The criteria Iranian instructors use for assessing students’ translations compared with theorists’ opinion

Abstract

One of the main reasons for students’ dissatisfaction with their exam scores in translation programs is related to the way theirtranslations are evaluated. Although translation courses have been taught for several years in Iranian universities, almost no organizedstudy has been done on the criteria usedto assess students’translations. Thepresent study set out to survey the way translationinstructorsevaluatestudents’translations.Participantsweresolicited forthe criteriatheyusedto assessstudents’translations.
To
achieve the objectives of the study, a questionnaire that included six open-ended questions was administered to 20 translationinstructors who have taught translation courses in 6 different Iranian universities. Results of the data analysis indicated that mostinstructors paid attention to the naturalness, appropriate structure, style, accuracy, fluency and appropriate word equivalent as criteriafordoingtranslationqualityassessment.Thefindingsofthisstudymaybeusefultothestudentsmajoringintranslationaswell
astranslation instructors.Students will certainly improvetheirtranslationsifthey are aware of the criteria usedto evaluate their
translation.Translationinstructorswhodonothavemuchexperienceinteachingortestingtranslationcoursescanalsousethefindingsof the study to improve their tasks.