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Chapter 23: Presentations to Persuade

23.7 Sample Persuasive Speech
Here is a generic, sample speech in an outline form with notes and suggestions.
Learning Objective
- Understand the structural parts of a persuasive speech.
Attention Statement
Show a picture of a person on death row and ask the audience: does an innocent man deserve to die?
Introduction
Briefly introduce the man in an Illinois prison and explain that he was released only days before his impending death because DNA evidence (not available when he was convicted), clearly established his innocence.
A statement of your topic and your specific stand on the topic:
“My speech today is about the death penalty, and I am against it.”
Introduce your credibility and the topic: “My research on this controversial topic has shown me that deterrence and retribution are central arguments for the death penalty, and today I will address each of these issues in turn.”
State your main points.
“Today I will address the two main arguments for the death penalty, deterrence and retribution, and examine how the governor of one state decided that since some cases were found to be faulty, all cases would be stayed until proven otherwise.”
Information: Provide a simple explanation of the death penalty in case there are people who do not know about it. Provide clear definitions of key terms.
Deterrence: Provide arguments by generalization, sign, and authority.
Retribution: Provide arguments by analogy, cause, and principle.
Case study: State of Illinois, Gov. George Ryan. Provide an argument by testimony and authority by quoting: “You have a system right now…that’s fraught with error and has innumerable opportunities for innocent people to be executed,” Dennis Culloton, spokesman for the Governor, told the Chicago Tribune . “He is determined not to make that mistake.”
Solution steps:
- National level . “Stay all executions until the problem that exists in Illinois, and perhaps the nation, is addressed.”
- Local level . “We need to encourage our own governor to examine the system we have for similar errors and opportunities for innocent people to be executed.”
- Personal level . “Vote, write your representatives, and help bring this issue to the forefront in your community.”
Reiterate your main points and provide synthesis; do not introduce new content.
Residual Message
Imagine that you have been assigned to give a persuasive presentation lasting five to seven minutes. Follow the guidelines in Table 14.6 “Sample Speech Guidelines” and apply them to your presentation.
Table 14.6 Sample Speech Guidelines
Key Takeaway
A speech to persuade presents an attention statement, an introduction, the body of the speech with main points and supporting information, a conclusion, and a residual message.
- Apply this framework to your persuasive speech.
- Prepare a three- to five-minute presentation to persuade and present it to the class.
- Review an effective presentation to persuade and present it to the class.
- Review an ineffective presentation to persuade and present it to the class
Business Writing for Success by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
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Persuasive Speech
Persuasive Speech Examples

13 Best Persuasive Speech Examples for Students
Published on: Dec 12, 2018
Last updated on: Jan 23, 2023

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Persuasive speech is a type of speech in which the speaker tries to persuade the audience with his point of view. To persuade your audience to agree with what you are saying, you need to structure your speech properly. For that, you need to choose a topic, craft an outline, and write a good speech.
Persuasive speech writing might seem difficult for you, but if you have a writing guide and examples with you, you can easily write a good speech.
In this blog, you can find some amazing examples that guide you on how to write a great persuasive speech. You can also easily download these examples for future reference and keep it with you whenever you are writing your persuasive speech.
Good Persuasive Speech Examples
Picking a topic for a persuasive speech and then creating a great speech is crucial. But if you have some good persuasive speech examples, you can easily get through the persuasive speech writing process.
Below you can find several examples that will help you in the persuasive speech writing process. Get help from these examples and save yourself time.
Famous Persuasive Speech Examples (PDF)
Policy Persuasive Speech Examples (PDF)
How to Start a Persuasive Speech Examples
After hours of writing and practicing, here comes a time for delivering the speech. As soon as you start your speech, you notice that people are talking to each other, checking their phones, changing seats, and doing everything but paying attention to you.
Why is that?
That might be because of your boring and mundane start to the speech. The beginning of your speech decides how long the audience will tune into your speech. If you don’t get them interested in your speech right from the start, there are few chances that they will pay attention to your message.
Here are five effective ways to kick start your speech:
Opening with a famous and relevant quote helps you make a good impression on the audience’s mind. It helps you set the tone for the rest of your speech.
For example: “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” – Patrick Henry
Asking a rhetorical question at the beginning of your speech arouses the audience's curiosity. Whenever someone is posed with a question, whether asked for an answer or not, that person intuitively answers.
For example: “Do you want to be a failure for the rest of your life?”
You can start with a shocking statement by keeping the audience guessing what you are about to say next. A shocking or interesting statement gets people immediately involved and listening to your every word.
For example: “A scream comes across the sky.” – Thomas Pynchon, Gravity’s Rainbow.
This method is quite more effective than other methods. Asking a ‘what if’ question makes the audience follow your thought process. They immediately start thinking about what could be the answer to your ‘what if’ scenario.
For example: “What if we don’t wake up tomorrow? How different are we today?”
A personalized and surprising statistic that resonates with your audience helps you get your message across right away. Real shocking statistics have the potential to trigger the audience’s emotional appeal.
For example: “The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel.” – William Gibson, Neuromancer.
By following any of these tricks, you can easily grab the audience’s attention every time.
How to Write a Persuasive Speech - Examples
Persuasive speech writing is an interesting task if you know how to do it. This sample guide will help you write an amazing speech that persuades the audience with your ideas.
How to Write a Persuasive Speech - Examples (PDF)
Persuasive Speech Outline Examples
The standard persuasive speech outline is just like the basic persuasive essay outline. It consists of an introduction, body, and conclusion. A persuasive speech outline will help you in writing a great persuasive speech.
Here is a persuasive speech outline example to help you craft a perfect outline.
Persuasive Speech Examples Outline (PDF)
Persuasive Speech Examples for College Students
If you are a college student looking for some help with your persuasive essay then here is an example to help you with it.
Persuasive Speech Examples College (PDF)
Persuasive Speech Examples About Social Media (PDF)
Persuasive Speech Examples for Middle School Students
Speech writing and speech competition are very common in public schools. It helps teachers to check the student’s creative writing and public speaking skills. Check out the persuasive speech examples given below.
Persuasive Speech Examples for Middle School
Persuasive Speech Examples for Middle School (PDF)
Persuasive Speech Examples for Students
Persuasive Speech Examples for Students (PDF)
Short Persuasive Speech Examples for Students
5-minute or 3-minute persuasive speech examples are very helpful for learning short speeches. The following short persuasive speech example will let you know how you can completely cover your information in a few minutes.
3 Minute Persuasive Speech Examples (PDF)
2 Minute Persuasive Speech Examples (PDF)
Short Persuasive Speech Examples About Life (PDF)
Funny Persuasive Speech Examples
Persuasive speeches are thought to be serious and boring, but they can be funny as well. Here is an example of a funny persuasive speech for your convenience.
Funny Persuasive Speech Examples (PDF)
Motivational Persuasive Speech Examples
A motivational speech is a type of persuasive speech where the speaker intended to motivate the audience.
Below is a motivational persuasive speech example that helps you understand how you can motivate your audience through a persuasive speech.
Motivational Persuasive Speech Examples (PDF)
Persuasive Speech Topics
Choosing a strong persuasive speech idea is as important as writing a good speech. Here are some amazing persuasive speech topics for your convenience.
- Bunnies make the best pets.
- Traffic police should not chase a car.
- Do college athletes be paid enough?
- Medical drugs should not be tested on animals.
- Women should be paid equal to men.
- A persuasive essay is difficult to write.
- Girls cheat more than boys.
- Why do youngsters need to avoid fast food?
- Tourism should be free.
- Parents should be allowed to choose the sex of their unborn child.
These topics make a great persuasive speech, choose one idea, and write a great speech.
If persuasive speech writing seems daunting to you, buy speeches from expert writers. You can hire an expert persuasive speech writer from the top essay writer service . Professional writers at MyPerfectWords.com write amazing speeches within your given deadline.
Our professional essay writing service know how to craft a perfect speech in a short period of time. Save your time and place your order now .
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Persuasive Speech - Writing Tips and Topics
Good Persuasive Speech Topics & Ideas for Debaters
Easy and Effective Motivational Speech Topics
Persuasive Speech Outline - Samples, Format, and Writing Tips
3 Basic Types of Persuasive Speeches
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How to Write an Introduction for a Persuasive Speech
Last Updated: March 7, 2023 References Approved
This article was co-authored by Gale McCreary and by wikiHow staff writer, Kyle Hall . Gale McCreary is the Founder and Chief Coordinator of SpeechStory, a nonprofit organization focused on improving communication skills in youth. She was previously a Silicon Valley CEO and President of a Toastmasters International chapter. She has been recognized as Santa Barbara Entrepreneurial Woman of the Year and received Congressional recognition for providing a Family-Friendly work environment. She has a BS in Biology from Stanford University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 81% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 128,577 times.
A persuasive speech is meant to convince an audience to agree with your point of view or argument relating to a specific topic. While the body of your persuasive speech is where the bulk of your argument will go, it’s important that you don’t overlook the introduction. A good introduction will capture your audience’s attention, which is crucial if you want to persuade them. Fortunately, there are some simple rules you can follow that will make the introduction to your persuasive essay more engaging and memorable.
Organizing Your Introduction

- For example, if your speech is about sleep deprivation in the workplace, you could start with something like “Workplace accidents and mistakes related to sleep deprivation cost companies $31 billion every single year.”
- Or, if your speech is about animal rights, you could open with a quote like “The English philosopher Jeremy Bentham once said, ‘The question is not, Can they reason? Nor, Can they talk? But, Can they suffer?’”
- For a speech about unpaid internships, you could start with a relevant anecdote like “In 2018, Tiffany Green got her dream internship, unpaid, working for a rental company. Unfortunately, a few months later Tiffany returned home from work to find an eviction notice on the door of her apartment, owned by that same rental company, because she was unable to pay her rent.

- For example, your thesis statement could look something like “Today, I’m going to talk to you about why medical marijuana should be legalized in all 50 states, and I’ll explain why that would improve the lives of average Americans and boost the economy.”

- For example, if you’re a marine biologist who’s writing a persuasive speech about ocean acidification, you could write something like “I’ve studied the effects of ocean acidification on local marine ecosystems for over a decade now, and what I’ve found is staggering.”
- Or, if you’re not an expert on your topic, you could include something like “Earlier this year, renowned marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson published a decade-long study on the acidification of our oceans, and what she found is deeply concerning.”

- For example, you could sum up your conclusion by writing something like, “To show you that a shorter work week would benefit not only employees but also their employers, first I will touch on the history of the modern average work week. Then, I’ll discuss the mental and physical toll that a long work week can take on a person. Finally, I’ll wrap up by going over fairer, better systems that we as a society could implement.”

- For example, if you time yourself giving your speech (introduction included) and it takes you 5 minutes, your introduction should only take up about 45 seconds of your speech.
- However, if you were giving a speech that’s 20 minutes long, your introduction should be around 3 minutes.
- On average, you’ll want about 150 words for every 1 minute you need to speak for. For example, if your introduction should be 2 minutes, you’d want to write around 300 words.
Tip: If you know how long your speech is going to be before you write it, make the first draft of your introduction the right length so you don’t have to add or delete a lot later.
Polishing Your Writing

- To make your writing more conversational, try to use brief sentences, and avoid including jargon unless you need it to make your point.
- Using contractions, like “I’ll” instead of “I will,” “wouldn’t” instead of “would not,” and “they’re” instead of “they are,” can help make your writing sound more conversational.

Tip: An easy way to make your writing more concise is to start your sentences with the subject. Also, try to limit the number of adverbs and adjectives you use.

- For example, if your audience will be made up of the other students in your college class, including a pop culture reference in your introduction might be an effective way to grab their attention and help them relate to your topic. However, if you’re giving your speech in a more formal setting, a pop culture reference might fall flat.

- For example, you could write something like, “I know a lot of you may strongly disagree with me on this. However, I think if you give me a chance and hear me out, we might end up finding some common ground.”
- Or, you could include a question like “How many of you here tonight have ever come across plastic that's washed up on the beach?” Then, you can have audience members raise their hands.

- You can even record yourself reading your introduction to get a sense of how you'll look delivering the opening of your speech.
Example Introduction for a Persuasive Speech

Community Q&A

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- ↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/communication/chapter/11-2-persuasive-speaking/
- ↑ https://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/public-speaking-practice-and-ethics/s12-introductions-matter-how-to-be.html
- ↑ https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/ace/downloads/tipsheets/persvsargu.pdf
- ↑ https://www.speechanddebate.org/wp-content/uploads/Tips-for-Writing-a-Persuasive-Speech.pdf
- ↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/publicspeaking/chapter/14-1-four-methods-of-delivery/
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/argumentative_essays.html
- ↑ https://www.gvsu.edu/speechlab/connecting-with-the-audience-26.htm
- ↑ https://www.gvsu.edu/speechlab/practicing-presentations-33.htm
About This Article

To write an introduction for a persuasive speech, start with a hook that will grab your audience's attention, like a surprising statistic or meaningful quote. Then, introduce your thesis statement, which should explain what you are arguing for and why. From here, you'll need to demonstrate the credibility of your argument if you want your audience to believe what you're saying. Depending on if you are an expert or not, you should either share your personal credentials or reference papers and studies by experts in the field that legitimize your argument. Finally, conclude with a brief preview of the main points you'll cover in your speech, so your audience knows what to expect and can follow along more easily. For more tips from our co-author, including how to polish your introduction, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No
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Persuasive Speech Outline, with Examples
Updated march 17, 2021 - gini beqiri.
A persuasive speech is a speech that is given with the intention of convincing the audience to believe or do something. This could be virtually anything - voting, organ donation, recycling, and so on.
A successful persuasive speech effectively convinces the audience to your point of view, providing you come across as trustworthy and knowledgeable about the topic you’re discussing.
So, how do you start convincing a group of strangers to share your opinion? And how do you connect with them enough to earn their trust?
Topics for your persuasive speech
We've made a list of persuasive speech topics you could use next time you’re asked to give one. The topics are thought-provoking and things which many people have an opinion on.
When using any of our persuasive speech ideas, make sure you have a solid knowledge about the topic you're speaking about - and make sure you discuss counter arguments too.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- All school children should wear a uniform
- Facebook is making people more socially anxious
- It should be illegal to drive over the age of 80
- Lying isn’t always wrong
- The case for organ donation
Read our full list of 75 persuasive speech topics and ideas .

Preparation: Consider your audience
As with any speech, preparation is crucial. Before you put pen to paper, think about what you want to achieve with your speech. This will help organise your thoughts as you realistically can only cover 2-4 main points before your audience get bored .
It’s also useful to think about who your audience are at this point. If they are unlikely to know much about your topic then you’ll need to factor in context of your topic when planning the structure and length of your speech. You should also consider their:
- Cultural or religious backgrounds
- Shared concerns, attitudes and problems
- Shared interests, beliefs and hopes
- Baseline attitude - are they hostile, neutral, or open to change?
The factors above will all determine the approach you take to writing your speech. For example, if your topic is about childhood obesity, you could begin with a story about your own children or a shared concern every parent has. This would suit an audience who are more likely to be parents than young professionals who have only just left college.

