AT 419 Assignment 1: How to Write A White Paper

As the new semester brings in AT 419, a UAS capstone course, we start the semester off with a written assignment designed to introduce us, undergraduate students, to the world of research writing. This style of paper is known as a white paper, and researching and presenting information on these kinds of papers is the focus of this paper. A senior design class, or capstone project, is a project designed by students and allows them to perform research on a topic of their interest. Because these classes are researched-based, it makes sense to produce a white paper in order to effectively present your findings. Since most undergraduate students have little to no experience writing this kind of paper, we are using this assignment to expand our knowledge. In this paper, I will be outlining the purpose of a white paper and how it should be written, along with the differences between a white paper and peer-reviewed paper, the pros and cons of a white paper, and a critique of 3 published papers. 

A white paper is a research-focused document that is designed to present information to the reader in an informative formal manner. Because this style of writing presents large chunks of information from in-depth and usually complex research, the paper is data-driven. The goal is to present information from a complex topic in a clear easy to follow manner, however, these documents are usually not brief. According to instructionalsolutions.com, there are 3 important factors to consider before writing a white paper; the audience, expertise, and whether the paper is a problem based on solutions-based. These topics help focus the paper into a writing style that best conveys the message to the intended audience. Next, I will discuss the differences between a white paper and a research paper.

It is common to confuse a white paper and a research paper, so it is important to outline the differences. A white paper is usually written by a single author and is designed to persuade the reader to a certain conclusion. Often written by a company in house, white papers present information in a way that benefits the author/business. Research papers, on the other hand, maybe written by a single person, but are peer-reviewed by a handful of scholars who are close to the subject. Not only does a research paper have to be reviewed by peers, but also approved. In order for these kinds of papers to be accepted, other scholars must agree with the conclusions. Finally, peer-reviewed papers are designed to only present scientific information, but not persuading the reader in the same way a white paper would. 

There are pros and cons of a white paper, especially when compared to a peer-review paper. One of the biggest pros of a white paper is time. Peer-reviewed papers can take months or years to be reviewed, edited and accepted. White papers can be published upon completion, and as a method to quickly post scientific data a white paper would make more sense for a capstone class because of the extreme time limits the students are on. A con of the white paper is a lack of peer evaluations means the paper might not be taken as seriously or scientifically credited as a reviewed paper. Even though our class is focused strictly on scientific research and the information our Loc8 team is working on would fit better in a peer-evaluated paper, the time restraints limit our team to a white paper. 

Next, I will be evaluating published white papers in order to broaden my understanding of this style of writing. The first article I will be reviewing is source number 5. The first noticeable feature of this paper, when compared to normal writing, is the length of the title, which is longer than a non-scientific published article. Its clear the purpose of the long title is to give the reader an idea of the content of the paper, which is a well-researched topic that requires a lengthy title. Next, comes the introduction to the paper. Rather than an interesting or catchy hook designed to entice the reader, the article jumps in to a very literal straight forward summary of the research covered in the paper. Another noteworthy aspect of the paper is the inclusion of photographs. Normally articles just consist of writing but this paper also has pictures that supplement the writing and add a nice element that helps the reader visualize gravel put volume calculations. The second paper I will be reviewing is source number 6 and my first observation is the increased level of professionalism when compared to the previous paper. The pages include a logo along the top that adds a nice feel to the visual aspect, the images are more professional and not just pictures but graphics and other visual aids that add a higher level of visual understanding for the user. This paper also includes an abstract rather than an introduction which provides a more professional feel for the reader. Another nice feature is the dramatic photo that is included at the beginning of the first page, which acts as a hook for the reader. The third and final article I will be reviewing is source number 7, and my first reaction is the bland feel it has upon opening it. The article could use some color and a border on the first page which helps give a more appealing look to the paper. This article includes an abstract and an introduction which is nice because it gives the reader options on getting an overview of the article. Another way this article differs from normal writing is the inclusion of a discussion section which is an interesting way of discussing the results of the work that was performed. Overall, white paper writing is a very unique and specific style, and by reviewing these papers I now have a greater understanding of how they should be structured.  

In terms of starting our own white paper, the first step is to complete the research we are currently working on. It is clear that before the paper is written there needs to be a target audience and purpose for writing the paper, and both of those will change as our research progresses. As we conclude our work it will be easier to understand why and for who we are writing the paper, only then should we begin writing. Once those have been established and we have conclusive research to write about, we can begin work on the white paper. Our group is performing groundbreaking research on search and rescue involving UAS, and we will have great images to include in the paper from the various flights we have performed. The structure of a white paper is pretty clear, so once we have enough research completed we can begin working on our paper. 

Sources: 

1. nstructionalsolutions.com,
2. http://blog.eoscu.com/blog/3-key-differences-between-white-papers-and-scientific-papers
3. https://digitalworldbiology.com/archive/cultural-confusion-white-papers-vs-peer-review
4. https://www.sensefly.com/education/whitepapers/
5. https://www.sensefly.com/app/uploads/2018/05/Comparing-workflow-and-point-cloud-outputs-of-the-Trimble-SX-10-TLS-and-senseFly-eBee-Plus.pdf
6. https://www.sensefly.com/app/uploads/2018/02/Remote-Damage-Assessment-after-Tornado-Hazard-by-using-UAS-Remote-Sensing-and-Information-Technologies.pdf
7. https://www.sensefly.com/app/uploads/2017/11/High_Precision_Assessment_at_the_Aletsch_Glacier.pdf