persuasive speech examples for elementary students

100 Persuasive Speech Topics for Kids

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

Easy Persuasive Speech Topics for Beginners

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

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Fun and Interesting Topics

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

Educational Topics

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

Global Topics

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

Intermediate Persuasive Speech Topics for Children

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

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

Advanced Persuasive Speech Topics for Kids

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

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

More Speech Topics for Kids

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

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

State Your Case

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

Persuasive Writing Examples and Prompts for Kids

Is your student stepping into the world of persuasive writing? 

As a parent, it’s fun to watch your child learn the art of forming and supporting an argument. 

(Plus, it’s a significant step toward critical thinking.)

If they need extra help, here are a few persuasive writing examples for kids along with 20 writing prompts to make it fun!

Why Persuasive Writing Is Important for Elementary Writers

Teaching persuasive writing is important because it’s a fundamental step in helping your child think critically. 

By arguing a topic, your student will need to examine both sides, which is an essential component of critical thinking. Persuasive writing also inspires formation of opinion and sharing that opinion effectively.

Students as young as elementary-school age can learn to write persuasively. In fact, we’ll share some quick examples of persuasive essays for kids below. 

First, let’s discuss the structure of a “mini” persuasive essay. 

(If you have an older student, read our step-by-step guide to writing a persuasive essay .)

A Simplified Structure for Persuasive Writing 

Of course, expectations and writing guidelines become more involved for older students, but elementary-aged students should keep it simple. 

The basic features of persuasive writing can be broken down into 5 steps:

• Topic sentence
• Opening argument 1
• Concluding statement

A topic sentence introduces the argument and clearly expresses the writer’s viewpoint. For a younger child, this is simply a straightforward statement that clearly expresses “this is my opinion.”

The next three steps list “pros” that support their topic statement. Each argument should be distinctly stated. 

Again, for an elementary-aged student, arguments can be brief and can simply be a list of reasons. 

The concluding statement wraps up by summarizing the arguments and restating the opinion. 

If this method of persuasive writing sounds complicated at first, rest assured, it’s not. 

Let’s look at how you can easily reinforce this structure for your students, along with some examples.

Homeschool Mom Tip: Use a “Persuasive Text Structure” Poster

One effective method of teaching and reinforcing the persuasive writing model is by using a “persuasive structure” chart or poster. 

A visual representation of the steps involved in persuasive writing is important for a few reasons:

• Some students learn best visually. It helps them understand and remember the method when they see it laid out in front of them.
• Graphic illustrations of the different components allow students to take in one piece at a time and avoid overwhelm. 
• Hanging the poster where your children do their schoolwork makes it easy for them to reference the structure while they’re writing. 
• Knowing the poster is nearby in case they get stuck helps make writing a calmer process.

One other tip I recommend is breaking up essay-style writing with creative writing assignments. ( Try these one-sentence writing prompts! ).

Kid-Friendly Persuasive Writing Examples

Along with tools like a poster, providing simple examples of persuasive writing is another helpful way to teach this new concept. 

Here are a few examples of elementary-level persuasive paragraph examples that will give both you and your student an idea of what to expect. 

Example 1: A Persuasive Argument About Cats

Cats are the best pets. They can be left alone all day without getting mad. Cats don’t bark, so they are not noisy like dogs. You don’t have to let cats go outside to use the bathroom. As you can see, cats are less work and easier to take care of than dogs.

Example 2: A Persuasive Argument About Meal Choices

French fries should be served with every meal. First, French fries are delicious. Second, French fries are made of potatoes, which are vegetables, and they can air-fried without oil. Also, French fries don’t cost a lot of money. Because they are tasty, cheap, and can be cooked in a healthy way, French fries a perfect side dish to every meal.

Example 3: A Persuasive Argument Against Littering

You should never litter because it is wrong. Littering pollutes the Earth. Littering is throwing trash around outside, which looks ugly. Littering can also make you sick if it has germs on it. Littering is wrong because it makes the world a dirty, unsanitary place to live.

20 Persuasive Writing Prompts for Kids 

When you provide a step-by-step structure and supply examples of what is expected, you set your student up for writing success.

The final step in teaching persuasive writing to kids effectively is to present them with an antidote to the dreaded blank page. 

To assist you with that, we’ve come up with 20 persuasive writing topics for your students to make it easier for them to get them started on their persuasive essays. 

If they can’t come up with their own topics, one of these prompts should spark their interest. 

These ideas for persuasive essays cover a wide variety of topics, so there should be something for everyone. 

Plus, since persuasive writing is closely related to debate, you can also use these prompts as persuasive debate topics for kids :

• I deserve to be paid for my chores.
• Hamsters are the best type of pet. 
• Everyone should eat a salad daily. 
• Board games help you learn.
• Kids need free time to relax and play.
• You should always obey speed limits.
• Every family should have a dog.
• Dinner should always end with dessert.
• Homeschool students should get “snow days” as well. 
• Kids should choose where the family spends summer vacation.
• I am old enough for a later bedtime.
• All students should learn a second language.
• School should only be 4 days per week.
• Soda is bad for you.
• I am responsible enough to learn how to cook.
• My cat should be allowed to sleep on my bed.
• Kids should be allowed to vote in their local elections at age 16.
• I am old enough to babysit and be paid.
• You should always wear a seatbelt in the car.
• Pizza is a healthy food.

I hope these persuasive texts and prompts for kids are helpful to you! 

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to provide a few persuasive paragraph examples for your students to gain inspiration (and eliminate overwhelm).

If your student is entering 6th grade or above , we have a complete course that teaches students to write skillfully, think critically, and speak clearly as they explore the history of ideas! As a bonus in these dark days, Philosophy Adventure also teaches students to discern truth from error:

will your children recognize truth?

About the author.

Jordan Mitchell

100 Persuasive Speech Topics for Students

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

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

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

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

Persuasive speech is used to argue ‘for’ or ‘against’ a specific point. The aim is to start with a statement (which you either do or don’t agree with) and then use persuasive language to get other people to agree with your point of view. Persuasive speech could be used for a speech read by one person to a crowd, or for a group of people in a debate about a topic.

Of course it’s much easier to use persuasive speech if you pick a statement that you strongly agree or disagree with, but if you’re struggling for ideas then take a look at the following ideas.

100 Examples of Persuasive Speech Topics

1: The death penalty should be removed in all states. 2. The modern world is causing global warming to speed up. 3. The fast food industry is responsible for obesity. 4. People consume too much meat. 5. Violence in video games turns children into violent adults. 6. Plastic surgery should be free for everyone. 7. It should be mandatory for students to walk to school. 8. The legal drinking age needs to be raised. 9. Schools should teach children about body image. 10. Women are better leaders than men. 11. Our grandparents had a healthier diet than we do. 12. The President should step down. 13. All sports stars should be drug tested before every game. 14. University should be mandatory. 15. All children should be given vitamin supplements. 16. The voting age needs to be lowered. 17. Cars should carry a higher tax. 18. Not wearing a seat-belt needs to be made illegal. 19. Marijuana should be legalized in all states. 20. Children should be allowed to move out whenever they want. 21. Male and female players should be allowed on the same sports teams. 22. The world would be better without cars. 23. The USA could solve world hunger. 24. School should start later and finish earlier. 25. Abortion should be considered illegal. 26. It’s OK to use curse words on TV. 27. Suicide needs stricter legislation. 28. Fast food should be taxed. 29. Vitamins added to foods are essential for the future. 30. R-Rated films should be made available for younger viewers. 31. The UK is a better place to live than the US. 32. People in the USA are the happiest in the world. 33. Humans are responsible for the melting ice caps. 34. It should be illegal to leave school before 18. 35. The internet needs to be censored. 36. Speed limits need to be lowered in all towns. 37. Immigration should be limited. 38. Supermarkets should only sell organic fruit and vegetables. 39. People need to drink more water. 40. Women are equal to men in the workplace. 41. Homosexual men should not join the military. 42. We should all get at least 9 hours’ sleep each night. 43. There are aliens outside of our solar system. 44. We should take responsibility for homeless people. 45. Hallowe’en should be a national holiday. 46. Pets help to lower stress levels. 47. Everyone should get the day off on his or her birthday. 48. The world would be better if war was illegal. 49. Condoms should be given out for free in schools. 50. The US should become a dictatorship. 51. Teachers should wear uniforms. 52. Fast food should be banned in schools. 53. Health care should be free for everyone. 54. School holidays need to be twice as long. 55. Wi-fi should be available everywhere. 56. We all have the right to free speech. 57. Cycling is healthier than walking. 58. Sex education should be taught at a lower age. 59. The cost of alcohol needs to be reduced. 60. Gambling should be illegal. 61. Children should be required to read 100 books before leaving school. 62. The government should subsidize healthy restaurants. 63. All criminals should be sentenced to death. 64. Miracles are real. 65. Adoption should be encouraged. 66. Language should never be allowed to change. 67. Everyone in the world needs to speak English. 68. Religion has no place in schools. 69. Unmarried women should not have children. 70. Positive thinking can cure illness. 71. High heel shoes should carry an age rating. 72. The retirement age should be increased. 73. There is life after death. 74. Cats speak in different languages. 75. Going on a diet has no health benefits. 76. Donating blood should be mandatory. 77. All credit card debt should be written off. 78. The moon landing was faked. 79. Animals should be equal to humans. 80. Prostitution should be legalized. 81. Obama is the greatest President of all time. 82. A 3-day weekend should be introduced. 83. Guns should be made illegal. 84. Magazines should ban size zero models. 85. All teenagers should carry out community service. 86. All religion can be disproved by science. 87. The money spent on space exploration is a waste. 88. Private colleges are better than state colleges. 89. Social media will soon go out of fashion. 90. Silent letters in words should be removed. 91. Anyone can become a millionaire. 92. Dangerous animals should be killed. 93. Famous people set a bad example for children. 94. Athletes should never be allowed to move teams. 95. Teenagers should take parenting classes in school. 96. All students should have a year studying abroad. 97. Families don’t spend enough time together. 98. Internet access should be free. 99. Cigarettes should be more expensive. 100. Music videos promote an unhealthy lifestyle.

Persuasive Speech Worksheets

This bundle contains 5 ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect to test student knowledge and understanding of Persuasive speech which is used to argue ‘for’ or ‘against’ a specific point. The aim is to start with a statement (which you either do or don’t agree with) and then use persuasive language to get other people to agree with your point of view.

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101 Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

Use your words to sway the reader.

Persuasive writing is one of those skills that can help students succeed in real life.  Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative , but they rely less on facts and more on emotion to sway the reader. It’s important to know your audience so you can anticipate any counterarguments they might make and try to overcome them. Try reading some mentor texts to show kids great examples of opinion writing. Then use these persuasive essay topics for practice.

School and Education Persuasive Essay Topics

Life and ethics persuasive essay topics, science and technology persuasive essay topics, sports and entertainment persuasive essay topics, just for fun persuasive essay topics.

• Do you think homework should be required, optional, or not given at all?

• Students should/should not be able to use their phones during the school day.
• Should schools have dress codes?
• If I could change one school rule, it would be …
• Is year-round school a good idea?
• Should we stop giving final exams?
• Is it better to be good at academics or good at sports?

• Which is better, private schools or public schools?
• Should every student have to participate in athletics?
• Do you think schools should ban junk food from their cafeterias?
• Should students be required to volunteer in their communities?
• What is the most important school subject?
• Are letter grades helpful, or should we replace them with something else?

• Is it ever OK to cheat on homework or a test?
• Should students get to grade their teachers?
• Do you think college should be free for anyone who wants to attend?
• Should schools be allowed to ban some books from their libraries?
• Which is better, book smarts or street smarts?

• Should all students have to learn a foreign language?
• Are single-gender schools better or worse for students?
• Is it OK to eat animals?
• What animal makes the best pet?
• Visit an animal shelter, choose an animal that needs a home, and write an essay persuading someone to adopt that animal.
• If you find money on the ground, should you try to find the person who lost it, or is it yours to keep?

• Who faces more peer pressure, girls or boys?
• Should all Americans be required to vote?
• Is it better to be kind or truthful?
• Which is better, giving or receiving?
• Is it OK to keep animals in zoos?
• Should we change the minimum driving age in the United States?

• Which is more important, happiness or success?
• Is democracy the best form of government?
• Is social media helpful or harmful?
• Should parents be punished for their children’s mistakes or crimes?
• Should kids have set bedtimes or just go to bed when they’re sleepy?
• Do you think the government should find a way to provide free health care for everyone?

• Is it better to save your allowance or spend it?
• Should we ban plastic bags and bottles?
• Which is better, living in the city or in the country?
• If I could make a new law, it would be …
• Is Pluto a planet?
• Should human cloning be legal?
• Should vaccines be mandatory?
• Is it right for countries to still maintain nuclear weapon arsenals?

• Should testing on animals be made illegal?
• Will expanded use of artificial intelligence be good for humanity?
• Should all people have free Internet access in their homes?
• Is there intelligent life on other planets?
• Does technology create more jobs than it eliminates?
• Should parents use their children’s cell phones to track where they are?
• Should scientists try to develop a way for people to live forever?

• What’s the best type of smartphone: Android or iPhone?
• Which is better, Macs or PCs?
• Do people rely too much on technology in the modern world?
• Should cryptocurrencies replace cash?
• Should there be a minimum age requirement to own a smartphone?
• Is it important to keep spending money on space exploration, or should we use the money for other things?

• Should kids under 13 be allowed to use social media sites?
• Should we ban cigarette smoking and vaping entirely?
• Is it better to be an animal that lives in the water or on land?
• Should kids be allowed to watch TV on school nights?
• Which is better, paper books or e-books?
• Is the current movie rating system (G, PG, PG-13, etc.) effective?
• Are video games better than board games?
• Should we allow little kids to play competitive sports?

• Which is better, reading books or watching TV?
• Does playing violent video games make people more violent in real life?
• Are graphic novels just as valuable as traditional fictional books?
• Should everyone play on the same sports teams, regardless of gender?
• Choose a book that’s been made into a movie. Which was better, the movie or the book?

• Who is the world’s best athlete, present or past?
• Are professional athletes/musicians/actors overpaid?
• Which is better, fiction or nonfiction?
• The best music genre is …
• What is one book that everyone should read?
• What new sport should be added to the Olympics?

• What’s the best video game system?
• Does playing video games make you smarter?
• Does reality TV actually depict real life?
• Should all neighborhoods have free parks and playgrounds?
• What’s the best holiday?
• The very best food of all time is …
• Which is better, artificial Christmas trees or real ones?

• What’s the best season of the year?
• Should you put ketchup on a hot dog?
• Is a taco a sandwich?
• Does fruit count as dessert?
• Should people have to go to school or work on their birthday?
• Are clowns scary or funny?
• Which is more dangerous, werewolves or vampires?

• The best pizza topping is …
• What would be the best superpower to have?
• Should everyone make their bed every day?
• Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
• Should you put pineapple on a pizza?
• Should you eat macaroni and cheese with a spoon or a fork?

• Describe the world’s best ice cream sundae.
• Is Monday the worst day of the week?
• Would you rather travel back in time or forward in time?
• Is it better to be too hot or too cold?
• Are there aliens living among us here on Earth?

What are your favorite persuasive essay topics for students? Come exchange ideas in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

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

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Persuasive Speeches — Types, Topics, and Examples

What is a persuasive speech?

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

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

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

Use familiar language.

Select examples that connect to the specific audience.

Utilize credible and well-known sources.

Logically structure the speech in an audience-friendly way.

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

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

Select evidence that can elicit an emotional response.

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

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

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

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

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

Use comprehensive evidence the audience can understand.

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

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

Types of persuasive speeches

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to write a persuasive speech

Incorporate the following steps when writing a persuasive speech:

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

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

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

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

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

What’s the topic of the speech?

What’s the occasion?

Who’s the audience?

What’s the purpose of the speech?

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

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

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

Persuasive speech outline

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

Introduction

Attention Grabbers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Identify evidence

Summarize its meaning

Explain how it helps prove the support/main claim

Evidence 3 (Continue as needed)

Support 3 (Continue as needed)

Restate thesis

Review main supports

Concluding statement

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

Identify the overall importan ce of the topic and position.

Persuasive speech topics

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

Persuasive speech examples

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

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

Lyndon B. Johnson: “We Shall Overcome”

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

Ronald Reagan: “Tear Down this Wall”

Sojourner Truth: “Ain’t I a Woman?”

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• Writing Tips

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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When creating a lesson plan to teach persuasive speech, it is important to model what a persuasive speech sounds like by providing students with specific examples.

There are countless easily accessible speeches online to help students visualize their task. One example is the TeacherTube video of Angelina Jolie discussing global action for children. Or the audio clip of Martin Luther King, Jr. delivering his historic “I Have a Dream” speech. Once students are allowed to see and hear a persuasive speech in action, they’ll be more prepared for the written portion of the assignment.

Topic ownership

Everyone wants something and is willing to try and convince someone else to provide it. That is how most environments in the modern adult world work. Students of all ages and abilities need to learn how to craft a persuasive speech to be successful later in life.

Students use persuasion in life, often without realizing it. Young children may want their parents to take them out for ice cream. Middle school children may want to have a sleepover with friends. High school students may want to persuade their parents to buy them a car when they get their driver’s license.

If students are allowed to choose their own topic, they will feel more ownership in the assignment.

Preparing and writing the first draft

Students need to create a logical argument giving details about why they should get what they want. Some persuasive strategy definitions include:

• Claim: The main point of your argument.
• Big Names: The experts referred to during a speech.
• Logos: The logic or rationale of your argument.
• Pathos: The emotional aspect to your argument.
• Ethos: The trustworthiness of your claims.
• Kairos: The urgency of your argument.
• Research: The graphs, tables and illustrations that support your argument.

After outlining all areas of the argument, students can begin to write the first rough draft of their speech. To begin, the introduction should include the main topic and the argument.

Next, the body of the paper should include correct sequencing of examples as well as a counter argument. It’s very important to include a counter argument in your speech.

Finally, the conclusion of your speech should make a strong statement and give a call-to-action to the audience.

When writing a persuasive speech, students should make sure their facts are accurate and their voice is expressed. If students are having trouble creating the essay, using a graphic organizer is sometimes helpful. There are many interactive organizers that can assist students, including the  persuasion map.

Peer editing

Once students have written a rough draft of the persuasive speech, it is important to  peer edit . Teachers should put students in groups of three to four and allow them to read each other’s essays. They can give feedback about whether the speech is convincing and ways it can be improved.

Often, when students work together, they more effectively point out mistakes in their peer’s argument while also providing words of encouragement about their strengths. You want to make sure when creating the groups that there are varying ability levels grouped together.

Next, students can revise their speech. Classmates may have pointed out areas that needed improvement or clarification. Students often need a different perspective to make sure the argument they are making is clear and reasonable.

Speaking and presenting

Finally, students should be allowed to present their persuasive speeches. Although getting up in front of the class is the best way to present orally, shy students could also be allowed to create a PowerPoint presentation that integrates the audio feature so they can practice reading their speech for the presentation.

Teachers and students can complete grading rubrics for the student presentations. Students need to learn how to evaluate other students and provide appropriate feedback. Using a  grading rubric  is the best way to make sure the assessment if fair and accurate.

Creating persuasive speeches is a valuable skill for students to learn at any age. Whether they are trying to relay an idea to their parents, their peers, or their government, it’s important to know how to create logical arguments and provide accurate, reliable support. The more students practice writing and presenting persuasive speeches, the more confident they will be when a real-life situation presents itself.

