ATA ATA Exam Structure and Format 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How long is the ATA Certification Exam and what format does it use?
- 3 hours; multiple-choice questions
- 3 hours; open-book translation of two passages (Correct answer)
- 2 hours; oral interpretation of recorded texts
- 4 hours; written essay on translation theory
Correct answer: 3 hours; open-book translation of two passages
The ATA exam is a 3-hour, open-book translation examination requiring candidates to translate two passages chosen from a set of options.
The ATA Certification Exam provides candidates with 3 hours to translate two passages from a set of three available for their language pair. It is open-book, meaning translators may use dictionaries, glossaries, and other reference materials as they would in real professional practice.
Question 2: What language directions are tested in the ATA Certification Exam?
- Only into English from any language
- Both into English and out of English directions, depending on the language pair approved (Correct answer)
- Only out of English into another language
- All directions are tested simultaneously in a single exam
Correct answer: Both into English and out of English directions, depending on the language pair approved
The ATA offers certification in both directions -- translating into English and translating out of English -- depending on which language pairs the ATA has approved.
The ATA Certification Exam is available for translation both into English (from a foreign language) and out of English (into a foreign language) for approved language pairs. Not all language pairs are available in both directions. Candidates choose the direction that matches their professional practice.
Question 3: How many passages must a candidate translate during the ATA Certification Exam?
- One passage of approximately 600 words
- Two passages selected from a set of three available passages (Correct answer)
- Three passages, one per hour
- Four passages covering different subject domains
Correct answer: Two passages selected from a set of three available passages
Candidates select and translate two passages from three provided. This allows some flexibility in choosing subject areas while ensuring consistent evaluation.
The ATA exam presents three passage options and requires candidates to translate two. This design gives candidates a degree of choice, allowing them to select passages from domains where they feel more competent. Each passage is approximately 225 to 275 words in length.
Question 4: Which best describes the difficulty level of the ATA Certification Exam passages?
- Elementary texts suitable for beginner translators
- General-interest, non-specialized texts reflecting real-world professional translation tasks (Correct answer)
- Highly specialized scientific or medical texts requiring expert domain knowledge
- Literary texts requiring creative translation skills exclusively
Correct answer: General-interest, non-specialized texts reflecting real-world professional translation tasks
ATA exam passages are general-interest texts representing the type of material a professional translator might encounter, not highly technical or specialized content.
The ATA Certification Exam is designed to assess general professional translation competence. Passages are selected from authentic texts such as newspaper articles, public documents, and business correspondence that represent everyday professional translation work.
Question 5: What happens if a candidate fails the ATA Certification Exam?
- Candidates are permanently barred from retaking the exam
- Candidates may retake the exam after a mandatory waiting period (Correct answer)
- Failed candidates automatically receive an associate-level certification
- Failure results in expulsion from ATA membership
Correct answer: Candidates may retake the exam after a mandatory waiting period
Candidates who do not pass may retake the exam after a waiting period, allowing time for further study and practice.
The ATA does not permanently bar candidates from retaking the certification exam. After a failed attempt, candidates must wait a specified period before reapplying. This interval encourages substantive preparation rather than repeated attempts without improvement.
Question 6: What is the ATA practice test and how does it differ from the actual certification exam?
- It is identical to the certification exam but does not count toward certification
- It is a graded sample exam that provides diagnostic feedback without awarding certification (Correct answer)
- The practice test is multiple-choice; the actual exam is written
- The practice test covers different language pairs than the certification exam
Correct answer: It is a graded sample exam that provides diagnostic feedback without awarding certification
The ATA practice test provides graded, diagnostic feedback to help candidates understand the grading criteria and identify weaknesses before taking the official exam.
The ATA offers a practice test (Candidate Preparation Program) graded by trained ATA graders using the same criteria as the certification exam. Candidates receive annotated feedback explaining error classifications and point deductions. Unlike the certification exam, the practice test result does not count toward certification.
ATA ATA Exam Structure and Format 2
How long is the ATA Certification Exam and what format does it use?