how do you write a thesis for a speech

Persuasive Speech Thesis Statement

Persuasive speech generator.

Crafting a persuasive speech hinges on a compelling thesis statement – the linchpin that anchors your argument and guides your audience. The potency of your speech is encapsulated in this singular sentence, making it essential to perfect. Below, we delve into the anatomy of persuasive speech thesis statements, offering examples to inspire, guidelines to streamline the writing process, and pro tips to ensure your message resonates powerfully. Ready to persuade and captivate? Dive in.

What is a Persuasive Speech Thesis Statement? – Definition

A persuasive speech thesis statement is a concise declaration that clearly expresses the main argument or stance of your speech. Unlike an informative speech thesis statement which simply informs, a persuasive speech thesis aims to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take a certain action. It serves as the foundation of your argument, providing a roadmap for your listeners and guiding the content of your speech.

What is a good thesis statement Example for a persuasive speech?

A good thesis statement for a persuasive speech should be clear, concise, arguable, and specific. Here’s an example:

Topic: Reducing meat consumption for environmental purposes.

Thesis Statement: “Reducing our meat consumption by half can significantly decrease our carbon footprint, lessen water usage, and help in preserving essential ecosystems, making it not just a dietary choice but a responsibility for the environment.”

This thesis statement makes a clear argument, states why the audience should care, and is backed by several points that can be elaborated upon during the speech.

100 Persuasive Speech Thesis Statement Examples

Mandatory vaccinations are crucial for public health.
Vegetarianism can significantly reduce global environmental damage.
Schools should abolish standardized tests.
Solar energy is the future of global power.
Animal testing for cosmetics should be banned worldwide.
Online education can be more effective than traditional classroom settings.
Ban on single-use plastics is essential for marine conservation.
Euthanasia should be legalized under specific circumstances.
Governments should regulate social media to combat fake news.
Higher education should be free for all citizens.
Workplace dress codes are outdated and unnecessary.
Young adults should be mandated to take a gap year before college.
Juvenile offenders should never be treated as adults in the legal system.
Artificial intelligence poses more risks than benefits.
GMOs are safe and beneficial for global food security.
Children under 16 shouldn’t have access to smartphones.
Censorship in media does more harm than good.
Parents should be held accountable for their children’s cyberbullying actions.
Organic farming is essential for future food sustainability.
Space exploration is a waste of money that could be better spent on Earth’s problems.
Pro athletes deserve their high salaries due to their unique skills and market demand.
The death penalty is an outdated form of punishment.
Video games don’t lead to violent behavior in youths.
Mandatory voting would strengthen democracies.
Physical education in schools is essential for youth health.
Corporal punishment is detrimental to children’s well-being.
Taxing sugary drinks can decrease obesity rates.
All countries should adopt a universal basic income.
Modern zoos are ethical and beneficial for wildlife conservation.
Children’s exposure to screen time should be limited for cognitive development.
Countries should prioritize refugees over other immigrants.
Binge-watching TV shows can lead to psychological issues.
Public transport should be free to reduce traffic congestion.
Companies should be taxed more for carbon emissions.
Homeschooling can provide a more personalized education than traditional schools.
Medical marijuana should be legalized worldwide.
Advertising to children should be strictly regulated.
Fast fashion is detrimental to both the environment and society.
Child actors are often exploited and laws should protect them more rigorously.
Cybersecurity education should be a mandatory part of school curriculums.
Celebrity endorsements in politics do more harm than good.
Gender-neutral bathrooms promote inclusivity and should be standardized.
Self-driving cars are the solution to urban traffic woes.
The gig economy undermines workers’ rights.
Print books are superior to e-books for cognitive absorption.
Intermittent fasting has more benefits than traditional dieting.
Capitalism needs significant reforms to address modern challenges.
Professional networks are more beneficial than academic degrees in today’s job market.
Pets should be adopted from shelters instead of being purchased from breeders.
Drone deliveries are the future of e-commerce.
Modern architecture should prioritize sustainability over aesthetics.
Mental health days should be a standard employment benefit.
Religious institutions should pay taxes.
Athletes caught doping should face lifetime bans.
All public places should offer free Wi-Fi.
Parenting classes should be mandatory for expectant parents.
Soft skills are more important than hard skills in today’s workforce.
College athletes should be paid for their efforts.
Digital currency will replace traditional money.
Forest conservation is more important than urban expansion.
Remote work improves employee productivity and well-being.
Traditional college is becoming obsolete.
Public figures have a right to personal privacy.
Extreme adventure sports should have stricter regulations.
Recycling should be legally mandatory for households.
Local tourism is more sustainable than international travel.
Artificial sweeteners do more harm than natural sugars.
Digital detoxes are essential for mental health.
Nuclear energy is a necessary alternative in the climate change battle.
Fossil fuels need to be phased out within the next decade.
The pay gap is a pervasive issue that needs addressing.
Mandatory military service strengthens nations.
Multilingual education from a young age has cognitive and cultural benefits.
Cultural appropriation in fashion and art should be discouraged.
Childhood vaccination should not be optional.
Public speaking skills should be a mandatory part of the school curriculum.
Reality TV promotes negative stereotypes and should be reformed.
The 4-day workweek improves overall quality of life.
Bottled water is an environmental and economic disaster.
Governments should fund scientific research over military endeavors.
Telemedicine is as effective as in-person consultations.
The arts are just as important as sciences in education.
Elitism in Ivy League schools undermines the education system.
Human cloning has more ethical concerns than benefits.
Paternity leave should be equal to maternity leave.
Junk food advertising should be banned during children’s television programming.
Sustainable living should be a core part of school education.
Immigration policies should be more compassionate.
Philanthropy by billionaires isn’t a solution to systemic societal issues.
Traditional media is losing its credibility.
Fast food chains should be accountable for the obesity epidemic.
Urban gardens are essential for community well-being.
Virtual reality can revolutionize education.
Tabloid journalism threatens democratic processes.
Every city should have green rooftops.
Adventure travel is more than a trend; it’s a learning experience.
Plastics in cosmetics harm both the environment and consumers.
Youth activism is reshaping global politics.
The universal right to internet access should be a fundamental human right.
The rise of influencer culture negatively impacts societal values.