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101 Persuasive Speech Topics For Students

• 🗔 May 2, 2019
• 🖉 Mentyor
• Dissertation Writing

Every Student is used to the point that their professors give them the assignment’s topic. It reduces the struggles they spend on the homework assignments as involving the appropriate, compelling persuasive speech topics all alone may be a tedious task based on the in-depth analysis.

Difference between Persuasive speech topics and writing a persuasive essay

There is a small but important difference between planning a persuasive speech topic and writing a persuasive essay. First, if you are planning a persuasive speech topic, 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.

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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.

What is a persuasive speech topic?

Before we move to the most interesting persuasive speech topics, let’s define the core components it needs to contain. Imagine a sales pitch and tons of competitors you need to stand out from. You start introducing your products or services in the most attractive manner highlighting their main advantages. Your mission is to convince potential buyers that they need your goods. The same thing is with good topics for persuasive speech. Now, let’s get back to business.

Many students think it is a waste of time. In fact, they should notice the capability to select the topic as an excellent possibility rather than another academic nightmare. No matter how good persuasive speech topics given by the teacher are, it’s not in the hands of the student to reject them even if they don’t have much information about the topic.

Here’s our list of 101 great persuasive speech topics. The topics are organized into ten categories.

• 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 to 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 illegal 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?

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 prostitution be legalized?
• Should people with more than one DUI lose their driver’s license?
• 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 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 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?
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• 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 be assisted suicide to 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?

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Speech for Elementary Students

Speech writing and delivery can be a daunting task for many students. Not only should you pick a good topic for listeners to relate to, but you must also create an interesting and well-structured content for the speech to make sense.

• Speech Templates and Examples
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It is an imaginative art form that allows a speaker to be creative with their words and the manner in which they present their pieces. For this reason, knowing the proper way to compose and deliver a speech is essential in the craft.

How to Choose the Perfect Topic

Choosing a topic that appeals to you is a significant ingredient for effective speech writing. You need to choose a topic that you’re comfortable with and possess certain knowledge about. This will serve as a foundation for your formal speech in order to attain a quick and easy writing process.

When choosing a suitable topic for your speech, consider the following tips:

1. Consider different options.

It’s always good to focus on subjects that you’re most passionate about. This includes hobbies, interests, and personal favorites that might be compelling enough to talk about in front of a crowd. If the assignment does not require a specific topic to tackle, then you are free to choose something out of your own interest. You may also see how to start a speech .

You can start by creating a list of these potential topics, and then researching about any relevant information that may be shared. Make sure you gather enough details that could form major points for your speech.

2. Avoid overused topics.

You may want to steer clear from subject matters that have been presented for over a thousand times. Chances are, your audience may know more about the topic than you do, or perhaps they already possess a clear idea of where your speech is headed. But since it’s nearly impossible to find an original topic these days, it would be best to choose something more specific instead. You can narrow down these options to something fresh and interesting to spark curiosity among listeners. You may also like tribute speech examples & samples .

3. Do your research.

Once the topic has been finalized, you can then move on to one of the important steps of planning process: the research procedure.

This step involves a lot — and we mean A WHOLE LOT — of reading to complete. A visit to your local library will make it easier to collect information from a variety of sources. Here, you can gain in-depth knowledge on a particular topic, as well as a few theories and concepts provided by some authors. The internet also has its own reading materials to offer in case a trip to the library isn’t possible. You may also check out appreciation speech examples & samples .

4. Deliver well.

Body language says a lot about what goes on inside your head. Your nerves and emotions can sometimes radiate in the room if you fail to compose yourself properly. Proper posture and appearance are just a some factors that can affect your delivery. In most cases, a speech must be kept short and to-the-point as well, especially when time is a major issue. With this in mind, consider timing your delivery during practice and adjusting it accordingly to the time limit given. You might be interested in dedication speech examples .

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Popular Speech Topics for Elementary Students

Speech topics can vary from simple to complex themes that include social problems or political issues in today’s society. These may either form a persuasive speech or an informative speech, or possibly a combination of both types.

But when it comes to speech topics for grade school or elementary students, choosing a topic that is simple yet relatable is extremely important. Given the age bracket of this particular group, the topic chosen or provided by the teacher must cover familiar grounds. These topics are often more subjective in nature, wherein an extensive research process isn’t necessary. You may also see presentation speech examples & samples .

The subject of family is probably the most popular speech topic there is. Since it’s about something you’re completely accustomed to, it wouldn’t be hard to find the right words to complete your speech.

Say for example, you could make a speech about an unforgettable memory with your family. This could be about a vacation out of town, a fun get-together over the holidays, or maybe a significant event in your life that your family was a huge part of. Anything you wish to share about your family, as long as it conveys a moral value, would be a good option for your speech topic. You may also like how do you write a speech?

2. Dreams & Ambitions

What do you want to be when you grow older? What are your dreams and aspirations? Where do you see yourself twenty years from now?

The answer to these questions can help you construct a strong topic for your speech. This could be about the things you’ve imagined yourself doing in the near future or the direction you wish to take. To fill the rest of your speech, you can also add a little backstory as to why this has become one of your goals, as well as your means of reaching these ambitions. Including other major points that are closely related to the topic is also advised. You may also check out thank-you speech examples & samples .

3. Hobbies & Interests

If you’re into sports and other recreational activities that go beyond the academic circle, then consider this as an opportunity for you to draw attention towards the things you deeply love and enjoy doing. Talk about your strengths in the said field, and the limitations you wish to improve on. Turn this into a learning experience by sharing to the group how it has shaped you into a becoming the person you are today. You may even connect this to the dreams you wish to achieve one day. You might be interested in speech examples for students .

For example, making a speech about basketball and its principles apart from being a regular pastime is a great way to let listeners view the subject matter from a different perspective. Composing a speech about something that means a lot to you can be less intimidating in most instances.

4. About Yourself

Although not everyone would be too keen about putting themselves in the center of a speech, it’s still a recommendable topic to consider.

The great thing about topics that focus on your personal life is that they can be very broad. So instead of making a speech about your likes and dislikes, you can go deeper with some intriguing thoughts that fill your mind. You can talk about your fears, along with the things you wish to change in the world. This is a great way to go out of the norm and take on speech topics that some people may consider as taboo. You may also see launch speech examples .

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Useful Speech Planning & Delivery Tips for Students

There are two things that matter most in speech planning and delivery: the content of your speech and your ability to broadcast it to a group of individuals. But to ensure that your message reaches its audience, you must tailor your speech accordingly with the help of the following tactics:

1. Planning the Content

• Define your goals.  What is the purpose of your speech? Apart from it being a requirement in class, you must identify what your end goal actually is. Will it educate listeners? Or create awareness regarding a specific topic? This would also depend on who your listeners are. Keep in mind that the content of your speech should convey a message that listeners can grasp and learn from. You may also see youth speech examples .
• Prepare your material.  Never settle for an impromptu speech, or you may end up regretting it when you’re standing in front of an audience with dead air filling the atmosphere. It’s always important to create a speech outline to organize thoughts and ideas accordingly. This way, you can easily point out grammar mistakes or statements that don’t make proper sense when read aloud.
• Observe others.  If you’re struggling with your speech presentation , try watching a few videos online and observe how these speakers deliver their piece. Take note of their body language as well as how they utter each word.
• Follow a logical flow of ideas.  Don’t make it hard for listeners to understand the main point of your speech. Ensure that your speech consists of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Kick off with your strongest arguments followed by the subpoints that support the main thought.
• Practice.  Stand in front of a mirror and begin delivering your speech. You need to practice how you could transmit information from your speech to the minds of your listeners. This will also help you specify any qualities about your delivery that must be enhanced. You may also like leadership speech examples & samples .

2. Delivering the Content

• Maintain eye contact with your audience. Building a connection with every member of your audience can be achieved through proper eye contact. This will you capture the attention of each individual in order to encourage them to listen attentively to what you have to say.
• Engage actively with listeners.  Another reason why preparing your material beforehand is a must, is for you to actively engage with members of the audience. If you pay attention to what people are doing, then they’re bound to pay attention to you as well. Along with your speech, you can also conduct interactive activities or use visual materials to engross listeners. You may also see wedding speech examples & samples .
• Be time-conscious.  Watch the time. Given the short attention span of the average person, you must keep your speech short and direct to the point. Refrain from exceeding the allotted time given, or you may end up damaging the whole presentation.
• Don’t read.  There’s nothing wrong with bringing a copy of the speech for you to refer to, until it turns into a distraction instead of a useful tool. Rather, you can take a few glances every now and then to see where you are in your speech, and what point to emphasize next. You may also like campaign speech examples .
• Entertain questions.  Take the time to address questions and concerns that audience members may have. But instead of holding a Q&A session by the very end of your speech, you can invite people to ask questions during certain parts of your presentation. This will serve as a breather to allow interaction between the speaker and the listeners.

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And there you have it! With the help of these tips and techniques, you can prepare and deliver the best speech possible to leave a lasting impact with your audience.

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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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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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Choose Your Test

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

General Education

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.

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

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.

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

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45 Persuasive Writing Prompts for Elementary Students

The ability to write persuasively can come in handy in all sorts of situations, academic or not. Even elementary school students can use this skill in story writing and school projects.

There is always a need to be able to argue your point of view, so these prompts for persuasive writing are intended to assist younger students as they develop their persuasive writing skills.

How to Use Prompts

You can use the tried and true method of pulling numbers out of a hat and assigning the prompt that correlates with said number.

You may also want to get more creative with the prompts and have students practice persuasion and explain why they should get the prompt they want. 

