How definitions will work for this section.
Term - Common time it appears in a MUN [link]
Main Goal of Term
Procedure/What to do
Example (clarification)
Attendance
After the chair’s preambulatory ramble, the committee begins with an Attendance Call.
The Chair will read out the names of each country one by one and each delegate is to
respond to their country being called by lifting their placard[1]
and stating either present or present and voting[2]. If
you happen to be late, after you are seated you must send a note[3]
up to the chair with either Present or Present and Voting on it.
Primary Speakers’ List
The chair will then ask,
“Are there any points or motions[4][5]
on the floor[6] at this time?” They will then pick a delegate who has
their placard raised, call out their country name and they will respond with a motion to open
the Primary Speakers’ List[7][8].
If this motion gets a majority vote, the Primary Speakers’ List opens.
Agenda
Once the floor is open again, (usually when the primary speakers list has been exhausted)
the Chair will ask again, “Are there any points or motions on the floor at this time?” From there a
delegate may motion to Set the Agenda[9] to their desired order. Multiple agendas
can be proposed. After the propositions are done a delegate will make the motion to Adopt an Agenda.
Adoption requires a simple majority vote by placard.
Post Agenda
From this point you gain options of what you’d like to propose the delegation do.
The main options are as follows. Open the Secondary Speakers’ List[10][8]
which requires a majority vote. Propose a Moderated Caucus[11][12]
which requires a majority vote or an Unmoderated Caucus[13][12]
which requires a majority vote.
Pre Voting
By this time working papers have been created, presented and discussed. It is time to move to voting.
When the chair asks for a motion, a delegate may ask for a Motion to Close Debate[15].
The Speakers List must then be closed by a Motion to Close the Speakers’ List[16].
Once the speakers list is closed and the remaining speakers give a chance to speak, (exhausting the speakers
list) the committee enters voting procedures.
Voting
During voting you can not talk or send notes to any delegate. The doors are barred (always found the
barring of doors funny but it is what it is) and no one can enter or leave the room. Before the
actual voting occurs, one last motion may be proposed - Motion to Divide the Question[17].
Afterwards voting occurs. The chair calls out each country one at a time and each must respond with one of
the four following answers. Yes, No, Abstain or Pass[18], a 2/3rd
majority is required to pass a resolution. After voting the topic is completed and the next in the agenda can
occur, beginning again at the post agenda stage. If all topics are completed then the delegation has
exhausted all speaking points and can motion to adjourn.
Conclusion
Congrats, you just went through a crash course on what you should expect at a MUN conference
without the unnecessary filler that you’d get listening to a speaker. You also don’t have to
parse through length documents about official procedure because I already did all that for you
right here. Unless of course you want to read the detailed guides, which I left with the rest
of my sources at the end.
Placard - General [Back]
Your placard is basically your way of indicating your presence. You use it to indicate: attendance, desire to speak, offer a motion and to vote.
If you don’t know how to raise a sheet of paper you’d be better off asking wikihow
It’s a 8”x11.5” folded piece of paper with country name on it
Present vs Present and Voting - Attendance [Back]
State your attendance.
When responding to attendance, there are two options to pick from. Present or Present and Voting.
There is no downside to choosing Present over Present and Voting so many Teachers will recommend you say Present
Notes - General [Back]
Notes are your way to communicate to other delegates or the chair. Since you obviously can’t yell
your thoughts across the room you have to communicate with paper. They are helpful when sending
information to the chair to be added to a list or when communicating with other Delegates.
You’d want to communicate in case the recipient delegate seems to share your country’s
ideals and would make a good ally when drafting a working paper or when you’re already in
the process of a working paper and want to share clauses.
Notes can contain basically anything but if you write something offensive and the chair finds out then good luck to you. Be sure to include your country name and the name of the country you want to send it too.
Motion - General [Back]
A motion is something a delegate can say to the chair to try and shape the procedure of the conference. It is usually used to move the delegation onto another topic.
If the chair feels that the motion is bad they can rule it out of order which means that it will not be entertained. As long as you don’t insult anyone and keep your request reasonable there should never be a time where your motion is ruled out of order. If it is ruled in order a vote usually follows, the votes needed can change based on what you are motioning.
Example: Motion to Recess (motion keyword)
Motion with Time/Max Time - General [Back]
These motions occur when the motion involves the delegates speaking. An example of this is a speakers list where the motion is for delegates to share to the delegation their views.
These motions require you to add a time clause indicating the speaking time with some also requiring a max time. Make sure your max time is wholly divisible by the speaking time so you don’t look like an idiot and not make the speaking time outrageously long or else the chair might ask you to change the motioned times or deny your motion outright.
Ex: Motion to Set the Speakers' Time to 1 min (individual speaking time).
Ex with max time: Motion for a 6 min (total time) Moderated Caucus with a 45 sec (individual time) speaking time for the purpose of (insert purpose here)
Floor - General [Back]
Fancy word which has a meaning that is hard to describe. It is easier to parse it’s context out of the phrase that it is included in.
Primary Speakers’ List - Pre Agenda [Back]
The reasoning behind this list is for delegates to discuss what the delegate believes the agenda order should be and their reasonings for such.
