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Speech on My Favourite Book

Updated on
Jun 2, 2021

Preparing for public speeches can be daunting for many students. From overcoming stage fright to deciding on the right topic to finding the right arguments, the process is quite lengthy. That is why, in this blog, we have curated two samples for speech on My favourite book to help you prepare better for your speaking and listening tasks at school.

Speech on My Favourite Book (2-3 Minutes)

Good morning to all. My name is Reeva Raj and my topic for the English-speaking task is My favourite book. “ Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers”. Books are friends who never leave your side. I find this saying to be very true as books have always been there for me. I enjoy reading books. My favourite book is Harry Potter by J.K Rowling. This book is about wizards and the wizarding world. Harry Potter contains a total of seven books. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the 2nd book in the series and it’s my favourite.

There are so many things for readers to learn from the series Harry Potter. It teaches us the importance of friendship. It teaches us that someone’s background doesn’t determine his or her value as a person and many more lessons. It also showed me that no one in this universe is perfect. Everyone has good and evil inside them. I have learnt a lot from this great book. It remains one of the most precious treasures of mankind.

Speech for 5-10 Minutes

Good morning to all. My name is Reeva Raj and my topic for the English-speaking task is My favourite book. “ Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers”. Books are friends who never leave your side. I find this saying to be very true as books have always been there for me. I enjoy reading books. My favourite book is Iliad by Homer. The Iliad is an epic poem written by the Greek poet Homer. It tells the story of the last year of the Trojan War fought between the city of Troy and the Greeks. Achilles – Achilles is the main character and the greatest warrior in the world.

The Iliad teaches us many things, such as The importance of family is a central theme in the epic, the lovely scene of Hector with Andromache and his son is heartwarming all these years later.The friendship between Achilles and Patroclus is incredibly touching. The way Achilles fiercely and obsessively seeks vengeance for Patroclus has made many question if there was a romance between them.Priam losing his greatest son Hector and his supplication to Achilles to return his body so he and Troy can properly mourn its protector is another example of the theme of family.Achilles too lamenting his own father and how he shall never see him again, Priam and Achilles weeping together shows the futility of war as well as how family has affected these two enemies together.

The classics of Greece and Rome provide us with a set of connected stories and a cast of characters that teach us what it means to be human. They are also the basis of literature, teaching us about natural man (man at his best and worst, but natural man). They don’t give us the answers that we find in revelation, but they do give us the questions.

Books are wonderful – a bundle of pages with a cover on top brimming with content that stimulates the human imagination and helps us escape pressing reality. They are also beneficial to health. If you don’t like reading books, it’s definitely worth trying different genres until you find what interests you. Thank you for listening. I hope the speech was informative for you.

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Speech on Books for Students and Children

Speech on books.

Hello and a warm welcome to all my teachers and dear friends present in the Auditorium. I am here to deliver a speech on books. I would like to start my speech with a famous phrase of Ernest Hemingway which says, ” There is no friend as loyal as a book”. Books are like our fellow friend with no demands and complaints. They improve our knowledge, wisdom, and information, thus helping us in taking the right decisions in life.

Source: pixabay.com

Books are the best option for self-learners to avail of information on all issues and topics. Great Authors, writers, and poets put all their emotions, thoughts and experience to make books important and beneficial for us. The treasure of books is inexhaustible, as they continuously extract the gold of art, literature, science, and philosophy for us. Books pass the knowledge from generation to generation which ultimately helps in the advancement of civilizations.

Types of Books

There are mainly two types of books, one is fictional while other is non-fictional. Fictional books are completely based on the author’s imagination, on the other hand, non-fictional are about a particular person, story, News or information. The different age group of people prefers different types of books like religious, comical, fantasy and educational.

The corporate world generally prefers business magazines and journals. Books under subcategory educational and guides, horoscope and scientific, articles and essays and many more. Generally, popularity in books depends on the age group and the mindset of people. Students prefer educational and professional books, kids mostly prefer stories and fantasy books, while the mature ones prefer the literature and novelistic books.

Get the Huge list of 100+ Speech Topics here

Advantages of Reading Books

The habit of reading good books enables us to become well educated and informed. Books also help to change our physical and mental fitness in addition to building our lifestyle. Reading a book gives us kind of pleasure, energy, and confidence which we cannot find around any other place.

We feel fresh, happy and knowledgeable after reading a good book. When we feel down and negativity starts affecting us, books prove to be our best guide, inspiration and moral supporter. In the long run, we are not alone in the company of a good book.

The kingdom of books is vast providing pleasant pastime for many of us. Books spread our positive views and also popularize the fruits of our research and knowledge. Books are our permanent friends as they help enrich our thoughts. They inspire us to fight the odds and do great things in life.

In the current scenario of the advancement of science and technology, the utility of books is getting down. People are depending much on the Internet and social media platforms to gain knowledge. We must understand that Google gives us knowledge but books us wisdom.

We should never stop reading, while reading we always get something new that is valuable and informative in our future. Books take us to a journey with the author which widens our outlook. Books our minds with noble thoughts and awaken our soul.

Although books are very useful we must be very cautious while choosing one. Some books can mislead and spoil our life. A person reading a good book with a positive mindset is ultimately an asset to society and the country as well.

Our country is a land of great personalities whose biographies are available to us through books. We must step out and read them for the advancement of the country and its civilization. I will conclude my speech with a famous phrase of Fran Lebowitz which says “Think before you speak. Read before you think”

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100+ Excellent Topics for a Stellar Persuasive Speech

What Makes a Truly Remarkable Speech?

The Ingredients of an Effective Topic

Ideas & Inspiration: 100+ Topics

Your Next Steps, Step-by-step

This comprehensive blog post serves as a vital resource for anyone looking to craft an impactful persuasive speech. It provides an extensive list of over 100 compelling topics tailored for a wide range of interests and academic fields. Additionally, it offers advanced guidance on selecting the perfect topic, structuring your arguments effectively, and employing persuasive techniques that captivate and convince your audience. Whether you're an academic achiever or an aspiring public speaker, this guide equips you with the insights to deliver a stellar persuasive speech.

Before You Pick the Perfect Topic...

If you’re struggling to find a strong topic for a persuasive speech , you’ll find 100+ ideas for subjects and topics below. Use one that grabs you, or simply find inspiration to get unstuck and come up with a topic about something you and your audience will find interesting.

To help you think about the big picture — your larger essay — we also review what makes a truly effective persuasive speech, all the ingredients of an effective topic, and how to pick the best topic for your circumstances.

Here's what's most essential as you consider your topic choices:

pick a topic that has the right scope, one aligned with your larger assignment
be sure the topic is one you're interested in researching, has meaning and relevance for your audience, and has the right level of complexity — both for your audience and for your level of speech writing prowess
remember your topic should align with themes and subjects related to your circumstances and the speech requirements

Finally, once you’ve picked your topic, and even if you know all the basics — which I’m guessing you do if you’re following posts from Crimson Education — you might still benefit from other advice in today's post, such as numerous speech writing tips and strategies designed to save you time and stress and improve the odds your final speech will exceed expectations.

Here's what you'll find:

What Makes a Truly Remarkable Persuasive Speech
The Ingredients of an Effective Topic, and Tips for Picking Your Topic
100+ Topic Suggestions
How to Develop a Stellar Persuasive Speech — Step-by-Step!

Still feeling a bit hesitant or stuck?

Don’t worry. Once you've picked a really interesting and effective topic and start your research, you'll quickly become a subject-matter expert, regaining both motivation and confidence for all the remaining steps.

What Makes a Truly Remarkable Persuasive Speech?

A good persuasive speech will grab the audience’s attention, help them connect with the speaker (that’s you), and guide their reasoning process — giving the speech the power to persuade your audience why your point of view is logical and compelling, and also superior to the opposing viewpoints.

The 6 Most Essential Ingredients

A strong introduction that gets the audience engaged and provides context about the subject and topic, what’s at stake (why it matters), and what issues or concerns tend to be front and center
A clear thesis in the form of a specific point of view, opinion, or argument
An orderly progression of ideas and arguments, each argument or subtopic supported by logic and evidence
An anticipation of opposing viewpoints and arguments (the counterarguments to your opinion)
Your responses or ‘rebuttals’ to the opposing viewpoints , answering the anticipated objections and adding additional support for your point of view or thesis
A conclusion that highlights the most powerful persuasive elements in your speech and reminds listeners what's at stake, including, if suitable, a call to action

The Historical Roots of Persuasive Speech

Did you know that persuasive speech assignments may be testing your mastery of concepts that go back as far as ancient Greece?

The emergence of democracy in ancient Greece (the 6th and 5th centuries B.C.) created a space for the rule of law and political governance informed by the will of the people — making persuasive speech an essential element of social life.

From courtroom trials to political campaigns and democratic assemblies, persuasive speech emerged in 5th-century Athens as an essential tool of democracy. Soon the brightest philosophers of the day became concerned with the principles of "rhetoric" — the study of orderly and effective persuasive speaking.

Now, thousands of years later, little has changed in Western democracies: "constructing and defending compelling arguments remains an essential skill in many settings" (Harvard U, Rhetoric ). In short, the principles of deliberation, free speech, and consensus building we use for governance, in school, extracurricular activities , at work, and sometimes our day-to-day life, still rely on persuasive speech.

In every free society individuals are continuously attempting to change the thoughts and/or actions of others. It is a fundamental concept of a free society.

- persuasive speaking, by r. t. oliver, ph.d., interested in learning more attend one of our free events, build your academic candidacy for yale and other ivy league universities.

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How The Rhetorical Triangle Can Turbo-charge Your Speech

The 5th-century B.C. Athenian philosopher Aristotle argued that your ability to persuade is based on how well your speech appeals to the audience in three different areas: logos, ethos, and pathos, sometimes referred to as the three points of the rhetorical triangle .

From observation and reflection Aristotle understood that humans are thinking animals (logos), social and moral animals (ethos), and emotional animals (pathos) — such that appealing to all three of these pillars of human understanding and action were essential parts of an effective persuasive speech .

1. Logos — Using clear, logical, and evidence-based reasoning and argumentation to add persuasive power to your speech.

For obvious reasons, audiences will typically expect strong arguments supported by evidence and clear reasoning and logic, all elements that are often prominent on grading rubrics for persuasive speeches.

Maybe you're thinking of speeches you've heard that utterly lacked logic and evidence? It's a reminder that persuasion as such is ultimately about points of view and not always about facts. Even without logic, a speaker can persuade, through effective uses of ethos and pathos , for example. In other instances social phenomena may underlie a lack of logic and evidence, such as "group think," for example , when people are swayed or swept up by a common point of view about an issue, instead of thinking critically about it.

2. Ethos — The component of persuasive speaking that spotlights the appeal, authority, credentials, and moral standing of the speaker .

Have you ever agreed with a speaker simply because you liked the person speaking, or rejected an argument because you disliked a speaker, responding to who the speaker is more than to their arguments? That may not be very logical, but it is very natural for us humans.

Aristotle understood this, that persuasion relies not solely on logical thinking but on relational factors too, including how much we trust a speaker, how much we believe in the integrity of their motives, and the knowledge and expertise they possess (or are perceived to possess).

Take law courts, for example. One common strategy lawyers use to undermine the force of witness testimony is to “discredit” or “taint” the witness , to undermine jurors' confidence in the veracity and motives of the witness. That's using ethos, rather than logic and facts, to impact an audience (the jury).

Likewise, when an audience has a high regard for the speaker's reputation, authority, and credibility, the more convincing that person's arguments are likely to be.

Suggestions for enhancing appeals to ethos in your speech:

Share a transformative journey where you shifted from an opposing perspective to your current stance due to overwhelming evidence. This approach can demonstrate your capacity for logic and open-mindedness, helping your audience see you as very rational and impartial, potentially strengthening your credibility.
Incorporate the viewpoints and expertise of respected authorities to bolster your arguments. Referencing reliable sources and experts boosts your credibility by showing you've grounded your arguments in established facts, perspectives, and ideas.
Foster a connection with your audience. For example, rather than overwhelming them with complex reasoning to showcase your intelligence, strive to comprehend and reflect their perceptions and potential biases regarding your topic. This should make your audience more receptive to your logic and perspectives as your speech progresses.
Employ personal anecdotes or lived experiences that unveil a deeper layer of understanding and wisdom. This personal touch not only humanizes you, the speaker, but makes your arguments more relatable and persuasive.

Depending on circumstances, you may think of additional ways to bolster your credibility and trustworthiness — enhancing your standing in the eyes of the audience in order to elevate the persuasive impact of your speech!

3. Pathos — This means injecting your speech with some powerful appeals to listeners' feelings and emotions , in addition to using logic and reason.

For example, if your speech entails persuading voters to increase foreign aide to combat world hunger, you wouldn’t just want to cite cold statistics. Painting a picture of ways malnutrition is affecting real individuals is likely to have a strong impact on listeners' emotions, appealing to their innate capacity for compassion towards others and helping them more deeply appreciate the urgency of the subject . This approach impacts listeners' emotions and highlights an urgent and universal moral imperative that adds conviction to your point of view.

In most academic settings, you'll be expected to present a speech with a strong line of evidence-based, logical reasoning, often making appeals to logos prominent in persuasive speeches in school settings. That said, by injecting and balancing appeals to logos, ethos, and pathos, based on what's most suitable for your topic, assignment, and approach, you'll add a significant measure of mastery to your persuasive writing method.

A Consistent Style and Tone

What style, voice, and tone best suit your personality, the occasion, the listeners, and your subject?

Consider adopting a straightforward, clear, and succinct style , reminiscent of a newspaper editorial or a no-nonsense argument in a voter guide. This approach works well for topics and settings requiring direct communication with clear insights and persuasive arguments free from subjectivity and unnecessary analysis and complexity.
For topics, interests, or assignments that naturally entail wading through broader philosophical and ethical debates — like debating justifications for euthanasia or arguments against the death penalty — a more introspective, contemplative voice may be expected . This style allows for a deeper exploration of moral dimensions and the broader implications of the issue at hand or the underlying logical principles involved.
If your inclination is towards something more unconventional, employing humor and wit could be a chance to take the road less traveled! Whether through irony or parody, for example, by showcasing a humorous topic from the outset, such as "why dog people outshine cat people," or cleverly presenting weaker arguments to underscore your point, this strategy, while offbeat, can captivate and entertain , making your speech stand out in a large class setting. Just be sure to balance the creativity with a clear demonstration of your persuasive speech skills and consider checking in with your teacher about possibilities and expectations beforehand.

With a broader understanding of what goes into a great persuasive speech, you’re better equipped for the important step of picking the topic that will guide your speech.

Picking Your Topic — Questions to Ask

Does it interest you.

Conveying passion for a topic is infectious, adding power to your speech. The more interested and invested you are in your subject and topic, the more likely you are to make your speech the best it can be.

Will the topic interest your audience?

Understanding your audience's values, interests, and views will help you make immediate connections with their own thought processes and attitudes. Try to pick a topic that will get your listeners to perk up and move to the edge of their seats.

Is the topic or point of view fresh and engaging?

Choosing a topic that's novel, contemporary, or presents a unique angle on a familiar issue should help you captivate your audience's attention. You also want the topic to be something that matters to your audience with a point of view that challenges their thinking, so you're not just "preaching to the choir."

Are there any "triggers" or otherwise "sensitive" or "inappropriate" themes?

You might not think there’s not any problem with a topic such as Should we build a wall to keep immigrants out of the country? Or, Should same sex marriage be legal? That said, topics that delve into identity politics or areas that are so controversial that they elicit anger or hostility rather than dialogue and debate may lead to emotional hurt and harm, even if not intended. If you have any doubts, check in with your teacher or a school counselor before settling on your topic!

Finding Subjects and Topics on Your Own

Before you jump ahead and grab a ready-made topic from the list below, remember that a quick brainstorming or online search could be your preferred method to find the best, most interesting topic for your audience, setting, and individual interests or class requirements. For example, an internet search with keywords such as “biggest problems or biggest issues in the world today” will quickly uncover a host of themes and subjects that are both timely and controversial.

Search Results for Keyword Phrase Contemporary World Problems and Issues

Water contamination
Human rights violation
Global health issues
Global poverty
Children's poor access to healthcare, education and safety
Access to food and hunger
Anti-corruption and transparency
Arms control and nonproliferation
Climate and environment
Climate crisis
Combating and crime
Countering terrorism
Cyber issues
Economic prosperity and trade policy
Technology and privacy

A General List vs. Time & Place Factors

Where you live and what’s timely for you and your audience is going to depend on your circumstances. Finding a “hot topic” in your specific time and place could be an effective way to get listeners' attention and address an issue that feels highly relevant.

Is there a big policy decision that’s a hot topic at your school?
Is there a ballot initiative your community will vote on soon that your audience has strong opinions about?
Is there a current events issue in your local news headlines that offers a compelling persuasive speech topic?
What’s before congress these days, or before the Supreme Court, or the United Nations — this week (any great topics there for your speech)?

More Inspiration: 100+ Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics for High School

If you haven’t already navigated your way to an interesting persuasive speech topic, use the list below for even more ideas and inspiration!

You can go from top to bottom, or you can jump the line and look for the themes that most interest you, such as Art and Culture or Recreation and Tourism.

Art and Culture

1. Is digital art really art?

2. Street art: vandalism or cultural expression?

3. Is there a place for censorship in the music industry?

4. Do museums promote culture or appropriate culture?

5. Should other countries have a minister of culture or similar government office, as they do in France?

6. Can schools, or art teachers, define good art vs. bad art? Should they?

7. Censorship in art: when is it justified or necessary?

8. Does creative freedom take precedence over cultural appropriation?

9. The impact of digital platforms on the consumption of art and the value of art.

10. Is there a role for public policy and public funding in arts and culture?

1. The pros and cons of minimum wage laws and policies.

2. Cryptocurrency: the future of finance or a scam?

3. Is student loan debt relief good policy?

4. Gender wage gap: are the concerns justified or unjustified?

5. Sustainable development: Is there a way to sustain economic growth and without an environmental catastrophe?

6. The role of small businesses in the economy, do they promote prosperity or undermine efficiencies?

7. Globalization: economic boon or bane?

8. Is consumerism in the general interest or a threat to the planet?

9. The economic effects of climate change, should they be paid now or later?

10. Universal Basic Income: a solution to poverty or a disincentive to work?

1. The case for and against school uniforms.

2. Should non-citizens be allowed to vote in school board elections?

3. The impact of technology on education.

4. Should college education be free?

5. The importance of teaching financial literacy in schools: promoting independent living or consumerism?

6. Should parents have the right to home school children against their will?

7. Is the grading system improving learning?

8. Is mandatory attendance a good policy for high school?

9. Addressing the mental health crisis in schools: is it an individual problem or a social one?

10. Arts education: valuable or a waste of time?

Environmental Issues

1. The urgency of addressing climate change and what to do about it.

2. Plastic pollution: are more stringent government regulations, policies, and laws the answer?

3. Should the government subsidize clean energy technologies and solutions?

4. The importance of water conservation, but whose responsible?

5. Should there be a global environmental tax? On what?

6. Should environmental costs be factored into everyday economic activity?

7. The impact of fast fashion on the environment.

8. The necessity of protecting endangered species.

9. Deforestation: Who's impacted? Who should have power (or not) to stop it?

10. Are electric cars truly better for the environment?

1. The changing dynamics of the modern family.

2. The role of the state in protecting children from parents and guardians.

3. Should adoption records be open or sealed?

4. How can employers, or employment laws, support healthy families?

5. Is there an age when euthanasia should become universally legal and accessible?

6. How to balance parental rights with child welfare.

7. Is your child's gender something they're born with, or something they should be free to choose?

8. The responsibilities of women vs. men in addressing an unplanned pregnancy.

9. Should parents restrict children's use of technology? What is too lax vs. what is too restrictive?

10. Balancing discipline and love in parenting.

Health, Nutrition, & Fitness

1. Should junk food advertising be regulated?

2. The dangers of fad diets: free market vs. consumer protection.

3. Should junk food be banned in schools?

4. Nutrition: are schools failing to teach it?

5. Should students be graded on their fitness and nutrition levels and habits?

6. Should sports programs be replaced by fitness education?

7. E-cigarettes: should they be regulated or not?

8. The obesity epidemic: a problem of individual responsibility, genetics, or social policy?

9. Are agricultural subsidies good for health and the environment?

10. Should teens have more options for balancing school attendance and individual sleep needs and preferences?

Media, Social Media, and Entertainment

1. The effects of social media on teenagers.

2. Should there be regulations on influencer marketing?

3. The impact of video games on behavior.

4. Fake news: Its impact and how to combat it.

5. The role of media in shaping public opinion.

6. Privacy concerns with social media platforms.

7. The influence of celebrities on youth culture: is there a role for rewards and consequences to impact celebrities public behaviors?

8. Digital detox: pros and cons.

9. Media portrayal of women and its societal impact.

10. Censorship in media: necessary or oppressive?

Politics and Society

1. The importance and limits of voting in a democracy.

2. Gun control laws: balancing safety and liberty.

3. The impact of immigration: universal human rights vs. national sovereignty.

4. The death penalty: justice vs. ethics?

5. The legalization of marijuana: the right policy?

6. The right to protest vs. public order.

7. Affirmative action: whose definition of "fairness" do we use?

8. The future of healthcare in America: market solutions or a public option?

9. Climate change policy: National vs. global approaches.

10. The role of the United Nations in today's world.

Recreation & Tourism

1. The benefits of outdoor recreation.

2. Sustainable tourism: protecting nature while promoting travel.

3. The impact of tourism on local cultures.

4. The future of space tourism.

5. The effects of recreational activities on mental health.

6. The importance of historical preservation in tourism.

7. Adventure tourism: reasonable or unreasonable risks vs. rewards proposition?

8. The effects of over-tourism on popular destinations and local communities.

9. Is eco-tourism the right way to promote environmental sustainability?

10. Does international tourism help or harm indigenous peoples, cultures, and communities?

1. Do the ethical downside of genetic engineering outweigh the potential benefits?

2. The potential and pitfalls of artificial intelligence in society.

3. Climate change denial: is it fully within the bounds of free speech?

4. Competing views of vaccine policies and individual rights in pandemics and other health emergencies.

5. Space exploration: is it worth the investment?

6. The use of affirmative action to diversify STEM education and workforce.

7. The impact of technology on job displacement and future employment: is a universal income the right answer?

8. Do renewable energy technologies offer a feasible substitute for eliminating fossil fuels?

9. Ocean pollution: is more government regulation the answer?

10. Protecting biodiversity vs. the right to economic prosperity.

Sports and School Athletics

1. The emphasis on athletic programs in high schools: is the hype benefiting students?

2. Should college athletes be compensated?

3. Do teamwork and group activities help or hinder academic and athletic development?

4. Should schools should require more physical education or less?

5. Should there be more emphasis on non-competitive formats in high school and college athletics?

6. The influence of professional athletes as role models: good or bad?

7. Doping in sports: are athletic programs teaching the wrong values?

8. The benefits and risks of contact sports in high schools athletics.

9. Should there be absolute gender equality in school athletics?

10. What should the educational goal of school athletics be?

These topics span a broad spectrum of interests and concerns — look for one that matters to you and your audience, is likely to prompt insightful dialogue or debate, and is challenging enough to put your individual persuasive speech skills to the test!

