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persuasive speech examples topics

112 Persuasive Speech Topics That Are Actually Engaging

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

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

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

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

Choose Something You’re Passionate About

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

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

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

Steer Clear of Cliches

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

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

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

Have a Clear Side of Opposition

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

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

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

Environment

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

Science & Technology

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

Social Media

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

Parenting & Family

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

Entertainment

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

Arts & Humanities

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

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

Do Your Research

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

Understand Your Audience

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

Have Someone Read Your Speech

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

Practice Makes Perfect

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

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

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150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics for Students in 2024

April 1, 2024

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

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

What is a Good Persuasive Speech?

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

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

Components of a Great Persuasive Speech Topic

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

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

150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics

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

Business and Economy

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

Social Media

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

Education – Persuasive Speech Topics 

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

Social Issues – Persuasive Speech Topics

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

Politics and Government

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

Easy Persuasive Speech Topics

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

Fun Persuasive Speech Topics

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

Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics

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

I’ve Chosen My Topic, Now What?

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

How to Create a Successful Persuasive Speech, Step by Step

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

How to Practice and Deliver a Persuasive Speech

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

Good Persuasive Speech Topics—Final Thoughts

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

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

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

Lauren Green

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

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75 Persuasive Speech Topics and Ideas

October 4, 2018 - Gini Beqiri

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

What is persuasive speech?

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

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

How to choose a topic for your speech

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

Familiarity

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

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

The audience’s interest

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

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

Not overdone

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

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

Emotional topics

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

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

Desired outcome

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

Jamie Oliver persuasive speech

Persuasive speech topics

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

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

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

Arts/Culture

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

Business and economy

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

Law and politics

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

Science and the environment

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

World peace

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

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

After choosing your topic

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

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

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

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

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

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General Education

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

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

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

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

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

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

It's a Topic People Care About

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

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

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

It Isn't Overdone

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

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

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

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

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105 Topics for a Persuasive Speech

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

Arts/Culture

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

Government/Politics

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

Science/Environment

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

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3 Bonus Tips for Crafting Your Persuasive Speech

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

Do Your Research

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

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

Consider All the Angles

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

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

Know Your Audience

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

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

More Resources for Writing Persuasive Speeches

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

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

Conclusion: Persuasive Speech Ideas

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

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

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

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

What's Next?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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.
  • T​he ​ death penalty should be outlawed.
  • Bigfoot is real.
  • We should increase train travel to save the environment.
  • We should read more classic books.
  • Fame is bad for young children.
  • Athletes should stay loyal to teams.
  • We should reform our prisons.
  • Juvenile offenders should not go to boot camps.
  • Abraham Lincoln was the best president.
  • Abraham Lincoln gets too much credit.
  • Students should be allowed to have cell phones in elementary, middle, and high school.
  • College student-athletes should be paid for playing.
  • Elderly citizens on fixed income should receive free public transportation.
  • Colleges and universities should be free to attend.
  • All American citizens should complete one year of community service.
  • Students should be required to take Spanish 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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50 Topics for a Persuasive Speech

50 Topics for a Persuasive Speech

  • 5-minute read
  • 13th January 2023

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

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

Choosing a Topic

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

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

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

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

Should free speech on the internet be restricted?

At what age should children have access to smartphones?

Does texting hinder interpersonal skills?

Should parents limit their children’s screen time?

Should laws prohibit using devices while driving?

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

Should the number of US Supreme Court Justices be increased?

Should voting be compulsory?

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

Should the electoral college system be abolished?

Should election procedures be standardized in all states?

Should the Senate filibuster be abolished?

Should the death penalty be legal?

Should states be allowed to have different abortion laws?

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

Should the US conduct a voluntary gun buyback program?

Are governments doing enough to address climate change?

Is student loan forgiveness fair?

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

Should plastic bags be banned in grocery stores?

What is the greatest threat to international stability?

What can be done to prevent cyber threats?

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

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

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

Is healthcare a human right?

Should access to abortion be required by healthcare providers?

Do school shooter drills damage students’ mental health?

Should vaccinations be required for students to attend public school?

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

Do school uniforms offer any advantages?

Are school dress codes gender biased?

Are standardized test scores given too much importance in schools?

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

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

Should indigenous languages be taught in schools?

Should immigrants have access to free language classes?

Should books ever be banned in schools?

Should elementary schools be required to teach a foreign language?

Should schools be cellphone free?

Should volunteering before graduation be compulsory?

Should school cafeterias serve more plant-based foods?

Should parents let their children play tackle football?

Should college sports teams receive less money?

Should there be more female priests or pastors of churches?

Should churches and other religious organizations pay taxes?

Should all priests be allowed to marry?

Should prayer be permitted in public schools?

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

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

Persuasion Isn’t All or Nothing

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

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

Step Up with Confidence

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

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Persuasive Speech Topics: The Best 150 Ideas

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

Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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Article Contents 13 min read

The art of persuasion.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Unbiased Expertise

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

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

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

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

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

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

There are three potential goals of any persuasive speech:

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

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

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

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

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

Know your audience

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

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

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

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

Hook the audience

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

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

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

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

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

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

This sentence performs several tasks:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Research and Arguments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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persuasive speech examples topics

My Speech Class

Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

434 Good Persuasive Speech Topics

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

persuasive speech

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

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

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

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

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

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

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

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

  • Interesting

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

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

How To Select a Good Persuasive Topic

How to narrow down this list of ideas?

First, make a rough inventory:

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

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

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

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

Best 10 Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

List of Persuasive Speech Topics

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

10 Animal Persuasive Speech Topics

Close Up on Cute Dog Nose and Eyes

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

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

12 Automotive Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

10 Business Persuasive Speech Topics

Five people discussing in a meeting room

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

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

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

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

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

5 Constitutional Issues Persuasive Speech Topics

Abraham Lincoln seated figure at the Lincoln Memorial of Washington DC

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

10 Easy and Simple Persuasive Speech Topics

Black glasses aside of a notebook

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

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

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

9 Economy Persuasive Speech Topics

Stock Exchange electronic board with numbers and indicators

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

10 Education Persuasive Speech Topics

Students celebrating and launching their square academic caps in the air

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

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

10 Environment Persuasive Speech Topics

Sun light through a pine forest

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

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

10 Ethics Persuasive Speech Topics

Six hands holding each others

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

10 Family Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

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

6 Fashion Persuasive Speech Topics

Wardrobe with dark, grey and blue man suits

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

11 Financial Persuasive Speech Topics

Hands counting and stacking coins

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

15 Food and Drink Persuasive Speech Topics

Strawberry cake and cup of coffee

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

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

10 Fun Persuasive Speech Topics

Young man jumping into the Caribbean sea with floating ring

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

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

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

10 Funny and Humorous Persuasive Speech Topics

Two men with hats laughing together

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

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

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

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

16 Government Persuasive Speech Topics

Front view of the White House with gardens and fountains

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

10 Health Persuasive Speech Topics

Doctor's hands mesuering blood presure of a patient

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

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

10 School Persuasive Speech Topics

Two kids writing on a school desk

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

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

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

10 College Students Persuasive Speech Topics

College empty classroom with wood seats

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

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

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

10 Teens Persuasive Speech Topics

Group of four teenager friends

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

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

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

5 History Persuasive Speech Topics

Gladiator helmet laid on an ancient stone bench

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

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

10 Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

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

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

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

13 International Relations Persuasive Speech Topics

World map with pined color flags

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

10 Law Persuasive Speech Topics

Close view of a gavel and its sound block

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

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

3 Literature Persuasive Speech Topics

Two opened books stacked

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

17 Media Persuasive Speech Topics

Screen with thumbnails of different medias

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

10 Motivational Persuasive Speech Topics

Woman rising up fists in the air

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

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

6 Music Persuasive Speech Topics

Young woman listening to music with phone and headset

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

6 National Security Persuasive Speech Topics

Soldier standing in front of the American flag

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

10 Politics Persuasive Speech Topics

Voted stickers for American poll

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

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

3 Practical Knowledge Persuasive Speech Topics

Gloved hands lighting up a wood fire with a striker

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

7 Psychology Persuasive Speech Topics

Dummy head with draws and notes on it

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

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

23 Relationships Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

8 Religion Persuasive Speech Topics

Praying hands in front of an altar enlighten with candles

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

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

10 Science Persuasive Speech Topics

Gloved hand shaking a flask in a laboratory

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

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

11 Self-Help Persuasive Speech Topics

Dark silhouette offering an helping hand

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

10 Society Persuasive Speech Topics

People crossing a city street

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

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

10 Sport Persuasive Speech Topics

US Football player diving with the ball

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

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

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

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

28 Technology Persuasive Speech Topics

Server's rack of hard drives with LEDs

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

12 Travel Persuasive Speech Topics

Hand holding a small world globe

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

8 Workplace Persuasive Speech Topics

Desk with notes, papers, coffee and laptop

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

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

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

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

Write a Gripping Personal Narrative Essay Using Our Cheat Guide

Vote of Thanks Examples

50 thoughts on “434 Good Persuasive Speech Topics”

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

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

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

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

Why smoking can help you make friends

These topic are good. Thank you so much..

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

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

These topics are great. Thank you

OMG thank you sooooo mush you literally saved my life.

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

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

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

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

Why sex education important

Are pitbulls a vicious breed

Germany is the best

Does Lightning McQueen have Life Insurance or Car Insurance ?

Correction: why cats make the purrfect pet.

thank you this is a very helpful and inspiring topics

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

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

Thank you so much, this was inspiring and helpful.

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

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

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

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

Why water causes cancer

Why Sped kids should have more special attention in schools?

-Tax the freaking pants off the 1%

-Only highly education education specialists should make laws regarding education

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

did a speach on koalas being nuclearly reactive thx sm

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

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

cheating isnt wrong if you do it well

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

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

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

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

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

thanks got me a 100

Those were so helpful wish me luck on my test

henrique is kind of annoying but a good website

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

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

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

why can’t we make toast in the bath

Why teens shouldn’t have sex before marriage.

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

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

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

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Easy persuasive speech topics: examples

309 good persuasive topics + resources for writing persuasive speeches

By:  Susan Dugdale  

Let's be right up front about this.

'Easy' and 'persuasive' are seldom paired when it comes to speech topics! Therefore, examples of easy persuasive speech topics are a bit of a rarity, and finding them can be tricky.

However, all is not completely lost. They can, and do, come together, but only if you work at it.  Let me show you how. 

What's on this page

309 potentially easy persuasive speech topics.

  • the myth of 'easy' and an 'easy speech'
  • what makes a successful persuasive speech
  • how a persuasive speech topic can become easy
  • additional persuasive speech resources

persuasive speech examples topics

The myth of 'easy' and an 'easy' speech

That word 'easy' is so very tempting. It seductively implies something you can fling together, without a lot of effort, at short notice. 

Image: a tiger-budgie. Text: Easy and persuasive are seldom paired when it comes to speech topics. That makes easy persuasive speech topics a bit of a rarity. Just like this tiger-budgie.

An 'easy' persuasive speech is not going to take a lot of work to plan, research, to write, or to practice. Everything needed to prepare it will be done without hassle, because it's, 'easy'. The entire process will flow smoothly from start to finish without fuss.

When you present the speech, the audience will be spell-bound, riveted by your outstanding choice of subject and its treatment. In short, they will be amazed. Gob smacked * , and 100% persuaded!

* astounded, overwhelmed.

Return to Top

What a successful persuasive speech usually takes

To give a successful persuasive speech means being able to use a compelling mix of reasoning and emotional appeal to convince whoever you are talking to that your point of view is right or at least, worth considering. Generally doing that well takes thought and effort.

You need to have chosen a subject your audience will be genuinely interested in and to use just the right combination of logical reasoning and emotional appeal to engage and hold them from the first words you say till your last. That in turn means thinking your speech through carefully, step by step, and then doing whatever is needed to make it work.

Those things include:

  • deciding on a specific speech purpose, (what you want people to do as a result of listening to your speech)
  • research to pull facts together to ground your speech, to give you a solid platform to build your speech on
  • understanding your audience so you know how best to shape your material to address their concerns
  • sorting out any additional resources you may want to use (e.g. images, graphs, handouts ...)
  • practice, and then more practice. 

You, see? Easy and persuasive don't seem to have a lot in common.

However, there is a way through.

How a persuasive speech topic becomes easy

You'll be glad to know there are exceptions. 

A persuasive topic becomes 'easy' if:

  • it fits with the criteria you've been given, 
  • you already know a lot about it, 
  • there's a readily accessible, and credible body of knowledge covering it, 
  • you're passionate about it, and
  • you genuinely want to do what is required to do it well.

Difficulties miraculously melt away when you are totally engrossed! 

Below are 309 good persuasive topics chosen for their broad appeal, and because they are subjects people generally feel strongly about.

  • 69 topics based on education
  • 135 based on aspects of health : mental health , the psychology of motivation , autism , natural medicine , the dangers of alternative medicine , current medical issues

21 food themed persuasive speech topics

  • 53 topics based on ethics, morals and values
  • 20 economy themed topics  

Read them through, making a note of any that jump out and that you think you may be able to use. These will be the ones you'll find much 'easier' than the others because you're already interested! 

69 persuasive speech topics on education

Put a group of people together who share concerns about the direction society seems to be headed and it won't be long before the hot topic under discussion is education!

Nelson Mandela quote: Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.

  • that there is no such thing as the best form of education 
  • that some types of education are a waste of time and resources
  • that all education should be free
  • that education should be paid for by those who want or use it
  • that schools should provide experienced specialist support teachers to meet the needs of all their pupils 
  • that no child should be denied an education on the grounds of gender, race, poverty or the legal status of their parents
  • that online learning can never replace real-time and place class room learning
  • that competition with other students is a necessary part of education
  • that different learning styles need to be to be taken into account by teachers
  • that a student who drops out of school has been failed by the school system
  • that the problems created by illiteracy are bigger than we think
  • that society benefits from promoting gender equality and women's empowerment through education
  • that it is vital to teach media literacy to combat fake news and misinformation
  • that scholarships for those who need them should be increased
  • that a college education is not the right choice for everyone
  • that private schools support elitism
  • that the advantages of project-based learning far outweigh the disadvantages
  • that having a bilingual education is an advantage in a globalized world
  • that a good education is the passport to a better life
  • that a school uniform helps make everyone equal
  • that schools need to systematically teach critical thinking and problem-solving skills
  • that teachers should be held responsible for the performance of their students
  • that the students of a teacher who is enthusiastic about their topic will always achieve better grades
  • that textbooks, and other school supplies, should be provided free of charge to those who need them
  • that there needs to a comprehensive education program on consent and sexual assault prevention in schools
  • that life skills, (how to cook, how to budget and manage money effectively, how to shop economically, how to garden...) should be taught in schools
  • that making some school subjects compulsory should be abolished
  • that coding and computer science should be taught from an early age
  • that taking a gap year should be encouraged
  • that an arts education fosters creativity and critical thinking 
  • that alternative forms of education should be encouraged, and supported
  • that teachers should be thoroughly background checked
  • that teachers should have to pass a regular 'fitness to teach' test
  • that the school leaving age should be raised
  • that students should not be forced to take classes they do not want to
  • that there are significant advantages for using technology in the classroom
  • that school violence is a mirror of the society we live in
  • that students who take part in protests are actively learning about their rights and responsibilities
  • that grades do not reflect intelligence
  • that truancy is powerful comment on the relevancy of schools 
  • that homework, for homework's sake, should be banned
  • that residential segregation has a direct impact on the quality of education students receive
  • that prestigious schools maintain their prestige through only admitting students who are likely to succeed
  • that schools should focus on the core subjects: reading, writing and arithmetic
  • that parents should be far more involved in their children's education
  • that a person who is homeschooled is not disadvantaged 
  • that far too much importance is placed on IQ tests
  • that corporal punishment should never be used
  • that meditation and other forms of mindfulness should be taught in schools
  • that single sex schools are better for girls
  • that intelligence is more than quick accurate recall and clever problem solving
  • that a holistic education is best
  • that an education should be a right, not a privilege
  • that it is important to teach students about empathy and emotional intelligence  
  • that no girl should ever be barred from school because she is pregnant
  • that there is no 'right, one way' to educate a child
  • that bullying, in any form, by anyone, should be addressed immediately and appropriately
  • that students need to be taught how to handle social media responsibly
  • that the arts are equally as valuable as the sciences
  • that an old-fashioned school curriculum teaches respect and values
  • that it is advantageous to learn at least one other language, in addition to your mother tongue
  • that the foundation of all education is laid down in the home
  • that civics and ethics should be core subjects
  • that extracurricular activities are an essential part of a well-rounded education
  • that cheating on a test or in an examination is understandable
  • that community service should be an essential part of education
  • that financial education is essential and should be taught to all students in all schools
  • that guns should never be taken to school
  • that getting top marks in an examination is not the only way to prove a person’s intelligence

dividing line dark green

 135 persuasive speech topics about health

Health, according to the World Health Organization , is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity."  It's a huge topic! And that is an understatement! 

