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A Bite Sized Guide to Writing Resolutions

Writing a comprehensive resolution as a solution to the problem presented in your topic area is the goal of your committee. By passing this document and ending all substantive debate, you and your colleagues are not only reaffirming your solidarity and commitment to honouring this mutual pact, but also, are demonstrating that you have reached an equitable and viable solution.

The resolution reflects everything that has thus far been discussed: compromise, your national policy, and new developments occurring during session. It is not meant to be something prepared beforehand, nor a word-for-word account of your position paper, rather, it is meant to be a result of debate and negotiation with your allies, fellow bloc nations, and other countries sharing your viewpoints.

This being said, for you to support a resolution, you must be sure that it falls within your national policy. You cannot simply sign on to every piece of paper that passes your way. Often, to ensure that one’s interests are being met, delegates will often start their own resolutions.

So long as you have the input of other countries (that will support the document during committee session), this is a fantastic idea. Be sure, however, that there aren’t already ten resolutions already on the floor; joining a group already espousing ideas you agree with would be far more productive than simply starting from scratch and repeating many of their ideas.

 

Working Papers

Before the resolution stage, comes the Working paper stage. A working paper can be described as a “Baby Resolution”, as it is lacks great deals of complexity and detail that are often found of the latter paper.

Essentially, the working paper serves the function of codifying various ideas major ideas buzzing around the room, and organizing them into a clear statement. While they do not have the importance of a resolution, working papers are still an integral of the MUN experience.

By identifying yourself with a particular viewpoint or stance, you can attract other delegations to your side. Other groups are able to have easy access your bloc stance (working papers are passed out on sheets of paper), and as a result of this, they will know exactly how much they can compromise, and can find their relative compatibility with your position.

having a hard copy of your stance throughout the session, they can make reference to their concerns during moderated caucuses or speaking times. By compromising and receiving constructive feedback, you can add or chance clauses so that your resolution (the next logical step) will be met with greater support and popularity.

Writing a Working Paper is fairly simple.

The rules of format are not as strict or comprehensive as those regulating resolutions. While working papers can be written in resolution format (see section later in write-up), there are numerous other fashions in which they can be submitted, depending on the conference. For the most part, however, it’s the content, not the organization, that’s the biggest concern.

Finally, you should know that Working Papers are informal documents: they need not be introduced in the same fashion as a resolution. They are simply put up and distributed. This being said, get started on one early in the conference; you’ll impresses fellow nations and the chair.

 

The Resolution in Brief

Once some working papers have been put on the floor and several ideas have been debated and discussed both in unmoderated and moderated caucuses, the time has come to get together with other delegates and begin writing a resolution.

As noted before, a resolution is a formal and comprehensive course of action to react to the problems presented by the topic area. Once it has been written, a resolution must be submitted to the committee chair who then authorizes the copying (so that all delegates receive your work) and distribution of the paper.

Before submission, you must ascertain the signatures of several delegates (this varies between conferences – some require as few as 5, others as many as 25), who wish for the resolution to be introduced to the committee as a whole. These delegates prove to the committee chair that there is enough support for the document to justify bringing before all the delegates during the session.

Often, these signatories will form the backbone of the resolution’s support group but this is not always the case. A student who signs a resolution may simply be voicing his or her support for the resolution being debated on the floor and the ideas contained within it, being evaluated and improved upon.

 

Writing The Resolution

At the very top of any resolution should be the committee you are in. There should be no other titles or statements, just the committee name (and at some conferences, the names of the resolution writers right below that).

The first part of the resolution are the preambulatory clauses: adverbial and adjectival phrases used to describe the committee’s intent, motivation, and frame of mind when writing the resolution. As shown by sentence “A” on sample Resolution A, preambulatory are meant to be concise and effective.

All preambulatory clauses begin with capital letters and have the first word (the adverbial or adjectival modifier) underlined (A1). When writing a resolution for the first time, you may find yourself at a loss for “first words” or opening for one of the preambulatory clauses. To help you out, listed below is a list that includes some, but definitely not all, of the opening options. Be sure to vary these throughout your write-up.

the preambulatory clauses, come the operative clauses (B on Sample Resolution A): the main body of the resolution. The operative clauses contain the “action” of the resolution: literally, what is being proposed or suggested. As a general rule, the clauses are group according to their subject matter. In terms of format, each operative clause starts with a capitalized present tense verb in the third person singular to, as with the preambulatory clauses, to demonstrate the intentions and goals of the committee. Remember this is where your content must go!

Be sure to put as much material as possible in your resolution: the more comprehensive and all encompassing it is, the less likely it will need to be amended or changed. Furthermore, by submitting a large resolution you are allowing for the more controversial factors to be discussed and edited out (by division of the question) without having a major impact on the resolution as a whole; taking one clause away out of 17 is less than one out of 6.

Be willing to compromise: the most successful resolutions are those that result from the combination of many different ones. Also, try to work in smaller rather than larger groups. We’ve all heard the saying too many cooks spoil the broth, and MUN is not different. If you are with a group of thirty people, nothing will be accomplished. Everyone will try to talk at the same time, and it will be impossible to control order. An hour after beginning, you’ll find yourself with nothing accomplished and a massive headache.

Work with a few people, then go individually to other countries and bounce ideas off them. This way, you can still work constructively and get input from other blocs.

Be sure to make reference to the Model Resolution if there is an area that you don’t fully understand. The Model paper is based on the prototype used by many different US College hosted MUNs.

Below are lists of preambulatory clauses, and operative openings that are commonly used. These are just a few samples that may come in handy during session: