passionate about the topic, be prepared to face some degree of backlash. If this is the case, you will need to lean heavily on logic and reasoning in an attempt to dampen the emotions of your audience. With the right facts presented in a firm but friendly manner, you’ll be surprised at how effective your argument becomes.

It goes without saying that you may have a different level of education than those in your audience. This is unavoidable, but it does not mean that your message will be ignored. If your audience is more educated than you, learn the terminology, history, and semantics of your topic like the back of your hand. You need to be able to defend your argument and make sure that it sticks. 

On the other hand, if your audience has a lower level of education than you, simplify your argument a reasonable amount. At the same time, do not dumb it down. Simply explain it as though you were teaching your topic to a peer (because you are). Remember that if you cannot explain something in simple terms, the odds are that you do not understand it well enough to be making an argument about it in the first place.  

Something else that should be noted about good persuasive speech topics is that they are often more emotional. This is perfectly fine as long as you believe what you are arguing. The exception to this rule is if you are working on an assignment where your teacher or professor wants you to argue the side of the opposition. If that is the case, gather as much data as possible and center your argument on logos (logic) since the pathos (passion, empathy) won’t be there. 

Below, we will list a few good persuasive speech topics, but first, let’s talk about how to go about finding or coming up with a good topic on your own in the first place.

 A Place to Begin

Listed below are a few good topics for persuasive speech engagements. By no means is this collection of persuasive speech topics exhausting, but it may give you a place to start or an idea from which you can base your own persuasive speech. 

Here Are Some Good Topics For Persuasive Speech Engagements:

  • Should undergraduate degrees be free? 
  • Should there be a flat income tax rate? 
  • Should hunting be illegal? 
  • Should there be a minimum age to become president? 
  • Should public schools be required to provide laptops or tablets for students? 
  • Should social media be censored? 
  • Should books be banned from public libraries?
  • Should books be banned from school libraries? 
  • Should schools have dress codes? 
  • Should everyone be required to drive electric cars? 
  • Should contraception be free? 
  • Should there be universal healthcare? 
  • Should marijuana be legalized? 
  • Should parents or teachers teach students about sex?
  • Should students be required to say the Pledge of Allegiance? 
  • Should corporal punishment be allowed in schools?  
  • Should high schools have open campus policies in terms of students being able to go off-campus for lunch? 
  • Should colleges follow affirmative action quotas? 
  • Should we have high-speed rail systems? 
  • Should the government be able to seize land by reason of eminent domain? 
  • Should people be required to use reef-friendly sunscreen? 
  • Should parents be required to vaccinate their kids for them to attend public schools?
  • Should pet owners be required to spay or neuter their pets?
  • Should parents allow their children to have social media accounts? 
  • Should parents post their children on social media?  
  • Should the United States be a direct democracy? 
  • Should everyone be vegan? 
  • Should you have to have a valid form of identification to vote in the US elections? 
  • Should the use of illicit drugs be decriminalized? 

Remember, the list above is not exhaustive. It’s just a place to begin. Find something that you feel passionate about and make sure that your speech is something you feel excited about researching. Then, research it to the moon and back, crafting an argument with facts and logic that can persuade even the most emotional audience, and give a persuasive speech that would change the mind of the most fierce opposition. 

Check out Empowerly’s blog for more tips and tricks on applying to college and growing your abilities as a student. Whether you are working on your college applications or just want to impress the college admissions team, Empowerly has your back. 

Share this article:

College apps can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. empowerly college counseling is in it with you., related articles.

The Impact of Student Government on Your College Application

The Impact of Student Government on Your College Application

Sophia Minhas

How Clubs Can Be a Key Ingredient in College Admissions

How to Overcome Challenges as a First Generation Student

How to Overcome Challenges as a First Generation Student

April 5, 2024

235+ Ideas for persuasive speech topics

How to choose a great persuasive speech topic, inspiration and ideas, and example presentations for you to get started

Co-founder, CEO

Creating a great persuasive speech starts with picking the right topic. 

Some of these ideas are supposed to be funny, some are “easier” to create a speech around, and all of them offer the ability to take multiple sides or present multiple points of view.

Here are 235 of the best ideas for persuasive speech topics, categorized by topic area.

How to pick a topic for your persuasive speech

To make a great persuasive speech, you should pick a topic that meets the following criteria:

  • You’re interested in the subject matter - Life is short! Don’t spend a bunch of time researching something that you don’t want to learn about.
  • There are multiple perspectives - If there’s no need to persuade anyone, it’s not going to be a very effective speech.
  • It’s relevant - Whether it’s relevant to your friends, classmates, or current events, there’s a reason to bring up this topic.
  • You can bring insight - Whether you have a personal experience, unexpected facts, or can debunk some commonly misunderstood beliefs, surprising and educating your audience is one of the best ways to create an effective persuasive speech.

How to write a persuasive speech

The first step to writing your persuasive speech is to do a bit of research to understand the different viewpoints on the topic, form your personal opinion based on the facts, and then create a rough outline of your speech.

good topics for a college speech

Depending on how long your presentation is , you will probably want to have 2 or 3 key points as well as supporting information about each of them.

Once you have the key points written out, you can write your full speech and create an accompanying presentation, if needed.

Create a first draft of your presentation with Plus AI

If you want to get a jump start on a first draft of the speech or presentation, you can also use a tool like Plus AI to quickly create a starting point for you, and edit it from there.

Most popular persuasive speech ideas

Here are some of the most popular ideas for persuasive speeches, based on topics we have seen in the past:

  • Is student debt forgiveness a good idea?
  • Should students be allowed to use AI ?
  • Would universal basic income improve the day-to-day life of everyone?
  • Should AI systems always be able to explain their decisions ?
  • Are politicians getting too old to be effective?
  • Is social media bad for you?
  • Can money buy happiness ?
  • Should religion be taught in schools?

good topics for a college speech

Here’s an example presentation on whether students should be allowed to use AI .

Easy persuasive speech ideas

Here are some topics that should be easier persuasive speech ideas for students because you may already have a point of view or personal experiences that could enhance the content of your presentation.

  • Should students be allowed to use AI tools?
  • Should you exercise every day?
  • Should we reduce the use of single-use plastics?
  • Should voting be mandatory?
  • Should schools teach kids a foreign language?
  • Should schools teach financial management and other practical skills?
  • Are phones and social media affecting how kids grow up?
  • Should the government invest more money in space exploration?

Persuasive speech ideas about society

Here are some ideas for speeches about society and how we live where it could be interesting to share different points of view.

  • Are romantic movies good for feminism? 
  • Would universal basic income improve the day-to-day life of most people?
  • How can education reduce social inequality?
  • Is there still a stigma when people have mental health issues?
  • Do people enjoy the commercialization of holidays?
  • How should countries trade off the need for safety vs. privacy?
  • How has reality TV changed dating?
  • Why is religion becoming less important in modern society?
  • Are communities stronger in urban areas or rural areas?
  • Should schools encourage students to be politically active?
  • Are we headed towards World War 3
  • Is cancel culture a bad thing?

Persuasive speech ideas about AI

AI is a hot topic these days, and people have a lot of different opinions on AI. Here are some ideas that can help you find the perfect topic for a persuasive speech about AI.

  • Should intelligent AIs have "human rights"?
  • Who should be at fault if an AI system makes a bad decision?
  • Will AI destroy jobs or lead to new forms of work for people?
  • Who is the creator of an AI-generated artwork / book / song?
  • Does AI increase inequality?
  • How should people handle misinformation in the age of AI?
  • Should AI systems always be able to explain their decisions?
  • Will AI change the way we interact with other people in social situations?
  • Should AI developers be reponsible for making AI behave ethically?
  • Should there be a global regulatory framework for AI? 
  • If AI performs better than human doctors, should it be allowed to make medical decisions?

Persuasive speech ideas about the environment

Given the media’s polarized coverage of climate change (see what I did there 😄), there are no shortage of opinions on the environment. Here are some interesting speech ideas on the environment.

  • Should cities ban items like plastic bags and plastic straws?
  • How should corporations be held responsible for climate change?
  • Why is investing in renewable energy important?
  • Should all endangered species be protected?
  • Should farmers be forced to adopt water conservation policies?
  • Are electric vehicles a failure?
  • Should "fast fashion" be regulated in order to protect the environment?
  • How can overfishing be prevented?
  • Is nuclear energy a good solution or a threat?
  • Is ecotourism good for local economies and ecosystems?
  • Who should decide what makes a building "green"?
  • Is "organic" a meaningless word today?
  • Can technology solve our environmental problems?
  • Should we limit the use of pesticides and chemicals in agriculture?
  • Should countries limit the import and export of water?

Persuasive speech ideas about arts and culture

If you’re looking to do a persuasive speech on art or culture, there are certainly a lot of different opinions and interesting media assets you could share with your audience.

good topics for a college speech

Here’s an example slide deck created by Plus AI on whether NFTs should be considered “art.”

  • Should NFTs like Bored Apes be considered art?
  • Has the quality of music gotten worse over time? 
  • Should we keep reading literature that is offensive?
  • Should people study video games as a form of art?
  • Should paparazzi be allowed to invade celebrities' privacy?
  • Should the government fund more arts and culture programs?
  • When should art be censored?
  • When does cultural exchange become cultural appropriation?
  • Is AI-generated art really art?
  • Is graffiti on public buildings art or vandalism?

Persuasive speech ideas about ethics

Ethics and moral dilemmas are a classic set of topics for persuasive speeches. Here are some of the traditional questions that often come up in this category as well as some newer ones based on the latest trends and news.

  • Is political lobbying moral and ethical? 
  • Is testing products on animals unethical?
  • Should people be allowed to sell their kidneys?
  • Should capital punishment exist as a form of justice?
  • Should people have the right to euthanasia? 
  • Is selecting for or against certain traits in embryos genetic engineering?
  • Should governments be allowed to use torture in the name of national security?
  • How should AI and robotic systems be used in warfare?
  • What moral obligations do humans have towards animals and pets?
  • What types of performance-enhancing treatments are ethical in sports?
  • How should self-driving cars approach situations like the "trolley problem"?
  • Are parents allowed to make decisions in the best interest of their children?
  • Should prostitution be legal?

Persuasive speech ideas about health

People generally have a lot of opinions about their bodies and how to take care of them. Many debates come from other people having different opinions. Here are some persuasive speech ideas about healthcare and medicine.

  • What should be taught in health education in schools? 
  • Should we legalize more drugs and other illicit substances?
  • Does the government have the right to declare vaccines mandatory?
  • Does social media have positive impacts on mental health? 
  • Would universal healthcare be a positive impact on our country?
  • Who should be held responsible for the opioid crisis?
  • Should the government discourage people from drinking alcohol?
  • Are there benefits to cannabis use? 
  • Should clinical trials use placebos?
  • What is the best way to encourage people to exercise more? 
  • Should pharmaceutical companies make drugs cheaper?
  • How should organ transplants be allocated?
  • Is alternative medicine legitimate?
  • Is it ethical to develop life extension technologies?

