Blog Post #11

A white paper is a formal document intended to fully inform the reader on a particular topic or idea. It is a combination of knowledge and research in a document that argues for a specific solution, recommendation, or idea that the writer of the paper has. A white paper can be written by a person who has minimal authority in a company or government, but has an idea that they’d like to suggest. White papers typically are read by the higher ups in a company or government. The rhetorical purpose of a white paper is ultimately to persuade the reader to agree with the author’s idea or recommendation. A white paper is a formal paper that typically has a lot of data, which is used to support the author’s viewpoint. The format of a white paper is similar to an article, with many visuals, such as graphs or data. A white paper is typically six to eight pages long. The profession that I have selected is finance. Finance students typically write emails, reports, and spreadsheets. Finance students write about how specific companies are doing financially, they write professional emails to teachers or possible future employers, and they write down data concerning companies on spreadsheets. Some research methods that finance students are learning are exploring and interpreting data, samples and populations, testing hypotheses, regression analysis, and time series analysis. Professionals in the business of finance often write memorandums, reports, proposals, and emails. Common research methods in finance are exploring and interpreting data, samples and populations, testing hypotheses, regression analysis, and time series analysis. People in the business of finance often write for their clients, or for their higher ups. Their writing is mainly used to inform the reader, or to suggest a proposition that they have. Professionals in the field of finance place value in the clarity and the thoroughness of the writing, meaning that the writing needs to be informative and easy to understand. The consequences of poor writing are misinforming your client or boss, which could result in you getting fired, which is less than ideal.