oral presentation topics vce 2023

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VCE English Study Guide: Units 1 and 2 [NEW 2023 curriculum]

Never understood how to tackle English? Find out what your markers are really looking for in this VCE English Study Guide for Units 1 and 2 in the new 2023 curriculum.

All about the VCE English Study Guide: Units 1 and 2

What do i need to know.

During every semester in Year 11 and 12, you will complete one VCE English unit — in total, there are 4 units . Most schools will teach Unit 1 and 2 in Year 11, and Unit 3 and 4 in Year 12.

In each unit, you will explore 2 areas of study ; you can think of them as related topics. It’s important that you have an understanding of what each unit is about, so you can present your work in a way that scores highly against the specific marking criteria.

We discuss:

• An outline of the areas of study within  VCE English Units 1 and 2
• What the VCE English units require of you
• The coursework and assessments you’ll face

What are the components of the VCE English Units 1 and 2?

Let’s take a look at what you are learning in each area of study!

Please note that this VCE English Study Guide is for the new Units 1 and 2 in the 2023 curriculum .

Unit 1, Area of Study 1: Reading and Exploring Texts

This course is designed to encourage students to use their personal experiences and insights to interpret texts.

In this area of study:

• Students closely read texts to analyse the characters, settings, plot, language, structure and form.
• They should take note of how these representations are shaped by the point of view and the voice of the text.
• By acknowledging their own personal experiences, students should be able to connect more closely with the key ideas, concerns and tensions presented in the text.
• They should find similarities and differences between the values exhibited in the text and their own, as shaped by the different contexts.
• Students share their insights about their texts through a process involving writing practice, feedback, reflection and editing.

Unit 1, Area of Study 2: Crafting Texts

This course focuses on improving students’ writing skills in imaginative, persuasive and informative forms.

• Students read ‘mentor’ texts to see how text structures and language features can be used effectively in writing.
• Using these ‘mentor’ texts as inspiration, students are encouraged to experiment with forms, features and language in their writing.
• Students will learn to manipulate these techniques in their writing to fulfill a clear purpose for a specific audience

Unit 2, Area of Study 1: Reading and Exploring Texts

This course has a similar focus to the first area of study in Unit 1, but it challenges students to consider multiple meanings of their text to a deeper level.

• Students infer meanings in their texts. These interpretations do not necessarily have to be obvious or what the author originally intended, but they do need to be supported using evidence from the text.
• Students will continue to develop their ability to critically analyse the author’s context and any values projected in the text which may have been impacted by their context.
• Students discuss these interpretations in formal essays.

Unit 2, Area of Study 2: Exploring Argument

This course teaches students to unpack how arguments are intentionally constructed to be influence others and apply these principles to their own attempts at persuasion.

• Students read and analyse texts with a particular focus on the use of persuasive elements.
• Students will learn to recognise persuasion in various mediums of text such as print, digital, audio and audio visual.
• Using this understanding of how visuals and both written and spoken language can be refined to influence others, students will produce an oral presentation that creates an argument and a persuasive effect on the audience.

Why is it important to know your Areas of Study?

Each area of study requires a specific set of skills that you must demonstrate in your work to score highly.

Knowing what these requirements are makes it much easier for you to meet the criteria for high marks.

There are more compelling reasons to be familiar with your areas of study for VCE English:

• The area of study descriptions make studying for English less ambiguous because they tell you what features your teachers are looking for in your work.
• They give you insight into what your school-based assessments could look like.
• Your teachers will be using these descriptions as a guideline to mark your work.

The complete VCE Study Designs for all the English subjects can be found at the following links on the VCAA website:

• Bridging English as an Additional Language
• English and English as an Additional Language
• English Language
• Foundation English

VCE English Assessments

Units 1 and 2.

For VCE English Unit 1 and Unit 2, your assessments are determined by the school. Your marks in Unit 1 and Unit 2 will not affect your final ATAR, but you do need to receive a satisfactory grade to pass the course.

VCAA has suggested that the following assessments are suitable for Units 1 and 2, so it’s likely that your school will decide to test you with similar assessments:

In this VCE English Study Guide, we provide more detailed examples of these assessments for Units 1 and 2 in the new 2023 curriculum, below.

You will be required to respond personally to a text.

You will be required to produce two texts and one reflection on the processes of writing.

You will be required to produce an analytical response to a text.

