White Papers

Overview

在ir traditional form, white papers are written and used by policymakers to examine a policy problem and consider an array of solutions. Thus a white paper follows a problem-solution structure. In some white papers, the author recommends a specific solution; in others, the author presents a number of possibilities without identifying a preferred option. White papers are objective in tone, and they are meticulously researched, providing facts to support their claims and citing the sources of those facts. The author of a white paper is expected to be an expert on the policy issue the paper addresses.

The white paper genre has also been adopted by business organizations to market products and services. In this case, the organization’s product or service is the solution to the problem. The tone may be objective, but the purpose is to market the specific product.

Audience, Purpose, Style, and Format

• Audience - The audience for a policy-oriented white paper includes legislators, leaders, non-profit organizations, think tanks, industry executives, and ordinary citizens. (The audience for a marketing white paper is made up mainly of retailers or consumers.)
• Purpose – Readers use a white paper to learn, in detail, about a policy problem and its possible solutions. Leaders may use the white paper to inform their decision-making. For authors, the white paper is an opportunity to inform leaders and constituencies about a problem and to have an impact on how the problem is addressed through policy. (The purpose of a marketing white paper is to inform consumers about a product or service.)
• Tone and style - White papers should be objective in tone, accessible in style, and have authoritative sources as evidence. Even when a white paper makes a specific recommendation, its tone should be informative rather than persuasive.
• Format – White papers focused on policy may range from 5 to 50 pages depending upon the complexity of the issue and the detail required. (A marketing white paper, on the other hand, may be just one page long.) While white papers can include elaborate visual elements, many government white papers are produced using text only.

The Structure of a White Paper

White papers follow a problem-solution structure. The main sections of a white paper may include an executive summary, an introduction or a section on background, a section that describes the problem, a section that presents the solution or solutions, and a conclusion. Some authors also include sections that describe the criteria that must be met by any acceptable solution, that critique each possible solution, or that provide specific recommendations.

Below are three sample tables of contents (ToC) for white papers. While each provides the problem-solution structure, there is some variation in how each does so:

在实际的白皮书,the generic section titles above are replaced with language specific to the policy issue discussed, for example “Chronic Illness among Aging Americans” or “Defending Against Catastrophic Threats.”

白皮书的部分

• A white paper provides a descriptiveTitle. These are three examples:
  • “Where do we go now? Satellite Imagery and GIS for Sustainable Relocation”
  • “Loose Lips Sink Ships: Opportunities in the World of Online Piracy”
  • “Financing Healthcare for Women with Disabilities”
• TheExecutive summaryof the white paper provides a concise overview of the paper’s contents, including the problem description, the solution or solutions, and the recommendation, if there is one. Compose the executive summaryafteryou draft the rest of the white paper.
• TheIntroductionorBackgroundsection provides the context for the policy problem the paper will discuss. This context may include relevant historical background or information about the people, technology, law, or other key elements of the policy situation.
• 在Problem Description, the paper lays out the details of the policy problem the paper addresses. When composing this important section, these are some considerations:
  • If the problem you are describing is complex, consider creating multiple sub-sections for each aspect of the problem. (See the Rand Corporation’s white paper “Living Well at the End of Life” for a good example of this approach: https://www.rand.org/pubs/white_papers/WP137.html)
  • Any problem has at least three elements: a core problem (the situation you want to change), a cause (one or more things that create the problem), and an impact (the harmful consequences of the problem). Consider signposting each of these elements of the problem as you discuss them. Our quickguide on Problem Proposals has a section focused on problem descriptions://www.teamyoda.com/writing-resources/different-genres/problem-proposals.
  • Provide evidence for the information you use to establish the problem, its causes, and its impact.
  • The way you characterize the cause of the problem will have an effect on the solutions you present. A plan of action that does not address the cause of the problem will not be seen as logical solution. Make sure your problem description leads logically to the solutions you describe.
• If the paper includes aCriteria for Acceptable Solutions部分,列出任何坚实的解决方案的标准should meet. For example, a white paper seeking solutions to a parking shortage in a city might say that any solution should not encourage commuters or visitors to drive to their destination in the city. This criterion would make it unnecessary to discuss solutions that added parking capacity.
• TheSolutionsection presents the solution or possible solutions to the problem, in detail. Some considerations:
  • Each solution should be presented in detail, with good evidence for information provided.
  • Solutions should be logically aligned with the problem. If you have framed the cause of a parking problem as “too many drivers,” additional parking spaces may not be the most logical solution: the solution should reduce the number of drivers.
  • In some white papers, authors describe the strengths and weaknesses of current solutions. This can be done within the main Solution section, or it can be a separateEvaluationorCritique
• If the paper includes aRecommendationssection, describe the plan of action you recommend, given the available options and their strengths and weaknesses. Provide evidence for the feasibility and effectiveness of your recommended plan of action. Even though you may be recommending a specific solution, keep the tone neutral and objective. Readers should trust that you are considering the big picture from the stakeholder’s point of view.
• TheConclusionsection can restate the most important points from the white paper overall, or it can restate the case for addressing the problem.
• TheReferencessection lists the sources cited in the white paper. Depending on the citation style used, it may be entitled “References,” “Bibliography,” or “Works Cited.”

Read Your Instructor’s Prompt Closely

White papers vary in structure and format, so follow your instructor’s prompt and examine any sample white papers they provide.

Additional Resources: Sample White Papers

The Council of Economic Advisors and the Office of Management and Budget white paper “Climate-Related Macroeconomic Risks and Opportunities”https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/CEA_OMB_Climate_Macro_WP_2022.pdf

US Environmental Protection Agency white paper “Potential Contamination Due to Cross Connections and Backflow and the Associated Risks”https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-09/documents/2007_05_18_disinfection_tcr_issuepaper_tcr_crossconnection-backflow.pdf

The Rand Corporation’s collection of white papers:https://www.rand.org/pubs/white_papers.html

Vermont Educational Agency’s white paper “Designing our Future: A Blueprint for Transforming Vermont’s Education System.”https://education.vermont.gov/sites/aoe/files/documents/draft-edu-designing-our-future-v.2.pdf

HPSCI White Paper on Cyber securityhttps://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/files/documents/cyber/Congress%20-%20HPSCI%20White%20Paper%20on%20Cyber--Final%20DEC%2008.pdf