Prompts to Persuade You

• Convince your parents to let you have an exotic pet. 
• Explain why school shouldn’t make students follow a dress code. 
• Explain to your teacher why you shouldn’t be forced to do any more homework.
• Argue about the benefits of longer lunch periods and a shorter school day. Or perhaps a later start to the school day.  
• Why should cellphone use be allowed in school?
• Why should your parents give you a raise in your allowance?
• Should smoking be made illegal? Would this apply everywhere and would there be consequence if you were caught in the act?
• Which sport is the best and why? Can you give examples? Or pros and cons of your argument?
• Where do you want to go on vacation this summer? Convince your family why your idea is the right one.
• Convince a sibling to do your chores. See how long you can get them to keep it up/
• Explain why you should get a later bedtime.
• Convince your parents to redecorate your room. Or why you should be allowed to paint whatever you want on the walls of your bedroom.
• Why should you be allowed to watch more television?
• Persuade someone to do you a favor of some sort.
• Convince your parents to go to your favorite restaurant for dinner.
• Persuade a friend to try something new with you.
• Convince your teacher to have an “all recess day”
• Debate whether you should be on a four-day a week school week.
• Are you good at persuasion? Convince me.
• What makes persuasion a useful skill? Make me believe your argument.
• What does it mean to be persuasive?
• What does a good argument enable you to do?
• How can you persuade a person without taking advantage of them?
• Does being persuasive have any downsides to it?
• Can you convince your teacher to let you have a class party?
•  What is the one thing you would want to convince your parents to buy you?
• What are the strategies you use for persuasion?
• Persuade someone to give $100 in your name to a charity.
• Debate whether a monkey is a good pet or not?
• Be an only child or have siblings…which is better?
• Convince a sibling to play the game you want.
• What is the best superpower to have?
• How can you convince someone to take your side in an argument?
• Which season is the best?
• Can you explain to your classmates why you would be the best person for class president?
• Do you know anyone you can’t persuade of something? What makes it difficult? Do have a plan you think would work to convince them of your opinion?
• Why should school lunch always be pizza? Convince your audience with facts about pizza.
• What is the importance of honesty?
• Do you believe reality television is true reality? Why or why not?
• Why should people believe you? Argue your credibility.
• Persuade your teacher to let your class have show and tell.
• Why should there be dessert every night?
• What are the benefits of exercise? Should everyone do it?
• Convince the class about the existence of a mythical animal, like a unicorn or a fairy.
• Convince your parents why you shouldn’t have to share with your sibling.

Ready for More…?

Visit us and see all our lists of prompts as well as the other educational resources that we have available.

In addition, we always welcome your ideas and feedback. Drop us a line if you have an idea or think there might be something we missed.

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?
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Lauren Green

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

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40+ Captivating Persuasive Speech Topics For Students

Persuasive speeches have the remarkable ability to inspire change, challenge conventional beliefs, and shape the way we perceive the world. However, finding the perfect topic that strikes a chord with your audience and aligns with your own values can be a daunting task. 

So, whether you’re passionate about social justice, environmental sustainability, or personal growth, join us on this journey of discovery and let these captivating persuasive speech topics inspire your next remarkable presentation. Get ready to wield the power of words and make a difference through the art of persuasion. Let’s dive in!

What Is Persuasive Speech?

Table of Contents

A persuasive speech is a form of communication that aims to convince or influence an audience to adopt a particular viewpoint, belief, or action. The speaker presents arguments and supporting evidence to sway the audience’s opinions and encourage them to align with the speaker’s perspective.

The primary objective of a persuasive speech is to persuade the audience to think, feel, or act in a specific way. It involves employing various persuasive techniques, such as logical reasoning, emotional appeal, and credible evidence, to make a compelling case for the speaker’s position.

Persuasive speeches are often delivered in a structured format that includes an introduction, body, and conclusion. In the introduction, the speaker grabs the audience’s attention, establishes credibility, and presents the main argument or thesis statement. The body of the speech provides supporting evidence, examples, and counterarguments to strengthen the speaker’s position. The conclusion summarizes the main points and reinforces the call to action or desired outcome.

Effective persuasive speeches not only present persuasive arguments but also consider the audience’s values, beliefs, and potential objections. They engage the listeners by addressing their concerns, offering solutions, and appealing to their emotions. By employing persuasive techniques and thoughtful rhetoric, speakers strive to leave a lasting impact and inspire their audience to embrace the desired message or take action.

Persuasive speeches are commonly used in various settings, including classrooms, political rallies, sales pitches, and public advocacy campaigns. They play a crucial role in influencing public opinion, raising awareness, and promoting social change.

Importance Of Persuasive Speech That You Must Know

Here are some key reasons why persuasive speech is important:

1. Influence and Persuasion

Persuasive speeches are powerful tools for influencing and persuading others to adopt a particular viewpoint or take specific action. Whether it’s convincing people to support a cause, change their behavior, or vote for a candidate, persuasive speeches can effectively sway opinions and inspire action.

2. Public Speaking Skills

Delivering persuasive speeches helps develop essential public speaking skills. It enhances one’s ability to articulate thoughts clearly, engage an audience, and communicate persuasively. These skills are valuable in various professional fields, such as business, politics, education, and advocacy.

3. Critical Thinking

Crafting a persuasive speech requires in-depth research, analysis, and critical thinking. Speakers must evaluate different perspectives, anticipate counterarguments, and provide logical reasoning to support their claims. Engaging in persuasive speech encourages individuals to think critically, examine evidence, and form well-reasoned arguments.

4. Advocacy and Social Change

Persuasive speeches play a crucial role in advocating for social issues and driving positive change. They raise awareness about important topics, challenge societal norms, and inspire individuals to take action. Through persuasive speeches, individuals can mobilize communities, influence public opinion, and contribute to meaningful transformations.

5. Effective Communication

Persuasive speeches enhance overall communication skills. Speakers learn to effectively structure their ideas, convey messages concisely, and adapt their language and tone to connect with diverse audiences. 

6. Building Confidence

Delivering a persuasive speech requires confidence and self-assurance. As individuals prepare and present their arguments, they develop a sense of confidence in their ability to express their ideas and influence others. This confidence extends beyond public speaking and can positively impact various aspects of life, including personal relationships, negotiations, and leadership roles.

7. Empowering Individuals

Persuasive speeches have the potential to empower individuals by giving them a platform to express their beliefs, values, and concerns. It allows individuals to share their perspectives, challenge the status quo, and inspire others to take action. Through persuasive speaking, individuals can find their voice and make a difference in their communities and beyond.

8. Enhancing Persuasive Writing Skills

Crafting a persuasive speech often goes hand in hand with developing persuasive writing skills. The process of organizing thoughts, structuring arguments, and selecting impactful language strengthens one’s ability to write persuasively. These writing skills are valuable in academic settings, professional environments, and personal communication.

9. Fostering Open Dialogue

Persuasive speeches encourage dialogue and open discussions. By presenting different viewpoints and engaging in respectful debate, speakers create opportunities for diverse perspectives to be heard and understood. This fosters an environment of intellectual exchange, encourages critical thinking, and promotes a deeper understanding of complex issues.

10. Inspiring Action

Ultimately, the goal of a persuasive speech is to inspire action. Whether it’s encouraging individuals to donate to a cause, change their behaviors, or support a particular policy, persuasive speeches have the power to motivate people to act upon their convictions. They can ignite passion, instill a sense of purpose, and mobilize individuals and communities to bring about positive change.

Here in this section, we will tell you 40+ Captivating Persuasive Speech Topics For Students:

1. The Importance of Recycling

Persuade others to adopt recycling practices by discussing the environmental benefits of recycling and the impact on reducing waste.

2. Benefits of Meditation

Explore the positive effects of meditation on mental and physical well-being, such as stress reduction and increased focus.

3. Social Media Addiction

Discuss the negative impacts of excessive social media use on mental health and personal relationships, and advocate for mindful usage.

4. Animal Testing

Argue against the use of animals for scientific experiments and promote alternative methods that are more ethical and effective.

5. Climate Change

Present the urgency of addressing climate change and advocate for sustainable practices to mitigate its effects and preserve the planet.

6. Benefits of Volunteering

Highlight the personal growth, community impact, and sense of fulfillment that comes with volunteering.

7. Cyberbullying

Raise awareness about the harmful effects of cyberbullying on individuals’ mental health and advocate for stricter measures to prevent and combat it.

8. The Importance of Mental Health Education

Advocate for the inclusion of mental health education in schools to reduce stigma, promote early intervention, and support overall well-being.

9. Gun Control

Present arguments for stricter gun control regulations and advocate for measures to enhance public safety and prevent gun violence.

10. Importance of Financial Literacy

Advocate for the inclusion of financial literacy education in schools to empower individuals with essential money management skills and prevent financial difficulties.

11. Gender Equality

Discuss the importance of achieving gender equality in various spheres of life, addressing issues like pay gaps, representation, and equal opportunities.

12. Benefits of Exercise

Highlight the physical and mental health benefits of regular exercise, including improved mood, increased energy, and reduced risk of diseases.

13. Online Privacy

Discuss the implications of compromised online privacy, such as identity theft and data breaches, and advocate for better protection of personal information.

14. Importance of Arts Education

Advocate for the inclusion of arts education in schools and highlight its positive impact on creativity, critical thinking, and overall development.

15. The Harmful Effects of Fast Food

Present arguments against excessive consumption of fast food and promote healthier eating habits for better long-term health.

16. Capital Punishment

Discuss the ethical considerations surrounding capital punishment and argue for its abolishment based on issues of morality, fairness, and wrongful convictions.

17. Access to Education

Advocate for equal access to quality education for all individuals, addressing educational disparities based on socioeconomic background, race, or geography.

18. Dangers of Texting While Driving

Raise awareness about the risks of distracted driving due to texting and advocate for stricter penalties and awareness campaigns to reduce accidents.

19. Importance of Renewable Energy

Discuss the benefits of transitioning to renewable energy sources and advocate for sustainable energy practices to combat climate change and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

20. The Influence of Media on Body Image

Highlight the negative impact of media’s portrayal of ideal body images on self-esteem, body image dissatisfaction, and promote body positivity and self-acceptance.

