If an ajarn or student is asked to write a white paper, careful planning is necessary, as mentioned in the first part of this blog entry.

Think about explaining in ten pages or so – depending on the context – some problem and possible ways to solve it. After stating the problem, stop and think about who will be reading whatever you write. Are they all fully informed with the details of the matter, or will different readers have varying levels of expertise? If you know there will be different groups of readers, it may be worth writing a different paper for each group, to ensure each one will be fully understood. Some readers may need more information, while others are satisfied with less. Too much technical vocabulary may not be appropriate, since the format of a white paper generally does not allow enough space to define unfamiliar terms. Expert readers may feel slightly offended if what you write seems too basic, or if it assumes total ignorance in the reader. Readers who are completely unaware of the subject matter you are dealing with may be lost if you assume they know the meaning of specialized vocabulary. The point is to communicate directly and rapidly with as many people as possible, so it is good to imagine your readership, and design your work to please them as much as possible. Just as when a student writes a thesis, the faculty adviser must be pleased, in the case of white papers, your thesis advisers are your readers. To be sure how many pages should be in your white paper, ask whoever requested that you write it. They should have some idea about format.

Choosing a title.

Unlike white papers that are designed for merchandising or other business ventures, a white paper discussing an academic issue should not have an exciting title meant to attract the eye. It can be plain and simply describe the information contained in the paper itself, such as:

White Paper on Traffic Safety in Japan 2013.

The above title tells us quickly that it is a white paper and what it deals with, as well as when it was written or published. This is particularly useful for later readers, who may look up your white paper in a library collection. Another possible title for a study of the same issue could be:

Improving Traffic Safety in Japan: a White Paper.

It is not necessary to put the words white paper in the title, since this information can be mentioned on the cover or elsewhere in the publication. Writers of Thai academic English love the two dots (:) separating two parts of a title, this is not necessary either:

White Paper: Strength Training for the Older Adult.

White Paper: Modernization of Organic Impurities Testing in USP Drug Product Monographs.

Drug Testing: A White Paper of The American Society Of Addiction.

Reducing Recidivism and Improving Outcomes for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System.

Better Solutions for Youth with Mental Health Needs in the Juvenile Justice System.

Advancing Community Protection: A White Paper for Pennsylvania.

A New Math Classroom: Creating a Data-Driven Culture.

Six Strategies to Help Your Students Become Algebra Ready.

Nurturing the Middle School Mathematical Mind.

Digital Tools, Gaming Protocols, and Student Engagement.

Increasing Student Achievement with Adaptive Learning Technology.

Increasing Elementary Math Proficiency for English Language Learners.

Advancing Ethical Research Across Disciplines.

Endangered Languages and Linguistic Infrastructure.

Grand Challenges in the Study of Employment and Technological Change.

Researching Social Media in the 21st Century.

What Can Animal Cognition Contribute to Cognitive Science?

Expanding Access to Administrative Data for Research in the United States.

Predicting the Causes and Consequences of Human Migration.

Challenges in Econometrics.

Transforming Science Studies through Collaborative Informatics Approaches and Infrastructure.

Sustainable Forestry and Holistic Analysis.

Three Challenges for Macroeconomics.

Long-term Consequences of Modern Military Service.

Latino Gang Migration.

Many of the titles listed above were used in real white papers in the social, behavioral and economic sciences presented at the National Science Foundation, USA. Some of them are quite short, such as Challenges in Econometrics. In a white paper, there is only room for stating problems and possible solutions, so there is no need for a more dignified or formal title such as are popular in theses written in Thai English. As mentioned above, most of the titles do not contain the words white paper, as this is mentioned elsewhere in the publication. By looking at these titles, we immediately see what the subject or problem is, and if we care about possible solutions, we will want to read them.

Organization.

When you plan a white paper, the first paragraph should be devoted to explaining the subject or problem. As students often forget when planning a thesis, a problem means that something should be done about it. A problem is not just a description of something. So rather than simply describing forests and trees in Thailand, a problem appropriate for a thesis or white paper would be

Solving Deforestation in Thailand.    

When you write about a given problem, it is always helpful to be as specific as possible, with documented information. You may need to add a little background information as well, but try to keep this to a minimum, since white papers are meant to be about what can be done now, and there is no room for substantial historical overviews. How large is the problem being discussed? Does it provide specific challenges to society? If these challenges are faced, will it help the world of Thai research to advance? If we do not take up this challenge, will bad things possibly happen? Why should the Thai government or researchers participate in a solution? Why has this problem not been solved until now?

After your subject or problem is stated, it is necessary to offer solutions. Make them as clear and simple as possible, offering  choice of solutions rather than just one. If the solutions do not seem humanly possible or realistic, then no reader will be impressed by your white paper. Your paper should end with a summary of what you have written earlier, restating the issue, possible solutions, and what they will lead to. In ten pages or often less, some useful ideas may result.

Keep it lively.

Remember that this research subject is something you feel deeply involved in. It poses dramatic problems that must be addressed. Try to convey this dynamic interest in what you write. Will new research methods need to be invented for your results to be achieved? You will not have room in a white paper to discuss technical details, but rather general possibilities for improvement. A white paper is not the same as a proposal for a research project. You should not just describe what you and your academic colleagues hope to achieve. Include other researchers too, and suggest what they should do as well. The idea is to offer a plan for the entire research community, not just your own group.

What not to put in a white paper.

White papers should never contain any confidential information that is not already public knowledge. It is safe to include already published statistics, but white papers are not the proper place to reveal material that is previously unknown or a result of your personal research.

As mentioned above, white papers should never read like a proposal for funding your own personal work. The problem, and its solution, should be larger than one research team can handle.

(all images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons).