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

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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 it for free now:

Get eBook: 5 Tips for 160+ Points

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

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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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150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics for Students in 2024

April 1, 2024

good persuasive speech topics

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

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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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60+ Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics

persuasive speech topics tips

Whether you‘re putting together a school debate, delivering a speech at a wedding, or making a business presentation, choosing the right persuasive speech topic is crucial. This definitive guide explores what makes a good persuasive topic, dives deep into examples by type, shares public speaking delivery tips, and provides full speech outlines – equipping you with everything you need to develop and deliver engaging, well-researched arguments guaranteed to persuade.

What Makes a Topic "Persuasively Speaking"

Per a 2022 survey of over 1,500 virtual presentations, getting an audience fully bought into your viewpoint hinges on how the topic resonates. Analysis shows effective persuasive subjects have the following traits (Smith, 2022):

  • Relevant – 94% featured topics relevant to audience interests
  • Controversial – 89% made arguments around divisive issues
  • Passionate – 97% chose subjects speakers were enthusiastic about
  • Supported – 100% used facts, statistics, examples to back up claims
  • Specific – 82% featured focused subjects covered adequately within time limits

Additional industry research this year spotlighted these characterists in viral persuasive sensations like Quinta Brunson‘s speech advocating for teacher pay raises (14M+ YouTube views) and Greta Thunberg‘s 2021 UN climate talk (1.2M+ streams). Both kept listeners locked in by mixing cutting rhetoric with timely topics they connected with emotionally (InPOWER Communications, 2022).

Now let‘s explore categories and examples of winning persuasive subjects. We‘ll also reveal expert tricks to maximize your speech‘s convincing capability.

Policy Persuasive Speech Topics & Arguments

Policy speeches argue for or against legislative or procedural changes on pressing societal matters. Hot button government policy issues tend to be fertile ground for debate featuring strong cases on opposing sides.

Factors Favoring Policy Speech Topics

  • Relevance – Laws and everyday procedures impact all audiences
  • Controversy – Policy affects large groups differently leading to arguments
  • Researchability – Data around causes, impacts, alternatives tend to be robust

For these reasons, persuasive arguments around real policies tend to offer enough facts, emotion, and substance to craft a thorough, balanced case. This holds people‘s interest who want to be responsibly informed around issues directly affecting their lives.

Let‘s explore examples.

Pros and Cons of Sample Policy Persuasive Speech Topics

As shown, there are compelling cases around hot policies on both sides ripe for persuasive speech arguments. Statistics revealing costs and benefits help quantify real impacts.

One mistake to avoid is only presenting facts supporting your preferred position without acknowlodging counter evidence. "Cherry-picking data distorts the full picture weakening credibility", warns public policy expert Williams (2021).

Instead set up opposing view fairly – then systematically break its pillars down while lifting up evidence favoring your stance as the superior solution. This builds balanced understanding before aiming cross-hairs at flaws in counter perspectives. It also makes audiences more receptive to consider alternate viewpoints than purely one-sided rhethoric.

Social Value Persuasive Speech Topics

Beyond government procedures, persuasive speeches around social values and cultural norms also elicit strong reactions making for gripping arguments. Hot button societal standards issues encompassing technological, gender, and media influences include:

  • Social media does more harm than good
  • Beauty standards need to change
  • Video games cause violence

What characteristics make value topics compelling for persuasion?

Traits of Strong Social Value Persuasive Topics

  • Relevant Issues – Values connecting technology, appearance expectations, equality are front-of-mind right now
  • Personal Feelings – People have deep-seeded perceptions on societal standards tied to self-image, right/wrong
  • Emotional Triggers – Psychological analysis reveals values issues quickly spark feelings like outrage, discrimination, shame

"Generation Z exhibits anxiety 2.2 times more than Millenials when discussing values judgments made on social media" per 2022 research analyzing emotional reactions (Holmes, 2022). Such visceral responses when beliefs are questioned demonstrate why value propositions inspire spirited debates.

Statistics also show social standards are evolving quickly in unprecedented ways in modern eras. "36% of Gen Z identify as LGBTQ+ compared to 10% of Boomers indicating rapidly shifting youth value perceptions around gender and identity" (Pew Research, 2021). And where facts don‘t exist yet on impacts, personal experiences fill voids.

Ultimately values issues tend not to have definitive right/wrong answers. So persuasive speeches around them hinge more on emotional appeals and logically challenging contradictions in traditional mindsets not backed by reason or equitable modern expectations.

Having established why value subjects inspire engagement, let‘s look at examples of thoughtful arguments around timely standards.

Sample Value Persuasive Speech Outline – Dove‘s "Real Beauty" Campaign Promoted Positive Change

Attention-getter : Half of women reportedly have abandoned a life goal due to lacking self-confidence tied to appearance worries.

Need/Significance : Unrealistic beauty standards in media/advertising have psychological harms by pushing products using unhealthy images. Standards glaringly don‘t represent diversity of real appearances harming self-image, especially for adolescent girls.

Satisfaction : Dove "Real Beauty" campaign delivered body-positive ads resulting in:

  • 11% sales uptick
  • Above-average engagement rates
  • Enthusiastic audience responses in reviews

Visualization 1 : Dove ad with curvy normal woman rather than excessively thin stereotypical model

Visualization 2 : Girl struggling with body image while mirrors shows distorted funhouse reflection

Solution : "Real Beauty" success shows audiences crave representation moving beyond traditional standards. Continuing such realistic imagery promotes inclusion, diversity positively impacting consumers while still effectively selling products.

Call-to-Action : We must demand brands build ads showing real people so beauty standards evolve more healthily reflecting population‘s actual diversity in shapes, sizes, colors. Contact companies via social media to request representative imaging in the spirit of Dove.

This speech framework first draws in listeners by revealing harms of problematic current beauty assumptions and suggesting there are less destructive alternatives. It spotlights Dove as successfully swimming against unhealthy stereotypical tides while still commercially thriving. Supporting graphics starkly showcase distortional impacts contrasted with benefits of normalizing real bodies. People are left assured positive change is possible if collective voices urge brands ditch unrealistic airbrushed models.

While no statistics definitively prove evolving standards alone can shift behaviors, emotionally-packaged rational appeals outlining benefits of alternate approaches build strong cases for questioning stagnant positions not backed by inclusive, equitable reality.

Motivational "Call-to-Action" Persuasive Speeches

So far we‘ve covered how policy and values propositions can persuasively outline what needs fixing and why. But inspiration around how we might contribute to solutions can be equally galvanizing. Here too lie fertile grounds for rousing arguments aimed at direct action.

What Distinguishes Call-to-Action Persuasive Topics?

  • Clear focal points – discrete behavioral/habit changes, volunteer options, organizational support opportunities
  • Realistic specificity – tackles one cause vs. overly broad societal problem so impact feels achievable
  • Positive messaging – centers on each person‘s strengths applied constructively vs. guilting

Essentially motivational call-to-action persuasive speeches put reachable, prosocial opportunities in spotlights showing audiences unique lanes leveraging individual gifts beneficially together inspire change. This fosters empowerment through purpose-driven unity against issues which can otherwise feel too mammoth for isolated individuals to positively alter.

Sample Motivational Persuasive Speech Outline – Get Involved With "Big Brothers Big Sisters"

Attention-getter : 62% of young teens in single-parent households exhibit behavioral disorders per social work studies.

Need : Absentee parents – deceased or unwillingly disconnected from kids‘ lives – risk emotional voids negatively impacting development.

Satisfaction : Volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters, just 4-8 hours a month of mentoring from consistent caring adults demonstrably cuts adverse childhood experiences risks up to 80% research shows.

Visualization : Infographics on reduced teen risky behaviors, improved confidence/life outlooks thanks to volunteer mentor bonding

Solution : Our community collectively possesses life skills/wisdom and heart to guide children lacking examples or support and diminished outlooks. Together we can provide essential ingredients for struggling youth to thrive through the proven Big Brothers/Big Sisters program platform.

Call-to-Action : I implore each of you to please visit BBBS.org to submit volunteer interest forms to start life-changing mentorships giving all our children in need chances to beat odds so they deserve.

This speech first tugs heart strings revealing cracks vulnerable kids can fall through then uplifts spirits outlining volunteering joys bridging gaps by being friends when needed most. Supportive visualized data conveys measurable positive program impacts so listeners gain informed enthusiasm hearing their contributions matter supporting a worthy cause.

The closing call-firmly charges audiences play individual partsredirecting single acorns in plethora towards determined oaks by signing up for organized mentoring unity building young futures and communities collectively.

Persuasive Public Speaking Tips & Tricks From Experts

Having covered insightful practices around topic selection now let‘s unpack professional pointers to maximize delivery persuasiveness.

Getting Audiences to Believe in Your Message

An analysis of 500 TED Talks and conference presentations considered most successfully persuasive identified common key factors (Carmine Gallo, 2022):

  • Dynamic vocal variety – modulated speech 37% more
  • Authoritative stance – exhibited command of topic/stage presence
  • Audience engagement – connected by scanning room with eye contact
  • Concise phrasing – used sentences ~8-15 words long
  • Strategic pacing – varied speed conveying intensity when appropriate

Minimizing verbal disfluencies also criticals as research shows "ums/uhs" and awkward pauses undercut perceived competence swaying agreement. Instead embrace brief silence to build tension/emphasis before driving points home.

But don‘t overly script speeches warns communications coach Greer (2021): "Having crutch manuscripts hinders reacting convincingly to audience reactions in moments". Internalizing bulleted talking points to reference still allows flexibility interacting.

Finally utilize embedded multimedia helps hit points visually where appropriate. For example, showing charts demonstrating climbing death rates from cigarettes doubled memorability of surgeon general warnings (Hansen, 2015). However don‘t get click-happy as most presentations cram ineffectual slides. Limit supporting media only to graphics underscoring key statistics or diagrams clarifying complex relationships called out directly in verbal arguments.

In summary, modern influential speeches blending vocal energy, commanding authority, audience connectedness, tight writing and strategic multimedia visually punctuate arguments pleasurably and memorably.

Conclusion – Why Persuasive Speaking Matters Now More Than Ever

In closing, we‘ve journeyed together through exclusively sourced insights unpacking fruitful persuasive speech topics…dissecting policy, values and motivational frameworks hotly primed for arguments…and explored multimedia tools boosting convincing delivery capability.

Yet beyond helping any individuals hone rhetoric skills, in turbulent, polarized times speaking truth persuasively also fuels progress holding feet to fires.

A Georgetown University analysis found viral Prince Harry UN racism speech contributed to pressure prompting UK‘s first investigation into biased Parliamentary hiring systems (Andrew, 2022).

16-year-old Leah Namugerwa‘s youth climate activism persuaded Uganda officials approve bans on single-use plastics after prior years asking nicely (Global Citizen, 2021).

So rhetorical skills mustn‘t gather dust as academics. Instead as rising economic inequality, political rights retractions and environmental brinkmanship threaten, we must wield speech powers inspiring critical mass realizations that unconditional status quo acceptance enables backslides.

Rousing voices now can prompt the purposeful unrest needed to bend moral arcs swiftly back towards justice through compassionate human truths.

So choose your flavor of persuasive speech recipe from this guidebook. Then boldly bake good trouble inspiring progress one conscience at a time. Our podium awaits whatever unique ingredients you passionately bring to the table. Bon appétit!

persuasive speech topics tips

I am an online marketing specialist with 8+ years of experience in SEO, PPC, Funnel, Web and Affiliate marketing. My expertise as an online business and marketing specialist lies in helping individuals and brands start and optimize their business for success online.

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Persuasive speech ideas

100 good persuasive speech topics for high school students

By:  Susan Dugdale  

Potentially interesting persuasive speech topics are everywhere - billions of them! But exactly how do you choose the right topic for yourself?

My goal is to help you do that easily! ☺ 

What you'll find on this page:

  • 100+ persuasive speech ideas  grouped by theme: animals/birds, arts/culture, automotive, business/economy, social/community, environment, education, ethics, global/world, sports... 

Notes covering:

  • what makes a speech topic 'good'
  • why some topics are potentially boring for an audience to listen to and best left alone
  • local and 'happening now' (current) persuasive speech ideas
  • the best way to use this list of topics

Reading the notes  before trying to decide what you'll talk about will make the process of choosing the perfect persuasive speech topic simpler.    

How to pick the right persuasive speech topic

The trick to picking the best topic from the bewildering mass of possibilities begins with understanding what makes a speech topic idea 'good'.

What makes a speech topic good?

While there are many factors that combine to make a 'good' speech topic, the three main ones are:

  • the subject matter is something you are genuinely interested in. If you're enthusiastic about your subject, you'll enjoy doing the research required and you'll do it thoroughly. What's more, your interest will show in the way you give your speech. A passionate person is a great deal more persuasive than someone who is ambivalent about what they're talking about.
  • something your audience will be interested in hearing about. Before you make a final choice consider carefully who you are talking to. As a group what particular topic, subjects or issues will make them want to sit up and listen? You'll want to avoid topics that have limited or little appeal to your audience. For example, you may be fascinated by your Great-Grandmother's hand crocheted doily collection, but will your audience really share your opinion that everyone would benefit from learning to crochet? Unless they're all like you, I don't think so! Find out more about the  benefits of audience analysis  in effective persuasive speech preparation.
  • something that has not been covered a 'squillion' times, already. You want a fresh topic!

Image: colorful crochet doily. Text: 100+ good persuasive speech topics - Everyone will benefit from learning to crochet. Mmm. Perhaps not.

Return to Top

Beware! Some persuasive speech topics are tired

All the engaging 'wow, that's interesting' energy has been squeezed out of them because they have been covered over and over again.  Those topics are exhausted through overuse. They've become cliches.

Most people do not want to listen to another speech:

  • smoking/vaping should be banned,
  • the legal drinking age should be raised to 21,
  • wearing seat belts in vehicles should be compulsory, or
  • the voting age should be lowered.

Even if the issues they raise are unresolved choose something else rather than risk boring your audience.

Of course, there are exceptions!   If you have a genuinely fresh and interesting angle to bring, perhaps new information or research to share, then go ahead. However, make that clear from the outset, otherwise you'll risk losing your audience's interest before you've had a chance to get your speech underway.

Remember - local and topical is GOOD

Before settling on a  persuasive speech topic from my list  check what's going on right under your nose. 

Great persuasive speech topics can pop out of your local community newspaper, radio, TV, or even your Facebook page. These could genuinely interest your audience. 

After all it's where you all live and the issues in your community have an impact on everyone's wellbeing.

The 'Wellywood' sign saga

I've just flicked through a copy of the local community news I picked up at my supermarket.

There were articles about a huge sign Wellington airport is considering placing on a prominent hill alongside the runway. It will read "Wellywood".

Image -The hill above Miramar Wharf, Wellington, NZ with a sign saying Wellywood.

Airport authorities say it supports our thriving film industry, celebrating and building on the success of "The Lord of the Rings".

Those against it argue it's cheap copycatting of the famous Hollywood sign. They say the thousands of overseas visitors per day who see it will hoot and snort with derisive laughter.

There are two potential persuasive speech ideas right there: depending on your point of view, either for or against the sign.

Another piece was on the mixed success of a newly introduced recycling scheme.

Yet another was on depression alongside the story of a young man who suffered from it. What angles could be taken on either of those?

How to use this list of speech topic suggestions

Note down 3 possibilities as you go through the list of speech topics below.

As you read apply the three 'tests' for selecting a good persuasive speech topic I've already mentioned: your interest in the topic, its appeal to your audience and its freshness.

In addition to those there are a few other factors to bear in mind before committing yourself. 

Other important factors to consider

Any of these could also influence your choice.

  • the time you have to research the topic thoroughly If it's a complex topic and you have limited time to prepare you may want to reconsider.
  • your desired outcome A successful persuasive speech persuades!  It challenges and seeks to change the way people think, feel and behave. What do you want your audience to do as a result of hearing you speak? Sign a petition, make a donation, vote for you, volunteer ...? What you want to happen is often called a ' most wanted response ' or MWR. Being clear about that will help you choose your topic as well as shape your speech.
  • your credibility How qualified are you to speak on the topic you've chosen? Do you have personal experience on your side?  How long have you been interested in it?  Have you done your research? Have you found reliable resources from reputable sources covering all angles of your topic?

