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100 Persuasive Speech Topics for Students

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• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
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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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112 Persuasive Speech Topics That Are Actually Engaging

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

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

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

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

Choose Something You’re Passionate About

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

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

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

Steer Clear of Cliches

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

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

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

Have a Clear Side of Opposition

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

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

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

Environment

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

Science & Technology

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

Social Media

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

Parenting & Family

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

Entertainment

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

Arts & Humanities

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

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

Do Your Research

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

Understand Your Audience

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

Have Someone Read Your Speech

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

Practice Makes Perfect

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

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

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150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics for Students in 2024

April 1, 2024

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

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

What is a Good Persuasive Speech?

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

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

Components of a Great Persuasive Speech Topic

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

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

150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics

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

Business and Economy

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

Social Media

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

Education – Persuasive Speech Topics 

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

Social Issues – Persuasive Speech Topics

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

Politics and Government

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

Easy Persuasive Speech Topics

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

Fun Persuasive Speech Topics

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

Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics

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

I’ve Chosen My Topic, Now What?

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

How to Create a Successful Persuasive Speech, Step by Step

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

How to Practice and Deliver a Persuasive Speech

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

Good Persuasive Speech Topics—Final Thoughts

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

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

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

Lauren Green

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

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75 Persuasive Speech Topics and Ideas

October 4, 2018 - Gini Beqiri

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

What is persuasive speech?

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

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

How to choose a topic for your speech

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

Familiarity

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

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

The audience’s interest

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

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

Not overdone

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

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

Emotional topics

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

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

Desired outcome

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

Persuasive speech topics

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

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

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

Arts/Culture

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

Business and economy

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

Law and politics

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

Science and the environment

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

World peace

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

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

After choosing your topic

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

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

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

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

100 Persuasive Speech Topics for Kids

Michele is a writer who has been published both locally and internationally.

Learn about our Editorial Policy .

Kids' persuasive speech topics cover everything from current events to age old childhood milestones. If you've been assigned a persuasive writing speech, look for a topic you know a lot about and really stand behind.

Easy Persuasive Speech Topics for Beginners

Students in grades two and up who are just starting to learn about the different types of essays and writing can select easy topics about things they are very familiar with. These persuasive writing prompts work great for short speeches.

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Fun and Interesting Topics

• Kids should start every morning with yoga.
• Cereal is not a healthy breakfast.
• Showering every day isn't important.
• Kids' clothing should always be designed by kids.
• Being a YouTube star is a real job.
• Boredom is good for kids.
• Borrowing books from the library is better than buying them from a store.
• Hamsters are the best first pet for kids.
• Every person is completely unique.
• My town is the best place for families with young children to live.
• Being an only child is better than having siblings.
• Kids should have TVs in their bedrooms.
• Jeans are the most uncomfortable article of clothing.

Educational Topics

• Cursive writing shouldn't be taught in schools.
• Lunch periods should be longer for younger kids and shorter for older kids.
• Kids shouldn't be allowed to bring homemade treats to share at school.
• Homework should be optional for kids.
• Schools should mandate that all kids learn about all holidays celebrated around the world.
• All schools should have outdoor classrooms available.
• All foods should be grown or raised by small farmers.
• Playing video games is a good hobby for kids.
• Gardening is an easy way to eat healthier.
• Reading is more important than math.
• Kids should get to choose what classes they take in elementary school.

Global Topics

• People's differences make the world a more interesting place.
• Kids under age 13 shouldn't be allowed to have jobs anywhere in the world.
• The world is round.
• Dinosaurs really did exist and go extinct.
• People should only be allowed to eat food that grows or lives in their country.
• International pen pals are good for kids.
• Learning a second language is helpful for everyone.
• There should be one form of money that every country uses.
• Every country should have its own kind of schools.
• Governments should offer free travel to other countries for educational purposes.

Intermediate Persuasive Speech Topics for Children

Kids in upper elementary grades who have some practice in writing persuasive speeches can choose topics that might be a little more controversial. These unique speech topics leave room for longer arguments and feature more interesting subjects.

