100 Informative Speech Topics

Key Takeaways

• Informative speeches are intended to educate or inform an audience on a topic without the use of opinions or debates.
• When choosing an informative speech topic, you should consider your audience, your personal interest in the topic, how long it should be, and if you have enough facts to help you write your speech.
• Below you’ll find 100 informative speech topics to get you started, broken down into the following categories: science and technology, health and wellness, history and culture, arts and entertainment, how-to, nature and environment, psychology and human behavior, sports and recreation, business and marketing, and fun and creative.

100 Informative Speech Topics

Looking for an informative speech topic? You’ve come to the right place. While a persuasive speech is meant to change your audience’s mind, an informative speech is designed to educate. That’s not to say it won’t change anyone’s perspective, but it doesn’t have to. In this guide, we’re here to inform you about what an informative speech is, how to select the right topic for you, plus 100 ideas across different categories to get your creative juices flowing.

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What Is an Informative Speech?

An informative speech should educate or inform your audience. You should not include any of your own opinions or arguments—just facts. Focus on using evidence and factual explanations in a way that’s both engaging and easy for others to digest. When planning an informative speech, people often use one of the four speech formats: descriptive (to paint an accurate picture of a person, place, or object), definition (to explain a concept, idea, or term), explanatory (to describe how something works), or demonstrative (to show how to do something).

To give a good informative speech, focus on the following:

• Keep it factual. Think research and evidence—not your opinions. If you can’t prove that your information is accurate, then it probably doesn’t belong in your speech.
• Inform, don’t convince. Focus on educating your audience, not changing their minds.
• Be clear and specific. Covering something too broad often makes writing your speech more challenging because there is too much information to cover.
• Make it engaging. Find ways to make your topic interesting by adapting your speech to your audience, using visuals, and making it relatable.

How To Choose an Informative Speech Topic

You might think that choosing an informative speech topic is as simple as just picking from a list—and sure, that’s part of it. But if you want to give a speech you’re proud of, there’s a little more to think about. Here’s some things to consider as you choose your topic:

• Who are you giving your speech to? Is this for a class, an extracurricular, or even a competition? Regardless, knowing your audience’s interests and preferences will help you choose a topic that makes an impact.
• What are you interested in? You don’t have to be obsessed with your topic, but if you aren’t interested in it in the slightest, it’s going to make it really hard to make it engaging for others. For instance, if you have zero interest in the history of baseball, just imagine trying to talk about it for five minutes straight. Plus, if you are in the 77% of people who experience anxiety around public speaking, picking a topic you feel confident explaining can help relieve some stress once you’re standing on the stage.
• How long is your speech? Check your teacher’s or professor’s requirements before you settle on a topic. If your speech can’t exceed three minutes, then you might not want to discuss the entire history of aviation. Make sure you choose a topic that will be able to abide by the required time.
• Can you find enough facts? Let’s say you decide on a topic, you begin your research—and then you realize there are barely enough facts to back up what you want to share. Before declaring your speech topic, spend 10-15 minutes researching to ensure there’s enough evidence, articles, and facts out there to help you develop your speech.

100 Informative Speech Topics

The best informative speeches start with a topic that personally interests you. From science and sports to  psychology and arts, here’s a list of 100 informative speech topics to choose from:

Science and Technology

1. How has space exploration changed over time?
2. Explain how AI is changing the world.
3. What causes earthquakes and how do we predict them?
4. How do vaccines work?
5. Describe the history of the internet.
6. How do roller coasters work?
7. How do self-driving cars work?
8. Describe computers over the decades.
9. Discuss MacBook vs PC.
10. Explain how bridges are designed and built.
11. What are the benefits of 3D printing?

Health and Wellness

1. What happens when you don’t get enough sleep?
2. How does stress affect the brain and body?
3. Explain the benefits of strength training.
4. Explain the history of medicine.
5. Discuss the obesity epidemic.
6. How does nutrition affect one’s mental health?
7. The purpose and operation of an MRI machine.
8. Explain the differences between a midwife and an obstetrician.
9. Traditional Chinese Medicine and how it is still used today.
10. Why is it important to eat healthy?
11. What medicines come from nature?
12. What is the science behind painkillers?