1. Use Diligent Research to Make a Watertight Argument

To go from just any persuasive speech to a truly riveting one, you’ll want to dig around until you find compelling and authoritative research . Even if you're already knowledgeable about your topic, applying yourself with patience and perseverance at this early stage will usually pay off, allowing you to uncover some real gems when it comes to compelling facts and expert perspectives.

What to look for:

Facts, statistics, and surveys
An expert analysis of a policy or issue
Quotes from compelling experts, from books, editorials, or speeches
Anecdotal evidence in the form of isolated events or personal experiences that don’t have much statistical significance but can illustrate or capture something powerful that supports your point of view, or add emotional appeal
Graphs, tables, and charts

Riveting research will better position you to hit some home runs when you put together your speech. And remember, research is primarily to build a strong logical argument ( logos ), but citing and spotlighting reputable sources will also lend your speech greater persuasive credibility ( ethos ), just as experiential perspectives can add appeals to emotion ( pathos ).

Define Your Thesis

Clearly articulate your stance on the topic. This thesis statement will guide the structure of your speech and inform your audience of your central argument.

I like to create a "working thesis" as a planning tool, something that encapsulates and maps my point of view and essential supporting arguments, and as a way to uncover gaps in my reasoning or evidence early on. Later, it also gives me a ready guide for writing my outline.

Essential Elements of a ‘working thesis’ for a persuasive speech:

The subject (including how you'll frame the context for your topic and speech)
Your main point of view
List of principal arguments
The most important counterarguments
Key rebuttals to the counterarguments

As you can see, this kind of "working thesis" gives you a bird's eye view of your thesis along with all the key components of your speech and the reasoning you’ll deploy.

Marshaling Your Evidence

As you delve into researching your chosen topic, such as "Why space exploration is not worth the investment," you'll accumulate evidence, including data, anecdotes, expert opinions, and more. This evidence is vital for adding depth, credibility, and persuasion to your speech. You also need to strategically align the evidence with each of your supporting arguments , ensuring that each claim you make is substantiated.

You can use a simple table format to visually map out how you want to align your subtopics and evidence.

Here's an example using the topic Why space exploration is not worth the investment .

This table is just for illustration, and doesn't use real data and opinions, but you can see how organizing your evidence ahead of time can help you logically present and support your arguments and subtopics . It can also help you spot gaps, in case you need to do additional research, and gives you a head start on the next step: outlining your speech!

Make an Outline

Begin with a structured outline to ensure your speech flows logically from one point to the next. Your outline should include:

introduction elements
key subtopics and the relevant arguments and evidence, examples, anecdotes, or citations, all in sequential order
key wording for any important or challenging transitions from one line of thought to the next, or from one subtopic to the next
a section for responding to opposing arguments and viewpoints, with the specific rebuttals, all in sequential order
key points for your conclusion

Drafting Body Paragraphs, Your Introduction & Conclusion

Now you're making your first rough attempts of turning the key content of your speech into phrases, sentences, and paragraphs. So, this is a could point to refocus on the tone, style, and voice you want to use, and how to use it consistently.

Pro Tip: Write your introduction and conclusion after drafting all of your body paragraphs, because you these two sections to really capture the essence of the larger speech.

Introduction : Start with a strong hook—this could be a startling statistic, a compelling quote, or a relatable and captivating (or entertaining) anecdote— then briefly preview your main points to set the stage for your argument.

Conclusion : Reinforce your thesis with concise references to the the primary evidence you presented. End with a powerful closing statement that reminds your audience of why this topic is important. As suitable, you can also call your audience to action or leave them with something significant to ponder on their own.

Balancing Pathos, Logos, Ethos

Ensure a harmonious balance among logos (logical appeal), ethos (establishing your credibility and using evidence from credible sources and quotes or perspectives from credible authorities), and pathos (emotional appeal).

Checklist for Balancing Logos, Ethos, and Pathos

Here's a rubric, adapted from a real university writing rubric for persuasive speeches, that can help you elevate appeals to logos , ethos , and pathos in your speech.

Is the thesis clear and specific?
Is the thesis supported by strong reasons and credible evidence?
Is the argument logical and well organized?
What are the speaker’s qualifications?
How has the speaker connected him/herself to the topic being discussed?
Does the speaker demonstrate respect for multiple viewpoints, and respond to them with thoughtful arguments?
Are sources credible?
Are tone, style, and word choice appropriate for the audience/purpose?
Is the speech polished and written with care?
Are vivid examples, details and images used to engage the listeners' emotions and imagination?
Does the writer appeal to the values and beliefs of the listeners by using examples the audience can relate to or cares about?

Revise & Polish

Review your speech and revise for clarity, flow, sentence structure, and word choice.

Remember to use a voice and style consistent with making a speech, with the topic and subject matter, and the specific circumstances for your speech.

Remove any jargon or unnecessary details that might distract from your message.

Sharpen your arguments, making sure they are clear, concise, and compelling.

Practice the Delivery

Dedicate ample time to practicing what it will be like giving your speech. Focus on mastering the tone, pace, and volume of your delivery. If you have time limits on the speech, be sure to time your delivery as well, and make any needed adjustments. Consider body language, eye contact, and gestures, as these non-verbal cues can significantly impact your speech's effectiveness.

The more comfortable and familiar you are with your speech, the more confidently you'll present it.

Also, being nervous, for lots of people, is normal. Practice will help; with better command of your speech you'll feel more confident. Also, practicing your delivery with a friend who can listen and give you some feedback is good way to catch helpful adjustments.

Final Thoughts

Finding a topic you like and one that your audience will be interested in is a critical foundation for an effective persuasive speech. It will also help you stay motivated and get more out of the experience!

Just remember that investing in some extra research, some thoughtful organization, anticipating counterarguments, and artfully weaving in ethos and pathos alongside a strong line of evidence-based arguments ( logos ) will help you elevate your speech and your learning experience.

With the insights we've just shared, you're more than ready to turn what is often a rote class exercise into something far more artful. In addition, your effort will help prepare you for college — for debating, editorial writing, legal argumentation, public policy advocacy, public speaking, and even running for ASB President!

If you're interested in taking on the challenge of more advanced research and persuasive writing, or even projects that involve scholarly publication, be sure to reach out to a Crimson Education Advisor for information on ways to get connected to advanced online courses and any number of cool capstone and research projects that will also connect you to networks of motivated young scholars and top-notch research and writing mentors.

About the Author

Keith Nickolaus

Keith Nickolaus is a former educator with a passion for languages, literature, and lifelong learning. After obtaining a B.A. from UC Santa Cruz and exploring university life in Paris, Keith earned his Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley, and then worked for 16 years in K12 education before setting up shop as a freelance writer.

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April 9, 2024

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

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An informative speech topic should captivate and educate your viewers. Likewise, you should take pleasure in delivering and discussing the subject matter.

However, choosing a subject that resonates with your audience and aligns with your interests at the same time can be overwhelming.

To give you some inspiration, we’ve done the legwork and compiled 110 ideas for informative speech topics. The first 100 are categorized by difficulty, while the last 10 are more on the entertaining side (though with plenty of educational value).

For your convenience, we’ve even given you hints on how to structure your speech and presentation for each of the topics below, along with a topic selection guide and advice for making an effective presentation.

25 Ideas for easy informative speech topics

These ideas are for simple yet educational and thought-provoking topics you can use for speeches in middle school, or high school, or to practice public speaking at your Toastmasters club. These topics don’t demand exhaustive research, but you’ll want to spruce your slides up with exciting visuals and keep the speaking points short to engage your audience.

1. How electric cars work

Electric cars are in higher demand and more accessible than ever before, but how they work remains a mystery to many — especially to your middle or high school peers. Load your slide deck with images of these cars’ key components. Explain how they work using short bullets, then compare and contrast their operation with that of their gas-fueled counterparts.

2. Most popular sports around the world

Most of us view baseball as a distinctly American pastime, but did you know that it’s the most popular sport in Japan, Taiwan, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic? There are plenty of such surprises in the world of sports, so this topic is bound to excite and inform in a school setting. Organize the deck by sport for a short, impactful presentation, and pack each slide with relevant statistics.

3. Tips for healthy eating

Inspire your audience to pursue a better diet with basic, practical advice on healthy foods and meal plans. You’ll have to do a bit of research, and the nutrition guidelines from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) are a credible — source of information. Beyond focusing on the nutritious value of different foods, be sure to include sample recipes and meal plans anyone can follow. And don’t forget to enliven the presentation with colorful images!

4. Healthiest desserts you can make

Show your viewers some healthy alternatives to the sugar-laden and ultra-processed treats that occupy most supermarket shelves. Dig up some recipes (lots are available online) and ensure that each slide has an appetizing image of the treat along with ingredients and truncated preparation steps. Be ready to explain why each of your chosen desserts is healthy — for example, is it made without sugar, with wholewheat flour, or using a notably nutritious ingredient?

5. How to improve your sleep

Advice on improving the length and quality of sleep is a helpful topic for almost any audience — sleep is a vital part of healthy living, and most of us don’t get enough of it. Dedicate each of your slides to a specific habit that enhances sleep hygiene and use images that show the behavior in action. Share some statistics on how each habit impacts sleep quality.

6. Mac vs PC comparison: what’s the best computer?

Mac and PC users often clash over which computer and operating system is best, so use your speech to present factual arguments for and against each contender. Slides with screenshots showing the best and worst features of each machine will serve as an effective visual aid. To engage your audience further, build a discussion section into your presentation and let your viewers present and debate their opinions.

7. iOS vs Android: which smartphone operating system is best?

Comparing two of the world’s most prominent mobile operating systems is bound to stir some debate among your viewers — each likely has one of these devices in their pocket and is probably ready to opine on its superiority. Your job is to educate your audience on the capabilities and known shortfalls of each system so that they can make an informed opinion. Leave some room for discussion as you conclude the presentation to keep your audience absorbed until the end.

8. Basics of personal finance

Learning (or brushing up on) healthy financial habits is a useful exercise for anyone, including you — the presenter. The subject matter may be a bit dry for younger viewers, so equip your slide deck with visual content that’s relevant and captivating. Instead of using piggy bank stock images, find YouTube videos of people sharing their experience with a specific money habit. A quick Q&A session at the end of your speech will also give younger viewers ask you questions about concepts they didn’t grasp.

9. Worldwide weather patterns and their causes

An informative speech about the earth’s weather patterns and their causes will fascinate viewers of all ages. After all, weather is a topic that permeates our daily lives, but few of us understand the forces that shape it. Focus your speech on meteorological trends that change with seasons and explain what drives them. Maps that show changing weather conditions are effective visuals to use in your speech.

10. Types of weather phenomena

Hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, and atmospheric rivers are weather phenomena worth learning about as their pace and intensity quickens due to climate change. An informative speech on these meteorological events should discuss their characteristics, causes, any relevant statistics, and resilience tips for the populations they affect.

11. The greatest natural disasters of all time

Humans have an innate interest in catastrophes, so an educational speech on the world’s greatest natural disasters is bound to captivate your audience. However, to make your presentation informative, don’t rely on the shock value of disaster photographs alone. Focus on facts — causes, characteristics, casualties, and resilience measures being taken to mitigate the impact of natural calamities in the future.

12. How to prepare a 72-hour survival kit

Floods, wildfires, hurricanes, and earthquakes can displace entire cities at a moment’s notice, so knowing how to pack a survival kit is an essential life skill — and an excellent speech topic. Base your presentation on FEMA’s guidelines for gathering an emergency preparedness kit. Go beyond listing items and teach your audience how to use them through images and instructional videos embedded in your slides.

13. First aid skills everyone should know

First aid saves lives, so basic first responder techniques are an excellent educational speech topic for any audience. At the very minimum, let your speech cover the fundamentals of CPR, choking aid, and wound care, but feel free to expand the topicality if you’re experienced in the subject matter. Instructional videos are the most handy visual aid since they show the steps for performing various life-saving procedures.

14. How to live off the grid

Living off the grid is a fun and informative speech topic that centers on a popular ongoing trend. Teach your audience how to live off the land with slides that explain how to meet basic necessities like food, shelter, water, and heat without relying on modern facilities. Images and videos (or even interviews) of successful off-grid dwellers will serve as effective visual aids.

15. Basics of home gardening

Teach the aspiring gardeners in your audience the basic skills of growing plants at home. An informative speech on the fundamentals of home gardening should discuss vital elements such as lighting, irrigation, humidity, ambient air temperatures, and ways of preventing and controlling plant diseases. If you spell out specific gardening techniques, demonstrate them to your viewers by embedding relevant instructional videos in your slides.

16. Best plants to decorate your home

Show your viewers the ideal plants for incorporating into a home’s decor. This should be a largely visual presentation, with slides depicting different plant species and their integration into a home’s interior design. Getting these visuals right may take some time, effort, and even Photoshop skills if available stock images don’t show the right plant in the right setting. Prepare good notes to explain why you’ve chosen these plants.

17. Wonders of architecture: world’s most unusual buildings

The world’s most unusual buildings make for an educational and visually intriguing speech topic. While your audience will marvel at the images depicting these peaks of human achievement, be sure your slide content conveys the most essential relevant facts. These include the building architect, date of completion, and materials used in construction.

18. What is a smart city?

Educate your audience on the “smart city” concept by explaining the various systems that work in unison to gather, analyze, and utilize data in an urban environment. Since this functionality differs between municipalities, focus your speech on one smart city example (such as Singapore or Amsterdam), and explain each of its intelligent features slide-by-slide.

19. World’s longest bridges

Your speech on the world’s longest bridges should educate viewers about vital facts, such as the bridges’ geographic location, span, support system, purpose, and construction timeframes. You can also add interesting bits of history about each bridge to make the subject matter more exciting. For a more impactful presentation, find high-quality images of each bridge and leave the longest span for the last slide.

20. 10 best gap year trips

Help viewers make an informed decision about their gap year destinations with slides that highlight vital information about each location. Here are some facts to include in each destination slide: best attractions, places to stay, estimated daily spending, local currency and languages, ideal time to visit, and any hazards to be aware of.

21. How to reduce your carbon footprint while traveling

Inform your audience of the best tips for staying green while on the go. These may include choosing rail over flights for short trips, switching off electronics in the hotel room, or avoiding frequent room cleanings on long hotel stays. Dedicate a slide to each of these strategies and explain how and why they help reduce greenhouse gas emissions with relevant statistics.

22. World’s best universities for engineering

Guide prospective engineering students through their best university options around the world with a presentation that features each school’s most vital information. Dedicate each slide to a specific school and list available programs, average tuition fees, most common employers of the graduates, and basic info about the location. To avoid boring viewers with the same dry facts, include each school’s most unique and intriguing feature in the slide deck.

23. Best countries to study abroad

Create an informative presentation that ranks the world’s best countries for international students. Each slide should feature one of the nations and list information such as the top local universities and programs, cost of living, student visa requirements, and crucially — the reason this nation made your list.

24. How to make your resume stand out

Show an audience of job seekers tips and tricks for standing out amidst a sea of other applicants’ resumes. Each of your slides should feature a specific tip with a screenshot of an example in the resume (don’t bother with generic stock images). Ideally, find a video featuring an interview with an HR professional who discusses these resume-crafting strategies and why they work.

25. How to use body language in an interview

A speech exploring the use of body language during job interviews should inform viewers via images and (if possible) videos of the do’s and don'ts. Video clips with a body language expert discussing and demonstrating different postures will add credibility to your presentation and keep the audience immersed in the material.

25 Ideas for intermediate informative speech topics

The 25 speech topics below are a bit more involved but not quite scholarly, so they’re suitable for high school students in their senior year and their peers in college. You’ll need to research each of the topics thoroughly to convey as much information as possible to educate the viewers and promote critical thought. That said, note that the more data you stuffed into your slide decks, the higher your chances of boring your viewers and losing their attention. So, keep the content info-rich but succinct, and rely heavily on captivating images and videos to tell your story.

26. How screen time affects children and teens

Present the relationship between screen time and childrens’ well-being through slides featuring recent study findings. Base your presentation on more than a single study, and reinforce the evidence with videos showing interviews of child psychologists, parents, and children discussing their experience. Since the subject matter is a bit controversial, keep your presentation objective and informative — your viewers can draw their own conclusions.

27. Why are adults in love with superheroes?

Explore our fascination with superheroes and discuss theories that explain its causes. Start by highlighting the theme’s prevalence in Western culture, then move on to the innate human attitudes that shape it — escapism, optimism, hope, and others. Use credible scientific sources to back up your presentation and give the audience a chance to share their thoughts as you conclude.

28. A look at the four key parenting styles

Walk your viewers through the four distinct parenting techniques — authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and neglectful. You’ll need several slides for each parenting type; use them to address the style’s methods and characteristics, prevalence in modern society, advantages, and disadvantages. Find a video of a child psychologist weighing each style’s effectiveness.

29. What is pop psychology and why are we obsessed with it?

Discuss the popularization of psychology in modern culture and overview the primary ideologies. Start with a timeline showing the rise of pop psychology, and dedicate slides to specific theories and notable individuals. Crucially, present theories that attempt to explain this cultural phenomenon.

30. What are “blue zones”?

Take your audience on a tour of the world’s blue zones — regions known for the longevity of their populations. Overview each region, give its life expectancy statistics, prevalence of chronic illnesses, and lifestyle factors thought to promote longer lifespans. Pay particular attention to factors like diet, exercise, socialization patterns, and work-life balance. If possible, include videos with interviews of blue zone residents and their perspective on longevity.

31. A look at the centenarian diet

Overview the known, identified dietary patterns among blue zone inhabitants. These may vary by region, but all have certain commonalities in terms of the most prevalent food and nutrient groups. Include a dish or recipe that embodies each dietary pattern you discuss in your presentation. Crucially, explain why scholars believe these eating habits contribute to longevity and good health.

32. Diet trends across generations

Discuss how diet trends have changed between generations. The simplest way to organize your speech is by generation — start with the Lost Generation and work your way to Alpha. Overview each cohort’s typical regimen and favorite dishes, and try to rationalize the contributing factors behind each culinary shift. To get your viewers thinking critically, leave time for an interactive session at the end of your speech and discuss whether the dietary changes are beneficial for health and the environment.

33. Why cuisine is a cultural shaping force

Explain how cultural values and ideals are embodied in recipes and culinary traditions. Organize your speech by cuisines, with each slide showing either prominent dishes that reflect aspects of the nation’s culture, or customs surrounding food preparation and service.

34. How alcohol consumption has changed over time

This speech should highlight the shifts in alcohol consumption across all of the world’s regions. You may not be able to find enough data (or have sufficient time) to discuss drinking statistics from every nation on earth, but show the most prominent examples of changing attitudes — i.e. which nations and regions drink more, and which have curbed their consumption over time. Accompany each finding with factors that may have driven changes in alcohol use.

35. Factors contributing to the mental health crisis

Present the findings of academic studies on possible triggers behind the ongoing mental health crisis. Use statistics to compare the effects of different factors, and back up your statements with authoritative quotes from clinical psychiatrists. Given the significance and thorniness of the subject matter, keep your speech professional and respectful, and stay objective while presenting.

36. How social media affects our mental health

Use your speech to educate the audience on the observed mental health effects of social media and their mechanisms. Include positive and negative impacts in your presentation. For each one (for example, loss of sleep quality), include research-based evidence and hypotheses as to why the effect takes place. To keep your viewers’ attention, intersperse video clips of interviews with psychiatrists involved in this research or their test subjects.

37. What is an LLM?

Inform the audience about Large Language Models (LLM) by explaining the processes that enable their functionality. Dedicate several slides to addressing common questions about LLMs. For example:

Can LLMs reason?
Are LLMs conscious beings?
Can LLMs evolve into Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)?

38. What are the ethical dilemmas of artificial intelligence?

Discuss the various ethical dilemmas that emerge as artificial intelligence gains a foothold in our daily lives. These may include inherent bias, workforce disruption, and AI-powered lethal decision-making in warfare. This speech should stimulate critical thought as much as it informs, so discuss each dilemma you present with your audience.

39. What is blockchain technology?

Educate your viewers on the basics of blockchain technology. Use relevant visuals and give concrete examples of how each aspect of this technology works. For example, you can show how a Bitcoin transaction happens, with each slide illustrating one of its phases. Be sure to discuss all blockchain applications (not just cryptocurrency), and review its pros and cons.

40. Can cryptocurrencies replace traditional finance?

Cryptocurrencies’ ability to replace traditional finance are up for debate, so use your speech to inform the audience of the arguments for and against such an event. To start, explain how crypto differs from conventional currencies, list its benefits and shortfalls, and describe government efforts to control its proliferation. Then, dive into credible evidence that backs crypto as the currency of the future, and proof of the contrary. At the end of the presentation, let your viewers opine on the subject matter.

41. What is the future of transportation?

Explore transportation technologies that are currently being designed, developed, or have recently entered service. Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, new supersonic jets, the hyperloop, or even innovative micromobility vehicles are all intriguing examples. Apart from listing these transportation modes’ capabilities, explain the driving forces behind their invention. What problem are these new technologies striving to solve?

42. What is causing climate change and how to combat it

Educate viewers on the scientifically accepted climate change triggers and walk through viable strategies for slowing the pace of global warming. As you analyze the causes, use statistics to show which human activities are most harmful. Likewise, include models to illustrate all the potential progression paths of global warming relative to the mitigation strategies we deploy. Touch on new climate strategies, such as geoengineering, and discuss their pros and cons.

43. These cities will sink by 2050 if we don’t reduce carbon emissions

List cities that are expected to sink below the sea level by 2050 if the world does not reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Tie these predictions to specific emission targets, temperature benchmarks, and sea level changes. Explain whether each of the doomed cities has a chance of either staying above water by natural or artificial means. Likewise, note any preparations to move government infrastructure and populations out of affected cities (as is the case with Jakarta). Finally, touch on the obstacles in the way of these cities’ survival. These may include positive feedback loops accelerating sea level rise, ineffective climate policies, and denialist propaganda.

44. How to identify propaganda

Propaganda techniques vary widely, so start by discussing the characteristics common to all propaganda forms: the agenda, the target audience, and the manipulated message. Show concrete samples of these “red flags” in the media (just be careful to stay clear of political battle lines!) Then, use the rest of your slides to analyze different propaganda techniques and their real-life manifestations.