• Kids should have cell phones.
• Kids, not adults, should decide how much screen time to have each day.
• Every town should be required to have a playground.
• Waffle cones are better than regular ice cream cones.
• Dogs are better companions than cats.
• Wearing pajamas in public is inappropriate.
• Short hair is for boys and long hair is for girls.
• Kids should have fewer toys and more cardboard boxes to play with.
• Girls like to play with action figures.
• Pokemon are cooler than Yo Kai.
• Mosquitos are the most annoying of all bugs.
• Zoos are unsafe for young children.
• Kids under age 13 should be banned from having social media accounts.
• Classrooms shouldn't have traditional desks.
• School lunches should include some junk food options.
• Every school should have child representatives on their hiring committee.
• Naps are important for kids of all ages, not just babies and toddlers.
• The government should stop making paper money and only use coins.
• Robots make life easier for humans.
• Children's books should be written by children.
• Field trips and real-world experiences are more useful than classroom lectures.
• Columbus discovered America.
• Kids should be allowed to skip high school and go to college early if they want.
• Dancing in public should be outlawed.
• Voice recognition locks are safer than fingerprint recognition locks.
• People should only eat foods they grow or catch.
• All people in the world should speak English.
• All countries should have the same rules about weapons.
• Every child should spend a year living in another country with their family.
• Men and women should have the same rights no matter what country they live in.
• Adults should encourage child participation in strikes and marches for important causes.
• The current U.S. President represents the country well.
• Global competition is good for everyone.

Advanced Persuasive Speech Topics for Kids

Upper elementary and lower middle grade students with lots of speech writing experience can pick more complex topics that elicit bigger emotional reactions.

• TV shows and movies for kids should have stronger content guidelines.
• Real life heroes like police officers and firefighters would be more approachable if they dressed like Power Rangers and other super heroes.
• Virtual reality games are better than 3D games.
• Parents of bullies should be punished for their child's actions.
• "Crap" and "Heck" are bad words.
• Riding a bike is not that easy.
• Funny cat videos are funnier than funny baby videos.
• There's no such thing as too many stuffed animals.
• Goats say "maa," not "baa."
• Kids sports are safe.
• Holidays shouldn't be celebrated in schools.
• Kids should rate their teachers at the start and end of every school year.
• Recess and classroom physical activity breaks help kids focus in school.
• School buses should have a driver and at least two aides.
• Classes should be grouped by ability levels rather than ages.
• Technology makes people's lives better.
• Middle school is still elementary school.
• Schools should mandate classes where kids teach each other.
• No one, teachers or students, should be allowed to bring cell phones into the school.
• Kids should be allowed to take off their shoes in their classroom.
• Students should not have to ask permission to take drinks and bathroom breaks.
• Global warming isn't real.
• Every country can have its own guidelines for who is allowed to leave or enter.
• Kids can help combat climate change.
• Astronauts will find life on other planets.
• Daylight Savings Time should be eliminated.
• Aquariums and zoos help with wildlife conservation.
• People should be allowed to clone animals.
• Sugar should be outlawed.
• McDonald's is better than Burger King.
• Tribal cultures should be preserved.
• Companies should not be allowed to build their products in other countries.
• People should call countries by their native name, not a translated name.

More Speech Topics for Kids

Speech topic examples and ideas from other types of speeches can be adapted to persuasive writing with a few minor wording changes.

• Get students started with motivational speech topics for kids that are uplifting and less controversial.
• Beginning writers can select simple kids speech topics for their first persuasive essays.
• Some of the most interesting speech topics for kids include subjects they haven't encountered in real life.
• Use examples of funny speeches for kids to show how students can inject humor into any kind of speech.

State Your Case

Most people agree that writing in elementary school is important because it gives kids a way to express their thoughts and feelings in a way others can understand. Persuasive writing is all about stating your case, or point, and all the facts that support this opinion. Choose a topic you believe in or are passionate about to create the best persuasive speech.

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Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

206 Great Speech Topics for Teens [Persuasive, Informative]

Amanda Green was born in a small town in the west of Scotland, where everyone knows everyone. I joined the Toastmasters 15 years ago, and I served in nearly every office in the club since then. I love helping others gain confidence and skills they can apply in every day life.

List of Speech Topics for Teens

Pick from our long list of 200+ interesting speech topics for teens. This page includes both persuasive and informative speech topic ideas.

• “Divorce” should be possible between parents and their kids
• It should be possible to choose your family
• Why you don’t need money or cash
• Why having siblings is a good thing
• Monday should be the third day of a three-day weekend
• Free access to a therapist after a breakup
• Zombies are real
• Being lazy is a true art
• Why students should be allowed to choose what they learn about in school
• There is plenty of truth to horoscopes
• Why cell phone use should be allowed at school
• Girls should be able to join boys sports teams
• Junk food isn’t all that bad
• Why homework does more harm than good
• Staying in is the new sneaking out
• Pets are far better to talk to than parents
• Students should get iPads or Tablets rather than books
• Eating should be allowed at any time during the school day
• Study abroad should be available to students in high schools
• Why sex education in school is so awkward and useless
• More free time means more time to get into trouble
• Teens should be taught practical skills in school
• Teachers should be required to have a great sense of humor
• There is nothing real about reality TV.
• Practical skills must be taught at school.
• Teens must tell their parents everything.
• Personality matters far more than beauty.
• Condoms mustn’t be handed out in schools.
• All teens need a pet.
• There is not enough rape and sexual assault prevention awareness.
• It is okay for teens to sleep a lot.
• Diet pills must not be easily available to teens anywhere.
• Teenage girls should be forced to go back to school after having a baby.
• Teen suicide is not given enough attention.
• Cyberbullies must be dealt with more severely.
• Homeschooled teens are socially awkward.
• Teen boys and girls should be taught in separate classes.
• Teen girls should have a say in regards to abortion.
• Tattoos should be illegal for teens.
• Teens that commit serious crimes should be charged as adults.
• Teens wouldn’t be tempted to drink if there was no age restriction.
• Yearly check-ups at gynecologists should be compulsory for teen girls.
• More time should be spent reading.
• Not enough is done to prevent teen pregnancy.
• Magazines marketed at teens are too ‘grown up’.
• The media is responsible for the moral decline of teens.
• Teens must not get involved in online relationships.
• Troubled teens must do community service.
• No teen must be labeled a lost cause.
• Parents must never get teens too much money.
• Old school values must be implemented in schools.
• Bullying changes a teen forever.
• It is important that teens become volunteers.
• Teens should spend more time with the elderly.
• Beauty contests are harmful.
• Parents have no right to embarrass their teens.
• Eating disorders are a result of a mental illness.
• Teens should avoid dating too young.
• Driving tests should be free.
• Teens should be rewarded for doing the right things.
• Teens must have mobile phones.
• Listening to music during study hall will improve concentration.
• Make it illegal for teens to drop out of school.
• Tablets must replace textbooks.
• Every teen should learn to cook.
• Cosmetic surgery is not for teens.
• Facebook is for old people.
• TV shows have too much influence on teens.
• Having a Pen Pal is very hip.
• Peer pressure can be a positive thing.
• Teens should spend more time in nature.
• Cool teachers are easier to learn from.
• Driving age should be 18.
• Birth control must be made available without parents consent.
• Teens should not follow their teachers on social media.
• Teens need to wear a school uniform.
• Parents don’t prepare their teens properly for puberty.
• Part-time jobs should be legal from the age of 14.
• Teens divorcing parents shouldn’t be allowed.
• Quiet time for teens is a necessity.
• Everyone should keep a journal.
• Teens should have their own savings account.
• Parents have the right to always have access to their teens phone.
• Teenagers can become millionaires.
• Fame is bad for young people.
• Boys get more acne than girls.
• Respond to your enemies with kindness.
• There is no such thing as a bff.
• Piercing your tongue is disgusting.
• Having too many friends is like having a part-time job.
• Teens that are outsiders are the smartest.
• Parents shouldn’t expect all teachers to leave a lasting impression on their children.
• Funny guys get more dates than the handsome ones.
• Wearing glasses makes you look cool.
• Parents have the right to choose a teens dress code.
• Teens are old enough to choose which parent to live with.
• Group projects should be scrapped.
• Prom is overrated.
• Teens lead very stressful lives.
• There is no getting out of a Friendship Zone.
• Teens need adults to trust them.
• Teens must stop trying so hard to look like everyone else.
• Leggings are not pants.
• Teens crave responsibility.
• Risk is a temptation for teens.
• FOMO is a real fear.
• ‘Because I said so’ is not a reply that works on teenagers.
• Teens want to be spoken to as adults.
• Children do care what their parents think of them.
• Parents are embarrassing.
• Drunk driving is the number one reason to up the driving age.
• Date someone with the same beliefs.
• Do not be devoted to one single sport, and choose for a physical team playing games and activities.
• Most magazines do not use the appropriate attractive language for teens.
• Teenagers should be banned from beauty surgery.
• News network organizations should re-invent themselves to attract teens.
• Most television shows are manipulating and influencing teens.
• Teens should volunteer at a local soup kitchen for homeless.
• Reinvent the pen pal handwritten letter with people from all over the world!
• Peer pressure can be good when people influence you to act good.
• Video games should be forbidden.
• Academic camps help you preparing for the education college admission procedures.
• How I met my first boyfriend/girlfriend
• Best friends are hard to come by
• The unrealistic standards that modern women are held to
• Gay and lesbian teens are no different than me
• Why I should tell your parents everything
• Why you can’t trust your mom’s fashion advice
• Why personality matters more than beauty
• Time travel must be real