Persuasive speech ideas about politics

Could there be a topic that needs more persuasive dialogue than politics? Here are some interesting speech ideas on the topics of politics and government.

good topics for a college speech

We used Plus AI to generate this presentation on whether politicians are getting too old to be effective.

  • Should we institute a mandatory military service or civil service program?
  • Is there too much spending on the miltary?
  • Should there always be term limits on elected officials? 
  • How should we control the influence of money in politics?
  • Should political campaigns be funded by the state?
  • Do independent political candidates improve elections?
  • How should we change our national immigration policies?
  • How should public officials be held accountable for their actions?
  • Should social media platforms be allowed to take sides in politics?
  • Should our country be more focused on self-sufficiency or globalization?
  • Are state-sponsored assassinations acceptable for national security?
  • Should prisoners have the right to vote?

Persuasive speech ideas about sports

It might be hard to think about a fun topic like sports in the context of making a speech, but here are a few ideas on topics that can be both academic and relate to your passion in sports.

  • Is there too much importance placed on football?
  • Is betting in sports ethical? 
  • Are athletes paid too much?
  • Should athletes be allowed to take performance-enhancing drugs?
  • Should physical education be a compulsory subject in school?
  • Should female athletes be paid the same as male athletes?
  • Do replays and other technologies enhance sports or take away from the experience?
  • How important is racial representation in sports?
  • Are animal sports like horse racing or bullfighting ethical?
  • Are youth sports too commercialized?
  • Should high school and college athletes be compensated?
  • Should transgender athletes compete in gender-specific competitions?
  • Is the celebrity culture of sports stars detrimental to the sport?

Persuasive speech ideas about technology

Technology is becoming one of the most important topics in the stock market, in politics, and in our everyday lives. Here are some ideas on interesting topics to present on in tech.

  • Will cryptocurrency lead to stronger financial systems? 
  • Should private companies be allowed to use facial recognition technology?
  • Will automation hurt the economy and workforce?
  • Should we place limits on the development of AI technology?
  • Who should pay for space exploration?
  • Should AI deepfake technology be banned?
  • Can an AI be sentient?
  • Should social media companies be allowed to collect so much user data?
  • Is it ethical for scientists to develop gene editing technologies?
  • Should AI companies be allowed to impersonate well-known public figures?
  • How should tech companies handle censorship and content moderation?
  • Is it good to pursue technology-driven solutions to immortality? 
  • Has technology improved the quality of the average person's life over the last 10 years?
  • Is lab-grown meat the future of food? 
  • Should cloning be illegal?

Persuasive speech ideas about happiness

If you are going to be doing some research for this persuasive speech, you might as well learn something useful - like how to be happy! Here are some ideas on speeches about happiness:

  • Can money buy happiness?
  • Is the journey or the destination more important in being happy?
  • What are the best ways to pursue happiness?
  • Are older people happier?
  • Is happiness a better measure of a country's success than economic output?
  • Would teaching children mindfulness and mediation make them happier?
  • Is volunteering one of the best ways to be happy?
  • Does more choice lead to better decisions?
  • Would getting rid of technology make people happier?

Persuasive speech ideas about work

Workaholics rejoice! If you want to spend some quality time researching and talking about work, here are some ideas.

  • Is work life balance real? 
  • Should companies offer unpaid internships?
  • Do gig economy companies exploit their workers?
  • Should companies be allowed to ask their employees to work after hours?
  • Should companies monitor their employees' social media?
  • Is the glass ceiling real or outdated?
  • Is at-will employment a good thing for the economy?
  • Are mandatory retirement ages discriminatory?
  • Is remote work temporary or here to stay? 
  • Should companies be allowed to use IQ tests and personality tests in hiring?
  • Is outsourcing to lower cost locations ethical?
  • Should employees be compensated purely on performance?
  • Are DEI programs successful?
  • Is it ethical for CEOs to get paid 1,000x more than employees?
  • Are unions a good thing for workers?
  • Should companies be responsible for employees' mental health?
  • Would companies be more efficient with a four day workday?

Persuasive speech ideas about religion

Is it okay to talk about religion in a persuasive speech? Depends on the context, but sure! These are all about sharing your opinions and helping other people to understand your views.

good topics for a college speech

Want to get a head start on your presentation? Here’s an example slide deck of whether churches should be classified as non-profits.

  • Should churches be classified as non-profit organizations?
  • Should religion play a role in the government?
  • Is it moral to attempt to convert others to your religious beliefs?
  • Can science and religion coexist?
  • What happens if religious beliefs conflict with laws?
  • How should religions promote interfaith dialogue?
  • How should people deal with religious extremism?
  • Is the commercialization of religious holidays bad?
  • Should religious symbols be displayed in public spaces?
  • Were any religious wars like the crusades morally justified?
  • Should governments fund religious schools?
  • Should religious groups be exempt from medical treatments or military service?

Persuasive speech ideas about animals

Here are some speech ideas if you want to talk about animals and find cute pictures of pets.

  • Should animals be used in research instead of humans? 
  • Is it ethical to use animals in entertainment and agriculture? 
  • Is factory farming an unethical way to raise animals?
  • Should pet ownership be regulated?
  • Is it okay to hunt animals for sport? for subsistence?
  • How should people manage invasive species? 
  • Should people be allowed to keep exotic animals as pets?
  • Is it moral to breed animals in captivity? If the animals are endangered?
  • Should we respect cultural practices that involve the killing of animals?
  • Are animals intelligent or self-aware?
  • Should puppy mills be banned?

Persuasive speech ideas about mental health

Mental health is a serious topic, and if you want to do a speech on mental health, here are some idea starters.

  • How should we destigmatize mental illness?
  • Should we teach kids about mental health from an early age?
  • How should schools support students dealing with mental health issues?
  • Should employers give employees mental health days?
  • Why is there a crisis in loneliness and mental health?
  • Do conservatives have better mental health than liberals?
  • Could we solve homelessness and crime by focusing on mental health?
  • Should the government fund more mental health research?
  • Is technology a major driver of the decrease in mental health?
  • How can mental health be better integrated into primary care?

Funny persuasive speech ideas

If you’re looking for funny topics for a speech, you’re probably a lot more funny than the guy who is writing this blog post, but here are some ideas we came up with.

  • What is the best fast food chain?
  • What is the best Netflix reality show?
  • Are McFlurrys better than Blizzards?
  • Does every adult need a nap time? 
  • Are cats better than dogs?
  • Should you procrastinate?
  • Should teenagers run the government?
  • Is tea better than coffee?
  • Are night owls more intelligent?
  • Is chocolate the best food group? 
  • Does toilet paper go over or under the roll?
  • Should you shower at morning or at night?
  • Should you take your shoes off in the house? 
  • Is there evidence that the earth is flat?
  • Should we get rid of Daylight Savings Time?
  • Should dessert be the first course of every meal?

If you’re worried about coming up with an original idea for your persuasive speech, hopefully this list gives you some ideas and inspiration. 

If you’re done and ready to get started, check out Plus AI for Google Slides and Docs as a way to create a first draft of your speech and slide deck!

good topics for a college speech

Latest posts

Latest post.

good topics for a college speech

The Best GPT-4 Apps and Demos (so far, April 2024)

The best GPT-4 powered apps we have seen so far

good topics for a college speech

How do AI content detectors work — and can you trust them?

We tested 10 of the most popular AI content detector tools, their accuracy, whether they can be trusted — and how to bypass detection.

good topics for a college speech

How to use ChatGPT to create PowerPoint presentations

Step-by-step guide to using AI tools to create presentations. Looking for ChatGPT for PowerPoint? Here's a guide to using AI in PowerPoint and Google Slides

good topics for a college speech

Tome vs. Gamma: In-depth comparison, pricing, and recommendations 

In-depth comparison of Tome and Gamma with recommendations for which tool is right for you

More resources

The best screenshot tools in 2024.

Comprehensive guide to choosing the best screenshot tool.

good topics for a college speech

100+ Ideas for informative speech topics 

Easy, fun, and educational ideas and inspiration for your next informative speech. Check out these starter topics and example presentations

How To Wrap Text In Google Slides: A Quick Guide

A step-by-step guide on how to wrap text in Google Slides and how to save time on formatting with Plus AI

  • Top Colleges
  • Top Courses
  • Entrance Exams
  • Admission 2024
  • Study Abroad
  • Study in Canada
  • Study in UK
  • Study in USA
  • Study in Australia
  • Study in Germany
  • IELTS Material
  • Scholarships
  • Sarkari Exam
  • Visual Stories
  • Write a review
  • Login/ Register
  • Login / Register

100+ Speech Topics for College Students

Annesha Deb Image

Annesha Deb ,

Mar 4, 2024

Share it on:

Politics, economics, medicine, science, technology, daily affairs, and social life subjects are included in speech topics for college students. Students need a thorough research, confidence, and organised thoughts to speak on these topics.

100+ Speech Topics for College Students

Speech topics for college students includes subject from variou spheres, such as politics, economics, social life, medicine, science, and more. Their subjects are usually delivered as well-researched topics. Students find arguments either in their favour or against them and present them in front of the audience. 

There are various speech topics for college students. Some are controversial, whereas others can ignite a healthy debate. Nevertheless, students must be completely aware of each statement they deliver. 