Remember, these are broad topics and may need to be adjusted to fit specific audiences or contexts. They aim to serve as inspiration and a starting point for your persuasive speeches.

Persuasive Speech Thesis Statement Examples for College

Crafting the right thesis for a college-based persuasive speech can mold opinions, drive actions, and shape futures. Here’s a set of examples aiming at various issues relevant to the college experience.

Implementing mental health services in colleges is crucial to support student well-being.
Every college should offer free online course alternatives to reduce student costs.
Limiting textbook prices will make higher education more accessible.
Extracurricular activities are just as vital as academics in shaping a student’s character.
Campus security measures should be increased to ensure student safety.
Colleges should foster an environment that promotes free speech and open dialogue.
The fraternity and sorority system requires an overhaul to combat systemic issues.
Online courses can be more tailored and efficient than traditional classroom lectures.
Mandatory internships should be integrated into every college curriculum.
College tuition fees should be proportional to post-graduate income levels.

Persuasive Speech Thesis Statement Examples on Pollution

Pollution, in its many forms, threatens our health, environment, and future. These thesis statements shed light on the pressing need for action and awareness in tackling this universal concern.

Air pollution’s long-term health impacts make it a silent global crisis.
Ocean plastic pollution threatens not only marine life but human survival.
Urbanization without proper waste management systems exacerbates land pollution.
Implementing stricter emission standards can significantly reduce vehicular pollution.
Industrial water pollution is the leading cause of freshwater habitat loss.
Noise pollution in urban areas has unrecognized psychological implications.
Electronic waste is the new environmental crisis of the digital age.
Encouraging sustainable agriculture can mitigate soil pollution.
Light pollution affects human circadian rhythms and needs to be addressed.
The cosmetic industry must be held accountable for microplastic pollution.

Persuasive Speech Thesis Statement Examples for Introduction

Setting the right tone at the start of your speech is crucial. An impactful thesis statement in your introduction can capture attention and shape the direction of your persuasive message.

Today’s consumerist society threatens the planet’s finite resources.
Advancements in technology are eroding genuine human connections.
Our dietary choices have profound implications for our health and environment.
Childhood education shapes a nation’s future more than any policy.
The rise of digital currencies can revolutionize the global financial system.
The media landscape shapes public perception more than factual events.
Combating climate change is not a choice but a necessity.
The fashion industry’s practices are at odds with ethical consumerism.
Urban planning and green spaces directly impact societal well-being.
The future of transportation lies in sustainable energy sources.

