• Going off on tangents: Because Model UN topics are so interesting, students will normally find themselves exploring the wonders of the world wide web. While normally a fantastic practice, getting lost online will turn Model UN research into a month-long project.Instead, make sure the information you are seeking is relevant to your specific topic and will further your position paper or country policy in some way. This is a hard one to avoid because you don't realize you're on a tangent until it's too late, so try to be conscious of the hyperlinks you're clicking and terms you're searching.
• Search engine abuse: Every experienced Model UNer will tell you that the first habit they had to break was "just googling it." Model UN is about solving a problem which can't be answered with one search in your search engine of choice. It takes piecing together the works of different researchers, international officials, and topic experts to find the real answer. Google is good, but it can't think for you!
• Losing your way on the UN website: Anyone who has visited the United Nations website knows it is harder than a Chinese finger trap to figure out. The best place to start is by clicking on the English link when first entering the website, so you don't have to try to decode UN documents written in German.As opposed to working your way through the voluminous hyperlinks, try a basic search! Nothing is easier on the UN website then letting the computer do the work for you. Type in a key phrase and you should be ready to go.
• Never beginning the writing process:You've been 8 hours and you still haven't started writing. STOP!!! You need to put your ideas down on paper. Model UN topics are very broad; people spend their lives working on these topics - so you aren't expected to know every little detail about your topic, as it is more important for you as a delegate to grasp the big picture. At some point, you have to resolve to stop your research and start writing. The best way to do this is to determine when you have a feel for the basics of the topic, and then start writing. The writing process will allow you to synthesize your thoughts, and show where you have holes in your research.
• Never stopping your hard work: Two solid days without a break from research and writing time is way too much, and you have to learn when to stop yourself. Even Ban Ki-Moon has to stop at some point! Once you feel you've properly mastered the basics while proposing a clear and effective solution to your topic, then stop writing. No one is asking you for a 45-page research paper with citations that is going to solve all of the world's problems! Over-researching or over-writing will only make you more confused and burned out. Be confident in the work you've done, and everything will be just fine.

• Get organized: The first part of Model UN research is getting organized. Break out the highlighters, sticky notes, and index cards or whatever other methods you use to make sure your research stays organized and properly formatted.Completing this first step will pay off greatly later on when trying to properly include facts and cite your position paper.
• Brainstorm: Now that you have your supplies at the ready, brainstorm your topics. Model UN research revolves around how your assigned country feels about a topic, so start from this point. From these policies, brainstorm solutions to your topic that your country would support and would garner some measure of compromise from the committee as a whole. Remember, at the United Nations, the end goal is peace, not conflict.
  • Sample research warm-up
    
  • Blank graphic organizer
    

• Note-taking strategies: Everyone has his/her own research style, but one of the most universal is dividing up your notes. Don't just compile all your research into a mishmash of facts on a dog-eared legal pad. Keep different outlines for the different sub-topics about which you just brainstormed. Some people also find that keeping notes on color-coded index cards helps them properly organize their facts. Either way, make sure you have a strategy for taking good notes on your research so you can properly reference it later.If those don't work, try a digital outline to organize your facts and tidbits. This strategy lets you move your facts around and adapt as you learn more about your topic.

• Resources: Google is not the only tool on the Internet, nor is it the most effective for Model UN research. Search engines will be handy for a jumping off point, but after exhausting the basics, use journals, news sites, and country sites because they are going to be the most pertinent and helpful for building your country's policy and possible solutions. A good place to find some great resources is at the bottom of this page!
• Tools: Here are a few online tools you might find useful for brainstorming, note-taking, and keeping track of online resources.
  
  • delicious - free web-based bookmark management tool so your bookmarks are available from any computer
    
  • Diigo - free souped-up version of delicious that also saves web site clippings from the site with your bookmark
  • Mindomo and Mindmeister - online brainstorming tools (the latter supports collaborative mind mapping). Basic accounts are free.
    

• If ["Mexican policy" AND narcoterrorism] keeps giving you a list of creepy blog sites, then modify your search strategy. For instance, try looking for a regional stance instead of your particular country's opinion - most likely you will agree with your neighbors. Instead of [Vietnam AND "intellectual property"], try expanding to "Southeast Asia". Along these lines, find out if your country is a members of any regional organizations. Maybe Sierra Leone doesn't have a specific position on child soldiers, but I'm sure the African Union does.
  
• Still no luck? Find out which major countries are your country's allies/rivals. Does your country support the United States? Find out what the United States has to say about your topic. Does your country have a historic rivalry with China? Find out what China supports and construct an opinion that is the opposite.
• Another hint: look into your own country's history. Has your country ever had a similar problem? If so, how did your country respond? Was this response successful? Could it be applied to other parts of the world? For example, finding Chile's position on water security in the Middle East might be difficult, but see if Chile has ever had a problem with inadequate water supply. Apply and adapt what you find to the specific topic your committee will be discussing. Could Chile's solution work in the Middle East? Should Chile's response be avoided because it was a total failure?

• Samples
  • Model UN Guide (PDF) from W&M International Relations Club
    
  • for suggested outline structure see p. 18 of PDF
  • for sample position paper see p. 19 of PDF
    
  • Position paper template & sample (PDF) from MLW Model UN Club
    
• Using quotes and statistics: The position paper is a fantastic medium to show off fantastic research skills. Nothing is more impressive than using facts, quotes, and statistics to prove your point. Don't overdo it.Another key element to position papers is thoughtful analysis of a problem. This isn't a research paper, it is a policy brief from a country. Make sure the paper combines your savvy research skills with analysis of a situation, and then you have a great paper. A quote and statistics-filled paper will only make it look like you are using other people to do your work.
• Format: Now that you have put so much hard work in this paper, make sure it looks professional! Check your margins - set them at one-inch (1") on each side of every page. Use a standard (Times New Roman or Arial) font, and use a 12-point font size. Include your name, country, committee, and school at the top of the first page. Label the portions of writing by topic, double-space your text, and indent new paragraphs.
• Citing Sources: No footnotes or endnotes are needed, but make sure you do give credit to whatever source you use when appropriate. General rule of thumb: if you use a quote or a specific fact (usually statistics) that can't be found in at least three different sources, make sure to cite where you found it. Cite sources using in-text citations that note the organization or report you are using. For example: In the September 2006 "Africa Conflict Prevention Pool Performance Report," the United Kingdom's Department for International Development estimated that more than 8.5 million people have died as a direct result of conflict in Africa. Note how this type of "informal" citation gives the reader enough information to track down the source you used.
  
• Writing style: Everyone has his/her own writing style, so don't be afraid to let some voice come out in the position paper. However, remember that this is a policy brief, so no colloquialisms and exclamation points please. Let your personal writing style take over, but keep it professional. Sentences should be clear and focused on furthering the message of the paper. An individual but professional sounding position paper will always impress chairs more than a paper that sounds like a doctoral candidate's thesis or high schooler's conversation. Hint: your writing will be stronger if you use the active voice ("I threw the ball"-active vs. "The ball was thrown by me"-passive) and avoid the verb "to be" - this forces you to expand your vocabulary and write more concise, active sentences.
• Reflection: The paper is complete, the research is done, or so you think. At some point, step back and read through your paper. This isn't a grammar edit, but a reflection on whether you successfully presented your nation's ideas with the position paper. If you didn't, that's o.k., just go back and make a few edits and you'll be on your way. If you did, congratulations, you only have a few loose ends to tie up before you are ready for committee.

Documents by Region (Diplomacy Monitor)
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