Resources
This is a simple compilation of resources meant to aid you on your MUN journey. The list is in no way exhaustive and should be used as a guide to more in-depth sources. After all, a major part of MUN is independent research :)
Rules of Procedure (RoP)
The Rules of Procedure (RoP) document details the expectations and practices of participants in NASMUN. It is a good way of knowing what to do and how to carry oneself during the conference.
Position Paper & Resolution Paper Guide
For context, a position paper is a document containing information on a delegate’s country’s stance and suggested solutions to the issue that they will debate in council. It is submitted prior to the conference. While, a resolution paper is a document that delegates come up and finish before the end of NASMUN. The paper is mostly a list of steps the delegates agreed they would carry out in order to solve the issue discussed during council sessions. As the name suggests, it is the guides for both papers and is a good way of checking if one’s document contains all necessary information in the correct format prior to submission.
Position Paper & Resolution Paper Rubrics
The rubrics act as the essential marking scheme for documents we require delegates to submit throughout the conference. They provide a detailed criteria on what is to be expected in these papers, allowing delegates to double-check and improve on their papers. This is especially important to those who are aiming to cinch awards this year.
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For NASMUN 2021, we are utilising a grading system to evaluate the quality of one's papers. A possible score ranging from 1 (Poor) to 5 (Excellent) will be attributed to each criterion. The final score will equal the sum of the points gained overall.
Press Corps
Press Guide
The Press Guide spells out the expectations and practices of Press Corps members during NASMUN. It also elaborates on how to create the Press specific documents, as well as a surface level analysis of each of the news agencies that will be represented during NASMUN 2021. Given that most Press Corps members are new to the committee, they are highly recommended to read through this document prior to the conference.
Press Statement Rubrics
A press statement refers to a document each Press Corps member pair must submit before the conference. These rubrics provide a detailed criteria on the standard the Editors-in-Chief expect to see upon receiving the papers. The final score of each press statement will be calculated like that of the position papers and it will factor into awards.
Other Awards
Best Delegate & Best Press Pair Rubrics
The rubrics are marking scheme used to evaluate and reward the performance of outstanding participants. They provide detailed criteria on what participants can strive for in order to showcase their ability as a delegate or Press Corps reporter. Perhaps they may even improve themselves as a person in the process by stepping out of their comfort zone.
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For NASMUN 2021, we are utilising a grading system to evaluate our participants. A possible score ranging from 1 (Poor) to 5 (Excellent) will be attributed to each criterion. The final score will equal the sum of the points gained overall.
Samples
Position Paper
News Article
Resolution Paper
Editorial
Press Statement
Visual Graphics
Other Useful Links
United Nations
The websites of the United Nations (UN) and its councils are the main platforms to learn about what each body aims to accomplish and inquire further into steps they have taken to achieve their goals. Their content includes various news media, past resolution papers and other documents, which can prove useful to understanding the issue at hand on an international scale. Information from UN sources is expected to comprise a significant part of a delegate’s knowledge, and thus position papers should have at least 1 citation from a UN source.
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The UN has also provided a MUN delegate preparation guide, which can be found here. As the name suggests, it provides information on various aspects of MUN as well as some tips to help delegates speak or research.
Best Delegate
Best Delegate is a worldwide education organisation on Model United Nations. They write articles and hold programmes aimed at both novices and veterans alike to improve their MUN skills. Here, delegates can find numerous tips and strategies to help them with NASMUN, including in areas such as public speaking, research and writing resolution papers.
CIA World Factbook
The World Factbook by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the United States is a one-stop site for delegates to gather basic intelligence on their assigned countries. It has information on areas ranging from governance and economy to geography, military, and transnational issues for 266 entities in the world. Such information is vital in developing a good grasp on a country’s stance and therefore establishing oneself in council.