45. How populism has shaped politics over time

Educate your viewers on the effect populism has had on politics and governments throughout history. Start by defining the concept, explain its methods and characteristics, and pinpoint its historical origins. Then, walk your audience through historical populist movements and their consequences. Unless you plan to stoke a heated debate with your speech, stay objective and use examples from both sides of the political divide.

46. How the electoral college works in the United States

Discuss the processes behind the US electoral college within the broader framework of a presidential election. To properly illustrate the institution’s function, explain what happens from the moment the nation casts its ballots to the confirmation of the US president in the Senate. Finally, give examples of US presidents who won elections despite losing the plurality of the popular vote — and the role the electoral college played in these events.

47. A look at modern monarchies

Inform the audience about the role monarchies continue to play in today’s world. List the reigning monarchs, discuss their powers within government, then touch on their networth and popularity among subjects. To promote critical thinking among your viewers, leave some time to debate monarchies’ relevance and utility in the modern world.

48. Exploring systems of government

Teach your viewers about various systems of government that operate in modern nations. Use countries as specific examples of the different government systems. Explain how these governments are formed or elected, how they pass and execute laws, and historical factors that led to their creation. Crucially, list each system’s pros and cons.

49. The state of democracy around the world

Use your speech to summarize the state of democratic power across different regions. Use maps and statistics to list nations where democratic norms are seeing improvement, and those slipping into totalitarianism. Address the contributing factors behind shifts in the quality of democracy.

50. Bloodiest conflicts throughout history

Present a compilation of the world’s bloodiest conflicts. Include both domestic and international confrontations, and rank them by the number of casualties. Discuss the root causes of each conflict you present, and aggravating factors (such as weapons of mass destruction use, famines, or oppressive political regimes). As you conclude, ask your audience to brainstorm ways to avoid such conflicts in the future.

25 Ideas for complex informative speech topics

The following 25 suggestions are for informative speech topics geared at a university-level audience. These topics delve into sophisticated theories and technologies at the forefront of scientific research. Your viewers may know the subject well, especially if they are your peers. However, do your best to break up the monotony of fact-rich, scholarly content with suitable graphics, videos, and discussion sessions.

51. Gene therapy: definition, applications, and future development

Explain how gene therapy works and give a brief overview of its history. Discuss the various delivery methods for gene therapy along with their suitability and pros and cons. Use available statistics to shine a light on the effectiveness of this treatment for different diseases, and touch on the therapy’s ongoing research and development.

52. What is CRISPR gene editing?

Define the CRISPR initialism (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats), and describe the mechanism behind this gene editing technique. Use effective visuals to illustrate the processes and help your viewers grasp the subject matter. Crucially, list practical examples of CRISPR applications and address the controversy surrounding this method.

53. How RNA vaccines work

Show your viewers the workings of RNA vaccines with slides that graphically depict each step, from vaccine formulation to the host’s immune response. Examine RNA vaccines’ suitability for protecting against various diseases, touch on their development history, and compare their effectiveness against other common vaccine types.

54. Current and future role of AI in healthcare

Create an informative presentation showing AI’s current applications in healthcare, new AI-based technologies under development, and AI’s long-term future potential in the field. Your slides should describe how AI algorithms enhance various tasks (for example, diagnostic imaging), with statistics that show their efficacy. As you contemplate AI’s future potential in healthcare, ask your viewers to weigh in with their opinions.

55. How nanotechnology continues to advance and change our world

Describe the origins and history of nanotechnology, along with current uses, ongoing research, and possible implications. Your slide deck should have graphic representations of how nanotechnology powers various processes and consumer items, and the tools used in its production. Leave some time in your speech to debate the potential of nanotechnology and address concerns.

56. How does the James Webb Telescope work?

Your speech should illustrate how each of the James Webb Space Telescope components work in unison to capture images of faraway celestial bodies and transmit them to earth. Dedicate a slide to each of the elements, then show some of the telescope’s latest available images. Compare Webb’s mechanism and output to Hubble's.

57. What is the future of space exploration?

The future of space exploration is a conjectural topic, so your speech should give your audience all the necessary information to make an educated guess. Start off by analyzing past space missions, the reasons behind them, the technology used, and the limitations they faced. Then, consider the same factors in the context of the future. What will motivate humans to continue space exploration? What technology will be available, and what constraints will we continue to face? Allow some time for debate before you conclude the speech.

58. Can we make Mars inhabitable?

Our ability to inhabit Mars is a speculative topic, so approach it with these facts:

How suitable is Mars’s surface for habitation
Technology needed to make Mars inhabitable
Current technical constraints and potential for their resolution
Implications for humans on Mars-bound missions

After presenting the facts above, describe current plans for human Mars missions. Explain their current status, what they plan to accomplish, and what obstacles they currently face. Finally, get viewers to opine on the viability of Mars inhabitation.

59. Future of supersonic commercial air travel

Overview the current commercial supersonic projects (Boom and Quesst), and contrast them against the Concorde and Tu-144. List the challenges these original supersonic airliners faced, and explain why they ceased operating. Discuss whether Boom and Quesst will be able to overcome these same obstacles and make supersonic air travel possible again.

60. How much of a threat is technological singularity?

Discuss the concept of technological singularity and overview contending theories on its potential, mechanisms, and timelines. Crucially, explain why some scholars believe that singularity is inevitable. Finally, address the possible implications of singularity and the threats humanity might face as a result.

61. Exploring the causes of political polarization

Guide your audience through the innate causes and triggers behind polarization in politics. Explain why some degree of polarization may be inherent in al democratic systems, especially where parties have widely differing ideologies. Then, talk about specific events that exacerbate polarization, such as gerrymandering or social media algorithms. Conclude with a debate on the subject matter, but steer the conversation clear of political flashpoints.

62. How gerrymandering amplifies political polarization

Gerrymandering is a redistricting technique that redraws borders in favor of a political party and ratchets up polarization among the voters. To illustrate the process, present instances where redistricting is believed to have fomented political divide. Stay objective and find examples from both sides of the political divide to avoid causing tension among your audience.

63. What is dark matter?

You may not be able to define dark matter, but you can overview the current, widely accepted hypotheses about its composition and place in the observable universe. Explain what we do know about dark matter (such as its interaction or lack thereof with light, the electromagnetic field, and gravity), present evidence of its existence, and list constraints that keep us from learning more about this mysterious phenomenon.

64. How does the Placebo effect work?

Explain the neurophysiological process in the brain that helps the patient to feel better without actually treating the underlying cause of the symptoms. Discuss the various applications of placebos in medical practice and research. Supplement your speech with graphics that show the neural processes behind the effect and make it easier for your audience to grasp.

65. How intelligent are animals?

Educate your viewers on the cognitive abilities of different animals. Consider ranking the animals in your presentation by intellect, with the most intelligent species appearing last (this will help your speech build momentum). For each animal, explain how its intelligence was assessed, whether it manifests in observable behavior, and how it helps the species excel in its environment. Videos of these behaviors could make your speech more intriguing.

66. Plant and animal species on the brink of extinction

Walk your viewers through a list of fauna and flora species that are either critically endangered or already extinct in the wild. For each species, detail the present populations, habitat, and crucially, the factors pushing it to extinction. Also, list conservation efforts underway to protect any of the threatened species and discuss their efficacy.

67. Are there habitable earth-like exoplanets?

Use your speech to present the exoplanets currently thought to have habitable, earth-like conditions. Explain how and when each planet was discovered, where it’s located in the Universe, how far it is from earth, and why scientists believe it may be inhabitable. List factors that determine whether a planet may be a host for lifeforms.

68. The search for extraterrestrial life

Outline the past and present efforts to find life beyond our planet. Talk about the different methods that have been used to look for extraterrestrial life and explain their outcomes. Likewise, list UFO sightings and purported alien encounters and discuss whether they are credible evidence of life on other planets. Finally, inform your audience about developing technologies that will enable us to find signs of life deep in the universe in the future.

69. How our microbiome connects the gut to the brain

Explain the gut-to-brain connection that exists thanks to our microbiome. Use explanatory visuals to show the different types of beneficial and harmful bacteria that exist in the gut, and how these microbes influence our physical and mental well-being. Be sure to clearly illustrate the neurological processes through which the microbiome connects to and affects the human brain.

70. Exploring the current climate change models and predictions

Educate your viewers about the scientifically accepted climate change predictions and the models on which they’re based. Outline predictions for the next 50-100 years, with models showing how outcomes differ relative to the average temperature increase. Include consequences such as changing coastlines, population displacement, extinction and endangerment of plant and animal species, and effects on the economy.

71. Superbugs: the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Discuss the emergence of bacteria that can resist antibiotics and the root causes of their evolution. Cite specific medical cases where antibiotics were unable to treat previously treatable conditions. Explain what hazards such pathogens pose to humanity, and what (if any) measures are being taken to contain their spread and development.

72. How to mitigate the effects of the next pandemic

Each pandemic humanity has lived through taught us invaluable lessons about disease prevention and control. Share these lessons in a speech that features key strategies for reducing the human and economic toll of inevitable future pandemics. Discuss how differences in virility and transmissibility affect the tactics used to contain their spread. Finally, tell your audience which pandemics are most and least likely to occur, and how prepared we are to handle them.

73. What is quantum cryptography?

Explain the concept of quantum cryptography, its origins, and the reasons for its inception. Cover the processes through which cryptographic activities occur in the quantum state, how they differ from non-quantum ciphering, and what advantages they offer. Spell out distinct examples of quantum cryptographic applications, and potential for further development of these technologies. Since the topic requires at least intermediate knowledge of quantum mechanics, clearly cover the relevant fundamental concepts of this field and leave some time for a Q&A session in case your viewers have questions.

74. What is the Modern Monetary Theory (MMT)?

Inform your viewers about the fundamentals of Modern Monetary Theory and how they play out in practice. Explain MMT’s five key tenets, and illustrate each of these with a real-life example. Compare MMT against Keynesian economic principles and list its benefits and shortfalls.

75. Inflation, recession, and stagflation

Describe each of the three economic states, their causes, and their inter-relationship. Outline the factors that trigger each state and the policies designed to rectify them. Give real-life examples of inflation, recession, and stagflation, and the effects they’ve had on people’s everyday lives.

25 Debate-worthy informative speech topic ideas

The 25 topic ideas below have no place at the dinner table. However, their controversial subject matter demands debate and thoughtful action and they’re quite suitable for a mature, adult audience.

Since these topics are meant to inspire discussion, your job is to supply relevant facts and stay objective while you present. Credible statistics presented with clear, impactful visuals are most effective. With hard facts laid out clearly in front of them, your audience has the best chance of thinking critically, being willing to see multiple perspectives, and engaging in constructive dialogue.

76. Is gentle parenting effective?

Present evidence confirming and disputing the efficacy of gentle parenting (also known as “passive parenting.”) Find relevant statistics or expert opinions from child psychologists, educators, and parenting coaches to reinforce your speech. Finally, let your audience — the parents in particular — opine on the matter.

77. Are video games an acceptable pastime for children?

Showcase statistics on the effects of video games on children’s cognitive abilities, school performance, behavior, and personality. Rely solely on expert evidence — study results, clinical research, and opinions of child psychologists. Then, conclude your speech by inviting audience members to speak their minds.

78. Individualism vs collectivism: which social system works best?

Describe the characteristics of individualism and collectivism, and offer examples of societies where one of the systems is considerably more prevalent. Compare these societies across metrics such as education levels, GDP, life satisfaction, human rights, and the state of democracy. Likewise, explore societies that balance individual and collective needs. After this analysis, allow your viewers to express their views on the topic.

79. What are acceptable limits on free speech?

Guide your audience through the various laws that protect and restrict free speech in the US and abroad. Find examples of positive and negative outcomes of such laws. Finally, ask your viewers what “freedom of speech” means to them, and how much of it they’re willing to sacrifice for the common good.

80. What is net neutrality and how does it affect us?

Explain what net neutrality means and cite specific laws that strive to make the internet “neutral.” Present examples of such laws in action, and ask the audience to consider their benefits and shortfalls.

81. Is the world warming naturally or due to human activity?

Start by describing the causes of ice ages and interglacial periods in the past and the feedback loops that exacerbated these climatic shifts. Next, present scientific evidence that pinpoints current shifts in the earth’s climate that wouldn’t have taken place without human activities. Examine how and why current climate change differs from glacial and interglacial cycles of the past.

82. Pros and cons of AI use in an educational setting

List the various capabilities that AI products like ChatGPT afford students, and analyze their pros and cons from an educator’s perspective. For example, you may conclude that AI-generated essays impede academic progress, while AI-enhanced slide presentations let students focus their brainpower on the slide content by automating tedious tasks like slide design and formatting.

83. Is AI disruptive or a force for the good?

Outline the human activities AI has automated already, and those it will potentially take on in the future. Consider whether this automation will disrupt or enhance the quality of our lives. Examine factors that may contribute to either of the outcomes — for example, effective regulatory policies or powerful AI technology falling into the wrong hands. Give your viewers time to share their thoughts on the matter before you conclude.

84. Does AI dehumanize us?

Share examples of AI art and compare it to pieces produced by humans. Let your audience compare samples of human-written text with AI-generated content that now permeates the web. Inform your viewers of any art activities AI can now perform. Then, ask them whether these creative tasks — formerly firmly in the human domain — can still elicit the same emotional response from us even if they’re automated. There are no right or wrong answers, and the debate you inspire with your speech will be as informative as the facts you’ve presented in your slides.

85. What are deepfakes and how do we handle them?

Define deepfakes, explain how they’re made, and list their uses. Include videos with first-hand examples of people affected by deepfakes, and discuss what strategies should be in place to protect us from their harm.

86. How to solve the addiction and mental health crises

There are many proposals to address ongoing addiction and mental health crises, and you can summarize them in your speech. Describe each action plan in detail and include potential benefits and drawbacks. Show real-life examples of these strategies in action if you find them, along with reported outcomes. With the facts before them, your audience should be able to debate the efficacy of each proposed solution.

87. Advantages and disadvantages of harm reduction

Review the positive and negative effects of harm reduction policies on the addiction crisis, and try to establish whether the pros outweigh the cons. Ask your audience whether saving the life of a drug user is worth the possible proliferation of drugs within the community and the subsequent new addictions. These are tough moral questions, so moderate the debate to keep the discussion from getting heated.

88. Arguments for and against the death penalty

Educate your audience on the key arguments for and against the death penalty. For example, consider its efficacy as a deterrent and use crime statistics to back up your assertions. Likewise, discuss the punishment’s irreversibility and thus the chances of innocent people being executed. Get your viewers to opine on whether or not governments have the moral authority to kill their citizens.

89. Thought experiments in ethics and morality

Engage your viewers with a series of ethical thought experiments. Consider using experiments such as the Heinz dilemma, survival lottery, the trolley problem, or any others that challenge participants to make tough moral decisions.

90. Gun violence in the US: causes and potential solutions

Present the latest gun violence statistics across the US and consider their causes and possible solutions. Discuss any preventative strategies that are currently in place and analyze their efficacy. Compare statistics across other developed nations, then ask your viewers to opine on what makes the US such a hotbed of gun crime.

91. Is there a way to be an ethical billionaire?

Using simple math, show your viewers how much one has to earn — and for how long — to make a billion dollars. Include real-life examples of billionaires and describe their journeys. Consider the special privileges they may have had that helped them attain their wealth and compare their efforts to those of the many employees that help them amass fortunes. At the same time, outline each of these folks’ charitable contributions, annual tax payments, and the number of jobs they create. At the end of your presentation, hold a debate to establish whether it’s possible to be an ethical billionaire.

92. Pros and cons of genetic engineering

Inform your viewers of the current genetic engineering practices, their applications, benefits, and shortfalls. Discuss any ethical implications of genetic engineering, and how these can be resolved.

93. Risks and benefits of nuclear power

Educate your viewers on the known risks and benefits of nuclear power. Explain nuclear plants’ capacity to produce clean energy with no greenhouse gas emissions, and compare their outputs against those of renewable generation methods, such as solar farms. At the same time, discuss the risk of accidents and their consequences for health and environment. Do some high-level calculations to establish how the world’s electricity needs can be met without nuclear power as the world shifts away from fossil fuels.

94. Drawing the line between cultural appropriation and appreciation

Define “cultural appropriation” and explain how it differs from appreciating other cultures. Give specific examples of both practices to illustrate the distinction for your viewers. Ask your audience if they’ve ever unwittingly participated in cultural appropriation, and if they see the practice as offensive or innocent.

95. Does “cancel culture” work?

Cancel culture is a form of boycott meant to promote social justice and give a voice to the vulnerable. Whether it always works as intended is up for debate. So, focus your presentation on real-life examples of cancel culture at work, and try to establish (together with your audience) whether justice was served in each case.

96. Is armed intervention ever justified?

Analyze the reasons behind the world's many conflicts and reconcile them with the outcomes. For example, how does US involvement in WWII compare to the war in Vietnam? In which of these cases was the use of force on foreign soil justified, and can the same ethical formula apply to future conflicts?

97. How social media algorithms distort our perception of reality

Use examples to demonstrate how social media algorithms create “filter bubbles” — feedback loops that expose us to more of the same content in which we’ve shown interest. Explain how these filter bubbles have the potential to misinform viewers, sway them emotionally, and even radicalize them. Together with your viewers, discuss possible strategies for containing this phenomenon and mitigating its effects.

98. Assisted suicide laws across the world

Prepare an analysis of euthanasia laws worldwide. Explain how these laws differ in each nation, and what the outcomes have been so far. Be sure to delineate between active and passive euthanasia and current laws. Likewise, discuss the controversies surrounding assisted death. For example, Canada plans to expand eligibility to the mentally ill, while other nations let minors access the option even without a terminal disease.

99. How do we measure happiness?

The World Happiness Report measures happiness by polling populations using metrics such as GDP per capita, social support, life expectancy, and personal freedoms, among others. Meanwhile, the nation of Bhutan has a Gross National Happiness Index, which quantifies happiness on a broader spectrum that includes 33 indicators. Present these tools to your audience and discuss their efficacy. Finally, let your viewers pitch their own criteria for measuring happiness levels.

100. Different visions for the future of humanity

The future of humanity is a highly conjectural topic. The best you can do during your speech is inform the audience of the critical factors currently shaping our civilization’s path (think climate change, weapons of mass destruction, and the rise of AI), then ask for opinions. Let your viewers speak and share their vision for our future.

10 Fun informative speech topic ideas

The next 10 topics are light and fun but educational nonetheless. If you do your research and deliver the findings in an engaging presentation, your viewers will walk away entertained and know more about the world. (Whether this new knowledge is useful is up for debate).

101. How cults indoctrinate and control their members

Outline the methods cults typically use to recruit, indoctrinate, and control their members. Explain which people are most likely to respond to a cult’s messaging, and why. Give examples of notable cults and the techniques they used to recruit and brainwash adherents.

102. Most bizarre and disturbing conspiracy theories

Compile the world’s most prominent conspiracy theories for an intriguing and informative speech. From Paul Is Dead to Lizard People, conspiracy theories show how fringe ideas gain mainstream acceptance. They may be entertaining, but remind your audience not to dismiss these theories as trivial — these phenomena often have very real consequences, like legitimization of violence and endangerment of public safety.

103. Why some people believe in conspiracy theories

Explore why some people are more susceptible to beliefs in conspiracy theories. Walk your audience through contributing factors, such as mistrust of authority, social isolation, major life changes, and others. If possible, include video clips of interviews with former and current conspiracists in which they explain their path down the rabbit hole.

104. Are UFOs real?

Overview the world’s most notable UFO and alien encounter reports, with witness accounts and images (if possible). For each encounter, supply the official explanation and debate it with your viewers. Be sure to cover the most recent US government revelations on secret military tests that may have been mistaken for UFOs.

105. Most mind-boggling mysteries that are still unsolved

Fascinate the audience with a list of the strangest and most unsettling mysteries that remain unsolved to this day. If you can, equip each of your slides with relevant images and clips of interviews of parties involved. Provide currently accepted interpretations of the events, and invite your viewers to opine.

106. Secret government experiments revealed

Compile a list of the most intriguing government experiments that have been revealed to the public. Describe the purpose of each experiment, the process, and the outcome. Any official interviews or declassified documents will help you bolster the credibility of your speech.

107. Strangest laws in each US state

There’s no shortage of bizarre state laws, so pick the most outlandish one from each state. Explain what each piece of legislation tried to accomplish at the time of its passage, and tell your viewers whether it still gets enforced.

108. Most ridiculous sports in the world

Walk your audience through the world’s most absurd organized sports. From ferret legging to extreme ironing, there is no lack of ridiculous activities for humans with too much time on their hands. Overview each of your chosen sports’ origins, basic rules, and popularity across the world.

109. How different cultures celebrate life’s milestones

Explain how major life events like births, deaths and weddings are celebrated around the world. Discuss each tradition’s particulars, symbology, cultural roots, and significance to the people who observe it. Get your viewers to share their respective cultures’ customs as you conclude the speech.

110. Breakfasts around the world: How different cultures start their day

Take your viewers on a culinary journey through different nations’ favorite breakfast meals. Present the origins, unique flavors, and key ingredients of each dish. Then, ask your audience to share their cultures’ quintessential breakfast items.

How to choose a speech topic

Your speech topic should be relevant, educational, and thought-provoking, yet easily comprehensible by the viewers. To this end, use the five steps below to find the most suitable subject matter for your speech.

Consider the purpose.
Understand the audience.
Factor in your knowledge and interest.
Adapt to the setting.
Account for the availability of visuals.

1. Consider the purpose

Establish the objective of your presentation and choose the speech type accordingly. There are five common speech types, all of which convey different kinds of information:

Definitional: Explains the meaning of the topic’s subject. Topic example: “What is net neutrality and how does it affect us?”
Descriptive: Depicts in detail the subject of the topic. Topic example: “Breakfasts around the world: How different cultures start their day.”
Explanatory: Overviews the functions behind a specific process. Topic example: “How our microbiome connects the gut to the brain.”
Demonstrative: Lists steps to perform a task. Topic example: “How to mitigate the effects of the next pandemic.”
Comparative: Compares and contrasts two items, with a thorough analysis of the similarities and differences. Topic example: “Individualism vs collectivism: which social system works best?”

2. Understand the audience

Once you’ve narrowed down your preferred speech type, consider how different topics within this category will resonate with your audience. Think about the viewers’ knowledge level, and choose subject matter that is challenging but graspable at the same time. Likewise, gauge their interest in your potential topics — the last thing you want is a crowd that’s dozing off as you speak.

3. Factor in your knowledge and interest

Choose a topic that interests you — at least to some degree. Otherwise, your speech may turn out lifeless and you’ll struggle to deliver the information in a captivating way. You viewers will respond by tuning you out.

