Persuasive Speech

Persuasive speech develops critical thinking. When you are preparing this kind of speech, you are analyzing an issue from both points of view. You need to keep your opponents in mind and remember: never let them gain an advantage!

In the beginning, pick an important subject, about which there are different opinions. If you have a strong feeling about that issue and you are ready to defend it, then it will make a good topic for you. Your task is to persuade your audience to agree with you so the first point that you should focus on is your audience. Make sure your topic is relevant to their age, preferences and tastes. Ask yourself: what do they already know about that topic? What kind of opposing ideas might they have? You need to research the information on your field as deep as you can so you will be prepared to answer possible questions, demonstrate your knowledge and confidence in that topic.

Next important point is using powerful evidence. You need to support all of your ideas with some factual data, such as examples from history, graphs, charts, statistics, quotes, etc. Make sure they are coming from relevant sources. The information has to be current: check the dates of publishing and if it’s a Web site, check when it was created and updated. Make sure your information is accurate simply by proofreading it yourself. Be cautious in taking information on the Internet. There also might be some biased information – such as bias towards a country, political party, gender, race, religion. This kind of information can be inappropriate for your speech, so be careful. Your proofs have to be persuasive and they are the main parts of your speech so don’t be lazy here.

Certain structure is also a very important point in giving a persuasive speech. Start with your introduction with some background information, and thesis statement to introduce your topic to the audience. Your thesis statement has to express your position; it is there to highlight your viewpoint. Sometimes thesis statement is easy to make in the very beginning of your speech making process, but at other times it is better to come up with it after you are done with preparing the whole speech. Then you have to give your supporting and opposing sides to demonstrate the issue. In the end you need to state your point of view, supporting it with your evidence. In conclusion, use your thesis statement and reassert your opinion.

Persuasive speech has to be delivered with confidence: speak with assurance, but be reasonable in your comments. This will help you to gain attention of your audience because when they see your confidence and bullet proof evidence, they are most likely to take your side.

Get creative process started!

Use this list of TOP 30 TOPICS:

Is coffee bad for your health?

Is newspaper reading becoming out fashioned with the advent of television and Internet?

Should etiquette be taught in schools?

Should students learn about world religions in public schools?

Is safety more important than privacy?

Is medical testing on animals immoral?

Should all students study abroad?

Emigration and immigration. Realistic limits or openness toward people in need?

Should children who commit violent crimes be tried as adults?

Should human cloning be legalized?

Is death penalty inhuman?

Should stem cell research be expanded?

Are race relations getting better or worse?

Censorship. Should parents censor textbooks and other literature for children in schools?

Marijuana legalization: Should the federal government legalize the use of marijuana?

Can terrorism ever be justified?

Is media promoting materialism?

Does participating in team sports help to develop good character?

Should the primary mission of colleges and universities be preparing students for the workforce?

Should we ban the keeping of animals in zoos?

Can the assassination of a dictator be justified?

Should mothers stay at home to raise their children?

Should Physical Education in schools be compulsory?

Should governments censor material on the World Wide Web?

Should we ban the keeping of animals in circuses?

Should hunting be made illegal?

Should all citizens be covered by health insurance?

Is there an alternative for prison?

Could nuclear power be the answer to the energy crisis?

Why society needs heroes?