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Does any one have good time management advice
Thread poster: Jerold Stamp
Jerold Stamp
Jerold Stamp  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 02:48
Member (2002)
Italian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Proofreading, etc. - Know your limits - Damn good advice Oct 27, 2001

Thanks Werner, I think you are right and what you say makes a lot of sense. I guess you were able to read into the problem. Good insight by the way. I often have accepted work with unreasonable deadlines only to be sorry and under a lot of stress. I should try not to be overworked.



I will try your advice on proofreading and I’ll arrange my future proofing so that the final proof does not require reference to the original and that it’s done 12 to 24 hours after transl
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Thanks Werner, I think you are right and what you say makes a lot of sense. I guess you were able to read into the problem. Good insight by the way. I often have accepted work with unreasonable deadlines only to be sorry and under a lot of stress. I should try not to be overworked.



I will try your advice on proofreading and I’ll arrange my future proofing so that the final proof does not require reference to the original and that it’s done 12 to 24 hours after translation.



Sven, thank you too. I have found myself requiring less proofing when I am very familiar with the material or when the original consists of terse phrases which are not in fact grammatical as happens in technical charts etc. It is interesting that you are able to eliminate it entirely in some cases. Don’t worry, you did answer my question. To me the information is very useful.



Still reflecting on Telesoro’s reply, perhaps because I work rather far away from fellow translators I have more of a need to know what other translators are doing. Maybe Telesforo and others of you have more interaction with fellow translators than I do (especially in-house translators working in agencies or translators in big cities) and what you consider common knowledge, others of us may have never encountered.



In any case, I am impressed with all of your answers. You may or may not realize it, but this is very useful information to me and I’m able to get a lot out of it. Thanks again.



If there are any other information or tips, I

be glad to here them.

Best wishes.

Jerry

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Daina Jauntirans
Daina Jauntirans  Identity Verified
Local time: 20:48
German to English
+ ...
Two proofreading methods Oct 28, 2001

Hi Jerold,



I have found that there are two ways of proofing texts, and I use both.

1) Proof each paragraph against the original as you complete the paragraph - I find this works best with very familiar topics with little term research. I do this online, sometimes with a printed original, sometimes with the online original (which is harder now that Word has so many toolbars!)

2) Complete a draft and proof the whole thing against the original when you
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Hi Jerold,



I have found that there are two ways of proofing texts, and I use both.

1) Proof each paragraph against the original as you complete the paragraph - I find this works best with very familiar topics with little term research. I do this online, sometimes with a printed original, sometimes with the online original (which is harder now that Word has so many toolbars!)

2) Complete a draft and proof the whole thing against the original when you are done. This is good when you have had to research a lot of terms to make sure you have been consistent.

I use a variant of method 2) for marketing texts - complete the draft, read the text as English only to smooth out and pep up the style, then proof against the original to make sure that no meaning shifts have occurred.

One small, but important time saver for me - I installed the Google toolbar because I use Google so much, and it saves quite a bit of effort locating terms on Web pages.

Also, you might want to read Mary Maloof\'s series of articles on time management in a back issue of TranslatorTips (www.translatortips.com). She has good things to say about setting boundaries and taking care of yourself.

Thanks for starting this thread! I am always on the lookout for tips like this myself.

Daina
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Margaret Schroeder
Margaret Schroeder  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 19:48
Spanish to English
+ ...
Some more proofreading tips Oct 28, 2001

1) On the screen: increase the size, e.g. to 110%. (or more if the font is very small)



2) On paper: read it from the last page to the first. This is especially useful if the document is long. It will be easier to spot mistakes near the end that eluded you when you were always exhausted and/or bored by the time you reached the last few pages.



3) Don\'t forget to review parts which are not part of the body of text; titles, captions, etc. Maybe not everyone
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1) On the screen: increase the size, e.g. to 110%. (or more if the font is very small)



2) On paper: read it from the last page to the first. This is especially useful if the document is long. It will be easier to spot mistakes near the end that eluded you when you were always exhausted and/or bored by the time you reached the last few pages.



