how to write a demonstration speech outline

• Speech Crafting →

How to Write a Demonstration Speech Outline

Are you tasked with writing a demonstration speech outline, but don’t know where to start? Well buckle up and stick around, because in this blog post we’re going to discuss the right way to do it.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced speech writer you’ll find value in this guide and will hopefully take away something to help you from getting stuck in the future. So get ready, because we’re about to explore how to write a demonstration speech outline in no time!

What is a Demonstration Speech?

A demonstration speech is a type of informative speaking that is used to teach an audience how to do something or how to make something. It can be used in both educational and business settings, making it one of the most versatile types of speeches .

When designing a demonstration speech, there are two perspectives to consider: practicality and impact.

On one hand, the aim of a demonstration speech should be to clearly explain the process of completing the task at hand step by step.

On the other hand, the speaker may also want to identify potential challenges associated with the task being demonstrated, providing advice on how to best resolve any issues that may arise. This dual purpose ensures that the demonstration is as effective as possible.

The success of a demonstration speech rests on its ability to accurately convey complex information in an engaging manner. This can be challenging without proper planning and may require multiple drafts before finally creating a complete outline that covers all important areas.

With the right combination of visuals, examples, and humor, however, this type of speaking can help effectively guide an audience through any learning experience.

Now that we have explored what constitutes a demonstration speech and weighed up its practicality and impact, let’s dive into breaking down a demonstration speech in five simple steps.

A demonstration speech is a type of informative speaking that can be used in many different settings. It is important to consider both practicality and impact when designing a demonstration speech. To be successful, the speech should accurately explain the process step-by-step, identify potential challenges associated with the task, and incorporate visuals and humor into the presentation. Breaking down a demonstration speech into five steps can help ensure its success.

Breaking Down the Demonstration Speech

When it comes to writing a demonstration speech outline, breaking down the topic can be a helpful first step in figuring out what to include.

A demonstration speech is a type of informative speaking that explains how to do something step-by-step. The speaker will typically “show” the audience how something is done and explain why it’s successful.

On one hand, some people believe that breaking down a topic before creating an outline is crucial in order to understand the objective of the demonstration speech and how to clearly relay the information.

At its core, this involves assessing the focus of the speech and identifying key points that need to be included.

On the other hand, some people may argue that breaking down information into smaller sections is not always necessary, as the outline itself should provide enough structure for the presentation .

Regardless of personal opinion on this debate, breaking down any topic prior to creating an outline can provide helpful context for understanding the goals of a demonstration speech and articulating them within an organized framework.

Additionally, this breaks up large blocks of text into more manageable thoughts when constructing an outline for a demonstration speech.

With a comprehensive breakdown of topics being discussed and an understanding of how points are related, it will be easier to structure objectives when creating a complete demonstration speech outline – which will be further discussed in the next section.

Demonstration Speech Objectives

When preparing a demonstration speech, the speaker’s objective should be to clearly and coherently inform their audience about a particular topic or method. The speaker should aim to provide an analysis of a process that can help the audience understand the concept being discussed.

Further, it is important for the speaker to maintain focus and provide a logical progression of steps in order to efficiently communicate their message to the listeners.

Additionally, the speaker should supply pertinent evidence for their assertions in order to strengthen their argument and maximize understanding.

Another key objective of any demonstration speech is to imbue its recipient with the confidence needed to replicate a task or process. This involves breaking down the subject into its component parts, analyzing each element separately and then synthesizing them into unified whole.

Ideally this process allows audience members to deepen their knowledge and familiarity with a particular subject while developing important skills such as problem-solving ability.

Finally, it is worth noting that some speakers may choose to assess the effectiveness of their instructions by administering a comprehension quiz at the end of their presentation.

This can be extremely helpful in gauging whether or not their communication was successful and implementing strategies for improvement if necessary.

In conclusion, when designing an effective demonstration speech outline it is essential that speakers consider these objectives in order to ensure successful communication with audiences. In our next section we will discuss techniques for engaging with different types of demonstration speech audiences.

Demonstration Speech Audience

Who the demonstration speech audience is will have a big impact on how the speech is presented and should be considered when writing the demonstration speech outline.

The key is to ensure that the audience members have a basic understanding of the topic and that any necessary background information is provided so that they understand the main points of the speech.

Also consider their level of interest, resources available, and any language or cultural issues that could impact reception of the message.

In cases where there may be a mixed-level audience who have varying levels of familiarity with the topic, it may be beneficial to provide a more detailed explanation upfront for those less familiar with it, while not boring those already knowledgable.

In order to cater to both groups, the speaker may want to consider breaking down subtopics into different levels so that each group has something they can benefit from learning.

Additionally, demonstrating throughout the speech can help in making sure that all audience members are engaged in what is being presented. This also ensures that everyone understands how to properly use any products or tools discussed in the speech.

Live demonstrations allow for people to ask questions in real-time if they need further clarification on anything being discussed in order gain a better comprehension of that particular aspect of the topic.

By thoroughly considering the audience for whom you’re creating your demonstration speech outline and ensuring that elements such as language , prior knowledge about topics, and track record for attention span are taken into account, you can ensure that everyone benefits from their time spent attending your presentation.

Preparing for the Demonstration Speech Outline

Before developing your demonstration speech outline, you must take the time to prepare for the presentation. This requires proper research, organization, and practice.

Start by doing research about the topic you’ve chosen for the speech. With a decent level of knowledge, it will be much easier to make informed decisions throughout the process and create an informative, organized presentation.

Organization is key in any speech or presentation. Spend some time considering which items could be combined or eliminated in order to stay within an acceptable length .

For example, if a demonstration speech lasts 10 minutes, it’s important to make sure each step is addressed in enough detail that viewers understand how to perform the task, but keep it short enough that the overall time limit isn’t exceeded.

Practice makes perfect—and no truer statement could be said when gearing up for a presentation. Rehearse the speech until it feels natural and comfortable for both your audience and yourself. It’s also beneficial to present to another individual at least once before delivering to a larger group.

This initial practice can help identify any mistakes or sections that may need clarification which can then be adjusted prior to delivering the speech on stage.

By taking additional time and care when preparing for any presentation, especially a demonstration speech, you have a better chance of keeping your audience engaged and helping them learn the skill being taught accurately and effectively.

With these considerations out of the way, you can use your newfound knowledge and move on to creating the organization structure of your demonstration speech—identifying skills that need teaching—in our next section.

Identifying the Skills to Teach

When writing a demonstration speech outline, identifying the skills to teach is of paramount importance. The goal of a demonstration speech is to make the audience understand how a task or skill is performed.

This requires creating an outline that clearly outlines which steps in your process will be demonstrated, how they will be articulated, and what techniques can be used to ensure maximum understanding by the audience.

A key tip is to offer clarity around what skills have already been assumed knowledge for audiences. There’s rarely time to explain all basics when it comes to demonstrating—which means ensuring everyone has sufficient background before diving into any of the steps in the process being presented.

Discussing potential pre-existing knowledge levels with colleagues can help identify gaps in understanding and provide you guidance on what will need to be taught to everyone attending the presentation.

Another helpful tip is to consider just how much information should be provided during your presentation. You’ll want to keep focused on one main skill set or task, as complexity should be limited for those in attendance for maximum comprehension of the content given.

With each skill step, ask questions that encourage interaction between yourself and your audience members, such as “Does anyone know why this technique works better than other approaches?”

These two tactics – questioning pre-existing knowledge and containment of focus – will help guide you in effectively identifying the skills that need to be taught throughout your demonstration speech outline.

Having identified the appropriate skills needed for your demonstration speech, it’s now time to move onto selecting any required materials for its successful delivery.

Selecting the Required Materials

When selecting the required materials for a demonstration speech, it is important to ensure the items are appropriate for the task and audience. A speaker should consider if the materials are necessary, informative, relevant, and applicable.

For instance, if the presentation is about baking cupcakes then it may be necessary to provide ingredients or a prepared cupcake for tasting. If a speaker wishes to discuss the benefits of recycling paper then it would be beneficial to have a few samples of both recycled and non-recycled paper available to illustrate the difference in quality.

Furthermore, if the talk involves using uncommon tools or objects it could be worthwhile to provide visuals or 3D models that can be seen up close.

When deciding on materials, speakers should also think about keeping the items organized and secure throughout their talk. It may help to label any props with particular names or tasks so that they are easier to follow along with during the demonstration.

Additionally, packing excess supplies just in case something goes wrong will prove invaluable. By doing so a speaker will remain confident and composed in front of their audience and can keep their demonstration running smoothly.

Having assessed all options available, selecting the required materials for a demonstration speech will ensure success during its presentation. With all of this in mind, the next step is crafting the speech outline itself — an activity which will serve as the framework for delivering an effective demonstration speech!

Crafting the Demonstration Speech Outline

One of the first steps to creating a successful demonstration speech is icing and organizing your thoughts. Start by focusing on the essential pieces of the speech, such as key messages and major action steps.

When crafting your speech outline, keep in mind that the timing, length and structure of the demonstration is important. The audience should easily understand your points and be able to follow along with each step.

To make sure your demonstration is well-organized, break it down into smaller sections or subsections. These sections may include specific topics and steps that should be covered in order to successfully demonstrate the desired outcome or action.

Additionally, it may be beneficial to consider any questions the audience might have during the presentation, allowing you to address them beforehand or provide a clear answer during the speech. It will also help to remind yourself to explain everything clearly and use language your audience is likely to understand.

Another factor to consider when drafting your outline is the order in which you should present different topics or steps, such as beginning with an introduction before moving on to describe each step.

Decide how much time you want to devote to a particular topic within your speech outline. Planning each individual element of the presentation ensures everything flows cohesively and keeps everyone engaged throughout your whole demonstration.

To conclude this section, having a good plan in place when crafting a demonstration speech outline is critical for delivering an informative and effective presentation that meets its goals and objectives. In the next section, we will discuss presenting the demonstration speech.

Presenting the Demonstration Speech

Once the outline of the demonstration speech is complete, it is time to begin presenting it. After clearly introducing oneself and the topic, presenters need to provide some background information on why this topic is important and how it can help their audience.

This should be followed by an overview of the main points for the presentation. To ensure that the audience retains the most important aspects of what was discussed, presenters should repeat these concepts as needed.

Next, demonstrate each step in detail. If there are materials or equipment needed to demonstrate a step, make sure these are available before beginning.

Speak clearly and succinctly, so the audience is able to understand and follow along with each step. When explaining a step-by-step process, use visual aids whenever possible for further clarification for your listeners.

During the presentation, use humor , ask rhetorical questions, or even employ storytelling to keep your audience engaged.

While it is important not to be overly talkative during a presentation, speaking with more personality will result in improved engagement and maximize understanding.

Finally, providing a conclusion that recaps all of the points of the demonstration, as well as outlining any consequences of not aspiring to them will leave an impression on your audience and emphasize the importance of your demonstration topics.

Now that you have presented your demonstration speech effectively and efficiently with engaging material and visuals throughout, it is time to evaluate how your presentation went and make changes where necessary.

In the next section we will discuss how to evaluate one’s demonstration speech performance in order to ensure success when presenting at future events or to different audiences.

Evaluating Your Demonstration Speech

Creating an effective demonstration speech outline is not the only step towards creating a good presentation. It’s also important to evaluate your speech by considering factors such as how well it is structured, how engaging it is, and how well you explain the topic or process.

First and foremost, assess the overall structure of your speech. Take a look at the sequence in which you present your information and make sure that it’s coherent and logical.

If necessary, make amendments so that your demo speech moves from a basic introduction to more complex concepts in an organized manner . Additionally, double check any transitions between sections to ensure that they move the topic forward without adding any confusion.

Engaging content and style are also key components of successful demonstration speeches. Make sure that your content is informative and that you incorporate anecdotes, or relatable examples or stories, throughout your talk to keep your audience engaged and amused.

In terms of style, be mindful of both how you present yourself verbally as well as how you project body language while giving your presentation. Try to speak with enthusiasm while avoiding disrupting vocal patterns — this means speaking clearly without long pauses or abrupt changes in speed or volume .

Body language is equally critical; maintain eye contact with the audience, use hand gestures when appropriate and smile!

One more important factor for evaluation is whether the information presented in the presentation makes sense. Look over each step of the demonstration again before delivering it to ensure the explanations make sense and review any diagrams or maps that accompany your speech for accuracy and clarity.

Finally, check for redundancies in content – going over too much already-mentioned material can bore an audience plus be viewed as a lack of preparation on your part – as well as errors in facts or figures which could lead to misinformation rather than education on behalf of your audience.

Overall, thoughtful evaluation of all these elements will help ensure that you create a demonstration speech that is clear, effective and able to hold the attention of its viewers while imparting useful knowledge upon them in an engaging manner!

Common Questions Explained

How long should a demonstration speech outline typically be.

Generally speaking, a demonstration speech outline should typically be about two pages in length. This allows for enough detail to adequately prepare for the speech without bogging down the outline with too much extra information.

With this two-page length, one page can contain the introduction, main points, and conclusion of the speech while the second page can contain the evidence and specific examples that will support each of those main points. A solid outline with clear main points and supporting evidence is essential for giving an effective demonstration speech.

What elements should be included in a demonstration speech outline?

A demonstration speech outline should include the following elements: 1. Introduction: Start off the speech with an attention-grabbing statement or anecdote to draw in the audience’s interest. 2. Objectives: Explain the purpose of your speech, what you will be demonstrating, and what outcomes you hope to achieve. 3. Step-by-Step Instructions: Outline each step of the process as clearly and precisely as possible, allowing time for questions if necessary. 4. Demonstration/Instructions: Perform the demonstration and give detailed instructions on how to do it effectively. 5. Conclusion: Summarize the key points from your demonstration and thank your audience for their participation. 6. Questions and Answers: Allow time at the end of your speech for questions from your audience, answering as best you can with explanations or additional demonstrations when needed.

What are some tips for writing effective demonstration speech outlines?

1. Start by brainstorming ideas: Spend some time coming up with ideas for your demonstration speech outline before you start writing. Think about what topics will be engaging to your audience and what kind of information or visual examples could make an impact. 2. Create a structure: Before you begin writing, decide on a basic structure for your demonstration speech outline . You might include sections for the introduction, body, conclusion, as well as subheadings for each section. 3. Establish the purpose: Make sure your audience understands why this topic is important and why they should care about it. Use the introduction to set up the purpose of your demonstration speech outline and consider making it clear with a thesis statement . 4. Use visuals and examples: Demonstration speeches are much more effective when accompanied with visuals or examples. Be sure to include visuals in your outline to give your audience something to look at while you’re presenting the information. 5. Leave plenty of room for practice: Demonstration speeches are best executed when there is actual practice involved. Make sure to leave enough time in the outline for practicing and rehearsing various steps.

Demonstrative Speech – Master the ‘How-To’ Speech (With Topic Examples)

Hrideep barot.

• Public Speaking , Speech Writing

What is a demonstrative speech?

Demonstrative speeches teach an audience how to do a specific thing. Even if you’re an expert at your topic, the process of writing a speech which assures the audience has learned something new, can be challenging.

As a demonstrative speaker, you will be their guide, taking them through a process of ‘show and tell’, covering each step from start to finish. It’s like an engaging ‘how-to’ speech.

They are also known as explanation speeches or a demonstrative presentation. It relies more on logic and information as opposed to emotions…although (to truly capture the audience’s attention) we must try and add an emotional element to these functional speeches as well (continue reading).

How to Pick the Correct Topic?

If you are unsure about what to speak on, there are three things to keep in mind when it comes to picking a topic for demonstrative speeches:

How Much Time Do You Have to Deliver the Speech?

Demonstrative speeches can be as short as six minutes (‘How to do origami’) or go on for more than two hours (‘How to start an online business’)! So choose a topic depending on the amount of time you have been allotted.

It will help you determine how narrow or broad your topic can be.

If you have over 30 minutes to speak, a speech on ‘How to make a cheese omelette’ will restrict you. There isn’t enough to speak on such a topic for 30 minutes.

You need to broaden your topic to something such as ‘5 unique egg dishes you can teach your kids to make’.

Know Your Audience

This is the most important point. While you may love your speech topic, it’s not necessary that your audience even cares for it.

I’ve seen speakers who deliver passionate speeches about topics that they are experts in. But if the audience is not going to benefit from that topic, how does it make sense to deliver a speech on it?

For instance, I once had a Toastmaster demonstration speech to deliver. The average age group of the club was around 35+. My ‘how-to’ topic was ‘How to live cost-efficiently as a college student’.

Needless to say, although my speech content was strong, it made no difference to the crowd – because it simply did not apply to them.

Knowing your audience can even help you narrow down your speech topic into a specific niche.

For example, if you’re delivering a talk to a bunch of advertising professionals, a speech on the foundations of advertising won’t make sense, right? Even though it’s in the same domain, your audience is already familiar with the basics.

Maybe you can talk about something more specific such as ‘How to make copywriting effective through the use of behavioral science’. Now that’s a topic that would peak their interest as it’s relevant to their domain as well as not broad enough so as to bore them or appear too generic.

Is Your Topic Suitable for a Speech?

Demonstrative or ‘How-To’ topics can be very wide but not all of them fit into a speech. For example, a speech on ‘How to raise a Kickstarter campaign’ would be a better fit for a speech as opposed to ‘How to repair your truck’.

Some things just don’t fit into speeches.

Here are some examples of Demonstrative Speech Topics

I’ve tried to include examples which apply more to speeches as opposed to YouTube videos or the like. So I’ve left out topics such as ‘How to tie a knot’, ‘How to make origami’, ‘How to swim’, etc.

Here are some speech topic options that might help you:

• How to perform yoga to help you in your life & career
• How to edit your photographs online
• A ‘how-to’ guide on copy-writing
• How to negotiate your salary
• How to be less nervous at parties
• How to speak on stage with more confidence
• How online businesses are changing the world and how you can start one too
• How to manage stress in a digitized world
• How to unlock creative potential
• How to sleep correctly

There are a LOT more topics, but you get the idea. Depending on what tone you want your speech to go in or how much time you have, you can pick funny ‘how to’ topics or even ones that end in less than 5 minutes.

Just a note, before you deliver your speech, try and find someone who is similar to the audience you are going to be presenting to and run the speech by them.

See if the message is being delivered clearly to them – are they finding it hard to comprehend what you are trying to say? Are there some gaps them could help make the speech more comprehensive?

You will receive valuable feedback by running your speech by one person (who represents your audience) before your final performance.

Demonstrative Speech Outline

To get good at understanding speech outlines, we need to first understand how speeches are written from thought to delivery. When a speech is crafted with such precision, that’s when people will remember what you speak. Chris Haroun’s Public Speaking and Presentation online course on Udemy really helped me understand this at a holistic level. I urge you to check it out. It will not only help you understand how to deliver Demonstrative Speeches but also give you a strong public speaking foundation to build on.

Here is a basic outline for a demonstrative speech

• The purpose

Let’s tackle all these points in more detail now.

Writing a Demonstrative Speech

The purpose (what’s your point).

Remember I said you can add an emotional element to your demonstrative speech? Well, this is it. Before getting into how to do something, always start with why it is important to learn that thing in the first place.

Doing this gets your audience to care about your topic. Think about it, before someone teaches you something, wouldn’t it help to know why that topic is important to learn in the first place?

I remember watching this speech by a great salesman named Zig Zigler . He told a story about how his history teacher spent the entire first class selling them on the importance of learning history.

By talking about the ‘ why’ of the subject first, the students became much more eager to learn history.

If the teacher would have straight off jumped on to the lessons of history instead of talking about why it is important, the students might have not gotten so interested in the topic in the first place.

Establish Your Credibility (Why You?)

When you are delivering a demonstrative speech, your audience is expecting to learn something from you. But like how it is with most things, they want to ensure that whoever it is that is teaching them something, is credible.

So, use the beginning moments of your speech to establish why you are qualified to speak on that particular topic. It’s also a great way to involve story-telling right from the beginning of your speech.

For example, if you’re topic is ‘How to earn passive income’, a personal story on how you created a better life for yourself using passive income would be quite an engaging way to start your speech while establishing credibility for yourself.

That becomes the introduction of your demonstrative speech . Now let’s move on to the body:

The Story (Diving into Each Point with a Story)

After you have established why learning about your topic is important as well as why you are the right person to learn from on this particular topic, start with the body of your speech – the ‘how to’ part.

If you’re an expert on the topic, this is the simple part of the speech. You already know the steps. Now it’s all about writing them down in a manner that’s easy for the audience to comprehend.

Don’t forget, although you’re delivering something that is truly functional in it’s core, you are still required to keep your audience engaged. And the best way to do that? Tell a story.

You can also start off with a summary of all the points and then dive into each of them. However, I personally prefer starting off with the points in chronological order and reveal each new point as and when it flows. It makes for a more story-telling approach.

Questions n’ Answers

After you’re done with your ‘how-to’ speech, you might believe that you have covered all the necessary topics. But the audience may have their own unique challenges that may have not been addressed in your speech.

It’s not your fault of course. It’s not possible for you to pre-empt your audience’s subjective challenges and address them in your speech.

But that’s why it’s necessary to set aside some time for a short QnA session. This allows more active interaction between you and the audience and allows them to get their personal issues (relating to your speech) solved.

A QnA segment might only be possible if you’re allowed a speech slot which is at least 20 minutes long. It might be hard to give a comprehensive speech and squeeze in a QnA session within 10 or 15 minutes.

Options & Variations (What Else?)

A great way to make your demonstrative speech more well-rounded is to add in variations of your main topic. This allows the audience to relate to other aspects of your overall topic as well.

For example, if you’re talking about ‘How to speak in front of an audience full of children’, you can also shed some light on ‘How to speak in front of an audience full of senior citizens’ just to add some more variety to your overall speech.

At the end of it, summarize your entire speech. You have just taken the audience through a whole ride of how to do something. To ensure that they take home the necessary points, reiterate each of your steps and key takeaways to conclude your speech.

‘How To’ Tips for Demonstrative Speeches

Besides the obvious ‘tip’ of practicing your speech before you go up on stage, here are some ways on how you can deliver an impactful demonstrative speech:

How to Keep it Simple

Keep your speech simple. Keep your points to a minimal (between 3 to 7). Nobody wants to listen to a speech which has a 17 step process each with its own high level of difficulty and jargon.

Don’t include difficult words which are technical in nature. But if you must include such words, make sure you explain the terms as well.

How to Use Visual Aids

A demonstrative speech can be made much more useful with the help of visual aids. A presentation is the simplest way to provide visual aids into your speech.

Each visual can showcase each step in your demonstration. Try and use larger than life visuals with less text. Do more of the talking and let the images be there for the purpose of recall.

The visuals will help your speech be more memorable as people remember better with the use of images.

You can also use props to showcase your demonstration and add a more real element to the entire speech.

How to Engage the Audience

How to keep your audience engaged in your speech? Engage with them.

If your speech topic allows for it, why not call up an audience member to help you demonstrate your points? Engaging with the audience in this way and having them perform certain steps of the demonstration will improve the likelihood of them remembering the steps as well as make the entire experience more interactive.

Whether you involve the entire audience or just call up one on stage, it’s great either way.

This one time, a creative professional had come to our office and was giving a talk on ‘How to make the most out of a creative brainstorming session’. Instead of just giving us the steps, he divided us into smaller groups and allowed us to apply the brainstorming techniques as and when he was speaking about them.

It made the entire process much more fun & engaging and I remember the techniques he taught us till today.

How to Make It Easier for the Audience to Remember You (& Your Points)

After you are done teaching your audience, it’s not necessary that they have actually “learned” whatever it is that you attempted to teach them. They might want to find out more on the topic, they might have additional questions or they might even want to contact you to clear some doubts.

To guide them with this, it’s always more helpful to offer some resources that they can access even after the speech is over.

For example, you can provide them with a website where they could find out more information on the topic along with your contact details. Or you could hand them a small booklet which summarizes what you spoke about.

Anything that will help them after you are done with your speech and leave the venue would be a great addition to your demonstrative speech.

In closing, a demonstrative speech is a great way of teaching an audience a lesson or skill. We’ve used to before (knowingly or otherwise) and we’ll probably need to use it again. As long as we know the right topics to select, how to write an effective ‘how-to’ speech and deliver it while being our truest self, it’ll be just what our audience needs – a simple yet ridiculously helpful speech.

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Easy Demonstration Speech Ideas

12 September, 2020

9 minutes read

Author:  Mathieu Johnson

If you ever dreamed of becoming an instructor and teach others, you can use an excellent opportunity to act like one while giving a demonstration speech. Believe us: there’ll be no better chance to engage yourself in such an exciting activity. This is probably the most encouraging task professors could ever give you. And you can now use it to share knowledge with others and learn something yourself during the process.

Demonstration speech definition

As the name implies, demonstration speech is a speech devoted to teaching the audience how to do a particular thing. It is a clear, step-by-step practical guide which intends to show people methods of using regular items and even improve someone’s life with it. Demonstration speeches exist in different forms: they can be lengthy and detailed, short and straightforward, or medium and accurate. But either way, the very essence of this task is to teach you how to put thoughts into one, well-structured, and logical sequence of steps. It might seem dubious to take such a specific assignment, but if you take time to explore all the nuances and requirements for this task, it’ll be much easier to handle it eventually. So, what are the processes involved in demonstration speech writing, and what makes trivial persuasive topics sound brilliant?

Follow our guide for more insight.

Choose Your Topic Carefully

Like with any other essay type, demonstration speech starts with topic selection. You have a vast field of “how to” speech ideas to talk about, but the ultimate choice is always on you. Also, professors often tend to give a specific topic to their students. In cases like this, it’s even easier. Regardless of what your final topic is, there’s always a need for research. Once the topic is defined, and you’re 100 percent confident that it’s going to fit the timeframe for delivery, go on to the next step, which is the audience analysis.

Examine Your Audience

There are specific criteria which can help you study the audience prior to delivering a speech. These factors include age, occupation, preferences, interests, and so on. So for example, if your listeners are professional gardeners, they’ll probably expect some useful advice on their sphere of interest. Instead of nurturing them with something as banal as “How to grow a plant,” give them real information, like “How to grow and take care of palm Washingtonia.” Likewise, if your audience composes of teenagers, speak about something thought-provoking, yet not too professional and dull. Take, for instance, the topic on how to become successful, or how to deal with depression.

Look for Credible Sources

Before writing the demonstration speech, you’ll first need some assistance to prove the credibility of your sayings. If you don’t want the audience to think like the entire speech is a fly of your imagination, you should arm yourself with relevant evidence to prove the mentioned points. There are many places you can go to, like local libraries. They contain countless books on your topic, so you can use them for your advantage. Alternatively, consider using online resources, but only credible ones if you don’t feel like walking anywhere. Even if such assistance is not enough for you, ask relatives or friends for help. Some of them might be experts in your topic, and more than willing to explain how this or that thing works.

Write a Motivational Conclusion

The best way to finish your demonstration speech is to give your audience a great insight into the process they haven’t experienced themselves. For this, you can call listeners to action and motivate them to follow your practice. Let’s review an example of a proper ending: “Now that you’ve learned about the basics of DIY table creation, you can craft one easily by yourself without costly materials and mountains of time.” Such a prominent calling will make people not only have a positive impression of your speech but also encourage them to make something useful.

Demonstration speech outline

An outline is a way to structure the information that you want to share with your audience. The outline should explicitly showcase the order of steps that you will use in your demonstration speech. Many students seem to neglect the power of creating outlines for their academic writing tasks, but in vain. The key feature that makes outlines as significant as other processes of speech creation is a schematic representation of the main ideas. It means that writing the final variant of your demonstration speech will be much easier as you have an exact plan, and you don’t need to think of the main points on the fly. As for the structure of an outline, it should contain the following elements:

• three sections – introduction, main body, and conclusion.
• the main part should be broken up into different stages of the process.
• headings and subheadings marked with letters and numbers for easier navigation throughout the outline

At the phase of plan creation, it’s also vital to adhere to theses and use them as reference points. These can be either sentences or just keywords. Do as you are accustomed to doing and feel comfortable with making amendments before proceeding with writing the speech text. For each statement, use examples from personal life to validate the adequacy of described steps. Vast reasoning is, of course, excellent, but without specifics, they do not cling. To find the response in the heart of the audience, make your how-to-do instructions more understandable. For example, if you want to explain to your audience how to make and install a wall-mounted folding table, don’t just enumerate the instruments required and tell people how to fold and unfold the table. Rather, give them proper instructions. 

5-minute demonstration speech topics

• How to savor wine
• How to make a Spanish salad
• How to clean the house with minimum effort
• How to live the day like it’s the last one
• How to forget the past and move forward
• How to sew clothes
• How to enjoy the moment
• How to practice speed reading
• How to adjust to the realms of massive consumerism
•  How to control finances and save money

Funny demonstration speech topics

• How to stop forgetting about turning off the iron
• How to clean up the mess after your “Project X” party
• How to survive in college
• How to master the art of lying with a poker face
• How to get rid of annoying friends
• How to pretend that you’re present in a class
• How to get an A+ for homework while doing nothing at home
• How to stop biting nails and eating hair when you’re nervous
• How to watch horror movies with your eyes open
• How to pretend that you like your birthday present

Demonstration speech ideas for college students

• How to paint using the acrylic pouring technique
• How to find motivation
• How not to burn out in college
• How to find common ground with any professor
• How to understand the subject you hate most of all
• How to decorate a dormitory room for enhanced productivity
• How to force yourself to get out of bed
• How to be a leader in your class
• How to prepare for an exam without psychological suffering
• How to reach new heights in education

Now you have a guide on how to write a demonstration speech, as well as easy speech topics in addition to basic theory. These demonstrative speech topics are a surefire way to give a memorable, informative, and perhaps funny talk, which will undoubtedly crack the audience up. Our essay writers described you the essentials of speech writing, and now it’s your turn. Be patient, take your time, and tailor a blazingly meaningful speech.

Feel free to buy essay tasks if you’re facing some problems with your essay !

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How to Master the Demonstration Speech

Demo speeches are ubiquitous. They are assigned to students in high school and college. They are a staple in corporate and other adult training environments. They are among the most common speeches given in Toastmaster clubs.

Due to the popularity of this speech form, the well-rounded speaker must master the demonstration speech . Despite this, many speakers don’t know the basics to delivering an effective demonstration speech. Do you?

In this article, we present a demonstration speech outline which gives the best chance for success, and discuss the necessary elements for a great demo speech .

Definition: The Demonstration Speech

A demonstration speech is a form of informative speech where the speaker’s primary purpose is to teach the audience how to complete a task (or process) , and this is largely accomplished by demonstrating the task (or process) through a series of steps.

