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Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

120 History Speech Topics [and Cultural Artifact Speech]

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

Information speech topics about working out history topics for verbal or essay writing. Historical figures, events, periods and movements, and timelines are very good sources for authentic talks.

Most informative public speaking speech examples aren’t easy to move to your speech class. So, use pictures, video, or slide sheets to make your point.

In this article:

History Information Speech Topics

Examples of cultural artifact speech topics, history speech.

• Different past calendars.
• Rise and fall of Carthage.
• Celtic myths and legends.
• Hieroglyphs, Rosetta Stone.
• Inca and Maya civilizations.
• The mummification process.
• Medieval knighthood orders.
• Pyramid construction theories.
• Roman Empire ruled by senators.
• The meaning of Stonehenge.

And what do you think of these famous periods and events?

• Ancient Egypt
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
• Enlightenment
• Information Age
• Mesopotamia KingdomMiddle Ages
• Nuclear Age
• Reformation
• Renaissance
• Romanticism

Research the following questions and the information speech topics will flow out of your pen while looking for answers:

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• What happened? When? How? Where?
• What was the value or impact?
• What are the major parts and facts?
• Why was this age or period important?
• Who played a major role?

How to research your information speech topics about people who played a vital role in the past? Well, check this out in bygone times-books or on the net.

Another list of history speech ideas for training public speakers and high school or college essay writing: famous historical figures and people. Tell their story, how they made the difference in their time:

• Abraham Lincoln
• Albert Einstein
• Alexander Graham
• Alexander the Great
• Alfred Nobel
• Andy Warhol
• Benjamin Franklin
• Captain James Cook
• Charles de Gaulle
• Claude Monet
• Livingstone
• Dwight Eisenhower
• Elizabeth I
• Florence Nightingale
• Galileo Galilei
• George Washington Hannibal
• Harry S Truman
• Henry Kissinger
• Isaac Newton
• Jack the Ripper
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau
• Joan of Arc
• John Maynard Keynes
• Joseph Stalin
• Julius Caesar
• King Arthur
• King Tutankhamun
• Konrad Adenauer
• Leonardo da Vinci
• Louis Pasteur
• Margaret Thatcher
• Martin Luther Martin Luther King
• Mary, Queen of Scots
• Maximilien Robespierre
• Michelangelo
• Napoleon Bonaparte
• Nelson Mandela
• Nicholas II Tsar of Russia
• Pablo Picasso
• Rameses the Great
• Richard Nixon
• Ronald Reagan
• Sigmund Freud
• Thomas Jefferson
• Vincent Van Gogh
• Vladimir Lenin
• William Shakespeare
• Winston Churchill
• Woodrow Wilson

And here are some interesting history speech topic ideas:

• Dinosaurs and how they left the face of the earth.
• The role of Jawaharlal Nehru in India’s independence.
• John F. Kennedy’s scandals and assassination.
• The importance of the Great Wall of China.
• The patterns of U.S. immigration.
• The fire at Yellowstone National Park in 1988.
• The history of immigrants in the American workforce.
• The real origin of the fortune cookie.
• The history of Native American tribes.
• The history of the use of human cadavers.
• The history of American comic books.
• The history of witchcraft.
• The history of antibiotics.
• The history of English rule in South Africa.
• How World War Two started and ended.
• The evolution of the English language.
• Gold rushes outside of California.
• The life and works of Mahatma Gandhi.
• The life and works of Mother Teresa.
• The effects of U.S. colonialism.
• The history of Valentine’s day.
• The seven wonders of the world.
• Leaders that changed the world.
• The history of fringe political parties.
• The history of early 20th century filmmaking.
• The history of the Dominican Republic.
• People who have changed the world.
• The lighthouse of Alexandria.
• The history of feminism.
• The great escape of Alcatraz.
• The history of chalk.
• The Assyrian genocide.
• The history of tobacco use.
• The black arts of 13th century.
• The history of the Selma civil rights march.
• The best accidental inventions.
• The origins of nursery rhymes.
• How the Civil War started.
• The history of Halloween.
• The industrial revolution.
• What was the poor law act?
• The origins of superstitions.
• The evolution of voting laws.
• The history of the British royal family.
• The origin of alphabets.
• The history of medicine.
• The history of nomadic people in Libya.
• How the Cold War began.
• The history of women in the military .
• Censorship throughout history.
• The history of the Great Depression.
• The life of Helen Keller.
• The heroes of World War II.
• The most famous Civil War generals.
• The origin of holidays.
• How the Columbine massacre happened.
• The history of the Supreme Court.
• The history of model trains.
• The most famous diplomats in history.
• The funniest inventions in history.
• The most famous robberies in history.
• The most famous speeches in history.
• The history of honor killings.
• The history of organized crime.
• Life during the middle ages.
• The causes of the Afghanistan war.
• The history of the national park system.
• The history of Indian culture.
• The history of labor unions.
• The history of street gangs.
• The most famous riots in history.
• The history of batteries.
• The craziest laws and their history.

Cultural Artifact Speech

Cultural artifact speech topics for those who urgently needs to build a a 3 to 5 minute reflective informative public speech based on an object in which you reveal civilizing information about its maker(s) and user(s).

What Is First a common definition to start with. A cultural artifact is:

• created by man;
• tells us something about the creator(s);
• tells us something about the people who use it;
• tells us something about the cultural background and/or historical time of its creator and users.

In advance you can present the following information about the cultural artifact speech topics of your choice:

• how it is made;
• to what means.

What Are Almost everything that you can think of could serve as idea. Not only archaeological objects, also even things from this century. As long as you are able to provide the information in the points above. Key term is:  cultural background info !

• 17th century ship cannon
• African tribal basket
• Ancient copper chisels
• Ancient Phoenician glass
• Ancient Roman military uniform
• Army uniform patches
• Australian Aboriginal didgeridoo
• Bronze Age artifacts
• Buddhist prayer flags
• Г‡atalhГ¶yГјk murals, Turkey
• Celtic bronze fibula-brooch
• Chinese New Year dragon
• City police badge
• Code of Hammurabi, California
• College student club ties
• Commemorative coffee mugs
• Confederate Civil War belt plate
• Crystal Skulls
• Eastern Orthodox Christianity icons
• Firefighter artifacts
• French Louis XVI chair
• High school flags
• Historical markers and monuments in your town
• Missouri Indian necklace
• Native American arrowheads
• Old Alaska Eskimo tools
• Participation medals, e.g. Olympic Medals and the story
• Political campaign buttons
• Salutation Royal Mail stamps
• Ships in bottles, how to make those nautical artifacts
• Shipwreck Treasure Coins
• Sioux Rawhide parfleches and storage boxes
• Sixteenth-century poison ring
• Stained glass window in church
• Stone Sculpture from Guerrero, Mexico
• Sung Dynasty jar of Chinese ceramic art
• Teotihuacan Aztec pottery in Mexico
• The Black Stone in Mecca in the wall of the Kaaba
• The ceramic mask of the head of the jackal god Anubis, Germany
• The Terracotta Armyin the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, China
• The Thiruvalluvar Statue, Tamil Nadu, India
• The vuvuzela or lepatata Mambu
• The origin of the Jack Sparrow Tricorn hat
• Ukhahlamba cave paintings, Drakensberg Park, South Africa
• Vintage golf plaques and their story
• Wooden farmer shoes people in Holland wear
• Your own stuffed teddy bear and the history of bears for kids.

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200 Interesting Historical Events to Write About [New Tips]

Have you ever wondered how multifaceted and diverse history is? It impresses us with a wide variety of interesting historical events. The mysteriousness and unpredictability make studying them even more exciting.

Nevertheless, writing a speech or an essay on history can be quite challenging for students. Since there are thousands of incidents to write about, choosing a good topic becomes incredibly difficult. Unprepared for an impressive diversity of major events in world history, you can get discouraged. Even delivering insightful information may start to seem stressful.

Fortunately, you have landed on our page! Our writing team has prepared a list of interesting events in history.

Are you looking for topics for a research project? Or maybe for a speech on National History Day? Or are you just searching for historical presentation tips? We can help you with everything! Just go to the corresponding section of the article and find useful information for you.

• Interesting Events
• National History Day
• Black History Month
• More Project Ideas
• Project Tips
• PowerPoint Ideas
• Speech Topics
• Presentation Tips
• History Questions
• 30 More Things

🔥 10 Interesting Historical Events

• The Chernobyl Disaster – 1986.
• Cold War – 1947-1991.
• The Black Plague – 1347-1348.
• The French Revolution – 1789-1799.
• DNA Discovery – 1869.
• Revolution in America – 1775-1783.
• The First Flight – 1903.
• The Vietnam War – 1955-1975.
• Salem Witch Trials – 1692-1693.
• Wall Street Market Crash – 1929.

🤗 Interesting History Project Ideas

An assignment of preparing a history project can provoke diverse emotions. One student can be extremely enthusiastic about the task. For another person, the history project can become a real trial.

The project preparation includes an impressive number of challenges. However, the main requirement for an outstanding history project is a fascinating topic.

Our team developed a list of interesting topics for a history project. So, do not waste your time on the topic search. Take a look at our ideas and chose the one you find the most insightful. If this information isn’t enough, you’re always welcome to check out a free essay database and get even more topics to discuss.

📅 Topics for National History Day

• American Revolutionary War.
• Great awakening’ history.
• History of Soviet Union.
• The Canadian Indians History: the White Paper 1969 .
• The development of women’s rights.
• Southeast Asia history: Chinese imperial expansion.
• Belize and Mexico history: people and civilizations.
• Liberty! The American Revolution.
• Christianity and Asceticism in the history of religion.
• Women’s status after the American Revolution.
• The consequences of interaction in cultures and civilizations.
• Abraham Lincoln’s thoughts in American history.
• The British mandates history: Jewish and Palestinian relations.
• Role of the civilian population in World War I.
• The Industrial Revolution and beyond: culture, work, and social change.

• World history: Enlightenment in society
• Concept of imperial powers in history.
• The major causes of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States.
• History of Hitler’s Nazi propaganda.
• History of Russian Revolution in 1917.
• The Dark Ages as the Golden Ages of European history.
• Picasso and his paintings in modern world history.
• A social and political history of the United States.
• European colonization impacts on the native American population.
• Principles of liberalism and its connection to Enlightenment and conservatism.
• Japanese occupation in Philipines. Analyze the background of this event. How did World War II affect the occupation? Indicate the leaders of both parties. Analyze the consequences of Japanese occupation in Philipines for both countries.
• Pythagoras and his theorem in math.
• Mendeleev and his periodic table in chemistry.
• Einstein and his theories in physics.
• Martin Luther King as the most outstanding historical figure of USA history. Briefly introduce his biography. Why his speech I Have a Dream is so widely-discussed up till nowadays? Comment on Martin Luther King’s impact on the USA development.
• World War I and World War II. Compare and contrast the two world wars. What were the outcomes of both conflicts? In your opinion, during which war the military development was more effective?
• The mysterious origins of the USA flag. Did Americans have their flag during the American Revolution of 1775? Elaborate on that do the colors and the figures on the flag mean. When did the flag become an official symbol of America?

🖤 Topics for Black History Month

• Racism and segregation in American history.
• Reconsidering the history: Holocaust denial. The XXI century prospects.
• How useful is the term ‘fascism’ when applied generically to describe the far-right in interwar Europe?
• Rosa Parks: biography and influences.
• Blacks’ role in abolishing slavery.
• The Holocaust and Nazi Germany.
• Genocide in Rwanda: insiders and outsiders.
• Role African American women in the civil right movement.
• The propaganda of Adolf Hitler and Jim Jones .
• The rise of fascism.

• Warfare and violence in ancient times .
• Suffering in the ancient Roman and Greek periods.
• Why did Europe undergo such a bloody and destructive period from 1914-1945?
• Holocaust history, its definition, and causes .
• German concentration camps and Japanese-American internment camps. Compare and contrast the conditions and distinctive features of German concentration camps and Japanese-American internment camps.
• Tortures in the ancient world. What were the forms of torture?Analyze the tortures in different parts of the world. Give your own opinion: are there any positive sides of tortures implementation?
• The Armenian genocide of 1915. Elaborate on the sequence of the events. What were the reasons for the genocide? Comment on the outcomes of this dark event.
• The dark side of World War II. Comment on the human losses during World War II. Elaborate on the horror of being in captivity.
• The horror of concentration camps . Analyze psychology as the tool of people’s extirpation. How did the torment was killing people? What was the reason for creating concentration camps?
• Terror during the Soviet Union’s existence. Are there any social studies that examine this issue? Comment on the ways terror was implemented. What were the reasons for terroristic actions? Analyze the opposition of terror. Elaborate on the outcomes.

📝 Other Historical Project Ideas

• Greek city-states – ancient civilizations.
• Islam and Christianity impacts on the medieval word.
• Comparisons of early Greek and early Roman cultures.
• Arts of China: tomb of Liu Sheng and Dou Wan Jade suits.
• The collapse of the greatest ancient civilizations: the Maya, the Aztec, and the Inca civilizations.
• Art history: female figures in Ancient Greek sculpture.
• Historical and theological context of Byzantine Iconoclasm.
• The history of Egypt and the Fertile Crescent.
• Concepts of the rise and fall of the Babylonian and Egyptian empires.
• Ancient civilizations: the Maya Empire.

• Weapon development in early European civilizations.
• History of Celtic Christianity.
• Greek and Roman art on the campus.
• The first civilizations of North America.
• The Western Roman Empire: the significance of its collapse.
• The Agricultural Revolution: from the Neolithic Age to a New Era of agricultural growth.
• Rome in the Middle Ages and cultural transformation.
• The Stone Age period and its evolution.
• Civil Rights History .
• History of empires in the past and modern world.
• The comparison of Roman and Mongol empires.
• Military equipment and the technology of China in the Early Modern world.
• Ancient history: the Great Pyramid of Giza.
• Religion in Ancient Rome, the Byzantine Empire and the Holy Roman Empire.
• The Mongol Empire . Analyze the effects of the Mongol Empire’s expansion in China, Korea, and Japan.
• Ptolemy Family as one of the most powerful families in world history. Briefly describe the family history. How did this family impact ancient Egypt? While analyzing, focus your attention on the last queen of this line—Cleopatra VII. How did Cleopatra contribute to the prosperity of ancient Egypt?
• Cultural progress as one of the most interesting topics of history. Comment on the development of culture in various parts of the world. Were there any periods when it was regressing, not progressing? Compare the distinctive features of culture in Europe, Asia, and America.
• Adolf Hitler’s art. Briefly introduce Hitler’s biography. How did his lifespan affect his development as an artist? Comment on the topics reflected in Hitler’s artworks.
• The role of the church in the life of the middle ages in Europe. Analyze the connection between the church and the governmental sector in medieval times. What was the impact of the church on education and the economy in Europe? Comment on the problems of the medieval church.
• Waitangi Treaty history. Examine the intentions, expectations, and results of signing the Treaty of Waitangi.

🥇 History Project Tips

History project development is hardly ever uncomplicated. Sometimes, the process of preparation can result in a massive discouragement for students.

But wait, let us tell you something.

Our team of experts gathered the most useful tips in one place. Use them and make your project development process more pleasurable!

• Search for an appropriate topic. There are plenty of fascinating historical facts to talk about. The choice of the most relevant one will make your project indeed successful. Choose wisely. The project about the cultural regression of Europe on the European cultural day is a horrible idea. Unless you want to fail. Pick the topic that will be interesting for the audience and relevant to the event.
• Become a real expert in your field. To achieve the highest results, conduct the background and primary source research. You need to be ready to spend a lot of time investigating the topic on a deep level. It will help you to create a well-developed history project.
• Keep your materials in order. The development of historical projects requires a wide variety of materials. Prevent a mess! Sort out all the sources you are using and keep track of the additional materials. A wise arrangement will make the research process more smooth. This way, you will get the desired final product.
• Plan your time wisely. Even a dedicated history fan can develop a sophisticated history project in a short time. Therefore, don’t follow the popular student’s rule “I’m doing everything the night before the due date.” Divide your work into small chunks and create a project gradually. Also, review what you have done from time to time. It will help you to arrange your working plan to achieve a great result. Be flexible and create a worthy project.
• Create a unique final product. Your project has to be special and memorable. Provide some bright examples, introduce fascinating historical facts. Use additional aids (slides, posters, etc.) to impress your audience. Nobody is intrigued by common historical knowledge. Use a narrative writing style to deliver information effectively.
• Back-up everything! Do you think that the highest level of pain is then you break your leg? You are mistaken. Nothing can cause more pain then accidentally deleted documents or the missing piece of vital information. You might be asking yourself how to avoid this pain. In this case, here is the answer. Make a copy of your work and upload the document on a cloud. You will have easy access to it without risks of losing data.

😍 Interesting History Topics for Presentation

Are you stressing out about the upcoming history presentation? Are you lost in the topics to present? Are you not sure if you need any visual aid for your performance or not?

We have good news for you!

Our team collected the most interesting topics for a presentation. Below, you’ll find two sections. The first one offers topics for presentation with visual aids. The second one provides a wide variety of expressive informative speech topics. Picking one of them, you can deliver your information without any additional effects.

Scroll down and choose something useful for you

📽 Ideas for PowerPoint Presentations

• Rococo and neoclassical art.
• Historical art periods: a critical evaluation of Baroque and Rococo artistic styles.
• Collective invention during the Industrial Revolution.
• Renaissance versus Baroque.
• The ancient civilization of Maya.
• Ash Kyrie art: looking into the eyes of war.
• Western world history presentation.
• Imagination, values, and emotions in different historical art periods.
• The historical development of fine arts in Korea from 1950 to the present.
• Harlem Renaissance: historical and social background.
• Cultural exchanges in the Medieval Period.
• World War II innovations.

• A history of modern Europe: from the Renaissance to the present.
• Examining an archeological site: the pyramids of Egypt. There are plenty of interesting historical facts to choose from. Additionally, include some bright images if Egyptian pyramids in your PowerPoint presentation. Imagine how impressed your audience will be!
• Mayan calendar system. Show the main figures and tables. It will be beneficial for your audience’s understanding of the material.
• The four voyages by Christopher Columbus . Use maps as visual aids to illustrate the directions of Columbus’s voyages.
• From World War One to globalization. Conduct a historical investigation on the period between WWI and the globalization era. Use charts and graphs to smooth the digestion of information.
• The Kings of Ancient Egypt. Impress your audience with interesting facts about Egyptian kings. Appropriate images will help you to deliver information effectively.
• Scientific Revolution. Comment on the development of psychology, philosophy, physics, chemistry, and medicine. Illustrate the key figures of the scientific revolution in a PowerPoint presentation.
• World War II: consequences for the world. Even an impromptu speech will be successful if you use this topic. But if you add effective visual aids, your presentation will become even more memorable.

🎙 Historical Speech Topics

• Progressive Era in the United States.
• American Revolution and the crisis of the Constitution of the USA.
• Welcome to Ancient Egypt. When legends were born.
• Declaration of independence in American history.
• Concepts of feminism as one of the most controversial topics.
• Slavery and the Civil War relationship.
• The civil rights movement: oppressing the black population.
• The American War of Independence.
• The kings of ancient Egypt.
• Mongol conquest’ causes, battles, and results.
• Abraham Lincoln against slavery as one of the most interesting history informative speech topics.
• History’s definition and concept.
• The Great War’s history.
• Pearl Harbor history .

• French revolution and the Napoleonic era.
• Enlightenment in society – a topic for a successful public speaking performance.
• The significance of Martin Luther and the protestant reformation in the history of western civilization.
• Roman Lifestyles’ influence on civilization.
• History of Christianity contributions to the Western World.
• The Christian Crusades.
• African-Americans social reform.
• The war finance feature in promoting military success.
• European Christianity and its decline from the XVI century. Think of possible reasons for Christianity’s decline. Introduce them in your speech and elaborate.
• The Black Saturday Bushfires – a tragedy of 2009. As the event is relatively recent, try to search for information on social media. Social networking can assist in finding and processing the data.
• World War II as the most devastating war in world history. Introduce your own opinion regarding the losses of World War II. Provide a critical analysis of WWII’s impact on the modern world development.
• The heritage of the Soviet Union. Comment on of the Eastern, Central, and Western Europe unification. Compare and contrast social and cultural progress among countries of the Soviet Union.
• The history of the Berlin Wall. It’s one of the most insightful ideas for public speaking. Analyze the lifespan of the wall from its construction till the falling. What was the impact of the Berlin Wall on the country?
• The Sumerian
• The Akkadians
• The Amorites
• The Assyrians
• The Chaldeans
• Golden Pectoral—a famous cultural artifact. Where was Golden Pectoral found? Analyze the historical background. Where is it kept now?
• The European Union creation. Analyze the historical background of EU creation. What is the specific purpose of the EU? Briefly introduce the timeline of the process of EU creation. How does it operate now?

🗨 History Presentation Tips

Do you want to prepare an outstanding history presentation, but not sure where to start? Not a problem! Our team created a list of useful history presentation tips. Examine and implement them in your preparation process to ensure high-quality results.

• Create a strong introduction. The main purpose of the introduction put the listeners into the picture of the topic. That’s why, initially, you have to spark the interest of the audience. For that, include an attention-getter at the beginning of your presentation. Moreover, make sure your thesis statement is clear, and you previewed all the essential points. This will help your audience to follow up with your ideas.
• Develop an effective conclusion .To finish your speech successfully, spend time working on your conclusion. It has to summarize your arguments and provide a clear picture of the discussion. A small tip from us: An inspirational thought at the end will make your presentation more memorable.
• Work on the organization and development of the presentation. A clear and easy-to-follow structure is a formula for success. Thus, make sure you have strong transitions between the points. Pay attention to the accuracy of the information you present. Include proper citations of the sources and an annotated bibliography, if necessary. It will make your work informative and prevent a lot of misunderstandings.
• Make the delivery of your presentation effective. A natural posture, appropriate body language, well-established eye contact are underrated. They are critical for good delivery! The wise use of your voice’s capabilities will put you one level above the other performers. Practice a lot before delivering your speech to astonish the audience.
• Your visual aids have to be professional and clearly readable.
• Always refer to the visual aid while presenting the information (for instance, “Take a look at the graph”).
• Your PowerPoint slides will be useful only if you put the key ideas on it, but not the entire text.
• Before giving the speech, make sure all the technologies are working properly. Ensure that no pitfalls are waiting for you.

💯 Interesting Historical Questions

Our team’s aim is to help you succeed in history studying. Therefore, we decided that a list of basic historical questions will be useful for you. Look through it and ask yourself what is most appropriate for you.

• What is the connection between the Enlightenment and romantic age?
• What are the effects of the Industrial Revolution in relation to WW 1?
• What is the history of the imperialism era from 1848 to 1914?
• What are the parallels between the Revolutions of 1848 and Arab revolutions?
• What is the timeline of the Mexican war?
• Should the United States have annexed the Philippines?
• What is the role of airplanes during WW I (1914-1918)?
• What are the cultural relations between white and black people?
• What is the national and factual identity of Britons?
• What is the history of Athens?
• What is the impact of Julius Cesar on Rome’s development?
• What are the major aspects and historical events of the Cold War?
• What are the three Rs of the new deal in United States history?
• What was the role of the gardens in Great Depression?
• What was the Mesopotamian influence on the Oman Peninsula?
• What is the importance of US Foreign Policy between 1890-1991?
• What are the features of the Russian working-class movement?
• What is the role of America in World War 1?
• What are the causes of depression in the 1890s?

• Why the Scientific Revolution did not take place in China – or did it?
• What were the Great Britain Empire’s Alliances?
• What is the US Role in the Egypt-Israel war?
• Who are the legendary warriors of Old Japan?
• What are the similarities and differences between Malcolm X and Martin Luther King?
• What is the importance of the unification of GDR and FRG in the history of Germany?
• What effect did Industrialisation have on the levels of water pollution? Elaborate on the link between the lack of drinkable water and the Industrial Revolution.
• How did the development of psychology during the Scientific Revolution impact the world’s perception?
• What is the history of astronomy development and steroids studying during the Scientific Revolution?
• What are the most fun facts about the history of the world?
• What are some concepts of civilization development that are significant for the world’s history holistic picture?

👌 30 More Interesting Things in History to Write about

You have probably noticed already that there is plenty of interesting topics of history to write about. The essay writing process can become more pleasurable if you know what to analyze. When the students have a clear view of the time frame and territory they need to explore, they struggle less with a paper.

In case you’re asking yourself how to make the search for fascinating ideas easier, we have an answer. We prepared a pleasant bonus for you—a collection of interesting topics about history.

Five interesting things to write about in world history:

• World War I .
• World War II .
• Role of democracy in the world .
• Revolutions’ history and definition .

Five interesting things to write about in European history:

• The Roman Empire .
• The Thirty Years War .
• Protestant Reformation .
• Enlightenment and revolution .
• European Union .

Five interesting things to write about in US history:

• The Civil War .
• Progressive Era.
• Race relations and women’s status .
• Native American culture and American Indians .
• The Compromise of 1850 .

Five interesting things to write about in ancient history :

• The Stone Age period.
• Greek city-states.
• Ancient Egypt history .
• Mesopotamian civilization.
• Maya, Aztec, and Inca collapse .

Five interesting things to write about in modern history :

• Total War in modern world history .
• Industrial Revolution .
• Scientific Revolution .
• Renaissance period .
• Great Awakening’s history.

Five interesting biographies to write about:

• Alexander the Great .
• Karl Marx .
• Napoleon Bonaparte .
• Abraham Lincoln .
• Adolf Hitler .

Thank you for reading our article! We hope you found some useful tips and chose an interesting topic for your assignment. Do not forget to leave your comment and share our page with your friends!

🔗References

• The 25 Moments From American History That Matter Right Now: Time
• 5 (Recent) Historical Events You Should Discuss with Your Students: Josh Work, Edutopia
• Ideas, National History Day: Indiana Historical Society
• 3 Ways to Make a Good Presentation Great: Geoffrey James, Inc.com
• How to Convert Your Paper into a Presentation: Writing Studio, Thompson Writing Program, Duke University
• Oral Presentation and Powerpoint: The John A. Dutton e-Education Institute, the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at The Pennsylvania State University
• Stages of a Historical Research Project: DoHistory
• Project Categories: National History Day, NHD
• 150+ Presentation Topic Ideas for Students [Plus Templates]: Orana Velarde, Visual Learning Center by Visme
• History: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Writing a Thesis and Making an Argument: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, The University of Iowa
• African American History Month: The Library of Congress
• Writing with Writers, Speech Writing, Tips from the Pros: Teacher’s Activity Guide, Scholastic
• 20 Public Speaking Tips for Students: Arlin Cuncic, Verywell Mind
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• Share via Twitter
• Share via LinkedIn
• Share via email

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50 Interesting Informative Speech Topics for College

26 September, 2020

15 minutes read

Author:  Mathieu Johnson

Informative speeches grant speakers a responsible mission of educating people about significant ideas and themes. They’re also about sharing thoughts and opinions on this or that topic, aimed at expanding understanding and providing listeners with relevant insights for further deliberation. Therefore, it’s a particular type of speeches given to put things into sharp focus and offer food for thought. Read up to know which informative speech topics have the most impact.

What is an informative speech?

As mentioned above, it’s a kind of speech that, well, informs the audience about your topic. Sounds simple enough, but simplicity is deceptive, and there are enough secrets behind this science. Specifically, not all people are fully aware of the fact that the “what” question is a key element that needs to be answered, for with informative speeches, you want to choose a topic most likely to be well received.

Of course, you can speak about something you already know, but you can also talk about the topic which is absolutely new to you. In this case, however, you must make sure that the theme will be relatively easy to research and studied before speech delivery. Another important point worth noticing is that organizational requirements and type of information for informative speech usually intertwines with those for an informative essay, for the latter is often an extension of the first.

How to write an informative speech?

So, now it’s time to move from theory to practice and write an informative speech. But where do you start from?

Although there are many different processes involved in the process, we’ll narrow them to essentials to help you better grasp the idea of how a perfect speech should be tailored.

Stage 1. Research and Brainstorming

Think about the topic.

The first and most crucial step is about choosing the right topic. We’ve mentioned before that it’s vital to select the issue you feel free to talk about. However, there are also cases when professors assign a specific task for you. Either way, the point here is to conduct thorough research based on the given or chosen topic.

If you want to explain the history of some company, band or event, for example, make sure to deliver the message clearly, without going here and there. For this, consider talking about particular points which will cover the whole speech and help the audience quickly digest it. Otherwise, your speech will depart from the topic, and listeners will find it challenging to follow your thoughts.

Gather Evidence

Every scholarly work proves its credibility by the inclusion of relevant sources to show both the audience and the instructor that you’ve put enough effort into the work to sound authoritative. This is a great chance to get a good mark, but more importantly, earn trust from listeners. To cite the evidence correctly, you can search for some facts, stats, or numbers in a variety of sources. These include textbooks, books, and encyclopedias (online ones work as well), scholarly articles, reputable news bureaus, and government documents. If these are hard to find for you, think of alternatives, like online journals and magazines. But be careful and don’t use sources from there if they are not credible and reputable. As an example, use The New York Times, The Guardian, Harvard Business Review, SAJE journals, Forbes, etc.

Also, keep in mind that the evidence you’ll use should depend on the subject of your talk. If it’s about science, check scientific publications. If it’s about medicine – embark upon texts on this specific sphere. Finally, don’t forget to create a works cited page at the end of your speech and put all your sources there. Even if your instructor does not specify such a requirement, create a list anyways. This will help you keep references organized, and you will be able to pick a suitable one from the list.

Generate a Nice Thesis

A thesis is the core of impactful speech that tells listeners about its focal points. It also reveals the purpose of your speech and provides the audience with an insight into what the speech is all about. Notably, your thesis should not exceed the length of one-two sentences and be as precise as possible. More so, thesis, like the speech itself, is not about convincing people to take your topic stance immediately. Rather, it’s about informing listeners about significant events or cases which they could analyze and make relevant conclusions themselves. No need to push them or force to change the perspective, just try to be genuine and honest with people you’re talking to. Considering that it’s a scholarly piece of work, there’s no room for appealing to emotions or subjective claims. So in informative speeches, objectivity is the key player.

Informative speech outline

The outline is a skeleton of your speech that briefly explains each of your points. This is basically a list of short sentences which reveal the meaning of your main speech ideas. Remember that this list is not for the audience; it’s for your own use. So the task here is to write about every point in a way you’ll understand. You can also use notecards instead of paper so that it’ll be much easier for you not to get lost in a sea of ideas and organize the speech properly. Tip: include numbers and capital letters for headings, and bullet points or other figures to mark subheadings.

If you are still unsure on whether you can cope with your task – you are in the right place to get help. Our essay writers will easily answer the to the question “Who can write my speech?”

Stage 2. Writing

Once the sketches are ready and you have a clear understanding of what to speak about, move on straight to writing.

Craft an Engaging Intro

What does engaging stand for in this case? It denotes some speech elements which will be enticing for listeners from the first sentence. It’s a common practice to start speeches with different hooks to call for more people’s attention. There are a plethora of techniques you can use to make an unforgettable first impression: jokes, anecdotes, examples from personal life, interesting statistics, rhetorical questions, quotes of famous people. You can even invent your own attention-grabber which will help you knock down listeners.

Give More Detail in the Main Body

Once you managed to create impact by the introduction and made sure everyone will be eager to listen to you further, you need to expand the explanation of key speech ideas in a well-structured, organized manner. Like in regular life, you start a story from the beginning to the end, while gradually moving from one idea to another. The same goes for informative speech – you need to ensure that the flow of your narration is logical and concise, fully elaborated, and precise. Also, don’t forget about making transitions between sentences. They will make your speech flow naturally, helping the audience to process the information much easier and effortlessly.

Wrap Everything Up in Conclusion

The ending of your informative speech should restate the main idea and the thesis you’ve mentioned in the introduction. There’s no need to say new things that will only confuse your audience. Instead, all the conclusion needs is a nice wrapping of the already stated claims.

So basically you want to review your main points and thereby deliver listeners a message which they will perceive as a major takeaway from what you’ve just told them. However, the introductory part should by no means repeat previous information word by word. It’s just a short restatement that covers up the main points.

Proofread and Edit the Final Version

Once the text is written entirely, it’s a must for you to double check it to avoid possible mistakes. If your informative speech turns out not as informative as expected due to grammatical or lexical errors, you’ll not be taken seriously, which we bet is not the purpose of delivering your talk. So, to prevent casualties from happening, you’ll need to use reliable editing and proofreading tools. Grammarly is an excellent source for this. Its accurate algorithm detects all kinds of mistakes and fixes them on the fly in a matter of seconds. And you can also check the text for plagiarism to make sure that it has no analogs anywhere on the web.

Stage 3. Perfecting Speech Delivery

Memorize your speech.

Half work is done – you have a writing piece. Now it’s time to learn it. Of course, it’ll take you time to do this, but with a little patience and enough time, you can memorize it even faster than expected. Besides, it’s not recommended to learn the speech from A to Z, inside out and upside down by heart. If your instructor is indulgent enough, feel free to memorize your talk in a way that allows you to explain your ideas clearly and consistently. To facilitate the process of learning, you can memorize sentence by sentence until you’re confident. And even if you forget something during delivery, you can always count on the outline that’ll give you a hint on what to talk about next.

Practice Reading Speech Aloud

When the final product is finally ready and polished, you need to concentrate on reading it.

Practice the speech in a mirror, to a friend/relative/pet, or record yourself to trace the tone and intonation. This way, you’ll make sure that your informative speech is brilliant and you deliver it just the way you wanted. Besides, this practice can help you critically evaluate the flaws and correct them before the actual delivery. Have enough time for this, because even experienced speakers always rehearse their speeches. Finally, focus on the way you use gestures, the way you stand and look at the audience, and facial expressions.

List of informative speech topics

There are lots of easy informative speech topics to choose from, but we offer you to review our topics list with some of the most alluring ones to get you started. Let’s examine pro informative topics that’ll help you write a memorable speech.

Topics for informative speech about music

• Frank Sinatra – a beloved father of music
• The drastic evolution of french music
• Deep house – the most popular music style among youngsters
• Why did rock and roll became an epitome of popular dance music
• Why does reggae music most known under the name of Bob Marley
• The psychological and physical benefits of listening to music
• Chill, lounge and electronica has market the era of progressive sound
• The impact of rap music on society at large
• The art of playing the violin
• The evolution of jazz music and its connection to historical movements

Informative speech topics about animals

• Why are so many animals under extinction today and how do we fix it?
• Why dogs are considered as humans best friend?
• The history and evolution of polar bears
• Why does rhinos horn trimming in South Africa still allowed
• How to properly raise chinchillas
• The most dangerous types of dogs on the planet
• Staggering intellectual abilities of elephants baffle even scientists
• How to keep snakes away and save your life
• Different types of butterflies
• The history of bees and their role in the world

Topics for informative speech about global warming

• Patterns in climate change: rising temperatures and flooding
• What Effects does Climate Change have on the Earth and its Inhabitants?
• What are the practical solutions to global warming
• What is global warming and what causes it?
• The future of global warming: dismal predictions and statistics
• Controversial opinions about global warming
• The greenhouse effect as the top one reason of climate change
• The global issue of global warming: what’s next?
• Humans are responsible for the emergence and progress of global warming
• Sanctions against generation of greenhouses: will they ever take place?

