argumentative speech grade 10

Argumentative Speech Topics and ideas: A Complete Guide

An argumentative speech is a persuasive speech. Here, speakers try to encourage audiences to alter their views on a controversial issue.

Though they are alike in some manner, persuasive and argumentative speech contains different goals.

A persuasive speech focuses on sharing a perspective and asking the public to think it over. An argumentative speech aims to alter the viewpoint already detained by the audience.

This type of speech is challenging. So, the speaker should pick up the topic that he is confident at and come up with a strong argument.

When you are involved in debates with family or friends, you obviously tend to win or lose. The way you argue shows your capability to compel facts and concepts in support of a topic.

While losing an argument, chances are you only used the standpoint supporting your situation. In a perfect argumentative speech, there should be a strong claim and the points to support it.

For an argumentative speech, find a concrete and controversial argument to use as your foundation. These speeches generally focus on the topics discussed at the moment by society. Most of the topics of argumentative speech are derivative of political discussion.

This is most commonly noticed in the media. The selected topic might be social, religious, ethical, or political by nature. The public must be confident to revise their long-held values. They might ask to change detained convictions relevant to the recent evidence.

In fact, picking up a topic that is debatable is important to develop good speech. The topic should not include something which is already demonstrated or verified.

Instead, it should be logical enough to convince the audience. The speaker should come up with a strong opinion to make his speech realistic to the audience.

To be able to argue in a reasonable and logical way is a fine life skill. It helps to stand up for what you think is correct and let others give attention to your viewpoints.

For instance, if the topic includes “eating egg and milk affects your healthiness”. You evaluate the opponent and create your own topic like “Eating egg and milk does not affect your health”. Yet, you have to give strong points to support your answer.

Table of Contents

Terms to Present Argumentative Speech

Claims of fact, claims of value, claims of policy, 1. pick up debatable topic, 2. take a strong standpoint, 3. give some supportable arguments, 4. refute alternate positions, tips for delivering an argumentative speech:, 1. look for your topic, 2. recognize your standpoint, 3. carry out the research, 4. know who your opposition is, 5. know the facts, 6. choose the topic of your interest, list of argumentative speech topic, argumentative speech topics about economy, argumentative speech topics about science, argumentative speech topics about environment, argumentative speech topics about family, argumentative speech topics about technology, argumentative speech topics about health, argumentative speech topics about history, argumentative speech topics about politics, argumentative speech topics about religion, argumentative speech topics about sports, argumentative speech topics about relationships, argumentative speech topics about law, argumentative speech topics about life, argumentative speech topics about ethics, conclusion.

These are some terms that help you to present an ideal argumentative speech:

Claim – This is the main term that you should focus on. Try to give a strong standpoint. Support on the point, position, and the issue you are talking about. Do not forget the main purpose of the speech.
Grounds – Grounds are the key information or the facts that you use to make your point more powerful and reliable. Make sure that the details you give are an appropriate reason for your claims in the initial place.

Argumentative Speech is based on:

It starts with the reality relevant to the evidence. For an instance, you drink too much alcohol and do not exercise. Then, you will surely put up the weight. If you control your drinks, then you can maintain the weight.

Claims of value include the belief something is correct or incorrect, good or bad. For an instance, punishing children is wrong. It does not improve the habits of your children.

Here you can also state “Punishing children is right”. They will think properly before doing anything wrong

Claims of the policy are taken from the course of action. For an instance, you should be able to vote through a driving license. There is a precise rule for the policy. It is realistic and superior compared to the current system.

Every child should learn different languages in school. It is vital to introduce teachers to the value of beginning foreign language experience.

While initiating the argumentative speech, get ready with strong arguments. You desire to give an influential impact right in front. Also, you might wish to leave a good impression on the audience hearing your speech.

Stay away from personal attacks. If you make the argument too boring, there will be a higher chance of losing your audience.

Besides, argumentative speech needs a powerful viewpoint on the topic that you are delivering. Remember, the goal is not to win your audience but to win the argument. You have to stand on your own point with an appropriate reason.

Essential components of an Argumentative speech:

The main goal of an argumentative essay is to influence others in your opinions. Generally, an argumentative speech addresses an audience with opposite opinions on a specific subject.

Here are four essential elements to focus on when developing an argumentative essay:

While picking up a topic, you should select the topic with more than a single side. For an instance, there is no way to discuss the topic of human smell with the nose. It is familiar fact that has no other strong points to discuss against.

While preparing for an argumentative speech, take a strong standpoint. Try to stick with the stance. This makes your speech powerful. Make sure you do not confuse the audience with any irrelevant points.

A good argument needs to have reasonable and convincing evidence. Better support your statement with information, figures, examples, and some relevant opinions. Also, argumentative speech does not contain unproven opinions. Make sure you research and present the argument that is a relevant argument.

At the end of a strong argumentative speech, you have to refute alternate positions. By dealing with the opponent, make some powerful arguments. Try to work on some common and stronger viewpoints.

Look for a concrete and controversial argument to use as your base.
Arrange your points properly. Arranging the points can be helpful while planning your thoughts and presenting them
Give most of your time for research. Better research on your topics along with the topics which your opposition is likely to pick up.

How to develop an effective Argumentative Speech?

After picking up a fine controversial topic, you should work on some powerful points. Those points must make your speech influential. Start developing an outline that translates into better argumentative speech.

These are some points to consider while working on an argumentative speech:

From absorption to health, you can find many types of topics that you feel comfortable presenting.

At first, think about the topic that you are supporting. Are you supporting abortion or speaking against it? Most of the speaker loves to speak against abortion but should be confident to speak on the topic.

Better verify and try to prove the facts using some examples or supportive words. This makes your speech more powerful and interesting. Consider determining whether you are attempting to take the topic.

You can definitely find the people who have worked for or else against the topic that you picked up earlier.

For this, you have to carry out the research well. But, this does not mean you have to copy from them. Just take your idea and use them in a better way. This helps to know what step you should take to move forward to make a good flow of the argument.

Each argumentative speech contains both for and against the side. The best probable approach that you can use is to know your opponent. Knowing how your opponent thinks and the points they use makes you easy to perform.

An argumentative speech might be weak if you do not provide any facts. For a good outcome, you need facts supporting your argument on the controversial topic. If you ignore this you might be in a problem while presenting the speech.

Be sure, you know and give the facts, and make your points strong. These facts reduce your risk of looking unprepared and unprofessional.

You cannot give a better outcome without passion. To present superior argumentative speech, you should have an interest in the topic. Better select the topic of your interest. This helps you to work and perform better. If you do not trust yourself and your topic, no one will as well.

Deciding on an arguable topic is essential to developing an effective argumentative speech. Better do not pick up the topic which needs great logic for convincing the audience.

You should have an extreme desire in the topic with a deep opinion on the subject. If he cannot fulfill these criteria, he might not provide influencing arguments.

Find here the List of Argumentative Speech Topics. They are great for developing arguments for debates, persuasive speech, and argumentation.

Argumentative Speech Topics about Education

Mobile phones should be banned in schools for both students and teachers.
Exams should be abolished.
Exam scores do not reflect student performance.
Mandatory dress code.
Studying of foreign languages should begin from kindergarten age.
College students should have freedom to choose their own courses.
Sex education should be required in all schools.
Benefits of attending a single-sex school.
Essays do not demonstrate student’s knowledge on a topic.
Home education should only be allowed for medical reasons.
Education should be free to anyone.
Teachers should have mandatory re-training every 5 years.
Testing and choice are undermining education.
Grades are not important.
Bilingual education.
CPR and first aid techniques should be a mandatory course.
State colleges should be free to attend.
Teachers should wear uniforms or obey a dress code.
Why educational computer games should be used in school
Music education should be placed back into schools
Student Debts
Do colleges put too much stock in standardized test scores?
Price of Education and textbooks
Popular literature is not as valuable as classical literature.
Smoking and drinking on campus
Workers should get four weeks paid vacation each year.
The illegal immigrant workforce is good for the economy.
Christmas is just a way for businesses to increase sales.
Rich people should have tax breaks.
Decreasing wealth tax is good for the economy.
Salaries of actors, professional athletes and CEOs should be regulated and capped.
Government aid for students should be based purely on academic performance.
Taxes should be imposed on unhealthy foods to combat obesity.
Paying the waiter hourly rate below minimum wage is unfair.
Mortgage Crisis
Consumer Debt
Outsourcing jobs to foreign countries
Equal pay for equal work
Fuel Prices
How nuclear power shaped the 21st century in electrical generation.
Space exploration is a waste of money.
Genetic Research is destroying humanity.
NASA space landing on the moon was a hoax.
Media’s effect on teen suicide.
Stem cell research and the guidelines that control it.
Hunting is good for the environment.
Food shortage / world hunger.
Crimes against the environment should be tougher.
Vegetarianism is an ecologically thoughtful lifestyle.
Destruction of the world’s forest is justified by a human need for land and food.
Racing industry should be forced to use environmentally-friendly fuel.
Working from home is good for the environment.
Genetically modified food should be the answer to the world’s hunger problem.
The government should support and subsidize alternative energy sources.
Alternative Energy and Hybrid Vehicles can help save our planet.
Nuclear power is better than solar power.
Future of recycling.
Advantages of recycling water.
Alternative Fuels.
Every family with children filing for divorce must go through a mandatory ‘cooling off’ period.
Couples should be banned from adopting overseas.
Future parents should take parenting classes and pass tests before having a child.
Physical punishment is good practice for raising children.
Do curfews keep teens out of trouble?
Does access to condoms prevent teen pregnancy?
Violent video games and toys should not be allowed.
Technology is making people less creative.
Human beings are becoming slaves of modern technology.
Does technology limit creativity?
Technology makes us lose most of our traditions and culture.
New technologies create new problems.
Positive effects of technology on society.
Modern technology has increased material wealth but not happiness.
Social Networking Sites had an impact on changing us for the worse.
Internet censorship is unnecessary.
Whether the internet has made research easier and more convenient.
Life was better when technology was less and more simple.
Online friends are more effective than real friends.
Internet Privacy.
Torrents and internet pirating.
Social networks are killing sincere relationships.
Organ donation should be mandatory.
Health risks of smoking are exaggerated.
Vaccinations should be compulsory.
Veganism is an unhealthy way to raise kids.
Breast-feeding is one of the most important things a mother can give to a child.
Terminally ill patients should be allowed to use heroin.
Knowing your ancestry is important for health.
All farmers should go organic.
Lapses in food safety as a result of a complex interplay of factors.
Music Therapy.
The need of teen depression prevention.
Drug addiction is a sickness.
Running is unhealthy.
Fast food, soda, chips and other unhealthy food should be heavily taxed.
Bread is bad for your health.
Child obesity.
Any products that are believed to cause cancer should have a warning label.
The only difference between normal and organic food is the cost.
Dangers of herbal remedies.
Smoking a pipe is more harmful than smoking cigarettes.
Denying health insurance on a basis of a pre-existing condition is against human rights.
Athletes who are caught using steroids should be banned from the professional sport for life.
Stretching before and after exercise is overrated.
A vegetarian diet is as healthy as a diet containing meat.
Eating meat and dairy is bad for your body.
GMOs are bad for health and should be avoided at any cost.
Why slavery was good for society back in the 1800s.
Adolf Hitler was a great leader.
Slavery and its effects on global economic developments.
Why Reagan’s “War on Drugs” had negative effects.
Many Caribbean people do not understand their heritage and history.
Famous people (actors, athletes) should not be allowed to become politicians.
The War in Iraq was justified.
Invading other countries, as long as for good cause, is justified.
Illegal immigrants should get an asylum.
Democracy is the best form of government.
Why should we trust Official Statistics?
War as an instrument of foreign policy.
Voting should be compulsory for all citizens.
Compulsory military service is good for society and the country.
Voting age should be lowered.
Terrorism is a major issue in the world because innocent people are affected.
The assassination can never be justified.
Why electronic voting is not effective.
Downsides of multiculturalism
Can racial profiling be useful?
Churches should be required to pay taxes.
Racialist blames are often used as a great excuse to shut down dialogue.
The world would be a more peaceful place without religions.
Life after death.
Evolution vs. Creationism.
There should be no religion in schools.
Islamic Fundamentalism.
Religion is a force for evil.
Students should learn about world religions in public schools.
Jehovah witnesses.
Why hockey should allow fights.
Not all great sportsmen can be good coaches.
For athletes: Discipline is more important than talent.
Female athletes train better with female coaches.
Chess is not a sport.
Should players’ jerseys display ads?
Should there be a set age range for basketball players?
Can gambling be legalized as a professional sport?
Spousal Abuse.
Polygamy creates healthy relationships.
Gender equality is a myth.
Having sex with a prostitute is not cheating.
Does age matter in relationships? What age is appropriate for dating?
Men should be forced to take paternity leave from work.
Gender does not affect learning.
Guns should be made illegal.
Minors should be tried for murder at any age.
Social Security and Medical Reform are non-negotiable ways out of the debt crisis.
Gay couples should have the same rights as heterosexual couples.
Plastic surgery should be illegal for anyone under 18.
Identity Theft.
Ban on smoking in public places is undemocratic.
Euthanasia should be legalized.
Prostitution should be legalized.
The taboo on recreational drugs is unjustified.
Driving speed limits should be lifted in areas with low accident risk.
DUI offenders should give up their driver license for a year.
Laws to protect the victims of domestic abuse should be enforced.
Making drugs illegal creates an environment for crime and violence.
Fast Food advertisements and promotions should be banned.
Retirement should be made compulsory at the age of 60.
Cell phones and driving.
Billboards should not be allowed on interstate highways.
Acceptance of all types of people.
Today’s world is a dangerous place to live in.
People don’t enjoy what they have. They constantly seek for more.
Benefits of having friends.
Modern offices should have facilities for an afternoon nap.
Would you rather be lucky, rich, or intelligent?
Reality television makes people stupid and should be regulated.
Has television become out-dated?
Watching television makes people smarter.
Banning some books and movies can help society.
Assisted Suicide.
Genetic Research.
Is human cloning ethical?
The Ethics of Capital Punishment.
Euthanasia is not morally acceptable.
Abortion is inhumane and murder.
Abortions should be legal in cases of rape and incest.
DNA experiments on human embryos are unethical and should not be allowed.
Torture is an acceptable measure to prevent terrorism.
Wearing fur is unethical.
Cultural treasures should be returned to their countries of origin.
Do animals have rights? Using animals for scientific research is inhumane.
Spaying and neutering pets should be mandatory.
Zoos, aquariums, and circus violate animal rights and should be shut down.
Should scientists bring back extinct species through cloning?
Hunting is unethical and should not be allowed.
Doctors are better than Lawyers Are beauty pageants exploitative?
Feminism is bad for society.
The Miss America pageant is sexist.

