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112 Persuasive Speech Topics That Are Actually Engaging

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

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

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

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

Choose Something You’re Passionate About

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

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

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

Steer Clear of Cliches

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

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

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

Have a Clear Side of Opposition

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

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

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

Environment

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

Science & Technology

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

Social Media

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

Parenting & Family

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

Entertainment

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

Arts & Humanities

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

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

Do Your Research

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

Understand Your Audience

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

Have Someone Read Your Speech

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

Practice Makes Perfect

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

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

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150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics for Students in 2024

April 1, 2024

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

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

What is a Good Persuasive Speech?

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

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

Components of a Great Persuasive Speech Topic

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

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

150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics

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

Business and Economy

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

Social Media

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

Education – Persuasive Speech Topics 

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

Social Issues – Persuasive Speech Topics

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

Politics and Government

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

Easy Persuasive Speech Topics

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

Fun Persuasive Speech Topics

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

Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics

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

I’ve Chosen My Topic, Now What?

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

How to Create a Successful Persuasive Speech, Step by Step

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

How to Practice and Deliver a Persuasive Speech

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

Good Persuasive Speech Topics—Final Thoughts

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

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

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

Lauren Green

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

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My Speech Class

Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

434 Good Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

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

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

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

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

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

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

Can We Write Your Speech?

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

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

• Interesting

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

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

How To Select a Good Persuasive Topic

How to narrow down this list of ideas?

First, make a rough inventory:

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

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

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

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

Best 10 Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

List of Persuasive Speech Topics

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

10 Animal Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

12 Automotive Persuasive Speech Topics

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

10 Business Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

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

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

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

5 Constitutional Issues Persuasive Speech Topics

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

10 Easy and Simple Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

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

9 Economy Persuasive Speech Topics

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

10 Education Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

10 Environment Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

10 Ethics Persuasive Speech Topics

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

10 Family Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

6 Fashion Persuasive Speech Topics

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

11 Financial Persuasive Speech Topics

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

15 Food and Drink Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

10 Fun Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

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

10 Funny and Humorous Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

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

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

16 Government Persuasive Speech Topics

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

10 Health Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

10 School Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

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

10 College Students Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

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

10 Teens Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

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

5 History Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

10 Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

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

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

13 International Relations Persuasive Speech Topics

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

10 Law Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

3 Literature Persuasive Speech Topics

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

17 Media Persuasive Speech Topics

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

10 Motivational Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

6 Music Persuasive Speech Topics

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

6 National Security Persuasive Speech Topics

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

10 Politics Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

3 Practical Knowledge Persuasive Speech Topics

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

7 Psychology Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

23 Relationships Persuasive Speech Topics

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

8 Religion Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

10 Science Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

11 Self-Help Persuasive Speech Topics

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

10 Society Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

10 Sport Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

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

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

28 Technology Persuasive Speech Topics

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

12 Travel Persuasive Speech Topics

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

8 Workplace Persuasive Speech Topics

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

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

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

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

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50 thoughts on “434 Good Persuasive Speech Topics”

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

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

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

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

Why smoking can help you make friends

These topic are good. Thank you so much..

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

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

These topics are great. Thank you

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

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

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

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

Why sex education important

Are pitbulls a vicious breed

Germany is the best

Does Lightning McQueen have Life Insurance or Car Insurance ?

Correction: why cats make the purrfect pet.

thank you this is a very helpful and inspiring topics

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

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

Thank you so much, this was inspiring and helpful.

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

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

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

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

Why water causes cancer

Why Sped kids should have more special attention in schools?

-Tax the freaking pants off the 1%

-Only highly education education specialists should make laws regarding education

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

did a speach on koalas being nuclearly reactive thx sm

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

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

cheating isnt wrong if you do it well

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

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

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

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

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

thanks got me a 100

Those were so helpful wish me luck on my test

henrique is kind of annoying but a good website

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

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

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

why can’t we make toast in the bath

Why teens shouldn’t have sex before marriage.

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

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

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

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105 Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics for Any Project

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

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

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

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

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

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

It's a Topic People Care About

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

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

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

It Isn't Overdone

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

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

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

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

105 Topics for a Persuasive Speech

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

Arts/Culture

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

Government/Politics

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

Science/Environment

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

3 Bonus Tips for Crafting Your Persuasive Speech

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

Do Your Research

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

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

Consider All the Angles

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

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

Know Your Audience

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

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

More Resources for Writing Persuasive Speeches

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

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

Conclusion: Persuasive Speech Ideas

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

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

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

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

What's Next?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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75 Persuasive Speech Topics and Ideas

October 4, 2018 - Gini Beqiri

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

What is persuasive speech?

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

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

How to choose a topic for your speech

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

Familiarity

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

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

The audience’s interest

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

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

Not overdone

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

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

Emotional topics

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

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

Desired outcome

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

Persuasive speech topics

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

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

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

Arts/Culture

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

Business and economy

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

Law and politics

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

Science and the environment

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

World peace

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

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

After choosing your topic

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

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

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

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

100 Persuasive Speech Topics for Students

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

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

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

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

How to Pick a Good Persuasive Speech Topic

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

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

100 Examples of Persuasive Speech Topics

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

• The Speaker Lab
• June 13, 2024

Table of Contents

If you’ve ever written a persuasive speech, chances are you’ve struggled to choose a persuasive speech topic . It makes sense, right? You want to speak on something relevant yet unique, timely but timeless. Sometimes it feels like every good idea is already taken or too controversial. Or maybe the topic you’re considering seems too bland and won’t stir the pot enough. CEOs, entrepreneurs, authors—everyone with something important to say faces this challenge.

Well, fear not. We’ve got some fresh ideas for persuasive speech topics coming right up. These aren’t your high school debate prompts; they’re designed for individuals ready to make waves across industries and impact audiences. So if you’re on a mission to reshape perceptions and create genuine transformation, stick around.

Understanding the Power of Persuasion

Before we dive into these topics, let’s get one thing straight: understanding persuasion in speech is like having a superpower. But what makes some speeches stick with us forever? Persuasive speaking works its charm by tapping into our emotions and reasoning. It’s that perfect blend of ethos, pathos, and logos that the Greek philosopher Aristotle talked about centuries ago.

• Ethos: This is all about credibility. If the audience trusts the speaker (you), they’re more likely to be on board with your message.
• Pathos: Here’s where emotions come into play. The right emotional appeal can make an audience start to see things your way.
• Logos: Logic seals the deal. A well-reasoned argument backed by solid facts? Hard to argue against that.

This trio works together to create a kind of spellbinding effect that doesn’t just persuade, but also sticks with your audience long after the talk has ended. With these three rhetorical appeals in hand, you can do more than convince; you can transform thinking and ignite action because your persuasive speech topic resonates on a deeply personal level for each listener.

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Choosing Persuasive Speech Topics That Resonate With Your Audience

Tailoring your topic to your audience isn’t just important; it’s everything when it comes to persuasion. After all, if you don’t know who you’re talking to, how will you grab their attention? Imagine chatting about quantum physics with a room full of poets or discussing poetry at a tech conference. See the mismatch? Choosing the right persuasive speech topic means finding one that resonates deeply with your listeners’ lives and experiences.

To analyze your audience effectively, you’re going to want to do a little digging ahead of time.

• Dig into Demographics: Age, occupation, education level—these aren’t just numbers and titles; they’re clues into what might spark interest.
• Catch the Cultural Cues: What cultural backgrounds are present in your audience? Understanding their cultural fabric can influence what makes them laugh, what they hold sacred, and even the subjects that might be touchy.
• Tune into their Concerns: What keeps them up at night? Whether it’s climate change or personal finance, aligning your speech here can keep your audience engaged.

In essence, knowing your audience means respecting them enough to make sure they walk away feeling heard and understood rather than preached at or overlooked. And guess what? When folks feel respected and valued, they listen more closely.

Exploring Persuasive Speech Topics

Whether you’re a seasoned speaker or just starting out on your public speaking journey, choosing persuasive speech topics that resonate with audiences can feel difficult. However, knowing who’s sitting in your audience can make that decision a lot easier. Analyzing your audience ensures that your message hits home and sparks interest and debate. Consider some of the categories below as you brainstorm your speech topic.

• Current Events and Social Issues: Hot off the press. These topics are fresh, relevant, and have everyone talking already. You’re halfway there.
• Ethical Dilemmas and Moral Questions: Moral dilemmas offer rich soil for persuasion because they invite listeners to explore their values.
• Technology and Innovation: Tech shapes our future every day. Discuss its impacts or ethical considerations for endless engagement.
• Health and Wellness: This area touches everyone’s life at some point. From diet fads to healthcare policies—if it affects well-being, people want to hear about it.
• Educational Reform and Policy Changes: Schools shape societies’ futures; thus discussions around education reforms carry weight for many listeners looking toward tomorrow’s promise.

Your chosen topic doesn’t need to be grandiose or controversial. Sometimes simplicity speaks volumes more than we give it credit for. When crafting your persuasive speech, the goal is simply to choose a topic that both informs and transforms perspectives.

Current Events and Social Issues

Diving into the realm of current events and societal debates has the power to transform a decent speech into one that lingers in memory. Why? By engaging with present-day events and societal dilemmas, we are moved, provoked, and occasionally our perspectives on life are profoundly altered.

So, let’s dive right in. Here are some persuasive speech topics that are not just timely but packed with potential to spark debate, drive change, or at least get people thinking.

• Climate Change: It’s been talked about for years, but with wildfires raging and ice caps melting it’s a more critical topic than ever. How can we not only stop but reverse the damage?
• Social Justice Movements: From Black Lives Matter to Stop Asian Hate, these movements have stirred conversations worldwide. In what ways are governments expected to step up and guarantee fairness among their citizens? How can each person pitch in meaningfully to support these vital movements?
• The Tech Takeover: Technology is shaping our future, but at what cost? Let’s talk digital privacy rights or AI ethics.
• Mental Health Awareness: With a global pandemic throwing life as we know it out of balance, mental health has taken center stage. How do we build societies that support mental wellness?

Right now, we’re smack in the middle of events that will fill history books for generations to come. Each of these topics isn’t just relevant; they’re urgent. But remember this: while diving deep into any of them could make for powerful persuasive speeches, always aim for empathy over controversy.

Ethical Dilemmas and Moral Questions

We live in an era teeming with issues ripe for debate—climate change action versus economic growth challenges; genetic engineering marvels against ethical quandaries; digital age freedoms wrestling with security needs—the list goes on. Persuasive essay topics that deal with ethical dilemmas and moral questions can be great ways to challenge your audience—and even yourself. Take a look:

• Government Surveillance: Is it a necessary protection or an invasion of privacy?
• Vaccine Mandates: Is it a public health safety net or a personal freedom infringement?
• Data Privacy vs. Technological Advancement: Where do we draw the line?
• Artificial Intelligence: Should machines have rights like humans do?

Good persuasive speeches do more than wade through facts. They spark engaging dialogues, challenge people’s beliefs, and maybe even alter their viewpoints. Exploring persuasive speech topics about ethics and morality forces us to dig deeper and frequently nudges us beyond the boundaries of our comfort zones. But here’s the kicker: they also make your speech unforgettable.

Technology and Innovation

Technology’s relentless pace has us all on our toes, wondering what’s next. As a result, it gives us plenty of persuasive speech topics to consider.

• AI Ethics: Artifical intelligence can be a force for good, but it can also have negative outcomes, like the loss of jobs. Should it be regulated? If so, how?
• Data Privacy: What responsibility do corporations have to consumers when it comes to data privacy? This would be a great topic to explore data and privacy rights.
• Gene Editing: Thanks to technology like CRISPR, it’s now possible to edit genetic code. But is it ethical to edit the genes of humans, either born or unborn? How far is too far?
• Elon’s Mars Mission: Is exploring other planets our human duty or a waste of resources?

With technology moving faster than legislation can keep up, posing these questions is vital. Without scrutiny, technology can quickly become a dangerous tool, so it’s important to spend time exploring its implications. Whether you’re prepping for your next persuasive speech or simply want to stay informed, digging into these topics is a great way to keep your audience engaged and informed.

Health and Wellness

When it comes to persuasive speech topics, health-related issues pack a punch like no other because, well, who isn’t interested in living their best life? In addition, it’s a topic that everyone can easily relate to because our well-being is something that we all think about. As far the specific issue you choose, you’ll want to look back on the research you did on your audience. Are they fitness buffs looking for the next challenge or parents concerned about family nutrition? Tailor your topic accordingly.

• Effects of the Pandemic: Dive into how global pandemics reshape public health policies.
• Mental Health: In what capacity is mental health affected by technology? Is social media a concern? If so, what steps should parents take to protect themselves and their children in an increasingly digital world?
• Artificial Intelligence:  Chat about wearable tech transforming personal wellness or AI’s role in advancing healthcare solutions.
• Educational Reform & Policy Changes: Debate the necessity of nutritional education in schools or argue for more accessible healthcare services.

Health is a great topic for persuasive speeches because if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s wanting good health—not just for us but generations to come.

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Education Reform and Policy Changes

Schooling serves as the cornerstone for nurturing groundbreaking advancements, fostering fairness, and upholding democratic values. However, these days, many are calling for education reform . These voices challenge us to question norms, imagine new possibilities, and rally for collective action. Of course, not everyone sees eye-to-eye on what needs changing in our schools or how to do it. So before you pick one of the topics below, again, make sure you understand who you’re talking to. That’s step one towards making an impact.

• Standardized Testing: How necessary is it and who really benefits from it?
• Educational Funding: What is causing funding inequities between rich and poor districts? How might this be addressed? What solutions have been tried and have they worked?
• School Curriculum: How should schools implement inclusive curriculums reflecting diverse histories and experiences?

Before change can occur, questions must be asked. By posing questions about the state of education in the U.S., you can challenge what people really know about the system in place. And who knows? You just might surprise yourself by what you find.

Exploring persuasive speech topics is the first step towards delivering a memorable speech. When you understand the power behind every word and meet your audience’s expectations, you can craft messages that resonate.

Potential topics range from current events to technology and innovation. Even ethical dilemmas can turn into a great persuasive speech when handled carefully. Similarly, speaking on health and wellness turns personal goals into universal concerns that are sure to grip your audience. Last but not least, educational reform provides plenty of room for conversation, as it’s sure to affect generations to come.

These aren’t just topics, though. When you stand before an audience next time around, remember: you’re not just delivering a speech—you’re igniting change one word at a time.

• Last Updated: June 12, 2024

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125+ Persuasive Speech Topics To Amaze Your Audience

Reviewed by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 5/31/24

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

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

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

Keep reading for 125+ persuasive speech topics.

125+ Topics for a Persuasive Speech

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

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

1. Arts & Culture

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

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

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

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

2. Economics

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

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

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

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

3. Education

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

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

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

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

4. Environment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7. Politics

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9. Technology

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

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

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

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

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

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

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

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

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

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

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

Components of a Great Persuasive Speech Topic

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

Timeliness and Relevance

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

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

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

Personal Connection

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

How to Create a Compelling Persuasive Speech 

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

Understanding Your Audience

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

Focus on Key Goals

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

Address Objections Head-On

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

Start with a Compelling Story

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

Practice, Practice, Practice

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

Maintain Eye Contact

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

Reinforce Your Points with Repetition

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

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

Embrace Feedback

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

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

1. What Are Some Easy Persuasive Topics?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Final Thoughts

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

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

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121 Top Persuasive Speech Topics

Ever found yourself tongue-tied when trying to convince someone of your brilliant idea? Or maybe you’re just looking for a topic that will spark lively debate in your next class or meeting. A powerful persuasive speech can change minds, influence decisions, and even inspire action. But where do you start?

This blog features 121 persuasive speech topics carefully selected to cover a wide range of interests, from current events and social issues to personal beliefs and ethical dilemmas.

Table of Contents

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

A good topic is one that you, as the speaker, are passionate about. Your enthusiasm will naturally shine through, making your speech more engaging and persuasive. If you genuinely believe in what you’re saying, your audience is more likely to be swayed by your arguments. A persuasive speech is not just about presenting facts; it’s about connecting with your audience on an emotional level and inspiring them to see things from your perspective.

A good persuasive speech topic sparks interest and encourages critical thinking. It should be a subject that people care about, with actual implications and potential for debate. A complex topic with multiple facets allows for deeper exploration and the opportunity to present a well-rounded argument. Controversial topics that aren’t black and white are particularly effective as they invite diverse perspectives and encourage the audience to question their assumptions.

Equally important is the availability of credible evidence to support your claims. A strong persuasive speech relies on factual information from reputable sources, not just personal opinions or anecdotes. The ability to back up your arguments with solid evidence adds weight to your message and makes it more convincing.

121 Persuasive Speech Topics

Crafting a truly compelling persuasive speech requires a delicate balance. It’s a challenge to discover a topic that both captivates your audience and genuinely excites you. Your chosen subject should be fresh, unique, and thought-provoking, yet it must avoid crossing the line into offense. This balancing act can make finding the perfect topic feel like an elusive pursuit.

To help you on this journey, we’ve curated a list of persuasive speech topics, thoughtfully organized by category. This diverse assortment aims to spark your creativity and lead you toward a subject that resonates deeply with both you and your listeners.

Arts and culture

• Is graffiti art? 
• Should art classes be mandatory for all students?
• Should we continue reading classic literature that is offensive? 
• Should there be a distinction between ‘high’ and ‘low’ literature?
• Are romcoms and erotica series like Fifty Shades of Grey empowering for women?
• Is reading actually more beneficial than watching TV or playing video games?
• Is there any benefit or relevance to teaching high school students Shakespeare?
• Should video games be considered a high form of entertainment?
• Are biopics of deceased musicians and artists ethical?
• Is modern music really worse than old?
• Should paparazzi be banned and unable to sell their photos?
• Should post-secondary education be free?
• Should a year between high school and college be mandatory?
• Is it fair to take cell phones away from kids in middle/high school while they are in class?
• Should school uniforms be mandatory in all high schools?
• Should cursive writing still be taught in schools?
• Do fraternities and sororities actually serve their purpose? 
• Should programming and coding be introduced to young students?
• Should school lunches be free?
• Is college/university necessary anymore?
• Does the education system prepare students for adult life?
• Should gyms be mandatory for all students?
• Should schools do a better job teaching students a second language?
• Should schools teach sign language?
• What age should students be taught sex education?
• Should distant learning be encouraged or avoided at all costs?
• Is animal testing ethical?
• Is drinking coffee unethical?
• Are animal shelters that allow euthanization ethical?
• Should more people try to adopt a vegetarian/vegan diet?
• Is the death penalty ethical? 
• Can racism ever truly be eliminated?
• Can the prison system genuinely contribute to the improvement and rehabilitation of individuals?
• Should justice systems and incarceration facilities focus on rehabilitation over punishment? 
• Should cosmetic plastic surgery be covered by insurance?
• Are morals objective or subjective?
• Should zoos and circuses be banned?
• Should fur coats be illegal?
• Are censorship laws ethical?
• Is it ethical to genetically modify embryos? 
• How should we address the homelessness crisis, and who is responsible for it? 
• Should minors who commit violent crimes be charged and tried as adults?

Environment

• Can we ever live in a truly ‘green’ and environmentally friendly society?
• Should plastic water bottles be banned?
• Are businesses responsible for implementing environmentally friendly production and products?
• Should there be a carbon tax?
• Should electric cars be mandatory in the near future?
• Should we switch to entirely renewable energy?
• Do low-income families have the same duty to be eco-conscious as high-income families do? Should plastic bags and single-use plastic be completely banned?
• Should car racing be banned?
• Should fast fashion be banned?
• Is capitalism a functional, ethical economic system? 
• Should everyone, despite their income, be taxed at the same rate?
• Can we introduce another economic system to our society? 
• Should each state, the federal government, or individual companies be responsible for setting living wages?
• Should the minimum wage be doubled?
• Should everyone adapt to the four-day workweek?
• Should people who make under a certain amount per year not be taxed at all?
• Should governments encourage and reward people for shopping locally? 
• Should advertisements be banned during TV and media programming aimed at kids?
• Has modern consumerism gone too far?
• Do we actually live in a truly democratic society?
• Should there be a minimum wage or a living wage?
• Should the legal voting age be decreased?
• Does the pay gap exist?
• Are younger politicians more effective?
• Should there be stricter gun laws?
• Should presidents be able to serve more than two terms?
• Should everyone get the day off to vote?
• Should political party funding be regulated?
• Should political smear campaigns be banned?
• Is there political bias in mainstream media?
• Should you date someone with opposing political views? 
• Is the government spending too much on the military sector?
• Are individuals solely responsible for their own health?
• Should prescription medications be free?
• Should sugary drinks like pop be taxed at higher rates?
• Should Starbucks be allowed to advertise its high-calorie and high-sugar drinks?
• Should the government regulate the prices of fruits and vegetables?
• Should fast-food restaurants regulate and reduce their portions?
• Should gym memberships be free?
• Should the government change and restructure the workweek to reduce stress?
• Should nurses be paid more?
• Should smoking be banned?
• Should insurance companies fully cover rehabilitation stays for health issues such as eating disorders?
• Should the pay for professional teams be based on audience viewership? 
• Are professional sports getting too violent? 
• Are athletes overpaid?
• Is cheerleading empowering or exploitative? 
• Should children be allowed to compete in competitive sports?
• Should we spend millions on the Olympic Games?
• Do people place too much importance on high school and college football?
• Should alcohol and tobacco ads be banned during sports?
• Is betting on sports teams ethical?
• Should high school and college athletes be paid?

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 use damaging real-life interactions?
• Is social media distorting democracy?

Science and 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 in cancer research?
• Should cloning be illegal?
• Should societies colonize other planets?
• Should there be legal oversight of technology development?
• Should students sing Christmas carols, say the pledge of allegiance, or perform other tangentially religious activities?
• Should nuns and priests assume 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?
• What makes a hero?
• Are we headed toward World War III?
• Did humans really land on the moon?
• Are serial killers born or made?
• Can good and evil be separated neatly?
• Is canceling culture a positive or negative thing?
• Can money buy happiness?
• How to become a millionaire?
• How to become more confident?
• How to live to be 100?
• How to survive an apocalypse?
• Do extraterrestrial beings exist?
• Why should students start investing at 16?
• The true history of… (events of your choice, such as the Chernobyl disaster, the Black Plague, Salem Witch Trials, etc.)

How to Choose a Persuasive Speech Topic?

It’s essential to choose a topic that not only interests you but also resonates with your audience. Begin by brainstorming ideas that you are passionate about or issues you feel strongly about. Consider current events, social issues, or controversial topics that spark debate.

Narrow down your options by researching the potential topics. Gather information from reputable sources to ensure you have enough material to support your arguments. Evaluate the relevance and significance of each topic for your target audience. A persuasive speech should aim to inform, influence, or motivate the listeners, so choose a topic that will engage them.

After narrowing your choices, analyze the feasibility of each topic. Consider the time limit for your speech and the resources available for research. Choose a topic that you can adequately address within the given time frame and for which you can gather sufficient evidence to support your claims.

Most importantly, choose the topic that you believe will have the most impact on your audience. A persuasive speech should leave a lasting impression, so choose a topic that you can present with conviction and enthusiasm. Consider the potential counterarguments and be prepared to address them effectively. With careful consideration and research, you can choose a persuasive speech topic that will captivate your audience and leave them pondering your message.

10 Elements of a Good Persuasive Speech Topic

A persuasive speech aims to convince the audience to agree with your viewpoint. To achieve this, a well-written persuasive speech incorporates several key elements:

1. Compelling topic

The foundation of a persuasive speech lies in choosing a topic that is relevant, interesting, and has the potential to spark debate. It should be a subject you are passionate about and knowledgeable about, as this will enhance your credibility and enthusiasm.

2. Clear thesis statement

A concise and well-defined thesis statement serves as the backbone of the speech. It clearly outlines your stance on the topic and provides an outlook for the arguments that will follow.

3. Strong introduction

The introduction is crucial to capture the audience’s attention and establish your credibility. It should begin with a hook, such as a thought-provoking question, a surprising statistic, or a relevant anecdote, to pique the audience’s interest.

4. Well-structured body

The body of the speech is where you’ll present your arguments and supporting evidence. Each argument should be logically organized and supported by credible sources, statistics, examples, or personal anecdotes.

5. Effective use of rhetorical devices

Rhetorical devices such as repetition, parallelism, rhetorical questions, and analogies can enhance the impact of the speech and make it more persuasive. They help to emphasize key points, create emotional appeal, and engage the audience.

6. Appealing to emotions (pathos)

Connecting with the audience on an emotional level is important for persuasion. The speaker (you) can evoke emotions such as empathy, fear, hope, or anger by using vivid language, personal stories, or powerful imagery.

7. Establishing credibility (ethos)

Your credibility is critical to gaining the audience’s trust. This can be achieved by demonstrating expertise on the topic, citing credible sources, and presenting oneself as confident and knowledgeable.

8. Logical reasoning (logos)

A persuasive speech should be grounded in logical reasoning. The arguments presented should be coherent, well-supported, and free of fallacies. Using data, statistics, and expert opinions can reinforce the logical appeal of the speech.

9. Addressing counterarguments

Acknowledging and addressing opposing viewpoints shows that you have considered different perspectives and strengthened your argument. By refuting counterarguments effectively, you can further convince the audience of your stance.

10. Strong conclusion

The conclusion is the final opportunity to leave a lasting impression on the audience. It should summarize the main points, reiterate the thesis statement, and end with a call to action or a powerful closing statement that resonates with the audience.

How to Create a Persuasive Speech

Creating a persuasive speech involves a strategic approach that combines compelling content, effective delivery, and a deep understanding of your audience. It’s not just about stating your viewpoint; it’s about addressing an argument that resonates and motivates others to see things your way.

Begin by choosing a topic that you’re passionate about and that holds relevance for your audience. Thoroughly research your topic to gather credible evidence, statistics, and expert opinions to support your claims. A well-informed speech is more likely to persuade.

Organize your speech into a clear and logical structure. Start with a strong introduction that grabs attention and establishes your credibility. State your thesis clearly, outlining the main points you’ll address. The body of your speech should coherently present your arguments, using evidence and examples to back up each point. Conclude with a summary and a call to action that inspires your audience to adopt your viewpoint.

Practice your speech beforehand to ensure you’re comfortable with the material and can speak with confidence and conviction. Maintain eye contact with your audience, use appropriate gestures, and modulate your voice to keep them engaged. Consider using visual aids, such as slides or props, to enhance your presentation.

Tailor your language and approach to your specific audience. Consider their demographics, beliefs, and values to ensure your message resonates with them. Use persuasive techniques such as emotional appeals, logical reasoning, and personal anecdotes to connect with your listeners on a deeper level.

From the Desk of Yocket

Persuasive speech topics are the heart and soul of any effective discourse that aims to influence an audience’s beliefs or actions. A well-chosen topic can spark curiosity, start a debate, and leave a lasting impact on listeners. It’s important to choose a subject that not only resonates with your passions and knowledge but also holds relevance and interest for your intended audience.

Finding the balance between personal connection and audience appeal is key. A topic that genuinely excites you will naturally translate into a more engaging and persuasive presentation. Whether it’s a pressing social issue, a controversial policy, or a lesser-known historical event, the right topic can be a catalyst for meaningful dialogue and inspire others to see the world from a new perspective. The possibilities are vast, and the power to influence through persuasive speech is invaluable for anyone seeking to make a difference.

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• July 15, 2024

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Persuasive Speech Topics: The Best 150 Ideas

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

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

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Article Contents 13 min read

The art of persuasion.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Unbiased Expertise

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

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

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

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

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

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

There are three potential goals of any persuasive speech:

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

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

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

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

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

Know your audience

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

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

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

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

Hook the audience

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

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

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

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

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

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

This sentence performs several tasks:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Research and Arguments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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454 Persuasive Speech Topics: Easy, Fun, & Controversial Ideas for Students

Every day, we create and consume persuasive messages. For example, when we argue about what movie to watch or where to go on the weekend. But how often do we pause to consider how we form our arguments or perceive the ones we hear from others? Public speaking on persuasive topics provides us the chance to do so.

