Northeast Ohio Chapter
Society for Technical Communication
Call for Entries for the 2008-2009 STC Competitions
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 Northeast Ohio (NEO) chapter:
Online Communication
Technical Publications
Technical Art
The deadline for both competitions is Wednesday, October 15, 2008 – our October Chapter meeting.
Who is eligible?
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.
What can be entered?
Entries:
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 prior to September 1, 2008.
Entries must have been originally prepared for and accepted for publication by a client, employer, or publisher.
NEO STC's competitions recognize and encourage excellence in online communication, technical publications, and technical art. STC offers two levels of competition:
Local and regional 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. NEO STC is not participating in a regional competition, so the first level will be local.
The NEO STC is now exchanging entries to the 2008-2009 Technical Publications Competition with Atlanta STC. Atlanta judges will evaluate NEO STC entries and our judges will assess the Atlanta entries. This exchange allows for fresh eyes to view your entries!
The international competitions. The international competitions are the second and final level of competition. Winners of the Distinguished Technical Communication award and Excellence award in each category of each local and regional competition qualify for submission to the appropriate international competition. The committee will contact you if your entry is chosen for entry in the international competition.
What awards are given?
One Best of Show award is presented for each competition. At the local level, three levels of recognition are awarded in each competition category. These awards, in descending order, are:
Distinguished Technical Communication (DTC). 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 committee presents awards based on STC’s judging criteria. Every entry submitted may not receive an award.
Winners of the Distinguished Technical Communication, Excellence, and Best of Show awards in each category qualify for automatic submission to STC's international competitions. At the international level, the awards structure is the same as our local level awards.
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, Northeast Ohio and many other chapters display entries at their annual awards banquet.
Entries that win an award at the international competition level may become part of a traveling exhibit.
The 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.”
Deadlines, Fees, and Where/How to Submit
The deadline for the NEO STC chapter competitions is Wednesday, October 15, 2008. No more than three authors/entrants for each submission.
1. For each submission, complete the Entry and Description forms.
On the Entry form's Chapter Sponsoring Competition line, enter Northeast Ohio Chapter. On both the Entry and Description forms, indicate which competition you are entering as well as the category that best fits the entry. Categories are listed and described in the instructions for the Entry form.
Submitter’s Signature on the Entry Form: This must be an actual signature. STC will accept electronic signatures. If you choose to e-mail the Entry Form, print the form, sign it and scan it as an attachment to your e-mail.
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 some aspect of it, use the Description form. (Judges are not obligated to consider any of these comments in evaluating your entry.)
On the Description form, be sure to include relevant installation instructions, purpose, audience, tools used to develop the entry, and any other information relevant to evaluating it.
If you are submitting your entry on physical media, attach one set of the Entry form and Description to each copy of the entry media. Media for Online Communications: All online entries must be submitted as a URL or on a CD. (If your entry is a web site available online, consider entering it on physical media anyway in case the judges experience connection problems.)
2. Send four (4) copies of each entry with the attached Entry and Description formsto:
Lori Neuman
Rockwell Automation
1 Allen Bradley Drive
Mayfield Heights, OH 44124
Telephone: 440.646.3160
E-mail:
Lori Neuman.
3. Pay online or by check. You can submit your payment separate from your entry.
Costs:
$80.00 STC members
$95.00 non-members
$60.00 students
Please make checks payable to NEO STC or pay online through PayPal.
Note: If a product is entered into more than one competition, a separate entry fee must be paid for each entry.
To pay online:
$80.00 STC members
$95.00 non-members
$60.00 students
To pay by check:
Make the check payable to NEO STC.
Indicate “2008-2009 Competition Entry” in the message portion of the check.
Mailing address (if you pay by check and do not send with your entry):
