Translation of Chinese SCI papers into English: operating steps and file processing

Key points of this article

When there is an editable original (Word or LaTeX source code), priority is given to using the original for translation. The structure and formulas are more completely preserved, and subsequent modifications are more convenient.
Unify the manuscript version, delete old comments, and check the figure number and author information before translation, which can reduce post-translation rework.
First use the bilingual version to check the original Chinese meaning paragraph by paragraph, and then use the translation-only version for typesetting and final revision.
After translation, focus on checking the consistency of formulas, chart values, references and terminology, where machine translation is prone to errors.
The machine translation results need to be read through by native English speakers or professional polishers, and then finalized according to the format requirements of the target journal.

Many researchers only have a manuscript written in Chinese, but they need to translate it into English and submit it to international journals. If you paste the full text directly into the universal translation box, common problems include misplaced formulas, deformed tables, and lost figure annotations, and you will have to spend a lot of time re-typesetting. The key to translating SCI papers into English lies in how the files are processed and how they are checked after translation, not just the translation itself.

This article is written for researchers and graduate students who have completed Chinese manuscripts and need to compile them into English submission versions. In the following order, "first select the file format, then upload the translation, and finally check item by item", we will explain the specific method of processing the entire manuscript in OmniDoc, as well as the content that requires manual confirmation after translation. After reading it, you should be able to judge which file should be used for translation of your manuscript, and know what areas to check before submitting.

How to choose the file format? One sentence conclusion

For most manuscripts, if an editable original is available, priority will be given to using the original for translation. The original manuscript retains the structure of paragraphs, headings, and tables, making it easier to revise after translation. If you only have a formatted PDF, you can still translate it, but only limited changes can be made later.

your situation	Recommended practices	reason
Have Word manuscript (.docx)	Directly upload .docx, select bilingual verification first, and then publish only the translated version.	The structure of paragraphs, tables and formulas is relatively intact and can be edited after translation.
PDF version only	Upload the PDF for translation and use the PDF editor to modify the paragraph text after translation.	Suitable for situations where the layout has been finalized, but the scope of changes is limited
Scan or picture PDF	Upload the translation directly; use OCR to generate selectable text when you need to check the text.	Scanned documents also support translation, and OCR facilitates sentence-by-sentence comparison.
Typesetting with LaTeX	Upload the source code package for translation, and check the formulas and references in UniDoc after translation	The source code structure is clear, and formulas and cross-references are easier to maintain.
Just need to change a few sections	Only translate the required chapters, or modify partial paragraphs directly in the translation	Avoid repeatedly revising the same place after retranslating the entire text

The judgment method is simple: try to select a piece of text in the PDF. If you cannot select it, it is usually a scanned copy.

Before you start: Confirm these points first

Spending ten minutes organizing the manuscript before uploading can save you a lot of detours.

Unified version. Manuscripts often have multiple revisions at the same time. Only the new version will be uploaded to avoid inconsistency between the translation and the Chinese version, and to avoid having to translate deleted paragraphs again.
Delete comments and revision traces. For documents with revision marks, Chinese comments or strikethrough content may be mixed in the translation, which may be easily missed during inspection.
Check diagrams and numbers. The drawing number, table number, and formula number must be confirmed in the Chinese version first. Post-translation adaptation is more troublesome than correcting the text, because the references in the text also need to be revised simultaneously.
Confirm the requirements of the target journal. Abstract word count, reference format, image resolution, whether a separate title page is required, etc. are all determined by the journal. Write down these requirements first when translating, and then adjust according to them after translation, instead of looking back after finishing the translation.
Prepare a glossary. If there is a fixed translation method in the field, such as the English writing method of a certain method, instrument or abbreviation, list it in advance. During post-translation inspection, check whether the entire text is consistent item by item.

Steps to translate SCI papers into English in OmniDoc

The following process takes the entire manuscript as an example. If the manuscript is Word or PDF, the process is basically the same; the LaTeX source code package is processed in a similar way, except that the focus of post-translation inspection will fall on formulas and references.

