The HelpMeResearch Portal serves as a reliable launchpad for delegates, easing the overwhelm of starting MUN prep. By showing how to use it effectively, this piece highlights ways to turn the portal into a steady foundation before moving into deeper research.
Your allotment mail is sitting in your inbox, the conference is right around the corner, the background guide feels like an encyclopedia’s worth of information, and all you can do is stare at your laptop screen, not knowing where to begin your research. Relatable? I know I’ve been there for sure.
The thing is, most of the time, the task itself isn’t even difficult; figuring out where to start is. That’s exactly where the HelpMeResearch Portal comes in. Think of it, more or less as a background guide, but instead of being an overdose of technical jargon and information, it’s especially curated for you, customised to your particular portfolio & agenda.
Let’s take a deep dive into what exactly the HMR portal will provide you, how you can use it to your best advantage, and what parts of your research you will have to take care of on your own, shall we?
To begin, let’s start with the basics. What exactly will the HelpMeResearch portal include?
Think of your research & the usage of the HMR portal as a journey – literally; as if you’re planning a trip abroad. This plan comes with various steps, and here’s how we navigate each of them:
- Know Your Committee – This tab of the HMR portal is like choosing your destination. Well, you’ve already chosen your committee, that’s why you’re here. Essentially, instead of a committee allotment, the portal will provide you with what is more or less, a Committee Background 101.
You see, each committee has its own mandate, its own rules, procedures, and technicalities; basically, the clear boundaries of what that particular committee can or cannot do. This part of the customised portal will also educate you about the history of your committee; when it was established, if there were any landmark reasons behind the establishment, the crucial resolutions your committee has passed, issues & subject matters included in the realm of your committee, and so on.
The reason behind why understanding the ambit of your chosen committee becomes important, is exactly like the logic you use when packing for a trip! If you’re going to a tropical island, would you really pull up in a leather jacket? No, right? Similarly, if you’re a delegate in the UNGA, you are more likely to brush up your documentation skills for the Draft Resolution. However, if you’re a part of the UNCSW, you would be better off cooking up some practical, easy to execute solutions or campaigns in response to the agenda being discussed.
- Know Your Agenda – Now, the planning really gains some momentum. Your destination is final, and it’s time to come up with the most fool-proof itinerary – one that makes you look like a local, and not an Emily in Paris level tourist.
Basically, in the same way your itinerary gives a structure to your travel plans, from what kind of shoes you’ll pack, how much you’ll budget, etc., the agenda of your committee defines what you’re actually here to “do” – the specific problem, or the umbrella problem you’re about to tackle.
Without understanding the agenda, there’s a high chance that you’ll be wandering through various websites aimlessly, and trust me, you’d be surprised how often it happens. And to set you on the right track, the portal will break down the vague agenda into actually comprehensible terms. Highlighting past developments, current challenges, what’s at stake, and a lot of examples, so you really know what the agenda is about. This way, you will get an even clearer understanding about the scope of your committee and agenda, before you dive into further research.
- Know Your Portfolio – Get in lavender fam, we’re going to the airport – well, sort of. It’s not time to get your passport in order. Think of your country portfolio as your character origin story-cum-passport. Not only will it tell where you’ve been, i.e. the history and background context of your country with regards to the agenda, but it will also serve as a guide, telling you the alliances your portfolio has, and what policy choices have been made by the representatives of your country and so on.
The portal compiles all of this for you in one place, so you’re not running around trying to stitch together random facts from ten different websites. It’s almost like the portal hands you your passport at the airport – ready, stamped, and valid, without any unnecessary delays.
Knowing your portfolio goes hand in hand with understanding the national policies and frameworks, which is our next step to making this the most memorable and productive vacation (or conference) ever 🙂
- National Laws & Policies – Now this, this is where your performance as a delegate can really shine through or fall apart. Think back to when you were packing the right clothes to start this adventure, this is pretty much the same. This part of your research is where your arguments, speeches, and even your chits will be grounded.
In the same way you can’t go to London without a reliable sweater + wool coat combo, you can’t enter your committee without knowing the fundamental stance of your country. Imagine walking into the UNW as the delegate of Iran and stating that “Iran Supports Abortion!!!” when clearly, that is not the case…
That’s exactly where the portal steps in to give you a head start. Instead of spending hours sifting through scattered sources, it lays out the key laws, policies, and official positions your country has taken – just enough to ground you, and make a clear “Where do I go from here?” path. It’s kind of like the portal handing you a starter pack of clothes that suit the climate – you’ll probably add your own layers and accessories later, but at least you won’t get whiplash when you realise you completely misread the weather app 😉
- Legalities to Back Your Arguments – Think of it as your visa and travel documents. You might have the coolest travel plan, the trendiest reels you plan on recreating, but without proper papers and documentation, you can’t even get on the flight. Similarly, in MUNs, legal backing is what lets your ideas actually “fly” in committee.
This is where you lean on international treaties, conventions, and UN resolutions your country has signed or supported. Along with international frameworks, you will also rely on the national laws and policies of your own country; from something as small as a scheme for a particular state to a nationwide program, having a real source to cite will always give you an upper hand.
- Way Forward – And here’s where it all clicks, the way forward. You have officially landed in a new city, with a solid baseline understanding of the spots you want to visit, the food you want to scarf down, the billion different photos you want to recreate; but now, it’s time to actually go beyond what your travel brochure told you. It’s time to experience it all for real – the roads you choose, the detours you take, the corners you explore, that’s all yours.
The HMR portal may have given you a comprehensive, holistic approach to MUN research, but this, my friend, was just the beginning. It’s no fluff: the portal provides verified sources for every piece of information it highlights, along with a curated list of resources to take your research even further. The world is your oyster! Dig beyond, scour the internet, and let your hunger for new experiences guide you, as you build on top of this foundation.
From here, it’s your playground. You get to be inventive, to masterfully twist the facts into arguments that feel both practical and unmistakably yours.
And well, that’s been a guide on how you can use the HMR portal to the best of its potential & where to go once you’ve exhausted its boundaries. Remember… Every case you argue, every resolution you draft, it’s not just about winning points. It’s about finding your voice, making your mark, and knowing that even when the rules are stacked, the story you tell is entirely yours.
Happy researching! See you soon at the Indraprastha MUN, for what is about to be, the best weekend of your journey.