Persuasive Speech Thesis Statement Examples for Conclusion

A powerful ending requires a conclusive thesis statement, reinforcing your argument and ensuring your message resonates after the speech ends.

Confronting gender biases isn’t a niche issue but central to societal progress.
Without collective action, endangered species face an irreversible fate.
Privacy in the digital age is not a luxury, but a fundamental right.
Without conscious effort, traditional cultures risk fading into oblivion.
Sustainable living isn’t a trend but the only way forward.
Local businesses are the backbone of a thriving community.
Without reforms, the healthcare system will collapse under its weight.
The arts, often underfunded, are essential for holistic human development.
Youth engagement in politics can reshape outdated policies.
Technology, without ethical boundaries, poses a threat to human autonomy.

How do you start a thesis statement for a persuasive speech?

Starting a thesis statement for a persuasive speech is pivotal in setting the tone and direction for the rest of the speech. Here’s how to begin crafting one:

Identify Your Topic : Understand the topic you’ll be addressing. This might seem obvious, but having a clear topic in mind ensures your thesis remains focused.
Understand Your Audience : Tailor your thesis statement to appeal to the audience’s values, beliefs, and interests.
State Your Position Clearly : A persuasive speech thesis statement must make a claim or express an opinion that you will support and develop throughout the speech.
Make It Arguable : Ensure your thesis presents a viewpoint someone might challenge. It should not be a plain statement of fact.
Keep It Concise : An effective thesis is concise and direct, avoiding vague words or overly complex sentence structures.
Start with a Strong Word : Words like “must,” “should,” “ought to,” can make your thesis more forceful.

Example : Instead of saying “Exercise is good for health,” you might say, “Regular exercise is essential for maintaining a healthy body and mind.

How do you write a thesis statement for a persuasive essay? – Step by Step Guide

Writing a compelling thesis statement for a persuasive essay is crucial, as it sets the tone and direction for the rest of your essay. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you craft an effective thesis statement:

1. Understand the Essay Prompt: Before crafting your thesis, ensure you thoroughly understand the essay prompt or question. This provides clarity on what you’re being asked to argue or address.

2. Choose a Specific Topic: Narrow down a broad subject to a specific topic that is suitable for the essay’s length. The more specific you are, the more concise and to the point your argument will be.

3. Take a Clear Stance: A persuasive essay requires a clear stance on the topic. Decide what your position is after analyzing all angles of the topic.

4. Conduct Preliminary Research: Before finalizing your thesis, do some preliminary research to ensure ample evidence and examples are available to support your stance. This will also help you gauge the strength of your argument.

5. Draft a Preliminary Thesis Statement: Begin by drafting a broad statement, which you’ll refine in subsequent steps.

6. Be Specific: General statements lack punch. Instead of saying, “Air pollution is bad,” you could say, “Air pollution from vehicular emissions has detrimental health effects and contributes significantly to global warming.”

7. Ensure Your Thesis is Arguable: A good persuasive essay thesis should be debatable. It’s essential that your thesis presents an opinion or claim that others could dispute.

8. Revise and Refine: After drafting, take a step back and review your thesis. Can it be more specific? Stronger? More concise? Does it truly encapsulate the main point of your essay? Adjust as necessary.

9. Seek Feedback: It’s beneficial to get feedback from peers or instructors about your thesis statement. They might offer a perspective or critique that you hadn’t considered.

10. Position Your Thesis: Traditionally, a thesis statement is placed near the end of the introduction. This helps your reader understand the argument you’ll be making in your essay.

Example: If writing about the influence of media on young minds, a potential thesis might be: “The omnipresence of media, especially social media, has a profound impact on adolescents, influencing their mental health, body image, and perceptions of reality, necessitating strict regulatory measures.

