Great Persuasive Speech Topics

A list of persuasive topics for students to use in public speaking classes

© Naomi Rockler-Gladen

Jan 22, 2007

Are you looking for a persuasive speech topic for your public speaking class? Students often have a difficult time coming up with topics, so I'm here to help, as I've taught many public speaking classes. Here are some:

Ideas for how to think of a great persuasive speaking topic

Tired public speaking topics to avoid

Fun persuasive speech and essay topics

Want some more specific suggestions? I asked Matt Dunn, an outstanding and experienced public speaking and debate teacher at Colorado State University, for his input. He's been compiling a list of creative, interesting persuasive speaking topics for a long time. Some of these ideas came from debate organizations, such as the International Debate Education Association (IDEA). Other ideas on this list came from his classes.

Here's Matt Dunn's list of persuasive speaking topics. The questions are in debate form, so consider using either side of these arguments as your topic:

• Do schools have the right to search students’ lockers?
• Should children be given sex education in schools, or should this be the responsibility of the parents?
• Should the state fund schools run by particular faiths?
• Should schools require their students to wear a school uniform?
• Are beauty contests harmful?
• Should Physical Education in schools be compulsory?
• Should parents be held morally and legally responsible for the actions/needs of their children?
• Should young people be subjected to curfews as a way to reduce crime?
• Should doctors be allowed to prescribe contraception for girls under the age of 16?
• Is physical force a justifiable method of punishing children?
• Should governments be sending people into space?
• Should governments negotiate with terrorists?
• Can terrorism ever be justified?
• Should negative advertising in political campaigns be banned?
• Should governments censor material on the world wide web?
• Should the government censor lyrics of songs that are violent or expletive, for example “gangsta” rap?
• Does television have a negative influence on society?
• Should flag burning as a form of protest be prohibited?
• Should the state be fully privatized?
• Should ‘factory farming’ be banned?
• Is it morally acceptable to experiment on non-human animals to develop products and medicines that benefit human beings?
• Should we be trying to prevent species becoming extinct? If so, why?
• Should the present international ban on trading elephant ivory be lifted?
• Should the international ban on the hunting of whales be lifted?
• Should we ban the keeping of animals in zoos?
• Should we ban the keeping of animals in circuses?
• Should acts of hate be criminalized?
• What acts should be considered hate crimes?
• Is it correct for university authorities to ban hate speech?
• Should schools be allowed to teach creationism alongside evolution as part of their science curriculum?
• Should examinations be replaced with other forms of assessment?
• Should school students face mandatory drug-tests?
• Should continued office for public officials be dependent on (successfully) taking a drug test?
• Should HIV positive workers have to tell their employers of their status?
• Should sex offenders be named and shamed?
• Can the assassination of a dictator be justified?
• Should assisted suicide be legalized?
• Should we legalize the sale of human organs?
• Should the numbers of women in the legislature be raised artificially?
• Should mothers stay at home to raise their children?
• Should prostitution be legalized?
• Should the morning-after pill be banned?
• Should popular consumerist images of women be banned because they are violent?
• Should cell phone use in cars be banned?
• Should gambling be legalized and regulated?
• Should the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport be legalized?
• Is sport really good for us?

Need more ideas? Check out the discussion.

Good luck, students! For more help with your public speaking class, check out these articles:

• Public speaking class tips
• Fear of public speaking
• How to write a graduation spech
• How to think of a great persusaive speech topic
• Tired persuasive speech topics to avoid.
• Fun persuasive speech and essay topics
• Great informative speech topics

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