Guidelines for the Technical White Paper Topic Memo
Overview
Memo: 10 pts
Response: 5 pts
Total: 15 pts
A strong report needs to start with a strong topic. This assignment is intended to help you develop that
topic for your technical white paper/recommendation report. In separate short paragraphs, do the
following:
1. Identify a problem in need of a solution, and, in a few sentences, clearly articulate the nature of
the problem. What do you know about this problem? Why is it worth solving? What are the
stakes of this project?
2. Cite at least 2 credible sources to back up your claims in the APA format
3. Identify the target audience/reader(s) for the report. Who is the individual that holds the power
to actually put your recommendations into action? Be specific.
4. Provide a concise overview of the research methods you think you will use to collect data.
Note: The scope of the project should be feasible. “World hunger” or “Air Pollution in Beijing, China”
is a serious problem, but it’s not one that you can realistically solve in one report (delivered to a limited
audience). Also, statements such as “Currently, the course textbook prices are very high” are not a
good problem statement. If the textbooks are not available on time in the bookstore, that would be a
genuine problem for the majority of students. Topics related to the cost of college tuition and fees are
also not very effective.
Examples of Topic Sentence
 “Currently, Rawlings Regional Medical Center (RRMC) has no formal policy on tablet use by
clinical staff.”
 “Currently, using digital devices for note-taking in UB classrooms often cause a distraction for
other students sitting near them.”
 “Currently, Tim Hortons at UB has no system in place to alleviate the stress of high drive
times.”
 “Currently, UB Natural Sciences Complex lecture halls lack accessible outlets to charge
electronic devices.”
 “Currently, the scope of care that UB counseling services provide is insufficient in meeting
student needs.”
Additional Ideas
 Your campus—student retention, funding athletics, placement services, college publications,
minority recruitment, utilities management, civic service, student government, student activities,
campus conservation.
 Your community—science museum, Earth Day, city market, continuing education,
civic club, service project.
 Your workplace—employee grievances, public relations, computers and management, quality
control, conservation efforts, telecommuting options, daycare facilities.
Note: Topics related to on-campus parking/dining/Wi-Fi, crowds in UB buildings, and/or
COVID-19 are not accepted. Make sure that this is an individual assignment, not a team project.
EXAMPLE 1
MEMORANDUM
To:
From:
Date:
Subject:
Professor Acharya
Student Y
XX/XX/XXXX
Topic Proposal for Recommendation Report
Begin the paragraph with a solid
problem statement in less than
20 words. See the first sentences
with boldface.
Provide more
background information.
Cite sources in support of your
claim.
Currently, the use of digital devices by many UB students in classrooms is too much
disturbing. They distract the attention of those students who are sitting near them. Though students
use such devices to take notes, this practice does not help to improve academic performance. Research
shows that handwriters can record the lecture word for word and concentrate more on the lecture
(Mueller & Oppenheimer, 2014). Digital devices also present a possible distraction for students from
paying attention in class because of the availability of the internet (McCoy, 2016). The misuse of digital
devices can affect other students as well (McCoy, 2016). So, there should be measures taken to prevent
the misuse of digital devices in classrooms in order to achieve a supportive learning environment.
The Audience
This recommendation report is directed toward Ann Bisanz, the Dean of Undergraduate Education in
the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the University at Buffalo. She is the one who stewards
the strategic vision for the governance and management of UB’s general education program, the UB
Curriculum, the Office Experiential Learning and Research, and the Center for Excellence in Writing and
the University Honors College.
Research Methods
I will conduct both primary and secondary research for this project. For the secondary research, I will
need to compile scholarly sources and reliable news articles that discuss the supportive learning
environment in the classroom. In addition, I will need to find university-sponsored reports that discuss
UB’s current success rates, and their plans for classroom improvement. In terms of primary research, I
will conduct a survey among UB students and faculty to determine how digitally note-taking practices
distract instruction and students’ attention in the classroom.
References
McCoy, B. R. (2016). Digital distractions in the classroom phase II: Student classroom use of digital
devices for non-class related purposes. Journal of Media Education, 7(1), 5-32.
Mueller, P. A., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014). The pen is mightier than the keyboard: Advantages of
longhand over laptop note-taking. Psychological Science, 25(6), 1159-1168.
doi:10.1177/0956797614524581
EXAMPLE 2
MEMORANDUM
To:
From:
Date:
Subject:
Professor Acharya
Student A
XX/XX/XXXX
Topic Proposal for Recommendation Report
Currently, the Natural Sciences Complex (NSC) lecture halls lack accessible outlets to charge digital
devices. The outlet accessibility in a university lecture hall corresponds to the tendency of students to
use an electronic device while in class. The traditional way of note-taking, with a pen and notebook, has
been subjected to change with the advancements being made in technology (Stacy & Cain, 2015). These
days, many students have their personal electronic devices with note-taking capabilities whether it be on
Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or software such as Evernote, Simplenote, etc. (van Wyk & van
Ryneyeld, 2018). However, this learning process can be disrupted when a student has a device that
needs to be charged, but an outlet isn’t present.
This report investigates the extent to which electric outlets are available for students in the NSC lecture
halls. The report recommends options to make these outlets available in the halls to improve students’
academic performance.
The Audience
This recommendation report will be prepared for Tonga Pham, the Vice Present in the Facilities
Department at the University at Buffalo. She leads the organization whose mission is to maintain a safe,
healthy, and attractive campus environment by providing direct and advisory services in the design,
construction, and maintenance of the university's new and existing facilities.
Research Methods
To complete this report, I will conduct a survey with UB students to know how the lack of accessibility
outlets prevents them from charging their devices in the NSC lecture halls. I will also interview some
students who take classes in the halls in order to identify how their learning process can be hampered
when other students disturb while seeking charging outlets in the classroom. In addition, I will need to
consult secondary sources that discuss how the shortage of outlets in the classroom creates problems
for students’ successful academic performance.
References
Stacy, E. M., & Cain, J. (2015). Note-taking and handouts in the digital age. American Journal of
Pharmaceutical Education, 79(7), 1-9. doi:10.5688/ajpe797107.
van Wyk, M., & van Ryneveld, L. (2018). Affordances of mobile devices and note-taking apps to support
cognitively demanding note-taking. Education and Information Technologies, 23(4), 1639-1653. doi:
10.1007/s10639-017-9684-0
EXAMPLE 3
MEMORANDUM
To:
From:
Date:
Subject:
Professor Acharya
Student Z
XX/XX/XXXX
Topic Proposal for Recommendation Report
Currently, Syracuse University (SU) has very limited programs of computer recycling to benefit many
students. Such programs are not advertised, nor are they easier to find around the campus. New
students even do not know if such programs exist within the campus. Current research has shown that
some 100 million computers are retired each year in the United States (Namias, 2013). According to a
1995 Tufts University thesis (Goldberg, 1998), nearly 75 percent of computers end up in closets, 15
percent go to landfills, and 10 percent are reused or recycled.
To protect our environment, SU has launched computer recycling programs and many students have
found such programs very helpful as they can donate their old computers and other digital devices.
However, the majority of the students do not know if such programs really exist within SU. When
students purchase new computers, they might be wondering what to do with the old ones. This report
investigates current computer recycling programs on-campus and recommends more effective programs
for SU members for computer recycling.
The Audience
This recommendation report will be directed toward Nate Prior, Director Energy Systems and
Sustainability Management (ESSM). He is the individual who oversees sustainability efforts on campus at
SU. He is also the managing director of Syracuse University Steam Station (SUSS).
Research Methods
I will engage in both primary and secondary research for this project. In terms of secondary research, I
will need to compile scholarly sources and reliable news articles that discuss the environmental hazards
created by unrecycled electronics and computers. Besides, I will need to find university-sponsored
reports that discuss Syracuse University’s sustainability initiatives, their current success rates, and their
improvement plans. In terms of primary research, I will conduct an online survey among SU students,
faculty, and staff to gauge their familiarity with the SU computer and electronics recycling program.
References
Namias, J. (2013). The future of electronic waste recycling in the United States: Obstacles and domestic
solutions (Master’s Thesis, Columbia University, New York, NY). Retrieved from
https://www.allgreenrecycling.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Namias_Thesis_07-08-1312.pdf
Goldberg, C. (1998). Where do computers go when they die? The New York Times. Retrieved from
https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/03/circuits/articles/12die.html