博文
How to publish a paper in English, if English is too difficult for you
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Life is never fair. Most SCI journals use English (I am just guessing here). So, if your English is not good enough to express your ideas and reasoning, you will need help--lots of help. Fortunately, such help exits, though it may cost you.
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I have been asked from time to time if I would translate papers from Chinese into English. I have always said “NO” because I know how difficult such a task can be. I used to tell my clients to do whatever they can (translate it themselves or hire someone), and send me both versions so that I can check the Chinese version if I have trouble understanding the English manuscript.
Recently, I edited a manuscript on China’s pension reforms. At first, I was unwilling to edit something that is so different from what I do (numerical ocean modeling), even though the first author is a good friend’s good friend of mine. After having read the abstract, I felt more comfortable (since I enjoy reading social issues in weekly magazines), and agreed to do it.
Here are some thoughts after having edited this manuscript and turning down yet another request to translate. I hope these thoughts would also help people who need a translator to publish their papers in English.
Here are some thoughts after having edited this manuscript and turning down yet another request to translate. I hope these thoughts would also help people who need a translator to publish their papers in English.
Step 1: Do the translation yourself, or hire someone (more suggestions on this later). Make sure you highlight (say, using bold face) all the terminology in your field, which laymen do not know and should not edit (no matter how un-English it may seem to be).
If you have to hire someone to translate your work, you should first go for a graduate student whose English is good. Make sure you pay him decent fees for his hard work.
If you can take in graduate students or post docs from a foreign country, consider someone from an English-speaking country. This way, you get to practice your English daily if your want to, and your other non-English-speaking students can also benefit.
If you really cannot find anyone for the job, then go for a “professional” translator. Why am I not so crazy about these English-majored translators? Well, try to use one and you will see what I mean.
Step 2: Find an English editor, who understands your work and reads Chinese. Why? Because the editor may need to check the Chinese version in order to understand some contents. (If you have trouble understanding your English editor’s comments in English, then you need to find an English editor who at least speaks Chinese. This way, you two can communicate over the phone if needed.)
Step 3: Invest in your English editor. If you find an editor you like, then give him time to get to know your work. I certainly have invested in my clients. I don’t also get the expected return (more manuscripts in future), but I find the return is generally pretty good.
You may want to read a related Blog:
https://m.sciencenet.cn/blog-306792-333700.html
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