Persuasive speeches do not inform the audience on the issue but rather convince them to take action or change their attitudes. In this article, we’ll discuss the structure of the persuasive speech. You’ll also find many compelling topics for public speaking that can come in handy and motivate the audience to change!

🔝 Top 10 Persuasive Speech Topics in 2024

✍️ persuasive speech outline, 😊 easy persuasive speech topics.

• 🎒 Speech Topics for High School
• 🎓 Speech Topics for College

⭐ Good Persuasive Speech Topics

💊 medical persuasive speech topics.

• 🍃 Environmental Speech Topics

⚖️ Ethical Persuasive Speech Topics

➡️ problem solution persuasive speech topics, 😜 funny persuasive speech topics, 🤔 controversial persuasive speech topics, 📝 persuasive essay topics, ❓ persuasive speech faq, 🔗 references.

• Why should society accept the AI revolution?
• Free education should be accessible to everyone.
• Social media impacts social behavior.
• Sports should be a part of children’s life.
• The death penalty should be canceled.
• Fashion and style reveal the inner world of the person.
• Every country should have open borders.
• Teenagers are addicted to Instagram and Snapchat.
• Solo travel is the best method to explore oneself.
• Should teachers teach kids in middle school about sex?

Delivering persuasive speeches is not that easy. It usually requires thorough preparation and thoughtful structuring to convey your message clearly and motivate the audience to make a move. We have prepared a detailed outline to help you create an effective persuasive speech. Check out the table below to learn its key components!

• Money cannot buy love and loyalty.
• Higher education should be free for everyone .
• Online communication is better than offline.
• Students should not wear the uniform .
• Use of cell phones while driving should be banned .
• Youngsters should respect their elders.
• Why should lying be banned?
• Gay marriage should not be legal .
• Selfies in tourist locations should be taxed.
• iOS is better in use than Android .
• Should the federal government legalize the use of marijuana ?
• Gender should not matter in the sports industry .
• Why should people colonize Mars ?
• Why should same-sex marriage be a norm ?
• People should visit dentists several times per year.
• Educational institutions should promote inclusivity .
• Should societies impose monogamy ?
• Adventures are better than routine life.
• Memes are a quick way to brighten up the mood.
• Why humans should not visit Mars .
• Offensive jokes should be forbidden.
• Nightclubbing is a waste of time.
• Tattoos should be considered fine art .
• Why should Halloween as the event be canceled?
• A good sense of humor helps make new acquaintances.
• Why celebrities should avoid political topics .
• Why does time pass faster on vacation?
• Life exists after death.
• Why celebrities should be apositive role model .
• Vaping should be banned in public places.

🎒 Persuasive Speech Topics for High School

• Dating a coworker should be illegal.
• Should parents spank their children ?
• Jealousy destroys all types of relationships.
• Procrastination plays a vital role in the working process.
• Should we restrict the Internet usage by children ?
• Why shouldn’t parents force their kids to go to church?
• Small businesses should be protected by law.
• Should US public schools have a longer year ?
• Why are online bloggers beneficial to society?
• Owning a business leads people to feel lonely and isolated.
• Adult children should support elderly parents .
• Bitcoin should be used as legal currency.
• Technology doesn’t make us lazy.
• Why you should not have grades in school .
• Why should the death penalty still be used as a punishment?
• People should buy only electric vehicles .
• Cigarette manufacturers should be prohibited .
• Kids under the age of 13 should have an 8 PM curfew .
• Police brutality against black people should be punished.
• Censorship issue: books should never be banned .
• People should have hobbies to be satisfied with life.
• Having a role model is essential for constant self-improvement.
• Why should marriage be based on love and not arranged ?
• Why is creativity crucial in the SMM industry ?
• The payment for commonalities should be decreased.
• Why should evolution be taught in schools ?
• Planning prevents procrastination.
• Listening to music while driving decreases the rate of car crashes.
• English language learners should be immersed in English .
• Lotteries should be illegal, the same as gambling and casinos.

🎓 Persuasive Speech Topics for College

• The government should take serious measures to prevent the issue of child pornography .
• Should Mormon children be returned to their homes ?
• Enormous coffee consumption can cause anxiety or panic attacks.
• The three-day weekends can increase work productivity .
• All police officers should wear a body camera .
• Why texting on the road is the leading cause of car accidents?
• The number of ads on the billboards should be cut.
• Should public servants have the right to strike ?
• Democracy as the government structure has a lot of pitfalls.
• Foreign aid from the United States should aim to support global peace.
• Why juveniles should be tried as adults .
• Affirmative action should be taken to redress historical and ingrained inequalities.
• The government should promote the spread of charter schools .
• Should casinos be legal in Texas ?
• The Black Lives Matter movement has played a vital role in preventing vigilante violence.
• COVID-19 vaccines should be mandatory to protect people at risk.
• Should parents have the right to choose their children based on genetics ?
• Genetic engineering can be used for the treatment of genetic diseases.
• White nationalism should be canceled.
• Should guns be banned from college campuses ?
• Why does routine make people feel healthier and more energetic?
• Food preferences have the power to connect people around the world.
• Individuals should not be allowed to sell their body organs .
• Positive childhood memories play a crucial role in a person’s development.
• Each individual should have a sense of purpose.
• Should aid to developing countries be stopped ?
• Border security should be a priority in ensuring national safety.
• Extreme weather disasters are the consequences of global warming.
• Should we rely on eye-witness testimonies to identify crime-suspects ?
• Why does applying sunscreen reduce the risks of skin cancer ?

Whether you want to change the opinion of your audience or motivate them to action, here are some fascinating and thought-provoking topics that are perfect for persuasive speeches:

• Year-round school is better for academic success .
• Should academic achievement be a primary concern for college admission ?
• The use of fossil fuels should be banned to stop global warming.
• The drinking age should be raised to 25 years old.
• Why should marijuana be legalized and crack or cocaine remain illegal ?
• Abortion should be legalized at the federal level.
• Why is a strong middle class crucial to economic development?
• Should social norms change at the brink of the new era ?
• Prisoners should be allowed to vote after being acquitted.
• Violent video games promote aggressive behavior in teenagers.
• Why should bullies be expelled from school ?
• Parents should not track the location of their children.
• Why is conflict necessary for change in a relationship?
• Drinking age should be lowered to 18 years .
• The prices of pharmaceutical drugs should be affordable for elders.

Persuasive Speech Topics about Music

• Every person who has good hearing may sing.
• Discusison of why we should keep vocal fry .
• Why does classical music still play a vital role in music art?
• The lyrics of a song should elicit emotions in the audience.
• Legalizing free downloads of music and movies .
• Music is an effective way to communicate with the masses.
• Pirating music is a severe danger to the country’s economy.
• Can music be an enhancement to education ?
• Rap music has a bad influence on people’s behavior.
• Music should be an anchor to positive emotions.
• How does music reinforce stereotypes ?
• Songs with violent lyrics should be banned for teenagers under 18.
• Music has the potential to be the most effective therapy for mental illnesses.
• Does music distract students or help them ?
• Why should patriotic songs inspire people to feel passionate about their country?

Sports Persuasive Speech Topics

• Coaches should be more active in athlete health management.
• Should athletes be held to a higher moral standard ?
• Why should hunting animals be banned as a sport in all countries?
• Extreme sports with severe consequences should be outlawed.
• Should football be banned for being too violent and dangerous ?
• Heavy training and burnout put young athletes at risk of serious injury.
• Alcohol and tobacco advertising during athletic events should be forbidden.
• Reasons why kids should not play football .
• The success of the football team depends on coaching skills.
• College athletic teams should have sponsorship from the government.
• College athletes should not be paid .
• Terrorist countries should not be allowed to host international sporting activities.
• Why do stress and anxiety make athletes more vulnerable to injuries?
• Should Russian athletes be allowed to play in tournaments ?
• The pay for men and women athletes should be equal.

Social Media Persuasive Speech Topics

• Social media dating should be treated more seriously.
• Should social media be banned ?
• Social media is to blame for the proliferation of online sexual exploitation.
• Why does Internet communication impact politics and social awareness?
• YouTube comments: users should have a choice .
• Instagram and TikTok make people more selfish.
• The use of social networks should be banned for elementary school students.
• Lemon coffee trend on TikTok shouldn’t be done .
• Social media causes severe mental disorders.
• Why do social networks lead to problems with self-esteem ?
• Should online shaming be considered a problem ?
• Instagram is the best place to earn money in the modern world.
• The key benefit of social media is the freedom of speech .
• Social media for children: threat or opportunity ?
• People should be more cautious with using social networks.

The field of medicine provides many intriguing and interesting persuasive speech topics for students! You can check some of them below:

• Healthcare should be a right, not a privilege.
• Should parents avoid vaccinating their children ?
• Why should health insurance cover dentistry?
• Artificial intelligence positively influences the healthcare industry.
• Mandatory overtime for nurses should be eliminated .
• Medical aid for dying should be legalized.
• Organ donation and transportation should not be forbidden.
• Why we should all be wearing face masks .
• Marijuana should be legalized for medical purposes .
• COVID-19 vaccination protects children and adolescents.
• Should we withhold life support ?
• Healthy eating habits positively impact physical health.
• E-cigarettes lead to lung cancer and cardiovascular disease.
• Should physician-assisted suicide be legal ?
• The quality of prenatal and postnatal care should be improved.
• Animal testing in medical research should be canceled.
• Should COVID-19 vaccines be mandatory ?
• Sex education is crucial in preventing teenage pregnancy .
• Childhood obesity comes from the lack of nutrition education in schools.
• Should patients have access to truthful information ?
• Regular medical checkups lower the chance of premature mortality.
• People should regulate the amount of sugar intake to promote a healthy lifestyle.
• Competence for nurses: why is it important ?

Mental Health Persuasive Speech Topics

• Employers should create healthy work environments for their workforce.
• Social media as a cause of anxiety and depression .
• Children experience mental health issues less often than adults.
• Stress at work leads to severe psychological issues.
• Does social media use contribute to depression ?
• Music therapy should be widely used in healing and recovery processes.
• Implicit bias shapes the way medical providers interact with patients.
• Hypnotherapy as an effective method for treating depression .
• Regular sport and a healthy diet promote good mental well-being.
• Why do open discussions on mental health help cope with anxiety?
• Substance abuse: the cause of social problems .
• Promoting a person’s social-emotional well-being leads to lower crime rates .
• Raising awareness of mental health reduces suicide rates .
• Why is anxiety not related to personal weakness ?
• Mental healthcare professionals should encourage self-care to avoid burnout.

Psychology Persuasive Speech Topics

• Trauma-focused psychotherapy is the most effective method of treating people with PTSD .
• Psychology: when we should trust our senses .
• Why do family relationships affect behavior patterns in children?
• Burnout at work is the leading cause of mental disorders.
• Is creativity a modern panacea from boredom and depression ?
• People should not work as psychologists without higher education.
• The harm reduction treatment model is a great alternative to abstinence.
• Is Islamic spirituality a key to psychological well-being ?
• Why is it a bad idea for therapists to text clients?
• The social pressure from peers leads to a mental breakdown.
• Psychological testing: beneficial or harmful ?
• War veterans should take therapy for PTSD.
• Marketing firms use human behavior patterns to their advantage.
• Psychology: does a criminal mind exist ?
• Happy childhood does not guarantee good mental health.

🍃 Environmental Persuasive Speech Topics

The environment takes an important place in our lives. We can make beneficial changes and save the Earth for future generations by highlighting numerous persuasive environmental topics in our speeches! Here are some of the most relevant ones:

• Eco-fashion is an effective way to save the Earth.
• Clear cutting in rainforest should be limited .
• Plastic pollution poses a danger to the marine ecosystem.
• Why does overpopulation negatively impact the environment?
• Seven things you should know about the eco-friendly bags .
• Eco-tourism helps conserve natural resources and raise environmental consciousness.
• People should care about e-waste in our digital age.
• Reasons why plastic bags should be banned .
• Why do plant-based diets positively affect people’s mental and physical health?
• Rural development contributes to widespread pollution and wildfires.
• Should the Green New Deal be embraced ?
• Buying sustainable production has a positive effect on biodiversity promotion.
• Quality of life highly depends on the quality of the environment.
• Water recycling: why is it important ?
• Every person should plant a tree beside the house.
• Littering should be punished with heavy fines.
• Renewable energy: why do we need it ?
• Covid-19 has played an essential role in the environment’s recovery.
• Developed countries are responsible for global warming .
• Why hunting is environmentally beneficial .
• We should aim toward a paperless society.
• A carbon tax should be necessary to preserve the environment.
• Biodiversity on the Earth: why is it crucial for the environment ?

Persuasive Speech Topics about Food

• Fast-food restaurants should ban the usage of palm oil.
• Should Americans adopt a vegan lifestyle ?
• Why should the use of chemicals in agriculture be decreased?
• Factory farms increase the instance or exacerbation of asthma cases .
• Should food manufacturers label all GMOs ?
• Food waste significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.
• People should form mindful consumption habits and proper food storage techniques.
• Eating home-cooked food is essential .
• Seasonal eating has a positive impact on reducing transportation emissions.
• Plastic food packaging should be banned around the world.
• Is fast food really harmful and can it be healthy ?
• The government should take water-saving measures at the national level.
• Why can optimizing energy usage in food processing save the environment?
• Genetically modified foods: how safe are they ?
• A responsible food system contributes to the long-term health of our planet.

Persuasive Speech Topics About Animals

• People should prioritize the protection of endangered species .
• Animals should have the same rights as humans: pros and cons .
• Zoos should be closed to prevent animal abuse.
• Beauty companies that encourage animal testing should be banned.
• Animal welfare: why animals should be treated with kindness and respect .
• Why are animal sports banning campaigns ineffective?
• Young kids should be taught how to take care of animals.
• Save animals: experimentation should be stopped .
• Spending time with pets reduces stress and depression.
• Domestic animals should be vaccinated as necessary.
• Animal use in scientific testing should be stopped .
• Pets should be adopted from the shelter rather than bought in a shop.
• Why should pets be microchipped?
• Should animals be used for research ?
• Flies, bees, and other insects are essential to the ecosystem.

Ethical persuasive speech topics provide a compelling platform for discussing our world’s moral issues and inspiring significant change. Below are the best persuasive speech topics on ethics themes that can come in handy!

• People should live together before marriage.
• Philosophy prospectus: why should we be moral ?
• LGBT people should be permitted to serve in the military .
• Why should suicide commitment be legal?
• Should parents be responsible for children’s crimes ?
• Vaccinations against infectious illnesses should be made mandatory in schools.
• Why is lying appropriate when it comes down to survival?
• Why should I be moral when it is not in my best interest to do so ?
• A sugar tax can assist in reducing the spread of diet-related health issues.
• People should be legally responsible for their moral decisions and actions.
• Should Kant be criticized for his absolutism ?
• Why should graffiti be considered art?
• Wearing natural fur and leather is unethical in the modern world.
• Should children be tried as adults for murder ?
• Children should be protected from using inappropriate websites.
• Each person should own a gun for personal protection.
• Ethical dilemma: should gene editing be performed on human embryos ?
• Kids should be taught ethics in elementary school.
• Religious organizations should be required to pay taxes.
• Should behavior be made illegal because it is considered immoral ?
• Innovative gadgets make teenagers lazy and rude.
• Terminally ill patients should have access to euthanasia .
• Should the powerful have a right to rule over the weak ?

Business Persuasive Speech Topics

• Harassment is one of the most significant ethical challenges in business .
• Biometric security should be mainstream in firms .
• Abuse of leadership negatively affects company development.
• Why are transparency and trustworthiness crucial in business financial performance?
• Should companies disclose key executives’ medical problems ?
• Extraverts are worse entrepreneurs than introverts.
• Companies should foremost create a good working environment for their employees.
• Should companies engage corporate social responsibility ?
• Smoke breaks should not be allowed during the working process.
• Why is working for a rival a wise decision?
• Should marketers test advertising ?
• Political relationships should not be used for business development .
• Free perks to employees positively influence overall productivity.
• Why should businesses embrace remote work ?
• Each business should take corporate social responsibility .

Political Persuasive Speech Topics

• Psychological therapies should be government funded.
• Should illegal immigrants be made legal citizens ?
• Why is torture an inappropriate method to receive a confession in prison?
• Welfare recipients should be obliged to submit to a drug test.
• Why gun control laws should be scrapped .
• Political corruption should be punished with the death penalty.
• Why should the government fund partisan organizations?
• Why should Bernie Sanders be a president ?
• The voting age should be decreased to 16 years old.
• Why is there never a good enough cause to declare war?
• Military policy that should be changed .
• Prostitution should be legalized and protected by the law.
• Illegal immigration significantly impacts terrorism act rates.
• Chinese one-child policy: why it should not be relaxed .
• Health insurance should be mandatory by law.

Persuasive Speech Topics About Education

• Teachers should use social networks to communicate with students.
• Should Canada provide free tuition for university students ?
• Why is higher education overrated?
• Exams should no longer be used to assess the skills of students.
• Why should vocabulary lessons be taught ?
• Online learning is more effective than attending classes at school.
• University bribes affect hardworking students.
• Should stimulants be prescribed to boost grades ?
• Why do teachers assist students in cheating during exams ?
• Teachers’ preferential treatment in schools should be punished.
• Should the US adopt the British tradition of a gap year ?
• Parents and students should report bullying and cyberbullying cases.
• Students should not be allowed to have their phones with them during school.
• Should concealed handguns be allowed in Texas classrooms ?
• Immigrants without documents should be permitted to attend public schools.

Problem-solution topics convince audiences to actively engage in discovering practical and effective answers to challenges affecting our society. Check out some ideas below!

• How can we deal with climate change ?
• Should Georgia legalize gambling to raise revenue ?
• Maintaining peace and security is critical for poverty prevention.
• Filtration and disinfection as methods to solve the water pollution issue.
• Have “three-strikes” laws been effective and should they be continued ?
• How can a rise in public awareness decrease human rights violation cases?
• Taking baths as a way to reduce anxiety and stress.
• Why should immigrants receive social services ?
• How can the government solve the problem of wage inequality ?
• Buying e-books as a way to protect the environment.
• Where and how sex education should be conducted among the young people ?
• Government sanctions are crucial to reducing child labor .
• How can we provide adequate salaries for qualified teachers?
• The Right-to-Die bill: why all states should pass it .
• Interactive games as a way to increase attention in class.
• International cooperation is vital to combat cyber threats .
• Should the province of Nova Scotia increase its minimum wage ?
• Donating as a method to reduce global poverty .
• How to deal with misinformation and fake news in the digital age?
• How should we deal with the rising cost of education ?
• Planning strategies are essential to solve the problem of overpopulation.
• How can gender inequality be stopped at school or the workplace?
• Animal transplantation and commerce in organs should be used to reduce the shortage in organs .
• Increasing access to cheap internet infrastructure as a way to narrow the digital gap.
• How can we solve the problem of doping in sports ?
• E-cigarettes smoking: threat or solution ?
• Good school culture as a modern approach to reducing truancy .
• Reading out loud helps improve the critical thinking of students .
• Assisted suicide as a solution in end-of-life care .
• How can we make the media ethical and responsible?

Funny persuasive speech topics perform two functions: entertain and persuade the target audience. We have prepared a list of the cleverest ideas for you to use in your speech!

• Video games should be considered a sport.
• Should apartments ban dogs based on breed ?
• Why is the Moon landing fake?
• Eating dessert first positively impacts people’s well-being.
• Feminism: how a man should look at a woman .
• The homework for high school students should be canceled.
• Laughing is the best therapy for depression.
• Why should pitbulls not be banned ?
• People in the future should have personal robots.
• Why should children be allowed to choose their bedtime?
• Should people under 18 get a tattoo ?
• Instagram kills individuality in teenagers.
• Why should schools have pizza breaks between classes?
• Should plant-based dairy be labeled as milk ?
• Parents should not be allowed to comment on their kids’ wardrobe choices.
• The consumption of junk food should be controlled on the federal level.
• The United States government should release more UFO information to the public .
• Comic books should be used to teach Mathematics.
• The mismatched socks impact academic performance during exams.
• Should spamming be illegal ?
• The government should create insurance for breakups.
• The Loch Ness Monster should be protected from annoying tourists.
• Should people be paid to stay healthy ?
• Why can sarcastic jokes save the conversation?
• Men should always go on compromise with their wives.
• Gender stereotypes: should real men wear pink ?
• Rap music provokes aggressive behavior among teens.
• Why breaking up via social media should be illegal?
• Online dating should not be classified as dating .
• Binge-watching Netflix should be practiced during the lessons.

Controversial persuasive speech topics provoke listeners’ critical thinking and encourage dynamic discussion. Check the best persuasive speech topics on controversial themes below!

• Why does a bad first date lead to a strong and long relationship?
• Why should flogging be brought back ?
• The dream job topic is the lightest way to talk about work.
• Aliens should share their secret technologies with NATO.
• Ukraine should not join the European Union .
• Only intelligent speakers should have freedom of speech.
• Atheism is not a religion but rather a philosophical position.
• Should college education be free for all US citizens ?
• Why is nuclear energy ingrained as part of the power grid in the US?
• Terrorists are generally more sadistic than religious.
• Why cameras should be placed in public places .
• Everyone should be able to possess a gun .
• Why is it crucial to be selfish from time to time?
• Should schools distribute condoms ?
• People should pass the test on political awareness before voting.
• Gay people should be permitted to adopt children.
• Should the sale of human organs be legalized ?
• Why is feminism irrelevant in the 21st century?
• Schools should provide free birth control for teenagers .
• Should gay and lesbian couples be allowed to adopt ?
• Children as young as 12 should be allowed to work.
• Why should human cloning be allowed?
• Should the US resume a millitary draft ?
• The show The Kardashians is harming society.
• Why are most conspiracy theories fake?
• What should society censor ?
• The Big Bang Theory movie deepens viewers’ knowledge of science.
• McDonald’s should be opened in every town around the world.
• Why should abortion be included in the national healthcare plan ?
• Why is writing an autobiography a good idea?

Need to write a persuasive essay ? Do not panic! Here are some additional persuasive topics that you can use for your writing:

• Negative news on TV increases the level of stress.
• Should sex and violence be restricted on television ?
• Leisure time should be spent with benefits for physical and mental health.
• Daydreaming develops learning skills in students.
• Why the government should not have bailed out banks .
• Every person should be required to participate in national public service.
• Cell phone radiation is hazardous to people’s health.
• What qualities should a leader have ?
• More money should be invested in space exploration .
• Alternative medicine should be outlawed.
• Mandatory job drug test should be allowed .
• Why can stalkers be dangerous?
• Parents should not buy a lot of candies for their children.
• Which country should the US invest in, Australia or Mexico ?
• Students should plant trees to contribute to a greener environment.
• Why is your biggest failure the most beneficial lesson for you?
• Why should we look at race when trying to understand fascism ?
• Countries that started the wars should pay reparations .
• Pineapple on a pizza should be canceled.
• Why Guantanamo Bay should stay open .
• Why should you and your parents never be friends on Instagram?
• Starting a day by making a bed increases productivity during the day.
• Why the Pantheon should be preserved .
• TikTok is an entertaining social network as well as educational.
• Using curse words should be taxed.
• Should net neutrality be protected or discontinued ?
• Dreaming is the first step in achieving the goal.
• Stereotypes and biases are not appropriate in the modern world.
• Should Turkey enter the European Union ?
• Why are politics bad role models for children?

What Is a Persuasive Speech?

A persuasive speech is a type of communication with the audience where the speaker tries to persuade them by appealing to logic, ethics, or emotions. The speaker must provide clear arguments to back up their point of view. In contrast to informative speeches, persuasive speeches do not try to give information. Instead, they motivate audiences to think or behave differently.

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech?

Various qualities characterize effective persuasive speeches:

• Attention-grabbing introduction . Convincing speakers immediately draw the listener into their messages by starting with a brief intriguing statement supported by evidence.
• Authority to speak . The audience usually heeds speakers’ messages if they establish their expertise and credibility.
• The logical order . The speaker should put the arguments logically and sequentially to control the information flow.
• Effective conclusion . The final part of the speech is the last chance to convince the audience, so it must summarize key points and include a call to action.

What to Write a Persuasive Speech on?

To find a perfect topic for your speech, follow the steps below:

• Think of something that is important to you or has a life-changing effect.
• Try to understand what makes you happy or angry about this theme.
• Write down ways in which you can make a difference.

That’s it! Now you know which topic has the potential to inspire action or change among the target listeners!

What Are Good Persuasive Speech Topics?

If you want to rock the stage as a public speaker, aim at topics that are controversial and risky. Human cloning, polygamy, workplace romance, and abortion are just a few examples. Like no other, such topics provoke the audience to take action and change. In addition, they raise deep concern in listeners’ minds and show alternative viewpoints on the issue.

• 110+ Controversial Debate Topics to Challenge Your Students | We Are Teachers
• 100 Persuasive Essay Topics | ThoughtCo
• Keeping Your Speech Moving | Stand Up, Speak Out
• Persuasive Speeches | Public Speaking as Performance
• Persuasive Speaking | University of Pittsburgh
• Persuasive Speaking | Communication in the Real World
• 105 Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics for Any Project | PrepScholar
• Appendix A: Persuasive Speech Topic Ideas | Principles of Public Speaking
• Top 10 Controversial Psychiatric Disorders | LiveScience
• Mental Health Myths and Facts | SAMHSA
• Select a Research Topic: Current Events and Controversial Issues | Southern Adventist University
• Persuasive Speeches: What Are You Questioning? | UNC Greensboro
• 100 Persuasive Speech Topics for Students | ThoughtCo
• Persuasive Speech Topics on Relationships | Classroom
• Unique Persuasive Speech Topics for College | YourDictionary
• How to Slay Your Speech | University of Alaska Fairbanks
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50 Topics for a Persuasive Speech

5-minute read

• 13th January 2023

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

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

Choosing a Topic

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

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

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

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

Should free speech on the internet be restricted?

At what age should children have access to smartphones?

Does texting hinder interpersonal skills?

Should parents limit their children’s screen time?

Should laws prohibit using devices while driving?

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

Should the number of US Supreme Court Justices be increased?

Should voting be compulsory?

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

Should the electoral college system be abolished?

Should election procedures be standardized in all states?

Should the Senate filibuster be abolished?

Should the death penalty be legal?

Should states be allowed to have different abortion laws?

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

Should the US conduct a voluntary gun buyback program?

Are governments doing enough to address climate change?

Is student loan forgiveness fair?

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

Should plastic bags be banned in grocery stores?

What is the greatest threat to international stability?

What can be done to prevent cyber threats?

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

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

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

Is healthcare a human right?

Should access to abortion be required by healthcare providers?

Do school shooter drills damage students’ mental health?

Should vaccinations be required for students to attend public school?

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

Do school uniforms offer any advantages?

Are school dress codes gender biased?

Are standardized test scores given too much importance in schools?

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

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

Should indigenous languages be taught in schools?

Should immigrants have access to free language classes?

Should books ever be banned in schools?

Should elementary schools be required to teach a foreign language?

Should schools be cellphone free?

Should volunteering before graduation be compulsory?

Should school cafeterias serve more plant-based foods?

Should parents let their children play tackle football?

Should college sports teams receive less money?

Should there be more female priests or pastors of churches?

Should churches and other religious organizations pay taxes?

Should all priests be allowed to marry?

Should prayer be permitted in public schools?

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

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

Persuasion Isn’t All or Nothing

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

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

Step Up with Confidence

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

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215 Persuasive Speech Topics to Elevate Your Talk

Persuasive speech topics are the heartbeat of every compelling presentation. They’re the first sparks that ignite the flames of passion, belief, and action in your audience.

The right topic ensures your voice doesn’t just add to the noise, but pierces through it, making a lasting impact.

But not all topics are created equal. Some have the magic to captivate, to make listeners lean in, eager for your every word. Others might fall flat, no matter how eloquently you present them.

Selecting the perfect topic isn’t just a step in the process—it’s the foundation.

