POSITION PAPERS

Position Papers

Position papers are mandatory for award eligibility this year, and delegates are strongly recommended to complete them for the conference. If you have any questions regarding the position paper policy that are not answered by the information on this page, please reach out to sg@utmun.org.

Position papers should be submitted to your Committee Director.

What is a position paper?

A position paper is a short essay that details a country/character’s position on the topics that will be discussed in their committee. Position papers are designed to help prepare delegates for the conference by encouraging students to conduct research and by allowing students to clearly organize their assigned country/character’s positions and plans prior to the conference.

CONTENT RECOMMENDATIONS

Delegates in General Assemblies, ECOSOC, and some Specialized Agencies should aim to touch on their country/character’s position on each topic (Topic 1 & Topic 2). This means that in committees with 2 topics, delegates should write one paper that includes discussion on both topics. Delegates in Crisis committees should focus on their character/country’s position on the main event of their committee. Delegates in Ad Hoc are exempt from submitting a position paper.

Like any strong essay, high-quality position papers will follow a logical flow of information, beginning with an introduction, transitioning into the body section with evidence and examples, and ending with a brief conclusion. The introduction must specify the country/character’s position on the topic/subtopics of discussion and delegates should briefly outline previous actions that their country/character has taken or describe the role that their country/character hopes to play in the committee session.

The main focus of the paper should be in the body section where delegates are expected to highlight their country/character’s proposed solutions to the task at hand. The Dais will look for delegates who employ specific examples, actionable solutions, and research-based ideas to support their proposals. If delegates are representing a character instead of a country, there are a few differences. Instead of outlining a national position, the paper should describe the character’s personal position (to a reasonable extent, of course—some characters can be obscure). Papers can also describe characters’ relations with others if it is relevant to the topic at hand.

Delegates should strive to be clear and concise in their writing and try to limit any repetition or reiteration of the importance of an issue. The Dais will look for students who are able to follow foreign policy, identify key issues and directly propose feasible, specific, and effective solutions.

Delegates may refer to the “Questions to Consider” section of their committee background for position paper content inspiration. Position papers should try to address these questions through their research. If delegates are struggling to find resources, background guides also contain a “Tips for Research” section with research advice and key resources.

The recommended strategy is to break up your paper with section headings, one heading per topic. If your committee does not have topics, delegates can write the entirety of the paper about one topic, situation, or crisis.

Awards

Position paper submissions are required to qualify for awards. Each committee will also give out one Best Position Paper award. Delegates who fail to submit a position paper by the deadline will be ineligible for any conference awards. Delegates who plagiarize will also be ineligible for awards. Only delegates in Ad hoc are exempt from submitting a position paper given the nature of this committee.

FORMATTING Requirements

We recommend that delegates ensure their position papers are concise. Position papers must be 1 page at a minimum and 2 pages at a maximum (11 or 12 pt font, single-spaced). These page requirements refer to the entire paper excluding the citations/bibliography.

Delegates should properly cite their research using Chicago style citations with footnotes OR MLA style citations with footnotes. We strongly recommend that delegates use at least 3 academic sources to complete their paper (e.g., scholarly articles, books, and scientific publications). Finally, as a rule of thumb, anything that is not common knowledge or your own original idea should be cited.

Submission

Delegates should submit position papers to their directors before the first day of the committee sessions in order to be eligible for awards. Papers should be submitted in .pdf, .doc, or .docx (Microsoft Office Word) format. Please email a copy of your position paper to your committee email. Committee emails will be located on the specific committee pages on the UTMUN website. Extensions can be granted at the discretion of the Dais. Please be sure to include your name, school and country/character that you are representing on the top or in the header of your position papers. Please title your position paper via the following format: [Country/Character Name]_[Committee]_Position Paper.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding writing, formatting, or submitting position papers, please feel free to reach out to Daphne Berberyan, Under-Secretary General of Academics (academics@utmun.org).