Introduction to Research methods in cognitive translation and interpreting studies

This book serves as a resource for students and early-career researchers, introducing research methods and tools for investigating cognitive processes in translation and interpreting. This introductory chapter lays the groundwork to set sail in any empirical research project in Cognitive Translation and Interpreting Studies (CTIS), an interdisciplinary field that intersects cognitive science and translation and interpreting studies. It covers participant profiling and naturalistic data collection, followed by an overview of the field’s methods, tools and techniques, from qualitative approaches to quantitative methods such as diaries and surveys, think-aloud protocols, keylogging, eye-tracking, and neuroimaging. The chapter also discusses challenges and macroethical considerations in CTIS research, emphasizing the importance of rigorous data collection. This volume aims to enhance methodological consistency in the field by bringing together experts from different fields to establish common standards for data collection and reporting, ultimately supporting more robust and generalizable results in CTIS research.