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Remember the 3 main approaches to persuade others
There are three main approaches used to persuade others:
The ethos approach appeals to the audience’s ethics and morals, such as what is the ‘right thing’ to do for humanity, saving the environment, etc.
Pathos persuasion is when you appeal to the audience’s emotions, such as when you tell a story that makes them the main character in a difficult situation.
The logos approach to giving a persuasive speech is when you appeal to the audience’s logic - ie. your speech is essentially more driven by facts and logic. The benefit of this technique is that your point of view becomes virtually indisputable because you make the audience feel that only your view is the logical one.
- Ethos, Pathos, Logos: 3 Pillars of Public Speaking and Persuasion
Ideas for your persuasive speech outline
1. structure of your persuasive speech.
The opening and closing of speech are the most important. Consider these carefully when thinking about your persuasive speech outline. A strong opening ensures you have the audience’s attention from the start and gives them a positive first impression of you.
You’ll want to start with a strong opening such as an attention grabbing statement, statistic of fact. These are usually dramatic or shocking, such as:
Sadly, in the next 18 minutes when I do our chat, four Americans that are alive will be dead from the food that they eat - Jamie Oliver
Another good way of starting a persuasive speech is to include your audience in the picture you’re trying to paint. By making them part of the story, you’re embedding an emotional connection between them and your speech.
You could do this in a more toned-down way by talking about something you know that your audience has in common with you. It’s also helpful at this point to include your credentials in a persuasive speech to gain your audience’s trust.

Obama would spend hours with his team working on the opening and closing statements of his speech.
2. Stating your argument
You should pick between 2 and 4 themes to discuss during your speech so that you have enough time to explain your viewpoint and convince your audience to the same way of thinking.
It’s important that each of your points transitions seamlessly into the next one so that your speech has a logical flow. Work on your connecting sentences between each of your themes so that your speech is easy to listen to.
Your argument should be backed up by objective research and not purely your subjective opinion. Use examples, analogies, and stories so that the audience can relate more easily to your topic, and therefore are more likely to be persuaded to your point of view.
3. Addressing counter-arguments
Any balanced theory or thought addresses and disputes counter-arguments made against it. By addressing these, you’ll strengthen your persuasive speech by refuting your audience’s objections and you’ll show that you are knowledgeable to other thoughts on the topic.
When describing an opposing point of view, don’t explain it in a bias way - explain it in the same way someone who holds that view would describe it. That way, you won’t irritate members of your audience who disagree with you and you’ll show that you’ve reached your point of view through reasoned judgement. Simply identify any counter-argument and pose explanations against them.
- Complete Guide to Debating
4. Closing your speech
Your closing line of your speech is your last chance to convince your audience about what you’re saying. It’s also most likely to be the sentence they remember most about your entire speech so make sure it’s a good one!
The most effective persuasive speeches end with a call to action . For example, if you’ve been speaking about organ donation, your call to action might be asking the audience to register as donors.

The most effective persuasive speeches end with a call to action.
If audience members ask you questions, make sure you listen carefully and respectfully to the full question. Don’t interject in the middle of a question or become defensive.
You should show that you have carefully considered their viewpoint and refute it in an objective way (if you have opposing opinions). Ensure you remain patient, friendly and polite at all times.

Example 1: Persuasive speech outline
This example is from the Kentucky Community and Technical College.
Specific purpose
To persuade my audience to start walking in order to improve their health.
Central idea
Regular walking can improve both your mental and physical health.
Introduction
Let's be honest, we lead an easy life: automatic dishwashers, riding lawnmowers, T.V. remote controls, automatic garage door openers, power screwdrivers, bread machines, electric pencil sharpeners, etc., etc. etc. We live in a time-saving, energy-saving, convenient society. It's a wonderful life. Or is it?
Continue reading

Example 2: Persuasive speech
Tips for delivering your persuasive speech
- Practice, practice, and practice some more . Record yourself speaking and listen for any nervous habits you have such as a nervous laugh, excessive use of filler words, or speaking too quickly.
- Show confident body language . Stand with your legs hip width apart with your shoulders centrally aligned. Ground your feet to the floor and place your hands beside your body so that hand gestures come freely. Your audience won’t be convinced about your argument if you don’t sound confident in it. Find out more about confident body language here .
- Don’t memorise your speech word-for-word or read off a script. If you memorise your persuasive speech, you’ll sound less authentic and panic if you lose your place. Similarly, if you read off a script you won’t sound genuine and you won’t be able to connect with the audience by making eye contact . In turn, you’ll come across as less trustworthy and knowledgeable. You could simply remember your key points instead, or learn your opening and closing sentences.
- Remember to use facial expressions when storytelling - they make you more relatable. By sharing a personal story you’ll more likely be speaking your truth which will help you build a connection with the audience too. Facial expressions help bring your story to life and transport the audience into your situation.
- Keep your speech as concise as possible . When practicing the delivery, see if you can edit it to have the same meaning but in a more succinct way. This will keep the audience engaged.
The best persuasive speech ideas are those that spark a level of controversy. However, a public speech is not the time to express an opinion that is considered outside the norm. If in doubt, play it safe and stick to topics that divide opinions about 50-50.
Bear in mind who your audience are and plan your persuasive speech outline accordingly, with researched evidence to support your argument. It’s important to consider counter-arguments to show that you are knowledgeable about the topic as a whole and not bias towards your own line of thought.

- Choosing Good Topics
- Controversial
- Demonstration
- Extemporaneous
- Informative
- School/College
- Special Occasion
- Public Speaking Help
- Writing a Speech
- Free Sample Speeches
- Share Your Speech
- Example of a Persuasive Speech

Here's an example of a persuasive speech on the subject of gender selection - a very hot topic these days! To have a chance of persuading your audience members to agree with your point of view, choosing good persuasive speech topics is essential. But, more importantly, choose a subject you are passionate about, as I did with this example of a persuasive speech! If you don't care about the issue you are discussing, neither will your audience.
Persuasive Speech Example on Gender Selection
Start of example of a persuasive speech, whatever happened to as long as it's healthy.

From today's home kits to the tedious fertility planning calendars of yesteryear, couples have tried for centuries to choose the genders of their children. Most couples, it seems, would pick the sex of their children if they had the option.
In countries like China, couples feel more pressure because of birth limits. One recent study has shown that more than forty percent of couples worldwide would choose the sex of their child if possible. Is the ability to select a child's gender a good thing, though?
Proponents of gender selection have a strong argument and quite a bit of support from many different places. Dr. Ronald Ericsson, called "Dr. Sperm" by many, has been marketing a home test kit to help couples choose the gender of their child. As a result, he's quite familiar with both sides of the issue and has been for the last thirty years. The critics, though, don't concern him. "It's none of their damn business" said Ericsson. "It's a human rights issue." Ericsson suggests that because the technology is available, people should be allowed to use it.
Seems strange to me, though, that after all the destructive things we've done with technology, someone would say that because it is available, we should use it.
Just because we can use a technology, does not mean we should.

