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Information for Entrants

Competitions Home • Entrants • Judges • Schedules • Awards • Winners • Contacts • FAQs

Competitions Frequently Asked Questions

 
  1. What equipment will the judges use for judging online entries?
  2. Who gets credit for an entry?
  3. On the entry form, should I list my company's name or the name of the individuals who worked on the project? If I list individuals, how many of the people who contributed to the project may I include?
  4. What is the difference between a contributor and a submitter on the entry form?
  5. How will entries be judged?
  6. How will I be notified?
  7. How do I contact someone if I have other questions?
 

1 – What equipment will the judges use for judging online entries?

The platform standards for judging will be as follows.

  • PC-based entries will be judged on a system having 3 GHz Pentium IV processor (or equivalent) running Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Vista with a 780 x 1200 color monitor. All systems will have a CD-ROM/DVD drive, sound card, USB port, and speakers.
  • Macintosh-based entries will be judged on an equivalent system running Macintosh OS X 10.3.9 or OS X 10.4.x and any required software supplied with the entry. All machines will have a CD-ROM/DVD drive, sound card, and speakers.
  • Web-based entries will be judged using Firefox 2.0 or Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0. Or you may specify another browser on your entry form.

2 – 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.

3 – On the entry form, should I list my company's name or the name of the individuals who worked on the project? If I list individuals, how many of the people who contributed to the project may I include?

The goal of STC's competitions is to give credit and recognition to individuals rather than departments or organizations; hence, STC prefers that individuals be named as contributors. However, because collaborative teams often produce works of technical communication, it is acceptable to cite a department or organization as a contributor.

While local competitions determine the number of contributors they will allow per entry, no more than three contributors may be listed for an entry that goes on to the international level.

Use the Additional Contributors form (10 K zipped .rtf file zipped file) provided for the WDC competitions to list additional names or organizations that you want included in the chapter-level awards banquet booklet. The contributors' names should be as you want them to appear in the awards banquet booklet.

4 – What is the difference between a contributor and a submitter on the entry form?

Contributors may be writers, editors, artists, photographers, printers, departments, organizations, reviewers, and so forth. A contributor is anyone who contributed to the creation and production of the entry.

A submitter does not have to be one of the contributors. The submitter does not receive a certificate if an entry wins an award unless the submitter is also a contributor and is listed as one of the three contributors on the entry form. Extra certificates for additional contributors, clients, or corporate copies may be ordered if your entry wins an award. An order form will be included with the award announcement letter.

The submitter (often a superior in the contributors' organization) certifies that the entry represents the actual work of the contributors named on the entry form and that the entry has been cleared for submission. The submitter must also certify that the copyright holder permits the submission of the entry.

The submitter receives all official correspondence regarding the entry. The submitter is responsible for all communication with the contributors about the entry, correct spelling of contributor's names and entry titles, and for distributing any awards.

5 – How will entries be judged?

Entries will be judged by a panel of judges, usually two to three technical communication professionals. Judges have the right to question the category of an entry and confer with the Entries Manager/Competition Manager about recategorizing the entry. For details, see the Entry Rules.

  • Technical art is judged on how well it visually communicates a technical message. Judges evaluate the visual appeal, technical execution, and presentation of each entry to determine awards based on the entry's strengths and weaknesses.
  • Technical publications are rated on four factors: writing, graphics, copyediting, and overall integration. All factors are judged in the context of the purpose, content, and organization of the document.
  • Online communication is judged in the context of the entry's stated purpose. Judges evaluate the content, structure, and design of each entry and make an award determination based on the individual entry's strengths and weaknesses and how well it fulfilled its purpose.
  • An entry on the Web is judged as it exists on the day of judging.

6 – 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.

7 – How do I contact someone if I have other questions?

Contact information for the competitions committee is given on the Competition Contacts page.

 

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