 Retrospective view of Empirical and Experimental Research in Translation  In search of an efficient method to observe students´processes: Standing over the shoulders of giants Mónica Giozza María del Mar Gatti

From the beginning some methodological decisions remained unchanged and have become the directing forces of all our projects : a) Applied research: strongly didactic- oriented b) Reasons for doing research: c) Population: translation students at our translation training programme d) Directionality: backward translation (English > Spanish) Gain insight into students’ cognitive process to optimize it Track the reasons behind translation errors / difficulties Revise current translation teaching practices under the light of research findings Build a study corpus based on our students

GETTING STARTED (2006 – 2008) DATA COLLECTION: Concurrent TAPs NATURE: Qualitative /descriptive PRODUCT ASSESSMENT: NO OUTCOMES: Results were not valid due to methodological problems FOCUS: To track the reasons which may lead to successful / unsuccessful processes DATA COLLECTION: Concurrent TAPs NATURE: Qualitative /descriptive PRODUCT ASSESSMENT: NO OUTCOMES: Results were not valid due to methodological problems FOCUS: To track the reasons which may lead to successful / unsuccessful processes PROJECT 1: TAPS AS A TOOL FOR ACCESSING TRANSLATOR’S COGNITIVE PROCESS: AN INSIGHT INTO PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES

TIME TO CHANGE (I) (2008 – 2010) DATA COLLECTION: key-logging + verbal recall + post-task questionnaire NATURE: Quantitative / qualitative / descriptive PRODUCT ASSESSMENT: NO OUTCOMES: Ecological validity / Replicability FOCUS: To test the validity of methodological triangulation DATA COLLECTION: key-logging + verbal recall + post-task questionnaire NATURE: Quantitative / qualitative / descriptive PRODUCT ASSESSMENT: NO OUTCOMES: Ecological validity / Replicability FOCUS: To test the validity of methodological triangulation SOME CONSIDERATIONS ON THE RESEARCH PROCESS (I) Combination of data collection methods proved to be a success. It allowed us to have “an x-ray” of students cognitive patterns. In terms of QUANTITATIVE DATA we were able to: Measure and compare each stage of the process (orientation – drafting– revision) Describe sequence of actions PROJECT 2: SEQUENCING OF ACTIONS DURING TRANSLATORY PROCESSES OF TRANSLATION TRAINEES PROJECT 2: SEQUENCING OF ACTIONS DURING TRANSLATORY PROCESSES OF TRANSLATION TRAINEES

TIME TO CHANGE (II) (2008 – 2010) SOME CONSIDERATIONS ON THE RESEARCH PROCESS (II) In terms of QUALITATIVE DATA we were able to: Confront coherence between what students did and their theoretical knowledge on translation Describe translation problems Describe solutions applied by students Analyse particular cases in-depth Have a better understanding of the overall process The new method applied had the following advantages It was a powerful tool to identify specific problems and design corresponding corrective strategies It offered replicability possibilities It did not affect ecological validity As a consequence COMBINATION OF DATA COLLECTION TOOLS AND TRIANGULATION WERE ADOPTED FOR FUTURE RESEARCH PROJECTS PROJECT 2: SEQUENCING OF ACTIONS DURING TRANSLATORY PROCESSES OF TRANSLATION TRAINEES PROJECT 2: SEQUENCING OF ACTIONS DURING TRANSLATORY PROCESSES OF TRANSLATION TRAINEES

TIME TO FOCUS (I) (2010 – 2012) DATA COLLECTION: key-logging + verbal recall + post-task questionnaire + target text NATURE: Qualitative /quantitative/ descriptive /explanatory PRODUCT ASSESSMENT: YES OUTCOMES: Possibility of transferring results into the translation classroom FOCUS: To determine causal relations between students’ processes and difficulties when translating subjectivity markers DATA COLLECTION: key-logging + verbal recall + post-task questionnaire + target text NATURE: Qualitative /quantitative/ descriptive /explanatory PRODUCT ASSESSMENT: YES OUTCOMES: Possibility of transferring results into the translation classroom FOCUS: To determine causal relations between students’ processes and difficulties when translating subjectivity markers PROJECT 3: SUBJECTIVITY MARKERS: TRANSLATORY DIFFICULTIES SOME CONSIDERATIONS ON THE RESEARCH PROCESS (I) Once we were sure the method for data collection was the right one… it was time to make a step forward: FOCUS on a specific translation problem: SUBJECTIVITY MARKERS (SM) The triggering research questions can be summarised as follows: Does the text interpellate translation students? To which extent their prejudices or values interfere with their understanding of the text? Do they recognize subjectivity markers? Do these markers pose any kind of difficulty? If so, why? INCORPORATE a descriptive / explanatory research design

SOME CONSIDERATIONS ON THE RESEARCH PROCESS (II) By TRIANGULATING data we were able to: Identify types of problems generated by SM Categorize SM according to type and degree of difficulty Compare good vs. poor final products and establish relations among processes Identify efficient processes based on time, revision phase, and product assessment Explain the possible causes behind translation errors Observe that psycho-phisiological aspects such as hurry and lack of self-confidence played a negative role in the process Identify that there is a tendency to neutralize subjectivity markers including style features such as humour Compare students’ theoretical knowledge on translation and actual performance TRANSFERENCE: We have already raised metacognition awareness among both teachers and students made our research findings public at congresses and seminars in Argentina designed specific translation exercises on SM developed human resources TIME TO FOCUS (II) (2010 – 2012) PROJECT 3: SUBJECTIVITY MARKERS: TRANSLATORY DIFFICULTIES

TIME TO CONTINUE (2013 … DATA COLLECTION: Triangulation: key- logging + verbal recall Incorporation of screen recording NATURE: Quantitative – qualitative /descriptive and explanatory PRODUCT ASSESSMENT: YES FOCUS: To identify the relation between instrumental sub- competence and the translation of subjectivity markers DATA COLLECTION: Triangulation: key- logging + verbal recall Incorporation of screen recording NATURE: Quantitative – qualitative /descriptive and explanatory PRODUCT ASSESSMENT: YES FOCUS: To identify the relation between instrumental sub- competence and the translation of subjectivity markers ADDING A NEW LINK TO THE RESEARCH CHAIN CURRENT STAGE OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT : building theoretical underpinnings REASONS TO CONTINUE : Project 3 showed a possible link between poor instrumental sub-competence and errors in the translation of subjectiviy markers. Triggering research questions: Building on Alves’ and PACTES’ works, are translation decisions exclusively or predominantly based on internal or external support? To which extent does instrumental sub-competence have an impact on the translation of SM? LOOKING AHEAD … We aim at creating a research center on English translation and teaching gaining more visibility rethinking translation training practices upon research findings PROJECT 4: INSTRUMENTAL SUB-COMPETENCE AND THE TRANSLATION OF SUBJECTIVITY MARKERS: CASUAL OR CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP?

CONCLUSIONS Ours has been a slow, rich and fruitful process characterized by a predominantly introspective perspective. Having travelled this far,  we believe we are on the right track and  we owe it to researchers who have shared their time and expertise allowing us to build our experience on “the shoulders of giants”. Our commitment for the near future:  To share our findings more broadly so as to better contribute to the collaborative construction of knowledge in the field of process- oriented translation research