4. Adapt to the setting

Make sure you can present your chosen speech topic in your setting. For example, subject matter that’s best conveyed with lots of images or audio requires the facilities to run a slideshow. If the speech venue doesn’t have a screen, projector, and speakers, stick with topics where your words and your interactions with the audience can do all the work.

5. Account for the availability of visuals.

Some subjects are best taught through visuals. If your preferred topic falls under this category, make sure that you can source relevant images and videos — don’t fill your slides with generic stock images.

How to prepare your informative speech presentation

Now that you’ve chosen your speech topic, it’s time to prepare the presentation that will accompany you on the stage as you speak. By following the following five steps, you’ll make a presentation that effectively guides both you and your viewers through the key points of your speech.

Research thoroughly
Adhere to the 6 C’s of informative speaking
Find a suitable platform for creating your presentation
Ask for a peer review

1. Research thoroughly

Your task is to compose a speech that informs, so to start, research your topic until you know it like the back of your hand. Use credible sources, not just random blogs you find on Google (Google Scholar is an excellent choice). As you study the subject matter, note all the pertinent data, and create an outline that presents information in smooth, contextual flow.

2. Adhere to the 6 C’s of informative speaking

The 6 C’s of informative speaking help you deliver (and your audience absorb) the message effectively. A speech that adheres to the 6 C’s is:

Clear: Use clear phrasing that everyone understands.
Colorful: Enliven your speech with color to keep the viewers’ attention.
Concrete: Eliminate ambiguities and deliver concrete information that leaves no room for misinterpretation.
Correct: If you present something as a fact, make sure you’ve triple-checked its accuracy. Leave no room for factually incorrect information in your presentation.
Concise: Keep the written content in your slides and your speaking notes as short as possible.
Courteous: Remain respectful and courteous throughout your speech, especially if the topic is controversial.

3. Find a suitable platform for creating your presentation

Find a presentation maker to help you tackle your slides quickly and without excessive manual effort. For example, Plus AI does all the heavy lifting and lets you generate professional Google Slides presentations from a prompt , then helps you edit and format the slides quickly. With these tedious tasks out of the way, you can focus your efforts on the content of the speech.

4. Ask for a peer review

Get your fellow student or coworker to review your presentation and give you their notes. You can even rehearse the speech with them to get some feedback on the delivery. Such a rehearsal should help you refine your speech (and slides) before the big day.

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Speech Script: Importance Of Reading

In a world where information is readily available at our fingertips, the significance of reading often goes unnoticed. However, the act of reading is not merely a pastime; it is a gateway to knowledge, imagination, and personal growth. As a speaker, you have the opportunity to inspire and ignite a passion for reading within your audience. This article will guide you through the process of crafting a compelling speech on the importance of reading, enabling you to articulate the transformative power of books and instill a love for reading in your listeners.

Table of Contents

Importance Of Reading Speech Tips

Begin with a captivating opening.

To capture your audience’s attention from the outset, consider starting your speech with a thought-provoking quote, an engaging anecdote, or a surprising fact related to reading. By leveraging the element of curiosity, you can pique their interest and create a strong foundation for your message. For example, you might begin by sharing a personal story about how a particular book transformed your life or describe the astonishing statistics on the decline of reading habits in modern society. This will set the stage for the importance of your topic and create an emotional connection with your listeners.

Establish the Significance of Reading

In this section, emphasize the immense value and impact that reading has on individuals and society as a whole. Highlight how reading expands knowledge, broadens perspectives, and cultivates critical thinking skills. Discuss the role of reading in fostering empathy, promoting cultural understanding, and nurturing imagination. Support your claims with relevant statistics, research findings, and compelling examples. For instance, you can reference studies that demonstrate the positive correlation between reading proficiency and academic achievement or share inspiring stories of individuals whose lives were transformed through the power of books. By painting a vivid picture of the benefits of reading, you can reinforce the importance of incorporating reading into our lives.

Appeal to Emotions

To make your speech memorable and impactful, tap into the emotions of your audience. Share personal anecdotes or stories that evoke empathy, inspire hope, or ignite a sense of wonder. Discuss how reading can provide solace during difficult times, transport us to different worlds, or foster a sense of belonging. Highlight the emotional connections that can be forged through shared reading experiences, such as book clubs or parent-child reading sessions. By appealing to the emotions of your audience, you can create a deeper connection and motivate them to embrace reading as a transformative and enriching activity.

Provide Practical Tips and Resources

While conveying the importance of reading is vital, it is equally crucial to empower your audience with practical strategies to incorporate reading into their daily lives. Offer tips on how to establish a reading routine, select books that align with their interests, and create a conducive reading environment. Recommend resources such as libraries, bookstores, or online platforms that provide access to a wide range of books. Encourage the exploration of different genres and formats, including e-books and audiobooks, to cater to diverse preferences. Additionally, emphasize the significance of reading aloud to children and the positive impact it has on their language development and cognitive abilities. By providing tangible tools and resources, you enable your audience to take immediate action and embark on their reading journey.

Conclude with a Call to Action

In the final section of your speech, inspire your audience to embrace reading as a lifelong pursuit. Encourage them to make a commitment to read regularly, to explore new genres and authors, and to share their love for reading with others. Emphasize the enduring impact that reading can have on personal growth, empathy, and intellectual curiosity. Leave them with a powerful call to action, urging them to become ambassadors of reading, to support literacy initiatives, or to join local book clubs and reading communities. By concluding with a compelling call to action, you empower your audience to make a difference and become advocates for the transformative power of reading.

Importance Of Reading Speech Example #1

Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, and fellow book enthusiasts,

Today, I stand before you to emphasize a timeless pursuit that holds the key to knowledge, imagination, and personal growth—the importance of reading. In a world filled with distractions and instant gratification, reading often takes a backseat. However, it is crucial to recognize that reading is not just a hobby; it is a transformative activity that can shape our minds and enrich our lives in countless ways.

First and foremost, reading expands our knowledge. It opens doors to new ideas, perspectives, and cultures that we may never encounter otherwise. Through books, we can explore the depths of history, delve into the complexities of science, and unravel the mysteries of the human experience. Reading equips us with information, enabling us to navigate the world with a deeper understanding and a broader worldview.

Beyond knowledge, reading nurtures our imagination. Books transport us to distant lands, introduce us to fascinating characters, and invite us into captivating narratives. They spark our creativity and allow us to envision realities beyond our own. In the realm of literature, we can embark on epic adventures, solve intricate mysteries, and traverse the boundaries of time and space. Imagination not only fuels our dreams but also enhances our problem-solving skills and fosters innovation in all aspects of our lives.

Moreover, reading cultivates critical thinking skills. As we engage with various texts, we learn to question, analyze, and evaluate ideas. We develop the ability to think independently, to discern between fact and fiction, and to form well-reasoned opinions. Reading challenges our assumptions, stimulates intellectual curiosity, and encourages us to explore diverse perspectives. In a world that is increasingly polarized, the ability to think critically is more essential than ever.

Reading also plays a vital role in nurturing empathy and fostering connections. When we immerse ourselves in stories, we are invited to walk in the shoes of characters from different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. By witnessing their triumphs, struggles, and vulnerabilities, we develop a deeper understanding of the human condition. This empathy extends beyond the realm of fiction, enabling us to relate to and connect with others in our daily lives. Through literature, we discover our shared humanity and build bridges of understanding and compassion.

Furthermore, reading serves as a refuge, a sanctuary in the midst of the chaos of the modern world. It offers solace, comfort, and an escape from our daily worries. Whether it is through the pages of a novel, the lines of poetry, or the wisdom of non-fiction, books have the power to heal, inspire, and uplift our spirits. They provide a sense of companionship and a source of solace during challenging times. In the words of Jorge Luis Borges, “I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.”

In conclusion, the importance of reading cannot be overstated. It enriches our lives, expands our horizons, and nourishes our souls. Reading is not a solitary act but a shared experience that connects humanity across time and space. It empowers us to become lifelong learners, critical thinkers, and compassionate individuals. So, let us embrace the written word, immerse ourselves in the beauty of literature, and inspire others to embark on their own reading journey. Together, we can unlock the transformative power of books and create a world where reading thrives.

Importance Of Reading Speech Example #2

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today, I stand before you to shed light on a practice that has been a cornerstone of human civilization since the dawn of time—the importance of reading. In an era dominated by screens and digital distractions, it is crucial to rekindle our appreciation for the written word and recognize the profound impact that reading can have on our lives.

Reading is the foundation of education and the gateway to knowledge. It is through reading that we acquire information, learn new concepts, and expand our intellectual horizons. Whether it’s delving into textbooks, exploring scientific journals, or immersing ourselves in literary classics, reading equips us with the tools and insights necessary to navigate the complexities of the world. It empowers us to engage in meaningful conversations, make informed decisions, and contribute to the progress of society.

Beyond the acquisition of knowledge, reading is an exercise in empathy and understanding. When we pick up a book, we embark on a journey of discovery, venturing into the minds and hearts of characters who are often vastly different from ourselves. This immersion in diverse perspectives fosters empathy, compassion, and a deeper appreciation for the complexities of the human experience. It broadens our worldview, dismantles prejudices, and promotes inclusivity. Through reading, we transcend our own limitations and embrace the beauty of diversity.

In addition to its cognitive and emotional benefits, reading is a catalyst for personal growth and self-reflection. Books provide us with mirrors that reflect our own struggles, hopes, and dreams, allowing us to gain insight into our own lives. They offer guidance, inspiration, and wisdom from the voices of those who have walked before us. Whether it’s a memoir, a self-help book, or a philosophical treatise, reading prompts us to question, introspect, and strive for personal development. It awakens our innermost desires and fuels our aspirations.

Moreover, reading enhances our communication skills and fuels our imagination. As we immerse ourselves in the words of skilled authors, we absorb their techniques, expand our vocabulary, and refine our own writing and speaking abilities. Reading provides us with a wellspring of ideas, sparking our creativity and enabling us to think outside the box. It stimulates our imagination, allowing us to envision new possibilities, solve problems, and innovate in various spheres of life. By embracing reading, we become better communicators, more imaginative thinkers, and more effective problem-solvers.

Let us not forget that reading is also a source of pure joy and entertainment. It offers an escape from the pressures and stresses of our daily lives, transporting us to enchanting worlds and engaging narratives. Whether it’s through the pages of a gripping thriller, the verses of a captivating poem, or the pages of a heartwarming novel, reading allows us to lose ourselves in stories that captivate our hearts and minds. It provides us with moments of respite, relaxation, and pure bliss.

In conclusion, the importance of reading cannot be overstated. It is a transformative practice that fuels our intellectual growth, nurtures our empathy, and sparks our imagination. Reading is not merely a pastime; it is a lifelong companion that accompanies us on our journey of personal and intellectual development. So, let us celebrate the written word, embrace the power of reading, and pass on this invaluable gift to future generations. By doing so, we ensure that the light of knowledge, empathy, and imagination continues to shine brightly in our world.

Importance Of Reading Speech Example #3

Today, I stand before you to emphasize a fundamental truth that has withstood the test of time—the importance of reading. In a fast-paced world driven by technology and instant gratification, reading often takes a backseat. However, the significance of reading extends far beyond the pages of a book. It is a gateway to personal growth, empowerment, and a brighter future.

At its core, reading is a tool for education and empowerment. It equips us with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the complexities of life. Through reading, we gain access to a wealth of information, ideas, and perspectives that broaden our horizons. It empowers us to become critical thinkers, discerning consumers of information, and active participants in society. Reading lays the foundation for lifelong learning, enabling us to adapt to the ever-changing world and make informed decisions.

Beyond its educational value, reading fuels our imagination and creativity. It transports us to different worlds, introduces us to diverse characters, and invites us to explore limitless possibilities. When we immerse ourselves in a story, we become part of a narrative that unfolds in our minds. We visualize scenes, empathize with characters, and experience emotions that expand our capacity for empathy, understanding, and emotional intelligence. Reading ignites the spark of creativity within us, inspiring us to think outside the box, innovate, and envision a better future.

Moreover, reading is a catalyst for personal development and self-reflection. It offers us the opportunity to delve into the depths of our own thoughts and emotions. Whether it’s through self-help books, memoirs, or philosophical works, reading prompts us to question our beliefs, confront our biases, and embark on a journey of self-discovery. It encourages introspection, self-awareness, and personal growth. Through the pages of a book, we find solace, guidance, and the inspiration to overcome our challenges and reach our full potential.

Reading also fosters empathy and understanding. As we engage with stories from different cultures, backgrounds, and experiences, we develop a broader perspective of the world. We gain insight into the lives of others, their struggles, triumphs, and joys. This empathy extends beyond the realm of fiction, allowing us to connect with people from diverse backgrounds in our daily lives. Reading builds bridges of understanding, breaks down barriers, and cultivates a sense of compassion and unity within society.

Furthermore, reading enhances our communication skills and fosters intellectual curiosity. It expands our vocabulary, refines our language skills, and improves our ability to articulate our thoughts and ideas. Reading exposes us to different writing styles, narrative techniques, and rhetorical devices, enabling us to become more effective communicators. It also sparks our curiosity, encouraging us to explore new subjects, ask questions, and seek knowledge beyond our immediate surroundings. Reading is a continuous journey of intellectual growth and discovery.

In conclusion, the importance of reading cannot be overstated. It is a powerful tool for education, empowerment, and personal growth. Reading nourishes our minds, expands our horizons, and fuels our imagination. It fosters empathy, understanding, and connection. It is a source of inspiration, enlightenment, and joy. Let us embrace the written word, encourage a love for reading in ourselves and others, and recognize the transformative power that lies within the pages of a book. For in reading, we unlock the doors to a world of endless possibilities and shape a brighter future for ourselves and generations to come.

Final Thoughts

Crafting a speech on the importance of reading allows you to inspire and influence your audience positively. By capturing their attention with a captivating opening, establishing the significance of reading, appealing to emotions, providing practical tips and resources, and concluding with a call to action, you can create a thought-provoking and impactful speech that instills a love for reading in your listeners. Remember, your words have the power to ignite a passion for reading and unlock a world of knowledge and imagination. Use this opportunity to inspire and empower your audience to embark on a lifelong reading journey.

About Mr. Greg

Mr. Greg is an English teacher from Edinburgh, Scotland, currently based in Hong Kong. He has over 5 years teaching experience and recently completed his PGCE at the University of Essex Online. In 2013, he graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with a BEng(Hons) in Computing, with a focus on social media.

Mr. Greg’s English Cloud was created in 2020 during the pandemic, aiming to provide students and parents with resources to help facilitate their learning at home.

Whatsapp: +85259609792

[email protected]

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112 Persuasive Speech Topics That Are Actually Engaging

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

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

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

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

Choose Something You’re Passionate About

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

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

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

Steer Clear of Cliches

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

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

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

Have a Clear Side of Opposition

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

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

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

Environment

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

Science & Technology

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

Social Media

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

Parenting & Family

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

Entertainment

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

Arts & Humanities

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

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

Do Your Research

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

Understand Your Audience

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

Have Someone Read Your Speech

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

Practice Makes Perfect

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

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

75 Persuasive Speech Topics and Ideas

October 4, 2018 - Gini Beqiri

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

What is persuasive speech?

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

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

How to choose a topic for your speech

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

Familiarity

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

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

The audience’s interest

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

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

Not overdone

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

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

Emotional topics

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

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

Desired outcome

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

Persuasive speech topics

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

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

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

Arts/Culture

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

Business and economy

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

Law and politics

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

Science and the environment

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

World peace

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

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

After choosing your topic

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

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

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

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

Table of Contents

Choosing Your Topic

Writing your speech, how to turn your book into a speech (complete guide).

Turning your book into a speech can be one of the best ways to get your message out there.

With the recent expansion of virtual conferences, TEDx venues , and streaming video, now’s the perfect time to turn your book into spoken content—whether for a single presentation or a video series.

But where do you start? How can you turn your book into a speech that’s really good ?

This post will tell you everything you need to know about how to turn your book into an engaging speech that will hook an audience, hold their attention, and get them talking.

1. Who’s your audience?

The first key to a great speech is choosing the right topic. And finding the right thing to talk about starts with your audience.

Who are you writing the speech for? Who are you presenting it to?

If you’re presenting your speech to a specific group of people, they might make up just one section of your target audience. Or they might be your perfect target audience —but they might be attending this particular event for a specific reason.

Think about who they are and why they’re there.

2. Where are you giving the speech?

If you’re giving a speech at an association event or at a conference, think about the purpose behind the gathering.

What’s the theme of the event or the purpose behind the association? Make sure your speech fits the reason behind why the audience is gathering.

The event, as well as the environment in which the speech will be given, should also dictate the kind of speech you write and how deeply you involve the audience.

You always want your speech to be engaging, but in some virtual speech environments, you might not be able to see or hear your audience.

Make sure you think about the venue when deciding whether or not to include audience participation, as well as in planning the overall tone of your speech.

Whether your speech is thought-provoking and profound or high-energy and rousing should depend on both your audience and the event.

3. What has resonated with your audience?

Once you’re clear on your audience and venue, think about the parts of your book that tend to resonate the most with people.

The more people read your book, the more you’ll get a feel for the pieces that struck the most memorable chords.

People will comment on a specific anecdote from the book, or they’ll talk about how a certain idea opened up a new world for them.

Pay attention to any patterns that start to appear in those comments. Is there one story everyone seems to remember? Or one core idea that changed their perspective?

Take your book’s most compelling ideas and develop specific content around them that targets your speech’s audience and event.

4. Is there something big in popular culture or current events that relates?

People love timely content. They always enjoy hearing about things that relate to other things they’re caught up in.

What shows are popular right now? What time of year is it? What’s happening in the world? The more you can make your speech relate to current events or trending topics, the more people will tune in.

For example, when Game of Thrones was at its height, Will Leach wrote a series of posts on how you can use the HBO blockbuster show to understand mindstate marketing.

Not only were the posts a huge hit, they got Will an invitation to give a speech on the same topic at Merck.

5. How are you providing value?

Finally, what problem are you solving for your audience?

This relates back to your book’s positioning and why you wrote your book in the first place.

Remember, the goal isn’t just to get people to like your speech. It’s to get them to tell other people about it. To use those new ideas often enough that you stay front of mind.

So hook your audience with something spicy, like a popular TV show or a jarring premise. Then draw them in deeper by providing value. That’s the winning combination that gets people talking.

1. Hook them from the start

Okay, so how do you hook an audience?

One way is to use a popular show, like the Game of Thrones example. But there are a million ways to grab people’s attention. For example, you can:

Ask a fun question
Ask a thought-provoking question
Make a surprising statement
Offer a counter-intuitive fact

Whatever direction you pick, the key is to make it surprising and unusual―and put that surprising and unusual fact or statement right in the title .

Here’s another example:

“What working with psychopaths taught me about leadership”

Nashater Deu Solheim’s fascinating (and well-titled) TEDx speech already has over 400,000 views on YouTube.

Instead of using current events, Nashater developed an “evergreen” speech that draws people in with the perfect combination of the surprising and unusual.

It’s unusual because very few people work with psychopaths. It’s surprising because the last thing you’d expect that work to lead to is insight into leadership.

2. Make it personal

Even if you don’t have anything quite that unusual in your background, everyone has the potential for surprise and uniqueness. How? By speaking candidly about their own lives—especially when it comes to things people don’t usually talk about.

The more candid and authentic you’re willing to be, the more your message will draw people in and resonate with those who need it.

You can choose a profoundly authentic moment or anecdote from your book. Or you can choose a different anecdote from your own life and relate it to your book’s main concepts.

Remember, you don’t have to literally turn your book into a speech. As long as your speech is grounded in the main ideas of your book and illustrates the same concepts, you can use just about anything as the hook to engage your audience.

3. Write for the time you have

If your speech needs to last a significant amount of time, you might want to go through your book’s table of contents and use it as the general outline of your speech.

Go through each main idea and distill it into a quick few minutes, presenting it within the context of your theme’s hook.

Don’t feel like you have to use every single idea. If some fit better than others, focus on those. But you can use your table of contents to organize your speech’s structure.

If your time is limited, one quick idea from your book might be better. Tell one or two stories that illustrate your concept, and make sure you provide value to your audience by leaving them with a key takeaway they can use in their own lives.

Whatever you do, don’t lose sight of your audience. Whether you’re giving a long speech or a short one, focus on what’s relevant to this specific audience.

4. Read your speech out loud

Once your speech is drafted, read it out loud. If you’re going to be on video, record yourself giving the speech. Try to use the same frame you’ll use for the real speech.

For example, if you’re giving a TEDx talk on a stage, your recording should capture your whole body (because some TEDx frames will be that wide). If you’ll be in a Zoom conference, record yourself in a private Zoom meeting using the camera angle you expect to use.

Watch your recording, and check for:

A good pace and tone
Confident body language
Eliminating negative habits (smacking your lips, saying um, etc.)

Do it again and again until you feel like you could do it in your sleep—and until you’re comfortable enough to look and sound like you’re talking to a friend.

When you see great speakers who sound casual and “off-the-cuff,” understand that they worked very hard to sound that way in front of an audience. So don’t skip the hard work.

Stage presence isn’t entirely natural for anyone. It’s a learned skill. But if you record yourself over and over, giving yourself notes each time and doing it again, your final presentation will look as though it was no effort at all.

The Scribe Crew

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

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 it to generate an idea of your own. It could even be an idea that opposes the proposed example. For instance, instead of arguing American workers should be guaranteed a three-day weekend by law, you could argue why this shouldn't be the case.

How to Pick a Good Persuasive Speech Topic

Persuasive speeches are generally meant to convince an audience to agree with an idea you present. The topics can range from political to scientific or societal, and professional to personal—or even fun. They can be almost anything.

Just remember, a persuasive speech is different than a persuasive essay because you are presenting to an audience. So as you decide on a topic, think about your audience and decide on a subject matter that will be appropriate, compelling, and engaging to discuss. Perhaps it's a timely issue attracting a lot of news coverage, or maybe you want to be motivational and encourage a healthy activity. Whatever it is, structure your argument with a hook to capture attention , a clear definition of the topic or issue, and finally, your proposed solution or opinion.

100 Examples of Persuasive Speech Topics

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.
The 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 language 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 minimum drinking age in the U.S. should be 25.
Replacing fossil fuels with cheaper alternative energy options should be mandated.
Churches need to contribute their share of taxes.
The Cuba embargo should be maintained by the U.S.
America should replace income taxes with a nationwide flat tax.
Once they reach the age of 18, all U.S. citizens should be automatically registered to vote .
Doctor-assisted suicide should be legal.
Spammers—people who bombard the internet with unsolicited email—should be banned from sending junk mail.
Every automobile driver should be required to take a new driver's test every three years.
Electroshock treatment is not a humane form of therapy.
Global warming is not real.
Single-parent adoption should be encouraged and promoted.
Gun companies should be held accountable for gun crimes.
Human cloning is not moral.
Religion does not belong in public education.
Juveniles should not be tried as adults.
American workers should be guaranteed a three-day weekend by law.
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Speech on Books

Books are a repository of man's best ideas and discoveries. It is also the way writers communicate with their readers. In the company of a book, we gain knowledge about a subject. As a result, many people view books as one of the most outstanding friends a person can have because it unconditionally feeds us with knowledge. Here are a few sample speeches on books.