Here is the list of 100+ speech topics for college students:

  • Should libraries be replaced with e-books?
  • Should Bitcoin be recognised as a legal currency?
  • Studying martial arts is good for the mind and health.
  • Competitive sports can teach us about life.
  • Has freedom of the press gone beyond limits?
  • How can public speaking help in building confidence?
  • Should school students be allowed to use their phones in school?
  • The characteristics that make a person a hero.
  • Violent video games are dangerous.
  • Too much screen time will make children lazy.
  • How to procrastinate to avoid work?
  • Medical experiments shouldn’t be done on animals.
  • A laptop is better than a tablet.
  • Religion and science can go hand in hand.
  • Should textbooks be replaced with laptops or tablets?
  • Is artificial intelligence a threat?
  • Why are education costs growing progressively?
  • The slow death of ancient art forms
  • Is social media having a positive or negative impact on society?
  • The free media should be controlled.
  • How can we expand renewable energy on a global scale?
  • How is deforestation impacting the planet?
  • Why are people so addicted to the internet?
  • How has technology improved communication in our daily lives?
  • Is integrating technology in education beneficial?
  • Why is it essential to establish regulations on Internet privacy?
  • How has technology positively impacted the healthcare industry?
  • Are there any ethical implications of artificial intelligence and automation?
  • Why should social media platforms take more responsibility for online safety?
  • How has technology transformed the way we work and the future of jobs?
  • What are the environmental consequences of electronic waste, and how can we address them?
  • Why should there be stricter regulations on data protection and cybersecurity?
  • How has technology changed the way we access and consume information?
  • How video games can have a positive impact on mental health?
  • Is it necessary to implement stricter laws and regulations to combat climate change?
  • Should voting be made compulsory in democratic countries?
  • Is it ethical to use animals for scientific research and experimentation?
  • Is it essential to prioritise renewable energy sources over fossil fuels?
  • Effects of poaching on the economy.
  • Should pets be kept outdoors?
  • Is it ethical to keep animals in zoos and aquariums for public entertainment?
  • Should there be stricter regulations on single-use plastic products?
  • Recycling paper is going to save our planet.
  • Should oil drilling stop in Alaska?
  • Should stricter regulations be implemented to reduce air and water pollution?
  • How can we promote recycling and waste reduction in our communities?
  • Is biodiversity really at risk?
  • Why should we pay more to support small businesses?
  • Should companies embrace remote work as a permanent option?
  • What are the benefits of incorporating mindfulness and meditation practices into daily life?
  • How to balance Academics, Social Life, and Extracurricular Activities?
  • What are the benefits of building a professional network?
  • What are the pros and cons of student loans?
  • Why should imported products come with an extra tax?
  • Impact of technology on our health
  • Capitalism and the role of government
  • Corporate social responsibility in capitalism
  • Should children’s reality shows be banned?
  • Importance of Education
  • Discuss the Economic Consequence of Corruption
  • Why is it essential to generate fishing regulations?
  • Comment on the rise of E-commerce.
  • What is the role of technology in combating corruption?
  • Comment on the future of feminism.
  • Pros and Cons of Capitalism
  • Capitalism and the Digital Economy
  • Should exotic animals be kept as pets?
  • How do we control water pollution?
  • Ordinary people should not be allowed to own guns.
  • Celebrities should not become political members.
  • Gandhi’s philosophy of Swaraj
  • Benefits of reading books
  • Discuss the importance of the right to education.
  • What are the impacts of globalisation?
  • Can solar energy save the environment?
  • How does the internet influence or block human intelligence?
  • Differences in non-verbal communication in different cultures.
  • Discuss human thinking and their future.
  • How can we save nature from industrial bio and chemical waste?
  • How can we achieve peace for humanity and species of planet Earth?
  • Is medicine a business or humanity?
  • How marketing affects people and their perceptions 
  • The challenges of recycling and potential solutions 
  • Why is water conservation becoming an important topic?
  • Should we use products made with animal fur?
  • Is Ayurvedic healthcare effective?
  • What do you think can help prisoners rehabilitate and reconnect with society?
  • Brilliant ways to make money in the 21st century
  • Simple ways to overcome stress.
  • Can action movies cause stress?
  • Is religion compatible with secularism?
  • What are the effects of cultural diversity and inclusion in society?
  • Why are women the leaders in the fashion industry? 
  • Pop fashion is getting influenced more and more by alternative subcultures. 
  • What are the benefits of exercising?
  • What is the importance of internships and apprenticeships?
  • How to deal with stress and anxiety in college?
  • How to find a job after college?
  • What is the importance of critical thinking?
  • How do you deal with sexual harassment and assault?
  • How does YouTube influence us?
  • What are the dangers of prejudice?
  • Why is there a need for innovation?
  • New age spirituality: A fact or a myth
  • Comment on humanism and the renaissance period
  • Corporate culture: West versus East
  • How do reality shows affect people’s mental health?
  • Can a movie persuade you with something you don’t believe in?
  • Should the government spend more money on national security?
  • How has modern medicine increased mortality rates?

Also Check :  List of 10 Novels for Students to Read

How to Prepare for Speech Topics for College Students? 

Speech topics for college students can be from diverse fields. Therefore, students should be well prepared and aware of their speech. Here are some tips to prepare for speech topics: 

  • Please do thorough research: Students should know their topic thoroughly. They can read books and articles, get help from the internet, and watch videos related to the topic. 
  • Start with an introduction: Students should start with an introductory speech on themselves and the topic they got.
  • Organised thoughts : Next, students should follow a hierarchical structure. They must mind mapping the entire speech so they don’t fumble or miss anything on stage. 
  • Explain the topic: Students should be mindful and choose their arguments carefully. Further, they must explain the topic clearly to be presented with absolute knowledge. 
  • Conclude: At the end of the topic, students should try to conclude the topic. This will reflect their understanding of the topic. 

So that now we have discussed the 100+ speech topics for college students and ways to prepare, we wish all the students luck and success with their topics.

POST YOUR COMMENT

Related articles.

What are the Benefits of taking up KCET Exam 2024?

What are the Benefits of taking up KCET Exam 2024?

Top 10 Colleges in Telangana Accepting TS EAMCET Score 2024

Top 10 Colleges in Telangana Accepting TS EAMCET Score 2024

Bangalore University Syllabus 2024| BA/B.Com/B.Sc Syllabus| Download PDF

Bangalore University Syllabus 2024| BA/B.Com/B.Sc Syllabus| Download PDF

CSJM University Syllabus 2024: Download PDF

CSJM University Syllabus 2024: Download PDF

Top 5 Educational Podcasts That Are Perfect for Students in 2024

Top 5 Educational Podcasts That Are Perfect for Students in 2024

VTU MBA Syllabus 2024: Direct PDF Download Link

VTU MBA Syllabus 2024: Direct PDF Download Link

Magadh University Syllabus 2024: Download PDF

Magadh University Syllabus 2024: Download PDF

Get Free Scholarship worth 25000 INR

good topics for a college speech

25,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today

Here’s your new year gift, one app for all your, study abroad needs, start your journey, track your progress, grow with the community and so much more.

good topics for a college speech

Verification Code

An OTP has been sent to your registered mobile no. Please verify

good topics for a college speech

Thanks for your comment !

Our team will review it before it's shown to our readers.

good topics for a college speech

English Speech Topics for Students

' src=

  • Updated on  
  • Apr 2, 2024

english speech topics for students

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.

tips for writing and speaking

  • 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!

' src=

Team Leverage Edu

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Contact no. *

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.

browse success stories

Leaving already?

8 Universities with higher ROI than IITs and IIMs

Grab this one-time opportunity to download this ebook

Connect With Us

25,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. take the first step today..

good topics for a college speech

Resend OTP in

good topics for a college speech

Need help with?

Study abroad.

UK, Canada, US & More

IELTS, GRE, GMAT & More

Scholarship, Loans & Forex

Country Preference

New Zealand

Which English test are you planning to take?

Which academic test are you planning to take.

Not Sure yet

When are you planning to take the exam?

Already booked my exam slot

Within 2 Months

Want to learn about the test

Which Degree do you wish to pursue?

When do you want to start studying abroad.

September 2024

January 2025

What is your budget to study abroad?

good topics for a college speech

How would you describe this article ?

Please rate this article

We would like to hear more.

160 Good Argumentative Essay Topics for Students in 2024

April 3, 2024

argumentative essay topics

The skill of writing an excellent argumentative essay is a crucial one for every high school or college student to master. In sum, argumentative essays teach students how to organize their thoughts logically and present them in a convincing way. This skill is helpful not only for those pursuing degrees in law , international relations , or public policy , but for any student who wishes to develop their critical thinking faculties. In this article, we’ll cover what makes a good argument essay and offer several argumentative essay topics for high school and college students. Let’s begin!

What is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is an essay that uses research to present a reasoned argument on a particular subject . As with the persuasive essay , the purpose of an argumentative essay is to sway the reader to the writer’s position. However, a strong persuasive essay makes its point through diligent research and emotion while a strong argumentative essay should be based solely on facts, not feelings.

Moreover, each fact should be supported by clear evidence from credible sources . Furthermore, a good argumentative essay will have an easy-to-follow structure. When organizing your argumentative essay, use this format as a guide:

  • Introduction
  • Supporting body paragraphs
  • Paragraph(s) addressing common counterarguments

Argumentative Essay Format

In the introduction , the writer presents their position and thesis statement —a sentence that summarizes the paper’s main points. The body paragraphs then draw upon supporting evidence to back up this initial statement, with each paragraph focusing on its own point. The length of your paper will determine the amount of examples you need. In general, you’ll likely need at least two to three. Additionally, your examples should be as detailed as possible, citing specific research, case studies, statistics, or anecdotes.

In the counterargument paragraph , the writer acknowledges and refutes opposing viewpoints. Finally, in the conclusion , the writer restates the main argument made in the thesis statement and summarizes the points of the essay. Additionally, the conclusion may offer a final proposal to persuade the reader of the essay’s position.

How to Write an Effective Argumentative Essay, Step by Step

  • Choose your topic. Use the list below to help you pick a topic. Ideally, a good argumentative essay topic will be meaningful to you—writing is always stronger when you are interested in the subject matter. In addition, the topic should be complex with plenty of “pro” and “con” arguments. Avoid choosing a topic that is either widely accepted as fact or too narrow. For example, “Is the earth round?” would not be a solid choice.
  • Research. Use the library, the web, and any other resources to gather information about your argumentative essay topic. Research widely but smartly. As you go, take organized notes, marking the source of every quote and where it may fit in the scheme of your larger essay. Moreover, remember to look for (and research) possible counterarguments.
  • Outline . Using the argument essay format above, create an outline for your essay. Then, brainstorm a thesis statement covering your argument’s main points, and begin to put your examples in order, focusing on logical flow. It’s often best to place your strongest example last.
  • Write . Draw on your research and outline to create a first draft. Remember, your first draft doesn’t need to be perfect. (As Voltaire says, “Perfect is the enemy of good.”) Accordingly, just focus on getting the words down on paper.
  • Does my thesis statement need to be adjusted?
  • Which examples feel strongest? Weakest?
  • Do the transitions flow smoothly?
  • Do I have a strong opening paragraph?
  • Does the conclusion reinforce my argument?

Tips for Revising an Argument Essay

Evaluating your own work can be difficult, so you might consider the following strategies:

  • Read your work aloud to yourself.
  • Record yourself reading your paper, and listen to the recording.
  • Reverse outline your paper. Firstly, next to each paragraph, write a short summary of that paragraph’s main points/idea. Then, read through your reverse outline. Does it have a logical flow? If not, where should you adjust?
  • Print out your paper and cut it into paragraphs. What happens when you rearrange the paragraphs?

Good Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School, High School, and College Students

Family argumentative essay topics.

  • Should the government provide financial incentives for families to have children to address the declining birth rate?
  • Should we require parents to provide their children with a certain level of nutrition and physical activity to prevent childhood obesity?
  • Should parents implement limits on how much time their children spend playing video games?
  • Should cell phones be banned from family/holiday gatherings?
  • Should we hold parents legally responsible for their children’s actions?
  • Should children have the right to sue their parents for neglect?
  • Should parents have the right to choose their child’s religion?
  • Are spanking and other forms of physical punishment an effective method of discipline?
  • Should courts allow children to choose where they live in cases of divorce?
  • Should parents have the right to monitor teens’ activity on social media?
  • Should parents control their child’s medical treatment, even if it goes against the child’s wishes?
  • Should parents be allowed to post pictures of their children on social media without their consent?
  • Should fathers have a legal say in whether their partners do or do not receive an abortion?
  • Can television have positive developmental benefits on children?
  • Should the driving age be raised to prevent teen car accidents?
  • Should adult children be legally required to care for their aging parents?