The above-mentioned topics and tips for argumentative speech should help you prepare and deliver an argumentative speech. If you have any suggestions or feedback, please let me know in the comment below.

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50 Amazing English Speech Topics for 10th Class Students

Do you need help writing a good speech? We’re here to help.

Before we get into how to write a good speech, let’s get a few things straight.

Table of Contents

What is Speech?

What exactly is speech? It’s the act of expressing your ideas on a specific topic. It can also mean simply expressing your feelings in front of people.

How Do You Write a Good Speech?

Different situations call for different types of speech. However, there are a few things you should keep in mind and stick to no matter what topic you’re talking about.

Now that we have understood what speech is and how to write a good one let’s get started on the list of speech topics.

Social Media: Bane or Boon?
Pros and Cons of Online Learning
Environment Conservation
The Best Lesson I have Learned
How to Tackle a Bad Habit
Why should every citizen vote?
Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)
Importance of Reading
Importance of Books in Our Life
My Favorite Fictional Character
How to Prepare a Child for Nursery Admission?
Introverts vs Extroverts
Importance of KindnessThings I learned in Lockdown
Should school curriculum have art?
Life before and after technology
Impact of technology on our health
Hard Work vs Smart Work
What Makes Learning Fun?
The Importance of AI in Education
Importance of Extracurricular Activities
How to tackle Bullying in Schools?
Reason for Seeking Admission in School
Is it beneficial to learn a Second Language?
Depletion of Ozone Layer
Global Warming
Waste Management
Water-Saving Techniques
Efficiency of Recycling
Banning of Animal Testing
Hazards of Smoking in Public Places
Proper Care of Street Animals
Rs: Recycle, Reuse, Reduce
Benefits of Montessori Education
Education of Girl Child
Unemployment
Corruption
Child Labour
Importance of Right to Education
Child Trafficking
How to speak confidently in public?
Do exam results alone determine a child’s worth?
Which age is proper to own a mobile phone?
How to Find a Good Preschool?
How to overcome exam fever?
What is better: Remote learning or Hands-on Learning?
Are smart classes beneficial to students?
This generation cannot fix anything
Boredom always leads to trouble
Are plastic bags worse than paper bags?
The best source of energy for India

Tips for Writing and Delivering a Speech

Research your topic thoroughly.

Use reliable sources of information, such as books, articles, websites, or videos, to gather facts, statistics, examples, and quotes that support your main points.
Cite your sources properly and avoid plagiarism.

Organize Your Speech Logically

Use a clear and coherent structure that consists of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
In the introduction, state your topic, purpose, and thesis statement. In the body, develop your main points with supporting details.
In the conclusion, summarize your main points and restate your thesis statement.

Use Appropriate Language and Style

Choose words and phrases that suit your topic, audience, and purpose.
Use simple and clear sentences that convey your meaning effectively.
Avoid jargon, slang, or idioms that may confuse or offend your listeners.
Use transitions to connect your ideas and create a smooth flow.
Use rhetorical devices, such as repetition, contrast, analogy, or humor, to make your speech more interesting and persuasive.

Practice Your Speech Aloud

Rehearse your speech several times before the actual presentation.
Use a timer to check the length of your speech and adjust it if necessary.
Record yourself or ask someone to listen to you and give you feedback.
Pay attention to your pronunciation, intonation, stress, and pauses.
Improve your voice quality by speaking loudly and clearly.

Deliver Your Speech Effectively

On the day of the presentation, dress appropriately and arrive early.
Relax and breathe deeply before you start.
Make eye contact with your audience and smile.
Use gestures and body language to enhance your message.
Speak at a moderate pace and vary your tone and pitch.
Engage your audience by asking questions or inviting comments.
Thank them for their attention at the end.

Common Mistakes in English Speeches

Mixing up “lend” and “borrow.” These verbs have opposite meanings: “lend” means to give something temporarily to someone else; “borrow” means to take something temporarily from someone else.

Example-1:

Can you lend me your pen? (correct)
Can you borrow me your pen? (incorrect)

Confusing “me too” and “me either.” These expressions are used to agree with someone else’s statement: “me too” is used for positive statements; “me either” is used for negative statements.

Example-2:

I like pizza. Me too! (correct)
I don’t like pizza. Me either! (correct)
I like pizza. Me either! (incorrect)
I don’t like pizza. Me too! (incorrect)

Saying, “I have 20 years old” instead of “I am 20 years old”. In English, we use the verb “be” to talk about age; we don’t use the verb “have.”

Example-3:

How old are you? I am 20 years old. (correct)
How old are you? I have 20 years old. (incorrect)

Using Double Negatives

A double negative is when you use two negative words in the same sentence; this can make the sentence unclear or change its meaning.

For Example:

I don’t have nothing to say. (incorrect)
I don’t have anything to say. (correct)
I have nothing to say. (correct)

Misplacing Modifiers

A modifier is a word or phrase that adds information or description to another word or phrase; it should be placed as close as possible to the word or phrase it modifies; otherwise, it can cause confusion or ambiguity.

He saw a dog walking down the street with a red collar. (incorrect; it sounds like the person was walking with a red collar.)
He saw a dog with a red collar walking down the street. (correct)

These are some of the common mistakes that English speakers make; however, there are many more that you should be aware of and avoid.

To conclude, these are some of the amazing English speech topics for 10th class students that can help them improve their communication skills, critical thinking, and general knowledge. Whether you are preparing for a speech competition, a class presentation, or an extempore, you can choose any of these topics that suit your interest and purpose. Remember to research your topic well, organize your ideas clearly, and deliver your speech confidently. Happy speaking!

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Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

613 Original Argumentative Speech Topics Ideas

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.

Argumentative speeches generally concern topics which are currently being debated by society , current controversial issues . These topics are often derived from political debates and issues which are commonly seen in the media. The chosen topic may be political, religious, social, or ethical in nature. The audience should be challenged to re-examine their long-held values, and will be asked to alter deeply held convictions based on new evidence or viewpoints on the issue.

Obviously, selecting a topic that is debatable is key to creating an effective speech. The topic should not be something which is generally already proven, or would require an enormous leap of faith or logic in order to convince the audience. The speaker should already possess a strong interest and have a deeply-held opinion on the subject, or else his arguments will probably not come across as believable to the audience.

Topics below are not our personal opinion, they are just samples of a topic. You can flip them to create a different topic. For example, if the topic is “Eating meat and dairy is bad for your body” and you believe the opposite, just make your topic “Eating meat and dairy is good for your body”.

Our list is updated often; huge thank you to all of you who send us topic ideas. Do you have an idea? Use “Send us your idea” form, and we will publish it. And don’t forget to take a look at our extensive list of argumentative essay topics for topics more suited to the written word.

List of Argumentative Speech Topics

Constitutional issues, environment, food and drink, international politics, relationships.

How poor accounting methods cause businesses to lose money.

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

Can We Write Your Speech?

