This week’s reading is about white papers. From what I have read, it seems to me like the most important part of making a white paper is the research. Although objectivity seems to recently be less of a primary goal, the sustaining idea is that white papers are supposed to present the facts. The writer is trying to present all available choices with the pros and cons to their audience so that they can have a fair look at all options. As the reading states, current white papers have been used in marketing to show that a product is the only choice (or something along those lines that does not present the topic in an impartial way). Although it may seem like a more recent trend, I think it would and should be difficult for a writer to make a paper in a completely impartial manner, especially in this situation. For a good white paper, the author needs to be well informed and versed on the subject. This probably means there is some interest in the topic and it is difficult not to be at least a little biased on something that you have good knowledge and are interest.
I must be honest, I have never heard of white papers before this week. This surprised me since they seem like a very broad category when it comes to writing. It seems to me that their subject can be about almost anything.
There are two aspects of the previous projects that stick out to me and seem like they will apply to this project. From the instruction project, it looks like the layout and design will be a very important part of the document. Also, from the resume project, the persuasive tone and use of the proper language looks like it will be stressed again.
Research and Bias.
I agree that it seems that research is the biggest and most important topic when creating a white paper. Your last sentence in the first paragraph talks about white papers including a little bias. I believe that most of them will have a little bias. The reading said they are unbiased, but like you said if someone is writing about these things and knows a lot about them or likes them then they will give biased information without even knowing it. I also think that there will be bias involved if a company is trying to push their product on customers in a white paper that tells waaayy more pros than cons about their typical product.
Avoiding bias
I think the best way to avoid a biased white paper is to do what "The Steak Behind the Sizzle" says and have an outside group write the paper. Obviously that isn't possible for our project, but for a big company it is the only way to produce an unbiased white paper, since the writers will have real connection to the company or it's products. For our project I think there are two ways to avoid bias. One, pick a topic that most or all of the group has no real strong feelings about. And two, collaborate with all members throughout the duration of the project. Odds are if one person in the group develops a bias in one direction, someone else in the group may develop a bias for the opposite. By reviewing each others work, we can make sure that we avoid bias in our writing. Having 3 or 4 reviewers to triple and quadruple check won't hurt either.
Being biased.
I agree with you that it is difficult for a writer to make a white paper in a completely impartial manner, especially for us when we are doing our project. The members of our groups will have to be fairly knowledgeable on the topic since we have to try and present all of the different possible solutions for it. One of the most difficult things about our white papers will most likely be stating the different options along with their pros and cons, and still not sounding biased by choosing a favorite. In my eyes it is going to be hard to produce a white paper that is not a little bit biased.
research vs audience
I think your right that research plays a very important role in writing a white paper. However, I believe knowing your audience is at least as important, if not more important then the research. You can know everything there is to know about your product, but if you don't know who to target your writing to, it is impossible to write an effective paper. By knowing your audience it lets you ensure you are writing your paper at the proper technical level, and helps ensure you know what are the important parts that you want to highlight to the reader. For example, if your writing for customers, emphasis how the product meets their needs, if your writing for CEO's, be sure to focus on how the product can help the company make a profit and so on.
Patrick Griffin
pgriffin@purdue.edu
I do agree that our other
I do agree that our other projects have been leading up to the style of writing that it is going to take to make an effective white paper. It will be very important with the white paper to specify the particular primary audience, as well as consider the secondary and tertiary audiences as well. I agree that making a white paper for a product that does not show signs of being bias will be very hard to accomplish because if the company really wants to sell their product over the competing products they are going to want to stress how great their product is in their white paper, this important part is to keep a white paper very factual. I also like the idea of using pros and cons in a white paper in order to give the consumer both sides, I feel that customers trust a company and its sales people if they will give out not only the pros, bat also the cons.