Informative speech ideas about sports

• How sports improve human physical and psychological health
• Is golf the game of the past?
• The real life of sport teams: from trainings to furious games
• Can roller skating be considered a kind of sport?
• What’s more dangerous: white water rafting or ice diving?
• The history of sports: whom do we owe respect?
• Hockey 101: gear, playing techniques, team spirit
• Why is boxing the most dangerous type of sports
• The most unusual kinds of sports humans have invented
• The importance and potential threat of football for the world 

Interesting speech topics about food and drinks

• How to bake a cake and not put on weight
• Why does alcohol bring so much trouble to contemporary youth?
• There are no superfoods, the study shows
• Does fast food really cause addiction?
• The secret ingredient of Coca Cola and why you’ll never want to drink it again
• If the fruit diet useful for health?
• Why bananas can save the world
• Eating vegetables and olive oil is a golden ticket to rejuvenation
• What’s the difference between natural and processed foods?
• Why eating pizza is the worst way to get away with cooking

As you can see from the list of topics for speeches, informative speech is a perfect occasion to explore interesting themes in depth and share your knowledge with people who are most likely to learn new things with you. Discovering a variety of topics and writing them on paper is perhaps the most engaging task your instructor has ever assigned you. And if you find it challenging to come with the right idea for a good topic, just send a “ write my speech ” request, and we’ll complete your order in no time.

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50+ Informative Speech Topics to Engage Your Audience

We’ve all been there, staring at a blank page or empty presentation slide, trying to think of a good, informative speech topic that will engage our audience and stop them from staring numbly at their phones. Presentations and speeches can be a difficult task to tackle, especially if you lack a solid idea to get the ball rolling. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Today, we’ll dive into 50+ fresh and creative ideas for informative speech topics to help you capture your audience’s attention and give them something to engage with. Keep reading and you won’t be stuck with a dull speech topic ever again!

Interesting Informative Speech Topics

When it comes to selecting an interesting informative speech topic , there is no shortage of ideas. Choosing a topic that is engaging for both your audience and yourself can make the difference between giving a successful speech or not. There are many topics that have the potential to captivate listeners from politics to health, to relationships, and even to entertainment . The most important thing when deciding on a topic is to pick one that resonates with the interests of your audience, as well as being informative. Interesting topics should be specific enough for the speaker to cover in depth. For example, discussing the history of the American constitution would be too broad for a single speech, whereas discussing the second amendment could provide enough information for a full speech. It is also important to consider controversial topics as these can often be very interesting and engaging for listeners. When debating either side of an argument, it is important to do research and be aware of both sides of the issue. This will ensure that you are properly informed before taking part in any online debates or conversations surrounding the issue at hand. Whether you decide to discuss issues relating to current events or those that focus on more personal interest topics, there is no lack of inspiring ideas out there to create an effective informative speech. No matter what you decide, your goal should be to create an informative, engaging atmosphere that encourages others to learn from and appreciate your message.

What are some good topics for an informative speech?

1. The History of Space Exploration: Discuss the timeline from the first satellite in space to present day space exploration missions and their significance. 2. Advances in Artificial Intelligence: Examine how knowledge processing tools such as machine learning and neural networks have changed society. 3. Plastic Pollution: Outline the types of plastic pollution, explain their effects on ocean life, and provide solutions for reducing plastic waste. 4. Eating Disorders: Explain types of eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, their psychological impacts, and methods of treatment. 5. Alternative Energy Sources: Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of using renewable energy sources (e.g., solar power), future potential developments, and environmental issues associated with traditional methods of generating electricity. 6. Cancer Research: Explore modern cancer detection techniques, how genetics play a role in cancer development, and advances in research leading to new treatments or cures. 7. Food Waste Reduction: Describe current levels of food waste, its environmental costs, innovative strategies being employed to reduce waste production, and practical steps individuals can take to conserve resources. 8. Online Privacy: Investigate data security threats posed by technology companies or other entities and discuss strategies for protecting personal information online. 9. Climate Change: Review current scientific evidence demonstrating the accelerating rate of global climate change, discuss possible societal implications if warming trends continue unabated, and present potential solutions that would limit global temperature increases going forward.

10. The benefits and challenges of sustainable living 11. The history and significance of the world’s ancient wonders 12. The psychology of decision making and how to improve it 13. The evolution and impact of social media on our society 14. The importance of mental health and strategies for self-care 15. The benefits and potential risks of artificial intelligence 16. The role of technology in modern education 17. The history and significance of the Olympic games 18. The science behind climate change and solutions for a sustainable future 19. The benefits and drawbacks of globalization on culture and economy. 20. The art and science of lucid dreaming and how it can be used for personal growth and problem-solving.

Popular Informative Speech Topics

When it comes to giving an informative speech, the most important thing is to pick a topic that will capture your audience’s attention. Some of the more popular topics people are interested in include those related to current events, history, media and technology, health and nutrition, psychology and education. For example, a debate surrounding current events might focus on issues such as immigration policy or global warming. When speaking about historical topics, consider discussing famous leaders or pivotal moments throughout history. If you’re looking for trending topics that are related to media, you may want to cover topics like censorship or virtual reality . When picking out health-related topics, consider exploring areas like medical cannabis or the impact of stress on our bodies. As for psychology and education, you may consider diving deeper into the role of learning styles in education or analyze the effects of bullying on adolescents. No matter what type of informative speech topic you choose to present on, be sure to do thorough research beforehand so that you can present a well-rounded argument. This will help ensure that your audience is engaged throughout your entire presentation and leave feeling informed.

Examples of Popular Informative Speech Topics

21. The history and evolution of the internet and its impact on society 22. The causes and effects of global warming and climate change 23. The importance of a healthy lifestyle and fitness 24. The benefits and drawbacks of social media on communication and relationships 25. The impact of technology on modern business and entrepreneurship 26. The history and impact of the civil rights movement in the United States 27. The effects and potential solutions to the opioid epidemic in America 28. The importance of mental health and strategies for managing stress and anxiety 29. The science behind vaccinations and their importance in public health 30. The history and cultural significance of different types of music, such as jazz, rock, and hip-hop.

Here are 10 more:

31. The benefits and potential drawbacks of renewable energy sources 32. The impact of globalization on international trade and commerce 33. The science behind space exploration and the potential for human colonization of other planets 34. The history and significance of different forms of art, such as painting, sculpture, and photography 35. The effects of social inequality and strategies for promoting diversity and inclusion 36. The history and cultural significance of different types of food, such as sushi, pizza, and tacos 37. The importance of financial literacy and strategies for managing personal finances 38. The impact of technology on the entertainment industry, such as movies, television, and video games 39. The history and significance of different world religions, such as Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism 40. The impact of artificial intelligence on the future of work and the economy.

Reasons to Give an Informative Speech

Informative speeches are often challenging and rewarding to give, as they not only require that the speaker become knowledgable about the topic at hand, but also that they also have the ability to persuade and engage with their audience. Informative speeches are essential elements in both education and industry, helping to promote engagement with a structured presentation and specialized topic or topics. On the one hand, giving an informative speech is beneficial for both the speaker and the audience being addressed. It gives the speaker an opportunity to sharpen their public speaking skills through research and careful preparation of the information being shared. Similarly, the audience members gain knowledge into a specialty field or area of interest, learning more about what they already knew or studying something completely new. Exploring abstract concepts while uncovering hidden facts can also be an invigorating experience for both parties involved in a discussion on an informative topic. However, some may argue that giving an informative speech is burdensome for the speaker for various reasons. Researching for a subject matter can prove difficult when there is limited access to factual information available online or offline. Additionally, informatic speakers must take into account the attention span of their audiences which often means having to parse down large amounts of data quickly or risk having a struggling audience lost in information overload. Despite potential obstacles associated with preparing and delivering an informative speech, opportunities abound when it comes to discovering new conversations and stimulating dialogue among participants. As such, it’s important for speakers to capitalize on these chances by researching thoroughly and honing in on key cornerstones of each topic that bring out its beauty and complexity. With this in mind, we will now move on to exploring best practices for researching an informing speech in the next section.

10 More Unique Informative Speech Topics: 41. The science and psychology of addiction and recovery 42. The history and cultural significance of tattoos in different societies 43. The benefits and challenges of homeschooling versus traditional education 44. The history and significance of different forms of dance, such as ballet, salsa, and hip hop 45. The impact of mindfulness and meditation on mental health and well-being 46. The role of music therapy in improving physical and emotional health 47. The science behind sleep and the importance of a good night’s rest 48. The history and cultural significance of different types of martial arts, such as karate, judo, and kung fu 49. The benefits and drawbacks of remote work and how it’s changing the way we work 50. The science behind alternative medicine and its effectiveness in treating different health conditions.

How to Research for an Informative Speech

When researching for an informative speech, it is important to equip yourself with accurate and trusted sources in order to effectively convey trustworthy information to your audience. It’s important to seek out authoritative sources who possess the most up-to-date details and facts about the chosen topic in order to give an informed and enlightening talk. Resources such as journals, books, websites are all valid places. For example, researching scientific topics may require more reliable resources such as scholarly articles or medical journals instead of online blog posts. It is also recommended that speakers research both sides of an argument if possible before forming their opinion and presenting it on a matter. That way you are well versed in understanding points beyond your own perspective and can provide insight into those perspectives as well. After compiling sufficient data, the next step is organizing them into a coherent message that can be easily digested by your audience. This includes preparing visual aids such as PowerPoint slides or props to both help audiences retain information better but also make the presentation more engaging than solely speaking alone. Questions throughout the presentation can also prompt your audience to become interactive while giving yourself a chance to gauge how well they understand the material presented. Now that you are armed with data from credible sources along with potential organizational tools, you are now ready for the final step which is presenting an informative speech.

How to Present an Informative Speech

When delivering an informative speech, it’s important to provide the audience with an engaging and interactive experience. To do this, speakers should focus on effective structure , clear speaking, and relevant content. Structuring an Informative Speech: Beginning with a strong introduction is essential for getting the attention of the audience. A powerful opening can be done with a joke, story, or quote. It’s also important to end the introduction with a “hook” that entices the audience to want to continue listening. The body of the speech should contain facts, evidence, and statistics to back up the content. Finally, conclude with a memorable statement that reinforces the main idea and encourages thought in the audience. Delivering an Informative Speech: When giving an informative speech, confidence is key. Strive to appear self-assured so that you can persuade your audience into listening. It’s also important to keep a steady pace while addressing the points rather than racing through them quickly – doing so will ensure that the listeners fully comprehend all of your information. Also make sure to clearly articulate each word and pause when necessary in order for certain points to set in before continuing on with other details. Utilizing Relevant Content: When selecting material for your informative speech be sure to pick topics that are not too mundane or complicated…you don’t want this presentation turn into a snooze-fest session! Keep your message lighthearted but still intriguing by offering anecdotes and examples of how this issue has been brought up in life experiences or news stories outside of its primary context. Although using humor is great for captivating an audience make sure you avoid offending anyone since this will not reflect positively on your talk. Lastly, strive to select a subject area that can prompt interesting conversations between you and your attendees. In conclusion, when crafting and delivering an informative speech remember that organization and confident delivery are two key components to getting across your message effectively. Supporting facts and data should also be included within your talk as well as relevant material related to the topic at hand which will allow listeners easily connect with what you are saying and receive value from it.

Creative Ideas to Grab the Audience’s Attention

When giving an informative speech, it is important to grab the audience’s attention right away. This can be done through creative and unique ideas that make the speech more interesting. To start, it is important to create a powerful opening by calling out common myths or misconceptions in the industry that are relevant to your topic. Focusing on one compelling fact can also help introduce the subject and get the listener engaged with your talk. Additionally, you can use personal stories or anecdotes that relate to the topic being discussed in order to draw your audience in and give them further context. Humor is also a great way to engage with an audience. Using jokes or funny stories can lighten any tense conversations and keep listeners engaged throughout the duration of the speech. By making your narrative relatable, instead of focusing on complex ideas, it will help break down difficult concepts and make people relate more closely to your experience and thoughts pertaining to the topic. A simple idea such as this could develop into an interactive experience for all in attendance. Furthermore, using visuals aids like graphics, images and videos can help tell a story for harder-to-grasp topics . This helps break up long passages of text and creates lasting impressions among viewers so they remember the points being put forth more easily. Providing visual representations from different angles of a specific concept makes abstract matters easier to comprehend since they are able to retain those visuals better than long sentences of words alone. These creative ideas should be used strategically so as not to move too far away from the main focus of an informative speech; however, they can be effective tools in engaging an audience when used correctly.

Responses to Common Questions with Explanations

How can i make an informative speech interesting.

Making an informative speech interesting starts with thoroughly researching the topic and understanding what areas of the topic will be most engaging for your audience. Take time to practice delivering the content, paying attention to how you present and pace your speech – vary the speed and style for different points in your presentation. Use humor and storytelling to liven up your delivery and make it more relatable. Incorporate visuals , as well as sound effects or music, to emphasize key points of your speech. Lastly, if you show enthusiasm when you speak and are truly passionate about what you’re presenting, that energy and emotion will be picked up on by your audience and will likely make them more engaged with your speech.

What are the best strategies for research for an informative speech?

The best strategies for research for an informative speech are to start by gathering as much reliable and accurate information as possible. It is essential to have sufficient evidence and facts to back up your claims. Therefore, begin by reading the latest reports on the topic available in books , journals, and articles. Additionally, consider conducting interviews with experts or people who can provide insight into the topic. When you’re researching, make sure you take notes accurately and quickly and that your material is properly organized for easy reference when writing your speech. Also, ensure all sources are up-to-date, credible, and unbiased. To ensure accuracy, cross-check the facts from other sources such as articles from reputable news outlets or interviews with knowledgeable professionals. Finally, anticipate counterarguments and understand different points of view that may exist about the topic. This will ensure you are able to effectively address potential debates during your presentation.

How can I effectively structure an informative speech?

When structuring an informative speech, it is important to keep in mind the goal of providing detailed and accurate information. This begins by understanding your audience and then narrowing the focus of your speech. Here are some key tips to help you effectively structure your informative speech: 1. Create an outline – Start by writing down a few main points you want to get across in your speech. Be sure you know what information each point covers and how it supports your overall message. 2. Make an introduction – Introduce yourself and the topic of your speech, as well as any relevant background information that the audience needs to understand the topic better. 3. Present facts and evidence – Use facts and evidence to support the points you make in your speech. Be sure to cite any sources used for accuracy. 4. Speak clearly – Speak at a steady pace and with a clear, strong voice so that everyone can hear you and understand what you are saying. 5. Reiterate main points – Remind the audience of the main points at least once during the speech, so that they remember them when they think back on what they have heard later on. 6. End with a summary – Summarize the main points of your speech quickly before signing off, again so that everyone remembers them before they leave the room..

Are there any tips for selecting an informative speech topic?

Yes, there are many tips for selecting an informative speech topic. First, pick something that interests you. When the topic is something that you find fascinating or enjoyable to research, it will make it easier to stay motivated while preparing your speech . Second, think of a topic that is broad enough to explore in detail but narrow enough to cover in the allotted time. If your topic is too vague or too specific, you may have difficulty finding information and sticking within the given time limit. Third, aim for a current topic so your speech remains relevant and engaging to your audience. But be sure not to go over topics that are too technical or complex—remember to keep your language accessible. Finally, do some research into any existing material available on the subject so you can avoid repeating information that has already been covered. This will also give you an opportunity to look at the different ways the subject has already been explored and form your own unique angle for presentation.

Informative Speech Topics and Ideas: The Ultimate Guide

Before proceeding to the main topic, let us get some idea on Informative speech. Well, it is the type of speech that gives information about a particular subject to audiences.

Its main goal is to help audiences to recognize the information presented by you. Additionally, it makes a complex topic simple to understand providing different opinions and perspectives.

It also provides engaging information which is unique and desired by the audience.

Besides, informative speech can include objects, procedures, events, and other innovative ideas. This does not include the limited list as it is the topic plan that every useful speech contains. Speech can only be handy if it delivers genuine and informative information.

Informative speech describes the topic of your interest. For an instance, if you are giving an informative speech on coffee, focus on the topic.

Think about, what does coffee do, why do you love coffee, and how does it affect your health.

Also, to get rid of the health effect how much coffee do you need to drink per day. You can also conclude by summarizing all these things in a creative way. This makes your speech more interesting.

When you present, you might like to expand some topics or reduce the others. Here, you should be sensitive to your audience and think too much like this can distract the topic.

So focus on your plan and subject. Keep in mind, informative speech just to inform audiences. Do not pick up the topic based on your view as it is a convincing speech.

Remember, too much argumentative speech attempting to influence might take your audiences away.

These kinds of speech are polemical and are wrongly argumentative. You can also find places and time to make an appropriate polemical speech. But, it is not good to include it in the middle of the speech.

You can mention like “Coffee encourages me to work, giving me company during the work. I start my day with a cup of coffee.

It also inspires me to carry out research well. Yet, it can affect my health as well. So, I need to be conscious and drink coffee to the limit”. You can add more here describing different circumstances.

Table of Contents

Informative Speech Topics in History:

Informative speech topics in health and medicine:, informative speech topics in teaching, education, and students:, informative speech topics in music:, informative speech topics in food:, informative speech topics on environment:, informative speech topics in technology:, informative speech topics on economy:, informative speech topics in life:, other informative speech topics, 1. introduction, body, and conclusion, 2. clear, influential, and grabbing introduction, 3. seamless transitions, 4. do not forget to summarize at last, sample of informative speech, a) note list of wide-ranging subject area corresponding your knowledge and expertise, b) focus on the subject area relevant you don’t know yet but would love to, c) pick up the particular purpose of your speech, d) from the list of your topics, pick the one you can express clearly, a) carry out the initial research, b) think about how your research might change your topic, a) think about your audiences earlier than writing the speech, b) summarize your speech, c) elaborate the key points to make it interesting, d) write an introduction, e) write conclusion, a) make sufficient time to practice your speech, b) practice slowing down, c) if possible practice your speech with your friends, 1) make sure you do not speak fast, 2) practice speaking clearly and comprehensibly, 3) speak with your parents and friends, 4) get help from the internet, 5) carry out the outline properly, 6) understand the difference between persuasive and informative speech, 1) the audiences, 2) languages, 4) try to become clear and concise, 5) use audio or visuals if possible, informative speech topics.

• The Great Depression
• Famous riots
• The British Royal Family
• Women in the military
• Unique funeral customs across the world
• The origin of alphabets
• The history of tobacco use
• The evolution of marriage
• Top secret government experiments
• The most fascinating accidental inventions
• History of witchcraft
•      The history of language
• History of beauty products
•  The Industrial Revolution
• The Middle Ages
• How did the Olympics come to be?
• Albert Einstein’s Contributions to Science
• Helen Keller’s Life
• History of art and expression
• Civil disobedience
• Why do we celebrate Valentine’s day?
• Where did fortune cookies come from
• A look into World wars
• Understanding cults
• Evolution of comic books
• Most exciting prison breaks of history
• Why have street gangs been so prevalent?
• Life and Works of Mahatma Gandhi
• Most shocking murders the world has seen
• Evolution of immigration in the US
• Life and Works of Mother Teresa
• People Who Changed the World
• How the Earth was formed
• How antibiotics came to be
• The history of greyhound dogs
• Different philosophical perspectives
• Evolution of movies
• How Modern art came to be
• Understanding Millenials and Gen-Z
• History of Superstitions
• History of Genocide
• Indian Culture
• Haitian Music
• The trucking industry
• The 80’s: more than just denim and hairdos
• The funniest inventions ever
• An analysis of smoking in movies through the years
• Women in space
• World’s most wanted criminals
• Most ridiculous laws throughout history
• Medicines from nature
• Memory loss
• How the brain works
• Mental illnesses
• Fast food culture
• Basic first aid
• Lucid dreams
• Organ donation
• Medicinal properties of ginger
• Why I am better than you: A look into Narcissistic Disorder
•  Are home remedies actually worth it?
• How DNA testing changed the world
• How vitamins can enrich your everyday life
• Why you need to stretch before your workout
• Different personality disorders
• The true horror of chemical warfare
•  How makeup affects your skin
• Birth control and its negative effects
• Leaps made by stem cell research
• Signs of early on-set Alzheimers
• How vaccines work
• How to avoid wrinkles
• Understanding insomnia
• Understanding addiction
• How nicotine deteriorates your life
• Herbs as medicine
• Life as a child of a drug addict
• Why do we itch?
• Botox: the good and the bad
• Human cadavers – history of, uses of
• How to have a better memory
• DNA evidence.
• The intelligence of dolphins
• Is dark chocolate healthy?
• Importance of vitamins and minerals
• Pros and cons of LASIK surgery
• Weight Issues.
• Teen pregnancy
• How stress can cripple your health
• How a vegan diet can better your life
• Why understanding health is vital to your weight loss journey
• Unique medical conditions
• Crazy things people have done on an adrenaline rush
• Why does our body crave danger?
• How to make an income while a student
• How to survive freshman year
• How to take the GRE
• How to get a student job on campus
• How to save money while in college
• Virtual learning and its impact on Modern Education
• Education and its role in unemployment
• Great vacation bargains for students
• Ethnic diversity for a more open learning experience
• What to do in your senior year
• Why do you need a college degree?
• Moving out of the dorm to an apartment off-campus
• Freebies and discounts for students
• How to pay off your student loans in 10 years
• Graduation checklist
• How to pick a major you care about
• The evolution of testing
• The basics of financial aid
•  How to get that great internship
• Current issues in education and what we can do about them
• Basics of getting a fellowship
• Learning disabilities teachers should be aware of
• Banned books
• Why travel is beneficial to education.
• Diploma mills
• Poverty and its impact on students
• A look at the different testing methods
• Online learning: A breakthrough in Modern Education
• What to do on spring break?
• Is homeschooling an effective learning method?
• The history of your favorite musical group
• How music has changed the world
• What music has been to society
• Classical and Modern Music: A comparison
• The benefits of Music Therapy
• Music and its effects on mood
• Music and its effects on plant growth
• Music and its effects on the psychological response of infants
• The impact your favorite artist has had in the music world
• The evolution of music
• How different genres of music promote empowerment through self-expression
• Modern earphones and tinnitus
• Music and devotion explained through the life of an artist
• How our brain reacts to music
• How music can be used in rehabilitation
• Does our music tastes define our personality?
• What really makes a rockstar?
• Strangest musical instruments across the world
• Food additives: What are they and how they affect us
• Food etiquettes across different countries
• The food crisis
• We are what we eat
• Culinary modernism
• The most exotic foods you can eat
• Different types of coffee
• Can peanut butter and jelly get any better than it is?
• Understanding the food chain
• Understanding food allergies
•      Understanding nutrition
• Playing matchmaker: Condiments in foods
• Baking your own bread
• Wedding cakes: The bigger the better?
• How to plan a diet that works
• How to make the perfect cocktail
• A quick guide to wine tasting
• Junk food: More than just a packet of chips
• Food disorders: What we can do to help
• What is better than sliced bread?
• How branding is shaping our perception of food
• Cereal, soda, and obesity
• Eggs: the most versatile food
• How to go green in our eating habits
• A practical guide to balanced eating
• Are superfoods all that they claim to be?
• How to master herbs and spices
• How to make your own pasta
• How to pair your wine with your food?
• How to plan a culinary itinerary?
• Ocean pollution and how serious the issue has become
• Organic agriculture: Why the switch is worth it
• The true impact of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
• Pollution laws and who it is actually protecting
• Is it over for coal?
• Plant species that have gone extinct
• Animal species that have gone extinct
• Our environment is dying and here’s why
• Water shortage across the globe
• How much of what we eat is pesticides and insecticides?
• Domestic wastes and how to better manage it
• What we can do to protect our environment?
• COVID-19 as a blessing to Mother Nature
• How a meat-based diest impacts the environment
• How to preserve finite resources?
• How we are contributing to global pollution
• How Global Warming is coming for us
• How corporations are destroying our environment
• Are rainforests going extinct?
• Genetically modified crops: Boon or curse?
• How would life adjust without electricity?
• 3D printers have been a game-changer
• Evolution of computer programming
• Gadgets I love most
• Useful websites
• The internet as a boon or curse for human interaction
• How Google became the widespread power that is is
• Choosing a digital camera
• New technologies
• Biometrics: New development or a threat to biological data?
• Pros and cons of going electric
• How do 3D glasses work?
• Violence and Video Games: Is this still a thing?
• Evolution of content consumption
• How to stay safe online?
• How the content we consume makes us
• How to start a good personal inventory
• How search engines work
• Social Networking
• The Evolution of video games
• VR gaming: Blurring the line of reality
• The downside of smartphones
• Pros and Cons of Smartphones
• Is freedom of speech real over the Internet?
• How technology has compromised our safety
• Are blogs the new diaries?
• How to build better credit
• What you need to know about online banking security
• Is your money safe?
• Taxing the rich: Is that the solution?
• The best investment tactics
• How to beat the market
• How to get a credit card
• Price hike in the agricultural field
• Where does our currency come from?
• The ever-increasing cost of education
• How education affects economy
• Economic impacts of people growing their own foods
•      Why you need to save money
• How to eat well on just $5 a day?
• The budgeting secret you’ve needed all your life
• How to get along with your roommate
• Some inexpensive places to take your date
• What to do when your roommate moves out
• Being Confident.
• Believing in Yourself.
• Breaking Bad Habits.
• Being Optimistic in Life.
• Being a Positive Talker.
• Types of birth control
• How to fall for the right person
• Choosing the right tires for your car
• How to perform a magic trick
• How a single parent upbringing affects the child
• How to build your own brand?
• How to achieve Goals
• How Does Self-motivation Work?
• Different leadership styles and how they help employee productivity
• Handling Responsibility
• Importance of Discipline
• Importance of Meditation
• Powerful Communication
• The most dangerous jobs
• Should assisted suicide be legalized?
• The secret for a lasting marriage
• How to grow your own home garden
• How to retain good employees
• How to recognize toxic behaviors
• How to master negotiations
• Become a more persuasive speaker
• The benefits of reading every day
• Differences in male and female communication
• Muscle cars
• Antique collecting
• Dog training
• My first job
• Overcoming conflict
• Favorite place
• My favorite food
• Prohibition
• Airplane stunts
• Model railroading
• Roadside attractions
• Multi-Level marketing
• Why are smiles contagious
• Is it love or simply a habit?
• Interesting world records
• Favorite TV Shows
• The Welfare system
• City planning
• Reality TV shows
• Coin collecting
• Ice cream making
• Reality of a dream
• What winners do to win?
• Near-death experiences
• The beauty of wolves
• Funeral oration
• Pesticide use in agriculture
• How to change a flat tire
• How to drive a stick shift

What to include in informative speech?

Know what to include in an informative speech.

Usually, an informative speech contains an introduction, an informative body, and a meaningful and convincing conclusion. You have to follow the format one after another.

While working on the introduction part, you have to be clean to draw the attention of the audience. Generally, an introduction is a gateway to the key points.

The way you present the introduction part of the speech can influence the audience. It should have a clear relationship between the presenter and the topic.

Add some interesting example that attracts them and does not get bored. Focusing more on the body, develop the speech. Make sure your audiences will listen with an interest from the start.

While delivering an informative speech, the body should harmonize the main points. It must also present the information. Better follow the given time limit and convey information in an understandable way. This makes the audience convenient to engage and understand.

You need to think about a comfortable and natural way of presenting the speech. This way your speech gets appreciated by the audience. Here, the presenter should reveal a vibrant interest or desire for the topic. Keep the correct eye contact. The advancement from one point to another should not look uncomfortable.

In the conclusion part, do not forget to summarize your previous points. The main goal of the conclusion is to end with the main points of the speech. This will set your information in the mind of audiences. The ending should be the medium speaker signals the speech is heading towards an end.

Besides, analyze and repeat the most projecting ideas, innovations, or features of the speech. You should conclude the speech in a similar flow used during the speech. The essential thing to note down is that ending the speech is important. It needs to take the attention of the audience until the last hour.

For your ease, here are some samples that can be helpful for efficient informative speech.

How to write informative speech?

1) pick up the the topic.

The informative speech should cover all the procedures and ideas focusing on the topic. Better to start with a larger image and convincing points that you are confident to speak on.

For an instance, work on the subjects that you usually do or love to do. You can also include the activities that you have been practicing for years. The more you understand the topic, the easier it will be to carry out the useful speech.

Spend some time on the speech that builds up the confidence to deliver the speech. Prepare and come with a long-tail list. This benefits you with more choices to improve the speech that you love to present.

For example, if you like traveling, you might have lots of interesting travel experiences. You will feel comfortable speaking on that topic. Also, you love researching more on the topic of your interest.

Better include these kinds of topics in the list of your subject area. For an instance, you can say that you want to become a tech blogger. But you might not know much about the subject.

You can show it, saying you need to research more on the topic to pursue your aim. This makes your speech and subject influential.

First of all, find out the time you take to cover the topic and focus on completing the speech within the allocated time.

Pick up the particular purpose of the speech to direct the attention of your audience.

Think about making your speech influential. Only delivering the important speech is not going to help to attract your audiences.

Delivering the thing that your audiences already know might bore them. So make it interesting including the practical things and add your experience as well.

Be precise with the topic, do not move away from the topic. Suppose, you are speaking on the National animal of a country.

Focus on the topic of national animals, do not divert your speech explaining more about the country. Your speech may look meaningless.

Deep research and understanding of the topic make your speech more remarkable and appealing.

Better focus on a particular topic that you can express without too much work. If you try to speak about an unfamiliar topic, you might be in trouble later. Better pick up the topic workable for you to speak.

2) Research on the topic

One of the rules to write an informative speech is -Know your subject. Carry out your research with proper understanding and honesty. You can do this by utilizing trustworthy resources to write the notes.

While gathering research elements, divide the resources that you will use in the speech. Also, try to learn more about the subject area related to the topic. You may have to respond to the queries about the speech topic. Better learn the things that are helpful to answer the queries.

For an instance, you are speaking about European culture. If the audience asks about it, you should be smart enough to answer to the query.

Once you complete your research, find something new that makes your speech more effective. Instead of ignoring it, take some time to prepare it.

When preparing an informative speech on social media, you understand different things during the research. You may find the research on Social media Myth more interesting. If you have more confidence to speak on the social media myths, you can pursue it. You have done lots of research that makes you able to deliver the speech in an interesting way.

3) About writing the speech

It is ideal to expect your audiences are a little familiar with your topic. Keeping in mind, you may still deliver the background information of the related topic. Beware of the shortcuts you use while explaining the topic. Until your task says otherwise, do not rush to clarify anything.

Nobody desires to know about the actors and actresses when you are giving a speech in the movie. You do not need to provide lots of background information as they are already familiar with the topic.

List out the information you are willing to include and keep it in logical order. To carry out how to informative speech, including the reason for what you are doing and how you do it will be fine.

For example, if your speech is on preparing hamburgers, you should explain every step you carry out. Additionally, do not forget to explain how you use the ingredient for the perfect result. This makes your speech interesting.

Better elaborate on the main points to make your informative speech more interesting and informative. The common method to carry out the speech is to emerge with the key points. These key points for a speech should be in sequential order or spatial order.

This procedure helps to give a useful, informative, and engaging speech. For an instance, start the speech on My trip to Lumbini with a short introduction of Lumbini. Then, your experience while visiting Lumbini and conclude with summarizing them.

The introduction is the main gateway to your speech. It should take the attention of audiences and let them understand what you are talking about. Usually, if your speech is long or complicated, make sure to provide the points you aim to cover.

Better start the speech with interesting jokes or quotes related to your topic. Make sure you will not speak out of the topic. This will be useful to build a strong connection between your speech and the audience. Yet, it might go wrong if you prefer unpleasant statements or meaningless jokes.

For an instance, starting the speech as “I just came from the universe” might sound weird. This can make your speech boring and unimpressive. Better try some relevant sentences and speech.

The conclusion should sum up the key points of your speech. Better conclude the speech with your opinion. The audience usually remembers the first and last things they hear.

Thus, be sure, you are in the right sequence to deliver your message to your audiences. It will help to start and conclude your speech with some essential memorizing messages.

Attempt to put your conclusion into the introduction. Emerging with a complete circle provides will make your speech in the heart of your audience.

For an instance, you used some precise jokes or quotes making the speech impressive. If your movie speech started with a story about an actor struggling to make his career.  

It might sound useless and inappropriate with the topic. So, talk about the thing that is necessary and appropriate.

4) Practicing your speech

Practice makes us perfect so make enough time to practice your speech. Include or cut off the points as necessary.

Try completing your speech in the precise time. Even if you are not assigned the time limitation, do not make the speech long and boring. You might not know this while delivering the speech. Better think about it earlier than you give the speech.

If you are speaking for some event, be sure that it does not cross the time limitation. Audiences might get your speech boring if you take a too long time or you may have to end with an incomplete speech. So, be sure that it works according to the time.

While presenting in a mass of people, you might f try to end the speech instantly. You may also speak quickly and in that way, audiences might not understand you.

To be sure the audiences enjoy what you present, attempt to slow down. Better use, video recorder while practicing. This way you can analyze your speech by yourself. It will be effective if you point out the mistakes and work to fix that.

Try to include dramatic pauses to make your speech more attractive. Dramatic pauses can strike a particular bit of information providing the audience time to reflect.

Best speakers use them carefully with great consequence. You have to be alert about the list of information. Make some time to practice after you list out the information.

You might be nervous to present in front of a huge mass of people. So, try practicing in front of your friend. This makes you able to build confidence.

Being nervous will mess up your speech. Better prepare well by working with your friends. Get feedback from them as an audience and work on the drawbacks. If you go with the wrong plan then recover from the mistake. This gives you the strength to deliver an interesting speech.

So, these are some effective ways to write informative speeches. Following these points will help to deliver an interesting speech.

Tips for Informative Speech

Now, let us proceed towards the tips to make your informative speech more efficient

While presenting in front of lots of people, it is likely to get nervous. When you get nervous, you try to complete the speech by talking quickly.

