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112 Persuasive Speech Topics That Are Actually Engaging

What’s covered:, how to pick an awesome persuasive speech topic, 112 engaging persuasive speech topics, tips for preparing your persuasive speech.

Writing a stellar persuasive speech requires a carefully crafted argument that will resonate with your audience to sway them to your side. This feat can be challenging to accomplish, but an engaging, thought-provoking speech topic is an excellent place to start.

When it comes time to select a topic for your persuasive speech, you may feel overwhelmed by all the options to choose from—or your brain may be drawing a completely blank slate. If you’re having trouble thinking of the perfect topic, don’t worry. We’re here to help!

In this post, we’re sharing how to choose the perfect persuasive speech topic and tips to prepare for your speech. Plus, you’ll find 112 persuasive speech topics that you can take directly from us or use as creative inspiration for your own ideas!

Choose Something You’re Passionate About

It’s much easier to write, research, and deliver a speech about a cause you care about. Even if it’s challenging to find a topic that completely sparks your interest, try to choose a topic that aligns with your passions.

However, keep in mind that not everyone has the same interests as you. Try to choose a general topic to grab the attention of the majority of your audience, but one that’s specific enough to keep them engaged.

For example, suppose you’re giving a persuasive speech about book censorship. In that case, it’s probably too niche to talk about why “To Kill a Mockingbird” shouldn’t be censored (even if it’s your favorite book), and it’s too broad to talk about media censorship in general.

Steer Clear of Cliches

Have you already heard a persuasive speech topic presented dozens of times? If so, it’s probably not an excellent choice for your speech—even if it’s an issue you’re incredibly passionate about.

Although polarizing topics like abortion and climate control are important to discuss, they aren’t great persuasive speech topics. Most people have already formed an opinion on these topics, which will either cause them to tune out or have a negative impression of your speech.

Instead, choose topics that are fresh, unique, and new. If your audience has never heard your idea presented before, they will be more open to your argument and engaged in your speech.

Have a Clear Side of Opposition

For a persuasive speech to be engaging, there must be a clear side of opposition. To help determine the arguability of your topic, ask yourself: “If I presented my viewpoint on this topic to a group of peers, would someone disagree with me?” If the answer is yes, then you’ve chosen a great topic!

Now that we’ve laid the groundwork for what it takes to choose a great persuasive speech topic, here are over one hundred options for you to choose from.

Should high school athletes get tested for steroids?
Should schools be required to have physical education courses?
Should sports grades in school depend on things like athletic ability?
What sport should be added to or removed from the Olympics?
Should college athletes be able to make money off of their merchandise?
Should sports teams be able to recruit young athletes without a college degree?
Should we consider video gamers as professional athletes?
Is cheerleading considered a sport?
Should parents allow their kids to play contact sports?
Should professional female athletes be paid the same as professional male athletes?
Should college be free at the undergraduate level?
Is the traditional college experience obsolete?
Should you choose a major based on your interests or your potential salary?
Should high school students have to meet a required number of service hours before graduating?
Should teachers earn more or less based on how their students perform on standardized tests?
Are private high schools more effective than public high schools?
Should there be a minimum number of attendance days required to graduate?
Are GPAs harmful or helpful?
Should schools be required to teach about standardized testing?
Should Greek Life be banned in the United States?
Should schools offer science classes explicitly about mental health?
Should students be able to bring their cell phones to school?
Should all public restrooms be all-gender?
Should undocumented immigrants have the same employment and education opportunities as citizens?
Should everyone be paid a living wage regardless of their employment status?
Should supremacist groups be able to hold public events?
Should guns be allowed in public places?
Should the national drinking age be lowered?
Should prisoners be allowed to vote?
Should the government raise or lower the retirement age?
Should the government be able to control the population?
Is the death penalty ethical?

Environment

Should stores charge customers for plastic bags?
Should breeding animals (dogs, cats, etc.) be illegal?
Is it okay to have exotic animals as pets?
Should people be fined for not recycling?
Should compost bins become mandatory for restaurants?
Should electric vehicles have their own transportation infrastructure?
Would heavier fining policies reduce corporations’ emissions?
Should hunting be encouraged or illegal?
Should reusable diapers replace disposable diapers?

Science & Technology

Is paper media more reliable than digital news sources?
Should automated/self-driving cars be legalized?
Should schools be required to provide laptops to all students?
Should software companies be able to have pre-downloaded programs and applications on devices?
Should drones be allowed in military warfare?
Should scientists invest more or less money into cancer research?
Should cloning be illegal?
Should societies colonize other planets?
Should there be legal oversight over the development of technology?

