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ATA Certification Exam - Example of a Corrected Passage
Thread poster: Pavel Zalutski
Pavel Zalutski
Pavel Zalutski  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 10:18
English to Russian
+ ...
Jun 26, 2007

Hi everyone,

I'm preparing for the ATA certification exam (En>Ru). I couldn't find anywhere on the Internet a sample of a corrected/graded passage. Not even just an untranslated/uncorrected passage.

If anyone ever took the ATA exam in En>Ru, Ru>En, En>Spanish or Spanish>English pairs and had the results returned to you, can you share?


 
Steven Capsuto
Steven Capsuto  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 10:18
Member (2004)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Take the practice exam Jun 26, 2007

I strongly suggest taking the practice exam. It not only gives you an idea of what sorts of texts the exam committee uses, but the corrected exam you receive back lets you know how your specific translation/writing style relates to what the graders are looking for.

For instance, you might learn that they consider your punctuation style too influenced by English, or that your terminology is accurate but not the register or tone they wanted, etc. For each person, the feedback will obv
... See more
I strongly suggest taking the practice exam. It not only gives you an idea of what sorts of texts the exam committee uses, but the corrected exam you receive back lets you know how your specific translation/writing style relates to what the graders are looking for.

For instance, you might learn that they consider your punctuation style too influenced by English, or that your terminology is accurate but not the register or tone they wanted, etc. For each person, the feedback will obviously be different.

[Edited at 2007-06-26 14:39]
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Elizabeth Adams
Elizabeth Adams  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 07:18
Member (2002)
Russian to English
why you can't find one Jun 26, 2007

When you take the exam, you don't get it back with corrections. You just get a letter stating that you passed or didn't pass and how many of each type of mistake you made.

If you take the practice exam, they send it back to you marked up. But even then you have to promise not to show it to anyone.

That's why you can't find one on the web.

Definitely do the practice exam. It will save you a lot of money and time in the end.

...
See more
When you take the exam, you don't get it back with corrections. You just get a letter stating that you passed or didn't pass and how many of each type of mistake you made.

If you take the practice exam, they send it back to you marked up. But even then you have to promise not to show it to anyone.

That's why you can't find one on the web.

Definitely do the practice exam. It will save you a lot of money and time in the end.

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Adieu
 
mariana24
mariana24  Identity Verified
Uruguay
Local time: 11:18
Spanish
+ ...
I have English>Spanish papers Jun 27, 2007

Hi All,

I took the ATA practice exam for the English>Spanish pair and have the corrected papers.

As far as I know, I can show them to anyone I decide and so I have to others preparing the same exam, and also to translation teachers for their "public" use in class. I would find it ridiculous if they actually asked people not to show them to anyone else after what they charge for them!
I also took a course in order to prepare for the actual exam, and this course
... See more
Hi All,

I took the ATA practice exam for the English>Spanish pair and have the corrected papers.

As far as I know, I can show them to anyone I decide and so I have to others preparing the same exam, and also to translation teachers for their "public" use in class. I would find it ridiculous if they actually asked people not to show them to anyone else after what they charge for them!
I also took a course in order to prepare for the actual exam, and this course was basically the review, by everyone in the group, of past, corrected exams.

Pavel, send me an e-mail through the page and I will scan my corrected papers and send them to you.

Bye now.


Mariana

[Edited at 2007-06-27 02:15]
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María Paula Domínguez
 
Pavel Zalutski
Pavel Zalutski  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 10:18
English to Russian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you Jun 27, 2007

Thank you for your comments, everyone.

Indeed, this is strange that you are supposedly not allowed to show your practice test to others. Why is the information made so secretive? What's so proprietary or confidential about the text of the passages or the remarks/notes by the graders?

Nevertheless, taking a practice test yourself is a sound idea.

[Edited at 2007-06-27 10:44]


 
MGL
MGL  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 15:18
Russian to English
interesting! Jun 27, 2007

mariana24 wrote:


I also took a course in order to prepare for the actual exam, and this course was basically the review, by everyone in the group, of past, corrected exams.



[Edited at 2007-06-27 02:15]


I did not know there were courses available - where did you do yours and what did you think about it?


-Megan


 
Marcela Dutra
Marcela Dutra  Identity Verified
Uruguay
Local time: 11:18
English to Spanish
+ ...
Availability of papers Jun 27, 2007

I agree with Mariana, ridiculous not to be able to see past papers! What's with all this secrecy??

When I was preparing the IoL exam, I worked with heaps of past Dip Trans papers. And for any language exam I've ever heard of (Proficiency, etc), there are always past papers to work with.

I suppose you've tried asking ATA themselves? Usually these organizations do charge a small amount for each past paper they let you have, but it might be worth it.