Informative

• Basic Chinese phrases to survive travelling in China
• Remarkable texts in ads
• The top five bizarre tabloid news articles
• Why a chicken still walks even with the head cut off
• The most dangerous snakes you have to watch out for in the fields
• How you can easily burn out of homework
• Ten things to remember about garage sales
• Special effects of horror movies revealed
• The secrets behind the preparation of your food in fast food restaurants and the marketing trap you are walking in as soon as you enter the establishment where they serve meals to customers.
• The top five parent excuse notes
• Top tips to behave effectively in the class of Mr. or Mrs. …
• Tips for buying gifts and gadgets for someone who is not a close friend but more of some sort of an acquaintance of your parents
• Bad presents to get and bad gifts to give
• The alarming signs you are addicted to web games
• How to find out for sure if your friends are truly your friends
• Different ways to use a brick
• Cool, useful things my parents have taught me
• How to teach your grandma to text
• How to make your parents proud by doing what you love
• Top five things I do that annoy my mom
• How to fake a sickness and get out of school
• The coolest art project I’ve made
• The real feelings behind exams
• The last time I got caught in a lie…
• Things that boys/girls don’t know about girls/boys
• Gym class: What’s the worst that could happen?
• To get a job or not to get a job, that is the question
• The most widely accepted excuses for not handing in your homework on time
• How to master procrastination and still pass all your classes
• Tips for pulling off the ultimate makeover
• Popularity: How to get it, how to keep it
• My generation’s obsession with all things scary
• The best hobbies you won’t want to miss out on
• What makes a bully become a bully
• How to be smart and pretty
• The difficulty of finding employment as a teenager
• What it’s like being the oldest/youngest sibling
• Ten uses for duct tape that everyone should know
• What my life will be like in twenty years
• If I ruled the world…
• How to make people buy what you’re “selling”
• When your family forces you to spend time with them…
• The weirdest thing I’ve ever eaten
• What my dream house would be like
• The coolest place on Earth
• The top tricks to faking a cold and getting away with it
• How to do more homework in less time
• Gossip: How to know what’s real and what isn’t
• How schools can help obese students get their lives back
• How to tell someone to “go away” without sounding rude
• Teens’ obsessions with material objects and status
• Things my parents say that annoy me
• My dream job would be…
• What to look for in a boyfriend/girlfriend
• How not to get a date with your crush
• The secrets to nailing the “innocent” look
• Famous/successful people who were told “no” before they were told “yes”
• How to get a new outfit out of your parents with little effort
• Ways to get your parents to apologize to YOU
• How to get the ________ you’ve been dreaming of (shoes, purse, pony, etc.)
• How to make it through Valentine’s Day without a boyfriend/girlfriend
• Best tips for picture-perfect selfies
• For the funniest videos on YouTube, search for _______
• The coolest science projects that will get you an A every time
• Things I’ve learned that have made me wiser
• If I could create my own holiday, it would be ________
• How to get out of class/school without getting in trouble
• The coolest inventions I’ve ever seen
• How to prepare for your first kiss
• If I could write a letter to the President
• What I think the world will be like in 100 years
• The latest hair trends
• How to get someone to do your work for you without asking
• The top five topics to talk about on your date
• Why some young people are self-harming.
• How to overcome your painful shyness in speech class

130 Awesome Speech Topics for Kids

Types of Public Speaking

34 thoughts on “206 Great Speech Topics for Teens [Persuasive, Informative]”

the earth is flat

how much flat could a flatearther prove if a flatearther could prove the earth was flat

Emberrsing photos

the earth is flat yuh

i do not believe the earth is flat, I believe it is triangle

I think the earth is flat beacause Jake Pauls and Logan Paul are flat. And they are the earth. #MaverickGang

xbox is better than ps4

The earth is not flat!

earth is flat tbh

i believe the earth is a donut and when we are looking at the ‘sky’ we are really looking at the sea

The earth is not flat it is a cube and Xbox is better than PS4

What is the hardest event to get over in your life and why?

Nursery Rhymes

how to get away with murder

The earth is obviously a bowl, otherwise all of the water would’ve fallen out of the earth.

I dislike the “Homeshooled teens are socially awkward” topic: I believe it is both false, rude, generalized, and not a proper subject for a speech whatsoever. A lot of the topics on this list are immature and shallow. I personally am a 13 year old homeschooling teen and next time I need an idea I will not come here. If you have questions or arguments please feel free to try to prove them….

Clearly you need to get some information on what “argumentative” speech is.

all of these topics sound like old men wrote them

the earth is shaped like a pyramid

nintendo switch is better than xbox

Clearly the earth is spherical However, I believe we are on the inside face of the sphere, which means that all these ‘stars’ they talk about are actually the lights on the other side of the world. And then the moon landings must have been faked.

i believe in the doughnut theory and think the bermuda triangle is the hole in the middle of the earth……..

