Academic White Paper Writing is Tricky – This Guide Will Help

A white paper contains a lot of data that can help its readers make informed decisions. Usually written by experts or people with authority, a white paper uses research and prior knowledge about a certain topic to come up with a recommendation. A lot of people are intimidated in writing an academic white paper so here’s a guideline on how to create one that will truly captivate your readers(or just ask Copycrafter to “pay to write a research paper“).

Steps On Writing An Academic White Paper

Pick The Topic

While there are a lot of topics you can choose from, you have to limit it to the ones that you know well enough. You should be qualified to speak about that topic. Next, you should know what problems regarding your topic the readers will be interested in. Make sure that your paper is of use to a certain audience. Information is the vital key in a good academic white paper.

Choose The Proper Tone

Readers may come from various backgrounds. Make sure that while your paper can be understood by most, it’s also written in a tone that will relate to its target audience more. If you decide to write with professionals as an audience, then you don’t have to worry about explaining complex terminologies. On the other hand, if you are writing for people with average knowledge of the topic, then try to avoid jargon and keep it simple. Avoid sounding too casual, and instead, try to go for a more professional tone to really convince your readers.

Research Extensively

While you consider yourself an expert on the topic you chose, there are certain data that you may encounter in your research that may entirely change the whole paper. It’s better to start your research before you write your first draft so you don’t have to waste too much time rewriting later on. You also don’t want to publish a white paper containing inaccuracies, no matter how small.

Write Your First Draft

After your extensive research, jot down all the ideas that you were able to retain. Write your draft with the goal of offering a solution. You do not have to create the perfect paper on your first draft. Just write down thoughts and ideas without thinking too much about the format or length. Editing while writing the first draft often leads to longer writing times.

List Related Problems

In order to be more useful to your readers, you should also list certain problems that they may encounter while following your solution. They will be extremely glad for the additional information, and thus, they will be able to come up with a solution that best fits them. But don’t make your solution sound so bad that no one will follow it.

Follow The Format

Edit your draft so that it follows the usual format. You can follow the usual academic format that starts with an abstract, followed by the problem introduction, then a background, the main body, and finally a conclusion. But white papers have more freedom than a scientific paper so you can write a story within your white paper.

Start with a strong introduction that will captivate the readers. Usually, simply writing a relatable problem and offering a quick solution can already catch the reader’s attention. Offer a background, and then discuss the solution extensively.

Proofread The Paper

Edit your paper to make sure that there are no grammar mistakes. A simple error in punctuation can have a huge problem in your goal to convince the reader. You can hire an editor to do this job for you, but you can also ask a friend or family to read it. A fresh set of eyes can easily see mistakes in grammar or even in the overall flow of the text.

Choose The Appropriate Title

Choose a title that will interest your potential readers. While a bit of information should appear on the title, try not to sound too bland. There are several ways to create the perfect title. It’s okay to ask your editor or friends to help you come up with a compelling title that can capture the attention of your potential readers.

Final Thoughts

Writing a good academic white paper is knowing the balance between giving information and trying to convince your readers. You should also be a good storyteller to hook the readers while reading, and further persuade them that your solution will work for them.