You will be required to:

• Produce an analytical response to a persuasive text
• Create your own persuasive oral presentation

© Matrix Education and www.matrix.edu.au, 2023. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Matrix Education and www.matrix.edu.au with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

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VCE English: Advice for your Oral Presentations

Wednesday 19th, July 2023

As part of your assessment for VCE English, you are required to ‘ develop and present a point of view text.’ In other words, you need to complete an oral presentation. This is quite unlike the other assessments you get, as you are required to plan, write, and present a speech.

Most students find this assignment daunting, but it can also be very enjoyable as you get to explore a current issue (more on this later). This article will give you a run down on what to expect from this assessment, and tips and tricks to help you ace it!

How to Choose a Topic

The most important part of this assessment is choosing a suitable topic. VCAA stipulates that the issue must have appeared in the media before September 1 st of the previous year. In some cases, your teachers may give you a short list of topics to choose from, or if you’re lucky, you will be given completely free reign.

Either way, you need to choose a topic that you have a lot to write about. After all, you do need to talk for around five minutes!

Start by making a list of some significant events that appeared in the media in the last year. You can use news articles to help with this! Using these events, see if you can brainstorm the issues that occurred. Of course, there are multiple issues that can stem from a single event. You can use these to come up with some topics, for example:

To help decide your final topic, brainstorm some arguments for each one. You should choose the topic that has the strongest arguments, and the one you will have the most fun writing.

Advice for Writing your Speech

It’s a given that the most important part of this assessment is writing the actual speech. Before you begin writing, make sure that you have done a lot of research into the topic, have plenty of evidence, quotes, and a rough plan. Here are some other tips:

Have a structure

Your listener needs to be able to follow along with your speech – therefore, you need to have a clear structure. They should know when you are starting a new argument or reading out your conclusion.

The best way to introduce your arguments is by signposting. You should have about 2-4 of them. This is when you very clearly state what your argument is before you begin discussing it (think topic sentences).

Your speech should also have a clear introduction and conclusion. Your introduction should also contain your contention, so your listener knows what your perspective is. Make your contention specific and unique!

Start with a bang

The very first sentence that you read out sets the mood for the rest of your speech. Therefore, you should start with an engaging hook to keep your listener’s interest. Some good ways to start are a speech are using analogies, anecdotes, or a shocking fact or statistic.

Do you need a persona? 

Taking on a persona is a unique way to present an oral presentation. This is where you put yourself into someone else’s shoes and write in their perspective. Usually this will be someone that is more heavily involved in the issue than you are.

Perhaps you are writing about the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence software such as ChatGPT. You could write as a University Professor who is concerned about plagiarism or as a student finding it useful for studying.

You don’t have to use a persona – you can do just as well without one. It also fits certain topics better than others. If you choose to use one, make sure you do lots of research to understand the character, and make it clear to your audience who you are.

Think about your overall register/context

Depending on your topic and persona, there may be a certain register than suits your speech. Register refers to the level of formality and really depends on the context.

If you are presenting a speech in front of work colleagues, you may require a formal register. However, if you are presenting a speech in front of primary school children, an informal register will be best to keep their attention. Of course, you will be presenting your speech in front of your classmates/teachers. However, depending on the persona you adopt, you can change your register to suit.

Inclusive language is important

When writing a speech, you need to connect with your audience and really try and show them that the issue impacts them in some way or another. Therefore, try and use inclusive language where possible!

Tips for Presenting Your Speech

The job isn’t over once you have written your speech – you then must present it! Here are some tips to help you with this part.

Time yourself

It is likely that your teachers will set a time limit for your presentation. Usually it is around 5-6 minutes, which is equivalent to around 750 words. Before the day of your presentation, it is important that you practise the speech in timed conditions.

This will tell you if you need to cut and change parts of the speech and prevent you from getting penalised.        

Vary your tone

Your voice is a very powerful tool – by changing the tone of your voice, you can add emphasis and draw attention to specific parts of your speech. No one wants to hear you speak in the same voice for five minutes straight – this shows a lack of enthusiasm and passion towards the issue. Change your tone to match what you are saying – does a certain part of your speech make you angry, frustrated or even sad? Show this through your voice! You can also change the pace that you are talking at and change up your volume.

Make cue cards but don’t rely on them

A cue card is a small piece of paper that has words written on them, that tells you what you need to say. This is much preferred to reading off a sheet of paper! Although they are very useful, you shouldn’t rely on them – your marker doesn’t want to see you staring at them for the entire duration of your speech. Therefore, make sure you practise your speech enough times so your cue cards become your safety net in case you forget something – not what you rely on completely.

Don’t forget to make eye contact

Giving eye contact is a sign of confidence and connects you to your viewer. Make sure you regularly look up from your cue cards and don’t take your eyes away from your audience for too long.

Body language is important

Just like varying your tone, physical actions can help enhance your presentation too. Don’t stay rooted to a single spot during your presentation, feel free to walk around a bit and use hand gestures. Don’t overdo it though!

Hopefully you found this article helpful and are now feeling more confident about completing your oral presentation. Just make sure you choose a topic that you are passionate about and practise your presentation as much as possible – you can certainly ace this assessment!

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VCE English and EAL 2023: Exploring Argument

This is the fifth in a series of posts on the upcoming 2023 VCE English and EAL Study Design. For the first four posts, see the links at the end.

In the current Study Design, Analysing and Presenting Argument (APA) dominates 50% of the outcomes for Units 1 and 2. In Unit 1 “students focus on the analysis and construction of texts that attempt to influence an audience. Students read a range of texts that attempt to position audiences in a variety of ways. They explore the use of language for persuasive effect and the structure and presentation of argument. They consider different types of persuasive language, including written, spoken, and visual, and combinations of these, and how language is used to position the reader” https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/vce/english/2016EnglishEALSD.pdf

By the end of the Area of Study, students should “be able to analyse how argument and persuasive language can be used to position audiences, and create their own texts intended to position audiences.” Similarly, in Unit 2 Area of Study 2 in order to meet the outcome students should “be able to identify and analyse how argument and persuasive language are used in text/s that attempt to influence an audience, and create a text which presents a point of view.”

The differences between U1 and U2 in the current Study Design are slight. Currently there is a requirement that “no more than one” assessment task in Unit 1 is in oral form (for English students) and that typically means a persuasive oral presentation, mirroring the later School Assessed Coursework in Unit 4. In the updated SD, the oral moves to an outcome in Unit 2.

From APA to Exploring Argument

So what’s the difference in the new SD?

Firstly, “argument” has been removed from Unit 1 altogether, making room for the Personal Response for AoS1 Reading and Exploring Texts and the new AoS2 Crafting Texts .

In Unit 2, replacing APA, is the new Exploring Texts Area of Study. Here’s a comparison of the Key Knowledge and Skills between the two:

Notable differences

Starting with the Key Knowledge, there is a shift from the broad “argument” to the specifics of contention, an elaboration on supporting arguments, and more detail on audio and visual texts. All of this reflects a continued effort to shift this Area of Study away from the “shopping list” of persuasive techniques – a process that began with the previous update of the Study Design.

The Key Skills are also more specific and reflect the updated assessment options:

• a set of annotated persuasive texts (including visual texts) that identify arguments, vocabulary, text structures and language features
• an analysis of the use of argument and persuasive language and techniques in text(s)
• an oral presentation of a point of view text.

Previously, Unit 2 Area of Study 2 was the same analytical essay found in Year 12 and the examination. Now, the options have broadened to allow for both an oral presentation of a point of view, or a folio of annotated texts. This change again reflects the emphasis on process that we’ve seen in the other Areas of Study: spending more time on the technical aspects of language analysis before jumping right into the essay response.

As you can see the changes to this Area of Study aren’t as dramatic as some of the others: There’s a reduction of time spent analysing argument across Units 1 and 2, a continued refinement of what VCAA is looking for from the outcome, and the inclusion of an extra assessment option in the annotated folio.

I’ll be sending a PDF of mentor texts on the idea of ‘Futures’ to my mailing list on the run up to the 2023 Study Design. This will include suggestions for texts, annotated examples, and ideas about how to approach the idea in the classroom.   Sign up to the mailing list to stay up to date:

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

For the first four posts in this series, see the links below:

The New VCE Study Design: Unit 1 and 2 Overview

VCE English 2023: The Personal Response

VCE English 2023: Crafting Texts

VCE English 2023: Mentor Texts and Ideas

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Persuasive Speech Topics: The Best 150 Ideas

Plus, a step-by-step guide for writing and delivering your speech.

Persuasive speech topics can inspire an audience and influence change in your community, town, or city. Whether you are giving a presentation at a large conference or converting a college essay into a speech to be given at your high school's auditorium, delivering a persuasive speech is not an easy task. We are here to guide you through this difficult process and provide you with 150 persuasive speech topics that can help you prepare your own inspirational presentation.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

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Article Contents 13 min read

The art of persuasion.

