communication department

Since 1986, the International Student Technical Communication Competition (ISTCC) has provided a unique venue for recognizing excellence in student writing in technical communication. This competition, which accepts papers and website content, is open to students in grades ten through twelve in the United States or the equivalent levels in other countries. The ISTCC has two tiers. Chapters sponsor local technical communication competitions for students, soliciting original reports, essays, expository articles, or websites on a technical subject.

Winners of the local competitions move on to compete for recognition and cash awards at the international level.

Professional technical communicators judge the entries. Judges evaluate the significance of the topic, the effectiveness of the entry's organization, and the soundness of the student's conclusions. They also appraise the student's use and documentation of reference materials, as well as the use of visual and graphic aids.

Entries should provide all the information the reader needs to understand a concept or process, form an opinion, or reach a decision. The entries should also be objective and meet the following criteria:

• Clearly stating and supporting premises
• Supporting conclusions with facts
• Testing personal observations under controlled conditions
• Acknowledging and referencing data or conclusions taken from other sources
• Ensuring that those data or conclusions are verifiable

For additional information, contact Lloyd Tucker, STC Director of Membership, Meetings, and Education, or reach him at +1 (571) 366-1904.

The complete competition guidelines, which include the schedule and deadlines, are available on the STC website.