Key Terminology

General Debate Terms

• Delegate – A participant representing a country.

• Chair / President – The person moderating the debate and enforcing rules.

• Co-Chair / Vice-President – Assists the Chair.

• Tracker - Keeps track of all delegates' actions.

• House – All delegates in the committee.

• Floor – The right to speak.

• Agenda – The topic being debated.

• Open Debate – General discussion where delegates speak for/against.

• Closed Debate – Structured debate on a specific clause or amendment.

• Decorum – The expected level of professionalism and respectful behavior in committee.

Roll Call & Voting Status

• Roll Call – Attendance taken at the start.

• Present – Can vote for, against, or abstain.

• Present and Voting – Can only vote for or against (no abstentions).

• Quorum – Minimum number of delegates required to begin debate or voting.

Speeches & Speaking

• Opening Speech – First speech presenting a country’s position.

• Main Submitter – Delegate who presents a resolution.

• Speech – Formal address to the committee.

• Speaking Time – Time limit for speeches.

• Speeches For/Against – Arguments supporting or opposing a proposal.

Yielding the Floor

• Yield to the Chair – Return control to the Chair.

• Yield to Another Delegate – Pass speaking time to another delegate.

• Successive Yield – Limited number of consecutive yields.

Points

• Point of Information (POI) – Question to a speaker.

• Point of Information to the President – Question directed to the Chair.

• Point of Order – Raised for procedural mistakes.

• Point of Parliamentary Inquiry – Question about rules.

• Point of Personal Privilege – Raised for personal needs (e.g., audibility).

• Right of Reply – A response to a direct insult or misrepresentation. Almost never granted and should only be used in extreme situations.

Motions

• Motion to Move to Voting Procedures – Ends debate and moves to voting.

• Motion to Follow-Up – Allows an additional POI.

• Motion to Extend POIs – Allows more questions.

• Motion to Extend Debate Time – Adds more time for debate.

• Motion to Reconsider a Resolution – Reopens debate on a resolved issue.

• Motion to Divide the House – Forces voting without abstentions.

• Seconding – When another delegate supports a motion.

• Objection – Disagreement that can block a motion.

• In Order – A motion/action that follows the rules.

• Out of Order – A motion/action that violates the rules.

Debate Formats

• Moderated Caucus – Structured debate with short speeches on a focused subtopic.

• Unmoderated Caucus – Informal debate where delegates move freely to negotiate (lobbying time).

Documents & Writing

• Working Paper – Initial draft of ideas by a delegate.

• Draft Resolution – Formal document submitted for debate.

• Resolution – Final proposal voted on by the committee.

• Country Policy Paper (Position Paper) – A country’s stance on the issues.

Resolution Structure: 

• Preambulatory Clauses

  • Provide background, context, and justification.

  • Begin with preambulatory phrases (italicized).

• Operative Clauses

• Provide solutions and actions.

• Begin with operative phrases (underlined).

• Include sub-clauses for detail.

Clause & Writing Terms

• Clause-by-Clause Debate – Security Council: Each clause debated separately.

• En Bloc – Security Council: Voting on multiple clauses together.

• Sub-clause – Security Council: Adds detail to an operative clause.

• Operative Phrase – Action verb starting a clause (e.g., Encourages).

• Preambulatory Phrase – Introductory phrase (e.g., Recalling).

• Merger – Combining multiple working papers into one draft resolution.

Amendments

• Amendment – Change to a resolution (add, strike, or modify).

• Amendment Debate – Discussion before voting.

• Amendment to the Second Degree – Amendment to another amendment.

• Friendly Amendment – Accepted by all sponsors; no vote required.

• Unfriendly Amendment – Requires debate and voting.

• Automatically Passes – If there are no speeches against.

Voting

• Voting Procedure – Formal voting phase (no interruptions).

• For / Against / Abstain – Voting options.

• Simple Majority – 50% + 1.

• Supermajority – Higher threshold (e.g., 9/15 in UNSC).

• Roll-Call Vote – Votes taken individually by country.

• Divide the House – Removes abstentions.

• Resolution Passes/Fails – Outcome of voting.

Security Council Terms

• UN Security Council (UNSC) – UN body responsible for peace and security.

• P5 (Permanent Five) – China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, United States.

• Non-Permanent Members – 10 elected members.

• Veto Power – Ability of P5 to block decisions.

• Veto Threat – Warning issued before using veto.

• P5 Caucus – Private negotiation among permanent members.

• Binding Resolution – Must be implemented by all UN member states.

Lobbying & Collaboration

• Lobbying – Informal negotiation to build resolutions.

• Bloc – Group of allied countries.

• Signatories – Delegates supporting debate of a clause.

• Main Submitter – Leads and presents the resolution.

• Co-Submitters – Supporting authors.

• Approval Panel – Reviews resolutions for correctness before debate.

Debate Flow Terms

• Start of Debate – Chair introduces the topic.

• Main Submitter Speech – First speech on a resolution.

• Points of Information Session – Questions after a speech.

• Return to Open Debate – After amendments/voting.

• Adjourn Debate – End of discussion on a topic.

Strategy Terms

• Alliance – Cooperation between countries.

• Compromise – Adjusting clauses to gain support.

• Consensus – General agreement.

• Amendment Strategy – Using amendments to influence outcomes.

• Veto Avoidance – Adjusting clauses to prevent a P5 veto.

Diplomatic and International Law

• Sovereignty – Right of a state to govern itself.

• Territorial Integrity – Protection of a country’s borders.

• National Interest – A country’s priorities and goals.

• Self-Determination – Right of people to choose their governance.

• Rule of Law – Everyone is subject to the law.

• Non-Intervention – No interference in another state’s internal affairs.

• Self-Defense – Right to defend against attack.

• Jurisdiction – Legal authority over cases or territory.

• Bilateral / Multilateral – Relations between 2 / multiple countries.

• Peacekeeping – Maintaining peace through intervention.

• Sanctions – Penalties to influence behavior.

• Embargo – Trade ban.

• Ceasefire – Temporary stop to conflict.

• De-escalation – Reducing tensions.

• Humanitarian Aid – Help during crises.

• Sustainable Development – Long-term responsible growth.

• Infrastructure – Basic systems (roads, energy).

Common MUN Phrases

• “Honourable Chair, distinguished delegates…”

• “The delegation of [Country] believes that…”

• “The delegate of [Country] would like to…”

• “Would the delegate be open to a point of information?”

• “In the interest of time…”

• “We strongly urge this house to…”

• “The delegation yields the floor to…”

• “This resolution fails to adequately address…”

• “We would like to draw the attention of the house to…”

• “The delegation remains open to amendments.”

• “We encourage collaboration on this issue.”

• “This clause is both realistic and implementable.”

• “We believe this solution strikes a balance between…”

• “The house must take decisive action.”