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Last Update February 14, 2008 |
2007-2008 STC Pittsburgh Chapter Competitions
Call for Entries
Have you or your company produced technical communication products that you think are worthy of awards? Would you like your work to be recognized by your peers?
This call for entries is your invitation to participate in the following Society for Technical Communication (STC) competitions being held by the Pittsburgh Chapter:
The deadline for all three Pittsburgh Chapter competitions is Monday, November 5, 2007.
Who is eligible?
What can be entered?
What are the categories within each competition?
How are the competitions structured?
What awards are given?
How do I submit entries?
What happens next?
Who sees my entry and what happens to it?
Anyone is eligible to submit entries. You do not have to be a member of STC. You may enter work as an individual or on behalf of a colleague or subordinate.
Entries in all categories must contain sufficient technical, scientific, medical, or similar content to qualify as technical communication. Entries must have been produced or substantially revised within 24 months preceding September 1, 2007. Entries must have been originally prepared for and accepted for publication by a client, employer, or publisher.
What are the categories within each competition?
The Pittsburgh Chapter competition (first level) uses the same list of competition categories as the International competition (final level). One of the categories must be selected on the Description form for each entry. The Description form is available on our site in a fill-in version (Word doc).
Please note: The platform (such as Web, Windows, or Macintosh) is not a consideration in determining the category. All PDFs are considered Technical Publications and should be entered under a Technical Publications category.
How are the competitions structured?
STC's competitions recognize and encourage excellence in online communication, technical art, and technical publications. STC offers two levels of competition:
Local and regional competitions
The International competitions
Local and regional competitions are the first level of competition. A local competition is one held by a single chapter. A regional competition is one held by two or more chapters, usually in the same STC region.
The International competitions-the International online communication competition (IOCC), the International technical art competition (ITAC), and the International technical publications competition (ITPC)-are the second and final level of competition. Winners of the Distinguished Technical Communication award in each category of each local and regional competition are automatically submitted to the appropriate International competition. After you enter the local competition, no further action is required—your entry fee at the local level covers the cost of entering the International competition if you win at the local level.
At the local and regional level, three levels of recognition are awarded in each competition category. These awards, in descending order, are:
Distinguished: Clearly superior in all areas, an outstanding entry that anticipates and fulfills the needs of its audience.
Excellence: Meets high standards in all areas, an entry that demonstrates exceptional understanding of technical communication principles.
Merit: Meets high standards in most areas, an entry that applies technical communication principles in a proficient manner.
The deadline for all three Pittsburgh Chapter competitions is Monday, November 5, 2007. Fees for each entry are:
$80 for STC members
$95 for non-STC members
$60 for students
If a product is entered into more than one competition, the fee must be paid for each entry.
Your entry fee at the local level covers the cost of entering the International competition if you win at the local level.
1. For each entry, complete a Description of the Competition Entry (Description) form. This form is available on our site in a fill-in version (Word doc).
On the "Chapter or community" line, enter Pittsburgh Chapter if it is not already there.
Check the appropriate box for the competition and enter the category that best fits the entry. Click here to read category descriptions to help you make your choice of category.
Please note: The platform (such as Web, Windows, or Macintosh) is not a consideration in determining the category. All PDFs are considered Technical Publications and should be entered under a Technical Publications category.
If your entry was produced under unusual conditions (such as a very tight deadline or very limited budget), note them on the Description form.
If you want to disclaim responsibility for a portion of your entry, or if you want to draw the judges' attention to a particular aspect of it, use the Description form. (Judges are not obligated to consider any of these comments in evaluating your entry.)
Be sure to include relevant installation instructions, purpose, audience, tools used to develop the entry, and any other information to help in the judges' evaluation of it.
2. Make three (3) copies of all entry media (documents, CD-ROMS, floppies), and four (4) copies of the Description form.
3. If you are submitting your entry on physical media, attach one set of the Description form to each copy of the entry media. (If your entry is a website available online, consider entering it on physical media anyway in case the judges experience connection problems.)
4. Send three (3) copies of your entry and four (4) sets of forms, plus a check for your entry fee, to:
STC Pittsburgh Chapter
c/o Marlene Miller
4259 Glen Lytle Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15217-2815
Each entry is reviewed and judged by several judges volunteering for the Pittsburgh Chapter. The judges submit their comments and then meet to determine what, if any, award each entry should receive.
Judging should be completed by December 31, 2007. Award announcements at the local level go out in January 2008.
Entries that receive a Distinguished award are automatically submitted to the International competition, where they are judged in early 2008. Announcements of winners at this level will come from the Society office in the spring.
After local and International awards have been determined, you will be notified of the results for your entry. Your entries will be returned along with constructive comments from the judges who reviewed it. The Pittsburgh Chapter acknowledges award winners at its annual Awards Banquet held in May 2008. Winners receive award certificates and have an opportunity to talk about the project that resulted in their winning entry. If winners cannot attend the Awards Banquet, they receive certificates by mail.
Who sees my entry and what happens to it?
In addition to being reviewed by judges, your entry may be displayed to other STC members and the general public. For example, STC Pittsburgh and many other chapters display entries at their annual awards banquet. Entries that win an award at the International level may become part of a traveling exhibit.
STC makes the following statement regarding suitability of entry material: "Entries must be suitable for public display and perusal. Entries that contain classified or proprietary information or that violate copyright laws are not acceptable and must not be submitted. It is the responsibility of the submitter and not STC to determine that entries do not contain classified or proprietary information and that the holder of all copyrights has granted permission for the entry's submission. Neither STC nor anyone associated with the competitions can be held responsible for loss or damage to an entry."
If you would like your entries back once the competition is over, there are several ways for you to get them:
If you attend the STC Pittsburgh Chapter Awards Banquet in May 2008, you can take your entries home at the end of the evening.
You can make arrangements with the Competition Manager to pick your entries up at another time.
You can pay for return postage to have your entries mailed back to you.
Please note that if your entries are submitted to the International competition level, you will not get them back.
If you have any questions, please contact Marlene Miller at mgmiller33@hotmail.com / 412-421-6342.
Thank you for entering the STC Pittsburgh Chapter Competition!
Past Winners
2006-2007 Competition Winners
2005-2006 Competition Winners
2004-2005 Competition Winners
2003-2004 Competition Winners
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Last Update February 14, 2008 |
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