Overview

For all committees except Ad-Hoc, submitting a position paper is required to be eligible to win an award. A position paper summarizes your country or character’s position on your committee’s topic(s).

EXAMPLE GENERAL ASSEMBLY POSITION PAPER: HERE

EXAMPLE SPECIALIZED/JCC POSITION PAPER: HERE

Formatting

Position papers should be one page per topic in Times New Roman, Font Size 12, single-spaced with 1-inch margins.

Include a header with the committee, country/character, delegate name, and school. At WinMUN, we ask you to submit position papers in a 3-paragraph format.

3-Paragraph Breakdown:

1. History of Topic

2. Country/Character Background

3. Possible Solutions
   

Paragraph 1 should be a general background of the topic being discussed. It should go beyond the scope of the background guide, yet should be brief. Sift through your information to find the most essential nuggets of information and put those in this paragraph. This paragraph should be short; 3-4 sentences should suffice.

Paragraph 2 should be an analysis of how the topic applies to your country/character. You should explain your country/character’s history with the topic and their current opinion of the issue. This paragraph should be about double the length of the first paragraph.

Paragraph 3 of your position paper should explain the solutions that your country/character wants to implement to solve the topic of debate. These solutions should be specific and must adhere to country/character policy. This paragraph should be about the same length as the previous one. Be sure to answer your Background Guide’s “questions to consider” (if applicable) in this paragraph.

Make sure to include a Works Cited at the end of your position paper! You can choose to use MLA Style Parenthetical Citations or Chicago Style Footnotes to cite your sources throughout your paper.

Tips/Tricks

Position papers are a sneak peek for the chair into the research you have done and what your country/character will be supporting in committee. Your committee’s Background Guide is the best place to begin your research, and you may want to try to answer some of the “Questions to Consider” that your chair has provided. Remember to use credible sources for outside research, such as reliable news outlets, UN documents, and NGO websites.

Check out the CIA World Factbook and BBC Country Profiles to begin understanding the country you will be representing for the weekend. Encyclopædia Britannica is a great place to start your research and using the sources it provides is super helpful.

When you represent a country, do NOT use first-person pronouns such as “I believe...” Instead, use a phrase such as “the delegation of (your country) believes...”

Finally, do not stress over writing a position paper, even if you have never written one before!