TMF Guides · Model UN
MUN Research That Actually Wins Committees
Research is not reading — it is building a small, retrievable set of facts you can deploy in 45 seconds under pressure. Delegates who read for hours and build nothing lose to delegates with one page of the right material.
Where to look
Start with the primary record: past UN resolutions on the agenda, your country's voting history, and the text of any treaty in question.
Then read two things your opponents will not: your country's most recent statement in the actual UN body, and the domestic constraint that shapes it.
- UN Digital Library — resolutions and voting records.
- The country's ministry of external affairs / state department site.
- UN body-specific reports (OHCHR, UNODA, UNEP, IAEA).
- Wire services for developments in the last six months.
- The conference's own delegate guide for agenda framing.
The one-page method
Compress everything into a single sheet: five facts with numbers, three resolutions with numbers, two allies, two opponents, and one red line your country will not cross.
That sheet is what you carry into committee. Everything else is context you already absorbed writing it.
Turning research into arguments
A fact without a consequence is trivia. Pair every statistic with the policy conclusion it forces, and you have an argument the committee has to answer.
Chairs reward accuracy over volume — one correctly cited resolution beats five vague references.
Frequently asked questions
How much research is needed for a MUN?
Around six to ten focused hours for a standard committee, compressed into a one-page usable brief.
What are the best sources for MUN research?
UN Digital Library, the represented country's foreign ministry, UN body-specific reports, and the conference's own delegate guide.
Should I research other countries too?
Yes — at minimum two likely allies and two likely opponents, so you can anticipate the arguments coming at you.
Keep reading
How to Prepare for a MUN in Seven Days
A day-by-day preparation plan for a Model UN conference — research, position paper, speeches, bloc strategy and what to carry into committee.
MUN Position Paper Format
The standard MUN position paper format — header, background, country stance, proposed solutions — with word counts, structure and the mistakes that get papers ignored.
MUN Topics and Agendas Worth Debating
Strong MUN agenda ideas across UN, Indian and crisis committees — with guidance on what makes an agenda debatable rather than one-sided.
Put it into practice
The MUN Factory 3.0 — registrations open
Fifteen committees across UN, Indian, Special and Event formats. Individual and delegation tracks, with tiered discounts from five delegates.