History and Culture

1. Describe ancient civilizations and their impact.
2. Choose a famous landmark and explain the story behind it.
3. Explain the history of the Olympics.
4. How has fashion changed over the years and how has it repeated itself?
5. What is the Great Wall of China?
6. What were the long-term effects of Chernobyl?
7. Explain the Civil Rights Movement.
8. Describe the three branches of government.
9. Discuss the different religions of the world.
10. Explain how religious movements have shaped societies.
11. Examine the history of written language.
12. Compare and contrast World War I and World War II.

Arts and Entertainment

1. Discuss animation over the years.
2. Choose a genre of music and explain its history.
3. The influence Shakespeare has had on modern-day movies.
4. Explain the step-by-step process for how video games are made.
5. Examine the history of streaming services.
6. Why is the Mona Lisa so special?
7. What was Andy Warhol famous for?
8. Choose an award event (Met Gala, Oscars, Emmys, etc.) and describe its history.
9. Discuss the 10 most sold comic books and why they’re the most popular.

How-To

1. How to buy a house.
2. How to get a passport.
3. How to start a small business.
4. How to practice cybersecurity.
5. How to write a cover letter.
6. How to change a tire.
7. How to study abroad.

Nature and Environment

1. The effects of global warming.
2. Choose an endangered species to discuss.
3. Discuss the different natural disasters.
4. Discuss starting a garden.
5. The formation of the Grand Canyon.
6. Plants and trees that are unique to the United States.
7. Discuss the effects of the 2004 Thailand tsunami.
8. What are the Seven Natural Wonders of the World?
9. What is the Mariana Trench?

Psychology and Human Behavior

1. Why do people procrastinate?
2. Ideas on the importance of communication.
3. What are the top 10 phobias that people have?
4. Discuss the importance of psychologists and counselors in schools.
5. How is consumerism related to psychology?
6. Describe the nine enneagram types.
7. Choose a mental disorder (multiple personality disorder, bipolar disorder, PTSD) and discuss its symptoms.
8. Explain Pavlov’s Theory.
9. What is short-term memory loss?
10. Describe the four main learning styles.
11. Discuss the difference between sympathy and empathy.
12. Explain the mental effects of an eating disorder.

Sports and Recreation

1. Discuss the rise of pickleball for recreation.
2. Choose an Olympian and describe their training.
3. Discuss the 59 Super Bowls.
4. Look at the most profitable sports for colleges.
5. Choose an extreme sport to educate on.
6. The effect of youth sports on children.
7. The popularity of sports card collecting.
8. What is unique at each of the 30 Major League Baseball stadiums?

Business and Marketing

1. Explain the effect of influencer marketing on consumer behavior.
2. Discuss the evolution of marketing strategies.
3. The most successful small businesses.
4. Explain what cryptocurrency is.
5. The effects of inflation on businesses and everyday life.
6. How e-commerce brands affect traditional retail stores.
7. Using data to make business decisions.

Fun and Creative

1. Why is Disney World so popular?
2. The top 10 conspiracy theories.
3. Crazy laws you didn’t know existed.
4. The history of online dating.
5. The most famous advertising campaigns of all time.
6. The top 10 roadside attractions in the U.S.
7. Name exotic breeds of cats you can own as pets in the United States.
8. The history of the Miss America Pageant.
9. Discuss banned books over the decades.
10. What is the lottery and how does it work?
11. What are some of the most interesting world records?
12. The most successful social media influencers.
13. Facts about the Titanic.

With a list this long, you’re sure to find some informative speech topics that feels right for you. Remember, stick to the facts, choose something that interests you, and use visuals, definitions, and demonstrations to keep your audience engaged. Those tips will make the speech much easier to write and talk about. We hope you—and your audience—learn something new along the way.

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