21. Universal Healthcare

Argue for the implementation of universal healthcare, emphasizing the benefits of affordable and accessible healthcare for all individuals, regardless of socioeconomic status.

22. Legalization of Marijuana

Present arguments for the legalization of marijuana, addressing its potential benefits for medical use, tax revenue, and reducing criminal activity associated with prohibition.

23. The Impact of Plastic Pollution

Raise awareness about the detrimental effects of plastic pollution on the environment and advocate for reducing plastic consumption and promoting sustainable alternatives.

24. Immigration Policies

Discuss the importance of fair and compassionate immigration policies, addressing issues of human rights, economic contributions, and cultural diversity.

25. Mental Health Stigma

Address the stigma surrounding mental health, educate others about the realities of mental health disorders, and advocate for increased awareness, acceptance, and support for individuals facing mental health challenges.

26. Affordable Housing Crisis

Discuss the issue of affordable housing shortage in many communities, explore the impact on individuals and families, and advocate for policies to address this pressing problem and provide affordable housing options.

27. The Benefits of Early Childhood Education

Present arguments for the importance of early childhood education in fostering cognitive and social development, preparing children for academic success, and narrowing the achievement gap.

28. Cybersecurity

Discuss the increasing threats in cyberspace, including hacking and identity theft, and advocate for stronger cybersecurity measures to protect personal and sensitive information.

29. Workplace Diversity

Highlight the advantages of diverse and inclusive workplaces, including increased creativity, innovation, and improved company performance, and advocate for equal opportunities for underrepresented groups.

30. School Bullying

Address the issue of bullying in schools, discuss its harmful effects on victims and the overall learning environment, and advocate for prevention programs, increased awareness, and stronger anti-bullying measures.

31. Accessible Transportation

Advocate for improved accessibility in public transportation systems, addressing the needs of individuals with disabilities and promoting inclusivity.

32. Importance of Nutrition Education

Advocate for comprehensive nutrition education in schools to combat the rise of unhealthy eating habits, obesity rates, and promote lifelong health and well-being.

33. Animal Cruelty

Raise awareness about different forms of animal cruelty, such as animal testing, factory farming, and wildlife exploitation, and advocate for stricter laws and ethical treatment of animals.

34. Renewable Energy Transition

Discuss the urgent need to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, and advocate for government support, incentives, and investment in renewable energy infrastructure.

35. Access to Clean Water

Address the global issue of clean water scarcity, its impact on communities, and advocate for sustainable water management practices and initiatives to ensure access to clean water for all.

36. Media Literacy

Advocate for the importance of media literacy education, empowering individuals to critically analyze and interpret media messages, identify misinformation, and make informed decisions.

37. Genetic Engineering

Present arguments for and against genetic engineering, discussing its potential benefits in medicine, agriculture, and ethical considerations, and advocate for responsible and regulated practices.

38. Mental Health Support in Schools

Discuss the need for increased mental health support and resources in educational institutions, addressing the prevalence of mental health disorders among students and advocating for comprehensive mental health services.

39. Sustainable Fashion

Raise awareness about the environmental and social impact of fast fashion, advocate for sustainable and ethical practices in the fashion industry, and promote conscious consumerism.

40. Artificial Intelligence Ethics

Discuss the ethical implications and potential risks of artificial intelligence, such as privacy concerns, job displacement, and bias, and advocate for responsible development and regulation of AI technologies.

41. Genetic Discrimination

Address the issue of genetic discrimination based on genetic information and advocate for policies to protect individuals from discrimination in employment, healthcare, and insurance based on their genetic profile.

42. Universal Basic Income

Present arguments for the implementation of a universal basic income, exploring its potential to alleviate poverty, promote economic stability, and address income inequality.

43. Mental Health Support in the Workplace

Advocate for increased mental health support and resources in the workplace, promoting a supportive and inclusive environment, and addressing the importance of work-life balance and employee well-being.

44. Sustainable Agriculture

Discuss the benefits of sustainable agriculture practices, such as organic farming, regenerative agriculture, and local food systems, and advocate for their widespread adoption to promote food security, environmental sustainability, and health.

• Argumentative Essay Topics
• Business Speech Topics

How to Find Persuasive Speech Topics

Here are some of the ways on how to find persuasive speech topics:

1. Brainstorming

Set aside some time to brainstorm ideas. Think about your own interests, passions, and experiences. Consider current events, social issues, and topics that you feel strongly about. Write down any ideas that come to mind, no matter how unconventional they may seem.

2. Personal Reflection

Reflect on your own experiences, challenges, and beliefs. Is there a particular issue or cause that you are passionate about? Is there a problem you’ve encountered that you would like to address? Your personal insights and experiences can often lead to unique and persuasive speech topics.

3. Research

Stay updated on current events, social issues, and emerging trends. Read news articles, opinion pieces, and research studies to gain insights into various topics. Look for controversial or thought-provoking subjects that generate different viewpoints and discussions.

4. Explore Social Issues

Consider the issues that impact society and provoke debates. Topics like climate change, gender equality, racial justice, healthcare access, and technological advancements often generate passionate discussions. Research the different perspectives and arguments surrounding these topics to find a compelling angle for your speech.

5. Audience Analysis

Understand your audience’s interests, concerns, and values. Think about what topics would resonate with them and what issues they may be interested in learning more about. Tailoring your speech to the specific needs and interests of your audience can make it more persuasive and engaging.

6. Online Resources

Explore online resources such as websites, forums, and social media platforms that discuss and debate various topics. Platforms like TED Talks, news websites, and online forums can provide inspiration and ideas for persuasive speech topics.

7. Seek Inspiration from Others

Listen to speeches or watch presentations given by renowned speakers, activists, and thought leaders. Pay attention to the topics they discuss and the way they deliver their arguments. While you should never copy someone else’s speech, these can serve as sources of inspiration and guidance.

8. Consult with Others

Engage in conversations with friends, family members, colleagues, or classmates about potential speech topics. Discuss current events, social issues, and areas of interest. Their perspectives and suggestions may help you discover new and compelling topics.

Significance of Choosing the Right Persuasive Speech Topics

Here is the significance of choosing the right persuasive speech topics

1. Audience Engagement

A well-chosen topic captures the interest and attention of your audience. When you select a topic that resonates with your listeners, they are more likely to be engaged and actively participate in the speech. This increases the effectiveness of your persuasive message and enhances the impact of your speech.

2. Personal Connection

When you choose a topic that you are passionate about or have personal experience with, your authenticity and enthusiasm shine through. This connection with the topic helps you deliver a more compelling speech and establish a stronger rapport with your audience. Your genuine passion and knowledge make your arguments more persuasive and convincing.

3. Relevance

The right topic is one that is relevant to your audience’s lives, interests, or concerns. By addressing issues that are meaningful to them, you establish a direct connection and demonstrate that you understand their perspectives. This relevance creates a sense of importance and urgency, making your speech more impactful and likely to generate positive change or action.

4. Emotional Appeal

Persuasive speeches often rely on evoking emotions to influence the audience. Choosing a topic that taps into emotions, such as empathy, compassion, or a sense of justice, can be highly effective in driving your message home. Emotionally compelling topics have the power to motivate, inspire, and create lasting impact on the listeners.

5. Credibility and Research

A well-chosen topic allows you to gather credible research and evidence to support your arguments. It ensures that you have access to reliable sources, data, and expert opinions that strengthen your persuasive message. The availability of credible information helps build your credibility as a speaker and enhances the persuasiveness of your speech.

6. Diverse Perspectives

Consider selecting topics that present multiple viewpoints and encourage critical thinking. By exploring different perspectives and addressing counterarguments , you demonstrate a fair and balanced approach. This approach not only makes your speech more credible but also encourages open-mindedness and fosters constructive dialogue among your audience.

7. Social Impact

The right persuasive speech topic has the potential to create positive social change. By addressing pressing issues, raising awareness, and advocating for specific actions or policies, you contribute to the broader discussions and movements happening in society. Your speech can inspire others to rethink their beliefs, change their behaviors, or take active steps toward a better future.

In conclusion, the significance of choosing the right persuasive speech topics cannot be overstated. It is through careful selection that we can engage our audience, establish personal connections, and create relevance. By addressing topics that resonate with our listeners, we capture their attention and foster an environment conducive to persuasion.

The impact of a well-chosen topic goes beyond mere engagement. It taps into emotions, evokes empathy, and drives action. When we speak passionately about subjects that hold personal meaning for us, our authenticity shines through, making our arguments more compelling and persuasive.

Furthermore, selecting the right topic allows us to gather credible research and evidence, bolstering our credibility and enhancing the strength of our message. It also opens the door to exploring diverse perspectives, encouraging critical thinking and constructive dialogue among our audience.

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10.10: Persuasive Speech Examples

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• Page ID 147589

• Lisa Coleman, Thomas King, & William Turner
• Southwest Tennessee Community College

Example Outlines

Sample cause/effect persuasive speech.

Specific Purpose: To persuade my classmates to eliminate their Facebook use.

Introduction

Attention-Getter: There she was late into the night still wide awake staring at her phone’s screen. In fact, she had to be at work early in the morning but scrolling through her Facebook account kept her awake.

Reveal Topic: That girl was me before I deactivated my Facebook account. I honestly could not tell you how many hours I spent on Facebook. In the survey that I presented to you all, one person admitted to spending “too much” time on Facebook.

Credibility: That was me in the past, I spent too much time on Facebook. Time is precious and once it is gone it does not return. So why do you spend precious time on Facebook? The time that could be spent with family, resting, or just being more productive.

Thesis/Preview: Facebook users should eliminate their usage because Facebook can negatively affect their relationships with others, their sleeping patterns and health, and their ability to focus on schoolwork.

