Professional Writing Guide: Business Writing

A business plan is a formal written document containing the goals of a business, the methods for attaining those goals, and the time-frame for the achievement of the goals. It also describes the nature of the business, background information on the organization, the organization's financial projections, and the strategies it intends to implement to achieve the stated targets.  Here are a sample of the books on creating a Business Plan from the Gordon Library.  Search for more books using the WPI Library Search box.

An executive summary is a brief overview of a report designed to give readers a preview and understanding of its contents. An executive summary should explain why you wrote your report, emphasize your recommendations, and include only the essential information to support any conclusions. Here are links to guides on creating an executive summary.

• Inc.com - "How to Write an Executive Summary"
• Writing an Executive Summary (University of Arizona)
• Writing the Executive Summary (York University)

White papers serve a very practical function in business communications. They are often written by individuals or companies trying to gather attention toward a potential trend, project, or new innovation. In many cases, they play a role in attracting attention for investment purposes. They are meant to provide evidence of expertise in an area by the writer. White papers generally have less of an editorial process in their publications, and this gives authors a lot of freedom and flexibility in their actual writing. They are generally very focused on a specific issue, product, or development, offering insight into the practical implications of the topic in a business environment.

A good white paper generally has the following characteristics:

• A document containing narrative text
• At least 5-6 pages long (2,500+ words)
• Portrait format (landscape tends to be for e-books)
• Educational, practical, useful information, not a sales pitch
• Used before not after a sale (info after a sale is documentation)
• Provides facts not just opinion
• Includes an introduction or executive summary at the start
• Includes a call-to-action (CTA) at the end

- From Gordon Graham an expert on white paper writing and formatting.

White Paper Resources

• Purdue OWL White Paper Writing Lab

  Provides a broad overview of best practices with white paper writing. The White Papers PowerPoint Presentation is an effective summary of the broader information with practical recommendations on all sections of a white paper.

• That White Paper Guy

  The official website of Gordon Graham, an expert on writing white papers. There are many recommendations and examples of good white papers outlined on this site.

• Foleon - How to Write a White Paper

  Provides and overview and advice on writing white papers. References a number of good white paper examples to demonstrate practical applications for a paper.

• University of Arizona Writing a White Paper

  More general white paper writing recommendations from another perspective a the University of Arizona's writing center.

A case study is a record of research examining in detail the development of a particular person, group, or situation over a period of time.

Case studies are a form of qualitative descriptive research that is used to look at individuals, a small group of participants, or a group as a whole, drawing conclusions only about that participant or group and only in that specific context. Researchers collect data about participants using participant and direct observations, interviews, and examinations of records. UMass Lowell Business Case Studies Guide

Case Study Resources