Good
... See more
I agree with Mariana, ridiculous not to be able to see past papers! What's with all this secrecy??

When I was preparing the IoL exam, I worked with heaps of past Dip Trans papers. And for any language exam I've ever heard of (Proficiency, etc), there are always past papers to work with.

I suppose you've tried asking ATA themselves? Usually these organizations do charge a small amount for each past paper they let you have, but it might be worth it.

Good luck!
m
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Mai Tran
Mai Tran  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 07:18
Vietnamese to English
+ ...
courses for ATA exam Jun 28, 2007

Megan Lehmann wrote:

mariana24 wrote:


I also took a course in order to prepare for the actual exam, and this course was basically the review, by everyone in the group, of past, corrected exams.



[Edited at 2007-06-27 02:15]


I did not know there were courses available - where did you do yours and what did you think about it?


-Megan


Me too, I would like to know where to take the courses, what courses do you recommend, and what are the fees ?

Also in this vein, I saw that a lot of job postings asked for
" SDL Trados 2007 certified ". What is SDL Trados, and where and how do I get certified ?

Much thanks,

Mai


 
Ryan Saxon Montcalm
Ryan Saxon Montcalm  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 09:18
German to English
+ ...
Study Guide Aug 5, 2007

I have also been searching for a study guide for the ATA certification exam. Most organizations offer large amounts of study materials for their various exams. In education there are the EXCET exam study guides. In aviation there are loads of study guides for the FAA written as well as the check ride exams. Test takers can buy these study guides and be well-prepared for the exams. ATA may prefer it this way. They seem to be a little too secretive about their activities as testers. What's going o... See more
I have also been searching for a study guide for the ATA certification exam. Most organizations offer large amounts of study materials for their various exams. In education there are the EXCET exam study guides. In aviation there are loads of study guides for the FAA written as well as the check ride exams. Test takers can buy these study guides and be well-prepared for the exams. ATA may prefer it this way. They seem to be a little too secretive about their activities as testers. What's going on there?
There is a huge market out there for language specific study guides to help people pass their certification exams.
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Adieu
 
Pavel Zalutski
Pavel Zalutski  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 10:18
English to Russian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Hey, Ryan! Aug 6, 2007

I ended up paying $80 to the ATA to take a practice test. Indeed, Ryan, that's all there seems to be to it - just the practice test. That takes up to 8 weeks to be reviewed and returned. It would be so much more convenient to have some sort of a study guide, as you said, that you could buy for $80 and which would have 20 practice tests, not one. The procedure is extremely inconvenient and overall poorly thought out.

 
Italo & Beverly Sessegolo
Italo & Beverly Sessegolo  Identity Verified
Local time: 10:18
English to Portuguese
+ ...
ATA training test Jun 28, 2008

Mariana,

Would you be so kind as to send me a copy of your corrected training test?

Thanks

Italo Sessegolo


 
simonettta
simonettta
Local time: 09:18
English to Italian
+ ...
I would like to see the test results Feb 3, 2009

Hi Mariana,

I am in the same position as Pavel. Would you like to send it to me too, please?!

my e-mail: [email protected]

thank you
mariana24 wrote:

Hi All,

I took the ATA practice exam for the English>Spanish pair and have the corrected papers.

As far as I know, I can show them to anyone I decide and so I have to others preparing the same exam, and also to translation teachers for their "public" use in class. I would find it ridiculous if they actually asked people not to show them to anyone else after what they charge for them!
I also took a course in order to prepare for the actual exam, and this course was basically the review, by everyone in the group, of past, corrected exams.

Pavel, send me an e-mail through the page and I will scan my corrected papers and send them to you.

Bye now.


Mariana

[Edited at 2007-06-27 02:15]


MARIA ALICIA PANTING
djva13
 
Amanda DesJardins
Amanda DesJardins
United States
Local time: 10:18
Member
Spanish to English
I'm in the same position Mar 30, 2009

Hi Mariana,

I would love it if you could send me the review also. I am in the same position. My email is [email protected]. Thank you so much!


 
Nini Lee
Nini Lee
Chinese to English Old (ca.450-1100)
A past review is needed Jul 30, 2009

Hi Mariana,

I am in the process of preparing for a upcoming certification exam, it would be nice to get familiarize with the past exam, could you ploease send me a copy of your past review exam as well? thanks, please send it to [email protected]

Nini


 
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 15:18
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Do your own practice test... Jul 30, 2009

...and do mock tests on copies of the ATA exam paper, reviewed by an experienced, ATA-certified person. It will all cost money of course, but in my opinion it is the only solid approach here. Pass rate is really low and investing in making a perfect exam really makes sense.

 
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ATA Certification Exam - Example of a Corrected Passage






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