1. business and industrial

April 2002
Volume 10, Issue 8
How to Survive Technical Writing
- Nancy Sequeira, STC Senior Member
Technical writers do not have an easy job.
We must understand a product in a
specific industry, for certain audience(s),
and sometimes without any prior
knowledge. We translate and
communicate information by interacting
with subject matter experts who know
their subjects in a specific way and expect
us to do the same. More often than not,
others are disinterested in our job and
what we need to accomplish. We work in
extreme deadline-driven conditions to
complete work that most do not value. In
this environment, I know you have bad
days. I know you just want to just give up.
‘No one reads the documentation
anyway!’
Lesson 1: Understand the Scope of a
Project within the Business Limitations.
Most technical writers are completers and
Our working environment does not make
it easy to adhere to this lesson especially
when we are faced with a two-hour
deadline, the subject matter expert just
made last minute changes to the product,
and the goal is to get the documentation,
online help, and so on, out the door, and
accurate. ‘We are only as good the
information we produce,’ right?
I assure you technical writing will become
easy as soon as you understand this
lesson.
Understand that if high-level reviewers
approve your documentation and they do
not indicate changes or adjustments are
warranted, making last minute changes as
a result of testing or other conditions will
void your sign-off review. Understand that
documentation, like code or a product, has
a life of its own. Documents are outdated
as soon as they are released.
Documentation exists within the time
frame it is created. It should be treated as
a work in progress even though a
milestone such as a release is achieved.
Lesson 2: Rely on a Mentor or
Technical Writing Guru who Inspires
You.
I am very lucky to have the same person
who gave me my first break in technical
writing, also become my manager,
personal mentor, and friend at various
stages of my career. She is brilliant,
period. She makes my job easier because
Continued on page 7.
Surviving Tech Writing..........1
President’s Message.............2
Surveys and In-Laws.............3
Leadership Bursary..............3
Call for Nominations................3
Region 7 Conference..............4
Edmonton Events..............5
Membership News................5
Thursday Programs............6
Bitter Ink..........................6
Mark Your Calendars...............9
The mission of the Society for Technical Communication is to improve the quality and effectiveness of
technical communication for audiences worldwide.
INSIDE SUPERSCRIPT
I do not have solutions to the countless
problems that may exist for new technical
writers, lone-writers, or writers struggling
to work in teams, although I have
discovered some lessons working as a fulltime and contract technical writer. These
lessons were derived from common work
experiences and I hope they will help you
when you are having a bad day. I hope
these lessons help you to carry on when
you want to change careers. I hope you can
survive technical writing.
perfectionists at heart. We usually fall in
the last stage of any development cycle
and this drives the need to finish a project.
We are picky editors who abide by strict
standards. These characteristics do not
make it easy to complete a project
knowing we may send out documentation
that is inaccurate.
A Word from Our President
- Ian Hawkins
Just out of curiosity, I looked through some issues of
SuperScript from past years. As I suspected, previous Chapter
presidents have shared many of the same concerns that I have.
One of the most pressing is how to keep the Chapter running
properly from year to year, in order to provide the high level of
services that our members look forward to.
Naturally, the answer to this is
simple: attract and keep volunteers.
Just as naturally, this is much easier
said than done. This is where you
come in.
Below I have listed just some of the important positions we need
to fill. The first four (President, Vice President, Secretary,
Treasurer) are elected positions. If more than one person is
interested in the position, we have an election at the AGM. This
has not happened in recent memory. In fact, there have been
occasions where the Chapter did not have any candidates for
President until during the AGM dinner itself. I don’t
want that to happen again. It isn’t fair to the
incoming members of the executive, especially the
person who decides at the last possible minute to
volunteer as President.
President
The President really acts as a general manager.
Much of the workload involves coordinating other
people, and making sure that jobs are done when
they need to be.
The end of the Chapter year is
approaching soon. Our Annual
General Meeting is scheduled for
June 15, and the members of the
new executive will take office at the
end of June.