Tips for Writing a Persuasive Speech Thesis Statement

Be Clear and Direct : Avoid ambiguity. Your audience should immediately understand your stance.
Stay Focused : Your thesis should address one main idea or argument. Avoid trying to tackle too many issues at once.
Back It Up : While the thesis itself is a statement, always ensure you have evidence to support your claim in the body of your speech.
Avoid Neutral Language : Use strong, definitive language to convey your position.
Test Your Thesis : Before finalizing, ask yourself if someone could oppose your thesis. If the answer is no, it might not be argumentative enough.
Position It Properly : Typically, the thesis statement should be among the first things your audience hears, so they understand the context and direction of your speech.
Stay Authentic : While it’s essential to be persuasive, ensure your thesis aligns with your beliefs and knowledge. Authenticity can make your argument more convincing.

In summary, crafting a strong thesis statement for a persuasive speech or essay provides a clear direction for your argument, engages your audience, and makes your message memorable. Ensure it’s concise, specific, and backed by evidence.

Text prompt

Instructive
Professional

Generate a Persuasive Speech Thesis Statement on adopting a plant-based diet

Write a Persuasive Speech Thesis Statement for supporting local businesses

14 Crafting a Thesis Statement

Learning Objectives

Craft a thesis statement that is clear, concise, and declarative.
Narrow your topic based on your thesis statement and consider the ways that your main points will support the thesis.

Crafting a Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is a short, declarative sentence that states the purpose, intent, or main idea of a speech. A strong, clear thesis statement is very valuable within an introduction because it lays out the basic goal of the entire speech. We strongly believe that it is worthwhile to invest some time in framing and writing a good thesis statement. You may even want to write your thesis statement before you even begin conducting research for your speech. While you may end up rewriting your thesis statement later, having a clear idea of your purpose, intent, or main idea before you start searching for research will help you focus on the most appropriate material. To help us understand thesis statements, we will first explore their basic functions and then discuss how to write a thesis statement.

Basic Functions of a Thesis Statement

A thesis statement helps your audience by letting them know, clearly and concisely, what you are going to talk about. A strong thesis statement will allow your reader to understand the central message of your speech. You will want to be as specific as possible. A thesis statement for informative speaking should be a declarative statement that is clear and concise; it will tell the audience what to expect in your speech. For persuasive speaking, a thesis statement should have a narrow focus and should be arguable, there must be an argument to explore within the speech. The exploration piece will come with research, but we will discuss that in the main points. For now, you will need to consider your specific purpose and how this relates directly to what you want to tell this audience. Remember, no matter if your general purpose is to inform or persuade, your thesis will be a declarative statement that reflects your purpose.

How to Write a Thesis Statement

Now that we’ve looked at why a thesis statement is crucial in a speech, let’s switch gears and talk about how we go about writing a solid thesis statement. A thesis statement is related to the general and specific purposes of a speech.

Once you have chosen your topic and determined your purpose, you will need to make sure your topic is narrow. One of the hardest parts of writing a thesis statement is narrowing a speech from a broad topic to one that can be easily covered during a five- to seven-minute speech. While five to seven minutes may sound like a long time for new public speakers, the time flies by very quickly when you are speaking. You can easily run out of time if your topic is too broad. To ascertain if your topic is narrow enough for a specific time frame, ask yourself three questions.

Is your speech topic a broad overgeneralization of a topic?

Overgeneralization occurs when we classify everyone in a specific group as having a specific characteristic. For example, a speaker’s thesis statement that “all members of the National Council of La Raza are militant” is an overgeneralization of all members of the organization. Furthermore, a speaker would have to correctly demonstrate that all members of the organization are militant for the thesis statement to be proven, which is a very difficult task since the National Council of La Raza consists of millions of Hispanic Americans. A more appropriate thesis related to this topic could be, “Since the creation of the National Council of La Raza [NCLR] in 1968, the NCLR has become increasingly militant in addressing the causes of Hispanics in the United States.”

Is your speech’s topic one clear topic or multiple topics?

A strong thesis statement consists of only a single topic. The following is an example of a thesis statement that contains too many topics: “Medical marijuana, prostitution, and Women’s Equal Rights Amendment should all be legalized in the United States.” Not only are all three fairly broad, but you also have three completely unrelated topics thrown into a single thesis statement. Instead of a thesis statement that has multiple topics, limit yourself to only one topic. Here’s an example of a thesis statement examining only one topic: Ratifying the Women’s Equal Rights Amendment as equal citizens under the United States law would protect women by requiring state and federal law to engage in equitable freedoms among the sexes.

Does the topic have direction?

