English translation: artifact of research / research artefact
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German to English translations [PRO] Social Sciences - Linguistics / research
German term or phrase:Forschungsartefakt
This is an element which may be inadvertently introduced into any form of research and thus skew or distort the results - such as unacknowledged assumptions, for instance. A rogue element, if you like.
In my particular case it occurs in a text about linguistics, but I don't think that really makes too much difference. The text talks of the need to be aware of unacknowledged cultural assumptions prior to embarking on intercultural communication.
Für die hier diskutierten Probleme sollte ein wichtiger methodologischer Grundsatz lauten, daß interkulturelle Kommunikationsforschung nur dann Forschungsartefakte und Mißverständnisse vermeiden kann, wenn sie selbst als interkultureller Kommunikationsprozeß vollzogen wird.
Artefact has a different sense in EN, as it does in GE, so I am pretty well 100% convinced that 'research artefact' will not do. Please put me out of my agony - what do we say in EN in such cases? Many thanks for any help [and I hope the G20 are taking notes!].
Explanation: "Like all methods, story-based research has strengths and weaknesses. Stories are less obtrusive than interviews. Interviews, whether in a fixed, random survey or an open-ended questioning of elites, are powerful and evocative research tools, but they are also an artifact of research; interviews do not exist absent the research process."
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 3 hrs (2009-03-31 19:05:18 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Hi, Helen. I had to leave as soon as I posted this. As I see it, research can be skewed by the research process itself. It can create artificial rather than natural results.
Well, research artefact it is - though mighty confusing for an art historian. Thanks to you all, and Kim for helping me originally. This is what I sent to my client, so I am in the clear, thank goodness. 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
Thank you both - I wonder how often this is used in the humanities. I've never met it before. But you have convinced me that in scientific/social scientific context, it is perfectly correct. Thanks for your time and patience!
You can rest assured that "artifact" does have this meaning in English too - cf. also "digital artifact" - flaws in sound that have been introduced into the process of digitizing it.
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Answers
30 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +2
artifact of research
Explanation: "Like all methods, story-based research has strengths and weaknesses. Stories are less obtrusive than interviews. Interviews, whether in a fixed, random survey or an open-ended questioning of elites, are powerful and evocative research tools, but they are also an artifact of research; interviews do not exist absent the research process."
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 3 hrs (2009-03-31 19:05:18 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Hi, Helen. I had to leave as soon as I posted this. As I see it, research can be skewed by the research process itself. It can create artificial rather than natural results.
Kim Metzger Mexico Local time: 14:55 Works in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 123
Grading comment
Well, research artefact it is - though mighty confusing for an art historian. Thanks to you all, and Kim for helping me originally. This is what I sent to my client, so I am in the clear, thank goodness.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Hi Kim, I've seen that usage, but to me it reads as 'the subject of research' rather than something to be avoided as in my text. I must admit I'm finding this rather confusing though, and am beginning to wonder whether there is a word missing which might describe the research 'artefact' in a pejorative way.
Asker: The problem most probably lies in my inability to understand what is meant by "artefact of research". What does it mean to you?
Asker: I agree that that is totally possible, but it doesn't say Forschungsprozeß or Methodologie. I just can't imagine what the so-called artefacts are. As a doctoral candidate myself, I have never come across this term myself, nor in any of the academic texts I have translated. But, never mind, I've sent the text off to my client now, and I'll have to see what comes back. Thanks very much for your time and help, Kim.
Reference comments
12 hrs peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: research artifact
Reference information: In this reference we see some types of "research artifact":
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +2