Social Media

Should there be an age limit on social media?
Should cyberbullying have the same repercussions as in-person bullying?
Are online relationships as valuable as in-person relationships?
Does “cancel culture” have a positive or negative impact on societies?
Are social media platforms reliable information or news sources?
Should social media be censored?
Does social media create an unrealistic standard of beauty?
Is regular social media usage damaging to real-life interactions?
Is social media distorting democracy?
How many branches of government should there be?
Who is the best/worst president of all time?
How long should judges serve in the U.S. Supreme Court?
Should a more significant portion of the U.S. budget be contributed towards education?
Should the government invest in rapid transcontinental transportation infrastructure?
Should airport screening be more or less stringent?
Should the electoral college be dismantled?
Should the U.S. have open borders?
Should the government spend more or less money on space exploration?
Should students sing Christmas carols, say the pledge of allegiance, or perform other tangentially religious activities?
Should nuns and priests become genderless roles?
Should schools and other public buildings have prayer rooms?
Should animal sacrifice be legal if it occurs in a religious context?
Should countries be allowed to impose a national religion on their citizens?
Should the church be separated from the state?
Does freedom of religion positively or negatively affect societies?

Parenting & Family

Is it better to have children at a younger or older age?
Is it better for children to go to daycare or stay home with their parents?
Does birth order affect personality?
Should parents or the school system teach their kids about sex?
Are family traditions important?
Should parents smoke or drink around young children?
Should “spanking” children be illegal?
Should parents use swear words in front of their children?
Should parents allow their children to play violent video games?

Entertainment

Should all actors be paid the same regardless of gender or ethnicity?
Should all award shows be based on popular vote?
Who should be responsible for paying taxes on prize money, the game show staff or the contestants?
Should movies and television shows have ethnicity and gender quotas?
Should newspapers and magazines move to a completely online format?
Should streaming services like Netflix and Hulu be free for students?
Is the movie rating system still effective?
Should celebrities have more privacy rights?

Arts & Humanities

Are libraries becoming obsolete?
Should all schools have mandatory art or music courses in their curriculum?
Should offensive language be censored from classic literary works?
Is it ethical for museums to keep indigenous artifacts?
Should digital designs be considered an art form?
Should abstract art be considered an art form?
Is music therapy effective?
Should tattoos be regarded as “professional dress” for work?
Should schools place greater emphasis on the arts programs?
Should euthanasia be allowed in hospitals and other clinical settings?
Should the government support and implement universal healthcare?
Would obesity rates lower if the government intervened to make healthy foods more affordable?
Should teenagers be given access to birth control pills without parental consent?
Should food allergies be considered a disease?
Should health insurance cover homeopathic medicine?
Is using painkillers healthy?
Should genetically modified foods be banned?
Should there be a tax on unhealthy foods?
Should tobacco products be banned from the country?
Should the birth control pill be free for everyone?

If you need more help brainstorming topics, especially those that are personalized to your interests, you can use CollegeVine’s free AI tutor, Ivy . Ivy can help you come up with original persuasive speech ideas, and she can also help with the rest of your homework, from math to languages.

Do Your Research

A great persuasive speech is supported with plenty of well-researched facts and evidence. So before you begin the writing process, research both sides of the topic you’re presenting in-depth to gain a well-rounded perspective of the topic.

Understand Your Audience

It’s critical to understand your audience to deliver a great persuasive speech. After all, you are trying to convince them that your viewpoint is correct. Before writing your speech, consider the facts and information that your audience may already know, and think about the beliefs and concerns they may have about your topic. Then, address these concerns in your speech, and be mindful to include fresh, new information.

Have Someone Read Your Speech

Once you have finished writing your speech, have someone read it to check for areas of strength and improvement. You can use CollegeVine’s free essay review tool to get feedback on your speech from a peer!

Practice Makes Perfect

After completing your final draft, the key to success is to practice. Present your speech out loud in front of a mirror, your family, friends, and basically, anyone who will listen. Not only will the feedback of others help you to make your speech better, but you’ll become more confident in your presentation skills and may even be able to commit your speech to memory.

Hopefully, these ideas have inspired you to write a powerful, unique persuasive speech. With the perfect topic, plenty of practice, and a boost of self-confidence, we know you’ll impress your audience with a remarkable speech!

150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics for Students in 2024

April 1, 2024

Do you know that moment in your favorite film, when the soundtrack begins to swell and the main character stands up and delivers a speech so rousing, so impassioned, it has the entire room either weeping or cheering by the time it concludes? What distinguishes the effectiveness of such a speech is not only the protagonist’s stellar delivery but also the compelling nature of the subject matter at hand. Choosing an effective persuasive speech topic is essential for guaranteeing that your future speech or essay is as moving as these . If this sounds like a tall order, have no fear. Below you’ll find a list of some of the best and most interesting persuasive speech topics for high school students to tackle, from the playful (“Pets for President”) to the serious (“Should We Stop AI from Replacing Human Workers?”).

And if you’re craving more inspiration, feel free to check out this list of Great Debate Topics , which can be used to generate further ideas.

What is a Good Persuasive Speech?

Before we get to the list, we must address the question on everyone’s minds: what is a persuasive speech, and what the heck makes for a good persuasive speech topic? A persuasive speech is a speech that aims to convince its listeners of a particular point of view . At the heart of each persuasive speech is a central conflict . Note: The persuasive speech stands in contrast to a simple informative speech, which is intended purely to convey information. (I.e., an informative speech topic might read: “The History of Making One’s Bed,” while a persuasive speech topic would be: “Why Making One’s Bed is a Waste of Time”—understand?)

And lest you think that persuasive speeches are simply assigned by your teachers as a particularly cruel form of torture, remember that practicing your oratory skills will benefit you in all areas of life—from job interviews, to business negotiations, to your future college career in public policy or international relations . Knowing how to use your voice to enact meaningful change is a valuable skill that can empower you to make a difference in the world.

Components of a Great Persuasive Speech Topic

The ideal persuasive speech topic will inspire the audience to action via both logical arguments and emotional appeals. As such, we can summarize the question “what makes a good persuasive speech topic?” by saying that the topic must possess the following qualities:

Timeliness and Relevance . Great persuasive speech topics grapple with a contemporary issue that is meaningful to the listener at hand. The topic might be a current news item, or it might be a long-standing social issue. In either case, the topic should be one with real-world implications.
Complexity . A fruitful persuasive speech topic will have many facets. Topics that are controversial, with some gray area, lend themselves to a high degree of critical thinking. They also offer the speaker an opportunity to consider and refute all counterarguments before making a compelling case for his or her own position.
Evidence . You want to be able to back up your argument with clear evidence from reputable sources (i.e., not your best friend or dog). The more evidence and data you can gather, the more sound your position will be. In addition, your audience will be more inclined to trust you.
Personal Connection. Do you feel passionately about the topic you’ve chosen? If not, it may be time to go back to the drawing board. This does not mean you have to support the side you choose; sometimes, arguing for the opposing side of what you personally believe can be an effective exercise in building empathy and perspective. Either way, though, the key is to select a topic that you care deeply about. Your passion will be infectious to the audience.

150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics

Should tech companies regulate the development of AI systems and automation to protect humans’ jobs?
Should we limit screen time for children?
Is it ethical for AI models like Dall-E to train themselves on artists’ work without the artists’ permission?
Should the government regulate the use of personal drones?
Is mass surveillance ethical? Does its threat to civil liberties outweigh its benefits?
Are virtual reality experiences a valuable educational tool?
Do the positive effects of powerful AI systems outweigh the risks?
Do voice assistants like Siri and Alexa invade individuals’ privacy?
Are cell phone bans in the classroom effective for improving student learning?
Does the use of facial recognition technology in public violate individuals’ privacy?
Should students be allowed to use ChatGPT and other AI tools for writing assignments?
Should AI-generated art be allowed in art shows or contests?
Who holds responsibility for accidents caused by self-driving cars: the driver or the car company?

Business and Economy

Should we do away with the minimum wage? Why or why not?
Is it ethical for companies to use unpaid internships as a source of labor?
Does the gig economy benefit or harm workers?
Is capitalism the best economic system?
Is it ethical for companies to use sweatshops in developing countries?
Should the government provide free healthcare for all citizens?
Should the government regulate prices on pharmaceutical drugs?
Should the government enact a universal base income?
Should customers be required to tip a minimum amount in order to ensure food service workers make a living wage?
Should someone’s tattoos or personal appearance factor into the hiring process?
Should US workers have more vacation time?
Is big game hunting beneficial for local communities?
Should we legalize euthanasia?
Is it ethical to use animals for medical research?
Is it ethical to allow access to experimental treatments for terminally ill patients?
Should we allow genetic engineering in humans?
Is the death penalty obsolete?
Should we allow the cloning of humans?
Is it ethical to allow performance-enhancing drugs in sports?
Should embryonic stem cell collection be allowed?
Do frozen IVF embryos have rights?
Should state and federal investigators be allowed to use DNA from genealogy databases?
Should the government limit how many children a couple can have?
Is spanking children an acceptable form of discipline?
Should we allow parents to choose their children’s physical attributes through genetic engineering?
Should we require parents to vaccinate their children?
Should we require companies to give mandatory paternal and maternal leave?
Should children be allowed to watch violent movies and video games?
Should parents allow their teenagers to drink before they turn 21?
Should the government provide childcare?
Should telling your children about Santa Claus be considered lying?
Should one parent stay home?
Should parental consent be required for minors to receive birth control?
Is it an invasion of privacy for parents to post photographs of their children on social media?

