Finding Persuasive Speech Angle

Crafting a persuasive speech or writing a persuasive essay begins with picking the right topic. A good persuasive speech topic is one that you can use to grab the audience’s attention, inform and persuade, and provide a strong persuasive argument for adopting your point of view.

How to narrow down this list of ideas?

First, make a rough inventory:

• Which of the speech topics are you interested in?
• What amuses you, makes you move right the way, happy or sad?
• Which topics do you know something about?
• Which topics would you like to research?

Review your inventory list and narrow your choices by answering these questions:

• Do you know global, national, state, community, job or school-related problems and solutions, issues or controversies, related to the persuasive speech ideas?
• Are you excited about any historical or current events, places, processes, organizations or interesting people?
• Do you have certain concerns, opinions, or beliefs?
• Do you think something has to change in the human attitude or social values?
• Did you see or hear something in the news or read about in library books on any of these topics?
• Is there a link with personal experiences, professional or personal goals?

All the answers on the questions above help you to find your angle of approach for a conclusive speech. So, select a few specific angles. Those can serve as the basic main points.

Finding the right angle

State your opinion

Persuasive speech topic examples

Law

• Should illegal music and movie downloads be prosecuted?
• People over 60 should be required to take a bi-annual driver’s test.
• Should the driving age be raised to 21?
• Should it be legal for people to own exotic pets such as tigers or chimps?
• Is the fast food industry legally accountable for obesity?
• Should the government declare gambling and sports betting illegal?
• Do you believe the government should recognize same-sex marriage?
• Would it be better if the voting age was lowered to thirteen?
• Why we should legalize drugs.

Economy

• Should products manufactured outside Malaysia come with an additional tax?
• Should Malaysia boycott Israeli products?
• Free trade agreements are bad for workers.
• The trade deficit with China is dangerous.
• The minimum wage should be increased.
• Daylight savings time has many advantages for our economy.
• The oil companies are to blame for the rising energy prices.
• Hiring cheaper foreign employees hurts our economy.

Constitutional Issues

• Do you think it would be fair for the government to detain suspected terrorists without proper trial?
• Should flag burning as a form of protest be prohibited?
• Should every day begin with a silent prayer/oath at school?
• Why alcohol should be illegal.
• Prayer in schools should not be mandatory.

Business

• Advertising standards should be higher.
• Why introverts make good leaders.
• Owning a business means you will lose your friends.
• You should never go into business with family members.
• Just because someone knows you it doesn’t mean you owe them any discounts.
• To be a business owner you must learn to be well organized.
• It’s important that a business should have personality.