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

Does the government have the right to tax its citizens?
Torture is an acceptable measure to prevent terrorism.
Banning some books and movies can help society.
Guns should be made illegal.
The legal drinking age should be changed to 18 for hard liquor and spirits, and to 16 for beer and wine.
Should the government be able to access cell phone data?
Paying waiters a hourly rate below minimum wage is unfair.
Illegal immigrants are good for the economy.
Decreasing the wealth tax is good for the economy.
What caused the recession in the USA?
Rich people should have tax breaks.
Should students sometimes teach the class about a subject they are an expert on?
Should schools offer sign language in addition to foreign languages?
Any student caught cheating on an examination should be automatically dismissed from college.
Should there be a dress code to prevent students from wearing revealing clothes?
Government aid for students should be based purely on academic performance.
Mobiles phones should be banned in schools for both students and teachers.
How No Child Left Behind has not been implemented correctly.
Foreign language instruction should begin in kindergarten.
College students should have the freedom to choose their own courses.
Should schools have single sex education?

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

How the USA can use renewable energy, and what role oil companies can play.
How renewable energy technologies became economically and politically viable in the late 1990s.
Destruction of the world’s forest is justified by human need for land and food.
The racing industry should be forced to use environmentally-friendly fuel.
The government should support and subsidize alternative energy sources.
Alternative energy and hybrid vehicles can help save our planet.
Penalties for crimes against the environment should be tougher.
Vegetarianism is an ecologically thoughtful lifestyle.
Has marine engineering increased pollution?
Working from home is good for the environment.
Rainforest logging should be banned.
Hunting is good for the environment.
The advantages of recycling water.

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

Should celebrities be held to a higher moral standard since they are often viewed as role models by children and teens?
Convicted prisoners should not have better living conditions than those not in prison.
Clothing and other items produced using child labor should not be imported and sold in the USA.
Denying health insurance because of pre-existing conditions violates human rights.
Using animals for scientific research is inhumane.
DNA experiments on human embryos are unethical and should not be allowed.
Zoos, aquariums, and circuses violate animal rights and should be shut down.
Are beauty pageants exploitive?
Should scientists bring back extinct species through cloning?
People should not be allowed to keep exotic animals as pets.
Should there be world population control?
Stand up for what is right, even if you stand alone.
Hunting is unethical and should not be allowed.
Everyone in the world should have civil rights!
Do you agree that honesty is the best policy?
Assassination can never be justified.
The sale of human organs should be legal.
Euthanasia is not morally acceptable.
Euthanasia should be legalized.
Is human cloning ethical?
Wearing fur is unethical.
We shouldn’t eat meat.
Every family with children filing for divorce must go through a mandatory ‘cooling off’ period.
Adoptive parents should be legally bound to allow biological parents access to their children.
Should babies younger than one get their ears pierced?
Those who want children should take parenting classes and pass tests before having a child.
Both parents should assume equal responsibility in raising a child.
Strict parenting raises strong-hearted, resilient kids.
Why both parents should be a part of their child’s life.
Do curfews keep teens out of trouble?
Why children should be respected.
Should we have to pay to adopt a child?
Teenagers should have more freedom than younger kids.
Should kids under 13 be allowed on social media sites?
Should children get to choose their living environment at age 13?
Should parents be held responsible for actions of their children?

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

The only difference between normal and organic food is the cost.

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

Why veterans should have more government support.
Should the president have served in the military?
Is the American criminal justice system racist?
Democracy is the best form of government.
Women make better presidents.
Is our election process fair?
Tap water is safer than bottled water in countries where the quality of tap water is regulated.
Breastfeeding is one of the most important things a mother can do for a child.
Should children born with birth defects have surgery?
Lapses in food safety result from a complex interplay of factors.
Should fast food restaurants stop adding chemicals to their food?
Taxes should be imposed on unhealthy foods to combat obesity.
GMOs are bad for health and should be avoided at any cost.
Advertising of prescription drugs should not be allowed.
Fast food advertisements and promotions should be banned.
Terminally ill patients should be allowed to use heroin.
Why people should smile when they’re happy, and pretend they are happy when feeling sad.
Our identity is shaped by how others view us.
The benefits of having friends.

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

Was Mao Zedong a great leader?
Adolf Hitler was a great leader.
The negative effects of Ronald Reagan’s “War on Drugs.”

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

Is inequality in South Africa a suitable topic to use for public speaking?
Should the world become one nation and have a council for leadership?
The war in Iraq was justified.
Terrorism is a major issue in the world because innocent people are affected.
Cultural treasures should be returned to their countries of origin.
Invading other countries, as long as for a good cause, is justified.
The New Zealand flag should not be changed.
War is an instrument of foreign policy.
Driving speed limits should be lifted in areas with a low accident risk.
People who use file-sharing sites to download content illegally should be found and prosecuted.
Should the government give tax exemptions to those who drive electric or hybrid vehicles?
Elderly drivers should be required to take a driving test each year after a certain age.
Should colleges be allowed to use affirmative action to create a more diverse campus?
Garbage disposal should not be free to encourage recycling (example: Switzerland).
Salaries of actors, professional athletes and CEOs should be regulated and capped.
Any products that are believed to cause cancer should have a warning label.
Fast food, soda, chips and other unhealthy food should be heavily taxed.
Making drugs illegal creates an environment for crime and violence.
Should it be harder to get a divorce?
Should the death penalty exist?
Laws to protect the victims of domestic abuse should be enforced.
Pitbulls and other aggressive dog breeds should not be allowed.
Gay couples should have the same rights as heterosexual couples.
Should the EPA make it illegal to modify your car for racing?
DUI offenders should lose their license for a year.
Should you have to take a training class to purchase fireworks?
Workers should get four weeks paid vacation each year.
Plastic surgery should be illegal for anyone under 18.
Retirement should be made compulsory at the age of 60.
Abortions should be legal in cases of rape and incest.
The cost of prescription drugs should be regulated.
Couples should be banned from adopting overseas.
Banning smoking in public places is undemocratic.
Spaying and neutering pets should be mandatory.
Minors should be tried for murder at any age.
Voting should be compulsory for all citizens.
Illegal immigrants should receive asylum.
Organ donation should be mandatory.
Vaccinations should be compulsory.
Prostitution should be legalized.
Should abortion be made illegal?
The smoking age should be lowered.
The voting age should be lowered.
Why smoking should be banned.
Talking on the phone while driving should be banned.
There should be equal pay for equal work.
Does Shakespeare romanticize youth suicide in the tragic play Romeo and Juliet?
Edgar Allen Poe’s career as an author benefitted from his difficult, grief-filled life.
Popular literature is not as valuable as classical literature.
Why books are better than their movies.
Reality television makes people stupid and should be regulated.
Does media violence lead to behavioral problems?
TV cop shows are too intense for children.
Watching television makes people smarter.
Are kids having too much screen time?
Is watching TV good or bad for children?
Has the television become obsolete?
Reality TV is not reality.
Vulgar scenes in films should be reduced.
Can anyone play an instrument with the right materials and instruction?
The beneficial physiological effects of music.
Americans should not get involved in conflicts that don’t concern the national interest.
Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid reform are non-negotiable ways out of the debt crisis.
Famous people (actors, athletes) should not be allowed to become politicians.
Is the government doing justice to the taxpayers?
Does age matter in relationships?
Social networks are killing sincere relationships.
Polygamy creates healthy relationships.
If nothing happens without a cause, then the big bang must have been caused by God.
Why it is better to have many religions.
Banning burkhas or other religious clothing is against human rights.
The world would be more peaceful without religions.
Churches should be required to pay taxes.
Are there any alternatives to evolution?
Religion is a force for evil.

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

Mobile phones shouldn’t be allowed at school.
There is no place for religion in school.
Technology is a distraction.
Homework should be scrapped.
High Schools need armed guards.
Test scores reflect how good the teacher is.
Refrain from dating in high school.
Student ID cards should have tracking devices.
Random drug tests need to be done in high schools.
Teachers should also be graded.

See this page for a full list of School Speech Topics (Elementary, Middle School, High School).

Genetically modified food should be the answer to the world’s hunger problem.
Is Mars the next planet for human habitation?
The NASA moon landing was a hoax.
Space exploration is a waste of money.

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

Permits should not be needed to build small, permanent structures in the city of Baldwin.
Technological progress signifies the decline of human moral, spiritual, and traditional values.
Men and women face unequal pressure to change their bodies to look good.
Sexual immorality in our society is a result of the influence of foreign films.
People are not satisfied with what they have.
Compulsory military service is good for society and the country.
Christmas is just a way for businesses to increase sales.
Billboards should not be allowed on interstate highways.
Men should be forced to take paternity leave from work.
Violent video games and toys should not be allowed.

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

Athletes caught using steroids should be banned from professional sports for life.
Why cheerleading should be part of the Olympics.
Why hockey should allow fights.
Is marching band a sport?
Is cheerleading a sport?
Sports should be obligatory at school.

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

Students should not have to learn cursive because technology is making it irrelevant.
Social media has changed us for the worse.
Modern technology has increased material wealth but not happiness.
Has the internet made research easier and more convenient?
How nuclear power shaped 21st century electrical generation.
Technology makes us lose most of our traditions and culture.
Life was better when technology was more simple.
Human beings are becoming slaves of modern technology.
Is the internet a good or a bad thing?
Technology is making people less creative.
The positive effects of technology on society.
Are phones essential?
Nuclear power is better than solar power.
New technologies create problems.
The impact of technology on society.
How electronics affect our body.
The pros and cons of Facebook.
The pros and cons of plastic.
Are children smarter or more socialized because of the internet?
Modern offices should have facilities for an afternoon nap.
Should tattoos be in the workplace?

List of Argumentative Essay Topics

Dieting makes people fat.
Romantic love is a poor basis for marriage.
The war on terror has contributed to the growing abuse of human rights.
High school graduates should take a year off before entering college.
All citizens should be required by law to vote.
All forms of government welfare should be abolished.
Americans should have more holidays and longer vacation.
Participating in team sports helps to develop good character.
The production and sale of cigarettes should be made illegal.
People have become overly dependent on technology.
Censorship is sometimes justified.
Privacy is not the most important right.
Drunk drivers should be imprisoned on the first offence.
The lost art of letter-writing deserves to be revived.
Government and military personnel should have the right to strike.
Most study-abroad programs should be renamed “party abroad”: they are a waste of time and money.
The continuing decline of CD sales along with the rapid growth of music downloads signals a new era of innovation in popular music.
College students should have complete freedom to choose their own courses.
The solution to the impending crisis in Social Security is the immediate elimination of this anachronistic government program.
The primary mission of colleges and universities should be preparing students for the workforce.
Financial incentives should be offered to high school students who perform well on standardizing tests.
All students in high school and college should be required to take at least two years of a foreign language.
College students in the U.S. should be offered financial incentives to graduate in three years rather than four.
College athletes should be exempted from regular class-attendance policies.
To encourage healthy eating, higher taxes should be imposed on soft drinks and junk food.
Students should not be required to take physical education courses.
To conserve fuel and save lives, the 55 miles-per-hour national speed limit should be restored.
All citizens under the age of 21 should be required to pass a driving education course before receiving a license to drive.
Freshmen should not be required to purchase a meal plan from the college.
Zoos are internment camps for animals and should be shut down.
University students should not be penalized for illegally downloading music, movies, or other protected content.
Government financial aid for students should be based solely on merit.
Nontraditional students should be exempted from regular class-attendance policies.
At the end of each term, student evaluations of faculty should be posted online.
A student organization should be formed to rescue and care for the feral cats on campus.
People who contribute to Social Security should have the right to choose how their money is invested.
Professional baseball players convicted of using performance-enhancing drugs should not be considered for induction into the Hall of Fame.
Any citizen who does not have a criminal record should be permitted to carry a concealed weapon.
Is global climate change man-made?
Do colleges put too much stock in standardized test scores?
Is torture ever acceptable?
Should men get paternity leave from work?
Is a lottery a good idea?
Do we have a fair taxation system?
Is cheating out of control?
Are parents clueless about child predators on the Internet?
Are cell phones dangerous?
Are law enforcement cameras an invasion of privacy?
Are test scores a good indication of a school’s competency?
Do we have a throw-away society?
Is child behavior better or worse than it was years ago?
Should companies market to children?
Should the government have a say in our diets?
Does access to condoms prevent teen pregnancy?
Does access to condoms lead to irresponsible, dangerous, or bad behavior?
Are actors and professional athletes paid too much?
Are CEOs paid too much?
Do violent video games cause behavior problems?
Should creationism be taught in public schools?
Should the racing industry be forced to use biofuels?
When should parents let teens make their own decisions?
Should the military be allowed to recruit at high schools?
Should the alcohol drinking age be increased or decreased?
What age is appropriate for dating?
Are there benefits to attending a single-sex school?
Does boredom lead to trouble?
Does participation in sports keep teens out of trouble?
Is competition good?
Does religion cause war?
Should the government provide health care?
Should girls ask boys out?
Is fashion important?
Are girls too mean to each other?
Is homework harmful or helpful?
Should students be allowed to grade their teachers?
Is college admission too competitive?
There is no such thing as a superfood!
American football is better than rugby.
Abused children grow up to be abusers
Women priests have further weakened the influence of the church today
Britain should exit the EU and concentrate on its special relationship with America
Most asylum seekers are simply seeking a better life
Who was the better wartime Prime Minister – Churchill or Thatcher?
Insurance is a waste of money
North Korea postulates but will never go to war
Lady Gaga is a better role model than Madonna
Celebrities adopting multi-racial kids is merely another cog in their publicity wheel
Sororities do nothing to enhance the cause of womanhood
All phobias can be cured
America is seen as a safe haven for victims of persecution from all over the world
There are more benefits to working in a small company than a large one
Men do not understand the term “fashionista”
Scottish independence would be a good thing for the UK
Seeds are not a health food. They are bird food.
Government spying on personal communication is an infringement of civil liberty
Payday loans are the worst financial product ever
What is the point of massive R&D projects like the Hadron Collider and space exploration when people are starving?
All immigrants to English speaking countries should pass a test before being allowed rights to settle and be re-tested after 10 years.
Only the supermarkets win in price wars
The Burkha is a lasting symbol that Islam is divisive
Space travel should be a rich man’s plaything and government funds diverted to things that matter
Pipe smoking is less harmful than cigarette smoking
Politicians don’t have a “calling” – it is merely a well paid job
Ireland would be no better if it were one country
Global warming is just a phase in the planet’s life cycle
Cigarettes will never be banned completely because Governments couldn’t work without the income they generate
Beauty pageants are exploitative
Condoms should be dispensed free in high schools
Professional athletes are paid too much
Most schools fail at adequate sex education
Aids is the forgotten disease now that it affects mainly African countries
Legalizing some drugs will not combat the scourge
The legal limit of 21 encourages underage drinking
Video games do not cause violent behavior: Violence comes from values
Should creationism be taught in schools
High school is not competitive enough and does not encourage high standards of achievement in everyone
CEOS of public service industries are paid too much
Britain should adopt a new voting system
In a society that calls for equality, men should receive a decent period of paternity leave
Torture has a place in the fight against terrorism
Many parents have no idea of what their child is doing on the computer
Standardized test scores are not the best indication of a student’s aptitude for a certain course.
Should we have a national high school exam?
Is Private school tuition (elementary, high school or college) really worth it?
Does state wide testing like TAKS/STAAR test in Texas really increase student knowledge?
Should colleges abolish reliance on SAT and ACT scores in admissions?
How should our school system in America be reformed?
Should America adopt an educational system more like Europe?
What causes students to graduate high school without basic skills?
How do American students compare with students from other countries?
What Role should technology play in Education?
What is the value of a liberal arts education?
Should students be required to take foreign language courses (or any other type of specific course)?
Does adding school days really improve learning?
Should schools continue to spend money on fine arts?
How should students whose first language is not English be taught in public schools?
Should college athletes be paid?
Does smoking help make acquaintances?
Should students add their teachers as friends on Facebook?
Is the first impression of a person always right?
Are conflicts necessary for healthy relationships?
Should lecture attendance be optional?
Is business ethics an obsolete concept?
Should companies try to copy what their competitors do?
Can businesses learn from their customers’ complaints?
Should all energy drinks be banned?
Is China a new superpower?
Should employees be allowed to use social media sites at work?
Should companies send ‘happy birthday’ messages to clients?
Would Shakespeare’s plays be more interesting if shortened?
Should internet slang, like ‘LOL’ and ‘IMHO’ be included in dictionaries?
Does the English language need to be simpler?
Should kids be allowed to draw on walls?
Do modern schools depend too much on technology?
Do online students have better chances to cheat?
Should hospitals use placebo treatments?
Do innovations really make us lazier?
Can college athletes be smart?
Should students have profiles on all major social networks?
Should people abandon cash and use plastic cards only?
Should countries have ‘1 car per family’ policies?
Should we preserve old buildings as historical monuments?
Are some TV ads objects of art?
Is music in shopping malls harmful to employees’ wellbeing?
Can listening to favorite music heal?
Should journalists who distort the truth to make the news more sensational be punished?
Should all TV channels have censorship?
Do SOPA and PIPA make pirates more skilful?
Is negative PR the secret behind Justin Bieber’s success?
Should Wikipedia give diplomas to their most faithful readers?
Can diamonds be girls’ best friends?
Is the way to a man’s heart through his stomach?
Should couples live together before marriage?
Should parents tell their kids stories about birds and bees?
Can virtual reality be dangerous for kids?
Can we call any war ‘a peacemaking operation’?
Is too much political correctness making communication more confusing?
Are early marriages more likely to end in divorces?
Do elderly people receive better care in retirement homes than with family members?
Should hyperactive kids receive treatment?
Should mind reading during poker games be banned?
Should parents pass tests before homeschooling their kids?
Should parents lie to their kids about Santa Claus?
Does Beavis and Butthead have a negative impact on youth?
Is it fair to use the results of standardized tests to define schools’ budgets?
Are optimism and success infectious?
Is the Bermuda triangle a creation of our imagination?
Advertising: Information Or Manipulation?
Should Affirmative Action Be Abolished?
Should Minors Be Executed For Murder?
Should Parents Be Held Responsible For Their Minor’s Crimes?
Should Gay Clubs Be Allowed In High Schools?
Should High School Education Be Mandatory?
Should Affirmative Action be abolished?
Should schools place more emphasis on disciplining?
To what extent has the traditional male role changed in the last 20 years?
Dieting Does Not Help People Lose Weight
Is gender equality a myth or a sustainable reality?
Should divorce be harder to obtain?
Should marijuana be legalized in the United States?
Should the legalization of marijuana be a state law or left up to the federal government to enforce?
Are colleges and schools just for either all girls or all boys fair or are they sexist?
Should corporal punishment be used to punish children?
Should the US drinking age be lowered or raised from age 21?
How young is too young to have your own cellphone?
Should immigrants to the US be required to learn English before being granted citizenship?
Should those applying for Welfare be drug tested?
Are fast food chains killing people?
Should those receiving government assistance have a limit on the number of children they can receive help for?
Should news reporters be required to share their sources with viewers?
What role, if any, should the federal government take in dealing with the problem of homelessness?
Should women also be required to sign up for the draft at age 18 in the US?
Should those younger than 13 be allowed to have a Facebook or Myspace (or other social networking account)?
Should public school teachers be randomly drug tested as a condition for employment?
Is year-round school a good idea or bad?
Should gay couples be allowed to adopt children?
Should the families of organ donors be compensated for their loved one’s donation?
Damage to the environment is an inevitable consequence of worldwide improvements in the standard of living.
Are famous people treated unfairly by the media? Should they be given more privacy, or is the price of their fame an invasion into their private lives?
Are women better parents than men?
Are zoos necessary for education?
Children learn best by observing the behavior of adults and copying it.
Children should never be educated at home by their parents.
Computers can translate all kinds of languages well. Do our children need to learn more languages in the future?
Advantages and disadvantages of giving international aid to poor countries.
Do the benefits of study abroad justify the difficulties?
Do we become used to bad news? Would it be better if more good news was reported?
Does foreign aid helps donor countries more than the recipients?
Does travel help to promote understanding and communication between countries?
Education is the single most important factor in the development of a country.
The destruction of the world’s forests is inevitable as our need for land and food grows.
A vegetarian diet is as healthy as a diet containing meat.
If children behave badly, should their parents accept responsibility and also be punished?
In what ways has information technology changed work and working practices in the past 10 years?
Should government intervene in the rights of the individual with regard to family planning?
In your opinion what factors contribute to a good movie?
Most high level jobs are done by men. Should the government encourage a certain percentage of these jobs to be reserved for women?
News editors should decide what to broadcast on TV and what to print in newspapers.
Should developing countries concentrate on improving industrial skills or should they promote education first?
Should money be spent on space exploration?
Should retirement be compulsory at 65 years of age?
Should rich countries forgive all debts for poor countries?
Should rich countries pay more for environmental damage?
Should sports classes be dropped in secondary school so students can concentrate on academic subjects?
Should the same laws which prohibit the sale and consumption of heroin be applied to tobacco?
To what extent should universities function as training grounds for employment?
To what extent should university courses be geared to the economic needs of society?
What are factors which are related to academic success in high-school students?
What should a government do for a country to become successful?
Free meals should be provided in every school.
Citizens should be taxed a percentage to send towards medical research.
All motor vehicles should be pushed towards electric power.
Prisoners should be used in the workforce.
Dieting does more harm than good.
Chivalry has no place in modern society.
Sexism is still a major problem in the workplace.
Government welfare is an excuse for laziness.
Capitalism is another name for evil.
National security is an excuse for war.
9/11 was an excuse for continuous war.
Privacy is a luxury not a right.
The age of consent should be raised.
The federal government should control the laws of each state.
Average workplace hours are too long.
Oppressive regimes shouldn’t be given any monetary aid.
The death penalty should be reintroduced.
All people should be allowed to strike.
The music industry needs to get with the times.
A college education needs to be about preparing for the world of work.
There are too many degree options in colleges.
All citizens should speak a second language.
People should be encouraged to holiday abroad.
Restrictions on fuel consumption need to be implemented.
People should be encouraged to start their own businesses.
All citizens should dedicate an hour a week to community service.
Cheating on an examination should be a criminal offense.
Pornography should be illegal.
Brothels should be legalised.
All states should gain equal representation in elections.
Presidential elections should be held every five years.
The restriction on consecutive presidential terms should be removed.
Financial aid shouldn’t be given to people with a criminal record.
People should have a bigger say in how the country is run.
The military needs to see major cuts.
An emphasis on sport in college should be removed.
Social Security Numbers should be abolished.
Elderly people shouldn’t drive.
The rich should pay more tax.
Tax avoidance should be clamped down upon.
Essays are not an accurate reflection of a student’s ability.
There are too many people in the U.S.
Immigration caps should be tightened.
Should people be able to choose to have health care or not?
Are we too dependent on foreign oil?
Is the education policy ‘No Child Left behind’ working?
The media affects young children’s minds
Does the ‘old boy network’ still exist?
Should prostitution be legalized?
Divorced parents should always share custody of their children
Social media is ruining relationships
Convicted prisoners have a better life in prison than out
Society and laws are too lenient on Child Sex offenders
Should racial profiling be legal?
Are Americans sexual prudes?
Is euthanasia inhumane?
Is Michael Jordan the best basketball player of all time?
Should people have to take a test to become parents?
Italians are healthier because they drink red wine
Are humans solely responsible for GlobalWarming?
Cheating helps children learn.
Are vampires real or only in the novels characters?
File-sharing programs on the Internet should/ not be banned.
What is the relationship between illegal immigration and crime
People who download from file sharing websites should be prosecuted.
Rich people should be allowed to pay off their crimes.
Corruption in society is an unstoppable force.
Doctors should learn about religion before practicing.
Rationing of fuel is a good idea.
Sodomy isn’t a sin.
Political figures are out of touch with society.
Public figures should be struck off if they break the law.
All men and women should complete a year of civil service.
Community service isn’t a punishment.

