How to Choose a Topic for a Speech (Personal Inventory Method)

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By StacyP
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speech topics

Choosing a speech topic can be one of the hardest things to do in public speaking. A winning presentation assignment begins with the right topic. Have you been given an open assignment to pick any speech topic you want? Are you wondering how to choose a topic for a speech? Taking a personal inventory can do wonders for finding speech topics. Read on for the personal inventory method for choosing a speech topic that will make your presentation an audience pleaser.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

sheet of paper (standard notebook size is fine)
writing utensil

Step 1

The first step in choosing a speech topic is to make a list of your hobbies, skills, beliefs, and experiences. Jotting down this list of personal inventory will often generate potential speech topics that weren’t obvious to you before.
Step 2

The next step is to narrow down the possible speech topics for your presentation assignment. From the personal inventory list in step one, cross out any speech ideas that are too embarrassing or too personal to tell an audience. Comfort while giving a presentation is very important in public speaking.
Step 3

Now, look at your personal inventory list for speech topics. Choosing a speech topic is easier now that you’ve gotten rid of some choices. Let’s make it even easier by crossing out any speech topics that are too simple to tell for a presentation. Oftentimes, even a seemingly short public speaking presentation requires a speech topic that is complex enough to speak about it from different angles. Make sure your remaining ideas for speech topics can withstand the minimum time requirements required for your presentation assignment.
Step 4

The final step on how to choose a topic for a speech using the personal inventory method is to pick that winning idea for your presentation assignment. If it is still too hard to decide, ask your teacher for help. Getting input for the presentation from your teacher works to your advantage in two ways: it shows you are committed to presenting a good speech and you’ll likely present a speech topic that your teacher is interested in.
Step 5

For more tips on creating a stellar public speaking presentation assignment, see the Resources area.