How to Write a Great Position Paper

How To Write A Great Position Paper

For a long time in the world of Model United Nations, positions papers have gotten a bad rap. They’re written in the last minute, provide little actual insight into an issue, and seem to be more of a bother than a valuable learning aid. However, used correctly, a position paper can be the most valuable pre-conference preparation a delegate can do. Position Papers should not be a mere “to do,” but rather a way to showcase your knowledge and outline yoursolution set.

Solution Set:A number of inter-connected ideas proposed to combat a global issue; because international and inter-governmental problems are complex, no one idea, or solution, can effectively address the concern, instead, a solution set should be developed.

The following tutorial will walk you through the steps of outlining, researching, and writing an effective and concise position paper. The tutorial is structures in a way that delegates of all levels will benefit. Steps will include term definitions, common mistakes and misconceptions, and action items to improve your skills.

Common Misconceptions about Position Papers

“Position papers have to be more than 2 pages long”Wrong! Unless a conference or simulation specifically sets length terms for paper submissions, please do not submit a paper longer than two pages per topic! Your chair or director must read through all of the papers submitted so please be kind to her eyes and brain. Being concise is an extremely valuable skill; start practicing. Furthermore, your paper should outline your solution, not be a novel detailing your draft resolution idea.2.) “Position papers should only address my state’s history with the issue”Not quite. Position papers should fully take into account a state’s experience, especially with the given topic; however, the most important part of a position paper is explaining your state’s proposed solution set.3.) “I don’t have to cite my references” OR “Wikipedia is OK to use as a source for my position paper”Double Wrong! Wikipedia is a great resource to use to get a general overview of a topic or state, but please do not cite it! Stop being lazy and go find a credible source with identifiable authorship to cite. And yes, you have to use proper citations in a position paper; which type is up to you and your teacher.

How to Outline a Model UN Position Paper

The first step in writing all of your papers should be to create an outline. Outlining your paper will allow you to organize your thoughts in a dynamic order, rather than relying on the natural flow of writing. Luckily, outlining a position paper is easy! Follow the simple steps described below to outline your next position paper.

Remember, the objective of your position paper is to address three key topics: the topic history, your state’s experience with the topic, and your state’s proposed solution set. Stay focused!

Sample Position Paper Outline

First Paragraph: Basic overview of the committee and topic. Make sure to end your first paragraph with yourthesis statement.

Thesis Statement:The one or two sentences that summarize the argument of your paper. The thesis statement should state your position clearly and explicitly, summarizing why your solutions are the best.

Second Paragraph: History of the issue at hand. Address the historical context of your issue area and why it is important the international community addresses the topic.

Third Paragraph: Evaluation of why past actions have succeeded or failed and it what capacity. The focus should be on analysis,notsummarization. 4.) Fourth Paragraph: Explain your state’s desired outcome and how you will achieve it. Make sure to explain what your resolution will cover and tactics you will use to achieve them. Your solution set should shine here! 5.) Fifth Paragraph: Restate why the topic is important to your country and the international community and how your solution set will attempt to solve the issue.You may have noticed the above outline only has five paragraphs. Congratulations for reading! This can be interpreted literally or used as a general outline. If your topic is complex, for example the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, you may need to devote more space to the history of the topic. Please still remember your position paper should be concise! Keep your paper under 2 pages, around 500-600 words, and the end product often times will be better than a 10 page treatise. Your chair thanks you in advance.

Common Outline Mistakes

Including the full, biblical history of your topic. 1) BeConcise. Concise.Concise. Only include the relevant history and analyze why that history is important2.) Not addressing past action taken.A common criticism of Model UN is that all of the solutions have been developed. Don’t add to this misinformed critique! Research what the international community has proposed in the past and build on its successes or correct its failures.3.) Not outlining!What’s wrong with you? Outline your paper! It only takes 30 minutes, at most, and will organize your paper into a coherent argument.

How to Research for a Model UN Position Paper

Great! You’ve now outlined your position paper (or should have!) and it’s time to start researching. With so many available resources, it is important to map out a strategy to effectively and efficiently research for your position paper. Because of the complexity of so many Model UN topics, you could spend years digging through material. Therefore, we’ve developed the following steps to help you narrow your focus to write a position paper.

Step One: Identify What to Research

Look back at that outline you developed in the previous step. That’s what you need to research! Spend time learning about the history of your issue area, your state’s relationship to the issue, and most importantly possible solutions. You should spend the majority of your time (that’s more than 50% for those of you at home), researching solutions. Remember, that’s what your resolution should focus on.

Step Two: Know Where to Research

There’s nothing wrong with starting your research on Wikipedia! Some might consider this blasphemous, but it is truly a greatstartingpoint– notice the emphasis on starting point. From there, you can gain an understanding of what you need to dig into deeper. There are so many great resources out there and rather than list them (which would be impossible), here is a list of thetypeof research you should be looking for:

News Articles– focus on recent news but don’t avoid exposes and features written within the past 10 years. Great sources for international news include the BBC, Al-Jazeera, the Financial Times, the Economist, the Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times;
Editorials and Opinion Pieces– many of the same news sources publish opinion content (it’s very important to know the difference!). Look for editorials and submissions from respected sources, such as economists, political figures, and political activists for their insights;
Working Papers– states, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), inter-governmental organizations (IGOs), and other agencies will often times publish working papers on a given topic. Run an online search for “[topic] working papers” and see if you can find current working papers;
UN Documents– makes sure to research passed UN resolutions from the General Assembly and Security Council on your topic.

Step Three: Summarize What You’ve Read and Analyze Why it was Written

Please don’t print out all of the great research you’ve found. For one, trees hurt every time you print something unnecessarily. Second, you’re probably never going to re-read what you’ve already read. So this is a simple step: write a 2-3 sentence summary of what you’ve read. Make sure to make note of any bias and note where in your outline the research is more applicable.

Common Research Mistakes1,.

1.Thinking you know enough.Get this: you don’t. If you think you don’t need to research before writing and submitting a position paper, your chair or director will know you didn’t research. Yes, it is very obvious when reading through 20-200 papers to identify who put in effort and those that did not.2. Not keeping track of your research.Remember that great point you read about in…wait, or was it in…you forgot, didn’t you? Keep track of what you read, where you found it, and what it said.3. Not researching solutions. Remember the point of your position paper is toarguefor a set of solutions, not simply to summarize an issue’s history.

Developing a Custom Solution Set for Model UN

I cannot stress this enough:your solutions arethe most criticalaspect of any position paper.For all of the research you’ve done into the background of the issue, the key process rests in analyzing it to develop solutions. A good chair or director will not only notice you’ve developed solutions but should make note and provide feedback on your position paper. If your chair or director doesn’t give you notes on your position paper by the first committee session, I encourage you to ask them to provide you with comments– pssst, that’s their job! Recall our definition of a solution set:

Ok, great, but what?

Hopefully you’re more articulate than that in your position paper! Let’s you and I agree on a few things. First, no single solution can solve a global issue, right? Ok, good. Second, resolutions are more than one clause long. Good so far? Therefore, your position paper should address many sides of a problem. See what I did there? I’m so glad you agree! But how do you develop a solution set? Lucky for you, we’ve set up a framework for you to build your solutions around.

Economic Solutions

The first part, and most overlooked aspect, of any issue area is the economic impact. When you start to brainstorm your economic solution, you must consider two separate areas: cause and effect, or in economic terms, supply and demand.Example Topic: Small Weapons and Light Arms (SWAL)Supply Issue: How do halt the supply of SWALs and ammunitions?Demand Issue:How do you limit the demand for SWALs and ammunitions?

Political Solutions

Another area of solutions rest in politics; however, it is important to remember that if you’re simulating the General Assembly, committees can only recommend solutions. This doesn’t mean the GA has “no power.” In fact, it means the General Assembly has the responsibility to provide a blueprint for government to follow. Again, let’s break our political solutions down into cause and effect categories.Example Topic: Re-integration of Extremist Groups into the Political SystemCause:What are the initial reasons a group becomes an extremist group? How can the government politically limit those reasons? By giving increased autonomy? By increasing voting rights?Effect:What has happened as a result of the group becoming extremist? How can governments combat those negative effects?

Social Solutions

Social solutions are closely tied with economic and political solutions but merit their own separate consideration. Many times, the root of international issues comes down to social inequalities or societies misconceptions. Adjusting cultures and educating peoples takes time, which makes social change one of the hardest solutions to develop and execute.Example Topic: Violence Against WomenCause:How can the international community combat the causes of violence against women?Effect:How can the international community help mitigate the effects of violence against women?

