What the Competitions are About

Each year, the Boston and Northern New England chapters of the Society for Technical Communications (STC) hold competitions for technical communicators. You can enter your work or judge in one or more of three competitions:

The competitions accept entries in a wide range of categories, including hardware and software user documentation, training materials, marketing materials, reference guides, magazine design, technical illustrations, quick reference cards, and annual reports.

Judging in the Competitions

Judges in each competition attend an orientation session in early autumn. During orientation, judges will learn about the consensus judging process, review the criteria for evaluating entries, and spend time practice judging.

All judges attend consensus judging in November. Judges work in teams to review their assigned entries, discuss their evaluations, agree on an award level, and fill out feedback forms for the entrants.

In some cases, judges will be able to review their assigned entries prior to consensus judging day. Judges in the Technical Publications competition receive their entries to review in the weeks preceding consensus judging. In addition, judges in the Online Communication competition who elect to judge Web entries will be able to review their assigned entries via URL until consensus judging day. All judges attend consensus judging to complete their evaluation with their judging team members.

For more detailed information about judging in the competitions, go to the Judges Overview page. When you are ready to register to judge in one or more competitions, fill out the online registration form.

Entering the Competitions

To enter your work, you must register online and make your entry available for consensus judging in November. For more detailed information about entering the competitions, go to the Entrants Overview page.

You do not have to be a member of the STC to enter the competitions, and you can submit more than one entry. Your peers judge your entries, and you receive detailed feedback from judges who are experienced in technical writing and art.

When you are ready to enter your work, fill out the online registration form.

Awards

Some entries earn an award from the STC. Awards represent levels of accomplishment based on STC standards. Three levels of awards are given, as follows:

• Merit: Consistently meets high standards in most areas. There may be a number of major or minor flaws, but the entry still exemplifies proficient technical communication.
  
  
• Excellence: Consistently meets high standards in all areas. There may be a single major flaw and a few minor flaws. The entry clearly, though slightly imperfectly, exemplifies an exceptional understanding of technical communication principles.
  
  
• Distinguished: Clearly superior in all areas. There are no major flaws, and few, if any, minor flaws. It is an outstanding example of technical communication principles.

STC International Competition

Winners of the STC-Boston/Northern New England competitions' Distinguished award have the option to advance their entries to the International Competition for entries from around the world. This entails an additional entry fee of $125. The local chapters can provide the forms and prepare the entries.