This might make the speech confusing and unimpressive. Think about it, while practicing try to slow down and make your speech clear and loud.

Even if you are good at writing the speech, it will not be effective unless you speak clearly. If you mumble while speaking, it might sound unclear. So, practice more and more until you speak clearly and comprehensibly.

You are most likely good at informative speech but you might not realize that. You can speak with your parents and friends about different topics of your interest. This builds up your confidence to speak in public.

If you are having a problem deciding on the topic of your speech, get help from the internet. There, you can find lots of websites with a list of prospective and interesting topics.

Or else, you can also think about the time you spend the most. For an instance, you spend most of your time cooking.  Talk about cooking the dishes that you are proficient at.

Your outline plays a significant role to help you take your speech in an organized way. Yet, you should not take it lightly.

When you work on the speech, you might get that some points mentioned in the outline is unnecessary. You can add essential points and remove the points which you do not need. As outline helps to find necessary points, do it properly.

Persuasive and informative speeches are two different things. You should know that. Persuasive speech is convincing while informative speech gives information about a particular topic.

Simple ways to approach an informative speech

Think about your audience. This is the most challenging as the speaking circumstances, forums, and topics can vary. Before presenting the speech, analyze who your audiences are? Why are they present in your speech? Focusing on these details, you can explore the best ways to present your speech.

If you are speaking about lung cancer, you should know its basics as well. Some audiences might not understand the depth.

So start your speech from the basics. Do not presume that audiences are familiar with the background of your topic. Again, do not assume they do not know. This is the main reason, knowing the audience is essential. Besides, it depends on the situation of the speech.

Use proper language. Speak the language that audiences desire to listen to. You deliver the speech with the goal to provide useful information to the audience.

If audiences do not understand what you speak, the speech becomes useless. The main target of an informative speech is to give knowledge about a particular topic.

If you can explain well the topic in simple language better use it. Try to make the speech simple and understandable.

Do not rush to complete the speech quickly. Instead, think about educating your audiences with your speech. Explain the term if necessary.

Understanding the time flow of the speech will be helpful to make your speech effective. Speakers should create a link between their topic and the interest of audiences.

Here describe the significance of the topic. Also, express the main points with some interesting examples and quotes.

A speaker confessing their own experience encourages the audiences to share the same interest.

To become a good speaker, you have to be clear and concise at first. Spend lots of time on simple concepts instead of the harder ones.

Since giving many examples to prove a single point might not work well. This way your audiences may find your speech boring.

Better, explore some new ideas and prepare the topic well. Try to provide detailed information. Most of the audience gets influenced by details and descriptive presentation.

Try practicing using audio or visuals if possible. They help to find out your mistake. You can improve after you know where the mistake is.

Additionally, informative speech can be effective with demo presentation and visual support. So, using them properly helps to deliver your speech in a proper way.

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

14 Informative Speeches

Speeches to Educate, Explain, or Describe

In this chapter . . .

In this chapter we examine our first type of public speech, the informative speech. This is used in lectures, briefings, and anytime you want to transmit fact-based information to an audience. We cover what makes an informative speech unique, the types of informative speeches, and how to construct this type of speech.

What is an informative Speech? Defining what an informative speech is can be both straight-forward and somewhat tricky at the same time. Very simply, an informative speech can first be defined as a speech based entirely and exclusively on facts. An informative speech conveys knowledge, a task that every person engages in every day in some form or another. Whether giving someone who is lost driving directions, explaining the specials of the day as a server, or describing the plot of a movie to friends, people engage in forms of informative speaking daily.

An informative speech does not attempt to convince the audience that one thing is better than another. It does not advocate a course of action or incorporate opinion as its basis. This can be the tricky part of developing an informative speech because some opinion statements sound like facts (since they are generally agreed upon by many people) but are really opinions.

For example, in an informative speech on George Washington, you might want to say, “George Washington was one of the greatest presidents in the history of the United States.” While this statement may be agreed upon by many people, it’s not irrefutable, meaning someone could argue against this claim. However, you could include this statement in an informative speech if you present the opinion from a reputable source: “Ron Chernow, in his 2011 best-selling biography of George Washington, describes the first president as one of the greatest presidents in the history of the United States.” That is an acceptable way of presenting an opinion within the framework of a factual speech. While you may not be able to avoid opinion, you don’t want your central idea, your main points, and most of your supporting material to be opinion or argument in an informative speech.

Additionally, you should never take sides on an issue in an informative speech, nor should you “spin” the facts to influence the opinions of the listeners. Even if you are informing the audience about differences in views on controversial topics, you should simply and clearly explain the issues.

This doesn’t mean that an informative speech will have no effect on the audience. An audience can learn things from an informative speech that will affect what they do or how they think about something—that’s their choice. Your only focus is to provide the clearest and most factual information you can.

Types of Informative Speeches

While the topics to choose from for informative speeches are nearly limitless, they can be categorized according to five broad categories based on the primary goal of the speech. Understanding the type of informative speech that you will be giving can help you to figure out the best way to research and speechwriting.

Type 1: History

An informative speech on the history or development of something. Your focus is to explain to an audience how something came into existence. History speeches can be about objects, places, ideas, or even events. For example, imagine your informative speech was on the history of the football (the object, not the game). Someone at some point in history was the first to develop what is considered the modern football. Who was it? What was it originally made of? How did it evolve into the football that is used by the NFL today? For the history of a place, like a university, you would describe the specific year it opened, the number of students who were initially enrolled, and how it got its name. It’s also possible to provide the history of an idea, like “democracy.” By explaining the civilizations and cultures that adopted forms of democracy throughout history, it’s possible to provide an audience with a better understanding of how the idea has been shaped into what it has become today.

Type 2: Biography

A biographical speech is similar to a history one, but in this case the subject is a person, whether living or deceased. As with histories of objects, places, or ideas, there are specific and irrefutable facts that provide the details of someone’s life. Your focus is to tell the audience about someone’s life.

Type 3: Processes

Process speeches are informative speeches that explain how to do something or how something is achieved. These speeches require you to provide steps that will help your audience understand how to accomplish a specific task or process. We see examples of “how-to” presentations frequently—especially on YouTube. There’s a second type of process speech that focuses not on how the audience can achieve a result, but on how a process is achieved. The goal is understanding of a process instead of the performance of a process. After a speech on how to change a car tire, for example, the audience members could probably do it (they might not want to, but they would know the steps). However, after a speech on how a bill goes through Congress, the audience would understand this important part of democracy but not be ready to serve in Congress. Either way, if your speech aims at teaching the audience how something works, it’s a process speech.

Type 4: Ideas and Concepts

It is possible to have an informative speech about an idea or concept where your primary focus isn’t on the history of the idea, but how it exists now. In the examples above, we have seen two types of speeches about democracy: democracy as the topic of a speech that focuses on its history and democracy in a speech that focuses on a process in democratic legislation. In this fourth type of informative speech, you could focus on the concept of democracy as interpreted, for example, in three different countries. Your speech is neither about history nor about process but focuses on the definition itself.

Type 5: General

Sometimes an informative speech topic doesn’t lend itself to a focus on history, process, or concept. In those cases, the topics tend to fall into the general category of informative speeches. The focus in this type of informative speech is determined by the topic. For example, imagine a speech about customs to know when traveling in Japan. This isn’t a speech about the history of anime , nor a biography of a former emperor. It’s not about the process of planning a trip to Japan, nor is it about the concept of kawaii . Customs of Japan falls into the “general” type of informative speech.

Tips for Informational Speeches

Use the type of speech to determine the structure.

Identifying the type of informative speech being given can help in several ways (conducting research, writing the introduction and conclusion), but the biggest benefit is that the type of informative speech being given will help determine the organizational pattern that is best for a speech.

For example, a How-To speech must be in chronological order (step 1, step 2, step 3). Similarly, most speeches that focus on providing history or biography will be organized chronologically, but not always. It makes sense to use chronology to explain the history of the football from the moment it was first developed to where it’s today, but for an informative speech on Benjamin Franklin a student might choose a topical pattern (idea 1, idea 2, idea 3) as their three main points: 1) His time as a printer, 2) His time as an inventor, 3) His time as a diplomat. These main points are not in strict chronological order because Franklin was a printer, inventor, and diplomat at the same time during periods of his whole life. However, this example would still be one way to inform an audience about him without using the chronological organizational pattern.

As for general informative speeches, since the topics that can be included in this category are so diverse and cover a range of possible subject matter, the way they are organized will be varied as well and may use chronological, spatial, or topical structures. (Refer to Chapter x on speech structure and organization).

Keep Your Topic Specific

One of the biggest and most common mistakes students make is pursuing a topic that is much too broad. Let’s consider the example of a student who proposes the topic “To inform my audience about the Civil War.” The Civil War was, conservatively speaking, four years long, resulted in over 750,000 casualties, and arguably changed the course of human history. To think that it’s possible to cover all of that in a speech is unrealistic. Even a very experienced professor in American history would find it difficult to deliver a one-hour lecture that accomplished that goal.

The better approach in this case is to be as specific as possible. A revised specific purpose for this speech might be something like “To inform my audience about the Gettysburg Address.” This topic is much more compact (the Gettysburg Address is only a few minutes long) and doing research will be easier—although you will still find hundreds of sources on it. An even more specific topic would be “To inform my classmates of the specific places in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania that are considered haunted.”

Avoid Fake Informative Speech Topics

Sometimes students think that because something sounds like an informative speech topic, it’s one. This happens a lot with political issues that are usually partisan in nature. Some students may feel that the speech topic “To inform my audience why William Henry Harrison was a bad president” sounds factual, but really this is an opinion—in other words, it’s a fake informational speech because it’s a persuasive speech disguised as an informational speech. Similarly, a few topics that include conspiracy and paranormal subject matter are usually mistaken for good informative topics as well. It is common for a student to propose the topic “To inform my audience about the existence of extraterrestrials,” thinking it’s a good topic. After all, there is plenty of evidence to support the claim, right? There are pictures of unidentified objects in the sky that people claim are from outer space, there are people who claim to have seen extraterrestrials, and most powerful of all, there are people who say that they have been abducted by aliens and taken into space.

The problem here, as you have probably already guessed, is that these facts are not irrefutable. Not every single person who sees something unknown in the sky will agree it’s an alien spacecraft, and there can be little doubt that not everyone who claims to have been abducted by a UFO is telling the truth. This isn’t to say that you can’t still do an informative speech on alien sites. For example, two viable options are “To inform my audience about the SETI Project” or “To inform my audience of the origin of the Area 51 conspiracy.” However, these types of speeches can quickly devolve into opinion if you aren’t careful, which would then make them persuasive speeches. Even if you start by trying to be objective, unless you can present each side equally, it will end up becoming a persuasive speech. Additionally, when a speaker picks such a topic, it’s often because of a hidden desire to persuade the audience about them.

Be Selective about Content

Even if you have chosen a specific and focused topic, you must still make choices about what you can and cannot include. Writing an informative speech isn’t about dumping enormous amounts of information on your audience that you can only get to by speaking at breakneck speed. It’s about carefully choosing what to include, making it interesting and clear, and presenting it to your audience at a comfortable pace. What’s better: too much information that audiences can’t grasp or less information for audiences that hear every word? Regardless of the topic, you will never be able to cover everything that is known about your topic, so don’t try. Select the things that will best help the audience gain a general understanding of the topic that will interest them, and that they hopefully will find valuable.

Be Accurate, Clear, and Interesting

A good informative speech conveys accurate information to the audience clearly and keeps the listener interested in the topic. Achieving all three of these goals—accuracy, clarity, and interest—is the key to being an effective speaker. If information is inaccurate, incomplete, or unclear, it will be of limited usefulness to the audience.

Part of being accurate is making sure that your information is current. Even if you know a great deal about your topic or wrote a good paper on the topic in a high school course, you will need to verify the accuracy and completeness of what you know, especially if it’s medical or scientific information.

What defines “interesting?” In approaching the informative speech, you should keep in mind the good overall principle that the audience is asking, “what’s in it for me?” The audience is either consciously or unconsciously wondering “What in this topic for me? How can I use this information? Of what value is this speech content to me? Why should I listen to it?”

Keep in Mind Audience Diversity

Finally, remember that not everyone in your audience is the same, so an informative speech should be prepared with audience diversity in mind. If the information in a speech is too complex or too simplistic, it will not hold the interest of the listeners. Determining the right level of complexity can be hard. Audience analysis is one important way to do this (see Chapter 2). Do the members of your audience belong to different age groups? Did they all go to public schools in the United States, or are some of them international students? Are they all students majoring in the same subject, or is there a mixture of majors? Never assume that just because an audience is made up of students, they all share a knowledge set.

Learning how to give informative speeches will serve you well in your college career and your future work. Keep in mind the principles in this chapter but also those of the previous chapters: relating to the informational needs of the audience, using clear structure, and incorporating interesting and attention-getting supporting evidence.

Something to Think About

Here are three general topics for informative speeches. Write specific purposes for them and explain how you would answer the WIIFM question.

• Type 1 diabetes
• The psychological effects of using social media

Public Speaking as Performance Copyright © 2023 by Mechele Leon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

630 Informative Speech Topics & Unique Ideas

• 23 April 2024
• 23 min read

Informative speech topics cover diverse subjects meant to educate the audience by providing relevant data and unique insights. They can range from scientific themes to historical subjects. Topics can also encompass health matters, discussing breakthroughs in mental health therapy, or decoding the complexity of modern nutrition. Technology is another rich area, highlighting advancements in artificial intelligence or space exploration. Cultural and social topics, like the global influence of pop culture or the impact of social media, offer engaging perspectives. All speech topics should captivate, inform, and stir curiosity, ultimately enabling listeners to gain a greater understanding of the world.

Good Informative Speech Topics

• Revolutionizing Medicine With 3D Printing
• Understanding the Mechanism Behind Dreams
• Mysteries of Dark Matter and Dark Energy
• The Powerful Impact of Blockchain Technology
• Climbing the Ladder: The Evolution of Video Games
• Unearthing the Hidden Treasures of the Ocean
• Delving Into the Science of Happiness
• Biodiversity Loss: Implications for Our Planet
• Exploring the Genius of Leonardo da Vinci
• Grasping the Complexities of Artificial Intelligence
• Impactful Women in History and Their Contributions
• Journey into the Mind: Unraveling Mental Health
• Effects of Climate Change on Polar Ice Caps
• Advancements in the Field of Nanotechnology
• Dismantling the Myths Around Vaccines
• Food Security Challenges in the 21st Century
• Fascinating Mysteries of the Universe Yet to be Solved
• The Intricate Relationship Between Diet and Health
• Encountering the Wonders of Bioluminescence
• Unmasking the Reality of Cybersecurity Threats
• The Legacy of Ancient Greek Philosophy
• Bridging the Gap: Understanding Cultural Diversity
• Pioneers in Space: The Achievements of NASA
• Influential Social Movements of the 20th Century

Easy Informative Speech Topics

• Decoding the Language of Body Expression
• The Role of Microplastics in Environmental Pollution
• Music’s Influence on Cognitive Development
• Understanding Animal Behavior and Intelligence
• Revealing the Magic of Magnetic Levitation
• The Global Impact of Cryptocurrencies
• Fossil Fuels vs. Renewable Energy: A Comparative Analysis
• The History and Evolution of Comic Books
• Unfolding the Story of Human Evolution
• Tracing the Roots of Yoga: From Ancient Times to Modern Practice
• Neuroplasticity: The Brain’s Remarkable Ability to Change
• Tackling the Consequences of Deforestation
• Discovering the Depth of Marine Biodiversity
• Harnessing the Power of Wind Energy
• The Fight Against Cancer: Modern Treatment Methods
• Life on Mars: What Science Tells Us
• Navigating the Complexities of Global Immigration
• The Evolution and Impact of Social Media
• Drones and Their Multifaceted Applications
• Digging Into the History of Archaeology
• Learning from Past Pandemics: Lessons and Precautions
• The Sublime World of Quantum Physics
• The Intertwined History of Mathematics and Astronomy
• Revealing the True Impact of Fast Fashion
• Analyzing the Causes of Youth Unemployment
• The Influence of Classical Literature on Modern Society

Interesting Informative Speech Topics

• Understanding Genetic Engineering and Its Potential
• Delving Into the World of Performance Arts
• The Power of Meditation and Mindfulness
• Investigating the Effects of Noise Pollution
• The Art and Science of Winemaking
• The Fascinating Journey of Language Evolution
• Advances in Electric Vehicle Technology: A Step Toward Sustainable Future
• Exploring the Depths of the Mariana Trench
• Immortality through Science: The Promise of Biogerontology
• Dissecting the Socioeconomic Impact of Sports
• Myths and Truths About Human Memory
• The Role of Robotics in Modern Healthcare
• The Science and Art of Coffee Brewing
• Interplay of Climate Change and Global Food Production
• The Stunning Architectural Wonders of Ancient Rome
• Magic of Algorithms: The Backbone of Modern Computing
• The Impact of Colonization on Modern Societies
• Harnessing Solar Energy: Advances and Challenges
• Understanding the Complex World of Tax Laws
• Coral Reefs: Underwater Ecosystems at Risk
• Gravitational Waves: Probing the Universe’s Violent Events
• The Influence of AI on the Job Market
• The Intricate Art of Origami and Its Mathematical Connections
• The Marvel of Bioluminescent Organisms in the Deep Sea
• Modern Architecture: Blending Aesthetics and Sustainability

Informative Speech Topics for Fun

• Unraveling the Mystery of the Bermuda Triangle
• Evolution of Video Games: A Walk Through History
• Decoding the Art of Brewing the Perfect Coffee
• The Fascinating Science Behind Dreams
• The Adventurous Journey of Space Exploration
• Impressive Architectural Wonders of the Ancient World
• The Secret World of Animal Communication
• Unlocking the Powers of Mindfulness and Meditation
• Exploring the Underwater Kingdom: Marine Life and Its Wonders
• Demystifying the Intriguing World of Magic Tricks
• A Glimpse into the Mysterious Lives of Spies
• Chocolates and Happiness: A Delicious Connection
• Journey Through the Genres of Music: An Auditory Delight
• The Enthralling Evolution of Animation in the Film Industry
• Unearthing the Secrets of the Egyptian Pyramids
• Robots and Their Influence on Future Society
• The Thrilling World of Extreme Sports: Not for the Faint-Hearted
• The Peculiarities and Beauty of Bioluminescent Creatures
• The Influence of Comic Books on Popular Culture
• Discover the Intriguing Origins of Internet Memes
• The Art and Science Behind Making Perfect Sushi
• Dive Into the History of the World’s Most Famous Landmarks

Informative Speech Topics for High School

• Artificial Intelligence and Its Impact on Society
• Climate Change: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions
• The Importance of Mental Health Awareness
• Renewable Energy Sources: Exploring Sustainable Options
• Effective Study Techniques for College Students
• Exploring the Benefits of Yoga and Meditation
• Cybersecurity: Safeguarding Personal Information Online
• The Role of Women in Leadership Positions
• Sustainable Agriculture: Promoting Food Security
• The Influence of Music on Mood and Emotions
• Exploring Different Cultural Perspectives on Marriage
• The Health Benefits of Regular Exercise and Fitness
• The Future of Space Exploration and Colonization
• Strategies for Stress Management in School Life
• The Evolution and Impact of Social Networking Sites
• Understanding and Addressing Food Waste in Society
• Artificial Intelligence: Enhancing Healthcare Innovations
• The Psychology of Persuasion: Understanding Influential Techniques
• Exploring Alternative Medicine and Its Efficacy
• The Role of Robotics in Manufacturing Industries
• Sustainable Tourism: Preserving Natural Resources and Cultures
• The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

Informative Speech Topics for College Students

• Renewable Energy Sources: Harnessing the Power of the Sun, Wind, and Water
• Genetic Engineering: Advancements in Agriculture and Medicine
• Artificial Intelligence: Exploring the Future of Technology
• Climate Change: Understanding the Impact on Our Planet
• Space Exploration: Journeying Into the Unknown
• Mental Health Awareness: Breaking the Stigma and Seeking Help
• Sustainable Living: Eco-Friendly Practices for a Better Future
• The Importance of Voting: Exercising Your Civic Duty
• Human Rights: Advocating for Equality and Justice
• The Influence of Social Media: Impacts on Communication and Society
• Healthy Eating Habits: Nourishing Your Body and Mind
• Renewable Energy: Transitioning to a Greener World
• Effects of Bullying: Building a Safe and Inclusive Community
• Robotics and Automation: Transforming Industries and the Workforce
• Animal Conservation: Preserving Biodiversity for Future Generations
• Mental Resilience: Strategies for Coping With Life’s Challenges
• The History and Impact of the Internet: Connecting the World
• Financial Literacy: Managing Money and Building a Secure Future
• Climate Action: Individual and Collective Efforts for a Sustainable Planet
• The Significance of Cultural Diversity: Celebrating Differences
• Drug Abuse Prevention: Educating for a Drug-Free Society
• Gender Equality: Promoting Fairness and Empowerment

Informative Speech Topics for University

• Cybersecurity: Safeguarding Digital Assets in the Modern Era
• Renewable Energy: Harnessing Sustainable Power Sources
• Genetic Engineering: Advancements and Ethical Considerations
• Artificial Intelligence: Revolutionizing Industries and Human Lives
• Climate Change: Understanding the Impact and Solutions
• Space Exploration: Unveiling the Mysteries of the Universe
• The Human Brain: Unlocking Its Potential and Limitations
• Sustainable Agriculture: Feeding the World While Protecting the Environment
• Blockchain Technology: Revolutionizing Industries and Enhancing Security
• Virtual Reality: Expanding Possibilities in Entertainment and Beyond
• Mental Health Awareness: Breaking Stigma and Promoting Well-Being
• Autonomous Vehicles: Transforming Transportation and Road Safety
• The Power of Social Media: Impact on Communication and Society
• Globalization: Effects on Economics, Culture, and Politics
• Robotics: Advancements and Applications in Various Industries
• The Importance of Financial Literacy in the Modern World
• Sustainable Fashion: Balancing Style and Environmental Responsibility
• Biotechnology: Innovations and Contributions to Health and Agriculture
• Green Building: Designing Sustainable Structures for a Greener Future
• The History and Impact of Feminism on Society
• Ocean Conservation: Preserving Marine Ecosystems and Biodiversity
• The Future of Work: Automation, AI, and Job Market Trends
• Food Security: Addressing Hunger and Nutrition Challenges
• The Psychology of Motivation: Understanding Drivers of Human Behavior

Presentation Informative Speech Topics

• Artificial Intelligence: Revolutionizing Modern Industries
• Climate Change: The Global Challenge We Must Address
• Renewable Energy: Powering a Sustainable Future
• Space Exploration: Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe
• Cybersecurity: Protecting Data in the Digital Age
• Blockchain Technology: Transforming Business and Finance
• Mental Health Awareness: Breaking the Stigma
• Genetic Engineering: Advancements in Biotechnology
• The Importance of Early Childhood Education
• Sustainable Agriculture: Feeding the World Responsibly
• The Future of Work: Automation and Job Market Trends
• Alternative Medicine: Holistic Approaches to Health
• Ocean Conservation: Preserving Marine Ecosystems
• Robotics: Enhancing Efficiency and Productivity
• The Art of Public Speaking: Effective Communication Skills
• Urbanization: Challenges and Opportunities in Cities
• The Power of Storytelling: Connecting People and Ideas
• Financial Literacy: Building a Strong Foundation
• The Science Behind Meditation and Mindfulness
• Exploring Cultural Diversity: Celebrating Differences
• The Evolution of Transportation: From Horse Carriages to Electric Vehicles
• The Impact of Advertising on Consumer Behavior

Informative Speech Topics for Public Speaking

• The Power of Positive Thinking in Achieving Personal Success
• Understanding the Influence of Advertising on Consumer Behavior
• Analyzing the Impact of Social Media Influencers on Youth Culture
• Exploring the Science of Happiness and Well-Being
• Investigating the History and Significance of Human Rights Movements
• Unveiling the Mysteries of the Universe: Black Holes and Dark Matter
• Examining the Effects of Climate Change on Wildlife and Biodiversity
• Discovering the Benefits of Mindfulness and Stress Reduction Techniques
• Evaluating the Role of Education in Empowering Individuals and Communities
• Unraveling the Secrets of Effective Public Speaking and Presentation Skills
• Investigating the Evolution and Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Robotics
• Analyzing the Psychological Effects of Social Isolation and Loneliness
• Exploring the Benefits of Meditation and Yoga for Mental and Physical Health
• Understanding the Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Personal and Professional Life
• Delving into the History and Influence of Ancient Civilizations
• Examining the Implications of Genetic Engineering on Agriculture and Food Production
• Investigating the Role of Mass Media in Shaping Political Discourse
• Discovering the Health Benefits of Regular Exercise and Physical Activity
• Unveiling the History and Cultural Significance of Traditional Festivals
• Exploring the Impact of Technology on Work-Life Balance

Informative Speech Topics on Important Days & Events

• World Environment Day: Preserving Our Planet’s Future
• International Women’s Day: Celebrating Achievements and Empowering Women
• World AIDS Day: Promoting Awareness and Support for Those Affected
• World Mental Health Day: Breaking the Stigma and Promoting Well-Being
• International Day of Peace: Building a Harmonious Global Society
• World Water Day: Ensuring Access to Clean Water for All
• International Day of Education: Empowering Individuals Through Learning
• World Cancer Day: Spreading Awareness and Supporting Research
• World Refugee Day: Understanding the Plight and Supporting Refugees
• International Day of Forests: Preserving and Restoring Our Woodlands
• World Humanitarian Day: Recognizing and Honoring Humanitarian Work
• International Day of Happiness: Promoting Well-Being and Joy
• World Food Day: Addressing Hunger and Promoting Sustainable Agriculture
• World Diabetes Day: Raising Awareness and Encouraging Healthy Lifestyles
• World Wildlife Day: Protecting Biodiversity and Endangered Species
• World Hepatitis Day: Promoting Prevention and Treatment of Hepatitis
• International Day of Families: Celebrating the Importance of Family Bonds
• World Autism Awareness Day: Increasing Understanding and Acceptance
• International Day of Older Persons: Honoring the Contributions and Challenges of Seniors
• World Blood Donor Day: Encouraging Life-Saving Blood Donations
• International Day of Democracy: Nurturing Democratic Values and Participation
• World Tuberculosis Day: Combating Tuberculosis and Promoting Treatment

Science & Technology Informative Speech Topics

• Augmented Reality Technology: Advantages and Challenges
• Genetic Editing: The Potential for Disease Cures
• Cybersecurity and Data Privacy: The Science Behind
• Machine Learning in Personalized Medicine
• Evolution of Smartphones and Mobile Technology
• Energy Storage and Batteries: Future Innovations
• Virtual Assistants and Natural Language Processing: The Science Behind
• Gene Therapy: Benefits and Risks
• Quantum Cryptography: Ensuring Data Security
• Brain-Computer Interfaces: Advancements in Communication and Control
• Innovations in Sustainable Energy: Harnessing Renewable Resources
• The Role of Robotics in Healthcare and Medicine
• Ethics of Gene Editing and Genetic Manipulation
• Breakthroughs in Quantum Computing: Unleashing Computing Power
• The Evolution of Cybersecurity: Protecting Digital Assets
• Biometrics in Modern Society: Balancing Convenience and Privacy
• Cloud Computing: Transforming Business Operations
• The Science of Nanomaterials and Their Applications
• Advancements in Virtual Reality Gaming and Entertainment
• The Power of Data Analytics in Business Decision Making

Informative Speech Topics About Animals

• The Evolution of Primates: A Journey Through Time
• Endangered Species Conservation Efforts: Making a Difference
• Incredible Adaptations: How Do Animals Survive in Extreme Environments?
• The Mysterious World of Marine Life: Exploring the Depths
• Animal Intelligence: Unveiling the Secrets of the Animal Mind
• The Role of Bees in Pollination: Nature’s Unsung Heroes
• Wildlife Trafficking: Combating Illegal Trade and Protecting Species
• The Importance of Conservation: Preserving Biodiversity for Future Generations
• Animal-Assisted Therapy: The Healing Power of Animals
• Animal Camouflage: Nature’s Master Disguises
• The Plight of Sea Turtles: Challenges and Conservation Efforts
• Animal Migration: A Phenomenon of Epic Proportions
• The Fascinating World of Insects: Diversity and Adaptations
• Animal Agriculture: Balancing Food Production and Animal Welfare
• Endangered Big Cats: Protecting Lions, Tigers, and Leopards
• The Incredible Journey of Monarch Butterflies: Migration and Conservation
• Animal Communication: Unlocking the Language of the Wild
• The Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef: A World Heritage Site Under Threat
• The Surprising Social Lives of Elephants: Complex Family Structures
• The Intricate Web of Coral Reefs: Sustaining Marine Ecosystems

Informative Speech Topics for Sports

• The Evolution of Basketball: From Naismith to the NBA
• The Impact of Sports on Promoting Gender Equality
• Sports Nutrition: Fueling Your Performance
• Exploring the Science of Sports Injuries and Recovery
• The History and Cultural Significance of Soccer
• Mental Toughness in Sports: Strategies for Success
• The Importance of Teamwork in Competitive Sports
• Exploring the Psychology of Sports Fandom
• The Role of Technology in Enhancing Sports Performance
• Sports and Social Media: A Powerful Partnership
• The Economics of Professional Sports: Money and Beyond
• The Olympic Games: A Symbol of Unity and Excellence
• Sports and Youth Development: Building Character and Skills
• The Health Benefits of Regular Physical Activity
• Sports Diplomacy: Building Bridges Through Athletics
• The Rise of E-Sports: A New Frontier in Competitive Gaming
• The History and Traditions of American Football
• Exploring the Psychology of Winning and Losing in Sports
• The Evolution of Sports Broadcasting: From Radio to Live Streaming
• Sports and Ethical Dilemmas: Fair Play and Sportsmanship
• The Rise of Extreme Sports: Pushing the Limits of Human Potential

Health Informative Speech Topics

• The Role of Nutrition in Promoting Heart Health
• Preventing Chronic Diseases Through Healthy Lifestyle Choices
• Exploring Alternative Medicine: Benefits and Risks
• Understanding the Effects of Stress on the Immune System
• Managing and Preventing Obesity in Modern Society
• Promoting Mental Wellness: Strategies for Stress Reduction
• The Benefits of Regular Physical Activity for Aging Adults
• Improving Digestive Health through Diet and Lifestyle Modifications
• Unveiling the Truth About Popular Diets and Weight Loss Programs
• Exploring the Dangers of Sedentary Lifestyles
• Effects of Smoking on Respiratory Health
• Understanding and Managing Food Allergies and Intolerances
• Mental Health Stigma: Breaking the Silence and Seeking Support
• The Importance of Regular Health Check-Ups and Screenings
• Promoting Healthy Habits for Children and Adolescents
• Understanding the Connection between Gut Health and the Immune System
• The Impact of Technology on Sleep Quality and Sleep Disorders
• Exploring the Link between Nutrition and Brain Function
• The Benefits of Regular Physical Activity for Mental Health
• Preventing Burnout: Strategies for Maintaining Work-Life Balance

Informative Speech Topics for Literature & History

• The Impact of Shakespeare’s Tragedies on Modern Theater
• The Influence of Charles Dickens on Social Reform
• The Symbolism of Colors in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Analyzing the Historical Accuracy of the Arthurian Legends
• The Evolution of the Hero’s Journey in Literature
• Examining the Themes of War in Ernest Hemingway’s Novels
• The Significance of the Harlem Renaissance in African American Literature
• The Origins and Legacy of the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
• Unraveling the Secrets of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa”
• Exploring the Mythology and Folklore of Native American Tribes
• The Influence of Ancient Greek Philosophy on Western Literature
• Analyzing the Historical Context of Jane Austen’s Novels
• The Power of Satire in Jonathan Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels”
• Investigating the Historical Events Behind William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”
• The Evolution of Gothic Literature From Horace Walpole to Edgar Allan Poe
• Understanding the Political Allegories in George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”
• Examining the Historical Significance of the Renaissance Period
• The Influence of Greek Tragedies on Modern Drama
• The Symbolism of Nature in William Wordsworth’s Romantic Poetry
• The Cultural Impact of Miguel de Cervantes’ “Don Quixote”
• Analyzing the Historical Accuracy of Shakespeare’s Historical Plays
• The Role of Religion in Colonial American Literature

Music Informative Speech Topics

• The Impact of Classical Music on Brain Development
• Exploring the Influence of Hip-Hop Culture on Contemporary Society
• The Rise of Electronic Dance Music and its Global Phenomenon
• Unveiling the Power of Music Therapy for Mental Health
• How Music Shapes Cultural Identity: A Comparative Study
• Examining the Life and Legacy of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• The Role of Music in Historical Movements: Protest Songs and Social Change
• The Science Behind Musical Instruments: Acoustics and Engineering
• Decoding the Secrets of Film Scores: Enhancing Emotion in Cinema
• The Cultural Significance of Indigenous Music Traditions
• The Art of Musical Improvisation: Techniques and Styles
• Exploring the World of Opera: From Aria to Libretto
• The Revolutionary Sound of Rock and Roll: Icons and Innovations
• The Healing Power of Rhythm: Drumming and Percussion Therapy
• Impacts of Music Streaming Services on the Music Industry
• The Intersection of Music and Fashion: Styles and Subcultures
• Examining the Legacy of Ludwig van Beethoven: Genius and Innovation
• The Psychology of Music: How Does Sound Affect Human Emotion and Behavior?
• The Power of Lyrics: Poetry and Storytelling in Songwriting
• Uncovering the Origins of Blues Music: African Roots and American Heritage
• Music and Memory: Exploring the Relationship Between Sound and Recall

Environment Informative Speech Topics

• Advancements in Renewable Energy Technologies
• Protecting Endangered Species: Conservation Efforts and Success Stories
• The Role of Wetlands in Ecosystem Health
• Sustainable Agriculture: Methods for Preserving Soil Quality
• Ocean Acidification: Threats to Marine Life
• The Importance of Recycling: Reducing Waste and Environmental Impact
• Climate Change and Its Effects on Global Weather Patterns
• Water Scarcity: Challenges and Solutions for a Thirsty Planet
• Urbanization and Its Impact on Natural Habitats
• Sustainable Fishing Practices: Balancing Human Needs and Marine Ecosystems
• Ecotourism: Promoting Conservation and Local Economies
• Natural Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation Strategies
• The Significance of National Parks: Preserving Natural Beauty
• Restoring Degraded Landscapes: Reforestation and Ecological Rehabilitation
• The Benefits of Green Spaces in Urban Environments
• Renewable Energy Sources: Exploring Solar, Wind, and Hydroelectric Power
• The Effects of Pesticides on Wildlife and Ecosystems
• Sustainable Transportation: Promoting Alternatives to Reduce Carbon Footprint
• The Role of Indigenous Knowledge in Environmental Stewardship
• Coral Reef Conservation: Protecting Biodiversity Hotspots

