Rate/fee for language test creation
Thread poster: Worapot Sattapunkeeree
Worapot Sattapunkeeree
Worapot Sattapunkeeree  Identity Verified
Thailand
Local time: 05:33
Member (2012)
English to Thai
+ ...
Feb 12, 2016

Hi,

I was contacted by an agency. I was asked to create a language test to assess their prospective subtitle translator. The test is multiple choice questions and assesses the comprehension of Thai proverbs, slang, idioms as well as Thai spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Example:
1. What is the meaning of this English proverb in Thai "It rains cat and dogs"?
a)
b)
c)

2. Which Thai sentence is grammatically incorrect?
a)
... See more
Hi,

I was contacted by an agency. I was asked to create a language test to assess their prospective subtitle translator. The test is multiple choice questions and assesses the comprehension of Thai proverbs, slang, idioms as well as Thai spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Example:
1. What is the meaning of this English proverb in Thai "It rains cat and dogs"?
a)
b)
c)

2. Which Thai sentence is grammatically incorrect?
a)
b)
c)

Did any of you guys here do this kind of job before?
Did you charge it per hour or per test item?
How much did you charge?

Many thanx.

Worapot

[Edited at 2016-02-12 17:06 GMT]

[Edited at 2016-02-12 17:47 GMT]
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Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 22:33
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
You can only charge for your time Feb 12, 2016

They'll no doubt want some idea of a total invoice amount, so you could give them a maximum. Or you might want to just give a single figure for the whole job, although it's always best to have a lot of experience before you do that. Any other form of charging would be nonsensical.

In my humble opinion, it's largely a waste of their money anyway, not that that has to worry you if you're paid for your time. There's no way that sort of test is going to sort out those that are capable o
... See more
They'll no doubt want some idea of a total invoice amount, so you could give them a maximum. Or you might want to just give a single figure for the whole job, although it's always best to have a lot of experience before you do that. Any other form of charging would be nonsensical.

In my humble opinion, it's largely a waste of their money anyway, not that that has to worry you if you're paid for your time. There's no way that sort of test is going to sort out those that are capable of providing subtitles from those that are not. It's purely and simply a language test.

BTW, I don't think I've ever said "It rains cat and dogs" in my life. It's used as a comment on what's happening, going to happen, happened at some time in the past or has been happening recently (i.e. those verb tenses). I really don't think you'd ever have call to use the present simple.
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philgoddard
philgoddard
United States
German to English
+ ...
Are you sure you've understood them correctly? Feb 12, 2016

This is a very unusual way of assessing a translator. If someone asked me to provide a test, I'd assume they meant a text for people to translate. As Sheila says, a language test seems pointless. And yes, we say "it's raining cats and dogs". I suppose you could say "it rains cats and dogs every day at 2 pm", but that's very unlikely.

[Edited at 2016-02-12 17:46 GMT]


 
Andrea Halbritter
Andrea Halbritter  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 23:33
French to German
+ ...
10 questions = 1 hour for an experienced teacher Feb 12, 2016

I did regularly create tests for a language school as a teacher. I think with what they seem to expect an experienced teacher (it's more the job of a teacher in fact) can do about 10 questions with 3 answers himself if he is not just copying an already existing free test somewhere...

For these 10 questions I'd charge my normally hourly rate, more of course if you also have to correct the answers etc. afterwards.

If you are less experienced (or if they want you to put mo
... See more
I did regularly create tests for a language school as a teacher. I think with what they seem to expect an experienced teacher (it's more the job of a teacher in fact) can do about 10 questions with 3 answers himself if he is not just copying an already existing free test somewhere...

For these 10 questions I'd charge my normally hourly rate, more of course if you also have to correct the answers etc. afterwards.

If you are less experienced (or if they want you to put more than 3 answers) and you do not copy that somewhere it can take you more time of course.
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Worapot Sattapunkeeree
Worapot Sattapunkeeree  Identity Verified
Thailand
Local time: 05:33
Member (2012)
English to Thai
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
I understood correctly. Feb 12, 2016

Hi,

Thank you for all your answers. I think charging per hour is the way then.

For your concern whether the tests will be pointless or not, I am not sure either. What I know is I just follow the client's requirements, do the job, deliver it, send an invoice and get paid.

Regards,

Worapot

[Edited at 2016-02-12 18:10 GMT]


 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 22:33
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
Good point, Phil Feb 12, 2016

philgoddard wrote:
I suppose you could say "it rains cats and dogs every day at 2 pm", but that's very unlikely.

I believe there are places where that tends to happen in the rainy season.

That leads me neatly to a point I forgot to make earlier: Just about every question you choose will have one obvious right answer but at least one other answer will be justifiable in some obscure, convoluted set of circumstances. And a test taker will be bound to come up with it sooner or later!


 


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Rate/fee for language test creation







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