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Research Paper vs. White Paper - What’s the Difference?

By Michael Stelzner

I was recently the guest speaker for a college class on white papers.

One of the students asked a great question, “What is the difference between a research paper and a white paper?”

Wow, I had never been asked that one.

Here’s how I answered it.

With a research paper, the writer begins the project not knowing what the outcome or results will be. Thus, the results come from the research. The conclusion is a result of the findings.

However, with a white paper, a clear understanding of the objectives and intended results are understood from the beginning. The core messages are NOT derived from a study of a topic, rather they are clearly outlined before a writer ever starts the project.

The use of white papers is also different from research papers.

White papers are usually used to help generate business or close a sale.

Research papers are typically used to open up ideas for future exploration and might find their way into journals.

Lets here from you about the distinctions between research and white papers.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 13th, 2007 at 12:27 pm and is filed under Writing White Papers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

  • Richard Treggor
    I also agree with Mr. Michael in a way regarding the basic difference between research papers and white papers.
  • I tend to agree with Mr. Michael when the knowledge and definition of goal that you want to achieve is the basic difference between research and white papers.
    The problem would be that even a research paper might have a marketing or industrial purpose, for its financing or conduction, so I firmly believe that it would not be the reason to differentiate both models of papers.
    I think that a little prejudice can be found in many researchers and academical teachers when we talk about white papers, but its seriousness, if well conducted and executed, just like a research paper, must not be dismissed.
    In fact, with the sinergy in evolution in the academical and business world, the production of white papers will tend to be much more popular.
  • Yes, your third paragraph below sums it up well. There must be some research for a white paper to be written. I think that the disagreement is only based on semantics: in both cases the outcome is known when we sit down to write the paper but you correctly point out that in the case of a research paper, there is an entire process that takes place prior to the paper being written that entails research, research whose outcome is ill defined (rather than "unknown")
    No matter, I still tend to think that a sprinkling of marketing and a less stringent format in a white paper is what separates it from a research paper.
  • Hi Adelino;

    The idea with research papers is that they are based on research. As Einstein said, "If we knew what we were looking for, it would not be called research." (paraphrase)

    The idea is that research has no directed outcome when it is planned. While it is true that the research report summarizes the research, I am examining the entire process.

    Research papers must have research, typically empirical or quantitative. Thus, when the project starts, there is no clear outcome. Not until the research is complete can interpretation be properly performed.

    However, with traditional white papers, the outcome is clearly defined before any writing takes place.

    Mike
  • I agree with Mike's premise here.

    In research and academic circles, I don't think there is a difference between the terms "research paper" and "white paper". Both terms are used intermittently and viewed as the same thing. Research papers do not have a pre-determined outcome or conclusion, since this would violate the basic concept of unbiased research.

    In government and commercial settings on the other hand, a white paper is written to yield a specific outcome or lead the reader to a certain view. The data that is collected is specifically chosen to reinforce that position or bottom line perspective to the paper.
  • Well, having gone through the pain of Graduate School, I've had to prepare some Research Papers, and I've had to writ some white papers through my career.
    I'll respectfully disagree: research papers are written when the outcome and results have been collected and conclusions have been drawn.
    The difference is that white papers have a marketing element that should be absent from a research paper. Also, research papers tend to follow rigid rules with regard to format and content that are absent in a white paper.
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