Hello Reader,

First off, a huge thank you! This is the inaugural year of the MUNdays Newsletter, and the support, feedback, and interest from all of you has been incredible. We've been welcoming nearly 200 new readers per week 🤯, and it truly means a lot that you choose to spend a small part of your week with us.

We've only got two more editions coming your way before we head into our summer break. Then, it'll be back to the lab where we'll cook up even more tactical MUNdamentals to help you bring home the gavels.

Let's get into it!

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Ditch the Script: Your Guide to Awesome Speech Notes 🎤

This week’s focus: speaker notes—they're the key to leveling up your next conference experience. We often see delegates either go all-in with a full script, or just wing it completely without any notes at all (which can be a bit scary!). But frankly, there's a happy medium that so many people overlook.

Notes: It's Not One Size Fits All 📏

The best notes for you really depend on where you are in the debate, how confident you feel, and what you need to say. As you get more confident, you'll naturally find yourself needing fewer and fewer notes. Think of it as a progression:

• Stage 1 - Scripts: If you're settling in, or need to make an important, fact-heavy speech (e.g., opening speeches, piecing ideas together between committee sessions), a more script-based speech can be completely understandable. Just remember, reading directly can make you sound a little robotic, cause you to speak too quickly, and limit your connection with other delegates in the room. So, always practice these speeches a few times beforehand to make the flow feel more natural.
• Stage 2 - Outlines (Intermediate): This is a fantastic middle ground. You're listening to other delegates speak and a few ideas come to mind. There's absolutely nothing wrong with quickly writing a bullet-point framework with 3-4 points you want to include. This gives you flexibility while still making sure you hit all your key points.
• Stage 3 - Keywords: For seasoned speakers, a few keywords or short phrases are often all you need to kick off a whole idea. This style lets you be super spontaneous and really connect with your audience.

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Building Your Own Frameworks 🎯

Today, we're helping you with Stage 2, where you can build better outlines to bridge the gap between scripts and keywords.

Here’s a simple process to make them work for you, especially when ideas hit you on the fly during a speech or an unmoderated caucus:

• The Spark: Catch That Idea! 💡 It often happens: you're listening to another delegate's speech, or chatting in an unmod, and an amazing point or counter-argument pops into your head.
  • Don't hang around - grab your pen and paper and write it down.
• Part 1 - Your Intro Hook Line: Get into the Flow 🎣 Once you have that core idea, jot down a short, punchy "hook" line to start your speech.
  • Why it helps: This is the most important line - not only will it help you pull in the listener, but a strong opening line can help the rest of your speech snowball.
• Part 2 - Stats & Facts 📊 Next, add a few key statistics, facts, or specific examples that support your main point. You don't need a paragraph of data; just enough to jog your memory and add credibility. You can hit these points halfway through your speech to help keep the momentum going.
  • Why it helps: Under pressure, it's easy to forget those crucial numbers or specific treaty references that really back up your argument. Having them as quick bullet points ensures you don't miss them and sound super informed.
• Part 3 - The Mic Drop: Your Closing Line 🎤⬇️ Finally, quickly jot down your desired closing line or a strong call to action. This is the last thing your audience hears, so make it count!
  • Why it helps: A powerful closing leaves a lasting impression and can summarize your entire point effectively. It can also help you to avoid having a speech trail off at the end.

How to Connect Your Ideas: Think Like a Conversation 🗣️

Instead of trying to script every single word, think of your speech as a conversation. When you're talking to a friend, you don't plan out every single idea you're going to say. Points naturally build upon themselves, and the discussion flows.

The same principle applies to your MUN speeches - You don't need notes for every single sentence. You really only want notes for:

• Shifting between big ideas: When you're moving from one major point to another, a quick keyword or phrase can act as a bridge.
• Key points you must hit: Those crucial statistics, specific policy proposals, or a compelling anecdote that you absolutely don't want to forget.

Trust yourself to fill in the gaps and let your arguments flow naturally. Your notes are there to guide you, not to tie you down. Focus on engaging with your audience and the debate, and your connection will be far more powerful than a perfectly recited script.

Best of luck!

Bonus: If this email helped you out, hit reply and we'll send over our Moderated Caucus template and Speech Hooks database!