Question
Hi class,
I recently brainstormed 100 speech topic ideas in one of my face-to-face classes. Feel free to take a peek at them. Do you think that some of these would be too broad for a 5-7 minute speech?
Thanks! Amanda
1. Genealogy
2. Guns
3. Warp drive
4. Marijuana legalization
5. Illegal immigrants
6. Drinking age
7. Abortion
8. Pirates
9. Global warming
10. Hunting
11. Halloween history
12. Origins of superstitions
13. Immunization
14. Obamacare
15. Tuition
16. Joseph Campbell
17. Dali Lama
18. Historic places
19. Woodworking
20. Civil War
21. Religious freedom
22. Cemeteries
23. Bora bora
24. Greece
25. Jerusalem
26. Football
27. 9/11
28. Christmas
29. Valentine’s Day
30. Racism
31. Respect
32. Couponing
33. Scrapbooking
34. Red Flannel
35. Thanksgiving
36. Aliens
37. England
38. Golf
39. Religion
40. Reality shows
41. Architecture
42. Photography
43. Social media
44. Great Depression
45. Middle Eastern culture
46. Carnival
47. Microsoft/Minecraft
48. AA Navy Diver
49. Multiverse Theory
50. Middle East involvement
51. Music theory
52. Life hacks
53. Arc of the Covenant
54. Oppression
55. Disc Golf
56. Freedom of Speech
57. History of hometown
58. Area 51
59. Michael Jordan
60. World hunger
61. National parks
62. Holy Grail
63. How to avoid IT
64. How to raise a dog
65. How to do taxes
66. Impact of media on society
67. Crazy laws in U.S.
68. How to interview
69. How to knit a scarf
70. How to make a pizza
71. How to drive a stick shift
72. Rome
73. Japan
74. Australia
75. Hunter S. Thompson
76. Ken Block
77. Greek Mythology
78. E-3
79. Comic Con
80. Pax
81. How to tie a tie
82. How to put on a kilt
83. How to tie a scarf
84. Y2K
85. Spelunking
86. Computer Viruses
87. Computer Hacking
88. DIY’s
89. How to budget
90. How to balance a checkbook
91. Sexual harassment
92. Yoga
93. Wine tours
94. Rehab
95. Geo cashing
96. Bit coins
97. Terraforming
98. Bermuda Triangle
99. Bird watching
100. How to change the oil in the car
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Hi Amanda,
It's great that you've brainstormed such a diverse list of speech topic ideas! When it comes to a 5-7 minute speech, choosing a topic that is too broad can make it challenging to convey your message effectively within the time limit. Here are some thoughts on certain topics that may be too broad, and suggestions for narrowing them down:
1. **Genealogy** - Consider focusing on a specific aspect, like the impact of genealogy on personal identity.
4. **Marijuana legalization** - You might narrow it to the effects on a specific demographic or region.
9. **Global warming** - This could be too broad. Consider focusing on a specific consequence, like its impact on rising sea levels.
10. **Hunting** - You could focus on ethical hunting practices or a specific region's hunting laws.
21. **Religious freedom** - This could be narrowed to a specific country or historical context.
30. **Racism** - You might focus on a specific incident, movement, or comparison between two time periods.
35. **Thanksgiving** - Maybe focus on its historical origins or modern-day controversies around it.
60. **World hunger** - This is quite expansive; you could focus on specific causes or particular regions and their challenges.
61. **National parks** - You could highlight a specific national park and its ecological significance or a recent change in policy affecting it.
66. **Impact of media on society** - This is broad; consider focusing on a specific type of media (e.g., social media) or a specific effect (e.g., on youth).
80. **Pax** - This could be narrowed down to a particular historical context or figure associated with PAX.
87. **Computer Hacking** - Narrow it down to a specific famous hack or cybersecurity measures.
96. **Bit coins** - Focus on a specific aspect of cryptocurrencies, like their impact on the economy or their environmental footprint.
On the other hand, several topics on your list, like "How to avoid IT" or "How to knit a scarf," are naturally narrower and might work well within your allotted time.
Ultimately, selecting a topic you are passionate about will help make your speech more engaging, and remember to structure it with a clear main point and supporting details to keep within the time limit. Good luck with your speech preparation!
Best,
[Your Name]
It's great that you've brainstormed such a diverse list of speech topic ideas! When it comes to a 5-7 minute speech, choosing a topic that is too broad can make it challenging to convey your message effectively within the time limit. Here are some thoughts on certain topics that may be too broad, and suggestions for narrowing them down:
1. **Genealogy** - Consider focusing on a specific aspect, like the impact of genealogy on personal identity.
4. **Marijuana legalization** - You might narrow it to the effects on a specific demographic or region.
9. **Global warming** - This could be too broad. Consider focusing on a specific consequence, like its impact on rising sea levels.
10. **Hunting** - You could focus on ethical hunting practices or a specific region's hunting laws.
21. **Religious freedom** - This could be narrowed to a specific country or historical context.
30. **Racism** - You might focus on a specific incident, movement, or comparison between two time periods.
35. **Thanksgiving** - Maybe focus on its historical origins or modern-day controversies around it.
60. **World hunger** - This is quite expansive; you could focus on specific causes or particular regions and their challenges.
61. **National parks** - You could highlight a specific national park and its ecological significance or a recent change in policy affecting it.
66. **Impact of media on society** - This is broad; consider focusing on a specific type of media (e.g., social media) or a specific effect (e.g., on youth).
80. **Pax** - This could be narrowed down to a particular historical context or figure associated with PAX.
87. **Computer Hacking** - Narrow it down to a specific famous hack or cybersecurity measures.
96. **Bit coins** - Focus on a specific aspect of cryptocurrencies, like their impact on the economy or their environmental footprint.
On the other hand, several topics on your list, like "How to avoid IT" or "How to knit a scarf," are naturally narrower and might work well within your allotted time.
Ultimately, selecting a topic you are passionate about will help make your speech more engaging, and remember to structure it with a clear main point and supporting details to keep within the time limit. Good luck with your speech preparation!
Best,
[Your Name]