The term 'White Paper' originated in Britain as a specific form as government reports that were short, focused, and authoritative (and had a white cover). They have evolved to now refer to a research-based report that market or promote a specific product, solution, service, or viewpoint. White papers are frequently used by businesses and for-profits to showcase and market new information and persuade the reader to buy their products of services.
Key Characteristics
Content
Organization
(Image Source: Purdue OWL)
Citations
White papers almost always include references lists as they are a an opportunity to show that the author had done their research and is an expert in the field. While there is no single citation style used in White Papers, the author should choose one style (e.g., AMA ) and use it consistently throughout to demonstrate their sources.
Sources
White papers contain a mix of academic and industry based information so you may want to expand your search from typical resoures
PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine, provides access to millions of citations from MEDLINE and additional life science journals. PubMed includes links to many sites providing full text articles and other related resources.