509 Informative Speech Ideas and Topics

243 Easy and Simple Speech Topics

7 thoughts on “613 Original Argumentative Speech Topics Ideas”

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I think you’re ideas are from the far left, the “topics” you have are just so one sided im yawning just reading them. COME ON!

Most of these “topics” you list aren’t original. I’ve heard these be argued on the news and in class many times before. Only about 10 of these topics even peaked my interest.

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Only 7 of these actually had me thinking. Some aren’t even original. I’ve seen the ‘Should the death penalty exist’ on almost every single site I’ve tried before this.

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100 Persuasive Speech Topics for Students

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

If you are planning a persuasive speech, you should think about a topic that can engage your audience. For this reason, you may want to consider a few topics before settling on the one that allows you to be more descriptive and entertaining.

Another important factor when picking a persuasive speech topic is to choose one that can provoke your audience. If you stir up a little emotion in your audience members, you'll keep their attention.

The list below is provided to help you brainstorm. Choose a topic from this list, or use it to generate an idea of your own. It could even be an idea that opposes the proposed example. For instance, instead of arguing American workers should be guaranteed a three-day weekend by law, you could argue why this shouldn't be the case.

How to Pick a Good Persuasive Speech Topic

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

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

100 Examples of Persuasive Speech Topics

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

40 Strong Persuasive Writing Examples (Essays, Speeches, Ads, and More)

Learn from the experts.

The American Crisis historical article, as an instance of persuasive essay examples

The more we read, the better writers we become. Teaching students to write strong persuasive essays should always start with reading some top-notch models. This round-up of persuasive writing examples includes famous speeches, influential ad campaigns, contemporary reviews of famous books, and more. Use them to inspire your students to write their own essays. (Need persuasive essay topics? Check out our list of interesting persuasive essay ideas here! )

Persuasive Essays
Persuasive Speeches
Advertising Campaigns

Persuasive Essay Writing Examples

First paragraph of Thomas Paine's The American Crisis

From the earliest days of print, authors have used persuasive essays to try to sway others to their own point of view. Check out these top persuasive essay writing examples.

Professions for Women by Virginia Woolf

Sample lines: “Outwardly, what is simpler than to write books? Outwardly, what obstacles are there for a woman rather than for a man? Inwardly, I think, the case is very different; she has still many ghosts to fight, many prejudices to overcome. Indeed it will be a long time still, I think, before a woman can sit down to write a book without finding a phantom to be slain, a rock to be dashed against. And if this is so in literature, the freest of all professions for women, how is it in the new professions which you are now for the first time entering?”

The Crisis by Thomas Paine

Sample lines: “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value.”

Politics and the English Language by George Orwell

Sample lines: “As I have tried to show, modern writing at its worst does not consist in picking out words for the sake of their meaning and inventing images in order to make the meaning clearer. It consists in gumming together long strips of words which have already been set in order by someone else, and making the results presentable by sheer humbug.”

Letter From a Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Sample lines: “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct action campaign that was ‘well timed’ in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word ‘Wait!’ It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This ‘Wait’ has almost always meant ‘Never.’ We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that ‘justice too long delayed is justice denied.'”

Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau

Sample lines: “Even voting for the right is doing nothing for it. It is only expressing to men feebly your desire that it should prevail. A wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance, nor wish it to prevail through the power of the majority. There is but little virtue in the action of masses of men.”

Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Roger Ebert

Sample lines: “‘Kindness’ covers all of my political beliefs. No need to spell them out. I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime.”

The Way to Wealth by Benjamin Franklin

Sample lines: “Methinks I hear some of you say, must a man afford himself no leisure? I will tell thee, my friend, what Poor Richard says, employ thy time well if thou meanest to gain leisure; and, since thou art not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour. Leisure is time for doing something useful; this leisure the diligent man will obtain, but the lazy man never; so that, as Poor Richard says, a life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things.”

The Crack-Up by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Sample lines: “Of course all life is a process of breaking down, but the blows that do the dramatic side of the work—the big sudden blows that come, or seem to come, from outside—the ones you remember and blame things on and, in moments of weakness, tell your friends about, don’t show their effect all at once.”

Open Letter to the Kansas School Board by Bobby Henderson

Sample lines: “I am writing you with much concern after having read of your hearing to decide whether the alternative theory of Intelligent Design should be taught along with the theory of Evolution. … Let us remember that there are multiple theories of Intelligent Design. I and many others around the world are of the strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. … We feel strongly that the overwhelming scientific evidence pointing towards evolutionary processes is nothing but a coincidence, put in place by Him. It is for this reason that I’m writing you today, to formally request that this alternative theory be taught in your schools, along with the other two theories.”

Open Letter to the United Nations by Niels Bohr

Sample lines: “Humanity will, therefore, be confronted with dangers of unprecedented character unless, in due time, measures can be taken to forestall a disastrous competition in such formidable armaments and to establish an international control of the manufacture and use of the powerful materials.”

Persuasive Speech Writing Examples

Many persuasive speeches are political in nature, often addressing subjects like human rights. Here are some of history’s most well-known persuasive writing examples in the form of speeches.

I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Sample lines: “And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

Woodrow Wilson’s War Message to Congress, 1917

Sample lines: “There are, it may be, many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us. It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts—for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free.”

Chief Seattle’s 1854 Oration

Sample lines: “I here and now make this condition that we will not be denied the privilege without molestation of visiting at any time the tombs of our ancestors, friends, and children. Every part of this soil is sacred in the estimation of my people. Every hillside, every valley, every plain and grove, has been hallowed by some sad or happy event in days long vanished. Even the rocks, which seem to be dumb and dead as they swelter in the sun along the silent shore, thrill with memories of stirring events connected with the lives of my people, and the very dust upon which you now stand responds more lovingly to their footsteps than yours, because it is rich with the blood of our ancestors, and our bare feet are conscious of the sympathetic touch.”

Women’s Rights Are Human Rights, Hillary Rodham Clinton

Sample lines: “What we are learning around the world is that if women are healthy and educated, their families will flourish. If women are free from violence, their families will flourish. If women have a chance to work and earn as full and equal partners in society, their families will flourish. And when families flourish, communities and nations do as well. … If there is one message that echoes forth from this conference, let it be that human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights once and for all.”

I Am Prepared to Die, Nelson Mandela

Sample lines: “Above all, My Lord, we want equal political rights, because without them our disabilities will be permanent. I know this sounds revolutionary to the whites in this country, because the majority of voters will be Africans. This makes the white man fear democracy. But this fear cannot be allowed to stand in the way of the only solution which will guarantee racial harmony and freedom for all. It is not true that the enfranchisement of all will result in racial domination. Political division, based on color, is entirely artificial and, when it disappears, so will the domination of one color group by another. … This then is what the ANC is fighting. Our struggle is a truly national one. It is a struggle of the African people, inspired by our own suffering and our own experience. It is a struggle for the right to live.”

The Struggle for Human Rights by Eleanor Roosevelt

Sample lines: “It is my belief, and I am sure it is also yours, that the struggle for democracy and freedom is a critical struggle, for their preservation is essential to the great objective of the United Nations to maintain international peace and security. Among free men the end cannot justify the means. We know the patterns of totalitarianism—the single political party, the control of schools, press, radio, the arts, the sciences, and the church to support autocratic authority; these are the age-old patterns against which men have struggled for 3,000 years. These are the signs of reaction, retreat, and retrogression. The United Nations must hold fast to the heritage of freedom won by the struggle of its people; it must help us to pass it on to generations to come.”

Freedom From Fear by Aung San Suu Kyi

Sample lines: “Saints, it has been said, are the sinners who go on trying. So free men are the oppressed who go on trying and who in the process make themselves fit to bear the responsibilities and to uphold the disciplines which will maintain a free society. Among the basic freedoms to which men aspire that their lives might be full and uncramped, freedom from fear stands out as both a means and an end. A people who would build a nation in which strong, democratic institutions are firmly established as a guarantee against state-induced power must first learn to liberate their own minds from apathy and fear.”

Harvey Milk’s “The Hope” Speech

Sample lines: “Some people are satisfied. And some people are not. You see there is a major difference—and it remains a vital difference—between a friend and a gay person, a friend in office and a gay person in office. Gay people have been slandered nationwide. We’ve been tarred and we’ve been brushed with the picture of pornography. In Dade County, we were accused of child molestation. It is not enough anymore just to have friends represent us, no matter how good that friend may be.”

The Union and the Strike, Cesar Chavez

Sample lines: “We are showing our unity in our strike. Our strike is stopping the work in the fields; our strike is stopping ships that would carry grapes; our strike is stopping the trucks that would carry the grapes. Our strike will stop every way the grower makes money until we have a union contract that guarantees us a fair share of the money he makes from our work! We are a union and we are strong and we are striking to force the growers to respect our strength!”

Nobel Lecture by Malala Yousafzai

Sample lines: “The world can no longer accept that basic education is enough. Why do leaders accept that for children in developing countries, only basic literacy is sufficient, when their own children do homework in algebra, mathematics, science, and physics? Leaders must seize this opportunity to guarantee a free, quality, primary and secondary education for every child. Some will say this is impractical, or too expensive, or too hard. Or maybe even impossible. But it is time the world thinks bigger.”

