Some Research Tips for your Committee Work
Your first goal as you begin your research is to become familiar with each of the committee topics. Know what the key documents/treaties/resolutions, etc are concerning the topic. Know when and where the topic has been discussed in an international forum (ex: International Conference on Women in Beijing 1995). Being able to identify these key forums and documents will help you find additional information as you begin to look for more details later on.
It is probably a good idea to Get Organized. Take notes, make outlines, make lists. Keep all your materials tabbed and labeled in a binder or folder so you can find them again as you need them.
As you begin your committee research you will find there is frequently an overwhelming abundance of information on your topics. Don't be overwhelmed. You do not need to read every single word written on the topic. Develop your skimming skills: look in the table of contents, look at the bold headings and subheadings, this will help you narrow your search quickly. Just read the paragraphs that are directly related to your topic. Making an outline or list of the different subtopics on an issue can be helpful. Keep an eye open for "summaries" "overviews" "fact sheets", etc on your topic. These will be brief and to the point.
You can use much of the "overview" information you find in your position papers. A few concise sentences will help you summarize what actions the UN has taken on particular issues in the past and what documents it has drafted, etc. Then you can move on to your country's position on the issue.
The next level of research, once you are familiar with the topics, is to find your country's position on the issues. One of the easiest ways to do this is to go to the Foreign Minister home page for the country. This will frequently include foreign policy history, relations with other countries and international organizations, trade policies, etc. Another good source is the local / national newspaper, especially if your committee topic has been in the news recently. Again, its good to develop your skimming skills when you find large quantities of information.
One of the final steps you take in your research preparation is to set a few specific goals for the conference. Find a subtopic on each of your committee issues that interests you and dig a little more deeply into it. Then draft a proposal of the wording / action you want to be taken on the issue when your committee writes its resolutions. For example, if your committee topic is the AIDS epidemic, you might decide to focus on education efforts to address the problem. Your goal is to make sure that whatever resolution is passed includes a clause that directly addresses your concern with health education about AIDS.
A good way to find additional information about your topic is to look for "Links" sections on the web sites you have already visited. These links can take you to more information. Again, skim selectively as it pertains to your specific topic or subtopic interests.