Society of Technical Communications
STC members are a diverse group, but they all have one thing in common: They’re dedicated to professional growth and advancement. Through education, certification, and a network of peers, the Society of Technical Communications helps its members adapt to their evolving workplaces.
Founded in 1953, STC has local chapters and regional conferences that provide networking and continuing education opportunities for its members. STC’s main publications, Intercom and Technical Communication, are widely read by practitioners in the field.
STC’s mission is to advance the theory and practice of technical communication.
Technical communicators are professionals who create and deliver information to help people perform complex or specialized tasks. They might write web pages, produce videos, provide customer support, or conduct usability testing. They can be found in every industry segment and across the globe.
STC’s membership includes academics, practitioners, and managers who share an interest in technical communication. Members come from many different industries and disciplines, including engineering, computer science, media, writing studies, and English. The society’s publications, Intercom and Technical Communication, and its annual conference are widely read in the field.
The society also provides professional development opportunities through conferences, a job database, newsletters, and various inter-society competitions. Its members include students, early career professionals, and lateral entrants to the profession. The society’s archives document the organization at the national and chapter levels from 1956 to 1996. The collection reflects the activities and interests of its major collectors, especially Austin Farrell and Joseph Saunders, who both served on the national Membership Committee and Standards Council in the 1970s and 1980s.
STC’s membership is diverse.
Whether you’re an experienced professional or student, STC has something to offer everyone. You can join local chapters to network and learn about the latest technologies and trends in your field. Or you can participate in events and competitions to showcase your skills. You can also take advantage of STC’s many resources, including journals and workshops.
STC is committed to promoting diversity in the technical communication profession. In order to do this, the organization works to weave a thread of respect and support for different social identities through its audition processes, rehearsals, and performances. It also promotes a culture of consent among its shows, show directors, production staff, and performers.
STCs are expected to work with a broad range of institutions, with special emphasis on minority-serving universities and schools. This may include formal partnerships established through membership agreements, research/teaching collaborations between faculty members and students, student internships in industry or public policy arenas, external use of university facilities, mentoring by industrial partners, innovative uses of cyberinfrastructure, or informal science education.
STC’s publications are widely read.
STC’s award-winning publications are widely read by practitioners and academics alike. The organization’s annual conference is one of the largest technical communication events of the year. STC also offers a certificate program that recognizes the professional competency of technical communicators.
The Society of Technical Communications’s membership includes writers and editors, content developers, documentation specialists, information architects, instructional designers, usability and human factors professionals, visual designers, translators and more — anyone who creates and publishes content that helps people solve problems or make informed decisions. The Society, its geographic Chapters and Special Interest Groups offer a wide array of events throughout the year that advance professional skills and promote technical communication education and managerial techniques.
The Collection primarily includes materials from Austin Farrell, who was active in the local Carolina Chapter and nationally on several committees during the 1960s and 1970s. The majority of the collection relates to his activities with the national Membership Committee and Standards Council.
STC’s annual conference is one of the largest.
STC’s annual conference is one of the largest conferences for technical communication professionals. It’s a great place to network and learn about the latest technologies in the field. It features more than 80 education sessions broken up into relevant subjects, an exhibit hall with dozens of companies that offer products and services to technical communicators, and an opening general session and communities reception.
STC also hosts a number of special interest groups. The Online Information and Information Design SIGs are two of the most popular. These groups are devoted to topics such as information design, usability, and knowledge management.
The Society for Technical Communications was formed in the 1950s out of a merger of three separate organizations. Its members span the profession, from students and academics to practitioners and managers. They come from every industry segment and many countries around the world. The Society for Technical Communications has numerous publications, including the prestigious journal Technical Communication Quarterly.
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