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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TOPIC PAGE NO.
LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE BOARD 2
SUBMISSION FORMAT 3
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES 4
GENERAL RULES AND BEST PRACTICES 6
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LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE BOARD:
Dear Reporters,
Welcome to the International Press Corps of the Sixth Edition of Sir Mutha Model United
Nations 2024. It is our pleasure to bring on board a string of bright writers for the coverage of
a stellar conference.
In a world where journalists' voices are sometimes muted by the outcry of those holding the
reins, this conference provides you the unique opportunity to write with the blood of
accountability. Our team is tasked with drafting and presenting the discussions that unfold,
keeping in mind the colossal power of our words. Pursue the hidden answers, but always keep
the bigger picture in mind. Your responsibility is to cover the conference while upholding the
highest standards in your reporting.
It is integral to build a solid foundation for the arguments you put forth as a beacon of truth.
Do not stay indifferent to the work that needs to go into every report you produce. Stick to the
facts, opine with reasonability, and maintain brevity. However, do not hesitate to let your
personality shine through your work, blending it with thorough research, well-grounded
viewpoints, and excellent writing. Above all, I value authentic work. I would love to see you
express your individuality and original insights in your work, rather than emulating others,
whether human or otherwise.
We look forward to seeing your best work and will guide you throughout this journey. We hope
this will be a great learning experience, enabling us to grow as reporters together! Wishing you
all the best, and remember: every word makes a difference.
Regards,
A Ankitha Reddy
2
SUBMISSION FORMAT:
Ensure that each of your articles are written in Times New Roman and include the following:
Title:
Aspire to capture the essence of your article and grab your reader's attention with a great title.
Font: Times New Roman, size 14, bold, and centre-aligned
By-line:
Introduce yourself to your audience and outline the objective of the article.
Font: Times New Roman, size 11 and italicised, with justified alignment
Example:
The Ambiguity Of A Second
A Ankitha Reddy, reporting from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), sheds light on
the multi-faceted predicament of internally displaced people in Tigray.
Body:
The primary subject matter of the article, the body is the heart and the soul of your piece.
With a well-established premise in mind, use the body to lay the foundation of your article
and build on it with finesse.
Font: Times New Roman, size 12, with justified alignment.
Line spacing: 1.15
References:
All facts and figures are to be cited, and sources are to be compiled at the end of the articles.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated at any cost.
Images:
Add more context to your article with a suitable picture. This could be anything ranging from
a photo taken in the thick of events, a set of stats that contribute to a point you would like to
make, or even a political cartoon. Do not neglect to cite the source of your photograph.
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SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
Op-Ed:
An Opinionated editorial (Op-Ed) is an article that appears opposite the editorial page of
practically all newspapers. This is a place where the writer gets an opportunity to pen down
their perspective on the agenda. Research is of utmost importance and opinions must be backed
by relevant facts. These are one of the most impactful articles and creativity here is boundless.
Word Limit - 500-600 words.
Beat:
A beat-based article is an analytical report that focuses on a single thread of committee debate
or an underlying theme in the deliberations. Reporters are advised to pay close attention to the
ongoing discussion in committee as the topic and material for this article are to be sourced
solely from council proceedings. Although a beat is based on statements made by delegates, it
is not synonymous with the minutes of a meeting; narration of 'who said what' will not suffice.
In addition, a beat must be devoid of personal opinions. For this submission, reporters are
expected to carefully curate pertinent information and present them in a logical fashion, provide
observations, and draw connections between the stances of the delegates in a manner that is
engaging and unbiased.
Word limit - 250-350 words.
Consolidated Report:
A piece written in reported speech exclusively, this submission focuses on how the entire
committee's proceedings went and gives a concise account of the same. Ideally, to be written
in paragraphs, this piece provides the reader with an overview of the happenings of the
committee during the duration of the conference.
Word Limit - 250-350 words.
Interview:
An interview provides an opportunity for personal interaction with a delegate or member of the
Executive Board. It should be utilised to bring out those aspects which may not otherwise be
highlighted in the course of the conference. Reporters are to ensure that the essence of the
views put forth remain intact.
Word Limit - 250-500 words.
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Featured Article/Creative Piece:
This is the primary submission where the reporters are allowed to explore any format of their
own. It just has to adhere to the agenda of the respective committee. A major contributor to
your freestyle working autonomy will be the submission of a creative piece, which can be a
poem, a set of haikus, a comic strip or even a short story, as long as the content is original and
absolutely your own individual brainchild. This gives you the poetic ability to play with words
and ideas, albeit in keeping with the agenda, as your piece should revolve around a central
theme that is drawn off the agenda, in whole or part.
Word Limit - 150-800 words.
Press Conference:
The Press Conference is another opportunity for the reporters to ask the representatives about
any of their statements or policies in the committee. Reporters must establish a dialogue with
the representatives and are required to adhere to diplomatic courtesy. If the delegate or
representative deviates from the question posed, it is the duty of the reporter to steer the
deliberation in the right direction. Decorum and composure regardless of the situation must be
maintained. Moreover, facts must be derived from credible sources as the burden of proof rests
on the reporter if challenged.
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GENERAL RULES AND BEST PRACTICES:
1. Kindly bring your own laptop/device to type your articles. Articles must be submitted
in the PDF format.
2. The documents must be named as follows: Name_Type of
Submission_Committee_Day
3. Example: Ankitha_Oped_UNSC _Day1
4. All submissions are to be sent via email to the ID which will be given during the
conference.
5. Reporters must adhere to British English.
6. Do not use unparliamentary, causal or offensive language in your articles, even if the
delegate or representative used the same. Ensure that you express the meaning of the
words conveyed without using any negative language or profanity in your articles.
7. Do not mention that “the committee decided to break for lunch” or “in the moderated
caucus on the topic…” in your articles. Such parliamentary procedures must be
excluded from the articles and only the essence of the discussions must be conveyed.
8. Date format: Day Month Year. Example: 6th November 2001, 1st March 1947.
9. You must not use the real names of delegates or representatives in your articles. To
maintain diplomacy, they must be referred to as “Delegate of” or “Representative of”,
followed by their portfolio. Keep in mind that the first reference to the delegate must
contain the official names of the member countries of the United Nations. For historic
committees, the official name of the country as per the freeze date must be followed.
Example: The Delegate of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (Jordan) stated that they
knew the importance of preventing war crimes… The Delegate further listed interim
actions to diffuse the situation… The Delegate of Jordan seconded the notion of
establishing a two-state solution.
10. All other abbreviations as well must be introduced the first time they are used. After
that, they may be used without the full forms.
Example: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) plays a pivotal role in
maintaining international peace and security. The UNSC authorises peacekeeping
missions to address global threats.
11. Contractions are not allowed. Replace ‘couldn’t’, ‘wouldn’t’, ‘shouldn’t’ with ‘could
not’, ‘would not’, ‘should not’.
12. All articles must be written in the third person.
13. When in doubt, refer to a punctuation guide for using commas, semi-colons, and dashes.
Using a grammar checker before submitting your work is advised.
14. Keep in mind, a well-written article is not synonymous with an article riddled with
highly complex sentences and repetitive themes. Exercise caution during your research:
place an emphasis on using official sources and documents for citations.
15. The use of AI/Plagiarism will not be accepted and will have significant consequences.
Ensure that all documents and sources are cited.
16. Stick to your deadlines. Send in your articles not a minute late from your deadlines as
it will reflect in your scores.
17. Most importantly, remember to enjoy the process and have fun with your work!
