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TRAN827 Research Methods in Translation and Interpreting
Availability : |
D1, D2 |
Credit Points |
4 PG |
Convenor(s) |
A/Prof Eddie Ronowicz |
Quick Links |
Unit outline - PDF |
INTRODUCTION
Research Methods in Translation and Interpreting is a course designed to introduce Masters candidates to techniques and methods of doing research. This goal will be achieved by students’ independent reading, by a mix of lectures, discussions in smaller groups and by students designing, carrying out and describing the results of a mini-project. Students will be assessed on the basis of the quality of the final essay. There is no exam in this course.
CONTENT
The main focus of the unit is on teaching students research methods in translation and interpreting by exposing them to “hands on” team research work. This will be done by means of two introductory lectures and, towards the end of the second lecture in week 2, dividing students into smaller groups working with individual supervisors who will lead them in projects that will provide them with real experience of doing a research project.
ASSESSMENT
Students will be assessed on the basis of the quality of the paper describing the project. Final scores and grades: 85-100 – HD, 75-84 – D, 65-74 – Cr, 50-64 – P, 45-50 – CP, below 45 – F
Please note that , especially in smaller groups, supervisors may decide on a system of grading which is more appropriate for the project they are leading. This has occasionally been the case with some supervisors. Naturally, if individual supervisors are considering slight modifications to the assessment process, they will tell you as soon as they have their first meeting with you.
UNIT CONVENER is A/Prof Eddie Ronowicz. If you require a time for individual consultation you can arrange an individual appointment by contacting Renad in the CTIR (Centre for Translation and Interpreting Research) office in C3B 423, tel. 9850 9603, email: CTIR@ling.mq.edu.au
TEXTBOOK
Since students will be working on different topics in different group, there is only one very strongly recommended textbook, which is available from the Co-op Bookshop:
Williams J. and Chesterman A. (2002). The Map. A Beginner’s Guide to Doing Research in Translation Studies. Manchester and Northampton MA, St Jerome Publishing
It is important for students to understand that we will not be working from the textbook during classes. The book is a general introduction to research in translation studies, which the students should read and use as a reference. The following review of the book written by Eddie Ronowicz for an academic journal will give you an idea what to expect from “The Map”
Eddie Ronowicz, Macquarie University, Sydney
Book Review: Williams J. and Chesterman A. (2002). The Map. A Beginner’s Guide to Doing Research in Translation Studies. Manchester and Northampton MA, St Jerome Publishing
“The Map” is a very well written introduction to research methodology for undergraduate and postgraduate students. The book consists of 10 chapters containing all elements of knowledge required by a beginner researcher.
Chapter 1 presents a survey of areas of research in translation studies. As the authors themselves acknowledge at the beginning of the chapter, the survey is not exhaustive. However, all the major areas have been included and plenty of additional references provided, so I would consider the survey to be quite comprehensive and helpful to a young researcher trying to decide what topic to research.
Chapter 2 looks at the various stages of developing a research plan and includes many useful recommendations on resources, critical reading, note-taking, maintaining an orderly bibliography and other aspects of planning a research project. The chapter provides excellent advice on things which are often forgotten by inexperienced researchers, such as considering the time required to carry out a project, access to data sources, scope of the project and many others.
Chapters 3-7 are a systematic, step-by-step introduction to various aspects of research methodology, such as the relationship between theory and research (chapter 3), different types of research (chapter 4), asking research questions, making claims and formulating and operationalizing hypotheses (chapter 5), variables in experimental studies (chapter 6) and data analysis (chapter 7).
Chapters 8 and 9 are devoted to written and oral presentations of research reports. Both chapters contain not only information on how to write or present one’s results, but also plenty of practical advice on the various problems young researchers face in writing up their reports and how to overcome them.
Chapter 10 informs the reader about ways in which research reports are assessed, including very useful criteria for external assessment of thesis at various levels.
All in all, “The Map” lives up to its name and the author’s objective to “provide a step-by-step introduction to research” (p.1). Having been involved in teaching research methods courses and supervision for many years, I have always felt the lack of an introduction like this. While there are a growing number of books and papers or their parts dealing with specialised areas of translation and interpretation research, “The Map” is, I believe, the first available text in translation studies that takes the prospective research student through the entire research process, from the planning stage to writing up of a report after the project is finished; it also provides plenty of up-to-date references for more in-depth reading in each of the topics covered.
I would strongly recommend the book as obligatory reading in research methods courses as well as highly recommended reading for higher degree research students in translation studies. Apart from providing an excellent introduction to research in the area, it will prepare research students well for critical reading and applying information gained from more specialised publications on research methods, descriptions of previous studies and planning their own projects.
Finally, you will find below points discussed during the initial two lectures. You will be given further materials to read by your individual supervisors in week 2 or 3 at the latest. Since students will be working on different topics in different groups, there is only one very strongly recommended textbook, which is available from the Co-op Bookshop.
POINTS DISCUSSED DURING THE INITIAL LECTURES
General Principles of Conducting Research
- Research involves reading, planning, decision making and time - reading
- Decision on area of research - reading
- Decision on broad research question – reading
- Decision on focused research question - reading
- Planning the research project, including methodology – reading, intellectual process, consultation with supervisor
- Carrying out the research plan
- Writing a presentation/ paper/ dissertation/
Ethical Issues
- respect for other people’s work – literature review, quoting
- Honesty in reporting
- the question of plagiarism
Scientific research and common sense
- Common sense:
intuitions
introspection
- May lead to factual knowledge, but also to superstition and prejudice
- Scientific research proceeds by:
systematically asking questions
formulating hypotheses
building theories
testing everything in a precise and organised way.
- Scientific research requires:
an open mind
a critical mind
diligence
time
May confirm or abolish statements made on the basis of common sense intuitions and introspection.
Critical reading (5 types of knowledge)
- Knowledge by belief - not matter if true or false - personal decision to believe or not.
Examples: Religious texts
Theory that the sun revolves around the earth before Copernicus).
- Knowledge by authority - can be true, can be false, involves deciding to accept or not.
Examples: textbook knowledge (especially school textbooks)
some articles written by prominent or very young scholars
all propaganda materials
Dilemma: Does one question the teacher?
BEWARE OF THIS KIND OF INFORMATION!
- Apriori knowledge - assumed to be correct.
Examples:axioms in geometry/mathematics/logic/sciences
assumptions adopted by others or you after literature review
- Fertile ground for researchers: question axioms, assumptions, leading to research questions
- A useful research tool, to play with different sets of plausible axioms to build theories or produce research questions – experiment with them mentally, ask questions of the type “What if…?”
Example: non-Euclidean geometry > Einstein’s law or relativity
- Hypothetical knowledge: should be based on sound assumptions thorough analysis and logical consequences of the results of analysis.
Examples: All theories and their parts based on assumptions and logical, reasoning without solid empirical verification
- Another fertile ground for researchers looking to formulate research questions: flaws can be found in existing theories, existing hypotheses can be picked up for further research
- Empirical knowledge, i.e. supported by experimental evidence. The most valuable and reliable type of knowledge. It needs to be tested and re-tested - a good area to undertake a project.
Formulating a general research question
- Sources of information.
Experience and interests
Past research
- Where to look for information:
translation & interpreting theories and research
general and applied linguistics,
comparative linguistics,
pragmatics,
cross-cultural studies,
sociolinguistics,
psycholinguistics,
psychology
Examples of broad questions / problem
(i) Cross-cultural problems in interpretin
(ii)Problems in rendering source language expressive meanings of words in target language
(iii) Ethical issues in interpreting for immigration service
(iv)Advantages and disadvantages of machine (automated) and human translations
(v)Rendering source language culture-specific collocations and fixed phrases in target language translations
(vi) Translator competence.
(vii)Factors influencing the techniques of subtitling for TV and movie theatres.
(viii)A comparison of source-language and target-language terminology in a specific area, e.g., law, medicine, social security, politics, etc.
(ix) Strategies of dealing with specific source-language or target-language problems
Synthetic versus analytic approach
Synthetic - holistic approach
- emphasizes the interdependence of the parts of the whole, looking at the whole and trying to find out features and dependence between them.
- Proceeds by describing every fact that is observed and trying to establish connections between them
Analytic approach.
- focuses on the role of the constituent parts that make up the whole phenomenon.
- Identifies smaller parts that make up the whole for careful and close study.
- Involves identification and investigation of a single factor or a group of factors which are constituents of a major system.
Heuristic versus deductive objectives
Heuristic objectives
- based on observation and collection of facts.
- discovery of new patterns, relationships, phenomena
- description of these patterns, relationships, and phenomena
- generation of hypotheses on the basis of discovery and description
- heuristic research is data driven, no preconceptions, detailed descriptions of observed phenomena, is inductive by nature
Deductive objectives
- Starting point: hypotheses often based on previous heuristic research.
- Predictions based on those hypotheses
- Hypotheses tested against facts (experiments)
- Lead to verification or rejection of hypotheses and, eventually, theories
- deductive research is hypothesis-driven, makes predictions, tests hypotheses, results in verification or rejection of a theory or its parts
Methods of researching translation and interpreting
- Four basic types of research methodology used:
- comparative analyses of pairs of languages and problem predictions
- text analysis - predictions of problems and quality assessment
- comparative studies of SL and TL texts – search for translator errors and positive solutions, their causes, quality assessment, translator strategies
- empirical studies (observation, description and experiments)
Research plan components
- Clear statement of the general and focused research question - one paragraph.
- Literature review including:
* definitions of basic concepts relevant to your research.
* report on previous research of your general and specific area.
- Conclusion justifying your choice of research question.
- Description of your research plan, including:
* aims of research
* research methodology
- Qalitative and descriptive projects:
* Define the phenomenon in T&I to be described.
* Describe methods of gathering data.
* Describe methods of data analysis.
* Describe method of data validation.
* A statement on expected outcome.
- Experimental projects
* Define your hypothesis.
* Describe your source of data.
* Describe methods of collecting the data.
* Describe methods of controlling variables.
* Describe methods of data analysis.
* A statement on expected outcome