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Research Tips
Researching your topic
Q: I just received my country and topic assignment. Where do I begin my research?
A: It would be useful to divide your research into three categories:
- general research on your assigned topic
- research on your assigned country's policies with regard to the assigned topic. If possible, you should begin by researching your assigned topic
- general research on your assigned country's background and culture
- If possible, you should begin by researching your assigned topic.
Q: So, how do I go about researching the topic I was assigned?
A: It depends on the resources that are available to you. If you have access to a library and/or the Internet, they would both be good places to start. Look for books and web sites that give a general overview of the topic as well as information on more specific aspects of your topic. Try to get an idea of how complex the subject is and how many different aspects you might be confronted with during the conference.
For example, if your topic is infectious diseases, you would want to start by identifying the most common infectious diseases, which sectors of the population are most vulnerable to getting them and why, what causes them, what role environmental conditions play in the spread of these diseases, etc. In addition, you would want to become familiar with the availability of medical treatment, such as vaccine programmes as well as other approaches to the problem, such as education programmes that aim to inform the public of what they can do to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
If you use the Internet for your research you should make sure that you carefully select your sources. The amount of materials available are likely to be far greater than what you can digest in the amount of time you have available to prepare for a conference. Keep in mind that web sites are not always reliable sources of information. Carefully select the sources you wish to rely on for preparing your arguments.
When searching libraries or the Internet for information you might want to look for several keywords that are related to your topic. Sometimes, different spellings or alternative wordings may lead you to additional sources of information.
Here are some common internet resources to help you get started:
- Permanent Missions to the United Nations
- United States Embassies web site
This web site contains many links to other resources on countries around the world.
- United Kingdom Overseas Mission Policy Pages
A guide to British regional and global policy on key issues.
- Ministries of Foreign Affairs
The foreign affairs web sites often contain information about governmental policies on different issues.
In addition to libraries and the Internet, newspaper archives and NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations) are also useful resources. NGOs are voluntary citizens' groups that perform a variety of services and humanitarian functions, bring citizens' concerns to Governments, monitor policies and encourage political participation at the community level. They provide analysis of issues, serve as early warning mechanisms and help monitor and implement international agreements. Some are organized around specific issues, such as human rights, the environment or health. There are over 1500 NGOs currently working with the UN. The main UN web site contains an extensive list of NGOs organized alphabetically as well as by region and topic.
Q: Is there anything I should keep in mind when doing research?
A: Remember that many of your sources may be biased. If possible, try to find independent confirmation of the information you have obtained from more than one source.
Moreover, when gathering information it is important to distinguish between opinions and facts. Facts are used to support opinions. Whenever possible use facts to support your arguments but don't be surprised if there are instances when facts are not available. Ultimately, you will be presenting an opinion and must defend it against other opinions. Therefore, it is crucial for you to be familiar with different viewpoints and opinions on your topic. Study arguments that are different from the one your country is likely to take on your topic. Analyse the facts that are used to support opposing arguments. Sometimes the same facts can be used to support two different positions on a topic. Use your knowledge of the complex issues that underlie your topic to find gaps or errors in the reasoning used by those who oppose your position. Remember, it is up to you to decide which particular points you want to focus on in your own arguments and this decision needs to be guided by your country's position!
Finally, read UN resolutions on your topic to find out what issues tend to be discussed when your topic is debated. Resolutions passed by the General Assembly, Security Council, and ECOSOC can be found at the UN Documentation Centre.
Researching the culture and background of your country
Q: How do I research the culture and background of the country I have been assigned? And why is this important?
A: You can get some of this info from your country's permanent mission to the United Nations at and/or from your country's embassy or consulates. (Check Country @ a Glance for information based on the UN's statistical databases).
Some nations (or private organizations located in these countries) maintain institutions that promote their culture and serve as an access point for intercultural relations (e.g. the British Councils from the United Kingdom, America Houses from the USA or the German Goethe Institutes).
The information you gather about the country that has been assigned to you should include elements of its history, culture, religion, economy (including its major industries, exports, and imports), political structure and current affairs (including information about political parties, whether the opposition exists officially or unofficially, and its affiliations with international or trade organizations).
This information is important because it will help you understand why your country adopts certain positions and policies. Being aware of your country's historical development as well as its cultural, political, economic, and social background will help you understand its people and the arguments they would use to support or oppose different policies. The same holds true for the arguments that the representatives of that nation would be willing to accept during debate.