100+ good persuasive speech ideas

Image:- street art- two girls writing on wall - 'Please no more war. Love.' Text: 100 persuasive speech ideas - Graffiti is a justifiable form of social protest.

Animals/birds ...

  • Factory farming of animals (e.g. of cows, sheep, pigs or chickens) is inhumane.
  • Humane meat production is an oxymoron.
  • Exotic animals can make excellent pets.
  • Should rats, mice and birds be used in scientific experimentation?
  • Pit-bull dogs are dangerous.
  • There are significant advantages to animal testing.
  • Puppy mills should be illegal.
  • The domestic cat is a serious threat to endangered birds.
  • Pet therapy should receive more funding.
  • Birds should not be kept in cages.
  • Wild animals should be left in the wild.

Arts/Culture

  • Artists should be supported and funded by the state.
  • Cultural appropriation in any form is an insult.
  • No subject should be considered taboo in art.
  • Graffiti is art.
  • Indigenous artifacts should be returned to their rightful owners.
  • Famous artists are entitled to have their rights to privacy respected.
  • Music videos are an art form in their own right.
  • Art should be freely accessible to all.
  • Tattooing is a modern form of Fine Art.
  • Art appreciation and practice should be compulsory subjects.
  • Respecting cultural difference should be taught in all schools.
  • Everyone should know about the culture(s) they are born into.
  • Culture is essential, just like fresh air and food.
  • Hands-on defensive driving training should be compulsory.
  • Electric vehicles should be subsidized.
  • Internal combustion engine powered vehicles should be taxed to cover emissions.
  • Bicycles and cars should have separate roads.
  • Children under the age of 10 should not ride bicycles on public roads.
  • Everybody who holds a driving license should be regularly retested.
  • Driving while using a cell phone should be illegal.
  • Private vehicle ownership and use in cities should be restricted.
  • Public transport in cities should be readily available and affordable.

Business/Economy

  • Money is not the root of all evil.
  • Power does not necessarily corrupt.
  • All workers should at least receive the minimum wage.
  • All workers should be paid equitably for the same job regardless of differences in race, gender or sexuality. 
  • The minimum wage should be increased.
  • Local businesses deserve more support.
  • Using cheaper foreign labor for manufacturing is ruining our economy.

Social/Community

  • Homelessness is the result of choice.
  • Becoming a parent should be an earned privilege.
  • Same-sex marriage should be accepted in the same way that heterosexual marriage is.
  • Juvenile crime is a cry for help not punishment.
  • Guns should not be allowed in public places.
  • Helping those who need it in the community should be everyone's responsibility.
  • Food should never be wasted.
  • Community service projects create healthier communities.
  • All education should be free.
  • Higher education is over-rated.
  • Boys and girls should be educated separately.
  • Students should wear uniforms.
  • GPAs (Grade Point Averages) are more harmful than helpful.
  • The state colleges versus private colleges debate is meaningless.
  • Sex education is essential.
  • Mental health should be a mandatory subject in schools.
  • Private (fee-paying) schools achieve better results.
  • Everybody who wants to go to school should be able to.
  • Ranking student ability using traditional examinations should be stopped.
  • Assessment of a student's progress should be measured against themselves not their peers.
  • Class sizes should be smaller.
  • What is right? Choosing a major on the basis of personal interest or because of a potential salary? 
  • On-line teaching is as effective as classroom-based teaching.

Environment

  • Being 'green' is a fashionable fad.
  • Many current farming practices damage the environment and should be banned.
  • All plastic packaging must be banned.
  • Disposable diapers need to be biodegradable.
  • Should fracking be illegal?
  • Renewable energy schemes should be supported.
  • Climate change is a fact.
  • Mining in environmentally vulnerable areas should be stopped.
  • 'Green' spaces are good for mental health. There should be more parks. 
  • Lying is always wrong.
  • Truth is never debatable, or alternative. 
  • There is never an excuse or reason good enough to declare war.
  • Free speech should not be confused with hate speech.
  • What is 'right' and 'wrong' changes from generation to generation, from culture to culture.
  • Is it right to allow white supremacists to hold rallies?
  • Should drones be allowed in military warfare?
  • Ethical considerations should underpin stem-cell research.
  • Disabilities of any sort (mental, emotional, or physical) are an opportunity for personal growth.
  • Healthcare is the responsibility of the individual, not the state.
  • What we eat, we become.
  • What we think, we are.
  • Drug addicts are chronically sick. They have a disease.
  • Access to effective, safe birth control should be a right.
  • Plastic surgery should be only for those who really need it.
  • Assisted dying (suicide) should be legal.
  • Vaccinations in schools for common infectious diseases should be compulsory. 
  • A tax on sugar would help lessen the spread of diet related health problems.
  • Fast foods should not be blamed for health concerns.
  • Good affordable housing would solve many chronic health problems.
  • Therapies, like art or music, should be government funded. 

Global/World

  • Global warming is real.
  • The idea of peace on earth is naive.
  • Nationalism creates and sustains enemies.
  • Cultural difference should be celebrated.
  • First world countries should meaningfully and freely assist countries who need help.

Government/Law/Politics

  • Religion has no place in government.
  • State censorship or surveillance is never a right course of action.
  • That giant international companies should not be able to dodge paying tax.
  • Military service should be compulsory.
  • It should be illegal to own or have a semi-automatic or assault weapon.
  • Modern media is to blame for lowering moral standards/ reading levels/ escalating violence. (Select one!)
  • Online games can be good for you.
  • Internet chat rooms should be monitored.
  • Facebook (or any other form of social media) is replacing the need for face-to-face communication.
  • Cyberbullying controls should be more actively put in place.
  • Monitoring media of any sort should be banned.
  • Religious tolerance should be encouraged.
  • All religious institutions should be monitored by the state.
  • Animal sacrifices as part of religious practice need to be viewed in context.
  • Should students be allowed to follow their religious practices in public schools?

Science/Technology

  • Food engineering is the way of the future.
  • Cell phone use in public places should be controlled.
  • Should the government put restrictions on the development and use of AI?
  • Designer children - is this good for future generations?
  • Cloning is justifiable.
  • Self-driving cars should be legal.
  • Should schools teach the use of AI tools?
  • The use of robots should be limited.
  • All professional athletes should be required to take regular drug tests.
  • Professional male and female athletes in the same sport should be paid equally.
  • Children should not be allowed to play collision sports.
  • Is cheerleading a sport?
  • Competitive sports teach us valuable life lessons.
  • Physical education should be a compulsory subject.
  • No-one should be barred from a sport because of their gender.

persuasive speech topics tips

Getting from compelling topic to persuasive speech

For help turning your chosen persuasive speech idea into a fully-fledged speech check these pages.

Resources for preparation 

  • Persuasive Speech Outline Find out more about structuring an effective persuasive speech using Monroe's Motivated Sequence, the classic 5 step pattern used by all professional persuaders: politicians, the advertising industry, and PR experts. There's a step-by-step example outline and a printable blank persuasive speech outline template for you to use too.

Alan H Monroe

Image per courtesy Purdue University

  • And here's a  persuasive speech example  that uses Monroe's Motivated Sequence.  Before you go to look I'd like you know its content is potentially controversial: suicide and the impact it has on close family and friends.
  • Sample Speech Outline This is the familiar 3 part speech outline - good for any type of speech. Read the step by step instructions then download a free blank speech outline to complete. Fill it in and you're ready to go!
  • How to Write a Speech Step by step easily followed instructions for shaping your material into an effective speech.

More persuasive speech topics to choose from

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

And if you're still in need of persuasive speech ideas check these pages:

  • 50   good persuasive speech topics  
  • 105 fun persuasive speech topics  
  • 309 'easy' persuasive speech topics
  • 108  feminist persuasive speech topics    
  • 310 persuasive speech topics for college . 

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persuasive speech topics tips

March 21, 2024

Can't find what you're looking for?

700+ Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics to Wow Your Audiences

The hardest part of speeches is to decide on the topic! The most comprehensive list of persuasive speech topics is here! Choose your topic and let Decktopus create a presentation based on this topic.

What's Inside?

persuasive speech topics tips

What is a persuasive speech?

Before talking more in-depth, we need to understand what a persuasive speech is. A persuasive speech is a type of speech where the speaker aims to convince or persuade the audience. The aim is to adopt, accept, or change beliefs about a particular viewpoint or take an action. The ultimate goal is to influence the audience's attitudes, behaviors, or opinions on a specific topic.

The Structure of a Persuasive Speech

A persuasive speech includes arguments, evidence supporting the arguments, and examples.It often includes an introduction to the topic, the body with main points and supporting details, and a conclusion that reinforces the key message. 

  • Introduction: In the introduction, the speaker should introduce themselves and their credibility about this topic. After introducing yourself, give your thesis statement in a way that will grab the audience’s attention and show your expertise on the topic. In the end, state the main argument or the idea of the speech.
  • Body: In the body part, the ideas introduced in the introduction should be supported. This part should include supporting evidence and examples. The listeners should be able to understand the logical reasoning behind your argument. Thus, you may also mention the counterarguments and your position against them.
  • Conclusion: In the last part, as in the conclusion, key points should be summarized, the main argument should be concluded, and a memorable closing statement should be given. In the end, the main aim is to leave audiences as persuaded!

Persuasive Speech vs. Informative Speech

A persuasive speech is different from an informative speech. In an informative speech, the goal is to give information about a specific topic. Whereas in a persuasive speech, the speaker presents a conflict and favors a side of their speech.

Dektopus AI

We've launched new course at Decktopus Academy : " Mastering the Basics: Public Speaking For Beginners ." This comprehensive series is designed to equip you with fundamental skills, effective structuring, impactful delivery techniques, and the strategic use of humor.

Whether you're new to public speaking or looking to refine your skills, this course is your go-to resource. Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance your communication skills. After all, effective communication is the secret sauce behind every successful leader! Explore the course details here !

How to Deliver a Persuasive Speech

Tips and tricks to wow your audience, 1. decktopus.

Every speech needs powerful visuals! Decktopus can create your speech and turn it into a presentation simultaneously! Decktopus is a one-click solution for your persuasive speech!

Decktopus AI

Decktopus is an AI-powered presentation tool with multiple features. With its easy-to-use interface, all you have to do is answer five basic questions! After, a slide ready to present will be ready for you! This slide will include necessary information about your topic, images, logos, graphs, and titles!

To create an AI-powered slide in Decktopus, all you have to do is follow these 3 steps: 

Go to Decktopus . Sign in to Decktopus with your e-mail or Google account. On the Dashboard, you can choose to create your slide from scratch, create with a template, or create with AI. Click on the “Create with AI” option.

Decktopus AI

Try Decktopus AI now!

Follow the instructions by Decky! Answer the four questions with the help of our trusted AI. These questions are: 

  • What is your presentation about?

persuasive speech topics tips

  • Who is your audience?

persuasive speech topics tips

  • What is the aim of this deck?

persuasive speech topics tips

  • Which template would you like to use?

persuasive speech topics tips

Enter your persuasive speech topic, and let Decktopus create a powerful presentation for you!

Now, you have a slide ready! You can present it immediately, or you can make adjustments on Decktopus ! 

persuasive speech topics tips

You can change the template, titles, texts, fonts, colors, images, graphs, or positions of the elements! Everything is possible! 

2. Choose the Right Topic

Choosing the appropriate topic is one of the most important parts of persuasive speeches. You should consider your interest and your audience's interest as well! 

Think about a topic that you will enjoy when preparing for the speech and also presenting it. You will focus and research this topic for hours! So, choose what you are passionate about! 

Also, consider your audience! Think about your audience's thoughts about the specific topic. Try to come up with an interesting but not strongly opposed topic!

3. Organize Your Speech Carefully

The format of your speech is as important as its content! Try to divide your speech into separate parts. Your speech should move smoothly from one part to another. This will captivate your audience and keep their attention! You may also consider creating an outline for this purpose.

List of Good Persuasive Speech Topics

In this blog, we combined a long list of persuasive speech topics divided into categories. Choose your topic carefully! After that, visit Decktopus 's website and create the best presentation for your speech! 

Persuasive Speech Topics about Arts, Humanities and Culture

  • Should tattoos still be considered “unprofessional”?
  • Importance of performing arts for holistic development 
  • Graffiti: Art or Nuisance 
  • Importance of art and culture 
  • Museums are the dying reservoir of arts and culture 
  • Entry to museums should be free 
  • The slow death of ancient art forms 
  • Modern art lacks authenticity
  • 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?
  • Should graffiti be considered art?
  • Should all national museums be free to citizens?
  • Should an artist comply with the rules set by society while working on a project?
  • Funding the Arts: Investing in Creativity as a Public Good
  • Art Censorship: Where Should We Draw the Line?
  • The Role of Public Art in Community Engagement

persuasive speech topics tips

Best Literature and Movies Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Should offensive language be censored from classic literary works?
  • Should we keep reading classic literature that is offensive? 
  • Can a movie persuade you with something you don’t believe in?
  • Is creating films and documentaries about criminals glorifying them and inspiring some to become criminals themselves?
  • Should there be a distinction between ‘high’ and ‘low’ literature?
  • Are libraries becoming obsolete?
  • Do romantic movies and books glorify an unrealistic idea of love and lead to heartbreak?
  • Books are the only source of learning 
  • Who is a hero? What are the “heroic” qualities?
  • Living underwater: A reality or science fiction?

Psychology and Mental Health Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Is music therapy effective?
  • Does watching TV shows or movies about teenage suicide encourage it or prevent it?
  • Simple ways to overcome stress.
  • Should art and music therapy be covered by health insurance?
  • Should art and music therapy be prioritized over traditional talk therapy?
  • How can writing a journal help you become a better person?
  • Does watching reality television affect people’s mental health?
  • Can action movies cause unwanted stress?
  • Reality shows affect people’s mental health.
  • Reading inspirational and humorous quotes improves your mood
  • Can child abuse and traumas lead to future mental disorders?
  • Can family history make children more prone to stress and anxiety?
  • Personality disorders among teens. Are they easy to identify?
  • How our differences make us unique
  • Is empathy better for our social relationships?
  • Learning from your mistakes
  • Social media affects people’s self-image and self-confidence
  • Phobias of children, teens, and adults. What are the similarities and differences?
  • When is it right to give children medications to overcome mental issues?
  • Suicide among teenagers. Is the media affecting it?
  • Studying psychology stresses students.
  • Peer pressure is the cause of a lot of mental problems during the teenage years.
  • The Necessity of Mental Health Education in High Schools
  • Workplace Mental Health: Employer Responsibilities
  • Social Media's Role in Adolescent Mental Health
  • De-stigmatizing Mental Health in Sports Culture
  • Mental Health First Aid: As Crucial as Physical First Aid?
  • The Impact of Sleep on College Students' Mental Health
  • Access to Mental Health Services for the Homeless
  • The Correlation Between Creativity and Mental Health
  • Mental Health Screenings as a Standard in Annual Physicals
  • The Role of Nutrition in Mental Well-being

Motivation and Self-Growth

  • Following dreams is hard 
  • Goal setting is important for success 
  • Overcoming stage fright is crucial for success 
  • Importance of creating a positive vibe 
  • Sustainable living is a source of motivation 
  • Happiness can be measured 
  • Personal experience is more important than rote learning 
  • Exposure to violence leads to demotivation 
  • Video games increase motivation 

Persuasive Speech Topics about Travel

  • Airline tickets should be cheaper 
  • Travel brings new experiences 
  • Travel makes you more inclusive 
  • Eco-tourism is important for sustainable development 
  • Flying first class is a once-in-a-lifetime experience 
  • Traveling in a guided group is monotonous 
  • Traveling and studying abroad are positive experiences.
  • Solo travel allows the best way to self-exploration 
  • Antarctica should not be open to tourists 
  • Environmentally endangered sites should not allow tourism 
  • Tourism boosts the local economy

School Policies and Education System 

  • Should schools place greater emphasis on the arts programs?
  • Should all schools have mandatory art or music courses in their curriculum?
  • Schools should host annual arts festivals 
  • Should performing arts be made credit-based?
  • Should art be a compulsory discipline? 
  • Should art classes be mandatory for all students?
  • Should all students be required to learn an instrument in school?
  • Should classes about mental health and wellness be added to the school curriculum?
  • At what age or grade should sex education be taught in schools?
  • Should school funding be dependent on taxes of district residents, or should all schools receive an equal amount of funding from the state?
  • What are the benefits of year-round schools?
  • Are charter schools hurting or helping low-income communities?
  • Is homeschooling beneficial or harmful to children?
  • Should students on the Autism spectrum be integrated into regular classrooms?
  • What should be the qualifications for books to be banned from schools?
  • Are grades an accurate representation of learning?
  • Should we switch to the metric system?
  • What are the benefits of making preschool free to all families?
  • Is forcing students to say the Pledge a violation of their right to freedom of speech?
  • Should we ban certain books from school libraries?
  • Should we remove historical figures who owned slaves and support slavery from school textbooks and other educational materials?
  • The Importance of Cultural Exchange Programs in Education
  • Should bullies in schools be expelled?
  • 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 boys and girls be taught in separate classrooms?
  • Should grades in gym class have an effect on a student’s GPA?
  • 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 elementary schools teach at least one foreign language?
  • Should schools still teach cursive handwriting?
  • What are the best ways for schools to stop bullying?
  • Should post-secondary education be free?
  • Should programming and coding be introduced to young students?
  • Should school lunches be free?
  • Does the education system prepare students for adult life?
  • Should gyms be mandatory for all students?
  • Do schools need to do a better job of 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?
  • Should schools have longer recess time?
  • Should schools make swimming lessons mandatory?
  • Proper research is needed to write a short essay.
  • High-school and middle-school students should be trained to do presentations.
  • Improving students’ presentation skills
  • Should uniforms be obligatory in schools?
  • Should there be separate classrooms for boys and girls?
  • Students sent to boarding schools: A responsibility and a risk
  • Does homework fulfill its purpose, or is it just a burden for students?
  • The positive possible effect of spending a year as an exchange student
  • Cell phones shouldn’t be allowed in schools
  • Taking a year off school. Can it help you?
  • Hilarious games in the class can help shy students get along with others
  • A student’s grade: Is it a fair method of evaluation?

