Choosing Your Persuasive Speech Topic

Once you have picked your persuasive topic, your three main points will be your problem point (where you define the problem), your solution point (where you share your solution), and finally your action point (where you mobilize your audience to get involved or learn more). In addition to your topic and main points, you should also provide a proposition statement goal.

For additional guidance, please check out the list of some Problem-Solution-Action topics students have used in previous classes. You may also refer back to Chapter 11.2 to better understand the problem-solution format (pages 558-559).

PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS

Topic: Legalization of Marijuana

Proposition: I want to convince my audience that the legalization of marijuana will help economic growth in America

• Problem: The unregulated use of Marijuana in young teens and adults. Government money spent to prevent use.
• Solution: Legalize and regulated. Set laws in place similar to alcohol. Considering both are mind-altering substances.
• Action: Legalize. Taxation of Marijuana, and set strict laws in place.

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Topic: Healthcare

Proposition: I want to convince my audience that America’s healthcare system needs to be reformed.

• Problem: Healthcare costs in the United States are too high and are the number one cause of bankruptcy.
• Solution: The government should provide a basic level of healthcare to all citizens of the United States.
• Action: We need to elect public officials into office that will address healthcare reform.

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Topic: Food Additives

Proposition: I want to convince my audience to avoid foods with high levels of additives as much as they can.

• Problem: The United States allows the use of many food additives that may be harmful to human health which are banned in other countries.
• Solution: Food manufacturers have the responsibility to make sure their products are safe for human consumption and should stop using food additives that can cause harm.
• Action: Stop purchasing foods with additives to reduce the demand for these products and force food companies to change.

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Topic: Rapid decrease of honeybee population.

Proposition: The decline in honeybee population can be solved by promoting ecological farming.

• Problem: The population of commercial honeybees has declined 40% since 2006.
• Solution: By banning pesticides, conserving bee habitats and planting organic, bee friendly flowers, the bee population can be saved.
• Action: Planting bee friendly flowers, signing petitions to ban pesticides, and buying local, organic, non-gmo foods are all steps that can be taken to save the bees and ourselves

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Topic: the Anti-vaccine movement

Proposition statement goal: I want to convince my audience that vaccines are important to healthy children and society.

• Problem: Parents not wanting to vaccine children
• Solution: make vaccines mandatory to protect public health
• Action: Vaccine your children and urge others to. If the Supreme Court decides to make a law enforcing a mandate on vaccines I would encourage others to vote to pass it.