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COMM 101: Introduction to Communication: Topic Tips & Ideas

A typical assignment you might have in COMM 101 is to write and present an informative, demonstrative, or persuasive speech on a topic of your choice, with your ideas about it supported by sources and information you have found through research. 

Your sources should be cited orally in your speech, formally in your outline, and in a works cited or reference list. The number and types of sources you will need varies by professor. Check your assignment instructions to be sure you are meeting their requirements. 

Use this page if you need help choosing a topic or want to see examples of topics. It also gives suggestions for how you can develop and refine your topic. 

Choosing a Topic

When picking a topic, consider:

  • your professor's prompt and the assignment instructions
  • picking something that interests you and that you want to learn more about
  • something that will be interesting and relatable or important to your audience
  • a personal issue, problem, concern, or experience, since you might have some existing knowledge about it
  • if it's manageable and the right scope (not too broad but also not too specific)
  • if it's likely to have research about it

Remember, you may need to revise and make adjustments to your topic as you start to find information about it. 

Informative Speech Topic Ideas & Past Examples

A person:
famous, historically important, in your family or neighborhood

A place:
you've visited or would like to visit

An event:
the Superbowl, a natural disaster, a historical moment, a cultural celebration, a ritual

An idea:
free college tuition for all, universal basic income, service-learning, mindfulness, hygge

An activity:
knitting, basketball, container gardening, running   

A social issue:
gun control, prison reform, global warming, student debt, death penalty, pink tax, affordable housing (remember, do not take a side for an informative speech and consider discussing why the topic is controversial or debatable)

Examples of past student topics:
fashion trends, history of Bethlehem, history of Jeeps, the kidney, bipolar disorder, caffeine's effect on the body, superstitions, the food and cuisine of Brazil, cat breeds and traits

Some of these topics are very broad, so you may need to develop and focus them more to have more success researching and providing a good overview in your speech.

Demonstrative Speech Topic Ideas & Past Examples

How to:
get good grades, choose a car, budget in college, become an astronaut, create a dalgona coffee, clicker train your cat

Examples of past student topics:
How to solve a rubik's cube, how to save water, how to tie your shoes, how to make a bird feeder, how bills get passed by Congress

Persuasive Speech Topic Ideas & Past Examples

Need some inspiration? Some of our current and controversial issue focused library databases offer suggestions: 

  • Browse Topics (CQ Researcher). Choose a topic from the list to explore reports about that topic. 
  • All Issues A to Z (Issues & Controversies). Choose a topic to see an overview and pro/con articles written about it. 
  • Browse Issues (Opposing Viewpoints - Gale in Context). Browse the full list or choose a category from the drop-down menu to explore a specific subject.

Examples of past student topics:
electric vehicles are not better for the environment, euthanasia should be legalized, the drinking age should be lowered, Daylight Savings Time should be abolished

Developing Your Topic

To develop your topic and find your focus, do some brainstorming to break it into smaller pieces. Ask these questions:

  • Who? - specific age groups, cultures, genders
  • When? - time period (current or historical)
  • Where? - a geographic region (global/international, national, or local)
  • What? - causes, symptoms
  • Why? - value, importance

It might also help to think about:

  • what you already know about your topic
  • what you need to learn about your topic
  • what you intend to share about it
  • what questions your audience might have about it

You may need to do some preliminary searching for introductory or background information and overviews about your topic to help you at this point. Books, reference books, magazines, newspapers, and web sites are useful for this. Some of our library databases might help too -- learn more about which ones and how to search them on the Articles in Library Databases page of this guide. 

As you look for information, pay attention to anything that may help you later:

  • major concepts or theories related to your topic
  • language or terminology used by experts that you could use as search keywords
  • scholars or experts who do research on your topic
  • any cited sources that would be helpful for you to find and use yourself