Technical Communication Competition

Information for Entrants

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Deadline: Friday, 30 November 2012, 7 p.m. Eastern Time

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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 Washington, DC - Metro Baltimore (WDC-MB) chapter's Summit Competition.

What's New This Year?

Note: Because the Society no longer allows local chapters to submit winning entries to the international-level competition, we have reduced our entry fees. We no longer need to plan to cover possible international entry fees and postage costs.

Distinguished Technical Communication and Excellence award winners may submit to the international competition on their own. Submitters who want to participate in the international competition must complete the STC International Online Entry Form, pay the International Competition entry fee, and pay for postage of their entry. If you think your entry to our competition is capable of going to the international level, be sure to reserve an additional four (4) copies of your entry to send to the international competition.

The chapter has elected to pay the international expenses for the Best of Show winner. The BOS winner will still need to submit their own entry and pay the fee, which we will reimburse.

Who is Eligible to Enter?

Anyone is eligible to submit entries. You do not have to be a member of STC. You can be a student or a professional. You may enter work as an individual or on behalf of a colleague or member of your department.

What Can Be Entered?

Entries are accepted providing all restrictions are met. The restrictions are listed in the Entry rules.

How Is the Competition Structured?

STC's Summit Competition recognizes and encourages excellence in online communication and technical publications. STC offers two levels of competition. The STC WDC-MB Summit Competition for Technical Communication is the first level of competition. The Society (international) competition is the final level of competition.

What Awards Are Given?

Three levels of recognition are awarded in each competition category. These awards, in descending order, are

Distinguished Technical Communication (DTC)
Excellence
Merit

These awards do not represent first, second, or third places, but instead are levels of accomplishment with reference to a standard in each category.

One Best of Show (BOS) award is presented for the entire competition. WDC-MB winners of the DTC and Excellence awards qualify to submit their entries to STC's International Summit Awards Competition. There are additional entry fees for STC's International Summit Awards Competition.

Note: International winners at all levels are eligible to display an official STC emblem identifying the entry as an international competition winner. Washington, DC winners may display the appropriate STC WDC-MB Summit Competition Award Ribbons.

Who Gets Credit for an Entry?

Entries created by employees on company time are considered the property of the employing firm or agency. The employer decides who receives credit for these entries. If the employer or another person submits an entry without crediting some of the contributors, those contributors have no ground for dispute with STC. However, with the permission of the copyright holder, the omitted contributors may enter the same piece with credit to themselves. If either entry wins an award, both entries will receive the same award.

How Will I Be Notified?

All entries are acknowledged. All entrants will receive the judge's evaluations. Note: While we strive to provide three judge's evaluations to all entrants, we cannot guarantee that each entry will receive three evaluations.

Winners in the local competition will be notified by email in late January 2013. Award certificates will be presented at the chapter's Competition Awards Celebration in February or March 2013. Winners who cannot attend the Awards Celebration will receive their certificates by mail.

Winners in the international competition will be notified before the Society's 60th Annual Conference Technical Communication Summit to be held 5-8 May 2013, in Atlanta, Georgia. There, all winning entries will be displayed, the Best of Show awards will be presented, and all winners will be honored.

Will My Entry Be Returned?

Your entry will not be returned to you unless you make special arrangements with the competition manager and provide adequate and prepaid packaging when you submit your entry.

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