When choosing an argumentative speech topic, consider whether your audience is a classroom, a town meeting, a place of worship, or in personal homes. In a classroom, consider the teacher's guidelines and the opinions of fellow classmates. Remember to research all sides of the topic before choosing a side and look for evidence to support a point. Next, write the topic statement which includes the topic and your opinion on that topic.
For example, on the topic of mental health screening, the statement may be: Mental health screening for ten year olds is beneficial for detecting early signs of depression, anxiety, and harmful behavior. A counter argument may be: Mental health screening is an invasion of privacy. A third could be: Mental health screening is a costly endeavor with few benefits. Remember that the topic statement is an opinion that is supported with facts, examples and reasoning.
Other topics listed by category are found in the website 200 Controversial Speech Topics. Categories include, but are not limited to environmental, ethical, freedom, medical, politics (from local to worldwide), society, and women's issues. In contrast, the website 150 Argumentative Speech Topics lists specific topics in alphabetical order from Academic Dishonesty to Working Women. While using either resource, speech presenters must remember to focus their topic according to the audience and the assignment.
When writing a speech based on the topics listed, such as racism, be as specific and personal as possible. Consider personal examples of interracial dating, marriage and children. In a political meeting, point out what is wrong, but consider what can be done. For example, a "fat food tax" can help pay for Health Care Refom. In places of worship, a sermon on forgiveness needs to be supported with scriptural examples of people who forgave and/or received forgiveness.
No matter what point the speaker chooses to make, speech writers need to cite the sources of supporting details in order to give themselves and their message credibility. Once the speaker states something that is not true, the respect of the audience is lost. Honesty needs to be the guiding principle in presenting any argument.