Applied Technology article guidelines
Jul 12, 2006 8:00 AM
Basic guidelines for writing a Broadcast Engineering Applied Technology article
Length: 1000 words
Graphics: one to two photos of technology in use. No “Hi mom” shots. (That means someone grinning at the camera.) Block diagrams or drawings can also be used here. Send a sketch or a photo copy.
Copy deadline: 60 days prior to month of publication.
Structure:
· Describe the problem, issue or challenge. What was needed to be solved or improved? Spend 100-200 words describing this area.
· Describe your company’s particular solution/product. Mention the product name. Describe the key benefits, features and options. Spend 100 words on this area.
· Detail what the technology is, how it works, what makes it better/faster, etc. Use about 500-600 words here. This is where you teach the reader about what’s “under the hood.” Let them understand the basic technology/process you use. It’s okay to say that because of your particular circuit, “speed is improved 20 percent, storage is 15 percent greater.” Do not make comparisons between other company products. Be sure you justify your claims in the test.
· Summarize product and benefits. Spend 100-150 words.
General writing style: Be tutorial. Write as though you were talking directly to the reader. Don’t try and sell the product or use PR pitch. Such copy will be removed. Limit product name mentions to less than six. Use generic equivalents in the remainder of the story. Examples; unit, modulator, switcher, router, camera. Think of an Applied Technology article as a mini-white paper.
Talk to the editor before you start the story. These stories run on a first-in, first-out, space-available basis. If your story won’t run for four months, don’t panic in writing it. Also, you need to call the editor to confirm that you want to produce the story, and tell him when it will be available.
To see an example of an Applied Technology article used in Broadcast Engineering, click here.
Questions? Contact Brad Dick, editorial director, at 913-967-1737 or e-mail him at brad.dick@penton.com.
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