10 Line Speech on Books

Short speech on books, long speech on books.

As an ardent reader, I often feel more books need to be in the world to quench my hunger for knowledge.

Fiction, Classics, detective, fantasy, romance, horror, action and adventure, and young adult (YA) are well-known book genres.

Books are a collection of feelings, including love, sadness, knowledge, information, and a variety of other things.

As a friend, a book will never betray you.

As a beginner reader, it is critical to seek counsel from seniors.

Books will be relatable to people of all ages.

Books can quickly satisfy a person's thirst for knowledge.

The relationship between books and readers is entirely beneficial.

A reader's bond with books is a demand-free and complaint-free bond.

Reading is regarded as one of the best habits someone can develop.

"Books are a unique form of portable magic."- Stephen King.

Books are an essential element of the lives of most of those present. Books have an important function in human development.

Man's greatest insights and discoveries are preserved in books. Additionally, it is how authors interact with their audience. We learn more about a subject after reading a book. As a result, a lot of people think of books as some of the best companions someone could have since they constantly provide us with information.

Books are a collection of emotions, love, grief, information, knowledge, data, and many other things. Books have been with us for ages. Reading keeps us up to date on the newest developments in our environment. Reading improves our comprehension of things and makes our lives easier. Have you ever considered what you would do now if work had not been recorded or documented?

The growth would not have been conceivable. Every year on April 23rd, the world celebrates World Book Day. It honours the pleasure of reading a book. Many of us here enjoy reading books as a hobby. Reading books benefits us in various ways, not only passing the time.

It improves our memory, imagination, and learning capacity, relieves tension, serves as a source of fun, provides profound insight, and many other benefits. The books we read impact the formation of our personality and attitude. Good novels keep us motivated and inspired. We should all remind ourselves that good books are excellent investments.

Ernest Hemingway once said, "There is no friend as loyal as a book."

Since the beginning of time, we have all been associated with books. The bond between a book and an individual is vital. Books are the most effective way to learn new things. These are the most significant ways to convey and comprehend sentiments, emotions, love, fear, knowledge, or data.

Books play an essential role in our lives. A book is like a closest friend who will never leave your side. Books transmit information from one generation to the next. Books have been around for centuries, transmitting messages from various civilisations and cultures. There are various types of books, but the most common are fictional and non-fictional. Non-fictional books are based on a specific individual, knowledge, or data, whereas fiction books are based on one's imagination.

Books are provided to children at a young age to help them improve their academic performance. The majority of basic information is taught to children through books. Books are a knowledge powerhouse. Reading books allows people to collect data on many areas and improve their knowledge. The empire of books is large in today's society, and anyone can readily enter it. In addition to the traditional print format, books are now available online in e-books and audiobooks.

Books have a tremendous capacity to influence people's lives. They inspire, energise, and charge us to be better. Reading increases a person's vocabulary, thought quality, and mental wellness. They finally contribute to our life's development. Walter Mosley states, "a peasant who reads is a royal in waiting."

Different people enjoy different types of books based on their interests and needs. Students, for example, are generally interested in educational publications; children choose storybooks, teenagers prefer novels, a few love poetry, and corporate executives are most interested in business journals. Reading is one of the best habits since it keeps us up-to-date and educated about the world. Books not only entertain us but also enable us to avoid boredom. Books may both inspire and motivate us. For many of us, it is a pleasurable pastime.

Although we increasingly rely on the internet for information and knowledge, we must not forget that the power of books has been unrivalled since antiquity.

Books are fantastic - a bundle of pages with a cover on top, overflowing with content that stimulates the human imagination and allows us to escape stressful situations. They are also good for your health. If you dislike reading books, it is worthwhile to experiment with different genres until you find what fascinates you.

George R. R. Martin once said. "A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The guy who never reads lives only one,"

I enjoy reading a lot. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam is my favourite author. His writings give me clarity in my life and provide me with energy and vitality. Aside from his works, I enjoy reading science publications and storybooks. I'm sure everyone has a favourite book and an author they admire.

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Speech on Books

Introduction

Books can be our best friends and guide us to build up our personality. There is a suitable book for every mood, and you can enjoy reading various genres of books to cheer yourself up. Reading books helps us to gather information on various subjects. Here we present a long speech on books for children stating several aspects of reading books in our lives. The long speech is followed by a short speech on books for students and children of Classes 4 to 10, and a 10-line-speech on books for the reference of young students of Classes 1 to 3.

Short Speech on Books for Students and Children

Hello everyone! I, (ABC), am here today to deliver a speech on books for children. Well, as we all know, books make an integral part of our lives, as we are introduced to books since childhood, for academics. Books are the basic source of knowledge and information. There are various categories of books, for example, fiction, non-fiction, science-fiction, comedy, romantic, biographies, historical, horror, thriller, and so on.

Reading books helps children to learn many new words and they get a good grip on how to use those words in meaningful sentences as well. Hence, books help to improve their vocabulary. Also, when children start reading books, they develop an understanding of grammatically correct sentences.

Kids are mostly interested in fairy tales or comics, and some find horror-based books more fun to read. I personally prefer reading detective storybooks. Well, there is a lot more than fiction that books offer to us. We cannot time-travel to witness the historic incidents, but we can get a detailed knowledge of those incidents, with the help of books. The life stories of the great personalities of the world are available through biographical books. These books help us to know their family background, contribution to society, achievements, and struggles.

The knowledge that we gather by reading books stays with us forever. It helps us to know about the various historic places of the world, and about the world leaders, right at our home. There are plenty of benefits of reading books for students and children. So here to conclude my speech, I would like to emphasize that cultivating the habit of reading books among children will make them more aware of many important aspects of life. It will help them stride towards a brighter tomorrow.

10 Lines Speech on Books for Students and Children

Books can be our best guide and friend.

Fiction and non-fiction are the two types of books.

The common genres of books are comedy, thriller, science fiction, romance, biographies, etc.

Reading books is a good habit and it helps to improve our comprehensive skills.

We can practice reading a book loudly to improve our pronunciation.

As we read various books, we get an opportunity to learn many new words.

I like reading fairy tales and comic books.

I am currently reading an abridged version of Alice in a Wonderland by Lewis Caroll. I got this book as a birthday present.

I also like to read books on Noddy and his adventures by Enid Blyton

Reading books helps us to gather knowledge on a language and other important subjective information.

Long Speech on Books in English

Our finest companion and a great approach to learning new abilities are books. Reading books allows us to expand our knowledge and expand our minds. Your mental growth will be favorable and your thinking will be rich. In front of you, a new world will open up. An excellent book has the power to transform your life. When we are sad or lonely, we can read an excellent book. That will make us happy and relieve our loneliness. Reading books provides a great deal of enjoyment. When we read a new book, we get to see new locations, learn new things, and receive new ideas, all of which is beneficial to our mental health.

My warmest greetings to everyone in this room. Today I'm going to talk about books and how they play an important role in forming children's personalities. The primary source of knowledge books. Reading books helps children acquire a strong sense of language and expand their vocabulary. I believe that instilling the habit of reading in children at an early age is critical. Reading books can help them improve their concentration and comprehension skills.

It is true that books are our best friends. Books will not abandon us in the face of adversity. They will be a terrific company for us at all times. There are a lot of fantastic books out there that can help us modify our minds. To be motivated and inspired in our daily lives, we need a lot of good thoughts. Learning new abilities by reading a book is a great approach to do so. Experts and experts publish books based on their knowledge and experience. They provide a wealth of knowledge on the subject.

We can gain a comprehensive understanding of a subject. When we are feeling lonely, we can curl up with a nice book. I can assure you that you will begin to feel better. We must constantly avoid reading terrible novels. A poor book can destroy your head and cause you to think negatively. So it is always advised to refer to a friend or to the internet for good books.

Books can be compared to gold mines. When we go astray, they correct us, amuse us when we're bored, and provide us with nice companionship when we're lonely. They give us a new perspective on beauty. They carry us to places we've never seen before, to heights we've never felt before, and to lands we've never imagined. If you want to choose a best friend for the rest of your life, choose books since books can keep us company in both good and terrible times and teach us a lesson.

Books are also changing their look in the modern world, from a hard copy in paperbacks to digital on the Internet. It is dependent on whether we want to read a hard copy or a soft copy on a computer. Finally, I'll argue that we've gone so far in this century due to our forefathers' wonderful laws, conceptions, sciences, thoughts, inventions, discoveries, and endeavors, all of which were written in books. That literature hastened the advancement of our civilization. Great people's books inspire us to think about noble things. They teach us how to think critically. They aid in the conception of concepts and the solution of practical issues. Some people make fun of dedicated book readers. It's crucial to put what you've learned in the books into practice rather than merely reading them.

Learning the relevant knowledge, whether technical, language skills, general knowledge, or fun-related information, is essential to making good use of books. When we use books, we have a brighter face and more confidence in ourselves. When reading a book, it's also crucial to jot down essential points, thoughts, doubts, or footnotes in a decent notebook. Every page of a great book contains the best and noblest thoughts of man. In a library, you can encounter all of the world's most brilliant brains. However, not all novels are created equal. Today, there is a deluge of books. Flooding is never a good thing. You can take up undesirable behaviors without even realizing it because of the effect of poor books. As a result, you must choose your allies carefully. You must make an informed decision.

Man's life and nature's life must be mingled up with the company of literature. A break between the pages of a book and the real world is fraught with peril. So, not only should you read books, but you should also read the vast Book of Life and Nature.

The book chooses the reader, the kind of book we read is a reflection of our own self. With this I conclude my speech. Have a great day.

Speech Topics For Kids

Speech on Books

“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counsellors and the most patient of teachers.” These are the words told by Charles W. Eliot. Do you agree with this statement? Read the article and realise the true power of books. Try to prepare an enlightening speech on books and let your friends reap some knowledge from you.

Top quotes to use in a speech on books, speech on importance of reading books, short speech on books, speech on types of books, frequently asked questions on books.

“Some books should be tasted, some devoured, but only a few should be chewed and digested thoroughly.” – Sir Francis Bacon.
“If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.” – J.K. Rowling.
“That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.” – Jhumpa Lahiri.
“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.” – Walt Disney.
“No man can be called friendless who has God and the companionship of good books.” – Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
“If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, you must be the one to write it.” – Toni Morrison.
“Show me a family of readers, and I will show you the people who move the world.” – Napoleon Bonaparte.
“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” – Joseph Addison.
“I read for pleasure, and that is the moment I learn the most.” – Margaret Atwood.
“A word after a word after a word is power.” – Margaret Atwood.

Sample Speeches on Books

A couple of sample speeches on books are given below. Take a dive into these speeches and utilise the resource to better understand the topic.

Books aid the evolution of human beings. It fosters character formation, builds confidence, and changes our lives’ perceptions. The practice of reading books increases the insight of individuals and helps to mould out the best personality. By reading books, a person can experience multiple emotions; it keeps one energetic and refreshed.

People can explore many wonderlands with the guidance of a book. That is the reason why many people consider books as their best companions. People can easily elope from solitude with the help of books. Books mark their appearance as a saviour from depression, anxieties, and emotional distress, and it fills our soul with wonderful ideas.

The inspirational and moral support provided by books is boundless. They enrich our minds with good thoughts. The true taste of wisdom can be experienced by reading books. Just like there are good things and bad things, books are also of two types. Try to pick out the best ones. We always have to be very cautious while selecting books, like the words of Malala Yousafzai, “One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.”

Books play a very important role in the life of every individual. From the early age itself, books are introduced for assisting the child in bettering academics. Most of the basic information is taught to the children with the help of books. Books are a powerhouse of knowledge. People can gather information on different subjects and can improve their comprehensive knowledge by reading books. In today’s world, the empire of books is so vast, and everyone can easily enter it. Other than the typical print format, books are available to us online in the form of e-books and audiobooks.

The capability of books for influencing human lives is really high. They motivate, nourish, and charge us to be better. The habit of reading improves vocabulary, quality of thoughts and mental health of a person. They eventually help the transformation of our lives. Like the words of Walter Mosley, “A peasant that reads is a prince in waiting.”

Books can be broadly classified as fiction and non-fiction. A fictional book is a book that is completely based on the imagination of the writer. The types of stories developed with the creative talent of the writers are presented in the fictional stories. Rather than providing information, such books focus on entertaining the readers by offering imaginary experiences.

A non-fictional book is exactly the opposite of a fictional one. Non-fictional books are based on truth, real incidents, and facts. More than the essence of imagination, writers of non-fictional works add reality to it. Such types of books are produced with the major objective of providing information to the readers. Some of the popular types of non-fictional works are autobiographies, biographies, encyclopaedias, etc.

Multiple kinds of books are available to us; people can choose any genre based on their mood or interest. Some of the most popular genres of books are classics, tragedy, comedy, fantasy, fairy tales, detective and mystery, thriller, science fiction, historical fiction, horror, literary fiction, women’s fiction, romance, short stories, etc. The availability of these many options to read is a great boon to humankind. According to the words of George R. R. Martin, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.”

Two is always better than one, right? So utilise your options, read as many as you can, and start living your lives.

These speeches will prove to be one of the beneficial speech topics for kids who want help in composing a speech.

List some quotes to use in a speech on books.

“Some books should be tasted, some devoured, but only a few should be chewed and digested thoroughly.” – Sir Francis Bacon.
“If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.” – J.K. Rowling.
That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.” – Jhumpa Lahiri.

What are the benefits of reading books?

Books play a very important role in the life of every individual. People can gather information on different subjects and can improve their comprehensive knowledge by reading books. The practice of reading books increases the insight of an individual and moulds out the best personality. It helps for character formation, building confidence, and changing perception of our lives.

What are the different genres of books available to us?

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5 Chapter 5: Developing Topics for Your Speech

The materials below are attributed fully to the free online Open Education Resource, Exploring Public Speaking: The Free Dalton State College Public Speaking Textbook, 4th Edition .

Chapter 5 Learning Objectives

After reading this chapter, the student will be able to:

Distinguish between the specific purpose, central idea, and main points of a speech;
Differentiate between a speech to inform, persuade, and inspire or entertain;
Write a specific purpose statement;
Write a thesis or central idea statement;
Distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable specific purpose and central idea statements;
Compose appropriate specific purpose and central idea statements for informative, persuasive, and inspirational/entertaining speeches.

Chapter Preview

5.1 – Getting Started with Your Topic

5.2 – Formulating a Specific Purpose Statement

5.3 – formulating a central idea statement, 5.4 – problems to avoid with specific purpose and central idea statements, 5.1 – getting started with your topic and purpose.

So far in this book we have examined many practical and theoretical aspects of public speaking as a method of communicating and as an art form. In this chapter we are going to get into the real meat of putting your speech together.

Often when we get to the point of sitting down to prepare a speech, we think about topics. That is understandable, but before we go any further, let’s recalibrate our minds to think also, or even more, about “purpose. ” There are some benefits to considering purpose and topic simultaneously. Doing so will help you focus your speech to a manageable amount of content and become more audience-centered. Also you will be able to make strategic decisions about other aspects of the speech, such as organization, supporting evidence, and visual aids.

Speeches have traditionally been seen to have one of three broad purposes: to inform, to persuade, and — Well, to be honest, different words are used for the third kind of speech purpose: t o inspire, to amuse, to please, to delight, or to entertain . We will just use “ t o inspire” as the overall term here. These broad goals are commonly known as a speech’s general purpose , since , i n general, you are trying to inform, persuade, or entertain/inspire your audience without rega rd to specifically what the topic will be. P erhaps you could think of them as appealing to the understanding of the audience (informative), the will or action (persuasive), and the emotion or pleasure.

Your instructor will most likely assign you an informative and a persuasive speech, and then perhaps one more. The third one might be a special occasion speech, such as a tribute (commemorative), an after-dinner speech, a toast, or a eulogy. These four types of speeches fit into the category of “to inspire” or “to entertain.” This book has chapters on and examples of all three types (Chapters 12, 13, and 15).

General Purpose

t he broad, overall goal of a speech; to inform, to persuade, to entertain, etc.

It should be understood that these three purposes are not necessarily exclusive of the others . A speech designed to be persuasive can also be informative and entertaining, even if neither of those is the main purpose.

As we saw in Chapter 1, the canons of rhetoric is the traditional way to explain the process of preparing a speech. That process is still a practical guide for today. The first canon, invention, or inventio , is discussed, at least in part, in this chapter. Although in modern times we tend to think of invention as the creation of a new technology, invention basically means “discovery” of what to say.

The scholars of rhetoric from the ancient times encouraged the use of questions to “discover” the arguments and content of the speech. These were called “ topoi ” and there were a couple of dozen of them; modern scholars have reframed them as questions that can be used to develop reasons and material. These can be helpful in many ways, but here we will present just two basic questions you should consider for beginning your speech:

What value, connection, or interest does my purpose/topic have for the audience? What needs do they meet? and
Why would the audience consider me, the speaker, a credible source on this purpose/topic?

We suggest that these two questions be in your mind as you develop your speech. You should answer them, directly or indirectly, for your audience in your speech. If your audience is unfamiliar with your topic, for instance, you would want to address the first one early in the speech. If your audience does not know anything about you, you should mention (in an appropriate way) your background in the subject area.

One of the authors has a core concept in her basic public speaking classes: The most effective speeches are the ones that answer the questions in the minds of the audience . She uses that to change the students’ focus from speaking just to express themselves to being audience-centered. She also uses the acronym “WIIFM.” This is not a new radio station, but the abbreviation for “What’s In It For Me?” The audience is asking this question, directly or indirectly, during a speech . Keep the WIIFM acronym in mind as you start to think about your speeches more and more from your audience’s perspective.

Now that you know your general purpose (to inform, to persuade, or to entertain), you can start to move in the direction of the specific purpose. A specific purpose statement builds on your general purpose (such as to inform ) and makes it more specific (as the name suggests). So if your first speech is an informative speech, your general purpose will be to inform your audience about a very specific realm of knowledge, for example, the history of NASA’s Shuttle program.

Specific Purpose Statement

an infinitive phrase that builds upon the speaker’s general purpose to clearly indicate precisely what the goal of a given speech i s

In writing your specific purpose statement, you will take three contributing elements that will come together to help you determine your specific purpose. The diagram in Figure 5.1 shows those three elements. T hese three elements are you (your interests, your background, past jobs, experience, education, major), your audience (which you learned to analyze in Chapter 2), and the context or setting (also discussed in Chapter 2).

An old adage states, “Write about what you know.” In many ways, that is a great place to start with creating a speech, although you will need to consult other sources as well. If you start with ideas that reflect your interests, goals, and passions, that passion and commitment will come across in your speech, give you more credibility in the eyes of your audience, and make your speech more interesting.

This would be a good place for you to do an inventory. Retail stores do regular inventories to know what is “really there” in the stores. You have much more going on in your brain and background than you can be conscious of at any one time. Being asked the right kinds of prompts can help you find ideas. Figure 5.2 is a list of prompts for this inventory. To help generate some ideas for your speeches, complete the phrases and/or answer the questions in Figure 5.2 to see if any ideas can be generated from experiences or interests you may not have realized you had.

This inventory may seem long and intrusive, but digging a little deeper may help you find ideas and directions that are unique to you. You want to find this kind of subject matter and not the same topics others will gravitate towards just because they saw a list on Google on informative speech topics. Also, generating your list based on these questions and prompts will get you excited about your topic and talking about it to your classmates. For example, a very common persuasive speech topic is organ donation . There is nothing wrong with that topic per se and it is an important issue. However, if you ask yourself the right questions, you may come up with something far more central to who you are and that might interest and/or apply to the audience more.

Another approach that you might find helpful is to determine what you are passionate about through two binary routes. First, you will obviously be passionate about the things you love , so talk about those. Is The Simpsons your favorite TV show? Then you can inform us on the people and vision of the team behind this highly popular and long-running TV show. Do you feel that Big Brothers Big Sisters is a vital organization in the way it helps kids? Then persuade us to volunteer there. Conversely, you can also be passionate about things you don’t love (i.e., hate ). Does it really annoy you when people don’t use their turn signals? Then persuade us to always use them. Do you want to scream when you hear a cell phone go off at the movies? Then persuade us that cell phones should be banned in theaters.

The Audience

Of course, what you love or hate may be in stark contrast to how your audience feels, so it is important to keep them in mind as well, which brings us to the next contributing factor. After you examine what you know and are passionate about, you have to determine if and how the topic has practical value or interest for others . It may be that it is a topic the audience is not immediately interested in but needs to know about for their own benefit. Then it becomes necessary for you to find that angle and approach that will help them see the benefit of the topic and listen to you. The more you know about your audience, the better you can achieve this goal. Good speakers are very knowledgeable about their audiences.

The Context

Many aspects come into the context of a speech, but as mentioned in Chapter 2, the main ones are the time, place, and reason(s) for the event and the audience being there . Your classroom speeches have a fairly set context: time limits, the classroom, assignment specifications. Other speeches you will give in college (or in your career and personal life) will require you to think more deeply about the context just as you would the audience.

Putting It Together

Keeping these three inputs in mind, you can begin to write a specific purpose statemen t, which will be the foundation for everything you say in the speech and a guide for what you do not say. This formula will help you in putting together your specific purpose statement:

Specific Communication Word (in infinitive phrase) ( to inform, to explain, to demonstrate, to describe, to define, to persuade, to convince, to prove, to argue)

Target Audience (my classmates, the members of the Social Work Club, my coworkers)

The Content (how to bake brownies, that Macs are better than PCs)

Each of these parts of the specific purpose is important. The first two parts make sure you are clear on your purpose and know specifically who will be hearing your message. However, we will focus on the last part here.

The content part of the specific purposes statement must first be singular and focused , and the content must match the purpose . The word “ and” really should not appear in the specific purpose statement since that would make it seem that you have two purposes and two topics. Obviously, t he specific purpose statement’s content must be very narrowly defined and, well, specif ic . One mistake beginning speakers often make is to try to “cover” too much material . They tend to speak about the whole alphabet, A-Z on a subject, instead of just “T” or “L.” This comes from an emphasis on the topic more than the purpose, and from not keeping audience and context in mind. In other words, go deep (specific), not broad . Examples in this chapter will show what that means.

Second, the content must match the focus of the purpose word . A common error is to match an informative purpose with a persuasive content clause or phrase. For example,

To explain to my classmates why term life insurance is a better option than whole life insurance policies.