Xbox is better then PS4 AF!!

ps4 is better than xbox and the earth is not round it is a hexagon

ps3 is better then ps4

The earth is round duhhh what did the guys see when they were in space? A round earth from earth what do u see? a round moon …… Illuminati Confirmed…….

disagree w most of these topics and yes the earth is a donut

can someone please give me a good speech topic please thanks

i- all you people are wrong. the earth is oBviOusLy kardashian shaped. they basically rule the world, it would make sense that the planet they’re living in loves them so much, it took their form. duh.

all video game platforms can burn xx

nah i’m just playing

I really like these Speech Topics they will help me more to win!

Is water wet

you can burn fire

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Lesson Plan: KS4 English, improving persuasive writing

• Subject: English and MFL
• Date Posted: 04 February 2013
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...Develop your vocabulary analyse how speakers use language and different types of evidence to persuade create a piece of persuasive writing

As English teachers, our job is to help create free thinking, creative individuals – yet all too often we end up telling students what to think and write rather than encouraging them to explore their own ideas and develop thinking skills. Teaching the art of persuasive writing allows us really to challenge, and be challenged by, our students; this lesson combines a variety of individual and group tasks designed to get students to explore difficult moral issues whilst at the same time developing their understanding of how writers manipulate language and why it is essential to support opinions with evidence. Each task can be tailored to different age groups and ability ranges, and the source material can be as provocative or topical as you like – making it perfect for cross curricular links with a range of subjects, notably PHSE, RE and science.

Starter activity

If students can’t express themselves verbally, the chances of them being able to do so in writing are fairly remote – the ‘Yeah-But- No-But’ game allows every pupil to participate in a fun starter that requires them to support their points with a (hopefully) reasoned argument. Start off with a brief video clip of Little Britain’s Vicky Pollard (see ‘Additional Resources’ for my favourite) and inform students of the rules of the game. A controversial statement is then shown on the whiteboard; a pupil stands/up raises her hand and responds ‘Yeah but…’ and gives a counter-argument. Then another student counters with ‘No but…’ and offers a response, and so on. The game continues until arguments are exhausted, and you can use as many controversial statements as you like. I limit rules to the following: every student must offer at least one argument; no-one may give more than five responses; and each response must counter the previous one – irrespective of the student’s personal beliefs. This last point is vital, as it provides protection for pupils being castigated for having unpopular opinions. Statements I have found particularly effective include: ‘All religions should be banned’; ‘Teachers should be paid more than professional footballers’; ‘Homosexuality should be criminalised’; and ‘All drugs should be legalised.’

Main activities

1. Pimp my sentence

At its most basic, this exercise gets students thinking about using adjectives and adverbs; for more advanced students I tend to focus on verb choices, sentence structure and using a range of rhetorical devices. To model the task, put a simple persuasive sentence on the whiteboard, for example ‘Drug dealers should go to jail for life’, then pimp it with a focus on the word class/rhetorical devices you want students to experiment with (e.g. ‘Drug dealers are evil, avaricious and violent individuals who have no place in civilised society’, or ‘And why should these purveyors of pain walk free when their victims’ lives are destroyed?’). Students then create their own ‘pimped’ sentences in their exercise books, which can then be shared with the class or peer-assessed.

2. Write-round-robin

This group task takes the ‘Yeah-But-No-But’ game into a written format and is ideal preparation for a piece of extended writing. Quarter a piece of A3 paper, and in each corner write a controversial statement as in the starter; then place the paper in the middle of a table of four. Each student has two minutes to think about and write something (a reason why they agree/disagree with the statement; a piece of evidence supporting or attacking the statement) in the box in front of them. After two minutes the students move the paper 90 degrees clockwise, and they repeat the process in the next box, and so on.

3. Looking at distribution

This activity allows students to analyse how speakers use persuasive techniques and evidence to support their points. Find a video clip of a two-person debate (again, my favourite is listed in ‘Additional Resources’) and ask students to draw a T-bar chart in their books with the name of each speaker at the top of the two columns. Then play the video and ask students to make a note of every piece of effective persuasive speaking (i.e. rhetorical questions, lists of three, emotive language) or supporting evidence (i.e. facts, statistics, case studies) they hear. These skills are obviously transferable to literature texts, and this activity works equally well with written stimuli (‘How does Juliet persuade the nurse to help her in Act II, Scene III?’, for example).