Persuasive Writing Examples in Advertising Campaigns

Ads are prime persuasive writing examples. You can flip open any magazine or watch TV for an hour or two to see sample after sample of persuasive language. Here are some of the most popular ad campaigns of all time, with links to articles explaining why they were so successful.

Nike: Just Do It

The iconic swoosh with the simple tagline has persuaded millions to buy their kicks from Nike and Nike alone. Teamed with pro sports-star endorsements, this campaign is one for the ages. Blinkist offers an opinion on what made it work.

Dove: Real Beauty

Beauty brand Dove changed the game by choosing “real” women to tell their stories instead of models. They used relatable images and language to make connections, and inspired other brands to try the same concept. Learn why Global Brands considers this one a true success story.

Wendy’s: Where’s the Beef?

Today’s kids are too young to remember the cranky old woman demanding to know where the beef was on her fast-food hamburger. But in the 1980s, it was a catchphrase that sold millions of Wendy’s burgers. Learn from Better Marketing how this ad campaign even found its way into the 1984 presidential debate.

De Beers: A Diamond Is Forever

Diamond engagement ring on black velvet. Text reads "How do you make two months' salary last forever? The Diamond Engagement Ring."

A diamond engagement ring has become a standard these days, but the tradition isn’t as old as you might think. In fact, it was De Beers jewelry company’s 1948 campaign that created the modern engagement ring trend. The Drum has the whole story of this sparkling campaign.

Volkswagen: Think Small

Americans have always loved big cars. So in the 1960s, when Volkswagen wanted to introduce their small cars to a bigger market, they had a problem. The clever “Think Small” campaign gave buyers clever reasons to consider these models, like “If you run out of gas, it’s easy to push.” Learn how advertisers interested American buyers in little cars at Visual Rhetoric.

American Express: Don’t Leave Home Without It

AmEx was once better known for traveler’s checks than credit cards, and the original slogan was “Don’t leave home without them.” A simple word change convinced travelers that American Express was the credit card they needed when they headed out on adventures. Discover more about this persuasive campaign from Medium.

Skittles: Taste the Rainbow

Bag of Skittles candy against a blue background. Text reads

These candy ads are weird and intriguing and probably not for everyone. But they definitely get you thinking, and that often leads to buying. Learn more about why these wacky ads are successful from The Drum.

Maybelline: Maybe She’s Born With It

Smart wordplay made this ad campaign slogan an instant hit. The ads teased, “Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline.” (So many literary devices all in one phrase!) Fashionista has more on this beauty campaign.

Coca-Cola: Share a Coke

Seeing their own name on a bottle made teens more likely to want to buy a Coke. What can that teach us about persuasive writing in general? It’s an interesting question to consider. Learn more about the “Share a Coke” campaign from Digital Vidya.

Always: #LikeaGirl

Always ad showing a young girl holding a softball. Text reads

Talk about the power of words! This Always campaign turned the derogatory phrase “like a girl” on its head, and the world embraced it. Storytelling is an important part of persuasive writing, and these ads really do it well. Medium has more on this stereotype-bashing campaign.

Editorial Persuasive Writing Examples

Newspaper editors or publishers use editorials to share their personal opinions. Noted politicians, experts, or pundits may also offer their opinions on behalf of the editors or publishers. Here are a couple of older well-known editorials, along with a selection from current newspapers.

Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus (1897)

Sample lines: “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias.”

What’s the Matter With Kansas? (1896)

Sample lines: “Oh, this IS a state to be proud of! We are a people who can hold up our heads! What we need is not more money, but less capital, fewer white shirts and brains, fewer men with business judgment, and more of those fellows who boast that they are ‘just ordinary clodhoppers, but they know more in a minute about finance than John Sherman,’ we need more men … who hate prosperity, and who think, because a man believes in national honor, he is a tool of Wall Street.”

America Can Have Democracy or Political Violence. Not Both. (The New York Times)

Sample lines: “The nation is not powerless to stop a slide toward deadly chaos. If institutions and individuals do more to make it unacceptable in American public life, organized violence in the service of political objectives can still be pushed to the fringes. When a faction of one of the country’s two main political parties embraces extremism, that makes thwarting it both more difficult and more necessary. A well-functioning democracy demands it.”

The Booster Isn’t Perfect, But Still Can Help Against COVID (The Washington Post)

Sample lines: “The booster shots are still free, readily available and work better than the previous boosters even as the virus evolves. Much still needs to be done to build better vaccines that protect longer and against more variants, including those that might emerge in the future. But it is worth grabbing the booster that exists today, the jab being a small price for any measure that can help keep COVID at bay.”

If We Want Wildlife To Thrive in L.A., We Have To Share Our Neighborhoods With Them (Los Angeles Times)

Sample lines: “If there are no corridors for wildlife movement and if excessive excavation of dirt to build bigger, taller houses erodes the slope of a hillside, then we are slowly destroying wildlife habitat. For those people fretting about what this will do to their property values—isn’t open space, trees, and wildlife an amenity in these communities?”

Persuasive Review Writing Examples

Image of first published New York Times Book Review

Book or movie reviews are more great persuasive writing examples. Look for those written by professionals for the strongest arguments and writing styles. Here are reviews of some popular books and movies by well-known critics to use as samples.

The Great Gatsby (The Chicago Tribune, 1925)

Sample lines: “What ails it, fundamentally, is the plain fact that it is simply a story—that Fitzgerald seems to be far more interested in maintaining its suspense than in getting under the skins of its people. It is not that they are false: It is that they are taken too much for granted. Only Gatsby himself genuinely lives and breathes. The rest are mere marionettes—often astonishingly lifelike, but nevertheless not quite alive.”

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (The Washington Post, 1999)

Sample lines: “Obviously, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone should make any modern 11-year-old a very happy reader. The novel moves quickly, packs in everything from a boa constrictor that winks to a melancholy Zen-spouting centaur to an owl postal system, and ends with a scary surprise. Yet it is, essentially, a light-hearted thriller, interrupted by occasional seriousness (the implications of Harry’s miserable childhood, a moral about the power of love).”

Twilight (The Telegraph, 2009)

Sample lines: “No secret, of course, at whom this book is aimed, and no doubt, either, that it has hit its mark. The four Twilight novels are not so much enjoyed, as devoured, by legions of young female fans worldwide. That’s not to say boys can’t enjoy these books; it’s just that the pages of heart-searching dialogue between Edward and Bella may prove too long on chat and too short on action for the average male reader.”

To Kill a Mockingbird (Time, 1960)

Sample lines: “Author Lee, 34, an Alabaman, has written her first novel with all of the tactile brilliance and none of the preciosity generally supposed to be standard swamp-warfare issue for Southern writers. The novel is an account of an awakening to good and evil, and a faint catechistic flavor may have been inevitable. But it is faint indeed; novelist Lee’s prose has an edge that cuts through cant, and she teaches the reader an astonishing number of useful truths about little girls and about Southern life.”

The Diary of Anne Frank (The New York Times, 1952)

Sample lines: “And this quality brings it home to any family in the world today. Just as the Franks lived in momentary fear of the Gestapo’s knock on their hidden door, so every family today lives in fear of the knock of war. Anne’s diary is a great affirmative answer to the life-question of today, for she shows how ordinary people, within this ordeal, consistently hold to the greater human values.”

What are your favorite persuasive writing examples to use with students? Come share your ideas in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, the big list of essay topics for high school (120+ ideas) ..

Find strong persuasive writing examples to use for inspiration, including essays, speeches, advertisements, reviews, and more.

Persuasive Essay Topics: Should we allow little kids to play competitive sports?

101 Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

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Home — Blog — Topic Ideas — 130 Inspiring Persuasive Speech Topics For Students

130 Inspiring Persuasive Speech Topics For Students

Definition of the Persuasive Speech

Before you explore various persuasive speech topics , let's take a quick look at the definition and learn what a persuasive speech is and how it can be identified in writing. As the title implies, a persuasive speech represents a type of speech that aims to persuade a person to believe in a certain concept or a notion. In some instances, a persuasive speech contains a call to action. A persuasive speech topic may deal with professional challenges, world events, and debates that can be political, commercial, legislative, or educational. Depending on what you study or research, the choices are basically unlimited! Therefore, let your inspiration run free, and ensure that you have at least one statement or argument that poses the ground for persuasion. Choose a certain idea, take a note about your take, and make it clear as you choose a competitive persuasive topic.

How to Compose an Excellent Persuasive Speech?

Regardless of what persuasive essay topics you may choose, specific structure rules will help you to achieve success and avoid confusion as you shape your ideas and make your speech inspiring and clear. Here are the main points to consider:

Choose a topic that inspires you and reflects your research objectives.
Narrow things down and do your best to define the goal of your speech.
Study your target audience and check whether your persuasive speech addresses their concerns.
Continue with the thesis statement representing your opinion or a certain notion.
Create an outline for your speech with the hook sentence in the introduction.
Provide facts from both sides of the debate.
Include at least three pieces of evidence for your writing.
Make a call to action in conclusion and repeat the main points.
Edit your speech for repetitions and grammar mistakes.
Proofread your speech aloud and check the readability factor twice.

List of Persuasive Speech Topics

Below is the list of 130 competitive persuasive speech essay topics you can use for brainstorming purposes as a speaker . Play with the wording of these persuasive speech examples , narrow things down, and choose the category that looks most suitable.

Persuasive Speech Topics for College

Here are some persuasive speech topics college style that you will find helpful:

College education should be made free or funded based on academic merits.
The problems of college debt are artificial and can be resolved.
The secret to college popularity: why fashion still matters in 2023?
The colleges represent the best ground for social movements.
Social media use among college students can benefit their studies.
College safety should be increased, and the parties must have stricter control.
American colleges are better than most European institutions regarding career chances.
Hybrid form of learning is the future of college education.
College bullying and the reasons why the cases of harassment are rarely reported.
The best ways to overcome college depression and anxiety.

Persuasive Speech About Art, Media, and Culture

Dealing with persuasive speech ideas , consider the field of art, media, and culture as one of the branches of science worth exploring. Here are some starting points worth checking:

Modern metal music has roots in the blues and classical music creations.
The older generation sometimes pays attention to the music we like.
Why do college bands remain popular?
The use of art exhibitions in colleges should be obligatory.
The cultural aspect of baseball popularity’s decline in the United States.
The wrong perception of wearing a hoodie: the cultural factor and misconceptions.
The use of social media helps to keep people alert to environmental issues.
Instagram influencers should not be considered journalists.
Video game culture should be considered a separate cultural trend.
Neuroscience and using artificial intelligence to write music will eliminate creativity.

Persuasive Speech About the Economy and Work

Now, if you are majoring in Business Management, studying the Economy, or working in the Financial sector, the following persuasive speech ideas will be quite helpful in keeping you inspired as you overcome initial confusion:

The concept of third-world countries is outdated and must be eliminated.
Cryptocurrencies are damaging to the American economy.
The phenomenon of economic wonder in Iceland is only possible because of the limited population.
Economic education must be an obligatory part of each academic curriculum.
Economic disparity in Afghanistan is caused by the current gender policies.
Workflow issues can be eliminated with the help of LMS platforms.
The challenges of employment in the United States during the pandemic could have been eliminated.
Most social campaigns these days are driven by the funds provided.
There is a man in the middle in every economic executive plan in business.
What are the pros and cons of digital accounting systems, or why are pros speaking against them?

