Who is Eligible

You may submit entries if you develop technical art, information visualizations, or any other type of visual communication used in a technical context. You do not have to be a member of the STC. You may enter as an individual or on behalf of a group or subordinate. In all cases, the owner of the work must provide permission for entry and public display of the work.

Entry Criteria

Entries must contain sufficient technical or scientific content to qualify as “technical” communication. Entries may or may not contain text. If an entry contains text, or if text is used as a primary visual element in the overall design, the text must be presented in English. Multilingual entries that contain English are also acceptable. Entries must have been produced after February 1, 2002. Entries must have been originally prepared for a client, employer, or publisher (except student entries) and must have been accepted for publication (print or electronic). Entries may not have been entered in any previous STC competition.

How To Enter

Mechanical and Interpretive Illustration: Send one copy of the illustration (no originals). All entries must be flush-mounted on a single-weight or illustration board. Tape a copy of the entry form to the back. If an entry requires more than one board, label the boards 1 of 2, 2 of 2, etc. Original artwork and unmounted entries will not be accepted.

Design Graphics: Send one published copy of the printed material (book, manual, periodical, annual report, catalog, flyer). Tape a copy of your entry form to the back. To submit package graphics, send one actual sample of the packaging and tape your entry form to the back. You can submit environmental graphics (trade show or convention booth displays) or any other oversized entries by providing original mounted or matted color photographs, 35mm slides, or a videotaped walk-through of the entire entry. Tape a copy of your entry form to the back of the mounted/matted photograph, or wrap a copy of your entry form around the slide set or videotape and secure it with a rubber band.

Online Art and Multimedia Presentations: Send one copy of the online art or multimedia presentation on a pc-formatted CD. In addition, online art or multimedia presentations must be set up for judging on site on Consensus Judging Day (see Dates and Locations. You must provide one computer system for each entry. You must provide and set up the hardware, software, and peripherals required for the entry on Consensus Judging Day. See Dates and Locations for information about the date and location for consensus judging. Please set up your entry between 7:00 A.M. and 9:00 A.M. and remove it between 4:00 P.M. and 6:00 P.M.

Entrants are not to be present during judging (between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. You must provide clearly visible printed or online instructions for launching the online or multimedia entry, as well as any other important navigational information. This information is critical to the judging process. At the conclusion of the Consensus Judging, you must disassemble and remove your entry from the premises. STC is not responsible for the security of the hardware or software used for your entry.

Judging

Judges are volunteers with professional expertise in technical communication who are assigned based on their stated areas of expertise. Judges evaluate each entry according to its own merit and how well it meets its stated purpose and fulfills the needs of its audience. They may consider additional criteria (based on the category of entry) that include, but are not limited to, application use, graphic quality, illustration quality, and overall production quality.

Judges evaluate each entry based on the stated entry objectives, project limitations, production methods, and other factors. It is important that you clearly and fully state all project information that may be pertinent to the entry. A panel of judges evaluates each entry (according to its own merit) and may designate as many or as few awards as it feels appropriate in each category. Judging will be completed by November 2, 2003.

Fees

The entry fee is $70 per entry ($85 if none of the listed authors are STC members). Entry fees are not refundable. Please make checks payable to: Boston Chapter, STC.

To Submit Your Entry

To enter online, complete the entry form at http://www.stcboston.org/competitions/entry_registration.shtml.

To pay the entry fee and submit your entry: send your check, a copy of your entry form and Technical Art entry (as detailed above) to:

Deadline

All entries and entry fees must be received by the deadline shown in Dates and locations.

Awards

Three levels of recognition may be awarded in each category. These awards are, in descending order, Distinguished, Excellence, and Merit. One Best of Show winner will be selected.

Winners of the Distinguished award qualify for entry in the STC’s International Technical Art Competition.

Winners

Winners are announced publicly at the Awards Banquet in February. Within six weeks of Consensus Judging, the entry’s contact person will receive award results and judges’ comment sheets. All entries become the property of the STC Boston Chapter.