What to do if the translation of foreign transcripts is not accurate: Check and modify

Key points of this article

Keep the original text first, and then compare the translation with the original text side by side. It is easier to detect misalignments and missing translations than by looking at the translation alone.
Check items one by one according to four categories: basic information, courses, grades, and status words. Use the same ruler for each course.
Grade levels and status words should be based on the school's grade description or legend, do not convert directly based on the words.
After modification, use the comparison function to check the two documents before and after to confirm that only the parts you want to change have been changed and no new errors have been introduced.
Documents used for formal application or certification still need to be manually reviewed after modification and the recipient's requirements are confirmed.

After receiving the transcripts sent by foreign schools and converting them into Chinese using a translation tool, common problems are that the course names are not readable in literal translation, the credit numbers do not match, the grade levels are converted literally, and even status words such as class withdrawal and incomplete are translated incorrectly. If this translation is to be used for application, certification or reimbursement, a single wrong field may cause the material to be returned.

This article is written for those who already have a translation but feel something is wrong. We will not talk about how to re-select the tool, but how to compare the existing translation with the original text one by one, find out where the mistakes are, correct them and re-export them. After reading this you should be able to make your own checklist and know where manual verification is required.

What should I do if my foreign transcript is not translated correctly? One sentence conclusion

First, compare the translation and the original text side by side, and check them one by one according to the four categories of "basic information, courses, grades, status words". If you find any errors, modify them directly in the translation, and then re-export them after making the corrections. Important fields involving formal purposes must be manually reviewed in the end, and the score statement issued by the school shall prevail.

your situation	Recommended practices	reason
I have a bilingual version in my hand, so both the original text and the translated version can be seen.	Compare line by line directly in the bilingual view and mark errors	The original text and the translated text are on the same page, quickly detect misalignments and missing translations
Only translation, no original text comparison	Check page by page with the original PDF or scanned version	Without the original text, it is impossible to determine whether a term has been mistranslated.
Only some words are translated incorrectly, such as the course name	Modify in the translation and unify the translation method of the same course throughout the text	If the same terminology is used inconsistently, reviewers may become suspicious.
To be used for formal application or certification	After modification, manually review and confirm whether the recipient needs to certify the translation.	Machine translation cannot replace official translation, and important fields need to be confirmed.
The original is a scanned picture	Do OCR recognition first, then compare and modify	Text cannot be directly selected in the scanned document, and it is easy to miss lines through direct comparison.

First determine what kind of problem it is

Different symptoms have different causes and different practices. First use the table below to find the situation you are encountering, and then proceed to the troubleshooting steps.

symptoms	Common causes	How to confirm
The course name is a literal translation, so I can’t understand it.	Professional terms are not translated according to subject customs	Check the school's course catalog or look up the writing method for the same course in other materials.
The number of credits or credit hours does not match the original text	Wrong recognition of digits or decimal points, or mixing of units and numbers	Circle each number back to the original and compare it one by one
The grade grade was translated into another meaning.	The hierarchical system of each school is different, so it is converted directly literally.	Compare with the grade description (grading scale) of the school.
Incorrect translation of status words such as withdrawing classes, unfinished, etc.	Proprietary state words are translated as common words.	View the legend or footnote of the original text
The table is out of place and the data is not up.	The typesetting is complicated, and the column order or newline of the translation has changed.	Look at each line in the bilingual view and make sure that each line corresponds to the same course.
The whole paragraph is omitted or the number of pages is incorrect.	The recognition of the scanned piece is incomplete, or the header and footer is ignored	Look through the pages one by one, count the pages and check the page numbers.

