Article type
Year
Abstract
Background:
The Cochrane Library is one of the main information sources for evidence in health worldwide. In Brazil and Latin America, access to The Cochrane Library is free, but language is still a barrier. The Cochrane Collaboration, along with the Brazilian Cochrane Centre (BCC), are trying to increase the access of health professionals and consumers to information through the translations of Cochrane Review abstracts.
Objectives:
We present the experience of translating of Cochrane Abstracts into Brazilian Portuguese by volunteers.
Methods:
Two BCC research assistants voluntarily agreed to translate Cochrane Review abstracts. A third BCC research assistant was trained by Cochrane translation support officers on how to prepare and upload translated texts to Archie. A five-step translation process was created:
1. a BCC coordinator selected a monthly list of priority review abstracts to translate;
2. each volunteer selected and translated the abstracts and plain language summaries from that list;
3. the translated texts were reviewed by the coordinator;
4. the translations were transformed to html format and uploaded to Archie by a third volunteer;
5. translations were posted in The Cochrane Library and Cochrane Summaries.
Results:
Between May and December 2013, the BCC team translated 101 Cochrane Review abstracts and plain language summaries. Each volunteer translated an average of one abstract and plain language summary per week.
Conclusion:
The initial experience of the BCC in translating Cochrane Review abstracts was successful and the initiative is growing. This year we intend to increase the number of volunteers and to optimize the translation process.
The Cochrane Library is one of the main information sources for evidence in health worldwide. In Brazil and Latin America, access to The Cochrane Library is free, but language is still a barrier. The Cochrane Collaboration, along with the Brazilian Cochrane Centre (BCC), are trying to increase the access of health professionals and consumers to information through the translations of Cochrane Review abstracts.
Objectives:
We present the experience of translating of Cochrane Abstracts into Brazilian Portuguese by volunteers.
Methods:
Two BCC research assistants voluntarily agreed to translate Cochrane Review abstracts. A third BCC research assistant was trained by Cochrane translation support officers on how to prepare and upload translated texts to Archie. A five-step translation process was created:
1. a BCC coordinator selected a monthly list of priority review abstracts to translate;
2. each volunteer selected and translated the abstracts and plain language summaries from that list;
3. the translated texts were reviewed by the coordinator;
4. the translations were transformed to html format and uploaded to Archie by a third volunteer;
5. translations were posted in The Cochrane Library and Cochrane Summaries.
Results:
Between May and December 2013, the BCC team translated 101 Cochrane Review abstracts and plain language summaries. Each volunteer translated an average of one abstract and plain language summary per week.
Conclusion:
The initial experience of the BCC in translating Cochrane Review abstracts was successful and the initiative is growing. This year we intend to increase the number of volunteers and to optimize the translation process.