105 Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics for Any Project

105 Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics for Any Project SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you struggling to find good persuasive speech topics? It can be hard to find a topic that interests both you and your audience, but in this guide we’ve done the hard work and created a list of 105 great persuasive speech ideas. They’re organized into ten categories and cover a variety of topics, so you’re sure to find one that interests you. In addition to our list, we also go over which factors make good persuasive speech topics and three tips you should follow when researching and writing your persuasive speech. What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic? What makes certain persuasive speech topics better than others? There are numerous reasons, but in this section we discuss three of the most important factors of great topics for a persuasive speech. It’s Something You Know About or Are Interested in Learning About The most important factor in choosing and creating a great persuasive speech is picking a topic you care about and are interested in. You’ll need to do a lot of research on this topic, and if it’s something you like learning about, that’ll make the process much easier and more enjoyable.It’ll also help you sound passionate and informed when you talk, both important factors in giving an excellent persuasive speech. It’s a Topic People Care About In fourth grade, after being told I could give a persuasive speech on any topic I wanted to, I chose to discuss why the Saguaro cactus should be the United State’s national plant. Even though I gave an impassioned talk and drew a life-size Saguaro cactus on butcher paper to hang behind me, I doubt anyone enjoyed the speech much. I’d recently returned from a family vacation to Arizona where I’d seen Saguaro cacti for the first time and decided they were the coolest thing ever. However, most people don’t care that much about Saguaro cacti, and most people don’t care what our national plant is or if we even have one (for the record, the US has a national flower, and it’s the rose). Spare yourself the smattering of bored applause my nine-old self got at the end of my speech and choose something you think people will be interested in hearing about. This also ties into knowing your audience, which we discuss more in the final section. It Isn’t Overdone When I was in high school, nearly every persuasive speech my classmates and I were assigned was the exact same topic: should the drinking age be lowered to 18?I got this prompt in English class, on standardized tests, in speech and debate class, etc. I’ve written and presented about it so often I could probably still rattle off all the main points of my old speeches word-for-word. You can imagine that everyone’s eyes glazed over whenever classmates gave their speeches on this topic. We’d heard about it so many times that, even if it was a topic we cared about, speeches on it just didn’t interest us anymore. The are many potential topics for a persuasive speech. Be wary of choosing one that's cliche or overdone. Even if you give a great speech, it’ll be harder to keep your audience interested if they feel like they already know what you’re going to say. An exception to this rule is that if you feel you have a new viewpoint or facts about the topic that currently aren’t common knowledge. Including them can make an overdone topic interesting. If you do this, be sure to make it clear early on in your speech that you have unique info or opinions on the topic so your audience knows to expect something new. 105 Topics for a Persuasive Speech Here’s our list of 105 great persuasive speech ideas. We made sure to choose topics that aren’t overdone, yet that many people will have an interest in, and we also made a point of choosing topics with multiple viewpoints rather than simplistic topics that have a more obvious right answer (i.e. Is bullying bad?). The topics are organized into ten categories. Arts/Culture Should art and music therapy be covered by health insurance? Should all students be required to learn an instrument in school? Should all national museums be free to citizens? Should graffiti be considered art? Should offensive language be removed from works of classic literature? Are paper books better than e-books? Economic Should all interns be paid for their work? Should employees receive bonuses for walking or biking to work? Will Brexit hurt or help the UK’s economy? Should all people over the age of 65 be able to ride the bus for free? Should the federal minimum wage be increased? Should tipping in restaurants be mandatory? Should Black Friday sales be allowed to start on Thanksgiving? Education Should students who bully others be expelled? Should all schools require students wear uniforms? Should boys and girls be taught in separate classrooms? Should students be allowed to listen to music during study hall? Should all elementary schools be required to teach a foreign language? Should schools include meditation or relaxation breaks during the day? Should grades in gym class affect students’ GPAs? Should teachers get a bonus when their students score well on standardized tests? Should children of illegal immigrants be allowed to attend public schools? Should students get paid for getting a certain GPA? Should students be allowed to have their cell phones with them during school? Should high school students be allowed to leave school during lunch breaks? Should Greek life at colleges be abolished? Should high school students be required to volunteer a certain number of hours before they can graduate? Should schools still teach cursive handwriting? What are the best ways for schools to stop bullying? Ethics Should prostitution be legalized? Should people with more than one DUI lose their driver’s license? Should people be required to shovel snow from the sidewalks in front of their house? Should minors be able to drink alcohol in their home if they have their parent’s consent? Should guns be allowed on college campuses? Should flag burning as a form of protest be illegal? Should welfare recipients be required to pass a drug test? Should white supremacist groups be allowed to hold rallies in public places? Should assault weapons be illegal? Should the death penalty be abolished? Should beauty pageants for children be banned? Is it OK to refuse to serve same-sex couples based on religious beliefs? Should transgender people be allowed to serve in the military? Is it better to live together before marriage or to wait? Should affirmative action be allowed? Should prisoners be allowed to vote? Should Columbus Day be replaced with Indigenous Peoples’ Day? Government/Politics Should the government spend more money on developing high-speed rail lines and less on building new roads? Should the government be allowed to censor internet content deemed inappropriate? Should Puerto Rico become the 51st state? Should Scotland declare independence from the United Kingdom? Whose face should be on the next new currency printed by the US? Should people convicted of drug possession be sent to recovery programs instead of jail? Should voting be made compulsory? Who was the best American president? Should the military budget be reduced? Should the President be allowed to serve more than two terms? Should a border fence be built between the United States and Mexico? Should countries pay ransom to terrorist groups in order to free hostages? Health Should minors be able to purchase birth control without their parent’s consent? Should hiding or lying about your HIV status with someone you’re sleeping with be illegal? Should governments tax soda and other sugary drinks and use the revenue for public health? Should high schools provide free condoms to students? Should the US switch to single-payer health care? Should healthy people be required to regularly donate blood? Should assisted suicide be legal? Religion Should religious organizations be required to pay taxes? Should priests be allowed to get married? Should the religious slaughter of animals be banned? Should the Church of Scientology be exempt from paying taxes? Should women be allowed to be priests? Should countries be allowed to only accept refugees with certain religious beliefs? Should public prayer be allowed in schools? Science/Environment Should human cloning be allowed? Should people be allowed to own exotic animals like tigers and monkeys? Should â€Å"animal selfies† in tourist locations with well-known animal species (like koalas and tigers) be allowed? Should genetically modified foods be sold in grocery stores? Should people be allowed to own pit bulls? Should parents be allowed to choose the sex of their unborn children? Should vaccinations be required for students to attend public school? What is the best type of renewable energy? Should plastic bags be banned in grocery stores? Should the United States rejoin the Paris Agreement? Should puppy mills be banned? Should fracking be legal? Should animal testing be illegal? Should offshore drilling be allowed in protected marine areas? Should the US government increase NASA’s budget? Should Pluto still be considered a planet? Sports Should college athletes be paid for being on a sports team? Should all athletes be required to pass regular drug tests? Should professional female athletes be paid the same as male athletes in the same sport? Are there any cases when athletes should be allowed to use steroids? Should college sports teams receive less funding? Should boxing be illegal? Should schools be required to teach all students how to swim? Should cheerleading be considered a sport? Should parents let their children play tackle football? Technology Will robots reduce or increase human employment opportunities? What age should children be allowed to have a cell phone? Should libraries be replaced with unlimited access to e-books? Overall, has technology helped connect people or isolate them? Should self-driving cars be legal? Should all new buildings be energy efficient? Is Net Neutrality a good thing or a bad thing? Do violent video games encourage players to become violent in real life? 3 Bonus Tips for Crafting Your Persuasive Speech Of course, giving a great persuasive speech requires more than just choosing a good topic. Follow the three tips below to create an outstanding speech that’ll interest and impress your audience. Do Your Research For a persuasive speech, there’s nothing worse than getting an audience question that shows you misunderstood the issue or left an important piece out. It makes your entire speech look weak and unconvincing. Before you start writing a single word of your speech, be sure to do lots of research on all sides of the topic. Look at different sources and points of view to be sure you’re getting the full picture, and if you know any experts on the topic, be sure to ask their opinion too. Consider All the Angles Persuasive speech topics are rarely black and white, which means there will be multiple sides and viewpoints on the topic. For example, for the topic â€Å"Should people be allowed to own pit bulls?