Speech Topic Ideas

General Subjects

The list below is designed to help you select a topic, but be aware that many of these subjects are broad and would need to be narrowed for a classroom speech. For example, advertising could be narrowed to political attack ads or tobacco ads.

Abandoned children
Abuse of animals
Abuse of children
Abuse of medication
Abuse of spouse
Abuse of the elderly
Academic dishonesty
Academic freedom
Accidents, aircraft
Accidents, fraudulent
Accidents, industrial
Accidents, prevention
Accidents, sports
Accidents, traffic
Acid rain
Addiction to drugs
Adoption of children
Adoption of wild animals
Advertising
Aerobic exercise
African killer bee
Age and discrimination
Age and intelligence
Agricultural pests
AIDS
Air bags, automobile
Air pollution
Alcohol and drugs
Alternative fuels
Alternative imprisonment
Alternative medicine
Alzheimer's disease
Amusement parks, safety
Animal communication
Animal experimentation
Animal extinction
Animal training
Anti-theft devices for cars
Antibiotics
Antioxidants
Antismoking movement
Anxiety attacks
Aquariums
Architectural design
Art therapy
Art treasures
Assassinations
Assisted suicide
Asteroids
Astronauts
Athletes, nutrition
Athletes, psychology
Athletes, women
Auctions
Automobiles, electric
Automobiles, safety
Back pain
Bald eagle
Beekeeping
Behavior, compulsive
Behavior, Type A
Bicycles, commuting
Billboards
Biotechnology & genetics
Bird-watching
Blood banks
Blood pressure
Bombings
Bone marrow
Books and censorship
Burglary protection
Caffeine
Calcium
Cancer
Capital punishment
Car theft
Cave drawings
Cell phone etiquette
Censorship in the arts
Charities
Checking accounts
Child labor laws
Child support
Children and war
Children of AIDS patients
Children of the mentally ill
Cholesterol
Chronic fatigue syndrome
City planning
Civil liberties
Clean water
Climatic changes
Cloning
Cocaine
College athletes
College costs
College campus crimes
Common cold
Communication, family
Communication, medicine
Commuting
Computer fraud
Computer graphics
Computer viruses
Con artists
Consumer protection
Contamination of water
Coral reef ecology
Cosmetic surgery
Cosmic rays
Coyotes
Credit card fraud
Credit card misuse
Crime prevention
Criminal behavior
Cults
Day care centers
Death, accidental
Debt relief
Deep-sea ecology
Deficit spending
Depletion of ozone layer
Depression, mental
Desalinization of water
Designated drivers
Diabetes
Diagnosis, ultrasonic
Diet and nutrition
Digital music
Digital television
Dinosaur discoveries
Disaster victims
Discrimination, AIDS
Discrimination, disabilities
Discrimination, gays & lesbians
Discrimination, gender
Discrimination, weight
DNA fingerprints
Dog racing
Dolphins
Drinking and driving
Dyslexia
Earth-friendly products
Earthquakes
Elderly drivers
Electronic books
Electronic mail (e-mail)
Electronic music
Employee crimes
Endangered species
Environmental protection
Epidemics
Ethics, business
Ethics, medical
Ethnic cleansing
Euphemisms
Euthanasia
Evidence, criminal
Expert witnesses
False memory syndrome
Family therapy
Family violence
Famines
Fashion design
Fetal alcohol syndrome
Fiber optics
Fingerprints
Fire ants
Firefighting
Flea markets
Folk medicine
Food allergy
Food poisoning
Forest conservation
Forgery
Fossils
Foster parents
Galaxies
Gambling
Gardening
Generic drugs
Genetic engineering
Geothermal power
Gerrymander
Glaucoma
Global warming
Glue-sniffing
Gold discoveries
Gorillas
Government secrecy
Grand jury
Gray wolves
Great Wall of China
Green movement
Greenhouse effect
Grief
Grizzly bear
Groundwater pollution
Growth hormones
Guerrilla warfare
Gullah dialect
Gun control
Gymnastics
Habitual criminals
Hailstorms
Haiti
Hallucinations
Hallucinogenic drugs
Ham radio
Handwriting
Harassment, sexual
Hate crimes
Hay fever
Hazardous materials
Hazing
Headaches
Health care reform
Health foods
Health of workers
Hearing impairments
Heart disease
Heart transplants
Hemophilia
Hepatitis
Herbal medicine
Heredity of disease
Heroin
High blood pressure
High speed trains
Highway safety
Hijacking of automobiles
Historic preservation
HIV infections
Holistic medicine
Holocaust, Jewish
Holocaust, Native American
Home accidents
Home design
Home schooling
Homeless persons
Homeopathy
Homophobia
Homosexuality
Honeybees
Horse-racing
Housefly
Hunger
Hunting
Hurricanes
Hydrogen as fuel
Hydroponics
Hyperactive children
Hypnotism
Illegal aliens
Illiteracy
Immigrants
Immune system
In vitro fertilization
Income tax
Incurable diseases
Indoor air pollution
Industrial diseases
Industrial robots
Inequality of income
Influenza
Injuries, treatment
Insanity defense
Insect-eating plants
Insects as food
Insomnia
Insurance, car
Insurance, health
Insurance, life
Intelligence tests
International language
Internet privacy
Intolerance
Invasion of privacy
Investments
Iron deficiency diseases
Jails, overcrowding
Jet lag
Jewels
Job hunting
Job sharing
Junk in space
Junk mail
Juries
Juvenile delinquents
Kangaroos
Kidnapping, parental
Killer bees
Kleptomania
Labor disputes
Laboratories, testing
Lakes, pollution
Landfills
Landlords and tenants
Language disorders
Laser surgery
Latchkey children
Layoffs
Lead poisoning
Learning disabilities
Legalization of drugs
Libel and slander
Lie detectors
Lightning
Limousines
Living trusts
Living wills
Loans, student
Low-calorie diet
Low-cholesterol diet
Low-fat diet
LSD
Macrobiotic diet
Mafia
Magic
Mail-order catalogs
Mandatory sentences
Manic-depression
Maps
Marathon running
Marijuana
Marine aquariums
Marine pollution
Marriage customs
Mass murder
Massage
Math anxiety
Medical errors
Medicinal plants
Medicine, preventive
Melanoma
Memory techniques
Mental disorders
Mental retardation
Meteorites
Metric system
Microsurgery
Microwave cookery
Midwifery
Migraines
Migrant labor
Military weapons
Militias
Misdiagnosis
Moon, exploration
Moonlighting
Motorcycle gangs
Mound-builders
Mouth, diseases
Multiple personality
Multiple sclerosis
Murders, serial
Muscular dystrophy
Mushrooms
Music therapy
Mythology
Names, geographic
Names, personal
Narcotic laws
National parks
Naturopathy
Neo-Nazis
Neanderthals
Nicotine addiction
No-fault auto insurance
Nuclear energy
Nuclear proliferation
Nursing homes
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Occupational therapy
Ocean dumping
Ocean fishing
Older workers
Online auctions
Online investing
Open adoption
Opium
Optical fibers
Oral tradition
Ordination of women
Organically grown food
Organized crime
Outer space, exploration
Ozone layer
Pain relievers
Pandas
Parent-child relations
Performance art
Pesticides
Phobias
Plants, extinction
Plants, medicinal
Plea bargaining
Poaching
Police, job stress
Political advertising
Pollution
Polygraphs
Poverty
Prehistoric animals
Prehistoric painting
Premature infants
Primates
Prisons
Product safety
Psychiatric drugs
Quit-smoking programs
Radiation therapy
Radio astronomy
Rain forests
Rare animals
Recovering addicts
Renewable resources
Rescue work
Robots
Satellites
Savant syndrome
Scams
Schizophrenia
Scientific fraud
Sea farming
Seafood contamination
Self-defense
Serotonin
Sick-building syndrome
Sled dog racing
Sleep, research
Smuggling
Soil erosion
Solar power
Space exploration
Spam & junk e-mail
Speech disorders
Sports injuries
Stalking
Steroids
Suicide
Sunken treasure
Survival skills
Taxes
Teenage crime
Terrorism
Tornadoes
Toxic wastes
Urban homesteading
Victims of crime
Volcanoes
Water purification
Weather forecasting
Wildlife rescue
Wind power
Women's rights
X-rays
Year-round education
Zoological parks

