Students are required to take public speaking in college as part of any undergraduate program of study; and of all the speeches students will be called upon to deliver, the most difficult and challenging will probably be the persuasive speech. There are steps, however, that students can take to help them prepare an effective, perhaps even outstanding, persuasive speech.
Choose a Speech Topic
The first step is to select a topic. When it comes to selecting one, though, students should keep two things in mind:
- Since they will be expected to conduct research, preparation will be far less tedious if they select a topic in which they are truly interested and about which they would like to know more.
- Ideally, they should select a topic that deals with an issue about which they genuinely care, for if they care, their passion will be evident and passion often helps sway an audience to accept a speaker’s opinion or argument.
Sample Persuasive Speech Topics
Although there are countless possibilities when it comes to topics for persuasive speeches, a few that students might consider include the following:
- Should capital punishment be abolished?
- Should marijuana be legalized?
- Does intelligent life exist on other planets?
- Is the United States doing enough to preserve endangered wildlife?
- Should the United States provide national healthcare for all citizens?
- Are public school teachers devoting too much time to preparing students for proficiency tests and not enough time to providing them with an education?
- Since obesity has become a leading contributor to illness and death, should the government enact anti-fast-food legislation?
- Did Lee Harvey Oswald act alone in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy?
- Are science fiction movies merely post-modern westerns?
- Is a high-protein diet safe or unsafe?
- Is global warming a myth or reality?
- Should both evolution and creationism be taught in public schools?
Determine the Speech Category
There are three categories of persuasive speeches, each dealing with a different type of question, so once students have selected a topic, they should then determine which category best fits their chosen topic:
Questions of Fact – Questions about events, people, objects, and ideas; however, there are two types of questions of fact:
- Questions that have definite answers since the questions can be answered through research, for example: Is a high-protein diet safe or unsafe?
- Questions that do not have definite answers; for example: Does intelligent life exist on other planets?
Questions of Value – Questions that involve fact but require value judgments based upon what one believes is right or wrong, moral or immoral, ethical or unethical, for example: Should capital punishment be abolished?
Questions of Policy – Questions that involve fact but deal with specific courses of action and ask whether or not those courses should be followed; for example: Should the United States provide national healthcare for all citizens? (Questions of policy often involve questions of value as well since policies can affect many lives.)
Determine the Goal of the Speech
Determine the objective one hopes to attain in delivering the speech. For example, for questions of fact, the goal might be to convince an audience to accept one’s viewpoint as being the correct viewpoint. For questions of value, it might be to get audience members to accept some action as morally or legally right or wrong. For questions of policy, it might be to encourage audience members to take action by contacting their congressperson or signing a petition.
Identify the Central Idea
Decide upon the central idea that will serve as the foundation for all other ideas within the speech. Like the thesis statement in an essay, the central idea of a speech is the controlling thought. Moreover, like a thesis statement, this idea should be expressed in one complete declarative sentence; for example, Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone in assassinating President John F. Kennedy.
Decide Upon the Main Points
Decide upon the main points that will be made throughout the entirety of the speech. These points should serve to support the central idea by providing details and examples. Do not, however, include too many main points. Usually, two to four are sufficient, especially in classroom settings where one is allowed only so much time to deliver one’s speech.
Begin Preparation of the Speech
Once the topic has been selected, goal determined, central idea identified, and main points decided upon, the real work begins, for this is when preparation of the actual speech begins. The first step, of course, is to conduct any necessary research and compile information, details, and examples to support one’s argument. Following this, create an outline that establishes the organization of the speech.
The Components of an Outline
- Central idea
- Purpose of the speech
- Introduction: Will the speaker pose a rhetorical question, present startling statistics, or perhaps share an anecdote?
- Main points to support central idea
- Sub-points to support each main point
- Conclusion: Will the speech conclude with a summation of main ideas, a thought-provoking final comment, a related anecdote, or an appeal to action?
When it comes time for students to deliver a persuasive speech, if they keep these guidelines in mind, they will be equipped to present a speech that not only will meet course requirements but could also make a difference in someone’s life.
Lucas, S. The Art of Public Speaking: Sixth Edition. Boston: McGraw-Hill. 1998.
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