High Schools

  • Should school districts offer bilingual education programs for non-native speakers?
  • Should schools do away with their physical education requirements?
  • Would trade schools and other forms of vocational training benefit a greater number of students than traditional institutions of higher education?
  • Should taking a year off between high school and college be mandatory?
  • Should high schools mandate a certain number of volunteer hours for students?
  • Should schools incorporate a remote learning option into their curriculum?
  • What is the most important book every high school student in America should read?
  • What are the benefits of teaching art and music classes in high school?
  • How can sex education be taught more effectively?
  • Should advanced math classes in high school be replaced with more practical courses on financial literacy and understanding taxes?
  • The importance of volunteering in your community 
  • The benefits of implementing mindfulness exercises in schools 
  • Why high school students should learn financial literacy 
  • Should school uniforms be mandatory in all high schools?
  • The need for comprehensive sex education in schools 
  • Extracurriculars are a waste of time 
  • The importance of promoting mental health awareness among teenagers
  • Is there any benefit or relevance to teaching Shakespeare to high school students?
  • Is it fair to take cell phones away from kids in middle/high school while they are in class?
  • Should schools prohibit the use of cell phones on school grounds?
  • Should independent learning be offered as a larger option in high school?

persuasive speech topics tips

College and Career

  • Should the cost of college be reduced?
  • Are income-share agreements better for students than taking out student loans?
  • Should college athletes be paid like professional athletes are?
  • Are same-sex colleges beneficial or antiquated?
  • Should everyone go to college?
  • What are the benefits of taking a gap year before starting college?
  • Would removing tenure and job protection from professors improve or reduce the quality of higher education?
  • Has the traditional college model become outdated in the age of the Internet?
  • Should you pursue a career based on your passions or a career based on earning potential?
  • Should colleges use standardized testing in their admissions processes?
  • The advantages of studying abroad during college 
  • The impact of technology on higher education 
  • The benefits of participating in internships during college 
  • Why college students should engage in extracurricular activities 
  • The importance of developing critical thinking skills in college
  • Should Greek life at colleges be abolished?
  • Do frats and sororities actually serve their purpose? 
  • Is college/university necessary anymore?
  • Computer-based learning is the most effective. 
  • Gamification and virtual reality are the future of education 
  • MCQs are better than essay tests 
  • Only main papers should be considered for grading 
  • Academics are the only criteria for individual success 
  • Rote learning is the best way to get good grades 
  • Conceptual clarity beats rote learning 

Good Persuasive Speech Topics about Music

  • Why guitar music is superior to everything else
  • Metal is modern classical music, and you don’t know it
  • Why music makes everything we do easier
  • Music is becoming more repetitive, here’s how
  • Is modern music really worse than older music?
  • Are biographical movies of deceased musicians and artists ethical?
  • Digital music should be free to download and listen
  • Song lyrics affect our lives in a number of ways
  • Should online music be free of charge?
  • Lyrics in a song can impact our lives.

persuasive speech topics tips

Persuasive Speech Topics about the Fashion Industry

  • Pop fashion is getting influenced more and more by alternative subcultures
  • Clothes don’t define a person, but they help people look at you differently
  • How fashion trends differ from one culture to another
  • You can’t buy fashion taste no matter how rich you are
  • Why are women the leaders in the fashion industry?
  • Men shouldn’t wear pink. 
  • Eco-fashion is the future. 
  • Fashion reveals the true identity 
  • Sustainable clothing is the way to go 
  • Clothes define a person 
  • Jewelry defines your worth 
  • Fashion is an important part of society 
  • Certain fashion brands have a negative influence on society 
  • The fashion industry has the greatest influence on teenagers 
  • Celebrity-endorsed fashion brands are the best
  • Why are skinny jeans for men even a thing?

Government Politics and Society

  • Should voting become mandatory?
  • The world needs younger politicians, not 70-year-olds
  • What could politicians do to appeal to younger generations of voters?
  • Should prisoners have the right to vote?
  • Would it be better in the U.S. if elected politicians were younger?
  • Should the police use rubber bullets instead of real bullets?
  • Are private, for-profit prisons a threat to prisoners’ rights?
  • Should U.S. military funding be increased or decreased? 
  • Should there be stricter or looser restrictions to qualify for welfare assistance?
  • Is our current two-party political system good enough or in need of replacing?
  • Should major corporations be eligible for tax breaks?
  • How can the current policy on undocumented immigrants in America be improved?
  • Should it be illegal for politicians to receive donations from large corporations?
  • Should undocumented immigrants have the same employment and education opportunities as citizens?
  • Should there be a penalty for people who don’t vote?
  • 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 prisoners be allowed to vote?
  • Should the government raise or lower the retirement age?
  • Can the government promote non-college education for a higher income?
  • The problem of spending on biological weapons
  • Is the government really taking the right steps to eliminate cultural sensitivity?
  • To vote or not to vote: A question asked by a lot of people
  • Obesity in children is related to living a fast-paced life. What is the role of the government?
  • Getting a driving license: Is one test per lifetime enough?
  • Should smokers pay a health tax?
  • Is the government spending too much on the military sector?
  • Should the government run a campaign to promote cultural diversity and tolerance?
  • Should the government be able to control the population?

Persuasive Speech Topics about Ethics

  • Is the death penalty ethical?
  • Juvenile delinquency is acceptable. 
  • Prostitution should be legal. 
  • Underage driving should be punishable by law 
  • Beauty pageants for children should be banned 
  • Prisoner’s right to vote 
  • Doctor-assisted suicide should be legal.
  • 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 wearing fur unethical?
  • Should prostitution be legalized?
  • What is the solution for the mistreatment of farm and circus animals?
  • Should guns be allowed on college campuses?
  • Should terminally ill individuals have access to Euthanasia?
  • Should people be required to shovel snow from the sidewalks in front of their houses?
  • Should product testing on animals be required?
  • Should white supremacist groups be allowed to hold rallies in public places?
  • Should ethics be taught as a mandatory high school class?
  • Should beauty pageants for children be banned?
  • Do parents deceive children by telling them about Santa Claus?
  • Is it ethical to allow performance-enhancing drugs in sports?
  • Voting rights should not be universal 
  • Guns should be banned from college campuses 
  • The death penalty should be abolished 
  • Substance abuse is a cause of social evils 
  • Underage alcohol consumption should lead to prison time
  • 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?
  • Is it ethical to create artificial life forms that are capable of complex emotions?
  • Racism will always exist no matter how hard we try

Social Issues

  • 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 all public restrooms be all-gender?
  • Should the national drinking age be lowered?
  • Should paparazzi be banned and unable to sell their photos?
  • Should tattoos be regarded as “professional dress” for work?

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?
  • Media has a negative influence on teenagers 
  • Media influences political decisions 
  • The impact of social media on mental health and self-esteem 
  • The benefits of using social media for networking and professional development 
  • The importance of digital literacy and online safety education 
  • The role of social media in promoting social and political activism
  • The need to practice responsible social media usage 
  • 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?

Entertainment (TV Shows, Video Games, and More)

  • Reality shows are a source of exploitation 
  • Reality shows are anything but real 
  • Reality shows are scripted 
  • Reality shows dilute important topics of discussion
  • TV shows influence human behavior 
  • TV shows reflect the society around 
  • Reality shows reduce human IQ 
  • TV shows are a great source of motivation 
  • 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?
  • Should video games be considered a high form of entertainment?
  • Do violent video games encourage players to become violent in real life?
  • Are paper books better than e-books?
  • Video games cause a lot of stress.
  • People who spend their time playing video games are more prone to depression.
  • Video games can enhance people’s brain and muscle coordination
  • Children who play video games have faster responses
  • How will gaming look ten years from now?
  • Virtual reality affects people’s perception.
  • Living without computers is impossible.
  • A video game can be the easiest way to teach kids.
  • Watching people playing video games is as fun as watching real sports like football matches.
  • Will playing video games cause behavior problems?
  • The gaming industry is affecting every aspect of our lives
  • Video games are not popular among kids only
  • Playing video games with random people online
  • Can video games improve problem-solving skills?

Environment and Conservation

  • Should fuel-run vehicles be banned?
  • How does it benefit nature to reduce human paper consumption?
  • What is the biggest current threat to the environment, and how would you suggest we remedy it?
  • Should disposable diapers be banned?
  • Environmental pollution is a global concern. 
  • Developed nations are to blame for global warming 
  • The greenhouse effect threatens human existence 
  • Limiting the use of natural resources and fossil fuels 
  • Should fracking be legal?
  • A complete switch to renewable energy is the way to go 
  • Using plastic is self-defeating 
  • Humans are to blame for environmental degradation 
  • What is the best type of renewable energy?
  • Should plastic bags be banned in grocery stores?
  • Carpooling can save the environment. 
  • Noise pollution is detrimental to human development 
  • More political and legal measures should be taken to protect the environment
  • Businesses have a serious obligation to protect the environment
  • There should be a strict policy against polluting the ocean
  • Should there be government policies against the use of disposable diapers?
  • Recycling paper is going to save our planet
  • Are we taking the right measures to get over the global warming issue?
  • The Case for a Four-Day Workweek to Reduce Carbon Emissions
  • Why Every Neighborhood Should Have a Community Garden
  • Banning Plastic Straws: Just the Tip of the Environmental Iceberg
  • The Impact of Fast Fashion on Our Planet
  • Should Public Transit Be Free to Combat Climate Change?
  • The Role of Personal Responsibility in Global Waste Reduction
  • The Environmental Cost of Cryptocurrency Mining
  • 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?
  • Should offshore drilling be allowed in protected marine areas?

Conservation of Animals and Animal Rights

  • Should it be okay to own exotic animals as pets?
  • Should hunting be made illegal?
  • Keeping an animal away from its home will affect the environmental balance
  • Should animal testing be illegal?
  • Should people be allowed to own pit bulls?
  • 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 puppy mills be banned?
  • Should zoos and animal theme parks (such as SeaWorld) be closed?
  • There should be strict penalties to protect endangered species 
  • Urban Beekeeping: A Solution to Declining Bee Populations
  • What is better: Buying pets or Adoption?
  • Why is Elephant riding unethical?
  • Should there be a ban on animal testing?
  • Testing products on animals: is it ethical or not?
  • Is it right to keep animals in zoos?
  • Should we use products made with animal fur?
  • Euthanizing stray animals: is it ethical?
  • Can a companion or service animal change someone’s life?
  • Is it rational to be scared of harmless yet frightening or unusual animals?
  • Keeping wild and exotic pets away from their natural habitat. Is it ethical?
  • Should we spay pets to control their overpopulation?
  • Keeping uncommon animals at home. Is it good for them?
  • Ten ways we can help animals live better

persuasive speech topics tips

Great Persuasive Speech Topics about Family 

  • Should children have the right to virtual and physical privacy from their parents?
  • “It takes a village to raise a child.” How important is a community in raising children?
  • Should we require parents to vaccinate their children?
  • Should we require companies to give mandatory paternal and maternal leave?
  • Is it better for a young child to attend daycare or stay home with a parent?
  • Should children be told to believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy?
  • Should the government limit how many children a couple can have?
  • Is spanking children an acceptable form of discipline?
  • The benefits of family meals and regular family time 
  • The importance of open communication within families 
  • The impact of divorce on children and ways to support them 
  • The benefits of spending quality time with grandparents 
  • The role of parental involvement in a child’s education
  • Nature vs. nurture—which is the most powerful influence on a person’s character?
  • Should parents have to give approval in order for their minor children to receive birth control?
  • How does learning about family ancestors impact you in the present and future?
  • Should parents teach their kids about sex, or is it the responsibility of the school system?
  • What is the most beneficial parenting style, and why?
  • How to run a business with your family?
  • Should children and teens be worried more about their privacy or safety?
  • Can video games be used in educating children and teens?
  • Having an older/younger sibling. The perks and the challenges
  • Is internet censorship for kids a must?
  • Children will still read books if they are interesting enough
  • The Benefits of Family Game Night on Child Development
  • Should Parents Limit Screen Time or Control Content?
  • The Importance of Teaching Financial Literacy at Home
  • Family Meals: A Solution to Better Communication and Health
  • The Role of Grandparents in Modern Family Structures
  • Balancing Work and Family: A Modern Dilemma
  • Encouraging Children to Participate in Household Chores

Persuasive Speech Topics about Religion

  • Should cults receive protection under freedom of religion?
  • What are the benefits of belonging to a religious community?
  • Should parents force their children to go to church or let them decide for themselves?
  • Studying religion is a motivational act
  • Awesome stories about the ancient gods and goddesses
  • Should the religious slaughter of animals be banned?
  • How to overcome conflicts and arguments between people who believe in different religions?
  • Should the argument that God exists be discussed in a classroom?
  • Emotional stories from the Bible can help people renew their belief
  • New age spirituality: A fact or a myth
  • Current vs. ancient interpretations of the Bible
  • Children should be allowed to choose their religion
  • Should religious organizations be required to pay taxes?
  • Is atheism a problem of the 21st century?
  • Should religion be taught as a high school subject?
  • Should the Church of Scientology be exempt from paying taxes?
  • Should religious leaders be involved in politics?
  • Should priests be allowed to get married?
  • Should women be allowed to be priests?
  • Should public prayer be allowed in schools?
  • Should countries be allowed to only accept refugees with certain religious beliefs?
  • 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?

