An amendment of the first degree changes the resolution the house is debating. It is the normal kind of amendment and it is what a delegate means when they say "amendment" with nothing after it.
In MEDIMUN, amendments are submitted in MediBook. See Amendments in MediBook.
SCREENSHOT: /medibook/sessions/22/committees/ga1/debate - the amendment form with a clause selected
An amendment of the first degree may only be submitted during open debate time on the resolution.
Delegates use the reading time before debate to read the text and write their amendments. See Reading time.
One amendment covers one clause at most. An amendment that changes two unrelated clauses is a procedural mistake, and the chair rules it out of order.
If the change has to be made in several places. An amendment may cover more than one clause. Renaming a body that appears in four clauses is the standard example. This is the exception, not the rule.
If you are unsure. Ask the delegate which clause the amendment changes before you rule. Never rule an amendment out of order before you have heard which clause it touches.
Closed debate is the norm for amendments. The chair announces the entry into closed debate and sets time in favour and time against.
Debate on the amendment is debate on the amendment. It is not a second debate on the resolution.
Confusing debate on an amendment with debate on the resolution is a common chairing mistake. Write down where you are.
A motion to move to the previous question during time in favour on an amendment means move to time against. It does not move to the vote. See Motion to move to the previous question.
Every amendment is put to a vote. That includes a one word change.
Delegates vote in favour or against. There is no division of the house on an amendment.
A tied vote fails.
If the amendment passes, the resolution now reads with that change in it. The chair keeps the text up to date, so that everything after this point is debated against the amended text.
If the amendment fails, the resolution stands as it was.
Clapping is not in order after an amendment.
The chair decides which amendments reach the floor. See Which amendments a chair entertains.
Once an amendment has been moved. The chair cannot stop it being debated, unless there is a procedural mistake. Referring to more than one clause is the usual one.
If the amendment corrects an obvious error. The chair may put it to a vote with no debate. Ask the house whether there are any objections first. Never adopt an amendment without a vote.
The Security Council debates clause by clause. An amendment of the first degree is taken against the clause being debated, and only that clause.
Once every operative clause has been debated and voted on, further clauses may be added as amendments.
Amendments to clauses pass on a simple majority. See Security Council procedure.