Body of the Persuasive Speech
The thing most proponents of gender selection procedures don't want you to know is that the gender selection process is still in the beginning stages of development, so scientists don't get it right 100% of the time. As a result, couples can spend thousands of dollars trying to create a baby of their choice, only to be disappointed. These sunk costs can result of the termination of such pregnancies. Terminating a child's life because you wanted a different gender - is that acceptable?
Not only is gender selection dangerous, but it can create sex distortion ratios, particularly in countries where one sex is the preferred member of society.
Proponents of gender selection, though, have come up with an answer to this one as well. Dr. Suresh Nayak, an Indian Ob-Gyn, suggested that the fear that sex selection would change the natural ratios was unfounded because the practice is only used by a fraction of couples who can afford it. That fact, though, may soon change.
As the procedures get increasingly cheaper, more couples are taking advantage of them. Couples have swamped fertility clinics while trying to create designer babies. By the end of 2004, research reported more than 4000 cases of successful gender selected babies. Many schools are starting to study the procedure to make it more available to couples.
Houston's Baylor College of Medicine started a study of 200 couples in 2005 to examine the gender selection process, an examination which caused some controversy among those who found it morally repugnant.
Undoubtedly, this procedure will distort the natural gender ratios if enough people can afford it. If some doctors and scientists have their way, everyone will soon be able to afford the cost of the procedure.
There is some light at the end of this tunnel, however. Many countries on the continents of Europe and Asia have finally banned gender selection. Perhaps they realize that this practice is not only unethical and dangerous, but it will also eventually lead to couples wanting to create designer babies by choosing hair and eye color, levels of intelligence, and even height!
In any example of a persuasive speech, the conclusion should include a statement of the impact. Weighing the pros and cons or effects helps the audience determine reason for adopting the position advocated.
Persuasive Speech Conclusion
If we continue to allow gender selection, serious, dangerous problems could occur in our society. Gender selection is a powerful tool that science does not yet fully understand how to use. If we do not draw the line between wants and needs early, there will be no stopping wealthy parents in the future who want to choose all of the characteristics of their babies, which will undoubtedly create problems in the human race and promote intolerance towards others.
By discouraging parents to choose the genders of their babies, we are encouraging our children to have fewer prejudices and accept others, regardless of sex and gender preferences. The only acceptable way to choose the gender of a child is through adoption. There are so many children in need of loving families that if you're adamant about having either a boy or a girl, then all you need do is adopt one!
End of Example of a Persuasive Speech

Hopefully, this example of a persuasive speech will give you some ideas to structure the delivery of your assertions. Make sure that you write about something in which you firmly believe. Otherwise, you'll have difficulty convincing your audience members to come over to your way of thinking. If you cannot think of a topic or decide what exact position to take, consider brainstorming and mind-mapping. Freemind is a good open source option, or use a large sheet of paper or poster with a topic in the center. Then, start connecting ideas to the central topic. Let you mind roam free and create, anything goes. After a while, you may often see connections and central themes that will indicate a subject matter or passion to speak about.
I hope you enjoyed this example of a persuasive speech ! I certainly enjoyed researching it and writing it. I truly believe that gender selection is a slippery slope and NOT one we should be going down.
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Easy persuasive speech topics: examples
90 persuasive topic suggestions + resources for writing persuasive speeches
By: Susan Dugdale | Last modified: 08-05-2022
Let's be right up front about this.
'Easy' and 'persuasive' are seldom paired when it comes to speech topics! Therefore examples of easy persuasive speech topics are a bit of a rarity, and finding them can be tricky.
However all is not completely lost. They can, and do, come together, but only if you work at it. Let me show you how.
What's on this page
90 potentially easy persuasive speech topics.
- the myth of 'easy' and an 'easy speech'
- what makes a successful persuasive speech
- how a persuasive speech topic can become easy
- additional persuasive speech resources

The myth of 'easy' and an 'easy' speech
That word 'easy' is very tempting. It seductively implies something you can fling together, without a lot of effort, at short notice.

An 'easy' speech is not going to take a lot of work to plan, research, to write, or to practice. Everything needed to prepare it will be done without hassle, because it's, 'easy'. The entire process will flow smoothly from start to finish without fuss.
When you present the speech the audience will be spell-bound, riveted by your outstanding choice of subject and its treatment. In short, they will be amazed.
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What a successful persuasive speech usually takes
To give a successful persuasive speech means being able to use a compelling mix of reasoning and emotional appeal to convince whoever you are talking to that your point of view is right. Generally doing that well takes thought and effort.
You have to have chosen a subject your audience will be genuinely interested in and use just the right combination of logical reasoning and emotional appeal to engage and hold them from the first words you say till your last. That in turn means thinking your speech through carefully, step by step, and then doing whatever is needed to make it work.
Those things include:
- deciding on a specific speech purpose, (what you want people to do as a result of listening to your speech)
- research to pull facts together to ground your speech, to give you a solid platform to stand on
- understanding your audience so you know how best to shape your material to address their concerns
- sorting out any additional resources you may want to use (eg. images, graphs, hand outs ...)
- practice, and then more practice.
You see? Easy and persuasive don't seem to have a lot in common.
However, there is a way through.
How a persuasive speech topic becomes easy
You'll be glad to know there are exceptions.
A persuasive topic becomes 'easy' if:
- it fits with the criteria you've been given,
- you already know a lot about it,
- there's a readily accessible, and credible body of knowledge covering it,
- you're passionate about it, and
- you genuinely want to do what is required to cover it well.
Difficulties miraculously melt away when you are totally engrossed!
Below are 90 possible persuasive topics chosen for their broad appeal, and because they are subjects people generally feel strongly about.
Read them through, making a note of any that jump out and that you think you may be able to use. These will be the ones you'll find much 'easier' than the others because you're already interested!
Easy persuasive speech topics 1-10
- Having a pet makes their owner a better person.
- The future has already been decided.
- We need to understand and learn from our history.
- The death penalty is never acceptable.
- Life was better before the influence of online social media took over.
- Adversity makes a person stronger.
- It is better to earn your own living rather than to be financially provided for by someone else.
- The amount of money a person has is not a meaningful measure of success.
- All tobacco products should be banned
- Good health care should be available to all people.
Easy persuasive speech topic examples 11- 20
- Subliminal advertising should be banned.
- Men and women should receive the same work place benefits.
- No child should be denied an education on the grounds of gender, race or poverty.
- A school uniform helps make everyone equal.
- All children should be welcome in the world, regardless of the circumstances of their birth.
- Poor nutritional health in first world countries is the result of poor food choices.
- Sugar should be banned.
- Child care should be free.
- Parents should be equally responsible for child care.
- The family who eats together stays together.
Persuasive speech topic ideas 21- 30
- War is never right.
- Censorship is sensible on the internet.
- Children should have their use of social media and the internet monitored.
- Abortion on demand should be a right.
- Hate is not natural. It is a learned behavior.
- Immigrants should be welcomed and helped rather than banned.
- Violence breeds violence.
- Adults wanting children should be required to hold a parenting license.
- The same adoption laws should apply to whoever wants to adopt a child.
- Fear fuels violence.
Topic suggestions for persuasive speeches 31- 40
- Race crime is the result of ignorance.
- Food waste is criminal.
- Money never solves problems.
- Satire keeps us sane, and honest.
- Art/music/dance is necessary for survival.
- Graffiti is art too.
- People who are suffering from mental ill-health should be treated similarly to those suffering from physical ill-health.
- To be a little bit crazy is a good thing.
- We need to move to keep fit, functioning and balanced.
- The elderly should be cared for in their own homes.
Ideas for easy persuasive speeches 41- 50
- Those who want to die should be allowed to with dignity.
- The real reason a bully bullies is never the person who is getting bullied.
- Love makes the world go around.
- People should never be cloned.
- Genetic engineering should be banned.
- Using a mobile phone while driving should be illegal.
- Keeping animals in zoos is inhumane.
- A driver’s license test should be taken every 3 years.
- A vegan diet is not natural.
- Fossil fuels should be phased out.
Examples of easy persuasive speech topics 51 - 60
- Unmonitored use of facial recognition technology is a violation of individual rights.
- The use of any form of corporal punishment should be banned.
- Everyone should spend several months per year working for the betterment of others in a non-profit social service organization.
- Thanks and gratitude should be regularly expressed for everything good in our lives.
- Everyone deserves to be loved.
- Discipline is good for us.
- To be vulnerable is to be strong.
- Children should come with a user manual.
- The arts are equally as valuable as the sciences.
- Laughter heals.
Speech topics for easy persuasive speeches 61 - 70
- Real life is stranger than fiction.
- Recycling should be compulsory.
- A greener world is necessary for our survival.
- Welfare should start at home.
- Financial education is essential.
- True equality is a fantasy.
- Everyone deserves a living wage.
- The fast food industry is responsible for many of the Western World’s health problems.
- A sugar tax would help control the consumption of foods with high sugar content.
- Homework should be banned.
Persuasive speech topic suggestions 71 - 80
- Everybody should learn to cook and clean for themselves.
- Everybody’s screen time should be monitored.
- Tithing helps us take care of those who can’t help themselves.
- Expressing oneself freely is more important than getting the grammar, punctuation and spelling right.
- Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me is a lie.
- Vacations are essential.
- Team sports build good character traits.
- All forms of gender bias should be illegal.
- Being outdoors in nature heals.
- Cosmetic and reconstructive surgery should only be for those who genuinely need it.
Easy topics for persuasive speeches 81 - 90
- The ability to sustain a real time face to face conversation is being lost due to our high use of smart phones.
- Cheating on a test or in an examination is understandable.
- We must never tell lies to children except about Father Christmas, the tooth fairy and the Easter Rabbit.
- Single sex schools are better for girls.
- Getting top marks in an examination is not the only way to prove a person’s intelligence.
- Everybody is entitled to privacy, including children and teenagers.
- Table manners are important.
- Clothes speak louder than words.
- Poverty is a state of mind.
- Education is the passport to a better life.

More persuasive speech resources
Persuasive speech topics.

- 105 fun persuasive speech topics : ideal for light-hearted, informal speeches
- 100 non-boring persuasive speech ideas - a 'tired' topic is not for you. Choose something fresh and original.
- 50 good persuasive speech topics with treatment examples to show you how the same topic is treated differently for different audiences.
- 310 persuasive speech topics for college : mental health, society, family & friends, animals, education
- 108 feminist persuasive speech topics : the top current women's rights & feminist issues
For assistance with planning and writing
- Writing a persuasive speech - a 7 step action plan that includes how to choose a topic, analyze your audience, set a good speech purpose, decide on a structural pattern (with examples) and, more.
- A persuasive speech outline example using the 5 step structural pattern: Monroe's Motivated Sequence. (With a free printable outline)
- A persuasive speech example using Monroe's Motivated Sequence
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2 Good Persuasive Speech Examples to Inspire You
If I asked you to tie an overhand knot, you might stumble a bit. Actually, if you’ve never been a scout, you might think it’s impossible for you to know how to tie such an obscure knot.
But what if I showed you an example?
It would certainly help, right? Check out the video below to learn how to tie an overhand knot.
I’m pretty sure that most of you have tied this knot more than once in your lifetime. But as the video states, you simply didn’t know the official name of the knot you were tying.
So. What does tying knots have to do with writing a persuasive speech?
Admittedly, not much. But it does illustrate that sometimes you have a pretty good sense of how to do something, even if you don’t realize it. You just need an example to remind you how it’s done and to get you moving in the right direction.
That’s exactly the goal of this post: to provide you with two persuasive speech examples that can inspire your own writing.
In the two speeches below, I’ve included comments on what makes these examples good . I’ve also made note of a few places where the speaker may improve.
TAKE NOTE: Both of these speeches cite sources . If you’re required to turn in your outline or a copy of your speech, check with your teacher (or assignment guidelines ) to see if you should include a Works Cited (MLA), a list of references (APA), or a bibliography (Chicago).
For both persuasive speeches, my commentary is marked with “Susan says” speech bubbles. The specific text that I’m discussing from each speech is notated with brackets and corresponding numbers— [#] . For commentary that applies to full paragraphs, you’ll see the following notation at the end of the paragraph(s): *[#] .
Persuasive Speech Example #1: A Persuasive Speech on Limiting the Production and Use of Plastic
A Persuasive Speech on Limiting the Production and Use of Plastic
[1] When you hear the term “polluted plastics” I can tell you the exact picture that just popped into about 10 of your heads. This one, right? You have all heard of how plastics are affecting our marine life and “oh, the poor sea turtle”. And that’s great! Really, it is. We have had the idea that “pollution is bad” drilled into our brains since we were about 7. But this little sea turtle is not necessarily the problem. It’s much bigger than him. Plastics are leaving lasting effects on our ecosystems due to the improper disposal. Plastic production also uses up many of our natural resources. It is up to us to make a change in order to maintain sustainability. [2] Today, I want to show you just how destructive these effects are, how big of a dent we are making in our natural resources, and what steps we should take next.
Susan says: [1] This opening uses an excellent hook to grab the attention of the audience . The speaker uses the common image of a sea turtle being affected by pollution to make a connection with the audience and get them thinking about how pollution affects the environment.
Susan says: [2] The speaker ends the opening with a clear thesis statement to let the audience know that the speech isn’t just about sea turtles. The speech will discuss the environmental impact of plastics and how to reduce the use of plastics. Remember, a thesis statement is like a roadmap to your entire speech, so make sure to include a focused thesis to let your audience know what to expect.
Let’s say you want to throw away one plastic water bottle. Okay, no big deal. It’s just one bottle right? Well, Charleston is a peninsula, meaning that we are entirely surrounded by the ocean. According to Hannah Ellsbury in her article “The Problem with Plastic”, for every six water bottles we use, only one makes it to the recycling bin. The rest are sent to landfills. Or, even worse, they end up as trash on the land and in rivers, lakes, and the ocean. That means that, on average, all of us in this room cumulatively throw away or litter 6,100 water bottles a year. Now, let’s say that about ¼ of these end up in our beautiful Charleston harbor. That’s about 1,525 bottles just floating around outside of Charleston in a year, and that’s strictly from our first year seminar class alone. Pollutants found in the plastic in disposable water bottles deteriorate and leach into the water leaving potential carcinogens in the water we drink daily. Now if all 1,525 water bottles in our harbor are deteriorating, that means your fresh seafood at Hyman’s might be slightly infested with pollutants. *[3]
Susan says: *[3] Most people use (or have used) plastic water bottles. The speaker knows this and thus uses this example to make another connection with the audience. The speaker even goes one step further by mentioning the effects of pollution on seafood at a local restaurant. Using these types of personal and localized examples are excellent ways to convince your audience because the audience can directly relate and see how pollution affects their daily lives. This section also cites statistics and other information from sources to provide evidence of the claim . Such information further convinces the audience because they realize that the speaker isn’t simply providing a personal opinion. Instead, statements are backed up by experts.
[4] Even worse, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary, the law of biomagnification states that pollutants “increases its concentration in the tissues of organisms as it travels up the food chain”. This means that all of you seafood lovers might have more pollutants in our bodies than we would imagine. Now, I bet you’re wondering what happens to the rest of the actual plastic pieces left in our oceans. Plastic pieces like these? Well, animals are ingesting them. In fact, plastic pieces are being found within birds in the Pacific, meaning that the plastic pieces are literally killing them from the inside out. The plastic found throughout the oceans is a result of improper disposal of our plastics. [5] Even worse, though, is how these plastics are made.
Susan says: [4] While many teachers frown upon the use of dictionary definitions in essays or speeches, in this case the definition works well because many people wouldn’t understand the phrase “law of biomagnification.” Susan says: [5] Notice the importance of the last line of this section. It provides a transition to link ideas together. Your audience needs a clear path to see the connection between ideas. Transitional words and phrases provide this connection.
You see how far this water bottle is filled? Imagine that it’s not water. Look at that and picture it as oil. That’s how much oil is used in the production of this bottle. According to Catherine Fox from National Geographic, Americans buy more water bottles than any other nation averaging at about 29 billion. In order to make all these bottles, manufacturers use 17 million barrels of crude oil. That’s enough oil to keep a million cars going for twelve months. By investing $10 in a reusable plastic water bottle, you are saving on average, $81.25 per year. You could potentially fill your car, which for us freshman is probably sitting back at home in our driveways, up three times with that money. *[6]
Susan says: *[6] You need to know your audience in order to effectively convince them. In this case, the speaker is keenly aware of the audience and knows that first-year college students are often strapped for cash. Showing the audience how they can save money while saving the planet is a win-win and certainly goes a long way in persuading listeners.
The Office of Sustainability offers these water bottles to all students. They are made out of tin and are much more durable than any other kind of water bottle.
These bottles were offered for free at our freshman convocation and continue to be offered to all students. Not to mention, Starbucks has an option to purchase a reusable cup for a cheap price. Dining Halls have already enforced a plastic-free environment to dine, however, students are still able to purchase plastic containers from vending machines in education buildings. I believe that the College of Charleston should maintain the same standards they have set for the dining halls throughout campus. Soda dispensers with compostable cups should replace the vending machines currently residing in our education buildings. The Starbucks on campus should charge a small fee for each plastic cup used when ordering cold drinks. There is no reason plastic cups should still be sold on campus, and I propose a small fee should be charged for every purchase involving plastic. *[7]
Susan says: *[7] The speaker begins to wrap up the speech by offering solutions . This strategy helps the audience become even more interested in the topic and shows them what even small steps can do to reduce the use of plastics.
