4/10/2020 How to Write and Format a White Paper: The Definitive Guide

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A business writing blog o ering tips and expert advice to improve your
business writing skills.

How to Write and Format a White

Paper: The De nitive Guide

by Mary Cullen on Wed, Feb 7, 2018

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You’re ready to compile and share your company’s deep

knowledge of your industry. A white paper seems like the perfect
format. It’s a useful product to highlight your company’s expertise
and a valuable tool in marketing.

But, how do you transform your knowledge into a white paper?

White papers are similar but distinct from business reports. In

order to write a successful one, you need to understand the
di erence and include key elements. This article will help you

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4/10/2020 How to Write and Format a White Paper: The Definitive Guide

decide if a white paper is right for you, and if yes, how to prepare
and produce one. 

What is a White Paper?

A white paper is an authoritative document intended to fully

inform the reader on a particular topic. It combines expert
knowledge and research into a document that argues for a
speci c solution or recommendation.

The white paper allows the reader to understand an issue, solve

a problem, or make a decision.

White papers are data-centric, text-heavy business documents.

Due to the large amount of data and research, white papers are
deep reads and tend to have a formal tone.

Use and Value

Businesses write white papers both to record expertise and to

market themselves.

White papers are generally written for an audience outside of the

business. Therefore, they are a tool to attract readers to the
company by o ering top-quality, industry knowledge. However, a
white paper is a not a sales pitch. It sells the company by
highlighting the internal expertise and valuable
recommendations, not by bidding for business.

Example:

Sales Pitch: 8 Ways ABC Marketing will save money in your social
media budget

White paper: Social Media Advertising: Matching marketing needs

and platforms

How to select a white paper

topic

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4/10/2020 How to Write and Format a White Paper: The Definitive Guide

Choosing the right topic is essential to having your white paper

read. There are three major factors: 

1. Audience

As with any business writing, the audience is your rst

consideration. The white paper must be written with a target
reader in mind. The audience may be long-time customers
familiar with the industry or new prospective buyers who are
entirely new to the eld.

Re ect on the reader’s pain points or major questions. Within

these topics, look for ones that have not been fully investigated
or the available information is out-of-date.

2. Expertise

Your white paper should match and highlight your company’s

expertise.

The document should provide a complete investigation including

external research and internal knowledge. The business’s own
know-how informs the content that is included and how it is
compiled.

3. Problem-Based and Solution-Focused

White papers should identify and address a particular problem.

The problem should be relevant and timely in your eld. The
document may focus on issues such as common dilemmas, new
trends, changing techniques, industry comparison, etc.

The white paper must have a proposed solution or

recommendation to answer the problem. This solution is based
on a thorough examination of the problem and potential
solutions.

White Paper Preparation

Research

The selected topic must be comprehensively researched. Pull

information from online references, industry resources, and

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4/10/2020 How to Write and Format a White Paper: The Definitive Guide

internal documents. White papers are data-focused, so they

should be supported by signi cant research. There’s no hard and 
fast rule on citations but you need to cite any information that is
not public knowledge and that you didn’t know before beginning
your research. However, understand that the reader’s con dence
is likely to increase with an increasing number of cited
references.

Of course, all resources must come from authoritative sites. In

order to write a valuable document, all research materials must
be from credible, reliable sources.

Read Other White Papers

Are there white papers covering your topic or area already? Read
them to determine the knowledge gaps and the opportunities to
build on existing content. This review will also ensure that your
white paper is novel instead of redundant.

Use a Mind-Map

It can be overwhelming to keep track of the many sources, ideas,

and content involved in preparing a white paper. A helpful
organizational tool is the mind-map. A mind-map allows the
writer to catalog and connect the many di erent pieces into one
visual overview.

We suggest using the free tool FreeMind to organize your

content. It’s simple to use and free.

White Paper Format

White papers generally follow a standard document format. The

content order may seem similar to other business reports, but
there is one major di erence:

A white paper places the conclusion at the end.

Many business communications, such as technical reports or

proposals, place the main conclusion at the beginning of the
document. This order responds to the desires of the reader and
their preference in receiving the information.

In a white paper, the content and research informs the reader

and increases their understanding of the problem throughout

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4/10/2020 How to Write and Format a White Paper: The Definitive Guide

the document. The nal section provides the ‘Ta-da!’ moment

where the reader now receives the solution which is supported 
by the evidence in the document.

The reader’s journey and preferences in a white paper and

business report di er. The major ndings follow suit.

If you’re unsure of these distinctions or are looking to improve

your business writing skills, consider enrolling in our Technical
Report Writing Course.

And no matter the journey, the document must be easy to

understand and include informative headings for easy
navigation.

