In one sentence, describe what the following article is about:

Pick a subject that defines who you are or what you care about most. Talk about an issue that affects you or someone who is close to you. Or persuade your audience to care about a social, environmental, political, or economic problem.   If you are passionate about the environment, then write about environmental issues, or write about the impact of technology on medicine, if that is what you are passionate about. Make sure your topic fits the parameters of the assignment. Choosing a topic you are passionate about will make writing, rehearsing, and giving your speech much easier. Type distinct phrases in your search engine to find specific information about your topic like, “The effects of pollution on the ocean.” Look for articles published by reputable sources like universities and well-known news outlets and magazines. Review the information of at least 3 websites. If the websites are all saying the same thing about your topic, the information should be valid and reliable. If they are not, then keep researching your topic until you find consistent information. Check out books on your topic from your school’s library, or your local library. Tell the librarian about your topic and the kind of speech you hope to give. Your librarian can point you in the right direction for books and articles on your topic. Check the publication dates for the books you reference. Always use the newest version of a book possible, as it will have the most up-to-date studies and research. As you review your sources, write down information that supports and expands your ideas in a valuable way. Categorize the information by theme. Make sure to type or write down relevant points and information such as statistics and facts that support your main argument. If you have any first-hand experience with your topic, you can also make note that. Personal stories can be just as engaging as research and stats.  Additionally, take note of any opposing opinions. This way you can briefly address and rebut them in your speech. Save the links to your Internet sources in a Word document so you can refer back to them at a later time if you need to. Ideally, you should start working on your speech the day you get the assignment. If you work on it a little every day, it will make the whole process easier. If you can't start as soon as you get the assignment, though, plan at least a week of time for the writing and rehearsing process.

Summary:
Pick a topic you are passionate about. Use Internet sources. Pull information from books. Make an outline of the important information. Begin working on your speech at least a week in advance.