2011–2012 General Information and Competition Rules

Rules for All Entries

Entries in all categories must:

• Contain sufficient technical, scientific, medical, or similar content to qualify as technical communication.

• Have been produced or substantially revised within 24 months prior to September 1 of the current year.

• Have been originally prepared (and accepted) for publication by a client, employer, or publisher.

The competition organizers reserve the right to reject any entry for any reason.

Entries must be suitable for public display. Entries that contain classified or proprietary information or that violate copyright laws are not acceptable. It is the responsibility of the submitter, and not of STC, to determine that entries do not contain classified or proprietary information and to obtain permission for submission of the entry from the holder of all copyrights. Neither STC nor anyone associated with the competitions can be held responsible for loss of or damage to an entry.

Materials prepared for STC purposes are not eligible for entry in the competition. Examples of these materials include STC Publications books Intercom and Technical Communication articles; and STC community websites, brochures, and newsletters. Community newsletters are entered in the STC Communications Competition.

Multilingual entries are acceptable with prior approval from the competition manager. An entry must not have been entered in a previous STC competition and may be entered in only one suite of local or regional competitions. Duplicate entries are disqualified.

Entries may be made only within a single local or regional competition. For example, if an entry is made to the Boston/Northern New England regional competitions, it cannot be entered in the South Carolina competition. A single entry can be entered in only one category.

The submitter:

• Certifies that the entry represents the actual work of the contributors named on the entry form and that the entry qualifies for submission.

• Certifies that the copyright holder permits the submission of the entry.

• Agrees to receive all official correspondence relating to the entry.

• Agrees to forward all communication to the entry’s contributors including award distribution.

STC International Summit Awards Categories

The STC International Summit Awards, which take place after the local and regional competitions, use the following categories for judging and awards. Local and regional competitions may use a shortened list, depending on the variety of entries that they anticipate.

Entries that are submitted to the STC International Summit Awards must:

• Adhere to the STC International Summit Awards guidelines.

• Be submitted using the online STC International Summit Awards Entry Form

Note: Submissions that are received at the STC Office or by a designated International Summit Awards committee member where the online STC International Summit Awards Entry form has not been completed will be disqualified.

Notes for online entries

• Entries may be submitted to any category as they will be judged based on the use of the material and not the medium on which they are delivered.

• The platform (such as Web, Windows, Macintosh, iPad, or any other electronic device) is not a consideration in determining the category.

• Entries that run on other platforms or require special equipment (such as an iPad, mobile device, or ebook reader) will be accepted, as long as the entrants provide such specialized hardware or software to the judging location at their own expense.

• Entries that require a user login must include three separate logins for the judging team members to evaluate the entry.

• If the entry is provided on a CD or DVD, specify the format (PC or Mac) on both the submission form and the media itself.

• If you send compressed files, they must be self-extracting.

• An entry on the Web is judged as it exists on the day of judging.

• Demonstration of the entry to the judges is forbidden.

• Entries must install correctly, be virus-free, and not take an unreasonable amount of time to install.

• If the entry uses any software other than the latest versions of Firefox, Adobe Reader, or Microsoft Internet Explorer, you must also provide four copies of the software with the entry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I enter?

All entrants receive a detailed evaluation from three technical communication professionals. This alone is worth the entry fee. If your entry goes on to the STC International Summit Awards that means you will receive six comprehensive sets of feedback over the course of the competitions. This is unique to the STC competitions and is in addition to any award you may win for your entry.

For online entries, what equipment and software will the judges use?

Entries will be judged on a variety of platforms, similar to how your target audience would view your entry. Judges typically will have a PC running Windows XP or Windows 7 or a Macintosh equivalent, and any required software supplied with the entry. All machines will have a CD-ROM drive, sound card, video card, and speakers. For Web-based entries, Firefox and Microsoft Internet Explorer are the standard judging platforms.

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 can I include?

The goal of STC International Summit Awards is to give credit and recognition to individuals rather than departments or organizations. STC prefers that individuals be named as contributors. However, because works of technical communication are often produced by teams, it is acceptable to cite a department or organization as a contributor. While local and regional competitions determine the number of contributors they will allow per entry, no more than three contributors can be listed for an entry that goes on to the STC International Summit Awards.

How will entries be judged?

A panel of judges selects winners in the four STC International Summit Awards categories. The judges have the right to reject an entry.

All entries are judged on context of the purpose, design, content, usability, type of media (print or online), and writing style. Note: While the STC International Summit Awards strives to provide feedback to all entrants, we cannot guarantee that each entry will receive three complete evaluations.

How will I be notified?

All entries are acknowledged. Submitters will receive the local judges’ evaluations regardless of award level. STC International Summit Awards winners will receive notification before the start of the STC annual conference. At the conference, entries that receive a Distinguished or Best of Show award will be on display in STC Central located in the Expo Hall. The Best of Show recipients will be honored on stage during the conference’s Honors Banquet.

What happens to my entry after the competition?

Your entry will not be returned from the local or regional competition unless you make special arrangements with the competition manager and provide adequate and prepaid packaging. If your entry wins an award of Distinguished Technical Communication or Excellence at the local or regional level, it will be returned only if you notify the local or regional competition manager that you do not want your entry to compete in the STC International Summit Awards. No entries are returned from the STC International Summit Awards.

Can I order additional certificates to post at my company? Is there an associated cost?

Submitters can request additional certificates at a cost of $20 per certificate request.

The certificate will be an exact duplicate of the original. No name changes or substitutions allowed. Send email to competitions@stc.org stating how many additional certificates you require. Billing details will be provided.

Who should I contact if I have questions about the international competition?

You can send email to competitions@stc.org. Someone from the STC International Summit Awards committee or the STC Office liaison will respond within a reasonable time frame to your requests.

Who should I contact if I have questions about the local competition?

You can send email to competition@stcwvc.org. The competition manager will respond within a reasonable time frame to your requests.