46 mental health persuasive speech topics

Knowing your own darkness is the best method of dealing with the darkness in others. - Carl Jung

  • that mental health should be taken more seriously by general health practitioners
  • that mental health should be discussed in schools
  • that mental health and physical health are interdependent
  • that early intervention is important to prevent long-term mental health problems
  • that good mental health begins with a good diet
  • that being 'mad' does not mean a person is 'bad'
  • that a person can learn to become more mentally resilient
  • that to be vulnerable is to be strong
  • that laughter heals
  • that how the media portrays mental health issues influences public perception for better and for worse
  • that mental health issues are passed down from generation to generation
  • that mental health issues can unnecessarily limit what people choose to do with their lives
  • that poverty and homelessness underpin many mental health issues
  • that we need mental health screenings and regular check-ups to monitor our overall well-being
  • that prolonged lack of sleep can cause mental health concerns
  • that religious practices and beliefs can contribute to mental health problems
  • that anxiety and depression need to be more widely understood
  • that sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me is a lie.
  • that vacations are essential for good mental health
  • that learning to live with mental health is very different from suffering from it
  • that acknowledging our own struggles with mental health makes it easier to understand other people's
  • that teachers need training to recognize symptoms of possible mental health issues in their students
  • that there is a direct link between physical exercise and mental health
  • that substance abuse can mask mental health issues
  • that green environments promote good mental health
  • that bullying can have serious consequences
  • that the real reason a bully bullies is never the person who is being bullied by them
  • that the impact of chronic pain on mental health needs to be more widely understood
  • that negative self-worth beliefs are reflected in mental health problems
  • that treatment for mental health issues should be fully integrated with any other health service providers 
  • that loneliness and isolation are often factors in mental health concerns
  • that cultural difference can underpin mental health issues
  • that being mentally unwell is not a sign of weakness
  • that shaming a person for needing treatment for mental illness is both cruel and ignorant behavior
  • that regular doom-scrolling significantly impacts on a person's mental health
  • that overlooking symptoms of mental health problems is dangerous
  • the pressure to 'fit in', to conform and to become someone else's idea of who you should be is unhealthy
  • that seeking help for mental health concerns is a positive proactive thing to do
  • that taking responsibility for our own mental wellbeing is vital
  • that to be a little bit crazy is a good thing
  • that understanding the cyclical link between addictive behaviors and mental health issues is critical to providing solutions
  • that how we talk to ourselves, about ourselves, influences our state of mind
  • that self-care and self-compassion are important for maintaining good mental health
  • that the adverse impact of traumatic events on mental health is often ignored or underestimated
  • that strategies for recovery from trauma and ongoing resilience should be taught in schools
  • that peer support groups and community networks are an important part of a person's recovery because they  provide a sense of belonging and support 

For 50 more mental health persuasive speech topics

24 persuasive ideas: the psychology of motivation

Motivation

Why do people behave the way they do?

What makes one person deliriously happy when they're in front of a large group of people telling them what to do and another person, utterly miserable?

Why do some people absolutely have to have the latest widget-wodget? And why do others not think about widget-wodgets at all?

The answers are found in motivation.

Motivation is the driving force behind our behavior. It provides the explanation for what we do. 

  • that personal success is motivating
  • that envy is a powerful motivator
  • that 'Fear of Missing Out' (FOMO) motivates/influences people to do things regardless of whether they really want to or not
  • that seeing success in significant others gives people the motivation to make positive changes
  • that finding out what motivates a person at a fundamental level is key to persuading them to follow a certain course of action
  • that social media is responsible for motivating people to strive for the unattainable
  • that carefully selected strategies for motivating students lead them to excel in their studies.
  • that fear of failure motivates many people
  • that the desire to be better than others, and to be seen to be better, is a powerful motivator for many people
  • that money makes the world go round: the need and desire for money motivates how we behave
  • that desire for public recognition and acknowledgment is a powerful motivating force 
  • that the possibility and promise of becoming famous and powerful can motivate all sorts of extreme behavior
  • that knowing what you do is helpful, useful, and kind is motivating
  • that mindfulness practices increase personal motivation
  • that the desire to understand a particular process or to solve a specific problem is the motivation behind most innovative developments and inventions
  • that setting inspiring yet realistic goals motivate a person to strive to reach them
  • that fear of consequences motivates people to continue to do what they would rather not
  • that curiosity motivates exploration and experimentation
  • that being motivated by the acquisition of material rewards, wealth and possessions, will ultimately not be enough
  • that fear and anxiety motivate aggression
  • that serving your community the best way you can is motivating
  • that positive self-talk increases and sustains motivation
  • that people are happiest and most creative when they motivated by what they are passionate about
  • that being genuinely and sincerely proud of oneself is motivation to keep ourselves on track
  • that we need to understand and nurture what motivates us to become the best of ourselves

For more information:  Motivation and What Really Drives Human Behavior (positivepsychology.com)

10 persuasive speech topics about autism

Image: jigsaw puzzle with a piece missing. Text: Persuasive speech topics on Autism

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of mild to severe conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. A recent (2020) study revealed that 1 in 36 children (2.7%) in USA have been diagnosed with the disorder. And that number is increasing. 

  • that promoting autism awareness matters and makes a difference
  • that early intervention and treatment is important 
  • that education for students with autism should be inclusive and supportive
  • that the myths and stereotypes about autism need challenging 
  • that inclusive hiring practices and workplace accommodations are beneficial for everyone: employers and employees.
  • that families affected by autism need accessible resources, services, and support systems.
  • that technology plays an important role in enhancing communication for nonverbal individuals with autism.
  • that ongoing research, and funding, is required to improve understanding and treatment options.
  •  that there needs to be a holistic approach to autism care.
  • that individuals on autism spectrum have value and strengths just like any other person.

19 persuasive speech topics on natural medicine

The term 'natural medicine' is one of several used interchangeably to describe any medical product or practice that is not standard (conventional) medical care.

Other synonyms are:

  • alternative medicine or therapies,
  • holistic medicine which implies taking into account the 'whole' person rather than focusing on and treating isolated symptoms,
  • herbal (plant based) remedies and,
  • complementary medicine: a treatment regime that includes elements of conventional and alternative medical care.

'Natural medicine' polarizes people. There are those who are vehemently against any form of it and who will not consider any treatment other than what is current standard medical practice. Then there are those who resolutely choose alternative options. Either way, it's a fascinating field!    

Image: chamomile daisy plants. Text: Chamomile tea has been used for centuries to aid relaxation.

  • that traditional herbal remedies effectively treat common ailments
  • that acupuncture is beneficial for pain management
  • that practicing meditation and mindfulness improves mental health
  • that chiropractic treatments effectively relieve back and neck pain
  • that yoga supports physical and mental wellness
  • that naturopathy should be used as a complementary approach to conventional medicine.
  • that homeopathy is effective in treating chronic illnesses.
  • that aromatherapy can relieve stress and enhance relaxation.
  • that traditional Chinese medicine should be incorporated into modern healthcare.
  • that good nutrition prevents disease
  • that massage therapy promotes physical and mental well-being.
  • that energy healing treatments like Reiki and acupuncture work well
  • that CBD (cannabidiol) oil helps people effectively manage pain and anxiety.
  • that the advantages of integrative medicine: combining conventional and alternative approaches should not be underestimated
  • that herbal supplements support good immune system health.
  • that holistic Ayurvedic medicine and practices are proven and promote wellness.
  • that the common myths about alternative health care and its potential harms are overstated
  • that acupuncture is an effective fertility treatment 
  • that hypnotherapy is an effective treatment for public speaking fear, smoking cessation, weight loss, and more...

14 persuasive speech topics on the possible dangers of using alternative medicine

Image: mortar and pestle with herbs. Text: 14 persuasive speech topics on the possible dangers of using alternative medicine

  • that there are hidden risks in using unregulated alternative health care practices
  • that there are potential dangers in relying solely on alternative health care for serious medical conditions
  • that there are risks in self-diagnosis and self-treatment with alternative health care
  • that misinformation is a problem in alternative health care practices
  • that there are potential adverse effects with unproven alternative health care treatments
  • that there are hidden financial risks with alternative health care therapies
  • that evidence-based medicine is more reliable than alternative health care approaches
  • that we need to protect vulnerable people from the dangers of untested alternative health care remedies
  • that unqualified practitioners in alternative health care fields can cause harm
  • that relying on unverified testimonials and anecdotal evidence in alternative health care is dangerous
  • that there are risks of negative interactions with conventional medications while using alternative health care treatments
  • that unregulated supplements and herbal remedies in alternative health care could be dangerous
  • that alternative health care therapies for incurable diseases promote false hopes 
  • that informed consent and transparency in alternative health care practices is important

22 current medical issues speech topics

Image: doctor giving a patient a vaccine. Text: 22 current medical issues speech topics. Example: that vaccine hesitancy must be addressed and countered.

  • that vaccine hesitancy must be addressed and countered 
  • that stigmas around mental health must be challenged
  • that good accessible mental health care should be available for all
  • that cosmetic and reconstructive surgery should only be for those who genuinely need it
  • that comprehensive specialized mental health programs and support systems need to in schools 
  • that the lessons for the opioid crisis must be learned
  • that inequal access to medical services needs addressing
  • that the balance between patient autonomy and a physician's responsibility needs careful monitoring
  • that strategies for promoting healthy aging and elderly care are essential with an aging population
  • that organ donation needs to be actively encouraged to overcome the shortage of organs available for transplantation
  • that the ethical implications of genetic testing need careful consideration
  • that healthy active lifestyles must be promoted to combat childhood obesity and the obesity epidemic
  • that the increasing role of technology in healthcare presents as many innovations as it does challenges
  • that pharmaceutical drugs need to be accessible and affordably priced
  • that the impact of social media on body image need to be countered by actively promoting positive self-perception
  • that developing countries need support to improve health care infrastructure and access 
  • that precision medicine or personalized healthcare has better patient outcomes
  • that we should encourage conversations about end-of-life care before the need for it arises
  • that the legal and ethical concerns about euthanasia and assisted suicide can be humanely and respectfully resolved
  • that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in medicine presents great opportunities as well as challenges
  • that improving obstetric care would lower maternal mortality rates
  • that for the good of the health of the mother, abortion on demand should be legal
  • that all tobacco products should be banned
  • that the use of medical marijuana by patients in hospitals needs careful consideration from a legal standpoint

The subject of food: its cultivation, preparation, scarcity or abundance, generates passionate debate regardless of who we are, or where we are on the planet.

Have fun with these!

Image: root vegetables growing in garden Text: 21 food-themed persuasive speech topics. Example: that a plant-based diet is healthier.

  • that poor nutritional health in first world countries is the result of poor food choices
  • that the use of unsustainably produced palm oil in food and other products should be banned
  • that the benefits of eating locally sourced food outweigh the disadvantages
  • that we must reduce food waste to lessen its environmental impact
  • that eating fast food long-term is dangerous
  • that a plant-based diet is healthier
  • that the negative effects of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in our food system outstrip their shorter term benefits
  • that organic farming has positive effects on health and the environment
  • that nutrition education in schools helps combat childhood obesity
  • that a sugar tax would help control the consumption of foods with high sugar content
  • that factory farming is unethical
  • that we need to adopt humane animal welfare practices
  • that advertising and marketing of unhealthy food choices makes them attractive
  • that food safety and strictly enforced regulations are necessary for public health
  • that food waste should be against the law
  • that food deserts (areas that have limited access to affordable and nutritious food) have an enormous impact on the health of communities 
  • that there are workable, sustainable, affordable strategies to combat the effects of food deserts and food insecurity
  • that the food we eat effects our mental as well as our physical health
  • that producing food sustainably helps combat climate change 
  • that there are significant health risks associated  artificial food additives and preservatives
  • that genetically modified foods must be labeled for consumer awareness

53 topics: ethics, morals and values

The words 'ethics', 'morals' and 'values' are frequently interchanged as if they mean the same thing. However, although there is considerable overlap between them, they don't.

Diagram showing the overlap of values, morals and ethics.

Values  are the core beliefs on which we center and base our lives. They are the values we have decided are important and can be personal as well as shared. Examples are honesty, service, cooperation, family, heritage, freedom of expression, independence, privacy, loyalty, integrity, or success. 

Morals  are based on our values. They elicit feeling or emotional responses in us. For instance, we feel good when we behave in accordance with our values, and bad when we don't. Like values, our moral codes can be either personal or shared.

For example: if one of our core values is the importance of family, then we will feel guilty and uncomfortable if we don't honor it. We make a moral judgment about our own behavior. 

Ethics : These let us know what is right and wrong. For instance, many professions have a code of ethics to regulate the behavior of their members. Examples are medical practitioners, lawyers, and teachers. They are rules based on a shared moral code as are the laws governing how we function as a society. 

Because life and people's experience of it, is not static, values, morals and ethics can change over time. And although there are some behaviors that have generally always been unlawful, (murder, fraud, infanticide...), what was acceptable and normal once, does not guarantee its rightness now.

For a fuller explanation please see this excellent article:  What's the Difference Between Ethics, Morals and Values?

28 topics based on morals and ethics

  • that there are major ethical implications of the role of artificial intelligence in our daily lives
  • that the unmonitored use of facial recognition technology is a violation of individual rights
  • that corporations have a moral responsibility to address climate change
  • that war is never right ethically or morally
  • that the ethics of genetic engineering and its impact on society need careful monitoring
  • that it is important to fully consider the ethics in the development and use of emerging technologies like blockchain and cryptocurrency need
  • that the ethical challenges of data privacy and protection in the digital age must be met for the safety and security of society
  • that the ethical implications of using animals for scientific research requires regular reviewing
  • that the ethical and moral implications of our current abortion laws need thorough and careful investigation
  • that the ethics of capital punishment need scrutinizing. Is it ever morally justifiable?
  • that the ethical implications and long-term impact of gene editing and designer babies need careful consideration
  • that it is no longer either ethical or moral to differentiate salaries or workplace benefits on the basis of gender
  • that the moral obligations of healthcare professionals in end-of-life decisions need to be fully considered 
  • that whistleblowing is an ethical way of ensuring corporate accountability
  • that the use of drones and autonomous weapons demands a thorough review of the ethical considerations involved
  • that an individual has the right to choose their own death. The moral dilemma of euthanasia, if there is one, is their own to solve. 
  • that the ethical implications of the long-term impacts of genetic testing and personalized medicine need to be thoroughly investigated
  • that social media platforms have ethical responsibilities in combating the spread of online harassment and misinformation
  • that the moral issues surrounding the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports need to examined calmly and carefully
  • that the ethics of factory farming and its impact on animal welfare need to be thoroughly and regularly reviewed
  • that the ethical and moral implication of discriminatory adoption laws should be investigated
  • that the ethics and impact of online advertising should be independently monitored
  • that the ethical considerations in the allocation of healthcare resources should always play a major role in decision making
  • that the moral implications of genetic cloning and its potential consequences will force our governing bodies to legislate against it
  • that the ethics of global wealth distribution and poverty alleviation will always be in question while inequality exists
  • that the ethical challenges of conducting research on human subjects is entirely justifiable
  • that internet censorship is both sensible and ethical
  • that it is ethical and morally responsible that children should have their use of social media and the internet monitored.

25 persuasive speech topic ideas on values

Image: Father Christmas. Text: 309 persuasive speech topics. Example: that we must never tell lies to children, except about Father Christmas...

  • that we must never tell lies to children except about Father Christmas, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Rabbit
  • that honesty in personal and professional relationships is best at all times
  • that embracing diversity is essential for a harmonious society
  • that team sports build good character traits
  • that empathy, (compassion and understanding), has the power to change lives
  • that education is fundamental for personal growth and the progress of society
  • that privacy and the protection of personal information matters more than ever
  • that everybody is entitled to privacy, including children and teenagers
  • that taking personal responsibility and promoting sustainability for our planet's environment is vital for our and its survival
  • that actively advocating for gender, racial and social justice promotes equality
  • that life was better before the influence of online social media took over
  • that everyone should spend several months per year working for the betterment of others in a non-profit social service organization
  • that regular acts of kindness and goodwill make a positive impact no matter how small
  • that becoming self-aware increases our emotional intelligence, which in turn, improves our relationships with others
  • that the lives of all living creatures should be valued and protected
  • that we need to celebrate, tolerate and accept differences in beliefs, cultures and lifestyles
  • that expressing oneself freely is more important than getting the grammar, punctuation and spelling right
  • that integrity, honoring moral principles, in personal and professional settings, builds trust and respect
  • that cooperation, volunteering and civic engagement builds strong healthy communities
  • that everybody should learn to cook and clean for themselves
  • that we need to value, understand and learn from our history
  • that genuinely and sincerely acknowledging and apologizing for hurtful, damaging behavior promotes healing and encourages transformation
  • that it is better to earn your own living rather than to be financially provided for by someone else
  • that money is not a meaningful measure of success

20 persuasive speech topics about the economy

Diagram of the interrelationship of economics

What is an 'economy'? What does the word mean?  I hear and read it frequently and its often in different contexts. 

For example, at my local grocery store there's a large sign telling me that buying 10 cakes of soap at a never to be repeated discounted rate of 33% off per cake is good economy.

On the news I hear that our economy is challenging. There have been significant rises in the price of food over the past six months and mortgage rates are set to increase.

That's two different uses. The first is implying that buying in bulk will save me money. The second suggests it refers to the ebb and flow of monetary exchange for goods and services in society. 

I sought a definition for clarity and found this:

"An economy is a complex system of interrelated production, consumption, and exchange activities that ultimately determines how resources are allocated among all the participants. The production, consumption, and distribution of goods and services combine to fulfill the needs of those living and operating within the economy.

An economy may represent a nation, a region, a single industry, or even a family."

For more information:  Economy: What It Is, Types of Economies, Economic Indicators (investopedia.com)

This definition covers the dynamic interconnecting web of exchanges for goods and services underpinning our daily lives, and that is the focus of the topics below.  

  • that promoting entrepreneurship for economic growth has benefits
  • that investing in renewable energy for a sustainable economy is important
  • that there are both advantages and disadvantages of globalization on national economies
  • that the impact of automation on employment requires carefully thought through strategies for economic adaptation.
  • that multinational corporations need stricter regulations 
  • that increasing the minimum wage to improve income equality benefits everyone
  • that the advantages of a universal basic income for economic stability outweigh its disadvantages
  • that government should play an active role in fostering innovation and technological advancements
  • that financial literacy education benefits both individuals and the economy
  • that promoting fair trade practices benefits developing economies
  • that income inequality impacts on social stability and economic growth
  • that free trade agreements have significant advantages
  • that investing in infrastructure for economic development is important
  • that implementing sustainable economic policies has benefits for long-term growth
  • that government has a role in reducing poverty and income disparities
  • that immigration and inclusive immigration policies have a positive impact on the economy
  • that the advantages of austerity measures during economic crises outweigh the disadvantages
  • that promoting small businesses is important for local economic development
  • that investing in education and skills training benefits economic competitiveness
  • that technology transforms traditional industries and creates new economic opportunities

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More persuasive speech resources

Persuasive speech topics.

Image: one lonely piece of chocolate cake on a plate. Text: Fun persuasive speech topics - Having you cake and eating it too is fair.

  • 105 fun persuasive speech topics : ideal for light-hearted, informal speeches
  • 100 non-boring persuasive speech ideas   - a 'tired' topic is not for you. Choose something fresh and original.
  • 50 good persuasive speech topics with treatment examples to show you how the same topic is treated differently for different audiences.
  • 310 persuasive speech topics for college : mental health, society, family & friends, animals, education
  • 108 feminist persuasive speech topics : the top current women's rights & feminist issues

For assistance with planning and writing

  • Writing a persuasive speech - a 7 step action plan that includes how to choose a topic, analyze your audience, set a good speech purpose, decide on a structural pattern (with examples) and, more.
  • A persuasive speech outline example using the 5 step structural pattern: Monroe's Motivated Sequence. (With a free printable outline)
  • A persuasive speech example using Monroe's Motivated Sequence

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Public Speaking Resources

237 Easy Persuasive Speech Topics and Guide

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

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

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

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

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

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Visualization, writing introduction for persuasive speech, persuasive speech videos, persuasive speech topics, persuasive speech topics about animals and pets, persuasive speech topics about automobiles, persuasive speech topics about education, persuasive speech topics about environment, persuasive speech topics about ethical issues, persuasive speech topics about food, persuasive speech topics about health.

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

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

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

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

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

Art of Persuasion

Persuasive speech is an art form.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Presentation- Monroe’s motivated sequence

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Below are 6 sample videos of persuasive speeches.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Homework should be banned. (School)

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

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

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

  • Laws should not be based on religion.

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

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

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

  • Honking unnecessarily should be punishable.

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

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

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

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

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

  • Legalization of prostitution has more positive effects than negative.

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

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

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

  • Partial Birth Abortion is a sin.

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

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

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

  • Sexual relationship before marriage is not a crime.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Euthanasia, is it ethical?

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

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

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

  • Cigarettes should be illegal.

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

  • Smoking in public places should be fined.

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

  • Are uniforms necessary?

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

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

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

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

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

  • ‘Living together’ relationships, good or bad?

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

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

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

  • Every property should compulsorily have trees. (Environment)

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

  • Fast foods are overpriced.

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

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

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

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

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

  • Marriage is not about procreation. (Gay rights)

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

  • Electronics are stealing childhood.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Exotic pets are not pets. (Animal rights)

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

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

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

  • Age 16 is not juvenile. (School?)

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

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

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

  • Read before agreeing to sites and applications.

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

  • Is death penalty ethical?

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

  • Send drug dealers to prison but addicts for rehabilitation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Know the woes of genetically modified Chickens.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Benefits of donating blood.

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

  • Why become an organ donor?

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

  • Original organic fruits taste better than the hybrids.

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

  • Why people who have should give.

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

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

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

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

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

  • Recycle e-waste. (Environment)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Should plastic surgery be so commercial?

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

  • Online piracy should be monitored more strictly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Aliens exist. (Paranormal)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Cats or dogs?

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

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

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

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

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

  • Internet promotes communication, not kill it.

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

  • Does pressure build or break a person?

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

  • Hiring volunteers on zero pay is cruel.

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

  • Learning multiple language widens our perception of the world.

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

  • Oceans are not trash bins. (Environment)

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

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

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

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

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

  • Music heals.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Everyone should learn swimming.

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

  • Good thoughts lead to good actions.

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

  • Benefits of meditation. (Health)

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

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

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

Some more Persuasive Speech Topics:

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

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

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  • Presentations
  • Public Speaking

How to Make More Persuasive Speeches: Topics, Outlines, and Great Examples

Sarah Joy

A persuasive speech aims to inform, educate, and convince the audience on a topic or action. You want to convince the audience of your viewpoint. The best persuasive speeches are thought-provoking and clear. 

A persuasive speech aims to inform, educate, and convince the audience on a topic or action.

When choosing a topic for your persuasive speech, choose one that you already have some knowledge of and an opinion on. You’ll need to be able to argue your topic and stand behind your points. Not only will you need to know your own opinion, but you'll be able to discuss the opposite viewpoint accurately.

This article will look at the different types of persuasive speech to help you choose the right one. We’ll also look at tips on what makes a good persuasive speech. Also, some persuasive speech topics that'll help you get started.

Different Types of Persuasive Speech

There are several different organizational structures for persuasive speeches. They include:

  • Problem-solution
  • Problem-cause-solution
  • Comparison/contrast

Each type of speech has a different purpose and a unique structure. For example, a causal speech explains what happens as a result of a cause. (Source: bizfluent ). A comparative advantage speech examines two or more things and explains why some are better than others. (Source: Virtual Speech Coach )

Problem-solution speeches and problem-cause-solution speeches are related. In a problem-solution speech you present a problem followed by the solution to that problem. The problem-cause-solution speech is basically the same, except it examines the cause of the problem before presenting the solution. (Source: popsOpenText )

11 Tips on How to Write a Persuasive Speech

Writing a persuasive speech can be difficult. You want your persuasive speech to be successful in persuading the audience. Here are 11 tips to help you write a successful speech:

1. Choose the Right Topic

Choose the Right Topic

When looking at ideas for persuasive speech topics, it’s important to have a speech that's interesting to your audience and you. Also, consider whether your topic is appropriate for your audience. Choose a topic your audience would be interested in. 

For example, if you're giving a speech to a dentist, then a persuasive speech on how brushing your teeth isn’t essential wouldn’t be appropriate. But an audience of dentists might be interested in the benefits of mouthwash. 

2. Write How You Talk

Part of writing a persuasive speech is creating a persuasive speech outline and writing out your speech. As you're writing out your speech, consider writing how you talk. This means using short words and sentences.

Avoid any sentence that would cause you to stumble when speaking. A speech is meant to be spoken, not read off a sheet of paper. If you don’t have much experience in writing how you talk or aren’t confident, try reading the sentence aloud as you're writing. This will give you an idea of how easy your speech is to read, and it'll flow better.

3. Start Strong

Start Strong

Start your persuasive speech strong by letting your audience know what topic you're discussing, why your topic matters, and what you hope to convince them to do your speech. There are several ways to start strong.

  • Grab their attention . This is a statement or visual that grabs your audience’s attention.
  • Connect to the audience . This is where you show your connection to the audience, whether it’s a similar background or an emotional connection.
  • Show evidence . This is where you show your knowledge or authority on the subject of your speech to your audience. Plus, you can highlight your research or professional experience.
  • Share your goal . Explain what you hope the speech will accomplish for your audience.

4. Tell a Story

A good speech tells a story. A persuasive speech's story should tell the problem, cause, and solution. Having those essential elements makes your speech more persuasive than if it didn’t have them.

If you want to connect with your audience an excellent way to do that's to tell a relevant story about the topic you’re discussing. Sometimes a good story has more power than facts and statistics.

5. Structure

Structure

Figuring out your persuasive speech outline structure is challenging, but it's an important step. Sort your facts and points so they'll impact your audience. Your speech will be more persuasive if it's logical and clear.

A structured speech is your way of navigating your audience through your topic. Without structure, you could end up with a scattered, unprofessional speech that leaves the audience confused.

6. Be Concise

It can be harder to create a concise, persuasive speech than one that isn’t. Being concise is important. Giving your audience too much information makes it difficult for them to know what information is essential. Being concise makes managing your audience’s attention and focus easier.

7. Research Your Topic

Research Your Topic

When writing your persuasive speech, it’s essential to research your topic. Research shows your audience that you're creditable and did your research. This makes your speech more persuasive.

Remember, when finding persuasive speech topic sources, you must ensure that your sources are relevant. Some examples of relevant sources are: 

  • official documents
  • online academic references

Using professional sources shows the audience that your points are creditable. Also, the main point of your persuasive speech topic should be able to be backed up by logical evidence that'll support your claims.

8. Discuss Counter-Arguments

When planning your persuasive speech topic, consider adding a counter-argument to your speech. Adding a counterargument will increase your creditability. Also, by discussing the counterargument, you'll have the chance to argue the point directly.

But, when debating the counterargument, make it a short discussion and free of bias and language that's angry, hostile, or passionate. If you present the counterargument with bias or angry language, the audience may think you aren't creditable and stop listening.

9. Authenticity

Authenticity

When considering your persuasive speech ideas , choosing a topic you believe in is best. Selecting an issue you believe in allows you to write your speech more easily. You’ll also easily convince the audience if you believe in your topic. If you want to connect to your audience, tell a story about why you believe in your persuasive speech topic.

10. Write it Well

When writing your speech, you must ensure that you do it well. Writing an excellent persuasive speech can be difficult, but it's rewarding to see the reaction to your speech. A good persuasive speech is thought-provoking, daring, and precise. Know and objectively state counterpoints.

11. Have a Call to Action

Have a Call to Action

Use a call to action when creating your persuasive speech outline. Your audience can become committed to the action you’re calling them to and will become more persuaded.

20 Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics

One essential tip for creating a good persuasive speech is to have an interesting persuasive speech topic . When choosing your speech topic, you must have your audience in mind. Ask yourself:

  • Would my audience be interested in this persuasive speech idea ?
  • Is the topic appropriate for my audience?
  • Would my audience benefit from the topic?

When you're considering what your speech topic should be, keep those questions in mind. Here are some topics to write a persuasive speech on :

  • Is graffiti art?
  • Which is better, paper books or e-books?
  • Should interns be paid for work?
  • Should the federal minimum wage be raised?
  • Should cursive still be taught in schools
  • Should college athletes be paid for being on a sports team?
  • Should schools teach all children how to swim?
  • Should schools teach high school students how to pay taxes?
  • Do Robots help or hurt humanity?
  • Should libraries be given unlimited access to e-books?
  • Does technology isolate people?
  • Should students get paid for having a high GPA?
  • Should students who bully others be expelled and have a permanent mark on their permanent record?
  • Are students wearing uniforms beneficial?
  • Would it be beneficial for schools to require a foreign language?
  • Should Black Fridays be banned?
  • Should gym classes affect a student’s GPA?
  • Are genetically modified foods harmful?
  • Should genetically modified foods be banned?
  • Should Pluto be considered a planet?

Learn More About Making a Speech

Do you want to learn more about creating a speech? Here are some helpful articles:

persuasive speech examples topics

The Best Source for Digital Assets for Persuasive Speeches

If you're using a presentation as a part of your speech, you'll most likely use digital creative assets. Examples of digital assets that could really help your persuasive presentation include:

  • stock images
  • PowerPoint presentation templates

All the digital elements are created by professionals, which means they're high quality. 

persuasive speech examples topics

Here's how you can have access to premium creative assets:

Envato Elements . It’s a subscription service with unlimited access to premium digital elements. If you pay a low monthly fee and subscribe , you'll have access to an Envato Elements subscription. It’s the best value for anyone who will need these digital elements.

Choose a Persuasive Speech Topic Today!

Now that you’ve read tips on making a good persuasive speech, use them when writing your next speech. If you're using a presentation when you’re giving your speech, try using a premium presentation template from Envato Elements. We’ve given you the tools to write a good speech. Now it’s up to you to use them. Good Luck!

Editorial Note: This content was originally published in June 2022. We're sharing it again because our editors have determined that this information is still accurate and relevant.

Sarah Joy

persuasive speech examples topics

125+ Persuasive Speech Topics To Amaze Your Audience

persuasive speech examples topics

Reviewed by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 5/31/24

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

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

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

Keep reading for 125+ persuasive speech topics.

125+ Topics for a Persuasive Speech

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

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

1. Arts & Culture

Art and culture are always hot topics among individuals and groups. There are many interesting arguments and stances on both topics, and many people have strong opinions about them. 

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

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

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

2. Economics

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

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

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

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

3. Education

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

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

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

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

4. Environment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7. Politics

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9. Technology

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

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

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

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

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

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

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

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

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

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

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

Components of a Great Persuasive Speech Topic

Let's take a look at the key components that make up a great persuasive speech topic.

Timeliness and Relevance

Consider what's on people's minds right now. Your topic should be something they care about, whether it's in the news or a long-standing issue. It needs to feel important and connected to their lives. Picking a timely and relevant topic grabs your audience's attention and makes them more interested in what you have to say.

When choosing a topic, aim for something that has layers to it. Controversial topics or ones with lots of different opinions are good because they make people think. By exploring all the different angles of your topic, you can make your speech more engaging and show that you understand it well.

In today's world, facts matter more than ever. It's not enough to simply state your opinion; you need to back it up with solid evidence. Rely on numbers, data, and information from reliable sources to support what you're saying. When you do this, people trust you more and are more likely to believe what you're saying.

Personal Connection

Passion is a powerful tool in persuasion - so choose a topic that you truly care about. Passion is evident in your speech and ultimately makes it more interesting. Your enthusiasm rubs off on the audience, and they're more likely to pay attention. Feeling connected to your topic makes your speech more powerful and convincing.

How to Create a Compelling Persuasive Speech 

Let's delve into the process of creating a compelling persuasive speech.

Understanding Your Audience

Before diving into your speech, take the time to understand your audience. What motivates them? What are their goals and values? Tailoring your message to resonate with their interests and concerns will greatly enhance its impact.

Focus on Key Goals

Keep your speech focused by selecting just one to three key goals to address. Trying to cover too much ground can overwhelm your audience and dilute your message. Instead, hone in on the most important points you want to convey.

Address Objections Head-On

Anticipate objections that your audience might have and incorporate them into your speech. Acknowledging and addressing these concerns demonstrates empathy and builds credibility, making your argument more persuasive.

Start with a Compelling Story

Capture your audience's attention from the outset by starting with a compelling story. Make it relatable and relevant to your message to draw listeners in and set the tone for the rest of your speech.

Practice, Practice, Practice

The key to delivering a persuasive speech with confidence is practice. Rehearse your speech until you know it inside and out, focusing on the flow of your ideas rather than memorizing every word. This will allow you to speak naturally and authentically.

Maintain Eye Contact

Engage your audience by maintaining eye contact throughout your speech. This creates a connection and keeps listeners attentive and engaged. Don't just stare at one person; instead, scan the room and make brief eye contact with various individuals.

Reinforce Your Points with Repetition

Repetition is a powerful tool for reinforcing your message. After explaining each key point, circle back and reiterate it to drive it home. This helps ensure that your audience remembers and internalizes your main ideas.

Leave a lasting impression by ending your speech with a strong closing statement. Summarize your key points and reiterate your main message with conviction. This final flourish will leave your audience inspired and motivated.

Embrace Feedback

Be open to feedback from your audience, and graciously accept both praise and criticism. Use feedback as an opportunity to refine your message and improve your delivery. By embracing feedback, you can continuously hone your persuasive skills and become an even more effective communicator.

After reading through all the possible topics you can write a persuasive speech on, you may still have some questions before you get going. Let’s get into them.

1. What Are Some Easy Persuasive Topics?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Final Thoughts

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

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

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The Admissions Strategist

191 best persuasive speech topics: give an amazing speech.

Does the thought of public speaking make you cringe?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

191 Best Persuasive Speech Topics

Click above to watch a video on Speech Topics.

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

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

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

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

A great persuasive speech makes an audience act.

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

Therefore, a strong persuasive speaker will:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get personalized advice!

191 best persuasive speech topics.

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

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

Take a deep breath and read on!

Politics and Law

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

Environmental Activism

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

Social Justice

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

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

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

Advice from Persuasive Speech Experts

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

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

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

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

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

From Nate Masterson, HR manager of Maple Holistics :

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

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

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

From Bridgett McGowen, CEO of BMcTALKS :

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

From Martha Krejci, business coaching leader :

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

From Neil Thompson, founder of Teach the Geek :

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

From Adam Cole, expert writer and author:

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

Conclusion: Best Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

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

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

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

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persuasive speech examples topics

Persuasive Speeches — Types, Topics, and Examples

What is a persuasive speech.

In a persuasive speech, the speaker aims to convince the audience to accept a particular perspective on a person, place, object, idea, etc. The speaker strives to cause the audience to accept the point of view presented in the speech.

The success of a persuasive speech often relies on the speaker’s use of ethos, pathos, and logos.

Success of a persuasive speech

Ethos is the speaker’s credibility. Audiences are more likely to accept an argument if they find the speaker trustworthy. To establish credibility during a persuasive speech, speakers can do the following:

Use familiar language.

Select examples that connect to the specific audience.

Utilize credible and well-known sources.

Logically structure the speech in an audience-friendly way.

Use appropriate eye contact, volume, pacing, and inflection.

Pathos appeals to the audience’s emotions. Speakers who create an emotional bond with their audience are typically more convincing. Tapping into the audience’s emotions can be accomplished through the following:

Select evidence that can elicit an emotional response.

Use emotionally-charged words. (The city has a problem … vs. The city has a disease …)

Incorporate analogies and metaphors that connect to a specific emotion to draw a parallel between the reference and topic.

Utilize vivid imagery and sensory words, allowing the audience to visualize the information.

