Dr Chunxuan Shen
Course overview
- Study period
- Summer Semester, 2024 (25/11/2024 - 08/02/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- External
- Attendance mode
- Online
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Languages & Cultures School
This course introduces students to basic principles, theories and approaches in English to Chinese translation, and learn to apply these in five major writing genres. Students learn about industry expectations for professional translators, including professional conduct, code of ethics, accepted industry standards and practices, and the use of tools to support human translation output, such as machine translation and AI.
This course has a maximum quota of 130 students and enrolment will be granted to the first 130 students who enrol via mySI-net. Please note, the maximum quota is for the Summer Semester 2024/2025 offering only.
The course is divided into modules designed to give students training in the translation of different genres including texts drawn from areas such as political and economic news, science and technology, law, business and literature. Students are introduced to the basic principles and theories of translation; skills in analysing and understanding English source texts; useful techniques in English > Chinese translation; typical translation issues relating to each genre; and specific translation issues raised by the texts under study. Students attend workshops in which they are guided through the production of a linguistically, culturally and stylistically appropriate, idiomatic translation of each source text, which would meet the expectations of translation clients and employers alike.
Since all contact sessions for CHIN2750ﾠare run in workshop style, no lecture recordings will be available for the course.
Course requirements
Assumed background
This subject is designed for native and background speakers of Chinese. Students who have completed third year written Chinese may be admitted but only withﾠprior approval from the course convenor.
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
CHIN3750
Restrictions
This course is for native speakers of Chinese. The Summer Semester offering of this course is has a maximum quota of 130 students.
Course staff
Course coordinator
Lecturer
Dr Chunxuan Shen
Dr Yen-Ying Lai
Ms Xiaoji (Annie) Wang
Miss Ling Zhao
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Public holidays:
Alternative arrangements for affected students will be announced through the Blackboard site.
Class allocation:
In order to optimise the student experience, it may be necessary to reallocate students to a different class from their first choice.
Before this happens, every effort will be made to enable students to voluntarily change into an alternative class that is suitable.
Please note: Teaching staff do not have access to the timetabling system to help with class allocation. Therefore, should you need
help with your timetable and/or allocation of classes, please ensure you email hass.mytimetable@uq.edu.au from your UQ
student email account with the following details:
- Full name,
- Student ID, and
- the Course Code
Additional information and support can be found here.
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to introduce to students the basic principles and the two major approaches of English to Chinese translation and the application of these principles in four major styles of writing. These principles are generally adopted by professional translators.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
understand basic translation and interpreting theories and principles
LO2.
access and understand the application of a variety of translation resources commonly used in the professional workplace
LO3.
understand basic techniques in translation
LO4.
understand how to analyse and interpret an English source text
LO5.
apply different translation approaches appropriately to different genres and styles, as would be required by clients and employers in the translation industry
LO6.
recognise different translation styles and have the basic linguistic vocabulary to talk about texts both academically and in the workplace
LO7.
translate common genres from English into idiomatic Chinese in a linguistically and culturally appropriate manner, that would meet the expectations of translation clients and employers alike
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz |
Weekly pre-class Blackboard e-tasks
|
20% |
27/11/2024 5:00 pm 28/11/2024 5:00 pm 2/12/2024 5:00 pm 5/12/2024 5:00 pm 9/12/2024 5:00 pm 16/12/2024 5:00 pm 19/12/2024 5:00 pm 2/01/2025 5:00 pm 6/01/2025 5:00 pm 9/01/2025 5:00 pm 13/01/2025 5:00 pm 16/01/2025 5:00 pm 20/01/2025 5:00 pm
Tasks are available for completion for 7 days and are due by 5pm, on either Monday or Thursday, the day before each class. Please note Task 1 exception in the task description. |
| Examination |
In-semester exam
|
30% |
13/12/2024 8:24 pm
The exam will start at 7:00 pm, with 10 minutes preparation time + 60 minutes working time + 15 minutes submission time |
| Examination |
Final exam - Translation
|
50% |
End of Semester Exam Period 1/02/2025 - 8/02/2025
You will have 10 minutes planning time + 60 minutes working time + 15 minutes submission time |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Weekly pre-class Blackboard e-tasks
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Quiz
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
27/11/2024 5:00 pm
28/11/2024 5:00 pm
2/12/2024 5:00 pm
5/12/2024 5:00 pm
9/12/2024 5:00 pm
16/12/2024 5:00 pm
19/12/2024 5:00 pm
2/01/2025 5:00 pm
6/01/2025 5:00 pm
9/01/2025 5:00 pm
13/01/2025 5:00 pm
16/01/2025 5:00 pm
20/01/2025 5:00 pm
Tasks are available for completion for 7 days and are due by 5pm, on either Monday or Thursday, the day before each class. Please note Task 1 exception in the task description.