Now I’m hoping that you’re interested in doing something to help cut down on the pollutants entering, not only your body, but millions of aquatic sea creatures as well. You know the harmful effects of plastic on our environment and you know the dent we put in our planet in the production of these goods. We should all make an effort to use reusable water bottles, however, if we must, to recycle our plastic waste. We must put an end to the era of plastic so this little guy can swim freely, but only our generation can do so. *[8]
Susan says: *[8] The final section again appeals to the audience as a call to action . It’s clear that the speaker is referencing a visual when stating “so this little guy can swim freely.” The image more than likely refers back to the opening point about sea turtles and pollution. Connecting the conclusion to a point made in the introduction is a nice way to tie ideas together . And although the final line is worded a bit awkwardly, the point is still clear.
Persuasive Speech Example #2: A Persuasive Speech on the Topic of Organ Donation
A Persuasive Speech on the Topic of Organ Donation
[1] First of all I would like to thank you the board for inviting me here today, allowing me to be a part of and contributing to this cause that personally means so much to me. When I first contacted your organization, the Executive Director informed me that the greatest need was for a campaign that was tailored toward people between the ages of 18 and 24. The focus was to be on encouraging organ donation and facilitating open communication of the donor’s decision with family members. [2] Overall the campaign was to inform them of our nation’s public health crisis regarding organ donation. *[3]
Susan says: [1] Rather than speaking to a general audience (or classmates and a teacher), this speaker is directly addressing an audience already aware that they will be listening to a speech about organ donation. By speaking to a specific audience, this speaker can adjust the main ideas in order to directly appeal to listeners.
Susan says: [2] Here, the speaker directly mentions the purpose of this speech: to inform the audience of the nation’s health crisis regarding organ donation. Even though the audience likely knows the subject of the speech, in this thesis statement , the speaker lets the audience know that the focus is on the crisis of organ donation, not simply a general discussion of the topic. Further, the speech focuses on the idea that this is a crisis. Thus, the speaker is clearly attempting to persuade listeners into seeing just how important it is to increase organ donation. Susan says: *[3] This opening paragraph is a solid start to the speech as it effectively presents the topic and appeals to the audience (which increases the likelihood that the speaker will persuade listeners).
That’s right: Organ Donation is a public health crisis.
- According to UNOS, the United Network for Organ Sharing as of this morning there are 90,350 American men, women, and children on the transplant waiting list.
- One person will die needlessly at the end of this hour waiting for organ donation and 10 more people are added to this list every day.
- There are over 250 billion people in our country. *[4]
Susan says: *[4] Here, the speaker cites powerful statistics to persuade the audience and illustrate just how many people need organ transplants and how many die because they don’t receive the life-saving help they need. Using startling statistics causes the audience to take notice. Plus, because the numbers are shocking, the audience is more likely to remember the argument made by the speaker and more likely to be convinced.
According to the Department of Health and Human Resources, in 2002, there were 2.5 million deaths, and 106,742 of them were due to accidents. In 2002, 6,190 donor heroes and their families made the decision to donate. When comparing these statistics less than a half percent, not even 1% of these accidental fatalities were used to save or improve the life of another human being. So when I say heroes that is exactly what I mean. *[5]
Figures taken from The Oregon Donor Program website are disheartening. The Oregon population is at 3.5 million and last year only 84 donor heroes and their families chose to donate the gift of life in our state. *[6]
You see the reality is it doesn’t take 90,000 donors to save or improve the lives of these people. For every one organ donor has the potential to help at least 50 individuals with their “Gift of Life”. You see I know this personally because two very special people to me were organ donors who died tragically and unexpectedly. Through my experiences I have gained a greater understanding of what the “Gift of Life” really means. *[7]
Susan says: *[5– 7] In these paragraphs, the speaker again stresses the lack of donors and attempts to persuade the audience to donate by illustrating how many people they can help through organ donation.
This campaign was specifically tailored for the scholars of Southern Oregon University, its alumni and community members who are a truth seeking, compassionate, and educated group of individuals. The campaign goal is to share this information utilizing an information kiosk for SOU students and alumni in the student union. The kiosk would give SOU community members the opportunity to sign up as organ donors and would offer practical useful tools to share their decision with their loved ones. *[8]
Susan says: *[8] The speaker again appeals to the audience by complimenting them while explaining the campaign to increase organ donation. By appealing to the audience’s sense of compassion, the speaker increases the chances of listeners believing in the cause.
The two artifacts I have created specifically for this persuasion campaign are:
* A green hospital bracelet will be given to each new organ donor or individuals who can show a driver’s license indicating them as being an organ donor at the kiosk. *[9]
The bracelet itself is an example of symbolic persuasion representing the many lives that have been touched by organ donation. The pictures and names on each bracelet are actual people that have either been the patient waiting, the patient who died waiting, the transplant survivor, or the donor heroes. *[10]
The bracelet then is used as a reminder, and a reinforcing element of their commitment to organ donation. Because the bracelet is worn and not tucked away it encourages vital communication of the donor’s decision with family and peers. *[11]
* My second artifact is a letter that was created to address and personalize the donor’s donation decision. A Gallup poll conducted for the Partnership for Organ Donation showed that 85% of Americans supported organ donation. According to the Organtransplants.org website each year nearly 50% of families decline the opportunity to save lives by donating organs and tissues of deceased loved ones. The truth is even if you have decided to be an organ donor and you yourself know the significance of your choice your family has the final say as to whether or not your commitment is carried out. *[12]
The letter will serve as another reminder of the donor’s commitment to share his donation decision with his family, furthermore solidifying his decision and his intent. *[13]
Susan says: *[9–13] At the end of the speech, the speaker explains what artifacts will be used to encourage participation in organ donation. The artifacts represent real people, not just abstract numbers. This not only allows the current audience to make a personal connection but also allows them to see how this campaign will impact others. By looking forward and illustrating how the artifacts will help the cause, the speaker has further convinced the audience to agree with the importance of both organ donation itself and participating in the campaign described in the speech.
[several paragraphs omitted]
In conclusion, the facts remain that:
- 90,350 people are waiting…for a life-saving transplant
- 19 people die every day because of the lack of organ donation.
- Last year 6,529 people died …waiting for a life saving transplant.
- In 2004 there were 7,151 donors and their families who chose to share the “gift of life”.
- According to the Department of Health and Human Resources in 2004, 27,036 people received a lifesaving organ transplant. *[14]
Organ donation is based on altruism in our culture. That is according to Mr. Webster an unselfish concern for or dedication to the interests or welfare of others. My final plea to this audience of truth seeking, compassionate, educated individuals would be to take a look at the facts, take a look at the need then take a look at what you can and will do to help fill the gap for Alex, Christopher, Amy, Fletcher, Mike, Katy, Jim, Jonah, Kim, Crystal, Gloria, Darcy, Chuck, Nikolette, Caleb, Don, Zachary, Joshua, Isabella, Mark, Kennedy, Alicia, Jerry, Ashton, Gary and Nona. *[15]
[16] Organ donation costs nothing, yet could mean everything!
Susan says: *[14–15] Though the speaker might choose a more effective phrase than “in conclusion,” the end of this speech provides a clear push to persuade the audience. By citing shocking statistics and again making the information personal by adding names (rather than only statistics), the speaker is more likely to persuade the audience. Susan says: [16] The final line is also a call to action. This strategy is effective because it asks listeners to personally get involved and make a difference.
Now That You’re Inspired
Now that you’re inspired by the two persuasive speech examples above, it’s time to get creative and write your own speech.
Before you do, take a look at these resources to help get your speech rolling:
- 49 Persuasive Speech Topics You’ll Actually Want to Talk About
- How to Write a Persuasive Speech (On Just About Anything)
- This Persuasive Speech Outline Will Help You Write Faster
After you’ve written your speech, don’t forget that Kibin editors are here to help. Our expertise isn’t limited to essays, either. We have oodles of experience editing speeches too, and we’re ready to help you with yours.
Psst... 98% of Kibin users report better grades! Get inspiration from over 500,000 example essays .