Education Argument Essay Topics

  • Should schools ban the use of technology like ChatGPT?
  • Are zoos unethical, or necessary for conservation and education?
  • To what degree should we hold parents responsible in the event of a school shooting?
  • Should schools offer students a set number of mental health days?
  • Should school science curriculums offer a course on combating climate change?
  • Should public libraries be allowed to ban certain books? If so, what types?
  • What role, if any, should prayer play in public schools?
  • Should schools push to abolish homework?
  • Are gifted and talented programs in schools more harmful than beneficial due to their exclusionary nature?
  • Should universities do away with Greek life?
  • Should schools remove artwork, such as murals, that some perceive as offensive?
  • Should the government grant parents the right to choose alternative education options for their children and use taxpayer funds to support these options?
  • Is homeschooling better than traditional schooling for children’s academic and social development?
  • Should we require schools to teach sex education to reduce teen pregnancy rates?
  • Should we require schools to provide sex education that includes information about both homosexual and heterosexual relationships?
  • Should colleges use affirmative action and other race-conscious policies to address diversity on campus?
  • Should public schools remove the line “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance?
  • Should college admissions officers be allowed to look at students’ social media accounts?
  • Should schools abolish their dress codes, many of which unfairly target girls, LGBTQ students, and students of color?
  • Should schools be required to stock free period products in bathrooms?
  • Should legacy students receive preferential treatment during the college admissions process?
  • Are school “voluntourism” trips ethical?

Government Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should the U.S. decriminalize prostitution?
  • Should the U.S. issue migration visas to all eligible applicants?
  • Should the federal government cancel all student loan debt?
  • Should we lower the minimum voting age? If so, to what?
  • Should the federal government abolish all laws penalizing drug production and use?
  • Should the U.S. use its military power to deter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan?
  • Should the U.S. supply Ukraine with further military intelligence and supplies?
  • Should the North and South of the U.S. split up into two regions?
  • Should Americans hold up nationalism as a critical value?
  • Should we permit Supreme Court justices to hold their positions indefinitely?
  • Should Supreme Court justices be democratically elected?
  • Is the Electoral College still a productive approach to electing the U.S. president?
  • Should the U.S. implement a national firearm registry?
  • Is it ethical for countries like China and Israel to mandate compulsory military service for all citizens?
  • Should the U.S. government implement a ranked-choice voting system?
  • Should institutions that benefited from slavery be required to provide reparations?
  • Based on the 1619 project, should history classes change how they teach about the founding of the U.S.?
  • Should term limits be imposed on Senators and Representatives? If so, how long?
  • Should women be allowed into special forces units?
  • Should the federal government implement stronger, universal firearm licensing laws?
  • Do public sex offender registries help prevent future sex crimes?
  • Should the government be allowed to regulate family size?
  • Should all adults legally be considered mandated reporters?
  • Should the government fund public universities to make higher education more accessible to low-income students?
  • Should the government fund universal preschool to improve children’s readiness for kindergarten?

Health/Bioethics Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should the U.S. government offer its own healthcare plan?
  • In the case of highly infectious pandemics, should we focus on individual freedoms or public safety when implementing policies to control the spread?
  • Should we legally require parents to vaccinate their children to protect public health?
  • Is it ethical for parents to use genetic engineering to create “designer babies” with specific physical and intellectual traits?
  • Should the government fund research on embryonic stem cells for medical treatments?
  • Should the government legalize assisted suicide for terminally ill patients?
  • Should organ donation be mandatory?
  • Is cloning animals ethical?
  • Should cancer screenings start earlier? If so, what age?
  • Is surrogacy ethical?
  • Should birth control require a prescription?
  • Should minors have access to emergency contraception?
  • Should hospitals be for-profit or nonprofit institutions?

Good Argumentative Essay Topics — Continued

Social media argumentative essay topics.

  • Should the federal government increase its efforts to minimize the negative impact of social media?
  • Do social media and smartphones strengthen one’s relationships?
  • Should antitrust regulators take action to limit the size of big tech companies?
  • Should social media platforms ban political advertisements?
  • Should the federal government hold social media companies accountable for instances of hate speech discovered on their platforms?
  • Do apps such as TikTok and Instagram ultimately worsen the mental well-being of teenagers?
  • Should governments oversee how social media platforms manage their users’ data?
  • Should social media platforms like Facebook enforce a minimum age requirement for users?
  • Should social media companies be held responsible for cases of cyberbullying?
  • Should the United States ban TikTok?
  • Is social media harmful to children?
  • Should employers screen applicants’ social media accounts during the hiring process?

Religion Argument Essay Topics

  • Should religious institutions be tax-exempt?
  • Should religious symbols such as the hijab or crucifix be allowed in public spaces?
  • Should religious freedoms be protected, even when they conflict with secular laws?
  • Should the government regulate religious practices?
  • Should we allow churches to engage in political activities?
  • Religion: a force for good or evil in the world?
  • Should the government provide funding for religious schools?
  • Is it ethical for healthcare providers to deny abortions based on religious beliefs?
  • Should religious organizations be allowed to discriminate in their hiring practices?
  • Should we allow people to opt out of medical treatments based on their religious beliefs?
  • Should the U.S. government hold religious organizations accountable for cases of sexual abuse within their community?
  • Should religious beliefs be exempt from anti-discrimination laws?
  • Should religious individuals be allowed to refuse services to others based on their beliefs or lifestyles? (As in this famous case .)
  • Should the US ban religion-based federal holidays?
  • Should public schools be allowed to teach children about religious holidays?

Science Argument Essay Topics

  • Would the world be safer if we eliminated nuclear weapons?
  • Should scientists bring back extinct animals? If so, which ones?
  • Should we hold companies fiscally responsible for their carbon footprint?
  • Should we ban pesticides in favor of organic farming methods?
  • Should the federal government ban all fossil fuels, despite the potential economic impact on specific industries and communities?
  • What renewable energy source should the U.S. invest more money in?
  • Should the FDA outlaw GMOs?
  • Should we worry about artificial intelligence surpassing human intelligence?
  • Should the alternative medicine industry be more stringently regulated?
  • Is colonizing Mars a viable option?
  • Is the animal testing worth the potential to save human lives?

Sports Argument Essay Topics

  • Should colleges compensate student-athletes?
  • How should sports teams and leagues address the gender pay gap?
  • Should youth sports teams do away with scorekeeping?
  • Should we ban aggressive contact sports like boxing and MMA?
  • Should professional sports associations mandate that athletes stand during the national anthem?
  • Should high schools require their student-athletes to maintain a certain GPA?
  • Should transgender athletes compete in sports according to their gender identity?
  • Should schools ban football due to the inherent danger it poses to players?
  • Should performance-enhancing drugs be allowed in sports?
  • Do participation trophies foster entitlement and unrealistic expectations?
  • Should sports teams be divided by gender?
  • Should professional athletes be allowed to compete in the Olympics?
  • Should women be allowed on NFL teams?

Technology Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should sites like DALL-E compensate the artists whose work it was trained on?
  • Should the federal government make human exploration of space a more significant priority?
  • Is it ethical for the government to use surveillance technology to monitor citizens?
  • Should websites require proof of age from their users? If so, what age?
  • Should we consider A.I.-generated images and text pieces of art?
  • Does the use of facial recognition technology violate individuals’ privacy?
  • Is online learning as effective as in-person learning?
  • Does computing harm the environment?
  • Should buying, sharing, and selling collected personal data be illegal?
  • Are electric cars really better for the environment?
  • Should car companies be held responsible for self-driving car accidents?
  • Should private jets be banned?
  • Do violent video games contribute to real-life violence?

Business Argument Essay Topics

  • Should the U.S. government phase out the use of paper money in favor of a fully digital currency system?
  • Should the federal government abolish its patent and copyright laws?
  • Should we replace the Federal Reserve with free-market institutions?
  • Is free-market ideology responsible for the U.S. economy’s poor performance over the past decade?
  • Will cryptocurrencies overtake natural resources like gold and silver?
  • Is capitalism the best economic system? What system would be better?
  • Should the U.S. government enact a universal basic income?
  • Should we require companies to provide paid parental leave to their employees?
  • Should the government raise the minimum wage? If so, to what?
  • Should antitrust regulators break up large companies to promote competition?
  • Is it ethical for companies to prioritize profits over social responsibility?
  • Should gig-economy workers like Uber and Lyft drivers be considered employees or independent contractors?
  • Should the federal government regulate the gig economy to ensure fair treatment of workers?
  • Should the government require companies to disclose the environmental impact of their products?
  • Should companies be allowed to fire employees based on political views or activities?
  • Should tipping practices be phased out?
  • Should employees who choose not to have children be given the same amount of paid leave as parents?
  • Should MLMs (multi-level marketing companies) be illegal?
  • Should employers be allowed to factor tattoos and personal appearance into hiring decisions?

In Conclusion – Argument Essay Topics

Using the tips above, you can effectively structure and pen a compelling argumentative essay that will wow your instructor and classmates. Remember to craft a thesis statement that offers readers a roadmap through your essay, draw on your sources wisely to back up any claims, and read through your paper several times before it’s due to catch any last-minute proofreading errors. With time, diligence, and patience, your essay will be the most outstanding assignment you’ve ever turned in…until the next one rolls around.

Looking for more fresh and engaging topics for use in the classroom? You might consider checking out the following:

  • 125 Good Debate Topics for High School Students
  • 150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics
  • 7 Best Places to Study
  • Guide to the IB Extended Essay
  • How to Write the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay
  • AP Lit Reading List
  • How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay
  • 49 Most Interesting Biology Research Topics
  • High School Success

' src=

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).

  • 2-Year Colleges
  • Application Strategies
  • Best Colleges by Major
  • Best Colleges by State
  • Big Picture
  • Career & Personality Assessment
  • College Essay
  • College Search/Knowledge
  • College Success
  • Costs & Financial Aid
  • Dental School Admissions
  • Extracurricular Activities
  • Graduate School Admissions
  • High Schools
  • Law School Admissions
  • Medical School Admissions
  • Navigating the Admissions Process
  • Online Learning
  • Private High School Spotlight
  • Summer Program Spotlight
  • Summer Programs
  • Test Prep Provider Spotlight

College Transitions Sidebar Block Image

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

College Planning in Your Inbox

Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.

I am a... Student Student Parent Counselor Educator Other First Name Last Name Email Address Zip Code Area of Interest Business Computer Science Engineering Fine/Performing Arts Humanities Mathematics STEM Pre-Med Psychology Social Studies/Sciences Submit

Put a stop to deadline pressure, and have your homework done by an expert.

