| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | DipTrans: Is it worth going for a re-mark? Thread poster: Javier Grande
|
|---|
Javier Grande 
Spain
Local time: 13:15
Member (2014)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Hi everyone,
I just received my results for the DipTrans examination. I happened to get two distinctions and a fail, this one in the technology paper.
I saw in the candidate regulations that it is possible to ask for a re-mark. Since it is not extremely expensive (about 70 pounds) I am thinking of giving it a shot, just in case I get lucky and pass the full examination this year. However, I don't know if there are any real chances of success. Since I guess that probab... See more Hi everyone,
I just received my results for the DipTrans examination. I happened to get two distinctions and a fail, this one in the technology paper.
I saw in the candidate regulations that it is possible to ask for a re-mark. Since it is not extremely expensive (about 70 pounds) I am thinking of giving it a shot, just in case I get lucky and pass the full examination this year. However, I don't know if there are any real chances of success. Since I guess that probably some other ProZ.com members asked for a re-mark in the past, I've thought knowing about your experience could prove useful: did you succeed (or know other people who did)?
One of the things why I'm asking this is because I had a bad feeling about the technology paper right from the moment of handling it---even though I am not aware of any disastrous mistake. Thus if you tell me that the chances of a result turnaround are in general quite slim, probably I will not go for it.
On the other, hand, I think that by asking for a remark you have access to a report detailing your main mistakes, maybe that alone would pay for itself. What do you think?
Any comment would be greatly appreciated 
[Edited at 2014-05-09 19:48 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | |
I asked for a remark in my General translation (I am a technical translator) and got a pass. They probably reconsidered my translation after a different person had a look.
| | | | | Just a guess, but | May 9, 2014 |
if you obtained distinction in the other 2 papers (well done!), it could be that you only failed the technology option for one careless but major error with some technical fact or other. You are obviously a highly competent translator, and so it seems unlikely that you failed for a culmulation of minor mistakes and overall clumsiness.
A re-mark would tell you instantly where you went wrong, which would set your mind at rest. You also have the added hope of being judged worthy of a pass. In... See more if you obtained distinction in the other 2 papers (well done!), it could be that you only failed the technology option for one careless but major error with some technical fact or other. You are obviously a highly competent translator, and so it seems unlikely that you failed for a culmulation of minor mistakes and overall clumsiness.
A re-mark would tell you instantly where you went wrong, which would set your mind at rest. You also have the added hope of being judged worthy of a pass. In your case, I think a re-mark could well be worth it. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Georgia Morg (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:15
Portuguese to English
As I understand it, you have a choice of three subjects in each exam. At least that was how it was when I did it in 2011. Why on earth did you do the technical paper if you had a bad feeling about it? I prepared for all the subjects and chose the one I liked best on the day.
But yes, if you could get a detailed report on why you failed that would be worth it, surely, irrespective of whether they change your grade?
Good luck!
| | |
|
|
|
Javier Grande
Spain
Local time: 13:15
Member (2014)
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Scientific background... | May 10, 2014 |
Hi,
Thanks all of you for your feedback
Georgia, my background is scientific so I prepared the Technology and Science papers. Since I found the Technology paper very difficult, I had a look at the other Unit 2 papers (Business and Literature), but I didn't find them much easier and I felt much less confident about those topics. All in all, I didn't like too much either paper, but I had to choose one, so ... See more Hi,
Thanks all of you for your feedback
Georgia, my background is scientific so I prepared the Technology and Science papers. Since I found the Technology paper very difficult, I had a look at the other Unit 2 papers (Business and Literature), but I didn't find them much easier and I felt much less confident about those topics. All in all, I didn't like too much either paper, but I had to choose one, so I went for the topic I'm supposed to be more proficient in.
Anyway, maybe I will have to reconsider my specialization, because I had a similar problem in Unit 3: I didn't feel comfortable at all with the Science paper. However, there I happened to like the Social Science text, I swapped and all went good.
Thanks again for your answers,
J
[Edited at 2014-05-10 10:12 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I would ask for a re-mark, for sure! | May 10, 2014 |
I also found quite challenging the technology option, and I changed my mind just about time after reading the options.
By the way, I'm still waiting for my results, how is that possible living in the UK?
Álvaro.
| | | | Emma Goldsmith
Spain
Local time: 13:15
Member (2004)
Spanish to English
| Definitely go for a re-mark, regardless of the outcome. | May 10, 2014 |
Javier Grande wrote:
On the other, hand, I think that by asking for a remark you have access to a report detailing your main mistakes, maybe that alone would pay for itself.
Absolutely. I failed the general paper the first time round and asked for a re-mark. The grade didn't change but it was very useful for me to see where I'd gone wrong and how I could improve those areas.
I agree that the specialised papers are a bit of a lottery. Medicine is my field but the science paper was on astronomy, so I made an on-the-spot decision to do the social-science text instead. As it turned out, I made the right choice.
| | | | | REMARK is very helpful | May 10, 2014 |
Hi Javier,
I tried the full DIPTRANS in 2012 and got 1 "merit" for the General text and 1 Pass for the Sciences paper but failed literature which I had thought easy!! So in 2013 I decided to try Unit 2, Business option (which is my field), went on a preparatory course for 3 months before the exam and failed. Just like you right after the exam I thought I did wrong in some parts but chose to ask for a remark which was very useful. What I thought was wrong was in fact ok but some parts were ... See more Hi Javier,
I tried the full DIPTRANS in 2012 and got 1 "merit" for the General text and 1 Pass for the Sciences paper but failed literature which I had thought easy!! So in 2013 I decided to try Unit 2, Business option (which is my field), went on a preparatory course for 3 months before the exam and failed. Just like you right after the exam I thought I did wrong in some parts but chose to ask for a remark which was very useful. What I thought was wrong was in fact ok but some parts were misconstructed ...I realised I had not checked two very simple words which were false friends...
There is a happy ending as I went through the Business option again last January and passed... I got my result yesterday !!
So yes definitely ask for a re-mark, it will take time again (between 6 to 8 weeks) but it is really helpful...and may be go for a preparatory course (on-line) even if it is your field..
Best wishes and congratulations for the two distinctions...
MIREI ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
Compared to the expense (not to mention the stress and even more waiting) of having to take it again, I think the remark is worth it. I asked for a remark last year, and the feedback was very useful (even if the grade didn't change!). Well done on the two passes though! Your grades were excellent. I am, of course, still waiting for results in Lat Am because the CIOL live in some kind of fairytale where international non-registered post takes 7 days.
| | | | Javier Grande
Spain
Local time: 13:15
Member (2014)
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Thank you all... | May 11, 2014 |
for all your comments and useful advice. I've decided I am going to ask for the remark. Even if only for the report, I think it will be worth the 70 pounds. And, who knows, maybe I will get lucky!
Congratulations for your pass, Mirei, it must feel really good after all the effort!
And good luck Geraldine and Álvaro! I hope you will pass it all. I cannot understand how it is possible that the IoL doesn't make the results available through the Internet. They are really k... See more for all your comments and useful advice. I've decided I am going to ask for the remark. Even if only for the report, I think it will be worth the 70 pounds. And, who knows, maybe I will get lucky!
Congratulations for your pass, Mirei, it must feel really good after all the effort!
And good luck Geraldine and Álvaro! I hope you will pass it all. I cannot understand how it is possible that the IoL doesn't make the results available through the Internet. They are really keen on traditions, aren't they?
Best wishes,
Javier ▲ Collapse
| | | | XXXphxxx (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:15
Portuguese to English
+ ...
| Tradition can be good | May 11, 2014 |
Javier Grande wrote:
I cannot understand how it is possible that the IoL doesn't make the results available through the Internet. They are really keen on traditions, aren't they?
Well done on your results and good luck with the re-mark.
They are indeed quite old-fashioned in some respects but you have the confidence of knowing that it's all pretty robust and well-run, unlike ITI, which seems to have chopped and changed so much over the years it's difficult to tell where it's heading. Stick with it, it'll be worth it in the long end.
| | | | | Yes the waiting is awful and very old-fashioned... | May 11, 2014 |
Javier Grande wrote:
for all your comments and useful advice. I've decided I am going to ask for the remark. Even if only for the report, I think it will be worth the 70 pounds. And, who knows, maybe I will get lucky!
