Position Paper Guidelines
Hello, delegates –
The guidelines below are for the 56th session of BMUN UNDP position papers only – please review them, as they have been generated with much consideration to be as comprehensive as they can be. If you have any other questions, please feel free to leave a comment, and we will be sure to answer you promptly. Best of luck!
Topic Discussion:
Please make sure that the historical research, discussion of current events, and the subsequent key issues are relevant to your delgegation. Generalizing or grouping of nations and/or their policies according to “common sense” has proven to be ineffective in the past, especially without citing secondary sources that explain why certain nations would best discussed in relation to others.
Past United Nations Actions:
Delegates are advised to demonstrate their wealth of knowledge on past UN actions, but a long, laundry list of them would not only be tangential, but distracting. Be concise. Be brief. Choose them wisely, and show us why they matter. Your ability to refine the information gathered in your research should be your main concern. Remember, it’s about quality, not quantity.
Delegation Policy:
Clearly state your delegation’s policy, and be sure to provide a solid context for the solutions to follow.
Proposed Solution:
This is where you will be rewarded for your ingenuity. Keep in mind that the vice chairs and I will be reading many, many papers just like yours – if you make an extra effort to set yours apart with either a highly controversial or innovative proposition, we will definitely take that into account and grade you accordingly. But this is by no means an invitation to be WILD without regards to the guidelines listed above. This is rather an invitation to let your creative juices flow without losing sight of what the position papers are really all about.
To make your solutions technically sound and convincing, anticipate as many opposing arguments as you can, and address them to illustrate your thorough understanding of the implications that accompany your solution. Those of you that have participated in formalized debates may already be familiar with this method of rebuttal, and I personally have found it to be very effective in the past.
References:
Plagiarism of any kind will not be tolerated. When in doubt, CITE it. If you have more parenthetical information than analysis on a single page, you’re probably doing the right thing. If you’re found plagiarizing, you will be disqualified for any reward, and I will be notifying your adviser about the plagiarism as well. You may also end up jeopardizing other delegates from your school from receiving any awards that they deserve, so please be careful.
Please use the Modern Language Associate (MLA) style to write your papers and cite sources.
Final Remarks:
The overall fluidity of the papers will be noted in grading of them. Please try to make everything cohesive from introduction to conclusion with use of transitional phrases and the like. Usage of correct grammar and lack of mechanical errors will be expected and thus rewarded appropriately. Participation on this blog may be factored in to your benefit as well.