I. Family relationships can be affected by your Facebook usage.

A. In the survey conducted in class, 11 of 15 students confessed to having ignored someone while they were speaking.

1. I found myself ignoring my children while they spoke.

2. Noticed other people doing the same thing, especially in parks and restaurants.

B. According to Lynn Postell-Zimmerman on hg.org, Facebook has become a leading cause of divorce.

C. In the United States, 1 in 5 couples mentioned Facebook as a reason for divorce in 2009.

Transition: We have discussed how Facebook usage can lead to poor relationships with people, next we will discuss how Facebook can affect your sleep patterns and health.

II. Facebook usage can negatively affect your sleep patterns and health.

A. Checking Facebook before bed.

1. In my survey 11 students said they checked their Facebook account before bed.

2. Staying on Facebook for long hours before bed.

B. Research has shown that Facebook can cause depression, anxiety, and addiction.

1. According to researchers Steels, Wickham, and Acitelli in an article in the Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology titled “Seeing everyone else’s highlight reels: How Facebook usage is linked to depressive symptoms,” because Facebook users only view the positive of their friend’s life, they become unhappy with their life, and it can lead to becoming depressed and unhappy.

2. Marissa Maldonado on psychcentral.com, concluded from recent studies that, “Facebook increases people’s anxiety levels by making them feel inadequate and generating excess worry and stress.”

3. Facebook addiction is a serious issue, according to the article “Too much Facebook leads to anger and depression” found on cnn.com and written by Cara Reedy.

a. Checking Facebook everywhere we go is a sign of addiction

b. Not being able to deactivate your Facebook account.

Transitions: Many of you have probably never thought of Facebook as a threat to your health, but we will now review how it can affect you as a college student.

III. Facebook negatively affects students.

A. I often found myself on Facebook instead of doing schoolwork.

B. I was constantly checking Facebook which takes away from study time.

C. I also found myself checking Facebook while in class, which can lead to poor grades and getting in trouble with the professor.

D. A study of over 1,800 college students showed a negative relationship between the amount of Facebook time and GPA, as reported by Junco in a 2012 article titled, “Too much face and not enough books” from the journal Computers and Human Behavior.

I. In conclusion, next time you log on to Facebook try deactivating your account for a few days and see the difference. You will soon see how it can bring positive changes in your family relationships, will avoid future health problems, will help you sleep better, and will improve your school performance.

II. Instead of communicating through Facebook try visiting or calling your close friends. Deactivating my account truly helped me, and I can assure you we all can survive without Facebook.

Works Cited

Junco, R. (2012). Too much face and not enough books: The relationship between multiple indices of Facebook use and academic performance. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(1), 187-198.

Maldonado, M. (2014). The anxiety of Facebook. Psych Central. Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/lib/the-anxiety-of-facebook/

Postell-Zimmerman, L. (1995-2015). Facebook has become a leading cause in divorce cases. HG.org. Retrieved from http://www.hg.org/article.asp?id=27803

Reedy, C. (2015, March 2). Too much Facebook leads to envy and depression. CNNMoney. Retrieved from http://money.cnn.com/2015/03/02/ technology/facebook-envy/

Steers, M. L. N., Wickham, R. E., & Acitelli, L. K. (2014). Seeing everyone else’s highlight reels: How Facebook usage is linked to depressive symptoms. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 33(8), 701-731. DOI: 10.1521/jscp.2014.33.8.701

Sample Problem/Solution Persuasive Speech

Topic: Antibacterial Chemicals

Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience that the use of antibacterial chemicals in household products is creating health and environmental problems.

Central Idea or Thesis: After looking at the problems created by antibacterial products, we’ll explore some solutions.

I. (Attention Grabber) In the film The Boy in the Plastic Bubble , a boy born with a deficient immune system is forced to live in a germ-free environment to prevent him from contracting infections. His room is sealed against bacteria and viruses, his food is specially prepared, and his only human contact comes in the form of gloved hands.

II. (Reveal Topic) Today millions of Americans are trying to build a bubble around themselves and their families to keep out germs. The bubble is not made of plastic, however, but millions of dollars' worth of antibacterial hand wipes, soaps, and sponges.

III. (Credibility) Before I studied antibacterial products in my public health class, I always used antibacterial hand soaps and antibacterial all-surface cleaner for my apartment. I also know from my class survey that 70 percent of you use antibacterial soaps, cleaners, and other products. But after learning about the subject in class and reading research studies for this speech, I’m here to tell you that, try as we might, we cannot build a bubble between ourselves and germs with antibacterial products and that these products actually create more problems than they solve.

IV. (Thesis) After looking at the problems created by antibacterial products, we’ll explore some solutions.

I. The use of antibacterial chemicals in household products is a serious problem.

A. The place to begin is by noting that antibacterial products are popping up just about everywhere.

1. The next time you go to the store, try to find a liquid soap that is not antibacterial.

a. According to the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics, 75 percent of all liquid soaps and 33 percent of all bar soaps are antibacterial.

b. In fact, there are more than 1,000 antibacterial household products on the market.

2. In addition to all the soaps and cleaning products, there are also antibacterial cotton swabs, tons of antibacterial shampoos, and this antibacterial cutting board from Williams Sonoma.

a. You can even get antibacterial socks, mouthwash, toothpaste, and, to protect you while away from home, this travel toothbrush with antibacterial bristles.

3. The Boston Globe reports that larger items such as mattresses, countertops, high chairs, and even children’s toys have been coated with antibacterial chemicals.

4. The New York Times calls the antibacterial craze, “the biggest marketing coup since bottled water.”

B. There’s no doubt that antibacterial products are popular with consumers, but there is a great deal of doubt about whether they’re effective in stopping the spread of germs.

1. Elaine Larson, associate dean of the Columbia University School of Nursing, studied 238 families who used antibacterial products and found that they were just as likely to get fevers, sore throats, coughs, rashes, and stomach problems as families who used regular products.

2. Larson’s findings are echoed by Eric Kupferberg, associate director of the Harvard School for Public Health, who states: “Antimicrobial products don’t significantly eliminate the number of germs you encounter on a daily basis.”

3. Nor do antibacterial products prevent the transmission of diseases such as colds and flus.

a. Why? Because these illnesses come from viruses, not from bacteria. Antibacterial products don’t kill viruses.

b. As Dr. Larson explains, “Most of the infections healthy people get are colds, flu, and diarrhea caused by viruses”—none of which can be prevented by the use of antibacterial products.

4. Not only do antibacterial products fail to deliver what they promise, but they actually increase your chances of getting sick.

a. According to Stuart Levy, a professor of microbiology and medicine at Tufts University, excessive use of antibacterial products in the home can make children more likely to develop allergies and asthma.

b. In addition, people who use antibacterial products may become more susceptible to infections.

5. Dr. James Chin, a research scientist in New South Wales, Australia, says: “The way we stay healthy is by low-dose exposure to bacteria and viruses.

a. You need to exercise your immune system in the same way you need to exercise your muscles to be fit.

b. If you don’t do that, your immune system doesn’t have a chance to do battle when it engages with an infection.”

6. The problems caused by antibacterial products are so serious that Dr. Myron Genel, chairman of the American Medical Association’s council on scientific affairs, fears one result may be the creation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria “that are largely untreatable because they are resistant to existing drugs.”

C. And that’s not all. Besides being ineffective at preventing diseases and being potentially dangerous to our health, antibacterial household products also appear to harm the environment.

1. Rolf Halden of Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health reports that each year the United States releases into the water supply more than 2 million pounds of the active chemicals in antibacterial soaps.

a. The U.S. Geological Survey reports that chemicals from antibacterial products are winding up in streams and groundwater from the Denver area to remote locations in the Rocky Mountains.

b. These chemicals are known to pollute the water supply, disrupt fish reproduction and growth, and because they do not decompose quickly, remain active for years and years.

Transition: Now that we’ve seen the seriousness of the problem, let’s look at some solutions.

II. Solving these problems requires a combination of government and consumer action.

A. First, we need federal legislation regulating the use of household antibacterial products.

1. Just as the Food and Drug Administration has regulations controlling the use of antibiotics, so, too, should it institute regulations controlling the use of antibacterial products.

2. We don’t let people purchase antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription, and there’s no reason we should allow makers of soap, tissues, hand wipes, toothbrushes, and other products to add powerful antibacterial agents without oversight from the Food and Drug Administration.

3. Given the problems being caused by these products, it is time for the federal government to take action.

B. Second, we all need to take action as consumers.

1. Most obviously, we need to stop buying these products.

2. The best way to avoid germs, says the Centers for Disease Control, is to wash your hands for 10 to 15 seconds with plain soap and water.

a. In fact, a study at the University of North Carolina found that washing your hands with soap and water is more effective at getting rid of germs than using antibacterial hand wipes.

b. Emily Sickbert-Bennett, a public epidemiologist and co-author of the study, explains that when you use soap and water, the germs go down the drain, but with waterless antibacterial hand wipes, “you never rinse your hands. You are just rubbing a chemical into your hand and letting it dry.”

I. In conclusion, Americans spend millions of dollars every year on products that promise to “kill germs on contact.” But as we have seen today, the antibacterial craze is a marketing coup rather than a proven way of stopping either the spread of germs or the incidence of colds, flu, and other virus-borne illnesses. Worse, these products appear to contribute to health problems, and they are creating environmental problems in the U.S. water supply. The federal government should start regulating these products and we, as consumers, should stop throwing our money away on them.

II. We need to resist the false notion that we can use these products to create a bubble around ourselves to keep out germs and diseases. Instead, we can burst the bubble of marketers who are selling us a false bill of goods, and then we can thoroughly wash our hands of the whole mess.

Nelson, Kathleen. “To Kill Germs, It’s Simple: Wash Your Hands.” The Boston Globe 4

Nov. 2003, 3 rd Ed.: C3.

