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Your topic is the subject you will address in your speech. The topic for your first speech will depend on the assignment your instructor has given you. Typical assignments include informing the class about an interesting issue you studied in another course, telling the class about a pet peeve, or sharing a cultural tradition with your audience.

To choose a topic, list as many possibilities as you can, and then use your audience analysis to select one that you think would appeal most to your listeners and also appeal to you. When you personally care about the topic, you’ll invest more time in preparing and practicing the speech. You’ll also convey your interest in the topic while delivering your speech, which will further engage your audience.

Make sure to avoid overused topics—such as the drinking age, steroids in sports, abortion, or the “art” of making a perfect peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Every instructor has a list of “reruns” that he or she would prefer not to watch again. If you choose a topic that is often presented in student speeches—for example, the death penalty or legalization of marijuana—you must make sure to take a fresh perspective or approach. If you have any doubts whatsoever whether your topic is appropriate, be sure to check with your instructor.

Finally, consider ways to narrow your topic. Most topics are too broad to cover in a five- or ten-minute presentation. For example, you would run out of time long before you could discuss everything there is to know about your major, culture, or favorite sport. Select one or more aspects of your topic that you think will most interest your audience and that you can also cover in the available time for your speech. For example, instead of trying to describe your entire culture, you might focus your topic on how your family or neighborhood celebrates a particular holiday.