230 Fantastic Special Occasion Speech Topics To Impress Audience

special occasion speech topics

Are you facing the daunting task of crafting a special occasion speech that will leave a lasting impact on your audience? Whether you’re a student preparing for a class presentation, a best man gearing up for a wedding toast, or an aspiring public speaker looking to refine your skills, we’ve got you covered! In this blog post, we have compiled a remarkable collection of 230 original and high-quality special occasion speech topics to ignite your imagination and spark your creativity.

But that’s not all. We understand that crafting an exceptional speech involves more than just selecting the right topic. That’s why, in addition to the special occasion speech examples, we’ve also included a range of valuable tips and tricks to help you write the best speech ever. From capturing your audience’s attention with a compelling opening to incorporating storytelling techniques and infusing humor, we’ll guide you through the process of writing a great speech. Let’s get started!

Writing A Great Special Occasion Speech

So, what is a special occasion speech? A special occasion speech is a type of speech delivered during significant and memorable events or ceremonies. It aims to honor, celebrate, or commemorate a particular occasion, such as weddings, graduations, award ceremonies, birthdays, or anniversaries.

Aside from choosing excellent special occasion speech topics, there are some other things you can do to come up with special occasion speech ideas and write a great speech:

Know your audience. Understand the demographics, interests and expectations of the people attending the event. Start with a strong opening. Capture attention with a compelling hook or an engaging anecdote related to the occasion. Establish a clear purpose. Determine the main message or theme you want to convey in your speech. Structure your speech. Organize your ideas logically, using an introduction, body and conclusion. Keep it concise. Special occasion speeches are typically short, so focus on delivering your message succinctly. Use storytelling. Incorporate personal stories or anecdotes to make your speech relatable and memorable. Add humor. Inject appropriate humor to entertain and engage the audience, but avoid offensive jokes or excessive comedy. Find the best topics for a special occasion speech!

Easy Special Occasion Speech Topics

When it comes to delivering a speech for a special occasion, sometimes simplicity is key. Here are some easy special occasion speech topics that can help you express your thoughts with ease and clarity:

  • The power of a smile: Spreading positivity in every occasion
  • Gratitude: Appreciating the little things that make life special
  • The importance of family bonds: Cherishing love and support
  • Embracing diversity: Celebrating our differences and fostering unity
  • Overcoming fear: Discovering courage within ourselves
  • The joy of giving: Making a difference through acts of kindness
  • The beauty of nature: Finding inspiration in the world around us
  • Finding your passion: Pursuing what brings you fulfillment
  • The value of friendship: Nurturing connections that last a lifetime
  • The art of forgiveness: Healing and moving forward in life
  • The power of perseverance: Turning challenges into triumphs
  • Self-care: Prioritizing your well-being for a balanced life
  • The impact of music: How melodies touch our souls
  • Discovering your purpose: Unleashing your potential and finding meaning

Funny Special Occasion Speeches

Laughter is the best medicine, especially during special events. If you’re looking to add humor to your speech, check out these funny special occasion speeches that are sure to entertain your audience:

  • Laughing at ourselves: Embracing funny quirks and mishaps.
  • The art of awkward small talk: Finding humor in uncomfortable conversations.
  • Office humor: Surviving workplace comedy.
  • Joys of aging: Embracing wrinkles, forgetfulness, and “senior moments.”
  • Humor in dating disasters: Sharing amusing love gone wrong stories.
  • Cooking calamities: Laughing at culinary disasters.
  • Online shopping fails: Unveiling hilarious purchase disappointments.
  • Funny technology glitches: Dealing with autocorrect fails.
  • Art of funny anecdotes: Sharing humorous stories that bring smiles.
  • Ups and downs of DIY projects: Laughing at attempts to be handy.
  • Humor in fashion faux pas: Celebrating questionable wardrobe choices.
  • Comedy of misunderstandings: Reliving funny miscommunications.
  • Hilarious pet antics: Exploring humorous furry companions.

Good Special Occasion Speech Topics

If you want to deliver a speech that leaves a positive impact, consider these good special occasion speech topics that focus on important values, experiences, and ideas worth sharing:

  • Celebrating love: Toasting lifelong commitment
  • Honoring achievement: Recognizing excellence in a specific field
  • Milestone reached: Reflecting on [Number of] years of success
  • Embracing diversity: Celebrating cultural unity and harmony
  • A new chapter begins: Wishing success and happiness
  • Commemorating resilience: Overcoming challenges with strength and courage
  • Remembering the legacy: Honoring the contributions of a historical figure
  • Uniting for a cause: Inspiring change through collective action
  • Embracing hope: Celebrating recovery and second chances
  • Embracing the future: Encouraging innovation and bold ideas
  • A toast to friendship: Cherishing lifelong bonds and memories
  • Celebrating family: Gathering of love, laughter, and unity
  • Marking generosity: Recognizing acts of kindness and compassion
  • A night of inspiration: Celebrating creativity and artistic expression

Special Occasion Speech Topics For College Students

College is a time of growth and exploration. If you’re preparing for a special occasion speech, these special occasion speech topics for college students will resonate with your peers and capture their attention:

  • Celebrating academic achievements: Honoring excellence
  • Embracing cultural diversity: Uniting through global festivals
  • Commemorating graduation: Embracing the future
  • Recognizing student leadership: Inspiring change on campus
  • Reflecting on friendship: Toasting to lifelong bonds
  • Commending sports achievements: Triumphs on the field
  • Marking International Women’s Day: Empowering women
  • Celebrating Earth Day: Nurturing our planet for generations to come
  • Honoring veterans: Gratitude for sacrifice and service
  • Commemorating Black History month: Empowering narratives
  • Embracing LGBTQ+ Pride: Celebrating diversity and equality
  • Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.: Dreaming of a better tomorrow
  • Celebrating Diwali: Illuminating the campus with joy and tradition

Advanced Special Occasion Speech Ideas

For those seeking to go beyond the ordinary, these advanced special occasion speech ideas are designed to challenge and inspire you to deliver a powerful and thought-provoking speech:

  • To love, laughter, and happily ever after!
  • Celebrating the milestones that shape our extraordinary journey!
  • A toast to the extraordinary achievements of our exceptional graduates!
  • May your union be a symphony of love and lifelong harmony!
  • In honor of the remarkable legacy that lights our path!
  • Raising a glass to the indomitable spirit of resilience!
  • Here’s to the bold dreamers who dare to change the world!
  • Celebrating the heroes who selflessly serve and protect us all!
  • To the timeless bond of friendship that knows no boundaries!
  • In celebration of the boundless creativity that fuels our inspiration!
  • To the unsung heroes who make our community shine brighter!
  • Honoring the bright minds shaping the future of innovation!
  • To the magical moments that make life a breathtaking adventure!
  • Cheers to the unwavering love that builds strong families!

special occasion speech topics

Eulogy Speech Topic Ideas

Paying tribute to a loved one is a delicate task. These eulogy speech topic ideas can help you honor their memory and share your heartfelt sentiments with grace and compassion:

  • Remembering a life well-lived: Honoring [Name]’s enduring legacy
  • Celebrating the cherished memories of our beloved [Name]
  • A heartfelt tribute to a remarkable soul who touched our lives
  • In loving memory of a kind-hearted soul who brought light
  • Honoring the beautiful spirit that forever resides in our hearts
  • Reflecting on the profound impact of [Name]’s journey on earth
  • Paying tribute to a remarkable life filled with love and compassion
  • Remembering the joy, laughter, and wisdom [Name] brought to us
  • Celebrating the extraordinary resilience and strength of [Name]’s spirit
  • In loving memory of a cherished friend who will never be forgotten
  • Honoring the enduring legacy of a life lived with purpose and grace
  • Remembering [Name] and the profound love they shared with the world
  • Reflecting on the gifts of inspiration and wisdom [Name] leaves behind

Fun Special Occasion Speech Topics

Sometimes, it’s important to let loose and have fun while giving a speech. These fun special occasion speech topics are meant to add a touch of playfulness to your special occasion speech:

  • Toasting to the wild adventures and unforgettable memories
  • Celebrating a night of laughter, joy, and non-stop dance moves
  • Raising a glass to the quirkiest and most amazing group of friends
  • Cheers to the party animals who know how to have a blast!
  • Embracing the spirit of fun and letting loose on this special occasion
  • Honoring the champions of good times and endless smiles
  • Celebrating the epic moments that make life a never-ending party
  • Here’s to the moments that make us laugh until our sides hurt
  • Toasting to the memories we’ll create tonight, and never forget
  • Embracing the silliness and celebrating the weirdness that makes us unique
  • Raising a glass to the legends who know how to turn any event into a party
  • Celebrating the spirit of spontaneity
  • Cheers to the joy, friendship, and unforgettable experiences

Special Occasion Speech Topics For High School

High school is filled with memorable moments. If you’re looking for speech topics that resonate with your peers, these special occasion speech topics for high school will capture their attention for sure:

  • Celebrating the class of [year]: a journey of growth and achievements
  • Honoring the resilience and perseverance of graduates
  • Reflecting on defining memories and friendships in high school
  • Embracing the future: inspiring dreams beyond high school
  • Recognizing outstanding achievements of student athletes
  • Celebrating high school artists and performers
  • Paying tribute to dedicated teachers and staff
  • Honoring diversity and inclusion in our community
  • Embracing the spirit of service: student contributions to the community
  • Commemorating academic excellence and scholarly pursuits
  • Celebrating school spirit and unity
  • Recognizing student leaders inspiring positive change
  • Paying tribute to unforgettable moments and traditions
  • Embracing lessons learned and growth in high school

Interesting Special Occasion Speech Ideas

To captivate your audience and leave a lasting impression, consider these interesting special occasion speech ideas that offer a fresh perspective on various aspects of life:

  • Igniting passion and purpose: unleashing inner power
  • Embracing ambition: turning dreams into reality
  • Celebrating diversity: breaking barriers, building bridges
  • Captivating hearts: inspiring minds through storytelling
  • Harmonizing souls: creating lasting memories with music
  • Embracing resilience: triumphing over challenges
  • Exploring uncharted territories, discovering new horizons
  • Unlocking secrets to a fulfilling life: the science of happiness
  • Spreading joy, making a positive impact through kindness
  • Celebrating food as art: savoring flavors, culinary journey
  • Finding joy through dance: rhythm of life
  • Nurturing the environment: embracing sustainability
  • Embracing the beauty of imperfection

Engaging Special Occasion Speech Topic Ideas

Engage your audience and make your speech memorable with these engaging special occasion speech topic ideas that encourage interaction, reflection and meaningful discussions:

  • Embracing change: navigating transformation with courage
  • The power of connection: building meaningful relationships
  • The art of adaptation: thriving in an ever-changing world
  • Unleashing your inner superhero: tapping into hidden potential
  • From struggle to triumph: overcoming obstacles, achieving greatness
  • The gift of gratitude: cultivating appreciation and abundance
  • Embracing the journey: finding purpose and passion in life
  • The ripple effect: small actions, big impact
  • The road less traveled: embracing adventure, following your path
  • Unmasking creativity: power of imagination, innovation
  • Power of positivity: transforming challenges into opportunities
  • Discovering your authentic voice: self-expression, individuality
  • Strength of unity: harnessing collaboration, cooperation
  • Power of mindfulness: finding balance, inner peace in a busy world

