Society for Technical Communication

Submit your manuscript in a double-spaced electronic file with one-inch margins. Don’t attempt to mimic the format or layout of a published article. Microsoft Word files are preferred; if you use another word processor, a Rich Text Format (RTF) file is also acceptable.

Provide the manuscript’s title and the name(s) of the author(s) at the beginning of the text file.

Include an informative abstract labeled “Summary” (150 words maximum).

Use up to three levels of headings, and indicate them clearly.

Within the file, include each table, along with a descriptive title. Electronically paste a copy of each figure into the file, along with a descriptive caption.

Do not use footnotes. Instead, use author-date citations within the text, and provide a complete list of works cited (labeled “References”). Avoid using multiple citations for ideas or approaches unless they demonstrate an evolution in thought or practice.

Check all author-date citations and all entries in the reference list for both accuracy and conformance to The Chicago Manual of Style format (see pp. 593–754).

At the end of the text file, include a biosketch for each author labeled “Biosketch” (100 words maximum for each author) describing your professional experience, education, institutional affiliation, professional organizations to which you belong, and any other helpful information. Include your e-mail address and a telephone number where you can be reached during business hours.

If possible, transmit each file to the editor as an attachment to an e-mail message, one attachment per e-mail message. (Alternatively, files may be copied to a 3.5-inch diskette and mailed to the editor.) Include in the e-mail message (or in a letter enclosed with the diskette) the article title, authors’ names, the exact name of each file transmitted, and the platform and software used to prepare it (for example, “Windows XP/Word 2003” or “MacOS X/Adobe Illustrator 10”).

If your manuscript is accepted, you will be asked to submit one electronic file for each figure. These files should be in TIF format. Screenshots should be captured and output at 6 inches (width) by 4.5 inches (height) for full screens. Because illustrations will be reproduced in black and white, they are best rendered in grayscale rather than color.