Collaborative and Iterative Translation: An Alternative Approach to Back Translation
Abstract
Back translation is the technique most commonly used to check the accuracy of translation in survey research. Although it results in a direct or literal translation, it does not address issues of conceptual equivalence. Furthermore, if it is not combined with pretesting, it does not address issues of comprehension and meaning to the respondent. This article discusses some of the problems of relying exclusively on back translation in isolation. It suggests the use of a collaborative, iterative approach for translating questionnaires for international marketing research.
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- Authors
- Douglas, S. P., & Craig, C. S.
- Affiliations
- Marketing and International Business
- New York University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Douglas, Susan P.
- Craig, C. Samuel
- ORCID
- Craig, C. Samuel
- Venue
- Journal of International Marketing
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2007-03
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 30-43
- ISSN
- 1069-031X (ISSN-L)
- 1547-7215
- OpenAlex
- W2142988015
- Cited by
- 989
- References
- 19
- Citations by year
- 2026: 91 · 2025: 85 · 2024: 102 · 2023: 85 · 2022: 80 · 2021: 102 · 2020: 74 · 2019: 56 · 2018: 66 · 2017: 49 · 2016: 42 · 2015: 38 · 2014: 33 · 2013: 31 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 26.94
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of International Marketing (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Survey Methodology and Nonresponse
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › Translation Studies and Practices
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Psychometric Methodologies and Testing
- Keywords
- back-translation, questionnaire translation, collaborative translation, conceptual equivalence, translation accuracy, pretesting, international marketing research
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