Employ an appropriate tone, inflection, and pace to reflect the emotion.

Logos appeals to the audience’s logic by offering supporting evidence. Speakers can improve their logical appeal in the following ways:

Use comprehensive evidence the audience can understand.

Confirm the evidence logically supports the argument’s claims and stems from credible sources.

Ensure that evidence is specific and avoid any vague or questionable information.

Types of persuasive speeches

The three main types of persuasive speeches are factual, value, and policy.

Types of persuasive speeches

A factual persuasive speech focuses solely on factual information to prove the existence or absence of something through substantial proof. This is the only type of persuasive speech that exclusively uses objective information rather than subjective. As such, the argument does not rely on the speaker’s interpretation of the information. Essentially, a factual persuasive speech includes historical controversy, a question of current existence, or a prediction:

Historical controversy concerns whether an event happened or whether an object actually existed.

Questions of current existence involve the knowledge that something is currently happening.

Predictions incorporate the analysis of patterns to convince the audience that an event will happen again.

A value persuasive speech concerns the morality of a certain topic. Speakers incorporate facts within these speeches; however, the speaker’s interpretation of those facts creates the argument. These speeches are highly subjective, so the argument cannot be proven to be absolutely true or false.

A policy persuasive speech centers around the speaker’s support or rejection of a public policy, rule, or law. Much like a value speech, speakers provide evidence supporting their viewpoint; however, they provide subjective conclusions based on the facts they provide.

How to write a persuasive speech

Incorporate the following steps when writing a persuasive speech:

Step 1 – Identify the type of persuasive speech (factual, value, or policy) that will help accomplish the goal of the presentation.

Step 2 – Select a good persuasive speech topic to accomplish the goal and choose a position .

How to write a persuasive speech

Step 3 – Locate credible and reliable sources and identify evidence in support of the topic/position. Revisit Step 2 if there is a lack of relevant resources.

Step 4 – Identify the audience and understand their baseline attitude about the topic.

Step 5 – When constructing an introduction , keep the following questions in mind:

What’s the topic of the speech?

What’s the occasion?

Who’s the audience?

What’s the purpose of the speech?

Step 6 – Utilize the evidence within the previously identified sources to construct the body of the speech. Keeping the audience in mind, determine which pieces of evidence can best help develop the argument. Discuss each point in detail, allowing the audience to understand how the facts support the perspective.

Step 7 – Addressing counterarguments can help speakers build their credibility, as it highlights their breadth of knowledge.

Step 8 – Conclude the speech with an overview of the central purpose and how the main ideas identified in the body support the overall argument.

How to write a persuasive speech

Persuasive speech outline

One of the best ways to prepare a great persuasive speech is by using an outline. When structuring an outline, include an introduction, body, and conclusion:

Introduction

Attention Grabbers

Ask a question that allows the audience to respond in a non-verbal way; ask a rhetorical question that makes the audience think of the topic without requiring a response.

Incorporate a well-known quote that introduces the topic. Using the words of a celebrated individual gives credibility and authority to the information in the speech.

Offer a startling statement or information about the topic, typically done using data or statistics.

Provide a brief anecdote or story that relates to the topic.

Starting a speech with a humorous statement often makes the audience more comfortable with the speaker.

Provide information on how the selected topic may impact the audience .

Include any background information pertinent to the topic that the audience needs to know to understand the speech in its entirety.

Give the thesis statement in connection to the main topic and identify the main ideas that will help accomplish the central purpose.

Identify evidence

Summarize its meaning

Explain how it helps prove the support/main claim

Evidence 3 (Continue as needed)

Support 3 (Continue as needed)

Restate thesis

Review main supports

Concluding statement

Give the audience a call to action to do something specific.

Identify the overall importan ce of the topic and position.

Persuasive speech topics

The following table identifies some common or interesting persuasive speech topics for high school and college students:

Persuasive speech topics
Benefits of healthy foods Animal testing Affirmative action
Cell phone use while driving Arts in education Credit cards
Climate change Capital punishment/death penalty Fossil fuels
Extinction of the dinosaurs Community service Fracking
Extraterrestrial life Fast food & obesity Global warming
Gun violence Human cloning Gun control
Increase in poverty Influence of social media Mental health/health care
Moon landing Paying college athletes Minimum wage
Pandemics Screen time for young children Renewable energy
Voting rights Violent video games School choice/private vs. public schools vs. homeschooling
World hunger Zoos & exotic animals School uniforms

Persuasive speech examples

The following list identifies some of history’s most famous persuasive speeches:

John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address: “Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You”

Lyndon B. Johnson: “We Shall Overcome”

Marc Antony: “Friends, Romans, Countrymen…” in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar

Ronald Reagan: “Tear Down this Wall”

Sojourner Truth: “Ain’t I a Woman?”

persuasive speech examples topics

25+ Impromptu Speech Topics To Show Off Your Communication Skills

  • The Speaker Lab
  • July 6, 2024

Table of Contents

If you’ve never had to give an impromptu speech before, then it can feel like walking a tightrope without a net. To nail it, you have to practice a little mental agility as well as standout conversation talent. But the best way to stay prepared? Having a few impromptu speech topics up your sleeve. And lucky for you, we’ve got fifteen of them right here.

These off-the-cuff speech topics span a whole spectrum, from deeply personal to convincingly persuasive. They’re designed to get your creative juices flowing and help you think on your feet. Plus, if you want to choose some speech topics of your own, we’ll share some tips for choosing ones that resonate with your audience. Lastly, we’ll give you some pointers for delivering your speech with confidence.

So whether you’re prepping for a class presentation, a job interview, or just looking to improve your public speaking skills, we have you covered. Let’s dive in!

What Is an Impromptu Speech?

An impromptu speech is a speech that’s given without any prior preparation or rehearsal. You’re usually given a topic on the spot and have to start speaking about it immediately. It’s a true test of your public speaking and communication skills.

Impromptu speeches are commonly used in debates, public speaking courses, and even job interviews. They’re a great way to gauge your ability to think on your feet, organize your thoughts quickly, and articulate your ideas clearly. While it may seem daunting at first, with practice, you can master the art of impromptu speaking.

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Tips for Choosing Good Impromptu Speech Topics

When it comes to selecting an impromptu speech topic, there are a few key things to keep in mind. Below are some tips to help you choose a topic that will both showcase your speaking skills and engage your audience.

Consider Your Audience

Before you start brainstorming impromptu speech topics, think about who you might be speaking to. What are their interests? What kind of knowledge or experience do they have? Choosing a topic that resonates with your audience will make your speech more impactful and memorable.

Draw from Personal Experience

When you’re put on the spot, it’s easier to speak about something you know well. Consider topics that relate to your personal experiences, hobbies, or areas of expertise. Not only will this make your speech more authentic, but it will also help you speak more confidently and naturally.

Keep It Simple

Remember, you only have a limited amount of time to prepare and deliver your speech. Choose a topic that’s simple and straightforward, something you can easily explain or argue in a few minutes. Avoid complex or overly technical subjects that require a lot of background information.

Practice Quick Thinking

Impromptu speaking is all about thinking on your feet. To get better at it, practice brainstorming ideas quickly. Give yourself a random topic and see how many related points you can come up with in a minute or two. The more you practice, the easier it will become to generate good topics under pressure.

15 Excellent Impromptu Speech Topics

Now that you know what makes a good impromptu speech topic, let’s dive into some specific ideas. Below are 15 excellent impromptu speech topics. While they can be used for any occasion, students may find them particularly helpful.

  • Your Favorite Book
  • A Memorable Vacation
  • The Importance of Education
  • The Impact of Social Media
  • The Benefits of Exercise
  • The Value of Friendship
  • The Significance of Family
  • The Role of Technology in Our Lives
  • The Importance of Time Management
  • The Power of Positive Thinking
  • The Benefits of Volunteering
  • The Significance of Cultural Diversity
  • The Importance of Environmental Conservation
  • The Impact of Globalization
  • The Value of Lifelong Learning

These speech topics cover a wide range of subjects, from personal experiences to societal issues. They’re designed to get you thinking critically and speaking passionately. Whether you’re giving a minute speech or a longer presentation, these topics are sure to engage your audience and showcase your speaking skills.

Persuasive Impromptu Speech Topics

If you’re looking to flex your persuasive muscles, impromptu speech topics that require you to take a stand can be a great way to do it. These topics often revolve around current events, social issues, or ethical dilemmas that don’t have a clear-cut answer.

The key to nailing a persuasive impromptu speech is to quickly identify your main argument and a few key points to support it. You don’t have time to get into the nitty-gritty details, so focus on making a clear, compelling case for your position. Below, we have a few persuasive speech topics to get you started.

Should the Minimum Wage Be Raised?

The minimum wage debate has been raging for years, with passionate arguments on both sides. Those in favor argue that a higher minimum wage is necessary to provide a living wage and combat poverty, while opponents claim it will lead to job losses and hurt small businesses.

Do Video Games Contribute to Youth Violence?

With mass shootings and other acts of violence often linked to video games in the media, this topic is sure to spark a lively debate. Proponents argue that violent games desensitize players to real-world violence, while others point out that millions play without incident and that other factors are more significant.

Is Climate Change the Biggest Concern for the Human Race?

Climate change is an existential threat that affects every corner of the globe, but is it truly the biggest challenge we face? A compelling speech could argue that other issues like poverty, disease, or conflict pose a more immediate danger, or that climate change exacerbates all of these problems.

Should People Stop Eating Meat?

The ethics and environmental impact of eating meat have come under increased scrutiny in recent years. Animal rights activists argue that the meat industry is cruel and inhumane, while environmentalists point to its massive carbon footprint. On the other hand, meat is a staple of many diets and a significant part of the global economy.

Funny Impromptu Speech Topics to Engage Your Audience

Sometimes, the best way to win over an audience is with a little humor. Funny impromptu speech topics give you a chance to show off your wit and creativity while still delivering a message. Just be careful not to rely too heavily on jokes or sacrifice substance for the sake of a laugh.

When tackling a funny topic, it’s important to know your audience and tailor your humor accordingly . What cracks up a room of college students might fall flat with a more professional crowd. And always punch up, not down. In other words, avoid jokes that punch down on marginalized groups or individuals.

If You Could Be Any Animal, What Would You Be and Why?

This whimsical topic lets you explore the traits and abilities of different animals while injecting some personal flair. Would you be a majestic eagle soaring above the clouds, or a loyal dog always ready for belly rubs? The key is to tie your choice back to your own personality and values.

The Funniest Thing That Ever Happened to You

Personal anecdotes are a great way to connect with your audience, and a funny story from your own life can be comedy gold. Just make sure it has a clear point and doesn’t veer too far into inside joke territory. And if you can tie it back to a larger theme or lesson, even better.

Your Favorite Meal and Why It’s the Best

Food is a universal language, and waxing poetic about your favorite dish can be a great way to get the audience’s mouths watering. Whether it’s your grandma’s secret recipe or a guilty fast food pleasure, describe it in loving detail and explain why it holds a special place in your heart.

Informative Impromptu Speech Topics

Not every impromptu speech has to take a strong stance or crack jokes. Sometimes, the goal is simply to educate the audience about a particular topic in a clear, engaging way. Informative impromptu speech topics can span a wide range of subjects, from history and science to culture and the arts.

The challenge with an informative speech is to distill complex information into a concise, easy-to-follow format. Stick to the key points and use analogies or examples to make abstract concepts more relatable. And don’t be afraid to show your own enthusiasm for the topic. After all, if you find it fascinating, chances are your audience will too.

The History and Significance of a Particular Social Custom

Social customs vary widely across cultures and time periods, and exploring the origins and meaning behind them can be a fascinating exercise. From ancient rituals to modern-day traditions, there’s no shortage of material to work with. Just be sure to approach the topic with sensitivity and respect for different cultural practices.

The Causes and Effects of a Natural Occurrence

Nature is full of awe-inspiring phenomena, from volcanic eruptions to animal migrations. An informative speech could delve into the science behind a particular natural occurrence, exploring how it happens and what impact it has on the environment and human society. Bonus points for using vivid imagery to transport the audience to the scene.

The Relationship Between Poor Health and Lifestyle Choices

We all know that poor health can be linked to factors like diet, exercise, and stress, but an informative speech could explore these connections in more depth. What specific lifestyle choices have the biggest impact on health outcomes? How do socioeconomic factors play a role? By presenting the latest research and expert insights, you can empower your audience to make more informed decisions about their own well-being.

Impromptu Speech Topics for Debates and Discussions

Impromptu speaking is a crucial skill to have, whether you’re in a classroom debate, a business meeting, or a social gathering. Being able to articulate your thoughts clearly and persuasively on the spot can give you a significant advantage in many situations. But what kind of topics lend themselves well to impromptu debates and discussions?

The best impromptu speech topics are typically those that are thought-provoking, timely, and open to multiple perspectives. They should be complex enough to generate substantive discussion, but not so niche or technical that they exclude people who aren’t experts in the field.

Do Team Sports Build Strong Individuals?

One great example of an impromptu speech topic is the question of whether team sports build strong individuals. This topic touches on issues of personal development, collaboration, and the role of athletics in society. It’s a question that most people will have some opinion on, regardless of their background.

On one side, you could argue that team sports teach valuable lessons about cooperation, communication, and resilience. Athletes learn to work together towards a common goal, to support their teammates, and to bounce back from setbacks. These skills can translate into other areas of life, from the workplace to personal relationships.

On the other hand, you could argue that the intense focus on competition and winning in team sports can sometimes undermine individual growth. Athletes may feel pressure to conform to the team’s norms and expectations, even if it means sacrificing their own interests or well-being. The “win at all costs” mentality can also foster unhealthy habits and attitudes.

Is Technology Making Us More Connected or More Isolated?

Another thought-provoking impromptu speech topic is the impact of technology on human connection. In an age of smartphones, social media, and constant digital communication, are we becoming more connected to each other or more isolated?

You could argue that technology has made it easier than ever to stay in touch with friends and family, to meet new people who share our interests, and to access a wealth of information and ideas. Additionally, social media platforms allow us to maintain relationships across great distances and to engage with communities we might never encounter in person.

At the same time, however, there’s a case to be made that our reliance on digital communication is eroding our ability to connect on a deeper level. When we interact primarily through screens, we may miss out on the nuances of face-to-face conversation, the warmth of physical touch, and the shared experiences that bond us together. There’s also the risk of becoming addicted to the constant stimulation and validation of likes and comments, to the detriment of our mental health and offline relationships.

Should Public Education Be Free for All?

Education is another fertile ground for impromptu speech topics, as it intersects with issues of equity, opportunity, and social mobility. The question of whether public education should be free for all is one that sparks lively debate.

Proponents of free public education argue that it’s a fundamental right and a necessary investment in the future of society. By providing every child with access to quality education, regardless of their family’s income, we create a more level playing field and enable more people to reach their full potential. This, in turn, benefits the economy and the civic health of the nation.

Critics, however, point out that “free” education is never truly free—it’s paid for by taxpayers. They argue that a market-driven education system, with more choice and competition, would be more efficient and effective. There are also questions about the quality and consistency of public education, and whether it’s adequately preparing students for the demands of the modern world.

These are just a few examples of the many impromptu speech topics that can spark engaging, substantive discussions. Whether you’re exploring social issues, current events, or philosophical questions, the key is to choose topics that invite multiple perspectives and touch on broader themes that resonate with your audience. With the right topic and a willingness to think on your feet, you can turn any impromptu speaking opportunity into a chance to learn, grow, and make your voice heard.

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Strategies for Succeeding at Impromptu Public Speaking

Impromptu speeches can be nerve-wracking, especially if you’re not used to thinking on your feet. However, with a few key strategies, you can learn to embrace the challenge and deliver a powerful speech, even with minimal preparation time.

The first step? Focus on your key points. You don’t have time to get into the weeds, so zero in on the most important things you want to say. Think about your main argument and the evidence that supports it. If you can clearly articulate these, you’re already halfway there.

Embrace the Challenge

Impromptu speaking is a chance to show off your ability to think quickly and communicate effectively under pressure. Instead of dreading it, try to embrace the opportunity to hone these valuable skills. The more you practice impromptu speaking, the more comfortable and confident you’ll become.

One way to make impromptu speaking less daunting is to have a few go-to structures in mind. For example, you might use the classic “past, present, future” format, where you describe how something has evolved over time and where it might be headed. Or you could use the “problem, cause, solution” approach to break down a complex issue. Having these frameworks at the ready can help you quickly organize your thoughts. The best part is, both of these structures can be easily paired with a variety of impromptu speech topics.

Use a Clear Structure

Even with limited time to prepare, you can still give your impromptu speech a clear beginning, middle, and end. Start with a strong opening that grabs your audience’s attention and lays out your main point. Then, use the body of your speech to present your supporting evidence and arguments. Finally, wrap things up with a conclusion that drives home your message and leaves a lasting impression.

Using transitions between your main points can also help create a logical flow. Phrases like “however,” “in addition,” or “in contrast” signal to your audience that you’re moving on to a new idea. And don’t forget the power of a well-placed pause. Taking a moment to gather your thoughts can help you stay focused and composed.

Practice Active Listening

If your impromptu speech is part of a larger discussion or debate, active listening is key. Pay close attention to what others are saying and look for opportunities to respond or build on their points. This shows that you’re engaged in the conversation and can think critically about the topic at hand.

Asking questions can also be a useful strategy. If you’re unsure about something or need a moment to collect your thoughts, pose a question to the group. This buys you some time while also demonstrating your interest and engagement.

Manage Your Time Effectively

When you’re speaking off the cuff, it’s easy to lose track of time. But going over your allotted speaking time is a surefire way to lose your audience’s attention. To avoid this, practice managing your speaking anxiety and pacing yourself effectively.

One technique is to have a rough idea of how long you want to spend on each part of your speech. For example, you might dedicate 30 seconds to your introduction, 2-3 minutes to your main points, and 30 seconds to your conclusion. It also helps to keep an eye on the clock or have someone give you a signal when you’re nearing the end of your time.

Remember, the goal is not to cram in as much information as possible, but to communicate your key points clearly and concisely. If you find yourself running out of time, it’s better to cut some of your supporting evidence than to rush through your conclusion.

With practice and persistence, anyone can become a skilled impromptu speaker. By embracing the challenge, focusing on your key points, using a clear structure, practicing active listening, and managing your time effectively, you’ll be well on your way to delivering engaging, persuasive speeches. And that holds true no matter how much (or little) preparation time you have.

FAQs on Impromptu Speech Topics

Which topic is best for 1 minute speech.

Pick a topic you know well. For instance, a topic like “The Importance of Staying Hydrated” works great because it’s straightforward and relatable.

What is a random topic for impromptu speech?

“If I Ruled the World for a Day” lets your imagination run wild and engages listeners with creative ideas.

What is a good impromptu speech?

A strong one grabs attention, makes folks think, and wraps up neatly. Think clear, concise, and compelling.

What are examples of impromptu speeches?

“Benefits of Daily Exercise,” “Impact of Social Media on Teens,” or “Why Laughter Really Is the Best Medicine.”

And there you have it—plenty of engaging impromptu speech topics to add to your public speaking toolkit. Remember, the key to acing an impromptu speech is to choose a topic that resonates with you and your audience. Draw from your personal experiences, keep it simple, and practice quick thinking. With these topics in your back pocket and a little bit of practice, you’ll be delivering impromptu speeches with confidence in no time. So go forth and speak your mind—you’ve got this!

  • Last Updated: July 3, 2024

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215 Persuasive Speech Topics to Elevate Your Talk

Persuasive speech topics are the heartbeat of every compelling presentation. They’re the first sparks that ignite the flames of passion, belief, and action in your audience.

The right topic ensures your voice doesn’t just add to the noise, but pierces through it, making a lasting impact.

But not all topics are created equal. Some have the magic to captivate, to make listeners lean in, eager for your every word. Others might fall flat, no matter how eloquently you present them.

Selecting the perfect topic isn’t just a step in the process—it’s the foundation.

As we venture into a curated list of 150 powerful topics today, remember that your choice has the potential to change perspectives, inspire action, and even transform lives.

What is a persuasive speech?

A persuasive speech is a type of discourse aimed at influencing the beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors of an audience by presenting compelling arguments and evidence. It seeks to convince listeners to adopt a particular viewpoint or take a specific action.

Why Choose Persuasive Speech Topics

When crafting a speech to persuade, selecting the appropriate topic is not just the first step but the most crucial one. It’s the foundation upon which the entire structure of your argument is built. Here’s why:

Audience Connection . The right topic resonates with your audience. It speaks to their interests, concerns, or desires. A topic that aligns with their values or challenges their beliefs will hold their attention more effectively.

Credibility and Authenticity . Choosing a topic you are passionate and knowledgeable about establishes your credibility. An authentic voice, backed by facts and genuine concern, is more persuasive than mere rhetoric.

Structured Arguments . A well-chosen topic lends itself to clear, organized arguments. It allows for a logical progression of ideas, ensuring your speech is coherent and compelling from start to finish.

Memorability . The best speeches leave a lasting impression. When you choose a topic that’s timely, relevant, or thought-provoking, your audience is more likely to remember your message long after the applause.

Effective Call to Action . Your end goal is to persuade your audience to act or think differently. A clear, relatable topic sets the stage for a powerful call to action, motivating your listeners to respond with enthusiasm.

The topic is the soul of your speech to persuade. A well-chosen topic not only captivates your audience but also strengthens the impact and longevity of your message.

How to Choose Persuasive Speech Topics

Embarking on the journey of delivering a speech to persuade? It all begins with choosing the perfect topic. But how do you sift through countless ideas to find that golden nugget? Here’s a guide:

Know Your Audience , Understanding who you’re speaking to is paramount. Consider their age, background, interests, and values. A topic that resonates with one group might fall flat with another. Tailor your choice to captivate your listeners.

Passion and Knowledge . Choose a topic you’re passionate about and have knowledge on. Your enthusiasm will shine through, making your speech more engaging. Plus, a deep understanding boosts your credibility.

Relevance and Timeliness . In a rapidly changing world, current issues capture attention. Whether it’s the latest technological advancement or a hot-button social issue, timeliness can make your speech instantly relevant.

Debatable and Thought-Provoking . A good persuasive speech topic has multiple facets and isn’t black and white. It should spark discussion, encouraging your audience to think and form opinions.

Feasibility of Research . Ensure that your chosen topic has enough resources and data available. Your arguments need to be backed by facts, statistics, and credible sources to strengthen your stance.

Ethical Considerations . Always approach potentially sensitive topics with care. Your aim should be to inform and persuade without causing unnecessary distress or offense.

Unique Perspective . While some topics might be popular, offering a fresh, unique perspective can set your speech apart. Consider angles that haven’t been explored extensively to offer a fresh take.

Selecting the right persuasive speech topic isn’t just about what’s popular or interesting. It’s about merging your passion with your audience’s interests, ensuring that your message not only informs but truly persuades.

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Persuasive Speech Topics

Navigating the sea of potential speech topics can be challenging. But when it comes to persuasive speech topics, certain areas never fail to captivate and engage. Below are a few selected categories and accompanying topics, followed by strategies on how to effectively tackle them.

You can also find links to sample articles or speeches that address this topic.

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Home — Blog — Topic Ideas — 130 Inspiring Persuasive Speech Topics For Students

130 Inspiring Persuasive Speech Topics For Students

persuasive speech topics

Definition of the Persuasive Speech 

Before you explore various persuasive speech topics , let's take a quick look at the definition and learn what a persuasive speech is and how it can be identified in writing. As the title implies, a persuasive speech represents a type of speech that aims to persuade a person to believe in a certain concept or a notion. In some instances, a persuasive speech contains a call to action. A persuasive speech topic may deal with professional challenges, world events, and debates that can be political, commercial, legislative, or educational. Depending on what you study or research, the choices are basically unlimited! Therefore, let your inspiration run free, and ensure that you have at least one statement or argument that poses the ground for persuasion. Choose a certain idea, take a note about your take, and make it clear as you choose a competitive persuasive topic. 

How to Compose an Excellent Persuasive Speech? 

Regardless of what persuasive essay topics you may choose, specific structure rules will help you to achieve success and avoid confusion as you shape your ideas and make your speech inspiring and clear. Here are the main points to consider: 

  • Choose a topic that inspires you and reflects your research objectives. 
  • Narrow things down and do your best to define the goal of your speech. 
  • Study your target audience and check whether your persuasive speech addresses their concerns. 
  • Continue with the thesis statement representing your opinion or a certain notion. 
  • Create an outline for your speech with the hook sentence in the introduction. 
  • Provide facts from both sides of the debate. 
  • Include at least three pieces of evidence for your writing. 
  • Make a call to action in conclusion and repeat the main points. 
  • Edit your speech for repetitions and grammar mistakes. 
  • Proofread your speech aloud and check the readability factor twice. 

List of Persuasive Speech Topics 

Below is the list of 130 competitive persuasive speech essay topics you can use for brainstorming purposes as a speaker . Play with the wording of these persuasive speech examples , narrow things down, and choose the category that looks most suitable. 

Persuasive Speech Topics for College

Here are some persuasive speech topics college style that you will find helpful: 

  • College education should be made free or funded based on academic merits. 
  • The problems of college debt are artificial and can be resolved. 
  • The secret to college popularity: why fashion still matters in 2023? 
  • The colleges represent the best ground for social movements. 
  • Social media use among college students can benefit their studies. 
  • College safety should be increased, and the parties must have stricter control. 
  • American colleges are better than most European institutions regarding career chances. 
  • Hybrid form of learning is the future of college education. 
  • College bullying and the reasons why the cases of harassment are rarely reported. 
  • The best ways to overcome college depression and anxiety. 

Persuasive Speech About Art, Media, and Culture

Dealing with persuasive speech ideas , consider the field of art, media, and culture as one of the branches of science worth exploring. Here are some starting points worth checking: 

  • Modern metal music has roots in the blues and classical music creations. 
  • The older generation sometimes pays attention to the music we like. 
  • Why do college bands remain popular? 
  • The use of art exhibitions in colleges should be obligatory. 
  • The cultural aspect of baseball popularity’s decline in the United States. 
  • The wrong perception of wearing a hoodie: the cultural factor and misconceptions. 
  • The use of social media helps to keep people alert to environmental issues. 
  • Instagram influencers should not be considered journalists. 
  • Video game culture should be considered a separate cultural trend. 
  • Neuroscience and using artificial intelligence to write music will eliminate creativity. 

Persuasive Speech About the Economy and Work

Now, if you are majoring in Business Management, studying the Economy, or working in the Financial sector, the following persuasive speech ideas will be quite helpful in keeping you inspired as you overcome initial confusion: 

  • The concept of third-world countries is outdated and must be eliminated. 
  • Cryptocurrencies are damaging to the American economy. 
  • The phenomenon of economic wonder in Iceland is only possible because of the limited population. 
  • Economic education must be an obligatory part of each academic curriculum. 
  • Economic disparity in Afghanistan is caused by the current gender policies. 
  • Workflow issues can be eliminated with the help of LMS platforms. 
  • The challenges of employment in the United States during the pandemic could have been eliminated. 
  • Most social campaigns these days are driven by the funds provided. 
  • There is a man in the middle in every economic executive plan in business. 
  • What are the pros and cons of digital accounting systems, or why are pros speaking against them?

Persuasive Speech About Education

The problems encountered in education always remain a subject of heated debates as education poses a serious concern not among current learners and educators and everyone out there. Check these helpful topic ideas: 

  • ADHD is an overhyped problem and can be addressed with the help of stricter discipline. 
  • Dealing with PTSD and military veterans can be approached with the help of music education. 
  • AI-based tools will never replace the physical teacher in the classroom. 
  • Pandemic situation has shown us that virtual classrooms take away the sense of belonging. 
  • Smartboards as the solution for shy primary school students. 
  • The reasons why there is a negative bias concerning community colleges. 
  • Why should you choose a Christian college for your education? 
  • Handwriting is still an important skill that should not be ignored. 
  • The pros and cons of the Waldorf schools education system. 
  • Augmented Reality is a dangerous concept for middle schools. 
  • The benefits of gamification in the development of cognitive skills. 
  • The mechanisms that should be used for reporting teacher-student abuse. 
  • The problem of gun control in the classrooms: do teachers have a right to carry a gun? 
  • The racial prejudice in the business management schools in the USA: why it's still a problem.
  • Colleges in the United States should offer free mental coaching sessions. 
  • The reasons why every student should consider becoming an app developer. 
  • The subjects that should be added to a modern college education. 
  • The practice of exchange students leads to a lack of adjustability in the native country. 
  • Females represent better specialists in the cyber security field. 
  • The phenomenon of college athletes: why should they be treated just like anyone else? 

Mental Health Persuasive Speech Topics

Dealing with mental health subjects is quite complex. If you are majoring in Healthcare and Psychology, you must remember to be respectful and sensitive as you make your choice and portray a viewpoint : 

  • Why is depression often overlooked as a serious mental health problem? 
  • Social media addiction leads to negative body image issues and wrong perceptions. 
  • The phenomenon of bloggers creates a false impression of instant success. 
  • Childhood abuse recovery: why do the survivors often keep silent?
  • Schools and colleges in the United States must introduce strict mental health screening. 
  • The negative effect of violent media games on children. 
  • British medical ethics versus American perception of mental health. 
  • LGBT movement and dealing with mental health issues is a unique concept worth exploring. 
  • YouTube mental health courses as a free alternative to commercial offerings. 
  • Armed conflicts lead to prolonged mental health issues in the future. 

Business Persuasive Speech Topics

Business marketing and business management also represent a popular field of science for composing an excellent persuasive speech essay. Just take a look at these example ideas : 

  • Why is starting a business as a college student worth it in 2023? 
  • Digital marketing is always the problem of brand loyalty and switching. 
  • Social media and website localization: why should modern businesses implement the practice? 
  • Doing business in China: what are the cultural points worth considering? 
  • Why joining a free business course online will make you a better learner. 
  • The business aspect of the Black Lives Matter social movement. 
  • The male vs. female perception of a successful business in the IT sector. 
  • The use of virtual reality tools to study the target market: a fashion case study. 
  • British versus American understanding of corporate ethics. 
  • Politics have no place in the retail business. 

Medical Persuasive Speech Topics

The medical and nursing students will find these persuasive speech ideas quite helpful and interesting : 

  • The problems of the NHS system in the United Kingdom.  
  • The pros and cons of the ObamaCare healthcare campaign. 
  • What are the best methods to overcome professional burnout for nursing personnel? 
  • The most common challenges of the ER nursing department: ethics vs. personal safety. 
  • The readiness for the future risks: analysis of the pandemic threats. 
  • Covid-19 has helped to make our world a safer place. 
  • Why should medical volunteering be developed in 2023?
  • Technology is not always helpful if it's not accessible in remote areas. 
  • Dealing with religious beliefs when offering medical help. 
  • The limitations when reporting suspected abuse: why the changes must be introduced? 

Scientific Persuasive Speech Topics

In case you want to choose something complex and scientific, these ten persuasive speech topic offerings will help to keep you inspired: 

  • Augmented Reality tools usage will help people with learning disabilities learn. 
  • The link between the vaccination risks and the cases of autism among children. 
  • The psychological aspect of using painkillers and the damage to the person's system. 
  • Exploration of nuclear Physics remains useless for most people today. 
  • The negative side of the Green Energy transformation. 
  • Politics should have no place in the scientific community. 
  • An ethical aspect of genetically modified foods is ignored because of the lower costs. 
  • The scientific benefits of uniting physically challenged students with healthy learners. 
  • The positive effect of blues music on the human brain: the cardio wave effect. 
  • Social media changes how communication takes things to another level. 

Sports Persuasive Speech Topics

If you are a college athlete or majoring in the field of Sports Coaching and Recreational Medicine, you should consider checking these ten persuasive speech subjects that we have chosen for you: 

  • The best ways to manage stress when you become enrolled as a college athlete. 
  • Playing sports in college helps to eliminate depression and anxiety risks. 
  • College sports must be an obligatory part of the curriculum without grading. 
  • The history of college basketball in the United States helped to shape numerous subcultures. 
  • The social aspect of sports and communication among middle school and primary school learners. 
  • The use of sports to challenge substance abuse in the workplace. 
  • Why does politics have no place in sports, and why should athletes be allowed to compete? 
  • Tennis represents one of the best sports to help people maintain cardiovascular health. 
  • Why should playing golf be made more accessible for people with low income? 
  • Playing sports in college helps to address weight gain issues and improve a person's mood.

Family Persuasive Speech Topics

You can also approach the subject of family relations or talk about the values important to you. Check out these ten ideas below: 

  • The values of the methodist church in the United States and their perception of family.  
  • Stay Together For The Kids tour or how alternative rock bands contribute to family values. 
  • The perception of family times during the Victorian Era. 
  • Why is social media changing how children perceive their parents and grandparents? 
  • Resolution of family conflicts can be resolved with the help of mediation techniques. 
  • The psychology of domestic abuse in the Middle East: why are cultural points not likely to change? 
  • The practice of boarding schools in the United Kingdom and overcoming homesickness. 
  • The challenges of becoming independent when leaving home for college are overrated. 
  • Family problems or growing up in a broken home should not be considered a reason for stigmatization. 
  • The American Dream concept is still relevant for the majority of American families.

Persuasive Speech About Politics and Society

Dealing with politics and society may sound easy, yet it often asks you to narrow things down and provide data from both sides of the debate to keep your position clear. See how it's done in the ten political persuasive speech ideas below: 

  • The concept of the Cold War is more relevant for our times than ever. 
  • Celebrities should not become involved in political campaigns and stay true to the art.
  • Most American television networks are run by private funds and offer biased information. 
  • The phenomenon of West-Coast and East-Coast politics in the United States is artificial. 
  • Politics and church should not mix, and why religion should not become a part of the conflict.
  • Racial prejudice in the United States is rooted in wrong politics. 
  • The cultural perception of Canada by an average American is often incorrect. 
  • Marijuana use should be banned as a society cannot control it adequately. 
  • School students should be allowed to vote, starting at 13 years old. 
  • The use of political agendas in colleges should be banned.

Government Persuasive Speech Topics

Now, some students will seek something related to governmental studies or legislation as a way to create their persuasive speech essays. As a way to help you out, here are the subjects for speeches you can start with: 

  • The U.S. government should raise the age limit for the use of alcohol and tobacco. 
  • The controversies related to the military budget of the United States should be turned into a public discussion. 
  • The concept of political immunity and diplomacy should be eliminated as it takes responsibility away. 
  • The government should decrease immigration to the United States. 
  • Politicians should have an obligatory education related to Law and Political Sciences. 
  • Famous media personalities should approach the external politics of the United States. 
  • Governmental support and the problem of cheating with college scholarships. 
  • The problem of racial prejudice could be eliminated with the help of a different political agenda. 
  • The concept of luxury taxing should not be obligatory for celebrities if they participate in charity campaigns. 
  • The reasons why children should learn Political Science and government structure in school.

Discover Thousands of Free Essay Samples! 

Getting your persuasive speech done can be quite challenging, so we have created a list of new topics you may consider. Still, you should see the actual essay examples, which we are happy to offer! Depending on the subject you would like to explore in greater depth for your persuasive speech (or any other purpose!), you can always refer to our free database, where you can find amazing essays and topics.

