COMM 291
Fact Sheet

Society for Technical Communication
FACT SHEET

Overview

With more than 50 chapters and branches, the Society for Technical Communication is the world’s largest professional organization dedicated to the advancement of technical communication. Through autonomous chapter activity, the STC encourages professional and technical groups in specialized areas of technical communication. The STC has three types of membership: Individual, Special and Corporate. Members come from many different occupations and careers.

-       Technical and scientific writers, publishers and editors

-       Designers and graphic artists

-       Educators

-       Publications and communications managers and directors

-       Technical presentation, marketing, audio-visual and documentation specialists

-       Engineers

-       Technical communication consultants

-       Information science researchers

-       Advertising copywriters

Activities

The STC participates in a wide range of activities.

-       Publishing a professional journal, various newsletters and standards used by writers, editors and graphic arts specialists

-       Advising on publications standards and specifications

-       Providing speakers for, conducting and sponsoring seminars, international symposia, annual conferences and various exhibits

-       Helping to develop college curricula and other programs for self-improvement and in-plant training of technical communicators

-       Establishing and administering scholarships in technical communication

-       Encouraging research in technical communication, and

-       Cooperating with local scientific and educational groups in mutual-interest projects

Individual Membership

Individual membership has four grades: Student Member, Affiliate Member, Member and Senior Member. Application qualifications for each grade of Individual membership are as follows. [Note: Explain “Retired Member”!]

-       Student Member: Is a full-time college or technical-school student.

-       Affiliate Member: Is active in some aspect of technical communication.

-       Member: Is involved full-time in some aspect of technical communication and has been so for at least one year before application.

-       Senior Member: Is engaged in some aspect of technical communication, has had at least seven years’ experience in the field and has been a Member of the STC for at least two years before application for Senior Member.

-       Retired Member

Special Membership

Special membership has three elective grades: Associate Fellow, Fellow and Honorary Member. All levels of Special membership are conferred only by invitation.

Corporate Membership

Corporate membership has one grade: Sustaining Member. It is designed for companies, corporations, institutions and other organizations that are interested in supporting the aims and work of the Society. Sustaining Members may join by application or invitation.

Dues & Fees

With the exception of Special membership, all types of members have set annual dues.

Student Member                    $10.00
Affiliate Member                   $20.00
Member                               $20.00
Senior Member                     $20.00
Retired Member                    $10.00
Sustaining Member                $250.00

Additional fees also may apply.

Enrollment*                         $5.00
Reinstatement                       $5.00
Senior Member Application    $15.00
* Enrollment is not applicable to students.

Affiliations

The STC is officially affiliated with several professional organizations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Engineers Joint Council, the Council of Communication Societies and International Council for Technical Communication.

For More Information

To contact the headquarters for the Society for Technical Communications, call or write via the information below.

Society for Technical Communication

1010 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Suite 421

Washington, D.C., 20005

Phone: (202) 737-0035

Executive Director: Curtis T. Youngblood

Office Manager: Paul R. Andrews