BA in Translation Studies

Information on the fourth and fifth attempt (third and fourth repeat) of the examination for the Exam Project BA course

On the fourth and fifth attempt (third and fourth repeat), the examination must be taken before a committee. Accordingly, the committee will comprise three of the following persons:

• Chairperson:
  The chairperson should have acquired habilitation status. To date, the following members of staff at our department have acquired habilitation status: Univ. Prof. Martina Behr, Ao. Univ.-Prof. Cornelia Feyrer, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Laura Giacomini, Assoz. Prof. Alena Petrova, Ao.Univ.Prof. Peter Sandrini, Univ.-Prof. Pius ten Hacken. In justified exceptional cases, the chairperson may not possess habilitation status.
• First examiner:
  The first examiner is normally the course lecturer.
• Second examiner
  from the specific field of studies.

Tasks of the examination candidate:

1. The examination candidate must inform the course lecturer that the ensuing examination is to be conducted before a committee.
   
2. The examination candidate is responsible for setting up the aforementioned committee. To do so, he/she must:

• contact the desired committee members and obtain their consent;
• contact the university examinations office, obtain the relevant application form, have it signed by the members of the examination committee and the study representative and submit it to the examinations office (to Ms. Anja Riedl) before the examination.

Only then is the candidate authorized to take the examination.
It is the candidate's responsibility to obtain all the  signatures of the committee members and submit the relevant application form in good time.

General conditions

• Exam time: candidates have 180 minutes to complete the Exam Project - translation and commentary.
• Text length: The source text must be between 1,600 and 1,900 characters long (excluding spaces).
• Topic: The topic on which the translation is to be prepared must be announced electronically (e-mail, OLAT, etc.) three weeks before the examination date.
• Resources: With the exception of emails, social networks and automatic translation programs, all resources required for translation are permitted.

No private laptops may be used during the examination. Furthermore, mobile phones must remain switched off during the exam.

Translation

Translation brief

The source text is to be accompanied by a precise translation brief that provides information on the following points, among others:

• Function of the target text
• Recipients of the target text
• Medium used to convey the target text to the target group (flyer, travel guide, website, etc.)
• Accessibility of the target text in terms of place and time

The translation must be prepared with the translation brief in mind.

Formal requirements for submitting the examination (file type, font size, line spacing, etc.) must also be taken into account and are to be communicated by the examiners in combination with the translation brief.

Commentary

Miscellaneous

• The commentary on the translation must be formulated in complete sentences, paying attention to linguistic correctness - grammar, lexis, style, etc.
• Students studying German as a first foreign language can write the commentary either in German or in the language of the source text.

Contents of the commentary

• Determination of the text type and function of the source text
• Analysis of the source text
• Solution strategies in the production of the target text and justification
• Research / resources used

Guidelines

Determination of the text type and function of the source text

• As which text type do you classify the source text? Name the criterion on the basis of which you make your decision.
• What is the function of the source text?
• What needs to be changed in the target text in terms of pragmatics (cultural specifics, local and temporal reference structures, etc.) in order for the target text to fulfil its function? Give an example.

Analysing the source text

• What problems did you encounter when analysing the source text in terms of communication, lexis, style and grammar? Give an example of each.

Solution strategies in the production of the target text and justification

• What strategies did you use to solve each of the problems listed in 3.2? Describe these strategies and give reasons for your decisions.

Research / resources

• What specific resources did you use to solve the problems mentioned in 3.2? Regardless of relevant dictionaries, name two reliable sources and give an argument for why you chose each source.

Assessment

Assessment of the translation

The following error categories and error points are used to assess the translation:

• Errors of meaning → massive impairment of the text function and text usability: grading by one mark per error of meaning
• Communication → omission (2 error points per omitted unit of meaning), slight impairment of communication: 2 - 3 error points
• Pragmatics → reference between producer and recipient, taking into account the translation task (cultural specifics, local and temporal reference structures, etc.): 2 - 3 error points
• Text type convention → Text rules with regard to text type, title, gender-appropriate language, etc.: 2 - 3 error points
• Coherence and cohesion → Content and grammatical coherence in conveying information: 2 - 3 error points
• Grammar → Articles, case, mode, syntax, tense, etc. : 1 - 2 error points
• Lexis in the common language sense → expression, collocation, vocabulary etc.: 1 - 2 error points
• Style → stylistic element, style type, stylistic move etc.: 1 - 2 error points
• Layout: 0.5 error points
• Spelling → 2018 spelling regulations: 0.5 - 1 error points

The following grading scale is used to assess the translation:

• 1 (very good): 0 – 5.5 error points
• 2 (good): 6 – 10.5 error points
• 3 (satisfactory): 11 – 15.5 error points
• 4 (sufficient): 16 – 20.5 error points
• 5 (insufficient): 21 – ... error points

Assessment of the commentary

20 points are awarded for the commentary. The following categories and points are used:

