For Kim Woods ... Instructions_WhitePaper

Writing Assignment #3 The White Paper

Summary of the Assignment:

 Task: In this paper, you will write a document that provides information that an audience can use to inform a decision.

We have read various white papers in the class this semester. White papers can be

technical papers, business benefit papers, advocacy papers, or hybrid technical/business

papers. The CANRIGHT document that we read in class described all four of these types

of white papers.

 Length: 2000-3000 words

 Graphics: at least three graphics, two of which have to be original

 Format in Citing and Listing Sources: APA

 Number and of Sources: at least five sources, at least one of which has to be obtained through OneSearch

Brief Description of the White Paper:

In preparing for this assignment, you will want to review the following videos:

 “White Papers: An Introduction to the Genre and Its Expectations,” from the Purdue OWL

 "What is a White Paper?" by Mak Pandit

In addition, please review sample white papers in our class, especially any samples that were

written by students.

Please note that you might have taken WRTG 394 at UMUC. In WRTG 394, the final paper is a

research-based business report. This assignment is different from the research-based business

report in WRTG 394.

In this paper for WRTG 393, you are providing background research to an audience to help the

audience make a decision on a topic. In WRTG 394, the paper is written to a specific decision-

maker about a specific problem in your workplace or community and recommends a specific

course of action. The audience and approach for the white paper in WRTG 393 is very different

from those for the research-based business report in WRTG 394.

You may take any of the following approaches:

 a white paper to an internal audience – written to individuals within an organization you work for or are a part of. The white paper might inform them about a trend in the field

and/or to solve a problem in the organization.

 a white paper to an external audience – written to individuals in a particular industry or field of study, but not an organization you are a part of. The white paper could address a

problem you are attempting to solve in the organization or to inform an external audience

about a relevant trend.

 a white paper promoting a new product or service to potential customers. This is an example of a white paper to an external audience, but it features different rhetorical

considerations than the typical white paper written to an external audience does.

All three options are discussed in the Purdue OWL video mentioned above. In addition, the

video from Mak Pandit mentioned above provides excellent insight into how these approaches

would work.

Strategies to Consider for the White Paper: Please follow these guidelines:

 have a focused topic

 write to an identified audience o if your white paper is to an internal audience, it might have a fairly narrow

audience. For example, if you work in a hair salon and write a white paper

promoting a new billing system for your salon, the audience will probably be the

owner and manager of the hair salon.

o if your white paper is to an external audience, it could have a broad audience or a narrow audience. For example, if you do not work for a hair salon and you write

a white paper promoting a new billing system for hair salons, the audience will

probably be the various hair salons in your neighborhood.

o if your white paper is to promote a product or service to potential customers, it could have a fairly broad audience. For example, a white paper promoting a new

taxi service in your neighborhood has, theoretically, all residents in the

neighborhood as a potential audience.

 integrate thorough research

 make sure that you do not directly tell the audience what action it should take. Rather, offer background information that the audience can use to make a decision. The Purdue

OWL video mentions this principle. This is one reason the video refers to the white

paper as a backgrounder report.

How to Organize the White Paper: Please include the following sections in your white paper:

 Executive Summary

 Introduction

 Previous Approaches

 New Findings

 Conclusion

 References

In the Executive Summary, summarize your research and your purpose. The executive

summary should be a stand-alone document. It should be written in such a way that a busy

executive could read the executive summary and know exactly what the paper is about without

reading the rest of the paper.

In the Introduction, you lay the groundwork for your readers for the details that will be

introduced in the white paper. If you need to define any terms, you will do so here. You might

share an anecdote or illustration to describe why this topic is important.

In the Previous Approaches section, you will describe the approaches or strategies that have

been previously used or are currently used on the topic. For example, if your white paper is

being written to advertise a new taxi service in your area, you might review what transportation

services are provided now. You could show the challenges or problems that the current services

involve. In this section of the white paper, your use of sources will be very important. You

should integrate research to show that the problems you have identified exist.

In the New Findings section, you present perhaps the most important information in the paper.

In this section, you will describe the findings of your research and relate these findings to the

purpose of your report. You will not only provide data and research, but you will also explain

the data and research and why it is relevant to your report’s topic.

For example, if your white paper is being written to advertise a new taxi service in your area, you

might review what transportation services are provided now and show why the new taxi service

fills a need that the current set of transportation services does not fill or solves a problem that the

current set of transportation services does not solve. You will provide data and evidence for why

the new taxi service has promise in solving the problems you have identified.

In this section of the white paper, your use of sources will be very important as well. You should

integrate research to show that the problems you have identified will be solved by your new

approach.

In the Conclusion section, you review what your research shows in light of the previous

approaches used. You will not tell the audience what steps to take next. However, you will

summarize what your findings articulate.

In the References, you will list your sources that you cited in the paper. You will list them in

APA format. Please note that the lectures on white papers that you have viewed and examples of

white papers you may have read may not have used APA format. You will be using APA format

in this assignment.

You are required to have at least five sources for your paper. In addition, at least one of them is

to have been acquired through UMUC Library OneSearch.

Primary sources will be very beneficial for the paper. For example, if your white paper is being

written to advertise a new taxi service in your area, you might interview some local residents

about the problems they have with the current transportation services in the area. The

information in such interviews would be persuasive research to integrate into your white paper.

The following websites and documents offer additional guidance in writing a white paper:

 "The Art of the White Paper," by Manuel Gordon and Gordon Graham

 "Guidelines for Writing White Papers" from Warthman Associates

Length of the Paper:

Your white paper should be 2000-3000 words in length. Again, you are required to use at least

five sources, with at least one of them being acquired through UMUC Library OneSearch.

Graphics:

Your white paper should incorporate at least three graphics. Graphic can include tables, charts,

or graphs showing some research findings. They can also be images that are relevant to the topic

of the white paper.

At least two of the graphics must be original. Original graphics can include photos taken by you;

tables, charts, or graphs developed by you; or screen captures showing a function on your

computer (not a screen capture of an image off of the web).

To see examples of graphics used in white papers, see the Purdue OWL video, “White Papers:

An Introduction to the Genre and Its Expectations," at the 3:27 mark, at the 5:29 mark, at the

6:58 mark, at the 7:01 mark, at the 7:11 mark, at the 7:43 mark, and at the 7:58 mark.

Due Date:

Your instructor will notify you of the due date. You will write a first draft, your instructor will

comment on the first draft, and you will submit a second draft using the comments as your guide.

Rubric for White Paper Assignment:

Length 2000-3000

words

1600-1999

words

1300-1599

words

1000-1299

words

fewer than

1000 words

The essay meets the word count

requirement given in the instructions

8 points

6 points

4 points

2 points

0 points

Grammar and punctuation Excellent Good Fair

Does not

meet

expectations

Does not pass

demonstrates accurate word forms 5 points

4 points

3 points

2 points

0 points

demonstrates accurate sentences 5 points

4 points

3 points

2 points

0 points

demonstrates accurate punctuation 5 points

4 points

3 points

2 points

0 points

requirements for graphics at least three

graphics two graphics one graphic no graphics

meets the requirements for the

number of graphics

3 points

1.5 points

1 point

0 points

requirements for original graphics

ate least two

graphics are

original

one graphic is

original

no graphics

are original

meets requirements for the number

of original graphics

3 points

1 point

0 points

quality and message of graphics Excellent Good Fair

Does not

meet

expectations

no graphics

graphics enhance the message of the

white paper

5 points

4 points

3 points

2 points

0 points

graphics are readable 3 points

2.5 points

2 points

1 point

0 points

all graphics are labeled, and graphics

from other sources are cited

appropriately

7 points

6 points

5 points

4 points

0 points

graphics are consistent and aligned

appropriately for the document

5 points

4 points

3.5 points

3 points

0 points

Executive summary Excellent Good Fair

Does not

meet

expectations

Does not pass

is thorough -- a busy executive

understands the problem described

and the purpose of the white paper

from the executive summary

4 points

3.5 points

3 points

2.5 points

1 point

Introduction Excellent Good Fair

Does not

meet

expectations

Does not pass

summarizes the research 1 point

0.8 points

0.7 points

0.6 points

0 points

defines the necessary terms in the

report

1 point

0.8 points

0.7 points

0.6 points

0 points

Previous approaches Excellent Good Fair

Does not

meet

expectations

Does not pass

describes the approaches and

strategies that have been previously

used or are currently used

7 points

5 points

4 points

2 points

0 points

integrates research to support the

descriptions of the problems with the

approaches

8 points

6 points

5 points

3 points

0 points

New Findings Excellent Good Fair

Does not

meet

expectations

Does not pass

describes the findings of the research

and presents and interprets the data

for the reader

9 points

8 points

7 points

4 points

1 point

relates these findings to the purpose

of the paper

9 points

8 points

7 points

4 points

1 point

Conclusion Excellent Good Fair

Does not

meet

expectations

Does not pass

reviews the research in light of the

previous approaches

2 points

1.5 points

1 point

0.5 points

0 points

provides the audience with

information about what steps might

be taken

2 points

1.5 points

1 point

0.5 points

0 points

Use of sources Excellent Good Fair

Does not

meet

expectations

Does not pass

sources listed and cited in APA

format

5 points

4 points

3 points

2 points

1 point

sources are scholarly, primary, or

appropriate for the message in the

white paper

3 points

2.5 points

2 points

1.5 points

1 point

Overall Score A

90 or more

B

80 or more

C

70 or more

D

60 or more

F

0 or more