Weekly translation assignments in four or five week cycle: 

Week 1 - Introduce text, analyze terminology
Explore options for parallel texts and specialized dictionaries 
Week 2 - Before class: post parallel and background texts to the appropriate folder in the 61251 sub-directory on the Grads drive. During class: discuss parallel texts stored in the "corpus" for the assignment; review terminology with the rest of the class 
Week 3 - Workshop text 
Week 4 - Workshop text (if need be), or turn in finished translation 
Week 5 - Deliver finished translation 

There will be adjustments for the first two weeks of the semester until the sequence is established. There may be some variations in the strict adherence to a 4-week sequence based on special conflicts in the schedule. 

Students are to prepare translation exercises for discussion during each class period. Draft translations must be emailed to the instructor no later than 10:00 of any given class day when the text in question is to be workshopped. There will be a deduction of 50% in the participation grade for individual assignments in the event that files are not posted in a timely manner. Completed translations are due no later than one week after a workshopping has been completed (see syllabus and semester calendar), delivered by email attachments to:
mailto:sellenwright@gmail.com 

All deliverables should include:  

1. The translated text submitted as an email attachment. 
2. A translation log. The translation log documents all major problems encountered during translation, with explanations for strategies adopted. Bibliographical references and links to the corresponding URLs should be recorded in the log file. This file should be attached at the end of your translation file so that when you are finished there is just one Word file. (See sample logs in the LAN folder.)
3. The subset of terminology pertinent to a given project should be included as an rtf Word dictionary file submitted with the email transmission of the finished translation. 

File names: Each text has a code name (see syllabus). Each member of the class should select the set of initials s/he intends to use as an identifier (e.g., Jane Anastasia Doe might be "JAD."). Jane's draft translation for the draft of a text named Knie would be named: jad-knie-draft.doc.  Her final version would be named jad-knie.final.doc. The final version, which includes the target text and the log in one file, should be zipped together with the terminology output file and titled: jad-knie.final.zip. Be sure to send the correct version when you submit a text as the final draft! Any texts that are mis-sent and that are actually evaluated will be counted as the final version. Almost every year someone messes up and sends an incorrect version. Keep track of your versions and avoid errors!

1) Barring unusual circumstances (weather cancellations, etc.), all assignments will be due on the date stated on the syllabus, whether they have been completely workshopped or not. In determining the grade, more weight will be given to those segments of the text that have actually been workshopped, but nontreated text will also have some bearing on the grade, depending on the amount of material not covered in class. Plus points will be awarded for especially successful translations of nonworkshopped materials. It is possible that not all parts of a text will be evaluated, but an effort will be made to return texts in a timely fashion. 

2) Since it is in everyone's interest to use class time efficiently, class will start promptly, regardless how many people are in the room. As noted above, files that are not available by 10:00 on a class day will result in a diminished participation grade for the project. Note: lively participation is typical of this class, but consideration for each other is also desirable. Let's try to keep private conversations and multiple simultaneous conversations to a minimum. 

3) Everyone (including the instructor!) is encouraged to use class time as efficiently as possible. Non-class-related topics and personal concerns should, if possible, be discussed during office hours, or, if a topic concerns the whole group, at the end of class. 

4) It is anticipated that students will use their terminals to process their texts during class and that they may on occasion check Internet resources as well. All other extraneous use of computers is to be discouraged. Focus on in-class workshopping is very critical to success in this course. Working on other projects or doing email, for instance, can seriously jeopardize your participation grade. 

Translations will be evaluated on the basis of the ATA guidelines.

All translations will be graded as a group in order to ensure fairness and consistency in grading. Therefore it is highly critical that all work be submitted according to deadline. There is no guarantee that materials that are submitted late will be reviewed in a timely fashion.

Students will be required to maintain a terminology file over the course of the semester. This file should document the terms that occur in the texts treated in the course. It is suggested that students include any documentation that they have to support choices and strategies, but it is not required that the file represent a "full-blown" terminology file, with complete contexts or definitions for all records. It will be a working file such as a translator creates "on-the-fly" in order to record good solutions as they come along. Subject references are essential in order to sort the file, however, and short contexts are highly desirable insofar as they are available. The terminology for each assignment should be completed by the time each assignment is handed in so that it can be checked. 

Translation Log  

A brief log of important problems encountered in each assignment should be submitted as well. See the description at the end of the syllabus for pointers on maintaining a translation log. 

Failure to complete the terminology for or submit the log with an assignment can result in a 10% reduction in the grade for that assignment (or expressed in other terms, in a reduction of one letter grade). By the same token, doing these items conscientiously can have a similar positive effect.