Position paper guidelines

Dear Delegates,

SSUNS 2011 is extremely pleased that you will be attending our annual conference both as an eager student and as a skilled diplomat. To help transcend the distance between those two, we ask that you submit a position paper in addition to completing any and all pertinent research.

Primarily, position papers are tools used to outline a country’s foreign policy and their national goals as they specifically relate to each committee’s unique array of topics. By being able to clearly articulate the agenda of your member state, you will convey a clear sense of direction for all other delegates in your simulation. This paper is also your best opportunity apart from the conference itself to demonstrate the breadth of your historical insight and knowledge of current events. For character based committees, this paper provides a chance to explore your particular character’s motivations, credentials, and anticipated goals. Furthermore, by providing context through using past examples, you will be well poised to express justifications for your nation’s or character’s present position.

SSUNS does require each delegate to submit a position paper in order to be eligible for an award. Additionally, the papers are expected to be between 750 – 1000 words, double spaced.

In order to provide the most comprehensive feedback and constructive commentary possible, this year the conference is introducing an optional deadline of Friday, October 14th. Any student who submits their paper by the aforementioned date will receive feedback from experienced chairs and vice-chairs who will grade the work in accordance with the rubric that follows.

SSUNS has a strict policy against plagiarism and the inappropriate use of academic work. Papers will be checked thoroughly for proper citations (we recommend MLA) and any breaches of this policy will be reported to school faculty advisors.

Finally, I wish each and every one of you the best of luck as you work towards a successful paper and a rewarding conference experience. Team Committees and the entire SSUNS Secretariat and staff are here to help you in any way possible and we look forward to reading your fantastic work!

Best Regards,

Rida Malik
USG Committees, SSUNS 2011

Position paper grading rubric

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	1	2	3	4	5	Total
Background information (x4)	No examples of action taken and/or no identification of the issues	Vague - identification of the issue, but no examples of past action	Short description of issues and few examples of past action	Moderate description of issues and several examples of past action	In-depth analysis of issues and many examples of past action
Description of Country's Position (x4)	No discussion of country's position or diplomatic record at the UN	Country's position briefly mentioned	Country’s position present, but is contrary to existing policies or voting records	Country’s position stated with examples as justification	Country’s position stated and well developed through a variety of proofs
Justification and Summary of Position (x4)	No justification given for country’s position and no summary	A summary is present but with no justification	A brief summary with a justification that has only minimal proof	A brief summary with a slightly developed justification (more proof is present)	Well developed summary of position and justification
Spelling & punctuation (x2)	10 or more errors	7-9 errors	3-6 errors	1-2 errors	No errors
Grammar (x2)	Difficult to read	Difficult to connect ideas together	Slightly confusing but does not impede overall understanding	Does not impede understanding	No errors
Clarity (x2)	No order or organization	Random or weak organization	Lapses in focus and/or coherence	Logical organization	Careful and precise organization
Language structure (x2)	Incorrect wording and/or no variety in structure	Ineffective wording, lack of visible topic or structure	Simplistic language and awkward/ simplistic sentence style	Effective language and varied sentence structure	Precise, strong language and variety of structure
Final score (out of 100)