“ A demonstration speech is a form of informative speech where the speaker’s primary purpose is to teach the audience how to complete a task (or process). ”

Demonstration speech topics are numerous, including all of the following:

• How to prepare a recipe (as in standard cooking shows)
• How to operate a software application
• How to tie a knot
• How to calculate a mortgage payment
• How to swim the back stroke
• How to process a purchase order
• How to throw a frisbee
• How to compose a photograph
• How to line dance
• How to write a limerick
• How to set up a blog
• How to make origami
• and many, many more

The Demonstration Speech Outline

Just as there are many demonstration speech topics, there are many ways to organize a demonstration speech. You will rarely go wrong, however, if you apply this basic speech outline:

• Start with why
• Give a brief overview of the entire process
• For each, describe it, then show it
• (Optional) Discuss options, extras, or variations
• Allow time for Q&A
• Summarize briefly

1. Start with why

A demonstration speech is about training the audience to perform a task or complete a process. Just as with any educational task, it helps tremendously if your audience is motivated to learn.

This is why it’s important to tell your audience how they will benefit from the knowledge you are about to share. Once your audience knows why they are learning this new task, they will be motivated to learn.

Will learning this new task or process help your audience:

• Earn or save money?
• Earn a promotion?
• Build their range of skills?
• Save them time?
• Make their life easier?
• Provide enjoyment or satisfaction?
• Make them happy?

There are many ways to motivate your audience, but one of the best ways is to open with a story. Paint a picture of how their life will improve with this new knowledge.

2. Give a brief overview of the entire process

Before you dive too deep in the details, it is essential to present an overview of the overall task or process.

• A brief, high-level overview of the steps involved provides a mental framework for the audience upon which they can hang the details as you provide them later in the speech.
• When learning a new task, some people in your audience will fear that it is complicated. An early overview assures your audience that it is not overly complex . For example, “We’re going to discuss how to cook a quiche in just four easy steps…”
• If you fail to present an outline, it’s difficult for your audience to see how the steps will fit together later on. The audience won’t have the necessary context.

A great way to present the overview is with a diagram illustrating the steps of the task at a high level. You can refer to this diagram throughout.

Along with the overview, you should also list the prerequisites needed for the task, and any assumptions you are making. For example, what is needed before one begins this task? What supplies or resources are assumed?

3. Go through the steps, one-by-one

From a speaker’s perspective, one of the best things about a demonstration speech is that the core of your outline is prepared for you : you simply need to go through the steps of the task in sequential order.  (Occasionally, you may decide to present the steps in a different way, but be sure to let your audience know that you are breaking a convention.)

Keep the series of steps as simple as possible . Break the process down to the most essential steps that will lead your audience successfully from start to finish. There’s no “best” number of steps, but keep the number of steps as low as possible. Don’t present a 19-step process unless your goal is utter confusion.

Defer optional steps for later in your presentation (or, for the Q&A). It is best to avoid complicating matters on the first pass.

For each step , you should:

• Explain the purpose of the step ( why is this step necessary)
• Explain the step in simple, straightforward language ( what needs to be done)
• Show how to complete the step ( how should it be done)

4. (Optional) Discuss options, extras, or variations

Now that your audience has seen the task or process demonstrated from start to finish, you can (if time permits) provide some additional options or variations.

For example, if you are explaining how to cook a certain recipe, start with the basic version first. After that’s done, you can discuss alternate ingredients, different flavours to try, and other ways to build on the basic recipe.

5. Allow time for Q&A

Many types of speeches benefit from taking questions from the audience and answering them, and a Q&A session is particularly well-suited for a demonstration speech . This allows the audience to seek clarification on any of the steps which were unclear.

Depending on your topic and the forum in which you are speaking, you may choose to take questions at the end, or you may invite questions throughout your demonstration. Either way, monitor your time.

6. Summarize briefly

Finally, you should summarize the process briefly, and recap the benefits which your audience will realize if they perform the desired process or task.

How to Elevate Your Demonstration Speech

Once you’ve mapped your topic onto the basic speech outline given above, there are many ways that you can elevate the quality of your content and the manner in which you present it to maximize the effectiveness for your audience:

A. If you can, get audience members doing it.

Your options for audience participation are often determined by how long your presentation is, the setting in which the demonstration takes place, and the availability of supplies which can be shared by the audience.

Having said this, it’s great if you can get the audience participating in the demonstration. Actively engaging the audience and having them perform the steps will improve the likelihood that they will remember the steps and be able to carry out the task or process independently long after your presentation.

If the situation doesn’t allow for you to involve the whole audience, try to get one or more audience members to help you out as volunteers.

B. Visuals are critical for a demonstration speech.

Nearly every demonstration speech can be made better by incorporating appropriate visuals to accompany your verbal descriptions and instructions.

You have many options:

• Your body is often the best visual. If your speech is about some physical task to perform (e.g. throwing a ball), then the most important visual is your own body. You can demonstrate each of the steps individually, and “animate” the process at various speeds to enhance the demonstration.
• Physical props make it real. There are two main types of props: “real” and models. Real props include the actual objects that are used when performing the task. Models include both “fake” versions of the real objects, as well as scaled-down versions.
• Use photographs or diagrams as necessary. If your body and props aren’t sufficient, use photographs and diagrams. As you present these, it sometimes helps to immerse yourself in the photograph or diagram to animate the action that would be involved.

Whatever visuals you choose to include, be sure that your audience can easily see them . If they cannot see your visual (if it is too small, or their view is obscured), their understanding will suffer.

C. Extend your demonstration by providing follow-up resources.

A single demonstration — whether it be a 5-minute speech, or a 5-hour training session — is often not enough to guarantee that the new knowledge is learned perfectly. To improve the likelihood that your audience will successfully practice the task or process, it helps to provide resources they can use after your demonstration is complete.

This includes (but is not limited to):

• Websites, books, pamphlets, or other expert sources which they can consult for deeper information, or more advanced training.
• Handouts you prepare which summarize the steps in the process, as well as diagrams or photographs which illustrate key details.
• Contact details so your audience can ask questions in the future as they try to apply the knowledge you have imparted.

What do you like or dislike about demonstration speeches?

Do you have any tips to share about how to give an excellent demonstration speech?

Or maybe you’ve witnessed some particularly good or bad demo speeches?

Please share in the comments .

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16 comments.

Which other resources (books, mainly) would you recommend for the demonstration speech?

Cheers, Juan Amorocho

I don’t know of any books which focus entirely on this presentation form, but there are several which provide assistance with some of the needed skills.

On the training side, Telling Ain’t Training comes to mind to help with structuring the demo to enhance “learnability.”

On the visuals side, any number of books on slide design would help. In particular, slide:ology is excellent.

hey Andrew i’m working on a demonstration speech for MMA submissions and this is very helpful thx

I struggle with giving demonstration speeches. As an IT guy, figuring out the tech level of the audience can be infuriating. Especially when there’s a large variety.

I understand your struggle. Demonstration speeches can be very difficult to plan if your audience comes in with vastly different knowledge levels. I’d recommend aiming at the low knowledge end with your content (so you don’t leave anyone behind), but then interact with the audience to determine if you can move through the early steps at a quicker pace (to avoid boring too many people).

I’m hoping to provide help with this challenging issue in the audience analysis article series.

Are there any aspects beyond audience analysis that you particularly struggle with?

Joseph, unless you are absolutely sure your audience is full of IT “freaks :)” or scientists, you speech should not be too technical. Play it safe and consider your audience more from the “human” perspective. Even IT people want to entertained.

My #1 piece of advice for a demonstration speech is “show ’em the finished product first”. Think about a cooking show where they show you how to bake a beautiful cake. The first thing they show you is not the list of ingredients, but what the finished cake looks like!!

This is great advice, John.

It is consistent with “Paint a picture of how their life will improve with this new knowledge.” In the case of a cooking show, the finished product gets the audience dreaming about how good it will taste… and thus how their life will improve.

For me the most important element is that the “Demonstration Speech” starts with a “hook”. I usually start with a question, quotation, etc. As mentioned earlier here, you can start by showing the product, but I would leave it for a little bit later, so the audience get a sense what to expect. Let them play with an imagination for a bit. Also, I know this is a very specific type of speech, but I love stories, so I would definitely try to incorporate some short story to support the product. Short story how to use the product, how to overcome some challenges etc…

Starting with a hook, telling stories, and building anticipation are solid techniques which can be applied to any speech, including demonstration speeches. These techniques can be used to tweak and enhance the basic speech outline given in the article.

The goals of your demonstration speech could be: to show how to do something, how to make something, how something is done or how something works. The most easier thing is choosing to demonstrate something you know about.

I wish more people followed your outline. Demonstration presentations should be fun and easy, but some of the ones I’ve seen have been terrible.

Some move too fast (they assume we know something when it should be explained).

My favorite ones and teachers do this is to start with the end product and say: “this is what we will want to do today” and then walk us through this.

This is a terrific web site! Many thanks.

It gives us good reading about a subject many of us has avoided.

It is easy to get around.

You have books recommded to continue to learn.

And I learned! You taught me to be specific in my comments.

What I dislike about demonstration speeches is when speakers who are so comfortable with their talk that they speak too rapidly. I presume they believe that what they are sharing is as simple to understand for others as it is for them.

Indeed, Sherre. Presenters are often guilty of “The Curse of Knowledge” — they know something so well (and for so long) that they have forgotten what it is like to not know it.

Excellent outline and easy to follow. I was looking for additional tips for the kids I teach, and these work well! Thanks! 🙂

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Best Tips To Write An Amazing Demonstrative Speech | SpeechPaths

6 steps to write a brilliant demonstrative speech + topic ideas .

A demonstrative speech is a form of instruction during which you show your audience how to perform a specific task or complete the process. To make their demonstration easy to understand, speakers rely on visual aids, such as videos or presentations. 

In this post, our experts will explain how to develop and deliver an effective demonstration speech even if you don't have much public speaking experience. Below, you will find a step-by-step guide for preparing your speech and some great demonstration speech ideas if you're feeling stuck. 

Need your demonstrative speech by tomorrow? Worries aside - the speechwriters of SpeechPath can create a powerful demonstration speech plus visual aids for you in just 12 hours. We will match you with an expert in your area who will work one-on-one with you to develop a persuasive, plagiarism-free speech with your audience in mind. Special student discounts are available!

Choosing a powerful demonstrative speech topic

The purpose of a demonstrative speech is to instruct or educate the listeners about doing something. Thus, you will want to choose an applicable subject and provide your audience with a step-by-step process to complete a specific task (apply makeup, read the stars, play poker, save money, or else). 

College students or corporate speakers usually have a specific subject they need to talk about. If you don't have a topic at hand, here's how to choose an efficient subject: 

• consider your interests - do you know a specific topic well enough to instruct others? Can you share your knowledge in a way that a wide audience will easily understand? Can you make your topic engaging even if it's technical? 
• mind your audience - to whom will you deliver your informative speech? Will your audience be interested in the subject and how will they benefit from your instruction? 
• time and location - what is your time limit for delivering a good demonstrative speech? Will you be able to deliver a strong presentation within that limit? How many listeners will be present and what type of the event is it? 

By thinking these points through, you'll identify the relevant and helpful subject and evaluate the level of depth and detail for covering your subject. If you are feeling stuck with your demonstrative speeches subject, take a look at some ideas below. 

8 examples of a good demonstration speech topic 

If you have the freedom to choose your demonstration speech topics, take a look at these options: 

• How to swim backstroke: Tips for beginners
• Essential photography composition rules and techniques
• How to manage your email account for better productivity 
• Using body language effectively during job interviews
• How to make a paper airplane in five minutes
• How to operate a new content management software 
• Tips to quickly change a flat tire 
• How to start making money on your blog

6 demonstrative speech topics for students 

If you are struggling to choose a demonstrative speech topic you'll deliver in class, consider these ideas: 

• How to apply for a scholarship as a college student
• How to find common ground with a demanding instructor
• Planning your diet to stay healthy 
• How to apply daily make up 
• Choosing and preparing a backpack for a trip to the forest 
• How to get excellent grades in college and avoid burnout. 

How to create a demonstration speech outline? 

Now that you have explored some unique demonstration speech topics and chosen your own, it's time to think through your speech. Since you want to instruct the audience to perform a particular task, you need to deliver your speech in a structured, organized way. Thus, your target audience will grasp your speech better and learn to apply the skills in real life. 

A strong outline for demonstrative speeches includes sections as follows: 

• Introduction - at the very beginning, you introduce your subject, explaining why you have chosen it, and what your audience will learn. Quickly walk them through the structure of your speech so people knew what to expect. 
• Body - in the main part of your speech, you explain the terms and clarify the course of actions to them. Use a simple, step-by-step process, and provide bite-sized information to keep your audience engaged. If the topic allows, show the steps you take in chronological order. 
• Conclusion - here, you summarize the key points of your demonstration speech topic for the audience and inspire them to perform a certain action. You might also raise some concerns or share additional information or sources which can be helpful. 

Demonstrative speech example 

7 tips to create a mind-blowing demonstrative speech

Understand your audience.

To deliver an effective speech, understand who your audience members are. Consider their age, gender, education level, beliefs, interests, and many more. For example, demonstration speeches for corporate professionals or college students will differ from those for the general public. 

By understanding your audience, you will be able to use language, examples, and visuals that they will easily comprehend. Thus, you will craft a speech that resonates with your audience and leaves a lasting impression.

Research and gather information

Even if you consider yourself an expert in some area, your speech will only benefit if you do research and look through credible sources. Whether you prepare a speech on mental health, using software, or developing soft skills, this will make your speech more informative and foster deeper understanding. 

Gather relevant information and dive deeper into the topic you've chosen by reviewing books, monographs, and articles, or conduct an interview with an expert. Note down the techniques, tips, and interesting examples that might be interesting for your audience. By collecting valuable knowledge, you'll make your speech more engaging and vivid. 

Organize and structure your speech 

As you gather information, organize it in a logical and structured manner, following the outline presented above. Walk your audience from start to finish of the process, equipping them with valuable insights they need to understand how to perform the task. 

Share specific steps with your listeners, followed by a brief explanation of what exactly to do at each stage. Thus, they will stay genuinely interested and follow you, understanding the progression of your speech. Add transitions so that they could see how each step flows smoothly into the next one. 

Give the topic overview

When you introduce a completely new topic to the audience, they might be worried that they fail to understand something. Address their concerns by sharing a brief outline of the process with them. 

Firstly, define the objective and the core message of your speech, i.e. what people will learn or what skill they will gain at the end of the lecture. After introducing your subject, specify what you'll be talking about, in what order, and what steps you will share with them. Thus, people will know what exactly to expect from your speech and will be more receptive to hearing your thoughts and insights. 

Use visual aids and examples

All demonstrative speech topics include showing or telling the audience how to do something. A visual aid can go a long way in this process. By choosing appropriate pictures, videos, charts, and slides, you will explain the topic to the audience more effectively while keeping them engaged and focused throughout your speech. 

Make sure that your visual aids are clear, informative, and relevant to your core message. With correct visuals, people will remember more of what you are telling them. Use jokes or memes, if appropriate, to lighten the mood. If you are not creating visual aids yourself, make sure you have the right to use them in your presentation. 

Save some time for Q&A

Since you'll be introducing a new topic to the audience, most likely, they will have questions at some point. Reserve some time for a Q&A session at the end of the speech. Anticipate questions that your listeners might have, and prepare answers to them in advance. 

If, during your presentation, you notice that the audience looks confused, you might want to repeat the points they find difficult. Thus, you won't have to explain things from scratch during the question-answer session at the end. 

Practice delivering the speech 

Little people are naturally good at public speaking, so you might want to practice your speech at home. Reading your speech aloud can also help the speech organization, as you'll see if some points of your text need clarification. Plus, rehearsing your speech multiple times builds your confidence and helps perfect your delivery. 

