Once you've decided on a topic and started putting together an outline, you are going to need to include material to "flesh out" your ideas.  Below is information on the four main categories of support material.

Factual Information

The first category includes statistical information and other facts that can be verified, such as information from an atlas or other reference work.  This type of information is held in very high regard for most people in American society.   

Examples

Examples can be an excellent way to illustrate a complex subject.  You may use actual examples of something that happened to you or another person, or you may use hypothetical examples of situations that could happen to someone. 

Testimony

The words of someone who is an expert on a subject can be very convincing to an audience, especially if the audience members see the source as credible.  Although most often we rely on expert testimony, occasionally lay testimony (from an ordinary person with experience with the subject) may be a good tool to use to support a point.

Narratives

Sometimes, you may want to get your audience emotionally involved in the speech.  A narrative is a good way to do that.  Through using dialogue, description, and a simple plot line, you are using the familiar form of a story to help your audience understand your point.