Translation - art & business » Proofreading / Editing / Reviewing »
Estimated time for Quality Checks
Thread poster: Hara Samara
Hara Samara
Hara Samara
Greece
Local time: 04:35
English to Greek
+ ...
Apr 3, 2015

I've been asked recently how many words on average can be QCed per hour after a document has been translated and proofread, regardless of the language combination. Is there a definite answer to this question and how would you calculate the time required?

[Edited at 2015-04-03 11:16 GMT]
 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 02:35
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
Have your browsed the forum? Apr 3, 2015

You need to be reading this very recent thread, Hara: http://www.proz.com/forum/proofreading_editing_reviewing/267134-can_you_qc_3000_words_in_an_hour.html
 
Diana Obermeyer
Diana Obermeyer  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:35
Member (2013)
German to English
+ ...
A simple NO Apr 3, 2015

Hara Samara wrote:
Is there a definite answer to this question and how would you calculate the time required?

[Edited at 2015-04-03 11:16 GMT]


Without even considering the other point of language combinations, the time required for QC depends
a) on the subject matter
b) on my personal knowledge of and familiarity with specific terminology within that field
c) on the type of text
d) on the quality of the source file; in particular the style, the format and the correct use of terminology in the source
e) on the quality of the translation
f) on the quality of the proofreading

I only do QC, proofreading or editing for clients who understand the above.

Most potential clients first ask about a volume-based rate. When I explain that I don't offer these services per volume, but only on an hourly rate, this is often followed up with "OK, so how many words can you proofread/edit/QC in an hour". Doh! If I was able to predict that accurately and universally, I might as well have quoted a volume-based rate. The whole point of an hourly rate is to maintain proportionality between the effort involved and my earnings.

[Edited at 2015-04-03 13:59 GMT]
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 02:35
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Difficult to say! Apr 3, 2015

All my work is proof-read in-house before delivery to the customer: be it direct client or translation agency. As I have been working with the same proof-reader for a long time, she knows me and my work quite well and I do trust her decisions. This means that in the final quality check I am able to read up to 2,000 words per hour. However, this is probably the exception not the rule and I will never give that number to a translation agency…
 
Hara Samara
Hara Samara
Greece
Local time: 04:35
English to Greek
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Understandably a controversial issue Apr 3, 2015

Thank you all for your responses.

Researching about it, I actually came across the recommended post but I felt I could use some more opinions. Your replies summarise pretty much my view. What baffles me though is the fact that it sounded like there is some kind of fixed formula, similar to the one that suggests that a translator is expected to be able to translate or proofread a minimum of X amount of words daily. Apparently, this is also a quite generic estimation but it's widely ... See more
Thank you all for your responses.

Researching about it, I actually came across the recommended post but I felt I could use some more opinions. Your replies summarise pretty much my view. What baffles me though is the fact that it sounded like there is some kind of fixed formula, similar to the one that suggests that a translator is expected to be able to translate or proofread a minimum of X amount of words daily. Apparently, this is also a quite generic estimation but it's widely accepted in the industry, however I am not aware of such commonly accepted standards for the final quality check of translated & proofread documents and I was wondering if there are in fact any at all. ▲ Collapse
 


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Estimated time for Quality Checks







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