Use of Reference Materials Flashcards

A candidate preparing for the ATA exam is deciding which reference materials to use. According to ATA rules for both in-person and online exams, which of the following combinations is fully permissible?

Answer: A collection of personal, printed glossaries and multiple bilingual and monolingual paper dictionaries.

The ATA allows candidates to use any and all printed reference materials, including personal notes, glossaries, and any type of paper dictionary. Electronic devices, including external hard drives, dedicated electronic dictionaries, and smartphones, are explicitly forbidden. While some online resources are permitted, interactive forums are not, and all access is through the exam software, not a personal smartphone.

During the computerized ATA exam, a candidate is permitted to use a specific, pre-approved list of online resources. What is a key restriction when using an approved search engine like Google from this list?

Answer: The candidate may only search for terms and check usage, but is not permitted to click on any of the search results.

The ATA's official policy for permitted online resources states that when using a search engine from the approved list, the candidate may search for a term to check spelling or usage but is explicitly forbidden from clicking on any of the search results. This rule prevents access to a wider, uncontrolled range of internet content while still allowing for basic term lookups.

What is the primary rationale behind the ATA's policy of allowing 'open book' access to dictionaries and other reference materials during the certification exam?

Answer: To simulate a professional translator's real-world working environment where such resources are standard tools.

The open-book policy is designed to reflect how professional translators work. In real-world assignments, translators have access to and are expected to use dictionaries, glossaries, and style guides to produce accurate and high-quality work. The exam aims to test translation skills in a realistic context, not rote memorization of vocabulary.

A candidate is taking the exam and encounters an unfamiliar legal term. They have several print resources available. Given the time constraints, which of the following is the most efficient and effective use of these materials?

Answer: Immediately consult a specialized, subject-specific dictionary (e.g., a legal dictionary) for a precise, in-context definition.

For specialized terminology, a subject-specific dictionary is the most direct and reliable resource. A general dictionary may not have the term or may provide a definition that is not appropriate for the specific legal context. Wasting time looking up every word or cross-referencing in multiple general dictionaries is inefficient under timed exam conditions. ATA's exam tips recommend using dictionaries judiciously.

Which of the following resources is explicitly allowed for both in-person and online ATA certification exams?

Answer: Printed, personally-created glossaries and style guides.

The ATA consistently states that all printed resources are allowed for both exam formats. This includes any dictionaries, thesauruses, and personally created materials like printouts and notecards. A personal laptop is used to take the exam but not to access locally stored files (translations are typed into specific software). Other electronic devices like tablets are forbidden, and interactive forums are never allowed.

A candidate wisely brings a monolingual target-language dictionary to the exam, in addition to bilingual dictionaries. In which scenario would this resource be most valuable?

Answer: When choosing between several potential target-language translations offered by a bilingual dictionary to ensure the chosen word has the correct nuance and usage.

A bilingual dictionary may offer several potential translations for a source term. A monolingual target-language dictionary is the best tool to verify the precise meaning, connotation, and typical usage (collocations) of each option in the target language. This helps the candidate select the most appropriate and idiomatic term, which is a key skill tested. While it can be used for spelling, its main value lies in confirming nuance and context.