The Society for Technical Communication (STC) is an international professional society for the advancement of the theory and practice of technical communication. It has hundreds of local chapters (also known as 'communities.'
#21223
Bridging the Gap: Developing a Technical Communication Outreach Program for Students and Educators 
Establishing an Education Outreach Project on the local chapter level benefits not only teachers and students in area schools but also the chapter and individual members who participate. Such a project can be as large or as small as your chapter would like; it can range from one-time presentations to an on-going program with a school that can include job-shadowing for teachers or students.
Fisher, Ellen M. STC Proceedings (1996). Articles>Education>TC
#19386
Nielan summarizes fifty years of Society history and identifies key events that influenced the development of technical communication.
Nielan, Cate. Intercom (2003). Articles>TC>History
#13525
A Brief History of Technical Communication 
Civilization is a cumulative enterprise, and communication has always been a vital component of that cumulation process. From the fourteenth century on, the social system of science has depended on technical communication to describe, disseminate, criticize, use, and improve innovations and advances in science, medicine, and technology. Rapid change in technical communication has been obvious during the past few decades with the advent of computers, laser printers, the Internet, and other developments. Viewed from a historical perspective, those changes can be seen as but a portion of the evolution that technical communication has undergone. It has undergone vast changes in the means and methods that it employs and in the audience to which it is addressed, the purposes to which it is put, the roles it fulfills, and the social forces that drive and support it.
O'Hara, Frederick M., Jr. STC Proceedings (2001). Articles>History>TC
#24384
A Bright Idea: Online Financial Transaction Services
Looking for a quick, simple way for your members to register and pay for chapter events? Many chapters are turning to online services that facilitate financial transactions over the Internet (also called P2P, or person-to-person transactions).
Tieline (2003). Articles>TC>Community Building
#24386
A Bright Idea: Technical Communication Week
If you’re looking for ways to boost your chapter’s profile, consider having your state declare a technical communication week. Currently, about a dozen states celebrate the event. One of the first was Arizona, where Thomas P. Barnett, a senior member with the Phoenix Chapter STC, has been manager of Arizona’s Technical Communication Week for several years. Last October marked the thirteenth year that technical communicators in Arizona have celebrated their profession.
Barnett, Thomas P. Tieline (2001). Articles>TC>Community Building
#29014
The ongoing antitrust battle between the U.S. Department of Justice and Microsoft Corporation presents technical communicators with two ethical questions: 1) Is it right, good, or fair for Microsoft to give away its Internet Explorer browser? 2) If Microsoft gains monopoly control over the PC browser market, will this be good for us? This article examines these questions using traditional rights-based ethical theory (Kant), utilitarianism, and John Rawls principles of justice, concluding that it is neither good nor fair for a company having a near-monopoly over a market to sell products below fair market value, nor is it good that one company stands to gain monopoly control over the PC browser market. When the discussion turned to Netscape, one Intel executive, who asked not to be identified, recalled Martiz [Paul Martiz, Microsoft Group Vice President, Platforms & Application] saying: "We are going to cut off their air supply. Everything they re selling, we re going to give away for free" [1]. "We re giving away a pretty good browser as part of the operating system. How long can they survive selling it?"--Statement by Steve Ballmer, Microsoft President and CEO [2]. "Our business model works even if all Internet software is free," says Mr. Gates. "We are still selling operating systems." <em>Netscape</em>, in contrast, is dependent upon its Internet software for profits, he points out.--Statements by Bill Gates, Microsoft Chairman [3]. Only a monopolist could study a competitor and destroy its business by giving away products--Statement by Scott McNealy, Sun Microsystems Chairman [4].
Meier, Dennis. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (1999). Articles>TC>Ethics>Web Browsers
#30390
Bubba Awards: Recognition on a Shoestring
This paper is an explanation of a low-cost and high-fun method used by the Lone Star Chapter to recognize officers and committee managers for their work during the past year.
Skinner, Judith N. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Collaboration>Community Building>STC
#19677
Buggy Whips, the Arch Deluxe, and Quality Improvement
Sometimes quality is not enough to ensure success. Do you know who made the world’s finest buggy whips? Neither do I. Doubtless the manufacturer continuously improved its product to a fare-thee-well, but once the automobile became popular, the market for buggy whips (to say nothing of the market for buggies) evaporated, and there was nothing to be done for it.
Jong, Steven F. Intercom (2003). Careers>TC>Assessment
#25028
Building a Constituency Through Outreach
Since government agencies deal with all audiences represented in the population, a variety of communication strategies must be used. One example from work at the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory serves to illustrate this point in reaching out to communicate environmental issues. In this example, interpersonal, community, mass media, and print communication all serve a vital role in building a constituency around one environmental issue.
Carter, Kathy E. STC Proceedings (1994). Careers>TC>Environmental>Government
#30391
Building and Maintaining Student Chapters
Developing a strong student STC chapter is a challenging and rewarding experience. Those of us who are involved in this process can certainly benefit from sharing our ideas in a directed workshop atmosphere. Participants will exchange ideas and formulate working strategies for the development, maintenance, and growth of a student chapter.
Fink, Bonnie L. and William O. Coggin. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Collaboration>Education>STC
#23621
Building Relationships Between University Programs and Local STC Chapters
Collaboration between academic programs and STC chapters builds a sense of community and relevance for all participants. Neither academic programs or professional chapters by themselves provide sufficient educational or professional development opportunities. Working together helps inform faculty and students about workplace trends, helps introduce students to their future professional opportunities, and provides chapter members and their companies and organizations with access to up-to-date research and to students before they go on the job market.