You can practice in front of a mirror, watching your body language and facial expressions. Consider delivering your speech to friends or family members to hear their feedback. Time yourself as you speak to make sure that your speech does not exceed the allotted time limit. 

Using visual aids in your speech: tips to prepare an engaging presentation 

Most demonstrative speeches go with visual aids such as videos, posters, or PowerPoint presentations. Using videos, graphs, and images is of great help to organize your speech and deliver the practical steps to the audience more effectively. Here are some tips to prepare an effective presentation to accompany your speech: 

• Avoid transitions and sound effects. They will distract people rather than enhance your ideas and your message. Also, stay away from fancy formatting and bright fonts. Keep your slides simple and professional. 
• Do not read from slides. Remember that visual aids are there to enhance your message and show the audience pictures and schemes. Do not use them as your public speaking notes. This can make an impression that you don't know your topic enough or lack confidence. 
• Use little text. Use text on slides only to repeat your main points or to list the sequence of actions. Do not put paragraphs or even sentences on slides. The optimal volume of text in your presentation is up to 8 lines per slide. 
• Add pictures, graphs, and videos to illustrate your point. Graphics are effective if you want to draw the audience's attention to important steps of the process or share curious facts. Yet, avoid adding pictures for the sake of them - ask yourself "Does this help deliver my message?"
• Use colors properly. Use pastel colors for the background to make the information on your slide easily readable. Opt for complimentary colors so that your slides are easy on the eye, and no more than three colors per slide. 
• Be careful with humor. If you deliver your speech in an informal setting, it is okay to add a couple of funny pictures or memes to lighten the mood. However, consider your audience and the event first to avoid putting yourself in an awkward situation. 

Using our tips and strategies, you'll manage to craft a great speech even if you haven't written speeches before. Keep your target audience in mind, customizing your message for them, and work on your delivery to make your speech helpful and memorable. 

Need a helping hand with your speech? 

Our in-house ghostwriters can prepare a unique demonstrative speech for you from scratch, or edit and improve the one you already have. You'll work one-on-one with a dedicated expert who keeps polishing your text until you are satisfied. Chat with us to discuss how we can craft a shiny speech for you at a pocket-friendly price!

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• Demonstration Speech Outline

A demonstration speech outline is essential when you're writing your presentation, as it helps you logically organize your thoughts. A demonstration speech is a "how to" speech , in which the speaker demonstrates to the audience how to do a particular process or activity.

(If you haven't yet chosen the theme of your presentation, here are some great topic ideas to help you out.)

An outline for this type of speech is easy to prepare since the body of the statement mainly consists of the steps of a process or activity you are demonstrating.

Start your outline by creating a skeleton of the main parts

Sample abbreviated outlines are included below f or the introduction and the conclusion pointing out several important aspects of those sections, such as attention devices, theme, and clinchers. The framework for the main body consists of the main points and sub-points that need to be discussed for the topic.

A typical essay three-two or two-three essay format often works well for a speech. The speech below has three main points: materials/tools, steps, and tips. Fill in the sub-points with details, supporting references, explanations, alternatives, answers to frequently asked questions, or appropriate information necessary to understand the main point.

With a demonstration speech outline, the goal is to construct the content of the speech carefully, so the audience leaves with the targeted degree of understanding. The framework gives you a bird's eye view of the overall presentation and helps the writer to avoid holes in the steps and information provided. While also, the outline helps the writer be concise and organized to avoid giving too much information and causing confusion or overwhelm.

What to put in the introduction and body of the demonstration speech outline?

The outline should start with an introduction that explains to the audience the process you will be demonstrating.

Be sure to include any history or background that is interesting or helpful to the audience.

For example, if you were to demonstrate how to tie-dye clothing, your introduction might touch on the history of tie-dying, showing examples of the types of clothing and accessories that are suitable for the process and a few finished articles!

The body of a demonstration speech can be divided into several sections.

If you are demonstrating how to complete a craft project, for example, you might have a segment on materials, then one containing all the steps, and a final section on how to care for or display the finished product. The sections would be the main points of your speech. For example, if you were to write a demonstration speech outline for a speech about how to make a scrapbook, it might look something like the textual framework below scrapbook image.

Introduction Section - Demonstration Speech Outline

Sample skeleton outline for the introduction on scrapbooking:

A. Attention Device

• ask Q's relate boxes/stacks
• relate pleasure

B. Foreshadowing

• will solve problem
• identify scrapbooking as solution
• pleasurable

C. Transition and overview main points

Detailed Outline of the Scrapbooking Speech Introduction with Draft of the Text:

• How many of you have a box of old photographs? Or maybe a stack of newer ones that keep piling up? How would you like to create something with those photographs that will be fun to make and give people pleasure for years?
• Today I am going to show you some great ideas for preserving your old and new photographs by scrapbooking.
• Scrapbooking has been around for a long time, but lately, it seems to have grown in popularity. This means there are lots of new and fun tools and materials on the market to make scrapbook even more of a pleasurable pastime!

Body Section - Demonstration Speech Outline

1. Materials

•  Scrapbook
•  Embellishments
•  Adhesive
•  Stamps
•  Scissors

2. Scrapbooking steps

•  Select photos
•  Choose a theme
•  Design page
•  Attach pictures, frames, ribbons, etc.
•  Add stamps and labels.

OR - use a purchased scrapbooking kit.

OR - freestyle (a more haphazard style of scrapbooking with no 'rules')

3. Tips for preserving scrapbooks

•  Use lignin-free paper
•  Use acid-free and color safe fabrics

Conclusion Section - Demonstration Speech Outline

Sample Skeleton Outline for the Conclusion:

A. Transition

• clause tying to the body
• begin summary of the main points

B. Tie-in to the theme

C. Clincher

• exhort audience to start scrapbooking
• tie-in to theme of fun

Detailed draft of the text of the scrapbooking speech conclusion:

• Making scrapbooks is a great way to preserve your memories for yourself and others and can last for generations with high quality paper and fabrics.
• So, with the right tools and steps, scrapbooking is also fun and easy.
• Get yourself started and enjoy!

As you can see, the conclusion of a demonstration speech outline generally summarizes the speech and encourages the audience members to try it for themselves. If the presentation was truly effective, the audience should be inspired and feel empowered to give it a try!

I hope that now you can see how easy it is to prepare a demonstration speech outline and feel ready and inspired to try one yourself!

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How to Write an Effective Speech Outline: A Step-by-Step Guide

• The Speaker Lab
• March 8, 2024

Table of Contents

Mastering the art of speaking starts with crafting a stellar speech outline. A well-structured outline not only clarifies your message but also keeps your audience locked in.

In this article, you’ll learn how to mold outlines for various speech types, weaving in research that resonates and transitions that keep listeners on track. We’ll also show you ways to spotlight crucial points and manage the clock so every second counts. When it’s time for final prep, we’ve got smart tips for fine-tuning your work before stepping into the spotlight.

Understanding the Structure of a Speech Outline

An effective speech outline is like a map for your journey as a speaker, guiding you from start to finish. Think of it as the blueprint that gives shape to your message and ensures you hit all the right notes along the way.

Tailoring Your Outline for Different Speech Types

Different speeches have different goals: some aim to persuade, others inform or celebrate. Each type demands its own structure in an outline. For instance, a persuasive speech might highlight compelling evidence while an informative one focuses on clear explanations. Crafting your outline with precision means adapting it to fit these distinct objectives.

Incorporating Research and Supporting Data

Your credibility hinges on solid research and data that back up your claims. When writing your outline, mark the places where you’ll incorporate certain pieces of research or data. Every stat you choose should serve a purpose in supporting your narrative arc. And remember to balance others’ research with your own unique insights. After all, you want your work to stand out, not sound like someone else’s.

The Role of Transitions in Speech Flow

Slick transitions are what turn choppy ideas into smooth storytelling—think about how bridges connect disparate land masses seamlessly. They’re not just filler; they carry listeners from one thought to another while maintaining momentum.

Incorporate transitions that feel natural yet keep people hooked. To keep things smooth, outline these transitions ahead of time so nothing feels left up to chance during delivery.

Techniques for Emphasizing Key Points in Your Outline

To make certain points pop off the page—and stage—you’ll need strategies beyond bolding text or speaking louder. Use repetition wisely or pause strategically after delivering something significant. Rather than go impromptu, plan out what points you want to emphasize before you hit the stage.

Timing Your Speech Through Your Outline

A watchful eye on timing ensures you don’t overstay—or undercut—your moment under the spotlight. The rhythm set by pacing can be pre-determined through practice runs timed against sections marked clearly in outlines. Practice will help ensure that your grand finale isn’t cut short by surprise.

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Depending on the type of speech you’re giving, your speech outline will vary. The key ingredients—introduction, body, and conclusion—are always there, but nuances like tone or message will change with each speaking occasion.

Persuasive Speeches: Convincing With Clarity

When outlining a persuasive speech, arrange your arguments from strong to strongest. The primacy effect works wonders here, so make sure to start off with a strong point. And just when they think they’ve heard it all, hit them with an emotional story that clinches the deal.

You might start by sharing startling statistics about plastic pollution before pivoting to how individuals can make a difference. Back this up with data on successful recycling programs which demonstrate tangible impact, a technique that turns facts into fuel for action.

Informative Speeches: Educating Without Overwhelming

An informative speech shouldn’t feel like drinking from a fire hose of facts and figures. Instead, lay out clear subtopics in your outline and tie them together with succinct explanations—not unlike stepping stones across a stream of knowledge.

If you’re talking about breakthroughs in renewable energy technology, use bullet points to highlight different innovations then expand upon their potential implications one at a time so the audience can follow along without getting lost in technical jargon or complexity.

Ceremonial Speeches: Creating Moments That Matter

In a ceremonial speech you want to capture emotion. Accordingly, your outline should feature personal anecdotes and quotes that resonate on an emotional level. However, make sure to maintain brevity because sometimes less really is more when celebrating milestones or honoring achievements.

Instead of just going through a hero’s whole life story, share the powerful tales of how they stepped up in tough times. This approach hits home for listeners, letting them feel the impact these heroes have had on their communities and sparking an emotional bond.

Incorporating Research in Your Speech Outline

When you’re crafting a speech, the backbone of your credibility lies in solid research and data. But remember, it’s not just about piling on the facts. It’s how you weave them into your narrative that makes listeners sit up and take notice.

Selecting Credible Sources

Finding trustworthy sources is like going on a treasure hunt where not all that glitters is gold. To strike real gold, aim for academic journals or publications known for their rigorous standards. Google Scholar or industry-specific databases are great places to start your search. Be picky. Your audience can tell when you’ve done your homework versus when you’ve settled for less-than-stellar intel.

You want to arm yourself with evidence so compelling that even skeptics start nodding along. A well-chosen statistic from a reputable study does more than decorate your point—it gives it an ironclad suit of armor.

Organizing Information Effectively

Your outline isn’t just a roadmap; think of it as scaffolding that holds up your argument piece by piece. Start strong with an eye-opening factoid to hook your audience right off the bat because first impressions matter—even in speeches.

To keep things digestible, group related ideas together under clear subheadings within your outline. Stick to presenting data that backs up each key idea without wandering down tangential paths. That way, everyone stays on track.

Making Data Relatable

Sure, numbers don’t lie but they can be hard to connect to. If you plan on using stats in your speech, make them meaningful by connecting them to relatable scenarios or outcomes people care about deeply. For instance, if you’re talking health statistics, relate them back to someone’s loved ones or local hospitals. By making the personal connection for your audience, you’ll get their attention.

The trick is using these nuggets strategically throughout your talk, not dumping them all at once but rather placing each one carefully where its impact will be greatest.

Imagine your speech as a road trip. Without smooth roads and clear signs, the journey gets bumpy, and passengers might miss the scenery along the way. That’s where transitions come in. They’re like your speech’s traffic signals guiding listeners from one point to another.

Crafting Seamless Bridges Between Ideas

Transitions are more than just linguistic filler. They’re strategic connectors that carry an audience smoothly through your narrative. Start by using phrases like “on top of this” or “let’s consider,” which help you pivot naturally between points without losing momentum.

To weave these seamlessly into your outline, map out each major turn beforehand to ensure no idea is left stranded on a tangent.

Making Use of Transitional Phrases Wisely

Be cautious: overusing transitional phrases can clutter up your speech faster than rush hour traffic. Striking a balance is key—think about how often you’d want to see signposts on a highway. Enough to keep you confident but not so many that it feels overwhelming.

Pick pivotal moments for transitions when shifting gears from one major topic to another or introducing contrasting information. A little direction at critical junctures keeps everyone onboard and attentive.

Leveraging Pauses as Transition Tools

Sometimes silence speaks louder than words, and pauses are powerful tools for transitioning thoughts. A well-timed pause lets ideas resonate and gives audiences time to digest complex information before moving forward again.

This approach also allows speakers some breathing room themselves—the chance to regroup mentally before diving into their next point with renewed vigor.

Connecting Emotional Threads Throughout Your Speech

Last but not least, don’t forget emotional continuity, that intangible thread pulling heartstrings from start-to-finish. Even if topics shift drastically, maintaining an underlying emotional connection ensures everything flows together cohesively within the larger tapestry of your message.

Techniques for Emphasizing Key Points in Your Speech Outline

When you’re crafting your speech outline, shine a spotlight on what matters most so that your audience doesn’t miss your key points.

Bold and Italicize for Impact

You wouldn’t whisper your punchline in a crowded room. Similarly, why let your main ideas get lost in a sea of text? Use bold or italics to give those lines extra weight. This visual cue signals importance, so when you glance at your notes during delivery, you’ll know to emphasize those main ideas.

Analogies That Stick

A good analogy is like super glue—it makes anything stick. Weave them into your outline and watch as complex concepts become crystal clear. But remember: choose analogies that resonate with your target audience’s experiences or interests. The closer home it hits, the longer it lingers.

The Power of Repetition

If something’s important say it again. And maybe even once more after that—with flair. Repetition can feel redundant on paper, but audiences often need to hear critical messages several times before they take root.

Keep these strategies in mind when you’re ready to dive into your outline. You’ll transform those core ideas into memorable insights before you know it.

Picture this: you’re delivering a speech, and just as you’re about to reach the end, your time’s up. Ouch! Let’s make sure that never happens. Crafting an outline is not only about what to say but also how long to say it.

Finding Balance in Section Lengths

An outline isn’t just bullet points; it’s a roadmap for pacing. When outlining your speech, make sure to decide how much time you’d like to give each of your main points. You might even consider setting specific timers during rehearsals to get a real feel for each part’s duration. Generally speaking, you should allot a fairly equal amount of time for each to keep things balanced.

The Magic of Mini Milestones

To stay on track, a savvy speaker will mark time stamps or “mini milestones” on their outline. These time stamps give the speaker an idea of where should be in their speech by the time, say, 15 minutes has passed. If by checkpoint three you should be 15 minutes deep and instead you’re hitting 20 minutes, it’s time to pick up the pace or trim some fat from earlier sections. This approach helps you stay on track without having to glance at the clock after every sentence.

Utilizing Visual Aids and Multimedia in Your Outline

Pictures speak louder than words, especially when you’re on stage. Think about it: How many times have you sat through a presentation that felt like an eternity of endless bullet points? Now imagine if instead, there was a vibrant image or a short video clip to break up the monotony—it’s game-changing. That’s why integrating visual aids and multimedia into your speech outline isn’t just smart. It’s crucial for keeping your audience locked in.

