Elements toward building a good persuasive essay include

• establishing facts
• to support an argument
• clarifying relevant values
• for your audience (perspective)
• prioritizing, editing, and/or sequencing
• the facts and values in importance to build the argument
• forming and stating conclusions
• "persuading" your audience that your conclusions
• are based upon the agreed-upon facts and shared values
• having the confidence
• to communicate your "persuasion" in writing

Persuasive writing attempts to convince the reader that the point of view or course of action recommended by the writer is valid. To accomplish this, the writer must develop a limited topic which is well defined and debatable, that is has more than one side. It is important that the author understand other sides of the position so that the strongest information to counter the others can be presented. In the essay, only one side of the issue is presented.