Informative Speech Topics on Education

• Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills in the Classroom
• Implementing Technology in Education: Trends and Benefits
• Promoting Inclusive Education for Students With Disabilities
• Addressing the Achievement Gap in Education
• Effective Strategies for Classroom Management
• Understanding Different Learning Styles and Tailoring Instruction
• The Role of Arts Education in Developing Well-Rounded Individuals
• Advantages of Bilingual Education in a Globalized World
• Fostering Creativity and Innovation in Education
• Exploring Project-Based Learning: Engaging Students in Real-World Applications
• Teaching Financial Literacy: Preparing Students for Economic Independence
• Benefits of Outdoor Education and Experiential Learning
• Cultivating Emotional Intelligence in Schools
• Assessing the Impact of Standardized Curriculum on Education Quality
• The Role of School Counseling in Supporting Students’ Mental Health
• Examining the Effects of Homework on Student Achievement
• The Power of Teacher-Student Relationships in Academic Success
• Promoting Gender Equality in Education: Breaking Stereotypes and Barriers
• The Importance of Multicultural Education in a Diverse Society
• Examining the Benefits and Challenges of Online Education

Informative Speech Topics About Society & Sociology

• The Role of Gender Stereotypes in Society
• Exploring the Effects of Income Inequality on Social Mobility
• Analyzing the Influence of Media on Body Image Perception
• Understanding the Rise of Online Activism in Modern Society
• Examining the Causes and Consequences of Bullying in Schools
• The Evolution of Family Structures and Its Impact on Society
• Unraveling the Psychological Effects of Loneliness in the Digital Age
• Investigating the Relationship between Education and Social Equality
• The Power of Language: Exploring the Impact of Rhetoric on Society
• Analyzing the Socioeconomic Factors Contributing to Crime Rates
• The Significance of Cultural Diversity in Building Stronger Communities
• Exploring the Effects of Social Class on Access to Healthcare
• Understanding the Impact of Mass Incarceration on Communities
• Examining the Relationship Between Religion and Society
• Analyzing the Factors Contributing to Political Polarization
• The Impact of Technology on Socialization and Human Interaction
• Unveiling the Dynamics of Power and Authority in Societies
• Investigating the Roots and Consequences of Prejudice and Discrimination
• The Role of Social Movements in Promoting Social Change
• Analyzing the Impact of Globalization on Cultural Identity
• Understanding the Psychology of Social Conformity in Groups
• Effects of Urbanization on Social Structures and Quality of Life

Business & Finance Informative Speech Topics

• Global Economic Trends: Opportunities and Challenges
• Sustainable Business Practices: Enhancing Profitability and Environmental Responsibility
• The Rise of E-Commerce: Transforming the Retail Industry
• Effective Strategies for Personal Financial Management
• Entrepreneurship: Navigating Risks and Achieving Success
• Mergers and Acquisitions: Examining the Impacts on Companies and the Economy
• Financial Literacy: Empowering Individuals for a Secure Future
• The Gig Economy: Adapting to the Changing Nature of Work
• The Importance of Business Ethics in Today’s Corporate World
• The Role of Central Banks in Managing Monetary Policy
• Green Investments: Promoting Environmental and Financial Returns
• Innovation and Disruption: Key Drivers of Business Growth
• Understanding the Stock Market: Basics and Investment Strategies
• The Future of Banking: Digital Transformation and Fintech Innovations
• Corporate Governance: Ensuring Accountability and Transparency
• The Impact of Global Trade Policies on Businesses and Economies
• Financial Planning for Retirement: Building a Secure Future
• Effective Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses
• Women in Leadership: Breaking Barriers and Driving Change in Business
• The Economics of Climate Change: Addressing Environmental Challenges Through Business Initiatives

Informative Speech Topics on Banking & Economics

• The Role of Central Banks in Economic Stability
• Investment Strategies for Wealth Accumulation
• The Evolution of Online Banking and Its Benefits
• Analyzing the Causes and Consequences of Economic Recessions
• Understanding the Stock Market: Key Concepts and Terminology
• Exploring the Effects of Global Trade on Local Economies
• The Importance of Financial Literacy in Personal Finance
• The Influence of Government Policies on Economic Growth
• Exploring Cryptocurrencies: Advantages and Risks
• Analyzing the Impact of Interest Rates on Borrowing and Saving
• The Economic Effects of Taxation Policies
• Exploring the Concept of Supply and Demand in Economics
• The Rise of Fintech: Disruption and Innovation in Banking
• Understanding the Role of Credit Rating Agencies in Financial Markets
• Exploring the Relationship Between Unemployment and Economic Growth
• The Impact of Economic Inequality on Society
• Analyzing the Causes and Consequences of Stock Market Crashes
• Exploring the Principles of Microeconomics and Macroeconomics
• The Influence of Economic Factors on Consumer Behavior
• Analyzing the Role of Banks in Financing Small Businesses

Family Informative Speech Topics

• Importance of Communication Within the Family
• Benefits of Shared Family Meals
• Roles of Parenting Styles in Child Development
• Significance of Family Traditions and Rituals
• Impacts of Technology on Family Dynamics
• Strategies for Resolving Family Conflicts
• Effects of Divorce on Children’s Well-Being
• Exploring the Concept of Unconditional Love in Families
• Understanding Sibling Relationships and Their Influence
• Promoting Emotional Intelligence Within the Family
• Exploring Multigenerational Family Dynamics
• Nurturing a Healthy and Supportive Family Environment
• Challenges and Rewards of Blended Families
• Exploring Cultural Diversity within Families
• Impacts of Social Media on Family Relationships
• Exploring the Benefits of Family Therapy
• Balancing Work and Family Life
• Importance of Family Bonding Activities
• Strategies for Building Strong Family Connections
• Exploring the Role of Extended Family in Childrearing
• Understanding the Effects of Substance Abuse on Family Units

Informative Speech Topics on Politics

• The Importance of Media in Political Communication
• Gender Equality in Politics: Breaking Barriers and Shifting Paradigms
• The Art of Diplomacy: Negotiating Peace in Conflict Zones
• The Impact of Globalization on Political Structures
• Political Corruption: Unveiling the Dark Side of Governance
• Environmental Policies: Balancing Economic Growth and Sustainability
• Populism in Politics: Understanding Its Rise and Implications
• Human Rights: Striving for Equality and Justice in Political Systems
• The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in Shaping Political Agendas
• Political Leadership: Characteristics and Challenges in a Changing World
• The Importance of Education in Fostering Political Engagement
• Immigration Policies: Balancing National Security and Humanitarianism
• Technological Advancements: Transforming Political Landscapes
• The Role of Lobbying in Influencing Political Decision-Making
• Political Ideologies: From Conservatism to Liberalism and Beyond
• Nationalism and Patriotism: Navigating the Boundaries in Politics
• Political Violence: Understanding Its Causes and Consequences
• The Role of Religion in Politics: Examining the Intersection
• Freedom of Speech: Protecting Democracy’s Fundamental Right

Informative Speech Topics for History & Culture

• The Renaissance Era: Artistic Revival and Cultural Transformation
• Industrial Revolution: Societal and Economic Evolution
• Ancient Civilizations: Egypt, Greece, and Mesopotamia
• American Revolution: Birth of a Nation’s Independence
• Harlem Renaissance: Cultural Resurgence and African-American Contributions
• World War II: Global Conflict and Its Lasting Impacts
• Maya Civilization: Achievements, Culture, and Ancient Mysteries
• French Revolution: From Monarchy to Republic
• Civil Rights Movement: Striving for Equality and Social Justice
• Ancient China: Dynasties, Inventions, and Cultural Heritage
• Age of Exploration: Discovery, Trade, and New Horizons
• Aztec Empire: Society, Religion, and Military Power
• Russian Revolution: Overthrowing the Tsar and Soviet Union’s Formation
• Roaring Twenties: Jazz Age, Cultural Shifts, and Prohibition
• Civil War: Divided Nation, Abolition of Slavery, and Reconstruction
• Vikings: Exploration, Conquests, and Norse Culture
• Cultural Revolution in China: Mao’s Socio-Political Movement
• Inca Empire: Engineering Feats, Social Organization, and Andean Civilization
• Holocaust: Genocide, Nazi Regime, and Lessons From History
• Age of Enlightenment: Intellectual Awakening and Philosophical Ideas

Law Informative Speech Topics

• Analyzing the Effects of Mandatory Sentencing Laws
• Exploring the Complexities of Intellectual Property Rights
• Implications of Privacy Laws in the Age of Technology
• Evaluating the Role of International Law in Global Governance
• Unveiling the Truth Behind Wrongful Convictions
• Understanding the Dynamics of Family Law and Child Custody
• Investigating the Impact of Hate Crime Legislation
• The Influence of Media on Public Perception of Legal Issues
• Delving Into the Controversies of Capital Punishment
• Analyzing the Impacts of Immigration Laws on Society
• Possible Challenges and Benefits of Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Exploring the Legal Framework of Environmental Protection
• Unraveling the Intricacies of Corporate Law and Ethics
• The Rights and Limitations of Free Speech in the Digital Era
• Examining the Intersection of Technology and Privacy Laws
• The Consequences of Drug Policy on Public Health
• Analyzing the Role of Criminal Profiling in Investigations
• Understanding the Implications of Gun Control Laws
• The Rights and Protections of Workers in Employment Law
• The Challenges of Intellectual Property Theft in the Digital Age

Short Informative Speech Topics

• Climate Change and Its Impact on Biodiversity
• Sustainable Fashion: Reducing the Environmental Footprint
• Exploring the Importance of Financial Literacy
• Renewable Energy Sources and Their Advantages
• Understanding the Benefits of Meditation for Mental Health
• Delving into the World of Virtual Reality
• The Rise of Electric Vehicles in Transportation
• The Science Behind Vaccinations and Their Importance
• Examining the Impact of Plastic Pollution on Marine Life
• The Evolution and Advancements in Video Games
• Harnessing the Power of Solar Energy for Sustainability
• Emphasizing the Significance of Early Childhood Education
• The Growing Trend of Remote Work and Its Implications
• The Influence of Technology on Modern Communication Channels
• Analyzing the Effects of Globalization on Culture and Society
• Promoting Mental Health Awareness and its Importance
• Embracing Sustainable Tourism for a Greener Future
• Enhancing Education with the Integration of Artificial Intelligence
• The Role of Nonprofits in Addressing Social Issues
• Exploring the Future of Robotics and Automation
• History and Significance of Human Rights
• The Role of Technology in Enhancing Education
• Exploring the Wonders of the Deep Sea
• Benefits of Meditation for Stress Reduction

1-3 Minutes Informative Speech Topics

• Exploring the Mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle
• Understanding the Intricacies of Quantum Physics
• Debunking Myths About the Human Brain
• Unveiling the Truth about Genetically Modified Organisms
• Dissecting the Impact of Climate Change on Wildlife
• Analyzing the Causes and Effects of Cyberbullying
• Discovering the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
• Encountering the Benefits of Renewable Energy Sources
• Navigating the History of the Silk Road
• Appreciating the Beauty of the Fibonacci Sequence in Nature
• Grasping the Concept of Blockchain and Cryptocurrency
• Probing the Influence of Social Media on Youth
• Observing the Evolution of Feminism Through History
• Pursuing the Concept of Dark Matter in Cosmology
• Revealing the Truth about Animal Testing in Cosmetics Industry
• Contemplating the Impact of Meditation on Mental Health
• Recognizing the Role of Microplastics in Ocean Pollution
• Investigating the Science Behind Aeroponics and Hydroponics
• Unraveling the Power of Vaccination in Disease Prevention
• Delving into the Mysteries of Black Holes
• Comprehending the Functioning of Autonomous Vehicles
• Admiring the Wonders of Bio-Luminescence in Deep Sea Creatures

4-6 Minutes Informative Speech Topics

• Benefits of Mindfulness for Mental Health
• The Influence of Social Media on Society’s Perception of Beauty
• Financial Literacy and its Importance for Young Adults
• The History and Advancement of Electric Vehicles
• Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Cognitive Functioning
• The Significance of Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future
• Women’s Empowerment in Business Leadership
• Psychological Benefits of Exercise and Physical Activity
• Understanding Climate Change and Global Warming
• The Power of Storytelling in Effective Communication
• Exploring Virtual Reality and Its Various Applications
• The Influence of Advertising on Consumer Decision-Making
• Early Childhood Education and its Impact on Cognitive Development
• The Role of Technology in Transforming Education
• Effects of Social Media on Mental Well-Being
• The Value of Volunteerism for Building Stronger Communities
• Overcoming Addiction: The Path to Recovery and Healing
• Science Behind Human Nutrition and Its Impact on Health
• Emotional Intelligence: A Key to Personal and Professional Success
• Harnessing Renewable Energy Sources for a Sustainable Future
• The Evolution and Cultural Significance of Music
• Mass Media and Its Influence on Shaping Public Opinion
• Early Detection and Prevention of Chronic Diseases

7-10 Minutes Informative Speech Topics

• Renewable Energy Sources: A Sustainable Future
• Artificial Intelligence and Its Role in Modern Industries
• Benefits of Exercise for Overall Well-Being
• Exploring the Evolution of Technology in Education
• Understanding Space Exploration and Its Wonders
• The Significance of Cultural Diversity in a Globalized World
• Exploring the History and Impact of the Civil Rights Movement
• Understanding Climate Change and its Consequences
• Women in Leadership Positions: Their Role and Significance
• The Power of Effective Communication in Relationships
• Exploring the Influence of Media on Body Image Perception
• The Pros and Cons of Online Shopping
• Exploring the World of Virtual Reality
• The Significance of Financial Literacy in Personal Finance
• Understanding the Importance of Cybersecurity in the Digital Age
• Exploring the History and Significance of Human Rights Movements
• The Impact of Globalization on Local Economies
• Education’s Roles in Empowering Individuals and Societies
• Understanding the Science Behind Climate Change
• Exploring the Influence of Advertising on Consumer Behavior
• The Evolution of Transportation Technology

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15 Informative Speech Examples to Inspire Your Next Talk

• The Speaker Lab
• May 13, 2024

Table of Contents

A good informative speech is one of the most effective tools in a speaker’s arsenal. But with so many potential topics out there, it can be tough to know where to start. That’s why we’ve compiled 15 informative speech examples to help you find your perfect subject. Whether you’re unearthing secrets from history for your listeners or delving into future technologies, informative speeches can prove to be the recipe for the perfect talk.

But crafting an effective informative speech is about more than just picking a topic. You have to research topics, put your thoughts in order, and speak up clearly and confidently. In this post, we’ll explore strategies for each step of the process, so you can create a speech that informs, engages, and makes a lasting impact on your listeners. Let’s get started.

15 Informative Speech Examples

If you’re looking for some inspiration for your next informative speech, look no further. Below are 15 examples of informative speech topics that are sure to engage and educate your audience.

• The history and evolution of social media platforms
• The benefits and drawbacks of renewable energy sources
• The impact of sleep deprivation on mental and physical health
• The role of emotional intelligence in personal and professional success
• The science behind climate change and its potential consequences
• The importance of financial literacy for young adults
• The influence of artificial intelligence on various industries
• The benefits of regular exercise and a balanced diet
• The history and cultural significance of a specific art form or genre
• The impact of technology on interpersonal communication
• The psychology behind procrastination and effective strategies to overcome it
• The role of diversity and inclusion in fostering innovation and creativity
• The importance of mental health awareness and resources for students
• The future of space exploration and its potential benefits for humanity
• The impact of globalization on local economies and cultures

These topics cover a wide range of subjects, from technology and science to psychology and culture. By choosing one of these informative speech examples, you’ll have plenty of material to work with to create an engaging and educational presentation.

Remember, the key to a successful informative speech is to choose a topic that you’re passionate about and that will resonate with your audience. Do your research, organize your thoughts, and practice your delivery to ensure that your message comes across loud and clear.

What Is an Informative Speech?

If you’ve ever been to a conference or seminar, chances are you’ve heard an informative speech. But what exactly is an informative speech? Simply put, it’s a type of speech designed to educate the audience on a particular topic. The goal is to provide interesting and useful information, ensuring the audience walks away with new knowledge or insights. Unlike persuasive speeches that aim to convince the audience of a viewpoint, informative speeches focus on explaining a subject clearly and objectively.

Types of Informative Speeches

Informative speeches come in various forms, each with its own purpose. The most common types are definition, explanation, description, and demonstration speeches. Depending on the objective, an informative speech can take on different structures and styles.

For example, a definition speech aims to explain a concept or term, while a demonstration speech shows the audience how to perform a task or process. An explanatory speech, on the other hand, provides a detailed account of a complex subject, breaking it down into digestible parts.

Purpose of Informative Speeches

At its core, the purpose of an informative speech is to share knowledge with the audience. These speeches are characterized by their fact-based, non-persuasive nature. The focus is on delivering information in an engaging and accessible way.

A well-crafted informative speech not only educates but also sparks curiosity and encourages further learning. By dedicating yourself to providing valuable information and appealing to your audience’s interests, you can succeed as an informative speaker.

Strategies for Selecting an Informative Speech Topic

Choosing the right topic is crucial for an effective informative speech. You want a subject that is not only interesting to you but also relevant and engaging for your audience. Consider their knowledge level, background, and expectations when selecting your topic.

One strategy is to focus on a subject you’re passionate about or have expertise in. This allows you to speak with authority and enthusiasm, making your speech more compelling. Another approach is to address current events or trending topics that are on people’s minds.

When brainstorming potential topics, consider your speech’s purpose and the type of informative speech you want to deliver. Is your goal to define a concept, explain a process, describe an event, or demonstrate a skill? Answering these questions will help guide your topic selection.

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How to Write an Informative Speech

Now that you’ve selected your topic, it’s time to start writing your informative speech. The key to a successful speech is thorough preparation and a clear, organized structure. Let’s break down the steps involved in crafting an engaging and informative presentation.

Researching Your Topic

Before you start writing, it’s essential to conduct thorough research on your topic. Gather facts, statistics, examples, and other supporting information for your informative speech. These things will help you explain and clarify the subject matter to your audience.

As you research, use reliable sources such as academic journals, reputable websites, and expert opinions to ensure the accuracy and credibility of your information. Take notes and organize your findings in a way that makes sense for your speech’s structure.

Structuring Your Speech

A typical informative speech structure includes three main parts, namely, an introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction should grab the audience’s attention, establish your credibility , and preview the main points you’ll cover.

The body of your speech is where you’ll present your main points and supporting evidence. Use clear transitions between each point to maintain a logical flow. The conclusion should summarize your key takeaways and leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Outlining Your Speech

Creating an outline is a crucial step in organizing your thoughts and ensuring a coherent flow of information. Start by listing your main points and then add subpoints and supporting details for each section.

A well-structured outline will serve as a roadmap for your speech, keeping you on track and helping you stay focused on your key messages. It also makes the writing process more efficient and less overwhelming.

Writing Your Draft

With your outline in hand, it’s time to start writing your draft. Focus on presenting information clearly and concisely, using simple language and avoiding jargon. Provide examples and analogies throughout your informative speech in order to illustrate complex ideas and make them more relatable to your audience.

As you write, keep your audience in mind and tailor your language and examples to their level of understanding. Use transitions to link your ideas and maintain a smooth flow throughout the speech.

Editing and Revising

Once you’ve completed your draft, take the time to edit and revise your speech. First, check for clarity, accuracy, and logical organization. Then, eliminate unnecessary details, repetition, and filler words.

Read your speech aloud to identify any awkward phrasing or unclear passages. Lastly, seek feedback from others and be open to making changes based on their suggestions. Remember, the goal is to create a polished and effective informative speech.

Delivering an Informative Speech

You’ve written a fantastic informative speech, but now comes the real challenge: delivering it effectively. The way you present your speech can make all the difference in engaging your audience and ensuring they retain the information you’re sharing.

Practicing Your Speech

Practice makes perfect, and this couldn’t be more true when it comes to public speaking . Rehearse your speech multiple times to build confidence and familiarity with the content. Practice in front of a mirror, family members, or friends to get comfortable with your delivery.

As you practice, focus on your pacing, intonation, and body language. Aim for a conversational tone and maintain eye contact with your audience. The more you practice, the more natural and engaging your delivery will become.

Using Visual Aids

Visual aids such as slides, charts, or props can enhance your informative speech by making complex information more accessible and engaging. When utilized in your informative speech, they can help illustrate key points, provide visual examples, and break up the monotony of a purely verbal presentation.

Of course, it’s important to ensure your visuals are clear, relevant, and easy to understand. Otherwise, they may end up obscuring your points instead of clarifying them. In light of this, avoid cluttering your slides with too much text or overwhelming your audience with too many visuals. Use them strategically to support your message, not distract from it.

Engaging Your Audience

Engaging your audience is crucial for a successful informative speech. Use rhetorical questions, anecdotes, or interactive elements to keep them involved and attentive. Encourage participation, if appropriate, and maintain a conversational tone to create a connection with your listeners.

Pay attention to your audience’s reactions and adapt your delivery accordingly. If you sense confusion or disinterest, try rephrasing your points or providing additional examples to clarify your message. Remember, your goal is to educate and inspire your audience, so keep them at the forefront of your mind throughout your speech.

Handling Nerves

It’s normal to feel nervous before and during a speech, but there are strategies to help you manage those nerves . Take deep breaths, visualize success, and focus on your message rather than your anxiety. Remember, your audience wants you to succeed, and a little nervousness can actually enhance your performance by showing enthusiasm and authenticity.

If you find yourself getting overwhelmed, take a moment to pause, collect your thoughts, and regain your composure. Smile, make eye contact, and remind yourself that you’ve prepared thoroughly and have valuable information to share.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

To deliver an effective informative speech, it’s important to be aware of common pitfalls and mistakes. One of the biggest errors is overloading your audience with too much information. Remember, less is often more when it comes to public speaking.

Another mistake is failing to organize your content logically or using complex jargon without explanation. Make sure your speech has a clear structure and that you’re explaining any technical terms or concepts in a way that your audience can understand.

Finally, don’t neglect the importance of practice and preparation. Winging it or relying too heavily on notes can lead to a disjointed and unengaging speech. Take the time to rehearse, refine your delivery, and internalize your key points.

By avoiding these common mistakes and focusing on the strategies we’ve discussed, you’ll be well on your way to delivering an informative speech that educates, engages, and inspires your audience.

Tips for Delivering a Compelling Informative Speech

Once you’ve chosen your topic and done your research, it’s time to focus on delivering a compelling speech. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Start with a strong attention-grabbing opening that draws your audience in and sets the tone for your speech.
• Use clear, concise language and avoid jargon or technical terms that your audience may not understand.
• Incorporate storytelling, examples, and anecdotes to make your points more relatable and memorable.
• Use visual aids , such as slides or props, to enhance your message and keep your audience engaged.
• Practice your delivery and timing to ensure that you stay within your allotted time and maintain a natural, conversational tone.

By following these tips and choosing a topic that you’re passionate about, you’ll be well on your way to delivering an informative speech that educates and inspires your audience.

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20 Bonus Topics for Informative Speeches

In case the informative speech examples above didn’t pique your interest, we have several more for you to consider. Ranging from topics like science and technology to history and education, these 20 topics are perfect for your next presentation.

• The history and development of virtual reality technology
• The benefits and challenges of remote work
• The science behind the formation of hurricanes and tornadoes
• The impact of social media on political campaigns and elections
• The importance of sustainable fashion and its environmental benefits
• The role of emotional support animals in mental health treatment
• The history and cultural significance of a specific cuisine or dish
• The impact of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems
• The benefits and risks of gene editing technology
• The psychology behind conspiracy theories and their spread online
• The importance of digital privacy and data security in the modern age
• The role of music therapy in healthcare and wellness
• The impact of deforestation on biodiversity and climate change
• The history and evolution of a specific sport or athletic event
• The benefits and challenges of alternative education models
• The science behind the human immune system and how vaccines work
• The impact of mass incarceration on communities and families
• The role of storytelling in preserving cultural heritage and traditions
• The importance of financial planning for retirement and old age
• The impact of urban agriculture on food security and community development

Choosing a Topic That Resonates With Your Audience

When selecting a topic for your informative speech, it’s important to consider your audience and what will resonate with them. Think about their interests, backgrounds, and knowledge levels, and choose a topic that will be both informative and engaging.

For example, if you’re speaking to a group of high school students, you may want to choose a topic that relates to their experiences or concerns, such as the impact of social media on mental health or the importance of financial literacy for young adults. If you’re speaking to a group of business professionals, you may want to focus on topics related to industry trends, leadership strategies, or emerging technologies.

By choosing a topic that resonates with your audience, you’ll be more likely to capture their attention and keep them engaged throughout your speech. And remember, even if you’re not an expert on the topic, you can still deliver an informative and engaging speech by doing your research and presenting the information in a clear and accessible way.

FAQs on Informative Speech Examples

What is an example of informative speech.

An example includes breaking down the impacts of climate change, detailing causes, effects, and potential solutions.

What are the 3 types of informative speeches?

The three main types are explanatory (breaks down complex topics), descriptive (paints a picture with words), and demonstrative (shows how to do something).

What are the 5 useful topics of an informative speech?

Top picks include technology advances, mental health awareness, environmental conservation efforts, cultural diversity appreciation, and breakthroughs in medical research.

What is an effective informative speech?

An effective one delivers clear info on a specific topic that educates listeners without overwhelming them. It’s well-researched and engaging.

Informative speech examples are everywhere, if you know where to look. From TED Talks to classroom lectures, there’s no shortage of inspiration for your next presentation. All you have to do is find a topic that lights your fire while engaging your audience.

Remember, a great informative speech is all about clarity, organization, and engagement. By following the tips and examples we’ve covered, you’ll be well on your way to delivering an informative speech that educates, enlightens, and leaves a lasting impression. So go ahead, pick your topic, and start crafting your own informative speech today!

• Last Updated: May 9, 2024

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14.2 Types of Informative Speeches

While the topics to choose from for informative speeches are nearly limitless, they can generally be pared down into five broad categories. Understanding the type of informative speech that you will be giving can help you to figure out the best way to organize, research, and prepare for it, as will be discussed below.

Type 1: History

A common approach to selecting an informative speech topic is to discuss the history or development of something. With so much of human knowledge available via the Internet, finding information about the origins and evolution of almost anything is much easier than it has ever been (with the disclaimer that there are quite a few websites out there with false information). With that in mind, some of the areas that a historical informative speech could cover would include:

(Example: the baseball; the saxophone). Someone at some point in history was the first to develop what is considered the modern baseball. Who was it? What was it originally made of? How did it evolve into the baseball that is used by Major League Baseball today?

(Example: your college; Disney World). There is a specific year that you college or university opened, a specific number of students who were initially enrolled, and often colleges and universities have name and mission changes. All of these facts can be used to provide an overall understanding of the college and its history. Likewise, the Disney World of today is different from the Disney World of the early 1970s; the design has developed over the last fifty years.

(Example: democracy; freedom of speech). It is possible to provide facts on an idea, although in some cases the information may be less precise. For example, while no one can definitively point to a specific date or individual who first developed the concept of democracy, it is known to have been conceived in ancient Greece (Raaflaub, Ober, & Wallace, 2007). By looking at the civilizations and cultures that adopted forms of democracy throughout history, it is possible to provide an audience with a better understanding of how the idea has been shaped into what it has become today.

Type 2: Biography

A biography is similar to a history, but in this case the subject is specifically a person, whether living or deceased. For the purposes of this class, biographies should focus on people of some note or fame, since doing research on people who are not at least mildly well-known could be difficult. But again, as with histories, there are specific and irrefutable facts that can help provide an overview of someone’s life, such as dates that President Lincoln was born (February 12, 1809) and died (April 15, 1865) and the years he was in office as president (1861-1865).

This might be a good place to address research and support. The basic dates of Abraham Lincoln’s life could be found in multiple sources and you would not have to cite the source in that case. But if you use the work of a specific historian to explain how Lincoln was able to win the presidency in the tumultuous years before the Civil War, that would need a citation of that author and the publication.

Type 3: Processes

Examples of process speech topics would be how to bake chocolate chip cookies; how to throw a baseball; how a nuclear reactor works; how a bill works its way through Congress.

Process speeches are sometimes referred to as demonstration or “how to” speeches because they often entail demonstrating something. These speeches require you to provide steps that will help your audience understand how to accomplish a specific task or process. However, How To speeches can be tricky in that there are rarely universally agreed upon (i.e. irrefutable) ways to do anything. If your professor asked the students in his or her public speaking class to each bring in a recipe for baking chocolate chip cookies, would all of them be the exact same recipe?

Probably not, but they would all be similar and, most importantly, they would all give you chocolate chip cookies as the end result. Students giving a demonstration speech will want to avoid saying “You should bake the cookies for 12 minutes” since that is not how everyone does it. Instead, the student should say something like:

“You can bake the cookies for 10 minutes.” “One option is to bake the cookies for 10 minutes.” “This particular recipe calls for the cookies to be baked for 10 minutes.”

Each of the previous three statements is absolutely a fact that no one can argue or disagree with. While some people may say 12 minutes is too long or too short (depending on how soft or hard they like their cookies), no one can reasonably argue that these statements are not true.

On the other hand, there is a second type of process speech that focuses not on how the audience can achieve a result, such as changing oil in their cars or cooking something, but on how a process is achieved. The goal is understanding and not performance. After a speech on how to change a car tire, the audience members could probably do it (they might not want to, but they would know the steps). However, after a speech on how a bill goes through Congress, the audience would understand this important part of democracy but not be ready to serve in Congress.

Type 4: Ideas and Concepts

Sometimes an informative speech is designed to explain an idea or concept. What does democracy mean? What is justice? In this case, you will want to do two things. First, you’ll want to define the idea or concept for the audience. The second is to make your concept concrete, real, and specific for your audience with examples.

Type 5: Categories or Divisions

Sometimes an informative speech topic doesn’t lend itself to a specific type of approach, and in those cases the topics tend to fall into a “general” category of informative speeches. For example, if a student wanted to give an informative speech on the four “C’s” of diamonds (cut, carat, color, and clarity), they certainly wouldn’t approach it as if they were providing the history of diamonds, nor would they necessarily be informing anyone on “how to” shop for or buy diamonds or how diamonds are mined. The approach in this case would simply be to inform an audience on the four “C’s” and what they mean. Other examples of this type of informative speech would be positions in playing volleyball or the customs to know when traveling in China.

As stated above, identifying the type of informative speech being given can help in several ways (conducting research, writing the introduction and conclusion), but perhaps the biggest benefit is that the type of informative speech being given will help determine, to some degree, the organizational pattern that will need to be used (see Chapter 7). For example, a How To speech must be in chronological order. There really isn’t a way (or reason) to present a How To speech other than how the process is done in a time sequence. That is to say, for a speech on how to bake chocolate chip cookies, getting the ingredients (Main Point 1) must come before mixing the ingredients (Main Point 2), which must come before baking them (Main Point 3). Putting them in any other order will only confuse the audience.

Similarly, most Histories and Biographies will be organized chronologically, but not always. It makes sense to explain the history of the baseball from when it was first developed to where it is today, but certain approaches to Histories and Biographies can make that irrelevant. For an informative speech on Benjamin Franklin, a student might choose as his or her three main points: 1) His time as a printer, 2) His time as an inventor, 3) His time as a diplomat. These main points are not in strict chronological order because Franklin was a printer, inventor, and diplomat at the same time during periods of his whole life. However, this example would still be one way to inform an audience about him without using the chronological organizational pattern.

As for general informative speeches, since the topics that can be included in this category are very diverse and cover a range of subject matter, the way they are organized will be varied as well. However, if the topic is “types of” something or “kinds of” something, the organizational pattern would be topical; if it were the layout of a location, such as the White House, it would be spatial.

Introduction to Speech Communication Copyright © 2021 by Individual authors retain copyright of their work. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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April 9, 2024

100+ Ideas for informative speech topics 

Easy, fun, and educational ideas and inspiration for your next informative speech. Check out these starter topics and example presentations

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An informative speech topic should captivate and educate your viewers. Likewise, you should take pleasure in delivering and discussing the subject matter.

However, choosing a subject that resonates with your audience and aligns with your interests at the same time can be overwhelming.  

To give you some inspiration, we’ve done the legwork and compiled 110 ideas for informative speech topics. The first 100 are categorized by difficulty, while the last 10 are more on the entertaining side (though with plenty of educational value).

For your convenience, we’ve even given you hints on how to structure your speech and presentation for each of the topics below, along with a topic selection guide and advice for making an effective presentation.  

25 Ideas for easy informative speech topics

These ideas are for simple yet educational and thought-provoking topics you can use for speeches in middle school, or high school, or to practice public speaking at your Toastmasters club. These topics don’t demand exhaustive research, but you’ll want to spruce your slides up with exciting visuals and keep the speaking points short to engage your audience. 

1. How electric cars work 

Electric cars are in higher demand and more accessible than ever before, but how they work remains a mystery to many — especially to your middle or high school peers. Load your slide deck with images of these cars’ key components. Explain how they work using short bullets, then compare and contrast their operation with that of their gas-fueled counterparts.  

2. Most popular sports around the world 

Most of us view baseball as a distinctly American pastime, but did you know that it’s the most popular sport in Japan, Taiwan, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic? There are plenty of such surprises in the world of sports, so this topic is bound to excite and inform in a school setting. Organize the deck by sport for a short, impactful presentation, and pack each slide with relevant statistics. 

3. Tips for healthy eating 

Inspire your audience to pursue a better diet with basic, practical advice on healthy foods and meal plans. You’ll have to do a bit of research, and the nutrition guidelines from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) are a credible — source of information. Beyond focusing on the nutritious value of different foods, be sure to include sample recipes and meal plans anyone can follow. And don’t forget to enliven the presentation with colorful images! 

4. Healthiest desserts you can make 

Show your viewers some healthy alternatives to the sugar-laden and ultra-processed treats that occupy most supermarket shelves. Dig up some recipes (lots are available online) and ensure that each slide has an appetizing image of the treat along with ingredients and truncated preparation steps. Be ready to explain why each of your chosen desserts is healthy — for example, is it made without sugar, with wholewheat flour, or using a notably nutritious ingredient? 

5. How to improve your sleep 

Advice on improving the length and quality of sleep is a helpful topic for almost any audience — sleep is a vital part of healthy living, and most of us don’t get enough of it. Dedicate each of your slides to a specific habit that enhances sleep hygiene and use images that show the behavior in action. Share some statistics on how each habit impacts sleep quality. 