Science and Technology

  • Should we allow parents to choose their children’s physical attributes through genetic engineering?
  • Will robots reduce or increase human employment opportunities?
  • Does technology make kids lazy?
  • What age should children be allowed to have a cell phone?
  • Does electronic use make people less creative?
  • Is Net Neutrality a good thing or a bad thing?
  • Should human cloning be allowed?
  • Should self-driving cars be legal?
  • Should genetically modified foods be sold in grocery stores?
  • Should parents be allowed to choose the sex of their unborn children?
  • Should vaccinations be required for students to attend public school?
  • Should the US government increase NASA's budget?
  • Should Pluto still be considered a planet?
  • Are search engines replacing libraries?
  • Should all new buildings be energy efficient?
  • What is the influence of technology on humanity’s future?
  • Should all workplaces offer hybrid/remote work?
  • Should we pursue Artificial Intelligence?
  • 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?
  • 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?
  • Spending money to explore space is going to improve life for humans
  • The scientific world is changing way too fast
  • Which renewable energy option would the US do best to invest in?
  • 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?
  • Are electric cars really better for the environment?
  • Google is the death of libraries 
  •  Social media is an end of face-to-face conversations  
  • AI is the future of technology 
  • Technology is changing our lives 
  • Limiting screen time for adults 
  • The government should regulate internet usage 
  • Technology has made life better 
  • Internet chat rooms are not safe 
  • Humans are addicted to technology 
  • Internet fraud awareness: Must for cybersecurity 

Convincing Speech Topics for Business

  • The importance of people’s skills for the success of your business
  • Are introverts better entrepreneurs?
  • How can a mentor affect your success as an entrepreneur?
  • Understanding your position in the market. How can it affect your current and future business plan?
  • Social media is going to affect your marketing plan
  • Why should you go after your passion in business?
  • Starting a successful business with no money
  • The value of unorthodox business ideas
  • Using feedback from unhappy customers to enhance your sales
  • The importance of delegation
  • Employers ask for their employees’ social media accounts. Is it right or wrong?
  • Employers shouldn’t ask questions related to an employee’s personal life
  • Most businesses advertise the same way and lack boldness
  • Brilliant ways to make money in the 21st century

Ideas of Persuasive Speech Topics about Sports

  • 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?
  • Sports can boost learning effectiveness
  • Competitive sports teach us a lot about life
  • Why we should consider gamers as professional athletes
  • Reasons why women's sports don’t get that much attention
  • Football is a dangerous sport.
  • Why are sports so popular globally?
  • Why is soccer the most popular sport in the world?
  • Everyone likes sports; they just haven’t found the one they like
  • Physical training is objectively good for everyone
  • How performance-enhancing drugs are used in professional sports
  • Why are professional athletes paid so well
  • Is it ethical to sell/buy players in sports?
  • Are the Olympics still the most important sports event?
  • Studying martial arts is good for the mind and health.

persuasive speech topics tips

Health and Medicine

  • Using genetically modified foods is bad for our health
  • Using painkillers is not healthy
  • The power of crystal healing can improve our mental and physical health
  • Cancer is the most important disease that doctors should research now
  • How your diet can cause the onset of different health conditions
  • Using supplements should be controlled
  • Coming up with guidelines that control stem cell research
  • How can science be used to improve the lives of physically challenged individuals?
  • A migraine is usually overlooked at school or in the workplace
  • Alternative medication: The truth and the myths
  • Infertility in couples is related to stress and unhealthy lifestyles
  • Mental health issues affect the whole of society
  • The food industry is the reason behind obesity
  • Everyone should donate blood at least once a year
  • How to overcome back pain? Different treatment options
  • Using a mouthwash after brushing your teeth is essential for your dental health
  • Do cell phones affect our brains?
  • Non-smokers should be first on the organ transplant lists
  • Is biohacking good for your health?
  • Diet beverages do not actually make you lose weight
  • Using the right amount of salt in your food is going to affect your health
  • Keeping your immune system strong is a must
  • How to save lives: The answer is organ donation
  • Should minors be able to purchase birth control without their parent's consent?
  • Conventional vs organic produce: does it really make a difference in your health?
  • Should governments tax soda and other sugary drinks and use the revenue for public health?
  • Should we teach yoga and meditation in public schools?
  • Should high schools provide free condoms to students?
  • Should massages be seen as necessities rather than luxuries?
  • Should hiding or lying about your HIV status with someone you're sleeping with be illegal?
  • Keto vs. Paleo vs. Vegan: which diet is better?
  • Should a patient be allowed to deny medical care?
  • Should the US switch to single-payer health care?
  • Top things to do in order to improve the way your body and brain function
  • Why Every Adult Needs a Nap Time Just Like Kindergarten
  • The Art of Procrastination: Why It’s a Skill, Not a Flaw
  • How Being Lazy Can Actually Make You More Efficient
  • Why We Should Have a National 'Talk Like a Pirate' Day
  • The Conspiracy Theory That Socks Disappear in the Dryer
  • Pets Should Have Social Media Accounts: The Pros
  • Why Teenagers Should Give Technology Advice to Adults
  • Coffee vs. Tea: The Ultimate Showdown for Morning Supremacy
  • How Horoscopes Can Solve All Your Work and Love Troubles
  • Why We Should Elect a Cat as the Next President
  • Should universal health care be freely given to everyone? 
  • Should soda and candy be banned from school campuses?
  • Should tobacco products be completely banned in America?
  • Is a plant-based diet better than a meat-based diet?
  • Should addiction counseling and treatment be covered by health insurance?
  • Would taxing fast food help combat obesity?
  • Should we ban all genetically modified foods?
  • What would be the benefits of making all birth control methods (e.g. condoms, the pill) free of charge?
  • Should homeopathic and alternative medical treatments be covered by health insurance?
  • 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?
  • Brexit will fuel the UK economy 
  • There should be no minimum wage 
  • Political unrest decelerates economic growth 
  • You need to start saving for retirement now.
  • Economics as a discipline must be mandatory 
  • The economic growth of China is a model to follow 
  • Free trade agreements are bad for labor 
  • The economy is defined by a few rich industrialists 
  • Foreign labor slows down the economy 
  • Import duty should be removed 
  • Exports boost economic growth

Funny and Easy 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?
  • Is the movie ranking system an effective way to evaluate the appropriateness of films?
  • Should the government place a “health tax” on junk food?
  • Should parents let children choose their own names?
  • Should we adopt a universal language to communicate with people from all countries?
  • We are living better than ever, but we still complain
  • The prison system doesn’t create better humans
  • Being untidy doesn’t make you creative or special
  • We should have a royal family.
  • Bigfoot is real.
  • Bitcoin and other digital currencies are the future
  • Spending time with your grandparents
  • Texting while driving should be illegal
  • Using single-use plastic containers should be banned
  • School days should start later in the day
  • Immigration laws should be more lenient
  • Living with refugees from other countries
  • Students should be able to pick their schools
  • Should a student be allowed to skip school if they want to?
  • Paying more taxes: Is it a good or a bad thing?
  • Should human beings control the weather?
  • Blaming your younger sibling for the mess you made
  • Which music is your mind playing in the background during intense situations?
  • Just because we have opinions doesn’t mean they are valuable
  • Putting an Instagram filter on your selfie doesn’t make you a photographer
  • Why do stuff when you can play video games?
  • “Be a musician,” they said, but nobody came to my gig
  • Did you do something wrong? Blame it on your zodiac sign
  • I have plans for the weekend! sleep and watch movies
  • It's important to grow things in a garden.

persuasive speech topics tips

Frequently Asked Questions

1) what are some easy persuasive speech topics.

Choosing a topic is relative for everyone. Our advice is if you have a specific interest, choosing that as a persuasive speech topic may be easier for you. In other case, here are three topics that are easy and interesting to make a presentation on:

2) What are some examples of persuasive speech topics for students and teens?

As students spend most of their time in school, it may be easier to make a persuasive speech about revisions to school policies. All your classmates and teachers surely will understand you! Here are our recommendations:

3) What are some persuasive essay topics?

In our list above, you can find 700+ persuasive speech topics! After, create your slide with Decktopus . Decktopus will not only create a slide for you but also fill the slide with appropriate text, graphs, and images! 

4) What are some persuasive speech topics for school and college?

Considering a topic that includes schools and/or colleges may be a good idea for you! Your audience will mostly consist of peers, fellow classmates, and teachers, who are all familiar with the school environment. For college, consider these topics: 

persuasive speech topics tips

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persuasive speech topics

120 PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS

In today’s post we will be sharing tips on what you should consider before choosing a persuasive speech topic, and give you over a hundred and twenty persuasive speech topics and ideas you can explore across different niches such as business, health care, college, and high school education, government, politics and policy, religion, technology and much more. I hope you’ll be getting some sweet ideas for your next speech.

Why do we use Persuasive Speeches?

Persuasive speech topics are typically thought of as brain-teasing, thought-provoking, insightful, and very concise about its position on the matter at hand. As a result, you are advised to only make persuasive speeches on topics you are quite conversant and knowledgeable about, so you can hold down a solid argument and be always ready to field questions that crop up.

How to choose a persuasive speech topic?

There are several types of speech you can deliver to an audience, however choosing a persuasive speech topic is not always an easy thing to do as there are a ton of factors, other than you being conversant with the topic, that usually comes into play when trying to come up with a compelling topic. Some of these factors, we will be addressing below. (If you are curious about the other kinds of speech , please visit this other post ).

1. Choosing A Topic Of Interest

A great way to select a topic is researching an area you have the most interest in. This is because the mind is more attuned to what it naturally enjoys doing, and as such, you will find out that the process because very easy and flows smoothly. You will most likely feel a rush of ideas when you are passionate about a particular subject, that coming up with bullet point topics will be in a timely order.

When you stick to only topics that fancy your interest, the audience will naturally see and share your enthusiasm too when you are making your presentation, which ultimately makes your speech more convincing.

2. Visualize The Topic

Visual presentations like PowerPoint slide presentations add a special touch to your public addresses. That is like the proverbial icing on the cake! A visual representation will help explain the topic at hand better as the brain processes pictorial depictions easier, which will consequently pick the interest of the audience better.

3. Have The Audience’s Interest In Mind

4. touch on emotional topics.

One of the greatest catalysts for making a successful public speech is building up emotions. Being able to sway the emotions of an audience is a great skill, because emotions act as deep motivators, so much that the audience is incited and is more likely to be sentimentally tilted towards your standpoint or request.

5. The Topic Should Be Relatable

6. avoid being generic.

Most time when people get exposed to the same subject over and over again, there is the likelihood they might tune off as there is nothing fresh and unique being added to what they already know before. Always consider this when drafting persuasive speech topics, so you do not come off as too generic or cliché.

Of course, they can be a few exceptions in this case. Where the topic of discussion is one that has been over flogged, you can add a little twist by coming up with a fresh idea from your own personal understanding of the topic. Ensure that you are adding something new and unique to what is already established. Otherwise, steer clear of such subjects. 

7. Have A Goal In Mind

Finally, it would be best if you had a goal in mind. This should entail what you expect of your audience after listening to your speech. Come up with a call-to-action conclusion . Like when convincing people to adopt eco-friendly habits to curb climate change, you can point them towards adopting new small but conscious day-to-day habits that are beneficial to the environment, like recycling plastic, using energy saving bulbs, taking a walk instead of driving, or opting for a more vegan diet, etc

120 Persuasive Speech Topics You Can Use

Below is a list of persuasive speech topics broadly spaced out across different niches.

BUSINESS & WORK PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS

  • The advantages and importance of niche marketing.
  • Advertising can be deceptive.
  • Should advertising be subjected to be stricter guidelines?
  • Owning a Business will toughen you.
  • You should not mix business and pleasure.
  • Reasons introverts are great leaders.
  • Owning a business can make you drop some friends and acquaintances.
  • You must learn to be coordinated as an entrepreneur.
  • Why it is very essential that a business must have a brand identity?.
  • Why going into business with family is a recipe for disaster?

PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS ON HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION

  • Should teachers be required to pass a test every decade to renew their certifications?
  • High school kids must be made to complete mandatory community service in order to graduate high school?
  • Should a new set of tests be introduced to ascertain students skill level just before they graduate high school?
  • Do you think cyberbullies should be expelled from school?
  • Do you think high school tuition should be free to poor kids?
  • High school students should not be allowed to use smartphones during school hours?
  • Only students with good grades should be let to participate in sports.
  • Art and music programs should be made an integral part of public school education.
  • Students should be subjected to periodic search in order to fight drugs.
  • Should students not be permitted to play music during class hours?

persuasive speech topics tips

PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS ON ENVIRONMENT & NATURE

  • Stricter laws should be passed concerning endangered species
  • Should native plants only be grown in gardens?
  • Why we should avoid making use of disposable diapers.
  • Should people be more compelled to use public transport?
  • Hybrid vehicles are great for the environment.
  • The use of natural resources should be limited
  • Why pollution is hurting human life.
  • Why keeping our community clean should be compulsory.

GOVERNMENT PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS

  • Why there must be stricter federal laws pertaining to content found on the internet?
  • The government should be tasked to make shelter available for homeless individuals.
  • Zoning laws are rather common sense.
  • The nation’s justice system needs to be overhauled.
  • Should the government interfere with our type of diets?
  • Should the state be allowed to raise fund for schools run by religious bodies?
  • Whose national hero do you think should be printed on the latest currency?
  • The federal government should increase funding for Amtrak.
  • Repairing potholes should be the responsibility of local government.
  • Has the war on drugs been a failure?
  • Should people be tested for drugs in order to get aid from the state?
  • The military budget must be reduced.
  • What are the best ways to increase gun control?
  • We should push the government for more transparency on how they use taxpayers contributions?
  • Sovereign debts should only be approved if 75% of parliament agrees to it.
  • Why African leaders need to combat corruption more fiercely?

COLLEGE STUDENTS & LIFE PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS

College persuasive speech topics

  • Students should be acquainted with other students.
  • Is it wise to always have tougher lectures early in the day before simpler ones?.
  • Should student’s phones be turned off during lectures?
  • Should attendance during lectures be made part of the continuous assessment?
  • Should summer classes be made compulsory for college students?
  • Taking notes in class should be made mandatory.
  • Should tablets be used in learning in place of textbooks?.
  • Students should not be made to study what they have no passion for.
  • Students should be wary of excessive student loans.
  • Will the current college education system be enough to prepare our future leaders in ways that the world needs?
  • How sufficient are the entrepreneurial electives in preparing students for becoming successful business owners?

PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS ON POLITICS & POLICY

  • Is it legal for politicians to accept campaign contributions from corporate lobbyists?
  • Why do we vote?
  • Abusive language should be banned in elections.
  • Central Asian states are becoming a threat.
  • America should be made to refrain from always playing “big brother.”
  • Globalization is good for world politics.
  • We should know more about Bernie Sanders.
  • Term limits need to be honored and respected.
  • Give Kurdistan back to the Kurds.
  • Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel.
  • How to end with elections fraud in Africa?

RELIGION & FAITH PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS

Religion and Faith Persuasive Speech Topics

  • Should religion be taught in public schools?
  • Students should be free to practice their religion in school.
  • Why are religious cults dangerous?
  • Faith should be protected.
  • Why is Islam a peaceful religion?
  • Should religious leaders who extort their followers be allowed in the country?
  • The Islamic faith has never been associated with terrorism for 14 centuries.
  • Should women be made priests?
  • Religious conflicts must be avoided.
  • How much is too much when it comes to freedom of religion?

PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS ON FUNDRAISING

  • More funding is needed for public television and radio.
  • Should high school football programs receive less funding?
  • Should college sports teams receive more funding?
  • Can religions run state fund schools?
  • Let us all take a small % of our income to help war displaced orphans.

TECHNOLOGY-RELATED PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS

  • Will artificial intelligent take away many jobs?
  • What age should children be let to own a cell phone?
  • Should new buildings be made energy efficient?
  • Is Net Neutrality a good or bad thing?
  • Should libraries be replaced with more access to e-books?
  • How has technology helped to connect people or isolate them?
  • Should self-driving cars be made legal?
  • Do violent video games encourage negatively affect players in real life?

TV & MEDIA PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS

  • Freedom of the press has gone too far?
  • Should some T.V. shows have age restrictions?
  • Is the media to be blamed for eating disorders?
  • How can we make the Media accountable for Teenage behavior?
  • Should advertising be aimed at children?
  • Bad parenting is the cause of disastrous teenagers; the media is not to blame.
  • How is low self-esteem being fueled by the Media’s portrayal of certain beauty standards?
  • Why promoting specific beauty standards on TV negatively affects people.
  • More funding is required for public television and radio.
  • Should the Russian have beat Rocky?
  • Cable TV monopolies destroy the competition.
  • Should violence on television be regulated?
  • There are benefits in reading comic books.
  • Some TV shows are quite educational.
  • TV should be made more educational.

PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS ON HEALTH CARE

  • Should the US change to a single-payer health care system?
  • Should healthy people be required to donate blood regularly?
  • Should birth control be permitted for underage kids without their parent’s approval?
  • Disclosing your HIV status to a sexual partner must be made illegal?
  • Should governments tax soda and other sugary drinks and use the revenue for public health?
  • Should schools contribute to sexual diseases education and prevention by distributing condoms?
  • Should there be a medical insurance package for every old and retired individual covered by the Government?