Social Media

Should social media platforms ban political ads?
Do the benefits of social media outweigh the downsides?
Should the government hold social media companies responsible for hate speech on their platforms?
Is social media making us more or less social?
Do platforms like TikTok exacerbate mental health issues in teens?
Should the government regulate social media to protect citizens’ privacy?
Is it right for parents to monitor their children’s social media accounts?
Should social media companies enact a minimum user age restriction?
Should we require social media companies to protect user data?
Should we hold social media companies responsible for cyberbullying?
Should schools ban the use of social media from their networks?
Should we be allowed to record others without their consent?
Do online crime sleuths help or hurt criminal investigations?

Education – Persuasive Speech Topics

Would trade schools and other forms of vocational training benefit a greater number of students than traditional institutions of higher education?
Should colleges use standardized testing in their admissions processes?
Is forcing students to say the Pledge a violation of their right to freedom of speech?
Should school districts offer bilingual education programs for non-native speakers?
Should schools do away with their physical education requirements?
Should schools incorporate a remote learning option into their curriculum?
Should we allow school libraries to ban certain books?
Should we remove historical figures who owned slaves from school textbooks and other educational materials?
Should we have mixed-level classrooms or divide students according to ability?
Should grading on a curve be allowed?
Should graphic novels be considered literature?
Should all students have to take financial literacy classes before graduating?
Should colleges pay student athletes?
Should we ban violent contact sports like boxing and MMA?
Should sports leagues require professional athletes to stand during the national anthem?
Should sports teams ban players like Kyrie Irving when they spread misinformation or hate speech?
Should high schools require their athletes to maintain a certain GPA?
Should the Olympic committee allow transgender athletes to compete?
Should high schools ban football due to its safety risks to players?
Should all high school students be required to play a team sport?
Should sports teams be mixed instead of single-gender?
Should there be different athletic standards for men and women?
In which renewable energy option would the US do best to invest?
Should the US prioritize space exploration over domestic initiatives?
Should companies with a high carbon footprint be punished?
Should the FDA ban GMOs?
Would the world be a safer place without nuclear weapons?
Does AI pose a greater threat to humanity than it does the potential for advancement?
Who holds the most responsibility for mitigating climate change: individuals or corporations?
Should we be allowed to resurrect extinct species?
Are cancer screening programs ethical?

Social Issues – Persuasive Speech Topics

College education: should the government make it free for all?
Should we provide free healthcare for undocumented immigrants?
Is physician-assisted suicide morally justifiable?
Does social media have a negative impact on democracy?
Does cancel culture impede free speech?
Does affirmative action help or hinder minority groups in the workplace?
Should we hold public figures and celebrities to a higher standard of morality?
Should abortion be an issue that is decided at the federal or state level?
Should the sex offender registry be available to the public?
Should undocumented immigrants have a path to amnesty?
Do syringe services programs reduce or increase harmful behaviors?
Should there be a statute of limitations?
Should those who are convicted of a crime be required to report their criminal history on job and housing applications?

Politics and Government

Is the Electoral College still an effective way to elect the President of the US?
Should we allow judges to serve on the Supreme Court indefinitely?
Should the US establish a national gun registry?
Countries like Israel and China require all citizens to serve in the military. Is this a good or bad policy?
Should the police force require all its officers to wear body cameras while on duty?
Should the US invest in the development of clean meat as a sustainable protein source?
Should the US adopt ranked-choice voting?
Should institutions that profited from slavery provide reparations?
Should the government return land to Native American tribes?
Should there be term limits for representatives and senators?
Should there be an age limit for presidential candidates?
Should women be allowed in special forces units?

Easy Persuasive Speech Topics

Should schools have uniforms?
Can video games improve problem-solving skills?
Are online classes as effective as in-person classes?
Should companies implement a four-day work week?
Co-ed learning versus single-sex: which is more effective?
Should the school day start later?
Is homework an effective teaching tool?
Are electric cars really better for the environment?
Should schools require all students to study a foreign language?
Do professional athletes get paid too much money?