6. Mac vs PC comparison: what’s the best computer? 

Mac and PC users often clash over which computer and operating system is best, so use your speech to present factual arguments for and against each contender. Slides with screenshots showing the best and worst features of each machine will serve as an effective visual aid. To engage your audience further, build a discussion section into your presentation and let your viewers present and debate their opinions. 

7. iOS vs Android: which smartphone operating system is best?

Comparing two of the world’s most prominent mobile operating systems is bound to stir some debate among your viewers — each likely has one of these devices in their pocket and is probably ready to opine on its superiority. Your job is to educate your audience on the capabilities and known shortfalls of each system so that they can make an informed opinion. Leave some room for discussion as you conclude the presentation to keep your audience absorbed until the end.  

8. Basics of personal finance 

Learning (or brushing up on) healthy financial habits is a useful exercise for anyone, including you — the presenter. The subject matter may be a bit dry for younger viewers, so equip your slide deck with visual content that’s relevant and captivating. Instead of using piggy bank stock images, find YouTube videos of people sharing their experience with a specific money habit. A quick Q&A session at the end of your speech will also give younger viewers ask you questions about concepts they didn’t grasp. 

9. Worldwide weather patterns and their causes 

An informative speech about the earth’s weather patterns and their causes will fascinate viewers of all ages. After all, weather is a topic that permeates our daily lives, but few of us understand the forces that shape it. Focus your speech on meteorological trends that change with seasons and explain what drives them. Maps that show changing weather conditions are effective visuals to use in your speech. 

10. Types of weather phenomena 

Hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, and atmospheric rivers are weather phenomena worth learning about as their pace and intensity quickens due to climate change. An informative speech on these meteorological events should discuss their characteristics, causes, any relevant statistics, and resilience tips for the populations they affect. 

11. The greatest natural disasters of all time 

Humans have an innate interest in catastrophes, so an educational speech on the world’s greatest natural disasters is bound to captivate your audience. However, to make your presentation informative, don’t rely on the shock value of disaster photographs alone. Focus on facts — causes, characteristics, casualties, and resilience measures being taken to mitigate the impact of natural calamities in the future. 

12. How to prepare a 72-hour survival kit 

Floods, wildfires, hurricanes, and earthquakes can displace entire cities at a moment’s notice, so knowing how to pack a survival kit is an essential life skill — and an excellent speech topic. Base your presentation on FEMA’s guidelines for gathering an emergency preparedness kit. Go beyond listing items and teach your audience how to use them through images and instructional videos embedded in your slides. 

13. First aid skills everyone should know

First aid saves lives, so basic first responder techniques are an excellent educational speech topic for any audience. At the very minimum, let your speech cover the fundamentals of CPR, choking aid, and wound care, but feel free to expand the topicality if you’re experienced in the subject matter. Instructional videos are the most handy visual aid since they show the steps for performing various life-saving procedures.  

14. How to live off the grid

Living off the grid is a fun and informative speech topic that centers on a popular ongoing trend. Teach your audience how to live off the land with slides that explain how to meet basic necessities like food, shelter, water, and heat without relying on modern facilities. Images and videos (or even interviews) of successful off-grid dwellers will serve as effective visual aids.  

15. Basics of home gardening

Teach the aspiring gardeners in your audience the basic skills of growing plants at home. An informative speech on the fundamentals of home gardening should discuss vital elements such as lighting, irrigation, humidity, ambient air temperatures, and ways of preventing and controlling plant diseases. If you spell out specific gardening techniques, demonstrate them to your viewers by embedding relevant instructional videos in your slides.  

16. Best plants to decorate your home 

Show your viewers the ideal plants for incorporating into a home’s decor. This should be a largely visual presentation, with slides depicting different plant species and their integration into a home’s interior design. Getting these visuals right may take some time, effort, and even Photoshop skills if available stock images don’t show the right plant in the right setting. Prepare good notes to explain why you’ve chosen these plants.  

17. Wonders of architecture: world’s most unusual buildings

The world’s most unusual buildings make for an educational and visually intriguing speech topic. While your audience will marvel at the images depicting these peaks of human achievement, be sure your slide content conveys the most essential relevant facts. These include the building architect, date of completion, and materials used in construction. 

18. What is a smart city?

Educate your audience on the “smart city” concept by explaining the various systems that work in unison to gather, analyze, and utilize data in an urban environment. Since this functionality differs between municipalities, focus your speech on one smart city example (such as Singapore or Amsterdam), and explain each of its intelligent features slide-by-slide.    

19. World’s longest bridges 

Your speech on the world’s longest bridges should educate viewers about vital facts, such as the bridges’ geographic location, span, support system, purpose, and construction timeframes. You can also add interesting bits of history about each bridge to make the subject matter more exciting. For a more impactful presentation, find high-quality images of each bridge and leave the longest span for the last slide. 

20. 10 best gap year trips

Help viewers make an informed decision about their gap year destinations with slides that highlight vital information about each location. Here are some facts to include in each destination slide: best attractions, places to stay, estimated daily spending, local currency and languages, ideal time to visit, and any hazards to be aware of. 

21. How to reduce your carbon footprint while traveling 

Inform your audience of the best tips for staying green while on the go. These may include choosing rail over flights for short trips, switching off electronics in the hotel room, or avoiding frequent room cleanings on long hotel stays. Dedicate a slide to each of these strategies and explain how and why they help reduce greenhouse gas emissions with relevant statistics.

22. World’s best universities for engineering

Guide prospective engineering students through their best university options around the world with a presentation that features each school’s most vital information. Dedicate each slide to a specific school and list available programs, average tuition fees, most common employers of the graduates, and basic info about the location. To avoid boring viewers with the same dry facts, include each school’s most unique and intriguing feature in the slide deck. 

23. Best countries to study abroad  

Create an informative presentation that ranks the world’s best countries for international students. Each slide should feature one of the nations and list information such as the top local universities and programs, cost of living, student visa requirements, and crucially — the reason this nation made your list. 

24. How to make your resume stand out 

Show an audience of job seekers tips and tricks for standing out amidst a sea of other applicants’ resumes. Each of your slides should feature a specific tip with a screenshot of an example in the resume (don’t bother with generic stock images). Ideally, find a video featuring an interview with an HR professional who discusses these resume-crafting strategies and why they work. 

25. How to use body language in an interview 

A speech exploring the use of body language during job interviews should inform viewers via images and (if possible) videos of the do’s and don'ts. Video clips with a body language expert discussing and demonstrating different postures will add credibility to your presentation and keep the audience immersed in the material. 

25 Ideas for intermediate informative speech topics

The 25 speech topics below are a bit more involved but not quite scholarly, so they’re suitable for high school students in their senior year and their peers in college. You’ll need to research each of the topics thoroughly to convey as much information as possible to educate the viewers and promote critical thought. That said, note that the more data you stuffed into your slide decks, the higher your chances of boring your viewers and losing their attention. So, keep the content info-rich but succinct, and rely heavily on captivating images and videos to tell your story. 

26. How screen time affects children and teens 

Present the relationship between screen time and childrens’ well-being through slides featuring recent study findings. Base your presentation on more than a single study, and reinforce the evidence with videos showing interviews of child psychologists, parents, and children discussing their experience. Since the subject matter is a bit controversial, keep your presentation objective and informative — your viewers can draw their own conclusions.  

27. Why are adults in love with superheroes?

Explore our fascination with superheroes and discuss theories that explain its causes. Start by highlighting the theme’s prevalence in Western culture, then move on to the innate human attitudes that shape it — escapism, optimism, hope, and others. Use credible scientific sources to back up your presentation and give the audience a chance to share their thoughts as you conclude. 

28. A look at the four key parenting styles 

Walk your viewers through the four distinct parenting techniques — authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and neglectful. You’ll need several slides for each parenting type; use them to address the style’s methods and characteristics, prevalence in modern society, advantages, and disadvantages. Find a video of a child psychologist weighing each style’s effectiveness. 

29. What is pop psychology and why are we obsessed with it? 

Discuss the popularization of psychology in modern culture and overview the primary ideologies. Start with a timeline showing the rise of pop psychology, and dedicate slides to specific theories and notable individuals. Crucially, present theories that attempt to explain this cultural phenomenon. 

30. What are “blue zones”? 

Take your audience on a tour of the world’s blue zones — regions known for the longevity of their populations. Overview each region, give its life expectancy statistics, prevalence of chronic illnesses, and lifestyle factors thought to promote longer lifespans. Pay particular attention to factors like diet, exercise, socialization patterns, and work-life balance. If possible, include videos with interviews of blue zone residents and their perspective on longevity. 

31. A look at the centenarian diet 

Overview the known, identified dietary patterns among blue zone inhabitants. These may vary by region, but all have certain commonalities in terms of the most prevalent food and nutrient groups. Include a dish or recipe that embodies each dietary pattern you discuss in your presentation. Crucially, explain why scholars believe these eating habits contribute to longevity and good health. 

32. Diet trends across generations

Discuss how diet trends have changed between generations. The simplest way to organize your speech is by generation — start with the Lost Generation and work your way to Alpha. Overview each cohort’s typical regimen and favorite dishes, and try to rationalize the contributing factors behind each culinary shift. To get your viewers thinking critically, leave time for an interactive session at the end of your speech and discuss whether the dietary changes are beneficial for health and the environment. 

33. Why cuisine is a cultural shaping force

Explain how cultural values and ideals are embodied in recipes and culinary traditions. Organize your speech by cuisines, with each slide showing either prominent dishes that reflect aspects of the nation’s culture, or customs surrounding food preparation and service. 

34. How alcohol consumption has changed over time

This speech should highlight the shifts in alcohol consumption across all of the world’s regions. You may not be able to find enough data (or have sufficient time) to discuss drinking statistics from every nation on earth, but show the most prominent examples of changing attitudes — i.e. which nations and regions drink more, and which have curbed their consumption over time. Accompany each finding with factors that may have driven changes in alcohol use. 

35. Factors contributing to the mental health crisis

Present the findings of academic studies on possible triggers behind the ongoing mental health crisis. Use statistics to compare the effects of different factors, and back up your statements with authoritative quotes from clinical psychiatrists. Given the significance and thorniness of the subject matter, keep your speech professional and respectful, and stay objective while presenting. 

36. How social media affects our mental health

Use your speech to educate the audience on the observed mental health effects of social media and their mechanisms. Include positive and negative impacts in your presentation. For each one (for example, loss of sleep quality), include research-based evidence and hypotheses as to why the effect takes place. To keep your viewers’ attention, intersperse video clips of interviews with psychiatrists involved in this research or their test subjects. 

37. What is an LLM? 

Inform the audience about Large Language Models (LLM) by explaining the processes that enable their functionality. Dedicate several slides to addressing common questions about LLMs. For example:

• Can LLMs reason? 
• Are LLMs conscious beings? 
• Can LLMs evolve into Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)? 

38. What are the ethical dilemmas of artificial intelligence?

Discuss the various ethical dilemmas that emerge as artificial intelligence gains a foothold in our daily lives. These may include inherent bias, workforce disruption, and AI-powered lethal decision-making in warfare. This speech should stimulate critical thought as much as it informs, so discuss each dilemma you present with your audience.   

39. What is blockchain technology?

Educate your viewers on the basics of blockchain technology. Use relevant visuals and give concrete examples of how each aspect of this technology works. For example, you can show how a Bitcoin transaction happens, with each slide illustrating one of its phases. Be sure to discuss all blockchain applications (not just cryptocurrency), and review its pros and cons. 

40. Can cryptocurrencies replace traditional finance?

Cryptocurrencies’ ability to replace traditional finance are up for debate, so use your speech to inform the audience of the arguments for and against such an event. To start, explain how crypto differs from conventional currencies, list its benefits and shortfalls, and describe government efforts to control its proliferation. Then, dive into credible evidence that backs crypto as the currency of the future, and proof of the contrary. At the end of the presentation, let your viewers opine on the subject matter. 

41. What is the future of transportation?

Explore transportation technologies that are currently being designed, developed, or have recently entered service. Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, new supersonic jets, the hyperloop, or even innovative micromobility vehicles are all intriguing examples. Apart from listing these transportation modes’ capabilities, explain the driving forces behind their invention. What problem are these new technologies striving to solve?  

42. What is causing climate change and how to combat it

Educate viewers on the scientifically accepted climate change triggers and walk through viable strategies for slowing the pace of global warming. As you analyze the causes, use statistics to show which human activities are most harmful. Likewise, include models to illustrate all the potential progression paths of global warming relative to the mitigation strategies we deploy. Touch on new climate strategies, such as geoengineering, and discuss their pros and cons.   

43. These cities will sink by 2050 if we don’t reduce carbon emissions

List cities that are expected to sink below the sea level by 2050 if the world does not reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Tie these predictions to specific emission targets, temperature benchmarks, and sea level changes. Explain whether each of the doomed cities has a chance of either staying above water by natural or artificial means. Likewise, note any preparations to move government infrastructure and populations out of affected cities (as is the case with Jakarta). Finally, touch on the obstacles in the way of these cities’ survival. These may include positive feedback loops accelerating sea level rise, ineffective climate policies, and denialist propaganda.    

44. How to identify propaganda 

Propaganda techniques vary widely, so start by discussing the characteristics common to all propaganda forms: the agenda, the target audience, and the manipulated message. Show concrete samples of these “red flags” in the media (just be careful to stay clear of political battle lines!) Then, use the rest of your slides to analyze different propaganda techniques and their real-life manifestations.  

45. How populism has shaped politics over time 

Educate your viewers on the effect populism has had on politics and governments throughout history. Start by defining the concept, explain its methods and characteristics, and pinpoint its historical origins. Then, walk your audience through historical populist movements and their consequences. Unless you plan to stoke a heated debate with your speech, stay objective and use examples from both sides of the political divide.  

46. How the electoral college works in the United States

Discuss the processes behind the US electoral college within the broader framework of a presidential election. To properly illustrate the institution’s function, explain what happens from the moment the nation casts its ballots to the confirmation of the US president in the Senate. Finally, give examples of US presidents who won elections despite losing the plurality of the popular vote — and the role the electoral college played in these events. 

47. A look at modern monarchies

Inform the audience about the role monarchies continue to play in today’s world. List the reigning monarchs, discuss their powers within government, then touch on their networth and popularity among subjects. To promote critical thinking among your viewers, leave some time to debate monarchies’ relevance and utility in the modern world. 

48. Exploring systems of government 

Teach your viewers about various systems of government that operate in modern nations. Use countries as specific examples of the different government systems. Explain how these governments are formed or elected, how they pass and execute laws, and historical factors that led to their creation. Crucially, list each system’s pros and cons. 

49. The state of democracy around the world 

Use your speech to summarize the state of democratic power across different regions. Use maps and statistics to list nations where democratic norms are seeing improvement, and those slipping into totalitarianism. Address the contributing factors behind shifts in the quality of democracy. 

50. Bloodiest conflicts throughout history 

Present a compilation of the world’s bloodiest conflicts. Include both domestic and international confrontations, and rank them by the number of casualties. Discuss the root causes of each conflict you present, and aggravating factors (such as weapons of mass destruction use, famines, or oppressive political regimes). As you conclude, ask your audience to brainstorm ways to avoid such conflicts in the future. 

25 Ideas for complex informative speech topics 

The following 25 suggestions are for informative speech topics geared at a university-level audience. These topics delve into sophisticated theories and technologies at the forefront of scientific research. Your viewers may know the subject well, especially if they are your peers. However, do your best to break up the monotony of fact-rich, scholarly content with suitable graphics, videos, and discussion sessions. 

51. Gene therapy: definition, applications, and future development  

Explain how gene therapy works and give a brief overview of its history. Discuss the various delivery methods for gene therapy along with their suitability and pros and cons. Use available statistics to shine a light on the effectiveness of this treatment for different diseases, and touch on the therapy’s ongoing research and development.  

52. What is CRISPR gene editing? 

Define the CRISPR initialism (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats), and describe the mechanism behind this gene editing technique. Use effective visuals to illustrate the processes and help your viewers grasp the subject matter. Crucially, list practical examples of CRISPR applications and address the controversy surrounding this method.  

53. How RNA vaccines work 

Show your viewers the workings of RNA vaccines with slides that graphically depict each step, from vaccine formulation to the host’s immune response. Examine RNA vaccines’ suitability for protecting against various diseases, touch on their development history, and compare their effectiveness against other common vaccine types.   

54. Current and future role of AI in healthcare 

Create an informative presentation showing AI’s current applications in healthcare, new AI-based technologies under development, and AI’s long-term future potential in the field. Your slides should describe how AI algorithms enhance various tasks (for example, diagnostic imaging), with statistics that show their efficacy. As you contemplate AI’s future potential in healthcare, ask your viewers to weigh in with their opinions. 

55. How nanotechnology continues to advance and change our world 

Describe the origins and history of nanotechnology, along with current uses, ongoing research, and possible implications. Your slide deck should have graphic representations of how nanotechnology powers various processes and consumer items, and the tools used in its production. Leave some time in your speech to debate the potential of nanotechnology and address concerns. 

56. How does the James Webb Telescope work? 

Your speech should illustrate how each of the James Webb Space Telescope components work in unison to capture images of faraway celestial bodies and transmit them to earth. Dedicate a slide to each of the elements, then show some of the telescope’s latest available images. Compare Webb’s mechanism and output to Hubble's. 

57. What is the future of space exploration?

The future of space exploration is a conjectural topic, so your speech should give your audience all the necessary information to make an educated guess. Start off by analyzing past space missions, the reasons behind them, the technology used, and the limitations they faced. Then, consider the same factors in the context of the future. What will motivate humans to continue space exploration? What technology will be available, and what constraints will we continue to face? Allow some time for debate before you conclude the speech. 

58. Can we make Mars inhabitable? 

Our ability to inhabit Mars is a speculative topic, so approach it with these facts: 

• How suitable is Mars’s surface for habitation
• Technology needed to make Mars inhabitable 
• Current technical constraints and potential for their resolution
• Implications for humans on Mars-bound missions 

After presenting the facts above, describe current plans for human Mars missions. Explain their current status, what they plan to accomplish, and what obstacles they currently face. Finally, get viewers to opine on the viability of Mars inhabitation. 

59. Future of supersonic commercial air travel 

Overview the current commercial supersonic projects (Boom and Quesst), and contrast them against the Concorde and Tu-144. List the challenges these original supersonic airliners faced, and explain why they ceased operating. Discuss whether Boom and Quesst will be able to overcome these same obstacles and make supersonic air travel possible again. 

60. How much of a threat is technological singularity? 

Discuss the concept of technological singularity and overview contending theories on its potential, mechanisms, and timelines. Crucially, explain why some scholars believe that singularity is inevitable. Finally, address the possible implications of singularity and the threats humanity might face as a result. 

61. Exploring the causes of political polarization

Guide your audience through the innate causes and triggers behind polarization in politics. Explain why some degree of polarization may be inherent in al democratic systems, especially where parties have widely differing ideologies. Then, talk about specific events that exacerbate polarization, such as gerrymandering or social media algorithms. Conclude with a debate on the subject matter, but steer the conversation clear of political flashpoints.  

62. How gerrymandering amplifies political polarization 

Gerrymandering is a redistricting technique that redraws borders in favor of a political party and ratchets up polarization among the voters. To illustrate the process, present instances where redistricting is believed to have fomented political divide. Stay objective and find examples from both sides of the political divide to avoid causing tension among your audience.  

63. What is dark matter? 

You may not be able to define dark matter, but you can overview the current, widely accepted hypotheses about its composition and place in the observable universe. Explain what we do know about dark matter (such as its interaction or lack thereof with light, the electromagnetic field, and gravity), present evidence of its existence, and list constraints that keep us from learning more about this mysterious phenomenon. 

64. How does the Placebo effect work?

Explain the neurophysiological process in the brain that helps the patient to feel better without actually treating the underlying cause of the symptoms. Discuss the various applications of placebos in medical practice and research. Supplement your speech with graphics that show the neural processes behind the effect and make it easier for your audience to grasp.

65. How intelligent are animals? 

Educate your viewers on the cognitive abilities of different animals. Consider ranking the animals in your presentation by intellect, with the most intelligent species appearing last (this will help your speech build momentum). For each animal, explain how its intelligence was assessed, whether it manifests in observable behavior, and how it helps the species excel in its environment. Videos of these behaviors could make your speech more intriguing. 

66. Plant and animal species on the brink of extinction 

Walk your viewers through a list of fauna and flora species that are either critically endangered or already extinct in the wild. For each species, detail the present populations, habitat, and crucially, the factors pushing it to extinction. Also, list conservation efforts underway to protect any of the threatened species and discuss their efficacy. 

67. Are there habitable earth-like exoplanets? 

Use your speech to present the exoplanets currently thought to have habitable, earth-like conditions. Explain how and when each planet was discovered, where it’s located in the Universe, how far it is from earth, and why scientists believe it may be inhabitable. List factors that determine whether a planet may be a host for lifeforms. 

68. The search for extraterrestrial life 

Outline the past and present efforts to find life beyond our planet. Talk about the different methods that have been used to look for extraterrestrial life and explain their outcomes. Likewise, list UFO sightings and purported alien encounters and discuss whether they are credible evidence of life on other planets. Finally, inform your audience about developing technologies that will enable us to find signs of life deep in the universe in the future.

69. How our microbiome connects the gut to the brain 

Explain the gut-to-brain connection that exists thanks to our microbiome. Use explanatory visuals to show the different types of beneficial and harmful bacteria that exist in the gut, and how these microbes influence our physical and mental well-being. Be sure to clearly illustrate the neurological processes through which the microbiome connects to and affects the human brain. 

70. Exploring the current climate change models and predictions 

Educate your viewers about the scientifically accepted climate change predictions and the models on which they’re based. Outline predictions for the next 50-100 years, with models showing how outcomes differ relative to the average temperature increase. Include consequences such as changing coastlines, population displacement, extinction and endangerment of plant and animal species, and effects on the economy.  

71. Superbugs: the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria 

Discuss the emergence of bacteria that can resist antibiotics and the root causes of their evolution. Cite specific medical cases where antibiotics were unable to treat previously treatable conditions. Explain what hazards such pathogens pose to humanity, and what (if any) measures are being taken to contain their spread and development. 

72. How to mitigate the effects of the next pandemic

Each pandemic humanity has lived through taught us invaluable lessons about disease prevention and control. Share these lessons in a speech that features key strategies for reducing the human and economic toll of inevitable future pandemics. Discuss how differences in virility and transmissibility affect the tactics used to contain their spread. Finally, tell your audience which pandemics are most and least likely to occur, and how prepared we are to handle them.  

73. What is quantum cryptography?

Explain the concept of quantum cryptography, its origins, and the reasons for its inception. Cover the processes through which cryptographic activities occur in the quantum state, how they differ from non-quantum ciphering, and what advantages they offer. Spell out distinct examples of quantum cryptographic applications, and potential for further development of these technologies. Since the topic requires at least intermediate knowledge of quantum mechanics, clearly cover the relevant fundamental concepts of this field and leave some time for a Q&A session in case your viewers have questions. 

74. What is the Modern Monetary Theory (MMT)?

Inform your viewers about the fundamentals of Modern Monetary Theory and how they play out in practice. Explain MMT’s five key tenets, and illustrate each of these with a real-life example. Compare MMT against Keynesian economic principles and list its benefits and shortfalls.   

75. Inflation, recession, and stagflation

Describe each of the three economic states, their causes, and their inter-relationship. Outline the factors that trigger each state and the policies designed to rectify them. Give real-life examples of inflation, recession, and stagflation, and the effects they’ve had on people’s everyday lives. 

25 Debate-worthy informative speech topic ideas 

The 25 topic ideas below have no place at the dinner table. However, their controversial subject matter demands debate and thoughtful action and they’re quite suitable for a mature, adult audience. 

Since these topics are meant to inspire discussion, your job is to supply relevant facts and stay objective while you present. Credible statistics presented with clear, impactful visuals are most effective. With hard facts laid out clearly in front of them, your audience has the best chance of thinking critically, being willing to see multiple perspectives, and engaging in constructive dialogue.

76. Is gentle parenting effective? 

Present evidence confirming and disputing the efficacy of gentle parenting (also known as “passive parenting.”) Find relevant statistics or expert opinions from child psychologists, educators, and parenting coaches to reinforce your speech. Finally, let your audience — the parents in particular — opine on the matter.  

77. Are video games an acceptable pastime for children? 

Showcase statistics on the effects of video games on children’s cognitive abilities, school performance, behavior, and personality. Rely solely on expert evidence — study results, clinical research, and opinions of child psychologists. Then, conclude your speech by inviting audience members to speak their minds. 

78. Individualism vs collectivism: which social system works best?

Describe the characteristics of individualism and collectivism, and offer examples of societies where one of the systems is considerably more prevalent. Compare these societies across metrics such as education levels, GDP, life satisfaction, human rights, and the state of democracy. Likewise, explore societies that balance individual and collective needs. After this analysis, allow your viewers to express their views on the topic.  

79. What are acceptable limits on free speech? 

Guide your audience through the various laws that protect and restrict free speech in the US and abroad. Find examples of positive and negative outcomes of such laws. Finally, ask your viewers what “freedom of speech” means to them, and how much of it they’re willing to sacrifice for the common good. 

80. What is net neutrality and how does it affect us? 

Explain what net neutrality means and cite specific laws that strive to make the internet “neutral.” Present examples of such laws in action, and ask the audience to consider their benefits and shortfalls.  

81. Is the world warming naturally or due to human activity? 

Start by describing the causes of ice ages and interglacial periods in the past and the feedback loops that exacerbated these climatic shifts. Next, present scientific evidence that pinpoints current shifts in the earth’s climate that wouldn’t have taken place without human activities. Examine how and why current climate change differs from glacial and interglacial cycles of the past. 

82. Pros and cons of AI use in an educational setting

List the various capabilities that AI products like ChatGPT afford students, and analyze their pros and cons from an educator’s perspective. For example, you may conclude that AI-generated essays impede academic progress, while AI-enhanced slide presentations let students focus their brainpower on the slide content by automating tedious tasks like slide design and formatting. 

83. Is AI disruptive or a force for the good?  

Outline the human activities AI has automated already, and those it will potentially take on in the future. Consider whether this automation will disrupt or enhance the quality of our lives. Examine factors that may contribute to either of the outcomes — for example, effective regulatory policies or powerful AI technology falling into the wrong hands. Give your viewers time to share their thoughts on the matter before you conclude. 

84. Does AI dehumanize us?

Share examples of AI art and compare it to pieces produced by humans. Let your audience compare samples of human-written text with AI-generated content that now permeates the web. Inform your viewers of any art activities AI can now perform. Then, ask them whether these creative tasks — formerly firmly in the human domain — can still elicit the same emotional response from us even if they’re automated. There are no right or wrong answers, and the debate you inspire with your speech will be as informative as the facts you’ve presented in your slides.  

85. What are deepfakes and how do we handle them?

Define deepfakes, explain how they’re made, and list their uses. Include videos with first-hand examples of people affected by deepfakes, and discuss what strategies should be in place to protect us from their harm. 

86. How to solve the addiction and mental health crises 

There are many proposals to address ongoing addiction and mental health crises, and you can summarize them in your speech. Describe each action plan in detail and include potential benefits and drawbacks. Show real-life examples of these strategies in action if you find them, along with reported outcomes. With the facts before them, your audience should be able to debate the efficacy of each proposed solution.   

87. Advantages and disadvantages of harm reduction 

Review the positive and negative effects of harm reduction policies on the addiction crisis, and try to establish whether the pros outweigh the cons. Ask your audience whether saving the life of a drug user is worth the possible proliferation of drugs within the community and the subsequent new addictions. These are tough moral questions, so moderate the debate to keep the discussion from getting heated. 

88. Arguments for and against the death penalty 

Educate your audience on the key arguments for and against the death penalty. For example, consider its efficacy as a deterrent and use crime statistics to back up your assertions. Likewise, discuss the punishment’s irreversibility and thus the chances of innocent people being executed. Get your viewers to opine on whether or not governments have the moral authority to kill their citizens. 

89. Thought experiments in ethics and morality

Engage your viewers with a series of ethical thought experiments. Consider using experiments such as the Heinz dilemma, survival lottery, the trolley problem, or any others that challenge participants to make tough moral decisions. 

90. Gun violence in the US: causes and potential solutions 

Present the latest gun violence statistics across the US and consider their causes and possible solutions. Discuss any preventative strategies that are currently in place and analyze their efficacy. Compare statistics across other developed nations, then ask your viewers to opine on what makes the US such a hotbed of gun crime. 

91. Is there a way to be an ethical billionaire? 

Using simple math, show your viewers how much one has to earn — and for how long — to make a billion dollars. Include real-life examples of billionaires and describe their journeys. Consider the special privileges they may have had that helped them attain their wealth and compare their efforts to those of the many employees that help them amass fortunes. At the same time, outline each of these folks’ charitable contributions, annual tax payments, and the number of jobs they create. At the end of your presentation, hold a debate to establish whether it’s possible to be an ethical billionaire.  

92. Pros and cons of genetic engineering 

Inform your viewers of the current genetic engineering practices, their applications, benefits, and shortfalls. Discuss any ethical implications of genetic engineering, and how these can be resolved. 

93. Risks and benefits of nuclear power 

Educate your viewers on the known risks and benefits of nuclear power. Explain nuclear plants’ capacity to produce clean energy with no greenhouse gas emissions, and compare their outputs against those of renewable generation methods, such as solar farms. At the same time, discuss the risk of accidents and their consequences for health and environment. Do some high-level calculations to establish how the world’s electricity needs can be met without nuclear power as the world shifts away from fossil fuels. 

94. Drawing the line between cultural appropriation and appreciation 

Define “cultural appropriation” and explain how it differs from appreciating other cultures. Give specific examples of both practices to illustrate the distinction for your viewers. Ask your audience if they’ve ever unwittingly participated in cultural appropriation, and if they see the practice as offensive or innocent.  

95. Does “cancel culture” work? 

Cancel culture is a form of boycott meant to promote social justice and give a voice to the vulnerable. Whether it always works as intended is up for debate. So, focus your presentation on real-life examples of cancel culture at work, and try to establish (together with your audience) whether justice was served in each case. 

96. Is armed intervention ever justified? 

Analyze the reasons behind the world's many conflicts and reconcile them with the outcomes. For example, how does US involvement in WWII compare to the war in Vietnam? In which of these cases was the use of force on foreign soil justified, and can the same ethical formula apply to future conflicts? 

97. How social media algorithms distort our perception of reality 

Use examples to demonstrate how social media algorithms create “filter bubbles” — feedback loops that expose us to more of the same content in which we’ve shown interest. Explain how these filter bubbles have the potential to misinform viewers, sway them emotionally, and even radicalize them. Together with your viewers, discuss possible strategies for containing this phenomenon and mitigating its effects.

98. Assisted suicide laws across the world 

Prepare an analysis of euthanasia laws worldwide. Explain how these laws differ in each nation, and what the outcomes have been so far. Be sure to delineate between active and passive euthanasia and current laws. Likewise, discuss the controversies surrounding assisted death. For example, Canada plans to expand eligibility to the mentally ill, while other nations let minors access the option even without a terminal disease. 

99. How do we measure happiness? 

The World Happiness Report measures happiness by polling populations using metrics such as GDP per capita, social support, life expectancy, and personal freedoms, among others. Meanwhile, the nation of Bhutan has a Gross National Happiness Index, which quantifies happiness on a broader spectrum that includes 33 indicators. Present these tools to your audience and discuss their efficacy. Finally, let your viewers pitch their own criteria for measuring happiness levels. 

100. Different visions for the future of humanity 

The future of humanity is a highly conjectural topic. The best you can do during your speech is inform the audience of the critical factors currently shaping our civilization’s path (think climate change, weapons of mass destruction, and the rise of AI), then ask for opinions. Let your viewers speak and share their vision for our future. 

10 Fun informative speech topic ideas

The next 10 topics are light and fun but educational nonetheless. If you do your research and deliver the findings in an engaging presentation, your viewers will walk away entertained and know more about the world. (Whether this new knowledge is useful is up for debate).

101. How cults indoctrinate and control their members 

Outline the methods cults typically use to recruit, indoctrinate, and control their members. Explain which people are most likely to respond to a cult’s messaging, and why. Give examples of notable cults and the techniques they used to recruit and brainwash adherents. 

102. Most bizarre and disturbing conspiracy theories 

Compile the world’s most prominent conspiracy theories for an intriguing and informative speech. From Paul Is Dead to Lizard People, conspiracy theories show how fringe ideas gain mainstream acceptance. They may be entertaining, but remind your audience not to dismiss these theories as trivial — these phenomena often have very real consequences, like legitimization of violence and endangerment of public safety. 

103. Why some people believe in conspiracy theories 

Explore why some people are more susceptible to beliefs in conspiracy theories. Walk your audience through contributing factors, such as mistrust of authority, social isolation, major life changes, and others. If possible, include video clips of interviews with former and current conspiracists in which they explain their path down the rabbit hole. 

104. Are UFOs real?  

Overview the world’s most notable UFO and alien encounter reports, with witness accounts and images (if possible). For each encounter, supply the official explanation and debate it with your viewers. Be sure to cover the most recent US government revelations on secret military tests that may have been mistaken for UFOs. 

105. Most mind-boggling mysteries that are still unsolved

Fascinate the audience with a list of the strangest and most unsettling mysteries that remain unsolved to this day. If you can, equip each of your slides with relevant images and clips of interviews of parties involved. Provide currently accepted interpretations of the events, and invite your viewers to opine.   

106. Secret government experiments revealed 

Compile a list of the most intriguing government experiments that have been revealed to the public. Describe the purpose of each experiment, the process, and the outcome. Any official interviews or declassified documents will help you bolster the credibility of your speech.

107. Strangest laws in each US state 

There’s no shortage of bizarre state laws, so pick the most outlandish one from each state. Explain what each piece of legislation tried to accomplish at the time of its passage, and tell your viewers whether it still gets enforced. 

108. Most ridiculous sports in the world 

Walk your audience through the world’s most absurd organized sports. From ferret legging to extreme ironing, there is no lack of ridiculous activities for humans with too much time on their hands. Overview each of your chosen sports’ origins, basic rules, and popularity across the world. 

109. How different cultures celebrate life’s milestones 

Explain how major life events like births, deaths and weddings are celebrated around the world. Discuss each tradition’s particulars, symbology, cultural roots, and significance to the people who observe it. Get your viewers to share their respective cultures’ customs as you conclude the speech.  

110. Breakfasts around the world: How different cultures start their day

Take your viewers on a culinary journey through different nations’ favorite breakfast meals. Present the origins, unique flavors, and key ingredients of each dish. Then, ask your audience to share their cultures’ quintessential breakfast items. 

