When choosing a topic for a persuasive speech assignment, watch out for these common pitfalls.

For many students, choosing a good topic for a persuasive speech is one of the most difficult parts of their public speaking class. Here are some common mistakes that students make selecting a persuasive topic-- and some ways to avoid these problems.

Choosing a Topic that Bores You

When giving a persuasive speech, you absolutely must feel strongly about your topic. Otherwise, how will you ever persuade the audience to agree with you? Take the time to choose a topic that's meaningful to you personally, and never choose a topic simply because it sounds easy. Here are some persuasive speaking topics for you to consider.

Choosing a Topic You Feel Too Strongly About

On the other hand, avoid your "hot button" topics. Everyone has issues that they feel so strongly about that they can't really sympathize with where people are coming from. There's nothing wrong with feeling this way about an issue, but it's also not a good idea to give a persuasive speech on these topics. In order to write a good persuasive speech, you need to be able to respectfully address opposing views within your speech, and it's difficult to do this with a hot button issue.

Choosing a Topic That Isn't Persuasive

In order for a speech to be persuasive, it has to clearly ask the audience to change their attitudes or behaviors in relation to your topic. If it doesn't do this, your speech is informative, but not persuasive-- and therefore doesn't meet the criteria for the assignment. Remember, an informative speech consists of information. A persuasive speech consists of evidence.

For example, a speech called "Why You Should Go to Belgium" that includes lots of information about the great cities and attractions in Belgium has some persuasive elements, and might convince someone to consider Brussels as a future tourist destination. However, what this speech does primarily is to provide the audience information about Belgium.

In a more persuasive speech, you might try to persuade the audience that the U.S. should adopt a public transportation system that's more like Belgium's system. This speech would do more than just provide information about Belgium's buses and trains. Rather, it would provide evidence that Belgium's system is more efficient, cost effective, and environmentally friendly than public transportation in the United States.

To make sure a speech is indeed persuasive, make sure the speech uses evidence to change the audience's behavior and attitude about something-- and that it uses evidence to do so, as opposed to just information about a topic.

Choosing a Topic With No Controversy

Another mistake that students make is to choose a topic that everyone already agrees with. "Smoking is bad for you" is not an effective persuasive topic because you're not going to persuade the audience that this is true-- they already agree! Instead, choose a topic such as, "Our city should implement a smoking ban in all bars and restaurants." Now you've picked a topic that will require persuasion.

Choosing a Tired Topic

Avoid topics that are done all the time. Your instructor has heard these topics before and knows the mistakes students make when they speak on these topics-- so he or she will instantly be able to grade you down if you make the same mistakes. In addition, the audience is probably sick of these topics and may tune you out. Here are some tired persuasive speaking topics that you should avoid.

Best of luck in choosing a speech topic! To help you out, here are some more tips for success in a public speaking class.