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Good Informative Speech Topics – They are all around You!

There is no way to avoid this. At some point in your high school or college career, you will be in English or English/communication class, and you will be required to prepare and give speeches. For many, the thought of giving a speech is rather like getting a root canal – it is just an experience that they dread.

Think of a Speech as an Oral Essay – Except You Can be More Informal

You write essays all the time – expository (explanation), persuasive, comparison/contrast, argumentative, narrative, etc. – and you understand that you have to have a topic and a thesis statement. You know that you have to grab the reader’s attention quickly so that s/he wants to read on. A speech is really no different, but the one big difference is that you don’t have to use a scholarly, academic style. You can be less formal, and you can put some emotion into the content with your voice and your nonverbal movements.

Basics of Speech Preparation

Suppose you have been assigned a speech that is to be informative. You get to choose the topic. That’s a big plus, because you can choose a topic about which you have good first-hand knowledge. Suppose, for example, that you have a lot of knowledge about climate change or about a particular software program or app. Your informative speech ideas should come from these areas – you have an interest and you have the knowledge.

The next question you have to ask yourself is who your audience is. If your audience (your classmates and your teacher) has minimal knowledge of the topic, then your speech will need to cover the basics. If your audience has some knowledge, then your speech will have to dig deeper into the topic and present information that the listeners do not have. To dig deeper you may need to do some research, but it will be nothing like the research you do for a formal essay or paper, so relax.

Looking at Some Topics for Informative Speeches

How-To’s: If you are rather expert on how to do something, these are ideal informative speeches. You can also consider some funny informative speech topics which are included in this list.

• How to Bathe a Cat
• How to Swing a Golf club
• How to Plan a Good Party
• How to Research Your Family Tree
• How to Set Up Your Own Internet Business
• How to Make Extra Money Buying and Selling things
• How to Break a Date or Break Up with Someone
• How to Make Beer or Wine
• How to Choose the Right Pet
• How to Organize a Small Dorm Room
• How to Design Your Own Website

This list could go on and on. Pick something you know how to do well or, if you have a sense of humor, one of the funny topics listed. You will be far more at ease speaking about something you know or find really funny.

Good Informative Speech Topics Based on Subject Fields

There may also be times when you have to prepare an informative speech for a course in a particular content field. In these cases, it is also a good idea to pick a topic about which you have some knowledge or at least about which you have a strong interest: Here are some subject-specific informative speech topics:

• What are Lobbyists and How do they Influence Laws
• What is the Tea Party and What are Its Platforms
• How Does the Electoral College Work
• What is Bi-Polar Disorder (or any other mental illness)
• How Did blues and Jazz Influence Rock and Roll
• Anxiety and Panic disorders
• Types of Content Marketing
• Health Care Systems of the World
• What is DNA
• The Big Bang Theory
• Robotics
• Nano-Technology
• Bio-Diesel Fuels
• Social Networking
• People who changed the World (pick one)

Use of Visuals

Most informative speeches lend themselves well to visual reinforcement. Consider developing some slides to go along with your speech. They tend to keep you on-track and provide greater interest on the part of the listener.