Fun Persuasive Speech Topics

Should we allow pets to run for public office?
Does pineapple belong on pizza?
Would students benefit from schools swapping out desks with more comfortable seating arrangements (i.e., bean bag chairs and couches)?
Is procrastination the key to success?
Should Americans adopt British accents to sound more intelligent?
The age-old dilemma: cats or dogs?
Should meme creators receive royalties when their memes go viral?
Should there be a minimum drinking age for coffee?
Are people who make their beds every day more successful than those who don’t?

Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics

Is the movie ranking system an effective way to evaluate the appropriateness of films?
Should the government place a “health tax” on junk food?
Is it ethical to create artificial life forms that are capable of complex emotions?
Should parents let children choose their own names?
Creating clones of ourselves to serve as organ donors: ethical or not?
Is it ethical to engineer humans to be better and more optimized than nature intended?
Should we adopt a universal language to communicate with people from all countries?
Should there be a penalty for people who don’t vote?
Should calories be printed on menus?
Does tourism positively or negatively impact local communities?
When used by non-Natives, are dreamcatchers cultural appropriation?
Should companies require their employees to specify pronouns in their signature line?
Should commercial fishing be banned?
Are cemeteries sustainable?
Is it okay to change the race, culture, and/or gender of historical figures in movies or TV shows?

I’ve Chosen My Topic, Now What?

Once you’ve selected your topic, it’s time to get to work crafting your argument. Preparation for a persuasive speech or essay involves some key steps, which we’ve outlined for you below.

How to Create a Successful Persuasive Speech, Step by Step

Research your topic. Read widely and smartly. Stick to credible sources, such as peer-reviewed articles, published books, government reports, textbooks, and news articles. The right sources and data will be necessary to help you establish your authority. As you go, take notes on the details and nuances of your topic as well as potential counterarguments. Research the counterarguments, too.
Choose an angle. For example, if you chose the topic “Should we limit screen time for children?” your speech should come down firmly on one side of that debate. If your topic is frequently debated, such as abortion, capital punishment, gun control, social media, etc. try to find a niche angle or new research. For example, instead of “Should abortion be legal?” you might consider “Should you be able to order abortion pills online?” Another example: “Should the death penalty be banned?” might become “How long is it ethical for someone to stay on death row?” If you do some digging, even the most cliche topics have incredibly interesting and relatively unexplored sub-topics.
Create an outline. Your outline should include an introduction with a thesis statement, a body that uses evidence to elaborate and support your position while refuting any counterarguments, and a conclusion. The conclusion will both summarize the points made earlier and serve as your final chance to persuade your audience.
Write your speech. Use your outline to help you as well as the data you’ve collected. Remember: this is not dry writing; this writing has a point of view, and that point of view is yours . Accordingly, use anecdotes and examples to back up your argument. The essential components of this speech are logos (logic), ethos (credibility), and pathos (emotion) . The ideal speech will use all three of these functions to engage the audience.

How to Practice and Deliver a Persuasive Speech

Talk to yourself in the mirror, record yourself, and/or hold a practice speech for family or friends. If you’ll be using visual cues, a slide deck, or notecards, practice incorporating them seamlessly into your speech. You should practice until your speech feels very familiar, at least 5-10 times.
Practice body language. Are you making eye contact with your audience, or looking at the ground? Crossing your arms over your chest or walking back and forth across the room? Playing with your hair, cracking your knuckles, or picking at your clothes? Practicing what to do with your body, face, and hands will help you feel more confident on speech day.
Take it slow. It’s common to talk quickly while delivering a speech—most of us want to get it over with! However, your audience will be able to connect with you much more effectively if you speak at a moderate pace, breathe, and pause when appropriate.
Give yourself grace. How you recover from a mistake is much more important than the mistake itself. Typically, the best approach is to good-naturedly shrug off a blip and move on. 99% of the time, your audience won’t even notice!

Good Persuasive Speech Topics—Final Thoughts

The art of persuasive speaking is a tricky one, but the tips and tricks laid out here will help you craft a compelling argument that will sway even the most dubious audience to your side. Mastering this art takes both time and practice, so don’t fret if it doesn’t come to you right away. Remember to draw upon your sources, speak with authority, and have fun. Once you have the skill of persuasive speaking down, go out there and use your voice to impact change!

Looking for some hot-button topics in college admissions? You might consider checking out the following:

Do Colleges Look at Social Media?
Should I Apply Test-Optional to College?
Should I Waive My Right to See Letters of Recommendation?
Should I Use the Common App Additional Information Section?
High School Success

Lauren Green

With a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from Columbia University and an MFA in Fiction from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin, Lauren has been a professional writer for over a decade. She is the author of the chapbook A Great Dark House (Poetry Society of America, 2023) and a forthcoming novel (Viking/Penguin).