communication department

Volume XIX Number 4

$10,000 Research Grants: June 30 Deadline

By Sandra W. Harner, Assistant to the President for Academic and Research Programs

The annual award of up to $10,000 continues the Society’s tradition of accepting research proposals on a wide spectrum of topics related to technical communication. STC is interested in practical basic and applied research on topics that are of concern to the Society’s mainstream membership. The selection of the annual award recipient involves a three-stage process.

1st Stage: Query

The deadline to submit a proposal is midnight, Friday, June 30, 2006. Researchers should submit an electronic copy of a cover page and a five-page query sent as a single e-mail attachment in a message addressed to Rachel Spilka, manager, STC research grants committee.

On the cover page, include the project title and researchers’ names and institutional affiliations.

The query should include the following:

• Problem statement, research questions, and project description
• Explanation (embedded in a brief literature review) of how the project promises to contribute to the field of technical communication and benefit the Society
• Description of the project design and methodology
• Description of researcher qualifications
• Citations list

2nd Stage: Selection of Two Finalists

From the queries received, the research grants committee will select two finalists, who will be notified in September 2006. The finalists will receive detailed feedback on their queries and on the viability of their research ideas to help them develop a full proposal, which will be due December 1, 2006. Finalists also may be asked for additional information and materials to help the committee in its review and deliberation.

3rd Stage: Final Selection

The research grants committee will recommend one of the two projects to the STC board of directors for funding, and the awardee will be notified by January 30, 2007.

Please contact Rachel Spilka if you have questions.