The Primary Speakers’ List is the first motion that comes after Attendance and opens a speaking list. Follows the same procedures as an speakers’ list[8]
Speakers’ List - General [Back]
A Speakers’ List is the default method of debate. Speakers are added to this list and once they speak, are removed. After you speak you can ask to be readded to the list but you cannot be on the list twice at the same time. Passes with a simple majority vote.
Any delegates wishing to be added to this list will raise their placards until they are verbally called out by the Chair. If you wish to be added to this list later on in the session, send a note to the chair stating such, making sure you specify this list and your country name. If you have time left after saying what you wish to say, you must yield[14] your time.
Agenda - Agenda [Back]
The agenda is the order of topics that the delegation is going through.
The topics in the Agenda can be referred by their number. This is especially helpful when listing multiple so you don’t have to read them all out.
Ex Setting: Motion to set the agenda order to 1, 3, 2 (Some combination of 1, 2 and 3)
Ex Adopting: Motion to adopt the agenda order 3, 2, 1 (one of the proposed agendas’ number combination)
Secondary Speakers’ List - Post Agenda [Back]
Sometimes also called the General Speakers’ List, the goal of this speakers’ list is to debate the agenda topic being discussed as decided by the previous motions. This is the time to share your countries’ thoughts on the following issue and possibly what your delegation plans to do with the problem. When no other motions are all the floor, the chair defaults back to this list until another motion is passed.
The Secondary Speakers’ List can be motioned once, any time after the agenda has been set. Follows the same procedures as an speakers’ list[8]
Moderated Caucus - Post Agenda [Back]
A type of caucus where you share thoughts or ideas to the whole delegation or hear ideas from other delegates. This is a good time to put out what your country believes so that any countries that share the same ideals will contact or join forces with you. If you have time left after saying what you wish to say, you must yield[14] your time.
This caucus is moderated by the chair and time limits are set on both speaker time and the max amount of speakers by the motion from which the caucus was created. When you’d like to speak, wait for the chair to call upon a speaker. When the chair calls, raise your placard. You might not be chosen if other delegations also raise their placards and are chosen instead.
Ex Motion: Motion for a 5 minute (max time) Moderated Caucus with 1 min (individual time) speaking time on the economic impact of providing every dog a gun (sub-issue of topic)
Ex Talking: The delegation of Russia (country) believes that the best way forward for
Caucus - Post Agenda [Back]
A caucus is time set aside for debate, lobbying of ideals, formation of coalitions or to write resolutions. Most of the work occurs in this type of motion. Passes with a majority vote.
Unmoderated Caucus - Post Agenda [Back]
A type of caucus where you share thoughts or ideas to people you choose. At this time delegates can meet freely with any others to discuss any topic or to work on items such as a working paper.
This caucus is unmoderated meaning that delegates can leave their seats and go meet with any other delegations. The max time is set by the motion from which the caucus was created and enforced by the chair. This is a good time to meet with any delegates that seem to share your ideas in their other speeches to group together and hopefully create a working paper. PS, try not to just sit at your desk the whole time because you’re shy/unsure of procedures. I know how it feels because I’ve gone through it myself (that’s the reason why I’m writing this so you can be more prepared) which is why you can believe me when I say you should just go to a group, listen and contribute. Most other delegates will be accommodating when you say you’re new unless they’re some conceited and over the top delegate.
Ex Motion: Motion for a 8 minute (max time) Unmoderated Caucus for the creation of working papers (desired purpose)
Yielding Time - General
If you have time left after speaking, before ending your speech you must yield the rest of the time in any of the following three ways.
Yielding to the Chair is the simplest yield where your remaining time is voided and your speaking time is completed. Yielding to Questions is where for the rest of your speaking time you will yield questions to the rest of the delegations and respond to them. Yielding to another Delegation is where you give the rest of your time to another delegate so that they may speak. If you’re yielding to another delegation, make sure there is some reason for it. For example maybe they are in your coalition and will echo your ideas. Do not give it to a random delegation with which you have given no forewarning.
Ex: “I yield the rest of my time to the Chair”
Ex: “ I yield the rest of my time to questions”
Ex: “I yield the rest of my time to the delegation of Luxembourg (some other country)”
Motion to Close Debate - Pre Voting [Back]
Signals the end of the Post-Agenda discussion time and the beginning of the voting. This motion ends all discussion and when it passes the body moves into voting.
It requires 2 speakers against and a ⅔ majority vote to pass or if there are no speakers against, the motion automatically passes.
Motion to Close the Speakers’ List - Pre Voting [Back]
Must occur after a motion to close debate. Ends the speakers list.
Needs a simple majority to pass. No delegates may be added to the speakers list after it is passed.
Motion to Divide the Question - Voting [Back]
This motions calles for some of the clauses in a resolution to be voted on separate from the paper as a whole.
The delegate proposing this motion must mention which clause they’d like to be divided. The chair calls for 2 speakers for and 2 against the motion and after a simple majority is needed to pass. If the motion is passed a second vote occurs on whether the clauses should or should not be included. This requires a simple majority.
Yes, No, Abstain or Pass - Voting [Back]
Yes, No, Abstain or Pass are the four possible choices when called to vote.