How to choose a speech topic

Your speech topic should be relevant, educational, and thought-provoking, yet easily comprehensible by the viewers. To this end, use the five steps below to find the most suitable subject matter for your speech. 

• Consider the purpose.  
• Understand the audience.
• Factor in your knowledge and interest.  
• Adapt to the setting. 
• Account for the availability of visuals.  

1. Consider the purpose  

Establish the objective of your presentation and choose the speech type accordingly. There are five common speech types, all of which convey different kinds of information: 

• Definitional: Explains the meaning of the topic’s subject. Topic example: “What is net neutrality and how does it affect us?”
• Descriptive: Depicts in detail the subject of the topic. Topic example: “Breakfasts around the world: How different cultures start their day.”
• Explanatory: Overviews the functions behind a specific process. Topic example: “How our microbiome connects the gut to the brain.” 
• Demonstrative: Lists steps to perform a task. Topic example: “How to mitigate the effects of the next pandemic.”
• Comparative: Compares and contrasts two items, with a thorough analysis of the similarities and differences. Topic example: “Individualism vs collectivism: which social system works best?”

2. Understand the audience 

Once you’ve narrowed down your preferred speech type, consider how different topics within this category will resonate with your audience. Think about the viewers’ knowledge level, and choose subject matter that is challenging but graspable at the same time. Likewise, gauge their interest in your potential topics — the last thing you want is a crowd that’s dozing off as you speak. 

3. Factor in your knowledge and interest

Choose a topic that interests you — at least to some degree. Otherwise, your speech may turn out lifeless and you’ll struggle to deliver the information in a captivating way. You viewers will respond by tuning you out. 

4. Adapt to the setting 

Make sure you can present your chosen speech topic in your setting. For example, subject matter that’s best conveyed with lots of images or audio requires the facilities to run a slideshow. If the speech venue doesn’t have a screen, projector, and speakers, stick with topics where your words and your interactions with the audience can do all the work.  

5. Account for the availability of visuals.

Some subjects are best taught through visuals. If your preferred topic falls under this category, make sure that you can source relevant images and videos — don’t fill your slides with generic stock images. 

How to prepare your informative speech presentation

Now that you’ve chosen your speech topic, it’s time to prepare the presentation that will accompany you on the stage as you speak. By following the following five steps, you’ll make a presentation that effectively guides both you and your viewers through the key points of your speech. 

• Research thoroughly 
• Adhere to the 6 C’s of informative speaking 
• Find a suitable platform for creating your presentation 
• Ask for a peer review 

1. Research thoroughly 

Your task is to compose a speech that informs, so to start, research your topic until you know it like the back of your hand. Use credible sources, not just random blogs you find on Google (Google Scholar is an excellent choice). As you study the subject matter, note all the pertinent data, and create an outline that presents information in smooth, contextual flow. 

2. Adhere to the 6 C’s of informative speaking 

The 6 C’s of informative speaking help you deliver (and your audience absorb) the message effectively. A speech that adheres to the 6 C’s is:

• Clear: Use clear phrasing that everyone understands. 
• Colorful: Enliven your speech with color to keep the viewers’ attention. 
• Concrete: Eliminate ambiguities and deliver concrete information that leaves no room for misinterpretation. 
• Correct: If you present something as a fact, make sure you’ve triple-checked its accuracy. Leave no room for factually incorrect information in your presentation. 
• Concise: Keep the written content in your slides and your speaking notes as short as possible. 
• Courteous: Remain respectful and courteous throughout your speech, especially if the topic is controversial.  

3. Find a suitable platform for creating your presentation

Find a presentation maker to help you tackle your slides quickly and without excessive manual effort. For example, Plus AI does all the heavy lifting and lets you generate professional Google Slides presentations from a prompt , then helps you edit and format the slides quickly. With these tedious tasks out of the way, you can focus your efforts on the content of the speech. 

4. Ask for a peer review

Get your fellow student or coworker to review your presentation and give you their notes. You can even rehearse the speech with them to get some feedback on the delivery. Such a rehearsal should help you refine your speech (and slides) before the big day. 

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13.2 Types of Informative Speeches

While topics that are suitable for informative speeches are nearly limitless, they can generally be pared down into five broad categories. Understanding the type of informative speeches can help you to figure out the best way to organize, research, and prepare for it.

Type 1: History

A common approach to selecting an informative speech topic is to discuss the history or development of something. With so much of human knowledge available via the Internet, finding information about the origins and evolution of almost anything is much easier than it has ever been (with the disclaimer that there are quite a few websites out there with false information). With that in mind, some of the areas that a historical informative speech could cover are below.

History of objects such as the baseball or the saxophone can be presented in your informative speech. Someone at some point in history was the first to develop what is considered modern baseball. An informative speech speaker could give a speech on the history of baseball: Who was it? What was it originally made of? How did it evolve into the baseball that is used by Major League Baseball today?

You can also give an informative speech on the history of physical places such as the Eiffel Tower or Disney World. The Disney World of today is different from the Disney World of the early 1970s; the design has developed over the last fifty plus years. Stories on the first things built in the Disney World, first theme parks, and how it expanded and built in other parts of the world can all be interesting historical elements to share with your audience.

It is also possible to provide facts on ideas such as democracy or freedom of speech. For example, while no one can definitively point to a specific date or individual who first developed the concept of democracy, it is known to have been conceived in ancient Greece (Raaflaub, Ober, & Wallace, 2007). By looking at the civilizations and cultures that adopted forms of democracy throughout history, it is possible to provide an audience with a better understanding of how the idea has been shaped into what it has become today.

Type 2: Biography

A biography is similar to a history, but in this case the subject is specifically a person, whether living or deceased. For the purposes of this class, biographies should focus on people of some note or fame, since doing research on people who are not at least mildly well-known could be difficult. But again, as with histories, there are specific and irrefutable facts that can help provide an overview of someone’s life, such as the dates that President Lincoln was born (February 12, 1809) and died (April 15, 1865) and the years he was in office as president (1861–1865).

This might be a good place to address research and support. The basic dates of Abraham Lincoln’s life could be found in multiple sources and you would not have to cite the source in that case. But if you use the work of a specific historian to explain how Lincoln was able to win the presidency in the tumultuous years before the Civil War, that would need a citation of that author and the publication.

Type 3: Processes

Process speeches provide information on steps to accomplish a specific task, goal, or process. For example, speakers can talk about how to bake chocolate chip cookies, how to throw a baseball, how a nuclear reactor works, and how a bill works its way through Congress.

Process speeches are sometimes referred to as demonstration or “how to” speeches because they often entail demonstrating or performing something. These speeches provide step-by-step instructions on completing a specific task (e.g., how to bake chocolate chip cookies in 10 steps). However, not all process speeches tell the audience how to perform something but rather only explain the procedures so the audience can gain an understanding of how things work (e.g., how a bill goes through Congress).

Type 4: Ideas and Concepts

Sometimes an informative speech is designed to explain an idea or concept. What does democracy mean? What is justice? In speeches on ideas and concepts, speakers should first define the idea or concept and then provide specific examples to make your concept concrete, real, and “tangible” to your audience.

Type 5: Categories or Divisions

Sometimes an informative speech topic doesn’t lend itself to a specific type of approach, and in those cases the topics tend to fall into a “general” category of informative speeches. For example, if a student wanted to give an informative speech on the four “C’s” of diamonds (cut, carat, color, and clarity), they certainly wouldn’t approach it as if they were providing the history of diamonds, nor would they necessarily be informing anyone on “how to” shop for or buy diamonds or how diamonds are mined. The approach in this case would simply be to inform an audience on the four “C’s” and what they mean. Other examples of this type of informative speech would be positions in playing volleyball or the customs to know when traveling in China.

As stated above, identifying the type of informative speech being given can help in several ways (conducting research, writing the introduction and conclusion), but perhaps the biggest benefit is that the type of informative speech being given will help determine, to some degree, the organizational pattern that will need to be used (see Chapter 8). For example, a How To speech must be in chronological order. There really isn’t a way (or reason) to present a How To speech other than how the process is done in a time sequence. That is to say, for a speech on how to bake chocolate chip cookies, getting the ingredients (Main Point 1) must come before mixing the ingredients (Main Point 2), which must come before baking them (Main Point 3). Putting them in any other order will only confuse the audience.

Similarly, most histories and biographies will be organized chronologically, but not always. It makes sense to explain the history of baseball from when it was first developed to where it is today, but certain approaches to histories and biographies can make that irrelevant. For an informative speech on Benjamin Franklin, a student might choose as his or her three main points: 1) His time as a printer, 2) His time as an inventor, 3) His time as a diplomat. These main points are not in strict chronological order because Franklin was a printer, inventor, and diplomat at the same time during periods of his whole life. However, this example would still be one way to inform an audience about him without using the chronological organizational pattern.

As for general informative speeches, since the topics that can be included in this category are very diverse and cover a range of subject matter, the way they are organized will be varied as well. However, if the topic is “types of” something or “kinds of” something, the organizational pattern would be topical; if it were the layout of a location, such as the White House, it would be spatial.

It’s About Them: Public Speaking in the 21st Century Copyright © 2022 by LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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100+ Informative Speech Topics & Ideas for All Students 

• Post category: Uncategorized
• Reading time: 30 mins read

As a student tasked with delivering an informative speech, finding the right topic can be a difficult first step. The challenge doesn’t just end with selecting a topic; it extends to researching, preparing, and effectively presenting it. We’ve got you covered.

Our selection of informative speech topics is filled with captivating and relevant ideas to keep your audience engaged while educating them. You can choose any of these topics as a starting point for an informative and memorable speech.

List of Informative Speech Topics for Students

When selecting informative speech topics for students, the aim is to find subjects that are educational, engaging, and relevant to their interests and experiences. Here are some diverse and thought-provoking informative topic ideas that college students can explore for their informative speeches:

Good Informative Speech Topics for Students

• First Aid Basics and Their Importance
• Cold and Flu: Symptoms and Prevention
• Pediatric Nursing: Caring for Children
• Mental Health Awareness in Adolescence
• Essentials of Nutritional Health
• The Science and Importance of Vaccines
• Hygiene Practices to Prevent Illness
• The Role of Sleep in Maintaining Health
• Understanding and Managing Allergies
• An Introduction to Human Anatomy
• Special Considerations in Geriatric Nursing
• Effective Stress Management Techniques
• The Health Benefits of Regular Exercise
• Ethical Considerations in Nursing
• Managing and Understanding Diabetes
• Fundamentals of Wound Care
• Common Skin Conditions and Treatments
• The Diverse Role of Nurses in Healthcare
• Basics of Pain Management
• Promoting Cardiovascular Health

Best Informative Speech Topics for College

• Advanced First Aid and Crisis Management
• In-depth Analysis of Mental Health Disorders
• Pediatric Oncology: Challenges and Care
• Lifestyle’s Impact on Chronic Diseases
• Nutritional Therapy in Healthcare Settings
• Vaccine Development and Effectiveness
• Infection Control Techniques in Hospitals
• Sleep Psychology and Related Disorders
• Comprehensive Allergy Management
• Detailed Study of Human Physiology
• Geriatric Nursing and Age-Related Diseases
• Advanced Stress and Anxiety Management
• Exercise Physiology in Disease Prevention
• Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Nursing
• In-depth Look at Diabetes and Endocrine Health
• Advanced Techniques in Wound Healing
• Dermatology from a Nursing Perspective
• Leadership and Management in Nursing
• Comprehensive Approaches to Pain Management
• Cardiac Care and Rehabilitation Techniques

Easy Informative Speech Topics

• Basic First Aid Techniques Everyone Should Know
• The Importance of Hand Hygiene in Preventing Infections
• Understanding Common Cold: Symptoms and Treatment
• Introduction to Healthy Eating and Nutrition
• Basic Steps for Blood Pressure Monitoring
• Sleep Hygiene: Tips for a Good Night’s Sleep
• Stress Management: Simple Relaxation Techniques
• Basics of Diabetes: Types and Management
• Understanding and Preventing Seasonal Allergies
• Basic Wound Care: Do’s and Don’ts
• The Role of Vaccinations in Public Health
• The Impact of Smoking on Health
• Introduction to Mental Health and Well-being
• Basic Skin Care and Sun Protection
• The Importance of Regular Exercise
• Understanding Asthma: Basics and Management
• Principles of Healthy Weight Management
• Dehydration: Causes, Symptoms, and Prevention
• Introduction to Geriatric Health Issues
• Pediatric Health: Common Childhood Illnesses

Short Informative Speech Topics

• Handwashing: The Best Way to Prevent Germs
• Quick Tips for a Healthy Heart
• Introduction to CPR: Basic Steps
• The Dangers of Antibiotic Resistance
• Understanding Migraines and Headache Management
• Basic Nutrition: Vitamins and Minerals Essentials
• The Significance of Breast Cancer Awareness
• Recognizing and Responding to a Stroke
• Basic Eye Care and Common Eye Problems
• Importance of Vaccines in Disease Prevention
• Ear Health and Preventing Hearing Loss
• Simple Techniques for Anxiety Relief
• Oral Hygiene and Dental Health Basics
• Foot Care for Diabetics
• Dealing with Common Digestive Disorders
• Bone Health: Preventing Osteoporosis
• Overview of Common Respiratory Diseases
• Basic Understanding of Arthritis
• Skin Cancer Awareness and Prevention
• Basics of Maternal and Child Health

Interesting/ Fun Informative Speech Topics

• The Evolution of Nursing Throughout History
• Fascinating Medical Discoveries and Innovations
• The Role of Pets and Animals in Healing
• Bizarre but True: Unusual Medical Conditions
• Medical Miracles: Remarkable Recovery Stories
• How Laughter Benefits Physical Health
• Exploring the Power of the Placebo Effect
• Myths and Facts About the Human Brain
• Pioneering Women in the Field of Nursing
• The Science Behind Love and Its Health Benefits
• Unique Traditional Healing Practices Around the World
• The Future of Telemedicine and Virtual Healthcare
• The Psychology of Pain: Perception vs. Reality
• The Weird World of Rare Genetic Conditions
• How Music Therapy Enhances Health and Well-being
• The History and Significance of World Health Day
• Famous Medical Experiments in History
• The Impact of Space Travel on Human Health
• The Influence of Social Media on Health Trends
• Nursing in War: Stories from the Frontline

Unique Informative Speech Topics

• The Link Between Climate Change and Public Health
• The Future of Genetic Engineering in Medicine
• Exploring the World of Rare Diseases
• Nursing Practices in Different Cultures
• Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
• The Psychology of Color in Healing Environments
• The Impact of Globalization on Healthcare
• Revolutionary Medical Treatments Under Development
• The Ethical Dilemmas of Modern Medicine
• The Role of Nutrition in Chronic Disease Management
• Virtual Reality and its Application in Healthcare
• The Evolution of Surgical Techniques
• The Role of Nurses in Disaster Response
• Breakthroughs in Brain-Computer Interfaces
• The Connection Between Art and Healing
• The Growing Field of Gerontechnology
• The Science of Sleep Disorders
• The Challenges of Healthcare in Remote Areas
• The Effects of Social Isolation on Mental Health
• The Role of Robotics in Modern Surgery

Popular Informative Speech Topics

• The COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned
• The Opioid Crisis: Understanding and Prevention
• Mental Health: Breaking the Stigma
• The Importance of Healthcare Accessibility
• The Role of Technology in Modern Nursing
• The Impact of Diet on Mental Health
• The Challenges of Nursing in a Pandemic
• Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Breastfeeding: Benefits and Challenges
• The Rise of Telehealth Services
• The Importance of Patient Advocacy in Nursing
• The Effects of Social Media on Teen Mental Health
• The Growing Problem of Antibiotic Resistance
• The Benefits of Yoga and Meditation in Healthcare
• Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
• The Impact of Stress on Physical Health
• The Role of Community Health Nursing
• Advances in Cancer Treatment and Research
• The Importance of Health Education in Schools
• The Growing Trend of Wellness and Preventative Care

Informative Speech Topics – 2024 Ideas

• The Role of Nursing in Global Health Initiatives
• Advances in Stem Cell Research and Therapy
• The Future of Personalized Medicine
• The Ethics of Assisted Reproductive Technologies
• The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Patient Care
• The Growing Trend of Plant-Based Diets and Health
• The Use of Big Data in Healthcare
• The Challenges of Providing Healthcare in Conflict Zones
• The Role of Mental Health First Aid
• The Impact of Climate Change on Infectious Diseases
• Innovations in Wound Care and Healing
• The Future of Nursing Education
• The Role of Nurses in Palliative and End-of-Life Care
• The Effects of Pollution on Respiratory Health
• The Importance of Global Vaccine Equity
• The Challenges of Rural Healthcare Delivery
• Emerging Trends in Healthcare Technology
• The Psychology Behind Chronic Pain Management
• The Importance of Cultural Competence in Nursing
• The Growing Field of Nursing Informatics

Creative Informative Speech Topics

• The Art and Science of Nursing
• The Role of Storytelling in Patient Care
• Innovative Approaches to Patient Education
• The Impact of Urban Design on Public Health
• The Intersection of Fashion and Medical Wearables
• Creative Therapies in Mental Health Care
• The Use of Gamification in Health Education
• The Role of Nurses in Health Policy Development
• Exploring the World of Holistic Nursing
• The Future of 3D Printing in Medicine
• The Importance of Empathy in Healthcare
• The Use of Augmented Reality in Surgical Training
• The Role of Nutrition in Cancer Prevention
• Innovations in Home Health Care Technology
• The History and Future of Epidemics and Pandemics
• The Role of Nurses in Climate Change Advocacy
• The Use of Social Media in Health Awareness Campaigns
• The Evolution of Maternal and Neonatal Care
• Exploring the Benefits of Alternative Medicine
• The Role of Nurses in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

What Is An Informative Speech?

An informative speech is a type of speech that aims to educate the audience on a specific topic, providing them with facts, insights, and information in a clear and understandable manner. Its main objective is to enhance the knowledge and understanding of the listeners about the subject being discussed.

What are the 4 Types of Informative Speeches?

Informative speeches are a cornerstone of effective communication, especially in educational and professional settings. They serve the crucial purpose of educating and enlightening audiences on various topics. Broadly categorized, there are four distinct types of informative speeches, each serving a unique role in conveying information.

The four types of informative speeches are:

Descriptive Speeches:  These speeches aim to provide a detailed, vivid, and clear picture of a person, place, object, or event. The goal is to make the audience feel as if they are familiar with the subject through the use of descriptive language.

Explanatory Speeches: These focus on explaining a concept, idea, or phenomenon. The objective is to clarify the subject matter and help the audience understand it better, often involving the breaking down of complex ideas into simpler parts.

Demonstrative Speeches: These speeches are about showing or demonstrating how to do something. They are often accompanied by visual aids and step-by-step instructions, making them particularly useful for teaching processes or procedures.

Definition Speeches: This type involves explaining the meaning, context, or background of a specific term, concept, or issue. It’s about providing a clear and precise definition that enhances the audience’s understanding of a subject that might be abstract or complex.

Choosing Informative Speech Ideas

When writing an informative speech, one of the most critical steps is selecting a compelling and appropriate topic. Choose an informative speech topic that is interesting and can captivate your audience and ensure your message is conveyed and understood. Here’s how to choose a topic using the Five W’s – Who, What, When, Where, and Why –  approach:

Who: Consider your audience. Who are they? What are their interests, age group, and educational background? Selecting an interesting topic that resonates with the specific demographics of your audience will make your speech more impactful.

What: Determine the subject of your information speech. What topic do you want to address? Ensure it’s informative, interesting, and something you’re passionate about. The ‘what’ should also align with the purpose of your speech – are you aiming to educate, explain, demonstrate, or define?

When: Timing can be crucial. When is the best time to talk about these essay topics? Choose a subject that is timely and relevant. For instance, discussing technological advancements would be more engaging if aligned with recent breakthroughs.

Where: The setting or context where your professional speech will be delivered can influence your choice. Where will you be speaking? In a classroom, a business meeting, or a community event? The environment and occasion can dictate the appropriateness and tone of your topic.

Why: Finally, consider why this topic is essential. Why should your audience care about it? The ‘why’ is crucial for creating a compelling speech that informs and connects with the audience on a deeper level.

How to Write a Killer Informative Speech

Writing a good informative speech involves several key steps, each designed to ensure that your speech is engaging, informative, and memorable. Here’s a guide to help you craft an effective informative speech:

Choose a Topic

When selecting a topic for an informative speech essay, choose one that aligns with your interests and expertise, ensuring a passionate and knowledgeable presentation that resonates with your audience. The topic should be engaging, offering new insights or a deeper understanding of a subject, and appropriately scoped to be thoroughly covered within the time allotted for your speech. This balance ensures that your speech is informative, interesting, relevant, and impactful to those listening.

Understand Your Audience

Understanding your audience is a crucial aspect of preparing an informative speech. This involves analyzing their interests, background knowledge, and expectations to tailor your presentation for maximum engagement and relevance. For instance, a speech aimed at industry professionals should differ in complexity and terminology compared to one intended for high school students. 

Knowing the audience’s baseline understanding of the topic helps avoid oversimplification or excessive complexity. Additionally, understanding their interests can guide you in choosing which aspects of the topic to emphasize, making the speech more appealing and relatable. A well-tailored speech, cognizant of its audience, delivers information effectively and ensures that the audience remains engaged and interested throughout the presentation.

Gather Evidence and Facts From Credible Scholarly Sources

Gathering evidence and facts from credible scholarly sources is fundamental in preparing an informative speech. This process involves extensive research to ensure the information you present is accurate, current, and authoritative. Utilizing sources such as academic journals, books, and reputable online databases adds depth and credibility to your speech. It’s important to critically evaluate these sources for their reliability and relevance to your topic. 

Incorporating well-researched facts and evidence strengthens your arguments and enhances your speech’s overall quality. It demonstrates to your audience that you thoroughly understand the subject and are committed to providing them with trustworthy and informative information. This careful attention to source selection and fact verification is key to delivering a speech that is engaging and intellectually robust.

Deconstruct the Topic to Select the Best Ideas

Deconstructing the topic involves brainstorming and breaking down the overarching subject into its constituent components or key ideas. By identifying these core elements, you can structure your speech in a logical and organized manner. 

This ensures you cover all relevant aspects of the topic and enables you to prioritize and emphasize the most significant and compelling ideas. Through this deconstruction and selection process, you can create a clear, focused, and engaging speech, providing your audience with a well-structured and informative presentation.

Write a Thesis Statement for Your Informative Speech

A thesis statement serves as the compass that guides the entire public speaking presentation. It encapsulates the main message you aim to convey and provides a roadmap for both you as the speaker and your audience. 

A well-constructed thesis statement should state the topic and indicate the specific angle, perspective, or key points you plan to cover. It’s the nucleus around your informative essay speech, ensuring your content remains focused and relevant. Moreover, a strong thesis statement provides your audience with a clear understanding of what to expect, enhancing their comprehension and engagement throughout your speech.

Inform Rather Than Persuade the Audience

Here, the primary objective is to inform and educate the audience rather than to persuade or convince them. This key distinction underlines the importance of objectively presenting facts, data, and information without bias or attempting to sway opinions. The aim is to give the audience a well-rounded understanding of the topic, enabling them to form opinions and make informed decisions. 

While persuasive speeches focus on advocating for a particular viewpoint, informative speeches prioritize clarity, objectivity, and the dissemination of knowledge. By adhering to this principle of informing rather than persuading, speakers can build trust with their audience and ensure that their message is received as credible and unbiased.

Write the First Draft of Your Speech

Here, you transform your research, unique ideas, and thesis statement into a cohesive and structured narrative. Focusing on getting your ideas down on paper without being overly concerned about perfection is important. Start with a strong introduction that grabs the audience’s attention and presents your thesis statement. In the body of the speech, present your key points or ideas logically, providing supporting evidence and examples. 

Finally, craft a conclusion summarizing the main points and leaving a lasting impression. While the first draft may be rough around the edges, it serves as the foundation for refining and improving your speech in subsequent revisions. It’s a critical step in turning your knowledge and insights into an informative and engaging presentation.

Start Writing Your Essay with Power Words 

Power words can include compelling statistics, vivid anecdotes, thought-provoking questions, or impactful quotations. The goal is to grab your audience’s attention immediately, piquing their curiosity and drawing them into your speech. They set the tone for your presentation and create an initial impression that can linger throughout the speech. 

They also serve as hooks, enticing the audience to listen attentively and setting the stage for the valuable information you are about to impart. Starting your speech with such impactful words creates an engaging opening that sets the tone for the rest of your presentation.

Develop the Body of the Speech

The body of your informative speech is where you delve into the core content, presenting your key points, supporting evidence, and explanations. Each key point should be organized logically, and transitions between them should be smooth to maintain the flow of your speech. To ensure clarity, providing examples, statistics, and relevant facts that bolster your main ideas is essential. Visual aids, if applicable, can enhance comprehension and engagement. 

Remember to maintain an objective and informative tone, steering clear of persuasion or bias. By developing the body of your speech with a clear structure and comprehensive content, you enable your audience to follow along easily and gain a deep understanding of the topic. This is where the substance of your speech lies, and a well-structured body ensures that your informative message is effectively conveyed to your audience.

End Your Informative Speech with a Bang

Concluding your informative speech with impact is essential to leave a lasting impression on your audience. This closing section is where you summarize your main points, reinforcing the key takeaways for your listeners. It’s also an opportunity to make a final statement or leave the audience with something to ponder. 

An effective conclusion can involve a powerful quote, a thought-provoking question, or a call to action, depending on the nature of your speech. By ending your speech with a “bang,” you ensure that your audience departs with a clear understanding of the topic and a sense of closure, making your presentation memorable and impactful.

Proofread and Edit, Then Present

Proofreading and editing your informative speech is the final critical step before the presentation. Carefully review your speech for clarity, coherence, and grammatical accuracy. Check for any factual inaccuracies or inconsistencies in your content. Ensure that your speech flows smoothly, with logical transitions between ideas. Pay attention to your pacing and tone to ensure a natural and engaging delivery. 

If using visual aids, ensure they are well-prepared and integrated seamlessly into your presentation. You must practice your speech multiple times to refine your delivery and become comfortable with the content. Effective proofreading and editing, followed by diligent rehearsal, contribute to a polished and confident presentation that will effectively inform and engage your audience.

Bottom Line

Selecting topics for an informative speech requires thoughtful consideration to ensure the audience is engaged, informed, and enlightened. The key is to choose subjects that are not only interesting and relevant but also rich in content, allowing for a deep dive into facts, data, and insights. A compelling informative speech topic should entertain and cater to the audience’s interests and knowledge level while offering new perspectives or information. 

Balancing complexity with clarity is crucial, ensuring the topic is neither too esoteric nor overly simplistic. Whether the speech aims to educate, raise awareness, or provide a fresh outlook on a familiar subject, the topic should spark curiosity and invite further exploration. Ultimately, the success of an informative speech lies in its ability to convey knowledge in a compelling and accessible manner.

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Module 9: Informative Speaking

Informative speeches about events and people, learning objectives.

• Identify characteristics of informative speeches about events.
• Identify characteristics of informative speeches about people (biographical).
• Identify characteristics of informative speeches about oneself (autobiographical).

Speeches about Events

Merriam Webster defines an event as “something that happens.” You might give a speech about an event that happens only once or rarely, such as a lunar eclipse, or an event that occurs on a regular schedule, such as the World Cup or an annual professional convention. Many event speeches tell the story of a historical event.

One of the most important considerations in speaking about events is the need to tailor the information to your audience and demonstrate why it might be meaningful for them.

In speaking about events—especially historical events—it can be all too easy to slip into a “just the facts” recounting of what happened. “Frederick I was king, then he died and Frederick William I was king; then he died and Frederick II was king; then he died and Frederick William II was king.” Clearly, this recounting doesn’t help us to understand why we should care about Prussian history.

To watch: Mary beard, What can ancient Rome Teach us about the Migrant Crisis?

In this short video, best-selling British Classicist Mary Beard talks about a number of events in ancient Rome. To make it directly meaningful to the modern audience, she compares Roman conceptions of the rights and obligations of citizenship to those of present-day Europe, especially in light of the thousands of displaced migrants entering Europe at the time by way of the Mediterranean Sea or through Southeast Europe.

You can view the transcript for “What can ancient Rome teach us about the migrant crisis? Mary Beard – Newsnight” here (opens in new window) .

Speaking about events: Press conferences

Press conferences offer many examples of informative speaking about events. Officials hold public health briefings to convey important steps listeners can take to keep themselves safe. Companies hold press conferences to talk about important changes or upcoming events. When mistakes or misdeeds come come to light, public figures or spokespeople might meet with the press to offer an explanation or an apology. After games, sports stars are asked to break down the events of the game, and offer some insight about their thinking and strategy. In each of these cases, the speaker tries to offer the appropriate level of detail and depth for the particular audience. In the following post-game interview with Stephen Curry, for instance, the audience is assumed to have seen the game immediately before, and to know a lot about the teams and the sport. (Curry’s interview also serves as an object lesson in dealing with distractions while speaking publicly!)

You can view the transcript for “Steph Curry’s Daughter Riley Steals the Show” here (opens in new window) .

Speeches about People (Biographical)

People, living or dead, can be excellent topics for an informative speech. You can speak about people who are well known to your audience, such as an athlete or celebrity, or someone not well known to your audience, such as a member of your family or an influential mentor of yours like a teacher or coach.

More often than not, a speech about a person is setting them up as an  exemplar ,  which is a way of describing a person or thing that provides an excellent—or at least highly informative—model or example of something. The exemplar doesn’t always have to be a good role model, but does have to demonstrate qualities that can be generalized. You can probably imagine people who illustrate what it is to be a moral person, a great athlete, an empathetic listener, a clever businessperson, or a corrupt politician. When you speak about a person, you’re often telling your audience what this person’s life or actions tell us about how to be a certain kind of human being in the world.

To Watch: Bill Gates, “The best teacher I never had”

In this short video, Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates talks about the physicist Richard Feynman. As the title suggests, Gates portrays Feynman as an exemplary great teacher.

You can view the transcript for “The best teacher I never had” here (opens in new window) .

Speeches about Oneself (Autobiographical)

A speech where you talk about an experience you had is an informative speech about yourself. For this type of speech, you have to remember that the speech is not just about who you are; it is about something you learned from an experience, how you changed from some event, or some growth experience. In some ways, this is the hardest part of the autobiographical speech: trying to build a speech that is about yourself but  for  the audience. Always ask yourself, how can your audience benefit from your experience? How can your story give the listeners a new line of sight into their own experiences?

To Watch: Jedida Isler, “The untapped genius that could change Science for the better”

In this speech, Jedida Isler talks about her experience of becoming an astrophysicist. However, she does much more than just tell her own story: Isler uses her experience to talk more generally about the concept of “intersectionality” and the remarkable events that happen at the intersection between two things.

You can view the transcript for “The Untapped Genius That Could Change Science for the Better | Jedidah Isler | TED Talks” here (opens in new window) .

What to watch for:

As much as this is an autobiographical speech, it is also a speech about concepts, in particular the extremely complex idea of intersectionality , which describes how aspects of a person’s identity intersect or combine to create different kinds of knowledge and experience, as well as creating complex situations of discrimination and privilege. In the speech, Isler talks about getting a PhD in physics as a Black woman, which required contending with intersecting systems of racism and sexism (at the time of this speech, only 18 other Black women had earned a PhD in a physics-related discipline). Yet, she reminds us, intersectionality is not just about making success doubly challenging. As a metaphor for the incredible productive forces generated at intersections, she talks about astrophysics and the birth of stars: “I’ve lived the entirety of my life in the in-between, in the liminal space between dreams and reality, race and gender, poverty and plenty, science and society. I am both black and a woman. Like the birth of stars in the heavens, this robust combination of knowing results in a shining example of the explosive fusion of identities.”

• What can ancient Rome teach us about the migrant crisis? Mary Beard - Newsnight. Provided by : BBC Newsnight. Located at : https://youtu.be/0IzTpzpayy4 . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• Steph Curry's Daughter Riley Steals the Show. Provided by : NBA. Located at : https://youtu.be/evjJJoEONgo . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• The best teacher I never had. Authored by : Bill Gates. Located at : https://youtu.be/WOoJh6oYAXE . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• The Untapped Genius That Could Change Science for the Better | Jedidah Isler | TED Talks. Provided by : TED. Located at : https://youtu.be/3NdSVi38RM8 . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• Informative Speeches about Events and People. Authored by : Mike Randolph with Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Informative Speeches about Events and People. Authored by : Sandra K. Winn with Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution

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11.1 Informative Speeches

Learning objectives.

• Identify common topic categories for informative speeches.
• Identify strategies for researching and supporting informative speeches.
• Explain the different methods of informing.
• Employ strategies for effective informative speaking, including avoiding persuasion, avoiding information overload, and engaging the audience.

Many people would rather go see an impassioned political speech or a comedic monologue than a lecture. Although informative speaking may not be the most exciting form of public speaking, it is the most common. Reports, lectures, training seminars, and demonstrations are all examples of informative speaking. That means you are more likely to give and listen to informative speeches in a variety of contexts. Some organizations, like consulting firms, and career fields, like training and development, are solely aimed at conveying information. College alumni have reported that out of many different speech skills, informative speaking is most important (Verderber, 1991). Since your exposure to informative speaking is inevitable, why not learn how to be a better producer and consumer of informative messages?

Creating an Informative Speech

As you’ll recall from Chapter 9 “Preparing a Speech” , speaking to inform is one of the three possible general purposes for public speaking. The goal of informative speaking is to teach an audience something using objective factual information. Interestingly, informative speaking is a newcomer in the world of public speaking theorizing and instruction, which began thousands of years ago with the ancient Greeks (Olbricht, 1968). Ancient philosophers and statesmen like Aristotle, Cicero, and Quintilian conceived of public speaking as rhetoric, which is inherently persuasive. During that time, and until the 1800s, almost all speaking was argumentative. Teaching and instruction were performed as debates, and even fields like science and medicine relied on argumentative reasoning instead of factual claims.

Until the 1800s, even scientific fields and medicine relied on teaching that was based on debate and argument rather than the informative-based instruction that is used today.

Monash University – Surgery Workshop 2012 – CC BY-NC 2.0.

While most instruction is now verbal, for most of modern history, people learned by doing rather than listening, as apprenticeships were much more common than classroom-based instruction. So what facilitated the change from argumentative and demonstrative teaching to verbal and informative teaching? One reason for this change was the democratization of information. Technical information used to be jealously protected by individuals, families, or guilds. Now society generally believes that information should be shared and made available to all. The increasing complexity of fields of knowledge and professions also increased the need for informative speaking. Now one must learn a history or backstory before actually engaging with a subject or trade. Finally, much of the information that has built up over time has become commonly accepted; therefore much of the history or background information isn’t disputed and can now be shared in an informative rather than argumentative way.

