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Before you speak to a translator - we suggest you prepare a specification by answering the following questions:

1. What is your text is for? Is it for internal use, a brochure, an academic article, a legal wording?

2. Who is going to read the text and what do you want to communicate to your reader? Do you want them to make a buying decision, or to learn the safe use of your product? Do you want a research paper summarised for your study use, or prepared for publication in an international journal?

3. Do you need your text to meet any writing standards: native speaker, technical, academic?

4. Specify in what format you require the completed translation: e.g. Microsoft word document, PowerPoint, etc.

Your specification will guide your selection of an appropriate translation service.

Choosing a translator

• Outsource your translation rather than using friends or colleagues. A professional translation company will deliver more work, faster, with a wider range of expertise. A good company will also offer you a satisfaction guarantee - something even your best friend will find impossible!

• Specify what language you need e.g. American vs. UK English.

• Prepare a specification of what your text is for: see the questions in the facing column.

• Ask your translator if they can provide samples and references relating to previous work that approximates what you want them to do for you. If they can't - don't waste your money! A certified translator may be experienced in word-for-word translation of certificates for a notary office but can they really produce work in advertorial style or translate an academic article?

• Is your text going to be read by native speakers? If this is what you are paying for, it is important to work with a translator who has a reputation for such work. Every day we see translation errors, some are amusing but most have a negative impact on the reader. An expert translator will be able to arrange for the final text to be checked by a suitably qualified native speaker. Beware - most translation services are unable to offer this service.

• Ask your translator how the work will be completed. Some agencies simply run your text through translation software. This is okay as a first step in translating a 400 page user manual but a disaster for most other requirements.

• Ask if your text will be proofread or checked for accuracy once it has been translated. If your translator does not perform a quality check you will certainly be paying for their mistakes!

• Ask your translator how they calculate the price. Most will want to charge you per "page" - typically 1,000 characters including spaces - (you can obtain this figure for a word.doc by selecting Tools | Word Count... | Include footnotes and endnotes). Some local agencies advertise prices as low as 7YTL per page. On closer inspection you find that their definition of a page is as little as 150 words - making them more expensive than a US-based agency quoting 5 dollars per page.

• Set a realistic deadline. The best translators will tell you that no human can reliably translate more than 2,500 words a day. Anything over this means that more than one person will need to work on your text, with attendant problems of consistency. If you are in a rush - say so but anything done in a rush will cost more and will be of lower quality. We suggest that you tell the translator that you are not in a rush, ask them to take a look at your text and to give you a realistic deadline.

• Ask for a quotation in writing and check payment terms. Most translators require a deposit to start work and pre-payment before the final text is sent to you.

• Ask if your translator is registered for tax and will issue you with an invoice that shows their tax office and number. Check if VAT is included in the price. 18% can make a big difference!

Guide to calculating your budget.

1. Leave yourself enough time to avoid rush rates. These can be double the normal fee.

2. A good translator can reliably translate about 10 A4 pages of text per day. Budget for 10 - 15 YTL per 250 words for basic translation.

3. If your text is to be read by native speakers you need to employ a translator with suitable experience. Add a minimum of 5 YTL per 250 words for expertise.

4. You should also ensure that the final text is proofread to avoid errors. Budget another 5 YTL per 250 words for this.

5. For very long texts and repeat business you may be able to negotiate lower rates. However it is worth remembering that translators are busy people and will not prioritise low-paying work.