As we venture into a curated list of 150 powerful topics today, remember that your choice has the potential to change perspectives, inspire action, and even transform lives.

What is a persuasive speech?

A persuasive speech is a type of discourse aimed at influencing the beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors of an audience by presenting compelling arguments and evidence. It seeks to convince listeners to adopt a particular viewpoint or take a specific action.

Why Choose Persuasive Speech Topics

When crafting a speech to persuade, selecting the appropriate topic is not just the first step but the most crucial one. It’s the foundation upon which the entire structure of your argument is built. Here’s why:

Audience Connection . The right topic resonates with your audience. It speaks to their interests, concerns, or desires. A topic that aligns with their values or challenges their beliefs will hold their attention more effectively.

Credibility and Authenticity . Choosing a topic you are passionate and knowledgeable about establishes your credibility. An authentic voice, backed by facts and genuine concern, is more persuasive than mere rhetoric.

Structured Arguments . A well-chosen topic lends itself to clear, organized arguments. It allows for a logical progression of ideas, ensuring your speech is coherent and compelling from start to finish.

Memorability . The best speeches leave a lasting impression. When you choose a topic that’s timely, relevant, or thought-provoking, your audience is more likely to remember your message long after the applause.

Effective Call to Action . Your end goal is to persuade your audience to act or think differently. A clear, relatable topic sets the stage for a powerful call to action, motivating your listeners to respond with enthusiasm.

The topic is the soul of your speech to persuade. A well-chosen topic not only captivates your audience but also strengthens the impact and longevity of your message.

How to Choose Persuasive Speech Topics

Embarking on the journey of delivering a speech to persuade? It all begins with choosing the perfect topic. But how do you sift through countless ideas to find that golden nugget? Here’s a guide:

Know Your Audience , Understanding who you’re speaking to is paramount. Consider their age, background, interests, and values. A topic that resonates with one group might fall flat with another. Tailor your choice to captivate your listeners.

Passion and Knowledge . Choose a topic you’re passionate about and have knowledge on. Your enthusiasm will shine through, making your speech more engaging. Plus, a deep understanding boosts your credibility.

Relevance and Timeliness . In a rapidly changing world, current issues capture attention. Whether it’s the latest technological advancement or a hot-button social issue, timeliness can make your speech instantly relevant.

Debatable and Thought-Provoking . A good persuasive speech topic has multiple facets and isn’t black and white. It should spark discussion, encouraging your audience to think and form opinions.

Feasibility of Research . Ensure that your chosen topic has enough resources and data available. Your arguments need to be backed by facts, statistics, and credible sources to strengthen your stance.

Ethical Considerations . Always approach potentially sensitive topics with care. Your aim should be to inform and persuade without causing unnecessary distress or offense.

Unique Perspective . While some topics might be popular, offering a fresh, unique perspective can set your speech apart. Consider angles that haven’t been explored extensively to offer a fresh take.

Selecting the right persuasive speech topic isn’t just about what’s popular or interesting. It’s about merging your passion with your audience’s interests, ensuring that your message not only informs but truly persuades.

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Persuasive Speech Topics

Navigating the sea of potential speech topics can be challenging. But when it comes to persuasive speech topics, certain areas never fail to captivate and engage. Below are a few selected categories and accompanying topics, followed by strategies on how to effectively tackle them.

You can also find links to sample articles or speeches that address this topic.

How Persuasive Speeches Can Transform Your Leadership

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70 Tough Questions for Impromptu Speech (Plus Speech Patterns)

50 Public Speaking Techniques That Work

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Impromptu Speeches: A Step-up Guide for Spontaneous Speakers

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Two Secrets of Motivational Speeches

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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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220+ Persuasive Speech Topics For All Students (Updated 2023)

Whether you’re a student preparing for a class presentation or an aspiring public speaker looking to captivate audiences, choosing the right persuasive speech topic is crucial. However, the process can be overwhelming, with countless possibilities to consider. Fear not! In this blog, we’ll delve into the world of persuasive speech topics, unravelling a treasure trove of ideas that are both impactful and easy to understand. 

From pressing social issues to intriguing debates, we’ll explore a wide array of subjects that will not only engage your audience but also leave a lasting impression. So, let’s embark on this journey together, and unlock the power of persuasive speech!

What To Keep In Mind While Selecting Persuasive Speech Topics

When selecting persuasive speech topics, it’s important to keep several key factors in mind:

Audience Relevance

Consider the interests, beliefs, and concerns of your audience. Choose a topic that resonates with them and is relevant to their lives or the larger community.

Personal Interest

Select a topic that you are genuinely passionate about. Your enthusiasm will shine through in your speech and engage your audience more effectively.

Knowledge and Expertise

Choose a topic that you have a good understanding of or are willing to research extensively. It’s important to present accurate information and back your arguments with evidence.

Controversy and Debate

Opt for topics that have varying viewpoints or invite discussion. Controversial subjects often spark interest and encourage audience engagement.

Impactful and Timely

Consider selecting a topic that addresses a pressing issue or has societal relevance. Topics related to current events or ongoing debates can generate greater interest.

Strike a balance between being challenging and respectful. Avoid excessively sensitive or offensive topics that might alienate or upset your audience.

Feasibility

Ensure that the chosen topic can be effectively covered within the given time constraints of your speech. Select a topic that can be adequately explored and supported within the allocated time frame.

Remember, the ultimate goal of a persuasive speech is to inspire, educate, and motivate your audience. By keeping these considerations in mind, you can select a persuasive speech topic that captures attention, encourages thoughtful discourse, and leaves a lasting impact.

10+ Religion Persuasive Speech Topics

• The Role of Religion in Shaping Moral Values.
• Examining the Impact of Religious Freedom on Society.
• Exploring the Controversy Surrounding Religion in Schools.
• Addressing the Need for Interfaith Dialogue and Understanding.
• Analysing the Relationship Between Religion and Science.
• Discussing the Importance of Religious Tolerance and Acceptance.
• The Ethics of Proselytising: Balancing Freedom of Religion and Respect for Others.
• Investigating the Influence of Religion on Gender Equality.
• Debating the Role of Religion in Politics and Governance.
• Exploring the Challenges and Benefits of Religious Pluralism in a Globalised World.

10+ Persuasive Speech Topics About Music & Fashion

• The Impact of Music on Mood and Emotions: Exploring the Power of Melody.
• Fashion Industry’s Influence on Body Image and Self-Esteem: Redefining Beauty Standards.
• Music Streaming Services: Revolutionising the Way We Discover and Enjoy Music.
• The Cultural Significance of Fashion: Celebrating Diversity and Expression.
• The Role of Music Education in Developing Creativity and Critical Thinking Skills.
• Sustainable Fashion: Promoting Ethical and Eco-Friendly Clothing Choices.
• Music as Therapy: Harnessing the Healing Power of Sound.
• Fashion Trends: Unveiling the Social and Psychological Factors Behind Their Popularity.
• The Evolution of Music Genres: Tracing the Influence of Historical and Cultural Movements.
• Fast Fashion: Examining the Environmental and Social Consequences of Disposable Clothing.
• Music and Memory: Exploring the Connection between Melodies and Recall.
• Body Positivity Movement: Challenging Stereotypes and Promoting Acceptance in Fashion.

10+ Arts and Culture Persuasive Speech Topics

• The Importance of Arts Education in Schools.
• Preserving Cultural Heritage: The Need for Funding and Support.
• The Power of Music Therapy: Promoting Mental Health and Well-being.
• Addressing Gender Representation in the Film and Entertainment Industry.
• The Role of Art in Promoting Social Change and Activism.
• Art Censorship: Protecting Freedom of Expression and Creativity.
• Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in the Arts and Cultural Sector.
• Art as a Catalyst for Economic Growth and Tourism.
• Exploring the Influence of Social Media on Art and Culture.
• The Impact of Art on Individual and Community Identity.
• Supporting Local Artists: Building Thriving Arts Communities.
• The Relationship Between Art and Science: Fostering Innovation.
• Art and Healing: The Therapeutic Benefits of Creative Expression.

10+ Government Persuasive Speech Topics

• The Importance of Voting: Exercising Your Civic Duty.
• Implementing Stricter Gun Control Laws for Public Safety.
• Addressing Climate Change: The Urgency for Government Action.
• The Need for Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
• Promoting Equality: Ensuring LGBTQ+ Rights and Protections.
• Combating Fake News: The Role of Government in Media Literacy.
• Raising the Minimum Wage: Fighting Income Inequality.
• Reforming the Criminal Justice System: Reducing Mass Incarceration.
• Protecting Net Neutrality: Preserving an Open Internet.
• Enhancing Access to Affordable Healthcare: A Government Responsibility.
• Regulating Big Tech: Balancing Innovation and Consumer Protection.
• Investing in Renewable Energy: Transitioning to a Sustainable Future.

10+ Family Persuasive Speech Topics

• The Benefits of Family Dinners: Why Eating Together Matters.
• Should Parents Allow Children to Use Social Media?
• The Importance of Teaching Financial Responsibility to Kids.
• Balancing Work and Family: Tips for Achieving Work-Life Balance.
• The Effects of Divorce on Children and Strategies for Coping.
• Addressing Domestic Violence: How Families Can Break the Cycle.
• Homeschooling vs. Public Schooling: Which is the Better Option?
• The Dangers of Helicopter Parenting and Letting Kids Fail.
• The Impact of Technology on Family Relationships.
• Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth in Family Environments.
• The Pros and Cons of Having Only One Child.
• Navigating Family Conflict: Strategies for Effective Communication.

10+ Environment Persuasive Speech Topics

• The urgency of reducing plastic waste and embracing sustainable alternatives.
• The impact of deforestation on climate change and biodiversity loss.
• The need for stricter regulations on air pollution to combat respiratory diseases.
• Promoting renewable energy sources to mitigate the effects of fossil fuel consumption.
• The importance of water conservation in the face of increasing scarcity.
• Addressing the detrimental effects of pesticide use on ecosystems and human health.
• Raising awareness about the consequences of overfishing and the need for sustainable fishing practices.
• The role of individuals and communities in combating climate change through small lifestyle changes.
• The significance of preserving and protecting endangered species from extinction.
• The importance of recycling and waste management in reducing environmental pollution.
• Promoting sustainable agriculture practices to ensure food security and protect the environment.
• The impact of urbanization on natural habitats and the importance of green spaces in cities.
• Advocating for stricter regulations on industrial pollution to safeguard environmental and human health.
• The benefits of promoting eco-tourism as a sustainable alternative to mass tourism.

10+ Sports Persuasive Speech Topics

• The Importance of Physical Education Programs in Schools.
• The Benefits of Youth Sports in Character Development.
• The Need for Stricter Regulations in Professional Sports.
• The Impact of Sports on Mental Health and Well-being.
• Promoting Gender Equality in Sports: Breaking the Glass Ceiling.
• The Dangers of Performance-Enhancing Drugs in Athletics.
• Addressing the Issue of Concussions in Contact Sports.
• The Role of Sports in Promoting Social Inclusion and Diversity.
• The Influence of Sports Sponsorships on Athletes and Teams.
• The Ethics of Animal Sports: Should They Be Banned?
• The Debate on Paying College Athletes: Fair Compensation or Exploitation?
• The Role of Sports in Fostering Teamwork and Leadership Skills.
• Promoting Sports as a Tool for Conflict Resolution and Diplomacy.
• The Impact of Technology on Sports: Enhancing Performance or Diminishing Fairness?
• The Significance of Title IX in Advancing Women’s Sports.

10+ Education Persuasive Speech Topics

• The importance of incorporating financial literacy in school curricula.
• Addressing the need for comprehensive sex education in schools.
• Promoting the benefits of arts education for well-rounded development.
• The significance of teaching critical thinking skills in the digital age.
• Implementing mindfulness and mental health education in schools.
• Bridging the gender gap in STEM education and careers.
• The value of inclusive education for students with disabilities.
• Promoting cultural diversity and inclusivity in educational institutions.
• Addressing the impact of standardized testing on students’ well-being.
• The role of technology in transforming traditional classroom learning.
• Promoting environmental education for a sustainable future.
• Advocating for comprehensive anti-bullying policies and education in schools.
• The benefits of bilingual education in a globalized world.
• Encouraging physical education and healthy lifestyles in schools.

10+ Scientific Persuasive Speech Topics

• The Importance of Vaccinations: Protecting Public Health Through Immunization.
• Climate Change: Urgency for Global Action to Combat Rising Temperatures.
• The Benefits of Renewable Energy Sources: Transitioning Towards a Sustainable Future.
• Exploring the Potential of Stem Cell Research in Advancing Medical Treatments.
• Artificial Intelligence: Balancing its Potential Benefits and Ethical Concerns.
• The Role of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in Addressing Food Security.
• Space Exploration: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe and Expanding Human Knowledge.
• The Impact of Plastic Pollution on Marine Ecosystems: Seeking Sustainable Solutions.
• The Power of Meditation: Enhancing Mental Well-being and Cognitive Abilities.
• Human Cloning: Ethical Implications and Scientific Advancements.
• Nanotechnology: Unleashing the Potential of Tiny Innovations in Various Industries.
• The Influence of Social Media on Mental Health: Promoting Digital Well-being.

10+ Video Games Persuasive Speech Topics

• The Impact of Violent Video Games on Youth Behavior.
• How Video Games Promote Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking Skills.
• The Benefits of Video Games in Enhancing Cognitive Abilities.
• The Role of Video Games in Fostering Social Connections and Collaboration.
• Exploring the Educational Potential of Video Games in the Classroom.
• Addressing Video Game Addiction: Recognizing the Signs and Seeking Help.
• The Positive Effects of Video Games on Mental Health and Well-being.
• Video Games as a Tool for Rehabilitation and Therapy.
• Debunking Stereotypes: Gender Representation in Video Games.
• The Influence of Video Games on Body Image and Self-Esteem.
• Examining the Link Between Video Games and Increased Physical Activity.
• The Ethical Implications of Loot Boxes and In-Game Purchases in Video Games.

10+ Public Speaking Persuasive Speech Topics

• The Importance of Mental Health Awareness in Schools.
• The Impact of Social Media on Society.
• Promoting Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future.
• The Need for Stricter Gun Control Laws.
• Raising Awareness about Climate Change and Its Consequences.
• Addressing the Gender Pay Gap in the Workplace.
• Combating Cyberbullying: Creating a Safer Online Environment.
• The Benefits of Implementing Comprehensive Sex Education in Schools.
• Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace.
• The Importance of Voting: Exercising Your Democratic Rights.
• Ending Animal Testing: Advancing Ethical Research Alternatives.
• Tackling Food Waste: Promoting Sustainable Consumption Habits.
• The Impact of Plastic Pollution on Marine Life and Ecosystems.
• Encouraging Organ Donation: Saving Lives through Generosity.
• Breaking the Stigma: Raising Awareness about Mental Illness.

10+ Medical Persuasive Speech Topics

• The Importance of Vaccinations: Debunking Myths and Promoting Public Health.
• The Ethics of Organ Transplantation: Balancing Supply and Demand.
• Addressing the Opioid Crisis: Strategies for Prevention and Treatment.
• Promoting Mental Health: Breaking the Silence and Ending Stigma.
• Advancements in Precision Medicine: Personalizing Healthcare for Better Outcomes.
• The Role of Telemedicine in Improving Access to Healthcare.
• Enhancing Patient Safety: Preventing Medical Errors in Healthcare Settings.
• Promoting Healthy Lifestyles: Combating Obesity and Chronic Diseases.
• The Benefits of Integrative Medicine: Bridging Conventional and Alternative Approaches.
• Exploring the Impact of Technology on Healthcare Delivery.
• Promoting Sexual Health Education: Empowering Individuals to Make Informed Choices.
• The Importance of Early Detection: Screenings for Cancer and Other Diseases.
• The Role of Medical Research in Advancing Treatment and Finding Cures.

10+ Business Persuasive Speech Topics

• The Benefits of Implementing Flexible Work Arrangements in Companies.
• Promoting Ethical Practices in Business: Combating Corruption and Fraud.
• The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Building a Positive Brand Image.
• Fostering Innovation and Creativity in the Workplace.
• The Advantages of Embracing Diversity in Business Teams.
• Harnessing the Power of Technology for Enhanced Customer Experience.
• Promoting Work-Life Balance: Improving Employee Well-being and Productivity.
• The Importance of Effective Leadership in Driving Organizational Success.
• Addressing Workplace Gender Inequality: Achieving Gender Balance in Leadership Roles.
• The Benefits of Investing in Employee Training and Development Programs.
• Promoting Sustainable Business Practices: Environmental Responsibility and Profitability.
• Exploring the Advantages of Implementing Remote Work Policies.
• The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Business Operations and Job Market.
• Nurturing a Positive Company Culture: The Key to Employee Engagement and Retention.
• The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Effective Business Communication.

10+ Mental Health Persuasive Speech Topics

• Prioritizing Mental Health Education in Schools: Nurturing Emotional Well-being from an Early Age.
• Overcoming the Stigma: Promoting Open Discussions on Mental Health in Communities.
• The Need for Increased Accessibility to Mental Health Services: Breaking Barriers to Care.
• Mental Health in the Workplace: Creating Supportive and Productive Environments.
• Raising Awareness about Suicide Prevention: Saving Lives through Compassion and Understanding.
• Addressing the Impact of Social Media on Mental Health: Finding Balance in the Digital Age.
• Breaking Down Gender Stereotypes in Mental Health: Encouraging Emotional Expression for All.
• Promoting Self-Care Practices for Mental Well-being: Nurturing a Healthy Mindset.
• Combating Mental Health Stigma among College Students: Fostering Supportive Campus Communities.
• The Role of Exercise and Physical Activity in Enhancing Mental Health: A Holistic Approach to Well-being.

10+ Persuasive Essay Topics About Animals

• The Ethics of Animal Testing: Finding Alternatives for Scientific Research.
• Protecting Endangered Species: Preserving Biodiversity for Future Generations.
• The Cruelty of Animal Circuses: Advocating for a Ban on Animal Entertainment.
• Animal Agriculture and Environmental Impact: Promoting Sustainable Food Choices.
• The Importance of Animal Adoption: Encouraging Responsible Pet Ownership.
• Ban on Trophy Hunting: Preserving Wildlife and Ecosystems.
• Animal Rights in Entertainment: Ending the Use of Animals in Films and Shows.
• The Ethics of Zoos: Rethinking Captivity and Animal Welfare.
• Animal Experimentation: Promoting Ethical Guidelines and Oversight.
• Fur Industry: Advocating for Cruelty-Free Fashion and Alternatives.
• Marine Captivity: Ending the Keeping of Whales and Dolphins in Theme Parks.
• The Link Between Animal Cruelty and Violence Against Humans: Strengthening Laws and Awareness.
• Factory Farming: Promoting Humane Treatment of Farm Animals.
• The Role of Animal-Assisted Therapy in Improving Human Well-being.
• Wildlife Conservation: Combating Illegal Wildlife Trade and Poaching.

10+ Persuasive Speech Topics for College

• The Benefits of Financial Literacy Education for College Students.
• Promoting Mental Health Support Services on College Campuses.
• Addressing the Issue of Campus Sexual Assault: Ensuring Safety and Justice.
• The Importance of Ethical Consumption: Making Sustainable Choices in College.
• Encouraging Diversity in Higher Education: Embracing Inclusion on Campus.
• Combatting the Rising Costs of College Education: Exploring Solutions for Affordability.
• Promoting Healthy Lifestyles: Encouraging Exercise and Nutrition in College.
• The Need for Comprehensive Sexual Consent Education in College.
• Fostering Entrepreneurship and Innovation in College Education.
• Empowering Students to Combat Fake News: Promoting Media Literacy on Campus.

10+ Unique Persuasive Topics

• The Power of Empathy: Cultivating Compassion in Everyday Life.
• Promoting Mindfulness: Finding Balance in a Fast-Paced World.
• The Benefits of Outdoor Education: Nurturing a Connection with Nature.
• Exploring the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in the Modern Age.
• Building Stronger Communities through Volunteerism and Civic Engagement.
• The Importance of Financial Literacy: Empowering Individuals for a Secure Future.
• Unveiling the Truth: The Role of Media Literacy in an Era of Misinformation.
• Redefining Beauty Standards: Embracing Body Positivity and Self-Acceptance.
• Harnessing the Power of Positive Thinking: Cultivating a Growth Mindset.
• The Impact of Arts Education: Fostering Creativity and Well-Being in Schools.

10+ Economic Persuasive Speech Topics

• The Benefits of Implementing Universal Basic Income.
• Exploring the Impact of Globalization on Job Markets.
• Addressing Income Inequality: Closing the Wage Gap.
• The Role of Government Regulation in Promoting Fair Competition.
• Promoting Sustainable Economic Growth through Green Initiatives.
• The Importance of Financial Literacy Education in Schools.
• Exploring the Pros and Cons of Minimum Wage Increases.
• The Impact of Automation on the Future of the Workforce.
• The Economic Benefits of Investing in Renewable Energy.
• Examining the Effects of Trade Wars on Global Economies.
• The Role of Entrepreneurship in Stimulating Economic Development.
• Analyzing the Economic Implications of Immigration Policies.
• The Significance of Economic Diplomacy in International Relations.
• The Influence of Consumer Behavior on the Economy.
• Exploring the Economics of Healthcare: Challenges and Solutions.

10+ Ethics Persuasive Speech Topics

• The Ethical Implications of Artificial Intelligence in Today’s Society.
• Animal Rights: Promoting Ethical Treatment and Protection.
• Ethical Considerations in Genetic Engineering and Human Enhancement.
• The Ethics of Capital Punishment: Examining the Death Penalty.
• The Moral Dilemma of Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide.
• Ethical Issues Surrounding Privacy and Data Protection in the Digital Age.
• Corporate Social Responsibility: Ethical Business Practices for a Sustainable Future.
• Ethical Implications of Cloning and Genetic Manipulation.
• The Ethics of Animal Testing: Balancing Scientific Progress and Animal Welfare.
• Ethical Considerations in Medical Research: Informed Consent and Participant Rights.
• The Ethics of Privacy Invasion: Surveillance in the Name of Security.
• Ethical Challenges in the Age of Big Data and Data Mining.
• The Moral Debate of Physician-Assisted Death and End-of-Life Care.
• Ethical Implications of Human Trafficking: Combating Modern-Day Slavery.
• Ethical Issues in Globalization: Balancing Economic Growth and Social Justice.

How To Craft Persuasive Speech?

Remember, this is just a template, and you can modify and adapt it according to your specific speech topic and requirements.

An Example Of Persuasive Speech Topic

Title: the importance of volunteering in our community.

Introduction:

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen,

Today, I stand before you to shed light on a topic that is close to my heart: the importance of volunteering in our community. We often get caught up in the busyness of our lives, but it is crucial to take a step back and recognize the profound impact we can have when we extend a helping hand. Through volunteering, we not only improve the lives of others but also enrich our own. Let’s explore how giving our time, skills, and compassion can make a lasting difference in our community.

Building Stronger Communities:

Volunteering fosters a sense of belonging and strengthens the fabric of our community. By working together towards a common goal, we forge meaningful connections and create a support system that benefits everyone involved. Whether it’s cleaning up local parks, organizing food drives, or mentoring youth, our collective efforts can transform neighborhoods and create a positive ripple effect.

Making a Difference in Individual Lives:

Each act of volunteering has the power to touch someone’s life in ways we may never fully comprehend. From offering a listening ear at a homeless shelter to tutoring underprivileged children, we have the ability to empower and uplift individuals facing adversity. Our actions can instill hope, provide opportunities, and inspire others to believe in their own potential.

Personal Growth and Development:

Volunteering is not just about giving; it is also an incredible avenue for personal growth. As we step outside our comfort zones and engage with diverse communities, we develop empathy, compassion, and a broader perspective on life. Volunteering allows us to hone our skills, learn new ones, and build a strong sense of self-esteem. It is an investment in ourselves that pays dividends in personal and professional spheres.

Addressing Social Issues:

Our community faces numerous social challenges, from poverty to environmental degradation. Through volunteering, we become agents of change, actively working to address these pressing issues. By dedicating our time and resources to organizations and causes that align with our values, we contribute to the collective efforts of creating a more equitable and sustainable world.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, volunteering is not a mere act of kindness; it is a transformative force that can shape our community and ourselves. By embracing the spirit of giving, we build stronger communities, make a profound impact on individual lives, experience personal growth, and contribute to solving societal issues. I urge each one of you to find a cause that resonates with you, explore volunteering opportunities, and embark on this incredible journey of service. Together, let’s make a lasting difference in our community, one selfless act at a time.

In conclusion, persuasive speech topics hold immense power to shape opinions, provoke critical thinking, and inspire action. Throughout this blog, we have explored a wide range of persuasive speech topics, covering social issues, ethics, and public speaking. 

Remember that when selecting a persuasive speech topic, it is crucial to consider the audience’s relevance, your personal interest, and the potential impact of the topic. Crafting a persuasive speech involves engaging the audience through a compelling introduction, presenting well-supported arguments, addressing counter arguments, and concluding with a strong call to action. 

By utilizing these techniques, you can effectively deliver a persuasive speech that leaves a lasting impression and drives positive change. So, embrace the art of persuasive communication, be the voice of change, and make your words resonate in the hearts and minds of your audience. 

Together, let’s harness the power of persuasive speech to create a better, more informed, and compassionate world.

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Speech And Debate

Persuasive Speech Topics

Last updated on: Nov 20, 2023

Persuasive Speech Topics - 150+ Topics for Students

By: Cordon J.

11 min read

Reviewed By: Melisa C.

Published on: Sep 22, 2020

Finding perfect persuasive speech topics for  writing a speech  can be challenging. Since the students have to keep in mind their interest level and the interest of the audience.

However, it’s not impossible.

Unique and compelling topic ideas can play an important role in engaging and persuading the audience.

On this Page

What is a Persuasive Speech?

A persuasive speech aims to educate the audience about a particular topic. The main purpose of a persuasive speech is to convince your audience of your points of view.

When writing a persuasive essay, the most important thing to remember is the selection of the topic. You can write about an idea that will engage your audience and would be interesting for them.

The persuasive speech topics should be bold and should serve the purpose of your speech. This will also help them understand your purpose for writing the piece in the first place.

Persuasive Speech Topics for Students

• Should we give away the pet that harmed someone else?
• Should we use horses for transportation in the city?
• Reasons for not keeping forest animals as pets.
• Should drivers apply for a driver’s license know how to drive a manual automobile?
• Advertisements should be changed; they play with our minds.
• Should animal selfies in tourist locations be allowed?
• Should animal slaughter for religious purposes be allowed?
• Self-driving cars: legal or not?
• Should plastic bags at grocery stores still be used?
• Should NASA’s budget be increased?

Discover Captivating Topics in a Click!

Persuasive Speech Topics for University Students

• How to procrastinate to avoid work?
• Why do men consider women to be not funny?
• College parking should be added to the tuition fee.
• Do vegetarians really love animals?
• How can you get someone to stop being annoying?
• Medical experiments shouldn’t be done on animals.
• It isn’t ethical to date your coworker.
• Women getting paid less is justified
• Child pornography laws should be improved and made much stricter.
• The Kardashians are more influential than the president.

Persuasive Speech Topics for College Students

• Ipads and tablets should replace textbooks and other college books.
• Students should always take detailed notes during a lecture.
• College students should attend all lectures and not skip classes.
• Students must be careful about what they post on social media.
• Elderly people are at more risk for identity theft.
• Students should consider opting for their passion as their major.
• Taking a gap year is an intelligent choice.
• Students should take summer classes to get ahead of schedule.
• Students should enhance their vocabulary and not rely on auto-correct.
• Can the internet crash worldwide?

Persuasive Speech Topics for High School

• Community service should be compulsory for everyone.
• Is it okay to get your pet neutered?
• Should school field trips be within the same city or country?
• Exams shouldn’t be introduced until College.
• Palm oil: good or bad?
• Is education in prison any good?
• Disposable diapers are dangerous for the environment, thus must be banned.
• Young adults and children should be kept away from chat rooms on the internet.
• Should all kids be taught how to cook?
• Should C++ be eliminated from the face of the earth?

Persuasive Speech Topics for Kids

• Boxing should be legal.
• Playing instruments in school should be a part of teaching.
• Kids required to learn basic essay writing skills
• Fangirls don’t know anything about sports.
• Athletes should be careful with how they spend their money.
• Public schools should not restrict kids from wearing a uniform.
• How to convince your mom to bake pizza for you
• Comparing Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi is foolish.
• How to convince your dad to buy you Xbox
• We should have a six months summer break twice a year.

Good Persuasive Speech Topics

• Does consuming coffee cause any harm?
• Plastic surgery is becoming a habit instead of a medical procedure.
• Social networks cause more damage than good.
• The free media should be controlled.
• Lack of financial education is a real problem in society.
• Therapy depends on the patients’ dedication.
• The death penalty should be banned.
• Surrogacy should be promoted more.
• How has Artificial Intelligence improved our daily lives?
• Men are unable to understand women.

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Persuasive Speech Topics About Mental Health

• Genetically modified foods have a bad effect on people’s mental health.
• People experiencing mental health problems should not be considered mad.
• Mental health problems are nothing to be ashamed of.
• Ten effective ways to prevent mental health
• Working out at home isn’t effective.
• People shouldn’t be mean towards the opponent team.
• What are the five most common mental health problems?
• You should not be rude towards others.
• A bipolar patient should be treated with care.
• People with autism can lead healthy and normal life.

Easy Persuasive Speech Topics

• Same-sex schools are better than co-ed school systems.
• Parents should go through their kid’s belongings daily to look for drugs.
• Teenage kids shouldn’t be given birth control pills without their parents' permission.
• Students involved in cyberbullying should be expelled from school.
• Kids under the age of 17 should have a 9 PM curfew.
• It should be mandatory that kids should learn a second language.
• Children of single parents are not confident.
• One child policy should be implemented to control the population.
• Breastfeeding in public places should be allowed.
• There should be free WiFi in public places.

Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics

• Are internet relationships beneficial for college students?
• Women and men have different perspectives on love and relationships.
• Is it possible to maintain a long-distance relationship?
• Should you live with your fiancé before marriage?
• Teens should have more freedom of using cell phones.
• Jealousy can destroy all relationships, no matter how strong.
• Why is it challenging to break up with dishonest partners these days?
• Counseling is a great solution for handling damaged relationships.
• Men cheat more in comparison to women.
• The secret to having a fruitful relationship is intimacy.

Sports Persuasive Speech Topics

• Are gaming consoles and violent video games hurting the youth?
• Men are competing against women.
• Athletes should be made to take a drug test frequently.
• Gender shouldn’t matter in sports.
• Should Male and female athletes be paid equally?
• Should marching band be considered a sport?
• Parental pressure and its effect on athletic kids.
• Should swimming be taught to every student in school?
• Should boxing be made illegal?
• Cheerleading should not be considered a sport.

Persuasive Speech Topics on Health and Fitness

• Preventing and treating violence against children.
• Solutions and reasons for mental illness in society.
• How do various genres of music affect the brain?
• Depression impacts the immune system of a person.
• How does insomnia impact overall health?
• Is there an alternative to animal testing?
• The significance of placebos in medicine.
• The pros and cons of medical marijuana.
• Is it safe for children to become vegetarians?
• Fast food is the major reason for obesity among children.

Funny Persuasive Speech Topics

• Playing it by the rules is boring and for losers.
• Acting on your rage shouldn’t be a thing.
• Having a cupcake in both hands is a perfect example of a balanced diet.
• Growing up is an option.
• Being honest with your parents can get you in trouble.
• Girls are as smart as boys.
• Life is a test with no preparation and retakes.
• There is no such thing as love at first sight.
• Pick-up lines can come in handy at times.
• Christmas is a pagan holiday, not a Christian one.

Controversial Persuasive Speech Topics

• Can money buy happiness?
• Have we lost the art of listening?
• Does kindness make the world a better place?
• Should people keep their complaints to themselves?
• What is more important: talent or hard work?
• When should you compromise?
• Can society be moral without religion?
• Violent video games create aggressive teenagers.
• Can the government be trusted?
• Should world leaders place morality above all else?

Persuasive Speech Topics about Environment

• Solutions for reducing the impact of global warming.
• Is it possible to handle the population explosion?
• How do humans destroy forests?
• The potential dangers of GMO food.
• Is it safe to utilize nuclear power?
• Can flood impact be predicted?
• Previously undiscussed impacts of earthquakes.
• How can minimizing paper waste help to preserve trees?
• Fossil fuels are ruining the atmosphere.
• Exotic animals should be allowed to live in their natural habitat.

Unique Persuasive Speech Topics

• What is happening in the field of space exploration?
• Why is Pluto not a planet?
• The United States should make further technological advancements.
• Should Apple Music always be free?
• Too much screen time will make children lazy.
• Why are people so addicted to the internet?
• How is deforestation impacting the planet?
• High school students should be taught a foreign language.
• How can we expand renewable energy on a global scale?
• Assisted suicide should be allowed for terminally ill patients.

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Informative Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should you go after your passion for business with little experience?
• Is the history of the Bible correct?
• Why is driving a sports car not practical for everyday use?
• Transgender people should be allowed to join the military.
• Is preschool necessary?
• Is it ethical to pay a surrogate?
• Why is alien abduction real?
• Anime should be taught at school.
• The main cause of obesity in America is the fast-food industry.
• Pink should be a gender-neutral color.

Simple Persuasive Speech Topics

• Libraries should be closed down, and everyone should get unlimited access to e-books.
• Can you really trust a therapist?
• Love plays the greatest role in our lives.
• How important is the brand name for their success?
• Polygamy should be banned everywhere.
• Schools should not have physical punishments.
• Assigning a police officer at every club can decrease drinking while driving.
• Netflix is the reason for eyesight problems in young adults today.
• Can looks impact your success in life?
• Minors shouldn’t be allowed to work in the fashion industry.

General Persuasive Speech Topics

• Facts that prove there’s life on other planets.
• Is it possible for humans to survive on Mars?
• China’s government shouldn’t put restrictions on the number of kids a couple can have.
• Distance learning should replace traditional schools.
• Can clones replace actual humans?
• Is acupuncture a valid medical technique?
• Self-driving cars should be legal.
• Factory farming should be banned.
• How do puppy mills affect us?
• Entry to museums should be free.

What are Good Persuasive Speech Topics?

It is important to know the criteria for good persuasive speech topics if you want to write on an interesting and engaging topic.

The first step is to look for something that you find compelling.

You have to research your topic to write an impressive and persuasive speech. It will be easier if your selected speech idea matches your interest level.

Secondly, the audience is also equally important.

Who is this speech for? Is it for your peers and your instructor?

Once you identify your audience, you will be better equipped to write your speech. Think about how you can make your speech relatable yet unique.

Choosing a topic that is too simple might be a mistake. The reason is that it may cause your audience to lose interest in what you are saying. If you choose a common topic for your speech, then use a different angle for this. You can explain it from a different perspective to your audience.

Since it is not something new, some unique information will be interesting. Research is crucial to know what catchy and fun persuasive speech topics you want to write about. The research will also allow you to write well and appear well informed about your subject.

Being familiar with your subject matter will allow you to write it in a better way. This aspect is really important to convince your audience.

Now that you have explored the list of our best public speaking persuasive speech topics, you can choose one for your speech. Select a topic that will help you to write an engaging, outstanding, and impressive speech.

Once you have decided on a topic to talk about, polish your skills by learning some important factors of persuasive speech. Start writing your speech and make an impressive public appearance.

If you feel that you do not have enough skills for writing your persuasive speech, you can hire professional help. You can provide your topic of interest to the essay writers. They will conduct research and write a persuasive speech for you.

The essay writers at  5StarEssays.com  will provide you with the best persuasive speech that will help you impress your audience. Our  write my essay  website is the one that you need for writing an impressive speech.

Or if you are in a but of a hurry, we have AI powered essay writer for your help that can help you generate a speech within 90 seconds!

Cordon. is a published author and writing specialist. He has worked in the publishing industry for many years, providing writing services and digital content. His own writing career began with a focus on literature and linguistics, which he continues to pursue. Cordon is an engaging and professional individual, always looking to help others achieve their goals.

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250 Best Persuasive Speech Topics For All

Some students struggle to find persuasive speech topics. That’s because they must have the audiences’ interest in mind. They must also consider their interest level. Nevertheless, learners can find engaging persuasive topics for speech. They only need compelling and unique ideas to help them generate the best topics for persuasive speech.

What are Persuasive Speech Topics?

Good topics for persuasive speech, persuasive speech topics about animals, simple persuasive speech topics, persuasive speech topics for college, persuasive speech topics for teens, health persuasive speech topics, funny persuasive speech topics, environmental persuasive speech topics, problem solution persuasive speech topic, sports persuasive speech topics, persuasive speech topics about music.

The purpose of a persuasive speech is to educate the target audience. Therefore, good persuasive speech topics focus on educating a target audience about a specific issue. Writing a speech about these topics is mainly about convincing the audience to agree with your viewpoint.

Topic selection is an essential thing to recall when writing a persuasive speech. A learner can write about a specific idea that will engage the audience. The topic should also be interesting and help the audience to understand the idea and the viewpoint. In simple terms, students should look for engaging, interesting, and compelling topics for a persuasive speech. Here is a list of persuasive speech topics ideas that students should consider.

Some persuasive speech topics college and high school students write about are just good. That’s because they are engaging and interesting to read about. Here are examples of good topics to do a persuasive speech on.

• Should people continue to use plastic bags when buying groceries?
• NASA’s budget should be increased
• Should tourists be allowed to continue taking selfies with animals?
• Is coffee consumption harmful?
• Plastic surgery is no longer a medical procedure but a habit
• The disadvantages of social networks outweigh their advantages
• Patients’ dedication influences the outcome of a therapy
• Men can’t understand women
• Governments should abolish the death penalty
• Free media needs some control
• Lack of finances is a major challenge for people that need education
• People should embrace and promote surrogacy more
• Artificial intelligence has improved the daily lives of many people
• Religious-related animal slaughter should be prohibited
• Self-driving vehicles should be illegal
• People should avoid using cell phones while driving
• Celebrities should get stiffer penalties when they go against the law
• The basic exam should be mandatory for teachers to refresh their knowledge
• Every city should have a free bike-sharing program
• Humans have a lot to do to end world hunger and poverty
• Money cannot buy happiness or love
• Junk food outlets should be banned
• Society should value elders and learn more from them
• Parents should provide incentives to their children when they do right instead of punishing them for wrongdoing
• Governments should encourage recycling.

These are easy persuasive speech topics that most learners can research and write about. Nevertheless, each of these topics requires creativity to come up with an interesting speech that people will be glad to listen to from the beginning to the end. Some of these history research topics may also be helpful.

Students can also write interesting speeches about animal topics. Here is a list of interesting persuasive speech topics about animals you can consider.

• Some pets are dangerous to the community
• Owners should be held responsible if their pets hurt the health of another person
• Humans should tame more animals and turn them into their household pets
• Battery farming is unethical
• Factory farming is too cruel and should be illegal
• Adopting a kitten versus buying one
• Is breeding pets and selling them a good idea?
• Keeping a pet can make your life better
• The government should do more to save the animals that are facing the extinction threat
• What should humans do to save some animal species from extinction?
• Why humans should adopt more forest animals
• Humans should safeguard the dolphin populations
• Keeping a cat is beneficial to humans
• Advantages of keeping a horse
• Why you should neuter your cat
• Benefits of keeping a snake pet
• Effects of a pet on a child
• A cat is a perfect pet
• Effects of puppy mills on humans
• Wild animals like sharks and lions should be tamed
• Is excluding a dog for biting somebody ethical?
• Pit bulls are a vicious breed
• People should adopt more pets instead of buying them from breeders
• The government should close all aquariums and zoos
• The government should legalize the ownership of monkeys and other exotic animals
• The government should ban animal hunting ]
• Dogs are the best pets
• Every high school student should have a pet
• Children are not safe in zoos
• A mosquito is the most annoying bug

These are undoubtedly fun persuasive speech topics to research and write about. Nevertheless, students should be ready to spend time researching before writing about some of these topics.

Maybe you want to write about something simple. In that case, consider any of these easy persuasive speech topics for college.

• Learning and practicing martial arts benefits the body and mind
• Reality television shows exploit the audience
• People can learn more about life from competitive sports
• What makes an individual a hero?
• All high school graduates should provide community service after graduating
• Benefits of growing plants in the garden
• The world is an interesting place to live due to human differences
• How song lyrics affect our lives
• Benefits of studying and traveling abroad
• Therapeutic benefits of journal writing
• How learning a second language benefits a person
• People should travel to different countries to learn outside the classroom
• All countries should use the same currency
• Every kid should have a friend outside their country
• Taking cereal for breakfast is not healthy
• A daily shower is not important
• Kids should design their clothing
• Boredom is beneficial for kids
• Every human is unique
• Benefits of growing in a city
• Why being the only child for your parents is good
• Every kid should have a television in the bedroom
• Men should not wear pink clothing
• Following your dreams is not easy
• Setting goals is important for human success

These are some of the easiest public speaking persuasive speech topics to write about. However, they also require some level of research to gather relevant information that the audience will be interested to listen to.

If in college, consider any of these topics for your speech.

• The major changes in the cost of education over the past decade
• The government should legalize gambling
• The impact of corporate corruption
• What are the effects of zoning laws
• Popular election reforms
• Causes of corruption among the police officers
• The most essential women rights
• Advantages of purchasing products made in your country
• Is copying or downloading copyrighted materials legal?
• The major causes of inflation
• How people become young billionaires
• Why is the education cost always increasing
• Describe the primary economic principles
• What is the principle behind funding medical research?
• Describe the most effective investment strategies
• Books are the best learning materials
• Sports can enhance learning effectiveness
• Why online learning is becoming increasingly popular
• Virtual reality is education’s future
• Extracurricular activities waste a lot of time

These are some of the top persuasive speech topics for college students. Nevertheless, you should be ready to research extensively if you opt to write about any of these persuasive speech topics for college students.