Choosing an Informative Speech Topic

Being a successful informative speaker starts with choosing a topic that can engage and educate the audience. Your topic choices may be influenced by the level at which you are speaking. Informative speaking usually happens at one of three levels: formal, vocational, and impromptu (Verderber, 1991). Formal informative speeches occur when an audience has assembled specifically to hear what you have to say. Being invited to speak to a group during a professional meeting, a civic gathering, or a celebration gala brings with it high expectations. Only people who have accomplished or achieved much are asked to serve as keynote speakers, and they usually speak about these experiences. Many more people deliver informative speeches at the vocational level, as part of their careers. Teachers like me spend many hours lecturing, which is a common form of informative speaking. In addition, human resources professionals give presentations about changes in policy and provide training for new employees, technicians in factories convey machine specifications and safety procedures, and servers describe how a dish is prepared in their restaurant. Last, we all convey information daily in our regular interactions. When we give a freshman directions to a campus building, summarize the latest episode of American Idol for our friend who missed it, or explain a local custom to an international student, we are engaging in impromptu informative speaking.

Whether at the formal, vocational, or impromptu level, informative speeches can emerge from a range of categories, which include objects, people, events, processes, concepts, and issues. An extended speech at the formal level may include subject matter from several of these categories, while a speech at the vocational level may convey detailed information about a process, concept, or issue relevant to a specific career.

Subjects of informative speaking at the vocational level usually relate to a speaker’s professional experience or expertise.

Peter Long – Business Meeting – CC BY 2.0.

Since we don’t have time to research or organize content for impromptu informative speaking, these speeches may provide a less detailed summary of a topic within one of these categories. A broad informative speech topic could be tailored to fit any of these categories. As you draft your specific purpose and thesis statements, think about which category or categories will help you achieve your speech goals, and then use it or them to guide your research. Table 11.1 “Sample Informative Speech Topics by Category” includes an example of how a broad informative subject area like renewable energy can be adapted to each category as well as additional sample topics.

Table 11.1 Sample Informative Speech Topics by Category

Speeches about objects convey information about any nonhuman material things. Mechanical objects, animals, plants, and fictional objects are all suitable topics of investigation. Given that this is such a broad category, strive to pick an object that your audience may not be familiar with or highlight novel relevant and interesting facts about a familiar object.

Speeches about people focus on real or fictional individuals who are living or dead. These speeches require in-depth biographical research; an encyclopedia entry is not sufficient. Introduce a new person to the audience or share little-known or surprising information about a person we already know. Although we may already be familiar with the accomplishments of historical figures and leaders, audiences often enjoy learning the “personal side” of their lives.

Speeches about concepts are less concrete than speeches about objects or people, as they focus on ideas or notions that may be abstract or multifaceted. A concept can be familiar to us, like equality, or could literally be a foreign concept like qi (or chi ), which is the Chinese conception of the energy that flows through our bodies. Use the strategies discussed in this book for making content relevant and proxemic to your audience to help make abstract concepts more concrete.

Speeches about events focus on past occasions or ongoing occurrences. A particular day in history, an annual observation, or a seldom occurring event can each serve as interesting informative topics. As with speeches about people, it’s important to provide a backstory for the event, but avoid rehashing commonly known information.

Informative speeches about processes provide a step-by-step account of a procedure or natural occurrence. Speakers may walk an audience through, or demonstrate, a series of actions that take place to complete a procedure, such as making homemade cheese. Speakers can also present information about naturally occurring processes like cell division or fermentation.

Informative speeches about processes provide steps of a procedure, such as how to make homemade cheese.

Joel Kramer – curdle – CC BY 2.0.

Last, informative speeches about issues provide objective and balanced information about a disputed subject or a matter of concern for society. It is important that speakers view themselves as objective reporters rather than commentators to avoid tipping the balance of the speech from informative to persuasive. Rather than advocating for a particular position, the speaker should seek to teach or raise the awareness of the audience.

Researching an Informative Speech Topic

Having sharp research skills is a fundamental part of being a good informative speaker. Since informative speaking is supposed to convey factual information, speakers should take care to find sources that are objective, balanced, and credible. Periodicals, books, newspapers, and credible websites can all be useful sources for informative speeches, and you can use the guidelines for evaluating supporting materials discussed in Chapter 9 “Preparing a Speech” to determine the best information to include in your speech. Aside from finding credible and objective sources, informative speakers also need to take time to find engaging information. This is where sharp research skills are needed to cut through all the typical information that comes up in the research process to find novel information. Novel information is atypical or unexpected, but it takes more skill and effort to locate. Even seemingly boring informative speech topics like the history of coupons can be brought to life with information that defies the audience’s expectations. A student recently delivered an engaging speech about coupons by informing us that coupons have been around for 125 years, are most frequently used by wealthier and more educated households, and that a coupon fraud committed by an Italian American businessman named Charles Ponzi was the basis for the term Ponzi scheme , which is still commonly used today.

As a teacher, I can attest to the challenges of keeping an audience engaged during an informative presentation. While it’s frustrating to look out at my audience of students and see glazed-over eyes peering back at me, I also know that it is my responsibility to choose interesting information and convey it in a way that’s engaging. Even though the core content of what I teach hasn’t change dramatically over the years, I constantly challenge myself to bring that core information to life through application and example. As we learned earlier, finding proxemic and relevant information and examples is typically a good way to be engaging. The basic information may not change quickly, but the way people use it and the way it relates to our lives changes. Finding current, relevant examples and finding novel information are both difficult, since you, as the researcher, probably don’t know this information exists.

Here is where good research skills become necessary to be a good informative speaker. Using advice from Chapter 9 “Preparing a Speech” should help you begin to navigate through the seas of information to find hidden treasure that excites you and will in turn excite your audience.

To avoid boring an audience, effective informative speakers possess good research skills and the ability to translate information to be engaging and relevant for an audience.

Niall Kennedy – Sleep – CC BY-NC 2.0.

As was mentioned earlier, the goal for informative speaking is to teach your audience. An audience is much more likely to remain engaged when they are actively learning. This is like a balancing act. You want your audience to be challenged enough by the information you are presenting to be interested, but not so challenged that they become overwhelmed and shut down. You should take care to consider how much information your audience already knows about a topic. Be aware that speakers who are very familiar with their speech topic tend to overestimate their audience’s knowledge about the topic. It’s better to engage your topic at a level slightly below your audience’s knowledge level than above. Most people won’t be bored by a brief review, but many people become lost and give up listening if they can’t connect to the information right away or feel it’s over their heads.

A good informative speech leaves the audience thinking long after the speech is done. Try to include some practical “takeaways” in your speech. I’ve learned many interesting and useful things from the informative speeches my students have done. Some of the takeaways are more like trivia information that is interesting to share—for example, how prohibition led to the creation of NASCAR. Other takeaways are more practical and useful—for example, how to get wine stains out of clothing and carpet or explanations of various types of student financial aid.

Organizing and Supporting an Informative Speech

You can already see that informing isn’t as easy as we may initially think. To effectively teach, a speaker must present quality information in an organized and accessible way. Once you have chosen an informative speech topic and put your research skills to the test in order to locate novel and engaging information, it’s time to organize and support your speech.

Organizational Patterns

Three organizational patterns that are particularly useful for informative speaking are topical, chronological, and spatial. As you’ll recall, to organize a speech topically, you break a larger topic down into logical subdivisions. An informative speech about labor unions could focus on unions in three different areas of employment, three historically significant strikes, or three significant legal/legislative decisions. Speeches organized chronologically trace the development of a topic or overview the steps in a process. An informative speech could trace the rise of the economic crisis in Greece or explain the steps in creating a home compost pile. Speeches organized spatially convey the layout or physical characteristics of a location or concept. An informative speech about the layout of a fire station or an astrology wheel would follow a spatial organization pattern.

Methods of Informing

Types of and strategies for incorporating supporting material into speeches are discussed in Chapter 9 “Preparing a Speech” , but there are some specific ways to go about developing ideas within informative speeches. Speakers often inform an audience using definitions, descriptions, demonstrations, and explanations. It is likely that a speaker will combine these methods of informing within one speech, but a speech can also be primarily organized using one of these methods.

Informing through Definition

Informing through definition entails defining concepts clearly and concisely and is an important skill for informative speaking. There are several ways a speaker can inform through definition: synonyms and antonyms, use or function, example, and etymology (Verderber, 1991). Defining a concept using a synonym or an antonym is a short and effective way to convey meaning. Synonyms are words that have the same or similar meanings, and antonyms are words that have opposite meanings. In a speech about how to effectively inform an audience, I would claim that using concrete words helps keep an audience engaged. I could enhance your understanding of what concrete means by defining it with synonyms like tangible and relatable . Or I could define concrete using antonyms like abstract and theoretical .

Identifying the use or function of an object, item, or idea is also a short way of defining. We may think we already know the use and function of most of the things we interact with regularly. This is true in obvious cases like cars, elevators, and smartphones. But there are many objects and ideas that we may rely on and interact with but not know the use or function. For example, QR codes (or quick response codes) are popping up in magazines, at airports, and even on t-shirts (Vuong, 2011). Many people may notice them but not know what they do. As a speaker, you could define QR codes by their function by informing the audience that QR codes allow businesses, organizations, and individuals to get information to consumers/receivers through a barcode-like format that can be easily scanned by most smartphones.

An informative speaker could teach audience members about QR codes by defining them based on their use or function.

Douglas Muth – My QR Code – CC BY-SA 2.0.

A speaker can also define a topic using examples, which are cited cases that are representative of a larger concept. In an informative speech about anachronisms in movies and literature, a speaker might provide the following examples: the film Titanic shows people on lifeboats using flashlights to look for survivors from the sunken ship (such flashlights weren’t invented until two years later) (The Past in Pictures, 2012); Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar includes a reference to a clock, even though no mechanical clocks existed during Caesar’s time (Scholasticus K., 2012). Examples are a good way to repackage information that’s already been presented to help an audience retain and understand the content of a speech. Later we’ll learn more about how repackaging information enhances informative speaking.

Etymology refers to the history of a word. Defining by etymology entails providing an overview of how a word came to its current meaning. The Oxford English Dictionary is the best source for finding etymology and often contains interesting facts that can be presented as novel information to better engage your audience. For example, the word assassin , which refers to a person who intentionally murders another, literally means “hashish-eater” and comes from the Arabic word hashshashin . The current meaning emerged during the Crusades as a result of the practices of a sect of Muslims who would get high on hashish before killing Christian leaders—in essence, assassinating them (Oxford English Dictionary Online, 2012).

Informing through Description

As the saying goes, “Pictures are worth a thousand words.” Informing through description entails creating verbal pictures for your audience. Description is also an important part of informative speeches that use a spatial organizational pattern, since you need to convey the layout of a space or concept. Good descriptions are based on good observations, as they convey what is taken in through the senses and answer these type of questions: What did that look like? Smell like? Sound like? Feel like? Taste like? If descriptions are vivid and well written, they can actually invoke a sensory reaction in your audience. Just as your mouth probably begins to salivate when I suggest that you imagine biting into a fresh, bright yellow, freshly cut, juicy lemon wedge, so can your audience be transported to a setting or situation through your descriptions. I once had a student set up his speech about the history of streaking by using the following description: “Imagine that you are walking across campus to your evening class. You look up to see a parade of hundreds upon hundreds of your naked peers jogging by wearing little more than shoes.”

Informing through Demonstration

When informing through demonstration , a speaker gives verbal directions about how to do something while also physically demonstrating the steps. Early morning infomercials are good examples of demonstrative speaking, even though they are also trying to persuade us to buy their “miracle product.” Whether straightforward or complex, it’s crucial that a speaker be familiar with the content of their speech and the physical steps necessary for the demonstration. Speaking while completing a task requires advanced psycho-motor skills that most people can’t wing and therefore need to practice. Tasks suddenly become much more difficult than we expect when we have an audience. Have you ever had to type while people are reading along with you? Even though we type all the time, even one extra set of eyes seems to make our fingers more clumsy than usual.

Television chefs are excellent examples of speakers who frequently inform through demonstration. While many of them make the process of speaking while cooking look effortless, it took much practice over many years to make viewers think it is effortless.

Television chefs inform through demonstration. Although they make it seem easy, it is complex and difficult.

Gordonramsaysubmissions – gordon ramsay 7 – CC BY 2.0.

Part of this practice also involves meeting time limits. Since television segments are limited and chefs may be demonstrating and speaking live, they have to be able to adapt as needed. Demonstration speeches are notorious for going over time, especially if speakers haven’t practiced with their visual aids / props. Be prepared to condense or edit as needed to meet your time limit. The reality competition show The Next Food Network Star captures these difficulties, as many experienced cooks who have the content knowledge and know how to physically complete their tasks fall apart when faced with a camera challenge because they just assumed they could speak and cook at the same time.

Tips for Demonstration Speeches

• Include personal stories and connections to the topic, in addition to the “how-to” information, to help engage your audience.
• Ask for audience volunteers (if appropriate) to make the demonstration more interactive.
• Include a question-and-answer period at the end (if possible) so audience members can ask questions and seek clarification.
• Follow an orderly progression. Do not skip around or backtrack when reviewing the steps.
• Use clear signposts like first , second , and third .
• Use orienting material like internal previews and reviews, and transitions.
• Group steps together in categories, if needed, to help make the information more digestible.
• Assess the nonverbal feedback of your audience. Review or slow down if audience members look lost or confused.
• Practice with your visual aids / props many times. Things suddenly become more difficult and complicated than you expect when an audience is present.
• Practice for time and have contingency plans if you need to edit some information out to avoid going over your time limit.

Informing through Explanation

Informing through explanation entails sharing how something works, how something came to be, or why something happened. This method of informing may be useful when a topic is too complex or abstract to demonstrate. When presenting complex information make sure to break the topic up into manageable units, avoid information overload, and include examples that make the content relevant to the audience. Informing through explanation works well with speeches about processes, events, and issues. For example, a speaker could explain the context surrounding the Lincoln-Douglas debates or the process that takes place during presidential primaries.

“Getting Plugged In”

TED Talks as a Model of Effective Informative Speaking

Over the past few years, I have heard more and more public speaking teachers mention their use of TED speeches in their classes. What started in 1984 as a conference to gather people involved in Technology, Entertainment, and Design has now turned into a worldwide phenomenon that is known for its excellent speeches and presentations, many of which are informative in nature. [1] The motto of TED is “Ideas worth spreading,” which is in keeping with the role that we should occupy as informative speakers. We should choose topics that are worth speaking about and then work to present them in such a way that audience members leave with “take-away” information that is informative and useful. TED fits in with the purpose of the “Getting Plugged In” feature in this book because it has been technology focused from the start. For example, Andrew Blum’s speech focuses on the infrastructure of the Internet, and Pranav Mistry’s speech focuses on a new technology he developed that allows for more interaction between the physical world and the world of data. Even speakers who don’t focus on technology still skillfully use technology in their presentations, as is the case with David Gallo’s speech about exotic underwater life. Here are links to all these speeches:

• Andrew Blum’s speech: What Is the Internet, Really? http://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_blum_what_is_the_internet_really.html
• Pranav Mistry’s speech: The Thrilling Potential of Sixth Sense Technology. http://www.ted.com/talks/pranav_mistry_the_thrilling_potential_of_sixthsense_technology.html
• David Gallo’s speech: Underwater Astonishments. http://www.ted.com/talks/david_gallo_shows_underwater_astonishments.html
• What can you learn from the TED model and/or TED speakers that will help you be a better informative speaker?
• In what innovative and/or informative ways do the speakers reference or incorporate technology in their speeches?

Effective Informative Speaking

There are several challenges to overcome to be an effective informative speaker. They include avoiding persuasion, avoiding information overload, and engaging your audience.

Avoiding Persuasion

We should avoid thinking of informing and persuading as dichotomous, meaning that it’s either one or the other. It’s more accurate to think of informing and persuading as two poles on a continuum, as in Figure 11.1 “Continuum of Informing and Persuading” (Olbricht, 1968). Most persuasive speeches rely on some degree of informing to substantiate the reasoning. And informative speeches, although meant to secure the understanding of an audience, may influence audience members’ beliefs, attitudes, values, or behaviors.

Figure 11.1 Continuum of Informing and Persuading

Speakers can look to three areas to help determine if their speech is more informative or persuasive: speaker purpose, function of information, and audience perception (Verderber, 1991). First, for informative speaking, a speaker’s purpose should be to create understanding by sharing objective, factual information. Specific purpose and thesis statements help establish a speaker’s goal and purpose and can serve as useful reference points to keep a speech on track. When reviewing your specific purpose and thesis statement, look for words like should / shouldn’t , good / bad , and right / wrong , as these often indicate a persuasive slant in the speech.

Second, information should function to clarify and explain in an informative speech. Supporting materials shouldn’t function to prove a thesis or to provide reasons for an audience to accept the thesis, as they do in persuasive speeches. Although informative messages can end up influencing the thoughts or behaviors of audience members, that shouldn’t be the goal.

Third, an audience’s perception of the information and the speaker helps determine whether a speech is classified as informative or persuasive. The audience must perceive that the information being presented is not controversial or disputed, which will lead audience members to view the information as factual. The audience must also accept the speaker as a credible source of information. Being prepared, citing credible sources, and engaging the audience help establish a speaker’s credibility. Last, an audience must perceive the speaker to be trustworthy and not have a hidden agenda. Avoiding persuasion is a common challenge for informative speakers, but it is something to consider, as violating the speaking occasion may be perceived as unethical by the audience. Be aware of the overall tone of your speech by reviewing your specific purpose and thesis to make sure your speech isn’t tipping from informative to persuasive.

Words like should / shouldn’t , good / bad , and right / wrong in a specific purpose and/or thesis statement often indicate that the speaker’s purpose is tipping from informative to persuasive.

Hans Splinter – balance – CC BY-ND 2.0.

Avoiding Information Overload

Many informative speakers have a tendency to pack a ten-minute speech with as much information as possible. This can result in information overload , which is a barrier to effective listening that occurs when a speech contains more information than an audience can process. Editing can be a difficult task, but it’s an important skill to hone, because you will be editing more than you think. Whether it’s reading through an e-mail before you send it, condensing a report down to an executive summary, or figuring out how to fit a client’s message on the front page of a brochure, you will have to learn how to discern what information is best to keep and what can be thrown out. In speaking, being a discerning editor is useful because it helps avoid information overload. While a receiver may not be attracted to a brochure that’s covered in text, they could take the time to read it, and reread it, if necessary. Audience members cannot conduct their own review while listening to a speaker live. Unlike readers, audience members can’t review words over and over (Verderber, 1991). Therefore competent speakers, especially informative speakers who are trying to teach their audience something, should adapt their message to a listening audience. To help avoid information overload, adapt your message to make it more listenable.

Although the results vary, research shows that people only remember a portion of a message days or even hours after receiving it (Janusik, 2012). If you spend 100 percent of your speech introducing new information, you have wasted approximately 30 percent of your time and your audience’s time. Information overload is a barrier to effective listening, and as good speakers, we should be aware of the limitations of listening and compensate for that in our speech preparation and presentation. I recommend that my students follow a guideline that suggests spending no more than 30 percent of your speech introducing new material and 70 percent of your speech repackaging that information. I specifically use the word repackaging and not repeating . Simply repeating the same information would also be a barrier to effective listening, since people would just get bored. Repackaging will help ensure that your audience retains most of the key information in the speech. Even if they don’t remember every example, they will remember the main underlying point.

Avoiding information overload requires a speaker to be a good translator of information. To be a good translator, you can compare an unfamiliar concept with something familiar, give examples from real life, connect your information to current events or popular culture, or supplement supporting material like statistics with related translations of that information. These are just some of the strategies a good speaker can use. While translating information is important for any oral presentation, it is especially important when conveying technical information. Being able to translate complex or technical information for a lay audience leads to more effective informing, because the audience feels like they are being addressed on their level and don’t feel lost or “talked down to.” The History Channel show The Universe provides excellent examples of informative speakers who act as good translators. The scientists and experts featured on the show are masters of translating technical information, like physics, into concrete examples that most people can relate to based on their everyday experiences.

Comparing the turbulent formation of the solar system to the collisions of bumper bars and spinning rides at an amusement park makes the content more concrete.

Alexander Svensson – Ferris Wheel – CC BY 2.0.

Following the guidelines established in Chapter 9 “Preparing a Speech” for organizing a speech can also help a speaker avoid information overload. Good speakers build in repetition and redundancy to make their content more memorable and their speech more consumable. Preview statements, section transitions, and review statements are some examples of orienting material that helps focus an audience’s attention and facilitates the process of informing (Verderber, 1991).

Engaging Your Audience

As a speaker, you are competing for the attention of your audience against other internal and external stimuli. Getting an audience engaged and then keeping their attention is a challenge for any speaker, but it can be especially difficult when speaking to inform. As was discussed earlier, once you are in the professional world, you will most likely be speaking informatively about topics related to your experience and expertise. Some speakers fall into the trap of thinking that their content knowledge is enough to sustain them through an informative speech or that their position in an organization means that an audience will listen to them and appreciate their information despite their delivery. Content expertise is not enough to be an effective speaker. A person must also have speaking expertise (Verderber, 1991). Effective speakers, even renowned experts, must still translate their wealth of content knowledge into information that is suited for oral transmission, audience centered, and well organized. I’m sure we’re all familiar with the stereotype of the absentminded professor or the genius who thinks elegantly in his or her head but can’t convey that same elegance verbally. Having well-researched and organized supporting material is an important part of effective informative speaking, but having good content is not enough.

Audience members are more likely to stay engaged with a speaker they view as credible. So complementing good supporting material with a practiced and fluent delivery increases credibility and audience engagement. In addition, as we discussed earlier, good informative speakers act as translators of information. Repackaging information into concrete familiar examples is also a strategy for making your speech more engaging. Understanding relies on being able to apply incoming information to life experiences.

Repackaging information is also a good way to appeal to different learning styles, as you can present the same content in various ways, which helps reiterate a point. While this strategy is useful with any speech, since the goal of informing is teaching, it makes sense to include a focus on learning within your audience adaptation. There are three main learning styles that help determine how people most effectively receive and process information: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (Fleming, 2012). Visual learners respond well to information presented via visual aids, so repackage information using text, graphics, charts and other media. Public speaking is a good way to present information for auditory learners who process information well when they hear it. Kinesthetic learners are tactile; they like to learn through movement and “doing.” Asking for volunteers to help with a demonstration, if appropriate, is a way to involve kinesthetic learners in your speech. You can also have an interactive review activity at the end of a speech, much like many teachers incorporate an activity after a lesson to reinforce the material.

“Getting Real”

Technical Speaking

People who work in technical fields, like engineers and information technology professionals, often think they will be spared the task of public speaking. This is not the case, however, and there is actually a branch of communication studies that addresses public speaking matters for “techies.” The field of technical communication focuses on how messages can be translated from expert to lay audiences. I actually taught a public speaking class for engineering students, and they basically had to deliver speeches about the things they were working on in a way that I could understand. I ended up learning a lot more about jet propulsion and hybrid car engines than I ever expected!

Have you ever been completely lost when reading an instruction manual for some new product you purchased? Have you ever had difficulty following the instructions of someone who was trying to help you with a technical matter? If so, you’ve experienced some of the challenges associated with technical speaking. There are many careers where technical speaking skills are needed. According to the Society for Technical Communication, communicating about specialized or technical topics, communicating by using technology, and providing instructions about how to do something are all examples of technical speaking (Society for Technical Communication, 2012). People with technical speaking skills offer much to organizations and businesses. They help make information more useable and accessible to customers, clients, and employees. They can help reduce costs to a business by reducing unnecessary work that results from misunderstandings of instructions, by providing clear information that allows customers to use products without training or technical support and by making general information put out by a company more user friendly. Technical speakers are dedicated to producing messages that are concise, clear, and coherent (Society for Technical Communication, 2012). Such skills are used in the following careers: technical writers and editors, technical illustrators, visual designers, web designers, customer service representatives, salespeople, spokespeople, and many more.

• What communication skills that you’ve learned about in the book so far do you think would be important for a technical speaker?
• Identify instances in which you have engaged in technical speaking or received information from a technical speaker. Based on what you have learned in this chapter, were the speakers effective or not, and why?

Sample Informative Speech

Title: Going Green in the World of Education

General purpose: To inform

Specific purpose: By the end of my speech, the audience will be able to describe some ways in which schools are going green.

Thesis statement: The green movement has transformed school buildings, how teachers teach, and the environment in which students learn.

Introduction

Attention getter: Did you know that attending or working at a green school can lead students and teachers to have less health problems? Did you know that allowing more daylight into school buildings increases academic performance and can lessen attention and concentration challenges? Well, the research I will cite in my speech supports both of these claims, and these are just two of the many reasons why more schools, both grade schools and colleges, are going green.

Introduction of topic: Today, I’m going to inform you about the green movement that is affecting many schools.

Credibility and relevance: Because of my own desire to go into the field of education, I decided to research how schools are going green in the United States. But it’s not just current and/or future teachers that will be affected by this trend. As students at Eastern Illinois University, you are already asked to make “greener” choices. Whether it’s the little signs in the dorm rooms that ask you to turn off your lights when you leave the room, the reusable water bottles that were given out on move-in day, or even our new Renewable Energy Center, the list goes on and on. Additionally, younger people in our lives, whether they be future children or younger siblings or relatives, will likely be affected by this continuing trend.

Preview statement: In order to better understand what makes a “green school,” we need to learn about how K–12 schools are going green, how college campuses are going green, and how these changes affect students and teachers.

Transition: I’ll begin with how K–12 schools are going green.

• In order to garner support for green initiatives, the article recommends that local leaders like superintendents, mayors, and college administrators become involved in the green movement.
• Once local leaders are involved, the community, students, parents, faculty, and staff can be involved by serving on a task force, hosting a summit or conference, and implementing lessons about sustainability into everyday conversations and school curriculum.
• The US Green Building Council’s website also includes a tool kit with a lot of information about how to “green” existing schools.
• For example, Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins, Colorado, was built in 2006 and received LEED certification because it has automatic light sensors to conserve electricity and uses wind energy to offset nonrenewable energy use.
• To conserve water, the school uses a pond for irrigation, has artificial turf on athletic fields, and installed low-flow toilets and faucets.
• According to the 2006 report by certified energy manager Gregory Kats titled “Greening America’s Schools,” a LEED certified school uses 30–50 percent less energy, 30 percent less water, and reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 40 percent compared to a conventional school.
• Many new building materials, carpeting, and furniture contain chemicals that are released into the air, which reduces indoor air quality.
• So green schools purposefully purchase materials that are low in these chemicals.
• Natural light and fresh air have also been shown to promote a healthier learning environment, so green buildings allow more daylight in and include functioning windows.

Transition: As you can see, K–12 schools are becoming greener; college campuses are also starting to go green.

• According to the Sturm College of Law’s website, the building was designed to use 40 percent less energy than a conventional building through the use of movement-sensor lighting; high-performance insulation in the walls, floors, and roof; and infrared sensors on water faucets and toilets.
• Electric car recharging stations were also included in the parking garage, and the building has extra bike racks and even showers that students and faculty can use to freshen up if they bike or walk to school or work.
• Some of the dining halls on campus have gone “trayless,” which according to a 2009 article by Calder in the journal Independent School has the potential to dramatically reduce the amount of water and chemical use, since there are no longer trays to wash, and also helps reduce food waste since people take less food without a tray.
• The Renewable Energy Center uses slow-burn technology to use wood chips that are a byproduct of the lumber industry that would normally be discarded.
• This helps reduce our dependency on our old coal-fired power plant, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
• The project was the first known power plant to be registered with the US Green Building Council and is on track to receive LEED certification.

Transition: All these efforts to go green in K–12 schools and on college campuses will obviously affect students and teachers at the schools.

• Many schools are literally going green by including more green spaces such as recreation areas, gardens, and greenhouses, which according to a 2010 article in the Journal of Environmental Education by University of Colorado professor Susan Strife has been shown to benefit a child’s cognitive skills, especially in the areas of increased concentration and attention capacity.
• Additionally, the report I cited earlier, “Greening America’s Schools,” states that the improved air quality in green schools can lead to a 38 percent reduction in asthma incidents and that students in “green schools” had 51 percent less chance of catching a cold or the flu compared to children in conventional schools.
• The report “Greening America’s Schools” notes that a recent synthesis of fifty-three studies found that more daylight in the school building leads to higher academic achievement.
• The report also provides data that show how the healthier environment in green schools leads to better attendance and that in Washington, DC, and Chicago, schools improved their performance on standardized tests by 3–4 percent.
• According to the article in Education Week that I cited earlier, the Sustainability Education Clearinghouse is a free online tool that provides K–12 educators with the ability to share sustainability-oriented lesson ideas.
• The Center for Green Schools also provides resources for all levels of teachers, from kindergarten to college, that can be used in the classroom.
• The report “Greening America’s Schools” claims that the overall improved working environment that a green school provides leads to higher teacher retention and less teacher turnover.
• Just as students see health benefits from green schools, so do teachers, as the same report shows that teachers in these schools get sick less, resulting in a decrease of sick days by 7 percent.

Transition to conclusion and summary of importance: In summary, the going-green era has impacted every aspect of education in our school systems.

Review of main points: From K–12 schools to college campuses like ours, to the students and teachers in the schools, the green movement is changing the way we think about education and our environment.

Closing statement: As Glenn Cook, the editor in chief of the American School Board Journal , states on the Center for Green Schools’s website, “The green schools movement is the biggest thing to happen to education since the introduction of technology to the classroom.”

Ash, K. (2011). “Green schools” benefit budgets and students, report says. Education Week , 30 (32), 10.

Calder, W. (2009). Go green, save green. Independent School , 68 (4), 90–93.

The Center for Green Schools. (n.d.). K–12: How. Retrieved from http://www.centerforgreenschools.org/main-nav/k-12/buildings.aspx

Eastern Illinois University. (n.d.). Renewable Energy Center. Retrieved from http://www.eiu.edu/sustainability/eiu_renewable.php

Kats, G. (2006). Greening America’s schools: Costs and benefits. A Capital E Report. Retrieved from http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=2908

Strife, S. (2010). Reflecting on environmental education: Where is our place in the green movement? Journal of Environmental Education , 41 (3), 179–191. doi:10.1080/00958960903295233

Sturm College of Law. (n.d.). About DU law: Building green. Retrieved from http://www.law.du.edu/index.php/about/building-green

USGBC. (n.d.). About us. US Green Building Council . Retrieved from https://new.usgbc.org/about

Key Takeaways

• Getting integrated: Informative speaking is likely the type of public speaking we will most often deliver and be audience to in our lives. Informative speaking is an important part of academic, professional, personal, and civic contexts.
• Informative speeches teach an audience through objective factual information and can emerge from one or more of the following categories: objects, people, concepts, events, processes, and issues.
• Effective informative speaking requires good research skills, as speakers must include novel information, relevant and proxemic examples, and “take-away” information that audience members will find engaging and useful.

The four primary methods of informing are through definition, description, demonstration, or explanation.

• Informing through definition entails defining concepts clearly and concisely using synonyms and antonyms, use or function, example, or etymology.
• Informing through description entails creating detailed verbal pictures for your audience.
• Informing through demonstration entails sharing verbal directions about how to do something while also physically demonstrating the steps.
• Informing through explanation entails sharing how something works, how something came to be, or why something happened.
• An effective informative speaker should avoid persuasion by reviewing the language used in the specific purpose and thesis statements, using objective supporting material, and appearing trustworthy to the audience.
• An effective informative speaker should avoid information overload by repackaging information and building in repetition and orienting material like reviews and previews.
• An effective informative speaker engages the audience by translating information into relevant and concrete examples that appeal to different learning styles.
• Getting integrated: How might you use informative speaking in each of the following contexts: academic, professional, personal, and civic?
• Brainstorm potential topics for your informative speech and identify which topic category each idea falls into. Are there any risks of persuading for the topics you listed? If so, how can you avoid persuasion if you choose that topic?
• Of the four methods of informing (through definition, description, demonstration, or explanation), which do you think is most effective for you? Why?

Fleming, N., “The VARK Helpsheets,” accessed March 6, 2012, http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=helpsheets .

Janusik, L., “Listening Facts,” accessed March 6, 2012, http://d1025403.site.myhosting.com/files.listen.org/Facts.htm .

Olbricht, T. H., Informative Speaking (Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman, 1968), 1–12.

Oxford English Dictionary Online, accessed March 6, 2012, http://www.oed.com .

The Past in Pictures, “Teaching Using Movies: Anachronisms!” accessed March 6, 2012, http://www.thepastinthepictures.wildelearning.co.uk/Introductoryunit!.htm .

Scholasticus K, “Anachronism Examples in Literature,” February 2, 2012, accessed March 6, 2012, http://www.buzzle.com/articles/anachronism-examples-in-literature.html .

Society for Technical Communication, “Defining Technical Communication,” accessed March 6, 2012, http://www.stc.org/about-stc/the-profession-all-about-technical-communication/defining-tc .

Verderber, R., Essentials of Informative Speaking: Theory and Contexts (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1991), 3.

Vuong, A., “Wanna Read That QR Code? Get the Smartphone App,” The Denver Post , April 18, 2011, accessed March 6, 2012, http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_17868932 .

• “About TED,” accessed October 23, 2012, http://www.ted.com/pages/about . ↵

Communication in the Real World Copyright © 2016 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Informative Speeches — Types, Topics, and Examples

What is an informative speech?

An informative speech uses descriptions, demonstrations, and strong detail to explain a person, place, or subject. An informative speech makes a complex topic easier to understand and focuses on delivering information, rather than providing a persuasive argument.

Types of informative speeches

The most common types of informative speeches are definition, explanation, description, and demonstration.

A definition speech explains a concept, theory, or philosophy about which the audience knows little. The purpose of the speech is to inform the audience so they understand the main aspects of the subject matter.

An explanatory speech presents information on the state of a given topic. The purpose is to provide a specific viewpoint on the chosen subject. Speakers typically incorporate a visual of data and/or statistics.

The speaker of a descriptive speech provides audiences with a detailed and vivid description of an activity, person, place, or object using elaborate imagery to make the subject matter memorable.

A demonstrative speech explains how to perform a particular task or carry out a process. These speeches often demonstrate the following:

How to do something

How to make something

How to fix something

How something works

How to write an informative speech

Regardless of the type, every informative speech should include an introduction, a hook, background information, a thesis, the main points, and a conclusion.

