White Paper Guidelines

by seadnetwork

a. White Papers in text or video format must address at least one significant roadblock or opportunity, in terms of the SEAD focus areas or a relevant topic of the authors’ choosing.

b. SEAD focuses include: research and creative work, learning and education, productive partnerships across disciplines and organizations, and culture and economic development.

c. Although a group in the USA is funded for the current SEAD initiative, the intent is to address international networking and collaboration, as well as to provide rationales that may be regionally or nationally specific. Justified proposals of actions for particularly productive interdisciplinary partnerships are encouraged, regardless of organizational or geographic bounds.

d. One of the first projects for the SEAD network is to deliver to the US National Science Foundation a synthesis report of white papers. We encourage US-specific White Papers in order to spur growth of SEAD in the short term, but also welcome reports that are specific to other countries in order to enrich the network and maximize its relevance.

e. A White Paper may have a sole author, but we encourage group submissions.

f. White Papers must include specific proposals for action with justified argumentation. Each proposed action should be addressed to one target stakeholder or interested party, e.g.: to educators, to national funding bodies, to international entities (be specific), to academic leadership, to a governmental agency, etc. For diplomatic reasons, we agree not to use the word “recommendations” in the actions section, rather please use the words “suggested actions.”

g. White Papers should be short: if in text format, up to 10 pages total, including all materials and type size no smaller than 12; if in video format, no longer than 10 minutes.

h. We welcome submission of existing advocacy papers or reports. Just provide us with the URL for the paper’s location online.

i. SEAD is an open archive activity. Documents received will be posted online for free public access.

j. If you would like to provide a White Paper that is outside of these guidelines, please contact: Roger Malina, rxm116130(at)utdallas.edu