How to Research for an MUN Conference:

The Key to Success

Prepared by:

Shebli Mehrazarin Ryan Villanueva

Why is Research Important???

Country Policies, Committee Topics and Procedures, and Committees differ from conference to conference Background information on the topic and information on your country’s involvement in the topic will allow you to:     Express and defend your country’s policy Know your facts, as well as what has or has not worked in the past Formulate feasible solutions to the conflict or topic Be able to indicate when other delegates are being off topic

Mediums of Research

1) Books  Provide accurate, although sometimes outdated, information regarding a specific topic   Best used for research on the history and background of a topic, as well as past United Nations involvement and country involvement Reliable books include A Global Agenda, the Delegate Guide to Preperation , as well as the World Today available at the local library or in the MUN room series and any other books

Mediums of Research

2) Periodicals  Provide factually accurate, although often biased, information or opinions regarding a certain issue or conflict    Although the facts presented in these periodicals may be accurate, they may only present one side of the topic Ideal for researching country policy on a given topic Periodicals include newspapers, as well as magazines like Newsweek, Time, and the UN Chronicle- all of which are available in the MUN room

Mediums of Research

3) Internet  Easily accessible, although sometimes unreliable, information ranging from topic and committee history, to country policy, to possible solutions  Come in the Following Formats:  Websites   Articles Documents (Resolutions, Treaties, Conventions, Declarations, Theses)

Mediums of Research

3) Internet a) Websites  Provide information regarding the background of a topic, topic history, country’s involvement, as well as United Nations involvement b) Articles  Provide information regarding specific country involvement on a given topic or specific information regarding the progress of the conflict or global concern

Mediums of Research

3) Internet c) Documents   Include Past Resolutions, Treaties, Conventions, Declarations, and Theses Extremely important in pointing out meetings held in order to resolve the conflict, past decisions that were made regarding the topic, the result of and improvements or changes that could be made to these decisions, as well as your country’s involvement and policy regarding the topic

Committee

First step is to research committee Each committee has its own rules, its own procedures, and its own expectations Best method of researching committee includes looking into the following:   www.un.org

Committee Website    Topic Synopsis MVHSMUN Notebooks UN Handbook

Committee

1) 2) 3) www.un.org

  Official United Nations Website Most committees are listed on the site and have their own separate web pages Committee Website  By searching your committee’s site, you can learn more about the function and purpose of the committee, as well as pressing issues it is facing Topic Synopsis  Especially useful for committees with specific rules or procedures that differ from most committees- i.e. Historical Security Council, ICJ, World Bank, etc…

Committee

4) MVHSMUN Notebooks  Committee Notebooks have been created by seniors in the past   Are located in the back cabinets of the MUN room Include research materials and suggestions on what to expect from a given committee 5) Delegate Guide to Preparation  Provides plenty of information regarding a Committee, including how to contact representatives and various websites to consider when researching

Researching the Topic

What to ask:    What is this topic all about?

Why is it important to the international community? Why is it important to your country?

What has been done about it? What can be done about it?

Researching the Topic

What to look for:    Aspects of the Issue History Past UN Actions

Researching the Topic

Where to find it:     Topic Synopses Substantive Documents (Resolutions, Treaties, Conventions, Declarations, Constitutions, etc.) News Media (Offline and Online) Experts (Books, Websites, Theses, etc.)

Researching the Topic

Where to find it:  Topic Synopses  Conference Website  Websites of Other Conferences (High School and Collegiate Conferences)  “Global Policy Forum” www.globalpolicy.org

 A Global Agenda  “The United Nations Website” www.un.org

Researching the Topic

Where to find it:  Substantive Documents  “UN Documentation Center” www.un.org/documents  “The UN Treaty Collection” http://untreaty.un.org/  “The Constitution Society” http://www.constitution.org/

Researching the Topic

Where to find it:  News Media  “The UN Wire” www.unwire.org

 “The UN News Centre” http://www.un.org/News/  “CNN” www.cnn.com

 “BBC” http://news.bbc.co.uk/  “The Christian Science Monitor” http://www.csmonitor.com/

Researching the Topic

Where to find it:  Experts  Search for it  “Yahoo!” www.yahoo.com

 “Google” www.google.com

Researching Your Country

What to ask:     What is happening in my country?

What is my country’s role in the international community?

In which bloc is my country? Who are allies and who are enemies? Who are trade partners?

Who are my leaders? Who is important in my country?

Researching Your Country

What to look for:      Governmental System Political Leaders Economic Status Trade Partners Blocs, Allies, and Enemies

Researching Your Country

Where to find it:   Country Website “Yahoo! News Full Coverage” http://fullcoverage.yahoo.com/     “CIA Factbook” http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/ “US Department of State” http://www.state.gov/ “Library of Congress – Country Studies” http://www.loc.gov/ The World Today Series

Researching Policy

What to ask:    What is my country’s policy? How does my country feel about this topic?

What has my country done on this topic in the past? Is my country involved in organizations pertinent to the topic?

Which solutions would my country support? Which solutions does my country not support?

Researching Policy

What to look for:    Current Country Involvement Domestic Policy Possible Solutions

Researching Policy

Where to find it:    Country Website Policies of Allies and Blocs Your Own Research

Differences in Researching

General Assembly Economic and Social Council Specialized Agencies   Advisory Boards Regional Organizations     World Bank Group International Courts Security Councils Crisis Simulations

Good MUN Sites

The UN CyberSchoolBus http://www.un.org/Pubs/CyberSchoolBu s/index.asp

The United Nations Association of the United States of America www.unausa.org

American Model United Nations www.amun.org

The Goal

Developing Possible Solutions Accurately Representing Your Country Winning Awards!!!

Honing the Skill of Researching