Coming up with the right informative speech topics can be one of the most difficult parts of writing an informative speech.
Before you come up with a strong topic, though, it is important to understand the basic premise of an informative speech.
(Just looking for topics ideas without the speech-writing guidelines? Jump straight to my list of topics here)
Informative speeches are, essentially, a way to provide your audience with information on a given topic.
That information should be useful and helpful to those listening.
A good way to think of an informative speech is to think of it in terms of a teaching speech.
Your job as a speaker is to teach the audience everything they might need to know about your chosen topic… the effects of caffeine on the body, for example, or marriage rituals around the world!
Speech Topic: Start with Good Informative Speech Topics & You’ll Write Great Informative Speeches
Good informative speeches start with strong ideas and a good outline.
Make sure that each piece of information you offer audience members is relevant to the topic you have chosen. Everything in your speech should be of value to audience members.
Selecting the right informative speech topics is easily one of the hardest parts of the speech process, but there are a few ways to make the process a bit easier on yourself.
In many real life speaking situations, what you speak about is dictated by the needs of the situation.
For example, if your boss has asked you to speak during your morning meeting about the new software your company recently purchased, your chosen informative speech topic would obviously be the program your boss wants you to discuss.
However, there are times you will have to come up with your own ideas for informative speech topics. In a classroom setting, for example, the teacher will often allow you to choose the topic on which you’d like to base your speech.
In order to narrow down the field of topics, think about the things YOU find interesting.
For example, if you are a fan of a popular novelist, such as Stephen King, you might want to make a speech about that person. If you have an interesting part-time job, this might be a good time to tell people about what you do and the different aspects it involves.
I’ve always enjoyed online publishing, and this makes a great informative speech topic as most people are curious about what this type of job consists of!
Even if you do have experience in your chosen topic, to deliver a strong informative speech you’ll still need to do your research! Nevertheless, your experiences with that subject will make an excellent supplement to your research materials and there’s no doubt that natural enthusiasm about a subject comes across to the audience in the speech.
How to Come Up with Informative Speech Topics
There are several ways to come up with some really good ideas!
The first is to check out my list of good informative speech topics.
If you didn’t find anything there that inspired you,another great way is to think about areas of knowledge with which you’re currently unfamiliar, but would be very interested in researching.
Your goal would be to learn enough about the subject to not only understand it yourself, but also to present it to audience members in a clear, logical fashion.
Quite a challenge, but also very rewarding!
Another option is to brainstorm with classmates, instructors, family and friends for possible ideas. Other people make great sounding-boards when you get stuck!
For example, if all you can come up with is the general topic area of “basketball”, your classmates may help you to think of other ideas that could stem from that… the history of the game, perhaps, or a speech about some of the game’s greatest heroes.
When you use this method, though, use it with a measure of caution. You want to choose something that will capture the audience’s interest, not just that of the people involved in the decision-making process.