• Determination of the text type of the source text: 1 point
• Specification of the criterion for the decision: 1 point
• Determination of the text function of the source text: 1 point
• Changes with regard to pragmatics (cultural specifics, local and temporal reference structures, etc.) in the production of the target text, including an example: 1 point analysis of the source text, taking into account communication, lexical and temporal structures, etc.
• Analysis of the source text, taking into account communication, lexis, style and grammar, with an example of each: 4 points
• Solution strategies for the problems in the production of the target text: 4 points
• Reasons for the solution strategies: 4 points
• Indication of two reliable sources: 2 points
• Two arguments for the decision: 2 points

When assessing the commentary, the following grading scale is used for a pass level of 60%:

• 1 (very good): 18.5 – 20 points
• 2 (good): 16.5 – 18 points
• 3 (satisfactory): 14.5 – 16 points
• 4 (sufficient): 12 – 14 points
• 5 (insufficient): 0 – 11.5 points

Overall assessment of the Exam Project (BA)

The overall assessment of the examination comprises 80% of the grade for the translation and 20% of the grade for the commentary. For a positive assessment, both parts - translation and commentary - must be submitted and the overall average assessment must be at least 4.0.

Note: It is recommended to attend the course Translation III (UE) parallel to the Examination Project course.

Information on writing a bachelor’s degree thesis at the Department of Translation Studies

A bachelor's degree thesis (BA thesis) must be written as part of a pro-seminar (PS) within a course module. The course modules within which BA theses can be written are highlighted in the curriculum. At the Department of Translation Studies, these are compulsory module 7 (Selected Topics pro-seminar in the first foreign language), compulsory module 14 (Translation Studies pro-seminar) and elective module 18 (Selected Topics pro-seminar in the second foreign language). A BA thesis is written within the framework of these pro-seminars in addition to a pro-seminar paper. The entire pro-seminar including the completed BA thesis is graded.

• A BA thesis must be registered with the pro-seminar lecturer during the semester. The pro-seminar lecturer then determines when the thesis must be registered.
• Supervision of the BA thesis is carried out by the pro-seminar lecturer.
• Scope of the thesis:
• A BA thesis comprises approximately 50,000 to 75,000 characters [without spaces], i.e. approximately 30 to 40 pages.
• A workload of 7.5 ECTS credits (187.5 hours of work) is specified.
• The thesis must be submitted to the supervisor in printed form and as a PDF file (see curriculum).
• A BA thesis must be written in German or in the respective foreign language.
• An affidavit (in a shortened version) is also required for BA theses.
• Instructions on writing a BA thesis are given at the beginning of the respective pro-seminar in the form of an information sheet. If not, please note that a BA thesis must contain the following:
  • Cover page
  • Abstract
  • Table of contents
  • Main text (introduction, main part[s], conclusion)
  • If required, list of abbreviations
  • If required, list of figures
  • If required, appendix
  • Bibliography
• Corrections: Preparation and consultation of a BA thesis is conducted regularly with the respective student (topic identification, literature research, abstract, structure) or a submitted version is returned to the student once for correction. (Comments can be added to an electronically submitted version or the thesis can be discussed orally with the student).

Legal basis for bachelor's degree theses

UG 2002 (as of 20.01.2021)

• § 80 (1) Bachelor’s degree theses must be written as part of courses in the bachelor's degree programme. More detailed provisions on bachelor's degree theses shall be laid down in the respective curriculum.
• (2) The provisions of the Copyright Act [...] shall be observed when working on the topic and supervising students.

Curriculum for the bachelor's degree programme in Translation Studies

• A bachelor's degree thesis is to be written within the framework of a course with a continuous assessment character selected from the compulsory modules 7 (Cultural Studies II in the first foreign language) or 14 (Translation Studies II), or the elective module 18 (Cultural Studies II in the second foreign language) and is supervised by the lecturer of the respective course. The work for the bachelor's degree thesis must be completed in addition to the requirements of the respective course in which it is written.
• A bachelor's degree thesis must be submitted within twelve months of the start of the course.
• A bachelor’s degree thesis can be written in the first or second foreign language.

The following stipulations have been determined within the curriculum for the BA degree programme for Translation Studies: 

• Students should decide at the beginning of the course whether they wish to write a BA thesis withing the scope of the module in question.
• For students who have decided to do so, the grade (module grade) can only be given once all the required workload for the course, including a BA thesis, has been completed.
• The topic of a BA thesis can be an in-depth study of the required pro-seminar paper or a paper on a topic related to the course.

Assessment criteria for bachelor’s degree theses

• Knowledge of the topic and the relevant research literature
• Presentation of the aim, content, method and (research) question
• Clarity and depth of analysis / evaluation
• Independent processing and critical reflection on the topic
• Accurate scientific work (correct and consistent citation, footnotes, bibliography)

• Linguistic correctness and layout

Note: If fewer than 4 points are awarded for criterion "Independent processing and critical reflection on the topic”, the entire thesis is to be assessed negatively.

Points and grades

• 58-55 points = very good
• 54-47 points = good
• 46-39 points = satisfactory
• 38-31 points = sufficient