Keylogging

Keystroke logging, or keylogging, is a powerful research method for collecting unobtrusive, fine-grained data on text production processes. In cognitive translation and interpreting studies (CTIS), keyloggers like Translog-II and Inputlog capture the dynamics of translation behavior, including pauses, revisions, information searching, and typing patterns, which enrich language data and timestamp it, down to the millisecond. Keylogging data enables researchers to infer underlying cognitive processes, compare translator expertise levels, and assess task difficulty. This chapter provides an overview of keylogging research in CTIS, covering its conceptual basis, key variables, ethical considerations, analytical methods, and limitations. It emphasizes the need for ecological validity, standardized metrics, and thorough reporting in keylogging studies. Future applications may expand to multimodal translation, collaborative workflows, and integration with sensor technologies.