Position Papers
GENERAL INFORMATION
Position papers offer delegates the chance to demonstrate their knowledge on their assignment, the committee, and its topics, and serve as a catalyst for delegates to conduct research before the conference begins. All delegates in all committees are expected to complete position papers. Any information about committee-specific changes can be found in your committee’s background guide or on their page on the website. (NOTE: Delegates participating in the Ad-Hoc Committee do not need to submit a position paper.)
Committee dais members will read position papers that are submitted before the deadline. Please feel free to reach out to your directors with any questions!
Delegates who hope to earn an award at MUNUM XXXVII must turn in position papers by the deadline listed.
Position Paper Name Formatting
To ensure that position papers are correctly processed, please submit a PDF using the following file naming format:
“Committee Name – Country/Character Name – Last Name”
ex: “FAO – China – Smith”
Papers not submitted in this manner are ineligible for awards.
Position Paper Submissions
In an effort to streamline the process for both delegates and MUNUM staff, we will be accepting position paper submissions via Google Form for MUNUM XXXVII.
Submissions close: Tuesday, January 9th, 2024 at 11:59 PM EST
CONTENT
A position paper usually consists of two main areas. First, it should discuss your country or character’s relation to the topic at hand. This portion should include this history of the topic within your country, any legislation enacted, and any previous actions taken in relation to the topic. The ultimate goal here should be to demonstrate how the topic has impacted the country.
In the second section, delegates should transition to discussion of potential solutions for the problem at hand. It is important for solutions to be detailed and include steps that your committee can realistically take. For example, it does not make much sense (and is also impossible) for UNICEF to deploy peacekeepers, so that would not be a particularly effective solution. Delegates should make sure that their solutions are truly feasible, so it is useful to consider funding, existing NGOs or sub-committees, and other such realistic measures. Finally, when developing solutions delegates should ensure that they are broad enough to be utilized by multiple different countries with varying relation to the topic.
Crisis committee position papers should be written from the viewpoint of the character and in the style of a letter to another committee character, the chair of the committee, or a personal (real or fictitious) acquaintance of the delegate’s character. Citations are not required, and the letter should not be longer than one page. All other formatting requirements listed below apply.
Sample position papers are provided at the links below.
Sourcing
External sources, books, websites, etc., will be incredibly helpful when it comes to writing your position papers; we absolutely don’t expect delegates to be experts in every topic. However, it’s important that you cite all sources you use, including the background guide and any sources listed on your committee pages. Position papers without a works cited page will not be eligible for awards. Below are links to some general sources and credible news sites to get you started:
General Sources:
FORMATTING
Position papers should be formatted as follows:
Maximum of one page per topic
Single-spaced, 12-pt. Times New Roman font
Include your full name, country or character, committee, and school in the header (as shown in the samples)
Include a works cited page in MLA format