If your basic topic is too broad, you will never have a solid thesis statement or a coherent speech. For example, if you start off with the topic “Barack Obama is a role model for everyone,” what do you mean by this statement? Do you think President Obama is a role model because of his dedication to civic service? Do you think he’s a role model because he’s a good basketball player? Do you think he’s a good role model because he’s an excellent public speaker? When your topic is too broad, almost anything can become part of the topic. This ultimately leads to a lack of direction and coherence within the speech itself. To make a cleaner topic, a speaker needs to narrow her or his topic to one specific area. For example, you may want to examine why President Obama is a good public speaker.

Put Your Topic into a Declarative Sentence

You wrote your general and specific purpose. Use this information to guide your thesis statement. If you wrote a clear purpose, it will be easy to turn this into a declarative statement.

General purpose: To inform

Specific purpose: To inform my audience about the lyricism of former President Barack Obama’s presentation skills.

Your thesis statement needs to be a declarative statement. This means it needs to actually state something. If a speaker says, “I am going to talk to you about the effects of social media,” this tells you nothing about the speech content. Are the effects positive? Are they negative? Are they both? We don’t know. This sentence is an announcement, not a thesis statement. A declarative statement clearly states the message of your speech.

For example, you could turn the topic of President Obama’s public speaking skills into the following sentence: “Because of his unique sense of lyricism and his well-developed presentational skills, President Barack Obama is a modern symbol of the power of public speaking.” Or you could state, “Socal media has both positive and negative effects on users.”

Adding your Argument, Viewpoint, or Opinion

If your topic is informative, your job is to make sure that the thesis statement is nonargumentative and focuses on facts. For example, in the preceding thesis statement, we have a couple of opinion-oriented terms that should be avoided for informative speeches: “unique sense,” “well-developed,” and “power.” All three of these terms are laced with an individual’s opinion, which is fine for a persuasive speech but not for an informative speech. For informative speeches, the goal of a thesis statement is to explain what the speech will be informing the audience about, not attempting to add the speaker’s opinion about the speech’s topic. For an informative speech, you could rewrite the thesis statement to read, “Barack Obama’s use of lyricism in his speech, ‘A World That Stands as One,’ delivered July 2008 in Berlin demonstrates exceptional use of rhetorical strategies.

On the other hand, if your topic is persuasive, you want to make sure that your argument, viewpoint, or opinion is clearly indicated within the thesis statement. If you are going to argue that Barack Obama is a great speaker, then you should set up this argument within your thesis statement.

For example, you could turn the topic of President Obama’s public speaking skills into the following sentence: “Because of his unique sense of lyricism and his well-developed presentational skills, President Barack Obama is a modern symbol of the power of public speaking.” Once you have a clear topic sentence, you can start tweaking the thesis statement to help set up the purpose of your speech.

Thesis Checklist

Once you have written a first draft of your thesis statement, you’re probably going to end up revising your thesis statement a number of times prior to delivering your actual speech. A thesis statement is something that is constantly tweaked until the speech is given. As your speech develops, often your thesis will need to be rewritten to whatever direction the speech itself has taken. We often start with a speech going in one direction, and find out through our research that we should have gone in a different direction. When you think you finally have a thesis statement that is good to go for your speech, take a second and make sure it adheres to the criteria shown below.

Preview of Speech

The preview, as stated in the introduction portion of our readings, reminds us that we will need to let the audience know what the main points in our speech will be. You will want to follow the thesis with the preview of your speech. Your preview will allow the audience to follow your main points in a sequential manner. Spoiler alert: The preview when stated out loud will remind you of main point 1, main point 2, and main point 3 (etc. if you have more or less main points). It is a built in memory card!

For Future Reference | How to organize this in an outline |

Introduction

Attention Getter: Background information: Credibility: Thesis: Preview:

Key Takeaways

Introductions are foundational to an effective public speech.

A thesis statement is instrumental to a speech that is well-developed and supported.
Be sure that you are spending enough time brainstorming strong attention getters and considering your audience’s goal(s) for the introduction.
A strong thesis will allow you to follow a roadmap throughout the rest of your speech: it is worth spending the extra time to ensure you have a strong thesis statement.

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Public Speaking Copyright © by Dr. Layne Goodman; Amber Green, M.A.; and Various is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.