The white paper can be a powerful tool to educate component and equipment users and to provide them with information they can’t find elsewhere. Because companies are experts in their particular branch of technology, the papers become a valuable resource. The most common reasons to write a white paper are to: Explain the benefits and operation of a product in the context of its market or technology. Review the overall technology. Outline a specific aspect of a technology. Discuss techniques for using a product or technology. Report authoritatively on a topic. Describe problems that the industry is facing. Outline benefits of a technology or technique. Introduce a challenge faced by users. Make a strong case for why a particular approach to solving the problem is preferable. Propose a solution to a problem. Introduce a new concept. Describe how to perform a technical task. All good white papers offer value to potential customers by presenting information in scientific terms rather than using marketing language. White papers generally are technical in nature and targeted to engineers and scientists. Decision makers are likely to spend more time reading a high-quality white paper than a brochure that simply pitches a product’s features. A white paper that provides good data not only will be used again, but also builds credibility for a company. But, remember, don’t camouflage marketing data in a white paper. Nothing turns off a reader faster than thinking the paper in hand is a valuable technical resource, only to find that it is just more marketing copy. A well-written white paper contains actual data and often describes processes and procedures with details. White papers are important tools for providing customers with the information they need to use products or to make decisions regarding purchase.