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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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Humanities ›

40 Writing Topics for Argumentative and Persuasive Essays

Writing Essays
Writing Research Papers
English Grammar
Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
B.A., English, State University of New York

Any of the 40 statements or positions below may be either defended or attacked in an argumentative essay or speech .

Selecting a Position

In choosing something to write about, keep in mind Kurt Vonnegut's advice: "Find a subject you care about and which you in your heart feel others should care about." But be sure to rely on your head as well as your heart: select a topic that you know something about, either from your own experience or from that of others. Your instructor should let you know whether formal research is encouraged or even required for this assignment.

Because many of these issues are complex and wide-ranging, you should be prepared to narrow your topic and focus your approach. Selecting a position is only the first step, and you must learn to prepare and develop your position persuasively . At the end of the following list, you'll find links to a number of argumentative paragraphs and essays .

40 Topic Suggestions: Argument and Persuasion

Dieting makes people fat.
Romantic love is a poor basis for marriage.
The war on terror has contributed to the growing abuse of human rights.
High school graduates should take a year off before entering college.
All citizens should be required by law to vote.
All forms of government-funded welfare should be abolished.
Both parents should assume equal responsibility in raising a child.
Americans should have more holidays and longer vacations.
Participating in team sports helps to develop good character.
The production and sale of cigarettes should be made illegal.
People have become overly dependent on technology.
Censorship is sometimes justified.
Privacy is not the most important right.
Drunk drivers should be imprisoned for the first offense.
The lost art of letter-writing deserves to be revived.
Government and military personnel should have the right to strike.
Most study-abroad programs should be renamed "party abroad": they are a waste of time and money
The continuing decline of CD sales along with the rapid growth of music downloads signals a new era of innovation in popular music.
College students should have complete freedom to choose their own courses.
The solution to the impending crisis in Social Security is the immediate elimination of this government program.
The primary mission of colleges and universities should be preparing students for the workforce.
Financial incentives should be offered to high school students who perform well on standardized tests.
All students in high school and college should be required to take at least two years of a foreign language.
College students in the U.S. should be offered financial incentives to graduate in three years rather than four.
College athletes should be exempted from regular class-attendance policies.
To encourage healthy eating, higher taxes should be imposed on soft drinks and junk food.
Students should not be required to take physical education courses.
To conserve fuel and save lives, the 55 miles-per-hour national speed limit should be restored.
All citizens under the age of 21 should be required to pass a driving education course before receiving a license to drive.
Any student caught cheating on an examination should be automatically dismissed from college.
Freshmen should not be required to purchase a meal plan from the college.
Zoos are internment camps for animals and should be shut down.
University students should not be penalized for illegally downloading music, movies, or other protected content.
Government financial aid for students should be based solely on merit.
Nontraditional students should be exempted from regular class-attendance policies.
At the end of each term, student evaluations of faculty should be posted online.
A student organization should be formed to rescue and care for the feral cats on campus.
People who contribute to Social Security should have the right to choose how their money is invested.
Professional baseball players convicted of using performance-enhancing drugs should not be considered for induction into the Hall of Fame.
Any citizen who does not have a criminal record should be permitted to carry a concealed weapon.
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