STC’s Technical Communication Journal is looking for a new Editor-in-Chief. Read the Request for Proposals below, and be sure to submit by 15 January 2015.
Technical Communication Journal
Editor-in-Chief and Host Institution
Request for Proposals
The Society for Technical Communication (STC) is soliciting proposals for the editorship of Technical Communication for a three-year, renewable commitment to begin 1 August 2015. The first issue for the new editor will be January 2016, but the appointed editor should be available to work with the current editor between 1 May and 1 August 2015. The new editor should be an accomplished scholar, a tenured member of the faculty, and a senior member of STC who is conversant with and committed to its goals. A successful proposal must demonstrate both the prospective editor’s credentials and host institutional support for publishing the journal.
About the Journal
Technical Communication is a peer-reviewed, quarterly journal published by the Society for Technical Communication. It is aimed at an audience of technical communication practitioners and academics. The journal’s goal is to contribute to the body of knowledge of the field of technical communication from a multidisciplinary perspective, with special emphasis on the combination of academic rigor and practical relevance.
Technical Communication publishes articles in five categories:
- Applied research – reports of practically relevant (empirical or analytical) research
- Applied theory – original contributions to technical communication theory
- Case history – reports on solutions to technical communication problems
- Tutorial – instructions on processes or procedures that respond to new developments, insights, laws, standards, requirements, or technologies
- Bibliography – reviews of relevant research or bibliographic essays
Technical Communication is published as a print journal four times per year by the Society for Technical Communication. The journal is also published online on STC’s website (http://techcomm.stc.org/) and via Ingenta Connect (http://techcomm.stc.org/ingenta/).
Responsibilities of the Editor
The editor will be charged with final responsibility for peer review and acceptance of manuscripts for publication and will carry the primary burden of reviewing potential contributions and managing associate editors.
The prospective editor will solicit articles, arrange for blind reviews, provide feedback to authors, deliver manuscripts to STC and its vendors according to set schedules and deadlines, provide an annual report of the state of the journal, chair the Editorial Advisory Board, and meet annually with the STC Board of Directors.
Full publication proposals from prospective editors should be submitted by 15 January 2015 and should include the following:
- Statement of Editorial Policy. Considering the research published in Technical Communication in the past, describe the editorial scope and policies to be pursued under your editorship. This should be a reflective statement that serves to show familiarity with the important issues confronting interdisciplinary technical communication scholarship and how Technical Communication with continue to serve the field—both academics and practitioners. Please also include potential associate editors or members of the editorial board.
- Statement of Institutional Resources. Technical Communication’s new host institution will be responsible for providing office space and furnishings, as well as course release and some travel support for the editor. STC will provide some annual financial support for the journal and gratis Gold STC membership for the duration of the editor’s term. STC also produces, promotes, and distributes the journal and thus is responsible for subscriptions, marketing, and advertising. The new editor will need an editorial team, especially for copyediting manuscripts, to ensure the high quality of final articles. Please provide a description of the level of support that your institution is willing to provide along with a letter of support from your institution’s administration.
- Curriculum Vitae. Please include a current CV.
Selection Details
All proposals will be reviewed by an advisory committee comprised of the STC Director of Communications, STC senior members in academe, and a representative sample of the Editorial Board. The advisory committee will make its recommendations to STC’s Chief Executive Officer and the STC Board of Directors, who will make the final decision concerning the appointment of the new editor.
Proposals for the editorship will be judged on several areas. The statement of editorial policy is critical, as it must reflect and understanding of the field of technical communication and the role that the journal plays in shaping that field. Each proposal must also articulate a vision for the journal’s future. Each proposal will be evaluated in terms of the proposed editor’s academic qualifications, publishing experience, dedication to the Society, and overall ability to work with a diverse group of interdisciplinary communications scholars dedicated to academic rigor and practical relevance.
The selection of proposed associate editors and advisory board members will also be evaluated. Multiple scholars are essential to bring diverse perspectives to the journal. Finally, all proposals must detail active institutional support. Journal responsibilities cannot be met unless the host institution grants release time from other responsibilities and provides adequate office space and administrative support.
Terms
The new editor’s term will begin with the January 2016 issue, but the appointed editor should be available to work with the current editor and STC staff between 1 May and 1 August 2015 to complete the 2015 editorial calendar.
Submission Process
Proposals should be sent to STC Director of Communications Liz Pohland by 15 January 2015. Following discussion and consideration with STC CEO Chris Lyons and the STC Board of Directors, the announcement of the editor will be made by April 2015. For more information and to submit a proposal, contact STC Director of Communications Liz Pohland at liz.pohland@stc.org or 571-366-1910.