The art of oratory is one of the oldest and most compelling persuasion tactics in human history. The power of speech has been used for centuries by men and women to negotiate peace, start revolutions, and inspire generations. At the source of change, we often witness a great speaker or speech that affected people’s worldviews. King Solomon, Socrates, Cicero, Elizabeth I, Napoleon, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, were all powerful speakers who changed the course of human history.  

Luckily, not every persuasive speech happens on such a grand scale. You do not have to become Napoleon to change the lives of people who hear what you have to say. You might have experienced this yourself – perhaps you have had a teacher who instilled in you a great passion for the study of physics during his lectures? Or you happened to attend a political, grassroots gathering where you heard a speech that changed your attitude towards homelessness or poverty. Or maybe your classmate's presentation revealed something about a novel you were reading in class that made you reflect on your own life and the people in it.

The power of a speech lies in your conviction and delivery of the topic you choose to discuss. A persuasive speech topic can be anything you are passionate about. Yes, it is true; whether you want to discuss the repercussions of the Cuban Revolution or analyze the power of K-pop in popular culture, it is up to you to enthrall the audience with your topic. The key to any successful speech is your confidence and enthusiasm. So, let’s start by examining what makes a speech persuasive.

To deliver a speech takes a lot of guts – not everybody is comfortable with public speaking. But to deliver a good speech takes conviction. Think of it like this: you must believe in the importance of your speech topic to discuss it. This must be something you care about and believe in; otherwise, your topic must be something that drives your curiosity, and you believe that it must be examined further.

Conviction stirs your desire to share this topic with others – you are convinced that other people will similarly find this topic fascinating! Whether it is the importance of recycling or bike lanes, the conviction is what will become the backbone of a successful and persuasive topic choice, as well as drive your desire to give a speech in the first place.

With conviction comes passion. These two elements of a successful speech are intimately intertwined. If you believe in the importance of something, you will be passionate about sharing it with the public.

If we look at some of the most famous speeches in human history, you will notice that conviction and passion are the driving force that makes these speeches legendary. Whether it's Cicero's defense of the Republic in the Roman Senate or Martin Luther King's speech in the defense of civil rights almost two millennia later, both these speakers believed in the importance of their convictions and were passionate about sharing their beliefs. In these cases, even despite the threats of death.

Unbiased Expertise

Conviction and passion should also drive your need to know everything there is to know about your topic. To give a persuasive speech, you must not only show confidence and excitement but demonstrate that you are an expert in the topic of your choice. Granted, if you are a high school student or an undergraduate who's been assigned to deliver a speech in less than 2 weeks, you are not going to become a world-renowned expert in your subject matter. However, as I pointed out, your speech topic should be something you are already passionate about, so you must have done some research and have some knowledge of your topic.

A persuasive speech should be based on facts. It should deliver arguments and counterarguments to show many sides of the issue you choose to discuss. For example, if you choose to discuss the importance of bike lanes, you can present several arguments in support of creating more bike lanes in your town or city, such as safety, decrease in traffic, environmental benefits, etc. However, make sure to include arguments that also show the other side of the issue, such as having to close down several major streets in your city to reconstruct the roads to fit in the new bike lanes and the side-effects of construction for businesses. Presenting both sides of the issue will show your comprehensive knowledge of the topic and demonstrate your professionalism.

Using the bike lanes topic as an example, I want to emphasize that showing unbiased research and knowledge of your topic can win the audience’s favor. You can, and should, still have your own opinion on the matter and defend your conviction in the speech but presenting the audience with both sides of the story is a tactic that will make them trust you.

Additionally, knowing both sides of the coin shows that you have come to your conviction after long and thorough research. You are not just presenting an uneducated opinion.

Taking care of the substance of your speech is the first step. While learning how to properly deliver your speech may seem less important, even the most well-researched and factually based speech will seem weak if the orator does not engage the public.

Though they certainly help your confidence, conviction and passion do not always result in strong delivery. This is understandable since public speaking is not everyone’s forte. While you may be animated and absorbing when you speak of your topic with friends, gripping an audience full of strangers is different.

There are three potential goals of any persuasive speech:

To familiarize your audience with a topic they have never considered before and inspire them to research it on their own. "}]" code="timeline1">

When you think about it, these objectives are pretty ambitious. Delivery plays a huge part in achieving these goals. It will be hard to move your audience to pursue any of these goals without clear articulation, professionalism, and charisma.

Strong delivery can be developed. Yes, there are those to whom oratory skills come more naturally, but this is rather an exception than the rule. Many successful orators were terrified of public speaking but worked hard to overcome their fears. A good example of this is King George VI of England. Before taking the throne in 1936, he was already an infamously bad speaker. The King trained to keep his speech impediment and nerves at bay once he was crowned and delivered one of the most inspiring speeches against Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich at the beginning of World War II.

Now that you know what makes a speech topic persuasive, let's go over a step-by-step formula that will help you choose the right topic for you. 

• Brainstorm where your convictions lie and what you are passionate about. You must reflect on what interests, hobbies, news, events, individuals, and activities of yours could be developed into a persuasive, strong narrative. 
• Narrow these down to 2 or 3 topics that are particularly important or riveting to you. 
• Now comes the practical side of the brainstorming process: take a moment to think whether preparing a comprehensive and compelling speech on this topic is feasible in the amount of time you have available. Consider the following questions: Are the topics of your choice well researched by you? Do you know these topics well? If you are not well-versed in the topic of your choice, do you have enough time to do research to present a comprehensive and complete narrative? Do you have enough time to form a well-developed stance about this topic? A thesis? Will you be able to cover several sides of this topic in the amount of time you have available?
• If you have answered “No” to these questions regarding each of the topics you had in mind, you must go back to the drawing board. 
• If you have come up with a topic that results in a positive response to all the questions mentioned in step 3, you might have found the winner.
• Start by developing a thesis, i.e., the main message of your speech. Without a thesis, you will not have a strong speech. 
• Develop arguments that endorse your thesis and support them with facts. Remember, a strong speech must be based on facts, rather than opinions and unsubstantiated statements.
• Research counterarguments to your thesis. While you may not personally support these, you must present a well-rounded picture of the issue you are discussing. 
• You can finish off your speech by responding to the counterarguments in a way that reinforces your thesis. Don't forget to re-emphasize your main message in the closing paragraphs of your speech.

Know your audience

It is always a good idea to know who your audience is. Whether you are giving a speech in your high school, or traveling to attend an undergraduate conference, reflect on who will be listening to your speech. Before you sit down to write it, consider whether you can give yourself the freedom to use technical language, jargon, or make inside jokes on the matter. In general, I would advise you to avoid overly technical or niche language. It is never a good tactic for making a persuasive speech – this might alienate a large part of your audience.

However, if you are delivering a speech to a like-minded audience, you may use "industry lingo". For example, if you are delivering a speech at a video game convention, it is likely that many, if not most, attendees will be familiar with the terms and vocabulary you use. You will be able to strengthen your speech by using language that unites you with your audience. In this case, you are encouraged to engage the public by making inside jokes, using niche terminology, and creating a relatable experience with your speech.

Knowing your audience will allow you to develop a language for your speech. It will also allow you to gauge how deep you can delve into the topic of your choice. For example, if you are a young physics aficionado who is giving a lecture on black holes to your sophomore classmates, you might want to consider the fact that many of them have never studied physics in depth. This may help you shape your speech into something accessible and interesting for others.

If you are unsure about who your audience might be, try researching it. It is always good practice to know whom you will be addressing. Not only will it help you prepare the speech, but it will also ease your anxiety about the day of your speech delivery.

Hook the audience

Your opening sentences can hook the audience and guarantee their attention. While it will be the substance of your speech that keeps them listening to you, the opening must be captivating for your speech to have a chance for success.

So, what do I mean by hooking the audience with your opening? For example, you can state a shocking statistic about your topic. It will be especially impactful if it is related to your audience’s experiences, geographical area, community, or hot-topic issue. Here’s an example for an opening sentence for a speech about the importance of bike lanes:

“Last year, the city of Toronto recorded 715 serious accidents involving cyclists, with over 5% of these accidents resulting in a fatality."

Now, if I was living in Toronto, I would be surprised to hear such information; especially, if I have never thought about this before. I am saddened by this statistic and would like to learn how we can help prevent these accidents.

Let’s examine another opening. This time, we will consider a speech topic involving a historical event. For example, if you are captivated by the mystery of Princess Anastasia of the Russian royal family, the House of Romanov, you might start your speech thusly:

“The question of whether the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova survived the brutal execution of her entire family by the Bolsheviks is one of the greatest mysteries of the 20th century.”