Our website offers thousands of topics that keywords or subjects can check. These represent essays you can use for inspirational purposes as you compose your persuasive speech. If you are unsure about something , you can always get in touch with our team, and we shall happily direct you toward something that fits your academic objectives.

Read your grading rubric twice, or hit us up with your questions! You must be inspired by what you choose because it is the only way to persuade others. Make sure to clarify your point and convince your target audience that your thoughts and ideas are worth checking and following!

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40 Strong Persuasive Writing Examples (Essays, Speeches, Ads, and More)

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The American Crisis historical article, as an instance of persuasive essay examples

The more we read, the better writers we become. Teaching students to write strong persuasive essays should always start with reading some top-notch models. This round-up of persuasive writing examples includes famous speeches, influential ad campaigns, contemporary reviews of famous books, and more. Use them to inspire your students to write their own essays. (Need persuasive essay topics? Check out our list of interesting persuasive essay ideas here! )

  • Persuasive Essays
  • Persuasive Speeches
  • Advertising Campaigns

Persuasive Essay Writing Examples

First paragraph of Thomas Paine's The American Crisis

From the earliest days of print, authors have used persuasive essays to try to sway others to their own point of view. Check out these top persuasive essay writing examples.

Professions for Women by Virginia Woolf

Sample lines: “Outwardly, what is simpler than to write books? Outwardly, what obstacles are there for a woman rather than for a man? Inwardly, I think, the case is very different; she has still many ghosts to fight, many prejudices to overcome. Indeed it will be a long time still, I think, before a woman can sit down to write a book without finding a phantom to be slain, a rock to be dashed against. And if this is so in literature, the freest of all professions for women, how is it in the new professions which you are now for the first time entering?”

The Crisis by Thomas Paine

Sample lines: “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value.”

Politics and the English Language by George Orwell

Sample lines: “As I have tried to show, modern writing at its worst does not consist in picking out words for the sake of their meaning and inventing images in order to make the meaning clearer. It consists in gumming together long strips of words which have already been set in order by someone else, and making the results presentable by sheer humbug.”

Letter From a Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Sample lines: “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct action campaign that was ‘well timed’ in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word ‘Wait!’ It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This ‘Wait’ has almost always meant ‘Never.’ We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that ‘justice too long delayed is justice denied.'”

Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau

Sample lines: “Even voting for the right is doing nothing for it. It is only expressing to men feebly your desire that it should prevail. A wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance, nor wish it to prevail through the power of the majority. There is but little virtue in the action of masses of men.”

Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Roger Ebert

Sample lines: “‘Kindness’ covers all of my political beliefs. No need to spell them out. I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime.”

The Way to Wealth by Benjamin Franklin

Sample lines: “Methinks I hear some of you say, must a man afford himself no leisure? I will tell thee, my friend, what Poor Richard says, employ thy time well if thou meanest to gain leisure; and, since thou art not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour. Leisure is time for doing something useful; this leisure the diligent man will obtain, but the lazy man never; so that, as Poor Richard says, a life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things.”

The Crack-Up by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Sample lines: “Of course all life is a process of breaking down, but the blows that do the dramatic side of the work—the big sudden blows that come, or seem to come, from outside—the ones you remember and blame things on and, in moments of weakness, tell your friends about, don’t show their effect all at once.”

Open Letter to the Kansas School Board by Bobby Henderson

Sample lines: “I am writing you with much concern after having read of your hearing to decide whether the alternative theory of Intelligent Design should be taught along with the theory of Evolution. … Let us remember that there are multiple theories of Intelligent Design. I and many others around the world are of the strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. … We feel strongly that the overwhelming scientific evidence pointing towards evolutionary processes is nothing but a coincidence, put in place by Him. It is for this reason that I’m writing you today, to formally request that this alternative theory be taught in your schools, along with the other two theories.”

Open Letter to the United Nations by Niels Bohr

Sample lines: “Humanity will, therefore, be confronted with dangers of unprecedented character unless, in due time, measures can be taken to forestall a disastrous competition in such formidable armaments and to establish an international control of the manufacture and use of the powerful materials.”

Persuasive Speech Writing Examples

Many persuasive speeches are political in nature, often addressing subjects like human rights. Here are some of history’s most well-known persuasive writing examples in the form of speeches.

I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Sample lines: “And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

Woodrow Wilson’s War Message to Congress, 1917

Sample lines: “There are, it may be, many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us. It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts—for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free.”

Chief Seattle’s 1854 Oration

Sample lines: “I here and now make this condition that we will not be denied the privilege without molestation of visiting at any time the tombs of our ancestors, friends, and children. Every part of this soil is sacred in the estimation of my people. Every hillside, every valley, every plain and grove, has been hallowed by some sad or happy event in days long vanished. Even the rocks, which seem to be dumb and dead as they swelter in the sun along the silent shore, thrill with memories of stirring events connected with the lives of my people, and the very dust upon which you now stand responds more lovingly to their footsteps than yours, because it is rich with the blood of our ancestors, and our bare feet are conscious of the sympathetic touch.”

Women’s Rights Are Human Rights, Hillary Rodham Clinton

Sample lines: “What we are learning around the world is that if women are healthy and educated, their families will flourish. If women are free from violence, their families will flourish. If women have a chance to work and earn as full and equal partners in society, their families will flourish. And when families flourish, communities and nations do as well. … If there is one message that echoes forth from this conference, let it be that human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights once and for all.”

I Am Prepared to Die, Nelson Mandela

Sample lines: “Above all, My Lord, we want equal political rights, because without them our disabilities will be permanent. I know this sounds revolutionary to the whites in this country, because the majority of voters will be Africans. This makes the white man fear democracy. But this fear cannot be allowed to stand in the way of the only solution which will guarantee racial harmony and freedom for all. It is not true that the enfranchisement of all will result in racial domination. Political division, based on color, is entirely artificial and, when it disappears, so will the domination of one color group by another. … This then is what the ANC is fighting. Our struggle is a truly national one. It is a struggle of the African people, inspired by our own suffering and our own experience. It is a struggle for the right to live.”

The Struggle for Human Rights by Eleanor Roosevelt

Sample lines: “It is my belief, and I am sure it is also yours, that the struggle for democracy and freedom is a critical struggle, for their preservation is essential to the great objective of the United Nations to maintain international peace and security. Among free men the end cannot justify the means. We know the patterns of totalitarianism—the single political party, the control of schools, press, radio, the arts, the sciences, and the church to support autocratic authority; these are the age-old patterns against which men have struggled for 3,000 years. These are the signs of reaction, retreat, and retrogression. The United Nations must hold fast to the heritage of freedom won by the struggle of its people; it must help us to pass it on to generations to come.”

Freedom From Fear by Aung San Suu Kyi

Sample lines: “Saints, it has been said, are the sinners who go on trying. So free men are the oppressed who go on trying and who in the process make themselves fit to bear the responsibilities and to uphold the disciplines which will maintain a free society. Among the basic freedoms to which men aspire that their lives might be full and uncramped, freedom from fear stands out as both a means and an end. A people who would build a nation in which strong, democratic institutions are firmly established as a guarantee against state-induced power must first learn to liberate their own minds from apathy and fear.”

Harvey Milk’s “The Hope” Speech

Sample lines: “Some people are satisfied. And some people are not. You see there is a major difference—and it remains a vital difference—between a friend and a gay person, a friend in office and a gay person in office. Gay people have been slandered nationwide. We’ve been tarred and we’ve been brushed with the picture of pornography. In Dade County, we were accused of child molestation. It is not enough anymore just to have friends represent us, no matter how good that friend may be.”

The Union and the Strike, Cesar Chavez

Sample lines: “We are showing our unity in our strike. Our strike is stopping the work in the fields; our strike is stopping ships that would carry grapes; our strike is stopping the trucks that would carry the grapes. Our strike will stop every way the grower makes money until we have a union contract that guarantees us a fair share of the money he makes from our work! We are a union and we are strong and we are striking to force the growers to respect our strength!”

Nobel Lecture by Malala Yousafzai

Sample lines: “The world can no longer accept that basic education is enough. Why do leaders accept that for children in developing countries, only basic literacy is sufficient, when their own children do homework in algebra, mathematics, science, and physics? Leaders must seize this opportunity to guarantee a free, quality, primary and secondary education for every child. Some will say this is impractical, or too expensive, or too hard. Or maybe even impossible. But it is time the world thinks bigger.”   

Persuasive Writing Examples in Advertising Campaigns

Ads are prime persuasive writing examples. You can flip open any magazine or watch TV for an hour or two to see sample after sample of persuasive language. Here are some of the most popular ad campaigns of all time, with links to articles explaining why they were so successful.

Nike: Just Do It

Nike

The iconic swoosh with the simple tagline has persuaded millions to buy their kicks from Nike and Nike alone. Teamed with pro sports-star endorsements, this campaign is one for the ages. Blinkist offers an opinion on what made it work.

Dove: Real Beauty

Beauty brand Dove changed the game by choosing “real” women to tell their stories instead of models. They used relatable images and language to make connections, and inspired other brands to try the same concept. Learn why Global Brands considers this one a true success story.

Wendy’s: Where’s the Beef?

Today’s kids are too young to remember the cranky old woman demanding to know where the beef was on her fast-food hamburger. But in the 1980s, it was a catchphrase that sold millions of Wendy’s burgers. Learn from Better Marketing how this ad campaign even found its way into the 1984 presidential debate.

De Beers: A Diamond Is Forever

Diamond engagement ring on black velvet. Text reads "How do you make two months' salary last forever? The Diamond Engagement Ring."

A diamond engagement ring has become a standard these days, but the tradition isn’t as old as you might think. In fact, it was De Beers jewelry company’s 1948 campaign that created the modern engagement ring trend. The Drum has the whole story of this sparkling campaign.

Volkswagen: Think Small

Americans have always loved big cars. So in the 1960s, when Volkswagen wanted to introduce their small cars to a bigger market, they had a problem. The clever “Think Small” campaign gave buyers clever reasons to consider these models, like “If you run out of gas, it’s easy to push.” Learn how advertisers interested American buyers in little cars at Visual Rhetoric.

American Express: Don’t Leave Home Without It

AmEx was once better known for traveler’s checks than credit cards, and the original slogan was “Don’t leave home without them.” A simple word change convinced travelers that American Express was the credit card they needed when they headed out on adventures. Discover more about this persuasive campaign from Medium.

Skittles: Taste the Rainbow

Bag of Skittles candy against a blue background. Text reads

These candy ads are weird and intriguing and probably not for everyone. But they definitely get you thinking, and that often leads to buying. Learn more about why these wacky ads are successful from The Drum.

Maybelline: Maybe She’s Born With It

Smart wordplay made this ad campaign slogan an instant hit. The ads teased, “Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline.” (So many literary devices all in one phrase!) Fashionista has more on this beauty campaign.

Coca-Cola: Share a Coke

Seeing their own name on a bottle made teens more likely to want to buy a Coke. What can that teach us about persuasive writing in general? It’s an interesting question to consider. Learn more about the “Share a Coke” campaign from Digital Vidya.

Always: #LikeaGirl

Always ad showing a young girl holding a softball. Text reads

Talk about the power of words! This Always campaign turned the derogatory phrase “like a girl” on its head, and the world embraced it. Storytelling is an important part of persuasive writing, and these ads really do it well. Medium has more on this stereotype-bashing campaign.   

Editorial Persuasive Writing Examples

Original newspaper editorial

Newspaper editors or publishers use editorials to share their personal opinions. Noted politicians, experts, or pundits may also offer their opinions on behalf of the editors or publishers. Here are a couple of older well-known editorials, along with a selection from current newspapers.

Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus (1897)

Sample lines: “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias.”

What’s the Matter With Kansas? (1896)

Sample lines: “Oh, this IS a state to be proud of! We are a people who can hold up our heads! What we need is not more money, but less capital, fewer white shirts and brains, fewer men with business judgment, and more of those fellows who boast that they are ‘just ordinary clodhoppers, but they know more in a minute about finance than John Sherman,’ we need more men … who hate prosperity, and who think, because a man believes in national honor, he is a tool of Wall Street.”

America Can Have Democracy or Political Violence. Not Both. (The New York Times)

Sample lines: “The nation is not powerless to stop a slide toward deadly chaos. If institutions and individuals do more to make it unacceptable in American public life, organized violence in the service of political objectives can still be pushed to the fringes. When a faction of one of the country’s two main political parties embraces extremism, that makes thwarting it both more difficult and more necessary. A well-functioning democracy demands it.”

The Booster Isn’t Perfect, But Still Can Help Against COVID (The Washington Post)

Sample lines: “The booster shots are still free, readily available and work better than the previous boosters even as the virus evolves. Much still needs to be done to build better vaccines that protect longer and against more variants, including those that might emerge in the future. But it is worth grabbing the booster that exists today, the jab being a small price for any measure that can help keep COVID at bay.”

If We Want Wildlife To Thrive in L.A., We Have To Share Our Neighborhoods With Them (Los Angeles Times)

Sample lines: “If there are no corridors for wildlife movement and if excessive excavation of dirt to build bigger, taller houses erodes the slope of a hillside, then we are slowly destroying wildlife habitat. For those people fretting about what this will do to their property values—isn’t open space, trees, and wildlife an amenity in these communities?”   

Persuasive Review Writing Examples

Image of first published New York Times Book Review

Book or movie reviews are more great persuasive writing examples. Look for those written by professionals for the strongest arguments and writing styles. Here are reviews of some popular books and movies by well-known critics to use as samples.

The Great Gatsby (The Chicago Tribune, 1925)

Sample lines: “What ails it, fundamentally, is the plain fact that it is simply a story—that Fitzgerald seems to be far more interested in maintaining its suspense than in getting under the skins of its people. It is not that they are false: It is that they are taken too much for granted. Only Gatsby himself genuinely lives and breathes. The rest are mere marionettes—often astonishingly lifelike, but nevertheless not quite alive.”

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (The Washington Post, 1999)

Sample lines: “Obviously, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone should make any modern 11-year-old a very happy reader. The novel moves quickly, packs in everything from a boa constrictor that winks to a melancholy Zen-spouting centaur to an owl postal system, and ends with a scary surprise. Yet it is, essentially, a light-hearted thriller, interrupted by occasional seriousness (the implications of Harry’s miserable childhood, a moral about the power of love).”

Twilight (The Telegraph, 2009)

Sample lines: “No secret, of course, at whom this book is aimed, and no doubt, either, that it has hit its mark. The four Twilight novels are not so much enjoyed, as devoured, by legions of young female fans worldwide. That’s not to say boys can’t enjoy these books; it’s just that the pages of heart-searching dialogue between Edward and Bella may prove too long on chat and too short on action for the average male reader.”

To Kill a Mockingbird (Time, 1960)

Sample lines: “Author Lee, 34, an Alabaman, has written her first novel with all of the tactile brilliance and none of the preciosity generally supposed to be standard swamp-warfare issue for Southern writers. The novel is an account of an awakening to good and evil, and a faint catechistic flavor may have been inevitable. But it is faint indeed; novelist Lee’s prose has an edge that cuts through cant, and she teaches the reader an astonishing number of useful truths about little girls and about Southern life.”

The Diary of Anne Frank (The New York Times, 1952)

Sample lines: “And this quality brings it home to any family in the world today. Just as the Franks lived in momentary fear of the Gestapo’s knock on their hidden door, so every family today lives in fear of the knock of war. Anne’s diary is a great affirmative answer to the life-question of today, for she shows how ordinary people, within this ordeal, consistently hold to the greater human values.”   

What are your favorite persuasive writing examples to use with students? Come share your ideas in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, the big list of essay topics for high school (120+ ideas) ..

Find strong persuasive writing examples to use for inspiration, including essays, speeches, advertisements, reviews, and more.

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What are some examples of persuasive speech?

Examples of Persuasive speech:

What is a good persuasive speech?

The most interesting, bold, and strongly held themes for persuasive speeches. You want to talk on a topic that you are informed about, can support with arguments, and on which you can address opposing views in an unbiased manner.

What are the 4 types of persuasive speeches?

Definitional, factual, policy-related, and value-related claims are the four types of frequent assertions.

Hence abovegiven is a correct answer.

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Related Questions

How many sentence should be included in a concluding paragraph? * 1-2 2-3 3-4 4-5

Answer: 4-5

Explanation: It doesn't need to be short though you are summarizing your main points. Remember to end strong!

What significant lesson you learned from the story Sinigang?

The story Sinigang is that everyone makes mistakes because we are all imperfect but that's not an excuse because we have a choice not to do it.

We all make mistakes that can hurt someone . It can be very difficult to forgive, especially if he/she has made a mistake that affects your entire life. But the only thing that makes your life peaceful is learning how to forgive. It means that you have to These are the lessons learned from the wonderful short story Sinigan.

Teach your readers how important it is to have a strong foundation among families especially Filipino families who have the same issues regarding history to respect be strong apologize and forgive. I will give it to you. The story takes place at Liza's house, where she and Tita plan her father's favorite dish, Loren Her Sinigang for her family's dinner.

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this is for everybody going through tough times believe me been there done that lyrics

The lyrics “This is for everybody going through tough times, believe me, been there done that” are a powerful reminder that no matter how difficult life gets, we can all find strength and comfort in the fact that others have gone through similar struggles and come out the other side.

When facing tough times, it can be easy to forget that we are not alone, and that there is hope for a brighter future . These lyrics are a reminder that we can look to others for guidance and inspiration, and that no one’s struggles are too great to overcome.