Independence Day Speech Topics

Celebrate the spirit of independence with these Independence Day speech topics that focus on freedom, patriotism and the values that shape a nation:

  • Celebrating freedom: honoring the spirit of independence
  • Reflecting on Liberty: upholding democratic values
  • Embracing Founding Fathers’ courage: preserving freedom’s legacy
  • Inspiring patriotism: united we stand, divided we fall
  • Power of independence: empowering individuals, enriching nations
  • Embracing diversity: strength through unity
  • Remembering sacrifices: honoring those who fought for freedom
  • Preserving Liberty’s flame: passing the torch to future generations
  • Celebrating the red, white and blue: a nation united in pride
  • Embracing the American dream: opportunities for all
  • Defending freedom’s principles: our duty and privilege
  • Celebrating the land of the free: a beacon of hope
  • Independence’s enduring spirit: a legacy to cherish

Creative Special Occasion Speech Topics

Unleash your creativity with these unique creative special occasion speech topics that will allow you to express yourself in a truly innovative and captivating way:

  • Embracing the spark: igniting creativity in every endeavor
  • Dancing with words: the magic of poetry and expression
  • Harmonizing the senses: exploring the symphony of life
  • Unveiling the brushstrokes: art as a window to the soul
  • Journey of a thousand steps: embracing the path of growth
  • The dance of light: capturing moments through photography
  • Mindful living: cultivating joy and gratitude in everyday life
  • The alchemy of ideas: transforming thoughts into innovation
  • Celebrating curiosity: embracing the joy of lifelong learning
  • The power of voice: amplifying stories that inspire change
  • Nurturing nature: exploring the beauty of conservation
  • Embracing the rhythm: discovering the healing power of music
  • The dance of flavors: exploring culinary creativity and fusion
  • The threads of culture: celebrating diversity and global connections
  • Embracing the written word: crafting stories that move hearts
  • The art of connection: building bridges through compassion

Appealing Topics For A Special Occasion Speech

These appealing topics for a special occasion speech are designed to appeal to a wide range of audiences, ensuring that your speech resonates with people from different backgrounds:

  • Power of dreams: imagine, believe, achieve
  • Symphony of friendship: celebrating the bonds that unite
  • Navigating life’s crossroads: finding purpose in uncertainty
  • Igniting hope: inspiring resilience and positivity
  • Magic of kindness: making a big difference
  • Challenges to triumphs: overcoming adversity with grace
  • Celebrating parenthood: cherishing the gift of family
  • Embracing wisdom of age: honoring lessons from experience
  • Transformative power of forgiveness: healing hearts, freeing souls
  • Cultivating inclusion: embracing diversity, fostering unity
  • Nurturing innovation: empowering creativity and growth
  • Gratitude in action: spreading joy through kindness
  • Celebrating milestones: reflections on memorable achievements
  • Embracing change: embracing the beauty of transformation
  • Building bridges: connecting hearts, bridging divides
  • The art of resilience: bouncing back with strength and courage
  • Moments of inspiration: finding sparks in everyday life

Delightful Topic Ideas For A Special Occasion Speech

Bring joy and positivity to your special occasion speech with these delightful topic ideas for a special occasion speech that celebrate happiness, love and the beauty of life:

  • Embracing the joy of celebration: let the festivities begin!
  • Unleashing the power of laughter: the magic of shared smiles
  • Inspiring acts of kindness: spreading joy, changing lives
  • Cherishing precious moments: creating memories to last a lifetime
  • The dance of gratitude: appreciating life’s abundance
  • Embracing the spirit of adventure: exploring the unknown with wonder
  • Celebrating love and togetherness: a journey of hearts entwined
  • Nurturing the spirit of giving: making a difference in the world
  • The symphony of friendship: harmonizing souls, creating lasting bonds
  • Embracing the beauty of nature: finding solace in the great outdoors
  • Celebrating milestones: reflections on remarkable achievements
  • Inspiring dreams, igniting passions: embracing limitless possibilities
  • The art of resilience: rising stronger, shining brighter
  • Celebrating cultural diversity: embracing the richness of traditions
  • Embracing the power of community: united for a greater purpose
  • Gratitude in action: spreading kindness, cultivating positivity
  • Celebrating the spirit of generosity: uplifting lives through giving

Stimulating Special Occasion Speech Topics

Challenge your audience’s thinking with these thought-provoking stimulating special occasion speech topics that delve into complex subjects and inspire intellectual discussion:

  • The power of curiosity: igniting the spark of lifelong learning
  • Embracing change: unlocking growth and transformation
  • Breaking boundaries: pushing the limits, achieving greatness
  • The art of resilience: overcoming challenges with strength
  • Embracing diversity: celebrating the tapestry of human differences
  • The journey within: exploring self-discovery, personal growth
  • Ripple effect of kindness: spreading compassion, changing lives
  • Navigating uncertainty: finding strength, opportunity in the unknown
  • Science of success: unveiling secrets to achieving your goals
  • Path of innovation: harnessing creativity for breakthrough solutions
  • Power of collaboration: building stronger teams
  • Embracing sustainable living: protecting our planet for future generations
  • Celebrating authenticity: embracing true self, empowering others
  • Art of communication: building bridges, fostering connection
  • Entrepreneurial spirit: taking risks, pursuing passions
  • Beauty of simplicity: finding joy in life’s small pleasures
  • Legacy of leadership: inspiring others to lead with integrity, vision

Graduation Speech Topics

Graduation is a milestone worth commemorating. These graduation speech topics will help you craft a memorable speech that captures the spirit of achievement and future aspirations:

  • Embracing the journey: celebrating graduation achievements
  • Pursuing passion: following dreams beyond the diploma
  • Navigating new horizons: embracing post-graduation change
  • Power of perseverance: overcoming challenges on the path to success
  • Finding purpose: discovering your calling in a vast world
  • Building bridges: fostering connections for a brighter future
  • Embracing resilience: bouncing back stronger from setbacks
  • Leaving a legacy: making a meaningful impact in the world
  • Lifelong learning: cultivating curiosity and growth beyond the classroom
  • Creating your path: forging your own destiny after graduation
  • Embracing possibilities: unlocking potential in the next chapter
  • Celebrating milestones: reflecting on memorable academic achievements
  • A world of opportunities: stepping into the realm of endless possibilities
  • Embracing the unknown: embracing uncertainty with courage
  • From students to leaders: empowering the next generation’s potential

Need Quick Speech Writing Help?

If you’re in need of speech writing help (or some more occasional speech topics), look no further. Whether you’re a student in school, college or even a graduate preparing for a momentous graduation speech, professional assistance is just a click away. Assignment writers who are experts in the field are available to offer their unique expertise and make your speech shine. With our assistance, you can be confident in receiving a custom, plagiarism free piece that captures your ideas and resonates with your audience.

Our online speech writing services and buy homework service provide a fast and reliable solution to your needs, ensuring you meet your deadlines without compromising on quality. Our native English writers understand the importance of crafting speeches that leave a lasting impact. Moreover, they offer their expertise at an inexpensive rate, making it accessible to students on various budgets.

Don’t let the pressure of writing a speech overwhelm you. Seek the help of professional writers, and watch your words come to life with eloquence and confidence. Get in touch with us today!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I start writing an occasion speech?

To begin, introduce yourself and acknowledge the significance of the event. Capture the audience’s attention with a captivating opening line or a relevant anecdote that relates to the occasion. This will set the tone and pique their interest from the start. You can get our assignment help writers to help you out with the start of your speech.

How can I engage the audience during my speech?

Engaging the audience is crucial for a memorable speech. Utilize storytelling techniques, incorporate well-timed humor, ask thought-provoking rhetorical questions, or involve the audience through interactive elements like surveys or brief activities. These strategies help maintain their interest and create a connection.

Should I memorize my entire speech?

While it’s not necessary to memorize your entire speech word for word, you should have a strong understanding of the main points and structure. Practice your speech multiple times, ensuring familiarity and comfort with the flow, and rely on notes or an outline to guide you during delivery.

How can I overcome stage fright before giving a speech?

Overcoming stage fright requires preparation and mindset. Practice your speech multiple times and visualize the positive reactions from the audience. Take deep breaths to calm your nerves before stepping on stage, and remember that the audience wants you to succeed. Consider seeking professional coaching to build confidence.

proposal project ideas

Get on top of your homework.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

UConn's Dan Hurley is the perfect sports heel. So Kentucky job would be a perfect fit.

Dan hurley possesses that rare combination of absurd coaching chops and cartoonish swagger. he could give kentucky the aura it wants to recapture..

good topics for a college speech

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Dan Hurley is a perfect college basketball villain; as cocky as he is good, as inevitable as he is hot-headed. 

On Monday night, Hurley gesticulated and screamed and bullied his way to a second straight national title , his UConn Huskies once again rolling through an NCAA Tournament without much of a challenge — including from Purdue , the supposed second-best team in the country, which could barely put up a fight in a 75-60 loss. 

“For the last 25 years or 30 years, UConn’s been running college basketball,” Hurley said, hat turned backwards, celebrating as the confetti fell on the Huskies for the sixth time in the last 26 years. 

Hurley, the son of legendary but flammable high school coach Bob Hurley Sr., is a throwback to the days when college basketball coaches didn't seem so corporate, publicly beefed with each other and told you exactly how good they thought they were. And Hurley thinks – no, he knows – that he’s really, really good. 

“I’m still just a worse version of (my dad),” Hurley said before pausing. “A little bit worse. Getting better and I'm coming for him."

FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA basketball bracket, scores, schedules, teams and more.

He’s the perfect sports heel. And he belongs at the perfect heel program. After coaching the best team he’ll ever have, completing a two-year run that we may never see again in our lifetimes, Hurley’s best move would be trading his gear for a lighter shade of blue. 

Hurley shouldn’t just go to Kentucky , he should run to the challenge of restoring the dominance, the pride and, yes, the arrogance of America’s most extravagant program, just as he rescued UConn from its short period of disrepair.

“I don’t think that’s a concern,” Hurley said, laughing as I asked if he planned on entertaining any other jobs — including the one that will officially open on Wednesday, when John Calipari officially signs his new contract at Arkansas. “My wife, you should have her answer that. She'll answer that question better than I can.”

Maybe there’s nothing Kentucky can do to lure Hurley from the frozen farmland of Storrs to the bluegrass of Lexington. Maybe his outward confidence is hiding a deep-rooted fear of leaving his comfort zone in the Northeast and going to a program whose fan base touches all corners of the country. Maybe he’s just happy where he's at. Maybe he sees himself eventually leaving UConn for the NBA, a league where he would undeniably be able to match X’s and O’s with the best coaches in the world.