Choosing Effective Visuals

Selecting the right visuals is not about flooding your slides with random images but finding those that truly amplify your message. Say you’re talking about climate change. In this case, a graph showing rising global temperatures can hit hard and illustrate your chosen statistic clearly. Remember, simplicity reigns supreme; one powerful image will always trump a cluttered collage.

Multimedia Magic

Videos are another ace up your sleeve. They can deliver testimonials more powerfully than quotes or transport viewers to places mere descriptions cannot reach. But be warned—timing is everything. Keep clips short and sweet because no one came to watch a movie—they came to hear you . You might highlight innovations using short video snippets, ensuring these moments serve as compelling punctuations rather than pauses in your narrative.

The Power of Sound

We often forget audio when we think multimedia, yet sound can evoke emotions and set tones subtly yet effectively. Think striking chords for dramatic effect or nature sounds for storytelling depth during environmental talks.

Audiences crave experiences they’ll remember long after they leave their seats. With well-chosen visuals and gripping multimedia elements woven thoughtfully into every section of your speech outline, you’ll give them exactly that.

Rehearsing with Your Speech Outline

When you’re gearing up to take the stage, your speech outline is a great tool to practice with. With a little preparation, you’ll give a performance that feels both natural and engaging.

Familiarizing Yourself with Content

To start off strong, get cozy with your outline’s content. Read through your outline aloud multiple times until the flow of words feels smooth. This will help make sure that when showtime comes around, you can deliver those lines without tripping over tough transitions or complex concepts.

Beyond mere memorization, understanding the heart behind each point allows you to speak from a place of confidence. You know this stuff—you wrote it. Now let’s bring that knowledge front and center in an authentic way.

Mimicking Presentation Conditions

Rehearsing under conditions similar to those expected during the actual presentation pays off big time. Are you going to stand or roam about? Will there be a podium? Think about these details and simulate them during rehearsal because comfort breeds confidence—and we’re all about boosting confidence.

If technology plays its part in your talk, don’t leave them out of rehearsals either. The last thing anyone needs is tech trouble during their talk.

Perfecting Pace Through Practice

Pacing matters big time when speaking. Use timed rehearsals to nail down timing. Adjust speed as needed but remember: clarity trumps velocity every single time.

You want people hanging onto every word, which is hard to do if you’re talking so fast they can barely make out what you’re saying. During rehearsals, find balance between pacing and comprehension; they should go hand-in-hand.

Finalizing Your Speech Outline for Presentation

You’ve poured hours into crafting your speech, shaping each word and idea with precision. Now, it’s time to tighten the nuts and bolts. Finalizing your outline isn’t just about dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. It’s about making sure your message sticks like a perfectly thrown dart.

Reviewing Your Content for Clarity

Your first task is to strip away any fluff that might cloud your core message. Read through every point in your outline with a critical eye. Think of yourself as an editor on a mission to cut out anything that doesn’t serve a purpose. Ask yourself if you can explain each concept clearly without needing extra words or complex jargon. If not, simplify.

Strengthening Your Argument

The meat of any good presentation lies in its argument, the why behind what you’re saying. Strengthen yours by ensuring every claim has iron-clad backing—a stat here, an expert quote there. Let this be more than just facts tossed at an audience; weave them into stories they’ll remember long after they leave their seats.

Crafting Memorable Takeaways

Audiences may forget details but never how you made them feel—or think. Embed memorable takeaways throughout your outline so when folks step out into fresh air post-talk, they carry bits of wisdom with them.

This could mean distilling complex ideas down to pithy phrases or ending sections with punchy lines that resonate. It’s these golden nuggets people will mine for later reflection.

FAQs on Speech Outlines

How do you write a speech outline.

To craft an outline, jot down your main ideas, arrange them logically, and add supporting points beneath each.

What are the 3 main parts of a speech outline?

An effective speech has three core parts: an engaging introduction, a content-rich body, and a memorable conclusion.

What are the three features of a good speech outline?

A strong outline is clear, concise, and structured in logical sequence to maximize impact on listeners.

What is a working outline for a speech?

A working outline serves as your blueprint while preparing. It’s detailed but flexible enough to adjust as needed.

Crafting a speech outline is like drawing your map before the journey. It starts with structure and flows into customization for different types of talks. Remember, research and evidence are your compass—they guide you to credibility. Transitions act as bridges, connecting one idea to another smoothly. Key points? They’re landmarks so make them shine.

When delivering your speech, keep an eye on the clock and pace yourself so that every word counts.

Multimedia turns a good talk into a great show. Rehearsing polishes that gem of a presentation until it sparkles.

Last up: fine-tuning your speech outline means you step out confident, ready to deliver something memorable because this isn’t just any roadmap—it’s yours.

• Last Updated: March 5, 2024

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• 290 demonstration speech topics
• Demonstration speech topics

290 'how to' demonstration speech ideas 

By:  Susan Dugdale   | Last modified: 02-10-2023

What are good topics for demonstration speeches? 

The answer is simple but frustratingly inconclusive. It depends. These are 'how to', 'show and teach' or process speeches with literally squillions of topic possibilities.

You could spend hours, or even days, considering this 'how to' speech idea against that one, or that one, or that one. However, you don't need to.

The easiest way is to use the guidelines below to help you pick a good demo speech idea relatively painlessly and quickly.

What's on this page

• How to choose a good demonstration speech topic - 6 key elements to consider
• 290 good demonstrative speech topics in themed lists 
• Links to other pages of ' how to' speech topics and help
• The link to an extremely useful printable - a blank demonstration speech outline form

If you already know how to prepare a good demonstrative speech skip the guidelines and either click the link to go to ALL 290 demonstration speech topics or click on a heading to go a themed list.

Animals/Pets

Gardens/yards, games/sports.

• Food & More

Social/Personal

• And then there's...

Choosing a good demonstration speech topic

What makes a demonstration speech topic a good choice depends on 6 essential elements. You'll want to consider each of them carefully. 

1. Your interests

Your choice of demonstrative speech topic needs to be something you are genuinely interested in, and know about or, want to know about.

Without enthusiasm or knowledge, it's incredibly hard to inspire and persuade others that they want to find out more about a subject. And that's your goal!

Ideally when you finish your speech, you'll find yourself on the receiving end of question after question from eager listeners. 

2. Who the speech is for

You need to think about your audience before making your final choice.

• What demonstration speech topics would truly interest them?
• If you're considering a 'how to' topic you know they already know well, is there something new you could teach them about it?
• What would be of value, and appropriate, for them to know?

3. The setting of the speech

Where is the speech to be given? In a classroom? In a public hall? In a living room? In the open air?

Does what you're planning to do fit the venue?

4. The time you've got to prepare the speech

Does the topic you're considering need a long time to prepare thoroughly? Are there visual aids you need to make to accompany it? How much research do you need to do before you can begin to prepare the speech?

5. The time you've got to give the speech

There is no point in choosing something complex with a large number of steps to show and teach if you don't have the time to cover them. What you select needs to fit easily into the allotted time limit. 

If you really want to tackle a big topic, and it's a good fit with your audience, if it's possible, break it down into smaller, manageable pieces. Then choose one or two aspects (sub-topics) you know you can cover well in the time you have available.

For instance, how to knit has many elements: how to hold the needles, how to cast stitches on, how to choose the right wool, how to read a knitting pattern, how to do a specific stitch... Any one of those could become a speech.  

6. The guidelines for assessment ...

... if the speech is part of a public speaking course.

You may find there are restrictions on using varying forms of visual aids: video or power-point presentations for example. Check before you make a final decision.

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How to use these demonstration speech ideas

Use the 'how to' topics below to kick-start your own creativity. Think of them as beginnings or starting points.

Rather than pick the first idea that jumps out, build up a short list. Then go through it assessing the positive as well as negative aspects of each idea, keeping the audience members, your interest, setting, time and assessment needs in mind.

290 good demonstration speech topics

• read the clouds
• read the stars
• read the tides
• read tree rings
• recognize differing types of rock
• find fossils
• read and navigate a landscape without a map
• use a topographic map
• water divine
• recognize stars in the night sky
• use the phases of the moon for hunting, fishing, or planting crops
• forage for food safely
• collect wild honey
• take wood for fuel sustainably
• build a fire safely
• recognize the common birds or animals in your area
• identify different types of woods
• ensure water is safe to drink
• use the position of the sun to tell time
• tell if a storm is coming
• track an animal in the wild
• choose a good campsite
• forecast weather
• cross a river safely
• protect yourself from attack by wild animals
• tell if ice is safe to walk on
• tell which way the wind is blowing
• recognize poisonous plants or insects
• survive in the wild without an emergency kit
• prepare a survival kit

• train a puppy
• care for a kitten
• walk a dog on a leash properly
• saddle a horse
• hand milk a cow
• teach a cat to use a litter tray
• tell if your pet dog, cat, rabbit... is happy
• feed a dog, horse, cat...correctly
• carry a dog or cat correctly
• interpret a pet dog's or cat's aggressive behavior
• soothe a frightened dog, cat...
• keep a pet dog or cat in an apartment
• give medicines to your dog, cat...
• care for an injured or sick pet
• teach a child how to care for a pet
• make a cat gym
• dropper feed a fledging that's fallen out of the nest or an injured bird
• groom a cat, dog, cow... for a show
• care for baby chickens
• set up a fish bowl or an aquarium
• choose a pet
• clean an animal's teeth
• pet-proof your home
• re-home a dog safely
• care for an orphaned lamb or calf
• transport a cat, dog, rabbit..., safely
• make healthy treats for dogs
• teach a parrot to talk

• companion plant to protect vegetables from insect pests
• prepare basic landscaping plans
• lay bricks or paving stones
• build a fence
• make a swing
• make a children's play area
• build a compost bin
• make a greenhouse
• make a windbreak
• plant a tree
• build a garden seat
• grow from seed
• graft a plant
• prepare and plant a tub of flowers or vegetables
• plant a window box of herbs
• control garden pests
• mulch a garden
• trim a hedge
• prune a rose bush
• care for garden tools
• choose garden art
• make an ornamental pond
• make a bird feeder
• choose the right plants for the right situations
• plant spring bulbs
• make a no-dig garden
• encourage birds or bees into the garden
• make a patio or deck garden

• design & make a greeting card
• make a scented candle
• make a perfect posy of flowers
• learn to draw, sketch
• learn to paint in water colors
• make paper mache
• work hand or string puppets
• use stencils
• make and use natural dyes
• spin or weave
• create a seasonal center piece for the dining table
• make a Christmas wreath
• press flowers
• design and a friendship bracelet
• up-cycle a piece of clothing
• make attractive face masks
• make your own jewelry from antique buttons
• sew your own clothes
• design your own clothes
• bonsai a plant
• make resin and polymer clay jewelry
• arrange flowers for different uses: for the table, as a corsage...
• make your own soft furnishings
• take a brass rubbing
• make paper flowers
• make and use pom-poms creatively
• make a hand coiled pottery mug
• make a tufted rug or mat
• tie-dye a garment
• carve or whittle wood

• choose the right sport for yourself
• choose the right piece of sporting equipment (bike, surf or skate board, shoes, protective gear...)
• learn to skate board
• learn to surf
• wax a surfboard
• put on, and get off, a wet suit
• score a game of tennis
• serve in tennis
• catch a fish
• make a fishing fly
• cast a fishing line
• prepare and set a fishing net
• tickle a trout
• smoke a fish
• play chess, checkers, dominoes, cards...
• train for a marathon
• use a snorkel correctly
• avoid injury playing football
• learn football skills: pass, block or kick
• improve your golf swing
• care for a set of golf clubs
• set up a pair of ice skates well
• eat well to keep in shape for your sport
• prevent sporting injuries
• stick to a training schedule
• warm up before a game
• do yoga stretches
• be a team player
• hold a baseball bat correctly
• shoot a basketball goal
• practice basketball skills at home: dribble...
• cross country ski
• ski downhill
• set a bike up for yourself: adjust seat height, handle bars...
• fix a flat tire
• learn to ride a bike

Food and More

• make a perfect cup of coffee, tea...
• use chop sticks
• prepare green tea and serve it correctly
• make chocolate
• plan a dinner party
• make a fast summer salad
• store frozen food
• sharpen a knife
• prepare chicken safely
• make your own relish, jam, pastry...
• write a weekly food shopping list
• plan a menu
• organize your pantry
• bake bread, bagels...
• use seasonal vegetables
• dry fruits and vegetables
• make your own wedding cake
• make desserts
• cook economically
• make healthy meals
• carve vegetables
• fold table napkins
• match wine with food
• set a table for a formal dinner
• store fresh fruit and vegetables
• make your own cottage cheese or yoghurt
• make food for a picnic
• make your own baby foods
• use a pressure cooker well
• use an air fryer well
• use a barbecue well
• store and use left over foods safely
• use an oven safely
• select the best fresh fruit and vegetables to buy
• get children to eat vegetables
• train children to try new foods
• serve tasty low calorie meals
• use cutlery (a knife, fork, or spoon) properly
• follow a recipe properly

• read to a child
• use a 24 hour clock
• plan a surprise party
• talk to a deaf person
• buy online safely
• read body language accurately
• understand cultural differences in body language
• travel safely in a foreign country
• play with a small child
• leave a good telephone message
• eat politely
• defend yourself (basic self defense)
• do basic first aid
• take a pulse
• teach a child to read the time
• prepare a baby's bottle
• write a thank you letter
• write a business letter
• read braille
• alter your own clothes...take up a hem etc.
• iron a shirt properly
• take a good photograph
• make a baby sitter's kit
• lift without damaging your back
• apply make-up correctly
• learn French, German, Italian...
• plait or braid hair
• make an effective complaint
• waltz (foxtrot, line dance...)
• put on a dancing show
• organize a coffee morning
• run a meeting
• make a presentation
• do a cheap style make-over
• shop at thrift stores
• choose colors that suit you
• choose clothes that suit you
• walk in high heels
• make your own cosmetics, creams, etc.
• start your own business
• recognize sound business deals
• take control of your personal finances
• buy a house
• negotiate a deal
• choose a college
• decide what career you want
• keep mentally alert and fit
• select the right make-up for yourself
• be a good friend
• agree to disagree to maintain a relationship
• say no politely
• do a magic trick
• apologize sincerely
• use the Heimlich maneuver
• handle and store firearms safely
• keep your sense of humor

And then there's these 'how to' ideas...

• fix a blocked sink
• fix a leaking faucet
• replace a cracked tile
• polish wooden furniture
• restore a piece of furniture
• change a car tire
• interpret a modern painting
• read a palm
• burglar proof your home
• use the color wheel
• upcycle old furniture
• break a habit
• build a model airplane
• make and upload a video to YouTube
• become an influencer
• get a baby to go to sleep
• impersonate someone famous
• choose a piece of art
• stack firewood
• to be a good listener

More good demonstration speech ideas & help 

How to put an effective demonstration speech together.

Once you've chosen your demonstration speech topic find out more about how good demonstration speeches are structured. This is an easily followed 'how to' prepare your speech guide.

More interesting 'how to' speech topics!

If you're still looking, try this page of 50 how to speech ideas . These are unique demonstration speech topics focusing on teaching the soft skills that are vital for communicating well, living fully and harmoniously in our world. Two examples are: 'how to apologize sincerely' and 'how to accept personal criticism positively'.

100+ 10-minute demonstration speech topics

If you're still looking for inspiration to strike, you may find your perfect topic here: 100+ 10-minute demonstration speech topics . The list has been carefully curated to make sure the suggestions can be covered efficiently and effectively in ten minutes or less. 

Here's a couple of examples: how to make a friendship bracelet, and, how to give medicine to your cat without being scratched to bits.

And there is this collection of  188 funny how to speech topics .

Who said a demonstration speech needs to teach something practical and be serious? Many of these speech ideas are neither! Instead, they're pure, unadulterated silliness and fun. ☺

(I've included an example speech outline along with a free printable speech outline for your own use.)

Give your speech structure - use an outline

Would using a printable  blank demonstration speech outline   help you with your speech?

This outline will take you through an ordered sequence of  steps to ensure your speech flows well from beginning to end.

If you'd like to see the outline in use, please check this page: demonstration speech sample outline.

You can follow the text of my speech, 'how to leave an effective voice mail message', through each of the sections in the outline. 

I also made a video (audio + slides) so that you can hear, as well as see, how the flow of information from one point to the next works.

I hope both the completed outline and the video help. ☺

How to get top marks!

And if your speech is being formally evaluated why not find out what the judge will be marking you on? Click the link and you'll find a standard speech evaluation form explained and available to download.

• Return to the top of demonstration speech topics

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Demonstrative Speech

Your teacher or superior comes up to you and asks to do a demonstrative speech in front of a big audience. For instance, they may ask you how to demonstrate a certain skill such as writing an investigative news article (if in a journalism class) or ask you to teach judo (if in an martial arts class).

• Examples of Persuasive Speech
• Expository Speeches Example

Either way, you might be an expert on this stuff but it’s different if you’re asked to make a demonstrative speech about it. This type of speeches need more clarity and precision for your audiences to understand since they are expecting to learn from you. This might be a difficult task but by following the guidelines below, writing and delivering this kind of speech will be much easier.

What is a Demonstrative Speech?

Andrew Dlugan described a demonstration speech as a form of informative speech where the speaker’s primary purpose is to teach the audience how to complete a task , and is largely accomplished by demonstrating the task through a series of steps.

Choosing a topic… and how to work it out

There are a wide variety of topics to choose for your demonstrative speech. Choose a hobby, or craft that are not too common. Here are a few examples that can be your main topic in your speech:

• How to be a lumberjack
• How to do pole dancing
• How to be a trainspotter
• How to collect navel fluff
• How to beach comb
• How to do taxidermy
• How to do cosplay
• How to make surveys
• How to read palms
• How to write a limerick
• How to collect stamps
• How to do ice sculpting

Once you’ve figured out what topic you will talk about, assess how long is your speech going to last. If you’re going to teach your audience how to bake a cake, you might need an hour for your presentation since there many different types of cakes. If your presentation is how to bake a lava cake, you may only need a half an hour speech or less. Research on your chosen topic. You can search the internet or your local library for more information. You can also ask experts (if you can) more tidbits or advice about the topic you choose.

If you have too much information on your chosen topic, shorten it by only choosing the essential information vital to your speech. However, if you only found limited information, you can add some fun facts or any related facts in your speech.

Find out who is your audience

Before finalizing your topic for your demonstrative speech, find out first who you will be talking to. If you’re giving a speech to a group of journalists, it’s not the best idea to choose a topic “How to Write News”.You can make your topic more relevant and interesting to them like “How to Battle Fake News in the 21st Century”. The topic “How to Write News” may be more appropriate to students aspiring to become journalists. You also need to determine the age of your audiences. If your audiences are young people, it’s best to give them a mundane and simple topic such as “How to Collect Stamp” or “How to Paint by Numbers”.

Think of how will your audience benefit from your speech

Demonstrating a certain task to your audience is not enough. You need to figure out how will your audience will be motivated to learn from your speech. For example, in networking business, demonstrators usually give speeches on how to earn money by demonstrating certain tasks for the audiences to do such as selling products effectively. The audience are dedicated to learn from the speech because they can benefit to it by knowing how to sell products effectively so they can earn money.

Below are some points you need to consider on how your audiences will benefit greatly by learning the new task you demonstrated in your speech. Will they:

• Earn or save money?
• Get a promotion?
• Improve their skills?
• Make their life easier?
• Provide enjoyment or satisfaction?
• Make them happy?

There are a lot of ways to motivate your audience, but the most effective is to point out how their lives are going to improve with this new knowledge.

Examples of Demonstrative Speech

If you’re not sure how to format your speech, here are some examples on how to write your demonstrative speech:

Sample Demonstration Speech Outline Example

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Demonstration Speech Example

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How to write your speech

Make an outline for your speech. Your outline should only contain three sections: introduction, the body, and the conclusion. Refer to topic outline to familiarize yourself better with writing speeches.

Give a brief overview of the entire process

Before going into specific details about your topic, provide an overview first of what will be the overall task or process in your speech. This will prepare the mindset of your audience as they are going the delve into learning a new skill. This way, your audience can relax since they have an idea of what you are going to demonstrate. You can start your overview along the lines of… “Today, I’m gonna show you how to wrap a wound in three easy steps…”. It’s important to present your outline neatly for your audience to see how the steps will take place later on.

Make the body of your speech

Your body of your speech must contain the actual step processes of performing a certain task. Break each step into manageable ones that can be explained one by one. Explain each step in a sequential order. Try to consider the comprehensiveness of your audience of how they will understand your speech.

It may be helpful to keep the number of steps as low as possible. Having too many steps when doing a demonstration may baffle your audiences and won’t be able to see the point you are trying to make. For every step, you could explain the purpose of the step and how it should be done in a straightforward manner.

If time allows, discuss additional options

When you are doing the demonstration first, you will be explaining the basic and simple way to do the task. If you still have more time in your hands, you can also demonstrate to your audience other variations of doing the task; you can teach them other alternate ways to do it if they don’t like the steps you’ve demonstrated first. Example: If you are explaining how to bake an arctic roll, in this part, you can teach them alternate flavors, ingredients, and other methods of baking the arctic roll.

Allow time for Q&A

If you’ve noticed, many types of speeches are always proceeded by question and answer (Q&A) portion. This part is when the audience can have the privileged to ask clarifications from the speaker if they were confused by certain steps from the speech. Not all Q&A sessions must be at the end of your speech, if you’re feeling confident enough that you can finish your speech on time, you can let the audience ask questions throughout your speech.

Summarize your speech at the conclusion

Once you’re done with your speech and the Q&A session, you can recap your speech by summarizing the process again for further clarifications and mention the benefits the audience can gain from your speech. Now that you’ve written your speech that you think your audience can learn from it, you can add more zing to your speech to make it more engaging.

You may let the audience participate

If you have the time (and funds), you can always provide supplies to your audience so that they can follow the step-by-step demonstration together with you. Audience that are actively engaging in your demonstration will avoid any boredom. They’ll be likely to remember the process the demonstration taught them and it will be also a test for them whether they can achieve the task or not. If you don’t have the opportunity to let all the audience participate, you can ask one to four volunteers to follow the demonstration.

Visuals are excellent in your demonstrative speech

Just to make your speech is memorable. You can add visual props to help you out in your demonstration. Merely speaking is okay, but what if your audience has a hard time catching up? Visuals can be an answer to that issue. You can use:

• Your body. If you’re demonstrating a dance, your body is the best visual. You can’t teach dancing just by standing limply. You need to move in order to demonstrate how to tango. You may invite someone else to do it for you, but it’s best if you also move.
• Use real props. If you’re teaching on how to play the saxophone, you need to bring a real instrument and not just a fake one. This is one way for your audiences to learn effectively from your demonstration.
• Use pictures or diagrams. They can help you go through step by step in your demonstration breezily. Make your visuals eye-catching, neat and organized (if you’re using diagrams or pictures) and visible to your audiences.

Practice Your Speech

Now you’ve prepared your speech and your visuals. Then it’s time for you to practice on delivering your speech. You need to practice before taking the plunge or else your stage fright gets the best of you and leave you stuttering in front of your audience.

Practice delivering your speech alone

Review your speech and notes by standing in front of a mirror and try to speak to it. You can see how will you look while delivering your speech. You can improve the way you talk, move and look while babbling your speech. This way, you can be more aware on how you present your speech and you’ll be able to improve yourself without looking awkward. You can also make some revisions in your speech that may not work while you’re speaking it aloud.

Practice also on how you will handle your visual aides. That way, you can adjust them to make it easier for you to handle once you’ve given your speech. If your props or visuals involves people, let them practice first on how you want them to move during your speech.

Practice delivering your speech with your friends

if you’re satisfied with how you look while you present your speech, invite your family or close friends as your test audience. Choose the people that you trust in giving you constructive criticism when there are things you need to adjust in your speech or give you compliments if you’re feeling too nervous. You need their feedback for you to improve. You can also try asking them specific questions like, do they understand your steps? Or was it too complicated? Once you’ve got their feedback, take note of them. You’re gonna need it to polish your speech.

Demonstrative Speech Outline

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Doing a speech, let alone a demonstrative speech is already daunting enough. This guide will help you create a demonstrative speech and give you confidence when you will be doing the demonstration in front of an audience.

Demonstrative Speech Generator

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How to Write a Demonstration Speech Outline

Christina knott.

A demonstration speech is a short lecture explaining how you do something. Topics can range from simple (how to make a bed) or complex (how to troubleshoot a computer program). You've probably heard several how-to or demonstration speeches as a student. Now that it's your turn at the head of the class, an outline is a great tool to help you stay on topic and help your audience learn a new skill. These basic tips will help you outline your demonstration speech.

Pick a topic. Choose something you know how to do well so you can help others understand.

Start with an introduction when beginning your outline. You'll want to start with something that grabs your audience's attention, suggests the website www.speech-topics-help.com, an online guide to writing speeches. These can include a question posed to the audience, rhetorical or otherwise. For ideas, think about what interests you about your topic and why, and introduce that aspect to your audience.

Outline your main points or steps. If you're explaining how to make a bed, explain what to do first, second and third. If you're describing how to scuba dive, describe where you start or what you need to know first.

Go through your main points and add details. These are subpoints, and they help explain your steps.

List any tools needed at this point. If possible, collect them to bring in for your speech. Visual aids are also great tools to draw people in, reports www.speech-topics-help.com.

Rework your introduction to include an outline of our speech. Now that you know exactly what you'll be talking about, make sure to add that to your introduction as a guide for your audience about what you'll be talking about. It's important to your audience to preview your speech, according to a writing guide published by Northern Virginia Community College.

Work on your conclusion. Here it's important to go over your main points once more to remind the audience what they've learned. You'll also want to include something memorable that encourages the audience to follow up on what they've learned by trying it.

• Practice giving your speech to family or friends to help improve your presentation.

About the Author

Christina Knott is an award-winning writer and editor who has worked at daily newspapers since 2007. She has been published in the "Jefferson City News Tribune," "Kansas City Star," "Springfield News-Leader" and "Kerrville Daily Times." Christina has two years experience teaching English overseas and holds a bachelor's degree in journalism.

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My Speech Class

Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

130+ Demonstration Speech Topics

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

Begin your writing process by selecting some demonstration materials.

Choose a topic you are knowledgeable about, as this will help make your presentation much more effective.

If you cannot come up with good public speaking cases for a presentation, then use any of the subjects listed below for inspiration.

In this article:

How to Choose the Right Demonstration Speech Topic

Our list of good demonstration topics, process demonstration speech topics, health / fitness, technical how to ideas, demonstrate …, your central idea and purpose, how to introduce, your outline, the delivery of your demonstration speech topics.

You likely have plenty of processes and skills that you think would be valuable for others to know how to do, but that doesn’t mean that any topic you pick will be a good idea for your circumstance. You have to consider the complexity of the demo and whether your audience will be able to fully understand the process in the time given. Here are a few things to consider to help you choose a good demonstration speech topic:

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• Interests – Both you and your audience’s interests are an important factor when deciding on a demonstration speech topic. Your excitement and enthusiasm is needed to inspire the audience to care about what you are teaching. If your speech gains great audience attention, you’ll likely have questions to answer afterword. Make sure to choose a topic you are knowledgeable and confident in.
• Audience demographics – Consider what is appropriate for the group you are addressing. Aim to provide a skill that is of value to them, though be careful not to pick a topic that is either overly simple or complex.
• Setting – Consider what your presentation space is going to be like. Will you be indoors or outdoors? How much room do you have? These details will help you understand which topics will be better suited than others, given the conditions you’re delivering your speech in.
• Time limit – Think about what you can realistically teach in the time you’re given for your speech. While one topic may stand out to you, you may not be able to fully cover it if you’re only given five minutes.
• Visual aids – While your demonstration itself is a visual aid, many how-to speeches can benefit from videos, PowerPoint slideshows, and handouts. Consider what technology or props you’ll have available for your speech.

Speech topics can be broad. To give an effective demonstration speech, it’s a good idea to customize a topic to fit your unique situation. Take a speech topic that interests you and work to hone in on one central idea within that subject.

To discover the main point you want to make in your speech, determine what the specific purpose is of teaching your audience about this topic. What exactly do you want to demonstrate to your audience?

Form a clear thesis statement that answers this question in detail. Describe in one sentence what your demonstration is about and why it’s important that you share it.

Once you’ve determined the central idea of your speech, play with different action verbs to set up your main point. Here are a few phrases and verbs to frame your demonstrative speech topic:

• How to …
• Fix …
• Use …
• … Works
• … is done, produced, or made.
• Structure…
• X Steps to…

Try some of these other verbs too: deal with, draw, handle, execute, create, develop, incorporate, invent, operate, perform, or predict. Those words generate attention and they are in nature describing what your public speaking audience can expect .

These action verbs and phrases help describe to your audience what they can expect from your speech. Your headline will be more of an attention getter with these demonstration-specific words.

Below are lists of demonstration speech topics separated by category. In order to choose an effective demonstration speech topic, remember to consider your interests, audience, and what visual aids are available. Use action verbs to create an attractive headline and better target your audience.

