What Is Included In a White Paper? How Does It Differ From a Research Study?

Basic White Paper Structure and Contents
·       Up to 20 pages in length (including all components, cover and references)
·       Introduction (overview of product)
·       Description of the product
·       Description of the theoretical and conceptual basis for the product (the thinking behind why the product works)
·       Discussion of how the product addresses potential customer needs and solves customer problems
·       Review and analyze relevant literature organized into 5-7 major categories supporting the theoretical basis for the product (e.g., differentiated instruction, language/literacy, social-emotional development, assessment)
·       References
The White Paper is usually the first step in a process to build a scientific base for the product, to be followed by a full research study.