Methods for Translating an English-Language Survey Questionnaire on Tobacco Use into Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, and Vietnamese

Abstract

This article reports research on procedures for translating a survey questionnaire on tobacco use from English into Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. The goal is to offer practical guidelines for researchers involved in translating questionnaires. The authors operationalize a five-step process for translation and evaluation based on the frameworks presented in Harkness, Van de Vijver, and Mohler (2003) and the U.S. Census Bureau (2004). Based on qualitative observations, the five-step process produced effective questionnaire translations. The iterative nature of the process and the team-based approach the process encourages were particularly important to the success. Based on documented experiences, the authors identify lessons learned and make recommendations to other researchers who need to translate questionnaires.