50 Unique Persuasive Speech and Presentation Topic Ideas 

At some point in your academic career, you will likely be required to give a persuasive speech to your classmates. It’s a key part of just about any speech class and may even be a requirement for other classes as well.  

The hardest part of a persuasive speech is putting aside your public speaking fears. The second hardest part is coming up with a topic that is engaging, interesting and debatable. After all, it’s not really a persuasive speech if everyone already agrees with you. 

Take a look at our 50 ideas for persuasive speech topic and presentation ideas, broken out into a few categories that might suit your needs. When you’ve found one you like, head down below for some tips on how to present your speech in class. 

Creative Persuasive Speech Topics

1. Why Society Should Switch to a Four-Day Work Week 

2. Why There Should Be Designated “No Technology” Hours Each Day 

3. How Sleeping Twice Each Day Instead of Once Would Make People More Productive 

4. Adults Should Get One Paid Year Off Every 10 Years… and Here is Why 

5. Why Animals Should Be Recognized as Non-Human Citizens 

6. Why Libraries Should Lend More Than Books – Like Tools and Clothes 

7. Why Everyone Should Get One Free “Reset” on Their Life Choices 

8. Society Should Switch to a 13-Month Calendar 

9. Why Graphic Novels Should Be Included in School Curriculum 

10. Why Movie Remakes Should Be Banned 

Controversial Persuasive Speech Topics 

1. Should Smartphones Be Banned from School? 

2. Is Social Media Doing More Harm Than Good? 

3. Should Everyone Be Required to Vote? 

4. Should Space Exploration Be Prioritized in Government Budgets? 

5. Should Billionaires Be Required to Donate a Percentage of Their Wealth? 

6. Should Prisons Focus on Rehabilitation Over Punishment? 

7. Is Universal Basic Income a Good Idea? 

8. Are Standardized Tests in School Outdated? 

9. Should College Athletes Be Paid? 

10. Should People Have to Use Their Real Identity on Social Media 

Funny Persuasive Speech Topics 

1. Why Pineapple is the Best (or Worst) Pizza Topping 

2. Why Dogs Should Be Allowed at Work 

3. Group Projects Are Just Free Work for Overachievers 

4. National Anthems Should Be Replaced with Catchy Jingles, with Examples 

5. This is the Test Parents Should Have to Pass Before Naming Their Kids 

6. Why Jeans with Fake Pockets Should Be Illegal for False Advertising 

7. Why All Emails Should Include a “TL;DR” Section 

8. Why Shopping Carts Should Come Equipped with Turn Signals and a Horn 

9. There Should Be a Speed Minimum for Walking in Public Places 

10. No One Should Be Allowed to Talk Before 10 a.m. 

Persuasive Speech Topics for Students 

If you’re looking for a topic that your fellow classmates will resonate with, look no further. Here are speech topics geared toward both high school and college students. 

High School Persuasive Speech Topics 

1. Why High School Should Start Later in the Morning 

2. Should School Lunches Be Free for All Students? 

3. Should Community Service Be a Required High School Course? 

4. Why or Why Not School Uniforms Should Be Banned 

5. Should There Be an Age Limit on Social Media Use? 

6. Why the Legal Voting Age Should be 16 

7. Why Fast Food Should Be Banned from Schools 

8. Emotional Intelligence Should Be Taught in Schools 

9. Why Students Should Be Able to Grade Their Teachers 

10. Why All Schools Should Have Mental Health Counselors 

College Persuasive Speech Topics 

1. Should Social Media Be an Available Major? 

2. Should Universities Offer More Online Learning Options? 

3. Why All Campus Facilities Should Be Open 24 Hours Every Day 

4. Should Social Media Censorship Be Stricter to Prevent Misinformation? 

5. Why Mental Health Research Should Be Funded More Than Other Medical Fields 

6. How Artificial Intelligence Will Change the Job Market for the Better for College Graduates 

7. Why Class Participation Grades Should Be Banned 

8. Why Students Should Have More Power in Shaping Their Curriculum 

9. Why Studying Abroad Should Be Required for More Majors 

10. Why All College Students Should Be Allocated Mental Health Days 

[Read more: Should ChatGPT Be Allowed in Schools?] 

How to Present a Persuasive Speech 

Now that you have a topic in mind for your persuasive speech, it’s time to consider how you will present your argument. Creating slides to accompany your speech may not be required, but they can go a long way toward enhancing your speech, making it more engaging and ultimately winning over your audience. Here are three tips to help you out. 

1. Compare and Contrast Your Argument with the Status Quo 

It can help to have slides that illustrate and contain accompanying information about your argument and how it compares with the status quo. For example, if you are attempting to persuade your classmates that there should be an age limit on social media use, you might have a slide that contains data about online bullying for various age groups. 

2. Tell a Story 

PowerPoint slides can be a great way to help you tell a story within your speech. This can be an effective way or persuading your audience. For instance, you might create scenarios or characters that experience your argument as you make it, showing how it impacts people’s lives. 

3. Use Slides to Highlight Your Main Points 

Having a visual cue to go along with the words you are speaking will make them stick even better. Have slides that highlight the main points of your arguments, helping your audience better follow along and hopefully helping your arguments to stick. 

PowerPoint slides are just one aspect of a persuasive speech, so if you’d rather not put the time and energy into creating a whole slideshow to go along with your speech, we can help you out. Try our ChatGPT for PowerPoint add-in for free to have the slides automatically generated for you. Simply upload your speech, or an outline of it, and the AI will organize the information into professional looking slides ready for speech day.