Translation

The ESS strives to achieve a principle of equivalence with regard to its translations. Translation procedures on the ESS are guided by the requirements outlined in the Survey Specification and the following key principles:

• The ESS source questionnaire is designed in British English and then translated by each national team
• Translations are required for each language used as a first language by 5 per cent or more of the population
• The ESS follows the TRAPD methodology (Translation, Review, Adjudication, Pretesting and Documentation)
• All national teams are provided with detailed Translation Guidelines and a Translation Quality Checklist which outline the procedures to be followed
• Following translation, a selection of items are subject to the following translation quality assessment steps: translation verification and Survey Quality Predictor (SQP) coding
• All translated questionnaires must be pre-tested following the completion of verification and SQP coding.

Translation Expert Panel

The ESS translation process is overseen by the Translation team led by Brita Dorer (chair), and in consultation with the Translation Expert Panel. The Panel's role is to advise the ESS on a regular basis on translation-related matters. These relate both to the general ESS translation strategies and to specific issues where the ESS Translation Team and/or the ESS Core Scientific Team seek external expertise. The current members of the Panel are:

• Dr. Brita Dorer (convenor), Researcher at GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, Mannheim
• Dr. Dorothée Behr, Researcher at GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, Mannheim
• Dr. Zeina Mneimneh, Director, International Survey Unit, Assistant Research Scientist, Survey Research Center, University of Michigan
• Danuta Przepiórkowska, Head Translator of the Polish ESS Team, Academic teacher, Institute of Applied Linguistics, University of Warsaw
• Dr. Alisú Schoua-Glusberg, Principal / Survey Methodologist, Research Support Services, Chicago
• Dr. Ana Villar, UX Researcher at Facebook, London
• Dr. Diana Zavala Rojas, ESS Researcher at Research and Expertise Centre for Survey Methodology, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona

 

Associated members:

• Dr. Paul Kussmaul, Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Translation Studies, Linguistics and Cultural Studies, University of Mainz (retired)
• Dr. Beth-Ellen Pennell, Director, International Survey Operations, Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan (retired)