No position paper is complete without addressing the Economic, Political, and Social aspects of an issue area.

Common Mistakes when Developing Solutions

1.Confusing cause with effect, supply with demand.Take your time when separating the cause of an issue and its effect. Solution sets must address both areas to be complete.2. Not considering and research past solutions.The best solution sets will not repeat past proposals for solutions. Research what has already been done to address the issue, or what is currently happening, and improve upon it.3. Passing the buck and “creationism.”Please think critically! Do not simply create another body, committee, or expert council to examine the issue and propose their solutions. The purpose of Model UN simulations is to push yourself to develop those solutions.Position papers can be tedious to read, especially for the leadership of a General Assembly committee. The biggest favor you can do for your chair before the conference is spending the smallest amount of time proof-reading your paper to make sure it’s grammatically correct. The purpose of this tutorial is to walk you through the process of organizing and structuring a position paper, not teach writing technique. Still, the subject warrants attention. Here is a list of common grammar, syntax, and usage mistakes commonly found in position papers:

Fine tuning Grammar and Usage

Passive Voice: Great Britain is a supporter of human rights. Active Voice: Great Britain supports human rights.

One of the easiest ways to avoid the passive voice is to avoid the verb “to be.” In English, the infinitive “to be” takes the form of: am, are, is, was, were, being, and been. The passive voice is an effective summarizer but lousy at making an argument.1. More Examples of How to Correct the Passive Voice:Passive: It is truly a universal problem, affecting all people on the globe. Active: This problem affects all people on the globe. Passive: Japan has been combating the climate change by investing in renewable energy. Active: Japan combats climate change by investing in renewable energy Passive: Violence against women is appalling. The General Assembly should address the issue. Active: Noting the appalling nature of violence against women, the General Assembly should address the issue. 2.Incorrect or Confusing Usage of State, Nation, and Country:In political science, under which international relations falls, the terms ‘nation,’ ‘state,’ and ‘country’ cannot be used to mean the same thing. Use the following definitions when writing your position paper.State– a state is a political entity and may or may not be a nation. Examples of states are Poland, Nigeria, China, and the United States.Nation– a nation is a people that

share a common heritage and culture. Example of nations include: Kurdistan and Native Americans.Nation-State– nation states exist when the population of a state can be considered homogenous. Examples of nation-states include: Italy and Japan.Country– an ambiguous term mainly used synonymously with “state,” usually referring to a political entity.3.Incorrect Usage of the terms Third World and First World:This is one the most common mistakes in position papers. The terms “third world” and “first world” are antiquated terms that refer to a state’s system of economy. The first world includes capitalist and market economies; the second world was made up of socialist economies; and the third world composed of developing countries. While not technically incorrect verbiage, I encourage students to use more apt terminology. Instead of “third world” describe states as developing. A common term is “Lesser Developed Countries” or LDCs. For the developed world, use the term More Developed Countries or MDCs.

Using Your Position Paper Before, During, and After Committee

Congratulations! You now have a perfectly written position paper! Right? Ok, well you at least have a written position paper, right? Ok, good. Let’s spend a quick minute talking about how you can use that position paper before, during, and after committee.

How to Use a Position Paper Before Committee. Your position paper shouldn’t be a static document. As you continue to research, go back to your position paper and update it. The chances of you perfectly writing a position paper one first draft is nill. Sorry, you can always do better! Once you have a good version of your paper, many conferences allow you to exchange or upload your paper so that it is visible to other delegates. If this is the case, it’s critically important your paper outlines your solutions and bloc partners. The sooner you become a leader of a bloc, the stronger your position in committee. It all begins with a position paper.

How to Use a Position Paper During Committee. So you’ve handed in your position paper. It’s dead now, right? Never have to look at it again? Wrong! You’ve already put so much effort in building a paper that contains the details and overview of your solution set. While you’re writing your draft resolution in committee, keep your position paper nearby. You may not be able to write clauses in advance but you’ve already mapped out significant parts of a draft resolution in your paper. Furthermore, hopefully you have notes and feedback from your chair/director. You should. If the conference you’re attended doesn’t provide you with feedback on your written work by the first committee session, what was the point of writing it? Educators and students alike should demand from conferences this requirement.