Choose an Accurate Title

A good title is essential. It should clearly indicate what the reader

will learn from the white paper. It should also be enticing.

Example:

Bland: White paper on Law 123.4 Referencing Environmental

Impact Assessments.

Enticing: The Rules are Changing: White Paper on the

Environmental Impact Assessment Legislation Proposals in 2018

The phrase ‘white paper’ does not necessarily need to be in the

title at all. Some audiences are seeking that authoritative
indicator. Other readers may be scared o from valuable content
because of the term. As always, think of what your audience
would prefer.

Abstract

The abstract o ers the reader a brief overview of white paper’s

main points. It allows the reader to ensure they have found a
document relevant to their needs. After reading, the reader
should be able to know if they are ‘in the right place.’

Problem Statement

The problem statement speci es the issue the white paper will
address. The problem needs to be de ned and placed into a
context to ensure it’s understood by the reader.

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4/10/2020 How to Write and Format a White Paper: The Definitive Guide

Background

This section provides the background information required for
the audience to grasp the problem and, ultimately, the solution.
The content may be detailed and technical or broad and high-
level. The content depends on the reader and the problem.

If original research is completed for the white paper, the methods

should be communicated.

Solution

The ‘ta-da’ moment of the white paper.

Based on the preceding information, the solution is now

presented. It is developed and argued for using the gathered
evidence and the expertise of the author and their company.

Conclusion

This section summarizes the white paper’s major ndings.

Recommendations based on the solution are provided.

References

All sources used to develop the white paper must be collected

and cited in this section. It adds validity to the document. It also
gives the reader content for further research. Depending on your
industry, follow MLA or APA citation formats.

Final Thoughts

Writing a good white paper is not a simple task. However, the

investment of time and skill can produce a valuable document
that shares your company’s knowledge, contributing to overall
education and progress in your industry. And, a good white paper
increases business opportunities.

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4/10/2020 How to Write and Format a White Paper: The Definitive Guide

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mary Cullen

Mary founded Instructional Solutions in 1998, and is

an internationally recognized business writing
trainer and executive writing coach with two decades
of experience helping thousands of individuals and
businesses master the strategic skill of business
writing. She excels at designing customized business
writing training programs to maximize productivity,
advance business objectives, and convey complex
information. She holds a B.A in English from the
University of Rhode Island, a M.A in English
Literature from Boston College, and a C.A.G.S. in
Composition and Rhetoric from the University of
New Hampshire.

Read Mary Cullen Full Bio

27 Comments

Arpita Saxena
4/12/2018, 9:45:26 PM

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4/10/2020 How to Write and Format a White Paper: The Definitive Guide

It was so amazing to read this content. White paper indeed is

a collateral that requires deep R&D. To draft the initial layout, 
the blog is up to the mark. Thanks for sharing this info. :)

Reply to Arpita Saxena

Sam Taylor
4/16/2018, 11:28:34 AM

Thanks, Arpita! We're so glad you found this information

helpful and relevant to your experiences writing White
Papers.

Reply to Sam Taylor

Aniuska Aguilar
10/4/2018, 8:51:45 AM

This article answered all my questions on how to write a White

Paper, excellence in every way. Thank you very much!
Amazing content

Reply to Aniuska Aguilar

samson
11/25/2018, 5:58:21 AM

Choosing the audience can make or break your whitepaper.

However, identifying the typical audience is not easy. Your
article covered a lot of other important elements, keep it up!

Reply to samson

Jessica Barna
1/25/2019, 3:53:26 PM

Nice! Thank you for this. I've known about white papers for a
long time and have known I need to create one... but it's hard
to get started. This his helpful information!

Reply to Jessica Barna

Swapnil Humane
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4/10/2020 How to Write and Format a White Paper: The Definitive Guide

1/28/2019, 2:06:26 AM

This is really an great article to understand the whys and hows 

of white paper writting.

Reply to Swapnil Humane

MJDT
2/4/2019, 11:38:17 AM

So very helpful, Mary. Thank you for such an easy-to-

understand, well-written piece to educate. My white papers
will be much better. Credit to you, Mary Cullen. Recognized
and appreciated.

Reply to MJDT

Mike M
2/11/2019, 5:19:04 AM

I am in the oil as gas industry. Would it be better to use APA or

Chicago manual of style? Many of our white papers are
engineering and process safety related.

Reply to Mike M

Sam Taylor
2/12/2019, 9:43:54 AM

Mike,

Typically, the engineering industry uses APA citation

format so we would recommend APA. Chicago would not
be wrong, since it's used by the physical sciences. A
publication would not reject a White Paper that is
formatted with Chicago, so neither is wrong but APA best
ts.

Hope that helps!

Reply to Sam Taylor

Keith Crawford
3/16/2019, 3:36:58 AM

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4/10/2020 How to Write and Format a White Paper: The Definitive Guide

Hi Mary, Thank you for these valuable tips on white papers, I

plan to specialize in white papers for pharmaceutical and 
insurance clients. Are there any special instructions needed
for these industries? Thanks in advance, Keith

Reply to Keith Crawford

Magdy Michael
3/16/2019, 9:52:35 AM

APA is the guidelines for white paper in technical oriented

industry. White paper should not be built around a sales pitch
or product promotion. White paper is a guide on the author
ndings and the application with reference to the used
references in building the white paper.

Reply to Magdy Michael

Graham Todd
4/10/2019, 12:26:03 PM

Thanks for sharing. Really useful as I usually write blog

content so good to get a framework.

Reply to Graham Todd

jessica owne
4/30/2019, 11:41:56 AM

lovely

Reply to jessica owne

Matthew Herrera
5/20/2019, 12:00:15 PM

Thank you Mary for this resource. Our team is planning on

executing our rst technical whitepaper and beyond the
format and recommendations given, would you have any
other guidelines or thoughts on preparing a whitepaper
geared toward Financial Services Industry / Risk Management?
Thanks - Matthew

Reply to Matthew Herrera

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4/10/2020 How to Write and Format a White Paper: The Definitive Guide


Bob Hatcher
6/3/2019, 6:55:06 AM

I've always thought that a white paper should not read like an
Agatha Christie who-dunnit. Forcing the read to wait until the
end for that "ta-da" moment will lose a lot of readers. That's
why my format has always been to reveal a summary of the
ta-da in the executive summary and then explain how you got
there in the content of the paper. My philospophy: state your
conclusion then tell people how you got there and support it.
NEVER leave the conclusion up to the reader.

Reply to Bob Hatcher

Sam Taylor
6/17/2019, 11:20:35 AM

This is a great technique, Bob. It sounds like you are skilled

in writing executive summaries!

Reply to Sam Taylor

Una Butler
6/12/2019, 5:14:56 AM

Thank you this lucid and concise explanation.

Reply to Una Butler

Gary Sta ord

6/22/2019, 1:32:36 PM

Thanks for the great article. I used your format to submit a

writing sample to a prospective technology employer. Your
article really helped me organize my thoughts and focus on
the objectives of the assignment.

Reply to Gary Sta ord

Kristin Matson
7/10/2019, 3:24:47 PM

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4/10/2020 How to Write and Format a White Paper: The Definitive Guide

This article is amazing. I'm writing a white paper as part of an

interview process and I have nally been able to wrap my 
head around the layout. Thank you for putting this out there.

Reply to Kristin Matson

SUSAN MAGRINO
8/18/2019, 1:26:37 PM

Thank you for this detailed guide and the help you provided in
the article. Fingers crossed, I will hit the mark for an important
paper. Much appreciated.

Reply to SUSAN MAGRINO

Josh Stroup
10/8/2019, 8:19:07 AM

Thanks for this article on White Papers. Do you o er training

speci cally on writing White Papers? Or does one of your
existing course o erings touch on that? Thanks.
Josh S

Reply to Josh Stroup

Sam Taylor
11/19/2019, 10:58:52 AM

Hi Josh,
Thanks for reaching out. We do o er a Technical Report
Writing course which teaches best practices for presenting
the information to your audience. Please reach out to us if
you'd like more information!

Reply to Sam Taylor

Armando Horsey
12/16/2019, 1:52:59 PM

Ms. Cullen,
Thanks for posting your article. I am writing a white paper that
is speci c to school safety. The last thing that I would want to
do is loose my audience. Prior to reading your article I had
some concerns about the format. We should be good to go
now. Will let you know how it is received.
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4/10/2020 How to Write and Format a White Paper: The Definitive Guide

Reply to Armando Horsey


Sam Taylor
12/17/2019, 1:12:22 PM

Best of luck to you, Armando!

Reply to Sam Taylor

Kathryn OConnor
1/21/2020, 9:55:11 AM

thank you, I will do the same. God bless you.

Reply to Kathryn OConnor

samuel Nyiro
2/20/2020, 2:19:29 AM

Hey, Mary. Nice piece. Informative and sticky!

Reply to samuel Nyiro

Sudhir Bhatt
3/30/2020, 8:05:38 PM

Very useful article. Please can you create one on how to build
a narrative for the white paper ( story) and interesting use of
graphics, how many words should a white paper consists of
etc.

Reply to Sudhir Bhatt

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