Vice-President
The Vice President has few specific responsibilities.
Ideally, this position should be used as a way to
learn the workings of the Chapter, as preparation for
future involvement.
I would like all members, new and
old, to consider what they have to
offer the Chapter. I can guarantee
Most people find that the
that the professional and personal
more they contribute the
rewards more than compensate for
more benefits they reap.
Secretary
your volunteer commitment. In
The Secretary’s main job is to record and distribute
fact, most people find that the more
minutes from Chapter meetings. This job is made
they contribute the more benefits they reap.
much simpler when others contribute advance copies of their
reports, so the Secretary can concentrate on changes or discussions that take place at the meetings.
Continued on page 5.
Alberta Chapter STC Executive Council 2001-2002
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Past President
Archivist
Coffee Nights
Chapter Events
Jobline
Conference
Workshops
Competitions
Volunteers
Programs
Edmonton Liaison
Newsletter Editors
Public Relations
Mentorship
MRC Liaison
Registration & Hospitality
E-mail List
Co-ordinator
Special Events
Webmaster
Membership Directory/
Survey
Ian Hawkins
[email protected]
(position currently vacant)
[email protected]
Ken Schatzke
[email protected]
Jessie Channey
Helen Schleedoorn
Jean Bauer
Lorraine Gorman
[email protected]
Page 2
Kathy Gerritsen
[email protected]
Darren Tenor
[email protected]
Brian O’Malley
[email protected]
Fena Maucieri/Nancy Sequeira
[email protected]
Leila Meyer
[email protected]
Debbie Barry
[email protected]
(position currently vacant)
[email protected]
Micki Nielsen
[email protected]
Blair McNaughton
[email protected]
Suzanne Scott
Lois Hamilton
[email protected]
Mai-Ann Sprung
[email protected]
Leila Meyer
[email protected]
Ken Schatzke
[email protected]
Glenn Ruhl
[email protected]
Mai-Ann Sprung
Allison Strilchuk
[email protected]
Mai-Ann Sprung
[email protected]
Fena Maucieri
[email protected]
Marcia Wright
[email protected]
Andrea Hogg
[email protected]
Brian O’Malley
[email protected]
April 2002
Surveys and In-laws
- Ken Schatzke, Programs Co-ordinator
As technical communicators, one of our most important mantras
is “always understand your audience.” But how do we do this? In
last month’s program, Terry Williams and Blair McNaughton
introduced us to one method: the survey.
Terry is a research and communications consultant who has
taught research methods at the University of Calgary and
conducted corporate-wide communication audits for both profit
and not-for profit industries. Blair, Terry’s son-in-law, is a teacher
and technical writer who has specialized in educational and
instructional design, and has worked extensively with Terry in
developing survey instruments and data gathering.
Between bouts of good-natured mother-in-law/son-in-law
bashing, Terry and Blair explained the importance of carefully
planning and administering a survey. The first step is to define
what information you want to know and determine the key
variables and what items and processes affect them. The second
step is to consider what you want to ask survey participants. As
Terry recommended, during this step you should think about how
you will code responses for entry in a database. Next, organize
your questions and write your survey. Terry and Blair suggested
organizing surveys in a manner similar to a conversation, with a
beginning, middle, and end. Finally, test your survey on a pilot
audience to see if they understand all questions and are able to
complete the survey successfully and accurately.
Terry and Blair also explained the differences between
quantitative and qualitative information and open-ended and
closed-ended questions.
information is that which you can
define in words (for example, the
weather outside is unusually cold and
windy for this time of year).
Quantitative and qualitative
information both have their benefits.
The former is easier to codify and
analyze, while the latter offers survey
participants the opportunity to add detail
and elaboration to their responses.
Open-ended questions allow survey participants to respond to a
query in their own words. While this form of question provides
increased validity, it also decreases reliability. It is more difficult
to measure the strength of responses and to compare responses
from different respondents. Closed-ended questions, on the other
hand, require respondents to choose from a finite number of
options. These questions offer increased reliability but decreased
validity. They are easier to code and measure the strength of
responses.
Finally, Terry and Blair explained some of the common pitfalls of
survey design—including double-barreled questions, nonmutually exclusive categories, and non-exhaustive categories—as
well as some of the cultural and linguistic issues we should
consider.
At the end of the evening, participants felt they had learned a
great deal about building effective surveys—as well as dealing
with their in-laws.
Quantitative information is that which you can define in numbers
(for example, the temperature outside is –15), while qualitative
Leadership Bursary
The Alberta Chapter STC’s Executive Council voted to establish a Leadership Bursary at the March Executive Council
meeting. This bursary will provide limited funding to allow the
incoming Chapter president or one of the elected council to
attend leadership training at an STC event.
Some of the Chapter’s past presidents have had the opportunity
to attend the STC Leadership conference in previous years and
found it a great way to enhance their leadership skills. These
leaders were able to pass on some of the information they
gained at the conference with the rest of the executive.
Council felt this leadership training would benefit the entire
Chapter. This bursary would provide an opportunity and the
incentive for one of our new leaders to receive this training.
SuperScript
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
The Alberta Chapter is accepting nominations for next year’s Executive Council.
Nominations for President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary are now
being sought.
Do you know an STC member who has
the stuff to lead our Chapter? Send your
nominations to [email protected].
Page 3
The Alberta Chapter has been awarded
the Region 7 Conference for 2003!
Fena Maucieri, Conference Co-ordinator
W
ith one of the strongest volunteer groups,
Alberta Chapter easily convinced DirectorSponsor, Ellen Fenwick, we were ready for the
challenge. Now it’s time to get the wheels in motion!
Come to the first meeting where we will...
·
·
·
set the conference theme
pick tentative dates
fill volunteer positions & teams
Date:
Wednesday, May 8, 2002
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Where: Merak Projects Ltd.
(600, 322 - 11 Avenue SW - Calgary)
For those outside Calgary, please let Fena Maucieri
know if you are interested in volunteering by sending an
e-mail to [email protected]
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Background Information
STC divides its membership among eight regions, each containing approximately 20 local chapters. Each region elects a directorsponsor to represent its chapters, branches, members-at-large, and other affiliations in that region. Under the leadership of its
director-sponsor, an STC region may sponsor competitions, conferences, and seminars.
This year, the Region 7 Conference (Shape Shifters), sponsored by Canada West Coast, will be in Vancouver from November 7-9.
For more information, see http://www.region7conference.com/.
Region 7 includes the following chapters: Alaska, Alberta, Canada West Coast, Inland Northwest (Spokane), Mid-Valley
(Corvallis, Oregon), Montana, Oregon Institute of Technology (Student), Puget Sound (Seattle), Republic of China, Rocky
Mountain (Denver), Singapore, Snake River (Boise, Idaho), Southern Colorado, Tokyo, University of Washington (ST), Vancouver
Island, and Willamette Valley (Portland, Oregon).
Join us on June 15, 2002 for this
year’s Annual General Meeting.
Alexa Campbell will be our keynote speaker.
Full conference information and AGM registration
forms will be mailed out later this week.
Check your mailbox!
Page 4
April 2002
E
V
E
N
T
S
D M O N T O N
- Lorraine Gorman, Edmonton Correspondent
April Presentation: Basic Indexing Workshop
Join Fena Maucieri for a hands-on workshop that examines the fundamentals of indexing technical documentation. Topics include: indexing metrics, types of indexes, and indexing tools and practices.
Date: Saturday, April 20, 2002
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Ottewell Junior High School, Edmonton (9435 - 73 Street)
Cost: $50 for members, $25 for student members, and $110 for non-members
Includes: coffee/juice and muffins, presentation, hands-on lab, materials, disks, and lunch.
Registration: via the STC Alberta’s Web site. Registration is limited so please book early.
President’s Message
Continued from page 2.
Treasurer
The Treasurer is responsible for proper management of the
Chapter’s finances. Luckily, we have a volunteer for this position
already, last year’s Treasurer, Mai-Ann Sprung.
Programs Coordinator
Programs are our regular Thursday night events. We always try to
have some potential programs ready for the incoming Programs
Coordinator. This year is no exception. It’s always a comfort to
start the new job with some of the work already done for you.
Workshops Coordinator
Workshops are our occasional Saturday development events. We
try to schedule two or three of these in a year, depending on what
topics people most want and the availability of instructors.
Newsletter Editors
In the past few years we have had more than one newsletter
editor, sometimes as many as five. This has worked well, ensuring
that no one person has to do the entire newsletter each and every
month. Once again, we are lucky to have some of last year’s
newsletter team stick around. We are, however, looking to replace
some of the editors who have moved on to other things.
Other opportunities
There are many other opportunities available to help out the
Chapter. Refer to the Chapter Web site (www.stc-alberta.org) for
SuperScript
details. The opportunities are all listed on the Chapter Jobline
page. If you have any questions, look at the Chapter Resources page on the Web site, or contact me or any of the
current members of the executive council. I hope to see some
new faces come forward, and the reappearance of some old
faces.
Membership News
In February, we welcomed the
following new members to our
Chapter:
Caroline Bujak (Calgary)
Danielle Gillespie (Calgary)
Brad Quiring (Calgary)
Congratulations to the following members who
recently achieved Senior Member status:
Marie Frison Klassen
Lucinda Yaworski
Darren Tenor
Jane Maduke
Chris Labute
As of February 28, 2002, the Alberta Chapter has
257 members.
Page 5
Comic Books—Not Just For Kids!
What Technical Communicators can Learn
from Comic Books
At the April 18 program, Glen Dresser will explain what
technical communicators can learn from comic books. Glen
will use examples from graphic novels to examine how comic
books are essentially nodal in structure and how they have
added several different ways of navigating information to our
visual vocabulary. Glen presented this program at last year’s
STC Region 7 Conference in Portland, Oregon.
Glen Dresser has been working as a technical writer and
information designer for 4 years and has studied technical
writing at Mount Royal College.
This program will be held on Thursday, April 18, from 7:00 to
9:00 p.m. in the media room of MacDougall Centre. Please
arrive by 6:30 p.m. for registration and hospitality purposes.
The fee is $5 for STC members, free for STC student members,
and $10 for non-members.
registration.php, and the
deadline to complete
and submit it is Monday,
April 15.
APRIL
- Ken Schatzke, Programs Co-ordinator
Thursday
Night
Program
Upcoming programs
On May 30, attend four programs in one! Jean Bauer, Kathy
Gerritsen, Allison Strilchuk, and Darren Tenor will offer their
advice and insights into editing for technical communicators.
The program will be organized in a progression format, where
participants will be divided into four groups and these four
groups will cycle through the four presenters in fifteen- to
twenty-minute intervals. This format offers participants an
opportunity to learn from four presenters in one evening and
greater interactivity with each presenter. (Please note the change
in date from May 16 to May 30.)
Due to security changes at MacDougall Centre, advance
registration through the STC Alberta Chapter’s online form is
now mandatory. The form is available at www.stc-alberta.org/
© 2002 Jeremy Schroeder
Rand, here are the
edits your manager
made to your
brochure.
Page 6
Micro-managed to read: "Beta
facilitates the expansion of
your revenue-base using its'
feature-rich processes."
Groan. My beautiful and
elegant words, once again
butchered into a grammarless mass.
And as usual,
the fictional
"its'" makes
an appearance.
Ah yes. "Beta increases your
company's productivity."
Someday, Grammar Boy will
triumph over Captain Verbosity,
and the world will make sense
once again!!
April 2002
How to Survive Technical Writing
Continued from page 1.
she understands some of these lessons and has probably taught
me most of them. When you want to give up and tear out your
hair, you must have someone with whom you can discuss losing
battles. A mentor can understand your decisions and help you
make ethical ones. A mentor is the ticket to surviving technical
writing.
It is also beneficial when you can work on a team with other
technical writers who think differently or have skills you do not
have. You learn from their approach and can share each other’s
discoveries. If you are open-minded and willing to learn, a great
synergy is achieved from being around those with a different
opinion.
Lesson 3: Don’t Offer Rewards for What People are
Expected to Do.
Has your project manager ever offered you a cookie when
you attend a design meeting to ensure you document their
developments? They would not think of doing that because
they know that is your job. By offering bribes for
information, I believe technical writers belittle their efforts
and make it difficult for others to understand their purpose.
Leave the training up to the Public Relations and Customer
Service departments and save rewards for when they are truly
justified.
Lesson 4: Remember No One Needs To Value What You
Do.
How many times have you constantly tried to prove your
worth? Technical writers are lucky if their documentation is
included in the project schedule. We are the last to attend
design meetings, and the first to get the brunt of a copy/paste
joke. We work with a large assortment of rationally minded
and some “know-it-all” subject matter experts, who protest we
have no idea of what they know. Given these circumstances,
we are constantly enforcing self-worth.
But why should we think that what we do is anymore valuable
than what others do? Do engineers force design specifications,
requirements or CAD drawings in your face? When was the last
time the engineer came running down the hall with the latest
draft of new development changes? Do developers expect you to
value their coding standards and why they may or may not
adhere to them?
I obtain value in my efforts through the creation and
communication of a project. Having a printed and glossy
book helps me to feel that I have completed a project, but my
real satisfaction comes from understanding a concept and
successfully communicating it to another group of people
within a certain time frame, and under business constraints. I
do not expect others need to understand this. This is a
personal victory. So the next time someone makes another
copy/paste joke, enjoy it. Laugh along with them. Why would
or should they care about your personal accomplishments?
SuperScript
Lesson 5: Make Tough Decisions and Follow Through. Learn
to Say NO!
I have often blamed myself or felt guilty about saying no when a
subject matter expert wanted to make last minute changes past
the cut-off date. It took me forever to recover from leaving a
contract when the client needed me to continue because they
changed the deliverable of the project at the last minute. There is
the notion that you may “burn bridges” if you come across as
tough, but I think that those who are educated will respect you for
your decisions, provided you share them professionally, honestly,
and you act on your values. Adhering to this lesson will make you
strong enough to weather any storm and come out a winner in any
battle.
Every morning you look in the mirror. If you like what you see,
the decision you make is right for you no matter how hard or
difficult it may have been, and certainly no matter how ununderstanding others may be. This is a life lesson I am still
learning.
Lesson 6: Develop Your Communication Skills.
We tend to take this lesson for granted because most technical
writers assume they are already very good at communicating.
WRONG! The best way to interview and obtain information from
a subject matter expert is by getting to know them. You acquire a
sense of how they communicate. You understand what makes
them tick, their nuances and their habits. You begin to take the
first step into breaking barriers down that might hinder you from
completing your job and worse, enjoying it. Have fun. Get to
know the people you work with, and they will quickly forget you
are the “technical writer.” They might even resist sharing another
copy/paste joke. They will call you by name. They will remember
to inform you when you need to know something simply because
they know you, and they know you need to know. It will become
instinctual out of mutual respect and familiarity. Step away from
the computer desk or your office to occasionally chat at the water
cooler and tell a few jokes. You may be surprised at the
information you learn!
Lesson 7: Believe In Yourself and Know H.O.W.
Some technical writing communities are very small but
aggressive. Sometimes you will make tough decisions that are
easily communicated in the industry. Those with clout in your
marketplace may cause others to undermine their opinions of
you, but if you know who you are and what you stand for, you
can survive any rumor or character defamation.
Know H.O.W. Be Honest. Be Open-Minded. Be Willing to
Learn. Do not be afraid of the technical writer with a new
certificate who has just picked up the latest technology. Do not
compare yourself to the senior technical writer with a combined
Masters and PhD in some Science, English, or professional
writing stream. Do not compare your skills to the subject matter
experts. Whatever others say or do will not affect who you are.
Continued on page 8.
Page 7
How to Survive Technical Writing
Continued from page 7.
The experience others may or may not have will not change
what you stand for, and what you are capable of accomplishing.
struggling to learn, and what others may think you obviously
know, you may just be learning!
Lesson 8: Arm Yourself with the Tools to Succeed.
As a technical writer you are often going into battle every time
a product starts, a company restructures, or management
changes. You will be constantly learning as well as educating
others about documentation and the related processes. The
bridges and relationships you build with your project
managers and subject matter experts can change as quickly as
the sun sets. You must muster courage and realize your
convictions to continually believe in what you do so others can
help you do it. This means understanding your skills, knowing
where you need to improve, and improving.
Lesson 10: Celebrate Your Victories.
Technical writing is not easy and most days you really just want
to give up. This is when you need to take a break. And I mean a
three-week vacation instead of one day off after the deliverable
is done. Step back, attend a conference, rejuvenate your juices,
and rediscover the reasons why you became a technical writer in
the first place. Rejoice that a developer who never responds to
your e-mail just did so for the very first time. Celebrate that you
went out with your Project Manager and communicated on a
level that was totally non-work related. Appreciate the fact that
your peers value what you do. Take the time to throw a release
party even if the documentation went out wrong because of last
minute changes. Sometimes survival is simply a matter of
perseverance and enjoyment. Good Luck!
This means arming yourself with some basic tools. I do not
mean the latest word processor, Web development tool, or
online help compiler. I mean the methods to create, develop
and maintain the tools you will always use. For example a
solid standards guide, or editing checklist will ensure you can
complete a quality project and that you understand the nature
of writing in coordination with the nature of your business. A
personal vision or team mission statement will remind you of
your goals and motivate your efforts. These tools will change
as you move through your career and transition through the
scope of each business. But knowing the basics to develop and
maintain these personal tools, which you can use in any
undesirable circumstance, will give you solid ground from
which to work and stand.
Lesson 9: Understand There is so Much to Learn.
When I first started working as a technical writer, I believed that
like any other job, once I got over that learning curve, things
would get better and I would be on my way to becoming an
expert. WRONG! Experts are usually people who excel in one
field. So many technical writers only understand a little piece of
what they do. Technology is changing constantly. The tools of
today are not and will not be the tools of tomorrow. Standards
only last as long as the technical writers who created them.
Once the mix changes, so do the standards, products,
expectations, goals, and so on. All of these circumstances result
in an ever-changing environment that drives the need to
continually quest, learn, and discover.
What makes great technical writers is their desire to learn and
their soft skills, such as communication and organization
abilities. If you are inquisitive and continue to explore, you will
be guided through difficult times and kept in the forefront of the
market.
Remember, it is okay if you do not know everything. It is just
fine that you are constantly learning. Enjoy it and do not expect
others to understand what you know just because you have
already learned it. Every technical writer learns things at
different times. What you may think is basic, others are
Page 8
Nancy Sequeira is a Senior Technical Writer in Calgary,
Alberta. With ten years in creative, business and technical
writing, she is still learning to become a good writer. Should
you have comments or concerns regarding this article, contact
her at [email protected].
Of Interest to Technical Writers...
Seminars offered by the Editors’ Association of
Canada—Prairie Provinces Branch.
Information Architecture and Content Strategy for the Web
with Tammis Everts, site editor, ZeD, CBC’s experimental
convergent Web/TV programming strand.
Edmonton
April 23 and 24
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Alberta Teachers’ Association
Calgary
April 25 and 26
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Mount Royal College
By delving beyond the printed page, this two-day workshop
will teach editors and writers how to envision an information user’s world and apply the appropriate principles to
make a Web site’s content meet user needs. This workshop
is ideal for editors, writers, corporate communicators and
others who wish to translate their print skills to the new
media environment.