4. Think-write-share

The focus in this task is on students developing their arguments and using evidence to back them up. Each pair is split into As and Bs: the teacher sets the topic and asks As to spend two minutes thinking about possible arguments for the topic and Bs to do the same for arguments against. After two minutes silent thinking, they note down their arguments. Then A reads his list out to B and vice versa. From here, swap lists and repeat the process so that each adds extra points to the other’s list, giving us two ‘masterlists’ per pair. Then swap lists again, and ask students to provide a piece of evidence (i.e. expert opinion, statistics etc.) to support each point.

Home learning

Pupils could be asked to:

• Film themselves giving a persuasive speech on a topic of their choice.

• Write a speech to be given in assembly persuading all students to sign up to an anti-bullying charter.

• Analyse a Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech to see which persuasive techniques he uses..

To ensure that students have grasped the underlying fundamentals of persuasive writing, inform the class that if they can write an effective speech persuading you not to set them homework this week, you won’t. A selection of these can then be read out by students to allow you to assess their progress. Like all the other tasks in this lesson, this also gives you a great opportunity to develop students’ speaking and listening skills.

Additional resources

•youtube.com/watch?v=zexc6sk4kpa

•youtube.com/watch?v=enslpftizbe

Stretch them further

• Study an article on a topical issue from the guardian and one on the same topic from the sun: How do these two publications use persuasive techniques? What is similar in their approach, and what is different? What might that tell us about the audience, the paper’s agenda etc.?

• Choose a character from a literature text you are studying and write a persuasive speech on a relevant topic from the character’s point of view.

About the expert

Steve Duffy is a Quality Assessor and English teacher at a large comprehensive school in Essex.

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930 Comments

Wessam bedear.

Thanks for your support and cooperation. It is really helped a lot . Much appreciated

Reginald Ademola

Thank you so much for making your resources freely available.

Eric Villari

Thanks for all the effort you’ve put into the site. I teach in Australia, and I tweak and change topics/wording to suit, but It’s a great survey course in general Literacy you’ve put together… Thanks!

Thank you so much. What an informative and comprehensive site. You have provided an array of persuasive topics. I love this site!!

Marg L Brewerton

Thank you for these ideas. An extra idea from one of my students: Should we fix earth or spend our money on interplanetary travel?

Barbara Pulehetoa

I love this website. thank you for making this website

amazing website helped a lot

In my language arts class we are assigned to write two opinion essays the first one my teacher gave us but the second one we choose. i have a trouble with choosing but now that i came to this website i can choose easily and fast. thank you, thank you, thank you for this website.

this site has been absolutely resourceful and its the best site iv been on

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Arguments and persuasive texts

If you are looking for lesson resources, worksheets and templates for teaching persuasive writing and argumentative writing, we’ve got a wide range of engaging resources to improve KS3 and GCSE English students’ writing skills and develop their use of emotive language.

From persuasive letter examples to inspiring writing prompts, you’ll find detailed lists of persuasive techniques and writing techniques they can use, as well as scaffolded, step-by-step resources to show students how to structure their ideas through paragraphs to create balanced arguments.

Students sometimes struggle to present a persuasive argument, express their point of view clearly and coherently, and offer counterarguments, so you’ll also find models and exemplars to help them to brainstorm and identify the main points before they start writing.

If you are looking for GCSE exam practice tasks, like articles, speeches and persuasive letter writing activities, we’ve got a range of exam-style questions to hone exam skills and confidence too.

For a comprehensive scheme of work with lesson plans, try our Argue and persuade teaching pack for KS3 students. 

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Building an argument 5 3 reviews Main Subject English Category Arguments and persuasive texts Writing for purpose and audience Writing skills Language English Resource type Student activity Complete lesson File 123 KB Download

Persuasive poster task 5 7 reviews Main Subject English Category Arguments and persuasive texts Writing for purpose and audience Writing skills Language English Resource type Student activity Role play/debate/discussion File 871 KB Download

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Persuasive Writing: Full Scheme & Resources

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• Persuasive Writing Worksheets And Resources For Ks3 And Ks4 English

Persuasive writing techniques – Best resources & advice for KS3/4

Whether they're arguing for a good cause or selling the latest product, give your secondary students all the techniques and tricks they need to be able to write to persuade…

Effective communication skills are vital for life. What better way to empower your students than by helping them to master a range of persuasive writing techniques?

Here we embark on an exploration of engaging resources and valuable advice to transform your classroom into a hub of compelling arguments and articulate expression. (We also have a round-up of persuasive writing KS2 resources .)

Persuasive writing techniques resources

10 tips for better persuasive writing, persuasive writing full scheme of work.

This free persuasive writing scheme for KS3/4 by teacher James Tickle contains 17 lessons’ worth of material. It covers speeches, informal and formal letters, articles and more…

Write a letter of complaint

The GCSE syllabus encourages pupils to craft their writing to be imaginative and engaging. However, inspiring pupils to write a lively personal response can be a real challenge.

So, how can we enthuse our young people? Encourage teenagers to do what they do best: complain. This free lesson plan will encourage pupils to write a sophisticated, engaging, witty and highly persuasive protest worthy of a grade 9.

Persuasive writing techniques handout

Print out this free handout and give it to your pupils to help them improve their use of persuasive writing techniques. It covers opening with an anecdote, including some clever sentence structures and more.

Charlie Chaplin’s  The Great Dictator

How can Charlie Chaplin help students to become persuasive and voice their emotions? This free lesson plan looks at how he can help students to create a piece of persuasive writing. You can also easily adapt it for teaching descriptive, narrative and argumentative styles.

Persuasive techniques slideshow

This Slideshare presentation offers a great introduction to persuasive writing and its concepts and terms for students.

Persuasion techniques

This handy printable PDF is packed with persuasive writing techniques. It will serve as a great introduction or reminder for your pupils.

It’s got everything from alliteration to hyperbole, and imperatives to repetition, all wrapped up with succinct descriptions and definitions.

Suffragettes and votes

This Votes for Women video and resource pack from UK Parliament contains activity ideas including a persuasive letter writing exercise. Pupils need to write a letter from an imprisoned Suffragette to their sibling. In it, they need to explain why they are willing to go to prison for their cause.

Influencing world leaders

This lesson plan is part of a range of free resources produced for Send My Friend to School. This is the schools activity of the UK Global Campaign for Education. It asks world leaders to keep their promise to get all children into school.

The main task for students is to write a letter persuading someone with influence to support the rights of all children to get an education. The resource includes activities, discussion points, and two example letters.

Students’ responses to persuasive writing assignments can become more considered and compelling by observing some key techniques, says Anthony Cockerill…

Throughout my teaching career, I’ve found that there’s a handful of topics for class discussion that never fail to get students to participate enthusiastically. Somewhat surprisingly, one of those is the topic of education itself.

I wanted to capitalise on my students’ eagerness to thrash out the pluses and minuses of their own experiences of schooling, and to teach them the process of planning, drafting and editing a piece of persuasive writing.

I also wanted to establish some maxims for great writing, without imposing a rigid framework or a list of success criteria.

To produce what AQA calls ‘ An enabling, provocative … controversial statement ’ to prompt students into writing a response offering their own viewpoint, I came up this: ‘Education is no longer fit for purpose’. This, I reasoned, could be a persuasive writing firecracker.

The following suggestions draw on my experiences of teaching what I eventually called ‘The Big School Debate’, though I’m sure you’ll also find them useful when applied to a topic of your choosing.

1 | Encourage students to plan broadly and gather ideas

Emphasise to students that to sustain their argument throughout the writing, they should develop a central idea and select reasons to support it. Examiners’ reports are clear that a crafted argument is crucial for success.

After screening stimulus material ranging from Sir Ken Robinson’s ‘Changing Paradigms’ lecture at the RSA and a  Good Morning Britain  interview with Katharine Birbalsingh, I fielded a classroom discussion in which I encouraged everyone to develop an individual response to the aforementioned controversial statement and to gather ideas in the form of a mind-map.

2 | Model the sequencing and structuring

I then gathered the students’ ideas into a series of on-screen text boxes to model how we might structure and sequence their ideas most powerfully.

Should we start with the strongest ideas first? Would the argument lose momentum this way? What about starting with the weakest ideas and building momentum as we go? What if we were to cluster them by theme?

The idea of clustering the ideas topically seemed like a sensible idea, but I suggested an alternative approach – grouping ideas by which mode of Aristotelian rhetoric they most suited.

A student proposed that in order to sustain powerful momentum throughout, we could open with the ‘ethos’ of the argument to establish a sense of virtue, followed by the ‘logos’ of the argument (an appeal to the reader’s sense of logic).

Last would be the ‘pathos’ of the argument, appealing to the reader’s emotions and contriving a powerful and lasting impact towards the end of the text.

3 | Open with an anecdote

A student in my class with an enviable grasp of writing to argue came up with this brilliant way to begin his piece:

‘ In the southwest of China’s Sichuan Province sits a small village called Atuleer, where the local schoolchildren must climb an 800m shaky bamboo ladder up the side of a mountain’s sheer cliff face every single day, just to get to school. ’

Another student who felt particularly strongly about school uniform produced a rather lacklustre opening, which contained the usual statistics about how many students in one school were sent home in the first week of term for flouting the rules.

