Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics for College Students

A speech is applauded by listeners when it is delivered with confidence and it contains logical reasons and explanation for/against the subject being spoken on. In persuasive speeches you have to give your views about the subject and connect them with the current world scenario so that the listeners can better relate to what's being said. Your views should be transparent and you must be capable of convincing your listeners. The information should be pertinent with the facts. This way you can display your persuasive skills while delivering a persuasive speech. Speech competitions organized by schools and colleges are a great measure to uplift oratory skills of students and for boosting their confidence in public speaking. Did you say you have a competition coming up? Then you can pick up some of these topics given here.

Interesting Topics for a Persuasive Speech

You must select a topic that you are most interested in and this would help you to bring out the best in you. The choice of subjects is diverse. To deliver a persuasive speech you need to be well informed about the subject and you must answer the audiences in case any questions come from them. Choosing hotly debated areas like environmental concerns, social, political issues and current affairs is always appreciated. You should also be specific about your views while speaking.

Environmental Issues

• Environmentalists are misusing the term sustainable development.
• Harnessing renewable energy sources like wind energy, hydroelectricity, biomass and solar power should be encouraged by the government.
• Ocean acidification endangers marine organisms.
• The advantages of an inter-cropping system for sustainable plant production
• The concerns about ozone depletion in Earth's stratosphere.
• Global warming demands more global action
• Our consumerism has killed the earth
• Impact of biomagnification on environment
• Impact of oil spills in oceans
• The effect of industrialization on nature
• Impact of plastic bag deposition on environment

Education

• The importance of higher education
• Benefits of a college degree
• Tuition voucher programs upgrade academic performances.
• Video conferencing could be the solution for improving classes in rural areas.
• Online teaching should be given equal importance as regular teaching
• Introduction of interactive classes in theory classes
• Arts classes can foster greater awareness of the world around you
• Introduction of sex education in school and college
• Encouragement of creative activities in college
• The goals of student council election
• Intercultural education should be encouraged
• Introduction of effective character education course in the curriculum
• Inculcating religious tolerance in students
• Discrimination based on caste, creed, country and ethnicity

Laws and Ethics

• Warning signs that a child is being cyber bullied.
• Bank account holders can be better protected than they are now
• Everyone should have access to health care services.
• Animal testing and cloning practices should be banned
• Should abortion be legalized?
• Feminism could help improve the position of females in Africa
• Regulation of euthanasia laws
• The laws for infringement of intellectual property, piracy and patents should be strictly enforced
• Capital punishment to combat criminalism
• Knowledge of human rights is essential
• Measures to check juvenile crime

Social/ Family Concerns

• Bigamy should be strictly prohibited
• Arguments for gay marriage
• Family violence is a major cause of relationship break ups
• Reasons behind increase in single parent families
• Surrogacy should be encouraged
• Hassles of emigration and relocation
• The correct ways to deal with family problems (divorce, infidelity, etc)
• Importance of freedom of speech
• Family planning, a measure to control population
• The truth behind long-lasting relationships
• The correct ways to groom your child
• Managing cost of living

Work and Business

• Implementation of DMAIC process for business development
• Importance of effective communication in the workplace
• Correct measures for retention of employees
• Importance of knowledge management in an organization
• Introduction of stress buster activities in office
• Conditions for good franchising business agreements
• Background check should be mandatory before hiring employees
• Top ten strategic e-marketing issues
• Proven methods and insights to run successful retail business operations
• Ergonomics in the workplace
• Backing up trade secrets with a signed confidential agreement
• Business ethics and social responsibility

General Issues

• The positive effects of the growing number of seniors in cyberspace.
• Dangers of having a credit card debt when you are a high school student.
• The mystery of Bermuda Triangle.
• Skinny models are setting a bad example for teenagers
• The future of science and technology
• Exams should not be mandatory
• Sports as a unifying factor for the world
• Organ donation, a measure to save lives.
• Breast feeding in public should be allowed modestly
• Public display of affection should be banned
• Importance of morals and ethics in journalism
• Censorship of Internet
• Safety of chat rooms
• Impact of excessive use of social networks on children and adults
• Privacy rights for celebrities
• Banning of smoking in public places is necessary

I hope you have found this list of persuasive speech topics useful enough. After going through this list, you might have been able to come up with a few persuasive speech topics for students on your own. Go ahead with the topic you liked most and think you will be able to make the most of. Practice the speech well, rehearse a few times before you actually deliver it. It's good to write the speech and try to recall your points, if you are not quite an impromptu speaker. Here's wishing you luck with your speech... may you get claps and cheers. Speak well.