COURSE FEE:
EAC members: $215 + GST
Non-members: $325 + GST
Student rates also available
For more information and to download a registration form,
visit www.editors.ca and go to the Prairie Provinces page.
April 2002
Mark Your Calendars!
Programs
Attend programs to discover the ideas and technologies that affect
today’s technical communicators.
Location:
Time:
Registration:
Fee:
MacDougall Centre
455–6 Street SW, Calgary
Third Thursday of the month, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Please arrive by 6:30 pm for registration.
Required. Register by the Monday prior to the
program.
Registered
Members
$5.00
Student Members
Free
Non-members
10.00
Workshops
Attend workshops to gain in-depth knowledge and skill through
instruction and hands-on activities.
Location:
Time:
Registration:
Fee:
Mount Royal College (Room E141)
4825 Richard Road SW, Calgary
$8.00 parking passes can be purchased from the
parking office located by the West Gate.
Scheduled Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Required. Register at least 10 days prior to the
workshop.
Registration must be cancelled one week in
advance of the workshop or the registrant will be
billed for workshop fees.
Members
Student Members
Non-members
$50.00
25.00
110.00
April 2002
Tuesday, 9
Calgary Coffee Night
What to do Before the Economy Tanks
Monday, 15
Executive Meeting
Thursday, 18
Program
What Technical Communicators can Learn
from Comic Books
Saturday, 20
Edmonton Workshop
Basic Indexing Workshop
May 2002
Tuesday, 7
Calgary Coffee Night
How Can We Improve the Chapter?
Monday, 13
Executive Meeting
Thursday, 30
Program
Editing Advice for Technical
Communicators: A Progression
June 2002
Saturday, 15
Annual General Meeting
Monday, 17
Executive Meeting
Coffee Nights
Attend coffee nights to meet with your fellow technical communicators
and discuss a monthly topic in a casual setting.
Location:
Time:
Registration:
Fee:
Annie’s Books (Literary Salon)
912–16 Avenue NW, Calgary
Parking is available behind Tim Hortons.
Second Tuesday of the month, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Not required.
Free for both members and non-members.
Executive Meetings
Location:
Merak Building
600, 322–11 Avenue SW, Calgary
Time:
Third Monday of the month, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Building doors are locked after 5:30 p.m.
To register...
...for programs and workshops, use our online registration
form at www.stc-alberta.org/registration.php.
Note: Due to new security policies at MacDougall Centre,
advance online registration is now mandatory for Thursday
Programs.
SuperScript is the official newsletter of the Society for Technical Communication
Alberta Chapter and is published 10 times annually, including double issues in
July-August, and December-January.
Submissions: The Editors invite readers to submit articles, news, reviews, and
other items of interest. Articles may be edited for size. Note: By submitting an
article, you implicitly grant a license to SuperScript to run the article and for other
STC publications to reprint it without permission. Copyright is held by the writer.
In your cover letter, please let the editors know if this article has run elsewhere,
and if it has been submitted for consideration to other publications.
Editors:
Helen Schleedoorn
Jessie Channey
Jean Bauer
Lorraine Gorman
[email protected]
SuperScript
Reprints: Original articles appearing in SuperScript may be freely reprinted,
provided that the author and source are acknowledged, and a copy of the reprint
is promptly sent to the Editors. Reprints may not be edited for content, or used
for commercial or morally repugnant purposes.
Distribution: SuperScript is distributed to members in Alberta and the Northwest
Territories, to all Canadian chapters, and Region 7 chapters of STC, and to
interested companies and individuals upon request. Circulation is 275.
Advertising: SuperScript accepts advertising of interest
to our readership, and which furthers professional
development. We reserve the right to limit or refuse
advertising.
Rates:
Full page
$160.00
Quarter page
$50.00
Half page
$100.00
Business card
$20.00
To place an advertisement: send your cheque, payable
in advance, to Society for Technical Communication,
Alberta Chapter, Attn: Treasurer, at:
STC Alberta Chapter
Box 2947, Station M
Calgary AB T2P 3C3
Web site: www.stc-alberta.org
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