To inform my classmates about how the recent Supreme Court decision on police procedures during arrests is unconstitutional.

Sometimes it takes an unbiased second party to see where your content and purpose may not match.

Third, the specific purpose statement should be relevant to the audience . How does the purpose and its topic touch upon their lives, wallets, relationships, careers, etc. ? It is also a good idea to keep in mind what you want the audience to walk away with or what you want them to know, to be able to do, to think, to act upon, or to respond to your topic —your ultimate outcome or result.

To revisit an earlier example, “to explain to my classmates the history of NASA” would be far too much material and the audience may be unsure of its relevance. A more specific one such as “to inform my classmates about the decline of the Shuttle program” would be more manageable and closer to their experience. It would also reference two well-known historical tragedies involving the Shuttle program, the Challenger Disaster in 1986 and the Columbia Explosion in 2003. Here are several examples of specific purposes statements. Notice how they meet the standards of being singular, focused, relevant, and consistent.

To inform my classmates of the origin of the hospice movement.

To describe to my coworkers the steps to apply for retirement.

To define for a group of new graduate students the term “academic freedom.”

To explain to the Lions Club members the problems faced by veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

To persuade the members of the Greek society to take the spring break trip to Daytona Beach.

To motivate my classmates to engage in the College’s study abroad program.

To convince my classroom audience that they need at least seven hours of sleep per night to do well in their studies.

Now that you understand the basic form and function of a specific purpose statement, let’s revisit the original diagram in Figure 5.1. The same topic for a different audience will create a somewhat different specific purpose statement. Public speaking is not a “one-size-fits-all” proposition. Let’s take the subject of participating in the study abroad program. How would you change your approach if you were addressing first-semester freshmen instead of first-semester juniors? Or if you were speaking to high school students in one of the college’s feeder high schools? Or if you were asked to share your experiences with a local civic group that gave you a partial scholarship to participate in the program? You would have slightly different specific purpose statements although your experience and basic information are all the same.

For another example, let’s say that one of your family members has benefitted from being in the Special Olympics and you have volunteered two years at the local event. You could give a tribute (commemorative speech) about the work of Special Olympics (with the purpose to inspire), an informative speech on the scope or history of the Special Olympics, or a persuasive speech on why audience members should volunteer at next year’s event. “Special Olympics” is a key word in every specific purpose, but the statements would otherwise be different.

Despite all the information given about specific purpose statements so far, the next thing you read will seem strange: Never start your speech by saying your specific purpose to the audience . In a sense, it is just for you and the instructor . For you, it’s like a note you might tack on the mirror or refrigerator to keep you on track. For the instructor, it’s a way for him or her to know you are accomplishing both the assignment and what you set out to do. Avoid the temptation to default to saying it at the beginning of your speech. It will seem awkward and repetitive.

While you will not actually say your specific purpose statement during your speech, you will need to clearly state what your focus and main points are going to b e (preferably after using an introductory method such as those described in Chapter 8). T he statement that reveals your main points is commonly known as the central idea statement (or ju st the central idea).

C entral Idea Statement

a statement that contains or summarizes a speech’s main points

Now, at this point we need to make a point about terminology . Your instructor may call the central idea statement “the thesis” or “the thesis statement. ” Your English composition instructor probably uses that term in your essay writing. Another instructor may call it the “ main idea statement. ” All of these are basically synonymous and you should not let the terms confuse you, but you should use the term your instructor uses.

That said, is the central idea statement the very same thing as the thesis sentence in an essay? Yes, in that both are letting the audience know without a doubt your topic, purpose, direction, angle and/or point of view. No, in that the rules for writing a “thesis” or central idea statement in a speech are not as strict as in an essay . For example, it is acceptable in a speech to announce the topic and purpose, although it is usually not the most artful or effective way to do it. You may say,

“ In this speech I will try to motivate you to join me next month as a volunteer at the regional Special Olympics.”

That would be followed by a preview statement of what the speech’s arguments or reasons for participating will be, such as,

“You will see that it will benefit the community, the participants, and you individually.”

However, another approach is to “capsulize” the purpose, topic, approach, and preview in one succinct statement.

“Your involvement as a volunteer in next month’s regional Special Olympics will be a rewarding experience that will benefit the community, the participants, and you personally.”

This last version is really the better approach and most likely the one your instructor will prefer.

So, you don’t want to just repeat your specific purpose in the central idea statement, but you do want to provide complete information . Also, unlike the formal thesis of your English essays, the ce ntral idea statement in a speech can and should use personal language (I, me, we, us, you, your, etc.) and should attempt to be attention-getting and audience-focused. A nd importantly, just like a formal thesis sentence, it must be a complete, grammatical sentence.

The point of your central idea statement in terms of your audience is to reveal and clarify the ideas or assertions you will be addressing in your speech , more commonly known as your main points, to fulfill your specific purpose. However, as you are processing your ideas and approach, you may still be working on them. Sometimes those main points will not be clear to you immediately . As much as we would like these writing processes to be straightforward, sometimes we find that we have to revise our original approach. This is why preparing a speech the night before you are giving it is a really, really bad idea. You need lots of time for the preparation and then the practice.

Sometimes you will hear the writing process referred to as “iterative.” This word means, among other things, that a speech or document is not always written in the same order as the audience finally experiences it. You may have noticed that we have not said anything about the introduction of your speech yet. Even though that is the first thing the audience hears, it may be one of the last parts you actually compose. It is best to consider your speech flexible as you work on it, and to be willing to edit and revise . If your instructor asks you to turn the outline in before the speech, you should be clear on how much you can revise after that. Otherwise, it helps to know that you can keep editing your speech until you deliver it, especially while you practice.

Here are some examples of pairs of specific purpose statements and central idea statements.

Specific Purpose: To explain to my classmates the effects of losing a pet on the elderly.

Central Idea: When elderly persons lose their animal companions, they can experience serious psychological, emotional, and physical effects.

Specific Purpose: To demonstrate to my audience the correct method for cleaning a computer keyboard.

Central Idea: Your computer keyboard needs regular cleaning to function well, and you can achieve that in four easy steps.

Specific Purpose: To persuade my political science class that labor unions are no longer a vital political force in the U.S.

Central Idea: Although for decades in the twentieth century labor unions influenced local and national elections, in this speech I will point to how their influence has declined in the last thirty years.

Specific Purpose: To motivate my audience to oppose the policy of drug testing welfare recipients.

Central Idea: Many voices are calling for welfare recipients to go through mandatory, regular drug testing, but this policy is unjust, impractical, and costly, and fair-minded Americans should actively oppose it.

Specific Purpose: To explain to my fellow civic club members why I admire Representative John Lewis.

Central Idea: John Lewis has my admiration for his sacrifices during the Civil Rights movement and his service to Georgia as a leader and U.S. Representative.

Specific Purpose: To describe how makeup is done for the TV show The Walking Dead.

Central Idea: The wildly popular zombie show The Walking Dead achieves incredibly scary and believable makeup effects, and in the next few minutes I will tell you who does it, what they use, and how they do it.

Notice that in all of the above examples that neither the specific purpose nor the central idea ever exceeds one sentence . You may divide your central idea and the preview of main points into two sentences or three sentences, depending on what your instructor directs. If your central idea consists of more than three sentences, then you probably are including too much information and taking up time that is needed for the body of the speech. Additionally, you will have a speech trying to do too much and that goes overtime.

The first problem many students have in writing their specific purpose statement has already been mentioned: specific purpose statements sometimes try to cover far too much and are too broad. For example:

To explain to my classmates the history of ballet.

Aside from the fact that this subject may be difficult for everyone in your audience to relate to, it is enough for a three-hour lecture, maybe even a whole course. You will probably find that your first attempt at a specific purpose statement will need refining . These examples are much more specific and much more manageable given the limited amount of time you will have.

To explain to my classmates how ballet came to be performed and studied in the U.S.

To explain to my classmates the difference between Russian and French ballet.

To explain to my classmates how ballet originated as an art form in the Renaissance.

To explain to my classmates the origin of the ballet dancers’ clothing.

The second problem with specific purpose statements is the opposite of being too broad, in that some specific purposes statements are so focused that they might only be appropriate for people who are already extremely interested in the topic or experts in a field:

To inform my classmates of the life cycle of a new species of lima bean (botanists, agriculturalists).

To inform my classmates about the Yellow 5 ingredient in Mountain Dew (chemists, nutritionists).

To persuade my classmates that JIF Peanut Butter is better than Peter Pan. (professional chefs in large institutions)

The third problem happens when the “communication verb” in the specific purpose does not match the content ; for example, persuasive content is paired with “to inform” or “to explain.” If you resort to the word “why” in the thesis, it is probably persuasive.

To inform my audience why capital punishment is unconstitutional. (This cannot be informative since it is taking a side)

To persuade my audience about the three types of individual retirement accounts. (This is not persuading the audience of anything, just informing)

To inform my classmates that Universal Studios is a better theme park than Six Flags over Georgia. (This is clearly an opinion, hence persuasive)

The fourth problem exists when the content part of the specific purpose statement has two parts and thus uses “and. ” A good speech follows the KISS rule — Keep It Simple, Speaker . One specific purpose is enough. These examples cover two different topics.

To explain to my audience how to swing a golf club and choose the best golf shoes.

To persuade my classmates to be involved in the Special Olympics and vote to fund better classes for the intellectually disabled.

To fix this problem, you will need to select one of the topics in these examples and speak on just that:

To explain to my audience how to swing a golf club.

To explain to my audience how to choose the best golf shoes.

Of course, the value of this topic depends on your audience’s interest in golf and your own experience as a golfer.

The fifth problem with both specific purpose and central idea statements is related to formatting. T here are some general guidelines that need to be followed in terms of how you write out these elements of your speech:

Do not write either statement as a question.
Always use complete sentences for central idea statements and infinitive phrases (that is, “to …..”) for the specific purpose statement.
Only use concrete language (“I admire Beyoncé for being a talented performer and businesswoman”), and avoid subjective or slang terms (“My speech is about why I think Beyoncé is the bomb”) or jargon and acronyms (“PLA is better than CBE for adult learners.”)

Finally, the sixth problem occurs when the speech just gets off track of the specific purpose statement, in that it starts well but veers in another direction. This problem relates to the challenge of developing coherent main points, what might be called “the Roman numeral points” of the speech. The specific purpose usually determines the main points and the relevant structure. For example, if the specific purpose is:

To inform my classmates of the five stages of grief as described by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross.

There is no place in this speech for a biography of Dr. Kubler-Ross, arguments against this model of grief, therapies for those undergoing grief, or steps for the audience to take to get counseling. All of those are different specific purposes. T he main points would have to be the five stages, in order, as Dr. Kubler-Ross defined them.

There are also problems to avoid in writing the central idea statement. As mentioned above, remember that:

The specific purpose and central idea statements are not the same thing , although they are related.
The central idea statement should be clear and not complicated or wordy ; it should “stand out” to the audience. As you practice delivery, you should emphasize it with your voice.
getting the audience’s attention,
revealing the topic,
revealing the central idea and main points,
establishing your credibility, and
establishing rapport with your audience.

One last word. You will notice that we have said nothing about titles of your speeches so far. A title is a good thing and serves purpose s. Your instructor may or may not emphasize the title of your speech. This textbook chooses to focus on the purpose and central idea as the basis, even the spine of the speech. A good source on titles can be found here: [How to write good speech titles] (https://www.best-speech-topics.com/speech-titles.html).

Case Studies in Specific Purposes and Central Idea Statements

Case Study One : Mitchell is taking a Fundamentals of Speech course in his second year of college. As a member of the college’s tennis team, he wants to speak on his favorite subject, tennis. He is assigned an informative speech that should be seven minutes long and use four external sources (other than his own experience). He realizes off the bat that he knows a great deal about the subject as far as how to play and be good at it, but not much about the history or origins or the international impact of the sport. He brainstorms a list of topics, as his instructor tells him to: 1. Famous tennis players 2. Rules of tennis 3. How to start playing tennis 4. How to buy or choose equipment for tennis 5. Why tennis is a great sport 6. Tennis organizations 7. Where tennis came from 8. Dealing with tennis injuries 9. Tennis and the Olympics 10. Famous tennis tournaments—grand slam events

However, he also wants to be sure that his audience is not bored or confused. His instructor gives him a chance to get in a small group and have four of his classmates give him some ideas about the topics. He finds out no one in his group has ever played tennis but they do have questions. He knows that everyone in his class is 18-24 years old, single, no children, enrolled in college, and all have part-time jobs.

Critique Mitch’s brainstormed topics based on what you know. What should he do? Can you come up with a good starting specific purpose?

Case Study Two : Bonita is required to give a 5- to 6-minute presentation as part of a job interview. The interview is for a position as public relations and social media director of a nonprofit organization that focuses on nutrition in a five-county region near her home. There will be five people in her audience: the president of the organization, two board members, the office manager (who is also the Human Resources director), and a volunteer. She has never met these people. Bonita has a college degree in public relations, so she knows her subject. She does as much research on the organization as she can and finds out about their use of social media and the Internet for publicity, marketing, and public relations. If does have a Facebook page but is not utilizing it well. It does not have any other social media accounts.

What would you suggest for Bonita? Here are some questions to consider. Should she be persuasive, informative, or inspiring? (General purpose). What should be her specific content area? How can she answer the two important questions of the value of her topic to the audience and why would the audience think she is credible?

You should be aware that all aspects of your speech are constantly going to change as you move toward actually giving your speech. The exact wording of your central idea may change and you can experiment with different versions for effectiveness. However, your specific purpose statement should not change unless there is a really good reason, and in some cases, your instructor will either discourage that, forbid it, or expect to be notified. There are many aspects to consider in the seemingly simple task of writing a specific purpose statement and its companion, the central idea statement. Writing good ones at the beginning will save you some trouble later in the speech preparation process.

Something to Think About

What if your informative speech has the specific purpose statement: To explain the biological and lifestyle causes of Type II diabetes. The assignment is a seven-minute speech, and when you practice it the first time, it is thirteen minutes long. Should you adjust the specific purpose statement? How?

The Public Speaking Resource Project Copyright © 2018 by Lori Halverson-Wente and Mark Halverson-Wente is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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My Speech Class

Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

243 Easy and Simple Speech Topics

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

If you have interest and knowledge in a specific subject, it makes for an easy speech topic. If a subject is not complex, it makes for an easy subject. If you have interest and knowledge on a simple non-complex topic, that makes for a really easy speech topic.

If time doesn’t allow for much preparation or research, what’s best is to stick with something you know. This will cut down significantly on your workload because you already know most of what there is to know.

In this article:

Family, Friends, Relationships

Government and the law, miscellaneous, easy and simple speech topics on popular subjects.

Teachers should be required to take basic skills tests every few years to keep their certification
Less professional advertisements in schools
Why single-sex public schools are better than co-ed
SAT scores for college applicants
Student cyber bullies should be expelled from school
Hazing on college campuses is a problem
Higher education is a basic need for succeeding in life today.
Schools should not serve french fries and soda
Students that study online cheat more.
Classic literature should only be for college students.
Every student in every school should wear a uniform
Students should be placed in trade schools after getting a basic education
Exam scores have little indication on a student’s abilities
History textbooks don’t tell the whole truth
Learning about all world religions in schools is important
Homeschooling is better than traditional education
Phones are distracting students from learning
Going to college has little bearing on a successful future
Students should learn and be fluent in a second language
Mandatory community service for students to graduate high school
Should tablets and other technology replace books?
Schools should educate on proper nutrition from start to finish
Regulating the music at school dances to eliminate cursing
The impact of gym class on students

Dual parent households benefit children more.
Couples are wrong to stay together for the kids.
Family must always come first.
Parents need to stop forcing their own dreams on their children.
Live together before getting married.
Married couples must have date nights.
Breastfeeding is better than formula feeding
Discipline should be based on rewards, not punishment
Divorce doesn’t damage children.
Lower cost childcare or childcare provided at every workplace
Make help more readily available to single pregnant mothers
Never borrow money from friends.
Pros and cons of abstinence
Imposing a curfew on kids 17 and under
Parents should be accountable for not providing a healthy diet to their children
Kids having jam-packed schedules isn’t good for them
Long distance relationships don’t work.
It’s not good to be an only child.
Families eating together is important
Kids today are being made to be selfish, disrespectful, and entitled
Teenagers should contribute to household expenses
The need for parental consent to give teen girls birth control
Restrictions on how many children one family can have
Free counseling to at-risk youth
Parents right to give consent for their child to drink at home under supervision
Should parents respect kids privacy at all times?
How it takes a village to raise a child
Parent’s responsibility to discuss sex education
Video game violence causing violent kids
Imposing better and more affordable options for the aging community

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

Dogs are better pets than cats.
Exotic animals are not pets.
Neutering pets is a must.
Humans have turned pit bulls into monsters.
Zoos do not give animals enough space.
Adopt don’t shop is key to getting a pet.
Birds are not meant to live in cages.
Dolphins are intelligent creatures.
Zoos cause more harm than good
Euthanize dogs that have bitten more than once
Ban slaughter houses for horses
Why dogs are man’s best friend
Not allowing people to keep exotic animals as pets
Pit bulls aren’t the problem , it’s their owners

Two child max rule should apply worldwide.
Smoking in all public places should be illegal worldwide.
Legalize abortion for rape and incest cases.
Buyers should be punished even harsher than poachers.
Cosmetic surgery should be regulated.
Equal punishment and less protection for celebrities who break the law
Impose bi-annual drivers tests for people over 60
People on welfare should be drug tested to receive welfare, and at random to keep it
Moral and legal stance on capital punishment
Immigrants should be required to speak the primary language of the country they wish to immigrate to
Red light cameras at every traffic light
Everyone having access to affordable or even free universal health care
The government is no longer “by the people and for the people”
Impose stricter federal restrictions on internet content
Making self-defense courses available to the public
Regulate automobile emissions
All weapons must be registered with the police
The government shouldn’t censor information given online
Stricter punishments for driving drunk
No death penalty for juveniles
Higher standards held for the President
Weeding out the dirty politicians
Protecting the quality of drinking water in America
Criminals should pay restitution to their victims rather than to society
Eliminate cursing on day-time television
Restrictions on garbage output to reduce pollution and carbon footprint
Legal issues are the best sources to find suggestions for persuasive speech topics.
There is a need for more prisons.
Human rights must be respected.

People need to visit dentists more often.
Fast foods must be more expensive than healthier foods.
Music has healing power.
Fast food restaurants are not responsible for obesity.
Eating fruit is healthier than drinking fruit juice.
Medical marijuana isn’t a cure.
Vegan diets are too extreme.
Benefits of drinking 2L of water per day is a myth.
Calcium doesn’t make teeth stronger.
Losing weight is easy, keeping it off is not.
Aging cannot be reversed.
Fat isn’t bad for you.
Electronic cigarettes are harmful.
Diet pills do not work.
Balanced sugar-free nutrition is an effective treatment for ADHD.
Hospitals should allow owners of pets to have their pets brought in
Buying local goods is better for the economy and for our health
The impact of consuming all organic foods on our bodies
The benefits of alternative medicine vs. Western medicine
HIV and AIDS testing done annually for Health Care Professional
Fast food and the war on obesity
Morbidly obese people should have to pay more for public transportation
Healthcare should include a gym membership and nutrition counseling
The negative implications of Facebook
Television programs must be censored before broadcasting.
Talking during movies at the theater is rude behavior.
How the paparazzi hinders free press
The good and bad when it comes to Google
The paparazzi are the real stalkers.
Celebrities get away with everything.
Video games are not evil.
Downloading copyrighted MP3s is piracy.
Sex and violence on television is harmful to children.
Ad spots in news programs should be banned.
News media should give equal attention to all politicians.
There is nothing real about reality TV.
Social media should be blocked at work places.
Fake news writers should be punished.
Word of mouth will always be the best form of advertising.
TV’s will soon be a thing of the past.
Romantic movies set unrealistic standards.
Ads aimed at children should be strictly regulated.
Television has become the number two news source after the internet and tv will be further downsized.
Beer advertisements promote irresponsible drinking and ought to be banned from the communal street views.
Harry Potter books are popular even among adults.
News reporters earn money because of people who make a mess of their lives.
No news is good news!
Books should never be burned in public.
Advantages of having a three-day weekend instead of a two-day weekend
Why everyone should visit Disney World
Allow married women to enter Miss World and Miss Universe pageants.
There couldn’t be enough beauty contests for children!
Beauty contests degrade women.
Some market toys provoke and promote violent behavior.
Mac is better than PC
Santiago de Chile tourists must be made aware of pickpocketers. (or another city)
Love is far more powerful than hate
Make free public wi-fi available
Bike-sharing programs
Stealing from the rich to give to the poor is not nobel.
The morals behind lying
Silly games like Candy Crush are making people less intelligent
Using hands-free devices while driving
Using lie detector tests for employment purposes
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger
Money can’t buy happiness
Is Batman a real superhero?
Why there aren’t more female construction workers
Lie detector tests are inaccurate.
Organic food tastes better.
Alternative power is the answer to our energy crisis.
It’s immoral to genetically design babies.
Every property needs to have at least one tree.
Nursery rhymes need to be looked at better.
Hostels are not a place for children.
Plant fruit trees on sidewalks.
Religion and science can go hand in hand.
Everyone should know how to swim.
Not wearing a seat belt a personal choice.
Opposites will always attract.
Climate change is always changing.
Not enough is done to end world hunger.
Battery farming is unethical.
People shouldn’t be paying for drivers licenses.
Smokers make the most acquaintances.
First impressions are always right.
Cash should be abandoned completely.
Allow mind reading during poker.
Minimum wage is too low.
Security cameras are an invasion of privacy.
Clients don’t want birthday messages from businesses.
Allow casual dress clothes in the workplace.
Make public transport free.
The welfare system doesn’t work.
Organ donors should be paid.
All kids on a winning team should get a trophy.
Illegal immigrants don’t harm the economy.
Humans are vegetarian by nature.
Self-driving cars will cause fewer accidents.
It is time to include internet slang to dictionaries.
Teens are unfairly stereotyped.
Group homes are better than foster care.
Guns don’t kill people.
Fracking is dangerous.
Money isn’t the root of all evil.
Being homeless is a choice.
The school curriculum is too overloaded.
Graffiti is art.
Priests shouldn’t be giving marriage counseling.
Everyone must be taught to do CPR.
Juvenile crime is dealt with incorrectly.
Older generations were crueler.
Royal families are not needed in this day and age.
Fame will always be bad for children.
Prisoners must not be allowed tovote.
Yearly HIV tests for all health professionals.
Being skinny is no longer cool.
Lego’s are not gender bias.
The drought in Cape Town will happen in other parts of the world too.
Employees know more than employers.
Adoption records should be opened.
Affirmative action is false competition in the workspace.
Aids tests should be required in federal prisons – for all inmates and the prison guards too.
The millimeter wave scanner at airports security zones strikes out all privacy that we fought for.
Water management in our home really does matter.
Why you should only buy fair trade.
Hundred percent airline safety is an utopia.
Helping runaways is a crime.
Help addicted popstars immediately and save them.
Hands free cell phone use in cars must be promoted better.
Drivers quickly forget their drivers education.
The driving age for teens should be raised to 18.
The 1st Amendment is not a shield for hate groups.
Reducing crime is a utopia.
Impose trade and social sanctions on countries that do not prohibit child labor.
More cold cases will be solved if investigators make use of DNA available.
Ban the sale of guns at shops and stores.
Saying what you want must not include hate speech.
Immigrants must learn the language of the country they move to.
Refund or rebate extra taxes collected plus interest on it to those who paid.
Help the homeless down the streets and persuade them to look for work.
Cell phone use is dangerous while driving.
How Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas.
History of our National Anthem and rituals.
Paying off mortgage debt early is a good investment.
Global awareness makes us responsible citizens of the world.