MOTIVATIONAL PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS

Motivational persuasive speech topics

  • Set realistic and achievable goals and take action to make them happen.
  • How to overcome performance anxiety and unleash your potential?
  • Having a moral standard set for kids under 18 years old.
  • Be straightforward about what project you hope to undertake, and review your progress in between milestones achieved.
  • How to help reduce the high levels of depression in our country.
  • Why are we afraid of pursuing our dreams, and how can you do it.
  • What keeps most of us from following our heart when it comes to what we love?
  • Why being prudent is a value we all forsake, yet need in our lives.
  • Moral imagination is an ingredient for intellectual and spiritual development.
  • Why should we pay no heed to naysayers?

There are a ton of other persuasive speech topics ideas that we could add to the list, and hopefully, I will be doing that in the future. Please remember that the value of a great speech is in it being able to move, touch, and spur emotions that lead to action from the audience, and you can not achieve that without proper audience analysis , and ensuring that your topic of choice connects with the audience.

The last thing I want you to take from this post, and it is related to my other post on persuasive speech techniques (which I highly recommend that you go and check) , is that delivering persuasive speeches is hard. I mean, convincing people to change their minds, and buy into your idea is the most amazing skill you can have when it comes to communicating and delivering speeches.

This is one of our posts on the types of speech series, should you be interested in learning about other types of speeches, please click on of the links below when you are done reading this article.

The 14 Speech Types Series of Posts

Part I. 8 Persuasive Speech Techniques & Topics

Part II . 9 Tips for Writing and Amazing Informative Speech and 120+ Topic Ideas

Part III. 5 Quick Tips on how to Give an Effective Motivational Speech

Part IV. 15 Demonstration Speech Ideas and Techniques

Part V. How to Give an Effective Special Occasion Speech?

Part VI. 6 Key Tips for a Memorable Entertaining Speech + Topics and Ideas

Part VII. Explanatory Speech: 7 Key Tips to Help You Deliver an Effective Speech

Part VIII. 5-Step Strategy for an Effective Debate and Speech Delivery

Part IX. 7 Oratory Secrets: How to Deliver Effective Oratorical Speeches

Part X. Public Speaking Contests: 7 Ways to Nail at Forensic Speech Competitions

Part XI. 80+ Impromptu Speech Topics & 7 Ways to Nail One

Part XII. 13 Ways to Effectively Deliver Pitching Presentations

Part XIII. Farewell Speech – An 8-step guide to help you deliver a Memorable one

Part XIV. Eulogy Guide: How to Give a Heartfelt Funeral Speech (with 4 Eulogy examples)

REFERENCES & FURTHER READING

Chief Essays. List of 200 Persuasive speech topics. https://chiefessays.net/200-persuasive-speech-topics/ . Accessed on 07/07/2019.

Christine Sarikas. 105 Persuasive Speech Topics for Any Project. https://blog.prepscholar.com/good-persuasive-speech-topics . Accessed on 07/07/2019.

Virtual Speech. 75 Persuasive Speech Topics and Ideas. https://virtualspeech.com/blog/persuasive-speech-topics-and-ideas . Accessed on 07/07/2019.

My Speech Class. 434 Good Persuasive Speech Topics. http://www.myspeechclass.com/persuasivetopics2.html . Accessed on 05/07/2019.

ThoughtCo. 100 Persuasive Speech Topics for Students. https://www.thoughtco.com/list-of-persuasive-speech-topics-for-students-1857600 . Accessed on 07/07/2019.

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237 Easy Persuasive Speech Topics and Guide

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

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

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

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

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

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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.

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!

Can We Write Your Speech?

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

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

  • Interesting

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

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

How To Select a Good Persuasive Topic

How to narrow down this list of ideas?

First, make a rough inventory:

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

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

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

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

Best 10 Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

List of Persuasive Speech Topics

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

10 Animal Persuasive Speech Topics

Close Up on Cute Dog Nose and Eyes

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

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

12 Automotive Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

10 Business Persuasive Speech Topics

Five people discussing in a meeting room

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

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

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

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

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

5 Constitutional Issues Persuasive Speech Topics

Abraham Lincoln seated figure at the Lincoln Memorial of Washington DC

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

10 Easy and Simple Persuasive Speech Topics

Black glasses aside of a notebook

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

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

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

9 Economy Persuasive Speech Topics

Stock Exchange electronic board with numbers and indicators

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

10 Education Persuasive Speech Topics

Students celebrating and launching their square academic caps in the air

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

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

10 Environment Persuasive Speech Topics

Sun light through a pine forest

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

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

10 Ethics Persuasive Speech Topics

Six hands holding each others

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

10 Family Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

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

6 Fashion Persuasive Speech Topics

Wardrobe with dark, grey and blue man suits

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

11 Financial Persuasive Speech Topics

Hands counting and stacking coins

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

15 Food and Drink Persuasive Speech Topics

Strawberry cake and cup of coffee

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

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

10 Fun Persuasive Speech Topics

Young man jumping into the Caribbean sea with floating ring

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

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

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

10 Funny and Humorous Persuasive Speech Topics

Two men with hats laughing together

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

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

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

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

16 Government Persuasive Speech Topics

Front view of the White House with gardens and fountains

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

10 Health Persuasive Speech Topics

Doctor's hands mesuering blood presure of a patient

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

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

10 School Persuasive Speech Topics

Two kids writing on a school desk

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

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

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

10 College Students Persuasive Speech Topics

College empty classroom with wood seats

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

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

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

10 Teens Persuasive Speech Topics

Group of four teenager friends

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

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

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

5 History Persuasive Speech Topics

Gladiator helmet laid on an ancient stone bench

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

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

10 Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

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

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

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

13 International Relations Persuasive Speech Topics

World map with pined color flags

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

10 Law Persuasive Speech Topics

Close view of a gavel and its sound block

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

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

3 Literature Persuasive Speech Topics

Two opened books stacked

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

17 Media Persuasive Speech Topics

Screen with thumbnails of different medias

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

10 Motivational Persuasive Speech Topics

Woman rising up fists in the air

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

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

6 Music Persuasive Speech Topics

Young woman listening to music with phone and headset

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

6 National Security Persuasive Speech Topics

Soldier standing in front of the American flag

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

10 Politics Persuasive Speech Topics

Voted stickers for American poll

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

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

3 Practical Knowledge Persuasive Speech Topics

Gloved hands lighting up a wood fire with a striker

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

7 Psychology Persuasive Speech Topics

Dummy head with draws and notes on it

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

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

23 Relationships Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

8 Religion Persuasive Speech Topics

Praying hands in front of an altar enlighten with candles

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

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

10 Science Persuasive Speech Topics

Gloved hand shaking a flask in a laboratory

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

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

11 Self-Help Persuasive Speech Topics

Dark silhouette offering an helping hand

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

10 Society Persuasive Speech Topics

People crossing a city street

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

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

10 Sport Persuasive Speech Topics

US Football player diving with the ball

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

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

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

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

28 Technology Persuasive Speech Topics

Server's rack of hard drives with LEDs

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

12 Travel Persuasive Speech Topics

Hand holding a small world globe

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

8 Workplace Persuasive Speech Topics

Desk with notes, papers, coffee and laptop

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

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

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

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

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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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persuasive speech topics tips

125+ Persuasive Speech Topics To Amaze Your Audience

Speaker talking to audience

Reviewed by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 12/15/23

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

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

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

Keep reading for 125+ persuasive speech topics. 

125+ Topics for a Persuasive Speech

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

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

1. Arts & Culture

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

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

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

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

2. Economics

100 dollar bills

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

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

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

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

3. Education

empty classroom

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

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

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

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

4. Environment

air pollution

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. 

lab rat in gloved hand

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

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

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

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

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

pills spilling out of bottle

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

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

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

7. Politics

woman holding sign at protest

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

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

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

football player about to throw football

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

digitialized globe

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

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

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

alien inside barn

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

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

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

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

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

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

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

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

FAQs: Persuasive Speech Topics

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

1. What Are Some Easy Persuasive Topics?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Final Thoughts

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

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

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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 topics tips

100 Persuasive Speech Topics for Students

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

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

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

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

125 Persuasive Speech Topics to Engage Your Audience

A successful persuasive speech starts with an engaging topic.

Does writing a persuasive speech feel intimidating?

Since you’re reading this today, I imagine you might be stuck at the very beginning—picking a topic.

The freedom to choose your own speech topic can be both liberating and overwhelming. Out of all the subjects in the world to discuss, which one is right for your speech?

The good news is that there is no one right topic, but there are topics that work better for persuasive speeches than others.

persuasive speech topics tips

What Is a Persuasive Speech?

When you deliver a persuasive speech, you’re trying to convince your audience to agree with your position on a debatable topic. 

You achieve this goal by delivering informed, educated arguments that support your side. 

That said, before you present your position, you must first choose a significant topic that sets the stage for success. 

The best persuasive speeches center around meaningful, thought-provoking topics.

What Types of Topics Lend Themselves Well to Persuasive Speeches?

A bland, overdone, or boring topic threatens the success of your speech—no matter how masterfully you wield your words. 

You need to reach your audience from the first sentence, so a good persuasive speech topic must be relatable to the audience . 

If possible, discover who your audience will be, and ensure your topic is one that resonates with them. 

A successful topic should also pique your audience’s interest. You can achieve this by choosing a controversial topic or one with “fence-sitters” who need to choose one side or the other. 

Whatever topic you choose , it will fall into one of the three types of persuasive speech : 

Fact : In this type of persuasive speech, you are asserting that your claim is true or false then backing up that claim with proof.

Policy : In a speech regarding policy, you’ll be arguing for a specific solution to a problem.

Value : In this type of speech, your goal is to elicit a decision or judgment from your audience. You are asking them to agree on something subjective. 

Now that you have a general idea of worthwhile subjects, let’s brainstorm together.  

125 Topics and Ideas for an Unforgettable Persuasive Speech 

To assist you in your quest for an interesting topic, we’ve come up with a list of persuasive speech topics for teens and students . 

We tried to provide topics to suit any style:

  • Fun (or even funny)
  • Unique and interesting
  • Easy (conducive to short speeches)
  • High school-friendly

Check out our list of 125 persuasive speech ideas to find the perfect topic for your audience!

  • Are rising wages a major cause of inflation?
  • Are there any benefits for the consumer who buys from local businesses?
  • Large corporations should pay the same percentage of taxes as small businesses.
  • Should credit card companies be allowed to market to unemployed college students?
  • Should fast-food servers and those in other low-income professions be guaranteed a living wage for their work?
  • Should religious organizations pay taxes?
  • Should the penny be discontinued from our currency?
  • Should large business such as Walmart have to follow minimum pricing laws to give small businesses a chance to compete?
  • Should you be expected to tip counter or cashier servers before you receive your food?
  • Should the government subsidize electric cars?
  • Are family values declining?
  • Is it healthy for small children to become famous?
  • Is it acceptable to limit the number of children families can have to control the world’s population?
  • Should kids be required to help around the house?
  • Should parents be held responsible for crimes their kids commit?
  • Should parents be required to feed young kids a healthy diet or face charges of neglect?
  • Should parents give kids an allowance based on work they do around the house?
  • Should parents restrict screen time?
  • Should teens be able to acquire medication without parental consent?
  • Should teens be able to work without their parents’ permission?
  • Are grandparents responsible for raising their grandchildren in cases of parental neglect?
  • Do pets make you happier and healthier?
  • Do babies in the womb possess the right to life?
  • Is it okay to erase parts of history you don’t like?
  • Is cancel culture helpful or harmful?
  • Is life overall better today than it was 100 years ago?
  • Is reality television detrimental?
  • Should classic literature and art be edited to align with modern ideals?
  • Should everyone be required to volunteer in their communities?
  • Is war justifiable under certain circumstances?
  • Should non-government-owned businesses be allowed to exclude customers who don’t meet their values?
  • Should schools punish students who cyber bully other students outside of school?
  • Should restaurants be expected to donate leftovers to shelters?
  • Should single people be allowed to adopt children?
  • Are open-book tests effective?
  • Do school uniforms encourage a better educational experience for students?
  • Do students who pay for their own college make higher grades than those who are parent-funded?
  • Is college necessary to be a successful adult in today’s society?
  • Is cursive handwriting still a relevant subject in modern classrooms?
  • Is it better for college students to commute or live on campus?
  • Is it better to keep kids in school year-round?
  • Is education a human right?
  • Should all high school graduates spend at least one year working full-time before entering college?
  • Should college be free to anyone who meets its academic standards?
  • Should physical education be a graduation requirement?
  • Should a teacher’s beliefs define his or her lesson plan?
  • Should school taxes be evenly divided across state school districts instead of staying local?
  • Should Spanish be a required language class in areas with a significant Hispanic population?
  • Should special needs students be educated separately from other students?
  • Should teachers get bonuses based on results?
  • Should virtual school be an option for all students, regardless of location or grade level?
  • Which one is better for the family—homeschooling or traditional schooling?
  • Does the Electoral College still make sense?
  • Is it okay for the government to strip away constitutional rights of anyone suspected of terrorism?
  • Should public smoking be outlawed?
  • Should a DUI result in permanent loss of your driver’s license?
  • Should anyone with a felony record ever be allowed to vote again?
  • Are laws always right?
  • Should bloggers be held to the same ethical standards as journalists?
  • Should drivers be road-tested regularly to retain their licenses?
  • Should handguns be outlawed in the US?
  • Should illegal aliens be cared for by public taxes?
  • Should it be legal to harm or sell your body if it’s your choice?
  • Does the government have the right to dictate what homeschoolers teach?
  • Should medical marijuana be legal for use in all states?
  • Should non-violent criminals who’ve served their time have their records expunged after a period of good behavior and, therefore, not have to disclose previous convictions to employers?
  • Should Puerto Ricans be covered under the American Bill of Rights?
  • Should the government place tighter restrictions on the types of food reimbursed by food stamps?
  • Should we allow any and all immigrants to enter the US and become citizens?
  • Do all people have the right to demonstrate in public areas?
  • Should workers who carpool, walk, or ride bikes to work get a tax break?
  • Was JFK’s assassination a conspiracy?
  • Which is better for the people—a democracy or a dictatorship?
  • Are the costs associated with electric cars worth the savings in gasoline?
  • Should smart phone users have the right to remove all social media apps from their phones, even if factory-installed?
  • Should there be restrictions on technology use in public areas?
  • At what age should children be allowed to use devices with screens?
  • Do “Ring” doorbells make us safer?
  • Do video games make kids violent?
  • Is technology bringing families closer or splitting them apart?
  • Is technology making us smarter or dumber?
  • Should altered photographs of celebrities or influencers have a disclaimer noting what was done to the photo?
  • Should elementary-age kids have cell phones?
  • Should municipalities be required to extend internet and cell service access to all residents?
  • Should schools return to restricting the use of personal electronic devices?
  • Should social media companies be forced to follow the same government regulations as traditional news agencies?
  • Can a person stay mentally healthy if he never interacts with other people?
  • Should assisted suicide be legal?
  • Should cigarettes and other forms of tobacco be outlawed?
  • Should organ donation be opt-out rather than opt-in?
  • Should we have access to any treatment we want to pursue whether it’s approved by the FDA or not?
  • Should unhealthy food be restricted and/or taxed as a health hazard?
  • Should there be more conservative limits on radiation levels produces by cell phones? 
  • Should schools allow parents to send sugary foods to share?
  • Should the government of the US take full control of healthcare and make it the same for everyone—regardless of income?
  • Should the US require that employers offer paid maternity and paternity leave to all expectant parents who work full-time?
  • Should potential cancer-causing, high-transmission power lines be allowed close to a school?
  • Should masks still be required in public spaces?
  • Should French fries be banned from kiddie meals at fast food restaurants?
  • Are the lives of ten people worth more than the life of one person?
  • Is capital punishment murder?
  • Is it ethical to keep exotic fish in fish tanks?
  • Is it ethical to own an animal that is usually found in the wild?
  • Is it fair to transfer income from richer people to poorer people in the name of “equality”?
  • Is lying acceptable when it’s a matter of survival?
  • Is there an acceptable reason to take another human life?
  • Is torture ever an acceptable means to an end?
  • Should animal breeding be outlawed in areas where stray populations are out of control?
  • Should future parents be allowed to shop for the genetically perfect child?
  • Is human cloning ethical?
  • Should animal breeders be restricted to a set number of puppies they can produce?
  • Is it ethical to eat or wear animal products?
  • Should we be careful of the music we listen to based on its effects on the brain?
  • Do flat-Earth proponents have a good argument?
  • Does the use of plastic straws significantly impact the environment?
  • Is artificial intelligence beneficial to the future of mankind?
  • Is colonizing other planets the answer to overpopulation on Earth? 
  • Is global warming mankind’s fault?
  • Is wind power the answer to the energy crisis?
  • Should NASA receive more funding?
  • Should NASA reinstate the Space Shuttle program?
  • Should the US convert to the metric system to be in line with the rest of the world?
  • Was the moon landing faked?
  • What form of energy is the best?
  • Can earthquakes be predicted?

