Good Public Speaking Speech Topics

• Finding a good public speech topic depends on you, the audience and the assignment. Pick a topic that interests you or you are passionate about. Keep in mind who your audience will be and what you hope to share when researching and writing the speech.

Current Events

• Watch the news, scan news websites or read newspapers or magazines to find topics. Start with an overarching issue like the economy and then focus on a particular topic that interests you, such as unemployment, banking regulations or the U.S. debt. Narrowing your focus makes the speech more manageable and lets you delve further into one aspect of a topic.

General Topics

• Some subjects never seem to get stale. Some favorites, suggests the University of Hawaii, are speeches on personalities such as Martin Luther King Jr. or Albert Einstein. Other standbys include the pursuit of health and happiness. Because public speeches tend to be short, you need to zero-in on one aspect of a celebrity or issue. Topics for health speeches include the benefits of yoga or the costs of smoking. A happiness topic could address the question: "Could the United States have a Gross National Happiness index rather than measuring Gross Domestic Product?"

Hobbies and Interests

• Good speech topics do not have to be controversial. Often good speeches are based on hobbies you enjoy but others may not know much about, such as skateboarding on water or making quilts. You may belong to a club such as 4-H or the Boy Scouts and can speak on what the club means to you. Other personal interest topics may include how you trained your dog or a trip you took with your family.

Demonstration and Information

• Demonstration topics such as how to recycle or how to write a book are other ideas. When making a demonstration speech, include what not to do as well as how to accomplish the task. Informational topics can cover subjects such as managing money or study techniques.

Problem and Solution Topics

• Compare a problem and propose a solution in your speech. Topics in this category can range from trade imbalances between the United States and China to more personal issues such as coping with a noisy neighbor. Be sure to research the history of the problem and steps that can be taken to resolve it.