EWCS 2015 - Questionnaire translation

To ensure the success of a survey like the EWCS, the language versions of the questionnaire to be used in each country must be of high quality. Since consistency and accuracy are key elements of a successful comparative survey, Eurofound implements intensive, rigorous translation procedures to achieve the best translations possible. Part of the approach taken in translation was to look for comparability or equivalence: a straightforward word-for-word translation might not have resulted in comparable data.

The translation process took place in five main phases:

1. assessment of the translatability of the source questionnaire;
2. training sessions for translators and adjudicators;
3. translation of the source questionnaire using the translation, review, adjudication, pre-testing and documentation (TRAPD) approach;
4. translation of all other fieldwork materials;
5. translation pre-test.

The sixth EWCS covers 35 European countries – EU28, Norway, Switzerland, Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey. In total, 49 language versions of the questionnaire have been developed. Where the same language is spoken in more than one country, harmonisation or adaptation was applied depending on circumstances. 

The translation report describes in detail the steps leading to the translation and finalisation of all language versions.