Persuasive Speech About Education

The problems encountered in education always remain a subject of heated debates as education poses a serious concern not among current learners and educators and everyone out there. Check these helpful topic ideas:

ADHD is an overhyped problem and can be addressed with the help of stricter discipline.
Dealing with PTSD and military veterans can be approached with the help of music education.
AI-based tools will never replace the physical teacher in the classroom.
Pandemic situation has shown us that virtual classrooms take away the sense of belonging.
Smartboards as the solution for shy primary school students.
The reasons why there is a negative bias concerning community colleges.
Why should you choose a Christian college for your education?
Handwriting is still an important skill that should not be ignored.
The pros and cons of the Waldorf schools education system.
Augmented Reality is a dangerous concept for middle schools.
The benefits of gamification in the development of cognitive skills.
The mechanisms that should be used for reporting teacher-student abuse.
The problem of gun control in the classrooms: do teachers have a right to carry a gun?
The racial prejudice in the business management schools in the USA: why it's still a problem.
Colleges in the United States should offer free mental coaching sessions.
The reasons why every student should consider becoming an app developer.
The subjects that should be added to a modern college education.
The practice of exchange students leads to a lack of adjustability in the native country.
Females represent better specialists in the cyber security field.
The phenomenon of college athletes: why should they be treated just like anyone else?

Mental Health Persuasive Speech Topics

Dealing with mental health subjects is quite complex. If you are majoring in Healthcare and Psychology, you must remember to be respectful and sensitive as you make your choice and portray a viewpoint :

Why is depression often overlooked as a serious mental health problem?
Social media addiction leads to negative body image issues and wrong perceptions.
The phenomenon of bloggers creates a false impression of instant success.
Childhood abuse recovery: why do the survivors often keep silent?
Schools and colleges in the United States must introduce strict mental health screening.
The negative effect of violent media games on children.
British medical ethics versus American perception of mental health.
LGBT movement and dealing with mental health issues is a unique concept worth exploring.
YouTube mental health courses as a free alternative to commercial offerings.
Armed conflicts lead to prolonged mental health issues in the future.

Business Persuasive Speech Topics

Business marketing and business management also represent a popular field of science for composing an excellent persuasive speech essay. Just take a look at these example ideas :

Why is starting a business as a college student worth it in 2023?
Digital marketing is always the problem of brand loyalty and switching.
Social media and website localization: why should modern businesses implement the practice?
Doing business in China: what are the cultural points worth considering?
Why joining a free business course online will make you a better learner.
The business aspect of the Black Lives Matter social movement.
The male vs. female perception of a successful business in the IT sector.
The use of virtual reality tools to study the target market: a fashion case study.
British versus American understanding of corporate ethics.
Politics have no place in the retail business.

Medical Persuasive Speech Topics

The medical and nursing students will find these persuasive speech ideas quite helpful and interesting :

The problems of the NHS system in the United Kingdom.
The pros and cons of the ObamaCare healthcare campaign.
What are the best methods to overcome professional burnout for nursing personnel?
The most common challenges of the ER nursing department: ethics vs. personal safety.
The readiness for the future risks: analysis of the pandemic threats.
Covid-19 has helped to make our world a safer place.
Why should medical volunteering be developed in 2023?
Technology is not always helpful if it's not accessible in remote areas.
Dealing with religious beliefs when offering medical help.
The limitations when reporting suspected abuse: why the changes must be introduced?

Scientific Persuasive Speech Topics

In case you want to choose something complex and scientific, these ten persuasive speech topic offerings will help to keep you inspired:

Augmented Reality tools usage will help people with learning disabilities learn.
The link between the vaccination risks and the cases of autism among children.
The psychological aspect of using painkillers and the damage to the person's system.
Exploration of nuclear Physics remains useless for most people today.
The negative side of the Green Energy transformation.
Politics should have no place in the scientific community.
An ethical aspect of genetically modified foods is ignored because of the lower costs.
The scientific benefits of uniting physically challenged students with healthy learners.
The positive effect of blues music on the human brain: the cardio wave effect.
Social media changes how communication takes things to another level.

Sports Persuasive Speech Topics

If you are a college athlete or majoring in the field of Sports Coaching and Recreational Medicine, you should consider checking these ten persuasive speech subjects that we have chosen for you:

The best ways to manage stress when you become enrolled as a college athlete.
Playing sports in college helps to eliminate depression and anxiety risks.
College sports must be an obligatory part of the curriculum without grading.
The history of college basketball in the United States helped to shape numerous subcultures.
The social aspect of sports and communication among middle school and primary school learners.
The use of sports to challenge substance abuse in the workplace.
Why does politics have no place in sports, and why should athletes be allowed to compete?
Tennis represents one of the best sports to help people maintain cardiovascular health.
Why should playing golf be made more accessible for people with low income?
Playing sports in college helps to address weight gain issues and improve a person's mood.

Family Persuasive Speech Topics

You can also approach the subject of family relations or talk about the values important to you. Check out these ten ideas below:

The values of the methodist church in the United States and their perception of family.
Stay Together For The Kids tour or how alternative rock bands contribute to family values.
The perception of family times during the Victorian Era.
Why is social media changing how children perceive their parents and grandparents?
Resolution of family conflicts can be resolved with the help of mediation techniques.
The psychology of domestic abuse in the Middle East: why are cultural points not likely to change?
The practice of boarding schools in the United Kingdom and overcoming homesickness.
The challenges of becoming independent when leaving home for college are overrated.
Family problems or growing up in a broken home should not be considered a reason for stigmatization.
The American Dream concept is still relevant for the majority of American families.

Persuasive Speech About Politics and Society

Dealing with politics and society may sound easy, yet it often asks you to narrow things down and provide data from both sides of the debate to keep your position clear. See how it's done in the ten political persuasive speech ideas below:

The concept of the Cold War is more relevant for our times than ever.
Celebrities should not become involved in political campaigns and stay true to the art.
Most American television networks are run by private funds and offer biased information.
The phenomenon of West-Coast and East-Coast politics in the United States is artificial.
Politics and church should not mix, and why religion should not become a part of the conflict.
Racial prejudice in the United States is rooted in wrong politics.
The cultural perception of Canada by an average American is often incorrect.
Marijuana use should be banned as a society cannot control it adequately.
School students should be allowed to vote, starting at 13 years old.
The use of political agendas in colleges should be banned.

Government Persuasive Speech Topics

Now, some students will seek something related to governmental studies or legislation as a way to create their persuasive speech essays. As a way to help you out, here are the subjects for speeches you can start with:

The U.S. government should raise the age limit for the use of alcohol and tobacco.
The controversies related to the military budget of the United States should be turned into a public discussion.
The concept of political immunity and diplomacy should be eliminated as it takes responsibility away.
The government should decrease immigration to the United States.
Politicians should have an obligatory education related to Law and Political Sciences.
Famous media personalities should approach the external politics of the United States.
Governmental support and the problem of cheating with college scholarships.
The problem of racial prejudice could be eliminated with the help of a different political agenda.
The concept of luxury taxing should not be obligatory for celebrities if they participate in charity campaigns.
The reasons why children should learn Political Science and government structure in school.

Discover Thousands of Free Essay Samples!

Getting your persuasive speech done can be quite challenging, so we have created a list of new topics you may consider. Still, you should see the actual essay examples, which we are happy to offer! Depending on the subject you would like to explore in greater depth for your persuasive speech (or any other purpose!), you can always refer to our free database, where you can find amazing essays and topics.

Our website offers thousands of topics that keywords or subjects can check. These represent essays you can use for inspirational purposes as you compose your persuasive speech. If you are unsure about something , you can always get in touch with our team, and we shall happily direct you toward something that fits your academic objectives.

Read your grading rubric twice, or hit us up with your questions! You must be inspired by what you choose because it is the only way to persuade others. Make sure to clarify your point and convince your target audience that your thoughts and ideas are worth checking and following!

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/ Lessons Plans / Language Arts Lesson Plans / Delivering a Persuasive Speech Lesson Plan

Delivering a Persuasive Speech Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan #: AELP-SPH0200 Submitted by: Douglas Parker Email: [email protected] School/University/Affiliation: Albany Academy, Albany, NY Date: May 30, 2001

Grade Level: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Subject(s):

Language Arts/Speech

Duration: Two 50-minute sessions

Description: Students need to understand that how they say something and how they physically present themselves are just as important as what they say. By understanding the dynamics involved in effective persuasive speaking, students will improve their overall confidence in communicating.

Goals: The goal of this lesson is to improve students’ speaking skills by understanding persuasion proficiencies.

Objectives: Students will be able to:

Demonstrate the appropriate classroom public speaking and listening skills (e.g., body language, articulation, listening to be able to identify specific examples of the speaker’s coordination of talking and action) that would be necessary to influence or change someone’s mind or way of thinking about a topic.
Define the elements of persuasion.
Recognize the elements of personal credibility.
Develop methods to analyze other students’ speeches.
Understand outlining main ideas.
Create a persuasive speech.
teacher-prepared topics for persuasive speeches
sample rubric (available in .pdf format)
Sample Rubric

Procedure: During class discussion, define and explain how people make decisions based on what they see and hear. Explain that sometimes we have to use skills to convince others about our positions. Have the students recall and list their own experiences trying to convince their friends about something, and then ask them to share these with the class. Have the students pick a proposition that not everyone would agree with such as: nuclear power plants are superior energy sources. Have them write a 6-8 minute speech in outline form to persuade the class. Each student will then deliver this speech in front of the class while the rest of the students take notes and prepare to give the speaker feedback on the speech.

