Research Guides: Public Speaking: Choosing a Topic

Topic Ideas

CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Provides reports on current issues including an introduction, chronology, opposing positions, statistical data, and bibliography.
Opposing Viewpoints This link opens in a new window
Ideal for those looking for pro and con arguments on a wide variety of contemporary social issues. Includes the opposing viewpoints series as well as links to reference materials, statistics, selected magazine and newspaper articles, images and more.

A "fact tank" whose goal is to provide information about current issues and trends in America and the world. Here you can find public opinion polling, demographic research, and content analysis.

Gallup

This venerable research company has become synonymous with its public opinion polls. Its website offers polling data and articles on political and economic topics such as presidential approval ratings and national job performance.

Factiva This link opens in a new window
Factiva includes the Dow Jones and Reuters news wires, The Wall Street Journal and over 8,000 other magazines, newspapers, and trade journals from a wide variety of disciplines.
New York Times (1980-Present) This link opens in a new window
This is considered the official U.S. newspaper because it publishes the complete text of important documents, speeches and presidential press conferences. The paper's reporters have won scores of Pulitzer Prizes throughout the publication's 150-year history.
Los Angeles Times This link opens in a new window
Full-text coverage of the LA times from 1985 to the present.
Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window
Nexis Uni (formerly known as Lexis Nexis Academic Universe) features more than 15,000 news, business and legal sources, including U.S. Supreme Court decisions dating back to 1790.
US Major Dailies This link opens in a new window
Beginning in January 1, 2023, Copley Library now licenses these titles through Global Newsstream. Hyperlinks to the original five newspapers in US Major Dailies has not changed.

US Major Dailies provides access to the five most respected US national and regional newspapers, including The New York Times and Washington Post, co-exclusive access to The Wall Street Journal, and exclusive access to Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune.

Speeches Online

TED Talks

Speeches on various topic by world leaders and thinkers.

Gifts of Speech

Transcripts of women's speeches from around the world, hosted by Sweet Briar College.

History Channel: Famous Speeches & Audio

Video and audio for historic speeches on a variety of topics.