This sentence performs several tasks:

The opening sentence is your chance to establish yourself as the expert! You will seem like the authority on this topic, especially if you can pronounce the Princess's name without mistakes. "}]" code="timeline2">

Coming up with a strong opening sentence is not easy, but very worthwhile for delivering a persuasive speech. If you are having trouble finding the right opening sentence, you do not need to wait to start writing your speech. If you are stuck, move on to the main body of your speech and return to creating a captivating opening later.

To be persuasive, your speech must have a thesis. A thesis is the main argument you are trying to convince your audience of, or simply put, the purpose of you giving the speech. Without a thesis, your speech will be aimless, chaotic, and most likely, unengaging.

And while you can write your introduction after the main body of your speech is ready, you cannot write your speech without a thesis. It will be the landmark, the leading light, of your speech. Everything you say and every fact and argument you include in your essay must support your thesis. Certainly, you will be able to bring up alternative points of view later in the speech, but as we already discussed, your objective is to persuade the audience that your thesis is the correct one.

Let’s return to our bike lanes example. If you are a proponent of bike lanes, your thesis should be more than “Bike lanes are good”. While this can be considered a thesis, it is pretty thin. Instead, find a way to make your thesis compelling, include a supporting statistic, or a benefit of having bike lanes. For example: 

“Having more bike lanes in our city will not only reduce traffic by X% but also allow our city to be at the forefront of the environmentally friendly initiatives happening all over our country.” 

This thesis is clear and introduces the audience to some of the main points of the speech. The listeners get a concise prelude to what the speech is about and what it stands for.

Research and Arguments

Research is always conducted before you sit down to write. While you may have some general knowledge about your topic, remember that you are trying to be as persuasive as you possibly can be. This means that you need the latest statistics, the most up-to-date information, and the strongest support from experts in the field. 

Tip: keep in mind your thesis as you are writing. All your arguments and facts must be in support of the main purpose of your essay. While you should present alternative points of view in your speech to make it well-rounded and unbiased, a strong speech must contain arguments that make it clear that your thesis is the correct one.

Concluding your speech has a twofold purpose. In addition to persuading the audience of your thesis, you must complete your narrative. Give the audience some closure about the topic. On the other hand, you must leave them even more interested in learning about your research. In other words, they must be compelled to explore on their own.

Tip: your conclusion cannot be a dry summary of your thesis and arguments. While you must restate your thesis in the conclusion, you are strongly encouraged to incite an emotional response from your audience. For example:

“More bike lanes will alleviate the heavy traffic and relieve our city from car fumes and soot. It is our responsibility to start making our city more eco-friendly. These small steps will inspire even more initiatives across our hometown and lead to a brighter, greener, future."

In this example, the audience is not only reminded of the main purpose of the speech but is also encouraged to think of other green initiatives that can help their town. The author does a good job of invoking responsibility for the future to encourage their audience to act. 

Want to learn how to choose persuasive speech topics? Check out our infographic:

Now, let’s go over 150 persuasive speech topics that can inspire your own essay and presentation! Note that these are questions that should help you form ideas, arguments, and most importantly, theses. Rather than giving you the thesis upfront, we are encouraging you to come up with your own opinion and answers to these questions.

Your speech should be between 15 to 20 minutes long. Anything longer may lose your audience's attention. If applicable, don't forget to factor in some time after your presentation for questions from the audience.

The best way to approach the choice of topic is to reflect on your convictions and passions. If you are truly interested in a topic, your excitement will be felt by the audience.

Of course, you must be interested in your topic, first and foremost. Secondly, your speech must demonstrate a level of expertise and knowledge that will allow the audience to believe that you know what you are talking about. Thirdly, your delivery will have a great effect on whether you succeed in persuading the audience. Even a well-researched speech will suffer from poor delivery.

Firstly, only practice can really help you improve. Once you have written your speech, read it over several times. Do not memorize it, but rather, remember the structure, the flow of your arguments, your main points. Then start practicing pronouncing your entire speech in front of the mirror. Do this until you are quite confident with the content of the essay. Then, you can start practicing with family members, your friends, and classmates. Ask for their feedback: can they hear you well? Are you being articulate? Does your speech have a logical flow? Did they understand your thesis? Their feedback can help you modify not only your content, but also your presentation.

Your speech should take the form of an academic essay: introduction, main body, and conclusion.

Your speech must have a thesis, otherwise it will be meandering and pointless. A thesis will guide you and keep your essay/presentation well-structured. A thesis is what you will be arguing for (or against, if it's a negatively stated thesis) throughout your speech. And while you can include some alternative points of view in your speech, your thesis will inform every argument you make in the speech.