Cunningham, Donald H. STC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Collaboration>Industry and Academy>STC
#29032
Burkean Invention in Technical Communication 
This article supplements existing rhetorical scholarship by returning to the notion of invention as general preparation of the communicator. Although much scholarship about invention in technical communication exists, it consists mainly of heuristics, checklists, ethical considerations, and audience awareness. Part of invention is using basic strategies to prepare the communicator to assess any communication situation and its context and to generate the appropriate discourse. Rhetorician Kenneth Burke s theories of dialectic and rhetoric are a twentieth-century version of this; this article explains important Burkean strategies such as etymological extension, limits of agreement with the thesis, finding the complex in the simple, expanding the circumference, translation or alembication, the four master tropes, and the pentad, and it shows how to apply these in technical communication. The article closes with a classroom assignment that uses Burkean invention strategies.
Todd, Jeff. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2000). Articles>TC>Rhetoric
#23569
The Business Landscape Analysis: Where We Are Today
STC's best opportunity for growth is to lead its members and the industry into the future by focusing on emerging disciplines and growing opportunities within technical communication. STC must ensure that the needs of its core writer/editor base are met at the same time.
STC Transformation (2004). Articles>TC>Planning
#14595
Business Roundtable: Are You Ready to Grow Your Business? 
In 2001 and beyond, do you plan to be the boss? If you have the entrepreneurial itch, running your own business may be central to your career plan. What practical, professional and emotional pitfalls are in store? Four successful business owners share their experiences and discuss how to turn potential pitfalls into challenging, lucrative adventures.
Fredrickson, Lola, Sheila Jones, Stephanie L. Rosenbaum and Donna Sakson. STC Proceedings (2000). Careers>Management>TC
#31882
Businesses not as Keen on Blogs and Wikis? We Had a Hunch
Despite all the excitement in the technical communications community over Web 2.0 technologies like wikis and blogs, it looks like companies are still reluctant to tie the knot for a variety of reasons.
DMN Communications (2008). Articles>TC>Wikis>Blogs
#27275
A California Yankee in Raj Jahan's Country
Andrea Ames shares anecdotes and impressions of the cultural and communication differences she observed while in Hyderabad, India, to speak at a conference for STC members. She outlines growing changes in India's IT and technical communication industries.
#29010
Can This Marriage Be Saved: IS an English Department a Good Home for Technical Communication?
In partial answer to the many questions that have been raised about the definition and location of technical writing programs, a random sample of full-time teachers of professional writing was conducted. The results indicate that those located in English departments do not receive the respect and support they need. Those located in other departments are significantly more satisfied. Some strategies for improving the situation are suggested.
MacNealy, Mary Sue and Leon B. Heaton. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (1999). Academic>Education>TC>Professionalism
#23493
Capitalization of Headings and Titles
The following summarizes the replies to the question of 'capitalization of headings and titles' in the mailing list tcf-gen in recent months.
TC-FORUM (1999). Articles>Style Guides>TC
#18195
Career Assessment in Changing Times
It used to be the prospect of retirement that made us stop and think about who we are and how we want to spend the productive years ahead. Not any more. This kind of thinking and planning is critical for everyone today, given the dramatic changes taking place in the business world. As companies shed staff of all ages, we need to assess our own strengths and weaknesses and career options. This experienced panel talks abut reinventing yourself, overcoming obstacles - real and imagined, practical considerations for the part-time, home-based business and 'dream' career alternatives.
Jones, Sheila C., Roger A. Grice, William A. Mattingly and Coralyn K. McGregor. STC Proceedings (1996). Careers>TC>Assessment
#28940
What do you want to be when you grow up? Some people think there is only one choice, but Christina Wodtke shows us that there are as many choices as there are people making them.
Wodtke, Christina. Boxes and Arrows (2007). Careers>TC>Design
#31570
A Career in Technical Communication: What's in It for You?
Who wrote the installation manual for your car stereo? Who created the brochure to market your cell phone? Who designed the help menu on your favorite word processor? Highly skilled professionals called "technical communicators" produce all of these items. What does a career in technical communication have to offer? Here are some things you can count on.
#21405
A Career in Technical Writing: What Can You Expect?
What can you expect from a career in technical writing? The answer depends on a couple of factors. Specifically, will you be a lone technical writer or part of a technical writing team? Will you be a freelance technical writer or an employee?
Docsymmetry (2003). Careers>TC>Writing>Technical Writing
#14547
Career Options for Technical Communicators in a Restructured World
In a booming economy, promotions and advancement 'up the career ladder' seemed like reasonable expectations for capable technical communicators. But in the new downsized business environment a new career pat tern is emerging called the portfolio career. In a portfolio career, a person develops a range of skills and applies them in a series of jobs or assignments or responsibilities. Technical communicators are in a unique position to take advantage of this new trend in the workplace because they often possess a wide range of transferable skills and have a good overview of the company's product line and business processes.
Fisher, Lori H. STC Proceedings (1995). Careers>TC>Workplace
#21675
Career Outlook for Technical Writers and Editors
The U.S. Dept. of Labor’s 'Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2002-03 Edition, Writers and Editors,' is recommended reading for those considering technical writing as a profession. Some of the main points highlighted in the handbook make interesting reading.
Klariti (2003). Careers>TC>Writing>Technical Writing
#31655
Career Outlook for Technical Writers to 2010
Most professional writing jobs still require a college degree either in the liberal arts with a preference for Communications, Journalism, and English. Competition is expected to be less for lower paying, entry-level jobs. Writers who fail to gain better paying jobs usually can transfer readily to communications-related jobs in other occupations.
Klariti (2007). Careers>TC>Technical Writing