3) Don\'t forget to review parts which are not part of the body of text; titles, captions, etc. Maybe not everyone else has this problem, but I too often overlook these unless I make a conscious effort to proofread them. Reviewing titles is also a way to check that you haven\'t skipped an entire section.



4) I mark the troublesome words/phrases/sentences by changing the font to a different colour on the first draft. As each one is solved, I change it back to black (or the normal colour for the document.) One final check is to do a search for \"any text\" in the \"trouble\" colour, to make sure I haven\'t missed any.



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Alison Schwitzgebel
Alison Schwitzgebel
France
Local time: 02:48
German to English
+ ...
plan your time Nov 1, 2001

One of the most important things about translating is to plan your time properly. You probably know how many pages (depending on material) you can translate a day, so never (or at least try not to!) accept more work than that - of course you must not forget to add time for the proofing process.



I normally reckon that I spend about 80% of my time translating, and 20% of my time on \"other stuff\" - like invoices and phone calls. So I plan to spend about 70% of my total time t
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One of the most important things about translating is to plan your time properly. You probably know how many pages (depending on material) you can translate a day, so never (or at least try not to!) accept more work than that - of course you must not forget to add time for the proofing process.



I normally reckon that I spend about 80% of my time translating, and 20% of my time on \"other stuff\" - like invoices and phone calls. So I plan to spend about 70% of my total time translating/proofing, and about 10% of my time on invoices, etc. This gives me a buffer for both translation problems and \"other\" problems - like when my network dies on me!!!



I guess I am lucky in that my husband (also a translator) proofs most of my work before it goes out, but not before I\'ve given it a once-over first. Here are the tricks that I have learned:



Print out both copies, and work through using a ruler under each line in the source text as you go, marking your changes clearly in the target text. The ruler helps to keep your eye focused on the segment concerned.



Start with the last sentence first. This \"stops\" the text making sense, which means you are more likely to catch silly mistakes that you would oversee in context (thanks to Daina for this trick - it certainly works).



Work in good light. I have found that poor lighting means my eyes (and brain) get tired more easily, and I start to miss things.



Clear your desk (and mind) of junk. If there is too much stuff flying all over my desk, then I just can\'t concentrate. Also, if my mind is on other things, then proofreading becomes a misery.



Well, I hope that helps you some



Alison
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Daina Jauntirans
Daina Jauntirans  Identity Verified
Local time: 20:48
German to English
+ ...
Two proofreading methods and other time mgmt. ideas Nov 19, 2001

(Oops, I thought my previous post did not appear! I deleted what I said before.)



One area where I know I could save some time is invoicing - I still do this using Word and Excel. If anyone uses accounting software that does invoicing, I would love to hear what you recommend. Does it handle multiple currencies? (I have a program sitting in the box in the closet waiting to be installed.)



Looking forward to hearing more!

Daina

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(Oops, I thought my previous post did not appear! I deleted what I said before.)



One area where I know I could save some time is invoicing - I still do this using Word and Excel. If anyone uses accounting software that does invoicing, I would love to hear what you recommend. Does it handle multiple currencies? (I have a program sitting in the box in the closet waiting to be installed.)



Looking forward to hearing more!

Daina

[ This Message was edited by: on 2001-11-20 11:34 ]
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Sarah Downing
Sarah Downing  Identity Verified
Local time: 21:48
German to English
+ ...
Everyone has their own way of doing things ... Dec 23, 2001

... you just have to find one that suits you. Personally, I first translate the text and as I\'m translating mark any words with highlighter (usually in Word - formatting toolbar) of which I\'m particularly unsure. Then, like several other translators, I leave the text for a while (so I can distance myself from it and hopefully look at it more objectively). Then, I proofread it for comprehension - i.e. compare each English sentence with each German/French sentence and finally I read it through o... See more
... you just have to find one that suits you. Personally, I first translate the text and as I\'m translating mark any words with highlighter (usually in Word - formatting toolbar) of which I\'m particularly unsure. Then, like several other translators, I leave the text for a while (so I can distance myself from it and hopefully look at it more objectively). Then, I proofread it for comprehension - i.e. compare each English sentence with each German/French sentence and finally I read it through one last time for style, to make sure that it flows and actually sounds English. I also find that it sometimes helps to read the text aloud. However, perhaps not everyone feels the need to proofread - it really depends on how confident you feel - I haven\'t been in the business for that long, so for me it pays to be as meticulous as possible. I also think that it is best to spend more time on something that you\'re particularly unsure about - although it may not pay off in hourly rates, it pays off in that you are more likely to produce quality which is more likely to get you future work from the customer.

Hope you find a way that suits you best!
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Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:48
Member (2004)
English to Italian
Sven... Dec 23, 2001

You said \"Mark all difficulties BEFORE you start translating and post them on ProZ.

4. Translate what you can.

5. Collect the answers from ProZ and fill in the gaps\".



It sounds to me that posting questions on Proz is some kind of a routine for you... This is worrying... you should not encourage collegues to use Proz in such a way. Proz is the last resort for professionals. There are dictionaries and the Web out there and if you really know your subje
... See more
You said \"Mark all difficulties BEFORE you start translating and post them on ProZ.

4. Translate what you can.

5. Collect the answers from ProZ and fill in the gaps\".



It sounds to me that posting questions on Proz is some kind of a routine for you... This is worrying... you should not encourage collegues to use Proz in such a way. Proz is the last resort for professionals. There are dictionaries and the Web out there and if you really know your subjects, you won\'t need Proz. I\'ve been visiting Proz for one and a half years now, and I only posted two questions...



GG

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Cynthia Brals-Rud
Cynthia Brals-Rud  Identity Verified
Local time: 02:48
English to Spanish
+ ...
Great question and attitude Jan 27, 2002

Hi Jerry,



I thought your question was great and I\'ve learnt loads from the answers. All very positive suggestions.



I totally agree with Sven\'s clear steps. That\'s the way I manage my time. Regarding the posting of questions BEFORE translating, I couldn\'t agree more and think the colleague who replied to this specific step missed the point. I think Sven meant (please correct me if I am wrong) that an experienced translator KNOWS which terms will be t
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Hi Jerry,



I thought your question was great and I\'ve learnt loads from the answers. All very positive suggestions.



I totally agree with Sven\'s clear steps. That\'s the way I manage my time. Regarding the posting of questions BEFORE translating, I couldn\'t agree more and think the colleague who replied to this specific step missed the point. I think Sven meant (please correct me if I am wrong) that an experienced translator KNOWS which terms will be trouble after first reading the text. There might be a couple of words or turns of phrases that we know will be a challenge. In order to save time, post those two or three (or as many as you see fit) questions and get on with the rest of the translation. Later on, you can fill in the blanks.



I would add two things. All the professional suggestions have been given. These are more old-generation-back-to-basics tips.

When I am uncomfortable with the way a sentence reads, but do not know why; when I have the feeling something is not totally right and it upsets me, I read the sentence in a loud voice. Usually, I can \'hear\' what was bothering me in the first place.

Secondly, decide that once the computer has been turned off, your day is over as far as translations are concerned. I often found myself still translating in my head late at night when I could have been using some well-deserved rest (with big projects, oh oh, the good old brain just wouldn\'t quit!), or having lunch while typing, or not stopping for a while to catch my breath. A short walk or any other diversion becomes a must. As I said, we must be able to decide \'now, it\'s enough\'and stick to our decision. A simple thought: let\'s call it a day!



My 2 cents



Cynthia
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Erika Pavelka (X)
Erika Pavelka (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 21:48
French to English
Good advice Jan 29, 2002

Alison has made some excellent points.



Quote:


One of the most important things about translating is to plan your time properly. You probably know how many pages (depending on material) you can translate a day, so never (or at least try not to!) accept more work than that - of course you must not forget to add time for the proofing process.