• cook a pie (or anything else you like / know how to cook).
• fix a flat tire.
• create a Halloween mask.
• clean your car.
• play piano.
• change a bank check.
• dress like a princess.
• play a computer game.
• make a cocktail.
• taste wine.
• organize a surprise party.
• print a digital photo.
• eat oysters.
• register for voting.
• make Irish Coffee.
• read music notes.
• learn playing guitar.
• use your breath when you sing.
• open a bottle of wine.
• make your garden full of flowers year around.
• build a web site.
• clean your swimming pool.
• clean your golf clubs.
• make a fast summer salad.
• make a new candle of old ones.
• make your own wedding dress.
• organize your wedding.
• make a water-color.
• build a shed.
• prevent injury.
• knot a carpet.
• stop thinking.
• speak Italian.
• become a good actress.
• become a famous film star.
• write a film script.
• write a business-like letter.
• make honey.
• blow a glass.
• train your brain.
• dry your hair.
• greet Japanese people.
• use the cruise control.
• make a genealogical tree.
• climb a building.
• make a dancing show.
• snow board.
• board on sand.
• make a golf swing.
• draw a cartoon character.
• build a snowman.
• use the content of articles without violating their copyrights.
• put a weave in hair.
• sculpt your eyebrows properly.
• apply nail polish.
• apply makeup.
• find a roommate.
• choose the perfect pet.
• survive in the wilderness.
• make an emergency kit.
• perform a magic trick.
• organize your closet.
• change a baby’s diaper.
• find your ancestors.
• set up an aquarium.
• choose a digital camera.
• use the process of deduction.
• tie various knots.
• use the U.S. Postal Service.
• weave a basket.
• write a resume.
• knit a scarf.
• write a will.
• read a map.
• avoid ID theft.
• make bread crumbs.
• pick a bottle of wine.
• make banana pudding.
• make homemade salsa.
• decorate a cake.
• make pizza.
• make ice cream.
• brush your teeth properly.
• be healthy.
• choose the right running shoe.
• shoot a basketball.
• wax a surfboard.
• play chess.
• play poker.
• weight lift.
• program car keys and remotes.
• backup your DVDs.
• pack a suitcase that passes customs.
• find cheap airline tickets.
• find the best spring break deals.
• use a makeup if you a guy.
• fly an real RC plane (only show this outdoors and only if you are good).
• scribe a good poem.
• be an ninja (PS Joking sorry).
• pot a plant.
• bake a birdhouse.
• build a model.
• make jello Jigglers.
• arrange flowers.
• polish Shoes.
• design wedding cakes.
• stamp greeting cards.
• make ornaments.
• color eggs.
• make a pinata.
• fold napkins in a funny way.
• tie Die shirts.
• get your keys out of a locked car.
• fix a flat tire on a bicycle.
• saddle horse (I did this and tooka video of saddling my horse and narrated it to my audience).
• be a good student
• make jewelrey.
• text effective and clear messages.
• make a paper airplane.
• grow herbs – e.g. chamomile, parsley, catnip – in your own mini greenhouse.
• make the crunchiest marshmallows at a camp fire place.
• care for hamsters or other household pets.
• fold an origami crane.
• prepare invisible ink to write secret messages.
• construct a boomerang that comes back to you.
• prepare a banana chocolate shake to recover from a hangover.
• make twirling confetti eggs for parties and events.
• select the proper running shoes for recreational walks.
• use a sextant for navigation like two centuries ago.
• select and prepare a backpack for travel abroad.
• make up a first aid kit for simple treatment of minor injuries.
• learn break dance tricks and street moves.
• build a rabbit hutch or cages and runs.
• make a real Italian pizza with classic recipes.
• read a barometer and analyze the results.
• get energy from solar cells on your roof.
• identify if a Louis Vuitton bag is authentic.
• practice active listening communication techniques.
• learn fast reading.
• clean and polish golden rings, bracelets, and necklaces.
• pick a color scheme and palette.
• count the calories and make healthier choices.

And so on …

Another way of inventing demonstration speech topics is by association . Look at the general categories and themes below.

Food and Drink, Household Appliances, Sports Equipment, Outdoor Recreation Travel Trips, Health and Beauty Tips, Home Improvement, Home Decoration, Vintage Cars, Government Science, Nature Medicine, College Games, Culture, Tires and Suspension Trademarks, Travel Packing, Acne Curing, Building Treehouses, Vaccines, Vacuum Cleaners, Valentines Day Dating, Vanishing Tricks, Ventilation Systems, Video Game Consoles, Making Home Videos, Volleyball Techniques, Warm Ups and Stretching Training Methods, Water Polo Rules, Wind Turbines, Tasting Wine Vintages, Woodworking, How to Write a Testimonial About Yourself, Sales Elevator Pitches, Yoga for Starters Programs … Et cetera.

Process demonstration speech topics about deciding on an evening dress, roommates, and even personalized rubber stamps for public speaking and on how to do or fabricate something and the working of things and performing their functions.

Here are thirty example topics. You could show and explain how to:

• apply table manners.
• investigate a black box in an airplane.
• choose jewelry for an evening dress.
• choose tasty French champagne.
• deliver an effective speech.
• bake the best doughnuts.
• organize a prom night the whole nine yards.
• find a good dorm roommate.
• get a refund after you bought something you do not like.
• get a satellite tv for free.
• secure your home from burglars.
• lose weight safely and with a lasting effect.
• build a recycle compost bin in your garden.
• build a pyramid of a team cheerleaders.
• prepare for a job interview.
• register or establish a legal valued trademark or patent.
• overcome fear of public speaking before you stand behind a desk.
• get rid of roaches, mice and other pests in the backyard the natural way.

Unique Demonstration Speech Topics

• How asphalt cement is made.
• How batteries and accus work.
• How original Aboriginal boomerangs work.
• How bulletproof vests work.
• How an artificial pacemaker stimulates a heart.
• How perfumes and fragrances are designed.
• How thermometer instruments work.
• How antique barometers work.
• How personalized rubber stamps for hallmark imprinted impresssions are made.
• How topographic maps and globes are fabricated.
• How air bags open.
• How an espresso machine produces your cup of coffee.
• Fireworks and other explosive devices precaution regulation.
• Preparations for a tandem hang glider flight.
• Why hot air balloons fly after the sun is down.
• How lie detectors detect lies. This genre of topics for demonstration speech in education should be prepared with the help of professional officers of course.
• How a cardiac surgeon does a heart bypass operation to relieve pain on the chest and improve blood supply?
• Intelligent high IQ tests of the Mensa foundation for gifted and talented students.
• How metal detectors for treasure hunting work.
• The Academy Awards ceremony of the Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Academy.
• The patent examining procedure of the Trademark Office.
• The organization of political election conventions.
• The ultimate method to remove chocolate stains from your clothes or carpet.
• The UN Security Council explained – start with positioning the permanent
• The smartest and impertinent money laundering conspiracy tricks revealed.
• The sun eclipse – the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sunview on Earth.
• How a radar detector, a speed countermeasure equipment, works.
• The four forms a rainbow can take – primary, secondary and supernumerary rainbows, and glory clouds.
• Why our red blood cell production is important.
• Satellite orbit types – polar, sun synchronous, and geosynchronous.
• Barometers, the instruments used to measure atmospheric pressure.
• The VoIP call process diagram demonstrated for teleconferencing.
• The route of your Short Message Service text from your mobile phone to its destination. Ideal to show the virtual road for passage with a huge map.
• Unique uses for duct tape.
• Catcher hand signals in baseball and how to recognize them.
• How the sun’s ultraviolet rays can damage your eyes.
• How to stake a rose bush to get more flowers.
• Making fake UFO photo’s is not difficult.
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Technical how to speech topics to present information and instructional steps in a demo oral. To explain a techie or complicated issue to educate a public speaker must be concrete; do not only talk about abstract theories but describe it, make it vivid with visual aids, common metaphors and comparisons to ordinary live.

International fitting sizes; the different measurements for sizes in the United States and standards used in other countries, all about the yards, feet, inches, meters, centimeters and their history. You can limit these technical how to speech topics to clothing only.

Animation; show how to create a nice short animated movie or funny cartoon from a series of 2 D images. Give the full set of instructions while you are showing what you mean step by step. Start with a simple animated character, an avatar-like puppet that jumps over a wall.

Sunscreen; the working and the urgent need of using a topical product that absorbs and even reflects the ultraviolet sun beams. Everyone like to sit in the sun, although not everyone is aware that sun protection is important to prevent the damaging effects of sunlight on the long term.

Hard Disk Drives; how to recover data for a damaged hard drive, what does the police, government agencies, criminal investigation departments and internationally respected authorities do with modern technology to discover storages media on a computer.

April Fool’s Day; the best speech topics for a funny how to fool someone are from hoaxes and practical jokes on the First of April; give examples – your main points – in a top 3 on notoriety, absurdity and originality of the sense of humor that’s being used.

Tree Climbing Techniques; provide an adequate training in tree climbing for recreational climbers, discuss the gear, ropes and knots. And don’t forget the forest ethics!

Birth control pills; how does the Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill or C O C P, containing the estrogen and progestin hormones, stop an ovulation.

Mosaic Tile Projects; for decorating your kitchen, bedroom, living areas and even the garden wall. Tell your public step by step in this technical topic how to do it.

Room Air Conditioners; how are energy efficient and reliable systmes designed to meet your comfort needs, and which special technology is used?

One advice to help you with making things easier: Most audiences relate to technology issues in general, so again, don’t get to technical and avoid highly complex demonstratives when exploring these nine technic possibilities.

How To Draw

Draw a Bearded Collie dog, an Abyssinian cat, a Swallow Belied Mangalitza pig, a Dwarf Hotot bunny.

To make a picture frame, to do a magic card trick, to draw a cartoon animal, to kick a soccer ball, to do origami, to make flowers out of tissue, to make a ribbon necklace, to make a friendship bracelet, to play indian poker, to play basketball, to hit a volleyball, to make homemade gatorade, throw a baseball the right way, to knit a crochet, to braid hair.

How to Play Baseball You could talk about the rules – show how to swing a bat – also show how to feild – to run the base’s hit homerun’s.

Caps and Hats Describe in speaking instructions lessons how you can tailor made you school sports and collegiate caps and hats with logos in the latest styles and trends. And for affordable prices. Your speech topics could be about the steps you have to take in getting cool caps for your friends. And the call to action could be: let us get those for us all. If you succeed in convincing and persuading them it would be great. Further I will advice you to spice up your demonstration address with some persuasive arguments topics!

Dirt Pudding For the dirt pudding you will need: 4 cups of milk, 2 packages of instant chocolate pudding, 16 ounces of cool whip, You also need: 32 ounces of crushed oreos, 16-20 clear cups.

Horse Riding Saddle a horse, bridle a horse, clean and scrub a hore back, bath a hore tenderly, feed a horse water, feed a goat or sheep, bottle feed a baby goat nice and slow.

Wedding Planning a wedding: all the preps and the day itself.

• riding a unicycle.
• riding a bicycle.
• making a scarf.
• catching a fish.
• sewing something.
• making origami.
• feeding a chicken.
• cooking a meal.
• using a remote.
• eating really fast.
• making someone or yourself faint.
• using pressure points.
• doing self-defence.

Set a table, build a birdhouse, plant a garden, make a scrap book, make friendship bracelets, any type of food, make a duct tape wallet, make a piece of clothing, blow a bubble with gum, make play dough, make paper beads, write a letter, tie your shoe, make soap, any type of mathmatical method, make a snow globe.

These are just a few demos that I have done or thought about. Make sure when conducting your demonstration to make it fun, catchy, and full of personality. This will make the judges or audience. It can also make it memorable to take first place!

Also, it is important to describe why it is important to know how to do what you are demonstrating or how it can be useful. And also warnings or things to look out for as far as safety goes. This generally comes in the conclusion. Also, if there is something that is inexpensive, than include prices of the supplies.

For example: If you choose for a playdough. You could say that in comes in handy for a craft project while babysitting or it makes a great craft project and take home in vacation bible school. Be sure to not let the children eat the any of the supplies or finished product. Children may need parental supervision.

While it is not always necessary, judges often find it impressive if you list and discuss the nutrition facts in a food talk and point out a positive health benefit.

For example: ‘Peanut butter is a sweet treat the contains no cholesterol, but has a lot of protein in it.’

This shows your judges or audience you have complete knowledge of the subject.

Random Things You’ve Never Thought Of Act like a blind sea horse, bring animals back to life using facial hair, create a dinasour out of burnt pop tarts and ashes, use the three unforgivable spells in harry potter, flex a bust out of a steel box, tame a huge dragon after stealing it from its true master, win a cage match against a sea lion and a goat create a weird odd monster using black magic.

How to write a Demonstration Speech

Determine the specific purpose of your matter in hand. State it in one simple sentence. E.g. I want to demonstrate how to ___ .

Determine the central idea of the text. In other words: a clear factual statement. Construe representing features or delineate the stages by using ppt picture and figure slide sheets.

They see at once what your try on is about and why you want to share it. E.g. It is important to preserve family recipes and this project is the best way in which to do that..

Determine the central idea of the text. In other words, produce a clear factual statement. Explain representing features or delineate the stages by using Powerpoint picture and figure slide sheets.

E.g. It is important to preserve family recipes, and this project is the best way in which to do that. .

Once you have decided on a demonstration topic, write an attractive, effective, and interactive attention-getting introduction. Think about these sample elementary preliminary parts:

• Tell them what you are going to teach – (metaphor for “sell”) – them.
• Why you choose to demonstrate this topic.
• Why your listeners should know how to do it. Give them a sneak peek of a few benefits.
• Tell them that they are going to do it themselves in a couple of minutes and that the only thing your audience has to do is follow your instructions.

Lay out in clear terms the procedure – the particular course of actions. You could consider a series of tactical exercises to help them feel what you mean. Design some kind of an approach for acquiring and applying the knowledge you want to share in class.

Arrange the steps. Show the activities or moves you have to make in a logical chronological order. Describe the details. Be clear.

Do not think the audience will understand your demonstration speech topics immediately. Let them ask you questions after each step before you proceed.

Conclude each step in one uncomplicated phrase. Perform these action checks on the main points before you jump to the next step.

Just show them how to do it, step by step. Have you read my checklist? Okay, let’s move forward:

First and for all, remember this ground rule: think about the rules and time limit of the assignment. Plus apply these eight public speaking tips for delivering your demonstration speech topics:

• Visual aids, such as objects, actual items, models, and drawings all can help your presentation. Do bring them in. For a large object, ask your teacher how to incorporate it.
• Include personal stories and examples.
• Provide each audience member the proper materials and ingredients to practice with.
• Ensure everyone is participating – keep eye contact, laugh, and make some funny remarks in between the lines.
• Look around you and see if your audience is following you. If not, repeat some sections. There are always people who will not understand right away, but are too shy to admit it. Assist them to jump over the hump.
• Ask yourself if someone in the audience would assist you with your demonstration. Stay patient and polite, and help if needed. Do not make a fool of that volunteer: praise their efforts in loud and clear supporting terms. You can do it!
• Close with a memorable summary or with a sharply defined call to action.
• Ask if there are any questions. And leave a handout of the explored information for people who want to know more.

274 Speech Topics for Business [Persuasive, Informative]

78 Agriculture Speech Topics

15 thoughts on “130+ Demonstration Speech Topics”

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How to put air in your tire

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how to put on a condom

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How to play APEX Legends rather than doing your Trigonometry homework…

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example of demonstrative speech about life

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How to Write a Speech Outline

Last Updated: January 3, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Emily Listmann is a private tutor in San Carlos, California. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 503,955 times.

A speech outline can increase your confidence and help you keep your place so you sound authoritative and in control. As you write your speech outline, focus on how you'll introduce yourself and your topic, the points you'll cover, and the interests of your audience.

Sample Outline and Writing Help

Crafting Your Introduction

• Keep in mind you may be nervous when you start your speech. Include this in your outline so you won't forget.
• If there's anything about you that relates you to your audience, or to the group that organized the event, you want to include that in your brief greeting as well – especially if you didn't have the benefit of an introduction from someone else.
• For example, you might say "Good afternoon. I'm Sally Sunshine, and I've been a volunteer with the Springfield Animal Society for five years. I'm honored they've invited me to speak here today about the importance of spaying or neutering your pets."

• When choosing your attention-getter, keep your audience in mind. Think about what would grab their attention – not necessarily what you personally find interesting or humorous.
• If you're not sure whether your attention-getter will work, try practicing it in front of friends or family members who are similar in age and interests to the people who will be in the audience when you give your speech.
• For example, if you're giving a speech on spaying and neutering pets to a group of suburban families, you might open with a humorous reference to the Disney movie "101 Dalmatians."

• Briefly explain the importance of the topic or issue you'll be discussing in your speech.
• If your speech is an informative one, explain why the information is important or relevant to your audience.
• For argumentative speeches, explain what might happen if action isn't taken on the issue.
• For example, you might say "Every year, our local animal shelter has to put down 500 unwanted cats and dogs. If all pets were spayed and neutered, it's estimated this number would decrease to under 100."

• If you're giving an argumentative speech, your thesis statement will be a statement of the ultimate point you hope to prove through the information and evidence you lay out in your speech.
• For example, the thesis statement for a speech arguing that all pet owners should spay or neuter their pets might be "Our entire community would benefit if all pets were spayed or neutered."
• The thesis statement for a more informative speech will simply summarize the type of information you're going to provide the audience through your speech.
• For a more scientific speech, your thesis statement will reflect the hypothesis of the scientific study you're presenting in your speech.

• If you're giving a speech for a class in school, your "credibility" may be as simple as the fact that you took the class and researched the topic.
• However, if you have a more personalized interest in the topic of your speech, this is a good time to mention that.
• For an argumentative speech, a personal connection to the subject matter can enhance your credibility. For example, maybe you're giving a speech about local urban housing policy and you became interested in the topic when you learned your family was facing eviction. A personal connection often can mean more to members of your audience than extensive professional experience in the area.

• There's no hard and fast rule, but speeches typically have three main points. You should list them in your introduction in the order you plan to present them in your speech. The order in which you discuss your points depends on the type of speech you're giving.
• For example, your speech on spaying or neutering pets might address the benefits to the pet first, then the benefit to the pet's family, then the benefit to the community at large. This starts small and moves outward.
• For an argumentative speech, you typically want to lead with your strongest argument and work down in order of strength.
• If you're giving an informative speech based on a historical event, you may want to provide your points chronologically. Other informative speeches may be better served by starting with the broadest point and moving to more narrow points.
• Ultimately, you want to order your points in a way that feels natural to you and will enable you to easily transition from one point to another.

Building the Body of Your Speech

• Your first point will be a top-level entry on your outline, typically noted by a Roman numeral.
• Beneath that top-level, you will have a number of sub-points which are comments, statistics, or other evidence supporting that point. Depending on how your outline is formatted, these typically will be letters or bullet points.

• As with the points themselves, with your evidence you typically want to start with the strongest or most important sub-point or piece of evidence and move down. This way, if you start running short on time, you can easily cut the last points without worrying that you're leaving out something important.
• The type of evidence or sub-points you'll want to include will depend on the type of speech you're giving.
• Try to avoid pounding your audience with long series of numbers or statistics – they typically won't retain the information. If you have a significant amount of numerical data or statistics, creating an infographic you can project during your presentation may be more useful.
• Keep in mind that additional personal stories or anecdotes can be particularly effective to get your point across in a speech.
• For example, if your first point in your speech about spaying or neutering pets is that the procedure benefits the pets themselves, you might point out that pets that are spayed or neutered live longer, are at a decreased risk for certain types of cancer, and are generally more healthy than pets who aren't spayed or neutered.

• Avoid over-thinking your transition. It really doesn't need to be incredibly sophisticated. If you can't come up with anything specific, using a simple transitional phrase will work fine.
• For example, you might say "Now that I've discussed how spaying and neutering has a positive effect on your pet's health, I want to move to the effect that spaying and neutering has on your family."
• Some of the most effective transitions turn on a particular word or phrase, such as the word "effect" in the example above.

• When choosing your sub-points or the facts that you want to emphasize in your speech, keep your audience in mind as well as the overall point. Think about what's important to them, or what they potentially would find most surprising or most interesting.

Creating Your Closing

• This transition doesn't need to be fancy – it doesn't even have to be a whole sentence. You can simply say "In conclusion," and then launch into your summary.

• You don't need to go into detail here – you're just reinforcing what you've already told your audience.
• Make sure you don't introduce any new information in your closing summary.
• For example, you might say "As you've seen, spaying or neutering your pet has substantial benefits not only for you and your pet, but also for the community at large."

• If your speech went well, you have fully proven your thesis and demonstrated its importance. This statement should relate back to the summary of your points and present a strong statement.
• Particularly for brief speeches, you can even combine your summary of points with your thesis statement in a single sentence that wraps up your speech.
• For example, you might say "Given the benefits to your pet's health, to your family, and to the overall well-being of your community, it is clear that spaying or neutering pets should be a top priority for all pet owners."

• You may want to think of a way to bring the entire speech back around to that story you initially told to grab your audience's attention.
• If you have an argumentative or similar speech, your closing lines typically will include a call to action. Give your audience an example of how important the subject of your speech is, and implore them to act on the information you gave them in a specific way.
• When making a call to action, make sure you include specific details, such as where to go, who to contact, and when to act.
• For example, you might say "For the next week, the Springfield Animal Society will be spaying and neutering pets for free at their clinic on 123 Main Street. Call 555-555-5555 to make an appointment for your furry friend today!"

• Particularly if your speech was longer or if you went over the time allotted, be sure to tell them that you appreciate their time.
• As with your initial greeting, including this in your outline ensures you won't forget it in the moment. That doesn't mean you should try to write something verbatim. Rather, you should focus on your thanks being more off-the-cuff and sincere.

• If you want to establish parameters for the questions, be sure to list these in your outline so you can mention them when you announce that you're open for questions.
• Anticipate questions that may be asked dependent on your speech topic. Preemptively answer those questions and include them in your outline.
• You also should note if you only have a specified period of time for questions, or if you're only taking a set number of questions.

Community Q&A

• Outlines can vary in how formal or informal you make them. You could either make it a full script or use shorthand with highlighted main points. Use the outline that works best for you. Thanks Helpful 11 Not Helpful 0
• Use a large font that you can easily read by glancing down. Print your outline and place it on a desk, then stand and look down at the paper. If it's too small or you find yourself leaning over to read it, increase the font size. Thanks Helpful 15 Not Helpful 3
• If you're giving the speech for a class, you may need to turn in an outline of your speech that follows particular content or format requirements. Review your assignment carefully and turn in an outline that follows your instructor's requirements, even if you decide to use a slightly different outline when you give your speech. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.unr.edu/writing-speaking-center/student-resources/writing-speaking-resources/speech-introductions
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/thesis_statement_tips.html
• ↑ https://lewisu.edu/writingcenter/pdf/final-developing-a-speech-outline.pdf
• ↑ https://www.unr.edu/writing-speaking-center/student-resources/writing-speaking-resources/speech-evidence
• ↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/publicspeaking/chapter/10-2-keeping-your-speech-moving/

About This Article

The best way to write a speech outline is to write the main points of your greeting and introduction in the first section, including your name and what you’ll be talking about. Then, make a second section with bullet points of all the important details you want to mention in the body of your speech. Make sure to include facts and evidence to back your argument up. Finish your outline with a section that summarizes your points concisely. To learn how to keep your audience's attention throughout your speech, keep reading below! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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COMM 101: Fundamentals of Public Speaking - Valparaiso

• Delivery Skills
• Stage Fright
• Body Language / Non-Verbal Communication
• Listening Skills
• Quotation Resources
• Speech Outline Examples
• Speech Examples
• More Speech Examples
• Presentation Options
• Citation Resources This link opens in a new window

A basic speech outline should include three main sections:

• The Introduction --  This is where you tell them what you're going to tell them.
• The Body -- This is where you tell them.
• The Conclusion -- This is where you tell them what you've told them.
• Speech Outline Formatting Guide The outline for a public speech, according to COMM 101 online textbook  The Public Speaking Project , p.p. 8-9.

Use these samples to help prepare your speech outlines and bibliographies:

• Sample Speech Preparation Outline This type of outline is very detailed with all the main points and subpoints written in complete sentences. Your bibliography should be included with this outline.
• Sample Speech Speaking Outline This type of outline is very brief and uses phrases or key words for the main points and subpoints. This outline is used by the speaker during the speech.
• << Previous: Quotation Resources
• Next: Informative Speeches >>
• Last Updated: Sep 22, 2023 4:37 PM
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‘We Jews are just arrested; Palestinians are beaten’: Protesters in Germany

In Germany, phrases including ‘from the river to the sea’ are banned and police are arresting people for using them.

German-Israeli activist Iris Hefets was arrested for the first time in Berlin just a few weeks after the start of Israel’s war on Gaza last October – for holding a sign which read, “As a Jew and Israeli, stop the genocide in Gaza”.

That time, the police told Hefets, a 56-year-old psychoanalyst who is a member of the anti-Zionist activist group Jewish Voice for Peace, it was down to a blanket ban on pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

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She was released shortly afterwards but says: “I didn’t think I would get detained for that – I was naive it turns out.”

She was arrested a second time on November 10 for “inciting racial hatred” when she held the same sign – her charge was recently dropped. Her third arrest was for a sign warning that “Zionism kills”. Again, she was released soon after but, this time, her sign was confiscated.

Hefets has lodged a complaint with the police to get her sign back, and intends to put it in a future “museum of Palestinian liberation”, she says.

She believes that, for the latter two arrests at least, the decision to detain her was made on the advice of a new special police task force which “is the contact point available for all police forces in connection with the Middle East conflict”, a Berlin police spokesman confirmed to Al Jazeera. The task force was set up on October 30 last year – shortly after Israel’s war on Gaza began.

This “Besondere Aufbauorganisation” (BAO) task force, which is part of the Landeskriminalamt (LKA) – the police intelligence centre – keeps an eye on “left-wing and foreign ideologies”, including communist groups and pro-Palestine groups, the police spokesman confirmed. It issues guidance and instructions to police forces about what phrases and words used by activists may be deemed illegal. For example, the Berlin police spokesman told Al Jazeera that, in Berlin, using the phrase “from the river to the sea” is currently considered a crime.

“The criminal classification of .. slogans is carried out in close consultation with the Berlin public prosecutor’s office,” the Berlin police spokesman said.

Free speech under attack in Germany

Palestinian protesters seem to be bearing the brunt of police crackdowns on protests in Germany – “We Jews are just getting arrested, the Palestinians are being beaten,” Hefets says. One example was the brutal arrest of a hijab-wearing protester at a sit-in in Berlin central station this past weekend, which was captured on video and posted to social media channels.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Esra 🇵🇸 (@egultekin_)

But Hefets believes her group of Jewish activists is also being specifically targeted at demonstrations because of its Jewish identity.

Last week, Jewish Voice’s bank account was frozen ahead of mid-April’s Palastina Kongres (Palestine Congress) – for “regulatory reasons”, according to the state-owned Berliner Sparkasse bank. The group’s account has been frozen before, in 2019, because of its support for the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

“They [Jewish protesters] get in the way of the narrative of Jews being protected by Germans against Muslims – but when you see Jews marching, then you see it’s not needed,” says Hefets.

Her case was one of the reasons that Germany’s ranking was dropped to “narrowed” in the Civicus Monitor, an annual ranking that measures civic freedoms to protest.

“Germany’s downgrade should be a wake-up call for the country and continent to change course,” said Tara Petrovic, Europe and Central Asia researcher at Civicus Monitor. But there have been many other incidents of heavy-handed policing – or, as critics charge, repression.

Earlier this month, Berlin police raided a 41-year-old woman’s apartment for writing “from the river to the sea” four times on social media. This was reported by police as “usage of anti-constitutional symbols”, the same law that bans displaying the swastika, the symbol of the Nazis.

But this was just one particularly stark example of Germany’s strict policing – or, critics charge, repression – of pro-Palestinian speech.

The legality of the phrase, “from the river to the sea”, has been interpreted differently across Germany’s federal states. A court in the central state of Hesse ruled in late March that an event named “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free for Everyone” could go ahead, on the basis that the phrase could have many different meanings.

However, in mid-November, the phrase was banned by the Federal Ministry of the Interior, which considered it a call to destroy Israel and said it should be regarded as a slogan of Hamas, which has been formally labelled a terrorist organisation in Germany.

In November, the phrase was banned in Bavaria where public prosecutors said they considered the phrase to be supportive of Hamas and should be subject to the same law that bans showing the Nazi swastika.

A ‘very dangerous restriction on expression’

Germany’s capital city, Berlin, which is home to the largest Palestinian community (estimated at 300,000) in Europe, has been a particular flashpoint for clashes between demonstrators and police.

Prosecutors have registered 2,140 possible criminal cases and launched more than 380 investigations between October 7, 2023 and mid-February 2024.

Recent arrests amount to an “almost unprecedented” crackdown on freedom of speech since October 7, according to Berlin-based migration and criminal lawyer Alexander Gorski. He warned that laws which were originally designed to combat hate speech in Germany are now fast approaching a “very dangerous restriction of expression which could set a precedent which severely limits the freedom of expression in this country”.

In one case in December, seven residential and business properties were raided by 170 police officers a statement was posted on Instagram by feminist collective Zora expressing support for “all revolutionary Palestinian freedom fighters” including the PFLP (the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine), which has been categorised as a terrorist group by the EU since 2002 – as a “progressive force”. Investigations are ongoing.

“Germany rightfully decided that there should be restrictions on political speech after the second world war, but some of the laws which should protect democracy are narrowing down the political discourse around Palestine and Israel,” Gorski said.

Since October 7, this has led to “absurd” situations such as “Jewish activists being detained for alleging Israel is committing a genocide”, he added.

Another German-Israeli member of Jewish Voice for Peace in the Middle East, a female software developer in her mid-50s who spoke to Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity, was detained by five police officers for holding up a sign “Another Jew for a Free Palestine” after coming to Berlin for a number of protests in February.

The activist said police told her that the sign’s combination of a Jewish flag in Palestinian colours could be understood as “a call to destroy Israel”.

“When they first surrounded me – this still haunts me at night,” the activist said, adding that the experience had made her question her decision to move here. “The police want to frame it all as hate speech, but what we are saying is freedom.”

Chatham House fellow and Germanist Hans Kundani described the country’s “Zionist McCarthyism” for its zeal in cancelling or prosecuting those who criticise Israel or its response to October 7 in an essay titled Zionism uber alles (“Zionism above all”).

Despite lukewarm public support for the war on Gaza –  69 percent of German citizens responding to a poll by broadcaster ZDF said Israel’s military actions in Gaza were unjustified in late March – lawmakers have continued to support it unwaveringly. “What has emerged in the last decade is not so much a post-Zionist Germany as a hyper-Zionist Germany,” Kundani wrote.

Despite demographic change, he added, “German elites have doubled down on their commitment to Israel” partly because “they fear their understanding of the lessons of the Nazi past is no longer widely shared, and they want to make it non-negotiable before it is too late.”

‘Someone grabbed my face from behind – it was the police’

Palestinian activist Ola Alzayat attended a protest in February and explains that, being pregnant, she took special care to stay out of trouble.

Suddenly, “somebody grabbed my face from behind. I didn’t know what was going on”, she says.

It was the police. In a video of the incident which has been seen by Al Jazeera, a visibly pregnant Alzayat can be seen being dragged away by the neck, with her keffiyeh pulled from her neck to her face. She is screaming: “I’m pregnant, please, please!”

Alzayat says that officers slapped her face when she tried to move, leaving her with bruising. They initially accused her of trying to “prevent an arrest”, later adding another accusation of hitting police officers with a flag, even though she claims not to have even had a flag with her.

She says she was carried by five officers and put into a police car, from which she saw her husband being arrested as well. Though the charge of preventing an arrest was dropped, she says investigations continue over the allegations that she assaulted a police officer.

Artist and activist Stella Meris has been arrested three times since October 7. At an anticolonial demonstration that she took part in, she said the police declared that Palestine had “nothing to do with colonialism” and so Palestinian flags were banned.

“They arrested me and tried to tackle me to the floor just for wearing a Palestinian flag,” she says. “They said it was the same as the swastika, an illegal symbol I could never show in a public space.”

At another demonstration, Meris was holding a sign which read “from the river to the sea, we demand equality”. After leaving, she went to a nearby metro station, where she says about 15 police officers were looking for her. She was arrested on charges of inciting racial hatred. “At that time I didn’t know that the slogan was in the process of being criminalised,” she says.