I mean, did you see how UConn completely shut off the water for everyone Monday night except Purdue big man Zach Edey? Did you see how utterly hapless his teammates were making 9-of-29 shots with five combined free-throw attempts? It was Hurley’s Sistine Chapel, a game so perfectly coached against another outstanding coach in Matt Painter that there was seemingly nothing the opponent could do to change the flow of the game. 

Did you see how UConn, game after game in this tournament, completely crushed opponents with pure fundamentals – like moving without the basketball, closing out to shooters and staying disciplined to its gameplans to a degree you almost never see at the college level?

“They just made a decision, like, we can defend the perimeter and we can take this away from you,” Painter said. “Then you’re just going to get the ball to your best player, he’s going to be one-on-one, then that’s that. They were going to live with that. Not everybody can do what they did. You have to give credit to their defense and how they’re coached and how they’re wired.”

But here’s what you also saw: A coach who lost it with the officials every 30 seconds the entire night, complaining about every call or non-call that didn’t go his way. A 51-year-old with the sideline comportment of a toddler hooked to an IV full of Red Bull. A control freak who was dictating every dribble down to the last second as his son, Andrew, spiked the ball off the floor to end the final possession of UConn’s season. A hothead who had a bit of a stare down with Edey going into a timeout in the first half because he thought an illegal screen went uncalled by the officials. 

“This was the energy he was giving when I played his team in the tourney … dude is crazy. Competitive crazy!” Atlanta Hawks All-Star guard Trae Young posted on X, formerly Twitter, referring to Hurley’s Rhode Island team beating Oklahoma in 2018.

And, clearly, it works at UConn. Hurley doesn’t need to go anywhere. You could easily make an argument he shouldn’t go anywhere.

But there are only a few people in the coaching profession with the combination of absurd coaching chops and cartoonish swagger to give Kentucky the aura it so desperately wants to recapture after Calipari pulled the ripcord Sunday, ending his 15-year run. 

Once the ink is dry on the new contract Calipari is going to sign at Arkansas — it's going to happen Wednesday, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity — one of the most interesting coaching searches in the recent history of the sport will commence.

Hurley has to be Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart’s first call. And the pitch for why Hurley should take the job is fairly straightforward, besides the gobs and gobs of money Kentucky can put together to pay him. 

Sure, after seeing what UConn just did for two straight years in the tournament, it looks like the Huskies can just win and win and win forever.

But it never really works that way in sports, and especially in college basketball. Just ask Billy Donovan, the last coach who went back-to-back, turned down the Kentucky job in 2007 and again in 2009 and only reached one more Final Four over the next eight seasons before heading to the NBA. 

Heck, just ask Calipari, whose run at Kentucky began to sour at the very moment it looked like he had found the formula to dominate college basketball until the end of time. 

Even for the best of the best, there’s only so much juice in the lemon. 

Hurley has two titles now for a lot of reasons, but among the most important are that he and his staff recruited a point guard in Tristen Newton, a zero-star recruit who started his career at East Carolina, and a 7-foot-2 defensive freak in Donovan Clingan, who played high school basketball 45 minutes from UConn’s campus. 

Maybe he can do it again. Maybe he can’t. There are no sure things, especially these days. 

“We're going to dive in and put together a roster that can play a comparable level of basketball,” Hurley said. “That’s what our mindset will be. We’re going to try to put together a three-year run, not just a two-year run.

"We’re going to try to replicate it again. I don’t think we're going anywhere.”

Against crazy odds, UConn has remained the ultimate outlier in college sports: A Big East program that spends like a superpower on basketball while also losing millions on a football program that has no conference to play in. 

It’s not the most sustainable model on paper, and UConn’s long-term future is always going to exist in a weird state of financial purgatory until it figures out a way to earn more television revenue — which may or may not happen in its current situation. As good as the Big East has been for UConn basketball ever since moving back there from the American Athletic Conference in 2020, it’s still uncertain how much money the league will be able to get from its next TV contract that will commence in 2025. 

Given the tumultuous landscape of conference realignment and a potential employment model for college athletes coming down the pike, does UConn eventually need to end up in the ACC or Big 12 to maintain its national brand and ability to compete in basketball? Is it better off staying put? Nobody can answer those questions right now. 

But we know where Kentucky’s going to be: In the preeminent athletic conference, paying someone a ton of money and tolerating nothing less than the best. 

Maybe Hurley doesn't think that kind of place is for him, which is fine. It’s his life, his career. But the craziest fan base in college sports and the sport’s emotionally volatile genius of the moment would be a history-altering marriage that anyone – well, anyone except Kentucky's opponents and UConn fans – would want to see.

Women's college basketball is having a historic moment

VIDEO: A game-changing year for women's basketball

While the 2023-2024 women's college basketball season may be over, the rise in interest in the sport is just beginning.

Women's basketball had a record-breaking year in terms of ticket sales, increased viewership, and even more Name, Image, and Likeness -- or NIL -- deals this past year.

"These are young women who received Title IX on full blast, they had the coaching, the interest from their parents, they are really the product of what this nation has created because of Title IX and how the nation has fallen in love with what it has created," ABC News contributor Christine Brennan told "Good Morning America."

All five power conferences reported high ticket sales this season ahead of March Madness.

good topics for a college speech

The University of Iowa alone has seen a 162% increase in average ticket sale prices from last season, according to Vivid Seats , a ticket resale company. Much of that is considered to be due to Iowa's star player, Caitlin Clark, and her NCAA record-breaking scoring this past season; the intense match-ups between Clark and Louisiana State University star Angel Reese; and the highly anticipated return of star opposing players like Paige Bueckers (University of Connecticut) and Kamilla Cardoso (University of South Carolina).

Following the South Carolina Gamecocks' win against Iowa in the NCAA Tournament Championship on Sunday night, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley credited Clark for a phenomenal season and for helping elevate the sport in the public eye.

MORE: South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley discusses perfect season, 3rd NCAA title

"I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport," Staley said in her victory speech after Sunday's game. "She carried a heavy load for our sport."

MORE: Caitlin Clark breaks NCAA all-time scoring record

Women's basketball has also seen a surge in viewership.

good topics for a college speech

The Final Four matchup between UConn and Iowa on April 5 garnered 14.2 million viewers -- peaking at 17 million views, breaking ESPN viewership records at the time. Two das later, the NCAA Women's Basketball Final between Iowa and South Carolina garnered 18.7 million viewers, peaking at 24 million and becoming the most-watched women's college basketball game ever, according to ESPN , which cited Nielsen Fast Nationals figures.

Following an Elite 8 rematch between LSU and Iowa on April 1, which garnered an average of 12.3 million viewers, soccer phenom Megan Rapinoe, who won two World Cups with the U.S. women's national team, took to social media to praise the players, past and present.

Editor’s Picks

good topics for a college speech

South Carolina Gamecocks defeat Iowa Hawkeyes in NCAA women's basketball championship

  • Apr 07, 2024

good topics for a college speech

What's next for Caitlin Clark after record-breaking NCAA career at Iowa

  • Apr 08, 2024

good topics for a college speech

LSU's Angel Reese declares for WNBA draft

  • Apr 04, 2024

"Dear Women's Basketball, I, Personally, am not shocked. And STILL, this is the most (incredible thing) to see," Rapinoe wrote in a since-expired Instagram story. "We don't deserve women's basketball. Thank you to all of you, college players and W players and all of them past and present."

Rapinoe continued, also giving a shoutout to partner and basketball legend Sue Bird. "We are ALL better off because of you. You all deserve this moment so deeply. Love, Megan," she wrote.

Women have defined the narrative around women in sports -- specifically basketball -- in recent years, with women athletes defying critics by proving themselves competitive, exciting and marketable.

It wasn't long ago when then-University of Oregon women's basketball player Sedona Prince called out the NCAA for discrepancies between the men's teams and the women's teams when it came to their respective weight rooms. Now, major brands and ad agencies are offering more airtime and NIL deals for women players.

good topics for a college speech

NIL deals have become a game-changing contributor to the rising presence of women's basketball. According to Nick DePaula , who covers shoe endorsement deals on the Boardroom show "The Sneaker Game" and also writes for ESPN, 15 college women athletes are currently signed to nine brands, compared to just three college players on the men's side. These brands include Nike (Clark), Reebok (Reese) and New Balance (Stanford's Cameron Brink).

good topics for a college speech

NBA players are taking notice and investing in women athletes, too. In March, South Carolina freshman guard MiLaysia Fulwiley signed a multi-year NIL shoe deal with four-time NBA Champion Steph Curry under his subsidiary brand with Under Armour.

MORE: What's next for Caitlin Clark after record-breaking NCAA career at Iowa

As Clark, Cardoso and others prepare for the WNBA, the moment for women's hoopers is finally here -- and long overdue.

Related Topics

Up next in living—.

good topics for a college speech

'Rosie the Riveters' awarded Congressional Gold Medal years after World War II

good topics for a college speech

Stanford's Tara VanDerveer, NCAA's winningest coach, retiring after 38 seasons

good topics for a college speech

Some Aruba Aloe hand sanitizer, gel products recalled due to warnings of methanol contamination

good topics for a college speech

What to do with leftover solar eclipse glasses

Shop editors picks, sponsored content by taboola.

  • Share full article

For more audio journalism and storytelling, download New York Times Audio , a new iOS app available for news subscribers.

The Daily logo

  • April 10, 2024   •   22:49 Trump’s Abortion Dilemma
  • April 9, 2024   •   30:48 How Tesla Planted the Seeds for Its Own Potential Downfall
  • April 8, 2024   •   30:28 The Eclipse Chaser
  • April 7, 2024 The Sunday Read: ‘What Deathbed Visions Teach Us About Living’
  • April 5, 2024   •   29:11 An Engineering Experiment to Cool the Earth
  • April 4, 2024   •   32:37 Israel’s Deadly Airstrike on the World Central Kitchen
  • April 3, 2024   •   27:42 The Accidental Tax Cutter in Chief
  • 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

How Tesla Planted the Seeds for Its Own Potential Downfall

Elon musk’s factory in china saved his company and made him ultrarich. now, it may backfire..

Hosted by Katrin Bennhold

Featuring Mara Hvistendahl

Produced by Rikki Novetsky and Mooj Zadie

With Rachelle Bonja

Edited by Lisa Chow and Alexandra Leigh Young

Original music by Marion Lozano ,  Diane Wong ,  Elisheba Ittoop and Sophia Lanman

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music

When Elon Musk set up Tesla’s factory in China, he made a bet that brought him cheap parts and capable workers — a bet that made him ultrarich and saved his company.

Mara Hvistendahl, an investigative reporter for The Times, explains why, now, that lifeline may have given China the tools to beat Tesla at its own game.

On today’s episode

good topics for a college speech

Mara Hvistendahl , an investigative reporter for The New York Times.

A car is illuminated in purple light on a stage. To the side, Elon Musk is standing behind a lectern.

