Research Cites
UNA-USA Resource Links:
http://www.unausa.org/global-classrooms-model-un/for-educators/resources/resource-links
O-MUN Resource Links:
http://onlinemodelunitednations.org/content/student-resources
U.S. State Department background notes:
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/
CIA The World Factbook:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html
United Nations Bibliographic Information System:
http://www.unausa.org/global-classrooms-model-un/how-to-participate/model-un-preparation/research/country-research
The following links have been provided by UNA-USA's Education Department to help with your researching needs.
http://www.unausa.org/global-classrooms-model-un/for-educators/resources/resource-links
O-MUN Resource Links:
http://onlinemodelunitednations.org/content/student-resources
U.S. State Department background notes:
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/
CIA The World Factbook:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html
United Nations Bibliographic Information System:
http://www.unausa.org/global-classrooms-model-un/how-to-participate/model-un-preparation/research/country-research
The following links have been provided by UNA-USA's Education Department to help with your researching needs.
- Country Information (General & Regional)
- Maps
- United Nations and affiliated agencies (like the UNDP, UNICEF, Human Rights Council, UNESCO, World Bank, World Health Organization, and more)
- International Organizations not directly affiliated with the UN (like the Pan American Health Organization)
- News Media
- US Government
- Issues and Nongovernmental Organizations
- For Teachers
- A Concise Encyclopedia of the United Nations (not directly affiliated with the UN)
- United Nations
- UN CyberSchoolBus
- UN Works
- UN Peace and Security Page
- UN Human Rights Page
- UN Economic and Social Development Page
- UN Humanitarian Affairs Page
- UN International Law Page
- US Department of State
- Butler University Model UN
- Center for Global Development
- Globalization101.org
- Global Policy Innovations
- Global Envision
- BestDelegate.com
UNA-USA Research Guide (All Rights Reserved to UNA-USA)
Collecting Country Information
When researching your position at a Model UN conference, you will first need to learn about your country so you can address the issues raised at the conference as a real UN delegate from that country would. To represent your country accurately, start by answering the following questions:
1. What sort of government does your country have?
2. What types of ideologies (political, religious or other) influence your country's government?
3. Which domestic issues might influence your country's foreign policy?
4. What are some major events in your country's history? Why are they important?
5. Which ethnicities, religions and languages can be found in your country?
6. Where is your country located and how does its geography affect its political relationships?
7. Which countries share a border with your country?
8. Which countries are considered allies of your country?
9. Which countries are considered enemies of your country?
10. What are the characteristics of your country's economy?
11. What is your country's gross domestic product (GDP)? How does this compare to other countries in the world?
12. When did your country become a member of the UN?
13. Does your country belong to any intergovernmental organizations outside the UN system such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)?
14. Does your country belong to any regional organizations such as the European Union (EU), the African Union (AU) or the Organization of American States (OAS)?
15. Does your country belong to any trade organizations or agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) or the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)?
Researching Conference Topics
Once you have learned about the country you represent and it's government, people, and economy, you should develop an understanding of the issues that will be debated at your committee. Many conferences send out background materials or issue briefs, which can help jump start your research. You may want to look at the sources cited in these materials for more in-depth information. If the conference background materials pose questions, you should answer them with your country information in mind.
Here are some additional questions to help guide your research:
16. What is the problem? How does it affect your country?
17. What has your country done to combat the problem?
18. What are the various "sides" in the debate?
19. Which aspects of the issue are most important to your country?
20. If your country is not involved with the issue, how can it become involved?
21. How will your country shape the debate at the conference?
22. What arguments will other countries make?
23. How do the positions of other countries affect your country's position?
24. Is there evidence or statistics that might help to back up your country's position?
When researching your position at a Model UN conference, you will first need to learn about your country so you can address the issues raised at the conference as a real UN delegate from that country would. To represent your country accurately, start by answering the following questions:
1. What sort of government does your country have?
2. What types of ideologies (political, religious or other) influence your country's government?
3. Which domestic issues might influence your country's foreign policy?
4. What are some major events in your country's history? Why are they important?
5. Which ethnicities, religions and languages can be found in your country?
6. Where is your country located and how does its geography affect its political relationships?
7. Which countries share a border with your country?
8. Which countries are considered allies of your country?
9. Which countries are considered enemies of your country?
10. What are the characteristics of your country's economy?
11. What is your country's gross domestic product (GDP)? How does this compare to other countries in the world?
12. When did your country become a member of the UN?
13. Does your country belong to any intergovernmental organizations outside the UN system such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)?
14. Does your country belong to any regional organizations such as the European Union (EU), the African Union (AU) or the Organization of American States (OAS)?
15. Does your country belong to any trade organizations or agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) or the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)?
Researching Conference Topics
Once you have learned about the country you represent and it's government, people, and economy, you should develop an understanding of the issues that will be debated at your committee. Many conferences send out background materials or issue briefs, which can help jump start your research. You may want to look at the sources cited in these materials for more in-depth information. If the conference background materials pose questions, you should answer them with your country information in mind.
Here are some additional questions to help guide your research:
16. What is the problem? How does it affect your country?
17. What has your country done to combat the problem?
18. What are the various "sides" in the debate?
19. Which aspects of the issue are most important to your country?
20. If your country is not involved with the issue, how can it become involved?
21. How will your country shape the debate at the conference?
22. What arguments will other countries make?
23. How do the positions of other countries affect your country's position?
24. Is there evidence or statistics that might help to back up your country's position?