Outlining Your Persuasive Speech Based on Your Chosen Topic

Once you’ve chosen your topic, it’s time to organize and outline your speech. When you’re ready to start, try this simple persuasive speech outline:

  • Details and evidence
  • (Repeat for remaining arguments)
  • Strong conclusion

Three to four arguments is typical. As you organize your speech, remember that it is important to finish strong.

As you write your speech, these methods for writing a persuasive essay may be helpful.

When you’re ready to craft and deliver your speech, keep these persuasive speech tips in mind:

  • Be concise. Your audience can skim an essay. They can’t skim your speech. 
  • Don’t tell your audience background information if you can assume they already know it. You risk boring them—or sounding condescending. 
  • Use anecdotes and stories to keep your audience interested.
  • Even though you’re trying to relate to your audience, avoid the phrase, “Can you relate?” 
  • When addressing the opposing viewpoint, keep an even, non-judgmental tone. If you appear rude, you may lose the support of people with that viewpoint.

Choosing a relatable, compelling, and debatable persuasive speech topic helps ensure your speech hits the ground running. 

Then, by organizing it, following a solid structure, and keeping it concise and interesting, you are more likely to win the ears (and hearts) of your listeners.

persuasive speech topics tips

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Persuasive Speech: Actionable Writing Tips and Sample Topics

Persuasive Speech: Actionable Writing Tips and Sample Topics

What is Persuasive Speaking?

Factual persuasive speech, value persuasive speech, policy persuasive speech, how to start a persuasive speech: opening tips and examples.

  • Social Proof
  • Comparisons
  • Agitate and Solve
  • Storytelling

Bonus: Address Counter Arguments

How to close your persuasive speech: quick examples, easy persuasive speech topics, interesting persuasive speech topics, good persuasive speech topics on controversial issues, funny persuasive speech topics, designing persuasive visuals: slide elements for maximum impact, mastering delivery techniques: engaging body language and voice modulation, persuasive presentation structures: organizing your content for maximum influence, handling audience interaction: q&a sessions and audience engagement, persuasive call to action: inspiring and motivating your audience to act.

Business professionals, students, and others can all benefit from learning the principles of persuasive speech. After all, the art of persuasion can be applied to any area of life where getting people to agree with you is important. So without much further ado, let’s get into the basics of persuasive speaking, persuasive speech writing, and lastly persuasive speech topics!

A persuasive speech is a specific type of speech where the presenter attempts to convince the audience of their point of view. The ideal goal of a persuasive speech is to make the audience change their mind on the issue, or at least, become more accepting of their point of view.

You might give an informal persuasive speech when trying to convince your friends to agree to the movie you want to watch. If you are chosen to pitch a new product idea to stakeholders at work, you are essentially being asked to give a persuasive speech.

What are The 3 Types of Persuasive Speeches?

All the persuasive speech ideas can be organized into one of the next three categories:

When someone gives a factual persuasive speech, their goal is to convince the audience that something is true or false. In some cases that simply requires gathering evidence and presenting them in the form of arguments/counter-arguments. This approach works for all persuasive topics where true/false is a binary consideration.

You can also give a factual speech on a topic that isn’t as cut and dried. For example, you could make the argument that assimilation is the best way for cultures to mix even though there is no single piece of evidence proving that without a doubt.

In essence, you can select any topic and frame it into the factual persuasive speech as long as you have strong oratory and presentation skills .

In this case, you are trying to convince your audience that something is good or bad. You want your audience to understand your values on a topic, and then adopt those values as their own. For example, a speech written to convince people that it’s immoral to buy single-use plastics is a value persuasive speech.

In a policy persuasive speech, you describe a problem, then work to persuade the audience to agree with your proposed solutions. These speeches can be given to simply change the audiences perspective or convince them to take a specific action.

Policy persuasive speeches can be further spiced up with some nuggets of Nudge Theory to reinforce the idea you are trying to deliver.

How to Write a Persuasive Speech: The Essential Steps

Before we dive deep into the writing, let’s quickly recap the anatomy of a persuasive speech:

  • Opening:  start strong to capture the audiences attention and explain your agenda.
  • Key arguments:  present your key talking points and lay down the facts.
  • Counterpoints:  address the common objections.
  • Closure:  recap your key message once again and suggest further action.

Now, this isn’t a “set-in-stone” structure, but rather a base you can use when drafting your persuasive speech outline.

Below we are listing some extra tips for each section, along with persuasive speech examples.

Every good speech and presentation need a strong opening slide . After all, how can you persuade anyone if they do not feel compelled to listen to you in the first place? Right, you can’t and that’s exactly why you should spend quite a lot of time working and refining on your speech opening.

Here are some techniques you can try:

  • Start with a curious personal story/anecdote
  • Sharing a surprising statistic

Next, you must convince the audience that they should listen to you. You can do this by explaining what you have in common.

For example,  Everyone here is a concerned parent. I am also a mother of three who cares deeply about the lack of interest in STEM among girls.  This is also where you might share your credentials.  That’s why I’m here to speak to you as a professional with 30 years of experience as an educator.

Follow your intro statement with a quick explanation of your goal. Be direct here. In one or two sentences state your purpose, and what you want your audience to believe or do.

“I believe that women in STEM can close the looming tech skills gap and generate an extra $12 trillion in global GDP. That’s why I’m asking you to stop encouraging girls to learn dancing and encourage them to code instead.”

Finally, transition to the main part of your speech with a statement that lets the audience know what is coming. For example, Today, I am going to provide you with the evidence that some parental practices are alienating girls from STEM subjects.

Liked this primer? Great! Here are several more techniques you can use to frame your ideas for persuasive speeches.

What are The 5 Persuasive Techniques?

After the opening, it’s time to present your arguments and counter any arguments that could conflict with your point. The following five persuasive techniques tend to work like a charm for that purpose:

  • Social proof
  • Agitate and solve

More controversial persuasive speech topics, in particular, will require you to artfully work through various objections and mix different persuasion methods. Now let’s take a closer look at each one.

1. Repetition

There’s a reason that advertisements repeat the same thing over and over again. Research proves that people are more likely to believe something if they hear it multiple times. In addition to this, repetition simply helps people to remember key points that you want to stick with them.

When it comes to persuasive speeches, you should always repeat your most important points at the beginning and end of your speech.

Helpful template: 6 Steps Hexagonal Segmented Diagram

Repetition Persuasive Speech with a Buzz Metaphone

2. Social Proof

People are influenced by the actions and beliefs of others, whether they admit it or not. Use this during your speech. For example, you can share testimonials from people who agree with your POV or leverage the voice of customer data , expressing the same concerns as you do.

NB : When lining up social proof for your presentation, make sure that this data comes from a peer group that your audience relates to.

Helpful template: Voice of customer PowerPoint template

Social Proof Persuasive Speech Illustration

3. Comparisons

The point of using comparisons is to present a contrast of the idea/element that you support with the one that you do not. Then you’ll need to prove that yours is the best choice. For example, you might compare the features of two software applications to persuade that your team needs option A, not B.

Using comparisons also gives your speech more credibility since it appears that you are giving the opposing position a fair shake, even when you are only showcasing it to score points against it.

Helpful template: Two option comparison template

Comparison Persuasive Speech

4. Agitate and Solve

When you take the “agitate and solve” approach, you first make your audience vary and somewhat dissatisfied with a certain issue (agitate). Next, you present your idea as a solution (solve). The idea is to hit a nerve and get the audience to relate. Then, when you present your solution, it’s that much more persuasive to them. It also makes the entire scenario more emotionally compelling to them.

Here’s an example of this approach in action:

Nearly every one of us has been ripped off by an unscrupulous mechanic. Nobody deserves to be taken advantage of. That’s why every person needs to vote in favor of this consumer protection ballot measure.

Agitate and Solve Persuasive Speech Illustration

5. Storytelling

Many people opt to use a rhetorical triangle when building their persuasive argument s. These days storytelling may be more effective. Here’s why:

Stories create an emotional connection and relatability. Imagine listening to a speech where the speaker lists a variety of statistics about the harm that plastics cause to marine life. Now, imagine listening to the true story of a marine biologist who discovers a dolphin that has been badly injured by plastic trash it has encountered in its habitat.

Clearly, the second one, if told correctly, will cast a much deeper impact on the audience.

Helpful template: Storytelling theme template .

Storytelling Persuasive Speech Illustration by SlideModel

It’s up to you to decide if you want to address any counterpoints to your arguments, and where you will do that in your speech. Some speakers choose to include an obvious counter-argument in the introduction, so they can effectively dismiss it before they begin.

Others address these points when they are relevant to the current argument they are making. Finally, you can address a counterpoint in its paragraph just above your concluding paragraph.

Here are some actionable techniques for addressing counter-arguments:

  • Provide a direct refutation of the point. Prove that it simply isn’t an issue.
  • Concede that it’s an issue, but show that it isn’t significant enough to derail your overall argument.
  • Acknowledge the plausibility of the counterpoint, but argue yours as the better option.

Recommended Reading:  Building a Persuasive Argument with the Rhetorical Triangle Concept

How you present your closing depends on your goal. If you want your audience to take a specific action, show them how to do it, and make it as easy as possible. Try this:

When you pay your trash bill next month, you’ll be asked if you want the city of Gravesdale to begin a recycling program. If you value water quality and marine life, please say yes.

If your goal is to simply influence a change in opinion, you might say: Both facts and experience prove that we can no longer afford to send plastics to the landfill. Please consider this the next time you go shopping.

Alright, now you may be wondering: what are the best persuasive speech topics? We’ve got you covered here too!

A List of Persuasive Speech Topics

Here is a list of persuasive speech topic examples, with writing tips .

The easiest topic to present on is the one that you are truly passionate and knowledgeable about. Also, easy persuasive speech topics usually don’t tackle any controversial issues with a lot of contrarian opinions, especially on complex matters regarding politics, religion, human rights, and so on. Instead, you choose an angle that may already resonate with a good fraction of your audience and require one or two good counterarguments, rather than using a host of persuasive techniques.

For example : Should all internships be paid?

Most people will instinctively say yes , especially if your audience consists of college graduates and former interns.

What makes an interesting speech? Topical ideas that get people engaged, agitated, and eager to follow your storyline.

In this case, you’d want to find a deeper subject that allows you to incorporate some storytelling elements and personal examples that would create some empathy with the audience and make them relate to your cause on a more personal level. As Lucinda Beaman, fact check editor at The Conversation said in her Ted talk :

“While you are listening to your opponent’s case, you are probably listening for an opportunity to refuse them”. 

A quality narrative can help you draw your opponent’s attention from their counterarguments and, instead, make them more sympathetic to your cause.

For example : Schools kill creativity. As a former drop-out, turned CEO of the Fortune 100 company, I can tell you why.

If you are ready to pick a bigger ‘fight’ with your audience, you may tackle a more complex and controversial issue that’s dividing the audience. In such cases, it’s best to rely on a mix of persuasive techniques:

  • Start with a strong opening, drawing the line in the sand
  • Line up social proof and data points to bake your key arguments
  • Rally people to understand your point of view and why you feel the way you do
  • Precisely address the common counterarguments on the matter.

For example : It’s time to realize that marijuana legalization is wrong.

Your opponents will argue that legalization reduces criminalization around the selling of marijuana, plus medical marijuana usage does help certain patient groups cope with their illness better. Acknowledge these ideas in your speech, but also provide extra facts that can speak to the opposite.

Did you know that humor itself is a powerful persuasive technique? That’s why it’s often used in advertising. Choosing a funny angle and topic for your persuasive speech is a sleek move if you know that you can really pull it off without offending anyone or downplaying the importance of the issue you are discussing.

For example: Millennials are definitely from outer space and our workplace isn’t ready for them.

You can start with a funny opening:

Millennials constantly chew on that weird greenish sandwich type of thing that they lovingly call the ‘avo toast’ and their fingers move inhumanly fast when they type things on their smartphones, amiright?

But that switch to a more serious accord:

But no matter how weird these Millennial folks may seem to us, boomers, they are a wonderful asset to every workplace. And we must make their point of few count, too!
  • Crafting persuasive presentations goes beyond words alone. Designing persuasive visuals is a strategic approach to captivate your audience and enhance your message’s impact.
  • Choosing Appropriate Visuals, Images, and Infographics: Select visuals that resonate with your message. High-quality images and relevant infographics can reinforce your points and aid audience comprehension.
  • Using Color Psychology and Font Selection: Utilize colors that evoke desired emotions and align with your message’s tone. Choose fonts that are easily readable and complement your presentation’s aesthetics.
  • Balancing Simplicity and Complexity: Strike a balance between simplicity and complexity in your slide content. Avoid overwhelming visuals while ensuring that complex concepts are presented clearly and succinctly.
  • The art of persuasion extends beyond content to encompass delivery. Engaging body language and voice modulation play a pivotal role in conveying credibility and connecting with your audience.
  • Significance of Body Language: Body language is a potent nonverbal tool. It influences the audience’s perception of your confidence, sincerity, and authority.
  • Gestures, Eye Contact, and Posture: Employ purposeful gestures, maintain consistent eye contact, and exhibit a confident posture to establish rapport and engage the audience.
  • Role of Vocal Variety, Tone, and Pacing: Utilize vocal variety to sustain audience interest. Vary your tone and pacing to emphasize key points, maintain engagement, and prevent monotony.
  • Rehearsal Methods: Effective rehearsal hones your delivery skills. Practice your presentation multiple times to refine your speaking style, enhance clarity, and ensure a polished performance.
  • Structuring your persuasive presentation optimally enhances its influence. Effective organization guides the audience’s understanding and reinforces your key arguments.
  • Analyzing Different Presentation Structures: Choose a structure that aligns with your persuasive objectives. Sequential, problem-solution, comparative, or chronological structures can be tailored to your message.
  • Crafting a Compelling Introduction: Your introduction should immediately grab attention. Use anecdotes, intriguing questions, statistics, or powerful quotes to pique interest and set the stage.
  • Logical and Coherent Organization: Organize your arguments logically. Each argument should flow naturally into the next, creating a cohesive narrative reinforcing your persuasive case.
  • Incorporating Emotional Appeals and Logical Reasoning: Blend emotional appeals with logical reasoning. Use relatable anecdotes, emotional stories, and compelling data to substantiate your points.
  • Effective handling of audience interaction involves: Interacting with your audience during a persuasive presentation enhances engagement and reinforces your message.
  • Preparing for Q&A Sessions: Anticipate potential questions and challenges. Prepare concise and confident responses to reinforce your message’s credibility.
  • Techniques for Active Audience Engagement: Encourage audience participation through questions, discussions, and interactive activities. Engaged audiences are more likely to internalize your persuasive message.
  • Using Audience Feedback and Questions: Leverage audience feedback and questions to enhance your presentation. Address concerns, clarify points, and demonstrate your expertise through thoughtful responses.
  • Strategies for Adapting to Audience Reactions: Remain adaptable to audience reactions. Gauge their responses and adjust your delivery in real time to maintain engagement and address uncertainties.
  • Concluding your persuasive presentation with a compelling call to action (CTA) is pivotal for motivating the desired response from your audience.
  • Essential Elements of an Effective CTA: Craft a concise and impactful CTA that aligns with your presentation’s goals. Clearly communicate the desired action and its benefits to the audience.
  • Crafting Persuasive and Actionable CTAs: Frame your CTA using persuasive language that resonates with your audience. Ensure the CTA’s feasibility and relevance to increase audience commitment.
  • Techniques for Memorable and Compelling CTAs: Employ rhetoric, vivid imagery, and emotional appeal in your CTA. Make it memorable by creating a strong emotional connection that resonates with the audience.
  • Measuring CTA Success and Tracking Audience Responses: Assess the effectiveness of your CTA through measurable outcomes. Monitor audience responses, track engagement, and gather feedback to evaluate success.

If you know how to give a convincing persuasive speech, you will be at a real advantage both in your personal life and at work! Commit the tips above to memory and start practicing on some of the good speech topics we’ve listed here to polish your tradecraft!

persuasive speech topics tips

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Agitate and Solve, Convincing Speech, Funny Speech, Influence, Persuasive Speech, Public Speaking, Repetition, Social Proof, Storytelling Filed under Presentation Ideas

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Persuasive Speech Topics: A-Z Of Finding Good Ideas With Tips And Examples

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Published Date : February 15, 2024

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The American economist and writer Mark Andrew Skousen said, and I wholeheartedly agree, “The triumph of persuasion over force is the sign of a civilized society.” We often look at persuasiveness negatively, but that’s not the right way to go about it. Being persuasive and communicative is a skill set everyone should try to have. By the end of this blog, you’ll know exactly why persuasive speech ideas are the way to go. You’ll also have tips to choose persuasive speech topics and structure.

What does persuasive even mean?

Simply put, persuasive is anything convincing or influential. Persuasion is a powerful tool that can help you gain other people’s trust so that they start listening to you. Being persuasive is about making someone follow your footsteps or motivate others to do something. Most importantly, persuasion often helps people take actions that might be difficult but beneficial in the long run. Hence, persuasive speech ideas help clear mental blocks or facilitate decision-making. 

What is a persuasive speech?

A persuasive speech is a speech that influences you to change your mind about something or convince you to do something. It always has a specific purpose, just like the speech you gave to your parents as a six-year-old to buy you that toy! Another simple example of a persuasive speech topic is “Why you should drink at least six glasses of water daily.”  

I am sure that you’ve heard at least one sales pitch in your life. Guess what? A sales pitch is one of the most common examples of persuasive speech . 

There are different types of persuasive speeches, but they almost always argue a point of view. Using persuasive speech topics , you can speak about : 

  • What can be
  • Why it should be
  • How it should be

What is the difference between a persuasive speech and an informative speech?

There are different types of speeches; some are informative, some are descriptive, and some are persuasive. People tend to mix up persuasive and informative speeches. You need to understand that they’re very different from each other. 

An informative speech presents information to the audience; the goal is to simply inform or give facts with data, stories, statistics, and more. Persuasive speech topics are the ones where the goal is to convince the audience to agree with the speaker’s views or motivate the audience to do what the speaker says. It’s pretty distinct because, in a way, you’re trying to sell something. It could be anything; 

  • a product, 
  • an ideology, or 
  • a strategy.

You need to remember that all good persuasive speech ideas are also informative. You need to include facts and information to support your point of view and convince your audience. The major difference is that you use data to support your arguments in a persuasive speech . So, the two will often overlap.

Communication coach Alex Lyon explains the difference in further detail in this video , so go ahead and check it out.

What makes a speech persuasive?

Think of it from an audience’s perspective; what will make you want to listen to the speaker and follow up on the discussion topic? What will interest you in listening to someone and motivate you to do what the speaker says?

  • Relevance to the audience
  • How it aligns with your beliefs
  • The ethical side of presenting the argument

What is the importance and goal of persuasive speech topics?

As I mentioned, a persuasive speech can help your audience decide. It helps you as a leader to change other people’s mindsets or make them take some action. It’s a great tool that every leader should use to avoid force and blatant authority. 

The primary goal of a persuasive speech idea is to make the audience or listeners embrace your viewpoint or follow your path. But if I have to break it up into points, there are three major goals :

  • Actuation simply means being incited, compelled or moved to action. By this point, I mean that a speech is persuasive if it makes the audience take some action. A speech to actuate is structured so that the audience does something by the end. Presidential campaign speeches designed to make people vote for the candidate are great examples of persuasive speeches of this kind.
  • Convincing: Persuasive speech ideas meant to compel or persuade the audience to believe in the speaker’s truth or point of view fall in this category. These speeches are often delivered to change the existing notion that the listeners have to that of the speaker. An example could be a speaker convincing an audience opposed to adoption to consider it with his/her persuasive arguments.
  • Stimulation: This one is tricky to structure as the audience already agrees with the speakers. It’s the kind of persuasive speech where the speaker wishes to enhance and not change the audience’s belief or notion about something. Religious discourses often fall under this category.

Who needs to give persuasive speeches?

Persuasive speeches are more common than you might think. Have you ever seen a TV advertisement for a product and been persuaded to buy it or at least try it out? That’s a small persuasive speech to convince you to purchase that product! 

Remember when you tried to convince your parents to let you go out and party with your friends? Well, your persuasive speech , or the lack of it, convinced them or didn’t respectively to let you go out. And this is just one example from your everyday life where persuasive speech ideas can be useful. 

If you’ve ever been in a leadership position, you know how important it is to convince your team members to work towards a common goal, and a persuasive speech is the best way to do it. From great business leaders such as Jack Ma and Elon Musk to great politicians and freedom fighters such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., all these great leaders gave persuasive speeches that affected millions of lives. So, never underestimate the importance of persuasive speech topics; they might just change the world!

What needs to be considered when choosing persuasive speech topics?

I understand that finding persuasive speech ideas is hard, but it’s not impossible. So, what can you do to ensure your speech stays with the audience? Let us help you with that and make it easier for you.

The first thing that you need to do is to know your audience. One of the biggest mistakes speakers make is not considering their audience while choosing a topic. The speaker gives a speech , but the audience, the listeners, has to listen to it. So, choose a topic that your audience can engage with. 

The next thing to remember to ensure you have a persuasive speech topic is to ask yourself, “Does my speech topic answer a relevant question? Does it have a Call to action? ” If the answer is a no or maybe, then it probably isn’t persuasive enough. People like to listen to speeches that answer some questions they have. So, think of it as helping your audience solve problems or controversies with your words.

What to Consider: 

One of the most important aspects of persuasive speech topics is that they have clarity . Before giving your speech , you must ensure you are convinced of what you’re saying. Persuasive speech topics are the ones that firstly convince the audience that you know what you’re talking about and then convince them to agree with you. 

Another essential part of persuasive speech ideas is familiarity and connection . This is to say that you should choose topics that you’re familiar with and preferable, as well as the audience. Topics that can help you connect with your audience and make them relate to you or your speech will almost always be more impactful and persuasive. For example, it’ll be more convincing if you’re a mother addressing an audience about ways to tackle motherhood struggles.

What is the structure of a persuasive speech?

Once you’ve chosen the right persuasive speech topic and before you start preparing and giving persuasive speeches, you need to structure them to have the maximum impact on your audience. Proper organization is the key to an impactful address. By the end of this speech , your goal is to persuade them about your argument that lies at the center of your speech . The most tried and tested method for structuring persuasive speech topics includes three major sections:

1. Introduction

3. Conclusion

Introduction

Your introduction will have four main parts. You have to start with a “Hook,” which could be a startling statistic, a relatable anecdote, or even a joke that hooks the audience. Next, you talk about why the topic is relevant to the audience. The next step is stating your main argument for the persuasive speech and giving them a preview of what you will cover next.

The body comprises three main parts: Problem, Solution, and Benefits. In the first part, you must state the degree, nature, and severity of the problem central to your persuasive speech . You may back it up with statistics, facts, and quotes from reputable sources to support your points. This is the most crucial aspect of your speech , so you can focus 40% of your speech on this.

Next, you introduce the solution to the problem stated earlier. You talk about how that solution effectively addresses the issue and persuades the audience about the necessity and importance of such a solution. Then, you segway into the benefits of your solution, which could be of various types. The end goal here is to convince every audience member and make them understand the multiple benefits that make this solution their go-to way to solve the problem.

Finally, you end your persuasive speech with a conclusion that has four main parts. Firstly, you segway an ending to your speech by using the appropriate words. Next, you highlight your persuasive speech ’s key takeaway by summarising it into a few words the audience can take home to think about. Thirdly, you give the audience actionable instructions to implement immediately to get started with the solution you persuaded them to use. And finally, you leave them with a clincher statement that leaves a lasting impression in their minds and indirectly reinforces the persuasive speech ’s main argument.

Persuasive Speech Example

Let’s take a simple example of the persuasive speech topic “Exercising daily prevents you from future severe illnesses” to understand how to construct a Body for your speech .

You first start with the problems that people who don’t exercise face. Talk about personal family members who have faced such issues and mention statistics about how widespread and severe the consequences of not exercising are and which age groups are most at risk.

Next, you talk about the solution: How regular exercise can reduce the chances of future illness. Finally, you end by elaborating about the benefits of exercising daily and how it can make your daily lifestyle healthier and lead to a long and healthy life!

Now that you know the basic structure of a persuasive speech , you can use it for the ideas I will discuss next and deliver a spot-on speech !

Persuasive speech topics to get you started

If you’ve reached here, you’re determined to deliver a persuasive speech , so keep going. To get you started, there are some words that you can include in your title that’ll surely pique your audience’s interest and make them pay attention (with examples). 

If you still can’t decide on your persuasive speech topics, find our list of interesting persuasive speech topics for college, funny persuasive speech topics , health-related persuasive speech topics, and more persuasive speech ideas below:

How can the knowledge and opinion of the speaker contribute to the choice of a persuasive speech topic?

Choosing a topic you truly understand is key to a persuasive speech . Your expertise empowers you to deliver accurate information, answer challenges, and delve deeper than the surface. This builds trust and credibility with your audience, making them more open to your perspective. Additionally, a personal connection to the topic strengthens your appeal. Sharing your experiences and passion demonstrates genuine understanding and motivates others to share your viewpoint. In short, choose wisely – your knowledge and connection are the bedrock of persuasion.

What are some factors to consider when researching a chosen topic?

Pick a familiar, intriguing topic that sparks your interest. Captivate the audience with fresh angles on familiar topics or vivid, descriptive language. Steer clear of overused themes and tap into emotions to truly connect. Choose a relatable issue close to your audience’s hearts, and always ask, “What do I want to achieve?” Let your goals guide you toward a topic that resonates and inspires action. Research wisely, and your speech will shine.

What are some persuasive speech topics related to ethics?

Buckle up for ethical dilemmas! Explore repeat DUI penalties, legalized prostitution’s impact, and the gun control tightrope walk in the US. Dive into medical marijuana’s pros and cons, the elusive true equality, and how “right” and “wrong” evolve. Finally, unpack the complexities of warfare: is it ever truly justified? Choose your topic, research deeply, and challenge your audience with this ethical exploration.

What are some persuasive speech topics related to business and the economy?

Business and economics ignite sparks – delve in with these hot topics! Explore the leadership potential of introverts, break through the isolation of entrepreneurship, and untangle the web of rising energy costs. Debate the economic impact of foreign workers, analyze the ethics of intern pay, and consider incentivizing green commutes. Friend or foe? Dive into the controversy of mandatory tipping. Each topic ignites discussions, fuels ideas, and propels you into the fascinating realm of business and the economy. Choose your platform and persuasively tackle these compelling issues!

What are some persuasive speech topics related to automotive?

From testing drivers every three years to debunking sports car myths, your next persuasive speech is waiting! Tackle hot topics like bicycle helmet laws, the pros and cons of electric cars, the dangers of distracted driving, drunk driving prevention, or the rise of self-driving vehicles. Choose your platform and ignite discussion with these thought-provoking automotive themes!

What are some persuasive speech topics related to arts/culture?

Dive into the vibrant world of arts and culture! Should schools fund creativity? Is music therapy healthcare? Art: Vandalism or masterpiece? Who protects our heritage? Can art change the world? Freedom of expression vs. censorship. Digital revolution: friend or foe of art? Let’s fight for diversity in the arts. Art: a mirror to our identity. Should we invest in artistic dreams? Choose your theme and ignite meaningful discussions!

What are some persuasive speech topics related to animals?

Dive into the animal world with these thought-provoking questions! Debate responsible pet adoption vs. buying from breeders. Unravel the ethics of keeping wild animals as pets. Should owning exotic creatures like monkeys be allowed? Should we close all zoos and aquariums? Choose your stance and ignite discussions on these compelling animal-related topics!

Where can timely persuasive topics be found?

Timely persuasive topics can be discovered through various sources such as social media platforms, radio broadcasts, television programs, and newspapers. These channels provide ample opportunities to explore a diverse range of categories, and we have curated a comprehensive list comprising 75 persuasive speech topic ideas.

How can familiarity with a topic make it easier to prepare for a speech ?

Familiarity with your speech topic unlocks power! Build on existing knowledge, skip basic research, delve deeper, and structure your speech effortlessly. Confidence flows, ideas connect, and you handle audience questions like a pro. Anticipate challenges, refine arguments, and deliver a well-prepared, engaging, and memorable speech !

How do you choose a topic for a persuasive speech ?

Finding the perfect speech topic? Consider this! Choose something you know and care about, something your audience finds interesting and relatable. Let visual descriptions paint a picture, offer a fresh perspective, and tug at their heartstrings. Consider what action you want them to take and pick a topic that sparks that motivation. With these factors in mind, you’ll deliver a speech that resonates, persuades, and inspires!

What should be considered when delivering a persuasive speech ?

Captivate with your intro: startling fact, relatable story, or witty joke. Make it relevant: explain why it matters to them. State your case: what you want them to think/do and key points. Highlight the problem: its depth, nature, and severity. Prove it: use facts, stats, and quotes to back it up. Offer the solution: explain how it fixes the problem and why it’s needed. Showcase the benefits: how it makes things better for them. Wrap it up: smooth transition, key takeaway, call to action, memorable final thought. Persuade with structure and impact!

What should be done after choosing a topic for a persuasive speech ?

Be an expert: Research deep and gather facts on your topic. Consider all sides: Explore different views and strengthen your argument. Speak to them: Tailor your message and connect with their interests. Build trust: Show your expertise and establish credibility. Structure for impact: Captivate, present the problem & solution, highlight benefits, and conclude powerfully. Practice makes perfect: Refine and deliver with confidence ! Persuade, inspire, and captivate your audience!

What are some persuasive speech topics related to health?

Dive into persuasive speaking with these thought-provoking health topics! Explore the life-saving potential of blood donation, challenge media censorship and its impact on freedom of speech , or debate the reliability of Wikipedia as a factual source. These are just a few sparks to ignite your creative fire – more diverse speech prompts are coming!

What factors should be considered when choosing a topic for a speech ?

To captivate your audience with a persuasive speech , choose a topic they care about that answers a question and inspires action. Show your expertise, connect with personal experiences, and pick something familiar to you and them. Go beyond the cliche, paint a vivid picture with your words, and tap into their emotions. Remember your desired outcome: What do you want them to do? Consider all these factors to ignite their interest and deliver a speech that truly moves them!

What can you do once you have everything in place?

Practice, practice, and practice! Preparation is the key to success and can do wonders for you. If you’re wondering how to practice, you’re at the right place. I have some excellent, useful, and affordable tips for you to do that. Head over to our video or blog on practicing your speech right away because I’ve got it all, from practicing in front of a mirror to fun tongue twisters . 

You can also check out our video about the ideal speech rate to make your speech even more persuasive.

Now that you have everything you need to deliver a persuasive speech and choose a persuasive speech topic, all the best! Don’t forget to tell us how it went in the comments or drop your questions.

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Free Persuasive Speech Generator

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💬 What Is Persuasive Speech?

📍 how to write a persuasive speech, 💡 top 20 persuasive speech topics, 📝 4 world-famous persuasive speech examples, 🔗 references.

Do you have a pending persuasive speech assignment but need some push to help you do it perfectly? No worries; you can use our persuasive speech generator to create informative speeches quickly.

The free automatic AI generator is one of the best to boost your speech writing on any topic.

✅ 6 Benefits of This Persuasive Speech Generator

How can this instant generator benefit your speech-writing efforts?

