Question: The last writing assignment in our class will be a white paper. This discussion thread is designed to help you get started in thinking about this assignment.

Please watch the following video from the Purdue Owl. The video is entitled, "White Papers: An Introduction to the Genre and Its Expectations."

The video is 9:44 long.

White Papers: An Introduction to the Genre and Its Expectations

After watching the video, please respond to the following two tasks.

1. Describe a possible white paper for an internal audience. You may consider your workplace or a community organization you belong to. What might be a possible white paper topic that could be written for this audience?

For example, let us consider an example of an individual named Arnold. He coaches soccer for his local soccer team. The soccer league does not have a Facebook page. He could write a white paper to the board of his soccer league discussing why social media presence might be helpful to the league and why Facebook in particular might be a form of social media the league should consider.

This would be an example of an internal audience, as Arnold is familiar with the individuals on the board, coaches for the league, and is involved in the organization.

2. Describe a possible white paper for an external audience. You may consider your workplace or any other organization.

For example, let us consider an example of a person named Sharon. She works for a company that has developed a new method of taking care of outdoor turf for athletic fields. She could write a white paper for athletic leagues in her area. The white paper might compare current methods of treating turf to the new method.

This would be an example of an external audience, as Sharon is not familiar with the individuals who will read her white paper, does not work for or volunteer for these athletic leagues, and is not involved in these organizations.

In this discussion task, you will consider your own work or community situation. What would represent an issue, problem, or development that you might respond to with a white paper to an internal audience? And what would represent an issue, problem, or development that you might respond to with a white paper to an external audience?

Whatever ideas you come up with in responding to this discussion thread, you are not bound to any of these ideas for your last writing assignment. The purpose of this discussion thread is to help you start your thinking process for the last paper.