Nothing really stand out? No problem. Start by writing a list of things that interest you. Keep going until you find something you know a good deal about and that you could talk about forever. Choose something that will get your blood boiling, that you feel strongly about, even if others don’t. You’ll likely convert some people to your way of thinking just by the way you speak about your chosen topic.

No matter what topic you choose, always be credible and purpose-driven. Giving false facts is a big “no-no” and so is being wishy-washy with you speech. Give it meaning, give it purpose.

Just remember, what may be easy speech topics to one person, isn’t always easily understood by someone else. So keep that in mind when persuading your audience.

613 Original Argumentative Speech Topics Ideas

The Best Microphone Stands and Desktop Boom Arms of 2022

8 thoughts on “243 Easy and Simple Speech Topics”

which topic is best topic in the world?

Thanks a lot It helped me in debate competition

Oof! that was quite a lot of reading, but it helped me greatly! I’m in a speech contest (middle grade, I’m in Canada).

Nice Idea to Easy and Simple Speech for Student Great Work well done

Thanks a lot it’s helpful

Last year I was super motivated to do a speech, and I came first in my school, with the topic of beach and ocean pollution. But know i’m not even motivated at all. Any suggestions of what I should do?

when your watching a movie with your parents and it gets to a sex scene and you tryna act cool: yes, the floor is very nice

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Subject Guides

Developing a Topic

How to Search
Suggested Websites
Organizing & Citing Sources

You may start with a broad topic, and not be sure how to focus it. By exploring background information you can learn about a topic and its parts. As you read through background information, consider if you can focus your topic in the following ways:

Geographically - limit by a region, country, state, or city like Florida or England
Chronologically - limit by a time period like the 20th century or medieval times
People or Groups - limit to a specific person or group such as Genghis Khan or civil rights activists
Current or Historical Events - limit to a particular event such as the the 2016 presidential election or the fall of the Berlin Wall
Specific Examples - limit to specific examples of a broad topic. For example, instead of music , consider hip-hop or electric guitar .

Topic Resources

Browsing Topic Ideas

These library databases provide useful lists and compilations of topics you may wish to explore for a speech. Once you have chosen a topic, they will also provide background information.

Use your Office 365 login This link opens in a new window to access online resources. Username: [email protected] (e.g., [email protected]) Password: your eSantaFe/eStaff password

Credo Reference

Access Credo Reference

Click a subject on the front page to browse topics within the subject:

Access NewsBank

Scroll down to the Suggested Topics area to choose a subject area and find relevant topics and news articles:

Opposing Viewpoints

Access Opposing Viewpoints in Context

Click the Browse Issues link the white menu bar to find a comprehensive list of topics that link to resources.

The following book titles contains multiple topics, either generally or within a discipline area. Looking through these books may help you decide on a topic, and can provide background information once you have chosen a topic.

Books may be found using the call numbers. Unless otherwise noted, print books are in the Reference Collection on the second floor of the Library, and are for in-library-use only. eBooks may be read online after logging in.

Credo Reference for Background Information

Background information can help you learn about the history, scope, depth, and breadth of your topic. It can be useful to help you understand a subject, as well as give you information to help you narrow a topic.

Access Credo | Video Tutorial | How to Cite

Credo Reference is a online database that contains the full text of more than 900 online reference books. The results in this database will give you brief information about subjects and help you learn more as you narrow your topic. You can also use the mind map feature to explore related topics.

Credo also has a collection of Overviews and Pro/Con Arguments that you may find useful for persuasive and other speeches, as well as the AllSides Dictionary .

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8 Opening a Speech: Get Their Attention from the Start!

Man holding a prop while talking to an audience

Get the audience’s attention, or the rest of your speech is a waste. I mean it! Most people spend the majority of their speech preparation time working on the body of their speech and then they tack on an opening and a closing last minute.

The opening and closing deserve the most attention. Why? If you don’t get the audience’s attention and get them to pay attention to you instead of… the thoughts in their heads, their grocery lists, their neighbors, their social media…then all the rest of your brilliant content is wasted because they will never hear it. Lisa Marshall of Toastmasters International stresses the opening words are so important that “I spend 10 times more time developing and practicing the opener than any other part of the speech.”

Look at the description of Person A and Person B and tell me which person you like more.

Person A envious, stubborn, critical, impulsive, industrious, and intelligent

Person B intelligent, industrious, impulsive, critical, stubborn, and envious

If you are like most people, you have a preference for Person B. This illustrates a study by Solomon Ashe. He had subjects rate these two people using a string of descriptive words. Now look back at the descriptions. Look closely and you will notice they are the same words in a different order. Most people put the most emphasis on the first three words in determining how they will create the person. Like Asche’s subjects, your audience will be evaluating those first three words. Let’s bring it back around to speechmaking. The first sentence out of your mouth is crucial and the first three words are especially important.

I am sure you are not surprised to know that people form opinions quickly. To prove this, researchers showed subjects either a 20-minute clip of a job applicant or a 20-30 second clip of a job applicant. They were asked to rate the person on likeability and self-assurance. People were able to form an opinion in under thirty seconds. Not only that but they were able to form the same opinions from a 30-second clip as a 20-minute exposure.

The Battle for Attention

Remember that every piece of content in our modern era is part of an attention war. It’s fighting against thousands of other claims on people’s time and energy. This is true even when you’re standing on a stage in front of a seated audience. They have deadly distracters in their pockets called smartphones, which they can use to summon to their eyes a thousand outside alternatives. Once emails and texts make their claim, your talk may be doomed. And then there’s that lurking demon of modern life, fatigue. All these are lethal enemies. You never want to provide someone with an excuse to zone out. You have to be a savvy general directing this war’s outcome. Starting strong is one of your most important weapons. Chris Anderson, TED Talks, The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking.

“People don’t pay attention to boring things,” according to John Medina, author of Brain Rules, “You’ve got 30 seconds before they start asking the question, ‘Am I going to pay attention to you or not?'” It is important to get your audience’s attention right away. In this chapter, I will share with you several ways to win the war for attention and to start your speech right. I will show you the basic opening and closing structure of speeches and give you many examples of what that looks like. A speech, like an airplane, needs a good take-off and a good landing. Now it’s time to prepare to have a strong take-off and learn everything that goes into a speech introduction. This chapter is full of examples from a variety of talks. I included quotes from those introductions, but I also included links to each of those talks hoping you will be interested enough to want to listen.

Ways to Start a Speech

Chris Anderson likens this to battle. “First there is the 10-second war: can you do something in your first moments on stage to ensure people’s eager attention while you set up your talk topic? Second is the 1-minute war: can you then use that first minute to ensure that they’re committed to coming on the full talk journey with you?”

When thinking about your speech, spend a lot of time thinking about how to win the battle for their attention. Your introduction should make your audience want to put down their phones and listen. Your introduction should be so compelling they stop their wandering minds and turn their thoughts to you and you alone. Your introduction should start with three strong words where they form a strong opinion of you and your speech. Let me share how to accomplish this.

Capturing the audience through the story is one of the most powerful ways to start a speech. A story engages the brain in powerful ways and causes the audience’s brains to sync with the speakers. A well-told story will allow the audience to “see” things in their mind’s eye and to join the speaker’s emotions.

Watch this clip by Ric Elias for how he begins his speech with a powerful story. Particularly notice his first four words, “Imagine a big explosion.”

Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3,000 ft. Imagine a plane full of smoke. Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack. It sounds scary. Well, I had a unique seat that day. I was sitting in 1D. I was the only one who could talk to the flight attendants. So I looked at them right away, and they said, “No problem. We probably hit some birds.” The pilot had already turned the plane around, and we weren’t that far. You could see Manhattan. Two minutes later, three things happened at the same time.

Ric Elias, Three Things I Learned While My Plane Crashed.

Consider these other examples and notice how the speaker uses a story.

More powerful introductions using story:

I love you, I believe in you and it’s going to be OK. The three things that I needed to hear three years ago when I felt more abandoned than ever. I remember that day as if it happen this morning. It was Sunday and I had just woken up early at a brisk 12:30 in the afternoon. Ryan Brooks, Honesty, courage, and the importance of brushing your teeth. When I was nine years old I went off to summer camp for the first time. And my mother packed me a suitcase full of books, which to me seemed like a perfectly natural thing to do. Because in my family, reading was the primary group activity. And this might sound antisocial to you, but for us, it was really just a different way of being social. You have the animal warmth of your family sitting right next to you, but you are also free to go roaming around the adventureland inside your own mind. And I had this idea that camp was going to be just like this, but better. Susan Cain. The Power of Introverts. I grew up to study the brain because I have a brother who has been diagnosed with a brain disorder: schizophrenia. Jill Bolte Taylor, My Stroke of Insight. A few years ago, I got one of those spam emails. I’m not quite sure how, but it turned up in my inbox, and it was from a guy called Solomon Odonkoh. James Veitch This is What Happens When You Reply to Spam Email. Eleven years ago, while giving birth to my first child, I hemorrhaged and was transfused with seven pints of blood. Four years later, I found out that I had been infected with the AIDS virus and had unknowingly passed it to my daughter, Ariel, through my breast milk, and my son, Jake, in utero. Elizabeth Glaser, Address to the 1992 Democratic National Convention.

Good stories immediately set the stage and introduce you to the place and to the people. Doing this helps your brain can form a structure where the story takes place. It helps you see the story unfold in your mind. If you need help starting a story, Vanessa Van Edwards suggests these prompts:

Once upon a time.
I’m here for a reason, and it’s an interesting story.
The best thing that ever happened to me was.

There is an entire chapter on the Power of Story that can be found here.

Humor is a rubber sword – it allows you to make a point without drawing blood. – Mary Hirsch

When Family Guy’s Seth MacFarlane spoke at Harvard Commencemen t in the rain, he started with “There’s nowhere I would rather be on a day like this than around all this electrical equipment.” People laughed, people smiled, and the speech was off to a strong start. Humor works because it gives the audience a hit of the feel-good hormone dopamine. That is … if you are funny. If you decide to use humor, make sure you are funny. Test your humor on honest friends. In addition, the humor you use should fit your personality and your audience. Be warned, some groups would find humor inappropriate, do your research.

Watch this clip for how Tshering Tobgay begins his speech with humor.

In case you are wondering, no, I’m not wearing a dress, and no, I’m not saying what I’m wearing underneath. (Laughter) This is a go. This is my national dress. This is how all men dress in Bhutan. That is how our women dress. Like our women, we men get to wear pretty bright colors, but unlike our women, we get to show off our legs. Our national dress is unique, but this is not the only thing that’s unique about my country. Our promise to remain carbon neutral is also unique, and this is what I’d like to speak about today, our promise to remain carbon neutral.

Tshering Tobgay, This Country Isn’t Just Carbon Neutral–Its Carbon Negative.

More powerful introductions using humor

I didn’t rebel as a teenager. I started late and was still going at it the summer I turned thirty. I just became an American citizen, I divorced my husband, I got a big tattoo of a bat on my arm, and I joined a New York City punk band. Danusia Trevino, Guilty I need to make a confession at the outset here. A little over 20 years ago, I did something that I regret, something that I’m not particularly proud of. Something that, in many ways, I wish no one would ever know, but that here I feel kind of obliged to reveal. In the late 1980s, in a moment of youthful indiscretion, I went to law school. Dan Pink, The Puzzle of Motivation. It is really interesting to be a woman and to get to 45 and to not be married yet and to not have kids, especially when you have pushed out your fifth kid on television. Tracee Ellis Ross, 2017 Glamour Woman of the Year. I am not drunk …but the doctor who delivered me was.” (reference the shake she has due to a botched medical procedure at birth causing her cerebral palsey). Maysoon Zayid, I’ve Got 99 Prolbems and Cerebral Palsey is Not One of Them .

Salutation followed by humor

Oh boy, thank you so much, thank you so much. Thank you, President Cowan, Mrs. President Cowen; distinguished guests, undistinguished guests, you know who you are, honored faculty and creepy Spanish teacher. And thank you to all the graduating Class of 2009, I realize most of you are hungover and have splitting headaches and haven’t slept since Fat Tuesday, but you can’t graduate ’til I finish, so listen up. When I was asked to make the commencement speech, I immediately said yes. Then I went to look up what commencement meant which would have been easy if I had a dictionary, but most of the books in our house are Portia’s, and they’re all written in Australian. So I had to break the word down myself, to find out the meaning. Commencement: common, and cement, common cement. You commonly see cement on sidewalks. Sidewalks have cracks, and if you step on a crack, you break your mother’s back. So there’s that. But I’m honored that you’ve asked me here to speak at your common cement Ellen DeGenres, Commencement Speech at Tulane. Well, thank you. Thank you Mr. President, First Lady, King Abdullah of Jordan, Norm, distinguished guests. Please join me in praying that I don’t say something we’ll all regret. That was for the FCC. If you’re wondering what I’m doing here, at a prayer breakfast, well so am I. I’m certainly not here as a man of the cloth, unless that cloth is — is leather. Bono at the 54th annual National Prayer Breakfast.

Starting your speech by sharing a little-known fact, can be powerful. For this to fully work, you need to have the audience’s attention from the very first word. Read on for how these speakers started strong.

Powerful introductions using facts

Sadly, in the next 18 minutes when I do our chat, four Americans that are alive will be dead from the food that they eat. Jamie Oliver, Teach Every Child About Food. So I want to start by offering you a free, no-tech life hack, and all it requires of you is this: that you change your posture for two minutes. Amy Cuddy, Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are. Okay, now I don’t want to alarm anybody in this room, but it’s just come to my attention that the person to your right is a liar. (Laughter) Also, the person to your left is a liar. Also the person sitting in your very seats is a liar. We’re all liars. What I’m going to do today is I’m going to show you what the research says about why we’re all liars, how you can become a lie spotter and why you might want to go the extra mile and go from lie spotting to truth seeking, and ultimately to trust building. Pamela Meyer, How to Spot a Liar. You will live 7.5 minutes longer than you would have otherwise, just because you watched this talk. Jane McGonigal. The Game That Can Give You Ten Extra Years of Life. There are 900,000 divorces in the United States of America every year. Fewer than 10% of them ever talked to anybody about their relationship. So why would you need a science? Well, we need a science to develop effective treatment and understanding of how to make love work. Why? Why should we care about having great relationships? Well, it turns out that in the past 50 years, a field called social epidemiology has emerged, and it shows that great friendships, great love relationships between lovers and parents and children lead to greater health – mental health as well as physical health – greater wealth, greater resilience, faster recovery from illness, greater longevity – if you want to live 10 to 15 years longer, work on your relationships, not just your exercise – and more successful children as well. John Gottman. The Science of Love. This room may appear to be holding 600 people but there is actually so many more because within each of us there is a multiple of personalities. Elizabeth Lesser, Take the Other to Lunch.

Using a physical object can draw the audience’s attention. Make sure you plan the timing of the prop, and you practice with it. It is important that it is large enough for the audience to see and they can see it well enough that they are not frustrated. Depending on your speech, it may be appropriate to put it away, so it is not distracting.

Powerful introductions using props

Darren Tay walks onto the stage and stares at the audience. He pulls a pair of underwear out of his pocket and puts them on over his suit. “Hey loser how do you like your new school uniform. I think it looks great on you. Those were the words of my high school bully Greg Upperfield. Now if you are all wondering if the underwear that Greg used was clean, I had the same questions. Darren Tay, Outsmart, Outlast. Toastmasters 2016 World Champion of Public Speaking . Mohammed Qahtani walks onstage, puts a cigarette in his mouth … then looks up as if noticing the audience and says, “What?” As the audience laughs, he continues. “Oh, you all think smoking kills? Ha-ha, let me tell you something. Do you know that the amount of people dying from diabetes are three times as many [as the] people dying from smoking? Yet if I pulled out a Snickers bar, nobody would say anything.” He goes on to say, his facts are made up and his real topic is about how words have power. Mohammed Qahtani, Toastmasters 2015 World Champion of Public Speaking

JA Gamach blows a train whistle and then starts his speech as if he were a conductor, “All aboard! It’s a bright sunny day and you are taking a train. You are wearing a pair of sandals you proudly made yourself. As you board the train one of your sandals slips off and falls beside the track. (J.A. loses one sandal that falls down the platform.) You try to retrieve it. Too late. The train starts to pull away. What would you have done? I would have cursed my bad luck, mad at losing a sandal. JA Gamache, Toastmasters 2007 World Championship.

Use a Quotation

Powerful introductions using quotes.

Rules for using quotes

Be sure to use the quote purposefully and not just as placeholders.
Quotes can just take up valuable space where you could put content unless they are not properly used.
Let the quote be more important than the author. When using a quote at the opening, say the quote first and then the author. When using a quote at the end of a speech, say the author first and then the quote.
Keep it short and sweet. Use a quote that gets to the point quickly.
If you must use long quotes–put them on your slide.
If you project a quote, read it to the audience. Never expect them to read it while you talk about something else. Never say stupid things like, “You can read, I’ll let you read this for yourselves” or “Your adults, I’ll let you process this.”
Check the authorship and authenticity of the quote. There are so many quotes on the internet that are misattributed and misquoted. For example, who wrote the quote: “They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel”?
Do not go for the overused quote or your audience is prone to dismiss it. Instead of quoting an overused “I have a dream quote” do as Jim Key, the 2003 Toastmasters International World Championship of Public Speaking did and pick an equally great but lesser-used Martin Luther King Quote: “The time is always right to do what is right!”

Watch Nate Stauffer at a Moth Grand Slam as he uses poetry to start and carry his story.

Watch this clip for how Andrew Solomon opens with a quote to make us think about depression.

Andrew Solomon, Depression, The Secret We Share.

Reference the Occasion

Ceremonial speeches often call for acknowledgment of those in attendance or a mention of the occasion. Here is how Martin Luther King Junior set up his famous speech. I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Martin Luther King Junior, I Have a Dream.

Get the Audience Involved

Having the audience stand, raise their hand, or even nod in encouragement can cause them to focus on your message. This can be particularly helpful if the audience has been sitting for a while. Let me show you a few examples of how that works.

Ask a Question

You can involve the audience from the start by asking them a question.

Watch the first few minutes of Amy Purdy’s speech and how she starts with a question, “ If your life were a book and you were the author, how would you want your story to go?”

Have the Audience Participate

If you ask a question you want the audience to answer, be sure to give them time to respond. If they raise their hands, be sure to acknowledge their response. You might have the answer by standing, by raising their hands, by speaking to their neighbor. You might call on one member of the audience to answer for the group.

If you ask a question you want the audience to answer, don’t let your presentation slide give away the answer. For example, one speaker had a slide behind him that said, “Lesson 1: Don’t Worry About IQ.” He has the audience raise their hand if they want to improve their grades then he asks, “So can I get a show of hands, how many would say IQ is going to be the most important to get those marks to go up?” Very few people responded because the answer was “written on the wall” literally.

Watch this clip as Allan Pease engages the audience.

Everybody hold your right hand in front like this in a handshaking position. Uncross your legs. Relaxed position. Right hand in front. When I say the word, “Now” here’s what we’re going to do. I am going to ask you to turn to someone besides you, shake hands as if you’re meeting for the first time, and keep pumping till I ask you to stop. Then you’ll stop and freeze it and we’re going to analyze what’s happening. You got that? You don’t have time to think about this. Do it now. Pick anybody and pump. Pump, everybody. Freeze it. Hold it. Stop. Hold it. Freeze it. Keep your hands locked. Keep them locked. The person whose hand is most on top is saying “I’ll be the boss for the rest of the day.” Allan Pease, Body Language, the Power is in the Palm of Your Hands.

More powerful introductions using audience participation

I have a confession to make. But first, I want you to make a little confession to me. In the past year, I want you to just raise your hand if you’ve experienced relatively little stress? Kelly McGonigal, How to Make Stress Your Friend. So I’d like to start, if I may, by asking you some questions. If you’ve ever lost someone you truly loved, ever had your heartbroken, ever struggled through an acrimonious divorce, or being the victim of infidelity, please stand up. If standing up isn’t accessible to you, you can put your hand up. Please stay standing and keep your hand up there. If you’ve ever lived through a natural disaster, being bullied or made redundant, stand on up. If you’ve ever had a miscarriage, if you’ve ever had an abortion or struggled through infertility, please stand up. Finally, if you or anyone you love has had to cope with mental illness, dementia, some form of physical impairment or cope with suicide, please stand up. Look around you. Adversity doesn’t discriminate. If you are alive, you are going to have to, or you’ve already had to, deal with some tough times Thank you, everyone. Take a seat. Lucy Hone: The Three Secrets of Resilient People. Advice from Moth Storytelling Club Have a great first line that sets up the stakes and grabs attention No: “So I was thinking about climbing this mountain. But then I watched a little TV and made a snack and took a nap and my mom called and vented about her psoriasis then I did a little laundry (a whites load) (I lost another sock, darn it!) and then I thought about it again and decided I’d climb the mountain the next morning.” Yes: “The mountain loomed before me. I had my hunting knife, some trail mix and snow boots. I had to make it to the little cabin and start a fire before sundown or freeze to death for sure.”

Arouse Suspense or Curiosity

Watch this clip for how Kathryn Schulz creates curiosity by showing us Johnny Depp’s tattoo and then talks about her tattoo of regret. We hang on to her every word wondering, “Where is all this going and how bad can her tattoo really be?”

So that’s Johnny Depp, of course. And that’s Johnny Depp’s shoulder. And that’s Johnny Depp’s famous shoulder tattoo. Some of you might know that, in 1990, Depp got engaged to Winona Ryder, and he had tattooed on his right shoulder “Winona forever.” And then three years later — which in fairness, kind of is forever by Hollywood standards — they broke up, and Johnny went and got a little bit of repair work done. And now his shoulder says, “Wino forever.”

Kathryn Schulz, Don’t Regret, Regret.

Saying unexpected things or challenging assumptions can get a speech started off right. A herd of wildebeests, a shoal of fish, a flock of birds. Many animals gather in large groups that are among the most wonderful spectacles in the natural world. But why do these groups form? The common answers include things like seeking safety in numbers or hunting in packs or gathering to mate or breed, and all of these explanations, while often true, make a huge assumption about animal behavior, that the animals are in control of their own actions, that they are in charge of their bodies. And that is often not the case. Ed Yong. Zombie Roaches and Other Parasite Tales. TED Talk

Keys to Success

Memorize your first sentence so you can deliver it with impact. Memorize your whole speech opening if possible. Make sure your first three words have an impact.

Typical Patterns for Speech Openings

Get the audience’s attention–called a hook or a grabber.
Establish rapport and tell the audience why you care about the topic of why you are credible to speak on the topic.
Introduce the speech thesis/preview/good idea.
Tell the audience why they should care about this topic.
Give a transition statement to the body of the speech.

Step Two: Credibility

First, you hook the audience with your powerful grabber, then you tell them why you are credible to speak on the topic and why the topic is important. If they know your credentials, you would not need to tell them your credibility but you may still want to tell them why you are interested in the topic. Here are a few examples of how some speakers included credibility.

Tell Why You Are Credible

I’m a doctor, but I kind of slipped sideways into research, and now I’m an epidemiologist. Ben Goldacre, Battling Bad Science. I started studying resilience research a decade ago at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. It was an amazing time to be there because the professors who trained me had just picked up the contract to train all 1.1 million American soldiers to be as mentally fit as they always have been physically fit. Lucy Hone: The Three Secrets of Resilient People. What I’m going to do is to just give a few notes, and this is from a book I’m preparing called “Letters to a Young Scientist.” I’d thought it’d be appropriate to present it, on the basis that I have had extensive experience in teaching, counseling scientists across a broad array of fields. And you might like to hear some of the principles that I’ve developed in doing that teaching and counseling. EO Wilson: Advice to a Young Scientist.

Step Three: Tell Why it is Important

Early on in your speech, you should tell the audience why they should care. You should connect the speech to things they care about. This is where you answer, so what, who cares?

You know, I didn’t set out to be a parenting expert. In fact, I’m not very interested in parenting, per se. It’s just that there’s a certain style of parenting these days that is kind of messing up kids, impeding their chances to develop. Julie Lythcott-Haims, How to Raise Successful Kids – Without Over-Parenting

Step Four: Tell the Purpose of the Talk (aka Preview/ Thesis)

“If you don’t know what you want to achieve in your presentation your audience never will.” – Harvey Diamond, author

Tell the audience your purpose, clearly give them an overview of the main points. MIT professor, Patrick Winston says one of the best things to add to your speech is an empowerment promise. You want to tell people what they will know at the end of your speech that they didn’t know at the beginning. It’s their reason for being here. His empowerment promise was, “Today you will see some examples of what you can put in your armory of speaking techniques and it will be the case that one of those examples–some heuristic, some technique, maybe only one will be the one that will get you the job. By the end of the next 60 minutes, you will have been exposed to a lot of ideas, some of which you will incorporate into your own repertoire, and they will ensure that you get the maximum opportunity to have your ideas valued and accepted by the people you speak with.” Notice that this statement told you what to expect and why it mattered.

Here are examples of how various speakers accomplished this.

For years, I’ve been telling people, stress makes you sick. It increases the risk of everything from the common cold to cardiovascular disease. Basically, I’ve turned stress into the enemy. But I have changed my mind about stress, and today, I want to change yours. Kelly McGonigal, How to Make Stress Your Friend. We’ve been sold the lie that disability is a Bad Thing, capital B, capital T. It’s a bad thing, and to live with a disability makes you exceptional. It’s not a bad thing, and it doesn’t make you exceptional. Stella Young, I’m Not Your Inspiration, Thank You Very Much

What I’m going to show you is all of the main things, all of the main features of my discipline, evidence-based medicine. And I will talk you through all of these and demonstrate how they work, exclusively using examples of people getting stuff wrong. Ben Goldacre, Battling Bad Science. I would like to think that we (Arab women) poor, oppressed women actually have some useful, certainly hard-earned lessons to share, lessons that might turn out useful for anyone wishing to thrive in the modern world. Here are three of mine. Leila Hoteit, Three Lessons on Success from an Arab businesswoman We are often terrified and fascinated by the power hackers now have. They scare us. But the choices they make have dramatic outcomes that influence us all. So I am here today because I think we need hackers, and in fact, they just might be the immune system for the information age. Sometimes they make us sick, but they also find those hidden threats in our world, and they make us fix it. Keren Elazari. Hackers: The Internet’s Immune System Try This — Inspired by TED Master Class After you write your thesis, send it to three people with the question, “Based on what you read here, what do you think my speech will be about?”

Putting It All Together

At this point, you know you need to have a grabber, a preview, a credibility statement, and a so-what-who-cares statement. Let’s take a look at one of the top TED talks of all time by Jamie Oliver. This speech is a good illustration of everything we’ve been talking about so far and how all this works together.

“Everybody close your eyes.”

I don’t want to close my eyes; it makes me feel awkward and exposed to be in a group of people with my eyes closed. Because of that, I keep my eyes open. The problem is when I keep my eyes open, I feel like some sort of horrible nonconformist rebel. I feel awkward with my eyes closed and I feel guilty if they are open. Either way, I just feel bad. Besides, half of the time when speakers tell audience members to close their eyes, they forget to tell us when we can open them. If you are wanting me to imagine a story, just tell me to imagine it, don’t make me close my eyes (rant over).

“Can everybody hear me?”

You should plan your opening to be intentional and with power. “Can everybody hear me” is a weak and uncertain statement and this is not the first impression you want to leave. Do a microphone check before the audience members arrive and have someone stand in different corners of the room to make sure you can be heard. Don’t waste your valuable speech time with questions that you should already know the answer to.

“How long do I have to speak?”

You should know that before you begin. Even if the presentations for the day are running over and you are the last speaker, you should ask the MC before you begin. Always plan your first words with power.

“Can you read this?”

You should make your slides big, really big. Test out your slides in advance of your speech, walk all around the room and make sure you can read them. Have a friend check them out as well. You should know they are big enough because you planned for it and tested it.

“Turn off your cell phones and laptops.”

People really hate having things taken away, not to mention that your audience may want to take notes on their devices. Chances are you are speaking to adults, let them determine if it is appropriate to have out their technology.

“I’m sorry, I’m losing my voice.” “I’m stopped up.” “I’m under the weather.”

Stop apologizing! Stop making excuses! While these lines may be true, they just come of as excuses and can make the audience either feel like you don’t want to be there, or they just feel sorry for you.

“I’m so nervous right now.”

Talking about your nervousness will make you more nervous and will make them look for signs of your nervousness. Just start your speech.

“So, Um, Ok.”

Do not start with hesitation. Plan the first words, memorize the first words, practice the first words. Do not start with “Ok, so um, now I’d like…” Plan strong and start strong.

Do Not Discuss Your Business with People Watching…Really! I Mean It! Many of us are giving and listening to presentations in an online format. I have attended numerous presentations this year through Zoom where I have to sit and watch while the organizers engage in personal small talk or deal with the details of the presentation. This is how the speech I recently attended began. “Donna, you are going to share your screen, right?” “Yes. I have my PowerPoint ready to go. Will you push “record” when I give the signal?” “Sure. Where did you say that button is again? Do you think we should wait five more minutes, I think we had more who were coming? Dave, what was the total we were expecting?” “Yeah, we had 116 sign up, but the reminders went out late so this may be all we have. We can give them a few more minutes to log on.” “Donna, How is your dog? Is she still struggling with her cone since her spay surgery? My dog never would wear the cone –she tore her stitches out and broke her wound open. It was terrible. Well, it looks like it is about time to begin, thank you everyone for coming.” If you are organizing an event online, hosting a speech online, giving a presentation online–please keep it professional. Most platforms will allow you to keep the audience in a waiting room until it is time to start. If you have a business to deal with, keep the audience out until you have everything ready to go. Once the audience is in the meeting, you should engage the audience in group-type small talk or you should just start the presentation. In professional settings, you should start the meeting on time. Why punish those who showed up on time to wait for those who aren’t there yet?

A Conversation Over Coffee with Bill Rogers

I asked my long-time friend, Bill Rogers, to write an excerpt to add to the book. I met Bill when he was the Chief Development Officer for a hospital in Northwest Arkansas and I met him again when he was reinventing himself as a college student getting a Master’s Degree in the theater. He would love to share a symbolic cup of coffee with you and give you advice about public speaking.

Perfect morning for a walk, isn’t it? Join me for a cup of coffee? Wonderful. Find us a table and I’ll get our coffee.

There you go; just like you like it. There’s nothing like a great cup of coffee on the patio of your neighborhood coffee shop, is there?

Now that you’re settled in your favorite chair, take a sip, and let that glorious caffeine kick in and do its stuff. Okay, let’s talk.

So, you were asking me about public speaking.

Well, let’s see. Where do we begin?

One of the first pieces of advice I ever received was to imagine that every member of your audience is sitting there in their underwear! Yeah, right. That never worked for me. I tried it once with a local civic group of community leaders both male and female. If the intent of that tidbit is to make you relax, it certainly didn’t work for me. It just made me more self-conscious…and more nervous. I not only got distracted, but I also lost my train of thought, I started sweating, and, of course, imagined myself standing there without clothes. Needless to say, that speech was a disaster and I’ve never used it again. I suggest you don’t either.

In the early days, I also relied very heavily on my typed-up speech. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that unless you find yourself reading it word for word as I did. Nothing is more boring nor puts an audience to sleep quicker than a speaker with their nose down reading a speech. There’s no connection and connection with your audience is key.

As you know, I love theatre and I’ve done a bit of acting over the years. Early on, I learned that the quicker I learned my lines, the more I could play, experiment, and shape my character. It relaxed me and gave me enormous freedom. It led me to find a mantra for myself: “With discipline comes freedom.” This freedom will allow you to improvise as your audience or situation dictates while still conveying the core message of your presentation. That discipline and its resulting freedom apply to public speaking of any kind and, I think, will serve you well.

Another old adage we’ve all heard is Aristotle’s advice. You know the one. No? Well, roughly, it’s to tell your audience what you’re going to say, say it, and then tell them what you just said. That’s the basic formula for public speaking. And it works as a good place to start.

However, effective speaking is much more and, to me, it starts with a story or even a simple sentence.

You know the feeling you get when you read the first sentence of a good book and it just reaches out and grabs you? That should be your goal with every presentation. One sentence to capture your audience’s attention. Something that causes them to lean forward. Something that sparks their imagination.

It doesn’t have to be all that profound either. It can be something very simple. A personal story that relates to your topic. A relevant fact or statistic that defines or illustrates the issue or subject matter at hand.

A couple of classics come to mind. The first is Alice Walker’s, “The Color of Purple.”

“You better not tell nobody but God.”

And the second one is from my favorite novel, “To Kill A Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee.

“When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm broken at the elbow.”

Both sentences hook you immediately. A few simple words speak volumes. After reading or hearing those words, you naturally lean in. You want to learn more. You want to find out what happens next. Every effective speech or presentation does the same thing.

Of course, make sure that the first and last thing you say to your audience is both relevant and appropriate. I share this out of an abundance of caution. I once worked for an internationally recognized and well-respected children’s research hospital and I was given the privilege to speak at a national educational convention. The room was filled wall to wall with teachers. I thought I’d be cute and add a little levity. I opened my presentation with this line, “You know, I’ve had nightmares like this…” Instead of the roars of laughter, I was expecting, a wave of silence ensued. Not only was the line not funny, but it was also wholly inappropriate and I immediately lost my audience. Not my best day. Learn from my mistakes.

Finally, let’s touch on the importance of approaching a speech as a conversation. You and I are sitting here enjoying our coffee and having a friendly, relaxed conversation. Strive for that every chance you get. You may not always have that luxury. Some speeches and presentations simply demand formality. But even in those cases, you can usually make it somewhat conversational. I always try to write my speeches in a conversational style. Like I’m talking to a friend…or trying to make a new one.

So, to recap: tell a story, learn your lines, hook your audience with a simple sentence, close with a question or call to action, use repetition, keep it conversational, treat your audience as a friend, and give yourself permission to relax.

Above all, be yourself. Allow yourself to be as relaxed as you are with those closest to you. If you’re relaxed, if you try to think of your audience as a friend, then, in most cases, they too will relax and they will root for you. Even if they disagree with what you are telling them, they will respect you and they will listen.

How about another cup?

Key Takeaways

Remember This!

The most important part of your speech is the introduction because if you don’t get their attention, they are not listening to the rest of what you have to say.
To get attention, tell a story, use humor, share a quote, tell a startling fact, show a prop, ask a question, reference the occasion.
In addition to the grabber, a good introduction should establish rapport and tell the audience why you are credible.
An introduction often includes a “so what who cares statement” to tell the audience why this should matter to them.
The thesis/preview should be clear enough that someone could read just that sentence or couple of sentences and know what the speech is about.

Please share your feedback, suggestions, corrections, and ideas.

I want to hear from you.

Do you have an activity to include? Did you notice a typo that I should correct? Are you planning to use this as a resource and do you want me to know about it? Do you want to tell me something that really helped you?

Click here to share your feedback.

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Heidi Stevens: New book on women as America's safety net is the perfect comeback to Harrison Butker's eye roll of a commencement speech

I n Gloria Steinem’s 2015 memoir, “My Life on the Road,” she recalls a lesson she learned from Florynce Kennedy, civil rights activist and lawyer, on dealing with detractors.

Kennedy and Steinem would lecture together on college campuses in the 1970s, and the crowds would inevitably include a heckler.

“Just pause,” Kennedy advised, “let the audience absorb the hostility. Then say, ‘I didn’t pay him to say that.’”

Because ultimately, Steinem wrote, hostility educates an audience—about what stands in the way of progress and why it’s important to keep pushing.

So when Jessica Calarco’s phenomenal new book, “Holding It Together: How Women Became America’s Safety Net,” came out less than a month after NFL kicker Harrison Butker used a college commencement address to tell “the ladies present today” that “homemaker” would be their most important title, I thought, “She didn’t pay him to say that. … But, man, it would have been money well-spent.”

Calarco is a sociologist and author whose latest work interrogates the ways in which unpaid or underpaid women keep society afloat by bearing the brunt of the labor of child rearing, early education, health care, elder care and more — and why this system is broken, unsustainable and beneficial to almost no one except the wealthiest of the wealthy.

“The U.S. avoids catastrophe and keeps our society and our economy from crumbling by relying on women as the invisible glue,” Calarco writes.

“Holding It Together” is based on research Calarco and her team conducted from 2018 to 2022, 400 hours of interviews and two national surveys. She weaves in contemporary history, long-held economic principles and hundreds of families’ personal experiences to show the toll on women — and society — when we spin this set-up as a value system rather than calling it what it really is: exploitation.

“In essence, the U.S. has decided that we can get by without a social safety net because women will protect us instead,” Calarco writes. “That choice is drowning women and leaving our society sicker, sadder and more stressed. Yet the engineers and profiteers of our DIY society refuse to see women struggling, because acknowledging those struggles would shatter the illusion. Ignoring women leaves us exactly where they want us — keeping society afloat without any buoy to hold us, and so out of breath that no one can hear us if we cry.”

She writes about the way our culture raises girls to be “mothers-in-waiting,” the way our schools limit access to evidence-based education about avoiding pregnancy, the way our policies curtail birth control access and abortion rights, and then the way we write off unplanned pregnancies (which make up roughly half of all U.S. pregnancies ) as the result of poor choices.

She points out that 90% of workers hired to care for the resulting children are women, and they’re among the lowest-paid in the U.S. economy — often lacking access to health insurance or paid sick leave.

She writes about the American obsession with rags-to-riches stories, callousness toward poor people and widespread beliefs that prosperity and health are simply the result of good choices. All of which serve to “divide and delude us into accepting the DIY society and women’s role as a substitute safety net.”

She notes that simply telling men to take on more of the domestic burden isn’t a solution.

“Telling men ‘Do more!’ doesn’t change the incentives that men have to dump the risk they face onto the women in their families — the same set of incentives that leads privileged women to dump the risk they’ve been handed onto others more vulnerable than them,” Calarco writes. “Telling men ‘Do more!’ also doesn’t change the gendered structure of our economy, the gendered pressures that men face to prioritize paid work over caregiving or the gendered differences in socialization that leave men less prepared to do the work of care.”

It also, Calarco writes, hands women yet more thankless roles: gender police and cleanup crew.

The answer, Calarco makes painstakingly clear, is an actual social safety net, made up of well-funded public programs that protect people from exploitation, provide essential protections like health insurance, paid sick leave and paid family leave. Such a safety net would allow families real choices and grant people dignity throughout their life spans.

She makes the case for a union of care, similar to other labor unions, that bridges the gap between disparate care industries as well as the gap between paid and unpaid care workers and the gap between people who give and receive care. A unifier, where so much division exists.

Which brings us, believe it or not, back to Butker’s commencement address.

“I have seen it firsthand how much happier someone can be when they disregard the outside noise and move closer and closer to God’s will in their life,” he told the graduates, invoking his wife as an example. “Isabelle's dream of having a career might not have come true, but if you asked her today if she has any regrets on her decision, she would laugh out loud, without hesitation, and say, ‘Heck, no.’”

I’m sure that’s true. If you asked me today if I regret any of the time or energy I’ve devoted to my children I would also say, “Heck, no.”

But that’s not for everyone. And it’s also not a system — certainly not an equitable or sustainable one. (A spouse with an NFL salary, for example, makes forgoing a career that provides a paycheck, insurance and retirement benefits possible in a way that few women will experience.)

And that, believe it or not, brings us back to Steinem’s memoir.

Kennedy, Steinem wrote, was used to skeptics — including women — who didn’t see the point of all her women’s lib talk. Women have it fine, they’d tell her. I have it fine, they’d tell her. And Kennedy would tell them this, Steinem wrote.

“Just because you’re not feeling sick doesn’t mean you should close the hospitals.”

Harrison Butker of the Kansas City Chiefs speaks to the media during Super Bowl LVIII Opening Night at Allegiant Stadium on Feb. 5, 2024, in Las Vegas.

Florida revises school library book removal training after public outcry

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida is moving forward with a revised training program for local public school officials in charge of policing library and classroom bookshelves, including language changes that free speech advocates said misrepresented state law and led to unnecessary book removals.

"Based on some stakeholder input, we'd like to provide some clarifying language," State Board of Education K-12 Chancellor Paul Burns said this week before the board approved. The board's vote came after more than a half-year of questions and concerns from advocacy groups and others, prompted by the Florida Department of Education's October memorandum instructing school leaders to remove any book that contained "sexual conduct." That's due to a Gov. Ron DeSantis-signed law.

Advocates like Stephana Ferrell, co-founder and director of research and insight for the Florida Freedom to Read Project , applauded the state's action but said there are still some issues in the training that could cue up more removals. She was disappointed it took so long to make the change, believing action wasn't taken until another group, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, mentioned litigation.

FIRE, a First Amendment watchdog, said Florida's guidance ignored a carveout specifying that materials with sexual conduct must be removed "for any grade level or age group for which such use is inappropriate or unsuitable," an elevated evaluation expectation.

The organization also says the provision was meant for book challenges, not to require proactive removals of other titles. Sexual conduct is a broad term in Florida law encompassing various sexual acts.

"Some books that reference sex, including many classic works of literature, may be suitable for an 18-year-old high school senior but not for a ten-year-old fourth grader," FIRE wrote in a news release , adding its voice to the opposition a week before the vote when it learned the originally proposed training contained similar language to the memorandum.

That proposal was amended to make the distinction clearer.

"We appreciate the adoption of the last-minute amendment that resolves the confusing language and advises districts to conduct a thorough review of materials rather than permanently removing based on a single excerpt," the Florida Freedom to Read Project wrote in a statement released on social media. The group has been one of the loudest critics of the law and the state's guidance.

As reported by the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida , the training revision controversy went beyond its contents. The Florida Department of Education created a workshop group to help out, half of which were members of Moms for Liberty, the loudest advocates for public school book removals.

The move drew criticism from book access advocates and demonstrated the state’s willingness to cater to the conservative group, which has long supported DeSantis.

Advocacy groups still have concerns

FIRE said it was "very pleased" to see the change. It had warned the state of a potential First Amendment lawsuit had that not happened.

"This change is a win for Florida's students," said Aaron Terr, its director of public advocacy, in an emailed statement. "It should help stop the rampant censorship in Florida school libraries, many of which have removed hundreds of classic and contemporary books without evaluating their suitability for students."

Burns said the changes "strengthen the learning environment by making sure we continue to have great materials."

But the Florida Freedom to Read Project still had issues with the confirmed training, not liking that it keeps a slide warning educators to "err on the side of caution" with book removal decisions.

Ferrell, in a follow-up phone interview, added that she still doesn't think there's enough context in the training presentation slides that cite a preexisting criminal statute preventing the distribution of " harmful " materials to minors and warning about felonies if it's violated. The threshold to meet that standard is high, and any book that does so also couldn't be sold in a bookstore to a minor.

But those mentions alarmed and confused educators when the first version of the training was launched last year, contributing to a surge in school library and classroom book removals.

Data released by the American Library Association in March showed that Florida had more books challenged for removal than any other state in 2023. The group documented nearly 2,700 titles targeted for censorship in Florida.

Overall, 4,240 works in school and public libraries had been targeted in the U.S. in 2023 — a significant increase from the then-record in 2022 with 2,571 books.

Some counties have removed LGBTQ titles from shelves

Ferrell said the training was also fine-tuned to make clear that laws focused on regulating "instructional material" don't apply to library books. Some counties, for example, have removed LGBTQ titles following the passage of a law restricting classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation.

But she recommended the state remove slides on "instructional materials" altogether to remove "all possibility of confusion or conflation and take out the completely irrelevant section in the training."

In addition, the revised training references 2024 legislation DeSantis called for and signed that limits how many books someone can challenge if they're not a student's parent or guardian. Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association, said he appreciated some of the changes, but added that confusion wasn't just caused by the training slides.

"When the training was first implemented, I heard from a lot of media specialists around the state with concerns not just about the presentation, but what was being said in those (training) meetings," he told the State Board of Education on Wednesday.

"And so I want to, again, encourage you all to come out into the schools to work with us and making sure that what the intent of the law is is what is clearly being communicated and that there's not so much confusion."

This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. USA TODAY Network-Florida First Amendment reporter Douglas Soule can be reached at [email protected] .

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