Peer Feedback in Translation Training: A Quasi-Experiment in an Advanced Chinese-English Translation Course

Although research on peer feedback in second language teaching and learning has been developed from various perspectives over the past three decades, less is known about feedback in translation settings. This study reports the results of a quasi-experiment with advanced second language learners in a Chinese-English translation course. It examines how effective peer feedback is in improving the quality of translations. The following data were collected from 30 students: their initial translation drafts, the drafts with the feedback of their peers, and the final corrected translations. The whole process was facilitated by computer assistance and under anonymity. It was found that most students drew on direct or indirect corrective feedback while few students drew on metalinguistic corrective feedback. Text genres were also proved to impact the types and counts of peer feedback. An analysis of the accuracy rate of corrections after peer feedback showed that it had a positive impact on translation quality. The findings shed light on the applicability of peer feedback in other pedagogical activities.