† there are two obvious viewpoints: everyone should be allowed to own a pit bull if they want to, and no one should be allowed to own a pit bull. But there are other options you should also consider: people should only own a pit bull if they pass a dog training class, people should be able to own pit bulls, but only if it’s the only dog they own, people should be able to own pi tbulls but only if they live a certain distance from schools, people should be able to own pit bulls only if the dog passes an obedience class, etc. Thinking about all these angles and including them in your speech will make you seem well-informed on the topic, and it’ll increase the quality of your speech by looking at difference nuances of the issue. Know Your Audience Whenever you give a speech, it’s important to consider your audience, and this is especially true for persuasive speeches when you’re trying to convince people to believe a certain viewpoint.When writing your speech, think about what your audience likely already knows about the topic, what they probably need explained, and what aspects of the topic they care about most.Also consider what the audience will be most concerned about for a certain topic, and be sure to address those concerns. For example, if you’re giving a speech to a Catholic organization on why you think priests should be allowed to marry, you don’t need to go over the history of Catholicism or its core beliefs (which they probably already know), but you should mention any research or prominent opinions that support your view (which they likely don’t know about). They may be concerned that priests who marry won’t be as committed to God or their congregations, so be sure to address those concerns and why they shouldn’t worry about them as much as they may think. Discussing your topic with people (ideally those with viewpoints similar to those of your future audience) before you give your speech is a good way to get a better understanding of how your audience thinks. More Resources for Writing Persuasive Speeches If you need more guidance or just want to check out some examples of great persuasive writing, consider checking out the following books: Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History by William Safire - This collection of great speeches throughout history will help you decide how to style your own argument. The Essentials of Persuasive Public Speaking by Sims Wyeth - For quick direct tips on public speaking, try this all-purpose guide. Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Mindsby Carmine Gallo - This popular book breaks down what makes TED talks work and how you can employ those skills in your own presentations. We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie andMake Good Artby Neil Gaiman - These two recent speeches by contemporary writers offer stellar examples of how to craft a compelling (and engaging) argument. Conclusion: Persuasive Speech Ideas Good persuasive speech topics can be difficult to think of, but in this guide we’ve compiled a list of 105 interesting persuasive speech topics for you to look through. The best persuasive speech ideas will be on a topic you’re interested in, aren’t overdone, and will be about something your audience cares about. After you’ve chosen your topic, keep these three tips in mind when writing your persuasive speech: Do your research Consider all the angles Know your audience What's Next? Want a great GPA?Check out our step-by-step guide to getting good grades in high school so you can have a stellar transcript. Interested in learning about other great extracurricular opportunities? Learn more about job shadowing, community service, and volunteer abroad programs. Still trying to figure out your courses? Check out our expert guide on which classes you should take in high school. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Sexual Content in Broadcast Media United States Case

Sexual Content in Broadcast Media United States Case United States Case Study The television was invented around 1925 but became popular in 1950s, and in America, there were more than 50million television sets in use during that period. Nearly every living room in America had a TV. Questions were then raised about the content, whether to regulate it or not, and how to regulate it. The television and radio were similar in some ways: both were broadcasted through airwaves (before cable), and both were regulated by the federal government. This paper shall discuss these issues in depth.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sexual Content in Broadcast Media: United States Case specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Since the beginning of broadcast regulation, there were not enough channels for all who wished to broadcast their information, the electromagnetic spectrum had been deemed to be a publicly owned natural resource. The â€Å"scarce public resource† then made simple com e up with broadcast regulation basis. Both television and radio broadcasters operated under the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). With this, broadcasters applied, for licenses, to use a section of the â€Å"public property†, a definite frequency (UCSB SexInfo Online n.p.). Broadcasters, on the other hand, had a duty to serve the society’s interests. The obligation requires a licensee to ascertain the society’s needs and then provide a service to cater for those needs of the society. The FCC has the right to censor or restrict content with obscene material, requires fairness in political programming and segment broadcast percentages for certain content, for example, content for â€Å"public use† (Kaarina 233). Obscene programming is considered whereby an average person, with contemporary community standards, finds the material appealing to the prurient interest; the content demonstrates or defines sexual behavior in an offensive way; the material la cks literary, political, artistic or scientific value. Indecent programming is whereby the contemporary community standards measures the broadcast medium and describes excretory or sexual activities and organs in the broadcast (Kaarina 231). Indecent material was prohibited in the 1950s but later it was only aired after hours when the children have slept. The meaning of â€Å"indecent content† has changed over time. The