Prepare the original document. Select the previously confirmed version, the format can be .docx, PDF or LaTeX source package.
Upload files. Upload files at omnidoc.top. If you are more comfortable operating locally, you can download the desktop client from download.omnidoc.top.
Choose the academic style. The manuscript is an academic text. Choosing an academic style will help the terminology and sentence structure be closer to the way the paper is written.
Select the output method. In the first round, it is recommended to choose "Bilingual Comparison", where Chinese and English are side by side, paragraph by paragraph, so that you can check whether the translation accurately expresses the original meaning.
Wait for the translation to be completed and downloaded. Download the bilingual version, read it through first, and mark any obvious inconsistencies or inconsistent terminology.
Correction of formulas, charts and references. The paragraph text can be modified directly in the PDF editor of the desktop client; if the manuscript is in editable format, it can also be modified in the UniDoc web editor (app.unidoc.top) and the round-trip format of Word or LaTeX can be retained.
Unify terminology and abbreviations. Check full text against glossary. The first time an abbreviation appears, the English manuscript should write the full name and give the abbreviation in brackets.
Switch to translation-only version and export the final draft. After the bilingual version is confirmed to be correct, export the English-only version, and then make final adjustments according to the format requirements of the target journal.

Check each item after completion

After the translation is generated, do not submit it directly. The table below lists the items that must be checked.

Check items	How to see	What to do if there is a problem
Paragraphs and Chapters	Compare the Chinese version to see if the title level and number of paragraphs are consistent	If a paragraph is missing, go back to the original manuscript to confirm the paragraphing, and only re-translate the missing part.
official	Compare symbols, superscripts, subscripts, brackets and numbers one by one	Correct in PDF editor or UniDoc, and rewrite based on the Chinese original if necessary
Tables and Figures	Check values, units, table headers and legends	Compare and modify with the original data; if the text in the figure is not translated, it needs to be redrawn or replaced.
the term	Whether the same concept uses the same English word throughout the text	Replace the full text of the glossary, paying attention to how the abbreviation first appears
References	Whether the entry format meets the requirements of the target journal	Manually adjust author, year, volume, and page numbers to journal format
Numbers and units	Compare item by item with the original Chinese text	In case of inconsistency, the original data shall prevail. Do not change based on impressions.
Semantics and tone	Does the English sound natural and has a literal translation accent?	Ask native English speakers or professional polishers to read it thoroughly. Important paragraphs can be rewritten.

It should be noted that machine translation may produce semantic deviations, especially in the logical relationships of professional expressions, negative sentences and long sentences. Please be sure to check important conclusions, experimental conditions and data descriptions sentence by sentence, and don’t just look at fluency.

🎯 Which method is suitable for you?

If you have a Word manuscript in hand and need to revise it repeatedly, it is recommended to take the route of "bilingual proofreading and final translation only", which is highly efficient. If you only have PDF and the layout has been determined, use the PDF to translate and then directly change the paragraphs in the editor, so that you can save the time of typesetting. If you are writing in LaTeX, you should upload the source package, leave the checking of formulas and citations as the last step, and complete the verification in UniDoc.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Can Chinese SCI papers be submitted directly after being translated into English?

It is generally not recommended to invest directly. The translation needs to be read thoroughly by a native English speaker or a professional polisher, and the terminology, data and references must be checked, and then adjusted according to the format requirements of the target journal before submission.

2. Can the formulas and charts be retained after translation?

OmniDoc's document translation will retain the layout, tables, formulas and pictures, but they still need to be checked one by one after translation. In particular, the formula symbols and text in the diagrams must be compared one by one with the Chinese original manuscript.

3. Can the entire scanned PDF be translated?

Scanned PDFs can be uploaded directly for translation. If you need to verify text in a PDF sentence by sentence, you can first use OCR to generate selectable text and then compare.

4. How to choose between bilingual comparison and translation only?

During the proofreading stage, choose bilingual comparison to facilitate comparison of the original Chinese meaning paragraph by paragraph; when finalizing and submitting the manuscript, use the translation-only version to avoid leaving Chinese content in the final draft.

5. What is the difference between translating a Chinese article into English and then submitting it, and writing it directly in English?

The translation can only convert the Chinese meaning into English, and the sentence structure and expression habits are still biased towards Chinese. Before submitting, try to reorganize long sentences, adjust passive voice and paragraph logic according to the writing method of English papers, rather than just make literal substitutions.

📝 Summary

The key to translating Chinese SCI papers into English is to first select the correct manuscript format, then check it paragraph by paragraph with the bilingual version, and finally check formulas, charts, references and terminology. The translation is only an intermediate product. After manual proofreading and language polishing, it can become an English manuscript that can be submitted.

Open OmniDoc, upload the document and start translation