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07
Task description
Students will complete TWO 10-minute pre-class online e-tasks in Blackboard each week, with a set deadline before the first contact session on Tuesday and Friday. Only the 1st e-task is extended to Wednesday instead of Monday. Please note there is only ONE e-task in WEEK 3, which is due on Monday and ONE e-task in WEEK 5, which is due on Thursday. In Week 8, there are TWO additional e-tasks for final revision.
TWO attempts of each e-task will be permitted. Each e-task will be worth 2% and will test students' knowledge and understanding of the pre-class 'flipped module' materials for that week. The best 10 out of 13 pre-class e-task results for each student will be used to calculate the total mark for this assessment item.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
Submissions via Blackboard link.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
No extensions are allowed for this series of tasks as students are given a seven-day period to complete them. Individual results and correct answers are automatically released on a weekly basis. Timely engagement with these tasks supports sequential nature of learning in this course. The best 10 out of 13 pre-class e-task results for each student will be used to calculate the total mark for this assessment item.
In-semester exam
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
13/12/2024 8:24 pm
The exam will start at 7:00 pm, with 10 minutes preparation time + 60 minutes working time + 15 minutes submission time
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
The in-semester assessment will test students' knowledge and understanding of all the Module 1-5 course content, including pre-class, in-class and post-class materials, as well as weekly e-tasks. The assessment may include multiple choice questions, multiple answer questions, matching questions and short answer questions. Students may have access to lecture notes and handouts during the exam.
The exam will be designed as an online Bb timed assessment and will be scheduled with a strict time limit so that all students will complete the exam simultaneously.
Students will complete the exam online and must ensure that they have an appropriate device and sufficient internet connection to login to Bb and access the exam.
The exam will be timetabled by the School on Friday of Week 3. The exam will start at 7:00 pm, with 10 minutes preparation time + 60 minutes working time + 15 minutes submission time = 85 minutes. Please note, any exam submitted at exactly 8:25 pm will be automatically marked by Blackboard as "LATE". Your exam must be submitted by 8:24 pm at the latest. Regardless of when you start the exam, the final submission time is still 8:24 pm.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 60 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Open Book examination |
| Materials | Books, notes, dictionaries |
| Exam platform | Learn.UQ |
| Invigilation | Not invigilated |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Late submission
Exams submitted after the end of the submission time will incur a late penalty.
Final exam - Translation
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
1/02/2025 - 8/02/2025
You will have 10 minutes planning time + 60 minutes working time + 15 minutes submission time
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07
Task description
The final translation exam will test student's knowledge, understanding and application of the course content, including pre-class, in-class and post-class materials, with a particular focus on Module 6-12 content (scheduled from Week 4 to Week 8 in summer timetable). The exam will consist of a number of passages in English to be translated into Chinese. The texts will represent the different genres studied in the course (i.e. news, law, business, science & technology, literature). MT versions (e.g. Google Translate, Baidu, Youdao, DeepL) or AI versions of the translation tasks will be provided in the exam. Students will be required to 1) translate the source text into the target language on their own; 2) write a brief comment, identifying and explaining errors in the MT/AI versions. Students may have access to paper dictionaries or a specified online dictionary during the exam, as well as lecture notes and handouts.