No matter what hardships we face, there is always someone else who has gone through a similar experience and come out the other side. We can draw strength from their stories and find comfort in the knowledge that we are not alone. We can learn from their mistakes and use their experiences to help guide us through our own difficult times. Knowing that others have been through a similar situation and come out the other side can be a powerful source of motivation and hope.

The words “Believe me, been there done that” also bring to mind the idea of resilience . Instead of giving in to despair and hopelessness, we can choose to stay strong and keep going even when the going gets tough. We can choose to remain positive, even in the face of adversity, and believe that things will eventually get better. This is a reminder that no matter how difficult life gets, we always have the power to choose to stay strong and keep pushing forward.

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Read this excerpt from the nuns priest take in the Chaucer Canterbury tales which sentence in the following description identifies the style used in this excerpt

The narrative form of the epic poetry is mocked in Chaucer's "The Nun's Priest's Tale" by using it to tell a tale about a beast.

The Nun's Priest's Tale Epilogue - The Host compares the Nun's Priest to a sparrow-hawk by pointing out his huge breast, powerful neck, and strong muscles. He cheerfully sends the Nun's Priest his best wishes.

The moral of the story, according to the Nun's Priest, is to never believe flatterers. In this kind of beast legend , the cunning fox usually triumphs over the rooster, but Chanticleer manages to outwit Russell by tricking the fox at his own game.

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What is the purpose of import quotas?

By limiting imports from foreign markets, the primary goal is to defend the domestic market against imports.

Import quotas are governmental limitations on the quantity of a certain commodity that may be brought into a country. These quotas are often set to protect domestic industries and vulnerable producers. Due to lower production costs abroad, imported items are frequently less expensive than domestically produced ones, and quotas prevent this from happening.

Some international businesses may purposefully work to drive local suppliers out of business by selling vast quantities of a product below cost and therefore controlling the whole domestic market. Quotas are often detrimental to consumers since they limit access to goods that are less expensive than local alternatives.

Governments must set quotas in order to protect national interests. Limitations that restrict the availability of specific goods will cause their prices to increase in accordance with the law of supply and demand.

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Is Cl2 a gas at STP?

At STP  the molar mass of chlorine gas which is 35.5g for each chlorine atom, and for chlorine gas, the molar mass will be 71g. Volume at STP id 22.4litres/mol.

Chlorine is a chemical element with the symbol Cl and atomic number 17. The second-lightest of the halogens, it appears between fluorine and bromine in the periodic table and its properties are mostly intermediate between them. Chlorine played an important role in the experiments conducted by medieval alchemists, which commonly involved the heating of chloride salts like ammonium chloride (sal ammoniac) and sodium chloride (common salt), producing various chemical substances containing chlorine such as hydrogen chloride, mercury(II) chloride (corrosive sublimate), and hydrochloric acid (in the form of aqua regia).

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What is the meaning of what is the meaning of India?

A republic in South Asia with 28 states and 8 union territories that was originally a British colony but attained independence in 1947. It joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1950 and is now a parliamentary republic.

India is not an acronym. As a result, it lacks a complete shape. South Asian country called India. It is the seventh-largest country in terms of both size and population. There is the largest democracy in the world. Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, and Bay of Bengal make up India's southern, southern-western, and southern-eastern boundaries, respectively.

India's name derives from the word Indus , which was turn derived from the classical Persian word Hindu from Sindhi Sanskrit. There is also a river by the name of Indus. The Greeks called the country on the other side of the Indus River Indoi . Later, India is substituted.

India doesn't have a complete form, however you can find some intriguing and humorous full forms of things like:

I: Independent

N: National

D: Democratic

I: Intelligent

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India's name derives from the word Indus , which was turn derived from the classical Persian word Hindu from Sindhi Sanskrit . There is also a river by the name of Indus. The Greeks called the country on the other side of the Indus River Indoi . Later, India is substituted.

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Who is the speaker in Mending Wall by Robert Frost?

"Mending Wall" is a poem that questions the necessity of building and maintaining walls. The verse's narrator is an unnamed person who lives in countryside, challenging the idea of ​​maintaining a wall that crumbles every year.

The main conflict in "Mending Wall" is between the speaker and his neighbor's objections. Speakers worry that the wall will prevent neighbors from interacting with each other. It is a voluntary barrier that only prevents neighbors from forming deeper relationships.

He grows apples and his neighbor grows pine trees. His neighbors say, "Good fences make good neighbors." The speaker is getting a little mischievous in the spring weather and wonders if he can get his neighbors to reconsider the wall.

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For what is Harry Patch most well known?

he survived last were soldier had to fought in the trenches of the First World War

Harry Patch of the Wells, Somerset, was the last surviving soldier to have fought in the trenches of the First World War. He was born at Combe Down, near Bath, in June 1898, and was called up in October 1916, serving as a private in the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry.

If necessary, rearrange the pieces below so that the sentence is in the active voice. Do not change the meaning or tense. Sunisa Lee's favorite comedian was seen by me. Your answer Sunisa Lee's favorite comedian was seen 00 by me. DO Drag any unnecessary words here. Dec 21 5:25

Answer: This one is hard. But this is my answer anyway:

I saw Sunisa Lee's favourite comedian.

Explanation:

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How doe the peeh "give me liberty or give me death"reflect the role of the individual in ociety?

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and five of the six other Virginians who would later sign the Declaration of Independence were in attendance that day. Historians say that Henry's “Liberty or Death” speech helped convince those in attendance to begin preparing Virginia troops for war against Great Britain.

This speech was given by Patrick Henry on March 23, 1775 , in response to interference of the Royal Navy brought in from the King's appointed Governor, Lord Dunmore. Mr. Henry was requesting that it was time for the Virginia colony to raise a militia in order to defend their right to freedom.

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Does forward slash MEAN AND or OR?

Forward Slash means or to indicate the word or that is used instead of some other word .

Forward Slash or / :

Often, when a slash is used in a formal or informal text, it is meant to indicate the word or .

A slash or slant or solidus or virgule / is used to indicate a choice between the words it separates.

College freshmen should bring a mattress and /or cot to sleep on during orientation .

If/when Mary ever shows up, we can all head out to the party together .

w/o = without

Each speaker will give a presentation on a topic of his/her choice.

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3. Establishing Audience Rapport Good speakers use a number of verbal and nonverbal techniques to connect with their listeners. You can build this rapport by including effective imagery in your speech, supplying verbal signposts, and using body language strategically. Our manager is a shark when it comes to the art of negotiation.

A variety of verbal and nonverbal strategies are used by effective presenters to engage their audiences. You can create this rapport by deliberately employing your body language, providing verbal cues, and using powerful imagery in your speech.

An analogy is a direct comparison of characteristics between objects that are ostensibly unrelated. Instead of utilising terms like "like," "as," or " is similar to," a metaphor simply states what it means. The front row of the crowd started laughing when I shook so severely during my first speech. 1 point out of 1 Explanation in Close.

Personal anecdote with metaphor

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Which statement best describes the main idea of the paragraph Wilson's war?

Our country will now not refuse involvement as a result of it cannot permit peace and freedom to be in danger, describes the main idea of the paragraph Wilson's War .

Charlie Wilson's War is a 2007 yank biographic comedy-drama film, supported the story of U.S. Congresswoman Charlie Wilson and CIA operative blast Avrakotos, whose efforts semiconductor diode to Operation Cyclone, a program to arrange and support the Afghan mujahidin throughout the Soviet–Afghan War (1979–1989) for peace and freedom .

The dark comedy 'War' is predicated on real events within the lifetime of Democratic American state congresswoman Charlie Wilson . It ends with Wilson failing to steer Congress to take a position absolutely in Afghanistan.

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How would this statement be written as a conditional in if/then form all triangles have three sides?

It is similar to saying "All triangles have three sides " to say "If a figure is a triangle, then it has three sides."

Expressions with Conditions

A conditional statement is one that includes both a hypothesis and a conclusion (also known as an If-Then Statement).The phrase "If this happens, then that will happen" is another method to define a conditional assertion .

The hypothesis is the first sentence, or "if," of a conditional statement . The conclusion is the second part of a conditional statement, sometimes known as the "then" part. The conclusion followed from the theory. Keep in mind that not all conditional statements follow the " if-then " structure.

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Read the passage. My mother has always said, "The sense of smell conjures the most vivid memories." My strongest sensory experiences come with memories of summers with my grandparents. The smell of tomato plants after the rain. Mint leaves crushed between my teeth. Fresh- picked strawberries over homemade, silky-smooth vanilla ice cream. Sweet summer corn drizzled with melted butter and fragrant garlic. Mark this and return Which statement best describes the use of grammar as an element of style in this passage? O The author uses several run-on sentences. O The author uses a direct quotation. O The author uses several sentence fragments. O The author uses parallel sentence structure.

Based on the given passage, it is stated that the author's mother has always said, "The sense of smell conjures the most vivid memories." My strongest sensory experiences come with memories of summers with my grandparents". the statement that best describes the use of grammar as an element of style in this passage is C. The author uses several sentence fragments.

This refers to the term that is used to describe and define the type of sentence that does not have its main verb or subject and there are different sentence fragments used in the text such as: "The smell of tomato plants after the rain", etc

Hence, it can be seen that the element of style that the author employs relies on the use of sentence fragments which does not form a complete thought on its own, but the author uses several to communicate her connections with smells.

The answer is option C.

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How does Emma Watson use ethos?

When Emma Watson drew on her personal experiences, she did so use ethos to make her stories more compelling to the audiences.

Emma Watson is best recognized for her part in the Harry Potter movies, but in the fall of 2014, she gained notoriety as the face of the HeForShe movement . In his speech at the UN , Watson stressed the significance of involving males in the fight for gender equality. In this address, Watson calls on males to join the battle for a feminist society and areclaim feminism .

The foundation of ethos, the first kind of rhetoric , is the speaker's authority. Watson draws on her own childhood experiences when, at the age of eight, she abruptly encountered gendered prejudices . She claims that all of a sudden, she started getting the nickname "bossy" because she insisted on being in charge of the plays we performed for our parents while the boys did not. She keeps building on her own experiences as she approaches adolescence and observes more overt and covert effects of gender discrimination.

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Why are communicative strategies important to students like you?

Through internal and external communications, a communication plan makes sure that crucial information reaches the appropriate individuals. To improve staff productivity , it's critical that everyone be on the same page.

Information is exchanged between a sender and a recipient during communication. In the past, your sole communication concerns were how you expressed yourself verbally or in writing. This has been fundamentally altered by technology . It's crucial to take into account all facets of information sharing. Strategies for communicating become important in this situation. An outline on how to disseminate this information is a communication plan. The primary visual indicators used in nonverbal communication are tone of voice, the physical distance between communicators , and facial expressions. Most of the time, these notifications are unintended. But it's crucial to be conscious of the message you're conveying .

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do ordain and establish this constitution for the united states of america. meaning

Do ordain and establish this constitution for the united states of america. The right response is B.To describe the goal of the writers in creating the Constitution.

The people of the United States agreed to create the constitution in order to create a more perfect Union and to establish peace and order, according to the quotation from the constitution that is provided.The simplest way to explain the paragraph's purpose is to outline the authors' intent when they wrote the constitution.

complete question :

Do ordain and establish this constitution for the united states of america. meaning choice the answer

A) To explain why the United States wanted to

declare independence from Britain

B) To describe the goal of the writers in creating

the Constitution

C) To explain which rights the Constitution will

D) To describe who is responsible for writing the

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What are the 3 uses of infinitives?

The verb form known as an infinitive can be employed as a noun, adjective, or adverb.

A verbal that functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb is known as an infinitive . It is composed of the word to plus a verb (in its most basic "stem" form ). An infinitive, like the other two types of verbals, is based on a verb and hence communicates action or a state of being, as indicated by the term "verbal." The infinitive, however, can be used in a sentence as a subject, direct object, subject complement, adjective, or adverb. Although the to + verb form makes it simple to identify an infinitive, it can occasionally be unclear what purpose it serves in a statement.

A verb's fundamental form and the word to make up an infinitive, which can be used as a noun, adjective, or adverb. The 3 categories of infinitives are discussed here.

The subject of a sentence can be an infinitive. For instance, "to go" is the action that motivates the statement in "To go, even after all that hardship, didn't seem worthwhile anymore."

2. Direct Object .

"To see" is the direct object, or noun substitution, in the sentence "We all want to see," and it is what the verb "want" is doing.

3 .Adjective

Since "to go" modifies permission in the sentence "She didn't have permission to go," it clarifies the kind of permission being discussed, acting as an adjective.

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What is the longest poem of all time?

Answer: the Mahābhārata

Explanation: With more than 220,000 (100,000 shloka or couplets) verses and about 1.8 million words in total, the Mahābhārata is the longest epic poem in the world.

Who are being addressed to by the poet Why?

It is not possible for me to answer your question accurately because you have not provided any information about the specific poem or poet you are referring to. In general, the person or group of people that a poet is addressing in a poem can vary greatly, depending on the content and theme of the poem. Some poems are written to express personal feelings or experiences , and are addressed to the poet themselves or to a specific person in their life. Other poems are written to address broader social or political issues, and may be addressed to a wider audience or to a specific group of people. In order to determine who is being addressed by a specific poet, it is important to carefully read and analyze the poem to understand its meaning and context.

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Short Response Based on “Python Invasion,” summarize the problems that are caused by Burmese pythons and what is being done about these problems. Use two details from the account to support your response.

The Burmese pythons could be used as a treatment in Florida . The increased population of these venomous snakes is creating problems in a variety of ways. The main difficulties are that they eat other animals' food, they are deadly to humans , and their numbers are growing.

The Burmese python is one of the biggest snake species . Burmese pythons are huge ambush predators that can develop to be more than two inches long, while those collected in America are typically 6 to 10 feet long.

Burmese pythons consume other wildlife and even human . It doesn't exclusively devour small animals . They can consume an adult deer. It is extremely dangerous to leave these creatures free inside the wild and near Florida's urban regions. People and experts have proposed several remedies, but no course of action has yet been implemented .

As a result, the Burmese pythons are a potential treatment for Florida. The increase in the number of these pythons is causing problems in many aspects .

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What are types of text?

Narrative, non-fiction, and poetry are the three genres into which the text kinds are divided. Then, within each of these genres, there are several text types, such as adventure , explanation, or a particular kind of poetry.

What is a text type example?

A text type is any written work that you read or create. Examples of these include books, newspaper articles, textbooks, recipes, movie reviews, and game instructions. A simple scaffolding that supports the creation of a piece of writing is a text type scaffold.

What are the 6 common text structures?

Why are text types important?

Text type knowledge helps children organise their thoughts when receiving, repeating, or reporting on a specific reading . Reports or retellings of read-aloud stories could contain errors or superfluous information if the children are unfamiliar with various writing types.

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Which of the following revisions of the selection of "A Participant's Firsthand Account of the Boston Tea Party" correctly uses a semicolon? "On the day preceding the seventeenth, there was a meeting of the citizens of the county of Suffolk, convened at one of the churches in Boston, for the purpose of consulting on what measures might be considered expedients to prevent the landing of the tea, or secure the people from the collection of the duty." A. On the day preceding the seventeenth, there was a meeting of the citizens of the county of Suffolk, convened at one of the churches in Boston; their purpose was to consult on what measures might be considered expedient to prevent the landing of the tea. B. On the day preceding the seventeenth, there was a meeting of the citizens of the county of Suffolk, convened at one of the churches in Boston; for the purpose of consulting on what measures might be considered expedient to prevent the landing of the tea. C. On the day preceding the seventeenth, there was a meeting of the citizens of the county to discuss the following topics; to consult on what measures might prevent the landing of the tea.

B. On the day preceding the seventeenth, there was a meeting of the citizens of the county of Suffolk, convened at one of the churches in Boston; for the purpose of consulting on what measures might be considered expedient to prevent the landing of the tea.

When should an external auditor be independent?

An external auditor need to be independent when performing his duties of audit . Being independent refers to not having any financial association with the company or organization being audited.

External auditor refers to a person who visits and examines the financial work and records of an organization. The auditor is external because he is not associated with that particular organization in any manner. For a person to be an external auditor he needs to be an excellent accountant.

Audit is the process of examining or inspecting the financial works of an organization in order to ensure that the transactions done by them are lawful and correct.

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What do the event in the tory reveal about the prioritie of Riv and Satch? Anwer: A: Although they have been told not to think about the pat, they are determined to cloe the gap in their hitorical knowledge. B: Although they earch for relic from the pat they cannot reveal their earch to the ret of their group. C: Although their time i dominated by baic urvival, their earch for a deeper purpoe often lead them atray. D: Although they are facinated by the relic they mut remain focued on their daily urvival

The events in the story reveal that Riv and Satch prioritize their desire to learn about and connect with their past. Despite being told not to think about the past, they are determined to close the gap in their historical knowledge and search for relics from the past.

They are fascinated by these relics and are willing to take risks and go astray from their daily survival tasks in order to pursue their interests .

However, they also recognize the importance of basic survival and prioritize it, as they must remain focused on their daily tasks in order to ensure their own survival .

Overall, the events in the story show that Riv and Satch have a balance of both survival and intellectual pursuits as their priorities. Learn more about passage :

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What is the narrator's relationship with the shop owners and their daughter? Rouge Heart

At first, their relationship wasn't as strong as it is now however, it could be currently. The retailers took her in either because they felt sorry for her or because they minded and they offered grace and took her in. Presently they have a truly impressive bond .

Presently they have a truly impressive bond . "I accept at first they recruited me out of pity — a young lady, only sixteen, who couldn't comprehend their language , not to mention talk it, who had however whatever she might be wearing. Be that as it may, after these two years I've wedged my direction into their souls. They without a doubt have in mine." These subtleties support the thought by demonstrating what their relationship is and how solid it is.

