The TQA Tool is used either after a translation project is complete (as part of the acceptance process) or to determine the quality of an existing target language text. Requesters begin a translation quality assessment by completing Part I of the TQA Tool Cover Page. This part of the Cover Page is used to formalize a request, set a delivery date and orient raters to the text to be evaluated. It is also used to prioritize each quality criteria. 

Step 1:  Provide contact information and establish a deadline for the quality review.

Step 2:  Complete the basic elements of a translation brief. 

The best translation evaluations are those where the rater has a detailed understanding of both the environment and communicative context (uses and purposes of a text) for which the source and target texts are used. Tool #3 in the More Than Words Toolkit Series introduces requesters to the practice of preparing a translation brief to accompany a translation request. The translation brief is a set of instructions that define the purpose and use of a source text and establish priorities to guide the translators in their preparation of the requested translation.

Using Part I of the TQA Cover Page, requesters provide a translation brief orienting the rater to the text to be rated. This includes a brief description of the source text and those intended for the target text.  As show below the translation brief for the TQA evaluation includes basic information about the source and target text, their respective purpose and use, and communicative context.

• Source-Target language.  Fill in the source language for the original text (usually English) and target language for the translated text
• Text Type. Describe the text type (brochure, checklist, consent form)
• Text Title. Write the title of each text
• Target Audience: Write a description of the source and target audience (the idealized readers with regard to background and assumed interest). For example, nationwide or regional audience, with general characteristics or specific attributes (e.g., gender, age, occupation).
• Purpose of Document. Write the respective communicative purposes for each text (e.g., to inform, educate, collect information, fulfill a legal requirement).

Step 3:  Establish quality criteria

The Quality Criteria section of Part I helps establish the requester’s priority for the evaluation. Each component of the tool represents an important aspect of quality. Considering what each of the four assessment areas represents enables the requester to determine whether one focus area should be of greater priority than the others. During the development phase of the TQA tool, a priority ranking was established for health education materials. This priority is noted in the table below.

By permitting the most relevant components to be given a higher priority, the TQA Tool provides flexibility in establishing the quality criteria of each text to be evaluated. For example, Specialized Content and Terminology could be given a higher priority for texts with highly-specialized content whereas Functional and Textual Adequacy might take priority for health materials developed for general audiences.

The tool can also be used without assigning priority rankings (i.e., all components could be given equal weight). Raters with advanced language education and translation experience can also offer recommendations for ranking the criteria for a specific text. With flexibility to set quality criteria, requesters and raters can use the tool in unique settings. Note, however, that additional research is needed to determine empirically the importance of each quality criterion for different text types.

These three easy steps initiate a translation quality assessment.  When a rating is completed, raters summarize their assessment and make recommendations on Part II of the Cover Page.