Typically, you should avoid using overly technical language. Even if you are presenting at a professional conference in front of peers, there is a chance that some of your audience will be unfamiliar with the professional terminology. To be inclusive, you should avoid niche language.

To be frank, there is no such thing. You can make a great speech on any topic of your choosing! Your research, your delivery, and your passion will determine whether your speech is successful.

Acknowledging opposing views and presence of debate will demonstrate your thorough knowledge of the topic. Additionally, you will demonstrate that you came to your conclusion/thesis after researching the topic, rather than simply forming an uneducated opinion.

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VCE Oral Presentations: Oral Presentation

• Oral Presentation

Tips and Tricks

• Oral Presentations: Tips on How to Deliver a Speech for School or Work
• Top 10 Public Speaking Exercises
• 12 Ways to Hook an Audience in 30 Seconds
• Ten Simple Rules for Making Good Oral Presentations
• A Quiet Person's Guide To Effective Public Speaking

What is an Oral Presentation?

Oral presentations, also known as public speaking, consist of  an individual or group verbally addressing an audience on a particular topic .

There are four reasons you would give a presentation:

• to educate,
• to entertain
• to present an argument.

How Can the Library Help You?

Visit the library team for help with the following:

• Researching your topic
• Proofreading your written piece
• Practising your presentation
• Presentation design
• Moral support

Five Basic Public Speaking Tips 5:01

How to Speak so that People Want to Listen 9:58

TED's Secret to Great Public Speaking 7:56

Five Simple Rules for Creating World Changing Presentations 4:28

• Next: Resources >>
• Last Updated: Sep 6, 2023 3:17 PM
• URL: https://geelong.libguides.com/vce_english_orals

VCE English Units 3 & 4 Oral Presentation: Issues

• Accessing Media articles
• Oral Presentation Tips
• Referencing
• Graphic organisers

Select your issue from the list of possible topics

1.   Should secondary school students be allowed to use Artificial Intelligence in their assessment tasks?

2.   Should prisoners be allowed access to the internet?

3.   Should pill testing be available to drug users at music festivals?

4.   Should duck and quail hunting be banned in Victoria?

5.   Should Australia introduce a four day work week?

6.   Should radical climate change protests be allowed?

7.   Should Australia become a cashless society?

8.   Should mental health services be free?

9.   Should children under 14 be banned from using social media?

10. Should the government be doing more to tackle domestic violence?

11. Should there be safe injecting rooms in Melbourne and regional cities?

12. Should SUVs and large utes be banned in city centres?

13. Should the Australian government be doing more to combat homelessness?

14. Should the Australian government provide more resources to improve Indigenous health? 

Marian College Resource Centre

• Next: Accessing Media articles >>
• Last Updated: May 20, 2024 11:07 AM
• URL: https://mariansw.catholic.libguides.com/vceoralpresentation

Private Tutoring

Oral Presentation

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VCE English Issues: 2022 issues

• 2022 issues
• Persuasive Writing
• Oral Presentation
• Evaluate Sources
• Bibliography

Australia Day

Possible contentions:

• The date of Australia Day should be changed to a date more inclusive of Australia's First Nations
• The celebration of Australia Day does not represent all Australians
• Should the circumnavigation of Australia be marked as foundation day? Ted Egan thinks so
• Reflect, Respect and Celebrate: By doing Australia Day better - 2022 represents a resurgence in support for Australia Day
• Why Alex, and most people her age, have given up on Australia Day This article requires SLV log in
• Australia Day date change a "no-brainer" for respected footballer This article requires SLV log in

Transgender athletes

• That transgender athletes should not face additional barriers to competing in their chosen sports
• That women's sports require policies for including transgender women
• Transgender women swimmers barred from female competitions by Fina
• Sport’s trans issue is here to stay. But at last, the debate is starting to change
• IOC’s new transgender guidance criticised as unfair towards female sport
• Administrators doing the two-step on transgender athletes This article requires SLV log in
• Sports in dark over trans athletes bill: Transgender Athletes This article requires SLV log in

Vaccinations

• That vaccination mandates should be scrapped
• That certain occupations and industries should still be subject to mandatory vaccinations to ensure the health of the public
• That Covid vaccinations for children should be compulsory
• Scott Morrison rebukes George Christensen for ‘dangerous messages’ on vaccinating children
• Covid vaccines for children: how many doses are needed and what happens if they’ve been infected or are under five?
• Australian Open 2022: Tennis champion Sam Stosur defends Covid-19 vaccination mandate This article requires SLV log in
• ‘Inconsistent, ineffective, impossible’: CQ businesswoman who employs 800+ staff says scrap vaccinations mandate This article requires SLV log in

