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<Paper uid="W04-1406">
  <Title>Finding linguistic or terminological data Online dictionaries Merriam-Webster Online YourDictionary.com Meta dictionaries Onelook Terminological databases Eurodicautom TIS (Council of the EU) Search engines Google Metacrawler Finding background information (topic research) Encyclopaedias Encyclopaedia Britannica Encarta Newspaper archives Worldnews Databases CORDIS Resource gateways RefDesk Search engines Google Metacrawler Producing draft / information-only translations Online machine translation Babel Fish Translation Finding translation work Online marketplaces Aquarius Proz Promoting translation services Web site creation software Dreamweaver MS Frontpage Communicating with colleagues</Title>
  <Section position="4" start_page="0" end_page="0" type="intro">
    <SectionTitle>
3 Survey context and method
</SectionTitle>
    <Paragraph position="0"> The survey discussed in this paper forms part of the exploratory phase of a larger three-year study, which has been established to gain insights into the contemporary working practice of translators, considering in particular their adoption of ICT into the translation workflow. The project aims to identify and examine translators' strategies for integrating computer-based tools and language resources into their workflow, and to assess the impact those tools and resources are having on translation working environments. The specific focus of this paper is on those parts of the project survey relating to the adoption of Internet services by freelance translators.</Paragraph>
    <Section position="1" start_page="0" end_page="0" type="sub_section">
      <SectionTitle>
3.1 Questionnaire development and validation
</SectionTitle>
      <Paragraph position="0"> In order to conduct the survey, a draft questionnaire was developed. This questionnaire was based on a review of the relevant literature to identify the range of tools and language resources available to translators today. Since there are few published academic papers explicitly addressing the adoption of information and communications technologies (ICT) by translators, the literature was used primarily as a guide to generate ideas and insights, rather than as a source of specific questions and item measures that could be utilised directly in this study. The resultant questionnaire was organised into the following sections: Translator profile: demographic data; details of translator training and qualifications; ICT knowledge and skills.</Paragraph>
      <Paragraph position="1"> ICT uptake and usage: tools and language resources adopted to date.</Paragraph>
      <Paragraph position="2"> Internet usage: uptake of web-based technologies, and general Internet tools to date. ICT strategy: perceptions of general ICT; perceptions of translation technologies; business planning and strategy issues.</Paragraph>
      <Paragraph position="3"> The draft questionnaire was initially validated through a series of pre-tests, first with some experienced researchers, and then, after some modifications, it was re-tested with some translators. The pre-testers were asked to critically appraise the questionnaire, focussing primarily on issues of instrument content, question wording and validity, before providing detailed feedback. The pre-tests were very useful, as they resulted in a number of enhancements being made to the structure of the survey and the wording of specific questions. Having refined the questionnaire, a pilot study exercise was also undertaken, which provided valuable insights into the likely response rate and analytical implications for the full survey.</Paragraph>
    </Section>
    <Section position="2" start_page="0" end_page="0" type="sub_section">
      <SectionTitle>
3.2 Questionnaire distribution
</SectionTitle>
      <Paragraph position="0"> There is no official register of translators in the UK. Consequently, an exhaustive list of UK translators was not available for use in the study.</Paragraph>
      <Paragraph position="1"> For the purposes of this study, however, the sample used for the survey was drawn from a database of 1400 UK-based translators obtained from the membership database of an appropriate professional body. Questionnaires were mailed to the translators in the database of that professional body.</Paragraph>
    </Section>
  </Section>
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