About the Author
Susan M. Inez is a professor of English and writing goddess based out of the Northeast. In addition to a BA in English Education, an MA in Composition, and an MS in Education, Susan has 20 years of experience teaching courses on composition, writing in the professions, literature, and more. She also served as co-director of a campus writing center for 2 years.
- persuasive essays

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110 Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics to Impress Your Audience
Learn how to give an impressive persuasive speech and explore our comprehensive list of persuasive speech ideas .

Introduction
What makes a good persuasive speech topic, how to create and deliver a compelling persuasive speech, 110 interesting persuasive speech topics, introduction .
Are you having a hard time coming up with the right persuasive speech topic? One that isn’t boring or cliche? Are you looking for a persuasive speech topic that will both interest you and captivate your audience? It’s easier said than done, right?
Creating and delivering an interesting persuasive speech is a major endeavor. The last thing you want is to get stuck on the first step—selecting a persuasive speech topic. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. To help you identify the perfect persuasive speech topic for you, we’ve compiled a list of 110 compelling persuasive speech ideas. Every single one of these ideas has the potential to be an outstanding persuasive speech.
In addition, we’ll peel back the curtain to teach you what makes a good persuasive speech topic and give you expert tips on delivering a successful persuasive speech that will convince and astound your audience.
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There are three questions you can use to determine which persuasive speech topics will lead to enthusiastic applause and standing ovations.
Does the persuasive speech topic interest you?
A major part of writing a persuasive speech is doing ample research on the subject you choose. So one of the first things you should ask yourself when considering a potential persuasive speech topic is, “Would I enjoy learning about this subject extensively?” If you can’t answer that question with an emphatic, “Yes!” you might want to continue your topic search. You don’t want to spend hours diving into a subject you don’t enjoy.
Plus, an audience can easily pick up on boredom or lack of interest in a persuasive speech, and you clearly don’t want that. On the other hand, if you’re explaining a subject you’re passionate about, your audience will get caught up in your excitement—resulting in a much more compelling and persuasive speech.
Here’s another word of advice. Some people will tell you to pick a persuasive speech topic you’re already an expert in, and that’s certainly one way to go about it. While we won’t tell you being an expert in the subject should be your top deciding factor, this approach has its advantages—you’re already familiar with the lingo and the basics of the subject are. This helps you significantly speed up your research process. But if you have the time and willingness to tackle an entirely unfamiliar subject that utterly fascinates you, we say go for it!
Will the persuasive speech topic interest your audience?
So you’ve found a few persuasive speech topics that interest you. But what about your audience? Do they share your interest? Even if you argue your points with enthusiasm, will they be bored by your subject?
To answer these questions, you have to understand your audience well. Study them to learn what grabs their attention. What do they care about? What topics are relatable to their lives or their communities? What subjects will they be more likely to get emotionally invested in?
When you find persuasive speech topics that equally interest you and your audience, you’re setting yourself up for success.
Has the persuasive speech topic been covered too many times?
This is the last question you should ask yourself before committing to your persuasive speech topic. Has this topic been overdone? Even if your audience is invested in the subject, they’ll be quickly bored if they’ve listened to ten similar speeches prior to hearing yours. You won’t be persuasive if your listeners can predict each of your arguments before you give them.
Instead, search for persuasive speech topics that are unique and fresh—something your audience hasn’t heard a hundred times before. The one exception to this is if you can approach an overworked topic with a completely fresh and unusual perspective. For example, maybe you can approach the gun control debate as someone whose friend died from an accidental shooting, but your family still owns guns and enjoys hunting as a pastime.
Once you’ve chosen your persuasive speech topic (our list of 110 riveting persuasive speech ideas is coming next!) and completed your research on the subject, you’ll begin the writing process. Use this step-by-step approach to produce an outstanding speech that easily persuades your audience to adopt your viewpoint.
Determine your thesis. What opinion or belief are you convincing your audience to embrace? Are you asking them to take a specific action after listening to your speech? Just as you do when writing a college essay , make sure your thesis or call-to-action is crystal clear before you start writing.
Organize your main arguments. Create an outline of the evidence or points you’ve collected to support your thesis. Make sure your ideas flow logically into each other and build your case.
Support your arguments with facts and examples. You’ll want to use multiple sources for your evidence, with a preference for well-known or reputable sources. (Please don’t cite Wikipedia!) You can also get personal by using anecdotes from your own life or the lives of someone close to you. This will increase your persuasive speech’s impact.
Add emotional connections with your audience. Make your argument more powerful by appealing to your audience’s sense of nostalgia and common beliefs. Another tactic (which marketers use all the time) is to appeal to your listeners’ fears and rely on their instincts for self-preservation.
Address counterarguments. Rather than waiting for your audience to think up objections to the points you make, do it yourself. Then dispute those objections with additional facts, examples, and anecdotes.
Wrap up your persuasive speech with a strong conclusion. In your closing, restate your thesis, tug on your audience’s heartstrings one last time with an emotional connection, and deliver your decisive call to action.
Now that you have a strongly written persuasive speech, your final task is this: practice, practice, and practice some more! We guarantee your delivery won’t be perfect on your first attempt. But on your tenth or fifteenth, it just might be.
Record yourself delivering your persuasive speech so you can play it back and analyze your areas needing improvement. Are your pauses too long or not long enough? Did you sufficiently emphasize your emotional points? Are your anecdotes coming out naturally? How is your body language? What about your hand movements and eye contact?
When you’re feeling more comfortable, deliver your speech to a friend or family member and ask for feedback. This will put your public speaking skills to the test. Ensure they understood your main points, connected emotionally, and had all their objections answered. Once you’ve fine tuned your persuasive speech based on your warm-up audience’s feedback, you’ll be ready for the real thing.
Now for the fun part! We’ve compiled a list of 110 persuasive speech topics—broken down by category—for you to choose from or use as inspiration. Use the set of three questions we shared above to determine which of these interesting persuasive speech topics is right for you.
Art, Media, and Culture
Should tattoos still be considered “unprofessional”?
Do romantic movies and books glorify an unrealistic idea of love and lead to heartbreak?
Should offensive and inappropriate language be removed from classic literature?
Does watching TV shows or movies about teenage suicide encourage it or prevent it?
Is creating films and documentaries about criminals glorifying them and inspiring some to become criminals themselves?
Should art and music therapy be prioritized over traditional talk therapy?