This is really important, especially for bi... See more
Alison has made some excellent points.



Quote:


One of the most important things about translating is to plan your time properly. You probably know how many pages (depending on material) you can translate a day, so never (or at least try not to!) accept more work than that - of course you must not forget to add time for the proofing process.





This is really important, especially for bigger projects. A couple of weeks ago, I received a project of 5,600 words (not extremely long), but I still planned by which date I had to finish the translation, send off my terminology questions and do the final proofreading so it would be ready on time. For very large projects (< 10,000 words), I use a table to divide up the document by chapters/pages/etc. and give myself deadlines. I\'ve found this very useful and it helps keep me on track.



Quote:


Clear your desk (and mind) of junk. If there is too much stuff flying all over my desk, then I just can\'t concentrate. Also, if my mind is on other things, then proofreading becomes a misery.





Sounds like the little voice in my head . A clean desk really helps productivity. I read somewhere that you should clear your desk at the end of every working day, so that it will be a clean slate when you start working the next morning. (Speaking of, I should really do this tonight!).



FWIW,



Erika

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Erika Pavelka (X)
Erika Pavelka (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 21:48
French to English
Terminology and KudoZ Jan 29, 2002

Quote:


On 2001-12-23 17:33, guarnieri wrote:

You said \"Mark all difficulties BEFORE you start translating and post them on ProZ.

4. Translate what you can.

5. Collect the answers from ProZ and fill in the gaps\".



It sounds to me that posting questions on Proz is some kind of a routine for you... This is worrying... you should not encourage collegues to use Proz in such a way. Proz is the... See more
Quote:


On 2001-12-23 17:33, guarnieri wrote:

You said \"Mark all difficulties BEFORE you start translating and post them on ProZ.

4. Translate what you can.

5. Collect the answers from ProZ and fill in the gaps\".



It sounds to me that posting questions on Proz is some kind of a routine for you... This is worrying... you should not encourage collegues to use Proz in such a way. Proz is the last resort for professionals. There are dictionaries and the Web out there and if you really know your subjects, you won\'t need Proz. I\'ve been visiting Proz for one and a half years now, and I only posted two questions...



GG







Giovanni has a point. How do you know what is a \"difficulty\" in the text unless you do your terminology research before you start translating? This can be time consuming. When I had a dial-up connection to the Internet, I would highlight the terms I couldn\'t find, and then connect to do my terminology research. Now that I have a permanent cable connection, I have my online dictionaries and other resources open and I just tab between the translation and my browser (as I go along).



As someone said, everyone has their own method of working, and you have to find what suits you best.



FWIW,



Erika

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jccantrell
jccantrell  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 18:48
Member (2005)
German to English
voice reading Jan 29, 2002

Haven\'t seen this mentioned, so I will toss it out.



I use a dictation program to dictate my translations. Allows me to keep my eye on the ball, so to speak, and reduces missed paragraphs and the like. Unfortunately, it seems to INCREASE my proofreading time as the program comes up with some off-the-wall interpretations of what I dictated (what do you mean \"sleek on grease?\" It was \"silicon grease\" dammit!). Of course, the spellchecker does not catch any of these.
... See more
Haven\'t seen this mentioned, so I will toss it out.



I use a dictation program to dictate my translations. Allows me to keep my eye on the ball, so to speak, and reduces missed paragraphs and the like. Unfortunately, it seems to INCREASE my proofreading time as the program comes up with some off-the-wall interpretations of what I dictated (what do you mean \"sleek on grease?\" It was \"silicon grease\" dammit!). Of course, the spellchecker does not catch any of these.



However, one other facet of this program is that it can READ texts from within the program. With this, you can have the machine read your translation while you watch the original text for problems.



Also, if the text is not extremely technical, having the machine read it brings another media form into play which, in my case at least, allows me to catch problem passages when they don\'t sound right.
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Does any one have good time management advice







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