Roach, Mary. “Germs, Germs Everywhere. Are You Worried? Get Over It.” The New

York Times 9 Nov. 2004, Final Ed.: F1, pg. 6

Sickbert-Bennett, Emily, David J. Weber, Maria F. Gergen-Teague, Mark D. Sobsey,

Gregory P. Samsa, and William A. Rutala. “Comparative efficacy of hand hygiene agents in the reduction of bacteria and viruses.” American Journal of Infection Control 33(2) (2005):67-77.

Underwood, Anne. “The Real Dirt on Antibacterial Soaps.” Newsweek v. 140 no. 19

(November 4 2002): 53.

Sample Monroe's Motivated Sequence Persuasive Speech

Topic: Sponsoring a Child in Poverty

Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience to sponsor a child through an agency such as Compassion International.

Introduction (Attention Step)

I. Attention-Grabber: How much is $38? That answer depends on what you make, what you are spending it for, and what you get back for it.

II. Reveal Topic: $38 per month breaks down to a little more than $1.25 per day, which is probably what you spend on a snack or soda in the break room. For us, it’s not very much.

III. Credibility: I found out that I can provide better health care, nutrition, and even education for a child in Africa, South America, or Asia for $38 per month by sponsoring a child through Compassion International. If I can do it, maybe you can too.

IV. Thesis/Preview: Through a minimal donation each month, you can make the life of a child in the developing world much better. In the next few minutes, I would like to discuss the problem, the work of organizations that offer child sponsorships, how research shows they really do alleviate poverty, and what you can do to change the life of a child. Body

I. (Need Step) The problem is the continued existence and effects of poverty.

A. Poverty is real and rampant in much of the world.

1. According to a 2018 report by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, 9.2% of the world lives on less than $1.90 per day.

a. That is 600 million people on the planet.

2. This number is supported by the World Poverty Clock of the World Data Lab, which states that 8% of the world’s population lives in extreme poverty.

a. The good news is that this number is one-third of what it was in 1990, mostly due to the rising middle class in Asia.

b. The bad news is that 70% of the poor will live in Africa, with Nigeria labeled the “Poverty Capital of the World,” according to the Brookings Institute.

B. Poverty means children do not get adequate health care.

1. One prevalent but avoidable disease is malaria, which takes the lives of three thousand children every day, according to UNICEF.

2. According to the World Health Organization, diarrheal diseases claimed 2.46 million lives in 2012 and is the second leading cause of death of children under 5.

C. Poverty means children do not get adequate nutrition, as stated in a report from UNICEF.

1. Inadequate nutrition leads to stunted growth.

2. Undernutrition contributes to more than one-third of all deaths in children under the age of five.

D. Poverty means children are unlikely to reach adult age, according to the CIA World Fact Book quoted on the Infoplease website.

1. Child mortality rate in Africa is 8.04% (percentage dying before age 5), while in North America, it is .64%

2. Life expectancy in Sub-Saharan Africa is almost 30 years less than in the U.S.

E. Poverty also means children are unlikely to receive education and be trained for profitable work.

1. Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names, states the Global Issues website on Poverty Facts.

2. UNESCO, a part of the United Nations, reports that less than a third of adults in Sub-Saharan Africa have completed primary education.

Transition: Although in all respects poverty is better in 2019 than it has been in the past, poverty is still pervasive and needs to be addressed. Fortunately, some great organizations have been addressing this for many years.

II. (Satisfaction Step) Some humanitarian organizations address poverty directly through child sponsorships.

A. These organizations vary in background, but not in purpose. The following information is gleaned from each organization’s website.

1. Compassion International is faith-based, evangelical.

a. Around since the early 1950's, started in Korea.

b. Budget of $887 Million.

c. Serves 1.92 million babies, children, and young adults.

d. Works through local community centers and established churches.

2. World Vision is faith-based, and evangelical.

a. Around since the 1950's.

b. Budget of far over $1 Billion.

c. 60% goes to local community programs but more goes to global networks, so that 86% goes to services.

d. World Vision has more extensive services than child sponsorship, such as water purification and disaster relief.

e. Sponsors three million children across six continents

3. Children International is secular.

a. Around since 1936.

b. Budget of $125 Million.

c. 88% of income goes directly to programs and children.

d. Sponsors children in ten countries on four continents

e. Sponsors X across X continents

4. Save the Children is secular, through…

a. One hundred years of history, began in post WWI Europe.

b. Budget of $880 Million.

c. 87% goes to services.

d. Sponsors 134 million children in 120 countries, including 450,000 in U.S.

5. There are other similar organizations, such as ChildFund and PlanUSA.

B. These organizations work directly with local community, on-site organizations.

1. The children are involved in a program, such as after school.

2. The children live with their parents and siblings.

3. The sponsor’s donation goes for medicine, extra healthy, nutritious food, shoes for school, and other items.

4. Sponsors can also help donate for birthdays and holidays to the whole family to buy food or farm animals.

Transition: Of course, any time we are donating money to an organization, we want to be sure our money is being effectively and ethnically used.

III. (Visualization Step) This concern should be addressed in two ways: Is the money really helping, and are the organizations honest?

A. The organizations’ honesty can be investigated.

1. You can check through Charity Navigator.

2. You can check through the Better Business Bureau-Charity.

3. You can check through Charity Watch.

4. You can check through the organizations’ websites.

B. Secondly, is sponsoring a child effective? Yes.

1. According to Bruce Wydick, Professor of Economics at the University of San Francisco, child sponsorship is the fourth most effective strategy for addressing poverty, behind water purification, mosquito nets, and deworming treatments.

2. Dr. Wydick and colleagues’ work has been published in the prestigious Journal of Political Economy from the University of Chicago.

3. He states, “Two researchers and I recently carried out a study (sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development) on the long-term impacts of Compassion International’s child sponsorship program. The study, gathering data from over 10,000 individuals in six countries, found substantial impact on adult life outcomes for children who were sponsored through Compassion’s program during the 1980s and ’90s…In adulthood, formerly sponsored children were far more likely to complete secondary school and had a much higher chance of having a white-collar job. They married and had children later in life, were more likely to be church and community leaders, were less likely to live in a home with a dirt floor and more likely to live in a home with electricity.”

C. To this point I have spoke of global problems and big solutions. Now I want to bring it down to real life with one example. I’d like to use my sponsored child, Ukwishaka in Rwanda, as an example of how you can.

1. I have sponsored her for five years.

2. She is now ten years old.

3. She lives with two siblings and both parents.

4. She writes me, I write her back, and we share photos at least every two months.

5. The organization gives me reports on her project.

6. I hope one day to go visit her.

7. I believe Ukwishaka now knows her life can be more, can be successful.

Transition: We have looked at the problem of childhood poverty and how reliable, stable nongovernmental organizations are addressing it through child sponsorships. Where does that leave you?

IV. (Action Step) I challenge you to sponsor a child like Ukwishaka.

A. Although I sponsor her through Compassion International, there are other organizations.

B. First, do research.

C. Second, look at your budget and be sure you can do this.

1. You don’t want to start and have to stop.

2. Look for places you “waste” money during the month and could use it this way.

3. Fewer snacks from the break room, fewer movies at the Cineplex, brown bag instead of eating out.

D. Talk to a representative at the organization you like.

E. Discuss it with your family.

F. Take the plunge. If you do.

1. Write your child regularly.

2. Consider helping the family, or getting friends to help with extra gifts.

I. In this speech, we have taken a look at the state of poverty for children on this planet, at organizations that are addressing it through child sponsorships, at the effectiveness of these programs, and what you can do. My goal today was not to get an emotional response, but a realistically compassionate one.

II. You have probably heard this story before but it bears repeating. A little girl was walking with her mother on the beach, and the sand was covered with starfish. The little girl wanted to rescue them and send them back to the ocean and kept throwing them in. “It won’t matter, Honey,” said her mother. “You can’t get all of them back in the ocean.” “But it will matter to the ones that I do throw back,” the little girl answered. We can’t sponsor every child, but we can one, maybe even two. As Forest Witcraft said, “What will matter in 100 years is that I made a difference in the life of a child.” Will you make a difference?

AGScientific. (2019). Top ten deadly diseases in the world. Retrieved from http://agscientific.com/blog/2016/04/top-10-deadly-diseases/

Compassion International. (2019). Financial integrity: The impact of our compassion. Retrieved from https://www.compassion.com/about/financial.htm

Children’s International. (2019). Accountability. Retrieved from https://www.children.org/learn-more/accountability

Global Issues. (2013, January 7 ). Poverty facts and stats. Retrieved from https://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stat s

Infoplease. (2019). What life expectancy really means. Retrieved form https://www.infoplease.com/world/health-and-social-statistics/life-expectancy-countries-0

Kharas, H., Hamel, K., & Hofer, M. (2018, Dec. 13). Rethinking global poverty reduction in 2019. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/blog/future-development/2018/12/13/rethinking-global-poverty-reduction-in-2019/

Roser, M. (2019). Child and infant mortality rates. Retrieved from https:// ourworldindata.org/child-mortality

Save the Children. (2019). Financial information. Retrieved from https://www.savethechildren.org/us/a...al-information UNICEF.(2008).

Tracking progress on child and maternal nutrition: A survival and development priority. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/media/files/Tracking_Progress_on_Child_and_Maternal_Nutrition_EN_110309.pdf UNICEF 2019.

The reality of Malaria. Retrieved from https://www.unicef . org/health/files/health_africamalaria.pdf United Nations. (2019). Poverty eradication. Retrieved from https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics/povertyeradication

World Vision. (2019). Financial accountability. Retrieved from https:// www.worldvision.org/about-us/financial-accountability-2 Wydick, B., Glewwe, P., & Rutledge, L. (2013).

Does international child sponsorship work? A six-country study of impacts on adult life outcomes. Journal of Political Economy, 121(2), 393–436. https://doi . org/10.1086/670138 Wydick, B. (2012, Feb.).

Cost-effective compassion. Christianity Today, 56(2), 24-29. Wydick, B. (2013). Want to change the world? Sponsor a child. Christianity Today, 57(5), 20–27.

Elementary Student Council Speech Ideas

Grade 9 Speech Topics

Running for elementary school student council can be an apprehensive activity for young children. They may be nervous speaking in front of their classmates and unsure of what tasks the role of a student council member includes. Students running for council will be required at some time to make a speech to the other students that details what the speaker will do for the other students or why they are the best choice for the position. Most student council speeches follow similar themes and include similar sections.

Speaker Qualities

Many student council speeches are written around the qualities the speaker feels sets them apart from other candidates. The speech might list popularity, intelligence, dedication or the ability to do certain things. The speech should start with an introduction and a summary of what the speaker feels they can accomplish as a student council member. The speech should not sound like bragging and should offer evidence to support what it says.

Leadership Abilities

Some student council candidates focus on their abilities to be leaders. They may point out their extracurricular activities such as scouts organizations or church groups where they may take a leadership role. They may speak about what their leadership might accomplish for their voters by pointing out issues that are important to their classmates, and how the speaker can try to address them.

Issues Addressed

For older elementary students, speeches may focus on particular issues that are important to the student body as a whole. These issues may include curriculum choices or activities that the students would like to see implemented. The issues may be on cafeteria food or certain school rules. The speaker may make a speech about a plan to reasonably address the situations by providing a voice for the voters.

What Not to Say

Within the speech, there are negative topics to avoid. The candidate shouldn't attack other students that are running for the same office or other offices. Focusing on their own positive qualities and ideas for the office is a better way to present themselves in their speech. Additionally, the candidate shouldn't make outlandish promises in their speech that are undeliverable.

Overall Speech Themes

Many speeches blend other types of speeches into one. They may focus on the qualities that the candidate feels she possesses, her leadership potential and how she may resolve problems or issues the students feel they face. She may speak about ideals the students want to see achieved such as a reduction in bullying or how she can lobby for longer recess breaks or more time in the lunchroom.

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Georgia Dennis has been writing since 1995, specializing in the areas of education, behavioral sciences, canine behaviors, human resources and language development. Her work has been published in literary journals, magazines and in print. She is also suspense novelist. Dennis is pursuing her Bachelor of General Studies, with an emphasis in writing and psychology, from Indiana University.

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Student Speech Examples

This section provides examples of student outlines and speeches.  Use these to help inform your choices as you begin formatting your informative, persuasive, and/or commemorative speeches.

Fundamentals of Public Speaking Copyright © by Katie Gruber is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Persuasive Speech Examples: Taking A Stand In Speech

Persuasive speeches have been used throughout history to shape public opinion and shape behavior, and examples abound. Persuasive speech examples include virtually any topic – voting, racism, school uniforms, safety, organ donation, recycling, and so on.

From a teenager asking his parents to go out with friends to an aspiring politician convincing voters to choose him, many people use a persuasive speech to convince their audience members to do something. A successful persuasive speech entails getting someone to take action and be swayed to the speaker’s side.

Table of Contents

What Is A Persuasive Speech?

While an informative speech aims to enlighten the audience about a particular subject, a persuasive speech aims to influence the audience — and convince them to accept a particular point of view. 

The central idea is to persuade, whether discussing a persuasive essay or ‌public speaking. This form of communication is a call to action for people to believe in and take action upon something.

Throughout history, persuasive speech ideas and their communicators have played a vital role in driving change, whether on a personal, community, societal, national, or even global level. 

We’ve seen leaders and important figures sway public opinions and spark movements. Persuasive speech has been there to raise awareness about a specific issue (e.g., labor rights, gender equality). People have been using such speeches to establish authority, negotiate, and, ultimately, urge the audience to join their side.

What Are Some Examples Of A Persuasive Speech Topic?

There’s a wide range of good persuasive speech topics . To give you an idea, here’s a list of persuasive speech topics:

• Social media is taking a toll on young people’s mental health
• Cell phones and too much screen time are making people lazier
• Violent video games make people more aggressive
• Why authorities must ban fast food for children
• Schools and workplaces should take more action to curb obesity rates
• Why public schools are better than private ones
• College athletes should undergo steroid tests
• There’s more to high school and college students than their GPAs
• Should award-giving bodies rely on the popular vote or the judges’ vote?
• There’s a need to regulate the use of painkillers more heavily
• Cloning must not be legalized
• More government budget should be allocated to health care
• Why businesses must invest in renewable energy
• Should military units be allowed to use drones in warfare?
• How freedom of religion is affecting society
• Libraries are becoming obsolete: A step-by-step guide on keeping them alive
• Should euthanasia be allowed in hospitals, clinical settings, and zoos?
• Developing countries must increase their minimum wage
• Global warming is getting more intense
• The death penalty must be abolished

What Is An Example Of How Start Of A Persuasive Speech?

Persuasion is an art. And when you’re given the chance to make a persuasive speech, one of the first things you must do is to settle down with a thesis statement. Then, you must identify at least two main points, pre-empt counterarguments, and organize your thoughts with a ‌persuasive speech outline.

Remember that your opening (and closing) statements should be strong. Right at the start, you must captivate your audience’s attention. You can give an impactful factual statement or pose a question that challenges conventional views. 

The success of a speech doesn’t only end with writing a persuasive one. You must also deliver it with impact. This means maintaining eye contact, keeping your posture open, and using a clear voice and an appropriate facial expression.

What Are The 3 Points To Persuasive Speech?

There are three pillars of a persuasive speech. First is ethos, which taps into the audience’s ethical beliefs. To convince them and establish your credibility, you must resonate with the morals they uphold. 

The second one is pathos, which refers to the emotional appeal of your narrative. One approach is to share an anecdote that your audience can relate to. To effectively appeal to your audience’s emotions, you must also use language, tone, diction, and images to paint a better picture of your main point.

On other other hand, logos appeals to logic. This is why it’s important to pepper your speech with facts.

How Are Persuasive Speeches Used?

You may know persuasive speeches as those stirring speeches delivered by politicians and civil rights and business leaders. In reality, you yourself could be using it in everyday life.

There are different types of persuasive speeches. While some mobilize bigger movements, others only persuade a smaller audience or even just one person.

You can use it in a personal context . For example, you’re convincing your parent to extend your curfew or eat at a certain restaurant. In grander ways, you can also use it to advocate for social and political movements. If you’re in business, marketing, or sales, you can use persuasive speech to promote your brand and convince others to buy your product or service. 

For example, a teen might try to persuade a parent to let them stay out beyond curfew, while a civil rights leader might use persuasion to encourage listeners to fight racism.

No matter the context of your speech, an effective persuasive speech can compel someone or a group of people to adopt a viewpoint, take a particular action, and change a behavior or belief.

What Are Persuasive Speech Examples?

This AI-created speech about walking shows how a persuasive speech is laid out, using Monroe’s Motivated Sequence (i.e., attention, need, satisfaction, visualization, and call to action) to convey the message that walking can overcome the risks of modern life

The introduction sets up the speech:

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

Unfortunately, lack of exercise leads to health problems. Walking can overcome the effects of lack of exercise, lethargy, and poor diet. The body of the speech delves into this concept in detail and then concludes with a call to the audience to walk more.

AI pick up the pattern that many living persons have perfected over the year.

Maya Angelou, an American poet and civil rights activist, delivered this compelling poem as a persuasive speech . The performance concludes with this inspiring message about overcoming hardship and discrimination: “Leaving behind nights of terror and fear, I rise/ Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear, I rise/ Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave/ I am the dream and the hope of the slave/ I rise, I rise, I rise.” 

What Are Some Historical Examples Of Persuasive Speech?

Maya Angelou is just one of the important figures who have delivered powerful speeches etched in history. These individuals have risen and relayed impactful messages, championing advocacies that would resonate with people during their time — and beyond.

Below are more moving examples of a persuasive speech:

The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln

Context: In November 1863, during the American Civil War, US President Abraham Lincoln delivered this speech in commemoration of the dedication of the Gettysburg National Ceremony (also known as the Soldiers’ National Ceremony).

Snippet: “Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We come to dedicate a portion of it as a final resting place for those who died here, that the nation might live. This we may, in all propriety, do. 

“ But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow, this ground, The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have hallowed it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here; while it can never forget what they did here. 

“ It is rather for us, the living, we here be dedicated to the great task remaining before us that, from these honored dead, we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here, gave the last full measure of devotion that we here highly resolve these dead shall not have died in vain; that the nation, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

The Finest Hour by Winston Churchill

Context: In his nearly 40-minute long speech in June 1940, over a month since Winston Churchill became the British Prime Minister, he sparked hope that they could win the impending Battle of Britain during the Second World War. 

Snippet: “What General Weygand called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization. Upon it depends our own British life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war. 

If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free, and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us, therefore, brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘This was their finest hour.’”

I Have a Dream by Mary Wollstonecraft

Context: In her 1792 speech, the British writer and women’s rights advocate shared her dream — that a day will come when women will be treated as rational human beings.

Snippet: “These may be termed utopian dreams. – Thanks to that Being who impressed them on my soul, and gave me sufficient strength of mind to dare to exert my own reason, till, becoming dependent only on him for the support of my virtue, I view, with indignation, the mistaken notions that enslave my sex. 

“ I love man as my fellow; but his scepter, real or usurped, extends not to me unless the reason of an individual demands my homage; and even then, the submission is to reason and not to man. In fact, the conduct of an accountable being must be regulated by the operations of its own reason; or on what foundation rests the throne of God?”

These snippets of their persuasive speech capture the very essence of this form of communication: to convince the audience through compelling and valid reasoning, evoking their feelings and moral principles, and motivating them to act and join a movement, big or small. 

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