# item-by-item troubleshooting and repair

Do it in the following order, first deal with the basic information that has a big impact, then deal with the courses and grades, and finally check the layout.

back up the original first. keep the original PDF or scanned copy, and modify it only on the translated copy. When you make a mistake, you can go back at any time, and it is also convenient to check with the school.
compare the original and translation side by side. upload PDF on omnidoc.top, select bilingual output, and the original text and translation will be displayed on the same page. If you already have a bilingual version, open it directly and use it.
check basic information. check the name of the student, the name of the school, the student number, the date of birth and the starting and ending semester. The spelling of the name should be consistent with the certificate. These fields are wrong, and the following content is meaningless.
check courses one by one. check the course name, course code, credits, hours and grades for each course. One course occupies one line, using the same standard from beginning to end, not jumping, not based on impression.
check grade and status words. find the legend on the transcript or the school's performance description, and follow the instructions to understand each level and status. Do not convert an English grade directly to a Chinese grade, nor do you convert it into another scoring system.
revise the translation. if it is PDF, you can use the PDF editor of the desktop client to modify the paragraph text directly. If the translation is an editable Word file, you can modify it in Word or change and retain the original format in app.unidoc.top 's web page editor. When the full text of the same course appears many times, search is used to replace the unified translation method.
re-export and double check. Export to PDF or Word after modification, and then compare it with the original text page by page. Use the comparison function of the PDF editor to compare the two documents before and after the revision, and make sure that only the content you want to change is changed, and there are no new errors or layout changes.

what to do with scanned parts

Scanned pieces usually cannot directly select text. Can first use "can select a paragraph of text" to judge: if it is not selected, it is the scanned piece. At this time, it is first identified by OCR, and then compared and modified. OCR recognition itself can also make mistakes, such as recognizing the number "8" as "6", so you still have to go back to the original image and confirm it one by one.

how to fix the dislocation of tables and numbers

The report card form is easily misplaced. It is recommended that you first look at it line by line in the bilingual view and make sure that the grades of each semester and each course are on the same line. When you find a dislocation, don't just change the numbers, but check whether the whole line belongs to the same course. If there is an original record of the total number of credits and the average grade point of the semester, it should also be used to check the total amount.

# how to avoid the next occurrence

Prepare the original clearly before translation. when scanning, the whole page is tiled with sufficient resolution. Do not cut off the header, footer and page number, all of which should be used for later checking. - build a glossary. record the translation of the course name, grade and status words in one table, and then all documents will be unified according to this table to reduce inconsistencies. - keep bilingual version and modification record. put the bilingual control version, the revised translation and the exported file in the same folder so that you can check or supplement the material again later. - find someone to check the key fields. the name, student number, credits and grades should be read by the second person as far as possible. It is easier for two people to read it once than for one person to read it twice. - first confirm the requirements of the receiver. some institutions accept translations, while others require certified translations or sent directly by schools. Ask before submission to avoid repeated changes to unwanted formats. -do not submit machine translation directly as an official document. Machine translation may make mistakes. Please check the important contents item by item. If necessary, the documents issued by the school shall prevail.

# frequently asked questions (FAQ)

1. Can the transcript of machine translation be directly used for application?

It depends on the request of the receiver. In many cases, certified translations or materials sent directly by the school are required, and machine translation can only be used as a reference. Even for reference, we should first complete the itemized check of this article.

2. The translation does not match the original. Is the translation wrong or is there something wrong with the original?

First look at whether the original itself is clear, such as whether the scan is blurred and whether the page is missing. When there is no problem with the original, compare it line by line to determine whether it is caused by translation, identification or typesetting.

3. I just want to change a few words. Can I not change the typesetting?

You can use the PDF editor to modify the paragraph text, and then use the comparison function to check the differences. After modification, it is still necessary to confirm whether the layout has changed, especially the position of the table and line wrapping.

4. How to translate and modify the scanned transcript?

First confirm whether it is a scanned piece, if so, use OCR to identify it and then compare and modify it. The recognition results should be returned to the original map to check, especially the numbers and course codes.

5. What should I look at when choosing free translation tools?

You can focus on several general criteria: file size and page limits, whether the export results are watermarked, how to handle file privacy, whether typesetting and tables can be retained, and whether you can view both the original and translation at the same time. These criteria can help you determine whether the tool is suitable for documents such as transcripts rather than looking at "free" alone.

# Summary

Foreign transcript translation is not accurate, mostly in the basic information, course numbers, grade and status words. According to the order of "keeping the original, comparing side by side, sorting and checking, and comparing after revision", most of the errors can be found and corrected. Documents related to official use are still subject to manual review, and the school documents shall prevail.

Open OmniDoc, upload the document and start translation.