How to Write White Papers

Reviewed by Gerald Posner

Last Updated: July 23, 2024 Fact Checked

A white paper is a one-to five-page document that describes a given problem and proposes a specific solution to the problem. It's commonly used in government and corporate settings. A typical white paper might list ways to meet a client's marketing needs, suggest the use of a certain product for a technical process, or identify ways to tackle municipal problems. To write a successful white paper, you must know your audience, state your problem clearly, and make a convincing and engaging argument of how to solve it. ^{[1]
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Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Engaging Your Audience

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1
Determine your audience. Typically, you won't know your audience personally. However, you should identify as many factors as possible, such as professional needs, educational backgrounds, and job title(s). These aspects will determine how to form your argument. Mold your proposal to be relatable to your audience based on these factors. ^{[2]
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- For example, if your topic is community gardens, appeal to your readers as property owners and parents, as well as community decision-makers. They'll be interested in learning about the impact of gardening and local food on their property values, their children's health, and their children's education.
2
Figure out their level of expertise. This will establish how simple or complex your paper should be. If your audience's expertise matches or is close to your own, you could include technical jargon. For a general audience, however, keep the paper as jargon-free as possible. If you must include specific terminology, use it sparingly and explain it. For example: ^{[3]
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- If you're writing a white paper for an engineer, you should include lots of technical details and be lengthy in your descriptions.
- If you're writing for a government official, focus on policy-related implications.
- If you're writing for a corporate audience, focus on cost-effectiveness and growth potential.
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3
Choose a catchy title. Make it attention-grabbing but not over-the-top. Mention or allude to your problem. Some titles incorporate the words “white paper,” but this isn't mandatory. Tailor the language to a general audience. Some good examples include:
- Closing the School-to-Prison Pipeline with Art
- Safer Cities through Community Gardens: A White Paper
Assume your reader has a very busy life. Explain exactly what your white paper is about without adding unnecessary padding. Make your first couple of sentences engaging enough to grab their attention.
5
Write the introduction. Acknowledge your audience and how you intend them to use the paper. Summarize the present order of things and why it's a problem. Briefly discuss the arguments of your opposition and why you're proposing something different. For example, if you were writing on student debt, you might say: ^{[4]
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- Student debt has grown exponentially over the past decade. Combined with the dismal job market new graduates face, their debt threatens to become the next economy-crashing bubble. Creditors and a number of economists have argued A, B, and C. However, these arguments do not address X, Y, and Z.
6
Summarize your solution. Briefly introduce the methodology you'll use in your analysis. Detail possible solutions you have rejected and why you rejected them. Explain why your audience should accept your proposed solution. For example, your solution to the student debt bubble could be: ^{[5]
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- After [interviewing experts, examining statistics, etc.], I became convinced that [two or three proposed solutions] do not adequately address the problem. This white paper will argue in favor of [your proposed solution] because it would [insert an objective reason here].

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Discussing the Problem

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1
Identify the problem. For this step, you'll have to know your reader's needs. Focus on the challenges that you propose to solve. This should be something you can phrase in a few words. ^{[6]
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- Examples of problems include "decreasing sales," "slow network speeds," or "management-employee conflicts."
This helps to make your argument credible in the mind of your reader. Describe the problem you identified in greater depth. Give details as to how you concluded this is a problem. Use clear, precise terms. Your analysis should last no more than a paragraph.
3
Provide a historical overview. Historical overviews help to explain how the problem in question became a problem. If possible, you could also discuss how your problem was once a solution. Use specific figures, dates, and names to explain this progression.
- For example, a white paper on addressing climate change might discuss how hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) were once believed to be a safe replacement for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which had produced a hole in the ozone layer. However, we now know that HFCs are actually dangerous greenhouse gases.
Include charts, graphs, or diagrams to help to back up your white paper's argument. They can also win an audience's attention. Some white papers integrate visual aids into the text. Others place them in an appendix at the end. Ask your employer which method they prefer. ^{[7]
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Analyze the data and figures you present. Detail how you arrived at your conclusions. Make sure you've examined all the facts so that there are no holes in your findings. You should aim to produce findings that can be reproduced through the analysis you conducted.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Arguing Your Solution

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1
Describe your proposed solution(s). Adopt a step-by-step approach that clarifies exactly how you intend your idea to be implemented. Divide your content into digestible parts, such as bulleted lists or individual paragraphs with their own bold headings. This will help your audience to read and understand your argument.
- If you're writing your paper within a corporate context, avoid mentioning your company's product at this point. Focus instead on what to expect in a solution.
Use hard evidence, such as trade journals, government publications, and the data and figures in your research, to explain why your solution is the best course of action to take. Weigh your argument against other proposed solutions. Acknowledge the usefulness of opposing solutions while emphasizing why they fall short of solving the problem. ^{[8]
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Include a review of the problem at hand. Briefly recap your solution. Re-emphasize the result you hope to see. If you choose to slip in a plug for your product or company, keep it relevant and subtle. Remember you're focusing on solving someone else's problem, as opposed to promoting a product or service for personal gain. ^{[9]
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Over time, should white papers be revised to reflect current thought or should they just be retired when either the issue or the information is no longer current?

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Good question! Unfortunately, there don't seem to be any clear answers. I would definitely err on the side of revision. However, a copy of the old white paper should be kept in a database for historical overviews in future documents.

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Do you indent a white paper?

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Although Purdue OWL doesn't specify whether or not to indent, the white papers available online do not indent. Unless your employer specifies otherwise, each paragraph is single spaced with a double space between paragraphs. Paras are also marked by numbered and bulleted lists.

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Should a white paper include costs of implementing solutions?

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If you are selling a product or service in a competitive environment, then cost will be a decisive factor. If cost is a selling point it is necessary to highlight it.The cost benefit can be introduced in a comparative table or other statistical formats.

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If this is your first white paper, check online for examples. Government and corporate websites, as well as academic databases, are full of white papers just waiting to be downloaded. You can access most of these resources for free. ^{[10]
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Most white papers don't include footnotes or endnotes. However, it's always good practice to include a full bibliography at the end. Check with your employer as to the proper citation method (Chicago Manual, MLA, APA, etc.) to use.

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How to Write White Papers

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Engaging Your Audience

Discussing the Problem

Arguing Your Solution

Community Q&A

Video

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