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do you think math is hard?​

There are a lot of problems with math that I struggle with.

yes. very hard

Why is it important to exercise your right to vote Philippines?

It important to exercise your right to vote Philippines because Voting is your civic duty.

Each voter is entitled to 1 vote throughout the election. The voter might also split his or her price ticket. The candidate with the maximum votes wins the position; there's no run-off election, and the president and vice president may additionally come from extraordinary parties.

The fee tallied 65,745,529 electorates inside the Philippines , with Calabarzon being the region with the most voters, with nine.1 million citizens. the overall was nearly 4 million extra in comparison to 2019.

Suffrage can be exercised by way of all citizens of the Philippines now not in any other case disqualified by means of law, who are at the least eighteen years of age, and who shall have resided within the Philippines for at least 365 days, and inside the location in which they recommend to vote, for at least six months immediately previous the election.

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100+ Informative Essay Topics to Spice Up Your Next Essay

Jared Houdi

Table of Contents

Writing great informative essays begins with finding appropriate informative essay topics . However, landing on ideal topics for informative essays can sometimes pose a few challenges. The good news is that you don’t need to scratch your head to find the best informative topics to write about . 

Our team selected the best informational writing ideas to inspire you across different niches. Keep reading our inspiring, informative essay topic ideas to kick-start your next assignment. 

What Is an Informative Essay ? 

Let’s define an informative paper before looking at the sample informative essay topics we’ve lined up for you. In short, an informative essay is a form of academic writing that primarily seeks to impart knowledge instead of stirring up opinions. This writing genre cuts across different subjects. 

An informative paper stands out because it’s adaptable and can accommodate various writing styles. For instance, you can use descriptive, narrative, and comparative approaches to write an informative paper.

Also, this type of assignment requires heavy research. Writing this essay is like an academic exploration that requires you to mine insightful details to enhance readers’ understanding of a specific subject. A good informative assignment goes beyond a topic’s broadness and delves into the presenting information objectively to ensure its reliability and accuracy. 

This type of writing is critical because it empowers readers with factual and unbiased information. It also helps inquisitive minds broaden their knowledge scope. Thus, it’s a great invitation for any reader who is seeking to get more insight into new intellectual spheres. 

How to Choose Informative Essay Topics

How you choose topics for informative essays for your assignments determines whether your paper will be of high quality or not. This section provides tips to help you select the best informative essay topics for your future assignments. 

Consider Your Interests

You must identify your personal interests before selecting good informative essay topics . Begin by brainstorming topics you are passionate about. Consider your desires and hobbies before choosing a topic related to these interests. 

Mind Your Readers

You should also consider your audience when choosing good topics for informative essays . Ensure that your readers are also interested in your topics enough to want to read them. Otherwise, you could reduce your essay’s impact levels if your readers don’t find anything relevant in it.  

Research Your Topic

After narrowing down to a few potential informative essay topics , research these shortlisted ideas to ensure they have enough information to inform your readers.

Narrow Down Your Topic

After identifying several topics, select the one you find the most interesting and relevant to your essay. Consider your assignment’s scope when choosing the final title to ensure it isn’t too narrow or wide.

Select an Appropriate Tone

Lastly, consider the most appropriate tone because some informative essay topics are suitable for a more professional tone, while others are for a casual, funny approach.

Our Comprehensive List of Informative Essay Topics

Do you want the best informative essay topics to inspire your next informative paper? No need to look further than these model informational writing ideas we selected for you. Below is our comprehensive list of topics for informative essays covering different subjects.

Top Informative Essay Topics for Middle School

Your search for the best informational writing ideas ends here. Below are good informative essay topics to inspire you.

  • Discuss the merit of vegetarianism in modern society. 
  • Discuss the causes of domestic violence.
  • Explore various mental disorders among the youth.
  • How does unemployment affect the youth?
  • What causes drug addiction among teenagers?
  • Explore the advantages and long-term disadvantages of plastic surgery.
  • Discuss the legality and morality of organ donation.
  • How does bullying affect a child’s mental health?
  • Discuss the benefits of recycling.
  • The role of nutrition in promoting physical and mental health.

Hot Informative Essay Topics for College

You shouldn’t struggle to find the best topics for informative essays when our list of good informative essay topics can do the trick. Read on.

  • How does genetics determine human behavior?
  • Discuss the connection between education and income inequality.
  • How does technology transform healthcare?
  • Explore the long-term effects of consuming fast food on health.
  • Discuss various herbal medicines and their efficacy in promoting good health.
  • Explore the hidden cons of artificial intelligence.
  • Discuss the causes of homelessness.
  • Ways to improve gender equality in the workplace.
  • Strategies to help college students manage their time wisely.
  • Discuss the impact of social media on political choices.

10 Easy Informative Essay Topics

Finding informational topics to write about is easy when you allow these good informative essay topics to inspire you. Read on.

  • How does social media affect society?
  • The pros and cons of online shopping.
  • How does air pollution affect respiratory health?
  • Discuss the effectiveness of online education.
  • Exploring the fallacy of evolution.
  • Discuss different types of natural disasters and their prevention.
  • Ways to save energy at home.
  • Discuss the differences between traditional and modern medicines.
  • Explore how the internet has impacted communication.
  • The role of technology in conserving the environment.

The Most Interesting Informative Essay Topics

Searching for interesting informative essay topics should be fun. Get inspiration from our list of informative essay topics below to find the best informational topics to write about .

  • Discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on small enterprises.
  • Explore the hidden cons of genetically modified foods.
  • Discuss the future of AI in the medical field.
  • Explore various types of renewable energy sources.
  • Discuss how virtual reality works and its applications.
  • Explore the importance of animation in modern media.
  • What is the role of technology in promoting wildlife conservation?
  • Discuss the causes of gender inequality in the workplace.
  • Explain the effects of social media on mental health.
  • Discuss the moral implications of animal testing. 

Top Fun Informative Essay Topics

Do you like to infuse fun into your writing but don’t have funny, informative writing topics to inspire you? Here are hot informative essay topic ideas to end your search for informative essay topics .

  • The weirdest laws in your country.
  • The most unusual uses for ordinary household items.
  • Understanding the science behind pranks.
  • The pain of struggling to remember names.
  • How is successful music made?
  • Why do musicians break their guitars on stage?
  • Why do musicians fall while performing on stage?
  • The origin of laughter.
  • The most unconventional uses for glue.
  • Clever ways to get out of an awkward conversation.

10 Controversial Informative Essay Topics

Do you want informative essay topics that will help you stir up controversy? Don’t worry because our sample informative writing topics can inspire your quest. Here are inspiring topics for an informative essay . 

  • Explore the ethical implications of genetic engineering in humans.
  • The real hidden motive behind mandatory vaccination.
  • The negative impact of artificial intelligence on employment.
  • The cons of legalizing recreational drugs.
  • Gun control and its impact on safety.
  • Assisted suicide amounts to aiding legalized murder.
  • Discuss the moral implications of animal testing.
  • The death penalty is still a justifiable punishment.
  • Is internet censorship equal to restricting free speech?
  • The government shouldn’t regulate social media.

Top Persuasive Informative Essay Topics

Finding ideal informative essay topics is easy with sample topics for an informative essay . Below are informative essay ideas to inspire your journey. 

  • How is nutrition connected to mental health?
  • Ways teenagers can navigate mental health challenges in high school
  • Strategies for combating stress in the workplace.
  • How does a balanced diet affect overall health?
  • Exploring the benefits of intermittent fasting on overall health.
  • Explain composting and its advantages.
  • Discuss natural ways to maintain healthy skin.
  • How does regular exercise affect mental and physical health?
  • The connection between sleep patterns and overall health.
  • Discuss online privacy and its importance.

10 Unique Informative Essay Topics  

Your search for informative essay topics ends faster if you have great sample topics for an informative essay to reference. Here are great informative essay ideas to inspire you.

  • Strategies for combating cybercrime.
  • Discuss the effects of social media on mental health.
  • The impact of climate change on food security.
  • The effects of technological evolution.
  • The drawbacks of online learning.
  • Discuss the causes of income inequality.
  • Ways automation can ease unemployment.
  • The effects of political policies on the economy.
  • The effects of unregulated carbon emissions.
  • Discuss the drawbacks of nuclear energy.

Let’s Help You Do Your Informative Paper Today

There you go with the best informational essay topics to inspire your future assignments. The ball is in your court to use these sample topics for an informative essay . If you need any assistance other than informative essay topics , our lines are open. Contact us today for any further help you might need with your classwork.

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The Impact of Logical Appeal in Persuasive Writing

This essay is about the importance of logos or logical appeal in persuasive writing. It explains how logical arguments supported by evidence such as statistics and expert testimony can effectively convince an audience. The essay discusses the necessity of clear and accessible presentation of data and reasoning and highlights the balance between logos ethos and pathos for a well-rounded argument. It emphasizes the role of logical appeal in making arguments compelling and credible.

How it works

In the convincing limning use of brands whether logical appeal is a critical technique for persuasion of audience on reason and certificate. Logical appeal originates from the Greek word for a “word” or “reason” includes creation of arguments that is grounded in fact sheets statistical certificate and logical thinking. This method is substantial for scientists participants of debates and authors who aims to present their arguments in a compulsion and reliable manner. Investigating the components of logical appeal and his application in different contexts we can purchase deeper his estimation of importance and efficiency in the convincing limning.

In his heart appeal to brands of entails what presented arguments that is successive well-organized and based on a certificate. Then contrasts with a fervor that addresses to the emotion and by an ideal that consists in a trust and character of speaker. While emotional and ethic appeals can be powerful brandname signs often seen how founding of persuasive argument as then appeals an audience to rationality. To create a logical appeal authors must use clear and the detailed language presented this verifiable and guarantee that then their arguments follow by logical progression.

One of the most effective roads to unite brands in writing comes true through the use of statistical certificate. Statistics provides concrete measurable data that can support the requirements of author and do anymore compulsion of arguments. For example in a convincing essay what protects for the acceptance of proceeded in energy sources an author presumably would include statistics on the cost of sunny groups efficiency of turbines that increases and the designed decline what diminishes in emissions of coals from an acceptance then technology. This statistics helps to build a strong case providing an actual certificate that supports an argument.

In addition to statistics a logical appeal can increase through the use of an experience certificate of witness and reliable sources. Quoting of experts in the field is standard plenary powers to the argument and demonstrates that an author investigated a theme fully. For example in a discussion about benefits from nasadzi?-za?o?onej of diet alluding to the studies what moves the respected establishments or specifying dietitians can prop up an argument. Using reliable sources an author shows that then their requirements are grounded in blessing reasonable research instead of the personal opinion or anecdotic certificate.

Second critical aspect of brands is the use of the logical thinking to connect a certificate to the main argument. Then includes building to the clear and successive line of reasoning then brings an audience over to logical suggestion. For example if an author denies that rights for control of stricter shooting-iron will shorten a strong crime they presumably began that presented data on correlation between the norms of gun property and crime statistics in different countries. They were able then to use the logical thinking to explain how reduction of access in a fire gun can take to reduction in the norms of crime. Close systematic connecting a certificate to arrangement an author guarantees that an argument is logical and convincing.

However it is essential to recognize that the effectiveness of logos depends on the audience’s ability to understand and appreciate logical arguments. Complex data and intricate reasoning can sometimes overwhelm readers who are not familiar with the topic. Therefore it is crucial for writers to present their arguments in a clear and accessible manner. This can be achieved by breaking down complex ideas into simpler components using analogies to explain difficult concepts and avoiding jargon that might confuse the audience. Clarity and simplicity are key to ensuring that the logical appeal is effective and persuasive.

Moreover the integration of logos in persuasive writing should not overshadow the importance of other rhetorical strategies. While logical appeal is vital a balanced argument often incorporates elements of ethos and pathos as well. For example a persuasive speech on climate change might begin with an emotional appeal to the audience’s sense of responsibility towards future generations followed by a logical presentation of scientific data and concluding with a call to action that highlights the speaker’s credibility and commitment to the cause. By combining logos with ethos and pathos writers can create more well-rounded and compelling arguments.

In conclusion the appeal to logos is a powerful tool in persuasive writing that relies on reason evidence and logical reasoning. By using statistical evidence expert testimony and clear logical connections writers can construct arguments that are compelling and credible. However the effectiveness of logical appeal depends on the audience’s ability to understand and appreciate the argument making clarity and simplicity essential. While logos is crucial a balanced persuasive strategy often incorporates elements of ethos and pathos to create a more comprehensive and convincing argument. Understanding and mastering the use of logos can significantly enhance the persuasive power of any piece of writing.

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    Technology and Innovation. Technology's relentless pace has us all on our toes, wondering what's next. As a result, it gives us plenty of persuasive speech topics to consider. AI Ethics: Artifical intelligence can be a force for good, but it can also have negative outcomes, like the loss of jobs.

  11. 50 Topics for a Persuasive Speech

    Choosing a Topic. It's more enjoyable to research and write a speech about a topic that genuinely holds your interest. It'll make for better delivery, too. Passion is contagious! On the other hand, boredom and a lack of enthusiasm come through easily in vocal tone. Avoid tired, overdone issues. If you've heard it all before, there's a ...

  12. Persuasive Speech Topics: The Best 150 Ideas

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

  13. 434 Good Persuasive Speech Topics

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

  14. 'Easy' persuasive speech topics: 309 great examples

    100 non-boring persuasive speech ideas - a 'tired' topic is not for you. Choose something fresh and original. 50 good persuasive speech topics with treatment examples to show you how the same topic is treated differently for different audiences. 310 persuasive speech topics for college: mental health, society, family & friends, animals, education

  15. 100 Easy Persuasive Speech Topics: A Guide

    Learn how to write and deliver a persuasive speech that convinces your audience of your viewpoint. Find 237 easy topics, examples, tips, and techniques to persuade with power.

  16. Make More Persuasive Speeches: Topics, Outlines, + Great Examples

    1. Choose the Right Topic. Choose the Right Topic. (Image source: Envato Elements) When looking at ideas for persuasive speech topics, it's important to have a speech that's interesting to your audience and you. Also, consider whether your topic is appropriate for your audience. Choose a topic your audience would be interested in.

  17. 125+ Persuasive Speech Topics To Amaze Your Audience

    Here is a breakdown of various topics for persuasive speeches, organized by categories, to inspire you. 1. Arts & Culture. Art and culture are always hot topics among individuals and groups. There are many interesting arguments and stances on both topics, and many people have strong opinions about them.

  18. 191 Best Persuasive Speech Topics: Give an Amazing Speech!

    191 Best Persuasive Speech Topics. Before we reveal the 191 best persuasive speech topics, let's preview each of the categories: Politics and law: This topic revolves around pressing issues including voting, Supreme Court decisions, political leadership, and criminal justice.; Environmental activism: Climate change, offshore oil drilling, and green technology are just a few of the hot-button ...

  19. Persuasive Speeches

    How to write a persuasive speech. Incorporate the following steps when writing a persuasive speech: Step 1 - Identify the type of persuasive speech (factual, value, or policy) that will help accomplish the goal of the presentation. Step 2 - Select a good persuasive speech topic to accomplish the goal and choose a position. How to write a persuasive speech

  20. 25+ Impromptu Speech Topics To Show Off Your Communication Skills

    Persuasive Impromptu Speech Topics. If you're looking to flex your persuasive muscles, impromptu speech topics that require you to take a stand can be a great way to do it. ... One great example of an impromptu speech topic is the question of whether team sports build strong individuals. This topic touches on issues of personal development ...

  21. 215 Persuasive Speech Topics to Elevate Your Talk

    Mainstream & Social Media (10 Topics) Economy and Work (10 Topics) School & Education (10 Topics) Relationships (10 Topics) Public Speaking (15 Topics) AI and Technology (10 Topics) Parenting (13 Topics) Resilience. Write Focused Persuasive Speech Titles.

  22. 130 Inspiring Persuasive Speech Topics For Students

    List of Persuasive Speech Topics Below is the list of 130 competitive persuasive speech essay topics you can use for brainstorming purposes as a speaker. Play with the wording of these persuasive speech examples, narrow things down, and choose the category that looks most suitable. Persuasive Speech Topics for College

  23. Persuasive Speech Topics To Engage Your Audience

    Here are some examples of persuasive speeches and essays you can take inspiration from. " This is Water ," David Foster Wallac2. Context: Renowned American novelist delivered this commencement speech in 2005 at Kenyon College, a liberal arts college in Ohio. Snippet: "The capital-T Truth is about life before death.

  24. 40 Persuasive Writing Examples (Essays, Speeches, and More)

    Harvey Milk's "The Hope" Speech. Sample lines: "Some people are satisfied. And some people are not. You see there is a major difference—and it remains a vital difference—between a friend and a gay person, a friend in office and a gay person in office. Gay people have been slandered nationwide.

  25. What Are Some Examples Of Persuasive Speech?

    Examples of Persuasive speech:For offenders, the death sentence works well as a deterrence. We need to maintain the death penalty because it is just and the Bible ... On the day preceding the seventeenth, there was a meeting of the citizens of the county to discuss the following topics; to consult on what measures might prevent the landing of ...

  26. The Best Informative Essay Topics for Your Next Assignment

    Writing great informative essays begins with finding appropriate informative essay topics.However, landing on ideal topics for informative essays can sometimes pose a few challenges. The good news is that you don't need to scratch your head to find the best informative topics to write about.. Our team selected the best informational writing ideas to inspire you across different niches.

  27. The Impact of Logical Appeal in Persuasive Writing

    For example a persuasive speech on climate change might begin with an emotional appeal to the audience's sense of responsibility towards future generations followed by a logical presentation of scientific data and concluding with a call to action that highlights the speaker's credibility and commitment to the cause.