Congratulations for your pass, Mirei, it must feel really good after all the effort!
And good luck Geraldine and Álvaro! I hope you will pass it all. I cannot understand how it is possible that the IoL doesn't make the results available through the Internet. They are really keen on traditions, aren't they?
Best wishes,
Javier
Hi Javier,
This 3 months and a half waiting have been hell especially during the last days...I even drove 50kms during my lunch break to go and check my mail as I could not wait anymore...and big sigh that was it...
The Institute is very old-fashioned but at least we are able to use computers now during the exam which is a great help..I just can't imagine taking my pen and paper and going through the exam..;So may be with time they will change their rules about the results!!
All the best and be patient for the re-mark it is quite a long wait too....
Mirei
| | |
|
|
|
lcr24
Local time: 13:15
French to English
+ ...
| I'll be requesting a re-mark | May 12, 2014 |
I sympathise, Javier. I also passed two of the papers, but failed the third, the science paper, which was on hospital-acquired infections. Medicine happens to be my area of expertise as a qualified health professional, and I was very happy with my translation, so I am quite disillusioned with the whole process, to be honest.
I can't help you with any previous experience of re-marks, but I will be requesting a re-mark as I am completely at loss to understand why my translation merite... See more I sympathise, Javier. I also passed two of the papers, but failed the third, the science paper, which was on hospital-acquired infections. Medicine happens to be my area of expertise as a qualified health professional, and I was very happy with my translation, so I am quite disillusioned with the whole process, to be honest.
I can't help you with any previous experience of re-marks, but I will be requesting a re-mark as I am completely at loss to understand why my translation merited a fail. I can't see the point of re-taking the exam at the moment as it went as well as I could have hoped.
Surprised to hear IoL described as 'robust and well-run', which doesn't fit with my experience at all - I had to wait over 4 weeks for them to acknowledge my application form, they took over a week to reply to email enquiring about it, and having promised the results within the very long 14 week timescale, they arrived 15 weeks after the exam. Considering the expense of the exam, I find it surprising that it is not double-marked as standard.
Also, in this and other discussions I keep hearing the Diploma referred to as very hard to pass and people citing the fact that 'many very good translators fail'. Why is this? Their candidate booklet states that a translation is awarded a fail if it is not professionally usable. And yet many translators who have been earning their living producing 'professionally usable' translations for several years seem to fail. Of course there are pretty poor translators out there who somehow manage to charge for inaccurate, badly written work, but I would hazard a guess that that doesn't apply to the vast majority of ProZ members. If it is because of the exam conditions, why should very good translators be denied recognition on the basis of factors that in no way reflect their actual working environment?
Translation at a high level (like the world of academia where peers will heavily criticise papers for publication because they dislike the approach) depends on the viewpoint and personal preferences of individual translators. It strikes me (having proofread others' translations as well as having had my own proofread) that it is very easy to find fault with other people's translations, but very hard to produce one that a peer will find no fault with. I wonder whether IoL examiners would pass their own exams? ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I will go for a re-mark too | May 15, 2014 |
I have already received my results on Tuesday and I also fail one part, the General Text, so I will ask for a re-mark, I think it's very important to find out what went wrong and be ready for January re-sit. Besides, I have the good luck of passing the literary text, which I did instead the Technology one, my former option.
All the best.
Alvaro.
| | | |
to all candidates who have decided to ask for a re-mark. Regardless of the outcome, it will help you to have the feedback. If your result does not change, do strongly consider resitting your failed papers. If you can pass one or two papers, you can pass them all!
| | | | | Pages in topic: [1 2] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » DipTrans: Is it worth going for a re-mark? | TM-Town | Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business
Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.
More info » |
| | Wordfast Pro | Translation Memory Software for Any Platform
Exclusive discount for ProZ.com users!
Save over 13% when purchasing Wordfast Pro through ProZ.com. Wordfast is the world's #1 provider of platform-independent Translation Memory software. Consistently ranked the most user-friendly and highest value
Buy now! » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
Translation news
