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Although quality research strengthens a speech, don’t discount your own knowledge or experiences regarding your topic. Personal stories often make presentations more memorable. Let’s say that you recently completed a self-defense class and are preparing a speech to persuade your audience to do the same. Your self-defense training experience is a rich source of relevant information, as are any print materials, Web sites, or videos provided during your training.

If you are developing a speech based on research papers or projects you completed for other classes, the reference lists you created are a good place to start your research. If you choose a topic that’s currently getting a lot of media attention, any news sources or reputable blogs you regularly view could make good starting places for your research.