Popular Themes

The themes below are perennially popular with all kinds of audiences. A sampling of topics is given.

Health and Longevity

Almost everyone is concerned about being fit and healthy.

Good remedies for bad colds
Coping with depression
How to get a good night's sleep
How to prevent cancer
Anorexia nervosa
First aid for choking victims

Personal Happiness

What person doesn't want tips on how to gain or enhance happiness?

Finding a creative hobby
Ingredients for a happy marriage
How to win friends
Finding fulfillment through volunteer work
How to appreciate a work of art
Overcoming shyness

Recreation

People like ideas on how to enjoy leisure activities such as sports, hobbies, movies and TV shows, dining out, and travel.

The best restaurants in town
The best carnivals—from New Orleans to Rio
Touring Europe on a bicycle
Hang-gliding
Unsung but fabulous movies
Walking trips in Great Britain and Ireland
Money and Security
Many people want to make money, find bargains, and gain financial security.
How to get a good job
How to get a raise
How to earn $1,000 a month in your spare time
The fine art of haggling at a flea market

Controversial Issues

Talk on one of the hot topics currently being debated in the nation or in your community.

Heavily armed extremist groups
Rising health-care costs
The death penalty
Drug addiction
Gun control
Domestic violence

Adventure

People love adventure stories. You don't have to limit yourself to spectacular deeds done by celebrities, such as an astronaut's walk on the moon. Your speech can deal with more down-to-earth drama, as experienced by you or by friends and relatives.

Giving birth the Lamaze way
Surviving a tornado
Enduring boot camp in the military
Confronting a mugger
Shooting the rapids of a wild river
Immigrating to the United States

Exotic Information

Audiences enjoy hearing unusual facts and theories.

The possibility of life on other planets
Homemade herbal remedies of Native Americans
The incredible intelligence of bees
The search for Atlantis
The last Tsar of Russia
Famous people who accurately predicted the date of their death

Personalities

You don't have to limit yourself to famous people. A zany hometown "character" or an inspiring teacher or coach would also be interesting.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Evita Peron
Princess Diana
Anne Frank
José Carreras
Louis Armstrong
Rachel Carson
Malcolm X
Chief Seattle
Yo-Yo Ma
H.H. Dalai Lama
Toni Morrison
Zora Neale Huston
Albert Schweitzer
Antonio Vivaldi
Christopher Columbus
Edward James Olmos
Joan of Arc
Virginia Woolf
Charles Lindbergh
Sacagawea
John F. Kennedy
Abraham Lincoln
Amy Tan
Pelé
Sojourner Truth
Jackie Robinson
Lee Iaccocca
Mahatma Gandhi
Amelia Earhart
Cesar Chavez
Mother Teresa
Akio Morita
Socrates
Sam Houston
Eleanor Roosevelt
Albert Einstein
Mikhail Baryshnikov
Tecumseh
Aretha Franklin

Topics Based on Student’s Own Lives

In looking for topics, some students overlook fascinating aspects of their own lives. Here is a sampling of topics that students have derived from their personal experiences.

Marriage customs and traditions for couples in India—Preeti Vilkhu
The advantages of home fitness equipment over membership in a spa or gym—Dawn Lajoie
How to survive if stranded in the wilderness—Ryan Banning, rescue worker
The satisfactions of growing a flower garden—Ann Hensley
Calligraphy—a relaxing, inexpensive hobby—Sherry Boles
How to make one of Spain's favorite dishes—Rebecca Ramirez
How to make and use dandelion oil to relieve physical ailments—Jennifer Delerme
The stress and joys of working in a high-volume restaurant—Kirk Dockery
Training for and competing in bicycle races—Chad Schoenauer
Surviving a triple-trauma car accident—Pam Browning
How to keep a car in good running condition—Michele Jolley
How to travel abroad on limited means—Ray Houston
Collecting sports cards as a financial investment—Jeff Earwood
Why German shepherds make good, nondangerous pets—Terri Ederer
Rock collecting as a hobby—Dwight Dabbs
The value of yoga—Eric Sarratt
Clothing and equipment needed for skiing on snow—Brad Reems
An explanation of cerebral palsy—Lola Shelton
The advantages and disadvantages of working as a telemarketer (taking credit-card orders over the phone) —Kim Griffin
Rock climbing as a safe sport—Chris Williams
How to repair the glass in wood-frame windows—Karen Schlorff
A demonstration of Korean Taekwondo karate—Maureen Tener
Taking a vacation on a cruise ship—Margo Goldsmith
How to buy a used car—Ken Owenby
Using a mountain bike for transportation and exercise—Brian Bartlett
The mission of the U.S. Army Rangers—Mark Gowing
The basics of the water sport called kneeboarding—Benjamin Lunsford
What I had to do to gain admission to the United States as an immigrant—Floro Forero (native of Columbia)

Topics for “How-to” Speeches

These are sample topics for brief process speeches. Whatever topic you choose, get your instructor's permission before bringing animals, babies, small children, and food materials into the classroom. (Needless to say, you should not even think about bringing weapons or illegal substances.)

How-to:

avoid athletic injuries
avoid food poisoning
avoid home burglary
avoid hypothermia
avoid repetitive stress
build a campfire
buy tools for home use
change a flat tire
child-proof a home
choose a good backpack
choose healthy snacks
choose low-fat alternative foods
color one's hair
cook _____ (a favorite dish)
clean a car
clean CDs and CD players
clean silverware
clean a computer
cure hiccups
dress for a job interview
dress for cold weather
exercise without pain
giftwrap a present
hang a picture
hide items from burglars
identify a poisonous insect
identify a plant (such as ginseng)
jumpstart a car
keep children happy when traveling
lift heavy objects correctly
make a salad
make candles
make Christmas tree ornaments
make gift baskets
make homemade paper
open a coconut
pack a lunch a child will eat
package fragile items
perform a card trick
perform self-defense moves
perform the Heimlich maneuver
play a simple game (such as horseshoes)
put out kitchen fires
remove a stain
repair _____ (a broken or inoperable item)
repot a houseplant
select comfortable shoes
select a good vacation site
sharpen a knife
shine leather shoes
start a garden
start a hobby (such as collecting antiques )
stock and maintain an aquarium
take care of an unusual pet
tip in restaurants
use a fire extinguisher correctly