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Changes in ATA Continuing Education Requirements

March/April 2020 Issue

ATA introduced continuing education requirements for certification in 2004. Prior to that, ATA certification was a “once-and-done” system, meaning that individuals who passed the exam remained certified as long as they remained ATA members. Introducing continuing education requirements brought the Association more in line with the practices of other credentialing bodies, where it had long […]

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12 Extra-Linguistic Skills You Need to Master before Taking ATA’s Certification Exam

January/February 2020 Issue

You’ve decided to take ATA’s certification exam. You’ve worked professionally as a translator for several years and you’ve taken (and passed) the practice test1 in your language pair. You’re confident in your language and translation skills and you’re ready to tackle the actual exam. Congratulations! Have you also considered the extra-linguistic skills you’ll need to […]

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Common Errors Found in the English>Spanish Certification Exam

September/October 2019 Issue

ATA certification continues to be a sought-after credential. As a way to prepare for this demanding exam, ATA has been offering practice tests for many years, which are real exam passages that have been “retired.” In addition to the practice test, ATA has been offering exam preparation workshops taught by ATA exam graders to help […]

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ATA Certification Exam Preparation Workshops

July/August 2019 Issue

In recent years, ATA has focused on providing those individuals who are interested in becoming ATA-certified with opportunities to learn more about the exam and hone their skills. Besides informational updates on ATA’s website, regular columns by members of the Certification Committee in The ATA Chronicle, and a variety of sessions at ATA’s Annual Conference, […]

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Opening Up the Exam to Nonmembers

May/June 2019 Issue

As of January 1, 2020, ATA membership will no longer be required to earn and retain ATA translator certification. Why is this happening and what does it mean for those who are already ATA-certified—and for the Association? Linking certification to membership has always been a mixed bag. On the one hand, certification has been perceived […]

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Am I Ready for the Exam?

March/April 2019 Issue

Why does ATA’s certification exam have such a low pass rate? Readers of The ATA Chronicle tend to be a savvy bunch when it comes to translation. If you’re reading this, you probably don’t suffer from any of the classic illusions about translation. You know that being a competent translator takes more than bilingualism. You […]

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Certification Activities at ATA59

January/February 2019 Issue

ATA’s Annual Conference is always a time for translators to reconnect, regroup, and refocus. This is especially true for those involved in ATA’s Certification Program—exam graders and members of the Certification Committee alike. Here is a rundown of certification activities at ATA59 in New Orleans. Grader Training: On Wednesday afternoon before the Welcome Celebration, 55 […]

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Ergonomics for ATA’s Certification Exam: Unspoken Advice with Untold Benefits

November/December 2018 Issue

Shortly after I took the computerized version of ATA’s certification exam in 2017, I received an e-mail from one of the proctors—whom I had thanked for stepping up to proctor at the last minute—in which she commented on the contrast between my “ergonomic” setup and the hunched posture of my fellow test takers. It would […]

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Establishing the English>Arabic Certification Exam

September/October 2018 Issue

I’m sure many people wonder what the procedure is for establishing new language pairs for testing within ATA’s Certification Program. As far back as five years ago, when I took the Arabic>English certification exam, I wondered why English>Arabic was not offered and what it would take to make it happen. Now, five years later, having […]

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