Wages and Workers

• That the minimum wage for Australian Workers should be increased
• That Australian workers should be allowed to continue working from home if they wish
• That Australian companies should continue flexible working-from-home arrangements post-pandemic

Minumum wage

• Labor says low-paid workers should not ‘go backwards’ as it backs 5.1% wage rise
• Big wage rises would do Australians more harm than good
• Shock analysis shows how hard it is to get by on minimum wage in Australia This article requires SLV log in

Working from home

• Julia Gillard says Covid-led shift to remote working could render some female employees ‘invisible’
• Work from home is the new normal as employers struggle to make the daily grind work
• Atlassian invites Tesla staff to join: Work from home rules This article requires SLV log in
• Workers 'can't afford' return to the office This article requires SLV log in
• Employers get flexible to retain staff This article requires SLV log in

Reconciliation

• Australia should have a constitutionally enshrined Indigenous voice to Parliament 
• The Australian Government should make a formal treaty with Australia's First Nations
• The Australian Government should act to implement the recommendations of the Uluru Statement from the Heart
• ‘Ready to take on the challenge’: Linda Burney on the Uluru statement, treaty and building consensus
• Voice, treaty, truth: what does Labor’s commitment to Uluru Statement from the Heart mean?
• Thirty years after Mabo, First Nations people are on the verge of true self-determination. We hope not to be disappointed
• Uluru Statement is not just the right way, it is inevitable This article requires SLV log in
• ‘Common ground’ needed on First Nations Voice to parliament This article requires SLV log in
• Indigenous Voice could reshape nation This article requires SLV log in

Fuel and energy

• That Australia needs to look past politics and take urgent action on renewable energy
• That the Australian Government should more heavily regulate fuel prices
• That all fossil fuels should be phased out and replaced by renewables
• Should Australian governments nationalise the electricity sector? It’s not that simple
• Australia has a once in a lifetime opportunity to break the stranglehold fossil fuels have on our politics
• Labor needs to double the pace of its renewable energy rollout to meet 2030 emissions target. Can it be done?
• Labor dumps fuel emission plan: CLIMATE POLICY This article requires SLV log in
• Reason for eye-watering petrol prices in Australia This article requires SLV log in

The Climate Crisis

• Addressing climate change is a social justice issue, as well as an environmental one
• The Australian Government must do more to address climate change
• Addressing climate change is not a "luxury issue", but a matter of national emergency
• That addressing climate change is an economic emergency as well as an environmental one
• The climate crisis is hitting the planet’s working classes the hardest and they know it
• Senator Hollie Hughes says climate change a ‘luxury issue’ for voters
• Lismore’s residents are living in limbo on the frontlines of the climate emergency
• Heavy industries in Australia’s regions could cut emissions by 80% and create a jobs bonanza, report says
• Climate emergency, public opinion mobilising business This article requires SLV log in
• Flooding victims ‘do not blame climate’ This article requires SLV log in
• The classical liberal solution to climate change is a carbon price This article requires SLV log in

Australian Politics

• That the major political parties are no longer relevant to young voters
• That all Australian political parties should have diversity and inclusion quotas
• That the major political parties need to be more inclusive and diverse if they are to remain relevant
• That minor parties and independents are a force for good in an outdated political system
• The teal peril: power without responsibility This article requires SLV log in
• Teal independents: who are they and how did they upend Australia’s election?
• Election gives both parties a lesson: respect women This article requires SLV log in

Athletes behaving badly

• That professional sports people have a responsibility to behave as good role models
• That male professional athletes should receive training on respectful behaviour towards women
• That Australian football codes need to work harder at becoming inclusive 
• That racism and homophobia are still endemic in the AFL
• Imagine if Australia applied its new no-dickhead policy on Novak Djokovic to government troublemakers
• Bailey Smith releases a statement after damning footage of him circulated on social media
• Young Pies stars apologise after TikTok of them rating fictional women emerges
• It’s time for the AFL to implement a no-fault stand-down policy This article requires SLV log in
• << Previous: Resources
• Next: Persuasive Writing >>
• Last Updated: Jun 15, 2023 4:18 PM
• URL: https://materchristi.libguides.com/issues