CSM570_whitepaper_ereader_project.pdf
http://team3ereaderwhitepaper.pbworks.com/w/page/36969605/FrontPage
Project Due Date: March 31, 2011
Definitions - White paper: A whitepaper, as defined here, is not the same as a position paper in that the purpose is to identify all issues related to a task and undertake research related to those issues. Once the research has been completed, findings are summarized within each area and, perhaps, a list of considerations prepared. A whitepaper helps an organization or its leaders to quickly grasp the issues in terms of what salient facts are available to guide their choices. Position paper: A position paper is just that: a position paper. It goes the next step and makes a solid, definition recommendation.
Process: This will be a collaborative as well as cooperative process2. There will be collaborative writing internally within the team; do not assign specific writing parts. You can assign specific reading but then discuss that and come to consensus as to what to report. Even if the lead reader on an issue takes the lead in writing, everyone can read, edit and contribute to that section. Make this a true collaboration.
From the Blackboard Assignment:
Here are the general components of the process:
- Divide yourselves into five (5) working teams.
- Set up your own team workspace on a new wiki – your call as to what ‘brand’ of wiki you use (i.e. WikiSpaces, WetPaint, PBworks, PrimaryPad, etc.). Give membership to your team and to Dr. Price and me. Work out the mechanics of that within your group.
- Set up an external calendar, such as Google Calendar for your team’s use in the work.
Begin by asking questions such as these:
- What are the tools involved here, possibly? What is known about their use? Specifically in
higher education?
- What are other universities, colleges, colleges of human environmental sciences and even
departments and majors doing around the country?
- What are the associated issues in making such as decision?
- And what is known from research and publications about those issues?
- Are demographics a factor?
Determine the framework for your report (whitepaper).
Here are the key components typically expected in a whitepaper, but you can name them differently if you think it best suits the audience and subject matter.
- Succinctly put, what is the issue (charge?)?
- Approach (or Process) – Succinctly put, what did you do?
o A framework is helpful here, too.
- Results – Organize your results very tightly; you will be writing for busy administrators in
this whitepaper and in all whitepapers. They need succinct, to the point, information that is clear and accurate. However, you need to support it with research and data – but you can put in appendices so that if someone in the leadership team wants to see more, it’s there.
o And the more you can provide a framework for this, the better.
- Conclusions or Summary – and make this a real executive summary here because they
sometimes just read this or read it first.
- Bibliography – this is where you put in APA style everything you read, and, if you
interviewed someone or had a SKYPE – use the APA on all the options (i.e. mp3, video, etc) for electronic media. For example, you can interview someone from the American Library Association and use that in your references.
- It should be no more than 15 pages, excluding the bibliography, index and cover page (no abstract). Use Times Roman 12pt font and 1 inch margins.