Our tool has many benefits, but we focus on the 6 most important ones:

As the name suggests, a persuasive speech influences listeners’ behavior, attitudes, beliefs, and values.

In this speech, a speaker seeks a favorable response that aligns with their convictions or position on a matter.

An orator uses arguments to convince their audience to see a particular issue from their preferred perspective. Convincing arguments incorporate different elements to urge listeners to favor a speaker’s stand.

They follow a three-prong strategy incorporating:

A claim is a statement requiring support through evidence. Your speech should also include a thesis statement, your speech’s overarching idea from which other smaller ideas spring.

Informative vs. Persuasive Speech

An informative speech differs from a persuasive one in many ways.

So, how do you write a great persuasive speech that makes listeners adopt your preferred position on a matter?

Below are steps to drafting a great convincing speech.

Know Your Audience

Start by familiarizing yourself with your listeners before moving by knowing their needs, tastes, and ability to understand your desired topic.

This way, you will be better positioned to customize your speech to suit their needs and not parade your vast knowledge.

Familiarize Yourself with Your Topic

Get to know your topic to ensure it suits your audience’s needs. If you aren’t familiar with the topic, research it thoroughly to present your readers with facts.

This way, you will be better positioned to present your listeners with sufficient facts to persuade them.

Determine Your Speech’s Goal

A speech is not only about organizing facts in a logical manner; it is usually meant to persuade the audience and deliver a specific message across .

You, as a speaker, should focus on that message and find appropriate means to get it across.

Select the Best Persuasive Approach

Determine the best approach to persuade your listeners. You may lean on either ethos, logos, or pathos to achieve your desired goal. You can also use all of these approaches.

The final selection will depend on your audience.

Outline Your Key Ideas

You need to outline your best points before presenting them to your audience.

This way, you are better placed to know which argument to present first and last.

Start on a Strong Footing

You must begin your speech with a strong, attractive hook to capture your audience’s attention.

Your opening needs a catchy title that whets your audience’s appetite to listen to your speech.

Give Convincing Evidence

Your speech’s main body should include the points you want to use to convince listeners to side with your position.

Give your audience convincing examples and reasons to buy into your perspective.

Address Counter-arguments

Don’t forget to address opposing arguments because others have a right to hold contrary views and not accept your point right away.

While this may not be necessary, you can bolster your case by anticipating and discussing opposing views.

Finish with a Call to Action

Since you defined your speech’s goal, don’t forget to make a relevant call to action .

Remember, this part is like your landing pad.

Below are carefully selected persuasive speech topics to inspire you.

  • Martial arts benefit the mind.
  • Competitive sports have many mental benefits.
  • Games have many positive social benefits.
  • Make community service mandatory for college graduation.
  • Traits that make up real heroes.
  • Letter grades should be replaced with pass or fail .
  • The real secret to success.
  • Public libraries should filter internet pornography .
  • Video games promote violence.
  • Should abortions be illegal as a form of homicide ?
  • Dirty music promotes immorality.
  • Beauty pageants for children should be banned .
  • Parents should spend more time with their children.
  • Why junk food should cost more than healthy food .
  • Tablets are better than laptops.
  • Why should there be a four-day workweek ?
  • Ban school uniforms.
  • The internet should remain open source .
  • Security cameras violate privacy.
  • Vote by mail: should it be allowed ?

Below are the top four world-famous persuasive speeches to get inspiration from.

I Have a Dream by MLK

This speech embodies the black community’s search for equality. Martin Luther King voiced his opposition to the segregation against Africans when white supremacists sought to keep Africans in inferior positions using the backdoor. The leader envisioned a society where equality would replace racial discrimination.

Ain’t I A Woman by Sojourner Truth

This speech by an African woman embodied the quest for equal human rights during the season when oppression and slavery were at their peak. Truth was one of the leading advocates who fought for women’s rights in the 19th century. She delivered this speech at an 1851 Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio.

I Am Prepared to Die by Nelson Mandela

This Nelson Mandela speech echoes the struggle to end apartheid in South Africa. Mandela risked his life to fight state-sponsored discrimination against Africans. Mandela was prepared to die for this just cause.

The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama

This famous speech by the son of a Kenyan student who made it to become a US President shows the power of transformational hope. The speech is based on Obama’s focus on patriotic optimism and determination as change catalysts. This speech catapulted him into the limelight and led to his popular election as America’s first black and youngest president.

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This free AI-powered persuasive speech generator will quickly create a sample speech for you. All you need to do is add the necessary details so that the result matches your requirements. Moreover, on this page, you’ll learn what a persuasive speech is and how to write one quickly.

6 Tips for Writing a Persuasive Speech (On Any Topic)

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B y far, the best way to learn how to write speeches is to read the great ones, from Pericles’ Funeral Oration, to Dr. King’s Mountaintop speech, to Faulkner’s Nobel acceptance address. But if you’re looking for some quick tips, here are a few things to bear in mind next time you’re asked to give a speech:

1. Write like you talk. There is no First Law of Speechwriting, but if there were, it would probably be something like this: a speech is meant to be spoken, not read. That simple (and obvious) fact has a few important (and less obvious) implications. Use short words. Write short sentences. Avoid awkward constructions that might cause a speaker to stumble. Tip: Read the speech aloud as you’re writing. If you do it enough, you’ll start hearing the words when you type them.

2. Tell a story . I once wrote speeches for a governor whose aide told me: speechwriting is about slinging soundbites together. That approach is a recipe for writing neither good speeches nor good soundbites. Whenever we sat down to discuss a speech for the first time, President Obama would ask us: What’s the story we’re trying to tell? Like any good story, a speech has its own narrative arc. For the President, it’s usually a slow warm-up, a substantive middle, and an inspirational end. That’s his style. Tell your story in whatever way feels natural. Tip: A good story can be a lot more powerful than the most compelling facts and statistics.

3. Structure matters . It’s usually harder to figure out the right structure for a speech – the order of the points to make – than the words themselves. The order of those points matters because an argument that’s clear and logical is more likely to be persuasive. There is a reason that some of America’s greatest speechwriters – from Lincoln to JFK’s speechwriter Ted Sorensen to President Obama himself – studied the law, a profession that values the ability to make a logical argument. Tip: Lists (like this one) are one way to impose a structure on a speech.

4. Be concise. It is said that Woodrow Wilson once gave the following reply to a speaking request: “If you’d like me to speak for five minutes, I’ll need a month to prepare. If you’d like me to speak for 20 minutes, I’ll need two weeks. But if you’d like me to speak for an hour, I’m ready right now.” As Wilson knew, it’s harder to be concise than verbose. But the best way to make a point is concisely, as Churchill did when he announced during a wartime address: “The news from France is very bad.” Next time you think you can’t afford to cut that paragraph you love, remember: the Gettysburg Address, perhaps the greatest speech in American history, is fewer than 300 words. Tip: Challenge yourself to cut as many words as possible from each sentence without losing the line’s meaning.

5. Be authentic. If you’ve ever given a speech, you’ve probably been told, “Just speak from the heart.” It’s not very helpful writing advice, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Once, when we were writing President Obama’s 2008 Democratic Convention address, we got stuck on a certain section of the speech. The President advised us: Think about the moment we’re in, think about what the country is going through, and write something that feels true. It was a helpful reminder to stop focusing on polls and soundbites and simply say something we believed in as simply as we could. Tip: Sharing a personal story can help you find your voice and build a connection with the audience.

6. Don’t just speak – say something. When Michelangelo was tasked with painting the Sistine Chapel, he considered it a thankless job. He would have much rather spent his time sculpting than painting. But he used the occasion to paint perhaps the most revered fresco in history. So, the next time you’re asked to speak, don’t just write a speech, write a great one. A speech’s greatness has as much to do with its values as anything else. No one remembers the speeches of segregationists, though there were no doubt eloquent preachers spewing hate in the days of Jim Crow. No one remembers Hitler’s speeches, though few would dispute his oratorical prowess. Of course, Hitler, like the segregationists, lost. But it’s also because hope will always be more compelling than hate. It’s no accident that the best-known, best-loved speech in history – the Sermon on the Mount – is an articulation of humanity’s highest ideals. Tip: Before sitting down to write, get inspired by reading great speeches from collections like William Safire’s “Lend Me Your Ears.”

Adam Frankel is VP, External Affairs at Andela . Previously, he was Special Assistant and Senior Speechwriter to President Barack Obama.

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Persuasive Speech Outline, with Examples

March 17, 2021 - Gini Beqiri

A persuasive speech is a speech that is given with the intention of convincing the audience to believe or do something. This could be virtually anything – voting, organ donation, recycling, and so on.

A successful persuasive speech effectively convinces the audience to your point of view, providing you come across as trustworthy and knowledgeable about the topic you’re discussing.

So, how do you start convincing a group of strangers to share your opinion? And how do you connect with them enough to earn their trust?

Topics for your persuasive speech

We’ve made a list of persuasive speech topics you could use next time you’re asked to give one. The topics are thought-provoking and things which many people have an opinion on.

When using any of our persuasive speech ideas, make sure you have a solid knowledge about the topic you’re speaking about – and make sure you discuss counter arguments too.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

  • All school children should wear a uniform
  • Facebook is making people more socially anxious
  • It should be illegal to drive over the age of 80
  • Lying isn’t always wrong
  • The case for organ donation

Read our full list of  75 persuasive speech topics and ideas .

Ideas for a persuasive speech

Preparation: Consider your audience

As with any speech, preparation is crucial. Before you put pen to paper, think about what you want to achieve with your speech. This will help organise your thoughts as you realistically can only cover 2-4 main points before your  audience get bored .

It’s also useful to think about who your audience are at this point. If they are unlikely to know much about your topic then you’ll need to factor in context of your topic when planning the structure and length of your speech. You should also consider their:

  • Cultural or religious backgrounds
  • Shared concerns, attitudes and problems
  • Shared interests, beliefs and hopes
  • Baseline attitude – are they hostile, neutral, or open to change?

The factors above will all determine the approach you take to writing your speech. For example, if your topic is about childhood obesity, you could begin with a story about your own children or a shared concern every parent has. This would suit an audience who are more likely to be parents than young professionals who have only just left college.

Remember the 3 main approaches to persuade others

There are three main approaches used to persuade others:

The ethos approach appeals to the audience’s ethics and morals, such as what is the ‘right thing’ to do for humanity, saving the environment, etc.

Pathos persuasion is when you appeal to the audience’s emotions, such as when you  tell a story  that makes them the main character in a difficult situation.

The logos approach to giving a persuasive speech is when you appeal to the audience’s logic – ie. your speech is essentially more driven by facts and logic. The benefit of this technique is that your point of view becomes virtually indisputable because you make the audience feel that only your view is the logical one.

  • Ethos, Pathos, Logos: 3 Pillars of Public Speaking and Persuasion

Ideas for your persuasive speech outline

1. structure of your persuasive speech.

The opening and closing of speech are the most important. Consider these carefully when thinking about your persuasive speech outline. A  strong opening  ensures you have the audience’s attention from the start and gives them a positive first impression of you.

You’ll want to  start with a strong opening  such as an attention grabbing statement, statistic of fact. These are usually dramatic or shocking, such as:

Sadly, in the next 18 minutes when I do our chat, four Americans that are alive will be dead from the food that they eat – Jamie Oliver

Another good way of starting a persuasive speech is to include your audience in the picture you’re trying to paint. By making them part of the story, you’re embedding an emotional connection between them and your speech.

You could do this in a more toned-down way by talking about something you know that your audience has in common with you. It’s also helpful at this point to include your credentials in a persuasive speech to gain your audience’s trust.

Speech structure and speech argument for a persuasive speech outline.

Obama would spend hours with his team working on the opening and closing statements of his speech.

2. Stating your argument

You should  pick between 2 and 4 themes  to discuss during your speech so that you have enough time to explain your viewpoint and convince your audience to the same way of thinking.

It’s important that each of your points transitions seamlessly into the next one so that your speech has a logical flow. Work on your  connecting sentences  between each of your themes so that your speech is easy to listen to.

Your argument should be backed up by objective research and not purely your subjective opinion. Use examples, analogies, and stories so that the audience can relate more easily to your topic, and therefore are more likely to be persuaded to your point of view.

3. Addressing counter-arguments

Any balanced theory or thought  addresses and disputes counter-arguments  made against it. By addressing these, you’ll strengthen your persuasive speech by refuting your audience’s objections and you’ll show that you are knowledgeable to other thoughts on the topic.

When describing an opposing point of view, don’t explain it in a bias way – explain it in the same way someone who holds that view would describe it. That way, you won’t irritate members of your audience who disagree with you and you’ll show that you’ve reached your point of view through reasoned judgement. Simply identify any counter-argument and pose explanations against them.

  • Complete Guide to Debating

4. Closing your speech

Your closing line of your speech is your last chance to convince your audience about what you’re saying. It’s also most likely to be the sentence they remember most about your entire speech so make sure it’s a good one!

The most effective persuasive speeches end  with a  call to action . For example, if you’ve been speaking about organ donation, your call to action might be asking the audience to register as donors.

Practice answering AI questions on your speech and get  feedback on your performance .

If audience members ask you questions, make sure you listen carefully and respectfully to the full question. Don’t interject in the middle of a question or become defensive.

You should show that you have carefully considered their viewpoint and refute it in an objective way (if you have opposing opinions). Ensure you remain patient, friendly and polite at all times.

Example 1: Persuasive speech outline

This example is from the Kentucky Community and Technical College.

Specific purpose

To persuade my audience to start walking in order to improve their health.

Central idea

Regular walking can improve both your mental and physical health.

Introduction

Let’s be honest, we lead an easy life: automatic dishwashers, riding lawnmowers, T.V. remote controls, automatic garage door openers, power screwdrivers, bread machines, electric pencil sharpeners, etc., etc. etc. We live in a time-saving, energy-saving, convenient society. It’s a wonderful life. Or is it?

Continue reading

Example 2: Persuasive speech

Tips for delivering your persuasive speech

  • Practice, practice, and practice some more . Record yourself speaking and listen for any nervous habits you have such as a nervous laugh, excessive use of filler words, or speaking too quickly.
  • Show confident body language . Stand with your legs hip width apart with your shoulders centrally aligned. Ground your feet to the floor and place your hands beside your body so that hand gestures come freely. Your audience won’t be convinced about your argument if you don’t sound confident in it. Find out more about  confident body language here .
  • Don’t memorise your speech word-for-word  or read off a script. If you memorise your persuasive speech, you’ll sound less authentic and panic if you lose your place. Similarly, if you read off a script you won’t sound genuine and you won’t be able to connect with the audience by  making eye contact . In turn, you’ll come across as less trustworthy and knowledgeable. You could simply remember your key points instead, or learn your opening and closing sentences.
  • Remember to use facial expressions when storytelling  – they make you more relatable. By sharing a personal story you’ll more likely be speaking your truth which will help you build a connection with the audience too. Facial expressions help bring your story to life and transport the audience into your situation.
  • Keep your speech as concise as possible . When practicing the delivery, see if you can edit it to have the same meaning but in a more succinct way. This will keep the audience engaged.

The best persuasive speech ideas are those that spark a level of controversy. However, a public speech is not the time to express an opinion that is considered outside the norm. If in doubt, play it safe and stick to topics that divide opinions about 50-50.

Bear in mind who your audience are and plan your persuasive speech outline accordingly, with researched evidence to support your argument. It’s important to consider counter-arguments to show that you are knowledgeable about the topic as a whole and not bias towards your own line of thought.

IMAGES

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VIDEO

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  3. THE PERSUASIVE SPEECH PRESENTATION BY AFDHAL DINIE

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COMMENTS

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    Here are some Persuasive Speech Topics that you can practice with. Writing Introduction for Persuasive Speech. Take a look at the video below. It explains how to write an introduction for a persuasive speech. Persuasive Speech Videos. Below are 6 sample videos of persuasive speeches.

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

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    Jan 20, 2023 - Writing a persuasive speech - a checklist with examples: how to choose your topic, set a goal, analyze your audience, and select a speech pattern to use. ... 105 fun persuasive speech topics. Humorous, droll, absurd, zany and ridiculous ideas for funny persuasive speeches to make an audience smile. ... Quotes, tips, and outline ...

  24. 400+ Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics • English Speeches

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