how to write position paper

1. Model United Nations
Position Paper Writing
By: Mohammad Ibn Hassan

2. Objectives
•Formally inform others of your nation’s position
•Present a unique, thought based solution to
solving a problem
•Demonstrate full comprehension of the story
•Be consistent in maintaining your position in
negotiation.

3. Guidelines
• Do not write in first person.
• Limit the length to a maximum of 2 pages minimum
1.5 (double spaced or 1.5)
• Include delegate name, delegation, flag (small),
committee, and topic at the top of the position paper

4. Position Paper Style
•Remember to speak in the third-person. That is,
“Russia wants a peaceful solution”, not “I want
a peaceful solution.”
•However, if you're on the Russian Cabinet, you
are representing a person, not a country, and
thus it’s OK to use first person.

5. Position Paper Form
Often, it’s helpful to write position paper with the following form:
•Background of topic as it pertains to your
country
•Your country’s official position on the
problem
•Solutions to the problem that are amenable
to your country

6. For example, if you're Russia and topic is the Syrian Civil war:
•Russia has had extensive involvement with
Syria’s civil war; it has sent in military and
financial aid to Bashar Al Asad
•Russia believes that Bashar Al Asad is the
legitimate ruler of Syria
•Russia believes Bashar Al Asad’s government
should allowed to distribute UN
humanitarian aid

7. Position Paper Logistics
•Use a serif fonts! Serif fonts like Times New Roman
look far more professional than sans serif fonts like
Arial & Verandas.
•Make sure to put the following at the beginning of
each paper:
Committee
Topic
Country

8. Research
• Develop supporting evidence for both sides
• Identify the issues and prejudices keeping your
audience in mind
•Assume familiarity with basic concepts but define
unfamiliar terms or concepts that define your position
• Refer to those who agree with your position to assist
you in developing your argument

9. Hamburger Model
Top Bun-Introduction
Plan Section !
Plan Section 2
Plan Section 3
Conclusion

10. Top Bun-Introduction
• A brief introduction to the country
and its history regarding the topic
and/or UN body

11. Lettuce-Content Background
• The country’s actions on a national
level, including political and/or
foreign policy.

12. Tomato-Content Background
•The country’s actions on the
international level, including resolutions,
conventions and declarations that the
country supports.

13. Burger-Content Background
•Quotes taken from speeches made
by heads of the government and/or
government representatives.
•Statistics regarding the issue.

14. Bottom Bun- Conclusion
•The country’s recommendation for
a resolution for the topic. State
some of your possible solutions.

15. Hints
•Your introduction sentence should be an
attention grabber!!!
•You should use details to support your ideas
including quotes, statistics and references to
documents.
•Your conclusion should sum up and reflect the
importance of your arguments.

16. Warning
•Absolutely no plagiarism will be accepted.
That means no copy-pastes from the
Internet.
•All research must be properly cited.
•Direct excerpts from a text must be in
quotation marks.

17. Information
•To make it easier, you should answer the
questions in the study guide first and then
make your position paper. You need to have
all your research first.
•Any questions about the topic ask your
Executive Board Member.

18. Mohammad Ibn Hassan