Informative Speech: Selecting a Topic

Steps

1. First, consider your own interests – To deliver an effective speech, you must be interested and involved in your topic.
2. Next, consider your audience – Choose a topic that appeals to their needs and interests AND is appropriate for the school setting.

Remember, you will be explaining NOT persuading.

3. Finally, research NEW information that will surprise your audience. Look for new facts, figures, stories, statistics, quotations, comparisons and contrasts.

Resources

There are many online resources that can help you select a topic for your informative speech. First, try the online databases available at the

Information Center of the ATC Media Center Homepage

1. SIRS RESEARCHER

At the left, select a “Leading Issue.”

At the right, click on “Suggested Research Topics.”

2. PROQUEST

Select the Topics– Select BROWSE THE SUBJECT DIRECTORY

OR Enter a topic. Click “Find Term.”

View articles under the subtopics or select “Narrow by related topic.”

3. GOOGLE Directory

http://www.google.com/dirhp

4. TOPIC-O-RAMA : http://www.ozline.com/electraguide/topics.html

5. Valencia Community College Subject Pathfinder. Click on a topic you find interesting, at the next page, scroll down under SUGGESTED TOPICS for a list of RESEARCH QUESTIONS.

http://www.valencia.cc.fl.us/lrcwest/pathfindersub.html

6. Various websites – Use at your own risk!

http://www.informativespeechtopics.info/

http://www.hawaii.edu/mauispeech/html/infotopichelp.html

http://daphne.palomar.edu/kerbe/documents/inform_speech_topics.pdf

http://library.austincc.edu/help/speech/topic/top2.htm