College and Career
Should the cost of college be reduced?
Are income-share agreements better for students than taking out student loans?
Should college athletes be paid like professional athletes are?
Are same-sex colleges beneficial or antiquated?
Should everyone go to college?
What are the benefits of taking a gap year before starting college?
Would removing tenure and job-protection from professors improve or reduce the quality of higher education?
Has the traditional college model become outdated in the age of the Internet?
Should you pursue a career based on your passions or a career based on earning potential?
Economy and Work
Should the federal minimum wage be increased?
Is the boom of e-commerce harmful or beneficial to small communities?
Should everyone receive paid maternity and paternity leave?
Is capitalism a harmful or beneficial economic system?
Should manufacturing and outsourced work be moved back to the United States?
Would three-day weekends increase work productivity?
Should working from home be the new standard?
Why should we pay more to support small businesses and services instead of going to large companies and retailers?
Should the US establish mandatory military service for all its young people, such as the countries of Israel and South Korea do?
Should there be a mandatory retirement age?
Should classes about mental health and wellness be added to school curriculum?
At what age or grade should sex education be taught in schools?
How can sex education be taught more effectively?
Should school funding be dependent on taxes of district residents or should all schools receive an equal amount of funding from the state?
What are the benefits of year-round schools?
Are charter schools hurting or helping low-income communities?
Is homeschooling beneficial or harmful to children?
Should students on the Autism spectrum be integrated into regular classrooms?
What should be the qualifications for books to be banned from schools?
Should advanced math classes in high school be replaced with more practical courses on financial literacy and understanding taxes?
Are grades an accurate representation of learning?
Should we switch to the metric system?
What is the most important book every high school student in America should read?
What are the benefits of teaching art and music classes in high school?
Should independent learning be offered as a larger option in high school?
What are the benefits of making preschool free to all families?
Environment and Conservation
Should fuel-run vehicles be banned?
How does it benefit nature to reduce human paper consumption?
Should it be okay to own exotic animals as pets?
Should hunting be made illegal?
What is the biggest current threat to the environment and how would you suggest we remedy it?
Should disposable diapers be banned?
Should zoos and animal theme parks (such as Sea World) be closed?
Family and Religion
Should children have the right to virtual and physical privacy from their parents?
“It takes a village to raise a child.” How important is a community in raising children?
Is it better for a young child to attend daycare or stay home with a parent?
Should children be told to believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy?
Nature vs. nurture—which is the most powerful influence on a person’s character?
Should parents have to give approval in order for their minor children to receive birth control?
How does learning about family ancestors impact you in the present and future?
Should parents teach their kids about sex or is it the responsibility of the school system?
What is the most beneficial parenting style and why?
Should cults receive protection under freedom of religion?
What are the benefits of belonging to a religious community?
Should parents force their children to go to church or let them decide for themselves?
Government and International Relations
Should states have the ability to secede from the U.S.?
Should Puerto Rico be added as a state to the U.S.?
How long should judges serve on the Supreme Court?
Should the U.S. have open borders?
Should the U.S. get involved when leaders of other countries commit human rights violations against their own people?
Is the U.S. overly dependent on manufactured goods and imports from other countries?
Should the government focus on increasing revenue or reducing spending?
Health and Medicine
Should universal health care be freely given to everyone?
Should soda and candy be banned from school campuses?
Should tobacco products be completely banned in America?
Is a plant-based diet better than a meat-based diet?
Should addiction counseling and treatment be covered by health insurance?
Would taxing fast food help combat obesity?
Should we ban all genetically modified foods?
What would be the benefits of making all birth control methods (e.g. condoms, the pill) free of charge?
Should homeopathic and alternative medical treatments be covered by health insurance?
Politics and Society
Should voting become mandatory?
What could politicians do to appeal to younger generations of voters?
Should prisoners have the right to vote?
Would it be better in the U.S. if elected politicians were younger?
Should the police use rubber bullets instead of real bullets?
Are private, for-profit prisons a threat to prisoners’ rights?
Should U.S. military funding be increased or decreased?
Should there be stricter or looser restrictions to qualify for welfare assistance?
Is our current two-party political system good enough or in need of replacing?
Should major corporations be eligible for tax breaks?
How can the current policy on undocumented immigrants in America be improved?
Should it be illegal for politicians to receive donations from large corporations?
Science and Technology
Should animal testing be banned?
Should organ donation be optional or mandated for all?
Is artificial intelligence a threat?
Should parents be allowed to scientifically alter their children’s genes?
What is the best option for renewable energy?
Should military forces be allowed to use drones in warfare?
Should self-driving cars be illegal?
Do the benefits of the internet outweigh the loss of privacy?
Should it be illegal for companies to sell their consumers’ information?
Should the government more strictly regulate the Internet?
How much screen time is too much?
Should everyone receive free internet?
Should we build a colony on the moon?
Social Media
At what age should children be allowed to be on social media?
Should schools be responsible for teaching safe social media education?
When should children be allowed to have a cell phone?
What should the punishment be for cyberbullying?
Do online friendships have the same benefits as in-person friendships?
Are social media influencers beneficial or harmful to society?
Has the popularity of “selfies” increased self-confidence or self-centeredness?
Is cancel culture a positive or a negative thing?
What are the most reliable, unbiased sources to receive news and information?

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49 Sample Persuasive Speech Outline
Student Example
Persuasive Speech Outline
- This is a student example of Monroe’s Motivated Sequence.
- This student’s outline is well developed, coherent, integrates research, follows a strong organizational pattern, and meets all expectations of an outline in a public speaking course.
- Click on the Google Document provided for a sample speech outline.
Public Speaking by Dr. Layne Goodman; Amber Green, M.A.; and Various is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
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Introduce your credibility and the topic: “My research on this controversial topic has shown me that deterrence and retribution are central arguments for the
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Trying to find an introduction for persuasive speeches? Watch a sample persuasive introduction in this free video clip about writing a great
You have all heard of how plastics are affecting our marine life and “oh, the poor sea turtle”. And that's great! Really, it is. We have had the
110 interesting persuasive speech topics · Should fuel-run vehicles be banned? · How does it benefit nature to reduce human paper consumption?
This is a student example of Monroe's Motivated Sequence. · This student's outline is well developed, coherent, integrates research, follows a strong