Background reading

A pivot to China saved Elon Musk. It also bound him to Beijing .

Mr. Musk helped create the Chinese electric vehicle industry. But he is now facing challenges there as well as scrutiny in the West over his reliance on China.

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.

Fact-checking by Susan Lee .

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.

Katrin Bennhold is the Berlin bureau chief. A former Nieman fellow at Harvard University, she previously reported from London and Paris, covering a range of topics from the rise of populism to gender. More about Katrin Bennhold

Mara Hvistendahl is an investigative reporter for The Times focused on Asia. More about Mara Hvistendahl

Advertisement

  • good morning america

'Good Morning America' to feature Houston's Cleburne Cafeteria for 'Comfort Food America' tour

KTRK logo

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A Houston institution will be in the national spotlight!

"Good Morning America" will be live in Houston on Wednesday for a stop on their "Comfort Food America" tour.

Houston is one of four cities GMA is visiting, looking for the most comforting dishes in the country. This stop discovers what Houstonians have known for decades -- Cleburne Cafeteria at 3606 Bissonnet Street is home to incredible Southern dishes.

Cleburne Cafeteria was awarded a plaque by GMA! See the updated report about the restaurant's appearance here.

GMA correspondent Ike Ejiochi will be joined by ABC13's Bob Slovak for live reports.

RELATED: After 2 fires, Cleburne Cafeteria tops Food & Wine list of best cafeterias

good topics for a college speech

SEE ALSO: Why Cleburne was voted best cafeteria in America

Related Topics

  • FOOD & DRINK
  • GOOD MORNING AMERICA

Good Morning America

good topics for a college speech

Houston's Cleburne Cafeteria presented with 'GMA' Comfort Food Plaque

good topics for a college speech

Christina Applegate says she lives 'kind of in hell' battling MS

good topics for a college speech

Sheriff's deputy named infant's 'uncle' after saving her life

good topics for a college speech

How E. Jean Carroll plans to use $83M Trump is ordered to pay

Top stories.

good topics for a college speech

Spring man says he was swatting call victim: 'It's not a good prank'

  • 3 hours ago

good topics for a college speech

Man arrested after breaking into garage, running in Pasadena backyards

  • 18 minutes ago

good topics for a college speech

Texts revealed in trial show boy's mom finding son 'looking dead'

good topics for a college speech

Person found dead in SW Houston backyard may have been shot, HPD says

good topics for a college speech

Deputy shoots man involved in 54 prior calls to HCSO: Officials

Inmate suffering from terminal illness dies in custody, deputies say

Woman posted about eclipse, apocalypse before pushing kids on freeway

  • 2 hours ago

At least 3 shot when gunfire erupts at Philadelphia Eid event

IMAGES

  1. Informative speech topics

    good topics for a college speech

  2. 243 Informative Speech Topics for College Students: Fun, Easy, & Unique

    good topics for a college speech

  3. List of Persuasive Speech Topics

    good topics for a college speech

  4. Persuasive Speech Topics 1. General education classes 2. United

    good topics for a college speech

  5. Sample Speech Topics

    good topics for a college speech

  6. 🌈 Fun interesting informative speech topics. 40 Interesting Informative

    good topics for a college speech

VIDEO

  1. pharmacy student Ahmednagar college speech || #college #maharashtra #student

  2. College speech

  3. What Am I Disrupting?!?

  4. Speech Competition by Pragya Rajawat

  5. Brief introduction of our college ( speech by principal)

  6. Top 20 Topics For Speech In English

COMMENTS

  1. 112 Persuasive Speech Topics That Are Actually Engaging

    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.

  2. 150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics for Students in 2024

    College Transitions offers a data-driven menu of services that help students identify good-fit schools, maximize their admission prospects, and make the most of their college investment. 150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics for Students in 2024

  3. 50 Good Informative Speech Topics for College

    With our informative speech topics, you will stand out with your engaging speech. ... 50 Interesting Informative Speech Topics for College. Guides. 26 September, 2020. 15 minutes read. ... And if you find it challenging to come with the right idea for a good topic, just send a "write my speech" request, and we'll complete your order in no ...

  4. 100 Speech Topics For College Students

    100 Speech Topics For College Students. College won't be complete without having to deliver a speech in front of the class. From social issues to current events, there are many topics to choose from when it comes to speech topics for college students. With the right topic, you can create an engaging and memorable speech.

  5. Top 99 College Speech Topics

    So there you have it - 99 college speech topics on which to base your presentation, or to inspire you to come up with a subject of your own! ... Good luck with creating your speech - and if you'd like to share your creation, I'd love to publish it to help inspire others! Need More Help - Here are a few free speech samples on some more topics ...

  6. 110 Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics to Impress Your Audience

    Creating and delivering an interesting persuasive speech is a major endeavor. The last thing you want is to get stuck on the first step—selecting a persuasive speech topic. Don't worry, we've got you covered. To help you identify the perfect persuasive speech topic for you, we've compiled a list of 110 compelling persuasive speech ideas.

  7. 105 Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics for Any Project

    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.

  8. 259 Interesting Speech Topics [Examples + Outlines]

    Here is our list of 10 interesting speech topics. Beauty is not only in the eye of the beholder. Children don't play enough. Animal testing is necessary. Girls are too mean to each other. Men should get paternity leave. Tattoos are an addiction. If I had a year to do what I want. Butterflies: deadly creatures.

  9. 100 Persuasive Speech Topics for Students

    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.

  10. 212 Speech Topics For College Students [Persuasive, Informative

    Every college student needs a mentor. College students should start applying for jobs before they leave college. Students should spend more time enjoying their campus. It is important to be able to cook and do washing before starting college. Students need to make dorm check lists. Students should form study groups.

  11. Persuasive speech topics for college: 310 of the very best ideas ☺

    That's what a good persuasive speech does. It challenges an audience's thinking or position on a topic or an issue, asks them to pause, and consider changing their minds. There are 310 great persuasive speech topics for college students and/or their teachers here. 50 Mental health persuasive speech topics; 60 Education persuasive speech ideas

  12. 434 Good Persuasive Speech Topics

    10 Easy and Simple Persuasive Speech Topics. Below follow topics that should be easy enough to persuade your audience without going into too much research. There are some which can be used as 'tongue in cheek' topics such as 'The paparazzi are the real stalkers' and 'People need to visit the dentist more often'.

  13. 227 Amazing College Persuasive Essay Topics [Free Ideas]

    College Persuasive Essay Topics: Medicine. Strong pain killers should be sold by prescription only. Drug prices should be set ethically. Herbal medications are the safest. Self-medication is extremely dangerous, even in the case of a simple cold or an allergy. Differentiating various forms of medicines is essential.

  14. 75 Persuasive Speech Topics and Ideas

    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 ...

  15. 70+ Popular Extempore Speech Topics for College Students

    3. Develop a structure. Additionally, it is crucial to organize your thoughts and structure your speech in a logical manner. This will help you deliver your points effectively and ensure that your speech flows smoothly. While extempore speeches are spontaneous, having a basic structure can help you stay organized.

  16. 333 Informative Speech Topics To Rock Your Presentation

    333 Informative Speech Topics To Rock Your Presentation. Logan Hailey. January 9, 2024. You have been assigned a speech, presentation, or essay, but you have no clue what to talk about. A powerful presentation begins with a compelling topic that sparks your interest and hooks the audience. But you also need to discuss something you feel excited ...

  17. 165 Persuasive Speech Topics for College Students

    1 Best persuasive speech essay topics in December 2023. 2 Persuasive speech topics on business. 3 Medical topics for persuasive speech. 4 Suggestions on animal rights topics for a persuasive speech. 5 Health care speech topics. 6 College level persuasive speech topics on economics. 7 List of persuasive speech topics for college students on law.

  18. 50 Topics for a Persuasive Speech

    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 ...

  19. Good Persuasive Speech Topics for Students Who Don't Lose

    Our blog presents a list of good persuasive speech topics specifically curated for students who want to make an impact. Explore a range of thought-provoking subjects, from environmental issues to social justice, and learn how to craft compelling arguments that engage your audience. Whether you're a seasoned public speaker or just starting ...

  20. 235+ Ideas for persuasive speech topics

    Here are 235 of the best ideas for persuasive speech topics, categorized by topic area. How to pick a topic for your persuasive speech. To make a great persuasive speech, you should pick a topic that meets the following criteria: You're interested in the subject matter - Life is short! Don't spend a bunch of time researching something that ...

  21. 100+ Speech Topics for College Students

    So that now we have discussed the 100+ speech topics for college students and ways to prepare, we wish all the students luck and success with their topics. Politics, economics, medicine, science, technology, daily affairs, and social life subjects are included in speech topics for college students. Students need a thorough research, confidence ...

  22. 160+ Best & Easy English Speech Topics for Students

    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.

  23. 160 Good Argumentative Essay Topics for Students in 2024

    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 ...

  24. 230 Unique Special Occasion Speech Topics That You Can Use

    Structure your speech. Organize your ideas logically, using an introduction, body and conclusion. Keep it concise. Special occasion speeches are typically short, so focus on delivering your message succinctly. Use storytelling. Incorporate personal stories or anecdotes to make your speech relatable and memorable. Add humor.

  25. A True 'Safe Space' and What BDS Really Is

    Vanderbilt, as its chancellor demonstrates ("Free Speech Is Alive and Well and Vanderbilt University" by Daniel Diermeier, op-ed, April 3), is protecting free speech and teaching its students ...

  26. What to know about Biden's 2025 budget proposal

    The budget release comes days after Biden's State of the Union address, a campaign-style speech in which he focused on contrasting his vision for the country with that of Republicans -- namely his 2024 rival Donald Trump. "The budget details the president's vision to protect and build on this progress and deliver on the agenda laid out in his State of the Union by lowering costs for families ...

  27. Dan Hurley is a perfect sports heel, so Kentucky would be perfect fit

    GLENDALE, Ariz. — Dan Hurley is a perfect college basketball villain; as cocky as he is good, as inevitable as he is hot-headed. "For the last 25 years or 30 years, UConn's been running ...

  28. Women's college basketball is having a historic moment

    NIL deals have become a game-changing contributor to the rising presence of women's basketball. According to Nick DePaula, who covers shoe endorsement deals on the Boardroom show "The Sneaker Game" and also writes for ESPN, 15 college women athletes are currently signed to nine brands, compared to just three college players on the men's side.These brands include Nike (Clark), Reebok (Reese ...

  29. How Tesla Planted the Seeds for Its Own Potential Downfall

    A former Nieman fellow at Harvard University, she previously reported from London and Paris, covering a range of topics from the rise of populism to gender. More about Katrin Bennhold.

  30. 'Good Morning America' to feature Houston's Cleburne Cafeteria for

    "Good Morning America" will be live in Houston on Wednesday for a stop on their "Comfort Food America" tour. Houston is one of four cities GMA is visiting, looking for the most comforting dishes ...