Writing a White Paper

While there are no official guidelines to writing a white paper, there are many suggestions and best practices which may help in formatting an effective one.

White Paper Structure

White papers usually follow a similar structure consisting of the following elements:

-From Purdue OWL Writing Lab

Choosing a Title for the White Paper

The two key components of a white paper title are gaining attention and conveying a purpose. It is best to use the active voice when titling a white paper.

Instead of:

Food Delivery at the Notre Dame

Consider:

Increasing Food Delivery Access Options at Notre Dame: Analyzing the Performance of Starship Delivery Robots

In this case, we reorient a more passive title to an active one with more specifics on a technology being investigated.

Consider the Audience

Consider who you are trying to attract as an audience. You may be trying to gain the attention of members of the general public, investors, or even other companies within an area of studies when writing a white paper. This will impact the language you want to use throughout the paper. Industry jargon and complex language could intimidate readers influencing them to opt out of reading your paper if the audience is outside of the industry. Since white papers often cover more specific forms of technology, there is a balance to strike between the use of complex internal industry terms and language more appealing to a broader audience. The tone should always be professional.

Advertising a Service

If you include advertising of a service within a white paper, it is generally best practice to include this at the end after the narrative of the paper itself. Including advertisements within the body of a white paper can turn off readers and call into question conflicts of interest potentially damaging the credibility of a paper.