Often used by governments, businesses, and academic organizations, a "white paper" functions as an in-depth research report in that it provides a deeper understanding of a complex issue, suggests 1-2 solutions to this issue, and helps the reader decide by weighing the solutions. The term "white paper" originated from color-coding government documents to indicate their access level; "white papers" were intended to be transparent and widely available for public access. This genre requires extensive academic, peer-reviewed research to synthesize information into an overview and suggest a solution clearly stemming from that research.
Since we are in a technical and professional writing course, you will need to select a topic that is relevant to our class. In other words, please select a topic that involves a technology and/or a technical process that is currently at issue and about which a segment of the public is concerned. As a writer of a "white paper," you will need to show authority and expertise over your selected and approved topic.
Resources Please consult the following resources below to help you: