Tips for Selecting a Speech Topic

Delivering a speech can be a terrifying thought and experience for many. Even those skilled in oratory may find it difficult to choose the perfect speech topic that impresses, persuades or educates the audience.

However, if you choose a proper topic and prepare thoroughly, you may not have difficulty in giving a speech. There are several things that you need to consider while selecting a speech topic. Take a look at the tips to select a topic for speech.

Before looking for a topic, you should know who your audience will be, and where will you deliver your speech. For e.g., is the speech to be given in a college, at a charity function; will the majority of audience consists of women, etc. You should find out whether the audience consists of experts in the field or just common folk. Some helpful tips for you.

✦ The first and the foremost task is to decide whether you will be delivering an informative, an argumentative, or a persuasive speech. The topic of the speech should be such that it perfectly fits into any of these categories.

For e.g., 'Types of Photography'  is an informative speech topic, 'Can you Change your Habits'  is an argumentative speech topic; whereas 'Pros and Cons of Cloning'  is a persuasive speech topic.

✦ Once you have decided the criterion of your speech, look for topics in the particular category.

✦ One of the most important tip to remember while selecting a topic for a speech is to choose a topic that interests you. If you are interested in current affairs or sports, look for a speech topic related to your field. You will sound convincing and interesting only when you select a topic of your choice!

✦ Along with interest, you should also see whether you will actually love researching and speaking on the subject or not. If not, you will definitely appear distracted during your actual speech.

✦ Thinking about the audience and putting oneself in their shoes is also very important. You should look for a topic the audience will care about. For e.g., remember that your informative speech on 'Renaissance Art'  will never appeal to youth not related to the field of art!

✦ You should look for a topic that is neither too complex and filled with jargon; nor too common. Therefore, it is essential to know your audience before selecting a speech topic.

✦ Your speech should appeal to all those in the audience (you should not have a chauvinist attitude). Therefore, one of the best tips to remember is to have a current issue for a speech which can be dealt in different ways and appeals to nearly every kind of audience.

✦ Using your own observations, personal experiences, etc., greatly help in making the speech lively and interesting. Hence, look for a topic you already know about or have at least some information / knowledge beforehand.

✦ Lastly, the time or the duration assigned to you for the speech is also to be taken into consideration. Remember speech topics like 'Renaissance Art'  are very vast and cannot be successfully covered in a limited time.

✦ Should cell phones be banned in schools?
✦ Are ghosts real?
✦ Should euthanasia (mercy killing) be legalized?

✦ What is appropriate age for marriage?
✦ Is social networking a boon or a bane?
✦ What is true beauty?

✦ Healthy food combination
✦ Successful time management
✦ Facts about black holes

Once you are done with selecting a topic for your presentation, you should write down the ideas that you will be speaking about. The next step involves researching and making the final draft. With thorough preparation and confidence, you are sure to win over your audience. Good luck!