Find the Topic Sweet SpotWhen selecting a topic, start by carefully reviewing your assignment guidelines—what kinds of topics are suggested or restricted, the length of your speech, the number and type of required sources, and whether the mode is informative, persuasive, or something else
Next, think about what excites you personally. A topic that feels meaningful will keep your research, writing, and performance engaging rather than tedious. At the same time, make sure the topic is realistic: check that enough quality sources are available before you commit.
1. Real-World Brainstorming
Think about your interests, activities, and experiences outside of school. What problems affect you, your community, or the world?
2. Brainstorming on the Web
Google a broad idea or class suggestion to see how others discuss it; pay attention to what stands out for you.
3. Meeting with Your Professor
Professors know best what works for their assignment and can share examples, pitfalls, and refinements.
4. Collaborating with Librarians
Librarians help hundreds of students each semester and can suggest topics and guide you to the best sources.
5. Using “Pick a Topic” Databases
The Library offers databases designed to help you generate and explore topic ideas. Not only do these databases provide topic ideas, but they will also provide sources on those topics. The link below will take you to a list of the Library's Hot Topic and News databases.
Do Some Preliminary ReadingPreliminary reading is like front-loading your learning. It gives you the background knowledge and vocabulary you need before diving into the complex sources you’ll cite in your research. Sometimes called background reading, this step helps you:
Get familiar with existing information, current research, and different viewpoints on your topic.
Evaluate whether a topic is truly viable—and whether you’re genuinely interested in pursuing it.
Refine or narrow a broad idea into a clear, manageable focus. (Where are other researchers and writers putting their attention?)
Remember: preliminary reading isn’t mainly about collecting sources—even though you might find some useful ones along the way. It’s about exploring ideas, building understanding, and setting yourself up for deeper research. The web is a great place to begin your preliminary reading.
Your professor will provide examples of organizational patterns suited to different types of speeches. Some work best in chronological order, others as cause–effect, problem–solution, or other structures they suggest. As you conduct your preliminary reading on your topic, pay attention to how the information is organized. Does it make sense to you? Will it make sense to your audience? Choose a pattern and begin shaping the story you want to tell.
Once you’ve chosen an organizational pattern, focus on gathering the strongest sources to support it. Make sure your sources are relevant, authoritative, and meet your professor’s requirements for number and type.
DID YOU KNOW?
Librarians create their own kind of outlines to guide their research. They are called Research Questions and you can learn more about them here.
Once you have an idea of the general flow of your speech, it's time to dig deeper and find credible evidence to support your ideas and claims. Databases are a great place to find academically appropriate sources. 
The Library subscribes to more than 60 research databases, and. MJC research librarians are happy to point you toward the best database(s) for your speech topic. Our most popular databases are linked below, and a complete list of all MJC databases can be found HERE.
Not every source you find is trustworthy or useful. Before incorporating a source into your work, it’s essential to pause and evaluate it carefully. There are many evaluation methods—ABCs, the SIFT method, the 5 Ws, CARS, and the CRAAP Test. All serve the same purpose: guiding you through the process of deciding whether a source is reliable. Choose one you can remember, and apply it consistently to every potential source.
The CRAAP Test offers a simple checklist for making that decision:
Currency – Is the information up to date for your topic? Some fields (like medicine or technology) demand recent sources, while others (like history) may rely on older ones.
Relevance – Does the source support points in your outline? Does it add new information or simply repeat what you already have?
Authority – Who created the source, and what makes them credible? Look at the author’s background, education, or professional experience.
Accuracy – Is the information evidence-based? Check for citations, peer review, and whether claims can be confirmed elsewhere.
Purpose – Why was the source created? Is it objective, biased, or persuasive? What’s the author’s agenda?
Using the CRAAP Test helps you spot potential problems, but sometimes you can’t answer these questions from the source alone. That’s where lateral reading comes in.
The CRAAP Test is a solid starting point, but the site you’re evaluating isn’t always the best place to verify authority, accuracy, or point of view. Authors and organizations can misrepresent themselves, and sites that look professional may be promoting an agenda.
Lateral reading means stepping outside the source. Open a new tab and search for information about the author, organization, or publication. By reading across multiple sources—not just down the page in front of you—you can see what others are saying and gather outside evidence.
This practice strengthens your evaluation, helps confirm credibility, and gives you a clearer sense of whether a source deserves a place in your research.
Different professors may require different citation styles—MLA, APA, Chicago, Harvard—but they all cover the same three areas: 
General Format – how the paper looks on the page (margins, spacing, headers, titles).
Bibliography – how you present the full list of sources you used.
In-Text Citations – how you credit sources within the body of your paper.
Once you understand these three areas, switching between citation styles is mostly about learning new rules, not starting from scratch.
For a speech, you don’t need to worry about formatting a paper, but you will still need a bibliography of the sources you've used in your speech. And instead of footnotes or other written in-text citation methods, you’ll use oral citations to briefly tell your audience where your information is coming from. This usually means naming the author or organization, the title or type of source, and sometimes the date. Oral citations show your audience that your information is credible and give credit to the original source without interrupting the flow of your speech.
For example:
Your professor will likely have specific guidelines on what they want in your oral citations, so be sure to review them carefully as you incorporate sources into your speech.
Unlike a research paper, which your professor reads privately, a speech is performed in front of an audience. That means your success depends not just on research, organization, and citations, but also on how well you deliver your message.
Give yourself plenty of time to practice. Try these strategies:
Rehearse out loud — Reading silently doesn’t prepare you for how the words will sound. Practice speaking your full speech aloud several times.
Time yourself — Make sure you fit within the limits set by your professor.
Practice with notecards — Use key words or short phrases instead of writing out your entire speech.
Record yourself — Play it back to notice pacing, tone, and clarity.
Get feedback — Practice in front of a friend, family member, or classmate, and ask what was clear or confusing.
Simulate the setting — Stand up, project your voice, and imagine the classroom audience.
The more you practice, the more comfortable and confident you’ll be when it’s time to deliver your speech.
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