National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters (Center for Media Education 5) then came up with ways to call for censorship whereby there was self-censor with decency standards and production codes. The first Amendment of the US Constitution declares that the congress shall not make any law that will abridge the freedom of speech or the freedom of the press (Perebinossoff 234). However, the state legislatures and the congress have tried to hold back speech that is considered indecent, harmful to minors, obscene or injurious to children, such as porn ography (Perebinossoff 234). Common legislation seeking to regulate media content is seen mostly in an election year. The US content regulation differs by the medium of expression. The 1st Amendment projection has affected the print publications to the highest degree. Radio and Television, on the other hand, have enjoyed the least protection degree. Initially the Fairness Doctrine and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) required broadcasters to have time to reply to those who said their views were criticized (Center for Media Education 24).Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More That rule was then killed in 1987. Another rule that still stands till now is the â€Å"equal time law† for the political candidates. The broadcasters are restricted to barring the transmission of profane material, obscene content or indecent material over the airwaves. These rule s do not apply to print publications. Congress has tried repeatedly to tackle this problem. However, their efforts have been in vain. They came up with the Communications Decency Act, 1996, which was struck down as unconstitutional. It then came up with Child Online Protection Act (COPA), 1998, which still remains in a legal uncertainty. It went ahead and came up with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), 2000, which has been upheld by the Supreme Court of the country (Wayne 234). CIPA facilitated the use of technologies to filter and keep off pornographic content from computer screens in schools and libraries which received funds from the federal government. Indecent content is material which contains excretory or sexual material that is not at the level of obscenity and is clearly offensive. The First Amendment protects indecent speech though the Supreme Court has held it back. The high court allowed restriction of indecency for some certain main, for instance, TV and radio broadcasts. The same court recently disallowed Congress proscribing of indecent material on the internet or cable TV. The Federal Communications Commission’s rule of banning obscene and indecent material from being broadcasted on the radio or TV was backed by the Supreme Court. The Court established a public interest in the prevention of transmission of questionable material via broadcast medium, from 6.00am to 10.00pm. From 1978 up to around 2004, the FCC enforcement of rules against indecency was limited, that was until the Janet Jackson and Bono sagas. Janet Jackson, who was considered â€Å"the infamous wardrobe malfunction†, on February 1, 2004, was featured in the Super Bowl XXXVIII which was aired by CBS (Gunter 67). The show featured many celebrities, including Kid Rock in a poncho from an American flag cutout. Dancers repeatedly grabbed their crotches writhing to the music. In the finale, Justin Timberlake ripped one side of Janet Jackson’s bu stier which then exposed her right breast to hundreds of millions of viewers in a split of a second. Many viewers were not sure of what they saw until the radio, internet, and newspapers accounted on the next day. Others wanted to have a second look. Hence, the show became the most replayed over the TiVo digital video recorders. CBS was fined by the FCC $3.5 million, the highest penalty ever, for this and other indecency violations. CBS refused, insisting that the incident was not planned for, which then turned around to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia and challenged the indecency fine.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sexual Content in Broadcast Media: United States Case specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Another account was on a rock star called Bono. He was awarded in the Golden Globe Awards on January 19, 2003. The awards were broadcasted live and without taped delay. While accepting the award, he declared, â€Å"†¦this is fucking brilliant†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Perebinossoff 234). The FCC Enforcement Bureau declared that he did not use the word to describe sexual activities or sexual or excretory organs. Thus, there was no basis for the argument in the indecency law. Congress managed to pass the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act, 2006, increasing the fines to $325,000 for each day of a violation or the violation itself, and a maximum of $3 million for failure to act or any single act. However, in 2007, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals said that fines could not be collected from companies for so-called â€Å"fleeting expletives† because, in recent times, even top leaders use the expletives in a manner that no reasonable individual would believe that it has been used to describe excretory or sexual organs or activities. There were several acts against obscenity and indecency including Child Pornography Protection Act (CPPA) was passed in 1996. It banned all visual de pictions of minors, even if no minor is used. This law was then considered unconstitutional because it focuses on canning the content instead of banning the production. Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA) was passed in 2006 by Congress but was not voted by the Senate. The bill mandated e-rate portion to prevent minors from accessing chat-rooms and commercial social networks in schools and libraries. This measure would not grant the FCC the power to regulate or decide which sites were to be blocked. In 2003, Congress passed the PROTECT Act (Prosecutorial Remedies Other Tools to End the Exploitation of Children Today) ( NJ Law n.p.), which illegalizes misleading a minor via domain name in order to view content which may be â€Å"harmful to minors†. It prohibited pandering or depiction of digital or computer generated image of a minor engaging in sexually explicit actions. Family Privacy and Security Act was introduced in 2002 by Congress, though he did not make it out of the committee. It required registration, with the government, web-page operators with web-pages with content considered â€Å"harmful to minors†, then they be moved to a separate domain. This required labeling of emails with sexual content, also to restrict the use of digital recording devices to view or record for lewd purposes the image of another person, including minors. Dot Kids Implementation Efficiency Act was passed in 2002. It provided that a â€Å".kid.us† domain to be designed for families and children using the internet, to provide a safe environment and prevent exposure to harmful material on the internet. Children’s Internet Protection Act was passed into law in 2000 after bundling it into the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2001. This requires public institutions that use e-rate portion, to install blocking software systems to prevent minors from accessing material, which is harmful to minors, controlled by adult patrons. Position Paper There has been an augmentation in volume of sexual content, imagery and talk on the television which are being condemned by people who are termed as â€Å"a rising tide of filth† and celebrated by others terming it as â€Å"liberation from the regulations of the past† (Gitlin 12). Sexual conduct is evident all over the broadcast media. Pornography has evolved from soft-core to hardcore. In the olden days, media posed restrictions for broadcasting, but these days limitation of broadcasting restrictions have burst. Long time back, couples in the â€Å"TV life† were aired sleeping on separate beds, while, in real life, they sleep on the same bed (Kunkel 15). These restrictions lessened until it has reached an era where the restriction lies within the individual. The FCC cannot restrict any longer. With the presence of internet, an individual can get any content from hardcore to live pornographic videos. In the writing, Pornification, Sex and Sexuality, By Kaarina Nikunen, S usanna Paasonen and Laura Saarenmaa, it depicts how all kinds of pornography, from soft-core to hardcore, straight and gay pornography, male and female pornography, black to white, and many more, and how it has infiltrated the media (Gunter 67). Pornography is evident everywhere. It is evident in the explicit discussions in popular magazines, suggestiveness of music videos, refashioning of sex into art pieces and erotica of advertisements (Kaye and Barry 98).Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Pornography has now been integrated into popular culture and made part of everyday life (Kaye and Barry 98). Advertisements on television commercials bear sexually explicit content. Sexual desires have been transformed into commodity, made pornographic, and media are the foundation of this. Starting from music videos, they literally contain sex scenes; there are a lot of pornographic sites, also gay sites, like gaydar and cosimo girls which are online forums; HM’s street adverts, retro posters, films and educational sex videos and more. On the other hand, the accessibility, pervasiveness and the popular nature of TV makes it a brilliant instructor which offers a way to learn sexuality and sex without embarrassment. The images on the television, however, can be harmfully stereotyped, limited, and one dimensional, showing sex as an activity only acceptable for the young, beautiful and singles only. Sexual encounters may be erroneously represented as romantic, spontaneous and ri sk-free which may bring harm. The media, however, may help break the cultural taboos which are associated with sensitive sexual topics and may also bridge the gaps in knowledge about sex. TV shows and movies reveal a wide range of sexual expressions and raise topics such as incest, rape and abortion. The Media Project is an organization which works, with the television industry, to incorporate realistic information about sexuality and responsibility into this programming (UCSB SexInfo Online n.p.). They have even sponsored SHINE (Sexual Health IN Entertainment) Awards, which recognizes mass media outlets which have portrayed constructively sexual issues to the public. Center for Media Education. A Parent’s Guide to the TV Ratings and the V-Chip. Washington, D.C.: Center for Media Education, 1999. Gitlin, Todd. Inside Prime Time. Berkeley: University of California Press,2000. Gunter, Barrie. Media Sex : What are the Issues. Mahwah, N.J: Erlbaum, 2002. Kaarina, Dickson. Pornif ication and the Education of Desire: Sex and Sexuality. Cambridge: Cambridge University, 2007 Kaye, Barbara and Barry Sapolsky. â€Å"Offensive Language in PrimeTime Television: Before and After Content Rating.† Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media 45 (2001):303–319 Kunkel, Dale. Assessing the Validity of V-Chip Rating Judgments. Cresskill, N.J.: Hampton, 2003 NJ Law. New Jersey Lawyers voted 2010 Best of South Jersey. Web. Perebinossoff, Philippe. Real-World Media Ethics : Inside the Broadcast and Entertainment Industries. Amsterdam Boston: Elsevier Focal Press, 2008. UCSB SexInfo Online.Sexuality in the Mass Media. Web. Wayne, Louis. Attempts to Protect Children from Unsuitable Material on the Web. New York: Oxford University Press Rowman Littlefield Publishers, 2001.