The voice and the body are the best tools — every student is a natural persuader! They have done it all their lives. Every time someone enters a conversation, he or she engages in elementary persuasion techniques. It is true that any time students make a statement of fact, they are asserting its validity and assuming that their listener agrees. This speech goes further than a normal conversational assertion: now students have to assume that not everyone will agree with them from the start, and it is their job to make them see things their way. The goal of this speech is to change someone’s mind or way of thinking about a topic. This is not a speech to sell, as students do not ask that the listener do anything except to agree with them or to begin to listen to their way of thinking. Their message is, of course, very important in this speech, but their voice and body language are even more important. Here they will learn how their delivery can help. There are several important aspects of presentation to keep in mind; the academic elements of persuasion are:

Body Language – Make sure that they have a proper posture. If their shoulders are sagging and their legs are crossed, they will not appear as being sincere, and people just will not accept their message.
Articulation – Articulation means how their total vocal process works. There are several steps to this entire process. Students need to understand the process. First, they need air from the lungs, their vocal cords in their larynx must be working, their mouth and tongue must be in sync, and they have to make sure that they have got some saliva in their mouths to keep things oiled. They should be aware of their physical makeup to be able to understand how they speak.
Pronunciation – Students need to pronounce each word. They must avoid slang, except to make a point, and not slur the words. They must avoid saying, you know.
Pitch – Pitch refers to the highs and lows of the voice. Whatever they do, they must avoid a monotone!
Speed – The speed, or pace, is an important variable to control. Between 140-160 words per minute is the normal pace for a persuasive speech. Any faster and they may appear to be glib; any slower and they sound like they are lecturing. If they are not sure about their speed, tape them for one minute and then replay it and count the number of words they used in the minute! The human ear and brain can compile and decode over 400 spoken words per minute, so if they are going too slow their listeners’ minds are going to start to wander as the brains finds other ways to keep themselves occupied.
Pauses – The pause, or caesura, is a critical persuasive tool. When they want to emphasize a certain word, have them just pause for one second before; this highlights the word. If they really want to punch it, tell them to pause before and after the word!
Volume – Volume is another good tool for a persuasive speech, but they should use it with caution. If they scream all the way through their speech, people will become accustomed to it and it will lose its effectiveness. On the other hand, a few well-timed shouts can liven up the speech! They must try to project or throw their voice out over the entire class – or speak to the last row.
Quality – Quality of voice is gauged by the overall impact that their voice has on their listeners. Quality of voice is the net caliber of their voice, its character and attributes. They must try to keep the vocal quality high; it is what separates their voices from everyone else’s.
Variance – Variance of vocal elements is the most important consideration of all! One of the most persuasive speakers in modern history was Winston Churchill. One of his most remarkable qualities was his ability to vary the elements of his voice. He would start with a slow, laconic voice and then switch gears to a more rapid pace. People were light-headed after listening to him! Even if they have no desire to run for political office, students can still use the tools of variance. Have them try to change their pitch, volume, and speed at least once every 30 seconds, if only for just one word. Never let them go more than one paragraph without a vocal variance. This keeps the class locked into the speech, if for no other reason than it sounds interesting! Let the students’ words speak for themselves; reflect their nature through their voices. If they use the word strangle, have them say it with a hint of menace in their voices. If they say the word heave, let the class feel the onomatopoeic force behind it. If they say the word bulldozer, make it sound like a titan earthmover, not like a baby with a shovel.

The Strategy: Appear Rational When students are trying to convince someone of something, they must first establish their credibility, or in other words, they must sell themselves before they sell their message. If people feel that they are not being reasonable or rational, they do not stand a chance. They must be committed to the ideals and goals of their speech and what they are saying. They should not use words such as maybe or might- the should use positive words such as will and must. Students must portray themselves as the authority figures in this speech, so they had better supply enough information to prove their points so that they can seem knowledgeable, and they had better know their material cold. People can usually spot someone who is trying to wing a speech. They should also appear to be truthful – even when they are really stretching a point. If they do not appear to be earnest, even if their message is the 100% truth, people will doubt their word and tune out their speech. Lastly, they must not be afraid to show a little emotion – this is not a sterile or static speech. Students’ bodies and voices must match the tone of their words. If their language is strong, they must present a physical force to go along with their deliveries.

The Class Reaction The class has two major criteria to consider after each member’s speech. First, the delivery. Were the speaker’s body, words, and actions in synchronization and harmony? Did one support the other or was there tension between the body and the voice? Secondly, were the students persuaded? Why or why not? Discuss what makes a persuasive speech work and how the intangibles effect a positive outcome. Assessment: The class will assess each speaker’s performance in terms of voice and body coordination and in terms of persuasiveness. Each class can develop performance assessments such as rubrics to facilitate this process (see sample rubric in Materials ).

Useful Internet Resource: * Basic Public Speaking, 2nd edition (written by the lesson plan author) http://www.capital.net/~bps2

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Grade 10 English Lesson Plans | Persuasive Speeches and Rhetoric

About This Lesson

I have found this activity incredibly useful for getting students to understand the rules of rhetoric. The speaking and listening activity (document 3) which follows is amazingly good fun and very good for getting high quality work for students. Individual presentation or role play.

10th_Grade_3_speeches[1].doc

10th_Grade_1_speeches[1].doc

10th_Grade_2_Barack_Obama[1].doc

Persuasive_Speeches[1].ppt

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Lesson plan: Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech as a work of literature

For a google doc version of this lesson, click here .

Introduction

Students will study Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech and discuss the rhetorical influences on King's speech, the oratorical devices that King used in delivering his speech and how a speech is similar to/different from other literary forms.

English, Social Studies, Government

Estimated Time

One 50-minute class period, plus extended activities

Grade Level

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s most memorable speech from his life as an activist, “ I HAVE A DREAM , ” was delivered on August 28, 1963, before more than 200,000 people in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The speech was part of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. It not only helped to galvanize the already growing civil rights movement across the country at the time, but also became one of the most influential and inspirational pieces of rhetoric in American history.

Remarkably, midway through his delivery, King suspended his pre-scripted text and began to improvise; what resulted was the speech’s most recognizable section, the passage in which the words “I have a dream” are passionately repeated. Indeed, King’s background as a Baptist preacher in the South instilled in him a talent for improvisation as a speaker and the skill to frame the urgency of the moment.

What is also apparent in “I Have Dream” is King’s deep commitment to scholarship (he earned a Ph.D. from Boston University). King was clearly well-versed in both American history and religious scripture, and he seamlessly weaves references to both into the fabric of his oration. Overall, “I Have a Dream” can be held up as a masterful creative work in itself; its dramatic structure coupled with its image-laden content render a remarkably moving piece of American literature that still strongly resonates today.

Begin by supplying foundation material for the students through the NewsHour Classroom article and the NewsHour's Martin Luther King, Jr. section, the background explanation above and the links provided.
Distribute the COMPLETE TEXT OF "I Have a Dream."
Review the LITERARY TERMS HANDOUT with the students.
What examples of figurative language can be found in the text? (For example, "seared in the flames of withering injustice"; "manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination"; "whirlwinds of revolt"; "oasis of freedom and justice"; "symphony of brotherhood."
How do these uses enhance the overall impact of the speech? What oratorical devices does King use to add vitality and force to his speech? (For example, use of refrains such as "I have a dream," "let freedom ring" and "we can never be satisfied"; multiple shifts in sentence lengths; dramatic shifts in tone, such as from enraged to cautionary to hopeful; use of questions as well as exclamations, such as "when will you be satisfied?" and "I have a dream today!")
In what specific ways does King call forth his experience as a preacher to lend persuasive power to the speech? (For example, he uses several images that call to mind both the plight of black Americans as well as the Old Testament Hebrews under the oppression of slavery — "the manacles of segregation" and the "chains of discrimination"; the final line of the speech invokes "the old Negro spiritual" and is steeped in Biblical influence — "Free at last, free at last; thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"
Discuss the responses as a class.

Extension Activity

How are the speeches alike and/or different in their choices of language? In other words, do the speeches seem as if they were composed for the general public or rather for specific groups?
Of the three, which do you see as being the most direct? That is, which speech uses the least amount of figurative language and/or obscure references?
Which of the three is the most metaphorical in its content? In other words, which makes the most use of figurative language?
For each speech, explain how relevant its ideas would be in society if the speech were delivered today. Do the mentioned struggles still exist? Has the country evolved since the speeches were given? Has society responded to the specific appeals for change?
Passionate?
Intellectual?
Persuasive?
5-10 minutes in length
Clearly defined opening, body and conclusion
Clearly defined thesis (main point)
Use of supporting examples to support thesis
Use of figurative language
Use of oratorical devices such as refrain and hyperbole
Clearly expressed goals (legal reform; public awareness; etc.)

Written by Doug DuBrin, French International School, Bethesda, Maryland, in 2010.

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The foundation and Lucky Finn Project provided $50,000 of the $72,000 needed for the three arms.

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Grade 10 English Module: Deliver a Prepared or Impromptu on an Issue Employing the Techniques in Public Speaking

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Each SLM is composed of different parts. Each part shall guide you step-by-step as you discover and understand the lesson prepared for you.

Pre-tests are provided to measure your prior knowledge on lessons in each SLM. This will tell you if you need to proceed on completing this module or if you need to ask your facilitator or your teacher’s assistance for better understanding of the lesson. At the end of each module, you need to answer the post-test to self-check your learning. Answer keys are provided for each activity and test. We trust that you will be honest in using these.

Please use this module with care. Do not put unnecessary marks on any part of this SLM. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises and tests. And read the instructions carefully before performing each task.

If you have any questions in using this SLM or any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator.

Do you know that you can have a complete discourse and a nice text conversation by using techniques in public speaking?

Developing your public speaking skills can increase your confidence and help you overcome speech-related anxiety you may have. Effective public speaking skills can help with career advancement, as they indicate creativity, critical thinking skills, leadership abilities, poise, and professionalism, qualities which are very valuable for the job market.

In this module, you will be learning the techniques of public speaking for you to apply it whenever you will be delivering a speech.

While working on this module, you are expected to:

talk in front of the public
write your own speech

To achieve the objectives of this module, remember to:

read and follow the given instructions;
answer or do the given activities and;
use a separate sheet of paper for your answers or outputs.

Grade 10 English Quarter 2 Self-Learning Module: Deliver a Prepared or Impromptu on an Issue Employing the Techniques in Public Speaking

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613 Original Argumentative Speech Topics Ideas

List of Argumentative Speech Topics

List of Argumentative Essay Topics

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100 Persuasive Speech Topics for Students

How to Pick a Good Persuasive Speech Topic

100 Examples of Persuasive Speech Topics

What are your chances of acceptance?

Your chancing factors

112 Persuasive Speech Topics That Are Actually Engaging

Choose Something You’re Passionate About

Steer Clear of Cliches

Have a Clear Side of Opposition

Environment

Science & Technology

Social Media

Parenting & Family

Entertainment

Arts & Humanities

Do Your Research

Understand Your Audience

Have Someone Read Your Speech

Practice Makes Perfect

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40 Strong Persuasive Writing Examples (Essays, Speeches, Ads, and More)

Persuasive Essay Writing Examples

Professions for Women by Virginia Woolf

The Crisis by Thomas Paine

Politics and the English Language by George Orwell

Letter From a Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau

Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Roger Ebert

The Way to Wealth by Benjamin Franklin

The Crack-Up by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Open Letter to the Kansas School Board by Bobby Henderson

Open Letter to the United Nations by Niels Bohr

Persuasive Speech Writing Examples

I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Woodrow Wilson’s War Message to Congress, 1917

Chief Seattle’s 1854 Oration

Women’s Rights Are Human Rights, Hillary Rodham Clinton

I Am Prepared to Die, Nelson Mandela

The Struggle for Human Rights by Eleanor Roosevelt

Freedom From Fear by Aung San Suu Kyi

Harvey Milk’s “The Hope” Speech

The Union and the Strike, Cesar Chavez

Nobel Lecture by Malala Yousafzai

Persuasive Writing Examples in Advertising Campaigns

Nike: Just Do It

Dove: Real Beauty

Wendy’s: Where’s the Beef?

De Beers: A Diamond Is Forever

Volkswagen: Think Small