The exam will be designed as an online timed blackboard assessment.
Students will complete the online exam with zoom invigilation and must ensure that they have an appropriate device to login to blackboard and access the exam, as well as a separate standalone webcam (or another device with camera) to provide a full display of their work area. Students should ensure that both video and audio function well on their devices.
The exam will be timetabled by UQ Central Examinations. Students will be notified of the exact time and date for the Final Exam as soon as the exam timetable is published by UQ Central Examinations. You will have 10 minutes planning time + 60 minutes working time + 15 minutes submission time.
HURDLE REQUIREMENT: In order to PASS the course, you must achieve a minimum of 40% in the final exam. Students who do not achieve 40% in the final exam can only receive an overall grade of 3 or less for the course.
Statement regarding AI & MT
This assessment task is to be completed live on Zoom. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
In order to PASS the course, you must achieve a minimum of 40% (40/100) in the final exam. Students who do not achieve 40% in the final exam can only receive an overall grade of 3 or less for the course.Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 60 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Open Book examination |
| Materials | Books, notes, paper dictionaries, specified online dictionary, Blackboard materials |
| Exam platform | Learn.UQ |
| Invigilation | Invigilated by Zoom |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Late submission
Exams submitted after the end of the submission time will incur a late penalty.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Has not satisfied course requirements. |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Inadequate source text comprehension, with inadequate understanding of nuances and an inadequate ability to convey these nuances accurately, and with errors or omissions which alter or detract from the source text meaning. Occasionally faithful to the dominant source text function. Some grammatical and/or collocational errors. Awkwardness in the translation, which detracts from the work as a whole. Problems in rendering idioms and figurative language. Expressions often used inappropriately in the context. Occasionally considers the discourse structure but rarely considers the desirability of restructuring or other translation techniques. Rarely pays attention to the connection between sentences. Demonstrates inadequate awareness of the use of appropriate terminology. In a professional workplace, the translations would require checking and significant rewriting. Many of the quiz answers are correct. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Some source text comprehension, with developing understanding of nuances and a developing ability to convey these nuances accurately, but with errors or omissions which somewhat alter or detract from the source text meaning. Sometimes faithful to the dominant source text function. A few grammatical or collocational errors. Some awkwardness in the translation, which detracts from the work as a whole. Developing attempts have been made to render idioms and figurative language. Expressions sometimes used appropriately in the context. Sometimes considers the discourse structure and occasionally considers the desirability of restructuring and other translation techniques. Occasionally pays attention to the connection between sentences. Demonstrates a developing awareness of the use of appropriate terminology. In a professional workplace, the translations would require checking and rewriting. Some of the quiz answers are correct. |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Adequate source text comprehension, including an understanding of some of the nuances and an ability to convey these nuances accurately some of the time, but with a few errors or omissions which may alter or detract from the source text meaning. Sometimes faithful to the dominant source text function, be that defined in terms of the message, the style, the tone or other parameters. A few grammatical or collocational inappropriacies). Some awkwardness in the translation, which may detract from the work as a whole. Attempts have been made to render idioms and figurative language. Expressions often used appropriately in the context. Sometimes considers the discourse structure and the desirability of restructuring and other translation techniques. Sometimes pays attention to the connection between sentences. Use of terminology is sometimes appropriate, and some background research appears to have been done. In a professional workplace, the translations would require some checking and rewriting. Many of the quiz answers are correct. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Good source text comprehension, including an understanding of most of the nuances and an ability to convey these nuances accurately most of the time, but with some minor errors or omissions which may slightly alter or detract from the source text meaning. Generally faithful to the dominant source text function, be that defined in terms of the message, the style, the tone or other parameters. A few minor grammatical or collocational inappropriacies. Occasional awkwardness in the translation, which does not detract significantly from the work as a whole. Reasonable attempts have been made to render idioms and figurative language. Some variety in the use of expressions and synonyms, and mostly used appropriately in the context. Often considers the discourse structure and the desirability of restructuring and other translation techniques. Pays attention to the connection between sentences, albeit with some minor lapses. Use of terminology is generally appropriate, and most necessary background research appears to have been done. In a professional workplace, the translations would require some checking and minor adjustments. The majority of the quiz answers are correct. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Very good source text comprehension, including an understanding of most of the nuances and an ability to convey these nuances accurately, but with some minor errors or omissions which do not majorly alter or detract from the source text meaning. Generally faithful to the dominant source text function, be that defined in terms of the message, the style, the tone or other parameters. No grammatical errors and only very minor collocational inappropriacies. Occasional minor awkwardness in the translation, which does not detract from the work as a whole. Good attempts have been made to render idioms and figurative language. Variety in the use of expressions and synonyms, and almost always used appropriately in the context. Mostly considers the discourse structure and the desirability of restructuring and other translation techniques. Pays attention to the connection between sentences. Use of terminology is almost always appropriate, and any necessary background research appears to have been done. In a professional workplace, the translations would require some minor editing. Most of the quiz answers are correct. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Excellent source text comprehension, including an understanding of the nuances and an ability to convey these nuances accurately, without error. Faithful to the dominant function of the source text, be that defined in terms of the message, the style, the tone or other parameters. No grammatical or collocational errors. Style is natural, acceptable and appropriate. Idioms and figurative language are handled skillfully. Extensive range of expressions and synonyms, used appropriately in the context. Considers the discourse structure and the desirability of restructuring and other translation techniques, and always pays attention to the connection between sentences. Use of terminology is always appropriate, without error, and any necessary background research has been done. Translations could be used in a professional workplace with no checking or rewriting. Nearly all of the quiz answers are correct. |
Additional course grading information
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (25 Nov - 01 Dec) |
General contact hours |
Module 1: Introduction Course introduction; introduction to relative pronouns and challenges in AI translation; comparison of Chinese and English grammar Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
General contact hours |
Module 2: Foundation I Foundation in English grammar: analysis and understanding of verbs, participles, and complex sentences Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
|
Week 2 (02 Dec - 08 Dec) |
General contact hours |
Module 3: Foundation II Solving ambiguity in translation; professional T&I ethics Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
General contact hours |
Module 4: Foundation III Basic techniques in translation Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
|
Week 3 (09 Dec - 15 Dec) |
General contact hours |
Module 5: AI Challenges - English Idioms & Problems Translation of idioms & proverbs, neologisms etc. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04 |
Week 4 (16 Dec - 22 Dec) |
General contact hours |
Module 6: Genre 1 - News Texts Translation of news & journalistic texts Learning outcomes: L02, L05, L06, L07 |
General contact hours |
Module 7: Genre 2 - Business Texts Translation of business texts Learning outcomes: L02, L05, L06, L07 |
|
Mid Sem break (23 Dec - 29 Dec) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
MID-SEMESTER BREAK |
Week 5 (Mid Sem break ends Wed) (30 Dec - 05 Jan) |
General contact hours |
Module 8: Genre 3 - Science & Technology Texts Translation of science & technology texts Learning outcomes: L02, L05, L06, L07 |
Week 6 (06 Jan - 12 Jan) |
General contact hours |
Module 9: Genre 4 - Legal Texts Translation of legal texts Learning outcomes: L02, L05, L06, L07 |
General contact hours |
Module 10: Genre 5 - Literary Texts: Part I Translation of literary texts - Part 1 Learning outcomes: L02, L05, L06, L07 |
|
Week 7 (13 Jan - 19 Jan) |
General contact hours |
Module 11: Genre 5 - Literary Texts: Part II Translation of literary texts - Part 2 Learning outcomes: L02, L05, L06, L07 |
General contact hours |
Module 12: Interpreting Taster + Zoom Mock Test Basic techniques in interpreting; differences between translation and interpreting; Do Mock Test 1 on Zoom Learning outcomes: L02, L05, L06, L07 |
|
Week 8 (20 Jan - 26 Jan) |
General contact hours |
Module 13: Revision Revision for final exam Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.