Here is a useful exercise to help you see things from the perspective of someone who lives in the country you are representing: Imagine how a citizen from the country you are representing might rise from being a student the same age as you to that country's UN ambassador. What sort of experiences would they have as a child, in school, in various jobs? What sort of events in that country's history would they have participated in? If you try to answer these questions, this imaginary biography should help you realize how cultural experiences can shape one's outlook on the world.
There is another reason why it is important to know your country's culture and background. New questions can be added to the agenda by majority votes and you may find yourself faced with questions that you didn't prepare for. A general knowledge of your country's culture and background will help you figure out how to respond to unforeseen questions and/or additions to the agenda.
One last point for you to consider, your general knowledge of a topic needs to be supplemented by your knowledge about your country. If we return to the infectious diseases example, your policy on this topic would have to take into consideration the infrastructure that is available in your country (or lack of it) to fight these diseases. If there is no education programs to inform citizens how to prevent certain diseases or if there was a recent natural disaster then your country's policies must reflect the current conditions that exist within its borders.
Researching your country's position on an assigned topic
Q: How do I start researching my country's position on the topic I have been assigned?
A: You might be able to find some of this info at the same places that offer information about your country's culture and background. The local Embassies or Consulates should be particularly useful. Also, find out if your country has a website for its Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These sites sometimes summarize a country's position on different topics.
Q: What if my country doesn't have a Ministry of Foreign Affairs website?
A: If your country doesn't have a Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, you may have to look at the web site run by the government of your assigned country. (Looking up the name of the ministry in its original language might also be helpful. Chances are, you will find an English translation of the main pages.)
Q: What if I don't find any information on my topic from any of these sites?
A: If none of the above sources can provide you with the required information, you should run general web searches using the main keywords related to your topic and the name of your country.
Q: What if I need to find out a country's policy on an obscure topic? What if I just cannot find the information?
A: In Model UN, we often cannot find specific policy statements for each and every topic we talk about. Thus, we need to make the best policy we can from the information we have.
Individual questions are usually part of a larger topic area (such as human rights, environmental issues, international affairs, international economic cooperation, etc.). Find out what viewpoint your country promotes in as many related issues as possible; this will show you what a policy on your topic would probably look like. If you cannot find any information about your country's position on the legalization of soft drugs, for example, look at how drug trafficking is dealt with, or whether drug abuse is treated as a crime or as a disease. Going one step further, you should look at the overall political scene within your country and see what position might fit into this larger picture.
It doesn't matter if you get the "exact" policy of your country; all that matters is that you present a policy that makes sense for your country.
Q: Are there any other points I should consider when preparing my country's position on an assigned topic?
A: Just remember that familiarity with the facts must be integrated with diplomacy and politics. Since all decisions will require at least single majorities, you should not concentrate on positions that support extreme measures or viewpoints even if that option is compatible with your country's position. (Of course, if you think you have reasonable arguments supporting an extreme position you may want to take the challenge of convincing others that it is not as absurd as it may first appear.)
If you happen to find an official policy statement from your country on your assigned topic, we recommend that you do not read it word for word during a conference but use it instead as another resource. Official policy statements are sometimes vague or technical and need to be supplemented with other information you have gathered.
Other useful strategies
Q: Are there any useful strategies to organize my preparation?
A: Although the three areas of research compliment one another, you will find that the actual research will not always be clearly divided into these three categories. The research is often dictated by your personal schedule and the availability of information resources. Moreover, it is not always the case that assigned topics and countries will be announced at the same time.
On a more general note, when working as a team with other MUNers who have been assigned the same country, your group can share information and thus achieve a higher degree of preparation. In order to do this, each team member should know about the questions that other team members are researching so that each one can share valuable information that they may come across as they research their own topic. Problems can often be solved if you discuss them with other team members. Working together in this fashion will help your group to present your country in a coherent and convincing fashion during the Model UN.
Q: What else should I keep in mind when doing my research?
A: In order to adequately represent your nation during the conference, you will need to interact with delegates from other countries. Knowing their positions on your questions will help you predict their arguments during debate and decide in advance where it might be useful to seek cooperation and compromise. Foreknowledge can further help you prepare your position in advance and to gather more support for your own position.
Clearly it is not possible to be aware of every individual country's policies. However, the more positions you know in advance, the more you will be able to react quickly to different viewpoints during the debate. At the very least, you should be aware of viewpoints held by key countries on any issue.
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