Proposal Guidelines

Preparing for your STC Summit Proposal

To help you better prepare for submitting an STC proposal, we’re providing guidelines that outline the information we ask for in the proposal form, including any restrictions (such as word or character counts). Consider gathering this information prior to accessing and completing the proposal submission form; it will save time and make the process easier.

The Summit proposal form is organized and grouped into the following categories:

Contact Information (Name (Last,First), Email, Phone, Employer)

Proposal Information
Session Title (Max: 12 words)
Session Abstract (Max: 220 words, 1100 characters) Provide a brief description of the target audience for your session. What concept will you address or problem can your session solve? What are your learning objectives and what can attendees expect to take away with them at the end?
Session Details (Max: 2200 characters) How will your presentation deliver on the theme? Provide a session outline highlighting learning activities, objectives, content examples, activity plan, etc. Plan a session you can easily deliver in under 40 minutes to allow time for discussion. List three (3) key takeaways and how you will integrate them into your session (one of which should be something an attendee can implement on their first day back at work).
Session Topic Area
Select the general session area (track) that best fits your proposal.
o Options include:
 Design & Testing (Art, Design, Visual Communication, Usability, UX, etc.)
 Career & Leadership (Management, Independent Consulting, Freelancing, working with teams, professional advice, role changes and advancement, etc.)
 Technology & Development (Tools, DITA, Cloud, API, Mobile, Programming, User Assistance, Single Sourcing, etc.)
 Writing & Communication (Training, Education, Editing, Language, Localization, Technical/Simple English, etc.)
Proposal Topic Information
• Have you presented the material before?
o If so, when did you present it?
o How is the Summit proposal different from the previous presentation?

Audience Information
• What level of experience is suitable for the intended audience?

  1. Advanced – this is a topic suitable for senior level communication professionals, team leaders and managers; or a topic of advanced technical skill which assumes a certain level or knowledge which will not be presented in the session. Prerequisites are required if you submit a proposal at this level. All referenced materials should indicate specific knowledge or experience needed to attend your session.
  2. Practitioner – This level may or may not require advanced preparation but should target those communication professionals who have been in the field for some time and know the basics. Presenters should assume attendees will possess a baseline knowledge from which to build their presentation and explain only those things that are relevant to their topic.
  3. New TechComm Professionals and Students – Presenters at this level should explain everything and assume that those attending these sessions are new to the field and just learning the topic. Do not include prerequisites at this level, rather be sure to include references in your presentation materials where attendees can continue learning after they leave your session.

About You

  1. Professional Bio (relevant positions held, management experience, certifications, STC Community affiliations etc.)
  2. Previous speaking experience (describe where have you presented, how many attendees, presentation formats etc.)
  3. Supporting Information – please provide active URLs linking to the following if available:
    1. Presentation example
    2. Personal website
    3. Social media profiles
  4. Have you presented this material before? Y/N
    1. If yes, when/where did you present it?
    2. How is the 2018 Summit proposal different from the previous presentation?

Note: The number of proposals is limited to 2 entries per submitter. This includes up to 2 session entries and 2 pre-conference workshops.