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Subject:Re: what's a white paper? From:"Pickett-Harner, Molly" <mop1 -at- NIORDS1 -dot- EM -dot- CDC -dot- GOV> Date:Fri, 28 Apr 1995 16:45:00 EST
Amy:
According to __Safire's New Political Dictionary_ (pp. 874-875):
"White Paper [says - usually capitalized] - a statement of official
government policy with background documentation. In the U.S.. a "blue book"
is a directory of the social elite; in England, it is an extended
explanation of government policy, bound in blue covers. "White Paper" was
the English terminology for a report too short to be bound as a blue book,
and that phrase was adopted in the U.S.....American political usage leans
harder on the background than the policy....In current use, a White Paper is
an official statement with the government rationale..." [contrasts with a
"Position Paper" which is an unofficial document, etc...)
As for writing/formatting: Can you locate one (they abound!) filed by your
Institute & use same for a guide? If not, I can locate one here & snail
mail it to you.
Molly Pickett-Harner
mop1 -at- niords1 -dot- em -dot- cdc -dot- gov
harner -at- access -dot- mountain -dot- net
----------
What is a "white paper"? Webster defines it as "a government report on any
subject"
or "a detailed or authoritative report." Can anyone give me a more
in-depth answer? I'm particularly interested in the origin of the
term "white paper" and any guidance on writing and/or formatting one.
Any help would be, as always, greatly appreciated.
Amy Maclin
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education
maclina -at- orau -dot- gov