If you’re in high school and you want to write a persuasive speech, you need topics your target audience can relate to. Here are some of the best persuasive speech topics for teenagers.

• The government should allow kids to divorce their parents
• Kids should be allowed to pick their families
• Why it’s good to have siblings
• Teens should be allowed free therapy sessions after breakups
• Schools should allow students to choose what to pursue at an early age
• Boys and girls should belong to the same sport teams
• Talking to pets is sometimes better than talking to parents
• Students need tablets and iPads more than books
• Teaching sex education is useless and awkward
• Every teen should have a pet
• Teens should be allowed more time to sleep
• Parents are not giving teen suicide enough attention
• Personality is better than beauty
• Teens should be comfortable to share everything with their parents
• High school students should be allowed to study abroad
• Students should be allowed to eat at any time at school
• Home-schooling make some teens socially awkward
• Teen girls and boys should have separate classes
• Teens should not be allowed to have tattoos
• Bullied teens behavior changes forever
• Teens should be allowed more time to hang out with their elderly
• Beauty contests do more harm than good
• Teens should not start dating at an early age
• Mental illnesses cause eating disorders
• No parent should embarrass a teen
• More teens should participate in volunteer activities
• All teens should participate in cooking lessons
• Influence of TV shows on teens
• Why teens should wear a uniform in school
• Teens should be allowed more quiet time

Most teens will most likely enjoy writing about these topics. This list also has some of the best persuasive speech topics Reddit audiences will be glad to read about.

Perhaps, you want to write a speech on a health topic. In that case, this list has some of the best health and medical persuasive speech topics to consider.

• How to eat healthily
• Overcoming stress and leading a healthy life
• The government should prohibit drug advertisements
• Why wearing pajamas when sleeping is good for human health
• Using aborted fetuses for medical research should be legalized
• What is the best age to learn about medical treatment for contraception?
• Fast food is to blame for most cases of child obesity
• Is vegetarianism good for children?
• Advantages and disadvantages of medical marijuana
• Are placebos important in medicine?
• Are there animal testing alternatives?
• How to prevent and treat child violence
• Reasons and solutions to mental illnesses
• How different music genres affect the human brain
• Impacts of depression on a person’s immune system
• Impact of insomnia on the overall health of a person
• How dieting helps a person lose weight
• Effects of meat consumption on health
• The government should legalize assisted suicide
• Acupuncture as a medical technique
• Governments should increase taxes on sugary drinks
• Revenue collected from taxes on sugary drinks should be used in promoting public health
• The fast-food industry is legally accountable for most obesity cases
• School cafeterias should provide healthy foods only
• Birth control should be legal for female minors
• The government should allow doctors to prescribe contraception to teens under 16 years
• Every country should provide universal health care to its citizens
• Regular exercise improves human health
• Should schools distribute free condoms?
• Is using animals for medical research a necessary evil?

This list also has controversial persuasive speech topics that can elicit different reactions from the audiences. Nevertheless, you need to come up with evidence to support your standpoint. What’s more, this category also has call to action persuasive speech topics in which the writer ends by asking the audience to do something or take a specific stance.

Maybe you want to write a funny but persuasive speech for your audience. In that case, choose one of these humorous persuasive speech topics.

• How to make somebody stop their annoying behaviors
• Why males don’t consider females funny
• Do vegetarians love animals?
• Colleges should add parking fees to the tuition
• Christmas is more of a pagan holiday rather than a Christian celebration
• Procrastinating is a way to avoid working
• Playing by the set rules is for losers and boring
• People choose to grow up
• Having cupcakes in both hands is a balanced diet
• Acting on rage should not be your thing
• The more you’re honest with your partner the more you get in trouble
• Girls and boys are equally smart
• Life is an exam without retakes and preparations
• First sight love doesn’t exist
• Men should always be prepared with pick-up lines

These are hilarious persuasive speech topics to research and write about. Nevertheless, you need to be creative to compose a great speech on these topics.

If you love conserving the environment, you may want to write a speech about this issue. This category also has agriculture persuasive speech topics because farming can affect the environment. Here are environmental topics to consider for your persuasive speech.

• How agricultural practices ruin the environment
• The current environmental protection regulations are not enough
• Garden owners should grow more exotic plants
• The government should regulate the use of vehicles to protect the environment
• Effects of disposable diapers on the environment
• Why governments should enforce recycling
• How single-use bags affect the environment
• The current fishing restrictions are not sufficient
• Governments should do more to protect rare species
• Governments should do more to protect the ocean life
• How the environment will benefit from a reduction in paper usage
• Humans should stop using natural resources recklessly
• How noise pollution affects human development negatively
• Humans are responsible for environmental degradation
• Humans should use renewable energy more
• Governments should limit the use of fossil fuels and natural resources
• Effects of greenhouses on humans
• Developed countries are responsible for global warming
• Every country should be concerned about global warming
• Governments should implement strict penalties to conserve endangered species
• Governments should encourage more people to use public transport
• Negative effects of pollution on humans
• Benefits of hybrid cars for the environment
• Everybody is responsible for keeping their community clean
• How carpooling protects the environment

This list also has political persuasive speech topics because governments are responsible for making policies that conserve the environment.

This category comprises topics that present a problem and a solution. For instance, you can find business persuasive speech topics that present problems and solutions in this category. Here are examples of problem solution topics for persuasive speeches.

• How students can become better at tests and exams
• How to make college environments safer
• Best criteria for selecting a college
• How to help your suicidal friend
• Ways to reduce stress among students
• How to balance study, work, and active social lives
• How to reduce student procrastination
• How to deal with homesickness
• How to improve your college or school
• How to prepare home-schooled learners for college
• How to help a depressed person
• What schools can do to improve literacy
• Best ways to deal with illegal immigration
• Best ways to deal with terrorism
• How to punish people caught using cell phones while driving
• How to make driving a more pleasant and less stressful experience
• How to reform the school system
• How to deal with the identity theft problem
• How governments should deal with advertisements that target children
• How to deal with cyber-attacks
• How to prevent deaths that arise from drunk-driving
• Effective ways to manage college class attendance in college
• How to help college students that fail and don’t want their parents to know
• Ways to manage student finances
• How students can stay healthy and fit

Pick any of these topics if you want to present a problem and a solution in your speech.

If you’re a fan of sports, you may want to write a persuasive speech about this subject. This category can also include video game persuasive speech topics. Here are some of the ideas to explore in this category.

• Drug tests should be more frequent among professional athletes
• What are the impacts of violent video games on the youth?
• How do gaming consoles benefit the youth
• Gender should not be a factor in sports
• Male athletes should compete with female athletes
• Female and male athletes should be paid equally
• Marching band should be considered a sport
• Boxing should be illegalized
• Effects of parental pressure on athletic kids
• Every student should learn to swim in the school
• Cheerleading is not a sport
• Fan-girls know nothing about sports
• Comparing footballers is foolish
• People should stop being mean to opposing teams
• Home workouts are not effective

Pick any of these topics if you love writing about sports.

If you love music, pick your speech topic from this list.

• Rap is a violent music genre
• Jazz music is almost extinct
• Music country is less famous
• Pop music is undergoing a tough transformation
• White people don’t love rap music
• Anybody can write good music
• Governments should ban loud music
• Not every piece of music soothes the mind
• Music is not always positive
• How music and psychology are related

Pick and research about any of these topics to write a speech your audience will love to listen to. You can also contact our professional dissertation writers who are ready to help you with topic selection, writing, editing, and other things.

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Easy persuasive speech topics: examples

309 good persuasive topics + resources for writing persuasive speeches

By:  Susan Dugdale  

Let's be right up front about this.

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

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

What's on this page

309 potentially easy persuasive speech topics.

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

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

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

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

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

* astounded, overwhelmed.

Return to Top

What a successful persuasive speech usually takes

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

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

Those things include:

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

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

However, there is a way through.

How a persuasive speech topic becomes easy

You'll be glad to know there are exceptions. 

A persuasive topic becomes 'easy' if:

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

Difficulties miraculously melt away when you are totally engrossed! 

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

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

21 food themed persuasive speech topics

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

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

69 persuasive speech topics on education

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

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

 135 persuasive speech topics about health

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

46 mental health persuasive speech topics

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

For 50 more mental health persuasive speech topics

24 persuasive ideas: the psychology of motivation

Why do people behave the way they do?

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

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

The answers are found in motivation.

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

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

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

10 persuasive speech topics about autism

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

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

19 persuasive speech topics on natural medicine

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

Other synonyms are:

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

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

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

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

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

22 current medical issues speech topics

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

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

Have fun with these!

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

53 topics: ethics, morals and values

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

28 topics based on morals and ethics

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

25 persuasive speech topic ideas on values

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

20 persuasive speech topics about the economy

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

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

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

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

I sought a definition for clarity and found this:

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

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

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

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

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

More persuasive speech resources

Persuasive speech topics.

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

For assistance with planning and writing

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

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25 Persuasive Essay Prompts and Topics

by Sue Weems | 0 comments

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Have you been assigned a persuasive essay and need a topic? We've got you! Take a look at these persuasive essay prompts and get your essay started today!

Persuasive essays can be challenging for several reasons, but the first problem is choosing the right topic.

You want a topic that is both engaging and controversial enough to elicit a strong response. A topic that's too broad may lead to a lack of focus, while one that's too narrow might not provide enough material to argue convincingly.

So choose a topic and then make sure you take a position that is debatable AND right-sized.

Is my topic debatable?

If I choose the topic violent video games, my first question might be is this debatable?

The truth is that it isn't debatable YET. I have to take a position on it. I have to pick a perspective to argue. So let's look at three position statements:

Violent video games are bad.

Violent video games exist.

Violent video games are controversial.

Out of these three, which one takes a debatable position?

“Violent video games are bad” is the only one that takes a position. The other two statements are facts.

Once you choose your topic, make sure you take a debatable stance on it.

Is my topic the right size?

Now that we know we've chosen a debatable statement, we have to make sure it's not too broad. First, look at the parts of the statement to see how each important word or phrase would be defined.

In our statement “Violent video games are bad,” we need to be more specific to narrow the scope of our paper. This position is too broad (and depending on research, may even be incorrect).

What are we categorizing as violent? Which games? And more importantly, what do we mean by “bad”? And because video games require.a player, who are the players impacted?

Once we do some research about specific types of games for specific player age groups, then we'll have a much better position statement that is right-sized: not too broad and not too narrow,.

So depending on my research, I might make my position more specific and stronger with something like:

Parents need to monitor their children's exposure to violent shooter games to minimize the negative effects of both screen time and violence.

Notice how this statement takes a position: parents need to limit exposure for two reasons: screen time and violence. Is it right-size? The paper will need to show evidence that children's exposure to screens and violence has long term effects, and argue why parents are the ones to address it.

Yes, this is narrow enough to tackle in an essay.

As you consider how to build a strong argument that includes a combination of solid reasoning, credible evidence, and emotional appeal, make sure your position statement on your topic is the right size to persuade your audience.

Need help writing your persuasive essay? Take a look at our guide on How to Write a Persuasive Essay here . 

Persuasive Essay Prompts

I'd like to throw out some topics and then give two or three prompts for each that would be debatable and right-sized for an essay. See which ones resonate with you.

College Education

• When does the cost of a college education necessary to
• How can college education be made more affordable, especially for lower income students?

Cell phones

• How dangerous are cell phones while driving and what can be done to help drivers be more responsible?
• What is the most positive benefit of cell phone use and how can users make sure the benefit outweighs any risks or harm?
• How might we reimagine the school day to better meet the needs of students?
• What one change needs to be made during the elementary school day to reduce bullying incidents?

College athletes

• Should college athletes be paid? Why or why not?
• What protections or education should college athletes have to protect their physical, mental, academic, and fiscal wellness?

Wild animals

• Should people be allowed to own wild animals? Why or why not?
• When should the government or other organizations be allowed to disrupt a wild animal's habitat?

Health care

• Is health care a right for all citizens?
• How could health care be reimagined to more fully embrace prevention and wellness?
• Should schools ban junk food sales in the cafeteria or campus?
• Should junk food be taxed at a higher rate to raise money to combat the health issues it can cause?

Standardized testing

• Should standardized testing be abolished in high schools?
• How should standardized tests be used to evaluate student and teacher progress?
• How heavily weighted should standardized test scores be in the college admissions process?

Some other popular persuasive topics

These topics are mainstays of persuasive essays, but they usually require more intensive research. As you read about the topic from a variety of sources, let your research help you choose a perspective or viewpoint.

These are just topics–remember that you will still have to choose a position and make it right-sized based on your research.

• exotic animals
• death penalty
• minimum wage and living wage
• school uniforms
• animal testing
• genetic engineering
• nuclear power

The Best Persuasive Essay Topics

You can use any one of the above twenty-five topics and write a terrific essay, but the best persuasive essay topic will be one you care deeply about.

Don't overlook the activities, ideas, and issues that are around you every day.

Do you love a specific genre of music? What do people within that community love to argue about? That might be a good persuasive essay topic.

Do you hate the latest updates to your favorite video game? You could write a persuasive essay about the reasons they aren't working and what developers should do instead.

Do you listen to certain podcasts or watch specific tv shows on repeat? What problems, controversies, or disagreements do people discuss about your favorites?

By far, the best persuasive essays I've read are on topics that students are passionate about. When you take the time to develop a topic and position using research and your own interests and passions, the essay will be stronger!

What other persuasive topics do you find most compelling? What tips do you have for choosing a good topic? Share in the comments .

Set the timer for 15 minutes . Choose one of these ideas and write as much of the essay as you can in one sitting. When you're finished, share your start in the Pro Practice Workshop for feedback from the community. And if you share, please be sure to comment on a few stories by other writers.

Sue Weems is a writer, teacher, and traveler with an advanced degree in (mostly fictional) revenge. When she’s not rationalizing her love for parentheses (and dramatic asides), she follows a sailor around the globe with their four children, two dogs, and an impossibly tall stack of books to read. You can read more of her writing tips on her website .

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