6 8 minute persuasive speech topics

Persuasive Speech Outline

How to Pick a Persuasion Topic

1. Pick a topic you’re passionate about. What things make you angry? What things would you protest? However, be sure that you’re not so passionate about a topic that you’re blinded by your own emotions. The following divisive topics are restricted:

· Abortion

· Become a Democrat/Republican

· Gun Control

· Death Penalty

These topics are too controversial and do not lend themselves well to persuasive speaking. Either the audience already wholeheartedly agrees with you, and therefore, will not be persuaded, or the audience completely disagrees with you and will not be convinced by a 6-8 minute speech.

2. However, your topic should be two-sided. There should be two (or more) sides to your topic. You should pick one position and defend it. The point is to try to change the audience’s attitude, beliefs, values, or behaviors. Once you know your position, think about the other side and prepare arguments against their arguments. This will help you to overcome the obstacles that your audience may feel and make your speech even stronger. But some topics are somewhat universal; everyone already knows and pretty much agrees with you. The following topics lack controversy and are therefore restricted:

· Media creates unrealistic body images

· Stop animal cruelty

3. Narrow down your topic. Aim for a speech that goes more in depth about a specific topic instead of a speech that tells us general facts about a broad topic. We are still building upon what we have learned from previous speeches this semester. The best persuasive speeches are still informative; they teach us something new. For example:

Too broad: “I will persuade you to be healthier.” This is too broad because “healthy” living involves much more information than we can teach in a 6-8 minute speech. Plus, everyone already knows they should be healthy by eating right and exercising, even if their behaviors don’t match their attitudes.

Narrowed: “Cut cow’s milk from your diet.” Most people in your audience will not follow this diet advice and teaching them about the benefits of this specific type of nutrition change will educate and may persuade them to try something new.

Plus, topics that are more unique means the audience probably hasn’t heard of it and, therefore, doesn’t have an opinion yet. It is easier to persuade a neutral audience than one who views your topic unfavorably. Avoid these broad topics:

· Exercise

· Eat healthy

· Global Warming

· Stop smoking

4. Choose a topic with relevancy and recency. A relevant topic is one that appeals to your audience and is also an issue that still needs to be solved. A topic on AIDS awareness is not really relevant in our current culture today as most people are aware of AIDS and how it is spread. Recency addresses whether or not a topic is current. A speech encouraging the audience to vote for McCain for President is not recent enough to be relevant. Use current events as a guideline to help determine the R & R for your speech.

What should a persuasive speech topic sound like? Your topic needs to be presented as a statement and not a question. If you come up to me and say “I want to talk about is soda bad for you,” I will respond by saying “Is it” and nothing more?

Where do I find a persuasive speech topic? NOT on Google.com. Do not google “good persuasive speech topics.” Any topic that you get from a google search will likely be something that your audience has heard before. You need to read the news every day all day until you find something that is happening right now in the world that pisses you off. Look for something that impacts your community. For instance, as a queer person, I always look for laws, policies, and societal norms that are unjust and unfair to queer people. I would probably find a good topic by looking at a Queer news source, like Out Magazine, or by reading any other news website like CNN, NPR, AP, Reuters, Bloomberg, ABC, MSNBC, and searching “LGBTQ.” In sum, your topic must teach you something new and make you so upset about it that you want to enact change.

Unacceptable topics (because they’re insignificant, too vague, overdone &/or don’t require research):

· “Robots replacing jobs.”

· Abortion

· Gun control

· “Distracted driving”

· “Adopt Don’t Shop”/Puppy Mills

· Animal Testing

· Homework should not be allowed

· Social media good or bad?

· School uniforms

· Climate change

· GMO’s

· Work Out/Eat Healthy

· Assisted Suicide/Death with Dignity Act

· Eat less meat

· Benefits of owning a pet

Effective topic examples that I’ve heard in the past (don’t use these, but be inspired by them):

· The bystander effect in the Greek community is toxic and must be stopped immediately.

· The femmicides in Mexico are a direct result of the US government and must be dealt with accordingly.

· Consumers should not watch television shows that commodify and exploit little people.

· We must stop African American women dying during maternity and childbirth at such an alarming rate.

· Access to feminine hygiene products is a fundamental right and these products should be provided for free in public restrooms.

· Stay-at-home orders that require masks and social distancing are another way for police officers to target, arrest, and abuse minorities.