Introduction

An attention grabber or hook draws in the audience and sets the tone for the speech. The technique the speaker uses should reflect the subject matter in some way (i.e., if the topic is serious in nature, do not open with a joke). Therefore, when choosing an attention grabber, consider the following:

What’s the topic of the speech?

What’s the occasion?

Who’s the audience?

What’s the purpose of the speech?

Common Attention Grabbers (Hooks)

Ask a question that allows the audience to respond in a non-verbal way (e.g., a poll question where they can simply raise their hands) or ask a rhetorical question that makes the audience think of the topic in a certain way yet requires no 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, which is typically done using data or statistics. The statement should surprise the audience in some way.

Provide a brief anecdote that relates to the topic in some way.

Present a “what if” scenario that connects to the subject matter of the speech.

Identify the importance of the speech’s topic.

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

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

The thesis statement shares the central purpose of the speech.

Demonstrate

Preview the main ideas that will help accomplish the central purpose. Typically, informational speeches will have an average of three main ideas.

Body paragraphs

Apply the following to each main idea (body) :

Identify the main idea ( NOTE: The main points of a demonstration speech would be the individual steps.)

Provide evidence to support the main idea

Explain how the evidence supports the main idea/central purpose

Transition to the next main idea

Review or restate the thesis and the main points presented throughout the speech.

Much like the attention grabber, the closing statement should interest the audience. Some of the more common techniques include a challenge, a rhetorical question, or restating relevant information:

Provide the audience with a challenge or call to action to apply the presented information to real life.

Detail the benefit of the information.

Close with an anecdote or brief story that illustrates the main points.

Leave the audience with a rhetorical question to ponder after the speech has concluded.

Detail the relevance of the presented information.

Before speech writing, brainstorm a list of informative speech topic ideas. The right topic depends on the type of speech, but good topics can range from video games to disabilities and electric cars to healthcare and mental health.

Informative speech topics

Some common informative essay topics for each type of informational speech include the following:

Informative speech examples

The following list identifies famous informational speeches:

“Duties of American Citizenship” by Theodore Roosevelt

“Duty, Honor, Country” by General Douglas MacArthur

“Strength and Dignity” by Theodore Roosevelt

Explanation

“Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” by Patrick Henry

“The Decision to Go to the Moon” by John F. Kennedy

“We Shall Fight on the Beaches” by Winston Churchill

Description

“I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Pearl Harbor Address” by Franklin Delano Roosevelt

“Luckiest Man” by Lou Gehrig

Demonstration

The Way to Cook with Julia Child

This Old House with Bob Vila

Bill Nye the Science Guy with Bill Nye

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Speech Resources (COM 101)

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Choosing an Informative Speech Topic

If you already have a topic that interests you, search our library reference databases for more information and to learn how your topic might be relevant to your audience.

Maybe you’d like to know more about:

• Your topic’s history or origin
• Key people involved
• How it’s different or unique compared to other similar topics
• Search Credo Reference
• Search Gale Virtual Reference Library

NOTE: If your topic is very current or about a lesser known or local person or event, it may not be in our reference databases, so try searching Google (for ideas, not for sources).

If you want to learn more about a current topic in the news and how it might relate to your audience and help increase their knowledge, our NewsBank database has a list of current research topics relating to technology, sports, the arts, health, literature, business, crime, people and more.

• Browse NewsBank's Hot Topics

Finding Sources for the Informative Speech

Reference books like specialized encyclopedias, dictionaries and almanacs can help you understand your topic and precisely define the terms you use in your speech.

Books  can be a key source of comprehensive information on a specific topic and are often written by an expert on that topic. Books can be dated since they go through an intense editorial and publishing process, so they are most useful for historical and background information.

• Search CSN Libraries for books

Newspapers and magazines  are referred to as "periodicals" because articles are published at regular times (daily, weekly, monthly) and therefore have more current information than books. Articles from national newspapers are useful when you want to include up-to-date information on national or world topics, while local newspapers are good sources for topics that have a local connection. Magazines are usually focused on a specific area of interest and can provide details about hobbies, sports, people, places, pets, events and more.

• Search Las Vegas/Nevada News (Newsbank) for articles about local topics
• Search MasterFILE Complete for articles from popular magazines
• Search US Newstream for articles from major newspapers like the LA Times

Journals are often referred to as "scholarly" or "peer reviewed" because they contain articles written by experts in a particular field. Other experts (peers) review the articles to decide what merits publication. Most journal articles report the results of research being done in that field. Although intended for an audience of other experts, journal articles can be used in speeches to identify expert testimony and to quote someone who is highly qualified on your topic.

• Search a subject database If your topic relates to a specific discipline (ex. health sciences, law, psychology, etc.) use the "All Subjects" dropdown menu to find a specialized database
• Search EBSCO Complete for journal articles Be sure to check the "Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals" box on the search screen
• Search Proquest Central for journal articles Be sure to check the "peer reviewed" box on the search screen

Using Keywords to Search for Sources

Your informative speech topic is basically what you’re going to “teach” your audience. But before you can find good sources that explain the history, definitions, and more details to inform your audience about your topic, you’ll need to pull out the best possible keywords related to your topic to use when searching our library databases.

Before you search, try these steps!

1) Find the main points. What are the most important discussion points that you plan to tell your audience? For example, if you’re informing your audience about how unique a cheetah is in the animal kingdom you might choose words related to speed, hunting, and social groups.

2) Select 2-3 words. You probably don’t want to search with too many words, and having just one might not always be enough. For informative speeches, nouns will likely work better than verbs.

3) Think of synonyms. If you’re giving a speech about cheetah speed, what other words are there for speed? Fast, is an obvious one. But get even more specific. Try Google (for ideas, not for sources) to see what words are associated with your topic. For example, the words “fastest land animal” come up a lot for cheetahs.

4) Link together! Connect your keywords using the word AND rather than typing a whole sentence or question in your search bar when you start to look for sources. For example: cheetahs and fastest land animal. Don’t forget to try out multiple searches with different words.

• Identifying Keywords Tutorial Our library tutorial on how to find good keywords in your topic in order to search for sources.
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Julia Tellides.

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Tracing largely forgotten history of major community 

Julia Tellides explored shifts, upheavals of Thessaloniki between two wars 

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Julia Tellides discovered the rich Jewish heritage of Thessaloniki two years ago on a  Harvard Summer School Study Abroad  program.

“It was the first time I heard about there being a large Jewish community anywhere in Greece,” said the graduating senior, a joint history and classics concentrator. “I thought, why have I never heard about this before? If anyone should know about this history, it’s me.” 

Tellides, who grew up in New Haven, Connecticut, with a Greek father and Jewish mother, went on to devote her senior thesis to the city’s politically active Jewish residents during a period of upheaval in the early 20th century. Once home to the largest Sephardic Jewish population in Europe, Thessaloniki (traditionally known as Salonica or Salonika) proved a gold mine of Jewish culture and resistance, with Tellides surfacing new insights on the community’s struggle for survival. 

“For an undergraduate to have gone into such depth, and with such originality, is remarkable,” said Tellides’ thesis adviser  Derek Penslar , the William Lee Frost Professor of Jewish History and director of Harvard’s  Center for Jewish Studies .

Greece’s second-largest city, situated 300 miles north of Athens on the Aegean Sea, once served as an economic and cultural crossroads. “It was one of the most important ports in the Ottoman Empire,” Tellides explained. It was also a melting pot where Jews, Muslims, and Christians coexisted in relative peace. 

That changed when the Greek government took control in the early 20th century, with Thessaloniki changing from “a multicultural, multireligious empire to a Christian nation-state,” said Tellides, whose second thesis adviser was  Paul J. Kosmin , the Philip J. King Professor of Ancient History.

According to a 1913 census, the Jewish population in Thessaloniki numbered  around 90,000 . Tellides’ scholarship focused on the community’s activism in the years between World Wars I and II, with Jewish residents organizing in opposition to rising antisemitism and discriminatory public policy. One example is a 1924 mandate for all businesses to remain closed on Sundays.

“Other historians have acknowledged the significance of the Sunday closing law — if Jews observed the Sabbath they effectively lost a day of work, which made it very hard to make a living,” Penslar noted. “Julia’s original contribution was depicting how the Jewish community reacted to the crisis, how they interceded with the Greek government, and even more interestingly how they interceded with international organizations in the spirit of the Minority Rights Treaties created after World War I.”

Tellides, a history lover from childhood, also examined a moment in the 1930s when the Greek government sought to take over the city’s vast Jewish cemetery, with more than 350,000 graves dating as far back as the Roman era. “They wanted to build a university campus on top of it,” she said.

With support from Harvard’s  Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies ,  Center for Jewish Studies , and  Department of the Classics , the Leverett House resident traveled to Thessaloniki last summer to conduct archival research and explore the city. But Tellides, who bolstered her Greek skills with coursework at Harvard, quickly found herself unable to decipher materials written in Ladino, a Romance language developed by Sephardic Jews expelled from Spain in the late 15th century. 

“Many of these spaces commemorate the community’s death rather than its life.”

“What I read instead was their correspondence with international Jewish organizations,” shared Tellides, who plans to teach English to kindergarteners in Athens following graduation. “They were desperately trying to overturn these laws through diplomatic channels, political pressure — anything they could possibly do.”

As Tellides walked the streets of Thessaloniki, she found little that celebrated the city’s Jewish heritage. All that exists are a couple of Holocaust memorials, two surviving synagogues, and a  small but impressive Jewish museum . 

“Many of these spaces commemorate the community’s death rather than its life,” she writes in her thesis before calling for more memorials to the lasting influence of Jewish residents. 

One thing the city has in abundance are vestiges of the ancient Jewish cemetery, which was in fact dismantled during the Holocaust. “They used the tombstones to rebuild after World War II,” Tellides said. “They’re built into landscaping walls and parks. One of the biggest churches has Hebrew inscriptions in its floor.”

That harrowing chapter wasn’t a focus for Tellides, but it was impossible to set aside entirely. Thousands of Jews had already left Thessaloniki by the 1940s. During Nazi occupation, about  96 percent  of the remaining population was deported and killed in concentration camps. 

“So much is gone. Not only in terms of the amount of people killed, but all their synagogues, communal centers, and neighborhoods — everything was confiscated or actively destroyed during World War II.”

“So much is gone,” Tellides said. “Not only in terms of the amount of people killed, but all their synagogues, communal centers, and neighborhoods — everything was confiscated or actively destroyed during World War II.”

For Tellides, the scale of loss made it all the more important to focus on the interwar period. “It’s really inspiring, but also difficult to understand how hard they were working to save their community,” she said.

“The thesis is a case study of the failure of the Minority Rights system of the interwar era,” Penslar observed. “Julia catalogs and analyzes Jewish activism and agency in Thessaloniki in ways that go well beyond existing scholarly literature on the subject.”

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Trump's speeches follow a familiar playlist, featuring greatest hits among new tunes

Stephen Fowler

Former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally on May 1 at Avflight Saginaw in Freeland, Mich. Nic Antaya/Getty Images hide caption

Former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally on May 1 at Avflight Saginaw in Freeland, Mich.

In 2024, a Donald Trump campaign speech is many things: a forum to air grievances against his opponents and ongoing criminal proceedings, a safe space to test his popularity among supporters and a lengthy stream of consciousness responding to political news of the day.

A Trump speech also gives insight on how he would govern in a second term if he wins the election this November.

Like a Phish concert but with more grievance, this is what it's like at a Trump rally

The former president's campaign events are surreal to experience: all-day affairs that are equal parts religious revival and massive pep rallies, powered by an infamous musical playlist that runs for hours before he speaks.

It's an eclectic mix of songs that reflects Trump's personal tastes, ranging from Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" to music from Phantom of the Opera to Village People's "Y.M.C.A.," culminating with Lee Greenwood's country classic "God Bless The U.S.A." as he walks on stage to thunderous applause.

It's also helpful to think of what Trump says at these events as its own curated playlist: never the same topics in the same order, heavy on the greatest hits but with plenty of space left for new tracks that riff on what's popular.

Familiar refrains and one-hit wonders

Plenty of Trump's speech is tied to where he is, who he's talking to and how it fits in the political moment.

Picture this: it's the night before the first presidential primary contest, so Trump's remarks in Indianola, Iowa, feature diss tracks against top rivals Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, plus crowd pleasing mentions of tariffs and increased access to ethanol, both topics important to Iowa's farmers.

But there's also plenty of typical Trumpian fare that could've been delivered anywhere:

"These caucuses are your personal chance to score the ultimate victory over all of the liars, cheaters, thugs, perverts, frauds, crooks, freaks, creeps, and other quite nice people," Trump said.

It can be hard for even seasoned observers to track what's new or notable in his speeches. The run time is often more than an hour and can switch tone and topics at random.

Donald Trump's campaign speeches feature familiar attacks against opponents like Joe Biden, plus one off riffs on his policy proposals. Scott Olson/Getty Images hide caption

Donald Trump's campaign speeches feature familiar attacks against opponents like Joe Biden, plus one off riffs on his policy proposals.

Still, there are common threads, including attacks against the array of criminal charges against him, as prosecutors allege everything from election interference to business fraud to mishandling classified documents.

For example, in 15 major speeches reviewed by NPR from this year, Trump says his indictments far outpace the reputation of a notorious gangster: Al Capone — or, as Trump affectionately refers to him, "Alphonse."

"This was the roughest, meanest gangster in history," Trump said at the Black Conservative Federation's gala in Columbia, S.C., earlier this year. "I've been indicted more than Alphonse Capone, Scarface. If he had dinner with you, and if he didn't like the tone of your voice, he would kill you that night. You would never see your family again. You were dead."

At that February event, Trump also mused that his indictments help him appeal to Black voters.

Remixing his favorite tunes

The tone and tenor of Trump's campaign speeches have taken a darker turn in 2024, like in Dayton, Ohio, where he warned of a "bloodbath" for the auto industry if he loses the election. Scott Olson/Getty Images hide caption

The tone and tenor of Trump's campaign speeches have taken a darker turn in 2024, like in Dayton, Ohio, where he warned of a "bloodbath" for the auto industry if he loses the election.

Trump's 2024 campaign speeches have many commonalities — like verses that mock President Joe Biden's age, appearance, activities and actions as president.

"I mean the guy can't put two sentences together, he can't find the stairs to a platform," Trump said in Richmond, Va.

There's also unique riffs that raise eyebrows and make headlines, like the time in Conway, S.C., where Trump said he wouldn't defend some NATO allies against Russia .

"If we don't pay and we're attacked by Russia, will you protect us?" Trump said another NATO leader asked him one time. "'No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want.'"

Republicans play cleanup on aisle Trump after former president's NATO comments

Then, in Dayton, Ohio, Trump warned his defeat could be terrible for the automotive industry.

"If I don't get elected, it's going to be a bloodbath for the whole ... that's going to be the least of it," Trump said. "It's going to be a bloodbath for the country. That'll be the least of it."

As the year has progressed, Trump's rallies have taken a darker, more defiant tone, and his "greatest hits" are increasingly hitting back at groups that he feels have wronged him, or aren't on board with the "Make America Great Again" vision.

In North Carolina and Virginia, Pennsylvania and Nevada to hear Trump tell it, there will be no America unless he is in charge and Biden is vanquished.

"He's a demented tyrant who is trying to destroy our democracy," Trump said of the president in Schnecksville, Pa.

In Las Vegas, Trump told a roaring crowd to think of the 10 worst presidents in American history.

"They would not have done near the destruction to our country as Crooked Joe Biden and the Biden administration have done," he said.

"He's destroying our country," Trump said, echoing his remarks in Pennsylvania.

The hostile phrasing around the promise to implement hardline policies like mass deportations — and expanding the powers of the presidency to punish opponents — is a feature, not a bug, of Trump's campaign message.

It's a message that says the stakes are too high to ignore.

"We will fight for America like no one has ever fought before," he intoned in Greensboro, N.C., as an instrumental with ties to the QAnon movement played underneath. "2024 is our final battle."

While no two rallies are exactly the same, the final notes of a Trump speech are like a catchy political earworm as he vows to make America powerful, wealthy, strong, proud and safe once more, ending with his signature promise to "Make America great again."

Former President Donald Trump and attorney Susan Necheles attend his trial at the Manhattan Criminal court, Tuesday. Less than a week after a pair of campaign rallies, Trump is mandated to be back in court almost everyday, making the Manhattan courtroom his campaign trail stop of necessity. Win MacNamee/AP hide caption

Former President Donald Trump and attorney Susan Necheles attend his trial at the Manhattan Criminal court, Tuesday. Less than a week after a pair of campaign rallies, Trump is mandated to be back in court almost everyday, making the Manhattan courtroom his campaign trail stop of necessity.

Trump's last two rallies last week were held on the only day of the week his New York trial was not in session. But, in his first stop, he largely avoided talking about that trial that has kept him off the campaign trail .

In front of his biggest fans once again, Trump's verbal playlist in Waukesha, Wis., featured comedic asides, like telling a protester to "Go home to mom!"

Away from his New York trial, Donald Trump's campaign rallies are business as usual

Between his usual comments about closing the southern border, deporting migrants and claiming global conflict would cease if he was in charge, Trump made inflammatory remarks about Palestinian refugees that garnered little media attention .

"Under no circumstances shall we bring thousands of refugees from Hamas-controlled terrorist epicenters like Gaza to America," he said.

Trump reiterated support for a travel ban from Muslim-majority countries, and implied an influx of migrants to the U.S. would lead to a terrorist attack similar to the Oct. 7 attack in Israel.

"We do not need a jihad in the United States of America," he added to cheers from the crowd.

A few hours later, Trump curated a different vibe in Freeland, Mich., making no mention of Gaza. He did, however, give significant airtime to his criminal proceedings and how much they cramped his campaign style.

"As you know, I have come here today from New York City where I'm being forced to sit for days on end in a kangaroo courtroom with a corrupt and conflicted judge enduring a Biden sideshow trial," he said.

And because it's the Trump show, that applause line was soon followed by a familiar refrain.

"Has anyone ever heard of Al Capone? Scarface!" he quipped.

Until the New York hush money trial has wrapped, Trump's main act will be headlining the inside (and outside) of a Manhattan courtroom.

He'll take his show on the road again Saturday in New Jersey, where you can expect familiar tunes, both verbal and musical, like the Sam and Dave song "Hold On, I'm Comin'" that typically ends his rallies.

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• Society and culture
• Arts and culture

Arts & Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson's speech to the Arts and Humanities Research Council

Lord Parkinson gave the keynote speech at the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Impact Acceleration Award (IAA) policy meeting.

Good morning, and thank you to Drs. Justin Davies, Prof. Alex Marr, and to the Arts & Humanities Research Council and the University of Cambridge for arranging our discussion today, and for inviting me to join you. I am honoured to be taking part in what I know will be a very thought-provoking and timely event, in such distinguished company. 

It is a pleasure to begin by thanking His Excellency the Belgian Ambassador, both for hosting yesterday’s dinner at Trinity Hall and for his stalwart support for this and other initiatives to promote the wider and deeper appreciation of art internationally. 

Bruno, the way that you have placed art and culture at the very centre of your posting to the Court of St. James has, I know, been deeply appreciated by the academics, curators, gallerists and others who have benefited from it – as well as the many British and Belgian citizens whose understanding of the rich and intertwined history of our nations in this important area has been enriched by it. You will be missed here in the UK – and will, I hope, continue to come and visit us after you take up your new posting.

We have been brought together today to discuss the future for UK art history – a topic which is close to my heart, as well as part of my Ministerial brief. I read history here at Emmanuel at the turn of the century – and my perspective on the topics we will cover today is inescapably shaped by my background as a state school boy who was very proud to come to study here in Cambridge, and as an arts graduate with a keen interest in what we owe to the past.

When I was here twenty years ago, considering what I might do with my history degree, the joke we repeated was that ‘There’s no future in history’. Happily, my experience has suggested quite the opposite. I have had the pleasure of using – and building on – my history degree in everything I’ve done over the last two decades, not just in my role as Minister for Arts & Heritage.

But it has been a particular privilege to hold that brief over the past two years, and to work with many art historians and experts in that capacity. I am always struck by the passion, expertise, and generosity of spirit with which you approach your work. It is this enthusiasm – and discussions like today’s – that make me optimistic for the future of the discipline, and of the art sector more widely. And I hope that spirit of optimism will infuse much of what I want to say today.

The teachings of art history encourage us to examine, value and protect our cultural heritage – principles underpinning so much of the work my Department undertakes in Government. Beyond that, they encourage us to be critical and to analyse what we see and hear in the world around us.

Through the quirks of Departmental responsibilities, I had the task of steering the Online Safety Act through the House of Lords last year. You might think this somewhat removed from the work of the Arts Minister; far from it. In the Lords, we offer a pretty good example of inter-disciplinary working – as the debates we had on that Bill showed. Because, in this age of ‘deep fakes’ and ‘disinformation’, the ability to unpick the true meaning and context behind the images which are placed before us is absolutely vital.

At some point in the next few months, there will be a general election. Next month sees elections to the European Parliament across 27 member states. In November, the United States of America will choose their next President. And we are currently halfway through the extraordinary, six-week election in India involving some 970 million voters – more than 10 per cent of the world’s population. 

In total, more than four billion people in over 50 countries will go to the polls this year – making 2024 arguably the biggest year yet in the history of democracy. But they exercise that precious right at a time when those who seek to subvert it are more sophisticated than ever before.

In this context, the skills of the art historian are more valuable and more urgent than ever – and skills it is vitally important that we pass on to future generations.

Last year, I attended an event at the Royal Academy to learn more about Art UK’s initiative, The Superpower of Looking. Funded by the Freelands Foundation, this brilliant scheme aims to teach visual literacy skills to primary-age children. 

Using free teaching resources, and drawing on historical and contemporary artworks, it gives children an essential ‘superpower’ for the epoch in which they will be growing up: the ability truly to ‘see’ – to observe, analyse, question, and interpret the images before them. It seeks to equip children not just with a love of art, but with vital, life-long skills – enabling them to become critical thinkers and better equipped for the world around them.

Over the last few months, my Department has also been working with the Department for Education to develop a new Cultural Education Plan to deliver ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ skills such as these. That plan will set out a long-term approach to ensure that all children and young people have access to high-quality cultural education and creativity, both in and out of school. It will focus on promoting the social value of cultural education, and – on a practical level – support career pathways into the arts and cultural sectors. 

The Plan will build on our existing work to strengthen talent pipelines into these growing sectors – one of the five priority areas of the economy as set out by the Chancellor. This includes our Creative Industries Sector Vision, the National Plan for Music Education, and our Creative Careers Programme. And it will seek to amplify the brilliant work the sector is already doing in this area. Just yesterday, I had the pleasure of hopping onboard the ‘Mobile Museum’, a joint enterprise between Art Explora and Tate, emulating a brilliant scheme which has run in France for the last 14 years. It’s taken works of art by Vanessa Bell, David Hockney, and Cornelia Parker to schools across the Midlands and the North West of England – reaching children who have never previously visited a museum or gallery. It’s a really simple but powerful way of letting them know that our national collection is for them, too.

In the UK, we have a truly dynamic visual arts scene, in no small part thanks to the unique heritage and global reach of our highly successful art market – the third biggest in the world. Through exhibitions, art fairs and other events, that market promotes our extraordinary creativity to audiences around the world – and is enriched by the great creativity of others. 

Our commercial galleries and dealers play a vital role in cultivating the careers of visual artists based in the UK. That’s why London has the greatest concentration of artists of any city anywhere in the world – and why so many other towns and cities across the country are similarly fizzing with artistic talent.

That achievement is hard won – and the Government is working hard to ensure that we nurture and maintain our reputation as a global leader in arts and culture. With the Arts Council, we are streamlining the export licensing process through the development of a digital system, while the Treasury and HMRC are working to simplify the Temporary Admission procedure, making it more accessible and therefore more beneficial to people, businesses, and specific sectors. Art market professionals have helped us every step of the way, actively engaging with these proposed developments, and providing invaluable feedback and expertise. 

In addition to being a global marketplace for some of the world’s most important artworks, antiques and antiquities, we also have an extraordinary wealth of museums and galleries across the UK.

I couldn’t speak at Trinity Hall without paying tribute to Richard Fitzwilliam, a graduate of this college and benefactor of the Fitzwilliam Museum – nor fail to remind you that, since last Friday, it has Sandro Botticelli’s Venus and Mars on loan from the National Gallery as part of the gallery’s bicentennial celebrations – the first time it has left the National Gallery since it was acquired in 1874. (When it came up for auction at Christie’s, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Benjamin Disraeli, attended the sale in person, so determined was he to acquire it for the nation.)

The support given by academics and the art market helps museums across the country transform their collections and the experiences they can offer to the public – many of them for free. 

My Department also relies on academics and market professionals to advise on cultural property matters – and I want to acknowledge that work, and the great value we attach to it. 

Like the works of art on their walls, our brilliant galleries and museums are staffed by people drawn from all over the world. 

We are so proud they have chosen to work or study here in Britain – and determined to continue to facilitate that international exchange at every level.

We want the people who write the next chapter of our great institutions to be drawn from the widest possible range of backgrounds – both here in the UK, and from around the world – so I look forward to our discussions today on how we can make sure the UK can continue to attract people from across the globe, and to unleash the potential of the too many young people — particularly in our state schools — who have not yet been given the life-changing opportunity to study art history. 

Perhaps the most viewed work of art at this university is one which has only been here some sixty years – Rubens’ Adoration of the Magi, which stands as the altarpiece in King’s College Chapel.

That great Flemish artist is a fitting person with whom to conclude my remarks – not just in homage to our distinguished Belgian participants today, but because of the optimistic lesson he offers. Celebrated across the continent, Peter Paul Rubens was commissioned – and knighted – by King Charles I, and came to Cambridge nearly 400 years ago to receive his honorary doctorate. His work continues to dazzle visitors from across the world, here in Cambridge, and in the Banqueting House on Whitehall.

For all the vicissitudes of geopolitics, he stands as a reminder of the universal power of great art, and our long and enriching tradition of sharing it. Long may that continue.

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New CAS Class Teaches the History of Empires Through Fashion and Beauty

Students design and construct custom outfits based on historical case studies.

Students in Jilene Chua’s Fashion and Beauty Under War and Empire, a course on how clothing and makeup provided insights into war and empire in the twentieth century.

Sam Thomas (COM’24)

Jackie ricciardi.

A skirt made of newspaper. A blonde wig with brown roots. A headband made of crocheted “plarn” (yarn made of repurposed plastic bags). A pair of army green pants with extra pockets sewn around the ankles.

In lieu of a traditional exam, Jilene Chua , a College of Arts & Sciences assistant professor of history, assigned her students a different kind of final for their Fashion and Beauty Under War and Empire class : designing and constructing an entire outfit. The course, which wrapped earlier this month, spans the time periods from settler colonialism in the 1800s to the modern day and sets out to examine how clothing and makeup can provide insights into war and empire in the 20th century.

During the final two meetings of the class, groups presented their creations, accompanied by historical case studies they wrote reflecting on the symbolism of each piece. While some students had sewing experience, others were crafting outfits for the first time.

Chua, who came to BU this year, says she designed the Fashion and Beauty Under War and Empire class as a way to unite her research interests of history, fashion, and empire. “I wanted to figure out a way to have students learn about [this history], but in a way that wasn’t just constant violence,” she says. “Sometimes, histories of empires can be really dark and involve a lot of brutal things, so I wanted the students to think about how unexpected things like clothing, fashion, and beauty can be ways of analyzing this form of power.”

Sometimes, histories of empires can be really dark and involve a lot of brutal things, so I wanted them to think about how unexpected things like clothing, fashion, and beauty can be ways of analyzing this form of power. Jilene Chua

Chua says the students in the class—which attracted different majors and class years—made connections she hadn’t even considered. For example, one class discussion on the prevalence of camouflage in fashion turned into an analysis of military recruitment—specifically, how it affected students during their high school experience.

In a presentation titled “Sustainability & Empire Through Time,” students investigated how different populations utilized resources readily available around them for clothing. For example, one student created a crocheted wrap to reflect how some Native American tribes used the fur of Churro sheep for clothing since it was a by-product of a food source. Another student made a shirt and attached a Kirkland jasmine rice bag, representing how people repurposed food sacks during the Great Depression.

In another presentation, titled “Combat Couture: The American Culture of War,” students examined how fashion in the United States is based on a military aesthetic. They discussed the Bikini Atoll , a coral reef in the Pacific Ocean that the US government used as a nuclear testing site and displaced and harmed its inhabitants. The bikini swimsuit was introduced and named just four days after the testing. Now, when someone says “bikini,” it conjures images of summer days and swimming rather than nuclear waste. 

“It started to make me think about how I didn’t have that on my syllabus, so I changed it to adapt,” Chua said. “It made sense to add because they have all these experiences with militarism in their own lives that they’re bringing in.” 

During the presentation, one student displayed a fuzzy green jacket with a camo pattern with “Are you registered for the draft?” and only a “Yes” checkbox, painted on the back. This, one student explained, was meant to represent how the draft was not optional, as well as how “fashion can reframe ugly parts of an empire into something soft and fuzzy.”

Reflecting on the course, Kal Hawley (CAS’27) says they were excited to create outfits with the added historical context from the course. Their outfit included a blazer with sewn lace hanging from about waist level, a commentary on softness, that is, not being afraid of being vulnerable or perceived as weak.

Among other topics in the course are the commodification of human products such as hair, skincare during chemical warfare, and profit as a connection between war and beauty. 

Throughout the semester, Chua encouraged students to engage in sustainable practices. The class went to Goodwill together to pick out raw materials and clothing items and they discussed the environmental impacts of the fashion industry—for example, 87 percent of garments made each year end up in a landfill. The material they thrifted or recycled was then used to construct their final outfits.

Students were able to use BU’s Engineering Product Innovation Center (EPIC), right on the Charles River Campus, when crafting their clothes. EPIC spans 15,000 square feet and offers students access to a variety of engineering and manufacturing tools, such as laser cutters, welding equipment, drill presses, sewing machines, and more. 

Ivan Perez (CAS’24) had no experience making clothes and didn’t have a background in fashion before enrolling. He says he took the class as a creative outlet and because he wanted “to see how and what a class like this could offer.” His enrollment in the course was a “happy accident,” he says.

“Aside, of course, from the material covered throughout the semester, the class really helped me express myself creatively through an unfamiliar yet incredibly cool medium,” Perez says. “It certainly was a unique experience, and an obscure class that made the semester very memorable. It is something quite niche that BU offers. I was just fortunate enough to stumble upon a new diamond in the rough.”

Although the class focuses specifically on fashion and beauty, Chua says she hopes this kind of critical societal analysis carries over to other parts of students’ lives.

“I think they’re already starting to make connections to how this is a culture of militarism all around us even today,” she says. “But with these big topics like war and empire, students can see how they also appear in everyday life, not just through clothing and beauty. We are still living this culture out, right now.”

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Suspect in Los Angeles shooting of two Jewish men agrees to plead guilty to hate crimes

A 29-year-old man who was accused of shooting two Jewish men in Los Angeles last year has agreed to plead guilty to hate crime and firearm charges, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Tuesday.

Jaime Tran, formerly of Riverside, California, is expected to plead guilty to two counts of hate crimes with intent to kill and two counts of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California said in a news release . Once Tran pleads guilty, he faces a sentence of between 35 to 40 years in prison, according to a plea agreement.

Tran had researched locations with kosher markets on the internet and planned to shoot someone near a market because "he believed there would be Jewish people in the area," the U.S. Attorney's Office said. On Feb. 15, 2023, Tran drove to the Pico-Robertson area of Los Angeles and shot a man who was wearing a yarmulke as he was leaving a synagogue, according to Tran's plea agreement.

Tran intended to kill the victim and shot him in the back before fleeing the scene in his vehicle, the plea agreement says. He then returned to the Pico-Robertson area the next day and shot another Jewish man, who was also wearing a yarmulke and leaving a synagogue.

Authorities said both victims survived the attacks and police arrested Tran on Feb. 17, 2023. He has remained in custody since then, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

"(Tran) sought to murder two men simply because they were Jewish,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. "Rather than allow these horrific crimes to divide us, however, our community came together and swiftly brought the perpetrator to justice. Hate and intolerance have no place in America. We will remain firm in our approach of using all the tools at our disposal to aggressively prosecute acts of hate."

Antisemitic incidents in the United States have skyrocketed in recent years, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). The Jewish civil rights group said in its annual audit that 2023 had the  highest number of antisemitic incidents  against Jewish Americans ever recorded by the organization since it began tracking incidents in 1979.

4 takeaways: Lawmakers grill K-12 school administrators in heated hearing on antisemitic incidents

Suspect had a history of making antisemitic threats

Tran developed antisemitic beliefs and made violent threats toward Jewish people going back to 2018, according to his plea agreement. In 2018, he left dental school after making hate-filled statements about other students who he believed to be Jewish.

His antisemitic statements then escalated from August to December 2022, when he used violent language against a former classmate, the plea agreement says. He repeatedly called and sent messages that included threats to kill Jewish people to his former classmate.

Tran also emailed former classmates a flyer and excerpts from a website containing antisemitic propaganda in November and December 2022, according to the plea agreement.

As of last year, Tran was prohibited from purchasing firearms due to previous mental health hold, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. But in January 2023, he asked a third party to buy two firearms for him and paid about $1,500 in cash to the third party.

Surge in antisemitic incidents across the country

According to the ADL's 2023 audit, the organization recorded 8,873 antisemitic incidents across the United States last year. That number represents a 140% increase from the 3,698 incidents recorded in 2022. 

"This represents a remarkable reversal from the early 2010s, when antisemitic incidents were at some of the lowest levels in the history of the (audit)," the ADL said.

Incidents had increased across all major categories in the ADL's audit, including 161 assault incidents, 2,177 vandalism incidents and 6,535 harassment incidents.

Although the spike last year was driven in part by reactions to the Israel-Hamas war , the ADL noted that there were monthly increases in antisemitic incidents prior to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. The ADL tracked 402 incidents in February 2023 and by September 2023, there were 513 incidents recorded.

Synagogues have also been targeted in attacks in recent years. The man who killed 11 worshippers at the Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue in 2018, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history, was sentenced to death in August 2023.

The congregation said earlier this year that the demolition of the synagogue was underway and the community plans to build a memorial site to honor the 11 victims.

Last December, a 13-year-old boy was  charged with planning  a mass shooting at the Temple Israel synagogue in Canton, just south of Akron, Ohio, the Canton Repository  reported . The teen had shared his plans with an unknown person in Washington state through the Discord messaging platform.

Contributing: Jeanine Santucci and Rachel Barber, USA TODAY