But after reflecting on the importance of an immersive anecdote, she retooled it: ‘ Doting mum Julie Fowler had only just arrived at work when the telephone call came… ’

4 | Build explicit paragraph links to show visible cohesion

Students often productively employ the usual suspects, such as conjunctions or adverbials of time, within their writing. Another device that works really well is the explicit paragraph link, in which a motif or phrase in the last sentence of a paragraph is repeated in the first sentence of the next paragraph.

‘We live in a society where qualities such as creativity, individualism and entrepreneurialism are highly sought after by most employers, yet we continue to prepare our children for the factory,’ read the end of one student’s paragraph.

The next began: ‘Just like in a factory, kids today arrive at school not a minute too late or else they face punishment.’

This technique can help students employ much more bespoke and effective ways of linking ideas than the ubiquitous ‘Firstly… Secondly… Furthermore…’ approach.

5 | Emphasise the importance of personal pronouns

Students can create a rapport with the reader by addressing them directly. ‘We want our children to grow up fully prepared to take their place as happy and successful adults,’ wrote one student.

In this example, the first-person plural pronoun ‘we’ creates a sense of shared purpose and values, and also makes an assumption that the reader has already assented to the argument.

6 | Adopt the ‘tone’ of the powerful

The discourse of persuasion is the discourse of power. There are several gains a student might make in their own persuasive writing by ‘borrowing’ from powerful language.

I shared some examples from The Guardian , including the use of inverted commas to cast aspersions upon an idea, and posing a question immediately followed with a resoundingly clear answer.

I also encouraged my students to experiment with Latin connectives, such as ‘ergo’, ‘ad nauseam’ and ‘in perpetuum’ to suggest a sense of gravitas and bestow a high status ‘persona’ upon the writer.

7 | Experiment with sentence structures to showcase high-order thinking

Particular sentence structures can allow students to showcase sophisticated thinking. Subordinating conjunctions such as ‘however’ can allow a student to rebuff a counterargument, as can the preposition ‘despite’.

A student might use conjunctions such as ‘because’ and ‘since’ to demonstrate reasoning. Opening a sentence with a simile demonstrates understanding of loaded language.

8 | Change the level of formality for emphasis

A student might use parenthetical brackets to incorporate an informal joke or aside into their response. This can work extremely well, as the juxtaposition of humour or self-deprecation with the formal tone of argument can be an extremely sophisticated persuasive technique that gets the reader on side.

‘In the 1980s,’ wrote one student, ‘I made my way through school under the constant threat of being corporally punished, due to my failure to meet the school’s strict standards (I was usually to be found behind the bike sheds, fag in hand).’

I thought this student used a parenthetical aside to great effect. I also loved the way they adopted a ‘persona’ as part of their writing.

9 | Ensure students make thrifty use of persuasive devices

It’s important to ensure students don’t liberally scatter their responses with rhetorical devices.

Similarly, responses structured around mnemonics like DAFOREST can feel artificial and constrained.

Examiners’ reports are clear that a sustained argument should be led by the deeper structures of the argument itself, rather than simply signposted by persuasive devices.

10 | Write less, craft more

One student initially wrote over 2,000 words. The piece digressed at length about the merits of the education system in Finland, and in doing so really lost sight of the central thesis.

After cutting it down considerably, the student was still grappling with an overly long and unwieldy piece of writing. Offering verbal feedback as I sat with the student at a computer we pruned it brutally, then went back to edit and craft some more.

Anthony Cockerill is Head of English at Boroughbridge High School, North Yorkshire; for more information, visit anthonycockerill.com or follow @thecockerill .

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Analysing a persuasive speech

I can analyse the writer's choices of rhetorical and persuasive devices.

Lesson details

Key learning points.

• Looking for patterns within the language makes analysis more perceptive.
• Having an awareness of the text as a whole enables a more detailed analysis.
• Analytical paragraphs must begin with a point that focuses on the writer's intention, rather than a single feature.
• Offering alternative or additional interpretations can develop an analysis.

Common misconception

That spotting lots of different features makes a good analysis.

Simply spotting a feature is too superficial. The best analysis will say a lot about little. Being able to develop multiple comments on a single feature, creates a much better more in-depth analysis.

Militant - A combative or confrontational attitude, often advocating for extreme measures in pursuit of a particular cause

Unify - to bring together

Rapport - having a good connection or understanding with someone; a close relationship

Bolster - in the context of an argument means to support or strengthen it

Content guidance

• Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
• Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited ( 2024 ), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Starter quiz

6 questions.

first person -  

second person -  

third person -  

he, she, they

first person collective -  

we, us, our

to bring together

rapport -  

have a good connection or understanding with someone

bolster -  

o support or strengthen an argument

militant -  

confrontational attitude, often advocating for extreme measures

Additional material