Rules and regulations
for the American Copy Editors Society
Robinson Prize
DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION AND RULES
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here for a pdf version (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
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Prizes
The winner of the award will receive a plaque and $3,000 and will be recognized
at the next national conference.
Eligibility
The contest is open to all copy editors working for English-language news publications.
Work considered for nomination should be current but need not be tied to a specific
calendar year. Members of the ACES Executive Committee, employees of ACES and the
administrators of the contest are ineligible.
Entry fees
ACES members in good standing may enter for $50; non-members may enter for $200.
To qualify for the lower rate, the nominee must be a member when the entry is submitted.
A nominee who joins the society or renews a membership when the entry is submitted,
qualifies for the member rate.
To pay your entry fee, attach a check (payable to ACES) or a credit-card authorization
form to the front of the top copy of your entry using a paper clip. A single check
or credit-card form may be used for multiple entries. ACES’ tax number is 11-3390739.
How to prepare an entry
The nomination form must be completed in its entirety. Each submission must also
include work samples to support the nomination, a letter of recommendation from someone
who supervises the nominee’s work and three other letters of recommendation from
journalists who work with the nominee. Entries that do not conform to these requirements
may be disqualified.
Entries should be submitted as high-quality photocopies or scans on standard letter-size
paper (8 inches by 11 inches). Do not send clips or tearsheets.
Submit five copies of each entry. Each work sample submitted for consideration must
include a separate page attached to the front that includes the nominee’s name and
an explanation of why this work should be considered. The explanation should not
exceed 200 words. This page must also include additional required information such
as a citation for an article or Web site. See individual entry explanations for information.
Work samples (a minimum of five; a maximum of 10)
• Stories, designs, headlines: To submit before-and-after work samples,
computer printouts of earlier version are acceptable, but you must submit final versions
of stories as they appeared in print; computer archive printouts are not acceptable.
Copies of headlines and designs must be submitted as they appeared in print.
The size of your originals may be reduced if necessary when copying or scanning.
If reduction renders the text or design too small to read, it may be reproduced at
a larger size on a separate page. On the summary page, include the date the item
was published and the name of the publication.
• Published articles: For published work, the summary page must include the
title of the publication, the date, volume or edition number and the page numbers
on which the article appeared. Published works that cannot be independently verified
will be discounted. Examples of superior editing, in addition to the before-and-after
versions, should also include a concise summary of the nature of the editing, such
as catches, improvement of syntax or prose style, restructuring and the like.
• Books: A submission may include only one copy of the book but must include
five copies of the cover, title and contents pages.
• Web pages: A submission of work that has appeared on Web pages must include
a printout of the material and , on the summary page, the full Web address and the
date the material was posted. A Web page or blog must include at least three samples
of postings and, on the summary sheet, the full Web address and the dates the material
was posted.
• Journalism accolades and honors: A submission that includes journalistic
accolades or honors must include a copy of the award or a letter from the organization
bestowing the honor. The summary page must include contact information for the organization
or person granting the honor; if the organization or person cannot be contacted,
the submission may be discounted.
• Other material: Other material, such as stylebooks written by the nominee,
letters of commendation or results of a key role on a project, may be considered.
If your material does not fit any of the categories outlined above, follow the rules
for edited stories or contact Teresa Schmedding at tschmed-ding@dailyherald.com or
847-427-4574 for additional guidance.
Letters of recommendation (four)
The recommendations should be typewritten and no longer than one 8x11 page. Letters
must include the name, job title, relationship to the nominee, phone number and e-mail
address and signature of the writer and should address why the nominee should be
considered for the award, based upon outlined criteria. Writers may be contacted
for personal interviews; those who cannot be contacted may be discounted.
• One from supervisor: While a direct-line supervisor is preferred, letters
may be submitted by another manager who regularly supervises the nominee’s work.
• Three other recommendations: Letters should be from professional colleagues
who work closely with the nominee and can attest to the nominee’s skills or roles
played in key projects. Personal references will be discounted.
Additional entry information
Entry pages may be oriented vertically or horizontally on each page, and the
two orientations may be mixed within one entry. For horizontal pages, orient the
top toward the right.
All or part of an entry may be submitted in color but is not required.
Staple each copy of the entry, including the entry form.
There is no limit to the number of entries from a single organization or publication.
Do not fold entries. Place them flat in Manila envelopes about 9 inches by 12 inches,
shipping boxes or similar containers. Multiple entries may be submitted in a single
envelope or box.
Entry forms are available at www.copydesk.org/robinsonprize.htm
Deadline
Entries must be postmarked by Dec. 1. All items submitted after that date are
ineligible and the fee will be returned.
Mailing address
Send entries to:
Carol DeMasters
ACES Administrator
7 Avenida Vista Grande Ste. B7 #467
Santa Fe NM 97508
Judging
Each category will be reviewed by several judges who are considered experts in
the field. The judges will be urged to consider the disparate nature of the entries
and come to a consensus on their importance to the copy editing profession or a specific
publication. One prize is offered annually, although the judges may choose not to
award a prize if they determine that an insufficient number of entries has been received
or that no entry is deserving of recognition. The judges may single out some entries
for special recognition.
No ties will be allowed.
The decisions of the judges will be final except under extraordinary circumstances.
In such cases, the judges' decisions may be reviewed by the ACES Executive Committee,
which is empowered to resolve any disputes and which retains ultimate authority over
the competition and award.
Results will be announced publicly at ACES' national conference. The winner or the
nominating supervisor will be notified in advance to allow time to make travel arrangements.
Questions?
Inquiries about the contest may be directed to Teresa Schmedding, news editor
of the Daily Herald and ACES Executive Committee member, at tschmedding@dailyherald.com
or 847-427-4574.
DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION AND RULES
-- Click
here for a pdf version (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
-- Click here for a Microsoft Word version