Some comments and instructions in this page are for audio browsers and users who browse this site with screen readers. If you can see this paragraph and you are not using a text-only or screen reader browser, either the style sheet for screen viewing didn't load (if so, click on "refresh" to reload the style sheet), or you need to use a World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards-supporting browser that has full XHTML 1.0 Transitional and Strict and cascading style sheet (CSS) level 2 support. (For information about these browsers, see Standards-supporting browsers.) The Society for Technical Communication is a W3C member: http://www.w3.org/.

For additional information, see the Accessibility Design and Features page.

Skip navigation

 

 Washington, DC Chapter

 
 
The following is the main content for the page. 
 

Pull browser window out or in to widen or shorten line length.

Information for Entrants

Competitions Home • Entrants Information • Entry Forms & Instructions • Entry Rules • Categories
Schedule • Fees & Payment • Delivery Instructions • Competitions Checklist • Contacts • FAQs

Chapter Competitions Call for Entries

• Who is Eligible to Enter?
• What Can Be Entered?
• How Are the Competitions Structured?
• What Awards Are Given?
• Who Gets Credit for an Entry?
• How Will I Be Notified?
• Will My Entry Be Returned?

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 (WDC) chapter's competitions.

Competition specifics, entry forms, and category descriptions are provided in the information for the following WDC competitions:

This page provides the general details and rules that apply to all competitions.

Who is Eligible to Enter?

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 are subject to all restrictions listed in the Entry rules.

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 chapter and community competitions
  • International competitions

Local competitions are the first level of competition. A local competition is one held by a single chapter.

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 (DTC) award in each category of each local competition are automatically submitted to the appropriate international competition. After you enter the local competition, no further action is required. DTC winning entries will be submitted to the International Competition by the WDC Chapter.

What Awards Are Given?

At the local and international levels, 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 each competition. Winners of the DTC and Best of Show award in each competition qualify for automatic submission to STC's international competitions. The $100 international entry fee is paid for by the chapter.

Note: International winners at all levels will be eligible to display an official STC emblem identifying the entry as an international competition winner. Washington, DC winners may display the appropriate STC WDC Competition Award Emblems.

Who Gets Credit for an Entry?

Entries created by employees on official time are considered the property of the employing firm or agency, which may decide who will be credited. A person who performed substantive work on an entry entered by the employing firm or agency or by another person without credit to the first person has no ground for dispute with STC. But, with the permission of the copyright holder, a person may enter the same piece with credit to himself or herself. If either entry wins an award, the other entry will receive the same award.

How Will I Be Notified?

All entries are acknowledged. Whether you win an award or not, you will receive the local judges' evaluations of your entry.

Winners in the local competitions will be notified by mail in January 2008. Award certificates will be presented at the chapter's Awards Banquet on Saturday, 9 February. Winners who cannot attend the Banquet will receive their certificates by mail.

Winners in the international competitions will be notified before the Society's 55th STC Annual Conference to be held 1-4 June 2008, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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. If your entry wins a DTC award, it will not be returned unless you notify the local competition manager that you do not want your entry to compete in the international competition. No entries are returned from the international competition.

 

Competitions Home • Entrants Information • Entry Forms & Instructions • Entry Rules • Categories
Schedule • Fees & Payment • Delivery Instructions • Competitions Checklist • Contacts • FAQs

Corporate Sponsorship • Corporate Sponsors • Previous Sponsors
Membership • Donations Wish List • Scholarships

 
 

Accessibility features
Switch style sheet colors or text: